ONGOING conversation regarding the unstructured distribution of
movies in Nollywood will soon yield results, as filmmakers continue to
lament the poor state of distribution of films in the country. Many say
the situation makes it difficult for them to remain in business.
Indeed, critics and practitioners see the lack of proper distribution
mechanism, as having devastating effect on the producers and their
ability to earn revenue, even though a few of them have deployed
innovative strategies, including self distribution to get their movies to
the right places. Even the National Distribution Framework (NDF)
introduced by National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) in
2004 to regulate the structure of distribution of films and to make it
auditable has failed to achieve the desired result.
Notable Nollywood filmmaker Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun lamented the
pitiable situation thus, “They have failed,” he said. He maintained
that the biggest barrier to them as practitioners was film distribution
and piracy. For Oduwa who has resorted to distribution his latest
feature film Invasion 1897 himself, the lack of effective distribution
mechanism was the reason why filmmakers do it their own way.
Posted by Adebayo A J