Working with an experienced Producer/Production Company such as March 31 Media on your project reduces the risk of legal nightmares, and having produced more than 10 content titles across multiple genres and broadcast on reputable platforms, here are 9 binding agreements we recommend for use in content production:

1. NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT popularly called NDA, binds the receiving party from sharing confidential information they receive to do preliminary work, understand scope of project or for negotiation purpose. This is typically the first document that gets circulated. It is important to send this to anyone (cast or crew) before proceeding to share your content idea or script with them.

1. WRITER’S AGREEMENT

WRITER’S AGREEMENT is an agreement with a writer that details the types of right that the production has over the story or script. These rights range from Option Right, Right to First Rewrite, Outright Sale of Script etc. Key feature of this Agreement is transfer of rights from the writer (who is the copyright holder) to the Producer, Production company or any other third parties the Production Company deems fit.

1. CREW CONTRACT

CREW CONTRACT is an agreement with crew members highlighting job tittle, work hours, pay and benefits, payment structure, duration of engagement. It should also clearly spell out expectations for copyright and transfer of rights, confidentiality agreement and notice period/modality for termination of agreement.

1. CAST CONTRACT

CAST CONTRACTis an agreement with on-screen talents, also known as Actor’s Contract or Host Contract, depending on the type of Cast engaged. This grants permission for a Producer/Production Company to use the IMAGE, LIKENESS, VOICE, NAME and PERFORMANCE of a person in their production. The Cast Contract is issued to cast members with more appearances and stake in the creative project.

1. TALENT RELEASE FORM

TALENT RELEASE FORM also called a Performance Agreement, is an abridged form of a cast contract, often used for one-off performances within a movie or TV series. You may also use this for performers who have very minimal screen-time or role in your project.

1. LOCATION AGREEMENT

LOCATION AGREEMENT is executed with property owners for the use of their space. If there are fees involved, and shoot hours’ limitation, it is highlighted in this document. Details of what the location will benefit from the Production, such as mentions, montage of their space, showcase of their features, are also captured in the Location Agreement.

1. MUSIC LICENSE AGREEMENT

Media projects feature a wide variety of sounds to enrich the viewer experience. Some of these sounds are recorded on the field or in the studio, while others are sourced from existing music library or from music artistes/producers. It is important to agree on the use of music, duration, scope and number of years the license covers. This forms the basis of music license agreement.

1. PRODUCTION AGREEMENT

PRODUCTION AGREEMENT is issued by a commissioning party to a production company for the production of a movie or TV project. The commissioning party may be a broadcast platform, a distribution company, a brand or an agency. The production agreement details the title and form of content, number of episodes (where applicable), synopsis, total budget, copyrights (and transfer of rights), production timeline, payment structure.

1. LICENSE AGREEMENT

LICENSE AGREEMENT – At any phase during your production, you can arrange with a distribution/broadcast company for the specifics of broadcast for that content. In that case, you sign a license agreement, stating how long the platform has the rights to show your work, and whether those rights are exclusive or non-exclusive. License agreement allows a producer to have flexibility over their work.

1) ALL MINE

ALL MINE…is it true love if it’s deadly?
All MINE is a psychological drama and a gripping tale of love and tragedy. Commissioned by
Africa Magic and premiered in 2024, the movie was produced by Hadizat Ibrahim, written by
Pearl Agwu and directed by Muyiwa Aluko. Featuring an awesome cast of Ibrahim Suleiman,
Wendy Lawal, Oduche Christian, EjiroOghene ‘Jyro’ Asagba, Obehi Aburime, ALL MINE will
leave you with twist and turns you didn’t see coming.

Tola has a huge crush on her colleague, Daniel; she has had this since she started working at
Champagne FM. But asides the usual wave, smile and stolen glances, he has never said more
than a few words to her. Just when she has given up on Daniel, a new guy joins the station.
Tola decides that the only way she can get Daniel’s attention is by making him jealous.
Unknown to her, she has pushed a deadly button!

