‘From accident, Nollywood is now a success story’
Do you agree that what we have today as Nollywood is like a child of sheer accident? That it started without any frame work, no structure amongst other necessary ingredients of a movie industry? Emeka Mba: I do agree to the extent that the evolution of nollywood wasn’t planned. I don’t think anyone can fairly […]
Do you agree that what we have today as Nollywood is like a child of sheer accident? That it started without any frame work, no structure amongst other necessary ingredients of a movie industry?
Emeka Mba: I do agree to the extent that the evolution of nollywood wasn’t planned. I don’t think anyone can fairly say with all sense of seriousness that it was planned. The whole nollywood just happened as a child of necessity. It all started in the early nineties when commercialization set in, especially at the NTA. All the trained, broadcasters had to leave and atthat point they needed to be absorbed some where. Coupled with the advent of the digital video recording, the skills and man power, it was obvious that somebody was going to do something. I think it was actually an accident but we have worked hard and are still working to put the right structures to make it work the right way. Today, this accident has become a success story. I am proud of the industry in spite of the obvious challenges.
A major challenge to the industry is distribution and exhibition. What are the measures your board took about four years ago in order to check this challenge?
Yes, you cannot have a good movie structure without a sound distribution and exhibition channel and linkage. No film industry would grow and be sustained as it should without these channels. Because that is where the money comes from and that is what takes the content to the consumers and that’s what also accounts for the revenue. The major problem we had and still have in Nollywood is still the distribution and exhibition. The idea here is that technically, there is no barrier in movie production, anyone can be a producer, but the issue is how do you make the movies and still make the money? So, if we want to make real impact in this industry, the issue of distribution is key, that is even one of our key and fundamental mandates.
As a film stakeholder in Nigeria, how would you describe cinema culture as well as other film exhibition in Nigeria?
To a large extent, the cinema life in Nigeria is seriously growing. Thanks to the advent of high technology, freedom and globalization. The moment a movie is out, Nigerians suddenly start discussing it on social network sites; face book, twitter my space etc. All these have broadened our horizon about film.
Could you please shed more light on the issue of ethics, practices and code of conduct in relation to movie making in Nigeria, from the production to post production stages.
In a very subtle indirect way, we don’t want to run the risk of teleguiding the movie makers on what to do and how to do it. The laws are clear; we don’t get involved in the movie making process. It would also be counter productive to do that. However, we believe that there should be a standard in movie making as well as the issue of ethical conduct amongst others. But the law does not give us the power to interfere in that regard. But all good and organized movie industries the world over have a certain way to guide the operations of members, like in South Africa, they have a very strict entry requirement for members. But government can however, create incentives for best practices or sanction the industry as the case may be, all in a bid to promote ethics and best practice.