Make Movies In Days Nollywood Style
In the Beginning
In the Beginning
By all accounts, the Nigerian movie industry is certainly still in its infancy compared to Hollywood in the United States, but that's not to say that Nollywood hasn't come a long way already. Of course, movie production in Nigeria during the nineteen sixties could by no means have been considered a state of the art process, in that while movie making equipment wasn't very advanced even in Hollywood, in Nigeria, there was practically no equipment in the first place. It was only when the Nigerian government began putting pressure on television and radio stations to broadcast locally produced shows that movie production began to emerge.
Times of Change
In the 80s, Nollywood continued on its growth path. However, it was not until'92 that the industry experienced a turning point. In that year, what many consider as Nollywood's first blockbuster was released. The film known as 'Living in Bondage' was a watershed moment for Nigerian filmmakers. It received acclaim and achieved reasonable wide distribution. After this, the industry picked up momentum as the number of film production houses went up.
At Present
By all accounts, Nollywood has had a significant impact on African film making, and of course it has gained a huge following outside of Nigeria. In fact, Nigerian produced movies are continuing to enjoy a phenomenal amount of popularity in many African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, and Zambia. As was to be expected, many of Nigeria's top actors have become household names across the African continent, and as such, they are often seen as being Nigeria's unofficial ambassadors. Another kickoff from the movie industry is the fact that several Nigerian producers and actors have become incredibly wealthy in recent years.
Movie Technique
Nigerian movies have a number of things going for them and that can be picked out as the factors that have led to its success. The first is the low budget. Unlike Hollywood and even Bollywood films that sometimes require millions of dollars to produce, Nigerian movies require much less. It is not surprising to find out that the total cost of producing a certain movie is less than USD 50,000. The second point, which is related to the first, is the high number of films churned each year.
The total number of Nollywood movies released in any given year is between 1,000 and 2,000: a large number by any measure. A third key success factor is the story line. With themes ranging from religion, marriage, traditions, and politics, the movies are able to strike a chord with audiences across the continent. A typical Hollywood movie would find this market a hard sell as the content and theme of the moves are sometimes very difficult for the average African resident to relate to.
Cost of the Finished Nigerian Movie Product
Finally, there is the cost of the final product. A Nigerian movie costs USD 2 on the continent. Compare that with the cost of at least USD 20 and sometimes up to USD 50 for an American movie on disk. With some Africa countries having less than 50 per cent of the country living on less than a dollar per day, the pool that can but the film at that price is small.
In the Beginning
By all accounts, the Nigerian movie industry is certainly still in its infancy compared to Hollywood in the United States, but that's not to say that Nollywood hasn't come a long way already. Of course, movie production in Nigeria during the nineteen sixties could by no means have been considered a state of the art process, in that while movie making equipment wasn't very advanced even in Hollywood, in Nigeria, there was practically no equipment in the first place. It was only when the Nigerian government began putting pressure on television and radio stations to broadcast locally produced shows that movie production began to emerge.
Times of Change
In the 80s, Nollywood continued on its growth path. However, it was not until'92 that the industry experienced a turning point. In that year, what many consider as Nollywood's first blockbuster was released. The film known as 'Living in Bondage' was a watershed moment for Nigerian filmmakers. It received acclaim and achieved reasonable wide distribution. After this, the industry picked up momentum as the number of film production houses went up.
At Present
By all accounts, Nollywood has had a significant impact on African film making, and of course it has gained a huge following outside of Nigeria. In fact, Nigerian produced movies are continuing to enjoy a phenomenal amount of popularity in many African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, and Zambia. As was to be expected, many of Nigeria's top actors have become household names across the African continent, and as such, they are often seen as being Nigeria's unofficial ambassadors. Another kickoff from the movie industry is the fact that several Nigerian producers and actors have become incredibly wealthy in recent years.
Movie Technique
Nigerian movies have a number of things going for them and that can be picked out as the factors that have led to its success. The first is the low budget. Unlike Hollywood and even Bollywood films that sometimes require millions of dollars to produce, Nigerian movies require much less. It is not surprising to find out that the total cost of producing a certain movie is less than USD 50,000. The second point, which is related to the first, is the high number of films churned each year.
The total number of Nollywood movies released in any given year is between 1,000 and 2,000: a large number by any measure. A third key success factor is the story line. With themes ranging from religion, marriage, traditions, and politics, the movies are able to strike a chord with audiences across the continent. A typical Hollywood movie would find this market a hard sell as the content and theme of the moves are sometimes very difficult for the average African resident to relate to.
Cost of the Finished Nigerian Movie Product
Finally, there is the cost of the final product. A Nigerian movie costs USD 2 on the continent. Compare that with the cost of at least USD 20 and sometimes up to USD 50 for an American movie on disk. With some Africa countries having less than 50 per cent of the country living on less than a dollar per day, the pool that can but the film at that price is small.
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You can learn more about the Nollywood movie and film industry and watch top quality Nollywood movies and African films by visiting the African Side website.