By Timothy Owase

 In Kenya, film is one of the constituent parts of the creative industry. Apart from playing an important role in communicating ideas and providing information, the film industry is a potential employment catalyst as it generates jobs directly in companies involved in production, post production, casting, crewing, equipment hire, set design and property supply. It generates many more jobs indirectly in the support and hospitality industries, stimulating business in hotels, catering companies, restaurants and transport business.

Generally, film-making is a challenging combination of business and art. The art of film-making is however no more important than the business of film-making. Successful film makers are those who develop their entrepreneurial skills and “drive films into life”. Film as a cultural tool, can contribute to bringing together what politics has separated as well as to the hastening and consolidation of the process of reorganizing the economic field. On the other hand, cultural action can develop properly only on a solid material and economic basis and this cannot be separated from the socio-economic reality, which constitutes its backbone.

A well nurtured film industry would help in the process of nation building, communication and developing a common shared identity. It provides a forum for sharing ideas and debate and a delivery mechanism for other cultural industries in a country. It’s potential to educate while entertaining the public may even prove to be of a competitive edge for film and television in the society.

The film industry has become a substantial industry directly employs many people (including those self-employed). The growth and worldwide reputation of the sector, from its traditional strengths in acting, scriptwriting and film production through to more recent development in specialist post-production fields like visual effects, represents a real success story.

Kenya’s film industry has a symbiotic relationship with other creative industries. Every job supported in the core film industry a further job is supported through indirect and induced multiplier impacts. This contributes to the economy and exchequer in a number of other ways not captured by standard multipliers – for example, by promoting cultural life, attracting tourists to the country, supporting Kenyan exporters, and generating sales of industry products and other merchandise.

Cultural life

The film industry contributes substantially to the cultural life of the country. Successful films shot at a location, are a means of expression of the locations identity. They address the social challenges faced in the 21st century, including drug addiction, terrorism, as well as positive themes such as family values, friendship and triumph over adversity.

Tourism

The industry indirectly enhances Kenya’s tourist industry by encouraging more international tourists to visit and their spending supports a substantial number of jobs in return. On presentation of Kenyan life in films is not only important in sustaining our culture. But also has important impacts on the country’s tourism and trade. The impact of film on tourism is well-documented through a number of case studies and is recognized in the marketing campaigns of tourist boards around the world. For example, phone apps, podcasts and Movie Maps are available to direct tourists to key locations depicted in such films.

Promotion and trade

The film industry has a role in facilitating trade into the country. High quality films raise the awareness of the country as a place to invest, not only in the film industry itself but also in other sectors. The economic value of the direct, indirect and induced effects would relate to the total revenues of the film industry, while the catalytic impacts are benefits for other industries, consumers and the economy more generally

There are many channels through which the film industry makes contribution to an economy. This contribution includes but not limited to:

Direct impacts – employment and activities in the film industry itself. This covers all stages of film production (pre-production, production and post-production) which physically takes place in the country, together with the distribution and exhibition of films at the market place.

Indirect impacts – employment and activities supported down the supply chain to the core film industry, as a result of film companies purchasing goods and services from in country suppliers. This includes; jobs supported by the manufacture of production equipment sold to production companies; the manufacture of goods sold at cinemas; the spending of film crews in hotels, restaurants among others; business expenditure on TV, radio and other advertising; and a wide variety of activities in the business services sector (legal, Accountancy, Information Technology, Insurance, Management etc.).

 Induced impacts – employment and activity supported by those directly or indirectly employed in the film industry spending their incomes on goods and services in the country. This helps to support jobs in the industries that supply these purchases, and includes jobs in retail outlets, companies producing consumer goods and in a range of service industries. Additionally, there are economic catalytic impacts („spillovers‟) which result from the wider role film has on the following:

Skills and the labour supply – the industry improves skill levels in the economy by helping to retain highly skilled people who would otherwise go abroad or by attracting well-trained people from other countries to work in the country. This increases the pool of talent and skilled labour for other screen industries such as TV and commercials.

 The Writer is a Chartered Marketer and film industry professional and can be reached at timothy.owase@live.com

 

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