25 Jul 2024

Botswana’s film industry presents opportunities potent of creating employment for young people.

Speaking in an interview during a district film show in Tsabong on Tuesday, Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport, and Culture film office programmes officer, Eric Paulo said the industry was endowed with value chains hence the need to ascertain young people on the available opportunities.

Such value chains, he said included, make-up artists, set design, catering, photography, costume and fashion design and script writing. 

He said in considering the need to grow the industry, government established the film office to capacitate and inspire budding local film producers in all districts nationwide. 

“Our mandate is development and commercialisation of film and television industry in Botswana,” he said adding that the district short film screenings and NOW channel online platform activations served to identify potential film producers and film makers, identify challenges and address them.

He said the film development capacity building initiative started last year upon realisation that there were not enough local film makers. 

 Paulo said Now channel had been rebranded BTV 1 to support local cinematography as the channel served as a platform to showcase local content. 

He said the Cinematography Act of 1970 was currently under review to ensure adequate facilitation of film makers. 

The bill he noted, would bring into effect, establishment of the Film Commission which would look into professionalising the industry, issuing of licenses to cinemas, issuing of scene locations licenses as well as remuneration of different professionals in the film industry. He said the Film Commission once established, would serve to regulate the industry.

 “The business of film is run through the film commission in developed nations, it also sets remuneration rate cards for actors, producers, directors, and other professions in the industry,” he said.

He encouraged film makers in each district to group themselves and send film scripts for funding to MYSC. He said the target was to fund two scripts per district every financial year, and noted that last year, they received 33 scripts and funded 13 scripts worth P60 000 each which were now showing. He explained that the funding was based on the rate card currently used for procurement of content for Now channel. 

He expressed concern that last year they did not get any film script entries from Tsabong District. He said they have realised that some aspiring film makers produced content and published on social media, hence the need to make a deliberate effort to capacitate them to produce quality films for local and international consumption.

Social media content creator Moremi Lekhutlile commonly referred as Mr Strike appreciated the ministry’s efforts to capacitate them.  

“Today I have learnt a lot about film production, I have seen what other film producers have done, how scripts correlate with video production, how to produce quality video and I plan to take my work to the next level,” he said with optimism. 

For Cynthia Sethibang commonly known as Centy Mududuzi, the film show was an eye opener, “Generally I am into performing arts. 

I never thought I could do visual arts such as film but after the film showcase,   I am inspired to also submit a script this year for consideration,” she said with a smile. Ends