7th February, 2019
The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) on Thursday conducted training for 250 youths in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, on how to grow their venture in the movie industry and provided them with start-up packs.
The initiative is part of the board’s Two-day Empowerment Programme for young thespians and entrepreneurs involved in acting and other vocations in the sector.
Relevant stakeholders from the academia, as well as seasoned industry practitioners, held sessions of training for the youth on key subjects towards a successful career in filmmaking.
Veteran actor and scholar, Prof. Shola Fosudo, Prof. Olu Obafemi of the University of Ilorin, as well as veteran thespian and scholar, Prof. Bakare Rasaki, were among the resource persons at the event.
Mr Adedayo Thomas, Executive Director of the board, said that the initiative was a deliberate effort by the NFVCB to bridge the gap between established industry players and upcoming ones across Nigeria.
He noted that all similar interventions and support efforts by either government or investors had been directed more at established names in the industry, with little or no support for new entrants.
“As the key regulator of the Nigerian motion picture industry, the board has decided to bring practical knowledge of how to be successful in the sector to these passionate youths.
“As part of the empowerment initiative, we have brought experts from the academia and seasoned practitioners in the industry, to train these youths to enable them build a successful career in the sector.
“We do not only train them but we are also giving grants to 250 selected ones, as part of our efforts at assisting stakeholders in the industry, especially the young ones.
“This is to enable them start something or go for more practical training in the filmmaking business, by attending filmmaking courses in acting, script writing, directing and production,” he said.
Adedayo explained that the board, under his watch would ensure that every Nigerian film-stakeholder got motivated, irrespective of the geographical divide.
He added that to sustain the initiative, the board had launched empowerment and support programmes targeted at different strata of industry players across Nigeria.
“The NFVCB has operational offices in the six geo-political zones of our country, and from January we began this empowerment programme for all the zones.
“We decided to come to Ijebu-Ode, a town in the South-West for inclusiveness, outside the usual focus on state capitals.
“From that point, we shall follow-up on these beneficiaries to ensure they are well guided and mentored,” he said.
Mr Bolaji Amusan, actor and President of Theatre Arts and Movie Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), expressed appreciation to the NFVCB on behalf of the beneficiaries.
He urged the beneficiaries to make maximal use of the experience and resources they received from the programme to advance their careers.
“We are very lucky to be a part of this event, and we must ensure that this becomes a stepping stone for the attainment of our goals.”
