SOKO FILAM: Experts Confirmed for Conference Programme.

 

SOKO FILAM: FILM AND TV MARKET – ANNOUNCES PROGRAMME

Presented by mahala.tv

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The SOKO FILAM East African Film and TV Market, taking place at The Zanzibar International Film Festival, in partnership with mahala.tv, from July 12^th – 14^th at the Hyatt Hotel in Stone Town, is excited to announce a 3-day programme of industry panel discussions and master classes.

The various topics that will include, intellectual property, distribution and monetization of content, the impact of digital and technology, the role of Nollywood and Bongo Movies amongst other relevant discussions.

A host of top industry names and experts have already confirmed their attendance and participation at the event, including: ShowMax, iflix video on demand, Citizen TV, Clouds TV, The Kenya Film and Classification Board, Riverwood, Uganda Film Commission, the African Film Consortium, Trace Mziki, RongaTV and Aya Distribution (UK) Udada Film Festival, Rotterdam Film Festival, African Voices Dubbing Company, MychoiceTV, Tibaz Productions, and Ubongo Productions amongst others.

Top international speakers will also be attending, including well respected film industry expert, author and founder of the Africa in Motion Film Festival, Lizelle Bisschoff,  Mykel Parish, President of the African Film Consortium, Dr. Ezekiel Mutua, from the Kenya Film Classification Board, Judd Ehrlich, Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker, Priscilla Mlay, a filmmaker who has been working in the Tanzania film/TV industry since 2012, and Debra Zimmerman, the Executive Director of Women Make Movies, a non-profit NY based film organization that supports women filmmakers.

SOKO FILAM made possible by the support of the newest and most innovative film distribution and funding platform and community that will launch later this year, mahala.tv.

mahala.tv will revolutionise the way that content producers can create, share, monetise, and ultimately, fund their productions, from films and TV shows, to short content and music videos. The platform will create a community for filmmakers across Africa to cooperatively and effectively create a viable industry.

CONFERENCE

Panel discussions are free to attend and open to all REGISTERED SOKO FILAM DELEGATES. Registration MUST be done via the website: http://www.ziff.or.tz/soko-filam/

WEDNESDAY JULY 12^th

TIME	TOPIC OF DISCUSSION
9:00 - 10:00	Welcome and Key Note Address
	Introduction and welcome to Soko Filam and reasons for its formation; the role of ZIFF and the government towards supporting the market initiative; current report on filmmaking in East Africa and proposal for future engagement with Film and TV industry stakeholders in East Africa, and beyond.
10:15 - 11:15	Impact of Digital Migration in East Africa
	Attitudes and opinions of media stakeholders regarding the Digital migration transition and how much information is available; specifically, the preferences of consumers in terms of television content and ultimately, the factors affecting the decision of media consumers to purchase set-top boxes.
11:30 - 12:30	New Broadcast Models: Linear vs Non-Linear
	Explores viewer's behaviour and attitudes towards using different platforms and service providers across a range of modes of viewing and devices; the  increasing  significance  of  non-linear  viewing,  with  catch-up  and  on-demand  services; understanding the pros and cons of each that lead to consumption.
2:00 - 3:00	Cinema Distribution & Marketing in Africa
	The role that African Cinema plays in the growth and development of content in Africa; getting your film screened in cinemas/theatres across Africa and the challenges that come with it; effects of piracy and the impact on distribution sales and audience attendance; marketing and promotion of film across new distribution models and its impact.
3:15 - 4:15	Social Media: Balancing Threats and Benefits
	Discuss the impact of social media and how it can be used as an effective tool in Film and TV content marketing; best methods of implementation and management; regulations governing the use of social media and its contribution towards development; how to successfully embrace the benefits without the risks/threats that come with it.
4:30 - 5:30	Interpreting Intellectual Property Rights
	The importance of IP in Film & TV content and understanding how and when to secure your intellectual property rights in a film. Understanding the role of copyright and related rights as well as trademarks and other forms of intellectual property rights in film.

