Only recently, a group of seasoned actors and producers came together to correct this injustice. The independent filmmakers association is an organization of concerned filmmakers who have over the years danced to the tune of Idumota and Alaba boys. According to Olu Jacobs, a veteran performer who has never disappointed me in any of his projects; "Quality Control is paramount in our agenda". Well, now someone is speaking a language I understand. Quality control. Recently, I saw a film in New York titled; Dirty Pretty Things" starring our very own Chinwetelu Ejiofor and France's Audrey Tautou. Shot in London and featuring over ten foreigners; I mean foreigners with accents. Stephen Frears, the author- made a believer out of me. He rekindled my belief that someday-Afro centric movies with African actors will rule the Western screen. I am not asking our writers to model their style of writing after Frears, all I'm saying is "think beyond Nigeria". I know that our producers, actors, and directors can make a film that can appeal to the international audience. Granted we have very limited technical resources, but in the words of Paul Roberts, do not allow " the technical imperfection to distract the audience. A few directors have however, impressed me with their style, so I will not fail to dough my hat for Tade Ogidan, Lancelot Imasuen, Teco Benson and Tchidi Chikere. I have taken the pain to study these people and their style, and I’ve come to admire and respect them. A friend of mine "Tony Abulu argues that the "Dirty Pretty things" is generating steam because Stephen Frears is friendly with the powers that be. As true as that may be, let’s not take away from the quality of work and talent that went into the production. My take is simple; some of our writers are too myopic and driven by the quest for immediate remuneration. Well that is just my take. We have very good storytellers. In fact we tell better stories than our western counterparts. Our crest of stories could never be exhausted. But...almost every story that comes our way is so mundane that only an afro centric westerner would want to have anything to do with it. Any way, don't listen to me. I am just a nobody. But please, research your stories. Check me next month and I'd give you my take on other issues. For now keep consuming those movies.
The rate at which Nigerians consume home videos is so alarming that those of us living outside the country find it hard to catch up with what's new and what's old. By my educated guess, I would say that an average of fifty home videos are released every month. The question that comes to mind is; Why? If you can't guess why by now, then you haven't been to Nigeria lately, or you haven't visited any African store in the United States or London. The only plausible answer lies in the seeming profit that the producers or sponsors make. I am confused though. Someone help me here. With such proliferation of moviemakers and the apparent profits that follow most productions, I don't understand why some actors, who have featured in over ten major flicks cannot afford a decent home, let alone a car. Stardom and poverty are two parallel roads that can never meet. Some complain that the producers are responsible for their woes, others beat their chests and threaten the marketers and distributors; and a host of them think that the industry is suffering because of piracy. Well, to each his own. I, on the other hand believe that the actors have sold themselves short over the years. Some respectable actors have condescended to a shameful low that they take any script that comes their way. Who am I to blame them any way? There is no defined representation; there is no set standard.
