Doing Business in Africa

Thirty years after he first set foot on the continent of Africa, John  Amos feels very confident that he is ready to do business in the land of  his ancestors.
I produced and directed Grambling Takes It All Back  Home some 30 years ago, and that was my first introduction to the  continent, explained Amos, who said the film featured Gramblings band  going to Liberia.
Since that first visit, Amos said he has traveled  to South Africa, Liberia, the East African nations of Kenya, Ethiopia,  and Somalia, as well as Uganda. Ive become fairly familiar with the  continent, added the actor, who has taken the American-based office for  his multimedia company, Step and One Half Productions Inc., and  expanded to include a small location in Uganda.
I have a skeleton  staff in Uganda that consists of three people. Their jobs vary from data  collection to taking meetings with government and non-government  officials. Theyre in the business of acquisition of information, as  well as learning who the players are in media, radio, and television. We  dont want to go in there acting like we have the panacea for whatever  media problems they have. Instead we want to become conversant with the  existing problems and programs, explained Amos.
Now were at the  point that we are about to make three presentations in three different  arenas. One project is for television, and I think it would be very  attractive to tourism throughout East Africa. Second is a one-hour drama  with a multicultural cast shot in Uganda, and third is a motion picture  shot in Uganda, said Amos, who is also looking to mount a stage play  of a theatrical piece his company owns. The play has undergone the  dramaturgical process at Princeton University and on the West Coast in  Seattle. Its also made a brief appearance at the National Black Theater  Festival.
But Amos is not limiting his efforts to just producing  work. His goal is to provide training to Africans interested in the  entertainment industry that he wants to be part of building on the  continent. That includes acting, behind the scenes, and behind the  camera. It means production work and technical aspects as well.
Its  taken a while to develop credibility and to be recognized by others . .  . as someone sincere, capable, and organized, added Amos about the  growing process he and his production company have been involved with.  Additionally, Amos, who is currently part of the cast of the television  show Men In Trees said it also takes time to learn how to navigate the  sometimes challenging landscape that is Mother Africa.
You have to  be very skilled, resourceful, and very cautious about who you deal with.  And even when you deal with the government, you have to make sure the  person you deal with is authorized to okay whatever proposal you put  before them. Because even though you have done your due diligence, if  you are not talking to the right people, then all that work is in vain.
Amos  said he is very confident about the future, partly because he has  surrounded himself with professionals and partly because of the  relationships he has established with key African officials.
Africa  cant be the sounding board for peoples fantasies. Ive seen that  happen so many times. They get so enthused about what they want to do,  but the reality of getting something accomplished there can be daunting.  . . Africa is a very volatile place. Youve got to be equality flexible  to make an agenda work.
Coupling all those things together, Amos is  cautiously confident saying that within one year, his company will have  one or more theatrical productions touring several venues in Eastern  Africa.