Recently stakeholders in the Nigerian motion picture industry converged in Lagos, to discuss strategies on how to reposition the industry and make it more attractive for the international market come 2014.

The event was the 2nd edition of the International film forum yearly organised by Association of Nollywood Core Producers,ANCOP, in collaboration with the Federation of Film Producers’ Associations,FIAPF,  which held recently at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

*A cross-section of participants at the one-day ANCOP-FIAPF confab.

Many of the papers delivered during the one-day conference centred on the need for re-strategising and taking the industry to the next level in 2014, following the global recognition accorded to the industry.

Setting the ball rolling was Mr. Bertrand Moullier, Senior Advisor, International Affairs,FIAPF who spoke on the topic, “The Pros and Cons of Co-production Treaties.” In the course of his paper, he stressed the need for Nollywood producers to begin to embrace the idea of going into co-production with their counterparts in Hollywood, Bollywood and other parts of the world.

According to him, Nigeria has huge reservoir of untapped stories that need to be told at the international level. He said, while the market for international co-productions keeps  growing, many world leaders believe  in the economic and social value of subsidy for local film production.

Stressing further, he insisted that “We need to co-produce for economic reasons.” The FIAPF representative at the event, also posited that “ for the co-production to become  a reality, there is an imperative need for nationality rules to be set up in addition to having a functioning certification unit in the country.

Also, speaking from the legal perspective, Barrister Sandra Oyewole in her paper, “Chain of Title and The Practical uses of Rights”, urged Nollywood producers to develop a good understanding of the copyright laws in the country, which will enable them to secure chain of title contacts for their films, noting that the chain of title contracts would prove ownership of the film, help to limit and avoid litigation in addition to encouraging investment in the industry.

The chain of contracts, according to her, are essentially agreements reached with the film makers on the one hand and on the other, the owners of the works that will make up the film elements.

While enumerating some of the drawbacks associated with not having a written contract transferring your rights of ownership of a particular work, Barr. Oyewole said, failure to secure chain of title can affect  the ability to raise funds for production  and distribution of a film.

“No distributor will enter into an arrangement for distribution of a film if the chain of title is not in order. It is the chain of title that will enable the distributor obtain the relevant insurance. This insurance is what helps to defray any expenses that could be incurred if a claim is brought against the film maker and distributor,” she emphasized.

According to her, “The Nigerian film industry is quite informal and films are financed and distributed everyday with almost no documentation.” This, she said, has affected overseas distribution and potential investment. “Lack of contracts of ownership also affects valuation in the long term.”

But a representative of a collecting society better known as REPRONIG and AVRS, in his paper titled, “The Imperatives of a CMO for Nollywood” called for the  establishment of a Collecting Management Organization (CMO) for the industry.

Highlighting some of the duties expected of a CMO which includes documentation or building database, negotiation and licensing, distribution and monitoring of the usage of the work, REPRONIG rep recommended the immediate setting up of such body in Nollywood, decrying how much the producers of these works are denied of the deserving economic benefits from their works, following the lack of establishment of the body.

The paper, “Digital Switchover:The Journey so far”, delivered by the Director-General, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Emeka Mba was diversionary but highly informative.

It  recounted the journey made so far by the commission in the bid to take the country to the next level, having  concluded plans to transit from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting in June, next year.

Mba said, “Nollywood is becoming strong both in terms of creativity and professionalism, and it is beginning to see the wisdom of integrating itself into the global system, which is the surest way to both unleash the power of the Nigerian and African story on the rest of the world, and also receive the full benefits that accrue from the practitioners’ creativity.

Indeed, in the immutable words of the nineteenth century artist, James Whistler, “An Artist is not paid for his labour, but for his vision.”  Nollywood is on the way to being paid for its vision.”

According NBC boss, “The Commission has realised that in order to give substance to the plans, there is a need to have a pilot city, which will provide a suitable testing ground for the switchover, to help foresee and take care of potential issues for the rest of the country.

Taking into consideration available data on the number of TV Households, accessible terrain and sufficient variety of broadcast outfits, the Commission has resolved to make Jos, the Capital of Plateau State, the first Nigerian city to go fully digital with the switch off of all analogue TV broadcasts. A detailed Analogue switch off plan is being worked out by Digiteam and NBC and it shall be made public soon.”