Well, granted there has been some improvements by some producers in some films - the Nigerian film industry still has a long way to go. One sees immediately the poor quality of work that went into it (maybe except for some film directors like Tunde Kelani, Ola Balogun).

One begins to wonder when are we going to start taking the world by storm. I know Nigerian films have a great demand in Africa, but I would like to wonder when are they going to be shown to a global audience in cinemas like UCI, Cineworld, Apollo and the likes

Wetin be UCI, Cineworld, Apollo? Abi na something wey person fit chop?



As far as Cinemas are concerned, well, I know and care about Silverbird Cinemas and other cinemas in the country. If AMericans and Europeans don't want to watch our films, maybe it's their loss ...

Hey all, just surfing the net and stumbled upon this site.

I love naija movies and my roommates who are non Africans love it to. They do mock the accents and all, but its entertaining all the same. Although whilst watching one movie, another friend ( Australian) walked in and thought we were watching a home video. So I guess its all about the quality of presentation. The content is fine and relevant to us. Its not an imitation of western ideas but a reflection on what happens in our daily lives. I guess if more people invested in the industry and the quality of presentation improves, we stand a chance at being represented in arthouses to start with and then who knows, anything can happen!

Hey mr. administrator, don't sound so pissed. its not meant to vex anyone. i'm just saying when are we going to improve, all what i mentioned were cinemas, something like our silverbird.

and i hope u remember there is what is known as globalisation...and let's not neglect the western audience, it ould be at our own peril. that is where real money cand be made.let's learn from india's bollywood

Allenpowered, you're right. We could earn a lot of foreign exchange by exporting movies to the western world.

I think we do so already - there are a lot of places where you can buy Nigerian movies online. I wonder if the Nigerians responsible for those movies are adequately compensated, though.

It might surprise you to know that nigerian home videos are making waves outside.
I recently heard a newsbrief about washington post reporting that a whooping sum of money was being made annually, selling nigerian home videos.
(i'll update this post with the exact figure)

well i'm real pleased to know we are going places. hope we get there?

we will get there. But remember south africa has commissioned a sound stage for their industry . maybe what nollywood needs is govt intervention. They also need to refine their techniques and focus on using demographics to their advantage(example: in the US they release films in june(summer) to satisfy the 18 and below age range. maybe nollywood should focus on the festivals; easter, xmas and co and not just mass produce 25 films a week (according to CNN))

Yea there was actually a time in london wen they showed nigerian films at the cinema in south east am sure there still showin em up to now

Nigeria films are for show at AFI Theatre in silver spring, Maryland, USA.

Will naija movies be shown in american theatres,
That's a simple answer, No, nehi, mba, oti,

If you read previous posts, cinemas in some areas where lots of Nigerians reside are already showing them!

We will surely get there!
but not with the poor movies being produces
i know there are ggreat movies coming out of Nigeria
But the Bad ones are more than the good ones

Even in Hollywood, there are more bad movies than good movies. The trick is not to export the bad ones.

Except 4 d national theatre, do the ones here in nigeria show nollywood films? U could count em. . .
Charity begins from ilè

Some Nigerian movies have been shown in cinemas in the UK and US. But most Nollywood home videos cannot be shown in cinemas, because they are not films and when projected, they were not good enough for screening in theatres.
30 Days, Abeni and Changing Faces are in cinema format.

i doubt if this will ever happen.

chyk91: i doubt if this will ever happen.

<----Same way someone predicted less than 100 computers worldwide.

Orikinla: Some Nigerian movies have been shown in cinemas in the UK and US. But most Nollywood home videos cannot be shown in cinemas, because they are not films and when projected, they were not good enough for screening in theatres.
30 Days, Abeni and Changing Faces are in cinema format.

I pretty much doubt that is the reason. Secondly what do you even mean by 'cinema format?'

The simple reason our films get nowhere on the international stage is because they are full of 'content' that is just nowhere near good enough for mass western consumption. Let's not kid ourselves... they (the West) see filmmaking as a business first and until we get into the psychology of the 'western audience' and make films the way 'they do' none of our films will ever be big in the 'west'... simple truth.

