Let’s use 5G to drive creative industries

High speed wireless mobile data 5g concept image.

Pool | Nation Media Group

By  Nancy Marangu

Planning and Research Officer

Kenya Film Classification Board

What you need to know:

• With 5G infrastructure, film images are stored in the cloud and broadcast directly to cinema. 
• On audience content consumption habits and patterns, strategic partnerships between content creators and telecommunication service providers are inevitable.

Creative industries combine creation, production and commercialisation of content that can immensely be exploited for wealth and job creation.

The youth can upskill their digital competencies to operate 5G technologies that enable variety. 

In the film industry, 5G influences three aspects of the film value chain — filmmaking, distribution and audience.

Youth can develop technical prowess of these technologies that combine both film shooting and post-production concurrently and build capacity among their peers in the sector.

With 5G infrastructure, film images are stored in the cloud and broadcast directly to cinema via enabling 5G internet speeds and networks, resulting in cost reduction of film distribution. 

On audience content consumption habits and patterns, strategic partnerships between content creators and telecommunication service providers are inevitable.

Virtual reality

The ease with which consumers access movies is dependent on the many conglomerates in the complicated value chain that makes up entertainment.

On film classification and examination, 5G provides for policy-makers room to innovatively institute systems and facilities so that producers can examine their films independently but also adhere to standards and thematic areas. 

And with virtual reality largely unexplored, budding entrepreneurs can develop economic models that can accommodate local content such as that produced at the Annual National Drama and Film Festivals by the youth.

But whereas 5G promises speed, capacity latency and connected devices, industry ought to rethink the traditional film production value chain and remodel it to accommodate these technologies.

A sustainable business model that supports the film ecosystem during the 5G transition to embody art and create infrastructural facilities will sprout innovation in creative arts. 

Ms Marangu is planning and research officer, Kenya Film Classification Board. nancy.marangu@gmail.com.