Clients rely on us to help tell their stories – whether they’re publishers, agencies or production companies. Before there are words, there’s footage and images. Storytelling is eyes, before ears. So, having worked in the local stock industry for many years, I feel it’s our responsibility to acknowledge that we have a serious problem.
African stock has lost its way. It isn’t real, it isn’t authentic and it certainly isn’t representative. This lack of diversity – both in footage and stills – is reaching a watershed. Agencies and publishers are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of authenticity, and consumers are becoming frustrated at having to digest the reality brands are selling to them – a reality too often created with unrealistic stock.
Save us from stereotypes
If the footage and stills we license – both locally and internationally – don’t represent the lived African reality, we’re precipitating the two established stereotypes: Africa is either affluent Europeans on safari, or ‘poverty porn’ with people on dusty streets in need of saving.
One city, one landmark
If the reality sold to us by bad African stock is to be believed, African people all come from one place, with the same face. Our cities consist of only a few key landmarks: a flat-topped mountain here, a skyscraper or a harbour there. This reductionist attitude does nothing for what we purvey to the world. Our spaces and people are unique and should be celebrated, not diminished to a single recognisable thing.
Let’s get real
We’ve heard it a million times: “I need something that actually looks real.” More and more, our clients are telling the stories of local brands, born and bred in South Africa. And these brands won’t settle for anything less than truly authentic footage and stills. Staid stock simply won’t do.
Greatstock launched the aFRIKA Collection specifically to answer these kinds of briefs, but the collection needs to grow and multiply until the only reality we sell is the reality the rest of Africa sees. We believe the answer is to collaborate with the people already capturing authentic Africa: local photographers.
Up the exposure
As stock agencies, we have to do everything we can to make sure local photographers’ content is recognised, known and syndicated to the right agencies, media and publishers. More than that, we need to support this talent by commissioning shoots that combine our knowledge of client needs, with their unique perspective.
If these up-and-coming photographers submit and license their content, the benefits are twofold – they’ll be remunerated for their work, and brands and publishers can access content that tells the right kinds of stories. Not only does this provide an alternate source of income for the photographers, it’s also the first step in shifting the lens on how we see Africa.
To play our part in creating change, we’re starting to actively seek out local photographic talent, and put processes in place that make it simpler – and more beneficial – for them to submit their content.
By Margi Sheard, Managing director of Greatstock
