The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has partnered with the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) to train young people in the Niger Delta in filmmaking and other creative skills.
The partnership was announced during a four-day training programme on film production for filmmakers in the region. The training took place at the Theatre Arts and Film Studies Auditorium of UNIPORT.
Speaking at the event, the Head of New Media in the NDDC Corporate Affairs Department, Dr Selina Dan-Albert, said the commission was creating opportunities for young people to learn useful skills and build careers in the creative industry.
She explained that the training was designed to encourage young people to see filmmaking as a career that could provide jobs and a source of income.
Dan-Albert urged the participants to make good use of the opportunity to improve their skills, build successful careers and tell the stories of the Niger Delta through films.
She also assured them that the NDDC would continue to support programmes aimed at helping young people gain skills and become self-reliant.
In his remarks, the Head of the Department of Theatre Arts and Film Studies at UNIPORT, Prof. Edward Imo, said the training was designed to teach participants from the Niger Delta and other areas the basic skills needed for film production.
He said the programme would also help filmmakers use their skills to tell the stories of the Niger Delta and promote the region’s culture and experiences.
Imo thanked the NDDC for recognising the department’s experience in film production and its role in training people in the creative industry.
He also spoke about the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies in filmmaking. However, he advised filmmakers not to forget the human experiences, emotions and real-life situations that make stories meaningful.
The professor called on other government agencies to follow the example of the NDDC by investing in skills training and professional development to help the Nigerian film industry grow.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of GreenHedge Resource Consults Limited, Mr Francis Abayomi, said the Niger Delta had many opportunities for growth in the creative industry.
He explained that the training was designed to give young people practical filmmaking skills that could help them find jobs or establish themselves in the industry.
Abayomi said UNIPORT’s Department of Theatre Arts and Film Studies was selected because of its talented staff and experience in training people for careers in the creative sector.
The National President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Mr Uche Agbo, described filmmaking as an industry that could create jobs, increase income and support economic growth.
He noted that young people could enter the industry without necessarily having to make huge financial investments at the beginning. According to him, filmmaking could help reduce poverty, empower youths and discourage crime by providing productive opportunities.
Agbo described the training as an important step towards developing the creative industry in the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.
He encouraged participants to develop their own styles, remain honest in their work and tell authentic stories that reflect the experiences of the people.
In his goodwill message, veteran Nollywood actor Mr Bimbo Manuel described the programme as timely, noting the growing contribution of Nigeria’s film industry to the creative economy and national development.
The training is expected to help participants improve their filmmaking skills, explore career opportunities and tell stories that promote the culture, people and experiences of the Niger Delta.
