Potential partners for funding

It’s important to note the following: The military coup of 2009 in Madagascar that followed the popular uprising against President Marc Ravalomanana, has led to a political transition impacting heavily on all levels of society. Funding has slowed down because of the political crisis. The island, under pressure from the African Union, SADC and foreign donors to normalise the situation, is more isolated than ever. The authorities of the transition have rescheduled elections a couple of times. For many, the prospect of an improved economic, political and social situation in the near future is bleak.

There is almost no funding available for documentaries in Madagascar.

NGOs and UN agencies commission local producers to produce videos promoting their activities.

The main local initiative to raise funding for documentaries was set up by a collective of filmmakers, responsible for organizing the short film festival Rencontres du Film Court (RFC). They have a fund, called Serasary, to finance short films (fiction, documentary and animation). Thanks to the private fund VIMA, established to fund cultural projects, the French Institute in Madagascar and the American Embassy, they were able to make some productions.

The Ministry of Culture initiated the State-run Tiasary Fund in 2000 to fund film projects. But today, barely able to finance its own operational structure, the Tiasary Fund is not funding any films anymore. The organisation is now mostly focusing on gathering information about the situation of filmmakers in Madagascar and aims in the future to be more an organisation giving support to the industry than a funding organisation. In the meantime, many filmmakers are questioning the functioning and even the existence of the Tiasary Fund.

ADFF could lobby for private companies (telecommunication, banking, mines, etc.), big NGOs (PSI, CRS, etc.), embassies, aid and UN agencies to contribute to funding an independent fund for documentaries.

The organisation will need first to identify professionals to work with that have the capacity to develop funding proposals and look at supporting them on writing proposals. Secondly, ADFF could help identify existing documentary projects and scripts and support the documentary makers to make their projects viable and sustainable.

Other potential sources of funding and partners abroad: Agence Univesitaire Francophone (for the funding of training projects), Agence de la Francophonie, Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

Film schools, training programmes

The only possibility for filmmakers today to access training are the workshops during the RFC festival in April.

The University of Antananarivo once had more training on video production but today it gives only a basic overview on film production, at the Department of Mediation and Cultural Expertise.

The French initiative AFRICADOC organised in 2011 a one-week workshop in the coastal town of Tamatave, called DOCOI, where producers received training to develop and present documentary projects. Afterwards, they had the opportunity to pitch their projects to local and international TV stations (CFI, TV5, etc.).

Some question the value of this type of short training. However, the project plans to start, in 2013, a one-year Masters in Cinema in collaboration with the University of Tamatave.

From 2008 to 2010, the Art Mada project, set up with the support of the embassies of France and Switzerland, the production house Rozie Film, and the French Institute in Madagascar, a two-year long training on all the aspects of the production process. The students were selected after submitting a project and were involved in producing a series of short films.

Recommendations:

• Distribute information on what aspiring filmmakers need to master in order to become more professional (e.g. industry standards of the various roles, ).
• Madagascar ultimately needs a film This could possibly be done through a joint venture with regional universities. The school could be mandated to film and collect cultural materials. The training will focus on practical classes. A bursary could be available for young people with talents. They will have the obligation to be involved after their studies in training projects.
• Set up of an on-line training

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

• RFC Association, French Institute of
• The Universities of Antananarivo and Tamatave have expressed interest in being involved with film training (especially through their departments of Sociology, Anthropology and Cultural Management). They have a base of people interested in film, informed about cinema and that have some practice in film production. The teachers also have expertise in analysing projects.

Festivals

The festival Rencontres du Film Court is organising its 8th edition in April 2013. It showcases short films produced in Madagascar and organises workshops.

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

A strong sense of individualism and a focus on short-term financial benefits make it difficult to motivate local filmmakers to mobilize themselves and work together for the advancement of the industry. Many are only interested when they think there is funding available and don’t see the efforts that are necessary to invest in to move on.

• The Association RFC operates as a collective of filmmakers mobilized around the production of a film project.
• Individuals providing mentorship: Laza (director of Rozi Films and director and co-founder of RFC), Selven Naidu (managing director of private TV RTA), Richard Bohan (he has been a pioneer in attracting sponsors to fund a TV magazine promoting tourism in Madagascar), Mireille Martin (Grand Angle), Ridha Andriantomanga (Agence Facto), Rianando Ludovic, Michelle Rakotoson, Luck Razanajaona, Alain Rakotoarisoa, Mamihasina Raminosoa (DDC)
• The CRAAM, a professional resource center, is putting together a catalogue of artists that will be available The project was initiated by an association of former students of the Department of Mediation and Cultural Expertise of the University of Antananarivo.
• T-MOVIE is an association of filmmakers set up by an employee of the State-run Tiasary Fund, They are interested in training and organise film critic screenings.

