speedyboi:
Okay forgive my ignorance, but i've always thought Golden Effects especially was a medium/small size filming studio; I just guessed Nollywood Factory . the reason for my thinking was because; he uses sets for some scenes in his movie, and i used to think it was his studio he's using. Well thanks for clarifying it is just a production outfit.

You could be completely right there but I had googled it & Nollywood Factory and couldn't find anything to suggest they are large scale purpose-built studios. They could be but I don't know.

speedyboi:
Many Hollywood studios have distribution hubs which distributes globally!

What I said before was...

VillageBoi:
... historically Hollywood studios WERE the distributors... then I think their Govt come vex say they all be thief lololol.

... I don't think any of them do anymore as they were banned decades ago. The distributors are now completely different companies... but they both work very closely together.

speedyboi:
Meanwhile, what do you think about using Tinapa for 'massive' budgets? And hiring highly qualified script writers, and others..
It's high time. In Nollywood, it has always been independent filmmaking....Tinapa can change that by being a full blown production company! All these can be done, what is needed is proper planning. Unfortunately, that has always been a deficiency in Nigeria

That's what I thought Tinapa was and was built for. Personally I still don't see it being used much for anything unless the Nigerian filmmaking hub moves to Cross Rivers... Wasn't New York the main US filmmaking hub but since Edison was being an a$$ trying to keep a monopoly on everything filmmakers decided to move to California... then came about the birth of 'Hollywood'... closeness to what they needed kept budgets lower.
The simple business sense is 'purpose-built' filming studios have to be where the filmmakers are. No one is going to want to travel a thousand miles to use one... it will increase the budget by such a huge amount... and from some of the figures you have also posted WHO is even making their money back?

IMO Nollywood does not at all need bigger budgets... it needs much better films with even smaller budgets.

Let's ask "How many films have fully been made at Tinapa?" - I only know of HOAYS - (there could be more and there should be more but I don't know... 12K+ people have been to this thread; someone should know) For now it's clear that hardly anyone is using it; so one does actually have to look at the 'why'... It will always come back to the location and exorbitant cost.
I've just googled something on Tinapa and came across a 'list of their equipment' - http://tinapa.com.ng/downloads/STUDIO_TINAPA.pdf ... have a look at the cameras they have. No one will be interested in making movies on those when there are RED Epics & Alexas everywhere else. It still looks like a very white elephant to me and the ONLY interesting & good thing about it is the 'size'.

VillageBoi:

... I don't think any of them do anymore as they were banned decades ago. The distributors are now completely different companies... but they both work very closely together.

Wao! Though i noticed many movies have different production company and distributors, i didn't know there was a ban!
Anyway, It still doesn't have to be that way in Nigerian industry (Atleast for now).

VillageBoi: and from some of the figures you have also posted WHO is even making their money back?

That's why i said more planning should be done! Making money back in Nigeria (only) infact shouldn't be a problem; The population is 180M+ for crying out loud! It pains me when the commercial strength in Nigeria (which everyone knows about) is under-used. I think major goal in Nigeria movie industry right now (atleast to encourage more professional filmmakers) is to build cinemas in all 36 state capitals and subsequently have 'mini's in outskirts and other small towns in the states. And then the number of foreign films these cinemas screen should be regulated as well (Just like it was done in Korea). In short, Policies should be made to favour Nigeran Films (Unfortuantely, Policy making is also a deficiency in Nigeria)!
Then making more money back shouldn't be an issue if international distribution is looked into.

VillageBoi: IMO Nollywood does not at all need bigger budgets... it needs much better films with even smaller budgets.

true. But, bigger budgets will still come into the picture later on.

VillageBoi: Let's ask "How many films have fully been made at Tinapa?" - I only know of HOAYS - (there could be more and there should be more but I don't know... 12K+ people have been to this thread; someone should know) For now it's clear that hardly anyone is using it; so one does actually have to look at the 'why'... It will always come back to the location and exorbitant cost.
I've just googled something on Tinapa and came across a 'list of their equipment' - http://tinapa.com.ng/downloads/STUDIO_TINAPA.pdf ... have a look at the cameras they have. No one will be interested in making movies on those when there are RED Epics & Alexas everywhere else. It still looks like a very white elephant to me and the ONLY interesting & good thing about it is the 'size'.

