Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films and Home Videos in Nigeria Edited By Olufemi Onabajo Ritchard M ’Bayo UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Published by African Renaissance Books Incorporated, 13918 Heatherstone Drive, Bowie, Maryland 20720, United States of America. Contact in Nigeria: P. 0. Box 2516, Mushin, Lagos, Nigeria, e-mail: conceptpublications@gmail.com Phone: 0805 259 4490 & 01-8183150 Copyright © O. S. Onabajo & R. M'Bayo 2009 ISBN: 978-0-9801626-3-9 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright owners. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Contents Dedication ii Preface xiii Acknowledgements xv List of Contributors xvi Chapter l l Film/Cinema Development: From Still to Motion Picture 19 - Christopher Enwefah Introduction 19 Early Attempts at Producing Motion 19 Film Mechanism 20 Film Strip 21 Film and the Theory of Illusion and Movement 21 Film and Photography 22 Sequential Photographs 24 Camera and viewing Mechanisms 25 The Cinematographe and the First Cinema 26 Film and Reality 29 Realistic and Formative Tendencies 30 Properties of the Film Medium 33 Major Film Categories 34 References 51 Chapter J!il An Overview of the Nigerian Film Industry 53 - Sunday Oloruntola Introduction 53 Historical Background 53 Policy Environment for the Film Industry 56 Emergence of the National Film Policy 59 Problems Confroting the Film Industry 60 The Way Out 60 Conclusion 61 References 62 v UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY vi Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... Chapter O * Growth and Development of Video Film in Nigeria 63 - Ritchard M ’Bayo & Olufemi Onabajo Introduction 63 Some Assumptions o f Nigerian Home Video 64 Consequences of Foreign Video 64 Reflecting Image o f the Home Video 65 Sex and Violence in Nigerian Home Video 67 The Talent Pool 69 Revenue-Earning Potentials o f Nollywood 72 Funding o f Nigerian Home video 74 Why Government Must Wake Up 78 Recommendations 80 References 81 Chapter 4 l Film and its Development in Nigeria: The Neglected Gap 83 - Olufemi Onabajo & Jane Odoe Introduction 83 Film in Nigeria 84 Nollywood through the Eyes of Actors and Actresses 88 The Nigeria Film and Video Censors’ Board 92 Film and Development 93 Nigeria and the Neglected Gap 98 Conclusion and Recommendation 104 References 105 Chapter 5# The Development of themes in Yoruba Full-Length Films 108 - Teslim Lawal Introduction 108 The Development o f Themes in Yoruba Films 110 Yoruba Theatre and Film 111 The Relevance o f Themes to the Nigerian Audience 113 Folklore and Traditional Theme in Ogunde Films 115 Satiric and Comic Themes in Olaiya’s Films 116 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Contents Conclusion 118 References 119 Chapter The Relevance of Home Video Themes to the Nigerian Society 120 - Felix Onabajo & Cecilia Oladapo Introduction 120 The Anticidents o f the Nigerian Film Industry 121 Theoretical Framework 122 Thematic Feature o f Nigerian Home Video 123 Conclusion 127 References 128 Chapter 7 • Attitudes of Nigerians to Themes of Nigerian Home Video Films 129 - Olufemi Onabajo & Ify Oluku Introduction 129 Nigeria Home Videos 131 Theoretical Framework 135 Thematic Trends o f Nigerian Home Videos 138 Influence o f Nigerian Home Video on Viewers 141 Research Back-up and Findings 143 Conclusion 145 References 146 Chapter 8 « The Role of Culture in Thematic Esposition of Yoruba Films 148 - Olufemi Onabajo & Olujoke Binutu Introduction 148 The Yorubas 149 The Nature o f Yoruba Belief 151 Basic Elements o f Video Film 152 Role of Culture in Thematic Exposition in Selected Yoruba Films 153 Conclusion and Suggestions 157 References 158 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY viii Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... Chapter The Cultural Milieu in Hausa Home Video 159 - Liman Tijani Introduction 159 The Emergence of Video Films in Nigeria 161 Home Video and the Nigerian Socio-Cultural Milieu 165 Theoretical Framework 167 Culture, Film, and Home Video 168 Hausa Home Video and Cultural Imperialism 170 Themes and Cultural Synchronization in Hausa Movies 172 Cultural Erosion and the Challenges for Hausa Home Videos 174 Recommendations 179 Conclusion 181 References 182 Chapter 10 * Perception and Implications of the Theme of the Supernatural in Nigeria’s Igbo Home Video Movies 184 - Ifeoma Theresa Amobi Introduction 184 The Theme of the Supernatural 187 Theme of the Supernatural in the Movies 193 Implications 197 Conclusion 201 References 203 Chapter 11 ̂Challenges of Home Video and Film Production in Nigeria 205 - Joy-Rita Mogbogu Introduction 205 Challenges 207 - Funding 208 - Piracy 209 - Lack of Training 210 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Contents ix -Unprofessionalism 210 -Casting/Favouritism 111 -Social Responsibility of Actors 211 -Sexual Harrassment 212 -Theme/Storyline/Scripting 213 -Titles 213 -Opportunitists 214 -Poor Editing 215 -Quality - Quantity Dichotomy 215 -Censorship 216 -Technological Challenge 217 -Marketing/Distribution 218 -Lack of Government Support 218 Conclusion, Suggestions and Recommendations 219 References 221 Chapter 12 I The Challenges for Education in African Films 222 - Olufemi Onabajo Introduction 222 Operational Framework 223 Nature of the Film Industry in Africa 225 The Educational Imperative 227 The Need for Thematic Relevance 229 Employing Film for Education 231 Conclusion 233 References 234 Chapter 13 • Economic and Technological Threat to Continued Growth of Home Video Industry in Nigeria 237 - Olusola Is ola