Spooky Pictures & Image Nation Land Rights To Alex Ullom’s ‘4 X 4: The Event’ – Deadline

Report on International Film Co-Production and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A strategic co-production agreement has been finalized between the U.S.-based Spooky Pictures and the Abu Dhabi-based Image Nation for the upcoming horror film 4 X 4: The Event. This partnership, secured after a competitive bidding process, highlights a significant trend in global creative collaboration. The project, directed by Alex Ullom, serves as a case study for how international partnerships in the film industry can directly and indirectly support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The collaboration between Spooky Pictures and Image Nation demonstrates a strong commitment to several key SDGs:

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The venture is a prime example of a cross-border, multi-stakeholder partnership. It combines resources, expertise, and market access from North America and the Middle East to achieve a common objective, fostering global cooperation in the creative economy.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: By fully financing and greenlighting a major film production scheduled for 2026, the partnership will create numerous jobs for cast, crew, and post-production professionals. This sustained investment contributes to economic growth in the global entertainment industry.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The partnership actively promotes cultural exchange and diverse storytelling. A significant outcome of this collaboration is the production of The Vile, the first Arabic language title from the venture, which elevates underrepresented voices in the international market and helps reduce cultural inequalities in media.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: This ongoing collaboration, established in 2020, builds resilient and innovative infrastructure for international film production. It fosters a sustainable model for creating and distributing content globally, enhancing the industrial capacity of both participating regions.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The inclusion of Alex Ullom’s personal production company, Snoot Entertainment, which he co-owns with producer Carrie Carusone, underscores the role of female leadership in the project’s ecosystem, contributing to gender equality in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

Key Stakeholders and Production Entities

1. Primary Partners:
   • Spooky Pictures (Los Angeles, USA)
   • Image Nation (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
2. Producers:
   • Steven Schneider and Roy Lee (Spooky Pictures)
   • Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath (Divide / Conquer)
   • Alex Ullom and Carrie Carusone (Snoot Entertainment)
3. Executive Production:
   • Ben Ross (CEO, Image Nation)
4. Director:
   • Alex Ullom

Project Details and Strategic Outlook

• Film Title: 4 X 4: The Event
• Director: Alex Ullom, recognized for his debut film It Ends.
• Concept: Described as a high-concept horror film blending elements of Battle Royale, Saw, and Climax.
• Production Status: The project is fully financed and scheduled to begin shooting in 2026. Domestic rights will be managed by UTA Independent.
• Partnership History: The collaboration between Spooky Pictures and Image Nation began in 2020, yielding a portfolio of successful genre films that demonstrate the partnership’s long-term viability and commitment to shared goals.
• Previous Joint Ventures:
  • Watcher (2022 Sundance Premiere)
  • Late Night with the Devil
  • The Plague
  • Hokum
  • The Vile (First Arabic language co-production)

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article discusses a business deal involving film production, financing, and international sales. This represents economic activity, investment, and job creation within the creative industries, contributing to economic growth.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The partnership between Spooky Pictures and Image Nation fosters the film industry. This collaboration supports a creative industry, encourages innovation in entertainment, and builds upon the infrastructure of film production and distribution.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The core of the article is the partnership between an Abu Dhabi-based company (Image Nation) and a Los Angeles-based company (Spooky Pictures). This is a clear example of a global, private-sector partnership to achieve a common goal, in this case, co-producing and financing films.

2. Specific Targets Identified

1. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
   • Target 8.3: “Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation…” The deal to co-produce the film 4 X 4: The Event directly supports productive activities, creativity (filmmaking), and entrepreneurship (Ullom’s company, Snoot Entertainment).
2. Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):
   • Target 9.2: “Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product…” The article highlights investment and growth in the film industry, a key component of the creative industries sector, through the financing and greenlighting of a new film.
3. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.” The article is centered on the private-private partnership established in 2020 between Image Nation and Spooky Pictures, detailing their joint projects like Watcher, Late Night with the Devil, and the upcoming 4 X 4: The Event.

3. Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. For SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
   • Implied Indicator: The number of films produced and financed. The article states the film is “fully financed and greenlit,” indicating a significant financial investment that drives economic activity. The list of past and upcoming joint projects serves as a measure of the partnership’s economic output.
   • Implied Indicator: Creation of jobs in the creative sector. The production of a film requires numerous roles (producers, directors, crew), which are implied by the announcement of the film shooting in 2026.
2. For SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):
   • Implied Indicator: Level of investment in the creative industry. The fact that the film is “fully financed” and resulted from a “competitive bidding war” implies a substantial flow of capital into the film industry, supporting its infrastructure and growth.
3. For SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Implied Indicator: The existence and longevity of international partnerships. The article explicitly states the partnership between the Abu Dhabi-based and Los Angeles-based companies was set up in 2020 and lists multiple successful projects, demonstrating an effective and ongoing partnership.
   • Implied Indicator: Number of cross-cultural projects. The mention of The Vile as the “first Arabic language title to come out of the partnership” is a specific indicator of the partnership’s success in fostering cross-cultural collaboration and production.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: deadline.com