Potential partners for funding

• Embassies (French, British, Japanese, American, Chinese, etc.)
• Private companies: mobile companies, banks, petrol stations,
• UN organisations (UNICEF, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, )
• International institutions: GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation), SADC (Southern African Development Community)

Botswana hosts the Secretariat of this African organisation, OIF (Organisation International de la Francophonie), SAMDF (South African Media Development Fund)

• Parastatal companies: DEBSWANA (the national diamond company), BDC (Botswana Development Corporation), Botswana Tourism Organisation, BEDIA (Botswana Export Development Investment Agency), NACA (National AIDS Coordination Agency)
• Governmental organisations: Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture (MYSC)
• International NGOs: ACHAP (HIV/AIDS), PSI (social marketing),

Point of discussion: Dominance of funding by the Government of Botswana and International NGOs with subjects and messages dictated by the (often) foreign funder; development media is not media development; in almost all cases both copyright and authorship are retained by the funder — there is neither creative nor journalistic independence; without both the most you get is pseudo-documentary.

Film schools, training programmes

There are 2 main institutions providing a 4-year media related training and delivering a BA Degree in Media Studies (including video, PR, journalism, etc.): the University of Botswana and the Limkokwing University. According to some, the trainers need more in-depth training and the Limkokwing University offers more practical classes.

ABI Films, a film production company, has a project to run workshops (boot camps, with special guests, etc.). The company is developing an art curriculum with the Mogolokwame Arts Academy and the WITS University in SA for short practical training. It has also trained students in workshops at the University of Botswana and the Limkokwing University.

University of Botswana is seen as too generalist and with a “white-collar” bias. There is an explicit and implicit culture that splits people into those who have ideas and those who implement ideas which is reflected in its faculty. This culture is alien to the reality of independent film production and the Creative Industries as a whole.

The Limkokwing University by its very design, pre- supposes an industry in which their graduates can find employment and continue to learn on the job through apprenticeships, internships and entry-level positions.

Neither UB nor LU are contributing anything other than a large number of unemployed and unemployable young people without that combination of knowledge and craft competencies that would allow them to be self-employed or creative entrepreneurs.

In conclusion there is little in terms of training on film; many go overseas, mainly to SA and Malaysia for short courses.

The film industry has no growth yet and profess- ionalism in the sector is still low, but there is a strong interest in film.

Renée Gilbey and John Clement, partners in Storyline Media, came to Botswana in 1994 as volunteer Producer/Trainers on a two-year contract. and in 1994- 95 designed and delivered a series of three 12-week workshops in “Creative Documentary”. The workshops were used by the National Film Board of Canada’s “Constructing Reality” curriculum as its base and included a strong media literacy component. They also built a small but inclusive library of documentary films including from Africa. They are currently working

on a 26-episode drama series front-ended by a media development upskilling project, DramaLabs.

Recommendations

• Need for short practical laboratorial type training (one month or 3 months to a year).
• Need to partner with local organisations for training g. the Foundation for Contemporary Visual arts.
• Need to fund regional training programme: no need to reinvent the wheel but support existing regional

The design of any training project needs to be “site- specific” and cyclic. By cyclic we mean that there needs to be at least three production projects of increasing complexity and sophistication. Learn-produce-critique- learn more-produce…repeat. There should be a strong media literacy component throughout. All participants should leave with empathy for the crafts of filmmaking and the ethics of the documentary process.

Business management, technical and journalism schools interested in being involved with this initiative

The University of Botswana and the Limkokwing University

Human Resource Development Council. This parastatal organisation is responsible for regulating training institutions and approving curricula.

Festivals

There is no international film festival yet. However, every year in April, a small festival, the Ditshwanelo Film Festival, shows international and local documentaries on human rights issues over the course of a week. Because of political sensitivities they don’t show controversial documentaries. They are funded mainly by international human rights organisations and a bit by local sponsors. Before 2009, the EU used to have an European film festival every year.

The Department of Arts and Culture, from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, is brainstorming a film festival project with local filmmakers. The goal will be to cultivate interest in films among audiences and sponsors and also to encourage filmmakers to screen their work. In the beginning they want to set up a national festival to showcase local productions and talents. The project has been delayed because of division between the local filmmakers and the fact that there is not yet a film association where filmmakers can unite.

Recommendations

Support needed in funding and expertise to set up a local film festival.

