Uganda’s film industry under their umbrella body, Pearlwood has renewed optimism in the profitability of the industry following a partnership with leading telecom MTN Uganda which will cut the former’s marketing costs by 60 percent.
Recently, MTN Uganda in partnership with Albayan Media Limited, the platform provider through the YOTV mobile app and the Association of Core Film Producers Uganda Limited trading as Pearlwood launched Kibanda Xpress, a channel housing local Ugandan movies.
Related: Kibanda Xpress to boost Uganda’s Film Industry
The partnership is expected to boost consumption of local content and in turn revenues of filmmakers since Kibanda Xpress through YoTV has vast reach in different parts of the country.
Marketing and distribution challenge
Seasoned film producer and speaker on the PearlWood board of directors, Mzee Bwanika Julius said whereas there was a demand for the local films, filmmakers were not realizing income from their creative works.
“The film industry had a problem, we make the content, customers watch the content and even though they paid money to watch the content, it would not reach the makers. Customers were getting frustrated, they support you but they do not see you grow,” Bwanika explained.
He says the divide led to disheartening and frustration of the filmmakers who invest a lot and barely earn from their investment.
In addition, the film industry will not suffer from huge investment costs as MTN Uganda shoulders the marketing costs which comprise 60 percent of film production.
“MTN is promoting local content. It is one thing to make a film and it is another to promote it. When MTN promotes a film, it is on a big budget meaning many people will know about it. Usually, for a film budget, production can cost about 40 percent and find that marketing accommodates the 60 percent so MTN is actually taking up the burden of the 60 percent,” he noted.
Why MTN?
The moviemakers, producers, and video jockeys approached MTN in 2019 following a repeated challenge of lack of a home for Ugandan local movies and streamlined distribution network.
According to Mzee Bwanika, MTN welcomed the lot who at the time had nothing but a dream to offer and in 2020, the idea Kibanda Xpress was born.
“We are glad that MTN did not look at our status quo because we were nothing but it looked at our dream. We wanted a company that could see the big dream and that was MTN,” he narrates.
Future of local film industry
Mzee Bwanika believes that owing to the MTN partnership culminating into Kibanda Xpress on YoTV, the public within 6 months or a year will realize the great impact of MTN on Uganda’s local film industry.
He also says that the film industry has committed to producing adequate and quality work for the audience to spur the growth of the industry.
In conclusion, Mzee Bwanika believes that now that the local film industry has its own identity and local distribution network, it is destined for soaring heights in the future.
How Kibanda Xpress works
Kibanda Xpress” is a partnership between the telecom company and PearlWood, an association of local film producers. Kibanda Xpress is available on YoTV channels, a mobile app that allows one to stream local and international Radio and TV channels in real-time via a smartphone.
Also Read: Here is everything you need to know about Kibanda Xpress
Kibanda Xpress features over 150 Ugandan movies and will live stream premiers of new movies as well other local entertainment content providing customers with entertainment conveniently and affordably anywhere and everywhere you go with just the click of a button on your phone
The service launched with a promotional subscription offer of Ugx1,000 per movie valid for a period of 24 hours and every month there will be at least 4 new movies. A customer will be charged via their MTN MoMo account
To watch a movie on Kibanda Express, follow these steps:
- Step1: Download and install the Yotv app from Playstore and Appstore.
- Step2: Subscribe and Login to the Yotv app, Select VOD.
- Step3: Browse and select the Movie of your choice then follow prompts to complete payment.
