Lemmy Adebule, CEO TransAfrica Media Holdings - (www.transafricamedia.com). Prior to founding TransAfrica Media Holdings, Mr. Adebule was CEO of TV Africa, a pan-African television network, where he expanded coverage from four to twenty three countries. Mr. Adebule was previously Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Digital Music Express, a satellite music distribution system in the USA. He also served as Director of Business Development for Cablevision Industries, and as Senior Product Manager for Ameritech Corporate Management.
Robert Aft, Film Industry Professional. Rob H. Aft has seventeen years of experience as a professional in the film and television industry with a history of accomplishments as a sales executive, top-level manager, analyst, consultant, and educator. He founded Compliance Consulting, a Los Angeles based media consultancy currently serving a variety of clients working mainly in the areas of finance and distribution of films and TV. Mr. Aft has served as President of International Distribution at The Kushner-Locke Company, Senior VP of MDP Worldwide, where he was responsible for all aspects of international sales and operations for the theatrical films produced by the company as well as VP of International at Trimark Pictures and Head of International at Troma, Inc. Mr. Aft recently completed his seventh term as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Film Marketing Association (AFMA) where he is Chairman of the Buyer Accreditation Committee. He teaches “The Business of the Film Industry” at UCLA Extension, has recently completed a chapter on distribution for the third edition of The Movie Business Book (ed. Jason Squire, Simon & Schuster) as well as a major article on film finance for Variety Deal Memo.
Mr. Aft received an MBA from The American Graduate School for International Management (“Thunderbird”) and is a frequent guest speaker at the USC Marshall School and the USC and UCLA film schools as well as a participant on numerous industry panels. In 2006 he will coordinate two international programs for the USC Marshall School – The KOCCA Program for Korean Media Executives and the Entertainment Marketing Management Institute. He has also served as a film distribution consultant for the European Union’s MEDIA Program, the Cannes Film Festival “Producer’s Network” and panelist/moderator for the Pusan Film Festival. Mr. Aft is a regular contributor to The Hollywood Reporter’s “The Going Rate” column analyzing global film and television pricing.
Mr. Aft is also the Chairman of the Southern Asian Art Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and travels extensively in Asia. His ongoing interest in Asian art and culture is currently focused on the progressive and modernist movements in Chinese art, politics and literature of the first half of the twentieth century. Mr. Aft is a long-time member of The Asia Society and The Pacific Asia Museum in addition to his work with LACMA.
Mike Ajakwe, Playwright/Producer. Mike Ajakwe is an Emmy-winning producer and two-time NAACP Theater Award winning playwright/producer. Mike has worked in three mediums over the last 13 years: Television where he has written on 11 shows; Film where he wrote a movie for a current major Hollywood studio; and Theater where he has written and directed 9 plays and produced 15 that have garnered 27 NAACP Theatre Award nominations, winning 5.
Mike has written and/or produced for the following TV shows: Soul Food, The Parkers, Martin, Moesha, Between Brothers, The Brothers Garcia, Built To Last, Sister Sister, Entertainment Tonight, Talk Soup, Steve Harvey’s Big Time, and Eve. Mike has also sold TV pilots to Paramount Television and Warner Bros. Television. In 2002, Artisan Pictures (now LionsGate) hired him to write his first film, “Crip.”
Since 1993, Mike has worked on stage with renowned performers like Glynn Turman, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Debbie Allen, Ted Lange, Phil Morris, Ta’Mar, Bill Overton, Robert Ri’chard, Hill Harper, Neicy Nash, Tommy Hicks, Art Evans, Aloma Wright, James Pickens, Tatyana Ali, Marc Coppage, Ted Lange, Mo’Nique, Sicily, Ra’ven Larrymore Kelly, Estelle Harris, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Lee Garlington, Devika Parikh, Robert Pine, Shayla Rivera, Ann Weldon, Gary Alan Williams, Peggy Blow, Ralph Carter, Deniece Williams, and Charles Dutton, to name a few.
Mike Ajakwe recently produced a new musical featuring the songs of Patti LaBelle, Body Language, and showed at Stage 52. Mike also runs Pipedream Productions for TV and film, and Pipedream Press (blackplays.com), where he publishes his own works and others'.
