ugojamali:
That is so good Bro. But you realize you cannot compare a five minute short film with a 3hour plus nigerian feature. No way.

The issue here is not the length, the issue here is the 'dedication' & 'skill'. And most people would rather watch a good 5mins over 3hrs of torture... which will be sold as a con in the form of three 1hr films. I personally hope the days of such Nigerian films are over.

ugojamali: Now can you make a feature film with at least a major star with 300 dollars? Are you kidding me? Try and die

Who says make a feature for $300 and who says a very good film needs a major star?

ugojamali: Anyway that said, we really are talented here. We just need time and money.

I agree, as mentioned in many threads, TIME is what is needed. As long as kpa, kpa, kpa continues it will NEVER go anywhere.

ugojamali: There are lots of equally good designers here. But you should also know that you can't often judge a designer for what you have seen he has done.

In the creative world one IS judged by what he/she puts out; not by what they have in their heads or say they have.

ugojamali: You said why we are not so good is because of lack of vision. I agree and disagree. Many have the vision but not the means to implement.

Someone with 'vision' will know that being able to 'implement' the task is part of the 'vision'... (this point is continued below)

ugojamali: If you think about this then you'd know that true vision is constrained by funds. So many times we limit our creativity to budget.

I part disagree. A true visionary will know that to put out a well-made product type-A or type-B he will have to take EVERYTHING into consideration and that includes it budget, time, preproduction and many other things or he has a false vision that serves one purpose - NOTHING!
Creativity should not be limited by budget rather what one should do is look at what they CAN actually do well for a certain budget. Sometimes I get scripts by, say a new writer, and it is full of helicopter aerial shots, plane crashes, castles and crazy locations - writing something that will have an astronomical budget is utterly ridiculous; how do they ever think it will get made?

We have a zillion and one films we can make well with small budgets. VFX heavy stuff is definately not one of them; it's not our forte (yet) nor are we willing to put the time into it (yet), as a result, it becomes counter productive and turns into a waste of time & money that we're already saying we do not have. However, all we need to do is actually make the TIME. As on one of my earlier posts - a lot of us are in the film industry for the wrong reasons and have no passion or care for anything else but a quick dime, hence, kpa, kpa, kpa, cut-every-corner filmmaking.

In this day and age of Nigerian filmmaking a true visionary will be making something that is good enough to get into the cinemas there or he doesn't stand a chance of making any money back at all. The 'vision' of the yesteryears is not valid today. EVERYTHING changes! We have to adapt, re-think and re-educate ourselves because, as I heard someone say "The illiteracy of tomorrow is not going to be the inability to read of write but the inability to learn, un-learn and re-learn."

In the creative world one IS judged by what he/she
puts out; not by what they have in their heads or say
they have

I would agree but also disagree with you on that. And to illustrate an example I will refer to what I wrote earlier about someone approaching me to create and animate a lion. I have never done that before but the client believes I can do it even though he has never seen me do it.

Now if you judge only on what you see, you will keep waiting for me to do a sample of a lion before you'd agree that I can create the lion. You'd limit yourself to things you have seen me do not knowing that I have done others and can do others you have not seen and may not see.

A true visionary will know that to put
out a well-made product type-A or type-B he will have
to take EVERYTHING into consideration and that
includes it budget, time, preproduction and many
other things or he has a false vision that serves one
purpose - NOTHING!

Are we not saying the same thing? Creating a vision within budget? And that is exactly what many of us do. I make this point because you said I have just scratched the surface of what I need to learn. This is just to make you understand that I have learnt so many things already that you do not know and may not show them all in one movie because the budget limited the creativity.

Can I create a scene of a hundred fire spitting dragons burning down buildings? Oh yes I can. but I will not do it because not only will it take months to achieve but I'd have to be paid millions to even attempt that.

