Event Preview: DISCOP Africa

JOHANNESBURG: The 2012 edition of DISCOP Africa, which kicks off next week, is shaping up to be the largest yet.

More than 1,000 non-exhibiting and exhibiting delegates representing 700-plus companies from 85 countries are expected to attend, marking a record number of delegates.

“Over seven editions of DISCOP Africa, our digital content market and co-production forum has grown to become Africa’s number one premier event for international and African content buyers, sellers and producers involved in this 54-country continent,” says Patrick Jucaud-Zuchowicki, the general manager of event organizer Basic Lead.

Due in part to the event’s record number of registrants, Jucaud-Zuchowicki says, “we have reasons to believe that Africa has now become a world-class digital marketplace destination, and with the 2015 digital switchover looming ahead, there is a much stronger momentum than ever before that can be felt across the content production and distribution sectors as well as in the advertising sectors.”

The Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg is expected to welcome 200-plus sellers, offering films, TV series, formats, live events, educational programming and thematic channels. “We also have a few exhibiting sellers offering content broadcasting, management and delivery solutions,” Jucaud-Zuchowicki adds.

“We are also expecting the largest contingent of prominent producers and distributors ever available, to sell content created in Africa under the same roof, collectively representing 20 percent of our exhibitors,” he continues. “We will have several national pavilions, representing companies from China, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. We also have a EUROPA Pavilion, set up for members of European trade associations with whom we have a longstanding relationship such as TVFI, FAPAE, PACT, ICE, etcetera.”

On board to deliver the opening keynote is Jason Njoku, the CEO and co-founder of iROKO, which is the largest digital distributor of Nollywood movies and YouTube’s biggest partner in Africa. In his speech—which leads off the first day, on Wednesday, October 31, at 9 a.m.—Njoku will champion the benefits of digital migration.

The schedule for the next few days focuses firmly on independent film and TV content producers from Africa, Jucaud-Zuchowicki explains. “The distribution business is booming across the continent, and recent TV-consumption trends indicate that a growing number of international television operators are acquiring film and TV content created in Africa. Furthermore, in the not-so-distant future, one of the main drivers of content business in Africa will be local programming. Inevitably, there will be a shift to regional co-production and distribution models, as non-African content will play a lesser role. Africa will then transition from massive importer of content to producer of content that is far more locally relevant.”

He adds, “In such an environment, reinforcing DISCOP Africa’s relevance as a marketplace for independent producers of multiplatform, film and television content created in Africa by providing them with true and efficient opportunities to sell content, initiate co-production partnerships, access valuable information, connect with key players and learn from experts, is for us as important as welcoming global distributors.”

Some 200 independent African producers are expected to attend. They are offered access to a “Producers Village,” where there are onsite matchmaking services, among other useful tools, as well as a conference program that is tailored to the African market, with 16 session that are translated into French and English. This year also marks the first edition of the Formats from Africa pitching competition, which takes place on Thursday, November 1, at 3 p.m. Around 30 projects have already been submitted, with ten shortlisted for the competition.

“First and before all, we want our attendees to go back home with business deals in their pockets and an expanded rolodex of key contacts across Africa,” says Jucaud-Zuchowicki. “We would like those of our participants who have not understood so far to realize that Africa is the next true frontier for digital entertainment.”

He continues, “Immense opportunities are fueled by Africa’s creativity and entrepreneurship, the rise of the urban working middle classes, large and young populations; fast digital switchover processes, rapid adoption of new technologies and social-networking tools, and continued growth in disposable income. Generating less than 1 percent of the world’s global TV licensing sales, combined TV licensing sales across Africa have progressed on average by 30 percent for most of our clients selling content, from Africa and from outside of Africa. This is good news for the television industry in general.”