2) THE COUNSELLOR

THE COUNSELLOR is a heartwarming romantic drama, that will leave you feeling warm in all
the right places. Commissioned as a Showmax Original curated to launch the new Showmax
platform in 2024, the movie stars David Eyo, Teniola Aladese, Eyiyemi Olivia, Uzoamaka
Anuionoh, MoyinOluwa Olutayo. Produced by Hadizat Ibrahim, written by Pearl Agwu and
directed by Muyiwa Aluko, THE COUNSELLOR is a perfect watch this Valentine.

Gbenro and Aisha have been unlucky with love all their lives, but once they meet each other,
they know they’ve found true love. Theirs is a whirlwind romance. Barely 2 months after they
meet, they move in together and when Gbenro pops the question a month later, Aisha says
‘yes!’. Gbenro’s mum is unsure about this union. As a single mum, she is skeptical about the
durability of this sudden romance. To put his mother’s fears to rest, Gbenro and Aisha agreed
to attend a marriage counselling session by a counsellor that she swears by. According to her,
“If Dr Cynthia Oladimeji says you are perfect for each other, then you have my blessing”.

Gbenro is determined to prove that Aisha is perfect for him, but the couple soon finds out that
love is only one of 10 steps when it comes to marriage.

3) THE IRABORS FOREVER AFTER

THE IRABORS FOREVER AFTER is a 5-part series that features the love and life of one of
Nigeria’s most celebrated media couples, Betty and Soni Irabor as they count down to their
40th wedding anniversary and renewal of vows.

Commissioned by Africa Magic and premiered in 2023, this series was produced and directed
by Hadizat Ibrahim, one of the creative minds behind the success of other Africa
Magic/Showmax docu-reality series such as The Real Housewives of Lagos (RHOL), Our
Perfect Wedding Season 1 and The Wellingtons.

The following trainings are our current offerings:

1. Fundamentals of Production (online course).
2. Fundamentals of Cinematography (physical workshop).
3. Collaboration with other organizations on their capacity building efforts. E.g. the Black & Shine Project with PhotoSceneLenses to train 150 creatives across Africa for free.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PICTURES

Aimed at equipping young creatives looking to kickstart and build their career in film and TV production, the course is created as a capacity-building tool to address the information gap among these emerging media professionals. The course features 23 modules on relevant film & TV production areas in easy-to-understand video format. This virtual learning experience is further enhanced by practical insights and scenarios.

Why take Fundamentals of Production course with March 31 Media Academy?

Here are four (4) compelling reasons why taking this course is a worthy investment in career development, especially if you are looking to be build a successful career in film and TV production.

1) COMPETENT FACILITATOR

-> The course is facilitated by Hadizat Ibrahim, an accomplished and experienced media producer with over 20 years’ active industry experience. Responsible for successful productions such as The Real Housewives of Lagos, The Voice Nigeria S3, The Irabors Forever After and movies such as The Counsellor, All Mine, The Playbook. Hadizat’s creativity and expertise in storytelling and production has received numerous industry recognition and nominations such as Best Unscripted M-Net Original at the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA), Best Producer – African at the 2024 Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) and Best Female Filmmaker – International at the 2023 TINFF.

2) PRACTICAL COURSE CONTENT

-> The course is perfect for young creatives who are looking to kickstart their career in film and TV production and is enriched with practical insights and scenarios. It’s a career-development course that fuels curiousity, features useful information about the stages and processes involved in production as well as provide insights into building a successful career in film and TV.

3) SELF-PACED VIRTUAL LEARNING

-> The course is a self-paced virtual learning experience, with 23 easy-to-understand modules on relevant film & TV production areas in engaging video format. The course explores topics such as phases of production and what happens in each phase, the creative minds responsible for the magic of content production, common production terminologies, useful tips for building a successful career and how to negotiate your worth as  a young creative.

4) ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

-> In addition to the practical knowledge obtainable from the course, the course is currently available for a limited-time discounted fee at https://march31media.selar.co/FundamentalsOfProduction

The course, FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION, which is now available on Selar, is also a pre-requisite for the paid internship programme at March 31 Media where young creatives are given practical, hands-on experience in the field of content production.