*SIGHS* Who built the studio in Calabar sef? Well, See cameras? I don't even know what to say again. If that studio was built in Lagos, I just have a feeling that it will still be underused.

speedyboi:
That's why i said more planning should be done! Making money back in Nigeria (only) infact shouldn't be a problem; The population is 180M+ for crying out loud! It pains me when the commercial strength in Nigeria (which everyone knows about) is under-used. I think major goal in Nigeria movie industry right now (atleast to encourage more professional filmmakers) is to build cinemas in all 36 state capitals and subsequently have 'mini's in outskirts and other small towns in the states. And then the number of foreign films these cinemas screen should be regulated as well (Just like it was done in Korea). In short, Policies should be made to favour Nigeran Films (Unfortuantely, Policy making is also a deficiency in Nigeria)!
Then making more money back shouldn't be an issue if international distribution is looked into.

You've hit the mega nail on the head with the building of cinemas in AT LEAST every state capital... All the Govt yackety yack of oh we've given $200M and now even a new N3B... just build the infrastructure for theatrical distribution! If every major city in Nigeria has at least one cinema I'm sure that every film that makes it to the cinemas will definitely make its budget back in 3 months tops. The major reason Nigerians pirate good films is because there is no/no easy access to cinemas. Every single guy toasting a babe will definitely take her to the cinema if e dey for every other street corner.

With a dreamland-Govt-help-scenario... Let's say each state has only 2 major cities and each cinema complex they build has only two 200-seater screens... that makes a total of ... 36 states x 2 cities x 2 cinemas = 144 cinemas abi? Then x 200 seats = 28,800. *Anybody can correct this as I no sabi count*
Now let's do an opening weekend of a film... film length (2hrs) + each change over prep (1hr) = 3hrs... so they can at least show the film 4 times a day... so for a weekend opener = 3 days also is 12 'viewings'... so we get 28800 x 12 = 345,600 tickets sold for a weekend opening...

... Ok as per na Govt thing and they want people to come to the cinemas... make each ticket N1000 only and the deal with Govt/filmmakers is 50:50... they share ... and they both put in 5% each for salaries of cinema staff and whatever else.

Ok my calculation must be wrong somewhere because the figure is telling me THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE MILLION SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND NAIRA - the figure is HUGE and (45%) of that made by a filmmker over ONE weekend = N155,520,000.00 is frigging fantastic.

Why did I just depress myself and most of NL with some dumb a$$ figures? lol





Infact I no even write the remaining response to the stuff below... let me go and curl up in one corner somewhere and cry "Why Nigeria?" hahahaha

speedyboi:
*SIGHS* Who built the studio in Calabar sef? Well, See cameras? I don't even know what to say again. If that studio was built in Lagos, I just have a feeling that it will still be underused.

[/quote][/color]

VillageBoi:
Through the Glass - N10 million.
The Figurine - N30 million
Ije - N57 million
Anchor Baby - N17 million

The above are 'Nollywood' films and the type of return the best ones can make. Half Of A Yellow Sun isn't Nollywood nor has it been made with Nigerians as the primary audience.

No 'Nollywood' film, as I've mentioned before a few times, has ever come anywhere near even making $1 million. Half Of A Yellow Sun will put the spotlight on Nigeria and I'm pretty sure at some point real 'Nollywood' films will start breaking the million dollar barrier... That will only be done if they start looking at and catering for a 'global' audience.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the Nigerian audience has not spent $1 million on any film be it Hollywood or Nollywood... in fact be it anythingwood we DO NOT spend money at the cinemas... simples!

But then again we know Nigerians are quick to jump on anything as a 'bragging right' as that seems to be the most important thing for us. (HOYAS is just a film shot IN Nigeria and is not 'Nollywood', just like the wonderful 1990 film 'Mr Johnson' - starring Pierce Brosnan and shot in Kano is also not a 'Nollywood' film.)

