By Perekeme Odon
In
addition, consumers are increasingly posting online evaluations of
products and brands by reviewing books on Amazon.com, movies on
Netflix.com, video games on Gamespot.com, or restaurants on
Citysearch.com.
Classifications of movies and videos do not exist to cast judgment or dictate the viewing habits of adults. Grown-ups have no use for such an approach in a free society, except otherwise. The rating system exists to give parents clear, and concise information about a film’s content, in order to help
them determine whether a movie is suitable for their children.
The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) often referred to, as the Censors Board is a statutory censorship and classification body under the Ministry of Information and Culture, Government of Nigeria. It is tasked with "regulating the public exhibition of films and videos under the provisions of Act 85 of 1993 as the official regulatory agency for the film and video sector of the Nigerian economy mainly controlled by the government. The Board is empowered by law to classify all films and videos whether imported or produced locally; register all films and videos outlets across the country and to keep a register of such registered outlets among other functions.
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Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, Executive Director NFVCB
Photo Credit: Aishat Abiola
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A board of parents assigns classification. Their job is to reflect what they believe would be the majority view of their fellow Nigerian parents in assigning a rating to a film. This gives the system a built-in mechanism to continually evolve with current parental concerns. For
instance, as society has grown increasingly concerned about drug use
since 1993, the rating system of the film too should reflect that
growing parental concern.
The task of the classification board is simple — to rate a film's
suitability for certain audiences based on its content and helps parents
decide what films are appropriate for the children. In assigning
ratings, the Board considers factors such as language, sex, violence,
drug use and other themes and situations that they believe would be of
significant concern to most parents.
In the honour of the Nigerian women in the filmmaking business, the Nigeria Film
and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) organized a three-day training workshop
to improve the NFVCB relationships with existing stakeholders and
potential clients; a follow up in sequence this year on the theme, “The
Essence Of Classification In Film Production; In Celebration Of The
2019 Women In The Business Of Filmmaking and Production Week” at
the Peridot Hotel and Suites, ICAN Avenue, Amuwo-Odofin, FESTAC, Lagos
state on 11-13 January 2019 with participants from all Local Government
Areas in Lagos state, filmmakers and stakeholders.
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Hilda Dokubo
Photo Credit: Aishat Abiola
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At
the start of the training, the Executive Director of the NFVCB, Alhaji
Adedayo Thomas welcomed everyone and gave an opening assertion of the
programme. “The
essence of the workshop has to do with interaction, training and developing participants’ awareness; ensuring one to adhere to the rules guiding classification and acceptance of how it works. “
In
her presentation, veteran actress Hilda Dokubo who was the keynote the speaker spoke comprehensively on the evolution of Nollywood as an industry whose production started from the VHS format for the home and family in mind. She gave a detailed analysis of film classification and how the rating functions work as a whole, highlighting that the early days of film censorship to a contemporary system committed to providing information and transparency about the content of films. She emphasized on gender classification, which will make the rating system remains a shining symbol of Nigerian artistic and creative freedom.
She
presaged classification of the film creates a standard and make the filmmaker
blameless on any accusation and scowled them for not supporting the
NFVCB by classifying and rating of their films. She assiduously
conversed that “It is very important we look at cases of abuse and sexual harassment of females and how women are being portrayed.” She said. “The
need for practitioners to submit their works for classification is very
necessary because rating determines a work for consumption by creating
standards and also protects both consumers and filmmakers. I feel strongly that, if truly classification protects, then we should use it to protect our children,”
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Alhaji Safiu Alao
Photo Credit: Aishat Abiola
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Screenwriter,
director and filmmaker, Mr. Niyi Akanni discussed on ‘How to Read
Nigerian Films’ from the perspective of the screenwriter, director and
filmmaker. While the President of Association of Movie Producer’s
President, Mr. Ralph Nwadike spoke on ‘The Role of Guilds In The Growth
Of The Nigerian Film Industry’.
