Monday 19 September 2016

The Nigerian Movie Industry (Nollywood) – The Origin (History)

Here is an abridged model (but richly enlightening) from one of many articles i wrote regarding this material.

Film exhibition started to thrive in the course of the Colonial period, with Glover Memorial Hall enjoying host to a variety of memorable movies seen by “potential Nigerians”, in August 1903. However, the non-availability of correct data reflecting the title of the debut movie exhibited has created a lapse within the precedent inventory. Notwithstanding the lacuna, the best way had been paved for the exhibition of extra overseas movies on the Hall and different designated venues.

The emotionally traumatizing “Master – Servant” relationship, evident within the fixed assaults, batteries, intimidation, segregation, victimization, carried out by the Colonial masters on the colonized, with darkened clouds of resentment, vengeance, thirst for freedom, giving approach to splattering drops of such ideas, instinctively projected by means of the colonized intermittent in-subordinate actions, started to unfold amongst the blacks. The British knew they needed to thread with warning in the event that they nonetheless needed to play “god” of their lives when movies similar to Tales of Manhattan, Trailer horn, Tarzan collection started to fire up a revolution within the hearts of Blacks throughout the globe.

Aware of the deadly energy of insurgency which might be unleashed via the Film medium, the British out of worry for his or her lives and attainable lack of the Queen’s sovereignty took the bull by the horn, and swiftly created a Colonial Film Censors Board (FCB) in 1933 to censor and classify movies earlier than they have been launched for visible consumption by the general public. Following the institution of the board, Films corresponding to “The primitive, primitive man, Dixie, Buffalo Bill, The Keys of the Kingdom, Sleepy Town Girl have been tagged ‘appropriate’ to be watched, whereas Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Clive of India, The Isle of Forgotten Sins, House of Frankenstein have been thought-about unsuitable for viewing.

The Censor’s physique underwent a change course of into the Federal Board of Film Censors (FBFC) from the aforementioned, and the legal guidelines from which the reworked physique derived its powers ranged from the 1948 Cinematograph Laws of Nigeria, the Cinematograph Laws of 1963, to the 1963/64 Cinematograph Law and Regulations. The current National Film and Video Censors Board got here into existence by advantage of decree, now Act 85 of 1993. The creation of Nigeria’s Independence (1960) and the Republican standing (1963), heralded the daybreak of a brand new period in all sectors.

“The Yoruba Travelling Theatre Group” of the 60’s and 70’s can be referred to as the “Fountain Head” of film productions in Nigeria. The veterans with nice Theatrical expertise and nice performances took their works past the stage, and dove into the ocean of movie productions utilizing the Celluloid format. Notable movie makers on the Roll name of Honour through the Celluloid growth period of the 70’s embrace Ola Balogun, Eddie Ugbomah, late Herbert Ogunde, Adeyemi Afolayan a.okay.a Ade Love (father of Kunle Afolayan of the Irapada fame), Ladi Ladebo, Moses Adejumo, Adebayo Salami and Afolabi Adesanya.

The record of documented movies produced through the 70’s period and transcending considerably into the 80’s is just astonishing and goes to point out that the Movie Industry has been round for much longer, opposite to the ‘1992 perception syndrome’ most have been injected with. Such works embrace Kongi Harvest (1971), Alpha (1972), Bull Frog within the Sun (1974), Amadi (1975), Ajani Ogun (1975), Muzik Man (1976), Bisi, Daughter of the River (1977), Ija Ominira (1978), Aiye (1979), Kadara (1980), Jaiyesimi (1980) Efunsetan Aniwura (1981), Cry Freedom (1981),Ija Orogun (1982) Owo L’Agba (1982)

The value of manufacturing movies in that period was financially again breaking, with Nigerians additional irritating the efforts of the filmmakers by opting to observe movies of occidental and oriental origin on the Cinemas and Exhibition centres, somewhat than the regionally produced ones. The Cowboy movies have been exhilarating to observe whereas the Chinese movies paraded amongst others, the Legendary “Bruce Lee” in (Lo Wei’s, The Big Boss (1971), Fist of Fury (1972), Way of the Dragon (1972), Enter the Dragon (1973), The Game of Death launched in 1978) who exhibited Martial Arts dexterity, clearly a preventing method alien, but fascinating to us at the moment.

Indian movies within the late 60’s and nicely into the 70’s paraded famend names like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra Singh Deol, Mumtaz, Amitabh Bachchan, Anil kapoor, Hema Malini, and produced hits reminiscent of “Bobby”, “Sholay”, “Kabhi Kabhi”, “Dharamveer”, “Amar Akbar Anthony”. Their stars displayed nice appearing expertise towards the backdrop of affection themes, and ear pleasing songs coupled with synchronized dance steps, produced with sound and particular results, although incomparable with what obtains at this time purchased over the indigenes loyalty for his or her films.

Thus, the Movie Founding Fathers started to face the challenges of recouping their investments, which progressively turned nearly an inconceivable process, an anthem they continuously rendered a lot to the discomfort of potential financers. They counted their losses and licked their wounds sustained within the monetary battle with each movie they launched. The deluge of VCRS within the 80’s created a paradigm shift from the Cine to the VHS format, which made productions simpler, quicker and cheaper by a milestone compared to the previous. Cinema homes and different Exhibition centres have been lastly shut down and the Baton of Cine movie making slipped from the arms of the Founding founders as they tried handy over the film baton to the subsequent era inside the stipulated Baton Exchange Zone. The dream of turning into a re-nowned Movie Industry was shattered when the stream of the Film Relay cycle was damaged.

