National Film And Video Foundation Calls for Local Content

[Harold F. Schiffman]

National Film And Video Foundation Calls for Local Content

BuaNews (Tshwane)

August 21, 2005
Posted to the web August 22, 2005

By Themba Gadebe
Johannesburg

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) has called for more
production of local content. Addressing the media after a two-day Indaba
here on Friday, NFVF chief executive officer Eddie Mbalo said there was a
need to focus on producing local content. This, he said, was part of the
"way forward" adopted during Indaba 2005 at Gallagher Estate.

Part of the resolutions taken, he said, included an intensification of
research into the consumer's needs, and a focus on skills distribution.
"We need to co-ordinate incentives policies, especially in the provinces,
municipalities and also explore the cinema quotas and language policy," Mr
Mbalo said. "There's also a need to diversify distribution and look at
low-cost production," he said.

Indaba 2005 called for the formation of a sectoral co-ordination, under an
umbrella body. Mr Mbalo said it was proposed that the body should be
constituted by existing industry organisations. The establishment of this
body, he said, would enable the NFVF to further grow and develop the
sector. More importantly, he added, it would put more weight in their
efforts to "galvanise" the sector to attain social and intellectual
capital.

Mr Mbalo said all matters raised were to be presented to the Cabinet "in
the near future". In addition, it was resolved that the NFVF would monitor
cabinet-approved funds and initiatives, such as the Content Industries
Development. The Indaba also urged government departments and the industry
to support the NFVF's mandate to co-ordinate the various sources of
funding available to the film sector.

It also called for the NFVF's mandate to be expanded to cater for
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment. Delegates resolved that government
should be lobbied to provide the funding necessary to develop the national
strategy for film education, and to look at a feasibility study for a
national film school. Mr Mbalo acknowledged the government support that
they continued to receive.

"Progress made so far is a consequence of the government's intervention to
address market failures through policies, institutions and incentives."
"Our success has demonstrated the wisdom of government's intervention," he
said. The NFVF also launched a Sectoral Information System - a tool to
guide the collection of industry data, which is expected to become central
in assessing the economic value of the industry.

"From now on the industry will be informed of the evolving dynamics which
are prevalent in the Industry," Mr Mbalo said.


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