Censors Board wants accurate film production data to attract investors
By Joshua Olomu
Dr Shaibu Husseini, Executive Director/CEO of National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), has solicited the cooperation of Nigerian filmmakers toward providing accurate output data to attract investors for the growth of the industry.
He made the call in his opening address at a capacity building conference organised by the board for ‘Kannywood’ filmmakers on Wednesday in Kano.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event tagged “Next Generation Evolve Conference: Embracing the Power Within”, is holding from Oct. 23 to Oct.24 at the Kannywood TV Hall.
Filmmakers, actors, investors and other stakeholders drawn from the region were part of participants for the two- day event, with seasoned industry practitioners as resource persons.
According to Husseini, although the Nigerian film industry is thriving, there is need to have accurate and adequate data that truly reflect its true capacity and the investment opportunities it offers.
The NFVCB boss said accurate data was needed for effective planning and development of the industry, and was also a major catalyst that could endear prospective investors.
He noted that although NFVCB serves as the authentic repository of Nigeria’s film production, unwillingness of many filmmakers to present their films for classification was affecting the true picture of output.
“One of the problems we have in our industry is that we do not have data, as the ones we have do not reflect the true picture of what comes from the industry, because of this lack of data, investors are not interested in our industry and when we tell them that we can produce a thousand plus films in a year, they will wonder.
“A lot of filmmakers bypass the census board, as they no longer bring their films for classification, which is even illegal.
“Those of you who are filmmakers who are bypassing the board are just not helping the industry to grow, because we need to attract investors by what we can offer.
“I am interested in data, not the amount of money you pay, it is about getting accurate data on our movie productions.
“We need numbers because we need to report every time what the industry is doing so that investors will know that our industry is very productive,” he said.
Husseini said the training was part of NFVCB’s commitment toward ensuring that stakeholders from the region were empowered with the relevant know-how and trends in filmmaking in the digital age.
He, however, lauded the contribution of Kannywood to the nation’s film industry, in terms of output, job creation and contribution to GDP.
According to him, NFVCB as a national regulatory body of the motion picture industry is working towards ensuring that filmmakers in the region can access technical and financial support.
He said the conference was to offer training in critical areas of filmmaking, including cinematography, directing and production.
“The National Film and Video Censors Board is committed to supporting Kannywood’s growth and development and that is why are we doing this programme.
“Kannywood unique cultural identity and creative expression have contributed significantly to Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and as regulators, we recognise the importance of balancing creative freedom with social responsibility.
“The Act that established the board gives us the power to classify films and videos, to register outlets, and to safeguard intellectual property.
“So, our goal is to protect the industry, to promote Nigerian content, and to safeguard public interest,” he said.
In their goodwill messages, industry players, heads of guilds and government functionaries of the state government commended the censors board for organising the programme.
Mr Abdulkareem Mohammed, Managing Director/CEO, Moving Image Ltd., said the training was an indication that NFVCB under its current leadership wants a Nigerian film industry that was evenly developed.
Mohammed, who is also the founder of Kano Indigenous Languages of Africa Film Market and Festival, said Kannywood was a major industry that was promoting Nigeria’s values and should be well supported.
Guilds with participants at the training include the Actors Guild Nigeria (AGN), Arewa Filmmakers Association, Professional Film Directors Association of Nigeria, Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) and Kannywood Women Association, among others. (NAN)
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi
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