Real Nollywood needs, for starters, to begin to make seriously good global films for $100K-$200K tops. Since it's obvious large returns will not come from the Nigerian audience; let them tackle the global one... get that right and then with time the budgets will increase exponentially.
For now it makes zero sense for 'Nollywood' to have huge budgets if it takes touting a movie from cinema to cinema for 2-5yrs to recoup the budget... Either that or our filmmakers have been lying about their 'actual' budgets.

truthfully said, its quite amazing that these films cost these much to make. but let's ponder for a minute here...... au much did these films gross or net in terms of profit. and were d profit margin worth it? just asking

jadelord:
truthfully said, its quite amazing that these films cost these much to make. but let's ponder for a minute here...... au much did these films gross or net in terms of profit. and were d profit margin worth it? just asking

Not really clear from your post but the figures in my post you responded to are not the 'budgets' of the films but what they apparently made in the cinema (and maybe other avenues).

I could be wrong but one problem is - "Do we atually know what the REAL figures are?"... Knowing fully well we don't really keep records and do a lot of the adding of 'pepper & salt BS'.

Anyway let us, for the sake of the conversation, state that the figures we have come across are TRUE.

speedyboi:
IJE-----$2.5Million/NGN57Million

So we're being told, by the filmmakers/Producers, that a $2.5Million film took 6yrs to make $360,000? - You tell me what is the 'profit' thing you are talking about? What profit? Where? This film is claiming a $2.2M LOSS.
Personally the film doesn't even look like it was made for $250,000.

I go back to what I said earlier on. NO Nigerian film, for now, should have a budget higher than $100,000 - $250,000. If I had $250,000 to make a movie I'd make sure it will 'look' like I spent at least $2.5M on the darn thing... infact it has to look like $25M!!

VillageBoi:

You've hit the mega nail on the head with the building of cinemas in AT LEAST every state capital... All the Govt yackety yack of oh we've given $200M and now even a new N3B... just build the infrastructure for theatrical distribution! If every major city in Nigeria has at least one cinema I'm sure that every film that makes it to the cinemas will definitely make its budget back in 3 months tops. The major reason Nigerians pirate good films is because there is no/no easy access to cinemas. Every single guy toasting a babe will definitely take her to the cinema if e dey for every other street corner.

With a dreamland-Govt-help-scenario... Let's say each state has only 2 major cities and each cinema complex they build has only two 200-seater screens... that makes a total of ... 36 states x 2 cities x 2 cinemas = 144 cinemas abi? Then x 200 seats = 28,800. *Anybody can correct this as I no sabi count*
Now let's do an opening weekend of a film... film length (2hrs) + each change over prep (1hr) = 3hrs... so they can at least show the film 4 times a day... so for a weekend opener = 3 days also is 12 'viewings'... so we get 28800 x 12 = 345,600 tickets sold for a weekend opening...

... Ok as per na Govt thing and they want people to come to the cinemas... make each ticket N1000 only and the deal with Govt/filmmakers is 50:50... they share ... and they both put in 5% each for salaries of cinema staff and whatever else.

Ok my calculation must be wrong somewhere because the figure is telling me THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE MILLION SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND NAIRA - the figure is HUGE and (45%) of that made by a filmmker over ONE weekend = N155,520,000.00 is frigging fantastic.

Why did I just depress myself and most of NL with some dumb a$$ figures? lol

I won't say that is totally impossible. That is just a million dollars. Though i don't think it would be up to that due to 'Itches'(Things will not always turn out smooth as predicted/Calculated).
But for a film like Last flight to abuja that was hyped to the roof (you know say Obi na expert in pulicity & hyping ), I think the film should make close to that for a weekend opening. To be completely fair, let's just say it should make about $500,000 (for a weekend opening)) and that's like the approximate budget for the film sef. Can you imagine?

I think with our population, more Filmmakers should be rushing to the industry if the right infrastructures are in place. Even South African Filmmakers are making high profits (with a population of 50M. That's about 1/4 of Nigerian Population! C'mon!) and their average budget for a film is always around 1,2,3 Million dollars. And in Nigeria, a filmmaker can't even make a $250,OOO movie and be assured of profit. SMH

National theatrical distribution should first of all be looked into. Because no matter what, Movies always make high percentage of their box office from their home countries (except british films, where they get high box office from United states in some most cases).

Infact that rubbish whatever amount that was pumped into the industry should've been focused on this! They just wasted cash for nothing, mtchw.
Then again, Theatres shouldn't be built solely by Government....cos trust mumu Nigerians to always mismanage government stuffs and run it down (Afterall, whether i sell or i no sell i go collect my complete salary - That's the mindset in 99% of Nigerian civil servants....no dedication whatsoever!!!). So I will advice partnership with foreign/Private investors.....Capish!

speedyboi:
I won't say that is totally impossible.

