Nigeria’s Movie Industry (Nollywood), Quality or Quantity?

17 Aug

I just joined a Facebook group and I found the question ” Nigeria’s Movie Industry (Nollywood), Quality or Quantity?” on the discussion board of the group. I decided to contribute to the discussion. The contribution ran some lenght so I thought, Why not make a post out of it? So, here is it as a post. Please leave comments.

“I think it is difficult to answer that question. You have to remember that the actors don’t get paid too much per movie – the audience is not as large as Hollywoods, even if the movies are now colonising other African countries’ markets – so they have to make many movies a year to make reasonable money. And as for quality, the audience seem to enjoy what they watch, so I don’t blame the industry if it has refused to improve on the quality of the movies. Also, think about what it costs to finance a good movie, with a good storyline, good props, costumes, lower frequency of output etc, not just in financial terms but also in the amount of risk involved. Many producers find it easier to go for time tested and trusted strategies: make the same movie as the last producer who made a successful movie did and you are sure to succeed. Challenging stories are not so trusted because of the unpredictability of the reception by the market.

And when one thinks of originality and creativity, one would have to ask how much of the movies produced by the two larger industries – Hollywood and Bollywood – are original and creative. Till today, Bollywood still has the oddly-placed music sessions in the movies, and it churns out movies that are as cheesy as the Dharmendra movies I watched growing up in Nigeria in the 80s. Or think about type-casting. Who has ever seen the expression on Hugh Grant’s face change? At least the other bad actors – Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, for instance – have a certain level of diversity in the roles they play, but does Grant? But producers keep featuring him because people like him. I think we should think in the same terms about Nigerian movies. It is easy to see the shortcomings of Nollywood – oh how I gnash my teeth each time I hear that name – but one finds a lot more similarity than one is ready to accept between it and the two larger movie industries if one looks closer. I think that the industry will self-regulate, but of course, with the help of the audience.

I think I should add this, although I laud the industry, I cannot bear the pains of sitting through a Nigerian home video.”

  • Aloofa

    I’m yet to understand what the fuss is about the Nigerian movie industry, especially when it is been scaled alongside Hollywood & Bollywood. I find it rather lamentable that despite having “decades-long” existence, the outputs of the Nigerian Movie industry is not in anyway deserving of world-class status.

    “I think people like me should be involved in the industry :) ”

  • Aloofa

    I’m yet to understand what the fuss is about the Nigerian movie industry, especially when it is been scaled alongside Hollywood & Bollywood. I find it rather lamentable that despite having “decades-long” existence, the outputs of the Nigerian Movie industry is not in anyway deserving of world-class status.”I think people like me should be involved in the industry :) ”

  • Anja

    Hey, you REALLY have gone native now! Nice picture. Many kudos from the UK, Anja

  • Anja

    Hey, you REALLY have gone native now! Nice picture. Many kudos from the UK, Anja

  • Nwachukwu Wendy

    Its neither here nor there. Some are quality while some are quantity of the highest grade both in colours, bad timing costumes,no story line,no good props, too much echoes just say it, bad movies has it. Hair dos? ( a lady carries same hair do for three months, a guy came in from US with a bag that is all over Lagos State, even a child can see it) Somebody said, “financial implications” Its either you have the money to do it or not. Every body should not and cannot be a Director or has a film to his name. What happens to professional actors and actresses. Really it should be checked by the authorities. If a movie has a good story line a bad director has send it to the drain. There are so much to be said about Nigeria Movie industry. A good regulatory body whose duties include monitoring of the story lines should urgently be put in place. In all sincerity they are trying but they need to put more effort in proof reading. Nothing can be compared with originality and creativity, its actually the key for good movie that brings good returns.Audiences and monetary returns should not play a major role . If you have a movie creatively and originally produced with an intent to make people happy, acceptance and returns will definitely not be a problem. There are so many films i have watched, which i decided to buy for keeps because it was done well and bought copies for friends as well.

    Another cancer is having the same story with different background, faces and little modifications. It makes it so easy for predictions which bores. Challenging stories are needed in our markets. You cant compare some illiterate that eat just anything without considerations for calories to the literates that want a well garnished mouth watering heath giving food.

  • Nwachukwu Wendy

    Its neither here nor there. Some are quality while some are quantity of the highest grade both in colours, bad timing costumes,no story line,no good props, too much echoes just say it, bad movies has it. Hair dos? ( a lady carries same hair do for three months, a guy came in from US with a bag that is all over Lagos State, even a child can see it) Somebody said, “financial implications” Its either you have the money to do it or not. Every body should not and cannot be a Director or has a film to his name. What happens to professional actors and actresses. Really it should be checked by the authorities. If a movie has a good story line a bad director has send it to the drain. There are so much to be said about Nigeria Movie industry. A good regulatory body whose duties include monitoring of the story lines should urgently be put in place. In all sincerity they are trying but they need to put more effort in proof reading. Nothing can be compared with originality and creativity, its actually the key for good movie that brings good returns.Audiences and monetary returns should not play a major role . If you have a movie creatively and originally produced with an intent to make people happy, acceptance and returns will definitely not be a problem. There are so many films i have watched, which i decided to buy for keeps because it was done well and bought copies for friends as well.

    Another cancer is having the same story with different background, faces and little modifications. It makes it so easy for predictions which bores. Challenging stories are needed in our markets. You cant compare some illiterate that eat just anything without considerations for calories to the literates that want a well garnished mouth watering heath giving food.