Fast-rising international filmmaker, Theo Ukpaa has emphasised that the Film industry in Nigeria has felt a big upheaval due to the influx of heavyweight platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video without denying the consistent impact of cinemas in Nigeria.
He said this while delivering a very insightful lecture during his masterclass at the Coal city film festival in Enugu. The paper gives insights into the demographic nature of Lagos cinema-going audiences and their meaning-making habits. There is a huge market for films from Nollywood.
"To put the financial impact of Nollywood on the socioeconomic landscape in proper perspective, we must consider the known fact that the Nigerian movie industry is currently ranked the second largest film industry globally with the financial value of the film industry put at over $6.4 billion as of 2021" Ukpaa further narrates.
The Masterclasses at the Coal City Festival this year are facilitated by notable filmmakers like Veteran filmmaker, Izu Ojukwu, Producer of shanty town on Netflix Chichi Nworah, Producer of Living in Bondage Chris Odeh and and Award-winning Filmmaker and Media Executive Theo Ukpaa from 13-15 April 2023.
There is no surprise regarding the high registration and turnout for his Masterclass following the success of his Masterclasses all around the globe, incorporating his many film lectures at various international universities. Mr. Ukpaa has spread his teaching to institutions in Europe, America and the African continent. The Business of Film Masterclass integrates a Filmmaker's technical and conceptual understanding of filmmaking with the practical dimensions of a managing career in the film industry. Students will examine current industry business models and develop plans to advance their careers in filmmaking.
According to Theo "Oftentimes people focus merely on the show and glamor as well as the razzmatazz that comes with filmmaking, and end up dying broke. A strong national economy depends on a strong creative economy--and it all starts with a story. The film and television industry supports 2.4 million jobs, pays out $186 billion in total wages, and comprises over 122,000 businesses. As a Filmmaker, one of the best moments is directing real stories of real individuals, getting them to the big screens and smiling to the Bank". He believes that passion can burn out when expenditure and hard work does not produce financial returns. These are part of the essential basics he taught at his Masterclass at the coal city film Festival.
Young filmmakers were also thought how to pitch their film projects, how best to approach investors, how to access international grants, how to approach film distribution the perfect way and how to stay relevant in the film industry while maximizing profit.
Theo Ukpaa is an African filmmaker, playwright, and entrepreneur. His First Feature film, 'Lagos Landing' (2018), in partnership with Alliance Françoise, traveled to Film Festival around the globe and won prestigious Awards. Lagos Landing is a story about an uptight French woman who joins a dating site and connects with a rich, young lawyer in Africa and ends up the victim of mistaken identity. Prime Video, Tubi and Showmax acquired Lagos Landing. Theo Ukpaa was listed as top 10 most promising new directors by Africa Kulture Magazine in 2020.
Ukpaa is a certified project management professional offering a Master's in Business Administration degree from the prestigious Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California plus a Diploma in Contract Law from the esteemed Harvard University. A Native Nigerian with a passion to empower young art and culture creatives through teaching and Masterclasses at various free empowerment across Africa.
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He also touched on the importance of a production treaty between Nigeria and the neighboring African countries to ease the free flow of cultural exchange and break the language barrier while leaching on great treaty benefits. The importance of Government tax incentives was also emphasized.
It was imperative to note that the Nigerian film industry contributes largely to the nation's GDP and deserves a lot of support from the government as it relates to growth and sustainability in the creative sector of the country.
Theo has had multiple speaking engagements lined up all year at various institutions including the Willshire Film Festival in London, the Sabia film festival in Monaco, and the Francoise film festival in Paris, France.
