Assistant Directors
Skilled 1st and 2nd ADs run shoots across Riyadh, Jeddah, AlUla, and NEOM.
The assistant director guides Saudi Arabia's fast growing production scene. Big government money now builds top studio setups next to ancient heritage sites and bold desert spots. The 1st AD sets up shoots at NEOM Studios and Jax Film Studios in Riyadh. They also run location work at the UNESCO-listed Hegra site in AlUla. The role blends modern shoot discipline with cultural know-how in the Gulf's fastest-growing film market.
NeedAFixer links you with ADs skilled in Saudi Arabia's unique production scene. Our network has pros who worked at NEOM Studios and Jax Film Studios. They have also worked on location across AlUla and the Red Sea coast. They know the 40% Saudi cash rebates well. They handle GCAM (General Commission for Audiovisual Media) permits. And they grasp the cultural rules key for smooth shoots in the Kingdom.
ACT 01
Capabilities
Complete AD Services
Our assistant directors lead from prep through wrap. They keep shoots organized, brisk, and on track every day.
01
1st Assistant Director
- Set management & control
- Shooting schedule execution
- Director collaboration
- Crew coordination
- Safety oversight
Set Leadership
02
2nd Assistant Director
- Call sheet preparation
- Talent coordination
- Background management
- Paperwork & reports
- 1st AD support
Production Support
03
AD Team Services
- 2nd 2nd ADs
- Key set PAs
- Crowd marshals
- Base camp coordination
- Multi-unit support
Complete Teams
04
Pre-Production
- Schedule breakdown
- Day-out-of-days
- Strip board creation
- Location logistics
- Shooting order planning
Prep Excellence
ACT 02
Why Us
Why Choose Our Assistant Directors
01.
Saudi Production Expertise
Our ADs have credits on global features, major commercials, and Vision 2030 shoots. They manage complex shoots across Saudi Arabia's new studio infrastructure and ancient heritage sites.
02.
NEOM, AlUla & Permit Knowledge
ADs familiar with NEOM Studios, Jax Film Studios, and Film AlUla operations. They handle GCAM permitting, the 40% cash rebates, and set up with the Saudi Film Commission and Royal Commission for AlUla.
03.
Arabic-English Communication
Arabic and English speaking ADs who know the cultural protocols of Saudi production. They manage prayer time scheduling, gender considerations, and set up with local authorities while keeping global shoots standards.
04.
Desert & Heritage Scheduling
Pro schedule management for extreme desert heat conditions. Our ADs plan around seasonal temperature windows, set up Hegra heritage site access, and manage the logistics of shooting at remote NEOM and Red Sea locations.
On Location
Saudi 1st AD floor management — prayer-time-aware call sheets, AlUla heat protocols, multilingual crew
Our Saudi 1st ADs run floor across NEOM Bajdah Studios' four sound stages (9,000 m² largest in MENA, opened 2022), MBC Studios Riyadh and Jeddah, Telfaz11 Studios (Sattar 2022 Saudi box-office record dir. Ali Kalthami), Manga Productions Riyadh (Saudi-Japan Toei Animation JV), and Pixomondo Riyadh LED Volume. Recent global 1st AD work on Kandahar (Gerard Butler 2023 AlUla + NEOM $43M dir. Ric Roman Waugh), Desert Warrior (Anthony Mackie 2024 AlUla dir. Rupert Wyatt). Cherry (Apple TV+ partial AlUla) handled bilingual call sheets, prayer-time scheduling (five daily. Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha plus Friday ~12:00-13:30), Ramadan iftar-to-suhoor 9pm-2am peak production windows, and multilingual crew radio call across Arabic MSA / Najdi / Hejazi dialects, English, Urdu (large Pakistani expat workforce — drivers, grips, runners), Filipino, Hindi, Bengali, Tagalog, Indonesian. Movie Magic Scheduling and Movie Magic Budgeting are standard. Saudi Sunday-Thursday workweek means call sheets diverge from Western Mon-Fri convention.
Compliance ladder runs through Saudi Film Commission (Ministry of Culture), GCAM (General Commission for Audiovisual Media) type G/PG/PG12/PG15/R15/R18, Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) for AlUla jurisdiction, NEOM authority for NEOM SEZ, Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), Ministry of Human Resources work permits, GOSI payroll sign-ups, Saudization Nitaqat quotas (5% rebates uplift on Cultural Development Fund's 40% cash rebates). Heat-illness protocols required June-September 45-50°C extreme — AC trailers + shade tents standard. AlUla cool desert nights winter 5-10°C needs DIT condensation management on call sheets. Modest dress code compliance for female on-camera talent on domestic broadcast, religious site restrictions (no non-Muslim crew within Haram. Mecca and Medina off-limits), and SFDA halal craft catering scheduling around prayer times define the workflow. No domestic Saudi 1st AD union — global DGA work routes reciprocally via Dubai EPS bureaus (Entertainment Partners ME, Talent Bank Dubai).
ACT 03
FAQ
AD Department Expertise
What does a 1st Assistant Director do in Saudi Arabia?
The 1st AD runs the set — managing the shooting schedule, setting up all departments, and making sure the director focuses on creative decisions. In Saudi Arabia, the 1st AD also manages GCAM permit compliance, sets up prayer time breaks, and navigates the cultural protocols specific to the Kingdom.
What's the difference between 1st and 2nd AD?
The 1st AD runs the set during shooting, while the 2nd AD handles logistics off-set — preparing call sheets, setting up talent movements, managing background artists, and handling production forms. On larger shoots, they work as a team with the 2nd supporting the 1st's set management.
How do cultural requirements affect production in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi shoots must account for prayer times, cultural dress codes, gender considerations, and content guidelines. Our ADs build these needs into each schedule and brief global crews on expectations before shooting starts.
Do your ADs speak Arabic?
Many of our ADs speak Arabic alongside English. This is key for setting up with local authorities, GCAM representatives, and Saudi crew members. All our ADs for global shoots are fluent English speakers.
Can you provide AD teams for multi-unit productions?
Yes, we staff complete AD departments including 1st ADs, 2nd ADs, 2nd 2nd ADs, and extra support for main unit, second unit, and splinter units. We set up to make sure steady communication across all units.
What experience do your ADs have?
Our AD roster has pros with credits on major global shoots at NEOM and AlUla, Vision 2030 projects, and high-profile commercials shot across Riyadh, Jeddah, and the Red Sea coast.
Related Services
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ACT 04 — On Set
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