CONTENT PRODUCERS UP IN ARMS
We are not Ok - Botswana Screen Society
The recently appointed Chairperson of the Botswana Screen Society and his Executive Committee have a mammoth task ahead of them. The society represents nine associations from the TV/ Film Industry. The committee is not about to sit back and watch as the industry disintegrates into insignificance.
Very vocal about the rot within their industry, this week the Executive Committee started with the first outreach activity, in a series of many in an effort to sweep clean the industry, and pave the way forward to a bright future. Heading this recently elected Committee, is none other than Johnson Otlaadisa, who has never shied away from calling a spade a spade when it comes to issues affecting the industry. Otlaadisa was speaking during a State of the TV/ Film Industry Address held this Wednesday, under the tagline # WeAreNotOk, as a starting point for engagement. Candid and holding nothing back, Otlaadisa and his new committee want to open up about the sad state of why it appears as if the industry has been stagnant for years in comparison to their counterparts in neighbouring countries. Otlaadisa noted that
for 20 years, every day viewers switch on their television sets to watch content on BTV, UPIC TV, and NOW TV; as producers, they are not happy with most of that content. Visitors come into the country and expect to see the best of Botswana content by producers but sadly leave disappointed, he said. According to Otlaadisa, it is an open secret that Batswana keep wondering why they see some of the predominantly bad content aired on national television channels, while a lot of amazing talent is aired on Social media platforms such as Facebook, and Tik Tok. Sadly, under the current state of affairs, this great content never makes it to local television stations. “Today, we will share with you our honest truth as to why this has been the case,” he said. As things stand now, policies that regulate the industry are old, outdated and are a barrier to the growth of the industry. He further said that they have an old, outdated Cinematography Act, and that the lack of a Film Commission continues to haunt them and kill the dreams of the creative professionals. “We are not OK. For the past 20 years, our TV/ Film Industry has been running mainly via unsolicited Programs Tender Process. In this process, our TV/ Film professionals are expected to submit finished products to broadcasters for purchase consideration tender,” he said. Otlaadisa emphasised that television production is a very expensive undertaking. This, he says, translates into producers expected to spend large amounts of money, which could easily run into millions, from their own pockets and go out with hungry actors, and crew members to produce a TV/ Film product hoping that one day, if chosen, it will sell or be procured, much to the detriment of producers and production teams. “Money is lost, families are broken, and people are disappointed, disillusioned in their craft and depressed. Sadly, the officials who are tasked with taking care of the welfare of the artists, do not seem disturbed by this. They find this process perfectly fine. We have observed that this agony does not happen in any other industry except ours,” he called. He also charged that they are also saddened by the fact that some privileged officials have the audacity to brief Permanent Secretaries/ Ministers who go to Radio Stations or Parliament to pronounce that Batswana producers cannot produce good quality content. “This is not only inaccurate, misinformed and misguided but it is lacking the due diligence to accurately identify where the challenge lies that leaves us with poor quality on our broadcasting screens,” cried Otlaadisa. Giving an example of what is happening in some neighbouring countries, he said producers are commissioned to produce such desired quality. He says that every year, SABC and DStv have new productions making into their many platforms/ channels. The producers behind these productions, are given a budget upfront to do that, and that none of them have to sell their cars, family houses, or go to extremes in a bid to self- finance the productions, he said.
“The production of such good quality shows is paid for by the requesting entity to make it,” he shared. He also called on the local broadcasters to state what they have done in the past 20 years for the industry, going further to question who they have commissioned, and why they have the audacity to look down on the abilities of the local creatives. The Botswana Screen Society is an official and registered coalition of Associations representing the TV/ Film Industry in Botswana. It was established subsequent to a meeting with the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture in 2021, where it was recommended that different genres of the Arts should unite and ensure that they have one Apex body to speak on their behalf.