Is Nollywood Ready For The Oscars? Slumdog Millionaire’s Luck

With the recent success of Slumdog millionaire, an Indian box office mega-blockbuster which succeeded in winning eight Oscars including best picture, director, adapted screenplay, editing, cinematography, sound mixes, score and songs, it has become quite apparent that Hollywood, the US movie industry, is no longer looking only within the Hollywood circle to showcase budding and amazing talents in the movie industry. In the last ten years foreign movies like ‘The Last Samurai,’ ‘Life Is Beautiful – La Vita e Bella,’ ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, ’‘Babel,’ ‘Volver’ and ‘Apocalypto, just to mention but a few -.have all been nominated for, and some won, multiple roles in the Grammys.Slumdog Millionaire is the latest addition to these films....Read the full article.

okwuchukwu · Jul 4, 2009 , 11:01 PM

I agree with your submission.Nollywood is one of the best thing to happen to Nigeria.If you have travelled around Africa and other places you would understand the impact of this industry .This is a vital aspect of cultural diplomacy as even kids are well aware of Nigerian culture and mannerism.The government and other stakeholders should build sructures for its sustainability and development.I believe we can benefit from nollywood as the US benefitted from Hollywood .please please please the practioners and others should not allow the industry to die or to suffer.

Aokusman · Jul 5, 2009 , 12:31 AM

Your article is very interesting, however I want to point out some errors you have made. First of, you classified the movie Apocolypto as a foreign or non Hollywood movie. Apocolypto was actually directed by Mel Gibson, an American. Secondly you refered to the movie Slum Dog Millionaire as an Indian movie. Slum Dog Millionaire is actually a British movies directed by Danny Boyle.
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nijalaw · Jul 5, 2009 , 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by Aokusman

Your article is very interesting, however I want to point out some errors you have made. First of, you classified the movie Apocolypto as a foreign or non Hollywood movie. Apocolypto was actually directed by Mel Gibson, an American. Secondly you refered to the movie Slum Dog Millionaire as an Indian movie. Slum Dog Millionaire is actually a British movies directed by Danny Boyle.
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You are quite right. Maybe when we get an English or American director to do a film on the Nigerian experience then we could be in contention unless our own Nollywood practitioners wake up & make good quality movies with acceptance beyond the continent of Africa.

The Movies themselves – now, I could go on, but let me just say this, when Bruce Willis came out with Die-Hard one, it was a huge success. Then number two Die-Hard came out and it was bearable, still. However, when Die-Hard number three came out people were frankly fed-up; after all, how much ‘harder’ can one person possibly die? You get my drift? Finish a movie in part one, or two, if need be, but please, spare us part three, especially if part two lasted but just one hour!

On this I will disagree, remember the recent success of Die Hard 4.0, Rambo 4, Indiana Jones 4, what about the Spiderman franchise; all 3 movies grossed over $300M each domestically in the USA. What about Star Wars & it's six episodes, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Carribean & many more.
The most important aspect for regular success of any movie franchise is good acting, good directing, good plot lines, great special fx, editing etc & good timing to boot.

Eace · Jul 5, 2009 , 05:39 PM

No. Nollywood is not ready for the Oscars.

The Poet · Jul 5, 2009 , 09:36 PM

I am aware that Slumdog was directed by a British man. However, that still does not make it a British film. The theme, as well as the actors, are still very much Indian. If a Danny Boyle were to direct a Nigerian movie tomorrow, would that make the movie British?

Igboamaeze · Jul 5, 2009 , 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by okwuchukwu

I agree with your submission.Nollywood is one of the best thing to happen to Nigeria.If you have travelled around Africa and other places you would understand the impact of this industry .This is a vital aspect of cultural diplomacy as even kids are well aware of Nigerian culture and mannerism.The government and other stakeholders should build sructures for its sustainability and development.I believe we can benefit from nollywood as the US benefitted from Hollywood .please please please the practioners and others should not allow the industry to die or to suffer.

------------------

Mba nu. No Sir, not this time.

I was enjoying your post till I got there! Mba nu. How can you invite government? Don't you know that whenever Nigerian government intervenes in any endeavor, it brings pain and misery?

Government building structures for sustainable...wetin?

Mba nu...

The Poet · Jul 5, 2009 , 09:50 PM

I respect your views. However, do you remember ]Bended like Beckam]?...It was very much an Indian film and quite a hit it was too. What made it so? Spirit of excellence in its production and directing. Bollywood has wisened up..enough to learn to lean where the wind blows. My point is that Nollywood should be wise enough to do same. Unless it vision is to be known in Africa alone. It's all about vision and purpose!

The Poet · Jul 5, 2009 , 09:59 PM

Thank you for your comment. However, we cannot really compare the basis under which Hollywood extends its movies from part one, two, three, ad infinitum...with that of its Nigerian counterpart, can we? With Hollywood, it follows a logical sequence. Nigerian version, on the other hand, is done for the sole purpose of making more money..not because the movies need NEED to be extended.

Akpu-Nku · Jul 6, 2009 , 05:30 AM

Originally Posted by The Poet

I respect your views. However, do you remember ]Bended like Beckam]?...It was very much an Indian film and quite a hit it was too. What made it so? Spirit of excellence in its production and directing. Bollywood has wisened up..enough to learn to lean where the wind blows. My point is that Nollywood should be wise enough to do same. Unless it vision is to be known in Africa alone. It's all about vision and purpose!

