Crater, The Creative Visual Production House, spent two weeks on ground in NEOM producing a suite of films highlighting the regions beauty, nature and wildlife.
NEOM is situated in the Tabuk Province in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The site is north of the Red Sea, east of Egypt across the Gulf of Aqaba and south of Jordan.
Directed by SOVEREIGNS, the films follow leading travel photographers as they journey across the lands and under the seas, snapping their lens on a place yet to be explored.
The films support part of a greater campaign with a partnership between NEOM, Unsplash and Getty Images along with Vamp supplying creators. The images captured are housed on Unsplash to download and use, and have already amassed over 163 million views in just under a month since launch.
“The photographers and our production were given creative freedom with one key brief – Make the audience feel as if they’re there with you, coming along for the journey beside you,” said SOVEREIGNS director Simon Morehead.
“We held immense privilege in being welcomed and shown the region by the locals and guides, and even more in being tasked to bring to life a part of this world that had yet to be captured. Every location we passed through or arrived at felt like a film set.
“Each unique in their own way filled with life, colour, awe inspiring vistas and pure beauty. To be one of the first creators to produce films unveiling what NEOM is and what it holds is truly special.”
The films saw touches of production from around the globe spanning Australia, Dubai, New Zealand, Sweden and the UK.
“It’s very rare to be able to connect with so many people on a project and to see a group of creators in the same environment working on their craft. It was only after the first couple hours sharing our visuals with one another that it really sunk in to just how lucky we were to be a part of it all.
“This experience was enlightening and empowering. It taught me a lot personally and gave my eye something to develop as I watched on as to how other operators saw it through their lens,” said award winning Australian DP Louis C. Brandt.
‘Snaps Of NEOM’ Episode 01 and its aligning trailer are now live on NEOM channels with further films to be released.
Client – NEOM
Client lead – Jesse Desjardins & Tammy Mac Bean
Unsplash Vice President of Partnerships – Elisabeth Rosenak
Getty Images Snr CD – Anthony Holland Parkin
Vamp Co-Founder and Head of ME – Karl Mapstone
Vamp Partnerships Manager – Keith Walker
Creative + Production – CRATER
EP – Camille Laborde (MENA)
EP – Steven Farrer (AUS)
Creative Direction – SOVEREIGNS
Social and Digital Lead – Brooke Morehead
Direction – SOVEREIGNS (James Hulbert & Simon Morehead)
DP – Louis C. Brandt
Underwater – Alicia Franco
Additional footage – Luke Stackpoole
Trailer Edit – Rachael Goldsworthy
Episode Edits – Christopher Deeks & SOVEREIGNS
Colour – Jonny Tully @Cheat (Trailer & Episode 01)
Grade Producer – Théa Dagnaud (Cheat)
Colour – Joakim Risvelds (Location and Creator Episodes)
Grade Producer – Sara Eng & WGT
Sound Design & Music Composition (Trailer & Episode 01) – Jonny Higgins
Sound Design & Mix (Location & Creator Episodes) – James Martell
Motion – Ted Thorpe
Trailer VO – Joshua Earle
Photographers:
Adam Pretty , Annie Spratt, Alex Stead, Clay Banks, Jakub Arendarik, Jeremy Bishop, Luke Stackpoole, Mareen Fischinger, Marco Bottigelli, Mike Rall, Motasem Awad
Featured Talent:
Aziz Alnemer, Ibrahim Shams, Madde Dölling, Osama Jouhari, Salma Shaker and team NEOM
CRATER thanks the locals, guides and people of NEOM who opened up their hearts and hospitality throughout all expeditions.