The National Film and Video Censor Board (NFVCB) on Tuesday in Lagos began a two-day training for 50 aspiring content creators and entrepreneurs in understanding the modules for Over -The- Top (OTT) streaming and its components.
Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, Executive Director, NFVCB, spoke at the Cohort 2 of the OTT Streaming And Components Training.
In his address of welcome, he said that the 50 participants were shortlisted out of over 400 applicants that applied for the training by a team of professional film makers.
According to him, the training targets youths who have found succour in the digital content space, to help them maximise their potentials through innovation and technology.
Thomas, however, explained that the initiative was driven by the need to attract young minds into the industry.
He added that it was also aimed at driving employment, economic growth and creating an avenue for interaction between the young and old in the digital film ecosystem.
“These youths have found a gap in the film industry and are championing a new and competitive direction to bridge the gap for self-sustenance.
“I must specifically commend our youths, who, regardless of daunting social and economic challenges, have continued to show resilience and push for self-sustenance.
“This training has been specially curated for you to interact with an array of proven and established industry experts and global industry players, and give you huge opportunity to improve your skills, secure mentorship and collaboration.
“You were selected because we believe you have the potential to cause huge transformation and further export Nigeria as a nation of talents and quality to the world.
“We must keep milking the gains from collaboration; hence, it is my sincere wish that the training will offer you the best,” Thomas said.
According to him, NFVCB in line with its statutory obligations will continue to regulate the film and video industry in Nigeria, control cinematographic exhibition, license premises and persons to exhibit films and video works, not excluding musical videos.
The NFVCB boss charged the young filmmakers to play by defined rules and subject their production to the approval of the Board for classification.
He said: “While we remain conscious of not stifling creativity, we must also be the vanguard for the protection of our moral values as a society.
“Section 25 subsection 1 of the NFVCB Act establishes that “no person shall carry out the business of distributing or exhibiting a film or video work, unless he is a holder of a license granted by the Board,” he said.
The executive director appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for their tremendous support, visionary policies and for making the second edition of the training possible.
Thomas, however, stated that the entertainment industry had registered itself as a priority sector and established its positioning as essential towards reviving and sustaining the country’s economy.
He said that the impact of the various initiatives of the Federal Government would largely contribute to making Nigeria the strongest economy on the African continent.
According to him, such government initiatives will also expand the nation’s export product and advance us to compete favourably with developed economies, while harnessing our deep pool of talents.
Similarly, a Film Maker/Media Consultant, Mr Zik Okafor, charged the participants to get prepared for tough challenges, as film is a very demanding career that requires tough choices.
Okafor said the OTT streaming and digital content, production, distribution and monetisation industry was still growing
He, however, stressed that the greatest challenges of digital film makers, among others, is financing and distribution or marketing of content for monetary gain.
Also, Mr Yemi Amodu, the National Secretary, Theatre Arts And Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), encouraged the aspiring content creators to concentrate and be devoted to the training which was designed to help them upgrade their practice.
Amodu explained that the business of film making must be taking from pedestrian level to over-the-top and as such, the emerging talents must endeavour to understand the trend in digital film making.
“OTT is where the money in film making, adequate quality, content and technical strategy is important.
“So, the young talents must step up from below-the -top to over-the-top to become renowned in the industry, ” Amodu said.
A participant, Miss Victoria Imo, appreciatedthe NFVCB for organising the training and selecting her as a beneficiary.
Imo expressed optimism that the training would help her in building her online space, promote good content that would increase her followership and market her content for profit making.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants of the two-day intensive training included aspiring content creators including skitmakers,TikTokers, comedians, animators, producers, cinematographers, actors, screenwriters, among others. (NAN)