
Last week Wednesday, the 29th of June 2016 Film One Nigeria, independent distributor of filmed entertainment in Nigeria held an interactive lecture series at Filmhouse Surulere (Annex), Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall, Surulere, Lagos.
The group brought three film industry executives from the US for the first edition of its lecture series. The guests include Craig Shurn (based in South Carolina and England), former Vice President Sony Pictures, Director Filmhouse & FilmOne and former Film Booking Director Odeon Cinemas UK; Richard Signieski (based in Arizona and Prague, Czech Republic), CEO Blue Sky Media, a feature film distribution company with focus on Central/Eastern Europe and Africa and CEO MYFILMHOUSE VOD platform; and Peter Kornberg of Blue Sky Media (based in New York).
During the course of the lecture series it attempted to answer issues concerning the essential characteristics you look out for in booking a film; the term Film Hire and why Distributors and Producers find it expensive; the role of a Theatrical Distributor and Cinema Exhibitor.
Participants of the lecture series were also taken through the role a studio plays in the Film Business life cycle, including how films are financed and green lit; the standard or base marketing plan for a studio title and the differences between a studio and Independents.
Video on Demand (VOD) wasn’t left out from the discussion as the participants also shared useful on VOD penetration globally and indeed Africa; what it takes to set-up a successful VOD platform; how to guide against piracy on Internet VOD platforms; how to select content for VOD and what determines license fees that are set and paid; how the VOD transforms the fortunes of an interesting market such as Nigeria particularly with the challenges of internet speed, data costs, payment solution etc and why filmmakers are yet to record a success story of a VOD platform in Nigeria
The Lecture series also explored the area of marketing and advertising, with variables to consider when developing a marketing plan for a film’s release.
Kene Mkparue, MD/CEO of Filmhouse cinema and his team see the need for the Nigerian film industry to re-evaluate and restructure it practices to conform to international standard practices in the business of film. This will only be achieved with proper re-education and enlightenment of the members of the Nigerian Film Industry.
The lecture series was indeed a welcome development and hopefully Film One Nigeria continues it in stride to promote and help take the Nigerian Film industry to greater heights.