ONE may want to ask why Kene Mkparu, MD/CEO of Filmhouse cinema and FilmOne Distribution is having his hands in many pies. In no time, after coming into the film distribution and exhibition business in Nigeria, after serving at the Odion Cinema in the UK, he made cinema culture less elitist by evolving competition with Silverbird Cinema, which had existed as a monopoly in the market.
Mkparu, during a forum, disclosed that the cinema isn’t just established for a certain class of people, but also prioritises reaching the common man in the society. “The cinema is not just opened for certain class of people; but has also prioritizes every member of the society. That is why we’ve made it affordable, and accessible,” he said.
Rising from its relatively affordable charges on movies, the chain soon grew across the country, attracting bank sponsorship. And to show that the business is lucrative and had been largely untapped, Mkparu, who got part of his loans from Bank of Industry, paid up sooner than expected, thereby raising the hope of the bank towards investing in Nollywood.
Interestingly, FilmOne, the distribution arm of the company, has also gone into film production and collaboration with artistes, some of whose films have made ‘impressive’ box office sales.
Not stopping there, Image Maximum (IMAX), the world’s biggest motion picture film format which had been finding its way into the West African market found a dependable ally in Filmhouse with which it signed a deal in June 2015. Part of the deal was to construct an IMAX theatre in Lagos, marking the first-ever IMAX agreement in Nigeria and West Africa.
Five months after the IMAX deal, another feat was attained with world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, 20th Century Fox, bringing their investment to Nigeria courtesy of FilmOne Distribution. Many had hailed this as a huge landmark for Nollywood.
As part of the agreement, this year, FilmOne Distribution is expected to release such titles as Independence Day: Resurgence, Ice Age: Collision Course, as well as The Birth of a Nation from the Studio’s Fox Searchlight Pictures division and Dreamworks Animation’s Trolls. Mkparu believes this partnership will do more than increase box office result in West Africa.
There is no doubt that the vision of the founders of this company is to become a dynamic cinema company. Strategically, the cinema house has brought into visibility, different platforms at which individuals, organisations and agencies could also publicise their content and intent. These platforms include; Digital advertising, On Screen adverts, Foyer LCD TV, Weekly FilmXtra Magazine Ad placement and pop-corn packs, amongst others.
Only last Wednesday, the group brought three film industry executives from the US for the first edition of its lecture series which held at Filmhouse Surulere (Annex), Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall, Surulere, Lagos.
Stakeholders in the film industry agreed that was another eye-opener for an industry that has the potential to take up the world.
“Thank you Filmhouse, FilmOne and Myfilmhouse Crew. The lecture series 1 was truly interactive and informative. Kene God bless you,” said a participant. And to emphasise the potential of Nollywood, another participant, Chris Ekejimbe, noted among other things that, “Take home from the first edition of Filmhouse/FilmOne lecture series is that trailers of two Nigerian films were played back to back with some from Hollywood and no difference in picture quality.” This, according to him lends credence to the possibility of Nigerian films being shown in cinemas across the ocean.
The guests include Craig Shurn (based in South Carolina and England), former Vice President Sony Pictures, Director Filmhouse & FilmOne and former Film Booking Director Odeon Cinemas UK; Richard Signieski (based in Arizona and Prague, Czech Republic), CEO Blue Sky Media, a feature film distribution company with focus on Central/Eastern Europe and Africa and CEO MYFILMHOUSE VOD platform; and Peter Kornberg of Blue Sky Media (based in New York).
At an educational Meet & Greet session with intensive Q & A on film business and networking opportunity, some of the questions that the series attempted to answer included the essential characteristics you look out for in booking a film; the term Film Hire and why Distributors and Producers find it expensive; the role of a Theatrical Distributor and Cinema Exhibitor.
In the area of studio business, participants were taken through the role a studio plays in the Film Business life cycle, including how films are financed and green lit; the standard or base marketing plan for a studio title and the differences between a studio and Independents.
In the area of Video on Demand (VOD), participants shared useful statistics on VOD penetration globally and indeed Africa; what it takes to set-up a successful VOD platform; how to guide against piracy on Internet VOD platforms; how to select content for VOD and what determines license fees that are set and paid; how the VOD transforms the fortunes of an interesting market such as Nigeria particularly with the challenges of internet speed, data costs, payment solution etc and why filmmakers are yet to record a success story of a VOD platform in Nigeria.
The series also explored the area of marketing and advertising, with variables to consider when developing a marketing plan for a film’s release.
With this, there is no doubt that the organisers recognise that the Nigerian film industry needs fundamental re-education in international standard practices in the business of film. And it is just pointless to wait for government agencies to initiate capacity development.
If other investors in the creative industry would take a cue from the different engagements of this group of companies, the better life will be for Nollywood in its quest to ‘capture’ the world.
