The newly set-up freelance relations team at twofour54 Abu Dhabi has got off to a flying start as they support the media zone’s talented freelancers – securing more than 40 briefs in their first 60 days.

 

The dedicated team was set up to assist freelancers and connect them with government entities and the 470-plus partners at twofour54.

 

The service connects partners and freelancers, helping partners secure the right talent for their projects and helping freelancers get more work opportunities. The dedicated team also handles some of the most time-consuming and challenging issues that freelancers face, such as visas, billing, and VAT, which enables both partners and freelancers to focus on their work.

 

Within two months of launching the team, it has handled more than 300 requests from individuals wanting to join and secured more than 40 requests from partners and other companies looking for freelance support, a statement said.

 

Twofour54 offers the most competitive licensing package in the UAE. Freelancers can obtain a sole proprietor business trade 12-month licence for Dh4,500 ($1,225) a year or a six-month licence for Dh2,250. This fee includes three licensable activities and the process can take as little as 10 days.  

 

Maryam Eid AlMheiri, CEO of Media Zone Authority – Abu Dhabi and twofour54, said: “Supporting freelancers is one of our industry’s top priorities as they play a key role in building a thriving and sustainable media industry in Abu Dhabi. Our mission is to ensure the pool of registered freelancers is growing - both in terms of the number and the amount of work they are securing. Freelancers are vital to the delivery of the creative initiatives in our region and we want to ensure we are providing the most supportive network possible to allow the media community to flourish.”

 

One of the most compelling benefits of becoming a twofour54 freelancer is the community that twofour54 offers. All registered freelancers have access to project briefs with partners and affiliated entities via the twofour54 Briefing Room – a unique portal where clients can post briefs and the community can respond. In addition, twofour54 offers flexible working environments. Freelancers can work from home or choose to work from one of the available hot desks. They can also access the #thelab – a physical space where community members can meet and share projects with hub's 13,000-strong youth community.

 

Freelancers also benefit from access to twofour54 networking and community events, such as the Connect series, which has seen a record turnout in the first half of 2018.

 

Currently, there are more than 580 freelancers registered with twofour54 with more than 60 sectors of the industry represented. Twofour54 freelancers cover a wide variety of media, such as PR & marketing, film & TV services, web development, animation, graphic design, social media, and videography and photography.  A registered twofour54 freelancer gets the chance to work with any one of the 470+ international and regional partners, including some of the industry’s leading names, such as CNN, Sky News Arabia, Cartoon Network, and Ubisoft.

 

Naji El Halabi, the team’s commercial manager, said: “Our pool of freelancers has always been a vital part of our media ecosystem and a major draw for partners looking to set up here. And we are here to help with everything from setting up as a freelancer to finding business and even handling your billing and payments.”

 

Noura Tabikh, freelance relations manager at twofour54, said: “This year, we’ve seen our incredible talent pool grow even further as a result of the delivery of key projects, such as the opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi, and major film productions like ‘Race 3’, ‘Saaho’, and ‘Mission Impossible: Fallout’.

 

“And as we see our industry get bigger and bigger, particularly with new developments coming online such as twofour54’s new, larger state-of-the-art home on Yas Island and Studio City at Mina Zayed, demand for freelancers is only going to grow even more.”

 

Hiba Hassan, a registered graphic design freelancer, said: “It’s key to my business to have the support base provided by twofour54 Abu Dhabi. Many freelancers are naturally focussed on their day-to-day work so having a network behind you enables you to concentrate on your clients and the work you’re doing, and that’s a real benefit that you might not find in other cities. It’s helped me to set up in Abu Dhabi and grow my business since starting it in 2016.” - TradeArabia News Service