Ms Denise Edwards, Director, Chief Editor, and Co-Founder of Invision Studios was recently interviewed by Broadcast Media Africa ahead of the “Broadcasting And Digital Media Summit – Zimbabwe,“ which will take place in Zimbabwe from Tuesday, March 15th to Wednesday, March 16th.
During the conversation, Ms Edwards mentioned the multiple challenges she confronts as a production company when it comes to broadcasting and digital media distribution.
She remarked that Zimbabwe has been unable to react rapidly to global market trends that most urban viewers are already familiar with when it comes to digital broadcasting.
She will be discussing the “Development Of Local Content, Channels, And Programmes For Digital Broadcast Media” with other industry experts at the summit.
The following is an excerpt from BMA’s conversation with Ms Denise Edwards in preparation for the industry summit:
BMA: What influenced your decision to agree to participate in the Industry Summit on “Broadcasting And Digital Media Summit – Zimbabwe”?
Denise Edwards: For the past ten years, I’ve worked in the film and television industry, and as a production company, we have faced numerous obstacles in terms of broadcasting and digital media distribution.
The upcoming summit, in my opinion, will shed light on how content creators, broadcasters, and Video-On-Demand (VOD) platforms can collaborate to produce high-quality content within budget constraints, resulting in a win-win situation for both content creators and broadcasters, ensuring that the end audience/customer receives high-quality entertainment.
BMA: How would you describe the relationship between broadcasting, telcos and digital migration in delivering solid and vibrant digital broadcasting and media services?
Denise Edwards: According to my observations of the Zimbabwean market, most individuals choose to get DSTV or Netflix instead of buying movies on the street. However, we have not adapted to the global market trends that most urban audiences are already aware of. Furthermore, we cannot match the demand for trendy shows due to the production cost of making such shows, making it easier to export such programming.
BMA: What is the biggest industry challenge faced at the moment in relation to the digital broadcasting switchover?
Denise Edwards: It has to be financing. The aforementioned is a capacity issue on all fronts, not only in broadcast but also in content creation.
BMA: In your opinion, what do you think can be done to improve the dynamics of broadcast licensing and monitoring operations in Zimbabwe?
Denise Edwards: As previously stated, we live in a fast-paced global industry, and as a result, increased government and private sector investment are required to license and monitor processes better. Structures that support the sector must be put in place, including creating a regulatory board that can define industry standards.
We do not have fixed rates for film-makers in various capacities, we do not have rates when dealing with broadcast or digital media, we do not have funds to assist content creators, and we do not have models that promote viable cross-border co-production in terms of favourable conditions for bringing in gear or talent.
BMA: Could you please tell us what you hope fellow participants will take away from this industry event?
Denise Edwards: We have the potential to become a leading player in the film and television industry because it is a global market. I recall hearing stories about large Hollywood blockbusters and international productions made here when I was a child. I hope that we can collaborate to provide fair chances to all industry stakeholders and develop solutions that benefit not only content creators but all sectors of the industry. We have so much to contribute yet so little time to do so. I hope we can all work together to bring about this much-needed change.