The Ministry of Culture has encouraged the creation of a Federation of Malagasy filmmakers in May 2012 to manage a new fund for films. The Federation has now about 17 members but because of lack of funding and the change of the Minister of Culture, the film fund project is not moving. The problem also is that the members are not acting to move the project forward. The problem here is that once an organisation is set up, there is too much focus on the “fund” and little on the efforts necessary to act. This is explained by the context of day-to-day survival many are living.

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

There are no specialised companies renting equipment in Madagascar for film production. Backstage rents equipment for events and has some lights and a homemade dolly with tracks.

The main production houses (Grand Angle, Nyr Image, DDC, etc.) and some individuals have acquired equipment but they are not renting them out.

Sales companies, distributors advisory group

• Not
• It was advised to set up a database of distributors abroad to encourage local filmmakers to look for distribution
• Another idea proposed is to support the dubbing, subtitling and duplication of films.

Advocacy partners

• The Association RFC, French Institute, embassies, UNDP (this UN agency is responsible for the coordination of the UN actions in the country), Tiasary Fund (although many criticize this organisation, it was advised to look at using it as a key mediator with the government) and TV
• One needs to look at experiences abroad and see how we can adapt them in the local laws and effectively implement them. Some effective measures exist, particularly in South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, France and

When advocating to the governmental bodies, the focus should be to underline the need of imposing local production and broadcasting quotas to TV stations.

It is also important to raise awareness among officials that film, as an economic product, can benefit from regional and international trade agreements and that it can generate income. The authorities could, by putting in place a series of measures, effectively support film (e.g. marketing to attract foreign productions to film in Madagascar; independent film fund, funded with a special tax from broadcasters, screenings and adverts; tax incentives for private companies investing in film/ TV and advertising, etc.).

ADFF needs to underline repetitively that the State has the political power to change things and does not necessarily need to mobilize money directly from its available budgets.

One of the key actions of the Advocacy Plan will be to motivate authorities for the set up of an independent national fund, a structure that is autonomous enough to take initiatives for the interest of the film industry and ultimately, the country….They can greatly contribute to its success by facilitating the set up of such an organisation.

• It was highly advised not to use the word fund in the name of the new organisation to support documentaries and also not to put the emphasis on the funding aspect but rather on the support the organisation is looking to The organisation would then be promoted as a facilitator and mediator resource center.

Existing documentary and news archives

• The Association Flah, funded by the French Institute National des Arts (INA), is digitalizing old film The Tiasary Fund is planning to host and protect these archives.
• Local TV stations archive their
• Madagascar has lost some of its valuable archives when during the 2009 political crisis the national TV station TVM was destroyed by a criminally motivated

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

There are many local private TV stations and one State controlled, TVM. It’s the only one able to broadcast throughout the country. However, as parts of its relay system are damaged, its capacity has been reduced. The private stations are broadcasting mainly in the big cities of the country’s 6 provinces.

Cable TV networks are available (Canal Satellite, TPS, DSTV) from $65 USD per month anywhere in the country.

The TV stations produce and distribute a large amount of local productions that are very popular with audiences. However, local content is competing unfairly with foreign productions as most TV stations broadcast them after copying them freely.

Mobile cinemas run by NGOs (PSI, BelAvenir, etc.) and government bodies are focusing on raising awareness through edu-tainment materials.

Many small video rooms exist throughout the country, in the cities and even in remote places in the countryside. They screen mostly local and foreign movies. Some screen TV programmes from cable TV stations. They are the most cost effective and popular place for people to watch programmes. They form an informal network of distribution channels allowing people throughout the country to have access to local and foreign films. This is particularly important in a country such as Madagascar where the majority of the population lives in the countryside with little access to communication infrastructures.

The French Institute and the network of Alliance Française in the country screen mostly foreign movies and sometimes documentaries.

A few cinemas, screening in video, are still operating in a couple of cities. They show local and foreign movies (mostly Hollywood blockbuster productions) but are generating larger audiences when screening local films (the same happens for the video rooms). Today, the only place showing films regularly in 16 or 35 mm is the French Institute, based in the capital, Antananarivo.

Educational and non-profit distributors

• PSI has mobile cinemas in all the provinces of the BelAvenir is based in two provinces.
• The Association RFC

Legal frameworks including any censorship issues

A new Communication Law exists but is confused on many issues and has not yet been voted on. The problem is that very few are knowledgeable about media law and don’t have an interest in supporting the law. The major points of the law regulate more aspects of copyrights and filming authorization, proposing a series of payment rules when distributing and filming film.

In 2006, the Ministry of Communication invited professionals in film/TV to give feedback on the new communication law.

Some insisted on the need to encourage and support local production and distribution (e.g. local quota for TV stations, film/TV fund, obligation for foreign productions to have trainees, etc.).

The head of the Media Regulation Department also received information on the French funding agency CNC and the Gauteng Film Office in South Africa.

One reason for the delay in voting on the law is the commercial interest that many people in politics have in the TV sector (all private TV channels are screening the latest foreign films and TV programmes without any authorization).