Actually I think it's even more than possible. Guess what? My calculation is even off by 50%... remember I said each cinema has TWO screens - I never factored that in and the impressive results are for ONE screen. So we would have been saying almost Seven hundred million Naira for an opening weekend for only 288 screens (not the 144 I used; shebi I already talk say I no fit count lol) in the whole country.

Let's put tha into another perspective -

The UK that doesn't even make films has 3258 screens (Population 62.6 million)
The US has 18,410 screens (Population 311.5 million people)

and we we talking about a common 144 screens... so imagine anonther common 1200 screens for a population of 160-180 million people... by the time you do wastage of not many people go to the cinema - 28,800 people will easily turn into 288,000 (out of a HUGE 160 million people - that's just over 1% abi? and we already know that at least 1% na multi millionaires/billionaires - trust me the firgure is tiny because poor man go full cinema).

Don't you remember people used to rush to video houses to watch video cassette films. Nigerians are people that will madly go to the cinema if we had them... don't underate how Nigerians love to watch films... talkless of GOOD Nigerian films.

How many screens pulled in $202,368 for the Avengers figure in Nigeria? E reach 50? So imagine 1200 screens. Also to take a note of is that is the figure for for just an OPENING WEEKEND & ONE WEEK - from 4-13 May, 2012. That is N31 million for a week on almost zero screens.

So with the right theatrical infrastructure Nigeria is sitting on a multi-multi-BILLION Naira industry (maybe even trillions sef)... that is NOT being tapped. We don't know what we are throwing away with the lact of infrastructure.

ONLY at that point will bigger budgets in Nigeria make any sense whatsoever - they'd easily spend $2 million on advertising alone for a $2 million budget film and in a month one would seriously be laughing on a mega level all the way to the bank!!
Not a soul in Nigeria would dare make a crappy film.

VillageBoi:
Through the Glass - N10 million.
The Figurine - N30 million
Ije - N57 million
Anchor Baby - N17 million

The above are 'Nollywood' films and the type of return the best ones can make. Half Of A Yellow Sun isn't Nollywood nor has it been made with Nigerians as the primary audience.

No 'Nollywood' film, as I've mentioned before a few times, has ever come anywhere near even making $1 million. Half Of A Yellow Sun will put the spotlight on Nigeria and I'm pretty sure at some point real 'Nollywood' films will start breaking the million dollar barrier... That will only be done if they start looking at and catering for a 'global' audience.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the Nigerian audience has not spent $1 million on any film be it Hollywood or Nollywood... in fact be it anythingwood we DO NOT spend money at the cinemas... simples!

But then again we know Nigerians are quick to jump on anything as a 'bragging right' as that seems to be the most important thing for us. (HOYAS is just a film shot IN Nigeria and is not 'Nollywood', just like the wonderful 1990 film 'Mr Johnson' - starring Pierce Brosnan and shot in Kano is also not a 'Nollywood' film.)

Real Nollywood needs, for starters, to begin to make seriously good global films for $100K-$200K tops. Since it's obvious large returns will not come from the Nigerian audience; let them tackle the global one... get that right and then with time the budgets will increase exponentially.
For now it makes zero sense for 'Nollywood' to have huge budgets if it takes touting a movie from cinema to cinema for 2-5yrs to recoup the budget... Either that or our filmmakers have been lying about their 'actual' budgets.

I totally agree with you... I only want to focus on "local" contents for International audience ...so help me God

directorsolomon:
I totally agree with you... I only want to focus on "local" contents for International audience ...so help me God

Nice... such films, I think, will not just be for an 'International audience but ALL... because too go watch am I do completely understand what you mean. Go for it.

Guys,......I just saw on IMDB: The budget for Jeta Amata's Black November is estimated at $12.5M.

I don't know how true this is.....
Villageboi, it seems you've got figures.....can you please confirm?

speedyboi: Guys,......I just saw on IMDB: The budget for Jeta Amata's Black November is estimated at $12.5M.
I don't know how true this is.....
Villageboi, it seems you've got figures.....can you please confirm?

