Should Nollywood Change the Themes to their Movies - Nigerian Movies & Nollywood on Naijarules.com

Atlakos · #1 (**permalink**) 07-31-2006, 10:48 PM

The question is
is it about time Nollywood Change the Themes to their Movies

I just finished reading the recent "Economist"/Jul 9th (Front Page Title: The Future of Globalisationi) and there is an interesting article on page 58 which talks about the growing Nollywood industry and how OBJ and the rest of the government is seriously considering supporting the industry seeing how much its growing GLOBALLY, at least if nothing else, some sort of loan set up for producers to borrow from and make their movies.

I wish i can type the whole article out but i dont have that time, thus to sum it up - it basically it starts off like this ..............
IT ALL started by accident in 1992, when Kenneth Nnebue, a Nigerian trader based in Onitsha, was trying to sell a large stock of blank videocassettes he had bought from Taiwan. He decided that they would sell better with something recorded on them, so he shot a film called Living in Bondage about a man who achieves power and wealth by killing his wife in a ritualistic murder, only to repent later when she haunts him. The film sold more than 750,000 copies, and prompted legions of imitators ........... (economist might published the rest a week later after they get it off the shelves)

It basically goes on to talk about how Nollywoods annual sales ranging btwn $200-$300 million, howeer the themes have such negative impact on nigeria (and africa as a whole i guess). Emeka Mba of the Nigeria Film and Video Censor Board described the typcial themes such as a poor man who goes to being rich overnight due to money ritual or JUJU.

He went on to state how the "filmakers" FEAR THE INDUSTRY WILL SLOW DOWN IF AUTHORITIES DISCOURAGE THEIR POPULAR VOODOO STORY LINES.

What do you guys think. I personally agree with the article, i think the themes of most of these movies are so predictable and its becoming same ole same ole, I can count on my fingers how many themes the stories have - and 10 mins into a movie, i can predict the end. Are movies suppose to be like that?

I think they are soooo many stories to tell and they (the movie makers) should start thinking out of the box and seeing the big picture, I mean have they developed statistics to find out whom their largest audience are and what the audience would like to see (I guess they dont give a *ish about audience cos if they did, the creme de la creme wont be out now). In the beginnning bOllywood story lines were one way like that, but i think eventually they changed - abi (i dont know cos i aint seen any in a while).

Its a good thing the government have decided to step in and help, cos i do understand most of these producers need help financially and there are a whole lot of hungry ppl in line waiting to tell a story and probably give us better themes but have no money or support.

if all goes well and we are able to improve their revenues might triple in 3yrs

This article is a short article yet an interesting read. Go check it out at your nearest news agent.

So the question to you all is, what themes would you like to see in naija movies. Are romance, juju, marriage, poverty, overnight wealth, runs, campus cultism etc the only stories we have to tell.
ps: we cant stop the juju cos KOK will be out of a job

everybody needs a job

(c'mon guys i gotta throw a lil humor in this to wrap it up)

ddizzle · #2 (**permalink**) 08-01-2006, 02:10 AM

Youre right Atlakos Vodoo was the shiznit, Blood Money, Scores to settle and Agbara Nla were great films! I prefer the old storylines cause people could see our heritage and what we stood for in short no one will wanna mess with me because they will practically fear me for the fact im Nigerian! Im a Christian oh! bt i just prefer those times dont get me wrong Thank God for Genevieve Rmd and Stella Damascus bt im sure they would have fit in the storylines sumhow......Nollywood is great bt i prefer the storylines of back in the day nowadays if its nt about prostitutes its about love too predictable im nt a critic oh bt im sha tired!

and i must say thanks Atlakos for bringing this topic up!

Alaaworan · #3 (**permalink**) 08-01-2006, 09:51 AM

Here's an excerpt from the article and a link to the piece. may need to view a 30-second advertisement or be an Economist.com subscriber to read the full text:

IT ALL started by accident in 1992, when Kenneth Nnebue, a Nigerian trader based in Onitsha, was trying to sell a large stock of blank videocassettes he had bought from Taiwan. He decided that they would sell better with something recorded on them, so he shot a film called “Living in Bondage” about a man who achieves power and wealth by killing his wife in a ritualistic murder, only to repent later when she haunts him. The film sold more than 750,000 copies, and prompted legions of imitators. Nollywood, as Nigeria's film industry is known, now makes over 2,000 low-budget films a year, about two-thirds of them in English. That is more than either Hollywood or India's Bollywood.
AFP
AFP

Who needs Hollywood?

