Johannesburg – The South African film and video industry has been devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, with the contribution of the industry to the economy shrinking by 59%.
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) recently released the findings of the third Economic Impact Assessment Study (EIA), which measures the economic contribution of the South African film and video industry to the country’s GDP between April 2016 and March 2021.
The 2021 assessment also included the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the industry.
“For us, doing this study meant making real and tangible, the total economic contribution of the film industry, illustrating how it plays a critical role in the socio-economic development of the country.
’’The last year has unfortunately set the industry back due to Covid-19. The focus for us now is to work collaboratively with the industry to rebuild our much-loved art,” Botse Matlala, NFVF research & compliance manager, said.
The key results highlighted that the Covid-19 pandemic had a destructive impact on the film industry, with the contribution of the industry to the South African economy shrinking by 59% in 2020/21 compared to 2019/20.
“In total, the direct, indirect and induced economic impact of the film industry to the South African economy has been estimated at R7.2 billion in 2019/20, declining to R2.9bn in 2020/21 due to the negative impact of Covid-19 on industry operations,” the report said.
According to the report, the total number of full-time jobs created or sustained by the activities of the film industry was approximately 31 444 in 2019/20, before falling to 12 775 in 2020/21.
The report added that the annualised income obtained by employees as a direct, indirect or induced impact of the industry amounted to R88 million, a drastic decline from R218m in 2019/20.
“In addition to these impacts on the economy, the industry also contributed intangible benefits that accrued to the wider economy and society, including destination profiling or marketing and tourism, skills development, contribution to social cohesion and development of local content, among others,” the report said.
NFVF chief executive Makhosazana Khanyile said the assessment showed that overall South Africa has a vibrant film industry that has contributed meaningfully to the South African economy.
“And is certainly brimming with potential to make an even greater contribution despite the negative impact of Covid-19 in the past year.
“The organisation has already worked on initiatives to support film-makers and online content creators alike. Content development is at the core of the work the NFVF engages in – it is where the mandate of the organisation is most clearly fulfilled by providing the film industry with critical financial support and technical expertise to take a film project from an idea to a product that can be screened.
“We remain committed to partnering with players in mitigating challenges that have an impact on the sustainable growth and development of the industry,” Khanyile said.
@Chulu_M
The Star