FG’s N200bn Nollywood fund boosts movie production

The Association of Movie Producers in Nigeria (AMP) said on Monday that the Federal Government’s N200 billion Nollywood intervention fund made had boosted movie production.

Zik Zulu, President of the association, said this, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said the fund was enhancing the capacity of the various stakeholders in movie production.

“Directors have already gone for training. About 28 of them have been to America for training and they are back. Producers are planning to go now, actors will also go.

“But the film fund is for film-making while the trainings are for capacity building; that is what the directors went for and producers are trying to go now.

“But the one for film production which is about N10 billion, we are going through the process, and those that will eventually qualify will get the grant.”

He said the University of Colorado in America had admitted the film directors who were trained in modern technique in film directing.

The president said the final process of admitting the next batch of Nigerian movie producers at the University of California and Georgia State University was on.

However, he expressed worry over the stringent measures attached to the fund pointing out that many stakeholders might not be able to fulfil the procedures for receiving the grant.

“The process of getting the grant is quite tedious, complex, and intricate and so complicated, and is difficult for some people to get it done.

“I think they should also try to make it less complicated. We want them to increase the grant, sustain it and make it less cumbersome to access,” he said.

“I commend President Jonathan for making the grant available, and add that they should sustain the grant because Nollywood has blossomed through individual efforts.

“The government should also put more money into some aspects of film production,” he said.