To be honest with you I have no idea what it did cost to make. By its 'looks' it doesn't look like a $12.5M film, looks absolutely nothing like one but then again you also have to consider that it probably is an inflated price tag as ton of movies are, for various reasons. Then what percentage of that was the marketing budget? - Let's say 30% - so $8M for the production of the movie? It stil doesn't look like 8 milla... so why did it cost so much?
*NOTE* I have not found any evidence of such a 'huge marketing plan' so let's stick with it having cost $12.5m to shoot lol.

The only other reason I can think of is, a by-force, going for BIG names like Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Wyclef Jean & others that have been paid far too high a price and were not even needed in any way, shape, or form to make or sell the movie. I can see a lot of things wrong here. If you ever attempt to use big names you must have a producer or producers with even bigger 'international' track records. Click on any of the 'Producers' - not talking about the 'executive' producers or 'assoiciate' producers - you will not find a single 'producer', out of the many credited, that you have faith can do anything huge with the film.

Oh dear, all I can say is this looks, from a film business point-of-view, like a pretty foolish waste of money. Come on a $12m film and you premiere it at United Nations or some daft place like that? It's a 2012 film, we're now mid 2013 so are they telling us it has, so far, made zero bucks via international box office? Where is the film? What has happened? This makes no sense to me.

Anyway shaa Nigerians can continue to throw mega money into their films for the bragging rights of "See how much it cost us to make!". I guarantee that without a mega 'master marketing/sales plan' it is futile. We look at Hollywood and say "But they spend $200m on a film" yet we don't realise they do that for very, very few films and have a 'mega star' system & cinema/sales system in place where, more often than not, they get at least half that back during the opening weekend and in the months to come we see figures of a hundreds of millions more and sometimes a BILLION.

We wan make fim, we wan make fim but do not apply 1% of the massive think-tank-method Hollywood uses and yet we want to spend millions of dollars on ours? How many Naija films have you ever heard of that did market reasearch in the form of an audience screening then went back and re-shot scenes to make it better? ZERO - that I've heard of.
Oh boy we are light-years behind when it comes to REAL knowledge about the full workings of a real film industry. And we do not think about maximising our profits. I still think full indie no-names low-budget films are what we should be doing until we A) Become half decent at filmmaking B) Figure out what we need to do with films once they've been made. C) Know when, how and why to use foreign 'stars' in our films.

*I berra stop here before I dash away for free too many 'mega plan' secrets* lol

Even HOAYS has a far better chance at making money than this 'Black November' - 1) It is based on an international best selling book or something like that. 2) Two 'key' foreign/ish stars. 3) Producers with a very seriously good international track record. 4) It cost far less to make @ $8m

speedyboi: Guys,......I just saw on IMDB: The budget for Jeta Amata's Black November is estimated at $12.5M.

I don't know how true this is.....
Villageboi, it seems you've got figures.....can you please confirm?

I find that hard to believe when you look at some hollywood movies and the cost or budgets

Diary of a Mad Black Woman 5.5m
For Colored Girls 21m
Hustle & Flow 2.8m
Two Can Play That Game 13m
The Best Man 9m
The Brothers 6m
Think Like a Man 12m
Stomp the Yard 13m
You Got Served 8m
Jumping the Broom 6.6m

baby-boy:


I find that hard to believe when you look at some hollywood movies and the cost or budgets

Diary of a Mad Black Woman 5.5m
For Colored Girls 21m
Hustle & Flow 2.8m
Two Can Play That Game 13m
The Best Man 9m
The Brothers 6m
Think Like a Man 12m
Stomp the Yard 13m
You Got Served 8m
Jumping the Broom 6.6m

Exactly! So what did they spend $12m on? Pure water? Na Nigerian figures nah so take with a pinch of salt... actually take with a sack of salt lol

Lol....Villageboi!

It seems you went to see the movie, right?

The trailer looks okay though, With believable effects. But that budget is over the top.

Nigerians have a syndrome: 'something very expensive is quality' (even if they don't get the value for their money ).

I know this film was black Gold before....then he renamed it, shot additional scenes and re edited it. I didn't really follow the production Cos I wasn't interested (for some reasons).

So no one really knows how true the budget is?

speedyboi: Lol....Villageboi!

It seems you went to see the movie, right?

The trailer looks okay though, With believable effects. But that budget is over the top.

