California’s Babu, to help Nigerian filmmakers

California’s newly appointed Film Commissioner has vowed to use his position to advance the interests of movie producers from Nigeria. Ayuko Babu told The Guardian, in Lagos, that quite a number of Nigerian filmmakers are shooting and doing post-production work in California.

“But they are not getting the support, advice or information-input they could—and should—have,” he averred “because, until my appointment, there was no one to represent them on the Commission.”

Babu, the only African American on the powerful, 26-member California Film Commission (CFC), heads the Pan-African Film and Arts Festival (PFF)—the largest event, of its kind, in the U.S.A. He was in Nigeria recently to serve as a judge for the African Movie Academy Award (AMAA), staged in Port Harcourt last month.

“I have been working closely with Nigerian and other filmmakers from Africa for more than 20 years,” he said, “first as head of PAFF and, for the last decade or so, as one of AMAA’s judges.”

“Consequently,” he continued, “I’ve gained in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian movie industry—which makes me uniquely empathetic and sensitive, to the needs of filmmakers’, working in California”.

According to Babu, CFC was founded in 1985 to bolster the position of the U.S.A.’s most populous state, and the home of its film industry, as the world’s preferred location for motion picture production.

CFC has two main programmes, he said. “Film California First” refunds location costs and expenses for using specific areas, while filmmakers can access certain state-owned properties free, under “Star”.

Babu explained further, that there are some 50 local CFC affiliates, called “FLICS” (Film Locations in California, Statewide), which provide support, such as helping producers through the permit process.

“My plans,” he declared, “are to become very pro-active in disseminating this and other vital information to African and Caribbean filmmakers and generally to assist them in any way I can.”

The California State Governor appoints members of the board, with the concurrence of the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly.

Babu said Herb J. Wesson, the influential black president of the Los Angeles City Council, had nominated him for the position.

The nomination, he explained, stemmed largely from the impact of the annual Pan-African Film and Arts Festival, which holds in Los Angeles and Atlanta, and was also in recognition of his work with AMAA.