The British Council commissioned Nordicity to undertake the first-ever in-depth research into Film Skills in Saudi Arabia, with the support provided by the Ministry of Culture, outlining the skills and capabilities needed to strengthen and grow the sector in the future.
Key findings from the report include:
- 35 per cent of those surveyed felt the cast and on-screen talent were the biggest advantages of the Saudi film sector
- Nearly three quarters (72%) of those surveyed were young people under 30, out of these, a third (34%) were female.
- Nearly half of those surveyed (43%) identified financing as the greatest barrier for the industry
- 41 per cent of those surveyed cite skills shortages as the biggest issue in recruiting for the Saudi Film Industry
- 28 per cent of respondents would prefer for the workforce to train in Saudi Arabia.
- Online streaming (77%) is the most prominent form of Saudi film distribution.
- 93 per cent of all Saudi Film companies film locally, with over a third (39%) of the film sector residing in Riyadh.
- 72 per cent of survey respondents were very interested in partnering with the UK
The report is also available in Arabic and can be downloaded here.