Despite being the second largest film industry globally, Nollywood, sadly, still has a lot to learn and improve on. Compared to the Nigerian film industry of many years ago, new school Nollywood has definitely witnessed various changes, some great, others not so great.
With the rising interest of global streaming platforms and productions in the Nollywood industry, budgets have expectedly risen, and the number of attentive viewers has deservedly grown bigger as well. However, some recurring mistakes still find their way into Nollywood, and I speak for all when I say, we are sincerely tired. See the mistakes we are completely fed up with in our list of Important Flaws Nollywood Must Improve On In 2022.
1. Not All Films Require An Unrealistic Display Of Affluence:
The fact is that it is very ironic to constantly watch the flamboyant display of riches in Nigerian movies when over 82 million Nigerians continue to live in abject poverty in real life.
With the Dollar fast rising compared to the Naira, and with poverty being the order of the day nowadays in our beloved country, it is simply unrealistic to persistently paint things differently when Nigerians know the current reality of things in the country.
And before you say it is just fiction, it has to be an issue when every single movie seems to have the same “Rich Nigerian” storyline, but with different characters. It is true that sometimes viewers want to see a flamboyant Lagos party, but it is also true that Nigerians can definitely party on a budget, so it is best to be realistic at all times to make these stories more relatable.
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2. Not All Films Need A Part 2:
I’m sure most viewers will agree with me that as soon as a Nollywood movie gets a second part, it immediately reduces the quality that the first part delivered. Just see things from this angle, some stories are better left unsaid and some questions are better left unanswered.
The fact is that the unsaid parts of any movie project are mostly the best for viewers who fancy a challenge and those who appreciate telling their own stories. For example, Marvel never tells us why this planet suddenly has hands sticking out of it because they prefer it when viewers start coming up with different conspiracy theories.
So, dear Nollywood producers, instead of dragging the life out of a good storyline, just end it once and for all. Sometimes we deserve that good ending without a spin-off.
3. Same Actors, Just A Different Film:
Do you know that Nollywood fans can actually name the cast of Nigerian movies before the producers nowadays? Well, this is because they mostly cast the same people. We already know the actors they all go to when they need a professional to play the “Bad boy” or “Bad girl” role. We also know who their go-to professionals are when they need a “Chief” or “Bad uncle.”
Even if this shows that certain actors have perfected certain roles in time past to earn a recall in the future, where exactly is the element of surprise for viewers?
4. Same Scripts And Plots:
If there is anything we are completely tired of as viewers when it comes to Nollywood movies, it has to be the same scripts and plot problem. It is very sickening that creativity will be an issue in a creative industry, but it is clear that the lack of new storylines in our movies points to that being the problem.
Nollywood producers must start thinking outside the box, else, viewers will get absolutely bored with the constant repetition and look for their movie satisfaction elsewhere.
5. Fresh Ideas:
I speak for most Nollywood fans when I say we are tired of the same old tricks by filmmakers to achieve success in the Nollywood industry. We are not just crying out for new ideas and fresh takes to remain enthusiastic about our movie industry, we believe it is needed to compete favourably with other nations who have chosen this path many years ago.
Creative storytelling is the only answer right now, and producers need to carefully search for fresh ideas on how to make Nollywood better for Nigerians, Africans and the world in general.
6. Lack Of New Faces:
Nowadays, if you tune into Africa Magic channels on DSTV, the probability that you will see an already popular face compared to a fresh talent is very high. While the use of a popular actor in Nollywood films is key for marketing purposes, there is nothing wrong with mixing it up with uprising movie stars from time to time.
You really cannot blame viewers for getting bored as a result of seeing the same faces on their TV screens for so many years. You also cannot blame them for wanting to see who the next generation of Nollywood stars would be right now.
7. Movie Tricks:
One major reason why Nollywood is still very far behind Hollywood and Bollywood is movie tricks. As we all know, the tricks sen in American movies always appear very real that viewers almost believe it really happened, however, the same cannot be said for Nigerian films.
The fact is that our tricks appearing fake and made up does not speak well of our film industry and its growth in recent years. This makes it an obvious area for producers to work on, not just to prove that they can compete with the heavyweight movie industries, but to keep Nollywood fans glued and happy.
8. Movie Locations:
You will agree with me that Nollywood can do a lot better with movie locations. It really does not have to be the regular village or city locations every now and then, why not move abroad to shoot movies once in a while, especially when an overseas scene is needed for the project?
The era of creating a fake abroad environment in Nigeria just to portray a character who travelled out of the country has to end. How about underwater shots that can only be done at untapped venues? What about a movie shot inside a bus throughout? Doing all of these will not just show that we have talented actors who are willing to go the extra mile to entertain us, it also gives Nollywood a quality image.
It is common knowledge that the number of Nollywood movies with village settings is ridiculously high, we can only hope our creatives get more creative than that in the nearest future.
Can Nollywood Save Nigerias Economy?
While there are signs that Nollywood can be a potential answer to Nigeria’s economic problems, alongside the Nigerian music industry, many still doubt that our film industry can succeed where almighty crude oil has failed.
The minority leader of the House of Representatives, Rep. Godwin Elumelu, however, is of the opinion that the training and retraining of the Nigerian film industry players can help generate lots of employment that will lead to an overall boost to the economic reality in the country.
He revealed this recently at the opening of a Two-Day Leadership Master Training for Nollywood Celebrities and Stakeholders in the Movie Industry at the GOTNI Leadership Center, Abuja, and Nigerians have been agreeing and disagreeing.
According to Godwin, the training will kickstart the required strategic multisectoral effort to guarantee the repositioning of the movie industry in Nigeria. He hailed Nollywood for its vision to promote Nigeria’s rich national heritage while also revamping the nation’s economy through its success and recognition.
He believes the industry deservedly ranks as the second-largest movie industry in the world and the largest in Africa, and the fact that Nollywood provides more than 1 million direct employment, plus other forms of business openings in the country, makes it a national treasure.
Elumelu revealed that under the PDP administration, Nollywood received lots of multisectoral support and synergy which led to a record productivity boost and a record to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to him, even if there has been a major decline from the 2.3% GDP contribution recorded in 2016, to 0.27 recorded in the first quarter of 2019, he believes our movie industry can bounce back with better effort, skill and ideas.
Godwin believes that Nollywood is definitely a vital hub of our national security because Nigerians are always very passionate about movies they can relate to. He feels our film industry stays vital to the Nigerian society and economy as the outside world sees our beloved nation from the plots, setting and narratives of the movies we churn out on a consistent basis.
Wrapping up, the politician said it is compulsory for us to ensure the movies we produce project Nigeria in good light at all times. According to him, Nollywood filmmakers must use their projects to promote certain virtues that portray Nigerians as hardworking and responsible people, which we truly are. He added that the movie sector should also strategically show that specific vices that plague our nation nowadays are not part of our true values as a people.
The lawmaker concluded by saying he has been a friend of the Nollywood industry as a person and professional for many years. While pointing out that their relationship will never change, he assured everyone present at the training that he will keep advocating for incentives that will help the growth of the industry, so that Nollywood can keep growing while creating employment and wealth for different homes across Nigeria.