Creativity is king. But budget is the kingmaker, the godfather. Now a film like Mr and Mrs was made with a low budget and it turned out good. Yes. But if say...the director wanted gas to flare and the building burnt down, would he have made he film with the same budget?

I totally agree with you that a film doesn't really need a list stars to be good. Yes.

But Nigerians love stars and would hardly watch a movie without known stars. And to back that up take a look...

www.nairaland.com/1212775/mercy-johnson-baby-oku

I made this thread just yesterday. It has generated more views in less than 24 hours than this one. Also the trailer which I posted last night last night has been watched more than the one I posted days ago.

Now both films are good. But this one is more creative, more interesting and more technical than baby oku.

But why is Baby Oku generating more views? Mercy Johnson. It tells you one thing. Chai our people love big names lol so we give them.

I won't lie I'm impressed by the visual works of this movie. Though it doesn't come close to what hollywood is doing but it's awesome in nollywood standard. It's sign that we're growing despite the wedges the marketers are creating. Time will come when the likes of you will wow the world with your vfx works ( as long as you keep developing).

Ignatio: I won't lie I'm impressed by the visual works of this movie. Though it doesn't come close to what hollywood is doing but it's awesome in nollywood standard. It's sign that we're growing despite the wedges the marketers are creating. Time will come when the likes of you will wow the world with your vfx works ( as long as you keep developing).

Thank you very much. That an encouragement to do better. And amen to wowing the world

ugojamali:

I would agree but also disagree with you on that. And to illustrate an example I will refer to what I wrote earlier about someone approaching me to create and animate a lion. I have never done that before but the client believes I can do it even though he has never seen me do it.

The client would have seen your work somewhere or would have been told you can. The fact is every vfx artist does make something he/she has never made before on jobs. It is so unlikely that any client anywhere in the world will say "This guy made a lion so let's hire him to make a lion."
You are a vfx artist so you can actually make anything... it's what you guys do, isn't it? If I want a three-headed dog I'll go to a vfx artist; not a neuro-surgeon or carpenter but a vfx person because it is the job you guys know and do.



Before I make the next point remember you said that this project is 'your baby' -

ugojamali: I wrote the story, edited it, created and directed the visual effects...prepare to be wowed when I release the official trailer tomorrow

ugojamali: PART 1 - I make this point because you said I have just scratched the surface of what I need to learn. This is just to make you understand that I have learnt so many things already that you do not know and may not show them all in one movie because the budget limited the creativity.
PART 2 - Can I create a scene of a hundred fire spitting dragons burning down buildings? Oh yes I can. but I will not do it because not only will it take months to achieve but I'd have to be paid millions to even attempt that.

Part1 - Ok, the project is your baby so why are we not seeing the things you say you can do? If I have a pet project I'd throw my very best into it. That's what you do to showcase your true skills.
We both know that software and hardware is no longer the 'equipment excuse' issue in Nigeria. I think you are actually at the limit of what you know for now but I also think you will get much better.
PART 2 - So you are basically saying you will not put the TIME into it because the MONEY is more important? That's not a problem at all... if you actually have the skills you say you have then DO put the time into it to make ONLY your own 5min thing - afterall is it not a very same person like you that did it and got... oh, wait for it... $30 million?



The problem I have is this - I am an audience member first; secondly, as an aspiring filmmaker I read, see and understand what is possible for what in this day and age. Everything is out there. People will keep on saying 'Hollywood'... I'm not talking about Hollywood... right now I'm talking about 14 & 15yr old kids making great looking stuff, just for fun, on their laptops in their bedrooms. So help me understand why 'Nollywood' stuff is so different, in a poor manner, when we are using the same computers and the same software?
*(I want you to understand I am only debating with you and being very tough because I think if you push yourself even more you will catch up and match what others are doing - you are a Kramer student)*

This below is the work of a 15yr old... stuff he does regularly for fun -

CHLAK WARFARE 2.0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEhsxDn-cbk


BEHIND THE SCENE - CHALK WARFARE 2.0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSN-dNqm4M4


VFX BREAKDOWN - CHALK WARFARE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc3pe97rBxA

Ok, the project is your baby so why are we not
seeing the things you say you can do? If I have a pet
project I'd throw my very best into it. That's what you
do to showcase your true skills.

