2007-02-02Staff Report 2 "By Frederick Philander WINDHOEK The new chairman of the Namibian Film Commission (NFC) this week urged established local film companies to provide creative job opportunities to a number of film graduates from the Polytechnic of Namibia and others. Cecil Moller was speaking at the certificate handing over ceremony of a number of students and young filmmakers, who took part in the making of an AIDS documentary series last year. ""The Namibian film industry needs to take note of this generation of young filmmakers and should absorb them, if the industry is to survive. These are the people that should be guided into producing films from our own perspective, unlike in the past when others produced films about us. It is important that our societal values, norms and cultural traditions be highlighted by way of such movies,"" Moller said. In his view the film industry should open up in relationships to accommodate others, unlike in the past. ""It is a known fact that in the past there were no real positive relationships among most Namibian filmmakers. Everyone did his/her own thing in isolation. That time is now over. We must be more accommodative of others and encourage better relations,"" he said. Moller, who left Namibia at a very young age to study filmmaking in America, encouraged the new graduates to focus on creating opportunities for themselves in the very competitive movie world. ""One cannot wait for the world to offer filmmaking opportunities. You need to create your own opportunities, if you want to get somewhere,"" Moller, who was the producer of the AIDS series, said. The AIDS series, financed by the American government, had been screened on NBC-tv. ""Making movies is not easy. In fact it is a difficult road because finances are tight. However, writers, producers and directors are constantly looking for funding and for some one who will help them take their vision to their audience,"" said the director of the American Cultural Center, Ray Castillo at the same occasion on Wednesday. He warned the graduates that they have to have a thick skin to survive in the film industry. ""Keep working if you can. Some of you may want to pursue the route of the auteur - like Spike Lee - and only produce your own vision, but most of you seem to be working for production houses or on various projects. In my mind that is a good way to go. Through this project you have acquired some skills and knowledge,"" said Castillo. In his view the American Cultural Center holds the copyright on all the short films in the Acceptance series, a very sensitive issue and concern for most worthy Namibian filmmakers. ""We have produced over 200 DVD's and VHS copies of the series and distributed it to NGO's, Peace Corps Volunteers and UNSAID partners to get the message on AIDS out,"" Ray informed the newly graduated filmmakers." 2007-02-02Staff Report 2
