MAM
Film Gate opens AI-fuelled VFX division at Yas Island to rewrite the future of cinema
MUMBAI: Abu Dhabi’s storytelling game just received a high-tech upgrade. Film Gate, a rising player in the MENA region’s media infrastructure, has launched a new visual effects and film technology division at Yas Island’s twofour54. And it’s not just about flashy post-production. This new unit wants to hardwire artificial intelligence into every reel.
The launch marks a major leap in Film Gate’s journey, with chairman Mansoor Alyabhouni Aldhaheri steering the ship. “The inclusion of AI in our workflow is not simply about innovation – it’s about making production more agile, more accessible, and globally competitive”, Aldhaheri said.
The initiative brings together a powerful cross-continental collaboration. UK-based Do It Creative Ltd and Big Films Media have joined hands with Film Gate to integrate cutting-edge AI and VFX workflows into content creation. Among the standout tools in their arsenal is Dsync, Do It Creative’s proprietary multilingual lip synchronisation tech, which has already made its mark in a recent awareness campaign. The system uses AI to produce seamless lip-syncing across languages, cutting both dubbing costs and corners.
Award-winning VFX director and Big Films Media producer Sam Bhattacharjee joins the team to elevate Abu Dhabi’s media output. “Technologies like Dsync allow us to explore new boundaries in storytelling and localisation”, Bhattacharjee said. “Abu Dhabi is leading the way in bringing technology and cinema together”.
From high-budget features and commercials to educational content, the new division aims to offer full-cycle services. And it’s not only about global expansion-local capacity building remains at the heart of the venture.
The announcement follows Abu Dhabi’s recent global first of offering Chatgpt access to all UAE citizens, making the emirate a beacon for digital innovation. Film Gate’s latest launch taps directly into that tech-forward momentum.
“This is only the beginning”, Aldhaheri noted. “We have a strong pipeline of forward-looking projects, and this collaboration allows us to deliver high-quality content while building local capabilities”.
MAM
Huella Services appoints Pankajj Rai as vice president – Ad sales
Media veteran with 18 years experience to lead monetisation and partnerships.
MUMBAI: When the ad game gets smarter, companies often look for someone who knows how to sell the story behind the screen. Huella Services has appointed Pankajj Rai as vice president for Ad sales, a move aimed at strengthening the company’s advertising and monetisation strategy as it expands its technology-led media offerings.
Rai brings over 18 years of experience across broadcast and digital media and will oversee monetisation initiatives for Newsroom AI, while also helping shape Huella’s next phase of development in interactive and AI-led advertising solutions.
Based in Delhi NCR, he will work closely with the founders and leadership team to align product capabilities with market needs, while driving partner development and go-to-market strategies for the company’s advertising platforms.
Rai’s career spans senior roles across some of India’s prominent media organisations. Before joining Huella, he served as business head for Wion and Zee Business at Zee Media Corporation. Earlier, he was national sales head at QYOU Media, where he led commercial partnerships and advertising growth.
His experience also includes managing commercial operations for major television brands such as Zee TV, Zee Cinema and Zee Bollywood, with responsibilities spanning North and East India.
Commenting on the appointment, Huella, co-founder and CEO Prrincey Roy said the company is strengthening its leadership team as it prepares for the next phase of growth.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Pankajj at a time when Huella is expanding both its portfolio and ambition. His depth of experience and strategic lens make him an invaluable addition as we build not just better products, but better outcomes for our partners and brands,” Roy said.
Huella Services is currently building technology driven advertising platforms that integrate AI powered content ecosystems with brand engagement, reflecting a broader shift in the media industry towards data driven and interactive advertising formats.
With Rai now leading ad sales and monetisation, the company aims to deepen relationships with advertisers while scaling its AI driven media products in an increasingly competitive digital advertising landscape.