So what have we got to offer? Storylines?... NO! storytelling prowess?... NO! Ok fantastic method acting?... NO! Filmming something well?... NO! Dang! Ok but at least we can make something with a huge international controversy?... NO; you see we're too deep into the utter hypocrisy of Praying & Fasting Plc that we claim butter won't melt on our butts. We have ZILCH, ZERO, absolutely NOTHING to offer because we too know; yet we wan catch western monkey without studying the habits of said western monkey.
Let's keep on kidding our selves because there is NOTHING that we even care to do well... afterall our we not 'The Lion of Africa' nation that in over HALF a CENTURY common constant electricity na struggle. We are a "We go manage am like that" kind of people... the West is not. There is pride and there is ridiculous Naija pride. As the underdog we HAVE to go much, much further than the proverbial 'extra mile' to impact western cinema.

How many of our so-called filmmakers... even we wey dey chat for here have EVER sat down to analyse what makes an obscure film from some obscure country get noticed internatinally? I'm pretty sure the answer is NO because we already too know!

Some will bring the argument "Heh, but we do things our own way"... yes we do but certain things follow certain rules PERIOD! And when it comes to international cinema we must play by iternational rules. If there were no rules then a common winch dokinta from my village would be lecturing on, as well as, performing brain surgery in Oxford or Harvard...

Our films do show in foreign cinemas mainly to our people in the Diaspora and these are generally some back-corner cinemas in densely black populated that just might let you have a screen for a week or so - not major mainstream venues. Another argument I have heard is "Heh but our films have won so many awards abroad"... what awards? Name any that is not a low-class backyard award? Or some 'It-is-because-you-are-black' award affair?? If it ain't Toronto or Cannes, or Sundance or an Oscar then it means absolutely sod all on the international stage... especially when it comes to distribution and so on.

I know my post sounds awful but 99.9% of our filmmakers got into this for the money 'first'. When we have a bunch of new filmmakers that do it for the 'love of film' first... they will be the ones to take us to the highest levels abroad, they will be the ones to make millions of £££ & $$$ on their films. It can happen but not with the tripe we currently make... all we're good for now internationally is being a 'case study' but nothing spoil shaa because we can rise up, do things seriously well and let that their curiosity kill the cat.

It's almost like the no-right-answer question "What do women want?" But this can be figured out if we really want to. We have to humble up our big heads and seriously study filmmaking because we are just jokers. It's such a shame that Ogunde is no longer with us... and the 'visionaries' we have now are interested in squabbling over petty stupid things as well as acquiring some silly bragging rights.

Infact make I zip my teeth before I go of on a tangent.

semid4lyfe:

Just had to quote this post for posterity cos it's the only post I've come across on Nairaland that Seun posted in Pidgin

Hahahaha. The only one I sabi there na Apollo... that na something wey dey scratch-scratch for eye abi?

I have seen Tsotsi and A Seperation. Both are internationally acclaimed films and honestly Nollywood doesn't make such films.

And there is no way one can get get screened internationally without making such good films. There are lots and lots of film festivals and awards that aren't up to standard. Sometimes when they even accept your entry or when you win an award from them, it means your film is bad, looooool. Same goes with some cinemas in USA and UK as well.

As much I know Nollywood is still growing and I see the glory days ahead, I still don't like it when people don't state the facts. Nollywood is doing great but we aren't making international standard films yet.

I always tell people to try and see Ties That Bind. For me it's one of the best films I have seen I have seen from Nolly/Ghollywood.

I also notice some independent-minded filmmakers coming up. And I feel, we'll make our mark internationally soon.

Jayboy124: I have seen Tsotsi and A Seperation. Both are internationally acclaimed films and honestly Nollywood doesn't make such films.

As much I know Nollywood is still growing and I see the glory days ahead, I still don't like it when people don't state the facts. Nollywood is doing great but we aren't making international standard films yet.

I also notice some independent-minded filmmakers coming up. And I feel, we'll make our mark internationally soon.

Now here is a person that knows the 'way' Nollywood needs to start thinking to have any 'real' international appeal/impact. Very well said JayBoy; I couldn't have put it better myself! Thank you.

We definitely can do this simply with low budget, no names, emotional train-wreck story-line films filled with a good dose of our beatiful colours and culture.

VillageBoi:

Now here is a person that knows the 'way' Nollywood needs to start thinking to have any 'real' international appeal/impact. Very well said JayBoy; I couldn't have put it better myself! Thank you.

We definitely can do this simply with low budget, no names, emotional train-wreck story-line films filled with a good dose of our beatiful colours and culture.

Glad you've noticed the low budget thing too. Nigerians always feel they need big budgets to make very good films. The greatest films artistically, are not always the biggest budget-wise. In 2011 for example the combined budgets of Ides of March, The Descendants, The Help, Midnight in Paris (my favorite), A Seperation, The Artist, is much less than the budget of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That says a lot about budget.

