Linda Ikeji Bloq
Below is an abridged version (yet richly enlightening) from among the write-ups i composed concerning this subject.
Movie exhibit started to grow throughout the Colonial age, with Glover Memorial Hall playing host to an array of remarkable films viewed by "potential Nigerians", in August 1903. Nevertheless, the non-availability of appropriate records mirroring the title of the debut movie displayed has actually created a lapse in the precedent stock. Regardless of the lacuna, the way had actually been paved for the exhibition of even more foreign movies at the Hall and other designated locations.
The emotionally traumatizing "Master - Servant" relationship, obvious in the consistent attacks, batteries, intimidation, segregation, victimization, carried out by the Colonial masters on the colonized, with darkened clouds of resentment, vengeance, thirst for freedom, paving the way to splattering drops of such ideas, instinctively projected through the colonized recurring in-subordinate activities, started to spread among the blacks. The British knew they needed to thread with caution if they still wanted to play "god" in their lives when films such as Tales of Manhattan, Trailer horn, Tarzan series started to stimulate a transformation in the hearts of Blacks across the world.
Aware of the deadly power of insurgency which might be let loose with the Film medium, the British out of concern for their lives and possible loss of the Queen's sovereignty took the bull by the horn, and quickly developed a Colonial Film Censors Board (FCB) in 1933 to censor and categorize movies prior to they were released for visual usage by the public. Following the facility of the board, Films such as "The primitive, primitive man, Dixie, Buffalo Bill, The Keys of the Kingdom, Sleepy Town Girl were identified 'efficient' to be watched, while Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Clive of India, The Isle of Forgotten Sins, House of Frankenstein were thought about unfit for viewing.
The Censor's body went through a transformation procedure into the Federal Board of Film Censors (FBFC) from the aforementioned, and the laws from which the changed body obtained its powers ranged from the 1948 Cinematograph Laws of Nigeria, the Cinematograph Laws of 1963, to the 1963/64 Cinematograph Law and Regulations. Today National Film and Video Censors Board originated by virtue of decree, now Act 85 of 1993. The advent of Nigeria's Independence (1960) and the Republican condition (1963), advertised the dawn of a new period in all sectors.
"The Yoruba Travelling Theatre Group" of the 60's and 70's can be referred to as the "Fountain Head" of film productions in Nigeria. The veterans with terrific Great performances and theatrical skills took their works beyond the phase, and dove into the sea of movie manufacturings utilizing the Celluloid format. Remarkable movie makers on the Roll call of Honour throughout the Celluloid upsurge age of the 70's consist of Ola Balogun, Eddie Ugbomah, late Herbert Ogunde, Adeyemi Afolayan a.k.a Ade Love (dad of Kunle Afolayan of the Irapada fame), Ladi Ladebo, Moses Adejumo, Adebayo Salami and Afolabi Adesanya.
The list of reported movies produced throughout the 70's period and transcending somewhat into the 80's is merely amazing and goes to show that the Movie Industry has actually been around much longer, contrary to the '1992 belief syndrome' most have actually been injected with. Such works consist of Kongi Harvest (1971), Alpha (1972), Bull Frog in the Sun (1974), Amadi (1975), Ajani Ogun (1975), Muzik Man (1976), Bisi, Daughter of the River (1977), Ija Ominira (1978), Aiye (1979), Kadara (1980), Jaiyesimi (1980) Efunsetan Aniwura (1981), Cry Freedom (1981), Ija Orogun (1982) Owo L'Agba (1982).
The cost of producing films because period was economically back breaking, with Nigerians further irritating the efforts of the filmmakers by deciding to watch films of occidental and oriental origin at the Cinemas and Exhibition centres, instead of the locally produced ones. The Cowboy movies were thrilling to enjoy while the Chinese films paraded amongst others, the Legendary "Bruce Lee" in (Lo Wei's, The Big Boss (1971), Fist of Fury (1972), Way of the Dragon (1972), Enter the Dragon (1973), The Game of Death launched in 1978) who exhibited Martial Arts dexterity, clearly a combating method alien, yet fascinating to us at that time.
Indian films in the late 60's and well into the 70's paraded popular names like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra Singh Deol, Mumtaz, Amitabh Bachchan, Anil kapoor, Hema Malini, and produced hits such as "Bobby", "Sholay", "Kabhi Kabhi", "Dharamveer", "Amar Akbar Anthony". Their stars showed fantastic acting skills against the backdrop of love styles, and ear pleasing tunes combined with harmonized dance steps, produced with sound and unique effects, though unparalleled with what obtains today ordered over the indigenes commitment for their films.