Ego Boyo, Producer and Actress. - www.templeproductions.net Award winning nigerian producer and actress. Ms. Boyo started her professional career as an actress in the popular TV soap Checkmate. After five years, she set up her production company Temple Productions and went on to produce her 1st film Violated with Moving Movies Productions. She then went into corporate video production and has done work for global giants such as Coca cola, Sahara Energy, Ocean and Oil services and Schlumberger. She produced the presidential campaign videos and jingles for Olusegun Obasanjo in 1998. Ego has produced three critically acclaimed films, and her fourth film 30 Days premiers in May 2006. Ego is a member of each of NANTAP, CMPP and AMP, professional associations. She is also a member of IWS, an international women's society based in Nigeria which is a charitable organization that supports mainly the disadvantaged, particularly women and children.
Alicia Ferriabough, Attorney. Ms. Ferriabough is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law and Spelman College, both in the U.S. Ms. Ferriabough presently focuses her practice on transactional entertainment law counseling and advising clients in a wide range of matters in the music and film industry, including drafting and negotiating recording, producer, and personal management agreements to advising clients with regards to film development and licensing. Ms. Ferriabough’s prior legal experience includes practicing entertainment law with The McMillan Firm representing artists such as, Mobb Deep, Darryl McDaniels (DMC of Run DMC), Holla Point Disciples, Jazz of Dru Hill and Japanese recording artist Toshi, to name a few. Prior to relocating to New York, Ms. Ferriabough practiced corporate law at Testa, Hurwitz and Thibeault, LLP in Boston, Massachusetts where she represented emerging technology and publicly traded companies in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, securities law and venture capital fund formation.
Leslie Fox, Policy Advisor & Practitioner. Leslie Fox is a policy advisor and practitioner with over thirty years of international development experience. Mr. Fox is a recognized expert in the design, management and evaluation of development assistance efforts aimed at strengthening the capacity of local governments and community organizations to become more effective partners in local governance matters, including development decision making and implementation. He has provided such assistance to the World Bank, United Nations Development Program, USAID and a number of US policy institutes, foundations and non-profit organizations
.
Over the past three years, Mr. Fox has brokered development partnerships and leveraged funding in Africa and Asia between multi- and bilateral donors; multinational companies, federal, state and local governments and US foundations in the areas of community health, women’s empowerment, conservation and natural resource management, local governance and youth employment. In addition, he has conducted country and sectoral assessments related to public-private partnerships, supported international corporations in the formulation of corporate social responsibility and community engagement strategies, and aided national governments in the development of long-term investment strategies, including resource mobilization and sustainability plans.
Henry Louis Gates, PhD. Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for Afro-American Research and W.E.B. Du Bois Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University. Dr. Gates has been described as the most notable scholar of African-American studies in the United States. He is the author of seminal texts like Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Man (1997), Colored People: A Memoir (1994), Loose Canons: Notes on the Culture Wars (1992), The Signifying Monkey: Towards a Theory of Afro-American Literary Criticism (1988), and Figures in Black: Words, Signs, and the Racial Self (1987).
Dr. Gates is general editor of the Norton Anthology of African-American Literature and has edited and co-edited many other books and special issues of journals. He is a staff writer for the New Yorker and has published essays, reviews, interviews, and profiles in numerous other magazines, scholarly periodicals, and newspapers. He is also co-editor of Transition magazine, which received the 1993 Association of American Publishers Award for "Best New Journal in the Social Sciences and the Humanities." In addition, Dr. Gates is on the editorial and advisory boards of a wide array of scholarly publications.
Dr. Gates graduated summa cum laude with a degree in history from Yale University in 1973. He later became the first African American to earn a doctorate at Cambridge University. He won a MacArthur foundation genius grant when he was a 30-year-old junior professor at Yale, and was given tenure at Cornell at 33. He has been awarded five honorary degrees, including one from Dartmouth College. Gates has been affiliated with many esteemed organizations and universities. He was a Mellon Fellow at the University of Cambridge and at the National Humanities Center, and a Ford Foundation National Fellow. He serves on the Schomburg Commission for the Preservation of Black Culture as well as other academic and civic board.
Lancelot Imasuen, Producer. Mr. Lancelot Imasuen’s love for arts started at the very tender age of nine when as a little boy in the church (New Benin Baptist Church) he was among the children in a drama group and since then, he has never done any other work outside of entertainment world.