Introduction 237 Growth and Features of the Nigerian Home Video Industry 238 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY x Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... The Threats and Opportunities of Digital Video Discs 245 The Threats and Opportunities of the Internet (Video Streaming) 246 The Revival of the Cinema 247 Funding of Home Video Industry 249 The Future of the Industry 250 Conclusion 251 References 251 Chapter 14: Pathways to Sustainable Development of Yoruba Home Video Industry 253 - Adepoju Tejumaiye Introduction 253 The Concept o f Industry 255 The Yoruba Home Video Industry 257 Yoruba Travelling Theatre 257 Television and Films 260 Problems of the Industry 265 Pathways to Sustaining the Industry 266 References 270 Chapter 15: The Non-Formal Contents of Nigeria’s Yoruba Home Video Films: A Socio-Cultural Analysis 272 - Cecilia Oladapo Introduction 272 Background to the Study 273 Literature Review 274 Research Questions 276 Research Methodology 276 Results 278 Test of Hypotheses 282 Discussion of Findings 283 Recommendations 284 References 285 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Contents XI Chapter W : Preference of Foreign Movies to Local Home Videos by Nigerian Youths 287 - Ritchard M ’Bayo & Ayotunde Alao Introduction 287 Theoretical Framework 290 The Audience Theory 290 Foreign Movies Versus Nigerian Home Videos 292 Empirical Studies 292 Recommendations 295 Conclusion 298 References 299 Chapter 17 • Nollywood, Bollywood and Hollywood: The Impact of Modern Technology on Film Production 301 - Segun Odukomaiya Introduction 301 Technology’s Panacea for Film Production 303 Proliferation o f Video Film Production 304 The Future o f Video Recorder Technology 306 Conclusion 307 References 308 Chapter 18 • Understanding the Role of Customer- Relations in Nollywood Marketing Strategies 310 -A d elabu Omo wale Introduction 310 Entertainment as Business 311 The Customer 314 Customer Relations 316 Conclusion 320 References 320 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY xii Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... Chapter 19: Projecting the Nigerian Image through the Film Industry 322 - Soji Alabi Introduction 322 The Film Industry: In the Post Independence Era 325 The Coming of Nollywood 330 The Nigerian Image 331 Nollywood and Nigeria’s Image 334 Conclusion 339 References 340 Chapter 20: National Film and Video Censor’s Board (NFVCB) as Gatekeepers in the Nigerian Film/ Home Video Industry 342 - 1. S. Popoola Introduction 342 Imperative of the NFVCB 342 Conceptual/Theoretical Framework 343 NFVCB and Gatekeeping: An Analysis 345 Conclusion and Recommendations 351 References 352 Index 353 UNIVERSITY OF IBADA LIBRARY Chapter 13 Economic and Technological Threat to Continued Growth of Home Video ______________ Industry in Nigeria Olusola O. Isold Introduction W ITHIN two decades, the home video industry in Nigeria has grown to become one o f the three biggest in the world in spite of the economic difficulties the country faced during the period. The industry is now among the top employers of labour and it is providing social and economic support for other sectors o f the Nigerian economy. However, while most o f the activities o f the home video industry revolve around artistic content, production and marketing, the local technological input into the industry is virtually non-existent. The business model being adopted in the industry is not dynamic enough to sustain the pace of innovations and activ ities in the industry , w hich is interfacing with the global environment at a very fast speed. Also, the legal framework that guides the activities o f this industry remain largely static for a dynamic and crucial sector of an economy which continues to attract new entrepreneurs, professionals and investors whose orientation and vision are structured towards competition in the global environment. 237 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 238 Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... As this piece will show, the dynamic foreign-sourced technology which sustains the pace o f the home video sector in Nigeria and the dearth of innovation and clear foresight of the drivers of the industry may soon consume this vibrant industry in a fast-liberalizing global environment. This could however be prevented if appropriate proactive measures are taken to make the industry expansive and dynamic enough to meet up with the technology that sustains it in order to cope with the emerging global environment which would drive the industry into the future. As will be seen, this responsibility is not only that of the entrepreneurs in the industry, but also requires an evolution of deliberate government policies to protect and advance the industry which is being threatened by the massive consuming capacity of the global popular culture, backed up by new information and communication technology. Growth and Features of the Nigerian Home Video Industry The Nigerian Nollywood is regarded as the third largest film industry in the world after Hollywood in the United States and Bollywood in India. The phenomenal expansion o f the film industry since the late 1980s is remarkable, when it is considered that this was a period when N igeria was experiencing severe economic depression which affected other sectors of the country’s economy negatively and depressed the standard of living of the citizen. It is also remarkable to note that the rise of the home video industry coincided with the recession in the cinema and travelling theatres, and radical depression in the night life o f urban centres in Nigeria. In addition, the diminishing qualities o f television programmes in the country aided the popularity o f home videos, which audience turns to when they are dissatisfied with the content of free-to-air television programmes. At that time, cable and satellite television were not yet in vogue and even no private television station was yet licensed in Nigeria. