Hair dressing salons, others to pay royalties - FIPAG

President of the Film Producers’ Association of Ghana (FIPAG) Steve Asare Hackman says, hairdressing and barbering salons, together with other facilities, will start paying royalties soon.

Other establishments listed to also start paying royalties include restaurants, commercial vehicles, night clubs, cinema halls, concert halls, sports grounds, theatres, banks, hotels, and night clubs.

FIPAG issued a warning last year to transport agencies and commercial bus drivers to stop airing Ghanaian movies to passengers onboard their vehicles without authorization or be prepared to pay royalties for the films or face the wrath of the law.

FIPAG claimed the trend was affecting their business because patronage of their movies was seriously declining.

According to Hackman, “an association called the Audio Visual Right Society of Ghana (ARSOG) anti-piracy team has been set up to collect royalties on behalf of members the association from whoever uses our movies to enhance their businesses.”

“The team started work three weeks ago and visited a few lorry stations including the Kaneshie lorry station, VIP lorry station, Great Imperial Transport, Metro Mass lorry station and State Transport Company (STC) and VIP and Great Imperial Transport. They have started paying already,” he disclosed.

On how the association was going to distribute the royalties, Mr. Hackman said, “movie producers will have to submit and register their movies with ARSOG who will then decide how much to give individual producers after the collection.”

“Long distance buses with seating capacity less than 30 will pay GHc45 for the first year and GHc25 for the subsequent years and buses with seating capacity more than 30, will pay GHc55 and GHc30 for the subsequent years.

Even trotros who show our movies will pay GHc45 and GHc20 for subsequent years,” he added.

Mr. Hackman says, the association has started an educational campaign for all institutions using their movies to enhance their business to register and pay royalties with the association.

“So far, we have spoken to the Ghana Hair Dressers Association (GHD) and Ghana Hoteliers Association and they have agreed to pay.”