You got it all wrong Bro. I said I wrote, edited and created the visual effects. I didn't say I directed the movie nor did I say its my movie. I am a contractor. I got paid to do my job-that job. I was paid to do certain visual effects. I was not paid to create all the visual effects in the world.

I think
you are actually at the limit of what you know for now
but I also think you will get much better.

Again you're also very very wrong. In fact so wrong that you're not even one bit right. You should never tell a man that he does not know what he knows. You have only seen two of my works. But I have worked in more than twenty movies. I don't post all my films.

But if you keep believing that I'm at my limit, I'd just smile along and take it as one of those criticisms. Fact remains that I know what I know and can do what I can do.

And trust me I am aware of five minutes shorts. I intend to make one. Once I find the time. While it may likely fetch me like some film grant, we always say a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Currently I'm involved with nollywood projects that put food on my table. When the time comes, I will do something like that. Until then...

I appreciate your push. And I am debating with you because you make some valid points which I learn from. But its not good to tell me that I don't know much. Because for you to understand what I know you'd have to bust open my skull. Not to boast but I really know a lot.

If I have a pet
project I'd throw my very best into it. That's what you
do to showcase your true skills.

Coming from you that doesn't sound right at all. Let me ask you?

If you have a pet project about a presidential assassination in the 21st century would you create an army of elves and orcs marching down on the presidential palace? Wouldn't it look foolish

I don't know what you expected me to create in the movie. I believe I created what was necessary. Now was I expected to create scenes with the sorceress riding dragons? Or create stupid scenes where the sorceress out of sheer boredom decided to bomb air planes flying in the sky? Bro I can't put all the visual effects in the world na. they would laugh at me

ugojamali:

You got it all wrong Bro. I said I wrote, edited and created the visual effects. I didn't say I directed the movie nor did I say its my movie. I am a contractor. I got paid to do my job-that job. I was paid to do certain visual effects. I was not paid to create all the visual effects in the world.

My fault there; I have taken your correction onboard.

ugojamali: Again you're also very very wrong. In fact so wrong that you're not even one bit right. You should never tell a man that he does not know what he knows. You have only seen two of my works. But I have worked in more than twenty movies. I don't post all my films.

But if you keep believing that I'm at my limit, I'd just smile along and take it as one of those criticisms. Fact remains that I know what I know and can do what I can do.

Let's say, as an example, a kid in the building you live in comes home from school and says "Two plus two is five." You will say it is not five even though the kid 'knows' it is five because he says he was taught it was five, however, you know there is a mistake somewhere because it is 4.

ugojamali: Currently I'm involved with nollywood projects that put food on my table. When the time comes, I will do something like that. Until then...
I appreciate your push. And I am debating with you because you make some valid points which I learn from. But its not good to tell me that I don't know much. Because for you to understand what I know you'd have to bust open my skull. Not to boast but I really know a lot.

From what the audience presently sees it is not a convincing argument, furthermore, in an earlier post before you even shared the trailer I mentioned if you're as good as you claim there is a lot of stuff to get done... from what I see, which is what I must base my judgement on, would I ask you to do vfx work? Probably not. Have I ever hired Nigerians saying "I can do blah, blah, blah?" Yes. Have they always been able to? No! I do very much understand when you say it's what puts food on your table. I freelance here as well and no client or prospective client has ever given me a job because I said I can do so, so, so without them having seen my work because as the saying goes "The proof of the pudding is in the eating.". I cut a new updated showreel every year.

It's possible that things are just done differently in different places. From this new explanation of yours I think I now understand that most Nollywood directors & producers do not actually want good work but rather quick work that the audience doesn't really care about anymore.