Professional, peer mentorship group: creative producers, line producers, directors, writers, editors

There is not yet an association of filmmakers. The filmmakers still need to come together in an association and the progress is minimal so far.

A couple of associations existed before but they collapsed when expectations that the TV stations that began broadcasting 10 years ago would distribute their work, failed. Today local TV stations turn down most documentaries because of “lack of quality”.

There is also no Art Council yet in Botswana. The government is uncertain as to which ministry the film industry should be ascribed to.

Despite the various challenges, there is a lot of motivation among filmmakers to come together; many see that working alone does not work.

In terms of mentorship projects, it is important to mention the work done by Storyline Media, a production company run by John Clement and Rene Gilbey (of Canadian origin). They have in the past years run workshops on documentary for aspiring filmmakers.

Recommendations

Need to “educate” officials to support and recognise local filmmakers, for example by organizing an annual award event.

Camera, computer hardware, software and other tech-related companies in film

There are no important rental houses. Before, a few were present but they were too expensive for rental. Many filmmakers bought their own equipment but are not renting them out.

Production companies with basic equipment: ABI Films, News Co, Storyline Media, Motion Blur. D Zone, TM Pictures, Cowhorn Productions, Film 3 Screen Productions.

There is a need for a rental place of professional accessories for light, sound, camera, tracks, dolly, etc.

Recommendations

Need for a professional equipment rental house and also technical support company (for sound, post production, etc.).

Sales companies, distributors advisory group

There is no distribution company for films, nor for music. (Most artists distribute themselves in stores and on the street.)

Generally, the filmmakers themselves go to local TV stations and register their films into festivals overseas.

Most chain stores (Game, etc.), all from South Africa, only distribute foreign content. The filmmakers need to go to South Africa if they want their productions to be distributed there. Game tried to distribute local films but payment was slow.

Recommendations

Need for serious distributors.

Advocacy partners

• Department of Arts and Culture from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture
• COSBOTS (Copyright Society of Botswana) that started recently and is funded by the Ministry of Trade
• Department of Information and Broadcasting (DBS), from the Ministry of Presidential Affairs
• The National Broadcasting Board, responsible to regulate media stations
• The BTA (Botswana Telecomm Authority), responsible for licensing TV-radio stations

Existing documentary and news archives

The National Archive at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture gathers mostly governmental productions although all are supposed to take their productions there.

All forms of distribution, including: broadcast, theatrical, internet, mobile TV, telecoms/mobile phone, mobile cinema, film/video clubs, etc.

There are 2 TV stations: E Botswana, a subsidiary of South African ETV, and BTV, the national broadcasting company. E Botswana only broadcasts in and around the capital Gaborone. BTV has a national reach. Both TV stations generally produce in-house and barely commission. E Botswana shows local shows and content from E Africa. BTV broadcasts a news bulletin, local programmes and old foreign content.

Very few filmmakers use the internet for distribution, and then, mostly for trailers.

The Gaborone Film Society screens movies and documentaries every month. It is mostly attended and run by expats.

The Alliance Française is running a Cine club every month on Thursday in a school with limited seating capacity. They screen films and documentaries, but mostly from French speaking countries, and are funded by the French embassy.

There is currently a project to open an Art and Essay films screening venue.

Recommendations

Need to encourage local TV stations to commission independent productions.

Educational and non-profit distributors

None existing except the productions commissioned by NGOs and institutions that they distribute to their audience themselves.

Most funding goes to HIV/AIDS content.

Recommendations

Need for funding for outreach programmes on key development issues.

Legal frameworks including any censorship issues

There is no entertainment law except the Copyright Act under which COSBODS (that deals with registration and payment of copyright) is operating. Its implementation is weak because most of the public is not aware of copyright issues. The police are supposed to enforce the law, but do not. The prosecution also does not use the copyright law when it is making judgments. In general, there is very little understanding of how to enforce the law.

The Cinematographic Act of 1977 deals with censorship; but the law is not being implemented any more as it is too old and unrealistic. The society is seen as too conservative and what exists is “self censorship”.

As the film industry is still coming up, filmmakers expect the law to adapt gradually.

Discussions have been going on since 2008 between the government and professionals. The government has commissioned a study on the viability of the film industry. A few issues were dealt with (festival, film commission, etc.) but until now the decisions have not been implemented. The study also misses a broader consultation. The government is mostly interested in showcasing on TV the various development programmes it is doing and has not yet embraced educational or edu-tainment TV programmes.

