The event is hosted by attorney and intellectual property consultant Letlhogonolo Moremi and writer, producer and director Ryan Gibson and organised by ParkGrey IP in association with Khumo Studios.
In an interview with Arts & Culture, Moremi said the event is meant to capacitate industry stakeholders in the performance industry with critical knowledge of intellectual property law, intellectual property management and the business practicalities of both the local and international contexts.
Moremi stated that the event is targeting all industry stakeholders, including performers of all kinds, managers, producers, writers, directors, financiers, event managers, musicians, poets, actors, etc.
“Because of the intersection of the kind of rights the laws of Botswana grants them in terms of intellectual property, we find it important to bring them into the same room and share knowledge, trouble-shoot existing challenges and produce an empowered cohort of industry professionals,” Moremi said. He explained that the idea came about after noting a trend among the issues that different performers were seeking assistance at ParkGrey IP. “We noted the lack of knowledge on IP rights that are involved in the performance industry, and we wanted to create an affordable and accessible platform where we can fill this gap. Through partnering with Khumo Studios, we wanted to value addition to ensure that stakeholders not only get the legal knowledge but gain practical business advice as well,” he explained.
Moremi also said ParkGrey IP is Botswana’s first-ever full-suite intellectual property consulting firm which he founded in 2019. The company provides a broad range of services to clients locally and internationally, providing advisory services, IP auditing, IP asset structuring, licensing agreements, contract management and more.
As one of the hosts, Moremi is a skilled and experienced practitioner who holds a law degree (LLB) from the University of Botswana and a Masters degree in Intellectual Property and Development Policy from the Korean Development Institute (KDI) - School of Public Policy and Management in South Korea. He will be imparting knowledge on the legal and contractual considerations of the performance industry.
On the other hand, his co-host Gibson of Khumo Studios has extensive experience in Hollywood and has worked in internationally acclaimed productions such as “Criminal Minds” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and will be sharing knowledge on turning ideas into successful projects.
His company, Khumo Studios is a premier provider of entertainment, corporate and educational content in Africa. With a team of experts boasting extensive experience in the field, the company is well-placed to help the industry grow and thrive, even in challenging times.
Meanwhile, Moremi has appealed for partnerships from public and private entities to support their IP education efforts. He said as Botswana transitions towards a knowledge-based economy, intellectual property will become the single most valuable commodity, one that has the potential to elevate the economy into the fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Registration fee for the workshop is P200 and it gives one access to all sessions of the workshop.
