Afrigather Africa Magic held an intimate dialog with Nigerian filmmakers and movie fanatics on the 2023 Africa NXT Pageant.
Moderated by famend poet, author and filmmaker Wana Udobang, the panel dialog featured a chat with the Govt Head of Content material & West Africa Channels, MultiChoice Nigeria, Dr Busola Tejumola and MultiChoice Expertise Manufacturing unit Academy Director, Atinuke Babatunde. Different key panel members included Collection Producer Nwanyi Ike, Victor Okpala, Collection Producers, Irora Iya, Allen Onyige and Adeniyi Joseph-Omobulejo, and Head of Manufacturing, MultiChoice, Victor Aghahowa.
The dialog centred round ‘the crucial of indigenous content material’, the place the panel mentioned the significance of making genuine African tales in our native languages. Dr Tejumola defined that it was important to have these discussions about creating extra indigenous content material as a result of there’s been a lot westernization, because of the world being a worldwide village.
She mentioned, “In Nigeria alone, we now have over 250 tribes and methods of residing, and tales for days. We will inform 250,000 tales in a yr, and also you received’t repeat any of them. There may be simply uniqueness and variety in our tales. As a model, we aren’t simply leaping on a pattern with indigenous tales. We’ve advised these tales for over a decade by means of our Africa Magic Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa channels. As a lot as we consider that native content material that appeals nationally is nice, we all know that folks wish to see themselves represented on display.”
As a part of the drive to inform extra indigenous tales just like the newly launched Nwanyi Ike and the upcoming Africa Magic authentic collection – Dala Dala and Irora Iya, MultiChoice Nigeria is starting the indoctrination from the youthful filmmakers. By means of its MultiChoice Expertise Manufacturing unit, they encourage younger storytellers to inform extra of our native tales by means of programmes like ‘Colors of Africa’.
Babatunde explains this additional, saying, “We’re telling the younger abilities to not let their tales be formed by the narratives of the West. The MultiChoice Expertise Manufacturing unit additionally has ‘Colors of Africa’, specifically reserved for indigenous tales.”
Whereas it’s important to inform African tales creatively, it’s additionally crucial that they’re produced accurately and apparently. Aghahowa explains it merely as telling culturally genuine tales that may ring a bell with somebody from a unique tradition.
Regardless that Africa Magic isn’t creating a brand new area of interest and is as an alternative tapping into an already current market, the aim for talking about and championing indigenous content material is to amplify that indigenous movie house. Africa Magic needs to upscale that a part of the business. MultiChoice is making it occur by coaching extra filmmakers. Past the expertise manufacturing facility, the broadcasting firm has a portal the place creatives can register to interact with different creatives. MultiChoice Expertise Manufacturing unit additionally takes small masterclasses yearly. In 2022 alone, they held 320 masterclasses, instructing each the artistic and enterprise sides of filmmaking.
As part of making indigenous content material stylish once more for youthful audiences, Africa Magic has a slew of collection set to premiere this yr, considered one of which features a reboot of the enduring ‘Ripples’.
Dr Tejumola gave an in depth account saying, “This yr, we now have about 28 titles, spanning 120/65/52/13/6 episodes throughout all our channels, particularly for the language channels. Victor’s ‘Nwanyi Ike’ began working on February 1. It runs on weekdays at 7 pm on Africa Magic Igbo (DStv ch. 159). We even have the Hausa collection, ‘Dalla Dalla’ approaching February 13 and ‘Irora Iya’ on March 1, on AM Yoruba. These are simply among the many titles coming. I’ll say that everybody ought to keep tuned to Africa Magic.”
She added, “you don’t should SEE on an precise TV display. You may take your content material with you in all places you go along with DStv Now and the Showmax app. Even while you exit to vote and are in lengthy queues, your favorite exhibits can preserve you firm. All you want is a few knowledge and a connection. We’ve got one thing that may cater to everybody’s wants.”
Viewers can SEE contemporary episodes of Nwanyi Ike on DStv channel 159 and benefit from the model new Dala Dala on February 13 on Africa Magic Hausa (DStv ch. 156 and GOtv ch. 4) at 8 pm. Irora Iya will premiere on March 1, 2023, at 6:30 pm on AM Yoruba (DStv ch. 157 and GOtv ch. 5).
