ALL WE ARE SAYING IS GIVE EGYPT A CHANCE
GPN: Marlene, tell us about Incognito- when it was started and who it services.
Marlene: Incognito grew out of years of international producing experience and a deep belief in Egypt as a world-class film destination. Based in Cairo, we focus on international production services across the country, catering to the Gulf region and Europe, and we're expanding into music videos and feature films.
GPN: You started on the agency side as a producer. How does that experience help you understand what agencies and international clients really need from a service production partner?
Marlene: I've been in the industry for about 15 years. I started my career at Leo Burnett in Beirut, where I was entrusted with one of the agency's most prestigious global accounts P&G, covering the CEEMEA region. This gave me an extraordinary foundation, taking me all over the world to shoot Mexico, London, the Philippines, Paris, Africa, Eastern and Western Europe, South Africa. I was handling major beauty brands, sitting in on creative briefs, managing budgets and directors' research, and overseeing both production and post. It was the best school I could have asked for.
What I learned above all is to understand the brand. I built a strong network of directors, developed a sharp eye for budgeting and creative execution, and learned how to read a market.
After seven years at the agency, I moved into production, freelancing at the best production houses in Beirut before eventually moving to Egypt. I quickly built a presence between Cairo and Dubai, and that hands-on market knowledge is what led me to found Incognito the accumulation of all my experience, connections, and belief in what this country has to offer for film.
GPN: For producers in the US or Europe who have never worked in Egypt before, what usually surprises them the most once they arrive?
Marlene: The location and weather alone are a game-changer. Egypt offers an incredible diversity of landscapes the pyramids, the Nile, the temples, the desert, the Red Sea and paired with predictable sunlight and stable weather year-round, it gives productions a reliability that is hard to find elsewhere. You can plan a shoot with confidence here.
The second thing that truly surprises people and I say this having worked across Europe is the set construction. Egypt can genuinely compete with the best European markets. I used to go to Prague or Budapest specifically for set construction because they set the benchmark, but Egypt is now in that conversation. The crews here can build a complex set in record time and adapt overnight to last-minute changes. That level of agility and craftsmanship is world-class, and the industry is not new Cairo has big studios, backlots, and established building sets that have been refined over decades.
The Egyptian Film Commission has also made things significantly easier equipment import is much smoother than before, and permitting is faster than in most countries. Most productions prefer to have everything done on set here because it's fast, controllable, and the quality speaks for itself.
GPN: If you had to pitch Egypt and three key points as a film destination, what would they be?
Marlene: Predictable weather and sunlight, locations and competitiveness price-wise… and I would have to add set construction.
GPN: Beyond the iconic pyramids and deserts, what kinds of looks and locations can productions actually find in Egypt?
Marlene: Beyond the temples and the archaeological sites, there are lush farmlands, traditional villages, local markets, and farming communities that add depth and character to storytelling.
As a producer, I understand how important it is to find locations that bring something unexpected to the screen a texture, a light, a character that you simply cannot replicate on a set or find anywhere else. Egypt offers exactly that.
Beyond that, Egypt's natural diversity is remarkable; the Red Sea and its underwater world, dynamic lakes, dramatic canyons, oases, and a white desert that looks like nowhere else on earth. It's a country that constantly surprises you visually.
Culturally, Egypt carries a soul that is entirely its own ancient, North African, and unlike anywhere else in the region. It speaks Arabic, yet its identity runs far deeper than language. That layered character comes through in everything the faces, the architecture, the rhythms of daily life and on screen, that translates into something truly compelling.
GPN: Which countries or regions can Egypt realistically double for in commercials or film?
Marlene: Downtown Cairo has a striking architectural elegance wide boulevards, grand facades, and beautiful buildings that carry a distinctly European sensibility. Khedive Ismail commissioned French architects to design the city, inspired by the grandeur of Paris and driven by a vision to create something equally magnificent the jewel of the Orient. The result is a city with its own unique and breathtaking character that can double beautifully for Paris, Italy, and other European cities on screen.
GPN: How fast can an international production realistically be set up in Egypt?
Marlene: It doesn’t take time. In terms of permits, it usually depends on the scale of the production or what they are requesting (pyramids & archaeological sites take about a month), but three weeks at max, and that is stretching it.
GPN: Many producers want to know they are in safe and reliable hands when they work in a new country. How do you support international clients to make productions run smoothly?
Marlene: Egypt's film industry has evolved enormously. The crew has been increasingly exposed to feature films and US/European ways of working, and that shift is very visible on set. What was once a market focused purely on local productions has now leveled up significantly in professionalism, standards, and ambition.
For me personally, I've always approached every project with the same mentality I'm a partner in this production, not just a service producer. Quality and craftsmanship are non-negotiable for me, and I'm very intentional about the teams I build. I curate my crew carefully for each project, surrounding myself with people who share the same commitment to excellence when it comes to deliverables, timings, and schedules. That's what ensures the client always has the best possible experience.
What makes this work so well is that I bring an international perspective to a market I know deeply. Having been exposed to productions across Europe, the Gulf, and beyond, I'm able to bridge both worlds bringing the best of Egypt's talent and agility while delivering to the standards international clients expect.
The talent here is also worth noting. The young generation in particular has grown a lot they've been exposed to different productions, directors, and ways of working, and that shows. There is a real energy and willingness to learn that I find genuinely exciting. Egypt still has room to grow, but the trajectory is strong and the potential is very much there.
GPN: If you had one sentence to convince a European or American producer to shoot their next project in Egypt, what would you say?
Marlene: You're missing out.
Egypt has everything a production needs; stunning locations, world-class crew, competitive pricing, and an energy that you simply cannot manufacture elsewhere.
GPN: Thank you, Marlene. It’s been a pleasure to speak with you and learn about shooting in Egypt. We wish you all the best.