NFC moves to sanitize Nollywood

The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), has reeled out plans to sanitize the film industry and reposition it for a better performance in line with the federal government change mantra.

In a statement made available to HVP, the regulatory body said, it has sent a bill to the National Assembly for the creation of a new Nigerian Film Commission which will empower it to oversee the activities in the movie industry in the country.

According to the agency, if the bill scale through, it will swing into action to sanitize the industry by ensuring that professionalism becomes the top priority of the regulatory body. 'We will also fight against monopoly and destruction of the movie industry. Action will be taken to protect this industry. We establish a new production service that will produce films as the mandatory producer of the Federal Government as it used to be in the past. We will establish a leasing of film equipment to practitioners. We will through the government establish a film fund called National Film Development Fund, NFDF, sponsor some of our projects,' the statement read.

The regulatory body regretted that lack of funding has hampered the execution of some of its laudable projects, such as sponsoring stakeholders and staff of NFC to film festivals. It, however, prescribed the way forward for the industry, saying 'there is need for us to get clearance from the minister in order to raise fund from the multinationals for the production of mega movies jointly with practitioners in the industry.

'We must get into production for PayTv, terrestrial, and cinema. We will raise fund through the Minister's support to go real commercial. Shoot commercials, make the institute pay. Establish an annex institute in Ikoyi, Lagos with the support and participation of our grand-master and former Chairman.'

NFC, also urged state governments to consider the idea of creating viewing centres which will support the few existing cinema houses across the country.