Nigerians have a syndrome: 'something very expensive is quality' (even if they don't get the value for their money ).

I know this film was black Gold before....then he renamed it, shot additional scenes and re edited it. I didn't really follow the production Cos I wasn't interested (for some reasons).

So no one really knows how true the budget is?

Oh yes I definitely want to see it. I'll watch ANYTHING new Nigerian. There is pretty good stuff in it. Ah so he DID do some reshooting... As I did hear about 'Black GOLD'... thought they were different films. In that case well done BUT it still does not explain a $12.5m budget at all.
@ Bolded... only half believable VFX... watch all the gunshots again. The best looking thing there is the 'in-camera' effect of the car crash.

VillageBoi:

Oh yes I definitely want to see it. I'll watch ANYTHING new Nigerian. There is pretty good stuff in it. Ah so he DID do some reshooting... As I did hear about 'Black GOLD'... thought they were different films. In that case well done BUT it still does not explain a $12.5m budget at all.
@ Bolded... only half believable VFX... watch all the gunshots again. The best looking thing there is the 'in-camera' effect of the car crash.

So you haven't watched it? I haven't either and i don't have any plans of doing so

Yes it was re-shot. The main reason for the change of name however was because a hit film (I think a french film) already has thé title 'black Gold' and you know that's gonna affect the brand.

The car crash was truely well done! But what blew my mind away in the trailer was the explosion! I didn't see it coming...I was just like 'Oauwww!

The gunshots effects must have Been near good for me not to notice the flop!
But I will watch it again later though...I'm currently on handheld with a datacap.

VillageBoi:

Oh yes I definitely want to see it. I'll watch ANYTHING new Nigerian. There is pretty good stuff in it. Ah so he DID do some reshooting... As I did hear about 'Black GOLD'... thought they were different films. In that case well done BUT it still does not explain a $12.5m budget at all.
@ Bolded... only half believable VFX... watch all the gunshots again. The best looking thing there is the 'in-camera' effect of the car crash.

So you haven't watched it? I haven't either and i don't have any plans of doing so

Yes it was re-shot. The main reason for the change of name however was because a hit film (I think a french film) already has thé title 'black Gold' and you know that's gonna affect the brand.

The car crash was truely well done! But what blew my mind away in the trailer was the explosion! I didn't see it coming...I was just like 'Oauwww!

The gunshots effects must have Been near good for me not to notice the flop!
But I will watch it again later though...I'm currently on handheld with a datacap.

VillageBoi:

Oh yes I definitely want to see it. I'll watch ANYTHING new Nigerian. There is pretty good stuff in it. Ah so he DID do some reshooting... As I did hear about 'Black GOLD'... thought they were different films. In that case well done BUT it still does not explain a $12.5m budget at all.
@ Bolded... only half believable VFX... watch all the gunshots again. The best looking thing there is the 'in-camera' effect of the car crash.

So you haven't watched it? I haven't either and i don't have any plans of doing so

Yes it was re-shot. The main reason for the change of name however was because a hit film (I think a french film) already has thé title 'black Gold' and you know that's gonna affect the brand.

The car crash was truely well done! But what blew my mind away in the trailer was the explosion! I didn't see it coming...I was just like 'Oauwww!

The gunshots effects must have Been near good for me not to notice the flop!
But I will watch it again later though...I'm currently on handheld with a datacap.

speedyboi:

So you haven't watched it? I haven't either and i don't have any plans of doing so

Yes it was re-shot. The main reason for the change of name however was because a hit film (I think a french film) already has thé title 'black Gold' and you know that's gonna affect the brand.

The car crash was truely well done! But what blew my mind away in the trailer was the explosion! I didn't see it coming...I was just like 'Oauwww!

The gunshots effects must have Been near good for me not to notice the flop!
But I will watch it again later though...I'm currently on handheld with a datacap.

Something funny just happened! I was going thru my emails and realised I had had a convo with some people about this film on the very same day this article came out - http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/feb/01/jeta-amata-nollywood-s-gift-to-hollywood?newsfeed=true

That was on Feb 1, 2012... thats year and a half ago! So...

VillageBoi:
It's a 2012 film, we're now mid 2013 so are they telling us it has, so far, made zero bucks via international box office? Where is the film? What has happened? This makes no sense to me.

