How to Commission a Video Shoot in Dubai: Step-by-Step Plan

To commission a video shoot in Dubai, start with the job the video has to do and the place it will run. Turn that into a one-page brief before you contact anyone. With a brief in hand you can compare quotes on the same terms, check permits and rights early, and get the files you paid for.

The steps below follow the order a shoot runs in. Each one ends with something you can write down or ask.

Start with the job the video has to do

A video for a business has one main job. Pick it before you think about style:

Get a booking or a message. A Reel or a short ad that ends with "book a table" or "message us on WhatsApp".
Answer a question that stops a sale. A clinic explaining a procedure, or a rental company showing how delivery to a hotel works.
Build trust in a person. An interview with the founder or the lawyer people will deal with.
Show a place. A venue, a property, a showroom.

Write the job in one sentence. For example: "People who find us on Google Maps should see the terrace and the menu in 30 seconds and tap WhatsApp." That sentence decides the length, the shots and the call to action. If you are planning a company film or an interview, read what to decide before a corporate shoot first.

Decide the deliverables before you call anyone

Vague deliverables cause arguments after the shoot. "A video for Instagram" can mean one Reel or ten. List each file you expect:

Deliverable	Format	Where it runs	Decide in advance
Vertical Reel or Short	9:16, 15 to 60 s	Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts	Number of versions, hook in the first seconds
Horizontal film	16:9, 1 to 3 min	Website, YouTube, presentations	Music, subtitles, logo at start or end
Cutdowns for ads	9:16, 4:5, 1:1	Meta, TikTok, Google ads	Lengths, text-safe areas
Stills from the shoot	JPG	Google Business Profile, website	Whether stills are included or a separate job
Subtitled versions	Burned-in or SRT file	All of the above	Languages: English, Arabic, Russian

Multilingual audiences matter in the UAE. If you sell to Russian or Arabic speakers, ask for separate subtitle files or separate edits. One edit with three lines of text on screen is hard to read on a phone.

Set a budget range and compare like with like

Quotes vary because the job varies. One operator with a camera and a microphone is a different product from a crew with lighting, a producer and a colourist. Market ranges by shoot type are in the Savage Media journal on video production cost in Dubai, so I will not repeat them here.

What helps you compare quotes:

Ask every contractor to price the same brief and the same deliverables list.
Ask for hours on site, editing rounds and file formats as separate lines.
Check whether usage rights, music licences and subtitles are included.

My own shoots start from AED 950 (Special offer). That figure covers a shoot; the brief and deliverables decide the final number.

Write a one-page brief

A brief does not need an agency template. One page with these points is enough:

Goal: the one-sentence job from the first step.
Audience: who watches, in which language, on which device.
Deliverables: the list from the table above.
Must-have shots: the dish that sells, the treatment room, the car at the hotel entrance.
People on camera: names, roles, who has agreed to appear.
Location and access: address, opening hours, parking, who unlocks the doors.
Brand rules: logo files, colours, words you never use.
References: two or three videos you like and one you dislike, with a line on why.
Call to action: WhatsApp, booking link, phone.
Deadline: when the first cut and the final files are due.

Hypothetical example: a dental clinic in Jumeirah wants a 45-second vertical video for its Google Business Profile and Instagram.

Goal: show a nervous patient what the first visit looks like.
Must-have shots: reception, the consultation chair, the dentist explaining in plain words.
People on camera: the dentist and a staff member, both agreed.
Call to action: "Message us on WhatsApp to book a first consultation."

With that page, two contractors can quote on the same job, and the shoot day has a plan.

Questions to ask a videographer before you pay

Use these on the first call. The answers show more than a showreel does.

Who shoots on the day, and who edits? Is it the same person?
What equipment do you bring for sound? Bad audio ruins interviews faster than bad light.
How many edit rounds are included, and what counts as a round?
In which formats and resolutions will I receive the files?
Do you keep the raw footage, for how long, and can I buy it?
Do you handle permits for this location, or do I?
What music do you use, and is it licensed for ads?
What happens if the shoot is cancelled or the weather changes the plan?
Can you show a finished project in my format, for example a vertical Reel with subtitles?

On my side, I have been filming for a long time. In Russia I ran live broadcasts and kept video diaries for forums, and I have now worked in Dubai for four years. I work alone with AI tools, so the person you brief for a video and photo shoot is the person who shoots and edits.

Permits, people on camera and music

Three legal points come up on almost every shoot in the UAE. I am not a lawyer, so treat this as a list of things to check.

