The Nigeria Film And Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has decried the rising case of breaking up movies into numerous parts by film producers describing the practice as unacceptable.
Its director-general, Patricia Bala who engaged film makers and marketers in Lagos recently said Part 1, 2 and 3 films were akin to serials obtainable on television. She said, “It is unlawful to break a film into numerous parts as is the practice like a television serial and push into the market. The board will always insist you merge them when you bring them for censorship”.
Though, curbing piracy is not part of its mandate, the DG reassured the executives of the various associations that the board is collaborating with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to minimize the impact on their operations. She stated that the board was re-strategising on the production of seals for film jackets to rid the market of uncensored and unclassified movies. She also told the executives of the associations that it was because of the interest in the growth of the film industry that the board and the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board signed a memorandum of understanding. The MOU, she averred, would eradicate duplication of fees by the two government agencies while limiting censorship decisions with the board.
On VCD sellers, the board advised them to desist from ten in one, twenty and thirty in one movies as they are not the board’s format.
Appreciating the visit and parley, the executives of the associations told the NFVCB boss that though they had stepped up the censorship of their movies, they, however, were finding it difficult to answer some questions from their members. Urging the NFVCB to step up in the discharge of its duties, they asked what the board was doing over the Project Act which they alleged was hijacked by individuals who were not members of their associations?
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