Video Production Alexandria

Alexandria for Corporate Video: Egypt's Second City and Mediterranean Port

Alexandria is Egypt's second-largest city and the major Mediterranean port. The city was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC and historically served as one of the ancient world's most important cultural and commercial centers (the Library of Alexandria, the Pharos Lighthouse). The modern Alexandria economy is built around the Port of Alexandria (one of the major North African ports, handling substantial Egyptian container and bulk traffic), substantial petrochemical industry (the Alexandria Petroleum Company, plus the broader Egyptian petrochemical cluster on the Mediterranean coast), substantial automotive assembly (General Motors Egypt has substantial Alexandria operations, plus other automotive assembly), and substantial Mediterranean tourism. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (the modern revival of the ancient Library of Alexandria, opened 2002) is one of Egypt's major cultural institutions. For corporate productions involving Egyptian port and petrochemical industries, North African Mediterranean operations, or distinctive Egyptian heritage content, Alexandria is the natural location. Most major Egyptian corporate production coordinates through Cairo (about 3 hours by road or 2.5 hours by train).

Industry Landscape

Port and logistics with the Port of Alexandria operations. Petrochemicals with substantial Mediterranean coast operations. Automotive with General Motors Egypt and substantial automotive assembly. Banking with regional operations of the major Egyptian banks. Tourism with substantial Mediterranean tourism centered on the Corniche and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Education and research with substantial Alexandria University research.

Where Corporate Shoots Happen

The Corniche (the Mediterranean waterfront) holds traditional corporate offices, the iconic Citadel of Qaitbay, and major hotels. The Port of Alexandria holds maritime operations. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina holds the major modern cultural institution. The Montaza Palace area (the eastern Alexandria district with the iconic royal palace) holds heritage venues. The automotive and petrochemical industrial areas hold the major industrial operations.

Crew Base

Alexandria has a working production crew base. For larger productions, crews are typically augmented from Cairo (about 3 hours by road).

Climate

Hot-summer Mediterranean. Hot humid summers and mild winters. Best outdoor shooting weather March through May, October through November.

Production Logistics in Alexandria

Reference for projects in northern Egypt.

Time Zone

Eastern European Time (EET, UTC+2). Egypt reintroduced daylight saving in 2023 (EEST, UTC+3) summer.

Language

Arabic (Egyptian Arabic dialect) is the official language. English is encountered in international corporate, port industry, and tourism contexts.

Currency

Egyptian Pound (EGP). Most international B2B production work is invoiced in USD given EGP volatility.

Electrical Standards, Frame Rate

220V at 50Hz. Type C and F plugs. Default 25fps PAL or 23.976fps for commercial work.

Airport

Borg El Arab International Airport (HBE) handles direct flights to major European, Middle Eastern, and regional cities. About 45 minutes from central Alexandria. Cairo International Airport (CAI) is about 3 hours by road and offers broader international connections.

Permits

The Egyptian Film Commission and the Alexandria Governorate handle filming permits. Lead times of 3 to 6 weeks are typical.