A
notable presentation of the training was the introduction of Mrs.
Cecilia Abiola Odusanya on the ‘Role Of Women In Film And Production-
How Well Have These Roles Portrayed Womenfolk In Our Society’. She posted
on the need for more women inclusion into the film production, taking up key roles (director, cinematographer, film producer, etc) and not relying on the acting and menial roles given to them. She asserted that the culture of male dominance and female submission should be discouraged because the female presence in filmmaking is more significant than just employment since it contributes to greater cultural issues. “There
are notable exceptional women who have figuratively broken through the celluloid ceilings and become pioneers in their fields. Apart from a
huge gender disparity in Nollywood and general filmmaking, in modern times women have made inroads and contributed positively to filmmaking,” she said.
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AMP President, Mr. Ralph Nwadike
Photo Credit: Aishat Abiola
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Mrs.
Odusanya condemned her observations on the feminist concern in the film
theory where females are being projected wrongly by constantly being
seen as sexual objects with near-nude costumes with cleavages revealed,
perpetual casting and stereotyping certain roles for particular females,
or ways they behave with no symbolic cause. She said “
Most viewers tend to forget that film is make-believe and would want
to practice what they see in our films and home videos because of it
affects both shallow and educated minded people in our society We don’t
need to make films that will make evil attractive.”
Another
discussant, arts, media consultant, and former Acting Head, Theatre
Arts Department, Lagos State University Prof. Tunji Azeez engaged
participants on ‘The Art Of Storytelling and Nation Branding’. He acknowledged the Executive Director of NFVCB for the awareness campaigns through workshops and training on film and video classification and enforcement. He illuminated that every story you remember is a simple story. As human beings, we had wanted to tell stories.
“Storytelling has been part of man by communicating his thoughts and feelings on rocks and stones; oral narrations and folktales since creation with no one having a monopoly of it. Every story must be about
something or somebody.”
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A Group Photograph With The Executive Director
Photo Credit: Aisha Abiola
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He
revealed that stories have become so important in our lives since there
are various types and forms of stories, and every storyteller must have
a mission to achieve at the end with the audience taken into
consideration.
“Censorship
should begin with the creative mind and the board should be ready to drop some narratives affecting reasoning. Nollywood has great stories to conquer the consciousness of its audience but it all depends on how the stories are told. It is not a crime to have stories in parts, but the story must have the Aristotelian concept of a
beginning, middle, and end because stories are meant to captivate the audience with adequate takeaways. There must be things and situations that give the audience catharsis and purification,” he said.
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Prof. Tunji Azeez
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Prof. Azeez furthermore elucidated on the importance of classification to standardization in filmmaking by the board and the corporation. He said there are movies produced in
Nigeria, but due to the quality and technical flaws cannot be broadcast in some countries. “The story alone is not enough, but standardization matters a lot. We need to educate ourselves on international best practices. Most filmmakers
are not aware that a flashlight scene of more than 10 seconds may not
run in some countries in Europe and America due to an illness called
photosensitive epilepsy, which causes a sick viewer seizure after 10
seconds. That is why it is boldly written on the jacket and screen of movies containing flash scenes thereby protecting viewers with that ailment”.
He
amplified the importance and role film and television industry play in
building a positive Nation Brand reputation and believes domestically
that Nollywood is capable of producing world-class products that are
internationally acclaimed. He advised the film industry to be very
critical in how we are able to showcase the country in a positive light
through breathtaking landscapes and adaptable locations so as to bring
foreign direct investment into the country. “It is through these
platforms that we continue to showcase the country’s competitiveness,
values, sites, and cultural heritage. In branding Nigeria, we must see
Nigeria as a product for people to love and respect by telling local
stories to positioning the country as a film production destination and
also, showcase top-notch homegrown talents and places.”
