Posted by By CHIMA OKEREKE on
The need for change usually drives many Nigerians to "unjustly" criticise Nigerian video films. Many of the critics see our home videos as bunch of low quality, technically deficient, artistically poor and ideologically negative products. They further state that practitioners do not project the image of Nigeria in good light, rather they promote witchcraft, voodoo and crime.
The need for change usually drives many Nigerians to "unjustly" criticise Nigerian video films. Many of the critics see our home videos as bunch of low quality, technically deficient, artistically poor and ideologically negative products. They further state that practitioners do not project the image of Nigeria in good light, rather they promote witchcraft, voodoo and crime.
They constantly and quickly cite America as protecting their national image through films contending that despite the high crime rate in New York for instance, Hollywood films "hide" the incidences. Surely those who make such assertion should visit any of the outlets where "pirated" American films are sold or take count of films shown by Nigerian television stations.
They will be shocked to discover that more than 60 percent of those films are laden with crime, violence, nudity, foul language and drug abuse. And no matter how different the themes seem to be, violence, foul language and immoral dressing can be seen as elements that are synonymous with their environment.
However the advantage of every American film is its projection of America as super power, a secured, police friendly, free and egalitarian society that can launch into full scale war in defence of just one of its citizens. Our critics fail to bear in mind that the economic environment in America encourages creativity. There are film funds, bank supports, insurance and other structures that encourage any aspiring and hardworking film producer or writer. They practice studio system where there are specialization (with strict division of labour), set design/construction, sophisticated equipment, high standards and a high level of cinematic education with established cinemas where films are screened and profits made even before the release of DVDs or TV rights.
It should be noted that in America, there are low budget films shot with the video format designed specifically for television stations. These video films are shot primarily for home entertainment but are made available to the masses by television stations or networks who commission movie producers to shoot these films. There are non Hollywood or non mainstream films produced and appreciated internally but may not be available for international audience. Some of these movies are instructive and x-ray mostly domestic themes, questioning citizens, attitudes, actions and beliefs.
The unavailability of these "localized" films could be attributed to lack of interest to market and distribute them by film studios' who control the marketing and distribution and who are also owners, affiliates or member of a group/corporation that have television stations, networks and advertising agencies. These movies are not laden with high-tech, breathtaking stunts but are full of simple localised stories of the people. There are also producers, directors, actors, scriptwriters etc. regarded as "stars" who make their living from television movies. Most of these localized films are not watched outside US.
Again government agencies give their support and assistance to film producers. In producing their films, producers get the support of states, counties (local authorities), big corporations and even armed forces. Little wonder their films seem so realistic that one takes the cinematic illusion for real events.
On the other way round, Nigerian motion picture practitioners virtually perform miracles with the little funds available to them coupled with near absence of creative environment. The epileptic power supply, insecurity of life and property, cinematic illiteracy and government's lack of interest hamper the ingenuity of a producer who is under pressure to succeed. Most Nigerians object to the themes in our movies suggesting subject topics that they consider as Nigerian image friendly forgetting that movie making is a show business and that is the business that drives the show. Granted our movies need improvement in terms of story, story treatment, direction, acting et cetera but Nigerians who advocate for art movies fail to understand that movie making is a business decision to make money.
No company, industry or manufacturer produces goods and services that are not needed by the consumers. Ted Turner a motion picture expert states that "movies are made to be profitable. They were not made as art; they were made to make money. And any movie-maker who did make movies for art's sake is out of business". Also Steve Martic calls any one who sets out to make film merely as an art and entertainment an idiot .
Moreover, critics should not forget that any work of art must have a base, a background from which the message could be understood before its broader interpretation.
Our consumers want stories they can identify with, stories about their day to day life. Some of our African brothers who make movies with pure western ideology failed to connect with their people. Their films were alien to their people, hence they now relate and find fulfillment in Nigerian produced movies.
Again critics should take into consideration the fact that Nigerian movie producers are not pretending to be celluloid film producers Video film and celluloid film productions are two different mediums of motion picture. While video films are less expensive and are mainly made for home use, celluloid films are capital intensive and targets the cinemas before exploring other options like TVs, DVD and the internet.
In Nigeria, do we have any film village? Do we have any film studio? Do we have any film fund? Can a producer get a loan from a bank? Is there any insurance for any film project undertaken by a producer in case of shortfall in financial returns? How do we expect the industry to compete with Hollywood when answers to above questions are on the negative? The more worrisome scenario is the wrangling, rejection and castigation by "pioneer" filmmakers, academicians and other commentators over the appropriateness of Nollywood as a name for the Nigerian motion picture industry.
To them "nolly means nothing" and moreso that the name already synonymous with United States and Indian film industries? The pertinent question is, are we supposed to dissipate energy fighting for appropriate name is for the industry or should we work together for the growth and development of the industry? Would it not be better to reach a level of cinematic development, an advanced level where we can be independent and then consider re branding the industry?
In conclusion, cinema remains a product of masscult and considering its evolution and development at this time, the Nigerian motion picture industry now popularly called Nollywood is a product of masscult. Masscult emanates from the people, for the people by the people but for the financial gains of the initiators or producers. Cinema is for business, masscult is for profit, if our movie practitioners are more business oriented in movie making than Nigerian image laundering, it is masscult at work. Therefore, one can only critique Nigerian motion picture industry by grasping the underlying motive of cinema, the masscult factor in cinema and the operating environment we find ourselves.
Although we have not yet got to the promised land, there is still room for development. Our motion picture practitioners should be appreciated and encouraged. Those who are knowledgeable in motion picture practice can help to enlighten more of our people.
The idea of learned and intelligent Nigerian professionals posting negative, injurious and gossip articles to the internet will neither bring the needed development nor make non Nigerians or Africans understand the complexities of making movies in Nigeria. Rather, it would negatively affect the perception of people towards the nation and by extension other socio-economic sectors of the emerging power, Nigeria.
Meanwhile, invitations to fora where Nigerian motion picture is discussed should be spread to include stakeholders irrespective of their perceived views. Alienating a guild or association from such development oriented fora has always generated suspicion and proven counter productive. The practitioners should on their part be open to researches, new approaches of movie making and thorough content analysis and presentation. The road to development is not through unwarranted wrangling, aspersions and castigations but through constructive criticisms.
For those who compare Hollywood with Nollywood they should know that currently. Nollywood is in a state of flux, hence, we must not continue to judge our progress with those nations that have reached optimum level of development. It is another form of colonization if we can not free our minds and appreciate what we have. We must realize that our actions and utterances negatively affect our economy while we empower other nations' economy.
Okereke is a Lagos-based movie analyst, Writer and Producer/Director, International Film and Broadcast Academy.