So obviously the re-shoot/re-edit was completed in 2011 abi?... Has anyone seen the film? Did it do the cinema run in Nigeria? He mentioned he reshot it to make it current as per the 'Arab spring'... well e don pass since! Where is the film?

Ok so the official 'Theatrical' release date was 7 Dec 2012 for North America & Europe... so did $12.5m crash and burn on day one? Cannot find any figures for anything anywhere.

Anyway I don talk am before producer wey no get marketing plan has no business spending half a dime more than what you can make from Naija cinemas!

^^^^^^^^Leave Jeta alone....He even refused to screen am for Naija(hey, i'm not sure oo)......he wan familiarize Hollywood by fire by force.....Na him sabi. I didn't even have interest in the movie at any point.

He needs to learn marketing strategy from Obi Emelonye though. Izu Ojukwu should also take lessons from him .

BTW, i just watched the trailer again and i saw nothing wrong with the gunshots jo! .




Off topic....wth was wrong with Nairaland server? It caused me to post that shii thrice

speedyboi: ^^^^^^^^Leave Jeta alone....He even refused to screen am for Naija(hey, i'm not sure oo)......he wan familiarize Hollywood by fire by force.....Na him sabi. I didn't even have interest in the movie at any point.

He needs to learn marketing strategy from Obi Emelonye though. Izu Ojukwu should also take lessons from him .

BTW, i just watched the trailer again and i saw nothing wrong with the gunshots jo! .

Ok this I'm dropping here is not the trailer I saw yesterday... still looking for where I found that one. This one is far better and shows much more interesting stuff. Yes, one can see it did cost a LOT of money but I'm still doubtful of the price tag we've been told. However, it's a mega ambitious project and it's quite good looking... definitely have to give it kudos for that.
I will still put my money on - not good enough producers to push this, too many cooks (producers) spoiling the broth and the possibility of 'insider' disagreements/falling-outs.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbsZ7Vjf40k

Yes! This one below is the one from yesterday... crappy VFX explosion and gunshots


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pze3itMFUGs

For some reason now I'm actually feeling for the film (obviously after seeing the newer better trailer). It's a shame that it has, seemingly, not been pushed in the right direction because I think it's really good.

VillageBoi:

Ok this I'm dropping here is not the trailer I saw yesterday... still looking for where I found that one. This one is far better and shows much more interesting stuff. Yes, one can see it did cost a LOT of money but I'm still doubtful of the price tag we've been told. However, it's a mega ambitious project and it's quite good looking... definitely have to give it kudos for that.
I will still put my money on - not good enough producers to push this, too many cooks (producers) spoiling the broth and the possibility of 'insider' disagreements/falling-outs.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbsZ7Vjf40k

Yes! This one below is the one from yesterday... crappy VFX explosion and gunshots


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pze3itMFUGs

For some reason now I'm actually feeling for the film (obviously after seeing the newer better trailer). It's a shame that it has, seemingly, not been pushed in the right direction because I think it's really good.

Yea....

I also like the technicalities of the film. But i'm not watching

baby-boy:


I find that hard to believe when you look at some hollywood movies and the cost or budgets

Diary of a Mad Black Woman 5.5m
For Colored Girls 21m
Hustle & Flow 2.8m
Two Can Play That Game 13m
The Best Man 9m
The Brothers 6m
Think Like a Man 12m
Stomp the Yard 13m
You Got Served 8m
Jumping the Broom 6.6m

This is an unfair comparison! These are dramas for crying out loud!


I totally agree the budget is over the top though. But we still need something like a press statement or something to confirm.

speedyboi:
I also like the technicalities of the film. But i'm not watching

I no blame you at all because some of these our 'filmmakers' will make an audience wait reach begging point to see their film. And by the time its 'available' mouth don get sour taste. The thing dey tire people!

our people inflate budget alot...rightly though for the wrong reasons. They spend little or nothing in marketing, why?
Let's wait for HOAYS and see how they will go about it.

speedyboi:

This is an unfair comparison! These are dramas for crying out loud!


I totally agree the budget is over the top though. But we still need something like a press statement or something to confirm.

