By Dorcas Jonah
The Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has advised film producers to strive for quality that would make them compete favourable internationally and boost the nation’s economy.
Amaechi gave the advice in Abuja, while receiving the Chief Executive of Native Media, Mr Rogers Ofime and his crew members on a thank you visit.
The minister reiterated his resolve to always support movie makers when they needed train service for their shootings.
He said that the facility would be provided to the movie producers at no cost to enable them do their shooting.
Amaechi pledged support for the shooting of “Conversations in Transit”, a contemporary gritty romantic comedy and other movies.
The minister said that this would promote the good image of the country.
According to him, approving train service for the shooting of the film was to show the world the exceptional infrastructure development going on under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“We have to do this because what the president is doing in infrastructure should be shown to the world.
“The president has improved on infrastructure and railway is one of them. We have to grant them that approval of using the train. So that the world we know that we are delivering on our campaign promises,” Amaechi said.
The minister said that approving the train services for movie producers to use for shooting at no cost was the government contribution to boost the sector.
“We will continue to improve our infrastructure to make the society grow. Road and railway deal with issue of logistics, even if you manufacture you need better infrastructure.
“The film project is a beautiful idea; it will engage the people meaningfully, provide entertainment and grow the economy.
“We are happy they are doing it and that is why we will be willing to always grant them approval of the train anytime they wish to use it.
“Film makers should improve on what they are doing. The quality of anything you are doing is essential. They have continued to grow with time.
“Improving to become world best is not rocket science. They can be the best in the world with much commitment,” he said.
Speaking, the CEO of Native Media, Ofime, thanked Amaechi for approving free train services for the shooting of the film, “Conversations in Transit” .
Ofime said that the production of the film was informed by his experience of train ride from Lagos to Ibadan, which he described as fascinating.
“When I came to Nigeria from Canada, what actually fascinated me was the train ride from Lagos to Ibadan and that actually informed the project I am doing.
“One is to showcase the achievement of the administration and also to let people know of another means of transportation which is very wonderful.
” People have been taking the train ride and the feedback has been really great,” he said.
Ofime said the film “Conversations in Transit” was a contemporary gritty romantic comedy that takes one into lives of three couples navigating their way through near divorce, finding love and a complicated love triangle.
He noted that it would be the first in the Nigeria film industry that would be filmed entirely on a train.
Ofime said that Native Media was a multi award winning television Production Company with ten years existence and has carved a niche in producing quality and original African stories for an ever-dynamic television audience.(NAN)
