By Ada Uzoije
“Sexualise” is a new trend in the industry. With approximately 1.9 million viewers on YouTube for the film ‘Barren women (2013),’ and an average of half a million watchers for other similar sexualise themed Nollywood films, such as ‘Girls in the Mood’ (2014), ‘Sex Wizards’ (2014), ‘Book Of Sex’ (2015) and ‘House Of Girls’ (2015), do these high rates of views express an unacceptable fact that viewers loves them? Is this why most of our producers are producing cheap and tacky films to gain more money and publicity?
It is implausible to think that the average Nigerian does not want a realistic story plot, great acting, realistic costumes, quality sounds and high definition images. It’s time our film producers and directors think outside the box. Only a tiny fraction of Nigerian film producers are showing the “professionalism and creativity” that will ensure the growth of the industry and will generate and retain quality acting from the likes of Omotola Jalade Ekeinde and Genevieve Nnaji.
Quality acting is essential in a good film. Even some Hollywood films get bad criticism when good actors are replaced with wannabe actors with bad acting skills. High definition films and good acting is what the average Nigerian deserves to experience either at the cinema or from the comfort of their sofa. Nollywood is the combination of bad films and bad acting. When you add famous hungry actors and actresses with no remorse for their poor acting skills linked with get rich quick producers, the result is the unforgiving portrayal of a nation with no appreciation of quality over quantity. With the mass rates of films produced yearly in Nigeria, rarely are any of these films able to meet the Hollywood standard.
The emergence of film directors like Ike Onyeka, who in April 2014 went for quality in the industry by getting the government to sponsor 23 Nollywood directors to embrace a film training session at the Colorado Film School in United States, in itself is a start for the development of quality. Onyeka’s mission is to advance the skills of these directors to produce future films that will stand a chance at competing for international awards. Nigeria doesn’t have to wait for international directors and actors to come to the country to produce films such as ‘Half of A Yellow Sun’ to get noticed by the rest of the world in terms of quality film making.
Kunle Afolayan and Obi Emelonye, the directors of the films ‘October 1’ and ‘Thy Will Be Done,’ respectively have produced quality pieces that set the standard for future films. Both films embody the hidden beauty in the Nollywood cloud by the ugliness of other films that are prevalent online, especially on YouTube (where the verdict is currently ‘Nollywood equals amateur films’). Nollywood producers, directors and dominant actors and actresses are in the best position of being the agent of change by collaborating to work in the best interest of the industry.
A film is not just a film. A film can be interpreted in many ways, and mostly it represents the image of one’s country. Nigeria’s federal government has always neglected the film industry and have underestimated the industry contribution to Nigeria’s economy. Only during the regime of Nigeria’s current president, Jonathan Goodluck, did the film industry start receiving monetary support from the federal government. In 2013, President Goodluck launched the ‘Project Act Nollywood’ with a starting funding of 3 billion to support the growth of the film industry and maximise its contribution to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). And, in January 2015, Paul C. Nwabuikwu, special adviser to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, announced another presidential funding of 2 billion in an innovation distribution fund (IDF) to support film-makers to advance their distribution method in order to combat privacy to prevent the loss of earnings. Nwabuikwu explained that, “the distribution fund is the third of the three funds which make up Project ACT … So far, 92 film projects in various categories have received support under the Film Production Fund.”
Then the question remains; has the film production funding made a positive, significant difference in the industry? Did producers spend money producing films like, ‘Book Of Sex?’ It will be interesting to know how many films produced were worthy of the grant they received from the government?
Would Nollywood ever be able to dance to the tune of Bollywood and Hollywood? I ponder when this will eventually happen? Continuous financial support from the government to producers and directors that are passionate in making fine quality films that will change the way the world perceives Nollywood is vital for this success. Then I thought: are these few serious producers and directors enough to pull the industry out of the dark pit and into the light? It will be sad if we have to patiently wait for another century for a great version of Nollywood to emerge.
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