I hope these Nollywood guys really start investing in good films more.

Jayboy124:
I hope these Nollywood guys really start investing in good films more.

Or investing their time to figure out 'what' makes a good film. STORY is KING... it MUST start with the writers but I'm afraid we really don't even have a handful that can write anything of an internationally acceptable quality.

With the gradual revolution going on in the industry,new breed of few quality-conscious film makers who are well traveled and understands the language of holistic art film making in the 'western way' I think it is a matter of time we'll get there. My people talk say "obe to dun, owo lo paa". Even d said low budget movies are nothing near the amount we spend in making movies here. We have our own exclusive and fantastic stories- stories that makes us who we are. Scripting, financing and telling thses stories from the angle of a camera leaves much to be desired. Remember... Slum dog millionaire.

thespiannn: With the gradual revolution going on in the industry,new breed of few quality-conscious film makers who are well traveled and understands the language of holistic art film making in the 'western way' I think it is a matter of time we'll get there. My people talk say "obe to dun, owo lo paa". Even d said low budget movies are nothing near the amount we spend in making movies here. We have our own exclusive and fantastic stories- stories that makes us who we are. Scripting, financing and telling thses stories from the angle of a camera leaves much to be desired. Remember... Slum dog millionaire.

We remember oh. How it crushed movies at the Oscars. And there wasn't even a 'known' star in the film. The funny thing is that most of our filmmakers don't watch such movies. They just watch Avatar, Avengers and Twilight and then try to make Nigerian versions.

With the gradual revolution going on in the industry,new breed of few quality-conscious film makers who are well traveled and understands the language of holistic art film making in the 'western way' I think it is a matter of time we'll get there. My people talk say "obe to dun, owo lo paa". Even d said low budget movies are nothing near the amount we spend in making movies here. We have our own exclusive and fantastic stories- stories that makes us who we are. Good scripting, financing it and telling theses stories from the angle of a camera can be very crazy. Remember... Slum dog millionaire.

Errrrrmmmmm @ Thespiannn... we kinda got it the first time. But good points.

All the above points are valid but has anybody considered the business angle in Nigeria to film making? Most of us talk about the artistic points of film making which is good but one has to marry it with the business(distribution) side, a new method of getting your films to the Nigerian audience. Did anybody notice that it was at the commencement of MTV base that music video quality picked up? once talented filmmakers can learn to do quality low budget productions(that meet world standards) that don't involve stars and find a way to show it to the public at affordable prices(through distribution structures) then we can say that we're going somewhere. But as long as we sit down and talk and do nothing about it, the charlatans are going to have a field day. So I suggest that we should learn to set up our own alternative distribution channels(It can be as simple as a viewing center for showing your films) for our films because the alaba/Idumota boys and the current cinema halls ain't helping matters. Charity begins at home first. Once you solve that then you can control what goes out. I know somebody is saying that it's expensive but it's not. It's the effort that's expensive but it will pay off in the end. I will be starting my own viewing centers soon so watch out.

lynx200: All the above points are valid but has anybody considered the business angle in Nigeria to film making? Most of us talk about the artistic points of film making which is good but one has to marry it with the business(distribution) side, a new method of getting your films to the Nigerian audience. Did anybody notice that it was at the commencement of MTV base that music video quality picked up? once talented filmmakers can learn to do quality low budget productions(that meet world standards) that don't involve stars and find a way to show it to the public at affordable prices(through distribution structures) then we can say that we're going somewhere. But as long as we sit down and talk and do nothing about it, the charlatans are going to have a field day. So I suggest that we should learn to set up our own alternative distribution channels(It can be as simple as a viewing center for showing your films) for our films because the alaba/Idumota boys and the current cinema halls ain't helping matters. Charity begins at home first. Once you solve that then you can control what goes out. I know somebody is saying that it's expensive but it's not. It's the effort that's expensive but it will pay off in the end. I will be starting my own viewing centers soon so watch out.

I said something like that in an article in February 2011 or so. Each state capital should have at least one cinema. It muustn't be as fine as the popular Lagos and Abuja cinemas. Just a comfortable place we can go see new Nollywood movies at affordable prices. You're very right there.

semid4lyfe:

Just had to quote this post for posterity cos it's the only post I've come across on Nairaland that Seun posted in Pidgin

LOL, that was back in 2005, i'd say he s up and coming then. I doubt if he would still repeat such again*not bad though* na omo naija him be!