Factors determining annual trend of documentary film production in the country

Somalia’s lack of clear government has put documentary producers in a position of relying almost exclusively on commissions from NGOs.

Factors determining film length trends in the country

Factors include the requirements of the commissions and the availability of funding.

Producers’ funding methods

Funding documentaries in Somalia relies on NGO and Diaspora funding.

Producers’ documentary film production budget estimation methods

Local industry experience plays a heavy role here.

Funding eligibility criteria used by local documentary funding sources

These vary from NGO to NGO.

Submission requirements used by local documentary production funding sources for funding consideration

Oral presentations of ideas can usually suffice especiallyfor experienced “danger-zone” documentary makers.

Ownership issues in documentary film production

Who gets how much and when? These are addressed by contractual provisions.

Agreements between fund sources and producers in documentary film production in the country

NGOs may bring up some paperwork for sure, but if funding is from the Diaspora it’s a question of “my word is my bond”, the Somali code of honour.

Deliverables in documentary film production in the country

Broadcast standards to be observed, DV tapes, DVD – all of these formats may be delivered.

Current professional development methods in the country

• Several NGO organisations provide
• EDC edc.org www.shaqodoon.org
• Educational Development Center (EDC) is a US-based NGO that runs an employment skills training programme in Somaliland called Shaqodoon. This has media production and training facilities in the capital Hargeisa.
• Health Poverty Action healthpovertyaction.org
• The British medical NGO Health Poverty Action, formerly known as Health Unlimited, has a radio studio in
• This has been used since 1999 to make the health education radio soap opera Saxan Saxo (Fresh Breeze).
• Health Poverty Action has produced radio programmes for other NGOs and offers training facilities.

Professional development needs in documentary film production in the country

Training, training, training,… and infrastructure for the industry.

Potential funding partners in the country

NGOs of all kinds are in the country. For example:

• BBC Media Action www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/
• BBC Media Action is the international media development arm of the BBC. Until December 2011 it was known as the BBC World Service Trust. Its operations in Somalia and the rest of East Africa are run from a regional office in Nairobi, Kenya. BBC World Service Trust has been active in Somalia for more than ten years, training journalists and producing programmes for rebroadcast by local radio stations. In 2011, the Trust launched a UNICEF-funded project to promote better child health, nutrition and hygiene in Somalia.

Film schools in the country

Admas University in Hargeisa offers training in multimedia skills in video and audio editing, as part of IT courses, but this is not really a film school.

Documentary film production training programmes by continent and their level of attendance from the country

The MoForce Foundation of Kenya has trained some Somali filmmakers in the past.

Film festivals in the country

Mogadishu Pan-African and Arab Film Symposium (Mogpaafis)

Business management schools in the country

Courses in business management are to be found in all the major universities in the country: Mogadishu University in Mogadishu, East Africa University in Bosasso, and Fairland University in Hargeisa.

Journalism schools in the country

Courses in journalism are to be found in all the major universities in the country: Mogadishu University in Mogadishu, East Africa University in Bosasso, and

Fairland University in Hargeisa.

Technical schools in the country

Mogadishu Technology Institute

Documentary and news archives in the country and its volume

When the country descended into anarchy around 1991 a lot of things went up in smoke, so archives of any kind in the country are pretty thin on the ground. The media has always been quite vibrant, especially radio, but reliable data on audio archive is not readily available.

Existing forms of documentary film distribution in the country and their capacities

• DVD
• Broadcast TV
• Internet

Distribution options taken by local documentary filmmakers

DVD, Broadcast TV, Internet. Their only hope of making money from their documentaries is through selling it to foreign broadcasters and/or DVD sales.

Non-profit film distributors operating in the country and their capacities

NGOs may distribute documentaries they have commissioned themselves or others which help spread their message.

Benefits local documentary filmmakers get from educational and non-profit distributors operating in the country

Whenever a documentary filmmakers work is distributed, his or her reputation will grow, and with it the chance of further funded work.

Laws and regulations governing the distribution of documentary films in the country

Media laws were drawn up in 2007 by the Transitional Government.

Audience-cultivation strategies used in the country

Radio is the best media to use to get an audience in Somalia, and a spot on radio would reach more people in Somalia than any other media.

Revenue generation strategies for local documentary films in each distribution channel in the country

DVD sales, sales to foreign broadcasters, footage licensing.

Originators and executors of revenue generation strategies for local documentary films in the country

Often, investors in projects will guide the producer on how to achieve returns.

African civil society groups in the country and nature of engagement with local documentary filmmakers

About 70 local community based organisations are operating in Somalia.

Potential ADFF partners in other activist groups in the country and the nature of engagement with local documentary filmmakers

BBC World Service Trust

Potential subscribers for an online local documentary library and/or Internet channel for locally produced documentaries

The diaspora would provide a bigger potential subscriber base than a home audience, but by how much still needs to be determined.

Internet usage by local documentary filmmakers

Somali filmmakers have been actively uploading their work on video hosting sites on the Internet, such as YouTube.

Political sensitivities

Clan rivalry

Modes of communication between local documentary filmmakers and funding sources

Mobile communications, face-to-face communication

Channels of communications that allow private exchange of information in the country

Face to face, mobile communications, email

Information sources used by local documentary filmmakers

There are lots of professional bodies in Somalia including several journalist associations, but a lot of information is also obtained through a network of contacts built up over the course of working and living in Somalia.

Kinds of information that local documentary filmmakers would benefit from being in a directory

The country has been devastated by war for years and has been in a state of anarchy for years. A lot of information in all areas of film production is needed.