To access the course and obtain a certificate of completion, click here – https://march31media.selar.co/FundamentalsOfProduction

Over the past twenty years, Hadizat has excellently honed her career in the industry. From her early days at Radio Nigeria to her pivotal role in television as a producer at M-Net/Africa Magic, owning her own production company (M31M), and initiating life-changing courses, her journey has been inspirational. Hadizat’s journey in media started at Radio Nigeria in 2004 before she fully transitioned into television in 2014, joining MNet/Africa Magic, working on primetime entertainment shows and overseeing well-loved series like “Tinsel,” “Battleground,” and “Ajoche”. In 2020, she established her own media production company, March 31 Media (M31M), producing and contributing to notable projects such as “The Playbook”, “The Counselor”, and “The Real Housewives of Lagos”. Her expertise and passion for storytelling have been evident throughout her journey, earning her respect and admiration across the industry. In 2012, she was nominated as Radio Presenter of the Year by the Nigerian Media Merit Awards (NMMA). In 2017, she was recognized for her outstanding contribution to production, and in 2023, she was nominated in three different categories at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF), Best Producer – African 2024 (TINFF) and Best Unscripted M-Net Original (AMVCA) 2024.

At this significant milestone celebration, there was the launch of March 31 Media’s new course tagged FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION. Facilitated by Hadizat Ibrahim, the course aims to build on the legacy of Hadizat’s impact in the media and serve as a platform to empower young and aspiring media professionals. By equipping aspiring media professionals with the skills and mentorship they need to thrive, Hadizat continues to impact lives and shape the future of the industry globally.

Access the course here – https://march31media.selar.co/FundamentalsOfProduction

These gaps have prompted our next webinar tagged DEAR YOUNG CREATIVE: NEGOTIATING YOUR WORTH IN FILM & TV.

Targeted towards young creatives with less than 5 years of experience in the film and TV space but promising to be beneficial to all attendees, the webinar will cover:

• Useful negotiation skills
• 3 biggest factors that influence your pay
• How to improve your earning power
• Specific average costs for key roles in film & TV based on insights from reputable producers.

The facilitator is Hadizat Ibrahim, an experienced TV Producer with nearly 20 years industry experience. She has recruited hundreds of crew across her productions as well as worked on local and international formats. Some of her production credits include TINFF-nominated  movies (The Counsellor, The Playbook); docureality series (The Irabors Forever After, The Real Housewives of Lagos, The Voice Nigeria S3, Our Perfect Wedding S1) and several other TV content. She is the Founder/Executive Producer of March 31 Media, a blossoming media firm in Lagos-Nigeria passionate about capacity building for young creatives.

This FREE online session will hold on Saturday 27^th of July 2024 at 10am

CLICK HERE FOR MEETING LINK

Spread the word!

March 31 Media was responsible for the livestream and multicam production at this event. Deploying a 5-camera set up using Sony FX6, the coverage captured red-carpet interviews, the insightful speeches and robust conversations at the panel discussions.

WATCH SNIPET FROM THE CONFERENCE

BTS PICTURES

One of the key success markers of The Johnsons was that it could boast of relatable, well-rounded characters. It featured family members depicting everyday Nigerian family in Lagos with varied personalities – Father (Lucky), mother (Emu), children (Jennifer, Efe, Tari, Blessing), adopted child (Spiff). And the other extended family and friends – Pablo, Suzanne, Mr Goodluck, Abulu, Prince, Mohamed. Whether it’s Lucky wanting a career breakthrough, or Jennifer’s encounter with boys as she became a young adult, we saw these characters go through familiar challenges most humans go through. It also helped a great deal that some of these characters were brought to life by industry heavyweights who delivered on their role such as Charles Inojie, Ada Ameh, Chinedu Ikedieze, Samuel Afolabi, Seun Osigbesan, Kunle Bamtefa to mention a few

The stories were simple yet engaging.
The beginning sets up the issue, and you feel the tension rising in the middle with the various obstacles till it gets resolved/addressed at the end. The Johnsons drove narratives that most members of the family can identify with. The storytelling was also skillfully done with ample moments of laughter per story act.