Bend It Like Beckam is a British film. People should get their facts right if they are going to pontificate. To you chaps nothing good comes out of Africa espacially when opinions are deeply biased and ethnicised.

mediacentric · Jul 6, 2009 , 02:12 PM

Thank you Akpu-Nku, People really should get their facts right. I work in Nollywood and I really would love to one day read a well researched paper on the topic. And most importantly, brilliant suggestions on how to move the industry forward. It's so easy to sit behind our big desks and write stuff, but how much of the written stuff have helped us? The govenment took interest in Nollywood and that's when it started to go down, all they want to do is introduce taxes and travel to a million places under Nollywood's umbrella, they arent interested in helping. Someone here said we make part one and two to make money, you may want to find out how much money a Nollywood movie makes in the first place what with the high level of piracy.
Most of the best stuff written about Nollywood whether negative or positive has been by the West which is a shame really but they research while we... Hollywood and Bollywood succeeded because the citizens saw the industry as theirs and made it a collaborative efffort to make it work. That's the only way ours can work as well. I think we have a fantastic thing in Nigeria-this Nollywood, but our pull me down syndrome won't let us grow. Someone commented on my fb page about how the editors can't write proper English and someone else asked the person to buy editors dictionaries.

Eace · Jul 6, 2009 , 02:47 PM

Ok, now this thread is beginning to read like a Nollywood script -since when have film settings been the basis of categorisation - because a movie/film is set in India or has an Indian story line does not make it an Indian film. Films are categorised based on the production industry. Even if Danny Boyle takes on a Nollywood script and films with Nollywood actors in Nigeria, that film will be British if the production company is British.

Then, someone is suggesting buying editors dictionaries????????? How did they become editors in the first place?

Nollywood's 'problems' do not originate from government taxation - it's about an industry that is in a rush to churn out anything to an audience who are satisfied with watching anything. Having said that, there are some films that are marginally better than others...

kalu31 · Jul 6, 2009 , 03:35 PM

Nollywhat!

we make millions of "home video" in Nigeria, they are sold to Million for less than a $1, and they are in reality....... crap.

you can tell the end of the movie from the poster or the "theme" song, they always involve a Juju man, and you can watch a man get dressed for 30 mins.

Bollywood has moved on ooh, sly stallone is acting in Bollywood, Snoop Dog dig did a soundtrack etc, our movies are still shot in VHS and cannot win anything on our subcontinent, if quanty remains King, then Nollywood will remain king.

but give them credit, according to stats after "pure water" they are the largest employers of labour, they keep the masses intoxicated that they do not notice they are watching the movie on a generator, and they pay above minimum wage.

but like everythng Nigeria , we have settled for the mediocare, is this not the same country that produced "Abiku" by Ogunde and "Thing fall Apart" miniseries on NTA?

Oscar Koo Oscar Nee!

Segun Sam · Jul 11, 2009 , 03:14 PM

The author missed a couple of points:
- quality of sound recording and lighting in Nollywood is at best basic, at worst atrocious
- cinematography and sound design seem to be concepts that have bypassed most Nollywood filmmakers

Basically, Nollywood is not ready to compete with movies outside of African and diaspora audiences, because of the shoddy quality of production. Until basic production standards are raised, they will remain in a ghetto, one which is actually self-imposed. The poor technical quality of Nigerian films is due to the short-term quick profit mentality of producers. How many Nollywood filmmakers take more than a month to write, shoot and edit? A month is probably considered high budget.

The issues of predictable plots, leaden dialogue and overtheatrical acting are relatively minor. Indian films have succeeded and thrived despite sharing many of these failings. The difference is that the basic quality of Indian films, the time spent on music composition, set design and choreography, has generally been very high. South American TV is almost as poor quality as Nollywood films, and yet sells huge volumes.

What Nollywood lacks are cinematic visionaries and the producers willing to invest in them. That is what creates great cinema. Nollywood at present makes TV dramas closer to soap operas than cinema.

We should not forget that the Hollywood and Bollywood film industries are over 90 years old, Nollywood by comparison has not yet done SS1.

Segun Sam · Jul 11, 2009 , 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by mediacentric

Thank you Akpu-Nku, People really should get their facts right. I work in Nollywood and I really would love to one day read a well researched paper on the topic. And most importantly, brilliant suggestions on how to move the industry forward. It's so easy to sit behind our big desks and write stuff, but how much of the written stuff have helped us? The govenment took interest in Nollywood and that's when it started to go down, all they want to do is introduce taxes and travel to a million places under Nollywood's umbrella, they arent interested in helping. Someone here said we make part one and two to make money, you may want to find out how much money a Nollywood movie makes in the first place what with the high level of piracy.
Most of the best stuff written about Nollywood whether negative or positive has been by the West which is a shame really but they research while we... Hollywood and Bollywood succeeded because the citizens saw the industry as theirs and made it a collaborative efffort to make it work. That's the only way ours can work as well. I think we have a fantastic thing in Nigeria-this Nollywood, but our pull me down syndrome won't let us grow. Someone commented on my fb page about how the editors can't write proper English and someone else asked the person to buy editors dictionaries.

The best way for Nollywood movies to progress is for filmmakers to value themselves and their vision of cinema more highly. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but until you filmmakers become as interested in the craft and art of cinema as you are in the revenues from sales, Nollywood will not produce groundbreaking and high quality cinema.

I am only a casual viewer of Nollywood films, but I can only think of one Nigerian film of recent years has achieved production values at the level of Hollywood and Bollywood: Critical Assignment with Michael Power, and that was because Guinness were willing to invest in it as a marketing strategy. It was still a fairly mediocre action film as regards plot, but at least the technical quality was there.

If you can direct me to any other high quality Nollywood movies, I would be happy to revise my opinion.