The rise and rise of seasonal films
Today, the rave is all about season films. Most of them were designed to run on TVs as series but with the coming of DVD technology, any individual can buy them for as low as N200. Prison Break has opened the door for others such as Lost, 24, 4400, Supernatural, House, Desperate Housewives, Legend of […]
Today, the rave is all about season films. Most of them were designed to run on TVs as series but with the coming of DVD technology, any individual can buy them for as low as N200. Prison Break has opened the door for others such as Lost, 24, 4400, Supernatural, House, Desperate Housewives, Legend of the Seeker among others. They come from the eerie to the bizarre and outrageous and sometimes funny.
These Films regarded as season films are gradually taking over most Nigerian homes today. Many prefer to go for such films for various reasons. While some harp on the quality of story in such films, others look at the time limit of such films which makes them more economical and interesting to watch. While most Nigerian films normally last a maximum of 3 hours, these films mostly in DVD format can be watched for a period not less than 24 hours, making it a preferred choice for most viewers. The intellectual depth and quality invested in such works seems also to be a source of encouragement for most people who are gradually becoming addicted to such films.
Ini Asuquo, a medical personnel resident in the nation’s capital, is one of those who prefer to go for such films. According to her she has stopped buying Nigerian home videos since the emergence of these seasonal films in the country. “The films I buy now are these seasonal films. You can stay back at home on days when there is no work and watch them to forestall boredom,” she said. “These films last a long time and you can continue to watch a particular film for close to three days and you will not get tired. The films are well acted and much better in my estimation than these Nigerian films that we have now,” she adds.
Such films can be obtained under any bridge in the city and in some prominent markets across the country. While some are of inferior quality according to some people who patronize them, others can actually last for a long time.
Eddy Iroha sells compact discs and such DVDs in Jikwoyi phase 2, a suburb of Abuja. He says the business has been a financially rewarding one for him owing to the high sales. “The seasonal films are preferred by most customers because it is cheaper. While you will buy a Nigerian home video which is usually in several parts or series like 1, 2, and even 3 at the rate of N2OO each, you can use the same N200 to purchase a seasonal film that will entertain you for up to 3days at times or even more depending on the time you have at your disposal to watch. My customers also say that these films are more interesting than the local ones,” he said.
However, Dr Emman Shehu, Director, International Institute of Journalism, IIJ, Abuja, who also doubles as the Chairman, Abuja Writers Forum (AWF) is one man concerned about the influx of such films into the Nigerian market and the untold damage it is wrecking on the local film industry. He explains to Sunday Trust in an exclusive chat that, “what is happening is that the local content is not meeting up in terms of quality of taste of the people. So the people are looking at alternatives. This is okay on its own. As they say in the business parlance, the customer is always king. The unfortunate thing is that what they are going for in terms of the foreign films is that these movies are pirated. Somebody is obviously pleasing the public but laughing to the bank at the same time by circumventing the laws. Whoever is supposed to be policing this sector is either not finding it easy or is handicapped by the situation. But definitely these are pirated films.”
While he thinks the people should not be blamed for going for such films because they have a right to choose, he said their choice is being manipulated by pirates. “The unfortunate thing is that the original producers are losing out, also the country is losing out because these things are supposed to be taxed. What is even worse is that our own local production is being affected by this situation,” he said.
To improve local content, he says local producers need to invest more quality in their output and avoid “Spaghetti production” whereby 20 films are produced within a week. “No matter how good the story is, if you do not meet international standards you are only wasting your time,” he said. “The viewers are not fools. They see films from abroad and they can compare and contrast even though they may not be trained film makers, script writers or critics. At least as consumers they have a sense of taste. They know what excites them and you cannot deceive them.”
He predicted that there might be a slump in Nollywood in a few years because of increased patronage of these seasonal films. At the rate things are going now, that future may not be too far away as the seasonal films continue to gain acceptance.