Before he launched his career as a film maker, Mr. Imasuen worked with several media organizations, namely Bendel Broadcasting Service, now Edo Broadcasting Service, Benin, Radio Nigeria, Lagos, Nigerian Television Authority, Lagos. Although a contract staff, it was through his involvement with television series in Nigeria that he acquired a lot of training in the area of video camera photography and production.
Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen has become one of the most celebrated filmmakers today in Nigeria with over one hundred and fifty movies. In the year 2001, he directed twenty-nine movies and in all, twenty-six were hits in the market. This success story made him the first Nigerian movie director to have done so in Nigeria. He is also the first to have shot a part one to four movie (ISSAKABA) in Nollywood and a part five as a sequel to a part four “Please Come Back.”
Lancelot is referred to as a star director in Nollywood because of his ability of getting the best out of any actor he works with on set. In his movie titled “Yesterday,” he was nominated the best director and movie produced the best actress of the year 1999 (Rachel Oniga). Another movie, (HARBINGER) which he directed the following year also produced the best actor of the year 2000 (Zach Orji). He also got best director nominee that same year. His movie, “Emotional Crak” also produced the best actress of the year 2003 (Stephanie Okereke) and till date, the movie is still receiving rave attention both home and abroad, and was among the three best Nollywood films to feature in 2004 New York Film Festival.
De’guvnor, as he is fondly called by his admirers is the first Nigerian movie director to have screened his movie in Washington, DC. He screened “Behind Closed Door” and it was well appreciated by a wider audience.
Lancelot has received numerous honors for his excellence in his profession.
Veronica Lazarus, MD. (www.drlazarus.com), Santa Monica-based doctor of Internal Medicine and Dermatology, renowned health and beauty expert, and a leading developer of therapeutic skin care products for the Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons Worldwide. Dr. Lazarus’ extensive research into skin conditions, such as, psoriasis, scars, pigmentation problems and varicose veins, have been published in prestigious medical journals, including The American Academy of Dermatology Journal, Clinical Research and the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
A former emergency room physician, Dr. Lazarus has worked in the field of Cosmetic Dermatology in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica for over 20 years. She is the CEO of Cosmoceutical Laboratory, a California corporation owned by several doctors, which has manufactured rejuvenation products for the aesthetic industry for over 20 years. Dr. Lazarus has also collaborated with world renowned nutrition expert and civil rights leader, Dick Gregory, in formulating the Ultra Flawless MD line of products. The lead product is a Botox alternative that treats wrinkle, sagging, blemishes and skin discoloration for all races and all skin types. Her company has also created products for several celebrities including Legendary Dionne Warwick. The line represents an advanced shift in formulation technology, combining powerful epidermal absorption ingredients. The products are available worldwide in doctor's offices and spas and by mail order. Dr. Lazarus also has two other companies, one of which, Topicelle Corporation, distributes over the counter anti-aging products, and Jabez Pharmaceutical Laboratory that creates various high technology products.
Dr. Lazarus is a political advisor and personal physician to several notable Nigerians and Americans including the late Chief MKO Abiola, Archbishop and Dr. Margaret, Dr. Billie Ingram, Dick Gregory and others. She is the mother of two boys, a philanthropist and a great supporter of the film industry.
Nnegest Likke, Filmmaker. Ethiopian-American Hollywood-based Filmmaker - Likke is the director of the movie “Phat Girlz”, released in the USA in April 2006 by Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Thelma Machogo, Management Accountant. A Management Accountant by training who has been through a wide range of executive training at the Amsterdam/Maastricht University as well as the Harvard University JFK School of Government. She previously held senior management positions in foreign agencies such as the British Council (Director Arts and Science-Southern Africa) and sits on boards of several institutions and steering committees including the Market Theatre in South Africa.
James Makawa, CEO, The Africa Channel. Founder and CEO, The Africa Channel. Originally from Zimbabwe, Mr. Makawa enjoyed a successful career in both local and network television in the United States. For more than 10 years, Mr. Makawa worked as a local news reporter and anchor with leading local stations before joining NBC News as a correspondent in New York and Chicago. Mr. Makawa returned to South Africa and co-founded the African Barter Company (ABC), in partnership with Grey Advertising Worldwide. ABC was the first barter syndication company ever launched in Africa. Mr. Makawa cleared hundreds of hours on TV stations across the continent reaching an audience topping 150 million. In 2000, Mr. Makawa co-founded the African Broadcast Network, a pan African network of television stations with affiliates in 18 countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa. As ABN's executive vice president for program acquisition and distribution, Mr. Makawa acquired programming from such U.S. program suppliers as NBC, CBS, MGM, Columbia Tri-Star, Endemol and Paramount.