THURSDAY JULY 13^th

9:00 - 10:00	Women In Film: Building Our Future
	What does it take to be a filmmaker/TV producer in the industry; how can women bridge the gap between what is expected and what can be delivered; how many women are in Film & TV (focus on East Africa) and  challenges they face as women; how to create a platform for women filmmakers to succeed.
10:15 - 11:15	Digital Potential in African Music Markets
	The evolution of African music and growth in today's contemporary society and its impact in emerging markets; consumer spending on recorded music revenues in the digital market; factors influencing the consumption of music and available digital platforms that guide marketing capabilities, pricing, competition and piracy.
11:30 - 12:30	Nollywood: Breaking Into The Market
	From script to screen as a Film/TV industry stakeholder in Nollywood; success stories that have broken barriers in distribution of Nollywood films; the importance of selecting the right target market and production techniques; Nollywood as a source of African film storytelling and collaborations with international stakeholders.
2:00 - 3:00	Consumer Viewing Trends: Film & TV
	Overview of current viewership trends in East Africa based on accessibility and affordability  of service devices/platforms; age group and cultural backgrounds; suitable and relevant content and production quality; availability of resources for content creation; hypothesis on new trends in the next year and its impact on consumer habits.
3:15 - 4:15	Crowd Funding: Financing For Film & TV
	Understanding the practice of funding or sourcing of funds for a project or venture in Film and TV; direct and indirect implications of crowd funding for both the investor and receiver; available sources of financing for Film and TV stakeholders; new models of financing that can reduce the risks and increase benefits associated with crowd funding.
4:30 - 5:30	Monetizing Content Across Multiple Platforms
	Learning new ways to distribute and monetize content to wider audiences; establishing brands that have long-staying power and can attract large audiences over time; using content monetization engines to build and promote your product/service; understanding revenue generation models for different platforms and knowing selecting the most suitable partner.

FRIDAY JULY 14^th

9:00 - 10:00	Importance of Co-Productions in Africa
	Explores collaborations in Film and TV content production and success stories that have emerged; challenges in finding a suitable partner and how to narrow your search; examines the merits and demerits of co-productions; the role of film governing bodes/associations in co-production treaties.
10:15 - 11:15	Spotlight on South Africa's Booming Film Industry
	South Africa has a vibrant, growing film industry where local and foreign filmmakers are taking advantage of unique location and low production costs; what are the opportunities available and how has this contributed to the growth of the economy; what lessons can be learnt by other African countries
11:30 - 12:30	Bongo Movies: The Uprising
	Bongo film and TV stakeholders take us through the journey and rise of the Bongo movie industry; how the filmmakers rise above challenges to make it one of the biggest film industries in Africa; current models adopted for financing, distribution and monetization of Bongo films; the next frontier.
2:00 - 3:00	Documentary Filmmaking As A Popular Genre
	Understanding the process that determines the development of contemporary documentary filmmaking; the power of documentary film to create emotional and intellectual bounds to consumers; striking a balance between documentary films as a source of pleasure and of information.
3:15 - 4:15	Data Driven TV: Greater Audience Engagement
	The broadcast industry is looking to adopt some of the precision ad targeting and automation that has become standard for digital advertising. Ad buyers, while enthusiastic about moving beyond classic broad demographic targeting on TV, have grumbled that data-driven ad buys are hard to execute at scale.
4:30 - 5:30	The Role of Film Festivals: Focus on East Africa
	Understanding the role that Film Festivals play in the growth and development of content; innovative ways adopted to market and attract new audiences to film festivals; investor relations and other benefits to the local and international community; demystfying the myth behind criteria and selection of films for screening; future of film festivals vs content markets.

MASTER CLASSES

SOKO FILAM will also be presenting a series of Master Classes taking place during the market:

Topics will include:

·      Content Distribution in the UK and Africa

·      Auditioning for Roles; Dos and Don’ts

·      Entertainment Law: Understanding Contracts

·      How to Pitch Your Project

TO PARTICIPATE AND EXHIBIT

As this is the inaugural SOKO FILAM event, ZIFF has decided to make the event as accessible as possible to small companies and independent producers. Pre-registered independent producers and buyers can apply to attend the event at no cost, whilst a range of affordable exhibition packages are also available.

For businesses wanting to take their SOKO FILAM experience to the next level there are a host of exhibition and sponsorship opportunities that can be designed for maximum benefit. If you would like to participate as a speaker at the conference, kindly get in touch with us at market@ziff.or.tz

For more information and to register visit: http://www.ziff.or.tz/soko-filam/