Cinema and New Technologies: the Development of Digital
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CINEMA AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES: THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL VIDEO FILMMAKING IN WEST AFRICA S. BENAGR Ph.D 2012 UNIVERSITY OF BEDFORDSHIRE CINEMA AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES: THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL VIDEO FILMMAKING IN WEST AFRICA by S. BENAGR A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy February 2012 2 Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................. 5 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................ 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...................................................................................... 7 DEDICATION: ....................................................................................................... 8 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ................................................ 9 ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... 13 Chapter One: INTRODUCTION .......................................................................... 14 1.1 Key Questions of the Research ................................................................... 14 1.2 Methodologies ............................................................................................. 21 1.3 Context: Ghana and Burkina Faso .............................................................. 28 1.4 Context: Development of Film Cultures ..................................................... 37 1.5 Post-colonial West African Film Practices ................................................. 45 1.6 Video filmmaking in the ‘postcolonial’ context. ........................................ 55 1.7 Cinema, technology and digitisation ........................................................... 66 Chapter Two: FILM PRODUCTION AND FILM MAKERS: PERSPECTIVES ON DIGITAL VIDEO FILMMAKING IN WEST AFRICA .............................. 80 2.1 Defining Digital Filmmaking ...................................................................... 87 2.2 Economics ................................................................................................... 93 2.3 Creative possibilities in economic adversity ............................................... 98 2.4. Film practices ........................................................................................... 103 2.5 Infrastructure ............................................................................................. 108 2.6 Development agenda: politics and media liberalisation............................ 127 2.7 Film local, think global: matter of theme and style .................................. 148 Chapter Three: INSTITUTIONS AND POLICIES; REGIONAL CONTEXT .. 171 3.1 Towards an integrated Regional Approach: digital video technology and future filmmaking in West Africa ................................................................... 171 Chapter Four: MARKETING, DISTRIBUTION AND EXHIBITION .............. 206 4.1 Alternative models of marketing and distribution .................................... 206 4.2 Standardising film distribution and exhibition .......................................... 213 4.3 Marketing video films ............................................................................... 233 4.4 Creating new models: The D-170 Plus and Gated Community Models ... 237 4.5 Video films and the diaspora .................................................................... 247 4.6 Changes in technologies and digital video marketing and exhibition ...... 261 4.7 Tackling the problem of over production of video films in Ghana........... 267 Chapter Five: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................... 273 3 5.1 Summary of issues .................................................................................... 276 5.2 Key questions for the industry .................................................................. 279 5.3 Recommendations for intervention ........................................................... 282 5.4 A Postscript ............................................................................................... 284 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................... 285 OTHER SOURCES CONSULTED .................................................................... 291 LIST OF SELECTED FILMS ............................................................................ 292 APPENDIX 1: Interviewees: Ghana and Burkina Faso ...................................... 293 APPENDIX 2: chronology of Organisations, Institutions, events, policies for Integration ........................................................................................................... 296 Endnotes: ............................................................................................................. 299 4 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Production Volume: 2004 – 2010 (Boubakar Diallo) ........................... 163 Table 2: Production Volume: 2004 – 2010 (Shirley Frimpong-Manso) ............. 163 Table 3: MICA 2009 in Figures .......................................................................... 174 Table 4: FESPACO Festival Attendance Statistics: 2001 – 2009....................... 187 Table 5: The Main UK VOD Film Players: 2007 ........................................... 11609 Table 6: TV Ownership and Viewership: Ghana ............................................ 23129 Table 7: Internet Usage and Population Growth: Nigeria ............................... 23266 Table 8: Internet and Facebook Usage and Population Growth: Ghana ......... 26366 Table 9: Ghanaian Video Films and Production Houses: 1987 – 1993 .......... 26370 5 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Map of West Africa ............................................................................... 28 Figure 2: Ghana's Population Growth Projection ................................................. 29 Figure 3: Four Major Technological Developments in Film ................................ 70 Figure 4: Non-linear Editing Bench of Movie Africa/Danfo B A Productions, Ghana. Picture by Author (2010) ........................................................................ 115 Figure 5: Non-linear Editing Bench of Movie Africa/Danfo B A Productions, Ghana. Picture by Author (2010) ........................................................................ 115 Figure 6: Non-linear Editing Bench of Movie Africa/Danfo B A Productions, Ghana. Picture by Author (2010) ........................................................................ 116 Figure 7: Picture of Street Sales of film on VCD. Picture by Author (2010) ..... 132 Figure 8: Executive Theatre, Kanda - Accra, Ghana ...................................... 23116 Figure 9: Rex Cinema in the Central Business District of Accra, Ghana ....... 23217 Figure 10: Danfo B.A’s Marketing and Distribution Outlet at Opera Square, Accra (2010) .................................................................................................................. 220 Figure 11: Road side VCD/DVD Solo Marketer/Vendor in Ghana. Picture by Author (2010) ...................................................................................................... 231 Figure 12: Market Store CD/VCD/DVD Distributor/Marketer/Vendor. Picture by Author (2010) .................................................................................................. 26431 Figure 13: CD/VCD/DVD Distributor (Silverbird Cinema & Lifestyle Store in Ghana). Picture by Author (2010)………………………………………………232 Figure 14: Trasacco Valley Gated Estate: Picture by Sweggs, June 6, 2007 ..... 245 Figure 15: Trasacco Valley Gated Estates in Accra: Picture by Sweggs, June 6, 2007 ..................................................................................................................... 246 Figure 16: Silverbird Cinema in Accra, Life Style Shop. Picture by Author (August, 2010) .................................................................................................... 262 Figure 17: Silverbird Cinema in Accra, way leading to Screens 2&3. Picture by Author (August, 2010) .................................................................................... 11563 Figure 18: Audience queuing to buy cinema tickets at Siverbird Cinema. Picture by Author (August, 2010) ................................................................................... 263 Figure 19: Silverbird Cinema - Accra, Ticket Sales Desk. Picture by Author (August, 2010) ................................................................................................ 23164 Figure 20: Emerging video film value chain model in Ghana ........................ 23272 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to thank first of all God for giving me the strength, knowledge and good health to come this far. To my Director of Studies, Prof. Garry Whannel, I say thank you for the guidance and suggestions during the entire period of this project. You have been an inspiration. To the Director of my Research Institute (RIMAD) Prof. Alexis Weedon, words cannot express my gratitude for all the support in research and conference grants as well as fee waivers. To all my interviewees, I say thank you for your views. They have been so useful to the final output of this research project. Of special mention are Dr Stanislas Méda, Mr Clement Tapsoba, Mr Africanus Aveh, William Akuffo of World Wide Motion Pictures, Ghana. You breathed so much life into this work. My special thanks