2013 UNWTO & The Local Film Industry

Report by

Patrick Mwamba Salubusa

National Chairman National Association of Media Arts (NAMA)

January, 2014

1.0 BACKGROUND The National Association of Media Arts, NAMA, is the only association recognized by the government to sit on the National Arts Council (NAC) board with the responsibility of representing all broadcasting houses, production companies, theatre clubs and individual artists involved in film, television and radio productions and since its inception in 1999 the association has been promoting audio-visual works. The association has, with its membership and relevant government and private sector institutions, worked towards developing and implementing solutions to the common challenges and problems that the Zambian filmmakers experience in funding, production and distribution of the Zambian audio-visual content within Zambia and yonder. Our core activities have included programmes and projects as well as policies and actions for the development and enhancement of an enabling environment and infrastructure for the film industry in Zambia. As an association we are mandated to negotiate policy changes or initiatives with the government as well as making intervention on behalf of our membership and with Zambia co-hosting the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) conference in August last year some of our members participated in exhibiting their filmmaking expertise and it is against this background that this report reflects and takes stock of the events achievements and failures in relation to the local film industry. 2.0 PARTICIPATION Through the National Arts Council of Zambia, NAMAs members participated in the UNWTO and even if most of our filmmakers did not participate because of some logistical hiccups and other reasons, we take this opportunity to acknowledge the positive strides made by this event in the area of filmmaking. Notable among them is the interaction among the filmmakers who were in Livingstone to sale their products. In addition, through the NAMA stand a lot of people did understand the responsibilities of NAMA which include promoting the media arts in the country. Further, the association attracted a lot of Livingstone

based DVD sales people, artists and professionals in supporting its aims and objectives thereby increasing its membership base. However, it is has to be mentioned that most of our expectations from Zambia hosting the conference such as high DVD sales and the local filmmakers being meeting foreign filmmakers were not met. The income generated from the sale of DVDs at the 2013 UNWTO conference was very low as the target market, the delegates, was not given enough time to visit the stands and sample Zambian DVDs and those who managed to get a copy from NAMA members complained of quality in some productions and the association is much aware of these complaints mostly related to poor sound and picture quality and this is due to a number of factors which include lack of a film school in Zambia, lack of funding of the local film industry, lack of proper regulation of the industry and lack of putting value on the local film products. It was also very difficult for some of our members to participate in the event as the majority of our membership consists of small businesses or self employed, where a single person is to ensure all production chain, from conception to marketing and distribution and some of them, especially those in rural areas, lacked information on the economic importance of the 2013 UNWTO, accompanied by lack of resources to take their products to Lusaka or Livingstone. Therefore, as we reflect on the UNWTO in relation to the local film industry, it is important that we look at the film school, funding, regulation and value of the industry in Zambia and if at all it can find space in the nations tourism sector. 2.1: Film School: Even if Zambia was to host the next UNWTO conference cases of poor quality will still be reported by those who will come and buy audio-visual products because a large pool of talented young people, operating in the local film industry do not have adequate skills and training due to the absence of a film school in Zambia. While art is a talent, producing a film of high quality and aimed at selling the country to the outside world requires technical expertise in sound recording and designing, filming and editing and this is not offered in detail at either Zambia

Institute of Mass Communication (ZAMCOM) through its six months video production course or at the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA)s Audio Visual Department through its eight weeks training in either video editing or camera handling course. It is for this reason that NAMA, through this Parliamentary Committee on Land, Tourism and Environment, appeals to the government of the day to establish the film school as soon as possible if the local film industry was to become a professional career and contribute to the attraction of tourists and put money in the governments coffers as well as in the pockets of creative minds. The film school will definitely change what the outside world think about the local film industry as it will train the skills that are really needed in the practical environment of scriptwriting, producing, directing, television production, production design, sound design, editing, visual effects, cinematography, music for media production and screen acting. 2.2: Funding: Only less than 20 different types of DVDs were exhibited at the NAMA stand at the 2013 UNWTO conference in Livingstone because most producers, especially those in rural areas, did not have resources to transport their products and it was also difficult for NAMA to meet transport, food and accommodation costs for its members due to lack of funding to the film sector in Zambia. Unlike the other talent industry, sport, which receives funding from the Ministry of Youth and Sports through the National Sports Council of Zambia, the art industry does not receive annual funding from the Ministry of Tourism and Arts through the National Arts Council of Zambia and it has been very difficult for NAMA to support its producers as well as implement its own programmes. Attempts by NAMA to meet the Minister of Tourism and Arts have proved futile and since 2012 the only funding the association has received from the National Arts Council is K 1, 000 for the hosting of the Annual Filmmakers Day last year. Therefore, we request the committee to come up with a deliberate policy which will compel the Ministry of Tourism and Arts to start funding arts associations in the country if these associations are to play an active role in marketing Zambias

