Protocol
It is indeed our pleasure to join fellow stakeholders and role-players who are involved in the development of this important industry in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
As you are well aware, MEC Michael Mabuyakhulu had confirmed his attendance at this very important breakfast, however, because of Cabinet commitments, he could not be with us this morning.
Nonetheless, it is a matter of common cause that the film industry is one of the prioritised future growth points of the province of KwaZulu-Natal and, as such, we applaud this initiative by the Durban Film Office to gather all stakeholders for this important session.
In the fast-paced world we are living in, the film industry has evolved from being just an entertainment option into an economic sector that is contributing immensely to the growth domestic product of many countries. But more importantly, the power of the film industry has been its huge marketing muscle and in placing destinations that otherwise some of us would not have known about, on the international map.
Think of the state of California in America. Without Hollywood, chances are that California would have been like any other little-known state like Rhode Island. But, such is the sheer marketing power of Hollywood that California is known all over the world as the centre of cinematic innovation.
In a world where the ability to influence perceptions about your country and to control information dissemination is power, the film industry is not only a lucrative medium of communication but provides an opportunity for those who are in control of this ability to tell their stories in an unmediated fashion.
Much as the United States of America is today the biggest super power and a military giant, the little-known fact is that most of its power is derived from what scholars call soft power.
The film industry plays a critical role in disseminating the American way of life and portraying America as the land of milk and honey. This has contributed to the notion generally-articulated as the Americanisation of the whole world.
It is because of the film industry’s ability to, among other things, influence, position and market an economic as well as a tourist destination. Critically it is its ability to contribute to the economy of any country that the film industry has become more than just a pastime for enthusiasts but serious business.
An article on the growth of the film industry asserts that: In 1995, when the country first became a viable location venue for movie and television production, the industry employed around 4 000 people. This has since grown to around 30 000 people, with further jobs - and earnings - created in filmrelated transport, hospitality and catering.
According to the Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa's entertainment industry is valued at around R7.4 billion, with film and television generating more than R5.8-billion in economic activity each year. And according to a recent economic impact assessment study commissioned by the Cape Film Commission, the industry has a direct annual turnover of more than R2.65 billion and contributes an indirect annual turnover of more than R3.5 billion to the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
The benefits of a burgeoning film industry are clear, especially when it comes to bringing in foreign exchange. Co-productions with international companies result in the direct investment of millions of rands into the economy.
South Africa has signed co-production treaties with four countries: Canada, Italy, Germany and the UK. This means that any official co-production is regarded as a national production of each co-producing country, making it eligible for any benefits or programmes of assistance available in either country. South Africa also has a memorandum of understanding relating to film with India.
It is therefore telling that as the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism, we have developed the Film Commission Bill to harness the economic spin offs of the film industry in our province and to ensure that this industry contributes to the economic well being of our people.
The objectives of the bill are to:
- To promote and market the province as a global destination for film production
- To develop, promote and market, locally, nationally and internationally, the film industry in the province
- To facilitate investment in the film industry in the province
- To provide and encourage the provision of opportunities for persons, especially from disadvantaged communities, to enter and participate in the film industry in the province
- To address historical imbalances in the infrastructure and in the distribution of skills and resources in the film industry in the Province
- To contribute to an enabling environment for job creation in the film industry in the province.
- Once the commission is up and running it will, among others, perform the following duties:
- Attract international film productions to the province
- Facilitate the establishment, development and growth of infrastructure and facilities for the film industry in the province
- Attract foreign and local investment and funding for the establishment, development and growth of infrastructure and facilities for the manufacturing of film products in the province
- Coordinate and facilitate human resource and human intellectual development in the film industry in the province.
This, programme director, shows that our government is serious about exploiting the economic potential of the film industry. In this regard, this partnership is something that should be nurtured and be encouraged. It is only when we work together that we can overcome challenges facing us in all our human endeavors. We believe that this partnership will create networking opportunities and more importantly promote the interests of the film and TV sector.
While the film industry has developed into a multibillion sector as evidenced by the phenomenal growth of Hollywood, and Bollywood, the reality is that we have not taped into this industry in our country. We therefore believe that a lot can be achieved if we work together to look at ways to uplift this industry in our province. Such forums are therefore one of the critical starting blocks to achieve this vision.
I thank you.
