Filmhouse cimenas recently berthed in Ibadan and its MD spoke to Ige Rotimi on how their 3D cinemas will wow Nigerians.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My names are Kene Mkparu and I am the managing director of Filmhouse Cinemas.
Can you tell us why you are in Ibadan at the moment?
Filmhouse is about newness. We are bringing new entertainment, fun and va va voom to Ibadan. Where ever we go, we are known to bring excitement and relaxation and that is what is being replicated here. Going down memory lane, the last time any cinema was fully functional in Ibadan was almost 40 years ago. We are here to change all that. Our cinemas are far more superior. When people come here to watch a movie, they experience new technology and watch the most recent films thus making their visit worthwhile. When they are leaving, their feeling of satisfaction is what makes us know that our efforts are worth it. We are changing entertainment in Ibadan which is for the whole family whether old or young and Ibadan was specific when we made our choice.
How did you get involved in the cinema business?
I haven’t done anything else apart from what I am doing right now. I finished my first degree in Biochemistry and Zoology in Nigeria in 1988 and after my compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), I travelled out of the country. While I was doing my post graduate course in the UK, I got a job with a cinema and enrolled in their management training programme. I liked the showbiz aspect most especially the management and customer service side of it. I remember the general manger then at the Odion cinemas wanted to give me a permanent contract to work there but I refused. I told him instead that I loved his job and that he should rather tell me how I could get to his position. He laughed it off but I kept working hard and three years later, I became his colleague. The story is almost the same with many of the management team in Filmhouse.
In 2008, most of us came back to Nigeria to try to add value to our country in the ways we knew how to. We actually set up the Genesis Deluxe cinemas and I was the Managing Director then later we left and started Filmhouse. I was did a course in Biopharmaceutical sciences and I have another master’s degree in Business System Analysis but I’ve always had passion for cinema.
Why was Ibadan specific to your choice?
This part of the country had lacked some basic entertainment facilities for long and the people had yearned for more over the years. The kind of entertainment that had existed here was the clubs and lounges where people go to drink and be merry and the people wanted a bit more. We found out that people who desired other forms of relaxation were travelling to Lagos and when you look at the population of Ibadan residents, it is amazing. This was why we decided to do something that Ibadan residents needed.
You said that you are in some other cities...
We are in Lagos, Calabar, Ibadan and we are building cinemas in Asaba, Port-Harcourt and Kano. We want to bring Dubai, America, India to Ibadan.
So how have you been able to stay ahead of the competition?
Well, the people behind Filmhouse have a combined experience of over 110 years in the film business. At least, practically all of the management of this establishment were part of the biggest cinema chain in the UK, Odion Cinemas and they are all back here to lend their wealth of experience to this business. None of our competitors have that because we understand the business, guest service function, technology of cinemas and so all of us who came back to set up filmhouse are professionals.
How recent would your movies be and how soon will the films released abroad get to be viewed in Ibadan?
Well, we have not set up a second rate movie theatre in Ibadan and I can assure you that in line with the release calendar of the blockbuster movies worldwide, the same time people are watching any movie across the world, the same time it would be shown in Ibadan. By the way, we won’t only be showing foreign movies, we intend to show a lot of local films which meet the cinema’s standards. Whatever people want, we will show them. Very soon, we will install 3D cinema viewing, and we will celebrate viewer’s birthdays etc.
Would you be working with Nigerian movie producers to screen local movies?
We are already doing that, working with producers and distributors and we have shown over 20 Nollywood films already.
Are your viewing rooms all for general viewing?
Yes, for now, we treat everyone as a celebrity. But when we have some public figures in the house, we would definitely make special arrangements. Our rates are also about the lowest and most competitive in the market.
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