By Perekeme Odon
The
President of the Directors' Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Mr. Fred Amata
arrived Edo State via the Benin airport to his hotel in the early hours
on Sunday evening, and without much ado, he went into the business of
the day.
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(L-R) Mr. Fred Amata, DGN President & Mr. Davidson Izegaegbe, DGN Edo State Coordinator
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While
welcoming the President to Edo State, the coordinator Mr. Davidson
Izegaegbe stated that the arrival of the President was timely and most
important in view of the progressive agenda put at the floor for
discussion.
Billy
King set the ball rolling by reviewing what steps could be taken to
make other states DGN members be actively involved in the mainstream of
NOLLYWOOD activities.
The
President, Mr. Fred Amata said that Nollywood is bigger than we think
or visualize because the business of filmmaking is beyond a locale hence
the need to
constantly ennoble the DGN whenever the tools of filmmaking is at our
reach. He assured that with the work on the various locations in Edo
State, mainstream Nollywood seem to be in Benin now. He stressed that
the structure on the ground in Benin will take everyone by storm.
He
said further that our prestigious guild is very far from where it
started and almost getting near where we are heading, sighting teething
problems as springboard for writing the page of success in the book of
history.
In
addition, the Benin Zonal Coordinator, Davidson Izegaegbe said that
part of the teething problems before now was information disseminations
which somehow made "hoarding of information" key to making progress slow
but for the internet which has made the world a global village, with
preproduction, production and post production dynamics now at our finger
tips.
Mr.
Peddie Okao a producer/director of repute also buttresses his point by
referring the DGN President to an industry blueprint/template developed
by Edo State to stir the ship of our filmmaking business to glory. He
talked on aspects that have taken care of distribution, marketing, film
village for practitioners, guilds/associations structures, and the need
for our indigenes in diasporas who are into filmmaking to take
advantage of the vast opportunity for investment in the film industry.
He
furthermore advised on the need for DGN members to put in their best in
every production irrespective of the language or locale it is shot
since filmmaking cuts across language barriers. He concludes that Edo
will soon be the much desired Nollywood destination.
In
conclusion, the President expressed his joy in seeing that the Benin
Zone is well organised and focused in articulating the policies of the
DGN executives and the industry in general. He enjoined all to always
maintain the standard of DGN and remain good ambassadors of this guild
of honour.
The
President was later ushered into a film premier room at the ISNO Hotel ,
and taken to a location where a film shoot by Billy Kings was holding,
and was later hosted by the management of Hexagon Entertainment Center
in the heart of Benin.
The
4-day visit to Benin Zone by the President, which commenced on Sunday
August 5 to Wednesday August 8 2018, is one of very many to happen
within the year as already scheduled by the Zonal Chapter of the DGN in
Edo State.
In
his address to the new appointees, the President, Fred Amata,
congratulated the Coordinator, Davidson Izegaegbe and the Secretary
Johnbull Negbenebor, and thereafter tasked them to uphold the tenets of
the guild.
The
President also seized the opportunity to congratulate all the newly
appointed committee members, Zonal coordinators and Secretaries. He
enjoined all to see the task of building the guild as a duty that must
be done. He reminded the guild that as custodian of the film art of
Nigeria the prestige and integrity of the guild should be made manifest
through their dedication and commitment.
The
President said he was happy with the role played by Benin Zone members
in creating the Movie Industry template for filmmakers in Edo State, and
said that his visit to the Zone is one of many to come help sustain a
viable movie industry in the State.
The Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN) announces screening for intending members into the Guild for the 2018 periodic session.