Art Mbanefo, CEO, Raeburn Capital Management, New York. Mr. Mbanefo was formerly the Managing Director of Credit Suisse First Boston and Global Head of CSFB Prime Banking department. He serves on many finance and cultural boards and was recently appointed to the board of trustees of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art in Washington DC. He is associated with the Mbanefo Charitable Foundation; a New York based non-profit organization that promotes the study of classical and modern Nigerian arts and culture.
Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, Producer, Writer & Director. Producer, writer, and director of numerous award winning documentary films which have been broadcast in more than 30 countries. Founding Executive Director, Communicating for Change www.cfcnigeria.org and organizer of The Future of Development Film in Africa Conference in Lagos. Nigeria, December 2005. Ms. Obiago's expertise includes development communications, documentary film, and photo-journalism, with work published in numerous international journals. She serves on the board of the Convention on Business Integrity, and is a member of the jury of the yearly Nigeria Media Merit Awards, and a member of the Advisory Council of the Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria. She worked as technical director, producer & reporter in Swiss media establishments and set up an African Communications Network for the World Wide Fund for Nature. Obiago has attended executive education courses at the Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania, and received an M.A. in Telecommunications from Michigan State University, and a B. Ed. from the University of Manitoba, Canada.
Bertrand Moullier. Bertrand Moullier, advises companies, governments, and nongovernmental organization on competition strategies in the film and television industries through the London-based firm, Narval Media. Mr. Moullier is the former director general of the International Federation of Film Producers Association and he is a consultant regarding international affairs to the British Producers’ Alliance for Cinema and Television.
Mr. Moullier began his career in television journalism for French television first channel TF1, and subsequently moved to London in 1985. He was a senior researcher for the British commercial channel ITV until 1988, when he joined the independent television and film production sector. During those years, he was attended to a whole range of issues affecting the production business, with an emphasis on the roll out of new intellectual property legislation for the audiovisual content sector.
Mr. Moullier joined the British Producers’ Alliance for Cinema and Television at its inception in 1991, and he successively held the role of director of research and deputy chief executive. Mr. Moullier was involved with the alliance’s main policy work, helping to bring about new tax incentives for inward investment in film and the channeling of National Lottery funds into indigenous production. Mr. Moullier was the organization’s main representative in European and international affairs and was involved in EU discussions about the rental right and copyright directives. From 2002 to 2005 Mr. Moullier was director general of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations, which has members from Argentina, China, Egypt, India, Japan, and Korea as well as Europe and the United States. During his tenure there he primarily focused on World Intellectual Property Organization affairs, the fight against audiovisual piracy, and relationships with nascent audio-visual industries in the developing world.
Abdu Mukhtar, Special Adviser to the Minister, Federal Capital Territory Nigeria. Mr. Mukhtar oversees public-private partnerships and Information Technology initiatives in Nigeria’s Capital City, Abuja. A medical doctor and Harvard MBA graduate by training, Mukhtar has experience in management consulting, venture capital management, entrepreneurship, public service and Non-Governmental Organizations across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.
Bayo Oduneye (OFR), Producer, Director, Drama Consultant. Bayo Oduneye, is a consultant at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria. Mr. Odunaeye is a theatre personae and mentor to generations of Nigerian artists and art practitioners. He is the former artistic director of the National Theatre Troupe of Nigeria and CEO of Diamond Productions.
Uduak Oduok, Fashion Model/Journalist/Attorney.
Ms. Uduak Oduok has been in the fashion industry where she has over 14 years combined experiences in retail, sales, marketing, and fundraising. She is also fashion model, shows producer, writer, fashion editor, fashion business owner and attorney. She has been an invited speaker to many organizations on fashion topics and conducts fashion workshops/seminars. She is currently obtaining her degrees in Fashion Design and Merchandizing.
In addition to the above, Ms. Oduok also has extensive experience in the health industry, including as a certified personal trainer and has been involved, for six years, in health legislation in front of law makers in Sacramento, California , advocating on health care issues including access to quality health care for the disabled, elderly and low income persons.