Today, filmmaking employs about a million people in Nigeria, split equally between production and distribution, making it the country's biggest employer after agriculture, according to the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB). The industry has sales of $200m-300m a year. There are lots of spin-off jobs on a film set, such as make-up, props and printing, as well as acting and producing, says Chike Maduekwe of Gemafrique, a film-promotion business in Lagos, and young people without a formal education can find a place.

http://www.economist.com/displaystor..._id=E1_SNNGDDJ

rudeboy · #4 (**permalink**) 08-01-2006, 10:57 AM

Nollywood theme will never change if markerters´ wives keep making up our storylines. If no rescue is soon, arrogant Emeka Ike´s crash agenda may set in. No problem, because I can now understand Sola´s prediction sometime ago. When it crashes correct people with correct themes will resurrect the goldmine and dig deep into its infiniti. Relax, ATL.

zenke · #5 (**permalink**) 08-01-2006, 01:24 PM

Atlakos if u wan change the theme of home videos na which new one u go introduce???

Dsampler · #6 (**permalink**) 08-01-2006, 08:06 PM

akos, You have a great suggestion but I think nollywood should stick to its "primitive" story lines. Let's face it, most ppl around the world don't buy African movies. The ppl that does are buying it not because of its sophisticated story lines but rather for it's simplicity. Most importantly, they buy it becasue they can relate to it.
I mean, if nollywood theme changes, what will it be about then? Space exploration? or Rocket Science in the 21st Century? Who's going to buy that in Africa? market women? or the Alhaji whom hasn't read a single book in 10 years?
Bottom line: Akos, you're asking for too much. If it aint really really broken, why try to fix it?

ogonna · #7 (**permalink**) 08-01-2006, 08:46 PM

am not sure there is one nollywood any more.
- there is the nollywood of idumota marketers
- there is the nollywood of emem isong/reemy jess
- there is the nollywood of mildred okwo [30 days], ego boyo, amaka igwe
- there is the nollywood TK, OGD, Dove Media

and there is the whole YMG which many often forget is part of nollywood

fact is there is ALREADY considerable diversity in nollywood though many can't/won't see it. no one has to watch voodoo movies if they don't want to.

there have to be different kinds of movies for different audiences. the audience that likes mildred okwo and emem isong movies may not like voodoo movies from annnex merchandize or frontmasters

i think its unrealistic to imagine that any genre of nollywood will wither away and disappear anytime soon. afterall, Hollywood somehow manages to produce both Oscar-contender period dramas for the East Coast urban aesthetes and high-adrenaline action flicks for pimply teenage boys in Middle America. Nollywood will most likely go the same way

the fundamental problem with nollywood for now is distribution and marketing for non-idumota english movies. when this is sorted, there'll be a lot more quality films coming out witjhout aki-and/pawpaw or voodoo themes. but this is a law enforcement/rule of law issue primarily.

chi · #8 (**permalink**) 08-01-2006, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dsampler

akos, You have a great suggestion but I think nollywood should stick to its "primitive" story lines. Let's face it, most ppl around the world don't buy African movies. The ppl that does are buying it not because of its sophisticated story lines but rather for it's simplicity. Most importantly, they buy it becasue they can relate to it.
I mean, if nollywood theme changes, what will it be about then? Space exploration? or Rocket Science in the 21st Century? Who's going to buy that in Africa? market women? or the Alhaji whom hasn't read a single book in 10 years?
Bottom line: Akos, you're asking for too much. If it aint really really broken, why try to fix it?

i total with you

Atlakos · #9 (**permalink**) 08-01-2006, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dsampler

akos, You have a great suggestion but I think nollywood should stick to its "primitive" story lines. Let's face it, most ppl around the world don't buy African movies. The ppl that does are buying it not because of its sophisticated story lines but rather for it's simplicity. Most importantly, they buy it becasue they can relate to it.
I mean, if nollywood theme changes, what will it be about then? Space exploration? or Rocket Science in the 21st Century? Who's going to buy that in Africa? market women? or the Alhaji whom hasn't read a single book in 10 years?
Bottom line: Akos, you're asking for too much. If it aint really really broken, why try to fix it?[/

ah ah, see me see trouble ooooo
did i ask for anything out of the ordinary,
na wah oooo

if you see from my thread here, i didnt ask TOO MUCH, I simply ask for suggestions of different themes outside of the usual MARRIAGE, WITCHCRAFT, JUJU, CULTISM, FAMILY PROBLEMS AND JUST A HANDFUL OF OTHERS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akos