Home Videos have been produced which served as an alternative choice to the cinemas, and the identify naturally stems from the truth that you may seat inside the consolation of your house and watch the films produced within the VHS format by way of your VCR. Film Makers capitalized on the positive factors of the Home Video idea provided, and commenced producing films utilizing the Yoruba language because the technique of communication. However, the yr “1992” has overtime been widely accepted as the triggering period of Home Video productions, with Ken Nnebue’s “Living in Bondage” stated to be the primary film made for business functions utilizing the Igbo/English language.

The film little question struck the “Movie Well”, which invoked a mass exodus of people from other spheres into the art of movie productions, having seen the opportunities that lay in the Gold mine region. Thus, did the Home Video Industry tagged “Nollywood” emerge.

The proven fact that “Living in Bondage” was ascribed with the honour of being the first movie made for commercial purposes and the one upon which the Home Video revolution was allegedly founded on, culminating into Nollywood, didn’t go unchallenged. Late Alade Aromire before his death, ignited a controversial fire, insisting that his and not Ken’s movie ought to have been conferred with such an honour. When confronted by a reporter on the issue he’d stated that Ken had produced over 40 Yoruba movies, and had started with “Aje N’yami”.

There had been a flourishing film business earlier than he got here on board, so ken could not have began it.

The confusion stems from the Censors board of the day, whose palms have been amputated by the Law it drew its powers from, (1963/64 Cinematograph Law and Regulations). The powers conferred on it to manage the Industry didn’t prolong to “Home Video”. The current National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) didn’t exist until 1994. On this raging difficulty, Late Alade Armoire produced films akin to Ekun, Omije (pts 1-three), Obirin Asiko, Ayo ni o, Adun, Orire which have been launched to the general public between 1985 and 1991.

Ken Nnebue nonetheless insists that his film “Living in Bondage” was the first Home Video movie made for commercial purposes. His stand on the matter is rather shaky, having prior to the production of Living in Bondage sponsored commercial movies in Yoruba language such as Ina Ote, Aje N’iyami and others. Let’s not forget the barrage of Yoruba TV dramas that were mass produced on VHS tapes and sold to the public before 1992. One can’t fail to mention the legendary Eddie Ugbomah’s movie “The Great Attempt” (1989), which would have made history as the 1st Nigerian cine movie in the video tape format to have been censored by the defunct Federal Board of Film Censors (FBFC) based on a “particular concession” granted him formally by the everlasting secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture at the moment.

Unfortunately the robust contents projected within the film have been thought-about unsuitable for public viewing by the Board, therefore the film was by no means launched. Tunde Alabi -Hundeyin’s “Iyawo Alhaji” is officially on record as the first commercial (direct to exhibition hall) video film to be censored and classified by the NFVCB in 1994 at the National Theatre, (Cinema Hall) Iganmu. Despite the controversial fire raised, the global publicity given to “Living in Bondage” through the years invariably imputed the film into our reminiscence banks because the flag bearer of the Home Video revolution of all occasions. People, regardless of Nationality, race, gender, and tribe are confronted with challenges each day. Some of those issues are of a worldwide nature, whereas others are peculiar to varied societies. Movies supply individuals the chance of telling their very own tales, free from alien interference.

Nigerian film producers leveraged on this and produced films projecting our way of life, tradition, native style, burning points, issues plaguing our society, regardless of the choking stench of tribalism perceived in all sectors. Movies have been made for the viewing pleasure of Nigerians initially, (earlier than the mass exportation craze), with messages to encourage, encourage, reprove, and proper anomalies particularly within the Political, Social techniques, to eschew violence and all types of evil.

The tactical use of the English language because the communication software, advertising methods and execution by way of using trailers by way of T.V, Posters (now banned in Lagos State), recorded a lift in gross sales, and expanded the viewership base past the shores of our Nation to nations similar to Ghana, Togo, South Africa, Kenya, U.S.A and even the U.Okay.. Unfortunately, the films churned out at an alarming price have been technically poor in key areas thought-about as germane within the manufacturing course of.

The common “shoe string price range” tag has turn into synonymous with the Industry’s antecedent of creating films on extraordinarily low budgets in comparison with different film our bodies in different nations, ($10- $15,000 initially), however presently stretches to $25,000, with a microscopic variety of producers additional stretching the seemingly monetary restrict to N 7,10,20 Million and extra. The films have been and are nonetheless shot dominantly between 10-12 days, by way of Beta cam (now HDV cameras), have been produced within the VHS format (now VCD & DVD), replicated in mass and bought by the Marketers who additionally doubled as Distributors.

Over a thousand films have been being churned out yearly by producers and completely amazed by the staggering statistical knowledge of film productions, the International film highlight was shone on the Multi Million naira Industry “Nollywood”. The Industry’s internet value as at 2008 stood between an estimated $250 and $300 Million dollars. It is worthy of notice that a Global cinema survey, carried out in 2006 by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and launched someday in May 2009, ranked Nollywood because the second largest producing film physique on the planet behind Bollywood and forward of Hollywood based mostly on the numerical knowledge of the films produced.


Source by Augusta Okon

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