Ms. Oduok enrolled and spent her first two years of law school at U.C. Hastings College of Law. In 2001, she completed her law studies at Georgetown Law Center in Washington D.C. She currently operates her own firm where she practices general litigation, business, contract and intellectual property law.
Ifueko Omoigui, The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service of Nigeria. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Accountants of Nigeria, and Member of the Order of the Niger, Ifueko is currently the Chairman of the Federal Board of Inland Revenue and Chairman of the Joint Tax Board, a position she assumed with effect from May 3 2004. She is by virtue of these positions, a member of the President’s Economic Management Team charged with the responsibility for driving Tax Reform as part of Government’s overall Economic Reform Agenda. Since her appointment, Ifueko has championed tax reform at both Federal and State levels. Prior to this appointment, Ifueko was Chief Responsibility (Executive) Officer of ReStraL Ltd., a foremost leadership and management services company, which she founded in 1996. Before that she was a Partner in the erstwhile firm of Arthur Andersen and Co., now spilt into KPMG Professional Services and Accenture. She made significant contributions in the public arena by leading the technical team for the Vision 2010, Nigeria’s effort at developing a long-term strategic plan, the first of its kind in the country. Ifueko also actively participated in the activities of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group as well as providing support to high level policy development in the country at various times. She is an active participant in community developments and also a board member of several non-governmental organisations.
Osaze Osifo. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ocean & Oil Holdings
.Osaze Osifo is the Chief Executive Officer of Travant Capital Partners. Travant is an investments and advisory firm focussed on the West and central African markets.
Mr. Osifo is the former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ocean and Oil Holdings. Ocean and Oil Holdings holds a controlling stake in Oando Plc.
Mr. Osifo has worked on various financing, principal investment and merger & acquisition projects such as leading the successful acquisition and financing of a sixty percent (60%) stake in Agip Nigeria Plc and transforming Ocean & Oil’s associate company Oando Plc., into the second largest oil marketing company in Nigeria. He also led the secondary listing of Oando Plc on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange
Prior to this, Mr. Osifo was with HSBC London in both the Treasury & Capital Markets and Investment Banking Divisions from where he worked on the successful bid for a GSM licence in Nigeria for Econet Wireless Nigeria Limited.
Mr. Osifo currently serves on the Board of Directors of a number of companies including Oando Plc, Ocean & Oil Holdings Limited, Broll Nigeria Limited and Denham Asset Management.
Mr. Osifo holds a B.Sc in Engineering from the University of Lagos; a Masters Degree in Management Science and Operational Research from the University of Warwick and a Masters in Finance from the London Business School.
Olusegun Oyekunle.
is the President and CEO of Arufa Productions, a film production company, based in Los Angeles, California. A Nigerian film-maker, writer, director, and published playwright, and a Consultant on African filmmaking, who has worked in Hollywood for over 20 years and has a vast array of contacts in the industry, Oyekunle studied Theater Arts at Ahmadu Bello University, [ABU], Zaria, and did his post graduate studies in film production at the UCLA School of Film, TV and Theater, University of California, Los Angeles.
Among his literary accomplishments, Oyekunle is the author of the play, KATAKATA FOR SOFAHEAD, [Macmillan, London]; BLOOD NO BE WATER, broadcast on BBC, London; two award-winning screenplays: BROKEN CELLS which won the SAMUEL GOLDWYN CREATIVE WRITING AWARD, the first in Africa, and MALAMA, which won the KURNITZ CREATIVE WRITING AWARD. He wrote HOMECOMING, a screenplay; transposed Bertolt Brecht’s play, THE GOOD WOMAN OF SETZWAN, into MAN PICKIN, and co-directed its Video Production while teaching at Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. He also wrote OMOROPO, termed the African Cinderella story. A collector of folklores, one of his collections was adapted and published in the Ribald Classics section of the PLAYBOY Magazine, entitled WHAT WOMEN OWE TO TORTOISE. He was commissioned by the then Ministry of Culture in Nigeria, to write MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND SOCIAL WELFARE: THE DIRECTORATE OF THE FILM INDUSTRY, and recently wrote another policy document, TOWARDS THE NEW ADMINISRATION IN NIGERIA – A TEN-YEAR FOCUS, with emphasis on the Nigerian Film Industry. As the WEST COAST SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT for WEST AFRICA magazine, Oyekunle wrote many articles on film, including some covers, such as: A SHOWDOWN IN HOLLYWOOD, an expose on the dispute between Akosua Busia and Oprah Winfrey, on the authorship of the screenplay to Oprah Winfrey=s film BELOVED; and HOLLYWOOD AND AFRICA, an examination of the role which the Hollywood film industry has played in the negative perception of Africa. Oyekunle contributed ROLE CAMERA as one of the 15 selected and commissioned writers worldwide by WA Publishers to mark the 80th Anniversary of WEST AFRICA magazine Special Edition in 1997. Oyekunle published some film reviews which include THERE’S POWER IN THE LIGHT, of Souleyman Cisse's film YELLEN, published by PRESENCE AFRICAINE, of Paris, France.
