OVERVIEW OF SHOOT! TRAINING SERIESm --The Impact Of Its Broad Spectrum

Shoot! training programme originated from the apex body of the film industry, the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC).Since its debut, the programme has served as an intermediary between filmmakers at the grassroots and the professionals in the industry. It has recorded enormous success and has helped introduce innovations into the film industry. AL-AMIN CIROMA looks at the overview of the programme and its impact on stakeholders.

(Published in LEADERSHIP Newspapers on July 11, 2009)

The seed of Shoot! Series workshop was first planted by the Nigeria Film Corporation (NFC) in 2005 to serve as a training and capacity building programme for the film stakeholders and professionals in the motion picture industry. The workshop was aimed at broadening the horizon of practitioners who have individual areas of interest. It also serves as an avenue for the stakeholders to gain expertise, exchange ideas and discuss emerging creative tools and applications for quality productions.
So far, statistics shows that about 817 persons have fully participated and benefited in the programme since its inception four years ago.
Created by the need to democratise the access to content creation tools, Shoot! Observed that Nigeria was yet to be transformed into a net of exporter of quality films. Although the progamme was designed for producers and film distributors, video and television broadcasters, as well as directors of cinematography, it was also a platform where audio-visual experts in related fields and organisations reaped from its wealth of ideas.
According to the managing director/chief executive officer, NFC, Afolabi Adesanya, the workshop will be improved on in subsequent editions. He opined that NFC will keep exploring core competencies at driving this special training and improvement programme forward.
During one of its pre-programme interactive forum, held at Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, several professionals in the industry expressed their satisfaction on the series of courses being offered at Shoot! workshops. Present at the interactive forum were Iyen Agbonife (Designers’ Guild of Nigeria), Bond Emeruwa (Directors’ Guild of Nigeria), Emmanuel Isikaku (Film/Video, Producers’ and Marketers’ Association), Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Conference of Motion Picture Practitioners’ of Nigeria (CMPPN), Gregory Odutayo (NANTAP), Busola Halloway (ITPAN), Fidelis Ewata (Nigerian Society of Editors), Tony Anenih (Script Writers’ Guild of Nigeria). Others were Francis Onwochei of AMP and Osezua Stephen of ITPAN; Tex Benibo, director of Research and Statistics (NFC); Brian Etuk, head of Public Affairs (NFC); Mrs. Francisca Duro Oni, head of Lagos Office of the NFC and the corporation’s head of Support Services, Dr. Diran Ademiju-Bepo.
Sharing his opinion with the meida, Mahmoud Ali-Balogun reacted to the idea of instituting a football challenge for filmmakers proposed by the NFC. Although he didn't see anything wrong in practitioners engaging in recreational activities, the founding member of the CNMPP and a member of the steering committee of Motion Picture Council of Nigeria (MOPICON) submitted that the issue of the football challenge may have been taken out of context.
"I was at the meeting where the idea was mooted," he said, adding tha,t "the idea was only proposed as a way of promoting friendship among practitioners. I think it's just recreational, and what the NFC pledged is their support. It will help in engendering friendship among filmmakers,".
The year 2009 series of the workshop, being the 5th edition, was slated for July 20 to 24 with a theme ‘’Reel Life, Real Sound,’’ where international resource persons for all scheduled courses will showcase their talents in conducting the training courses.
According to the statement signed by the corporation’s head of Media Relations, Brian Etuk, which was made available to LEADERSHIP's INSIDE KANNYWOOD, courses for this year's event include, Documentary Film, Sound Design/Dubbing, Music Design for Film, Still Photography, Animation, Directing for the Screen, and Digital Editing/Cinematography. The statement also indicated that, registration for participation is ongoing, especially against the background of the tremendous performance by the resource persons for Shoot! 2008, who incidentally form the team for this year’s edition. They are Barbel Mauch from (Germany), Dominique Giral (France), Alfred Okoro(Nigeria), and Stephen Bayly, Sylvie Bringas, Alric Wilson and Penny Tweedie, all from the United Kingdom.
Reports further shows that participants for this year's event are in for a better deal, with the recent commissioning of additional infrastructure at the National Film Institute, venue for the five-day training programme by the minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, who described them as projects of motivation, empowerment and commitment. The commissioned projects are the Sound Stage Complex an edifice capable of handling all productions from script to the screen; the new Administrative Block, and the 350 Seat Auditorium.
Last year (2008), the photo laboratory, the bookshop, canteen and cybercafé for the institute were commissioned. The combination of these five projects will, no doubt, provide additional infrastructure and conducive atmosphere for the Shoot! training workshop which is fast becoming a capacity building menu, not only for indigenous motion picture practitioners, but also those within West African sub-region.
Meanwhile, the minister of State, Information and Communication, Alhaji Ikra Bilbis, is expected to perform at the closing ceremony, while Governor David Jang, governor, of Plateau State, is the special guest of honour.