Fifteen years
behind the lens.
Okan Pictures is a videographer-led video production studio in Dubai. Okan Atabay is a broadcast-trained videographer, director and producer with over 15 years of experience across television, commercial and documentary work, now based in Dubai and working in English, German and Turkish.
Over fifteen years, Okan Atabay has worked on productions for Liverpool FC, Burger King, Subway, Yamaha, AXA, Kaufland and Wüsthof, as well as for German broadcasters RTL, WDR and SAT.1. Some of that work was commissioned directly, some through agencies. He now brings the same standard to businesses in Dubai.
One person, concept to delivery
Most production work in Dubai is split across a crew and an account manager. At Okan Pictures the person who develops the concept is the person filming, editing, grading and mixing the final piece. That keeps the look consistent across a campaign, shortens the feedback loop, and removes a layer of cost that clients would otherwise pay for coordination rather than craft.
How a project runs
- Briefing. Goal, audience, platform and budget defined in a short call
- Concept and script, written and approved before anyone books a shoot day
- Production. Filming on location in Dubai, with lighting and sound handled on site
- Post production. Editing, colour grading, sound design and subtitles
- Publishing, where wanted, including captions, hashtags and scheduling
- Delivery within five working days, vertical 9:16 and horizontal 16:9
Equipment
Filming is done on a Canon R5C in 4K and 8K, with a stabilised gimbal for movement, an Easy Rig for longer handheld work, and professional LED lighting. Editing, colour grading and sound are handled in Adobe Premiere Pro.
Languages
Okan Pictures works fluently in English, German and Turkish. German and Turkish speaking business owners in Dubai can run an entire project, from first briefing to final approval, in their own language, including scripts, on camera direction and subtitles.
Common questions
Which brands have you worked with?
Okan Atabay has worked on more than 100 productions over fifteen years, including projects for Liverpool FC, Burger King, Subway, Yamaha, AXA, Kaufland and Wusthof, and for German broadcasters RTL, WDR and SAT.1. Some were commissioned directly by the brand, others through agencies.
Do you have broadcast experience?
Yes. Before founding Okan Pictures in Dubai, Okan Atabay produced and directed for German television, including RTL, WDR and SAT.1. That background shapes every shoot: proper lighting, clean sound, and a structure that holds attention past the first three seconds.
What should I look for in a professional videographer in Dubai?
Ask to see a showreel that matches the type of work you need rather than a general portfolio, get the deliverables and revision rounds fixed in writing before the shoot, and check whether the person filming is also the person editing. Consistency usually suffers when those are split.
What does cinematic actually mean in video production?
Cinematic is not a filter applied in editing. It comes from controlled lighting, shallow depth of field, deliberate camera movement rather than handheld drift, a frame rate and shutter angle that produce natural motion blur, and colour grading applied to footage shot in a flat log profile. Okan Pictures films on a Canon R5C in 4K and 8K and grades every project individually.
Is it worth hiring a professional videographer instead of filming on a phone?
Phone footage works for spontaneous, personal content and often outperforms polished video on TikTok. It stops working when the video has to carry a brand. For launches, brand films, property listings and paid campaigns, lighting, sound and grading are what separate a business that looks established from one that looks improvised.
Which areas of the UAE do you cover?
Okan Pictures is based in Dubai and films across the city, including Business Bay, Downtown, Dubai Marina, JVC and Palm Jumeirah. Shoots in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah are available, with travel quoted separately.
Do you work in languages other than English?
Yes. Okan Pictures works fluently in English, German and Turkish. German and Turkish speaking business owners in Dubai can handle the entire project, from briefing to final approval, in their own language.
What camera and equipment do you use?
Filming is done on a Canon R5C in 4K and 8K, with a stabilised gimbal for movement, an Easy Rig for longer handheld work and professional LED lighting. Editing, colour grading and sound are handled in Adobe Premiere Pro.