The Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC) today announced VIDXB, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s first annual gathering celebrating the world of online video. The two-day event will be held from 8 to 9 December 2017 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. VIDXB will also kick off a year-round series of programs to promote local content, showcase emerging technologies, and facilitate skills development for Dubai’s growing digital media talent pool.
With the world’s largest youth population, the MENA region has witnessed staggering growth in the creation and consumption of online content. According to the Arab Media Outlook 2016-2018, digital media is the region’s fastest growing media segment, at 17% annually. Further, online activity in MENA is at an all-time high, with youth ages 15 to 24 spending nearly two hours a day on video and social networks. This “mobile-first, always-connected” ethos is evident in the region’s vibrant community of successful creators, influencers, gamers and digital entrepreneurs who are disrupting traditional business models and giving voice to locally relevant content.
Dubai is at the epicenter of this community that is continually pushing the bounds of innovative storytelling, and is connected to a global audience through online platforms. The vision laid out by Dubai’s leadership more than two decades ago, to establish the emirate as a hub for the creative economy, has borne fruit, with the world’s leading technology and media companies now calling Dubai home, including YouTube, Facebook, and Snap Inc.
VIDXB will bring together everyone who has embraced digital platforms, to create, consume and share content. The gathering will feature both aspiring storytellers and international online stars, with a curated program for a broad audience of fans, creators and industry professionals alike. The event will cover a wide range of verticals, from lifestyle and beauty to gaming, technology and sports, and will promote knowledge-sharing through hands-on, experiential activations, workshops and training sessions.
“VIDXB is a platform that will accelerate growth of the online video industry, which represents the future of content. Every individual that attends VIDXB will have an opportunity to learn, create, demonstrate, and engage with content makers, both regional and global” said Jamal Al Sharif, Chairman of the Dubai Film and TV Commission.
DFTC will produce VIDXB in partnership with The Alliance LLC, the organizers of the Middle East Film and Comic Con, the largest pop culture festival in the region. DFTC is a member of Dubai Creative Clusters Authority.