HOPE may have risen for nation's movie industry otherwise called Nollywood at the just concluded 4th African Film and Television Programmes Expo tagged BOBTV '07, held at the Ladi Kwali Halls of the Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja.
The four day event which began from March 11 through 15, was an avenue for film and television producers, marketers among others, from across the nation, Africa and Europe to rub minds on issues that would move the trade forward.
But one of the cheering news at the just concluded event was the revelation by multinational corporation, Transcorp PLc of its plans to invest massively in the industry-if
practitioners would only put a viable structure of
distribution on ground.
Mr. Nicholas Okoye, Chief Operating Officer of the multi-billion naira company disclosed this piece of information at the event. Okoye who presided over a discussion programme tagged Building A Multi Million Dollar Movie and Entertainment Empire, declared that Transcorp was ready to invest in the sector believed to be witnessing tremendous growth in recent times.
"We are ready to invest in the movie industry," he told the hall half- filled with movie practitioners as well as other stakeholders. There is however a caveat: Practitioners should
ensure that the new framework on distribution being introduced by the National Film and Video Censors, is embraced because according to Okoye, only a good system of distribution would attract big investors like Transcorp to Nollywood. "Those opposing the framework on distribution by the censors board should have a rethink and support the policy instead of placing advertorials in newspapers. Those opposing it
should be educated because distribution is the key to a viable industry, if you get distribution right, those of us who want to invest in the sector would be confident about it.
"Without a proper distribution chain, no investor would be ready to put down his money because as the industry is composed at present, there is no statistics and investors rely on statistics to make the right judgement on any investment; only a proper distribution network would produce the needed statistics. I want to state again that you cannot attract serious without an established distribution
chain."
He gave example of reform in the banking sector which he said attracted wide spread criticism when the Central Bank of Nigeria first introduced it, "but now, the reform is being hailed as one of the best in the country in years, that is how the reform in the movie industry by the censors board is going to turn out to be."
Okoye reiterated the resolve of Transcorp to invest in Nollywood, but urged practitioners to lay aside personal issues and work for the general good of the industry.
Mr. Rotimi Aina Kusoro, a movie producer and marketer who alongside others are kicking against the policy by the board urged people not to misunderstand the intentions of practitioners opposed to the censors board policy. "Please don't get us wrong, we are not opposed to reform, but a reform that will drive us out of business is what we will not take. We have been in the business, any reform now should enable us continue in business."
He also complained about the 45-day ultimate of the board on the implementation of the policy.
This year's BOBTV with the theme Building Bridges, Mrs. Amaka Igwe, festival director, said, was significant because "of the many 'rivers' African cinema has had to cross to get to where we are now. Nollywood as the current form of African cinema has struggled for acceptance in its land of birth, Africa. It has become a subject of curious study among cultures. The reactions to Nollywood swing on a pendulum of extremes. While in some places, there is an outright dismissal and ridicule of Nollywood; in other places, commentators have reviewed Nollywood with quiet admiration.
"Inside Nollywood, there are numerous divides-generational, ideological, geo-political, technological, professional groupings, and gender, cultural and even egos. Our filmmakers seem to seek things which divide them instead of working hard to build and sustain the momentum handed down by the icons and legends of Nollywood. The need to build bridges therefore becomes imperative."
Indeed, Igwe and her team at BOBTV tried to build bridges of unity at the just concluded event, what with the different programmes schedule of the epoch event.
Although the minister of Information and Communication, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr. could not make the opening event to perhaps reiterate government's commitment to the sector (which seem to have increased under Nweke), his counterpart, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, minister of Education, did not make the absence of Nweke felt.
Aside the eye-opening topic Building A Multi Million Dollar Movie and Entertainment Empire, other topics such as New Media and Content Distribution in Nigeria, TMC and the Challenge of Distributing Audio/Visuals in Nigeria, were equally educating.
The evening screenings of movies were always events visitors to the film and television feast looked forward to. The Slave Warrior and The Concubine screenings attracted a large crowd but the movie that received the most accolades was Opa Williams' Dying Day, a docu-movie on the deadly sexual disease AIDS.
The standing ovation that greeted Williams by the time the 70-minute comedy ended at the Banquet Hall 3, was a confirmation that the comedy merchant has again produced a masterpiece. But ironically, Williams said he had to plans to market the movie. "I will work with AIDS agencies to see that many people especially young people get to see Dying Day."
The organisation of this year's BOBTV was an improvement on last year's. From the registration section to the stands were various film works were displayed as well as the timing for various programmes, no doubt shows a lot of near-perfect planning on the part of the organisers.
But it is against this background that filmmaker Amaka Igwe said she was bowing out of BOBTV. "This is the last BOBTV for me," she to a group of shocked journalists. "I think I am getting to old for all this," she submitted.
Does it mean that the yearly event would be rested? "Definitely not. I am handing the running and organisation to a board which would be inaugurated soon. I have started the disengagement moves, and I think by August, I would be out of BOBTV and a foundation would take over."
She decried the seemingly reluctance of sponsors in supporting programmes like BOBTV. "Every year, I and my husband spend our personal money to put all these you are seeing together. If it is for profit reasons we are into this, we would have long abandoned it. But the love for what one does won't just allow you to take such a decision. Sponsors are not willing to support BOBTV. Friends and family money and a support from here and there have kept BOBTV going this far. In other societies, the industry sponsors itself, practitioners do not cry to sponsors all times. Here it is different."
One hope the spirit that has kept BOBTV going this four years would continue even after Amaka had disengaged herself from it. She assures: "The foundation that would take over would be made up of people with like minds, people who share the same dreams and aspirations, so there is no fear that the exit of Amaka Igwe would bring about a lull in activities as regards BOBTV.
http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/arts/article01
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