The Liberia Movie Union (LIMU) on Saturday, May 8, 2021commenced a one month intensive training covering various aspects of movie production at the ‘1847 Guest House’ located on the 1st Street, Tubman Boulevard Sinkor.
Making the disclosure in an exclusive interview with the New Liberia newspaper over the weekend, the President of the Liberia Movie Union (LIMU), Eddie Gibson, said the training which started on May 8, 2021, is aimed at building the capacity and honing the skills of LIMU members
Mr. Gibson said the training is sponsored by EQUIP and is being rolled out free of charge to all LIMU members who are desirous of improving their talents in movie production.
Gibson said the training is packaged in such a way so as to help change the actors and actresses to speedily improve in their movie making talent.
On the number of participants, Mr. Gibson said, about 30 LIMU members will benefit from the first leg of the training.
The LIMU leader said the training will be rolled out over a period of one month. Participants will be awarded certificate of participation at the end of the training cycle
Mr. Gibson made the revelation in an exclusive interview with the New Liberia newspaper over the weekend at his office on the Capitol Bye pass in Monrovia.
Explaining the function and role of the LIMU, Mr. Gibson said, the Movie Union is not there to carry out movie production but it came into existence to correct policy that will guard and show LIMU members the right path to operate when producing movie.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gibson is making a passionate appeal to the Government of Liberia (GOL), international organizations, civil society organizations and well-meaning Liberians to help LIMU by providing financial assistance to it to keep the
organization operating as a well-functioning movie union.
Underscoring the negative effect of piracy on the work of movie artistes in Liberia, Mr. Gibson said, the GoL should employ all mechanisms to protect the intellectual properties of Liberian movie artists.
Throwing light on the important role of movie artistes in national development, Mr. Gibson said, artists in Nigeria are seen as associates in development by the Government of Nigeria which, according to him, has really impacted the tourism sector of that West African country.
Mr. Gibson also used his interaction with the New Liberia newspaper to call on the GoL to ensure that utmost guard is given to local and international movie artistes.
He stressed the need for the all-round protection of the Intellectual Property Rights of Liberian movie artistes, indicating that the government should arrest people found guilty piracy and have them punish in keeping with the copy rights law of the Republic of Liberia.
Mr. Gibson further noted that the movie industry has suffered for a long time from piracy at the hands of dishonest individuals.
He also said that it is now time for the Government to strengthen the sector by enforcing the piracy law, saying, “If the intellectual property is protected, the industry will meaningfully help to improve the nation’s economy.”
Furthermore, the LIMU President is pleading with the government, especially President George M. Weah, who is also a performer and devoted sponsor of Liberian musical groups and movie makers, to come to the aid of Liberian movie producers.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gibson, is asking groups associated with the Liberian movie industry to contribute to the development of actors and actresses as well as theLiberia Movie Union.
Mr. Gibson said the union is asking the government to employ protective limitations on copyrights, similar to security restrictions for violators.
He said, the country had a lot of young people with productive ideas and skills key to national growth and development which makes it compelling to have them trained and given the right space to operate.
The LIMU president said the organization is essential to contribute towards a nation that tie together the skills of young people towards national development, and empowered them through the successful use of their talents.
Mr. Gibson said LIMU would also promote entrepreneurial skills amongst its members to enable them to be freelance instead of relying completely on the government for jobs.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gibson said that artists are not in truth realizing the fruits of their effort as a result of unbalanced duplication of their works by corrupt ground rules without their permission,
Mr. Gibson is a Liberian and an actor who has starred in several Liberian films including, The Tribal Feud, Operation Rat Race, Desperate Hour, Complex Roots, The Unqualified Doctor, Justice Denied, A Man’s Heart and Family Affairs, among others.