Oyekunle directed many plays, including three of Wole Soyinka’s, THE LION AND THE JEWEL, THE TRIALS OF BROTHER JERO and DEATH AND THE KINGS HORSEMAN; his film experience includes writing, directing and producing PARCEL POST; he worked on POWAQQATSI, produced by Francis Ford Coppola [THE GODFATHER series], and George Lucas [STAR WARS series]. As their Film Consultant, he drew up the Film Policy for the International Merchant Bank [IMB], Lagos, Nigeria. He was the Associate Producer, ASCENSION DAY, produced by Ving Rhames [of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE series with Tom Cruise]; 2nd Director of THE PROF: A MAN REMEMBERED - THE LIFE, VISION AND LEGACY OF DR. K.A. BUSIA, a documentary which recently premiered as part of the 50th Independence Celebration of Ghana. He played GENERAL SEGUN, Special Adviser to the President in Bruce Willis= TEARS OF THE SUN; directed the video documentary, ALI MAZRUI LECTURES AT UCLA, and the FOLKLORE PROJECT, produced by the City of Los Angeles and Prof. Beverly Robinson, and he directed the Los Angeles Video Production of A FLASH IN THE SUN, a musical directed and produced by Prof. Adedeji, with a Nigerian all-star cast that included Prof. Femi Osofisan.
Oyekunle has received several honors for his talent and devotion to African culture in the Diaspora. Besides the Goldwyn and Kurnitz awards for his literary excellence, Oyekunle received the CITATION OF APPRECIATION for meritorious service to the international community at UCLA, and was cited with a CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION by the City of Los Angeles for his contribution to the inter-cultural activities in the City of Los Angeles. Still pursuing his film career in Los Angeles, Oyekunle is also the Community Liaison for the La Vida Foundation.
Efere Ozako, Esq., Attorney & Publisher.
Efere Ozako was called to the Nigerian Bar about 20 years ago and maintains an active litigation practice in Lagos, Nigeria. Efere has done some considerable work in entertainment, especially in the area of the evolving motion picture industry which he has been a part of, as counsel, almost from it's start of it's current resurgence. In that period Efere has represented persons and institutions in practically every sector of the industry and continues to be a part of the structuring and developments in the industry.
Efere was a member of the Federal Government committee that streamlined the functions of the National Film and Video Censors Board and the Film Corporation, which also wrote the blue print for setting up the Motion Picture Practitioners Council. Efere was also a member of the committee that reviewed and drafted the new Film Policy, to replace the old one which had been in existence since 1992. Efere has participated and delivered papers on film and the entertainment industry in several fora in Nigeria and internationally.
Efere is also a part of Dtalkshop, publishers of Takaii magazine - Nigeria's premier law tabloid and hosts of the annual Wetin Lawyers Dey Do ..... Sef for the Entertainment Industry seminar which is a forum for a continuing interaction between the legal profession and the industry. Efere is married to Anne, a counsel in the employ of Mobil Oil Nig. Plc. and they have 2 children.
Ms. Joke Silva, award winning Nigerian actress. Joke Silva has had a successful career primarily as an actress but also as a producer and director. Her A list acting career has encompassed everything from black comedy to period drama. Starting out with the acclaimed TV series “Mirror In The Sun” (1984) directed by Lola Fani-Kayode, her credits include “Secret laughter of Women” with Nia Long and Colin Firth Film (1999). She is an accomplished stage and film producer, her latest offering being the highly acclaimed Vagina Monologues. Ms Silva has written and directed to critical acclaim: Digging for Gold, Jonah, The Drummer Boy and Footprints. A member of the National Association of Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN), and Film Makers Cooperatives. A household name in Nigeria, Ms. Silva is a Member of the think tank for the Nigerian Commissioner of the Blair Commission for Africa; a trustee of Advocacy for Women and Children, a board member and a grief counselor for AART of Life Foundation. She was the President, panel of judges KORA Awards 2004 in Johannesburg, South Africa. In January 2005, she was nominated by the Minister of Information as one of the members to serve on the Film Village Committee. Joke Silva is the Managing Director of Lufodo Productions. She was nominated and won Best Actress, 2006 at the AMAA Awards in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Makin Soyinka.