Location permits. Shooting in public places, landmarks, malls and some outdoor areas can require a permit, and drones have separate rules. The Savage Media guide to Dubai filming permits covers the process and fees. Confirm with the Dubai Film and TV Commission or the location manager before you fix a date.

People on camera. UAE law protects people's privacy and image. Staff, guests and customers who appear in the video should agree in writing, and passers-by should not be identifiable without consent. The Savage Media article on photographing people in the UAE explains release forms.

Music. A track that works in a personal Story can be blocked or muted in an ad. Ask for licensed music and keep the licence with your files.

If the video will run as advertising with a creator or influencer, the creator may need an advertiser permit from the UAE media authority. Check this with them before the shoot.

Plan the shoot day around light and the venue

Dubai light changes the plan. Midday sun flattens faces and burns out white walls, and the hour before sunset is softer. In summer, outdoor shoots in the middle of the day are hard on people and equipment. The UAE also restricts outdoor work in summer midday hours, so check the current dates. The Savage Media article on shooting in summer heat covers the details.

Inside a venue, agree on these points with the manager:

Which hours the space is empty or half-empty.
Which tables, rooms or cars are ready and styled.
Who from your side stays on set to approve shots and answer questions.
Where the crew can plug in equipment and leave bags.

For interviews, the setup matters more than the camera. My notes on light, sound and location for interview shoots list what to prepare.

Put usage rights and files in the contract

Who owns the footage, and where you may use it, should be in writing before anyone films. Include:

Usage: organic social, paid ads, website, TV or outdoor. Ads and outdoor often cost more if models or actors appear.
Duration and territory: UAE only, GCC or worldwide, and for how long.
Ownership: whether you own the edited files outright or receive a licence.
Raw files: included or not, format, how they are delivered.
Credits: whether the contractor can show the work in a portfolio.
Payment terms: deposit, final payment, what happens if delivery is late.

A videographer who refuses to write deliverables down is a warning sign, because a written list protects both sides.

Review the first cut with a plan

When the first cut arrives, collect all comments in one document with timecodes, for example "0:12, replace this shot of the bar with the terrace". Scattered voice notes from five people use up edit rounds and slow the project.

Check three things first:

Does the first second show something worth stopping for?
Is the call to action clear, both on screen and in the caption?
Do the subtitles match what people say?

Then tag the link you put under the video. A WhatsApp or booking link with UTM parameters tells you which video brought the message.

What not to do

Book on a showreel alone. A showreel shows the best ten seconds from many projects. Ask for one full finished video close to your format.
Brief on the shoot day. If the shot list appears on set, the crew films what is easy and misses what sells.
Pay for one "hero" film and nothing else. One long film rarely works on Instagram, in ads and on the website at once. Plan cutdowns in the same shoot.
Skip consent forms for staff. People leave jobs, and a former employee can ask you to remove a video you paid for.
Use unlicensed music in ads. Platforms mute or block it, and you lose the ad spend.
Buy promises of results. My position: overpricing and selling things that do not work are common in this market. A contractor can promise deliverables, dates and quality. Nobody can promise bookings from a video, and a quote that does should make you cautious.
Count on Instagram ads alone. In my view, Instagram targeting in Dubai is crowded and its promised results are inflated. Place the same video on your Google Business Profile, your website and other platforms too.

Checklist

Write the video's job in one sentence.
List every deliverable with format, length and language.
Prepare a one-page brief with must-have shots and a call to action.
Send the same brief to two or three contractors and compare the quotes line by line.
Ask who shoots, who edits, how many edit rounds and which formats.
Check location permits, drone rules and consent for everyone on camera.
Confirm licensed music.
Sign a contract with usage, ownership, raw files and payment terms.
Plan the shoot day around light, venue hours and a person on set.
Review the first cut with timecoded comments in one document.
Publish with a tagged link and check which video brings messages.
If you plan regular short videos after the first shoot, use the weekly scheme in Reels without a content factory.

Questions and answers

How far in advance should I book a video shoot in Dubai?

Book as soon as you know the location and the people on camera. If the location needs a filming permit or the venue needs to close a section, add time for that approval before you fix a date.

Do I need a filming permit to shoot inside my own restaurant or clinic?

Rules depend on the location, the type of production and the equipment. Ask the videographer what they need, and confirm with the Dubai Film and TV Commission or a lawyer before shooting in public or shared spaces.

Should I get the raw footage?

Decide before you sign. Raw files are large and some contractors charge for storage or transfer, so write into the contract whether you receive them, in what format and how long the contractor keeps a copy.

What does a video shoot cost in Dubai?

Prices depend on crew size, hours, editing and usage rights. My shoots start from AED 950 (Special offer), and market ranges are collected in the Savage Media journal.