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Mrs. Cecilia Abiola Odusanya
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NFVCB
Board member and trouper actor Mr. Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey similarly
delivered a paper on the ‘Essence of Classification’ in film and video
by chronicling on the origin of Nollywood when production activity was
that vibrant where we had very popular soaps and lots of NTA staff like
Sadiq Daba being an integral part of the growth of the industry.
He
recognized Prof. Tunji Azzez on highlighting the techniques of storytelling, which are a deliberate attempt, process and component in the art of filmmaking. “One of the reasons we have to classify our films is to protect young ones and create racial and religious harmony. We have lost everything Nigerian because of infiltrations.
Scriptwriters write stories deliberately to affect the psyche of the
viewers just because they can identify with the concept introduced,” he declared.
He went further to state that, “We need to think of the messages and contents we send out to maintain
our national interest because countries use film as their foreign
policy in the same sequence you see the protagonist prevail”.
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Barr. Nobert Ajaegbu & Mr. Ralph Nwadike
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NFVCB Deputy Director, Film Censorship and Classification Mrs. Alonge-Oyadiran Oluyemi responded that outlets are been monitored for strict compliance with the rules of the laws guiding the board. “From time to time the NFVCB team goes to the cinema houses to make sure unclassified films are not screened. You also don’t allow underage to watch a particular film and when you contravene the law, there is always a penalty for that.”
Capt.
Joseph A. Kalu (Rtd.), a participant advocated that classification should start from the writing of the story. He informed that titles should be seriously considered too so as not to mislead the public or classified category.
The
President, Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Mr. Fred Amata took the
lectern and discussed ‘Film As A catalyst For National Growth”. He
started by defining national growth and its relation to economic growth,
which has to do with the GDP and percentage revenue of an economy. He
highlighted on “National
growth which is the growth per capital not only in the economic indices
but also found in other salient factors, intellectual expression,
cultural, religion and political emancipation per capital consummating
in both capacity in the population. National growth must contain one of
the under listed and that is where the film comes into play with economic
benefits.”
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DGN President, Mr. Fred Amata
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He
also added that the rapid development in Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) has enabled new media service forms, such as digital
television, digital printing, and cross-media. On the other hand, it has
also changed the value chain of the media industry and made the end
product more modular. “The industry employs the next highest number
to the Federal Government; and even with the poor access to finance,
lack of cinema houses and adequate structure coupled with the deafening
silence passage of the MOPPICON Bill, I am sure we will agree that the
environment for filmmaking is very vibrant and the industry has
attracted worldwide attention to the country with improving technology
and technological knowledge,” he said.
Abeokuta
based award-winning Fuji music star, Alhaji Safiu Alao aka Baba Oko who spoke in the Yoruba language was very delighted to be part of the event and admitted to being a lover of Nigerian films. “I am very happy to be part of this programme because I am also a love of films, especially Nigerian films.”
A
the close of the event, the Executive Director thanked everyone and
extolled the keynote speaker for educating participants on gender
classification which is not there in the Nigerian rating system. “
I got something shocking and prevailing from the keynote speaker’s presentation which is gender classification. It is not in our rating to
classify films strictly on gender.” He went on to explain that, “In an African perspective, it
is very difficult to discuss sex education with kids when a male and
female are together, but if a film comes as sex education and is
strictly made for a particular agenda, the act of learning fast would be
easy to peers of the same age.”
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Female Talking Drummer, ARA Performing at the poolside
Photo Credit: Aishat Abiola
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Prof. Tunji Azeez, Mr. Fred Amata & Mr. Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey
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A Cross-Section of The Participants
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A Cross-Section of The Participants
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Mrs. Alonge-Oyadiran & Igwe Gabosky Okoye
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A Cross-Section of The Participants
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Idris Lanre (AIT) & Perekeme Odon
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NFVCB Executive Director Addressing Participants
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(L-R)Victor Akande, Igwe Gabosky, Mark Eje-Ehi Akhuetie & Nobert Ajaebu
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