The question is
is it about time Nollywood Change the Themes to their Movies[/i]

I Simply ask for an open discussion since its an interesting topic,
I Akos I am not asking for anything else- kappish'

I personally dont like the juju, cultism, action, and runs ones but apart from that I am not complaining.

lafemmedi · #10 (**permalink**) 08-01-2006, 11:58 PM

The problem is that most of the cliche in our homvies have been overused, although more recent fares seem to be giving us new twists to old themes. So long as that continues, it will be cool. I will like the typically dramatic storyline of children rallying against their parents pick of a marriage partner turned on it's ears. What if the parents were right after all, or what if the children decided to give it a try and eventually fall in love, make it, whatever, etc...

I am not at all into the human blood for money making or juju scenes

niki · #11 (**permalink**) 08-02-2006, 12:22 AM

If you want to do Juju films it is okay afterall these marketers are individuals who were raised on and still practice juju. All we ask is that the special effects look better than those from the 1901s. How can we still be using speciall effects that predate King Kong.

kolinzo · #12 (**permalink**) 08-02-2006, 01:24 AM

All these na noise. There are lots of movies....different kinds..in Nollywood. How about the comedy section of it ( john Okafor and the likes)? How about the action section of it ( the Teco Benson's- though not up to par)? Trust me not all movies in Nollywood are about juju and the rest of the cliche. Movies like Black Bra, Tumini's Song, Civil War et al gives me more hope that Nollywood is not completely crap. We are still there. All they have to do is completely get rid of unessessary sequel and in the name of money- that I'm tired of. Let's not forget the YMG also. Lots of stories and twist on that side of the industry.

chi · #13 (**permalink**) 08-02-2006, 01:52 AM

it would also be nice to see novels written by prof soyinka, chimamanda adichie and their likes turned into films.

Akos those things u call juju are nothing compared to the times when we had the "Ogunde" movies that was the time we predominantly had only yoruba movies airing in the theaters. Those ones were something else and they probably had to consult some kind of Gods these ones we have now ....blood money etc etc they are nothing compared to those genre.

Though little and scared I enjoyed those movies they were very interesting , well scripted ,beautiful acting but very fetish,

Atlakos · #14 (**permalink**) 08-02-2006, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kolinzo

All these na noise. There are lots of movies....different kinds..in Nollywood. How about the comedy section of it ( john Okafor and the likes)? How about the action section of it ( the Teco Benson's- though not up to par)? Trust me not all movies in Nollywood are about juju and the rest of the cliche. Movies like Black Bra, Tumini's Song, Civil War et al gives me more hope that Nollywood is not completely crap. We are still there. All they have to do is completely get rid of unessessary sequel and in the name of money- that I'm tired of. Let's not forget the YMG also. Lots of stories and twist on that side of the industry.

You and I know that they are not all juju movies.
but unfortunately foreigners have typecast naija movies to be juju movies. Why is that, i wonder why? I didnt say it ooooo it was the writer in Economist who said it

I hope this mentality can be erased.

Surprisingly even some nigerians who have lived here out West for many years despised naija movies too cos they too have typecast naija movies to be nothing else but juju movies. i try to get them to watch it but they dont care for it much.

cyndi · #15 (**permalink**) 08-02-2006, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chi

it would also be nice to see novels written by prof soyinka, chimamanda adichie and their likes turned into films.
Akos those things u call juju are nothing compared to the times when we had the "Ogunde" movies that was the time we predominantly had only yoruba movies airing in the theaters. Those ones were something else and they probably had to consult some kind of Gods these ones we have now ....blood money etc etc they are nothing compared to those genre.

Though little and scared I enjoyed those movies they were very interesting , well scripted ,beautiful acting but very fetish,

I tatally agree, i wonder if they have ever been approached by anyone for permission to do this.