BOB TV 2010 - 7TH AFRICAN FILMS AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMES EXPO

BOB TV NEWS & EVENTS

BOB TV Report

AFRICAN FILM AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMES EXPO: BOBTV

Background Reading

BOBTV is an acronym for best of the Best in films and TV programmes. BOBTV is also the name given to the African Film and Television Programmes Expo which holds annually in Abuja, at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers. BOBTV 2009 will be the sixth edition and shall have the theme: Sustaining the Phenomenon – Nollywood

History.

In 2002, the promoters of BOBTV, who are also pioneers of the Nigerian Film and TV Programmes Industry, moved to create structures that facilitate the sourcing and exchange of high quality TV programmes. This platform was pitched to advertisers, TV stations, Producers of content, Investors, and media. BOBTV 2002 held in Lagos at the Sheraton Hotel Ikeja.
This first event was supported by the National Broadcasting Commission and Multichoice Nigeria. It was a phenomenal success and revealed a desire by all, for such a platform to ease their operations.

Growth.

Subsequently, the demand to participate required a much bigger venue and BOBTV moved to the Ladi Kwali convention Centre in Abuja; the biggest convention centre in Nigeria today.

By BOBTV 2005, the African film and Television Programmes expo had become a truly international event, attracting visitors, participants and resource persons from Canada, Zimbabwe, Namibia, England, United states, south Africa, Ghana and many more.
This also revealed the yawning gap in the infrastructure that should support the growth of the audiovisual industry in Africa.

At BOBTV 2005, the platform was formally organized to achieve three principal objectives:

1. A Business, Networking and Exchange Platform

BOBTV provides a safe and authentic place for businesses and interested persons to exchange ideas, products, services and information. At BOBTV 2005, the African Movie academy awards took root and Bayelsa state government engaged AMAA as host. Also at BOBTV 2005, Sound City, the music Television Channel operated by Consolidated Media associates was born. Africa magic engaged over 170 independent producers and their products at BOBTV 2005.

BOBTV 2006, nurtured some great collaboration for the BBC world service trust. The BOBTV University Challenge which engages 78 departments in 36 Universities and connects them to the growing audiovisual content Industry in Nigeria and Africa was introduced to great success. In 2006, UBA invested N30m in the first Truly National Video distribution company: TMC Box Office.

BOBTV 2007 spawned even more business for participants and visitors.

2. A Capacity Building and Human Development Platform

The skill base to meet the ever growing demand for quality content in the Nigerian Movie and TV broadcast industry is a constant challenge for all concerned. BOBTV 2005 introduced the Skill factory which is intended to provide specialized packaged courses in the various skill sets need in the content creation process.

In 2005, BOBTV invited Professor Longfellow from York University Toronto Canada, an award winning documentary filmmaker to teach the subject. Professor Ebong from University of Illinois, and many others provided expertise to participants.

In 2006 BOBTV collaborated with the American Film Institute (AFI) who had in the same year launched their African Voices Programme.

This collaboration brought in six specialists:

Adilah Barnes (Acting coach),
Sharifa Johka (Commissioning Editor in Los Angeles)
Kevin Arkadie (Emmy winning screen writer)
Prof Sade Turnipseed of Fespaco PRAI,
Ms. Avalyn Pitts, Media Law Expert
Prof. Jude Akudinobi, Professor of African studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The broadcast equipment giant SONY provided Master classes on the new high definition Sony camera’s; Angus McCann of M-net Broadcast Services provided master classes in Lighting for film and Television, Mr. Soni Irabor, took the Master classes in voice training.

In 2006 BOBTV launched the colloquium on African cimema, An International forum that provides the academic and intellectual basis for African filmmaking. In 2007, The Committee Of Relevant Art (CORA) became the hosts for the Colloquim, which has featured leading Nigerian Director Tunde Kelani.

Award winning Director, Sai George and producer; Sanjeev Mirakhjer came from India to enrich the experience of BOBTV 2007.
Bruno Magrani De souza, head of the FGV Institute in Rio de Janiero came from Brazil at the instance of the Ford Foundation Rio, in the company of a top Brazilian producer and a music star from the Favellas of Rio to experience the Nigerian Movie environment.

