As locations for large-scale events go, a patch of sand between two wadis deep inside Jebel Hafeet National Park miles away from the nearest road is certainly one of the more unusual and less convenient. However, as People CEO Tim Elliott and the rest of the team behind the 53rd UAE Eid Al Etihad discovered during the production of the show, sometimes the road less travelled is one that is very much worth taking. “The location recce to find that spot was an epic journey in itself,” he laughed. “We walked for hours, miles into the National Park, in search of the perfect spot.”
After traversing numerous wadis and turning down several potential event sites, finally the team stumbled upon an area that fit the bill. “At times it felt like we would never find the right place, but as soon as we saw the space and the stunning rock formation in the background, it just felt right,” he recalled. “It was a truly special location.”
While People has a long history of involvement in UAE National Day celebrations, this year was the first that the company has been the lead creative force on the project, working directly with the National Projects Office and Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, with Elliott taking the title of Artistic Director. “It may be my name at the top of the bill, but I’m really representing the whole agency and the amazing full-time creative team that supported us to create the show,” Elliott said humbly. “This wasn’t about us putting our stamp on the creative; it was about listening to our client, listening to the nation, and delivering what they want us to deliver. In doing that, I believe we’ve produced an extremely powerful production in terms of storytelling and an emotional arc.”
Photos: People
