Sunday, September 24, 2017

Every State in Nigeria, and Abuja Needs A Film Commission


Two major drivers of a modern film industry are missing in the Nigerian film industry (including Nollywood and Kannywood) and they are the absence of film markets and film commissions. And without them, Nigeria is losing millions of dollars every year and the film industry will remain underdeveloped. But before starting a Nigerian film market, every state in Nigeria, including Abuja needs a film commission.
Presently there is no single functional film commission in Nigeria, because Nigeria does not have any film commissioner. You cannot have a film commission without a certified film commissioner.

The United States of America has the largest number of film commissions in the world with one or more in every state.

There are only five official film commissions in Africa; Marrakesh Film Commission of Morocco, Namibia Film Commission, Kenya Film Commission. KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and Cape Film Commission of South Africa.

No film industry can thrive without a film commission.
The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC) and state governments, including Abuja will be given the opportunity to meet with the EUFCN - European Film Commission Network and other film commissioners from different countries at the 2017 annual FOCUS from December 5-6, in London, UK, with the first annual Focus On Nollywood, the biggest showcase of the Nigerian film industry in the UK.

The following information from the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) defines and explains the importance, relevance and significance of a film commission with enormous financial benefits.

The Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) is the official professional organization for film commissioners who assist film, television, and video production across the globe. The AFCI is a non-profit educational association whose members serve as city, county, state, regional, provincial, or national film commissioners in their respective governmental jurisdictions. With more than 300 AFCI-Member Film Commissions on six continents, you can almost always find an AFCI Member Film Commission to support your production.

A film commission is a specialized office under the authority of a government entity or administrative office with the purpose of promoting the region through the development of film, video, and multimedia production; acting as liaison between local governments and communities with production entities by educating, setting standards of professionalism; serving as a clearinghouse for production information; and proportionally increasing the economic impact of the industry throughout the region.
Mission
To increase and maintain film and video production taking place in the region, and to proportionally increase the economic impact of the industry on the region. To provide coordination and leadership while serving as the liaison between agencies, services, businesses, and the film production industry. Each film commission regularly competes with more than 300 officially recognized film commissions and other local and regional organizations worldwide to attract productions to their jurisdictions.
Why?
Because the film and video business generates large amounts of clean, and in many cases sustainable, economic growth through the hundreds of millions of dollars spent annually for "on-location" production. A studio-based feature film can spend upwards of $250,000 per day in a local economy and a large national or international television commercial can generate local spending of up to $1 million in less than two weeks. The economic impact generated by productions can positively impact local hotels, car and truck rental, catering, barricade rentals, local cast and crew, and a host of other local businesses. Finally, film production can help generate sustained growth in tourism when a region or community is featured in a successful film.
Further, production companies in the film, television, and multimedia industry consider film commissions a valuable partner and resource. Often the presence and level of development and resources offered by a film commission determines whether production companies will consider bringing production to a particular region. This highly competitive environment makes a film commission an economic necessity as well as an integral ingredient in attracting this "clean industry" and its ensuing revenue to a region.
AFCI Regions and percentage of film commissions:
61.7%: US
14.1%: Europe
10.9%: Asia/Oceana
9.4%: Canada
3.9%: Africa/Latin America


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