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Economic and Technological Threat to Continued Growth of Home video ... 239 In the 1970s through the mid-1980s, travelling theatres found romance in television because o f the popularity o f the medium. However, all the television stations in Nigeria were run by either the state or federal government since private owners were not allowed then to invest in the electronic media. The romance o f theatre groups with the television was not sustainable and short-lived since most o f the state television stations were running on state funds and could not support the activities of artistes because o f limited commercial drives in those stations. Barber (2000:245) recounts: ....tra v e llin g th eatre trou pes faced num erous difficulties when working with the sole institutions in charge o f TV broadcasting in Nigeria in the 1980s, namely the NTA. Although production on TV gave the actors and their companies greater exposure to the public, they did not find the NTA a dependable business partner. NTA defaulted on payments, did not respect copyright and paid royalties only haphazardly. Independent film producers and directors who were producing soap operas and dramas for the television faced nightmares in getting sponsors for their programmes. Many such programmes were yanked off the television screen due to lack of sponsorship and as a result of disputes with corporate sponsors and television station management, thus boosting the resolve of the producers and artistes to explore other opportunities in other media. Barber reveals that this frustration exposed the theatre companies and independent film directors to celluloid films as a preferable medium to expose their creative works. They were able to retain control over their products and could exercise greater control over profits gained from the production of their creative works in audio-visual format. However, recession began in the cinema due to reduced night life in urban centres. Since the theatre companies had UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 240 Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... already been exposed to film production and producers and directors were comfortable with it, the transition from cinema to home video was easy. Moreover, home video production offered the advantage o f cheaper production cost and minimal technical expertise. Film directors were able to produce video films in a shorter period with a lower budget than they could do when they were working on celluloid. At the initial stage, the quality of production was low. Shaka (2003:46) aptly describes the trend then: Technically speaking, most o f the video films o f the late 1980s were of poor production quality. Most were hastily shot with VHS cameras which resulted in extreme depreciation and poor picture quality after editing. Besides, the camera and lighting crews were mostly amateurs with little knowledge o f camera operation and lighting for the screen. Since most of the directors’ knowledge o f screen narration was limited, the productions were extremely stagy, with the camera functioning purely as photographic equipment offering a peeping window into the narrative world of the video film. However, producers were able to learn fast and improved on their skills. Fortunately, video viewing had become a leisure activity preferred by the audience since its access did not depend on advanced literacy. Over time, the home video industry expanded beyond theatre companies and producers abilities to finance production of films. Marketers and other financiers became involved in financing the production process which eventually enhanced the quality o f films produced beyond what it was at the initial stage. Though this financing trend has attracted criticism because o f the overbearing influence o f marketers and businessmen in film production, it is important to note that this trend is not peculiar to Nigeria. It is the same in the Western world where even the UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Economic and Technological Threat to Continued Growth of Home video ... 241 promotional budget for a production sometimes exceeds the actual production cost of films. Larger budget productions are now possible in Nigeria because of more access to financial resources and better quality equipment for production, though not comparable with Western productions. Nevertheless, Nigerian home videos now compete favourably in the international environment and some have in fact won awards at global competitions in the last decade. There is a delicate balance between production economics among the home video business concerns on the one hand, and the urge to express creativity among the home video artistes on the other hand. Film producers and marketers adopt strategies that enable their businesses to be profitable while fulfilling audience needs for satisfaction from patronizing the films. Serialization o f narratives is a common trend in the home video industry, which enables film producers and artistes to m axim ize p rofit out o f their artistic endeavours. Serialization is a unique property o f video technology where narratives