STUNNING DESERT LOCATIONS, AN ENTICING 30% INCENTIVE AND QUALITY CREW MAKE MOROCCO STILL ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR FILMING DESTINATIONS.
“WE CALL IT THE HOLLYWOOD OF MOROCCO. ANY PROJECT THAT IS SET IN THE MIDDLE EAST, FAR EAST OR HAS A BIBLICAL THEME, TENDS TO FILM THERE.”
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny © Disney Enterprises, Inc.
"MOST EQUIPMENT IS ALSO AVAILABLE LOCALLY, INCLUDING DRONES, TOP SPEC CAMERAS, LIGHTING AND SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR STANDS."
| Morocco always hosts a steady stream of international projects. Notable recent examples include Paramount’s Gladiator 2, starring Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington, Vendome Pictures’ Lord of War sequel, starring Nicolas Cage, season four of Netflix’s Outer Banks, Vigil series 2 for BBC, and a Netflix/BBC series about the Lockerbie bombing. Many projects, including Gladiator 2, choose to shoot in Ouarzazate, the gateway to the Sarah desert. “We call it the Hollywood of Morocco. Any project that is set in the Middle East, Far East or has a biblical theme, tends to film there,” says Khadija Alami, owner of K Films and president of the Ouarzazate Film Commission, who has also hosted productions at her Oasis Studios. It has one sound stage and a backlot on the outskirts of Ouarzazate. But it’s not the only popular location. There are plenty of others, including Casablanca, which is where most of the production service providers and crew are based; Marrakesh with its old narrow streets; and the old port town of Essaouira is growing in appeal. Even Fez has muscled in on the action, hosting Universal Pictures’ Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which was due to shoot in India when Covid-19 struck. “We looked at all the big cities across Morocco, but the director, producers and production designer all wanted Fez, which was doubling for Tangier,” says Driss Gaidi, production supervisor on the film. “Fez is ideal as it has an Asian look, is only two hours from Rabat and has international airports and quality accommodation options.” The logistics of filming Indiana Jones in the main streets of Fez’s old town were huge and required a lot of planning, bringing in equipment and support from the local authorities. The previous major film to shoot there was Jewel of the Nile in 1986. “We had a crew of about 2000 Moroccans and foreigners and about 900 vehicles all working in the narrow streets. But it proved to be successful and the local people, businesses and police department were hugely welcoming and helpful when we had to shut down the streets to do car chase sequences,” adds Gaidi. DOUBLE TAKE Morocco can double for a variety of countries. “We’ve doubled Casablanca for Beirut, Mohammedia (on the west coast) for Tehran and the centre of Morocco for the south of France,” says Alami. “For the last job I worked on, Paramount Plus TV series Special Ops: Lioness, we even managed to double locations around Marrakesh for Texas (a highway crash sequence) and Kuwait city (an oasis compound and military camp).” Gaidi adds: “I’ve doubled Morocco for so many different locations, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey. That is the advantage we have here, there is such a variety of landscapes, including palm trees, deserts, archaic architecture, even snowy mountains that look like Switzerland.” “You can go to the north of Morocco, like Tangier, and double it for Spain, you can shoot Greece, while in Casablanca you can double houses in Beverly Hills or interiors of bars and restaurants because it’s so modern,” says Hicham Hajji, head of H Films, who’s worked on several of his own films as producer and director, including Redemption Day, as well as servicing international productions in Morocco. “We have such cinematic landscapes, from the grandeur of the Moroccan coast and Atlas mountains to the supernatural beauty of the Sahara Desert, ancient Moroccan cities and well-preserved historic sites suitable for a variety of genres,” adds Said Andam, owner and producer at local production service outfit Ozz Films. Travelling between the different locations is also easy. There are plenty of flights into the country (it’s just three hours from London) and between the cities. Plus, there’s an extensive “network of good motorways, which are safe to drive on, for the production vehicles,” assures Alami. The one challenge is if a production wants to shoot desert and water scenes within a short distance of each other. “We were asked for that recently for a commercial, but it’s about five hours between the dunes and lakes. The only chance is if it’s been raining in the area,” says Hajji. “But whichever location you shoot in, the people are always welcoming, especially in the poor areas. If you’re filming