The Copyright law is still under discussion. The government will need to put in place measures to effectively apply the law, in particular to forbid the screening of foreign films and programmes without appropriate licensing. It is only in that way that local TV stations will be motivated to buy local content.

The local author’s organisation OMDA, although it is officially at war against piracy, receives a screening fee from video rooms to authorize them to screen foreign films.

A censorship law exists that forbids any representation against the Malagasy culture (pornography, bloody subject-pictures, etc.).

Audience cultivation strategies including publicity/ PR strategy

RFC and the French Institute use print materials (flyers, catalogues, posters and banners), mailing lists and a website to inform the public about their screenings.

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

TV stations are not commissioning documentaries.

Filmmakers need to find advertisers and to agree with broadcasters about how to share the revenues with them. However, there is very little sponsorship available for documentaries.

The mobile telephone company Orange had a fund for films before, but it has been closed. The bank Société Générale supports cultural projects but needs to be convinced about funding films.

Some individuals are selling footage to news agencies but are very discreet about it.

There is a need to inform filmmakers about funding opportunities, locally and abroad. That could be done by building a database of potential funders and making it available online and in booklets.

There is a need to support platforms to introduce local producers to TV stations and potential funders.

TV stations could be approached with arguments to motivate them to commission documentaries. As mass media, licensing documentaries is indeed in their interest: the documentaries are appealing for their audience, can help them to increase audience, etc.

During the workshop organised by AFRICADOC, the private TV station RTA has agreed to screen documentaries but without agreeing to pay the filmmakers.

Study of rights issues for distribution both broadcast and online

Considering the prevailing piracy practices and lack of application of law on copyrights, there is a major risk that the productions will be copied and possibly sold on the street…. However, one could look at this informal distribution channel as an extra distribution channel to motivate sponsors to contribute funding to the productions….This means that ADFF will “give away” the right to copy and duplicate the productions from the online platform. This is perhaps an innovative way to look at the issue but needs to be studied as another possible strategy to deal effectively with piracy….

Options and best practices for dealing with piracy

Any DVD distribution using retail stores or street vendors will need to sell the DVD at a competitive price, close or below the one for a pirated DVD.

A success model to look at for fighting piracy is the initiative of some filmmakers using their main actors when launching their new films (e.g. Malok’ila, a commercial film series of 12 episodes from Scoop Digital). During their promotional campaigns throughout the country, they raise awareness against piracy, encouraging people to buy the original DVD of their film. In doing so, they say to their public, they are “supporting Malagasy Cinema”. It works, as they have seen a major increase in their sales.

Documentary makers could use a similar approach. The filmmakers could, for instance, spread the same messages to the population after screening extracts of their film in community halls, markets, schools, cinemas, etc.

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

What will ultimately motivate documentary makers to send their productions for online exploitation is the financial income they can expect. ADFF will need to look at responding to this concern if marketing an online service.

Madagascar has about 20,000 internet users. Most use the internet if they have access to it at work and go to cyber cafes only for emergency reasons. Access to internet is still prohibitive for many in the country and the quality is not stable, despite the marketing of fast internet options by local operators.

ADFF could support the set up of high-speed internet hubs where people could download and view videos. Some private companies and NGOs could partner to support this project (e.g. Microsoft, Apple, etc. could offer refurbished computers).

To facilitate the download and viewing for the public, the productions will need to be adapted for internet platforms (e.g. production of short film series).

Social movements, civil society groups and other partners

The problem faced by many local associations is that because of lack of funding, they are obliged to focus their activities on priorities imposed by foreign aid organisations. Many are set up only to benefit available funding at a certain time and close down once the funding is finished.

Some individuals or production companies are working with NGOs or UN agencies to produce documentaries for their activities (e.g. people living with disabilities, children’s rights, youth education, health and environmental issues, etc.).

They are often confronted with a big frustrations when producing these videos as the treatment and messages are dictated by the main objective of promoting their client’s activities.

• Some potential partners: Friedrich Ebert Foundation (this organisation focuses on youth leadership); SeFaFi (Observatoire de la vie publique)

Political sensitivities

ADFF needs to give special attention to the sensitive political, social and economic situation in Madagascar. The political crisis the country is going through requires being particularly well informed about the ongoing stage of the transition and the relevant parties to involve and be involved with. The best way to act will be ultimately informed by a thorough consultation and serious buy-in of local partners.

The problem in Madagascar with State-funded projects is that they are too influenced by an unstable and moving political situation. Too often, once the political figure supporting a project has moved, or been removed, it slows to a standstill, and if funds are made available, they are redirected elsewhere. There is also pressure for filmmakers to join the political party if they want to benefit from funding or support and hence their projects become too politically influenced.

This situation creates fear among filmmakers (as well as officials in governmental bodies) and can make them reluctant to take initiatives with anything involving the authorities.