are spread over two or more video cassettes that are released independently over a period of several months. Hobson (quoted in Adejumobi, 2003:52) says such serialization "has established characters, settings and an unfolding narrative, whose plots and story lines continue from one episode to another.” Allen (1995) describes it as “organization of narrative and narration around enforced and regular suspension of both textual display and reading activities.” Though serialization is also common in other parts o f the world, short serialization is a major trend in the home video industry in Nigeria (Adejumobi, 2003). Usually, the first instalment of serialized home video ends without a resolution of the conflict at the heart o f the narrative. This is unlike European and American films each of which presents at least a partial resolution of the plot which could give an inkling of the event in the su ccessiv e series. H ow ever, since UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 242 Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... serialization is tied with commercialization of fictional narratives, it offers home video marketers the opportunity to lure the audience into expectation about subsequent series through creation of sometimes undue and unnecessary suspense. This trend may however be vitiated by new technology which is offering the audience prolonged period o f watching hours at a sitting. M oreover, emerging technology may force a shift from the current business model in the film industry whereby film marketers determine the fate of video film production as against audience preference in the production and marketing of films. Most of the hardware that drives the home video industry in Nigeria is foreign-sourced. Cameras, editing equipment and sometimes even props and costumes are imported. It is still a mystery why investors have not shown interest in how to manufacture some of the equipment locally in spite of the phenomenal expansion in the home video industry in Nigeria. Typical of the Nigerian economic environment, producers source for second-hand equipment from Asia. Europe and America when some of the equipment needed for production are not available or affordable. However, a new trend of business specialization is emerging in the industry whereby some business concerns now major in equipment acquisition and hiring to film producers. Thus, it makes more economic sense to hire equipment at a cost which is built into the production expenses of a film. Agencies that specialize in representing artistes, in locating and managing shooting sites and in building and managing props are now springing up. Thus, in spite of the limitations initially imposed by technology, the home video industry is able to advance through the participation of investors in relevant specialized areas. The producers’ responsibility is to be able to source for a veritable avenue of finance for a project and locate a good script. Even then, there are now UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Economic and Technological Threat to Continued Growth of Home video ... 243 agencies that specialize in script syndication, while others are assisting producers to locate appropriate finances to run their projects. This business model, although not entirely strange elsewhere, is driving the home industry in Nigeria, even with little support coming from government which is yet to fully realize the importance o f this industry in the face o f contemporary global competition. Another important feature o f the home video industry is the emergence o f various guilds associated with the industry. Within the industry, we now have the actors’ guild, producers’ association, and marketers’ association among others. The intention o f the various trade associations is to regulate the activities o f their members. Like any other sector o f the econom y, the problem s associated w ith quality control became apparent in the home video industry in Nigeria. This concern largely informed the emergence o f most o f these guilds and associations which have now put up measures to regulate the operation o f their members. However, not much impact o f these guilds has been seen, especially in relation to ethics in the industry. A common feature among these associations and guilds is the constant internal bickering among their members, especially in relation to leadership ascension. They tend to devote more time and attention to resolution and even escalation of such internal conflicts which impact negatively on the major objectives for which such associations were formed in the first instance. A major problem facing the home video industry in Nigeria is the extant copyright law which is not suitable for the pace o f development o f the industry. In spite o f the dynamism o f the industry to date, it is the same copyright law which applies to written text that also applies to film production in its entire ramification. Pirates are so much ravaging the industry that it has taken the resilience o f the entrepreneurs to have survived for so long. New technologies are even UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 244 Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... making the industry to be more vulnerable to the activities of pirates because the facilities to illegally copy productions are the easiest to obtain. Many producers, artistes and financiers who had invested in the industry had run bankrupt and been frustrated out because of activities of the pirates. Over the years, the activities of video clubs and video rental