The other problem is that there are no lawyers specializing in entertainment.

Recommendations

• Legal practitioners need to explore and know more about entertainment
• Need implementation of copyright law.
• Need to add media law in
• Need for more public awareness and implementing

Audience cultivation strategies including publicity/ PR strategy

None existing.

Recommendations

The upcoming festival aims to build audience and to encourage Botswana’s to appreciate more of what is locally produced.

Revenue strategies, including advertising, sponsorship, footage licensing, partnerships with news organisations

The problem with the film industry is that it is almost non-existent and is very fragmented. Also, the government has not been interested in investing in local productions. Individuals are pushing, but there are no important results yet.

In Botswana the private sector is weak as the state still controls a lot of businesses. Also, a majority of goods are coming from South Africa.

A cheap Chinese TV decoder is airing foreign channels (including the South African TV station SABC). The local TV stations have to compete with them for sponsorship. As most of the key potential sponsors are South African companies, the private channel E Botswana has difficulties to survive as the sponsors prefer to fund programmes on SABC that are airing across Africa. E Botswana has decided to sue Syntech for allegedly airing foreign channels on the Chinese decoder. The TV station has won the court case but Syntech has appealed and they are awaiting the final court decision.

Most filmmakers go to the 2 local TV stations for screening. They negotiate a commission on the airtime and look for sponsors.

BTV commissions through a tender process, but very rarely.

A major problem for filmmakers is that the equipment the government has invested in is allocated only to departments that produce programmes in-house for BTV. Despite protests from individuals for shared access, there has been no change.

Most documentary makers generate incomes by producing for NGOs and UN organisations.

The government of Botswana has done very little to develop or even recognise the creative industries as a potential source of economic diversification, meaningful employment and new cultural production.

Recommendations

• The government should stop producing internally and outsource local producers.
• There are many governmental funds available that could be directed to fund
• The local TV stations should have timely commission cycles that everyone should know
• Need for organisations to facilitate access to international
• The fund needs to look for partnerships with East Africa that are broadcasting across Africa and through links with Africa Channel (part of the Sky cable bouquet) that also reaches the African
• Need to raise awareness among private companies to fund documentaries as part of their social On the other side, the government has to also have an interest in investing in films.

Study of rights issues for distribution – both broadcast and online (Can we secure online rights across ‘territories’?)

Although legally possible, the implementation is difficult as piracy is widespread.

Options and best practices for dealing with piracy

Need awareness campaigns and stronger implementation measures for media law to be effective.

Possible creation of online film library and/or channel to distribute films supported by ADFF and others

• The initiative will be
• Although in Botswana internet is expensive and unreliable, it has not been fully Young people are very interested by social media and internet access is growing.
• There is a project to set up optical fiber for

Social movements, civil society groups and other partners

There are many civil society organisations but theyare weak, as many disadvantaged people in Botswana rely on handouts from the government. In Botswana, the government provides social assistance for elders, orphans and other disadvantaged people.

• The Ditshwanelo Human Rights Organisation deals with human right issues. They are funded from abroad and are strong in issues supported from overseas (homosexuality, etc.) but weak in addressing minority
• The Botswana Society for Arts, although it is not very strong, had a few great They have run seminars to encourage businesses to support artists.
• Gender Links deals with gathering information and advocacy on gender issues and capacity building of NGOs and governmental
• BOCONGO (Botswana Council of NGOs): umbrella of local
• BONELA deals with gender discrimination and HIV/AIDS.
• EMANG BASADI advocates for women
• Safe Spaces is a pan African women empowerment
• MASIELA Trust Fund deals with HIV/AIDS
• BALA (Botswana Association of Local Authorities) It is important to partner with them in order to document initiatives regarding the preservation of culture and
• YCARE organises about 6 walks every year for (They have raised up to 1 million Pula.)
• International NGO SOS (Save Our Souls), deals with

Recommendations

Some local organisations are dealing with interesting and polemic issues (“barriers” aspects such as gender, cultural, social, etc.). There is a need to fund documentaries to cover these stories.

Political sensitivities

The society is very conservative. Some issues may be sensitive for the government (e.g. wealth of country versus existing poverty).

Artists have never been an acknowledged part of the destiny of the country. However, in 2005, BTV commissioned 14 documentaries. The one on human rights was not screened.