Ineck HOUNGBEDJI is a young production manager and screenwriter of Beninese origin with a passion for cinema.
In addition to her production activities, she publishes on LinkedIn all calls for projects, training opportunities, calls for films, calls for applications for writing workshops, etc. that may be of interest to people involved in audiovisual and film production in French-speaking Africa.
At ADWEKNOW, we wanted to get to know her better and help promote her initiative, which we find both useful and innovative.
Hello, INECK HOUNGBEDJI. Who are you and what is your background?
IH: Hello, I graduated with a degree in production management in 2018, and I continued my education as a self-taught student by taking additional professional training courses in film production, screenwriting, and directing.
In 2021, I began my career working as a production manager on several short and feature-length projects, both fiction and documentary, then I set up "DAKKI DAKKA PICTURES," my production company specializing in audiovisual and film production, with which I produced and directed two short films (fiction and documentary) that have enjoyed international success in official selections at film festivals.
I am also one of the screenwriters selected to write the future daily series LE MEILLEUR EST À VENIR (The Best Is Yet to Come). This is a three-way collaboration with TV5MONDE, MEDIAWAN, and the BENINESE GOVERNMENT.
And I have other projects for 2024, with the continued development of my next short fiction film and the implementation of projects in the ICCs.
In addition to your activities, you regularly post various opportunities related to production in Africa on LinkedIn. How did you come up with this idea?
I joined LinkedIn primarily to share my news and find opportunities.
But after much thought, I asked myself why not offer my network and beyond what I was looking for when I joined this network… So I started sharing opportunities that I found on all networks, and even those that I myself had unearthed on Google and elsewhere.
Are you on other social media platforms?
I mainly publish and share information on LinkedIn, where I currently have around 2,000 followers. I spend a lot of time seeking out opportunities for us. For us, yes, because it also helps me in one way or another.
Do you have any feedback?
Yes, enormously. Many people write to me to congratulate me or thank me, or even to give me information about offers that I hadn't noticed. I know that my posts are widely circulated, and yes, for the moment, I think it's working.
In fact, you can't imagine how happy it makes me to see these opportunities being shared across different networks. It encourages me and gives me strength.
Adweknow regularly reports on the efforts made by the Beninese government to promote this sector of activity. What exactly is happening?
The government has effectively put in place a structure that allows it to attract skilled workers. Of course, many foreign companies are setting up shop here, but this benefits Benin and its people because it allows us to retain our talent and offer them opportunities to work on interesting projects in their own country.
The government has also set up the Arts and Culture Development Fund (FDAC), exclusively reserved for Beninese citizens, to support and contribute to the promotion of cultural and creative industries in Benin.
Thank you, Ineck, and once again, congratulations on your initiative, which is so useful to so many people.