shops have thrived at the detriment of the industry. After a while, the industry had learnt to contend with these illegal rentals and seemed to strike a compromise when the operators association was formalized. Government has initiated regulations of the production aspect of the industry. The National Film and Video Censors Board, which was established in 1993, has put in place various regulations, among which is the classification of contents and the establishment of quality standards for materials that could be broadcast or sold in the open market. In spite of this however, there are still some shortcomings in the production quality of some of the home videos, especially with regard to the likely impact of their contents on the moral fabric of the vulnerable demographic group and the delicate socio-cultural environm ent o f the audience o f locally produced home videos. This trend has however not vitiated the contribution of the industry to popularizing Nigerian culture, especially in the global environment. In spite o f the constraints faced by the industry, its products have broken through geographical barriers and it is carving a niche for itself in the global cultural context. Its products are today available in many parts of the world and the global satellite television broadcasting channels are fast realizing that they could no longer ignore Nigerian Nollywood products, to the extent that some channels are now emerging to offer Nollywood films to the global audience. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Economic and Technological Threat to Continued Growth of Home video ... 245 The Threats and Opportunities of Digital Video Discs Initially, Nigerian home video productions are offered through VHS cassette. This is fast giving way to Video Compact Discs (VCDs). With the digitalization o f recording, editing and other production facilities, even the VCD will soon give way completely to Digital Video Discs (DVDs). The ultra- clear multipurpose DVD is the latest technology in home video storage and recording and it will certainly determine the future direction of businesses in the Nigerian film industry. The broadcast time of a single small dish of DVD could mount up to 30 hours. Its sound and picture quality is incomparable with VHS and VCD. Video programmes recorded on the DVD also have the advantage o f being subtitled in several languages without one interfering with the others. All it requires for its operation is for the viewer to press the appropriate button to switch on to his preferred language. The advantage o f this facility is that the marketing o f films can be done globally to any language group. It only depends on how adventurous and aggressive a film marketer is. However, it also compels film production to meet global standard because o f the stiff competition in the industry. The implication o f this is that the Nigerian home video is no longer subject to local standard alone but also to global standard which im poses more production responsibilities in terms of quality. Perhaps the greatest threat of the DVD to the home video industry in N igeria is the serialization trend in the production o f home videos, which is a popular trend, as earlier described. Production in the DVD format will compel film producers to extend serialization time beyond the traditional period since it is now possible for a viewer to sit through one programme for many hours on the same DVD dish. In addition to this, the activities o f pirates will be more enhanced with UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 246 Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... the arrival o f DVD, especially in the face o f absence o f strict copyright regulations. DVD has made it possible to offer as many as twenty films on the same small DVD dish. In essence, as many series as possible of a production could be pirated and offered to the audience through one single dish. This could be detrimental to the commercial interests o f film producers, marketers and artistes. The Threats and Opportunities of the Internet, (Video Streaming) The in tern et has brou gh t a new d im en sion in to entertainment access across the globe. Time and distance have been rendered irrelevant to access to information and entertainment, and this is bound to also have an influence on the home video industry. Streaming media is a unique feature of the internet, which refers mainly to the delivery mode rather than the content of the communication. It is a multimedia mode that is normally displayed by the source and continuously received by the end user (Wikipedia, 2007). This system enables radio messages, television programmes, movies and other mass mediated information to be streamed down to the audience through a secondary system, this time the telecommunication system, especially the internet. The system is m akin g film s and oth er en terta in m en t programmes instantly available on demand. This mode of access to entertainment is becoming popular, especially among the younger sector o f the population. Sometimes such entertainments are subscribed to or are accessed free of charge but accompanied by commercial advertisements. The opportunity this internet video streaming is offering home video is that it removes the boundaries for expansion of the marketing o f Nigerian home videos into the whole world. Already, some marketers have developed websites dedicated to marketing and promotion o f Nigerian home UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Economic and Technological Threat to Continued Growth of Home video ... 