Also, each character had a unique dialogue pattern. The father was learned and as such, more eloquent. Efe too. Emu was your typical African mother with limited education who would always want to “feel among”, not to be brushed aside. The dialogue also didn’t shy away from pidgin and other Nigerian languages, local nuances and street slangs.

Clean pictures, crisp audio with a decent production design.
For the locations featured in the series, you could see the constant improvements in the set, the bright colours of the house, the addition/upgrade of locations tied to story (e.g Jennifer moving to her own home after she got married).

The series also didn’t shy infusing indigenous elements in the production design. From the traditional outfits adorned by the matriarch (Emu) to the traditional wedding ceremony featured on the show, indigenous foods and other props, Oga Pablo’s local herbs shop…the list goes on.

With Rogers Ofime as the Executive Producer of the series, one didn’t expect anything less than stellar. Rogers had in the past contributed to the success of Tinsel (another Africa Magic content which has now become one of the longest running series in Africa). After that, he went on to produce several other engaging series such as Hotel Majestic, Hush and most recently Wura and Chronicles.

Supporting Rogers were also Eric Ossai and Preye Odibo in Supervising and Series Producer roles respectively. These two have enough production credits and previous experience that proved to be a game changer for running The Johnsons and making it the successful series that it is.

Running a series is not a cheap endeavor. It involves investing heavily in location and props, technical and post production gear, cast, crew and other elements needed for a successful production. Africa Magic’s consistent investment in The Johnsons meant that the team could focus on creating a content we all can be proud of. 

Africa Magic is no doubt one of the biggest investors in the film and TV ecosystem, whether it is through the commissioning pathway, co-production deals or acquisition models. The investment in The Johnsons ensured that the content was available for over a decade, with well over 2000 episodes to show for it. Now, that’s a feat worth celebrating.

SYNOPSIS:

ALL MINE…is it true love if it’s deadly?

Tola has a huge crush on her colleague, Daniel; she has had this since she started working at Champagne FM. But asides the usual wave, smile and stolen glances, he has never said more than a few words to her. Just when she has given up on Daniel, a new guy joins the station. Tola decides that the only way she can get Daniel’s attention is by making him jealous. Unknown to her, she has pushed a deadly button!

CAST:

Ibrahim Suleiman, Wendy Lawal, Oduche Christian, EjiroOghene ‘Jyro’ Asagba, Obehi Aburime

Movie Trailer

BTS PICTURES

The nominations are in for the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) and The Irabors Forever After is in good company. Nominated in the Best Unscripted M-Net Original category, The Irabors Forever After is March 31 Media’s first docu-reality series production. Produced and directed by Hadizat Ibrahim, the 5-episode series which features the lives of Betty and Soni Irabor aired on Africa Magic and is now available on leading streaming platform, Showmax.

The AMVCAs is an annual celebration of artistic excellence and creative brilliance in film and TV productions in Africa. The award, now in its tenth year, recognizes both on-screen and off-screen talents involved in the film and TV production process across various categories such as Best Actress/Actor, Best Writing, Best Cinematography, Best Editing etc.

To vote for The Irabors Forever After as Best Unscripted M-Net Original, here are the simple steps to follow:

1 – Visit www.africamagic.tv/amvca

2 – Click on the VOTE menu item and register/sign in

3 – Select THE IRABORS FOREVER AFTER as Best Unscripted M-Net Original

4 – Enter your number of votes and cast your vote by clicking VOTE.

Speaking on the nomination, the Producer/Director, Hadizat Ibrahim shares:

“I am super excited for this nomination, which is a validation of our commitment to excellence, one of our core values at March 31 Media. We are passionate about storytelling and driving narratives that interests our audiences. Special thanks to the amazing March 31 Media crew who worked tirelessly on this project giving their utmost best. I am also deeply grateful to Mr Soni and Mrs Betty Irabor for opening their worlds to us, allowing us capture their vulnerabilities and authentic stories in the most compelling way possible. The list of gratitude can not be complete without special mention of Africa Magic and the team there who consistently champion African stories using various content formats”. 

Winners of the AMVCAs are to be announced at an elaborate ceremony later in May, 2024.

AMVCA Voting closes on the 28^th of April at 10pm (WAT)