KFCB to Redefine Film Agents’ Role

The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) has initiated the process of redefining the role of Film Agents in Kenya, in efforts geared towards creating a facilitative regulatory environment for the continued growth of the local film industry.
Addressing the press today, 23rd August, 2022, at the Board’s offices in Nairobi, the KFCB Ag Chief Executive, Mr. Christopher Wambua, said that the redefinition will see the role of Film Agents restricted to the provision of international standard services to foreign film and television producers.
He added that the redefinition will encourage compliance with Section 4 (1) of the Films and Stage Plays Act, Cap 222 of the Laws of Kenya and will see filmmakers obtain licenses from KFCB without having to go through a film agent.
“To create an enabling environment for the youth to harness the opportunities in the local creative economy, KFCB has resolved to redefine the role of Film Agents in Kenya with the view of confining the agents’ role to providing international standard services to foreign film and television producers. In this regard, the Board has today, 23rd August 2022, published a Public Notice in My Gov publication on Redefining the Role of Film Agents, inviting stakeholders and members of the public to submit their inputs and comments. The public consultation documents have been uploaded on the KFCB website for reference,” Mr. Wambua told the press. 
The Ag CEO noted that, should the proposal be adopted by industry and other stakeholders, effective 1st October 2022, Film Agents will concentrate solely on providing logistical support to foreign film and television producers. 

“It is our expectation that the reconfiguration of the licence scope for Film Agents will remove barriers to entry for aspiring local filmmakers and thus create a facilitative environment for the sector to thrive in the aftermath of the debilitating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Wambua said. 
At the same time, Mr. Wambua said that local filmmakers will be obtaining filming licenses directly from KFCB without going through an Agent, subject to meeting certain requirements, including registration or incorporation of their businesses.  
The Board’s Ag CEO explained that redefining the role of Film Agents had been informed by numerous representations of recommendations from local filmmakers suggesting the abolition of the prerequisite for local filmmakers to register as Film Agents or be facilitated by Film Agents when obtaining filming licences to enable them to comply with the filming requirements. 
He further noted that the proposal was informed by best practices in other film markets, especially in Africa, and the provisions of the draft Kenya Film Policy 2020, which provides a policy for restricting the role of Film Agents to the facilitation of foreign filmmakers. 
“It is evident that the current practice of obtaining licences through Film Agents, among other factors, inhibits market entry for aspiring creatives and may therefore ultimately stifle the growth of the local creative sector,” he noted.
On the same note, Mr. Wambua, reaffirmed KFCB’s commitment to improving the regulatory environment in the film sector to spur the continued growth of the local creative economy, noting that the Board is in the final stages of developing a Co-Regulation Framework for broadcast and online video streaming services.