247 videos where they make previews o f such videos possible. Some are making it possible for the audience to subscribe to watch the videos online or to purchase a copy o f such home videos online. This enhances the contribution o f the Nigerian art industry into the global popular culture and bolsters the struggle against cultural imperialism with such contribution from the indigenous folk culture into the evolving global culture. Apart from this, it has the potential o f expanding the financial base o f artistes, producers and marketers, including all participants in the home video industry if well managed. The threat, however, is that this technology has expanded the scope for piracy, which is the bane o f the home video industry in particular and creative ventures in general. Since the laws governing the activities o f operators o f the internet are still evolving, even in the global environment, this imposes new challenges on drivers o f the Nigerian home video industry to monitor illegal offering o f the industry’s products on the internet. Even after tracking and detecting piracy o f works on the internet, the mode of arresting and prosecution, and where the prosecution would take place, is bound to pose a big challenge. In the process, much funds, energy and goodwill may be lost and home video investors will be the loser for it. Therefore, the responsibility now falls on the industry to evolve creative and dynamic ways o f tackling this challenge, which is bound to continue into the future. The Revival of the Cinema The cinema has experienced a recession since the early 1990s because o f the insecurity associated with going to the cinema in the late hours o f the day. This trend greatly boosted home entertainment, and accounted for the boom in home video production, especially in this part o f the world. However, we are now witnessing a gradual resurgence o f the cinema with new strategies adopted by investors in the cinema sector. Part UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 248 Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... of the strategies adopted in reviving it is combining the cinema with other leisure modes whereby fast foods, bars, gambling, children entertainment and shopping, are made possible in the same venue. In addition to this, internet communication has made it possible for new films to be premiered in different locations across the globe accompanied with large promotional efforts. This attracts people to cinema houses to witness such events which are often celebrated as global events with attendant pomp and ceremony. In Lagos for example, the Silverbird Cinema and NuMetro Cinema are becoming major entertainment and shopping locations and they are getting popular by featuring mainly foreign-produced movies. These and other newly emerging cinema houses have not yet found a deal to feature locally made films, but they are latching on the economic and cultural liberalization of government to expand their business scope. Nevertheless, they are slicing off a fairly large cut from the entertainment budget of middle- class households in areas where they are located. It is expected that this trend will continue to grow and could give the cinema a new impetus in the entertainment industry, which is gradually drawing people outdoors. The challenge o f the revival o f cinema to the home video industry is that producers should now begin a re-examination of the delivery methods o f the industry’s products to the audience. There is now a necessity to rethink their business model with a view to interfacing the cinema with other modes of delivery if the industry is to have a fair share of the newly emerging cinema audience. Moreover, the cinema is capable of expanding the revenue base o f film producers if they are able to mobilize sufficient commercial advertisements from other productive and service sectors of the economy. The interface between satellite technology and the cinema has expanded the cinema audience from local to global, and this could provide another goldmine for film producers. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Economic and Technological Threat to Continued Growth of Home video ... 249 Funding of the Home Video Industry The economy of the home video industry in Nigeria is tied to the emerging global economy. Since there is a growing specialization in all the various aspects of the industry elsewhere across the world, it is expected that various corporate bodies would continue to specialize in equipment hiring and leasing, project financing, artistic management, script syndication, prop construction, costume hiring, marketing and marketing support, and so on. This is good for the expansion of the industry. Also, the growing trend of distributors bankrolling film the production budget, which is not peculiar to the video industry in Nigeria, will continue. However, the disturbing trend of promoters and marketers directly interfering in professional production decisions of films must end. Many directors and producers have complained about film marketers imposing particular story lines, actors and even shooting locations and props on them in the production process. This trend is capable of negatively affecting creativity, which may not be favourable to the growth of the industry. This problem has only imposed on film producers the challenge of diversifying the sources of funding. It is imminent that the production budget would continue to grow if Nollywood will compete with other film industries across the world. It is therefore imperative that the industry should begin to diversify the sources of its funding. This they could do by exploring opportunities available in the financial sector of the Nigerian economy or even in international finance bodies when it involves transnational productions. Happily, the financial sector is gradually warming up to the film industry as the new economic environment has encouraged them to explore business opportunities in previously neglected sectors. The commitment and competence displayed by the players in the home video industry would determine how much they could exploit the opportunities available in the finance industry. