With all the feats of Nollywood, the Nigerian movie industry, Nigeria cannot boast of a standard film city. The huge productions that have earned the country a place in global movie business are carried out in different places across the country. Sadly, these places, especially remote areas are the producers’ choice and not purpose-built film city with all the necessary amenities.
But the lack of a purpose- built, themed and well-equipped film city has warranted the Lagos State government to build the firstever world class film city in the country.
The proposed Lagos Film City will be sited on a 100hectare of land at Ejirin in Epe Local Government Area of the state. It will be funded under PPP arrangement, while preliminary discussions with the private sector and parties involved are ongoing.
When completed, filmmakers are guaranteed better filming experience in their movie productions, world class quality and savings from the cost of producing movies abroad. While stakeholders in the movie industry commend the proposed film city, Uzamat Akinbile-yussuf, Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism Arts and Culture, said the state is giving priority to the creative economy because of the potential inherent; from job creation, exploiting creativity, wealth creation, boost of GDP, safety among other benefits.
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Hence, the film city initiative, according to her, will boost and develop the movie and entertainment industry, as she urged everyone to come on board to support the dream.
“The idea behind this Film City is to provide a place for filmmakers where film production can be carried out without public interferences”, the commissioner said.
The commissioner, who disclosed plans for the film city while presenting the account of stewardship of Babajide Olusola SanwoOlu’s administration in the tourism and entertainment sector in the last two years at the Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, recently, explained that Sanwo-olu’s administration is passionately committed to the growth and expansion of the creative industry, hence the many incentives and support, including the film city.
The Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board (LSFVCB) is most excited about the initiative, especially now that movie producers cannot travel abroad for shooting because of the high cost, the pandemic and the many permissions required before shooting abroad.
According to Adebukola Agbaminoja, acting executive secretary, LSFVCB, the days of location challenges will soon be over in the film industry as the Lagos Film City will provide ample technical improvement in the production of movies in the state.
For her, when the film city comes on board, movie makers will begin to shoot films in a more standard and serene ambience with up to date technology. “Lagos Film City will be a one-stop centre for all movies and content creators far and near. It will be an opportunity for all genres of creative arts and entertainment to have an avenue to display and showcase their potentials through the proposed.
“When it is finally established, the Lagos Film City at Ejirin will serve as a huge impetus for the development of the entertainment industry, especially as it will reduce film production expenses, generate employment and bring about a huge relief and improved production for the practitioners”.
However, major concerns for the commissioner and the LSFVCB are the needed support from the practitioners and the private sector contribution to the vision of the state government in order to actualize it.
Going by the plans of the state, the film city initiative, according to most movie producers, is going to be a game changer for the movie industry.
Maxwell Odion, a movie producer, noted that a standard film city in the country would impact a lot on quality, save a lot of money, improve skills, provide needed facilities and offer practitioners more to share.
Shaddy Ademola, another producer, said that the initiative would curb the quest to produce Nigerian movies in Dubai, South Africa and other overseas destinations, amid losing huge forex, taxes and stress.
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