Therefore, the Movie Founding Fathers started to face the challenges of recovering their financial investments, which slowly became essentially an impossible task, an anthem they constantly rendered much to the pain of possible financers. They counted their losses and licked their wounds sustained in the monetary fight with every movie they launched. The deluge of VCRS in the 80's produced a paradigm change from the Cine to the VHS format, makinged productions simpler, much faster and more affordable by a milestone in comparison to the former. Cinema homes and various other Exhibition centres were lastly shut down and the Baton of Cine film making slipped from the hands of the Founding creators as they tried to turn over the movie baton to the next generation within the stated Baton Exchange Zone. The imagine becoming a re-nowned Movie Industry was shattered when the flow of the Film Relay cycle was broken.
Home Videos were produced which worked as an alternative to the movie theaters, and the name normally stems from the truth that you might seat within the convenience of your house and see the films produced in the VHS format by means of your VCR. Film Makers maximized the gains of the Home Video principle provided, and began producing films utilizing the Yoruba language as the methods of communication. However, the year "1992" has overtime been extensively accepted as the triggering duration of Home Video manufacturings, with Ken Nnebue's "Living in Bondage" stated to be the first motion picture produced commercial functions making use of the Igbo/English language.
The movie no question struck the "Movie Well", which invoked a mass exodus of people from other spheres into the art of film manufacturings, having seen the chances that lay in the Gold mine region. Therefore, did the Home Video Industry labelled "Nollywood" emerge.
The truth that "Living in Bondage" was ascribed with the honor of being the first motion picture created commercial purposes and the one upon which the Home Video revolution was allegedly based on, culminating into Nollywood, didn't go unchallenged. Late Alade Aromire prior to his death, ignited a questionable fire, firmly insisting that his and not Ken's movie should have been consulted such an honor. When challenged by a press reporter on the issue he had actually specified that Ken had actually produced over 40 Yoruba movies, and had started with "Aje N'yami".
There had been a prospering film industry prior to he came on board, so ken couldn't have actually begun it.
The present National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) did not exist till 1994. On this raging problem, Late Alade Armoire produced films such as Ekun, Omije (pts 1-3), Obirin Asiko, Ayo ni o, Adun, Orire which were launched to the public between 1985 and 1991.
Ken Nnebue still firmly insists that his motion picture "Living in Bondage" was the first Home Video motion picture created industrial purposes. Linda Ikeji Blog is an engaging topic that a lot of people wanna know more about and you yourself can find out more by checking out this website:- Linda Ikeji Blog. His stand on the issue is rather unstable, having prior to the production of Living in Bondage sponsored commercial movies in Yoruba language such as Ina Ote, Aje N'iyami and others. Let's not forget the barrage of Yoruba TELEVISION dramas that were mass produced on VHS tapes and offered to the general public prior to 1992. One can't fail to mention the fabulous Eddie Ugbomah's movie "The Great Attempt" (1989), which would have made history as the 1st Nigerian cine motion picture in the video tape format to have actually been censored by the defunct Federal Board of Film Censors (FBFC) based upon a "unique concession" provided him officially by the long-lasting secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture at that time.
The strong contents projected in the motion picture were considered unfit for public viewing by the Board, for this reason the motion picture was never released. Despite the questionable fire raised, the global publicity offered to "Living in Bondage" over the years inevitably imputed the movie into our memory banks as the flag bearer of the Home Video transformation of all times. Motion pictures provide people the chance of telling their own stories, free from alien disturbance.
Nigerian movie manufacturers leveraged on this and produced motion pictures projecting our way of life, culture, local fashion, burning issues, troubles pestering our society, irrespective of the choking smell of tribalism regarded in all sectors. Films were made for the viewing pleasure of Nigerians initially, (prior to the mass exportation craze), with messages to inspire, inspire, reprove, and appropriate abnormalities particularly in the Political, Social systems, to eschew violence and all kinds of evil.
The tactical use of the English language as the communication device, advertising and marketing methods and execution through the use of trailers through T. V, Posters (now banned in Lagos State), taped a boost in sales, and broadened the viewership base beyond the shores of our Nation to nations such as Ghana, Togo, South Africa, Kenya, U.S.An and even the U.K. The movies churned out at a disconcerting rate were technically deficient in crucial areas thought about as germane in the production process.
The popular "shoe string budget" tag has actually become synonymous with the Industry's antecedent of making films on extremely low budgets compared to various other film bodies in various other countries, ($10- $15,000 at first), however presently extends to $25,000, with a tiny number of producers further extending the apparently monetary limitation to N 7,10,20 Million and more. The movies were and are still shot dominantly in between 10-12 days, via Beta cam (now HDV cameras), were produced in the VHS format (now VCD & DVD), duplicated in mass and sold by the Marketers who likewise increased as Distributors.
Over a thousand movies were being produced annual by manufacturers and utterly amazed by the staggering statistical information of film productions, the International movie spotlight was shone on the Multi Million naira Industry "Nollywood". The Industry's total assets as at 2008 stood between an estimated $250 and $300 Million dollars. It deserves note that a Global movie theater study, carried out in 2006 by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and launched sometime in May 2009, rated Nollywood as the second biggest producing film body worldwide behind Bollywood and ahead of Hollywood based on the numerical information of the movies produced.