This is all very interesting as I am learning new things and ways.

from what I see, which is what I must base
my judgement on, would I ask you to do vfx work?
Probably not. Have I ever hired Nigerians saying "I
can do blah, blah, blah?" Yes. Have they always
been able to? No! I do very much understand when
you say it's what puts food on your table. I freelance
here as well and no client or prospective client has
ever given me a job because I said I can do so, so,
so without them having seen my work because as
the saying goes "The proof of the pudding is in the
eating.". I cut a new updated showreel every year.

You keep quoting me out of context. That's what is making me sad. For most of my arguments I used examples...

I earlier wrote that a producer wants me to create a lion even though he has never seen me do that. But he has seen me create a dragon and he is judging that I can do the lion cos I did the dragon.

I didn't say that a producer should hire me based on my claims alone. I said that based on the little you have seen me do, you should believe when I tell you that I can do much more. If I show you that I created an avalanche in that movie and I tell you that I plan to create water bending effects, would you, based on the avalanche you've seen, not believe me?

Now mind you, that was the first time I created an avalanche. The lion would be the first time. The water bending would be the first time. You should know that the world owes its advancement to people willing to try new things and making new exciting stuffs.

Now as a cinematographer, have you ever used the red epic? Maybe you have. But here most cinematographers haven't. But as a good cinematographer, if I tell you that I want to make a film with the red epic, and I ask you if you can use it, what would you answer be?

For me I'd say yes even though I have never used the red epic. Then I would spend days knwing everything about the red epic so I won't Bleep up. Maybe you'd say no and let opportunities pass you by.

If kids can create awesome vfxs like chalk warfare in the comfort of their bedrooms using only their laptops why can't nollywood with budgets do even better?

This is a very big challenge to every vfx artist in this country. Wake up!!! You can shoot a 5 min clip and create the effects of a sci-fi or fantasy story of your choice. Don't wait on nollywood to tell you what to do.

ugojamali:
You keep quoting me out of context. That's what is making me sad. For most of my arguments I used examples...
I earlier wrote that a producer wants me to create a lion even though he has never seen me do that. But he has seen me create a dragon and he is judging that I can do the lion cos I did the dragon.
I didn't say that a producer should hire me based on my claims alone. I said that based on the little you have seen me do, you should believe when I tell you that I can do much more. If I show you that I created an avalanche in that movie and I tell you that I plan to create water bending effects, would you, based on the avalanche you've seen, not believe me?
Now mind you, that was the first time I created an avalanche. The lion would be the first time. The water bending would be the first time. You should know that the world owes its advancement to people willing to try new things and making new exciting stuffs.

No I didn't take you out of context (Sorry about the confusion there)... what I replied to that was - as pasted below

VillageBoi:
The client would have seen your work somewhere or would have been told you can. The fact is every vfx artist does make something he/she has never made before on jobs. It is so unlikely that any client anywhere in the world will say "This guy made a lion so let's hire him to make a lion."
You are a vfx artist so you can actually make anything... it's what you guys do, isn't it? If I want a three-headed dog I'll go to a vfx artist; not a neuro-surgeon or carpenter but a vfx person because it is the job you guys know and do.

You might have missed when I wrote that as it is the same thing you have just said. *NOTE* - I did NOT say the producer must have seen you make a lion for him to ask you to make a lion. I said 'He has seen your work in order for him to ask you to make a lion'.
Also my debate has NEVER been wether you can make a lion a dragon a waterfall and so on - you are a vfx artist and can make ANYTHING. My debate has been the vfx in Nollywood movies are not completely convincing or believable.

ugojamali: Now as a cinematographer, have you ever used the red epic? Maybe you have. But here most cinematographers haven't. But as a good cinematographer, if I tell you that I want to make a film with the red epic, and I ask you if you can use it, what would you answer be?
For me I'd say yes even though I have never used the red epic. Then I would spend days knwing everything about the red epic so I won't Bleep up. Maybe you'd say no and let opportunities pass you by.

