Pyramedia productions have joined an international team with a regional team to create world-class productions. Bringing together designers and technicians from the West with those from the East who have a ready knowledge of the culture of the Arab World has proved a successful formula in producing hit television shows. Designing the set of season three of the highly popular show Millions’ Poet is British set designer Christopher George. Well-known in the UK, George has designed countless sets for film, television and theatre and lent his expertise for the sets of Millions’ Poet, creating unique designs for every year of the show along with Pyramedia’s Creative Director Mohamed Gomaa. Season one of the show had a modern feel to the stage whereas the set for season two was modeled after Al Hosn Palace and the Al Hambra Palace in Spain fusing Abu Dhabi’s traditional heritage with European Islamic architecture. The set for season three of Millions’ Poet has touches of the old villages in the Liwa Oasis, located on the northern edge of the Empty Quarter desert and the place of birth of the ruling families of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In order to film the opening sequence of season three of Millions’ Poet, a crew of 35 Pyramedia employees took to the deserts of the Liwa Oasis. Driving out for hours into the middle of the desert, the crew spent three days perfecting the shots for the title sequence. Knights on Arabian horses riding through the desert sands of the Liwa Oasis, towards the Millions’ Poet berag (flag) symbolizes the connection of Nabati poetry to the homeland of the UAE and the Gulf. Led by senior production manager Mahmoud Rashed, the crew repeated the sequence several times until the perfect shot was found to reflect the main aim of the Millions’ Poet TV competition, the linking of the age-old tradition of Nabati poetry that rose from the desert to the youth of today. In the lighting, technical and production departments of Pyramedia, a team of hundreds from East and West work together to deliver one of the most highly rated shows on Abu Dhabi TV. The dynamic sisters Nashwa and Mona Al Ruwaini head up the team as producers of the reality TV competition. As a successful media personality and CEO of Pyramedia, Nashwa has had more than 18 years of experience in television while Mona at age 24 is the youngest female producer in the Arab World. The Millions’ Poet was launched by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and is produced by Pyramedia. Its aim has been to bring the region’s youth back to its roots by taking the traditions of the Bedouins from the Gulf into the 21st Century by bringing them to our screens. This year’s live competition will see 48 poets battle it out through various stages to impress their audiences with their poetry and win the prestigious title of the ‘Millions’ Poet’ as well as a cash prize of five million Dirhams. Pyramedia is a media production company based in the Middle East and North Africa and led by Nashwa Al Ruwaini. Through a combination of production, creative and technical skills, Pyramedia produce media based in local knowledge and traditions, making them appealing to audiences throughout the region and internationally. Since forming in 1998, Pyramedia has expanded its reach and established a strong global presence with offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London, Cairo and New York. Documentary episodes about the contestant auditions are now being aired every Thursday night at 22:30 on, Abu Dhabi TV and the Poet channel, in the lead up to the live show. The riveting episodes document the Judges’ journey around the Gulf to find this season’s 48 poets to compete in the 16 week competition and to win 5 million Dirhams and gain the prestigious title of the ‘The Millions’ Poet’. The first episode of season three of the live Millions’ Poet will be aired live on Thursday, December 11 at 22:30 on Abu Dhabi TV and the Poetry Channel on Nile Sat 11919 MHTz, Horizontal, 27500, ¾ and Arabsat Bader 4 DL, 11804 Horizontal, 27500, ¾. The live shows are free to attend at Al Raha Beach Theatre starting December 11.