Case study: filming at MWC Doha - video production across a 100,000 m² venue
Global sports media company, ESPN, traveled to South Korea to document NFL player Hines Ward’s return to his home country. The video production was set to be a documentary covering shoots across Namsan Park, capturing the emotional journey of Ward and his Korean roots. The production involved traveling from the US to South Korea for the player and his family, as well as for the ESPN film crew. Upon arrival in South Korea, ESPN needed a local, on-the-ground production partner to manage location scouting and permits, deliver fixer services, handle local crew hiring, and handle additional logistics.
The client had clear expectations, mainly centered on high-quality video highlights, seamless coordination between production crews, and timely delivery. MWC Doha is a large-scale convention with tens of conference rooms and halls. For us, it meant leveraging time-management skills to capture multiple activities at the same time across different venues, and while maintaining high production standards.
Services we provided on the ground:
Professional production equipment
Skilled videographers familiar with shooting at large-scale events and conventions
Focus pullers & additional production personnel
Dedicated production assistant (PA)
On-set coordination with the Spanish production team
Challenges & how we addressed them
Filming at scale: crew coordination across a 100,000 m² venue
Given that the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) is a large-scale venue, our core challenge was team coordination. Aligning multiple teams across 100,000 m² demanded advanced planning and ongoing communication. MWC Doha, in particular, included different types of events, from keynote presentations and speeches to tech production presentations, exhibitions, and more. Both teams, our local crew and the Spanish team, had to capture different activities simultaneously across several rooms and events.
To address the challenges in front of us, our strategy was to brief all team members on the deliverables at hand. Furthermore, we made sure to communicate the schedule clearly from the start, as well as the filming requirements. Having a local production assistant (PA) on site proved extremely helpful. The PA was the central coordination point of all activities throughout the shoot. We were able to stay aligned, ask for guidance when in doubt, and react fast whenever priorities changed.
Bridging cultural differences on set
When filming in Qatar, it pays to know that cultural differences may create friction on set. In one instance, it was brought to our attention that smoking was not allowed. After the client raised the concern, we expressed our apologies and immediately acknowledged the issue. Additionally, we had a private conversation with the crew member involved and mentioned that, in a professional setting, the behavior was not allowed.
Overall, it was an opportunity to reinforce conduct expectations and the cultural differences that exist between local and international crews. When filming in Qatar, it is important to keep in mind that local crews in Qatar may have different cultural understandings of on-set etiquette. For this reason, we always recommend clearly communicating expectations and guidelines in advance. This ensures alignment and helps avoid any misunderstandings during the shoot.
What you need to know when filming in Qatar
Filming a video production project in the Middle East demands more than expertise and technical know-how. From our experience, shooting in Qatar, at the MWC convention in Doha, it was all about advanced planning, cultural awareness, and precise on-set coordination. The pace of the activities involved, the scale of the venue, and the blend of local and international teams involved left us with fundamental takeaways:
Set realistic expectations – out of the multitude of filming locations in Doha, Qatar, the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center is one of the most challenging to navigate. Everyone on set needs to know what is expected of them before starting to film.
Communicate project deliverables clearly – When multiple filming locations and venues are involved in a shoot, real-time communication is vital. A production assistant is highly recommended because they have the expertise to keep local and international teams aligned on deliverables.
Acknowledge cultural differences – Take time to understand the local culture, the differences involved, and the activities that may or may not be accepted.
Whether you’re shooting a commercial in the Middle East or juggling multiple filming locations across a massive venue, having a reliable partner by your side makes all the difference. Having the right people and processes in place from the start ensures timely delivery at international standards.