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 250 Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... The Future of the Industry Since the future o f the industry is tied to technology, demography and economics, it is important that the industry must begin to explore other multi-media avenues for delivery and promotion to grow into the future. Apart from the opportunities offered by the internet, producers in Western countries, for example, now tie bestsellers to chartbuster films. Books containing pictures and stories about epic productions are published and offered to the public in an effort to promote the film while it is still hot in the market. This is a veritable way o f popularizing film productions while also making extra money on the side. This enhances market penetration o f the film to reach segments o f the population that prefer reading but otherwise would not show interest in going to the movies. Reading those bestsellers could encourage them to acquire the film or even visit the cinema to see the film. Also in terms o f contents, producers need to adopt a new narrative strategy that w ill encourage the audience to purchase two or more instalments o f a single story without feeling that the film is being unnecessarily prolonged. Currently, it is observed that most o f the films that are serialized in Nigeria are the types that can be offered in a single episode. This has led the audience to think that the producers are out to exploit them with the unnecessary serialization o f story lines and bringing about scenes which may not be relevant to the main theme o f films. This also could be a reflection of the lack o f ingenuity o f producers and, i f not improved upon, could be an albatross for Nollywood. The ethical conduct o f players w ithin the hom e video industry in Nigeria is a cause for big concern to the audience. The industry is increasingly being identified with dubious activities which are daily adversely affecting the credibility o f the industry. An edition o f The News magazine (June 23, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Economic and Technological Threat to Continued Growth of Home video ... 251 2007) did a feature story titled Nollywood Crooks, on how home video films were prominently advertised with popular actors who did not participate in any form in the productions or who had appeared only as an extra, all in the quest to lure the audience into buying such films. Also, there have been instances where production qualities have not matched the advertised quality, which the audience often find deceptive and offensive. Furthermore, there are constant complaints of exploitation by actors and contractors who had fallen victim o f producers, directors and marketers’ exploitation and non- fulfilm ent o f contractual agreements. All these are ju st exam ples o f the num erous eth ical problem s that are pervasive in the home video industry in Nigeria which are capable o f stunting the industry’s growth. Conclusion While one will not advocate more stringent government rules and regulations than the extant ones to guide the industry in order not stall creativity, it is the responsibility o f the various guilds, associations and individual key players in the industry to watch out against breaches o f ethical values. The only thing that the industry enjoys in the audience is the public confidence that is reposed in it. I f this confidence is eroded, then it is doubtful if the home video industry would be able to recover in the face o f the global competition in the very near future. References Adejumobi, Moradewun (2003). Video film technology and serial narratives in West Africa. In Ogunleye Foluke, (ed.) African video film today. Manzini, Swaziland: Academic Publishers, pp. 51-68. Allen, Robert (1995). Introduction. In Allen Robert, (ed.), To be continued: Soap operas around the world. London: Routledge, pp. 1-26. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 252 Emergence, Growth and Challenges of Films... Barber, Karin (2000). The generation o f plays: Yoruba life in theatre. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Douglas Boyd, Straubhaar Joseph and Lent John (1989). Video cassette recorder in the third world. New York: Longman. Haynes, Jonathan (1995). Nigerian cinema: Structural adjustment. In Onookome Okome and Haynes Jonathan (ed.), Cinema and social change in West Africa. Jos: Nigerian Film Corporation. Hobson, Dorothy (2003). Soap opera. Cambridge: Polity Press. Ogunleye, Foluke, ed. (2003). African video film today. Manzini, Swaziland: Academic Publishers. Nollywood Crooks. The News, July 23, 2007, p.26. Shaka, Femi (2003). Rethinking the Nigerian video film industry: Technological fascination and the domestication game. In Ogunleye Foluke (ed.) African video film today. Manzini, Swaziland: Academic Publishers, pp. 42-50. Wikipedia Dictionary (2007).www.wikipedia.com. Accessed August 4, 2007. 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