Africa in Pictures
A sneak peak behind the scenes of Nollywood.
Commentary
Discussing cellphone filmmaking in Africa
Tutorial
Character development with Oladipo Agboluaje
With Tunde Kelani
Kelani talks about his new film, Arugba.
With Emeka Mba
Director of NFVCB speaks on regulation.
The Figurine unveiled
Kunle Afolyan looks deeper into the film.
Spotlight Uganda
Kamya on her award wining film, Imani.
> On set of a Nollywood movie
Commissioned photo by Akpe Ododoru
> A woman at a video rental in Nigeria
When you mention the name Tsotsi what comes to mind is the highly acclaimed Oscar-winning South African film directed by Gavin Hood, but few will be aware that the film Tsotsi, also carries a less glamorous accolade of being the most pirated DVD movie across the African continent.
While the producers of Tostsi were able to sign global distribution deals on the back of their Oscar nomination; most African producers are less fortunate and have to sell their films in unregulated and undeveloped local markets putting them at the mercy of organized film criminals.
Piracy in Context
Using Nigeria as a case study, the shift from 35mm film to the cheaper digital video format, in addition to the new distribution possibilities brought about by the emergence of CDs, proved hugely successful creating a vibrant organic film industry known today as Nollywood.
While video CDs are very cheap to buy, encode and distribute, they are also easy to replicate, creating a black market industry of opportunist, wanting to make maximum profit from little or no investment in films.
In just over fifteen years since the hugely successful digital video revolution in Nigeria, pirated film now account for 60% of movies sold on DVD, according to Kunle Afolayan, (Director, Golden effects studios).
The effects of Piracy
The debilitating effects of piracy have been further exacerbated by the political economy of local film industries, which are solely reliant on grassroots entrepreneurship for funding.
Producers self-fund their films at an average of N3.5million (£13,000), and rely solely on the sales of their Video CDs for revenue at N800 (£3), pirates then sell these films for as little as N200 (80pence), making it impossible for producers to compete.
However, film piracy isn’t only perpetuated by individuals, media institutions have been found to broadcast films without purchasing the required TV rights.
This goes to highlight the scale of the crisis, and also identify the causes of piracy as not only unemployment but more importantly a lack of regard for intellectual property.
Ending the rot
The Nigerian film industry like many others across Africa are by no means doomed, but a lot needs to be done to help end the rot and Governments must play a crucial role in the fight.
Governments across the continent need to embark on robust media campaigns to educate the public on the value of films as cultural commodities, which should not be put at risk by supporting piracy.
A visible proactive approach by government is needed to encourage local financial institutions as well as foreign investors through tax incentives, to help invest and provide credit to fund the much needed infrastructures that will help grow and diversify channels of revenue for film studios.
It is also important for governments to appreciate that the black market trade in pirated films provide jobs and income for those involved in the production and distribution of these pirated films, and it is paramount that employment opportunities are made available to attract people away from pirating films for a living.
The scourge of Piracy today is so endemic, it is the single most important existential threat to film industries across Africa, and without a holistic approach from Governments to help tackle this crisis - local film industries will continue to labour with film pirates in a loosing death roll.
> The well known image at the start of films, that has been taken lightly by many viewers
By Don Omope | Main image by Chinaka Iwunze
Catch me if you can : The Scourge of Film Pirates