I could see where the bulk budget went,

Kim Basinger, Mickey Rouke common they could have got cheaper and better artist

baby-boy:


I could see where the bulk budget went,

Kim Basinger, Mickey Rouke common they could have got cheaper and better artist

you see am? plus some of the casts were flown to Nigeria. I can't really say the budget declared is 'a fake', but it's definitely unnecessarily too much!

VillageBoi:

I no blame you at all because some of these our 'filmmakers' will make an audience wait reach begging point to see their film. And by the time its 'available' mouth don get sour taste. The thing dey tire people!

That's not the reason sef. It had cinema runs in Nigeria, I just refused to go see it.




About marketing issue: On the other hand, maybe the film/film marketers grabbed the audience it/they wanted.....
I just saw the trailer has 300,000+ views. however, it has few comments upon the views and likes.....that's pretty weird! I refuse to believe the views were 'sorted'

speedyboi:
About marketing issue: On the other hand, maybe the film/film marketers grabbed the audience it/they wanted.....
I just saw the trailer has 300,000+ views.

Good for them since na 'Youtube' audience them grab... Yet no one can actually find 'the film'. Them try!

VillageBoi:

Good for them since na 'Youtube' audience them grab... Yet no one can actually find 'the film'. Them try!

Lol. I thought high publicity = high trailer views.....

And I don't get your definition of 'no one can find the film'. The film had theatrical screenings (UK cinemas inclusive). It has been concluded though (atleast in abj). If you're really desperate to watch the movie, then pray it gets released on DVD soon . Better still, hope it gets a re-run.


Meanwhile, abeg what's the use of Akon and wyclef? Nigerian actors could have been used! From the trailer, I'm pretty sure they aren't perfect with the accent!

speedyboi:

Lol. I thought high publicity = high trailer views.....

And I don't get your definition of 'no one can find the film'. The film had theatrical screenings (UK cinemas inclusive). It has been concluded though (atleast in abj). If you're really desperate to watch the movie, then pray it gets released on DVD soon . Better still, hope it gets a re-run.


Meanwhile, abeg what's the use of Akon and wyclef? Nigerian actors could have been used! From the trailer, I'm pretty sure they aren't perfect with the accent!

High publicity for 'trailer' views means nothing at all. Filmmakers do high publicity for 'bums on cinema seats' ONLY! A trailer can have views but that does not mean MONEY!

Avatar trailer (with its paltry 23 milla clicks) cannot touch 'cat' clips with views and this one beats them all with 97 MILLION views lolol - (I totally hate cats)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH2-TGUlwu4

So yeah, Youtube or trailer views mean absolutely nothing.

On the 'no one can find the film' - where is it? It's how many years old and can anyone buy the DVD? So has it slipped into oblivion?

Hahahaha Nigerians and UK cinema release... that one na joke... they nearly always go to one backwater ghetto cinema and play it for ONE night at some crazy hour with 'African time' joined for effects... that na cinema release?

No, no I'm not 'desperate' to watch it. If I see the DVD I'll watch it, if not it goes back to forgotten oblivion lol

Hello....I just learnt something today!


I was chatting with one of these filmmakers on Facebook and we talked extensively about the industry. When I asked him about Films not making their money back.....the reply he gave me was 'not-anymore'. He said it used to be a challenge at start; when Nollywood movies only screen in Nigeria and Ghana. He also told me the box-office gross that are always announced are just the amount made in Nigeria Cinemas and not a worldwide gross.

I think everything now seem clearer to me now. So if Figurine made 37 million out of the 50million in Nigeria....I'm sure it made its money back through screenings in other countries (Even though I'm sure Figurine should be part of the 'at start' category....abi? And probably Ije too.

So renowned filmmakers who screen their movies across Africa, UK and even most recently United states and other countries should be able to make their money back. Atleast Kunle Afolayan must have grossed a lot with Phone Swap and that's probably the reason he raised his budget from the normal half a million to 2 million. Someone like Kunle has been in the industry for quite a while and should know 'what to' and 'what not to' do in the movie business.

However, he still pointed out that some few movies that show mainly in west African cinemas might still be having the problem....but then again...such movies are 'very low budget' most times....I'm sure he was referring to Emem Isong's et al movies that never get past Nigerian borders. I think they should be making their money back as well.
I still think we need more cinemas no matter what! Because, If movies gross not just 'Profit', but crazy multiples of their budget, It will make room for adventurous filmmaking and really big budget productions!