Mr. Makin Soyinka, Director, Lagos Film Office. Mr. Makin Soyinka began his forage into media consulting in 1989 when he worked for a year as the proof reader of Sports Parachutist, a Journal of the British Parachutist Association. In 1992, he became an Associate Producer with Auric Goldman where they produced 60 minutes and 30 minutes documentaries on Nigeria's natural resources and technological exposition respectively.
He founded Barollo Productions, a Film, TV, Radio and Arts Producing and Promotion Company in 1993 and became a Programme Consultant for Africa Express, Black Britain and CBC TV, all in London three years after.
With a career spanning over 15 years, Mr. Soyinka has been involved in TV documentaries, Music Video, Stage performance, Radio shows, Print and other activities.
Prof. Jason E. Squire. Professor, author, industry consultant and screenwriter who helped establish “movie business” as a distinct area of academic study with his pioneering work as co-editor of The Movie Business: American Film Industry Practice (1972), the first textbook in the field. Years later, he edited The Movie Business Book, now in the third edition, which has been translated into Japanese, German and Korean. It is required reading at universities around the world, and emphasizes cutting-edge technology, the independent spirit, new revenue streams and globalization. After a career as a movie executive, Squire joined the USC School of Cinema-Television faculty where he teaches movie business and screenwriting. As a media source on the movie business, he has written articles for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and has appeared on NPR and the CBS Evening News in the U.S., on PSB (Pusan Broadcasting Corp.) in Korea and on NHK, the Japanese broadcasting corporation.
Phalana Tiller, Actress
Parminder Vir, OBE, Media and Arts Consultant, Executive Producer. On 9th January 2006 Parminder Vir joined Ingenious Media Investments, where she is responsible for establishing Ingenious World Cinema, and working with talent from around the world to produce cross-cultural films for the global market. Ms. Vir was appointed as Non-Executive Director to the Board of DCMS -Department for Culture, Media and Sports–in February 2006, advising on creative economy, international and diversity policies.
Parminder is also the Business Ambassador for the Creative Industries to the London Development Agency, helping to promote Diversity Works for London. She advises MTV, ITV and RSC on how diversity can benefit business with respect to talent, audiences and markets.
Ms. Vir is Chair, Creative Industries Working Group for Indo British Partnership Network (IBPN) and UKT&I facilitating business to business flow between the two countries; Board Advisor, Creative Capital Fund investing in start up creative businesses, a Skillset Patron, Board Director, Young Vic Theatre, and member of CDN Steering Group. She was the Producer of Diversity: Making it Pay, a conference for ITV/ Cultural Diversity Network. Ms. Vir is also Executive Producer for The Prince of Dalston a feature film in development with UK Film Council. From September 1999 to July 2005 she served as Board Director of UK Film Council. Her current positions follow eight years as Executive Producer/Diversity Advisor, Carlton Television (May 1996 – May 2004). She was the co-founder of Cultural Diversity Network (CDN) in 2000. She also produced a number of programs including Melting Pot, award-winning Single Voices, Carlton’s Multicultural Achievement Awards, MOBO and EMMA awards.
Ms. Vir came to filmmaking from a background as a television documentary Producer with an outstanding range of award winning documentaries from her own production company, Formation Films, including Algeria Women at War; The Sex Warriors and the Samurai for Channel 4, two series of Developing Stories directed by filmmakers from the South for the BBC. She also was Producer for the Film Four feature film Babymother. Ms. Vir was awarded an OBE for her services to the Broadcasting and Film industry in the Queen’s birthday honors list in June 2002, the Asian Women of Achievement Award for Media in May 2001, the Media and Arts Award at the Asian Jewel Awards in July 2003 and the Windrush Diversity Award in 1999. She was born in the Punjab, India and came to England at the age of 10. She is married to writer/director Julian Henriques and has two daughters.
|