This is exactly the same thing I said about vfx artists but I understand you missed it in my previous post as explained above. Even though I have crewed on a Red Epic shoot and can use Reds. I will say yes to any digital camera as it is basically the same principal.

Ignatio: If kids can create awesome vfxs like chalk warfare in the comfort of their bedrooms using only their laptops why can't nollywood with budgets do even better?

This is a very big challenge to every vfx artist in this country. Wake up!!! You can shoot a 5 min clip and create the effects of a sci-fi or fantasy story of your choice. Don't wait on nollywood to tell you what to do.

I think the main issue is TIME. Time is not given by the producers nor do I think vfx artists are spending the time to make the effects look as good as should be, pride in their work and so on.

The world is now a global village and if we can see what these kids are doing daily with effects on cheap computers then why is our stuff not anywhere near as good? That is what boggles my mind.

Ignatio: If kids can create awesome vfxs like chalk warfare in the comfort of their bedrooms using only their laptops why can't nollywood with budgets do even better?

This is a very big challenge to every vfx artist in this country. Wake up!!! You can shoot a 5 min clip and create the effects of a sci-fi or fantasy story of your choice. Don't wait on nollywood to tell you what to do.

Technically what you said is true. But there are constraints. You can't compare us with kids out there. Why, because those kids are free and spend their free time creating stuffs just for fun. They have many free things at their disposal. They can create their FX with zero budget. But here I have neither the freedom nor the resources to create mega FX for fun. Because I am working. FX is very time and resource consuming. Beyond softwares, do you realize how many gallons of fuel you need to create FX? In this 9ja wey phcn dey hide like Torres?

Creating mega FX is good but can only be done at a time when I have no paid work to do. And most times I find myself doing paid work. But I believe that paid work will lead me to creating those mega FX you'd want to see. Nollywood is evolving. Today we are doing stuffs that couldn't be done a few years ago. In another few years we'd be doing better stuffs. So let's all believe

VillageBoi:

I think the main issue is TIME. Time is not given by the producers nor do I think vfx artists are spending the time to make the effects look as good as should be, pride in their work and so on.

The world is now a global village and if we can see what these kids are doing daily with effects on cheap computers then why is our stuff not anywhere near as good? That is what boggles my mind.

Time and resources are the constraints. I keep saying that things are limited by budget. And time.

But progress is being made. Creative people Ave come in to stay and little by little film making in nollywood will take a totally new dimension.

ugojamali: Nollywood is evolving. Today we are doing stuffs that couldn't be done a few years ago. In another few years we'd be doing better stuffs. So let's all believe

I totally agree with you on that.

ugojamali: Time and resources are the constraints. I keep saying that things are limited by budget. And time.
But progress is being made. Creative people Ave come in to stay and little by little film making in nollywood will take a totally new dimension.

The time thing is one of the biggest issues we face. The good thing is we know things have started to change and will conyinue to.

Mr Ugo, stop whining. err thing villageboi wrote here's 100% correct and essential... your excuses are irrelevant. I'm a pharmacist + filmmaker, with my video copilot plug ins, ae, PS, Maya, videotracer, Au, nuke etc...
I can make 100% Hollywood type vfx, not the disease in that trailer! i do hope you have improved tho sir.

Yesterday i watched Watch Dragons of Camelot, it's was awesome, dudes. One of the best fantasy from Lester... Just look the trailer - https://solarmovie.tube/2432-dragons-of-camelot-2014.html

USUKUMA:
Mr Ugo, stop whining. err thing villageboi wrote here's 100% correct and essential... your excuses are irrelevant. I'm a pharmacist + filmmaker, with my video copilot plug ins, ae, PS, Maya, videotracer, Au, nuke etc...
I can make 100% Hollywood type vfx, not the disease in that trailer! i do hope you have improved tho sir.

Can we see any of your works?