A LOCAL FILM-MAKER has publicly taken the state-run television station, CBC, to task for not embracing more local content.
Rommel Hall, founder of Hall-e-wood Productions – the developer and producer of Barbados’ first sitcom Keeping Up With The Joneses and the award-winning web series Abiola – said getting films on CBC was a major challenge.
“Working with the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation is a little difficult. It’s really daunting when, as a film-maker, the hardest part of the process is whether or not I would be able to get my content on the lone television station in Barbados. This is not right,” he said.
“I’m really, really calling for the channels of negotiations to be reopened between the association and the CBC because that is one of the main types of distribution in Barbados right now. I mean, yes, we have YouTube and Facebook and these different things but that is where it starts and, to be honest, if CBC would show more local content outside of November things would go so much more smoothly for the organisation.”
Hall made the comments during the recent launch of the Barbados Visual Media Festival held at Harbour Road, St Michael. The festival is into its third year.
While pointing to legislation, structure and marketing as other areas of concern, he said it was time for Barbadians to “beat our home drums” and be unapologetic about the Bajan way of telling stories.
In her comments, delivered on behalf of Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley, director of the Cultural Industries Development Authority (CIDA) Andrea King informed Hall that the agency has “joined the fray” and was engaging with CBC on the issue.
Organised by the Barbados Film And Video Association, the festival runs until October 31 and will feature, among other things, a photographic competition.
One of the highlights, the awards ceremony, is scheduled for Friday at the Frank Collymore Hall. (WILLCOMM)