tourism because funding of the artistic sector, film included, still remains a critical deliverable by the government and moving forward the government of the day has an opportune time to leave a legacy. Further, we propose for the quick introduction of the Zambia Film Fund, through an act of parliament, to finance the needs of the conception, production, management and distribution of Zambian cultural productions through film. These various aspects function within a changing landscape of creative industries and economies which are taking their rightful places in the fast developing knowledge across the world. There is no doubt that this will encourage quality generation of cultural productions so as to raise capacity for market opportunities within and outside Zambia, encourage the dubbing of films into local languages, encourage the enhancement of Zambian film curricula and the adaptation of literally work written by Zambians within the continent and the Zambian Diaspora and increase the generation of informative and entertaining cultural content. 2.3: Regulation: The reasons why some of the DVDs were not sold or were sold but received complaints during the UNWTO conference last August were related to quality and the association feels that will continue unless NAMA is recognized as the regulator of media arts through an act of parliament. Quite alright NAMA is responsible for the film industry according to its constitution and represents filmmakers both at the Ministry of Tourism and Arts and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services through the National Arts Council of Zambia but the regulation of the film industry requires an act of parliament. Even if we do not have a film school in Zambia and we are behind in some technical areas we are concerned as an association that some productions are so pathetic and we feel that if such productions find themselves in the hands of tourists they will take it that it is the Zambian standard thereby killing the local film industry. Therefore, we humbly ask for an act of parliament which will empower NAMA to ensure that film/DVD productions being made available by local producers meet

acceptable standards of national safety, quality and efficacy. We have noted that most films on the Zambian market are placed on the market without the knowledge of the association, a situation which may result in the proliferation of substandard and counterfeit media arts products. The contents of the DVD have the potential to attract or scare tourists depending on how the producer portrays the country no wonder censorship/regulation is not negotiable. 2.4: Value: It is not possible for those visiting Zambia to appreciate our film industry if Zambians themselves do not put value on media arts. As an association we are aware that quality plays an important role in the distribution of audio-visual works but we are quick to remind the Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Environment and Tourism and the Zambian population at large that not too long ago most Nigerian movies experienced technical hiccups in terms of sound and picture quality but because of Nigerians appreciating these products the industry graduated from dark rainy days to days where it is contributing to that countrys economy. Surprisingly, even Zambians who have failed to appreciate the local film industry embraced these foreign products which were more poorly produced than most of the current local productions, including those exhibited at the 2013 UNWTO. Even the business community and our local broadcasting and cinema houses have failed to appreciate the local industry to the fullest. We see business houses funding foreign artists who come into the country but when approached by NAMA or any of its members they become deaf and our broadcasting houses will either accept a production and pay peanuts which takes time to reach the pockets of the producer or reject the production based on technical judgment unlike Multichoice which accepts productions based on the artistic work and advises the producer on technical issues. In short even those who should be in the forefront of being key stakeholders in the promotion of the local film industry to the outside world are shooting the industry in the leg forgetting that without producers the culture of Zambia cannot be told through audio-visual products.

It is for this reason that NAMA, through this committee, appeals for a policy which will compel broadcasting and cinema houses to put more value on the local film industry because even if we were to host another UNWTO conference tomorrow our filmmakers will find it difficult to market their products due to the absence of flexible broadcasting and cinema houses. Broadcasting and cinema houses increases demand for local films from the communities, improves conditions and opportunities of accessing local films, and contributes to the good business in the distribution and sales of local films. The artistic diversity and creativity of Zambia can be a tourism symbol on its own. 3. CONCLUSION The government of Zambia has the greatest share in ensuring the promotion of the local film industry if the industry is to play an active role in promoting the countrys tourism industry. It is true that the Zambian film industry missed a rare opportunity to distribute and market its products effectively but it is not too late for the Ministry of Tourism and Arts to realize that the film industry, just like the animals, rivers, mountains and traditional ceremonies, is part and parcel of the tourism sector and it is a well-known fact that filmmaking is the quickest way of making the country known. Today Nigerian food, currency, attire, religion and language/accent is known and appreciated globally because of Nollywood and it is undisputable that Uganda sold herself through a film called The Last King of Scotland which also contributed to the local economy. With or without hosting events like the UNWTO conference, through film, Zambia can make herself known and attract thousands of tourists every year. The sector has potential to grow, create employment and contribute to the GDP of Zambia just like any other sector. Thank you. For/On behalf of NAMA

Patrick Mwamba Salubusa NAMA Chairman