TMZ posted some exclusive spoiler photos of the filming of Star Wars Episode 7 in the hot hot hot UAE. It is scorching 50 degrees hot in the city these days, how much more in the desert… But, the sand in the photos looks more like from the beach and not desert though. The desert is set to be used as planet Tatooine, home to Luke Skywalker.

But here’s director J.J. Abrams had to say:

TMZ wrote, “Jedi sources tell us the new alien was manned by 5 men inside its belly … and was used in two scenes taking place in what looks like a Tatooine marketplace.”

According to the website, producers intend to use less CG in the new movies, instead, relying heavily on practical effects like the original trilogy which is evident in these photos.

View more behind the scene photos here.

GUEST POST –  There are a gazillion work options offered by the magnanimous city of Dubai and these job opportunities are not just limited to the boring construction or oil and gas jobs or with organizations domiciled within the Dubai International Financial Center. There are several other career options to choose from, some of them being highly diverse from the run-of-the-mill jobs in Dubai.

The following are some highly interesting jobs based in Dubai for which you may not need to have heavy technical qualifications but should be passionate enough. Let us take a look at the jobs that we would love to do and also get paid for!

Personal Shopper
Love brands? Who doesn’t? This is like a dream job for the fashion-conscious shopaholic in you. Many high-end stores in Dubai appoint candidates like you as their personal shopping consultants. All you need to have is fashion sense and the ability to offer expert advice on style and wardrobe consulting for particular seasons or special occasions. As a personal shopper working for a huge department store in Dubai, your responsibilities will include personally selecting products for their VIP Customers from
all over the world.

Food Taster
Some people live to eat, while some eat to live. If you take up a job as a food taster, you will fall in the third category of people who not only get to do both of the above; they also get paid to eat! Eating is a universal need that makes us work to earn a living so we can put food on our tables. But think about it, what if you made the meals pay you instead of splurging your hard-earned money on the same gourmet dishes? A three- to seven-course meal will turn even more attractive when you know you are being paid to have the treat.

There are several jobs in Dubai that require expertise on culinary tastes and presentations. These jobs are listed on various job portals and seek food tasters for their genuine and unprejudiced opinions. The demand for food tasters comes from restaurants, cafés and hotels. Even though chefs are present for this job, most food companies think it is best to take the businesses seriously and have another person do the job for unbiased feedback.

Other than being a food taster, one may also be an ice-cream taster or tea taster. For this, you will not only need to have a good sense in taste, but also a fair understanding of texture, aroma and appearance. A degree in nutrition or food science will certainly improve your chances in this realm.

Mystery Shopper
Can’t seem to get enough of shopping, huh? Here’s another job option for the shopping lovers. Many companies in the UAE recruit mystery shoppers to go to stores posing as actual shoppers. As a mystery shopper, your role is to analyze the products and services offered by luxury brands that are oh-so-popular for their snob-value, sophistication and yes, quality.

To become eligible for this job, you need to – love shopping, love shopping and love shopping! But wait, that’s not all. You must also possess an eye for detail and should have excellent reporting skills, apart from having a strong visual sense of luxury. But before you think of applying for this job, make sure you are well-versed with all the big brands and know how the brand names are pronounced. After all, you don’t want to end up looking like a fake high-end buyer. Knowledge of the latest fashion trends will certainly help.

Storyteller
In an age when kids are more attracted to Temple Run and Candy Crush than outdoor games and where iPhones and iPads have become the primary toys for children, it may be hard to believe that there is still demand for storytellers. Yes, it is true that conventional storytellers are in demand in Dubai and get a decent pay to read out stories to little children. Some storytellers offer voluntary services for reasons other than monetary while the others earn from it. Dubai offers several storytelling opportunities in nurseries, schools, malls, bookstores like Jashanmal and Kinokuniya, and special events organized for kids. If you take up this job seriously, there are chances of getting paid handsomely.

Voice-Over Artist
This job is highly exciting and does not demand any college degree for you to fulfil any eligibility criteria. All you need is a great voice along with the ability to modulate your voice, good pronunciation and the perfect diction. Once you begin surfing the job boards, you will find there are numerous job openings for voice-over artists in diverse languages, most of them seeking artists for a one-off assignment or a part-time job. Professionals in this industry can do voice-overs for radio, TV and/or movies. They may even lend their voices to mascots, cartoon characters, documentaries or any other
project where they need to record in the recording studios. And if you can manage to do your job well, you stand a good chance of making it a full-time job by taking up a job as a presenter or radio jockey.

Mercury rising! Cristine Reyes, the sultry young actress from Manila must have one of the best, if not the best time of her life. Well, she just dropped herself 13,000 feet from above sea level on a tandem jump at Skydive Dubai.

Okay Cristine, you beat me. Mine remains a plan.