in their village, they’ll welcome you into their homes to share bread. This makes the production experience even better,” adds Hajji. Permits to shoot are usually straightforward thanks to local support. But before obtaining one, “you must identify a Moroccan production partner who has an ‘Autorisation d'exercice et agrément de production’. Not every company in Morocco has this; it’s a regulated professional activity subject to having an operating license,” warns Andam. “The identified production partner acts as a legal intermediary between the foreign production company and the local crew to ensure that all professional regulations, security and safety measures are implemented correctly.” COST-EFFECTIVE Aside from the locations, another key draw for international productions is undoubtedly the lower costs. “Morocco is cheaper than most Western countries,” says Andam. “Plus, there is the 30% uncapped cash rebate on eligible expenditure.” The incentive is managed by the Moroccan Cinema Centre (CCM), which can also support incoming international productions with other requirements like local crew, permits and location choices. To apply for the incentive, productions need to explain to the CCM the nature of the project, distribution, length of work in the country, investment programme, financial support requested, and eligible expenses in Morocco. To qualify for the rebate, there’s a minimum spend requirement of about USD1 million and the applying production company must do at least 18 days of work in the country, including set building. “Approval for the rebate takes between a week and a month, usually closer to the latter,” says Alami. “It’s quick and easy to set up a local bank account, then once you have all the documents in hand it takes 24 to 48 hours maximum to receive the rebate.” Productions can also benefit from an exemption on VAT. The only thing that takes a bit more time is the import of weapons, pyrotechnics and explosives. “But if you follow the rules and give yourself time, then the process should still be straightforward,” says Alami.
CREW AND INFRASTRUCTURE The local crew are renowned for being experienced and productive, having worked on several major productions over the years, and there is a new generation coming through also proving their worth on set. “They are readily available and at budget-friendly rates lower than most other film production hubs,” assures Andam. This is why most productions use majority local crew. “In the old days, the big US productions would bring in like 80% American crew and use 20% Moroccans. Now it’s the opposite way round,” says Hajji. The local knowledge from the Moroccan crew and production service providers is vital in the region. “Running a production in the cities of Casablanca or Rabat requires a very different approach to running a project in the desert or mountain regions. Our practical knowledge of the terrain thanks to years of hands-on experience can be applied in the breakdowns and location scouting propositions,” adds Andam. Most equipment is also available locally, including drones, top spec cameras, lighting and special equipment for stands. “We have everything from cameras to good grips and gaffers, even ADs. Everything an international production needs,” concludes Hajji. Main Image: | Q&A CHRISTIAN MCWILLIAMS LOCATION MANAGER
Christian lived and worked in Morocco for nearly 15 years on big projects, including Syriana, Mamma Mia, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and Dune, and still shoots there occasionally. Q: What makes Morocco such an appealing filming location? A: Productions have been filming there since before the Second World War and it continues to attract around 15 big projects a year. It’s ideally located close to Europe, just three hours from London to Marrakesh, and yet it seems a million miles away in terms of culture. There’s also great light and a much improved transport system. Plus, it’s a safe Muslim country to film in. Q: What was the last project you did there? A: John Wick 3 with Keanu Reeves. It was an incredible shoot in the desert of Essaouira, which is an old port city on the Atlantic coast. Logistically speaking, it was straightforward to shoot there. The local market people and authorities are so used to productions turning up it’s like a well-oiled machine. They are happy to receive you. And the standard of the local hotels has improved drastically over the years – there are five star places ideal for Hollywood stars. And everybody loves being in the desert where it’s so calm, nothing disturbs you, and you can create huge sets for cheap. Q: What projects do you have coming up? A: I was there over Christmas and New Year’s scouting a project that may shoot in Morocco this year. It’s a big secret.
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