The year 2008 saw yet our boldest step. BOBTV 2008 hosted the Media Centre from Highbury College Portsmouth in England. In collaboration with the BOBTV Centre for Excellence in Film and Media Studies, an intensive teaching programme for broadcast stations, Practitioners, students and Participants was held over the period of BOBTV. This event inspired several new collaborations including the invitation by Bayero University in Kano to the Media Center of Highbury college to train their teachers. AIT is sending 42 of their Staff to train, and the Ministry of information is sending their information officers.

3. A Policy Review and Evaluation Platform

The Federal Ministry of Information and communication, through the heart of Africa Project, partnered with BOBTV in 2006 to begin the strong collaboration between movies and Nigeria's Image building efforts.
The National Film and Video Censors Board, the Nigeria Film Corporation, the National Broadcasting Commission, and the Broadcast Organizations of Nigeria as well as Media Networks; NTA, AIT, MBI and DSTV assemble at BOBTV each year to engage in policy review and evaluation. Landmark policy statements have been made at BOBTV each year.

4. Entertainment and Glamour

BOBTV has maintained a high entertainment Value. BOBTV opens with a gala Nite and party hosted by Celebrities.
BOBTV 2005 opening gala was hosted by the Bayelsa State Culture Ministry and featured their cultural troupe with Mr. Goodluck Jonathan (Now Vice President) as special guest.
BOBTV 2006 was an open house Party that featured Klint de Drunk, Mamoudzi, and several other new stars.
BOBTV 2007 was a live event hosted by Sound City, featuring P-Square, Tu- Face, and many other Stars.
BOBTV 2008 was hosted by the Lagos State Tourism Board as a build up to the launch of the Lagos Film Office and Film City.

Bobtv has maintained a full service cinema at all its events since 2005 and this is free to participants, visitors and the general public. Several films are shown every day for the duration of the event.
The films created in the University challenge are also screened at BOBTV.

BOBTV Awards
Each year BOBTV identifies persons who has excelled in service to the industry and rewards them with the BOBTV Awards. Recipients include: Mr. Peter Igho, Executive Director, NTA; Mr. Andy Amenechi, Film Director, Ms. Liz Benson, Actor - 2007. Mr. Sam Loco Efe, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, and Dr. Umar Farouk received awards in 2008.

Celebrities.
BOBTV has always attracted the Cream of society and the Entertainment business.
BOBTV 2008 was opened by His Eminence, The Sultan of Sokoto, Sultan Abubakar III. Ministers’ Senators, Industry captains and investors all attend BOBTV.

Some statistics.
BOBTV 2005
Registered Delegates: 1895
Registered Exhibitors: 40
Visitors (daily): 1100 avg.
Media: Live on NTA, AIT

BOBTV 2006
Registered Delegates: 2147
Registered Exhibitors: 36
Visitors (daily): 1325 avg.
Media: Live on NTA, AIT

BOBTV 2007
Registered Delegates: 2344
Registered Exhibitors: 40
Visitors (daily): 1776 avg.
Media: Live on NTA, AIT, MBI

BOBTV 2008
Registered Delegates: 2466
Registered Exhibitors: 40
Visitors (daily): 1760 avg.
Media: Live on AIT, MBI

The future

BOBTV is positioning to become the Principal resource of choice for all interests in the Movie, TV and audiovisual content Industries in Africa. It is already on the way, with its attendance drawing from all parts of the world.
BOBTV is constantly evolving its programmes and activities to keep up with and even define new trends in the industry. BOBTV 2008 saw the introduction of BOBTV Mobile to cater to the content need for mobile phones and mobile devices: BOBTV Film a Day, an ultra short film challenge; BOBTV Kidz, to capture the Filmmakers of the future.

The brand BOBTV is intended to stand for the Best of the Best in value and service. The Movie and audio visual content industry shall be the most important industry in the 21st century as most communications shall become audiovisual. The ability and capacity to create and distribute audiovisual content shall be as important as learning a language or even learning to speak. BOBTV anticipates this future in the present by connecting with the urgent need to build capacity in the diverse skills needed to sustain the global expression Nigeria has enjoyed in the past decade through the Nollywood phenomenon. BOBTV also identifies the vast businesses which shall be driven by this expression and seeks collaboration with entities who find synergy in this dynamic vision.

The theme for BOBTV 2009 is: "Consolidating the Phenomenon: Nollywood"

Amaka Igwe
CEO BOBTV

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