My Hollywood movie
Something funny seems to be going on in Nigeria. Everyone who goes to Los Angeles and puts some faceless individuals in his or her movie comes back to Nigeria to say I shot a Hollywood film. Such ignorance. The culprits include Stephanie Okereke and her hot mess Through the glass, Lancelot Imasuen, Chineze Anyeane, King Joe and some others. Anchor Baby is a movie I have not seen, it has much hype, its has been said that its not all that great, but what I like is that it is moving like a lion. It has won awards at actual festivals and stars Sam Sarpong and some recognizable names, yet, it has not gone anywhere to say that it is a Hollywood film. At least not that I have heard. It has 25,000 fans on facebook. It is not doing great at the cinemas because of course, the box office breaker Genevieve Nnaji is not in it and the people is stars are really not that dear to anyones heart. I call that unfair, but Chineze did an impressive job in marketing, people need to learn from her.
Sorry, I digressed. I want to give kudos to the only bonafide Hollywood filmmaker in Nigeria, Jeta Amata.
He is the only one who can say “I have made a Hollywood film” because his films are on Netflix and they are guild films. Funny enough, no one talks about him. No praise, nothing. They only run after the clanging empty barrels. I read a headline that said “How a student film changed nollywood” (ije) and I was offended. I said, so what have Jeta Amata and Tunde Kelani been doing all this while? Ije, a student film, supervised by professors in class, and Inale, Black Gold, Amazing Grace made by an independent filmmaker who went to hustle to raise his financing. Is it really Ije that has redefined Nollywood? Absolutely nothing special about the film, the trailer for Jeta’s Hollywood star studded Black Gold has not changed Nollywood, neither did his Amazing Grace which I watched on Netflix and can rent from blockbuster.
How can we so soon forget people who set the pace? What makes a movie a Hollywood film? A film is a Hollywood film if it pays allegiance to the guilds of Hollywood and if it is distributed by Hollywood.
If you have not seen the massive trailer for Jeta’s black gold. This is the film that will redefine Nollywood. Jeta was mentioned in variety.com and CNN and Hollywood reporter. I am yet to read about Ebuwa and Ije in any international film print. Kodak wrote on Ije because Ije was shot on a Kodak grant. But jeta and Kunle are simply doing massive things.
Please give credit where it is due.
Lovely, well written piece on Black Gold and its producer. The movie seems interesting..what do you think?. If you have seen it, do you agree with this write up?
Cheers
Mena
i watched anchor baby last yr and its a good movie but there's really no wow factor. The storyline has more potential..they cld hv done way more with the movie.
ReplyDeletei think amata is great and deserves praises too, but that said, i think the woman behind ije shld be praised as well though i havnt seen the movie yet. i'm jst proud of movie producers that are stepping up their game. i think we shld jst support them. Atleast they are trying to make nollywood more presentable lol.
I don't think there's need to start putting separations between these people, they're all doing good. I was nto able to see Ije but saw Anchor Baby and Inale at the Cinema while I was in Nigeria last year. All the best to them.
ReplyDeleteI concur with kitkat & myne.
ReplyDeleteLOL mena vwedo o. as a phd holder is these things, i thot it wise to drop some words lol. I am with you on the "Through the glass" film. i was super hyped about it but when i saw it u could tell it wasnt even up to par with some made in 9ja movies. i was hugely disappointed. IMO the hype that ije and Anchor baby and Figurine got are well worth it. REALLY!!! there are some rough edges but great job. I feel moved to mention desmonds Kajola. lets just say wen i saw the film at the cinema, i wanted to collect atleast N400 change back (i paid N500) but the time wasted watching couldnt be replaced :(. Now film production has to do with making the noise which Jeta consistently fails at. I think he has some superiority complex to the 9ja film industry so it comes across like the film nd d audience (from his marketing and promoting efforts) is not focused towards 9ja but yet he wants to sell here. He expects the quality of the film to sell it sef which is reasonable but it also requires the hype that some of the aforementioned films which may even be of a lower quality have generated. No doubt he is one of the best out there but he has to go back to the drawing board to figure out how to engage the 9ja market not in the actual film (which he has done perfectly) but in the promotion. Once that is done, his international acclaim is sure to sky rocket. :)
ReplyDeletesincerely speaking; i dunno..let me stay safely on the fence, since i am not a nollywood lover :)
ReplyDeleteNollywood movies dont rock my boat. Till date My best have been Amazing Grace and Keeping faith. I still want to see Figurine and if you say Kajola and Inale are good I will look out for them. Undeniably the Amata brothers are good but like Olori said 'Its all about marketing 101'
ReplyDelete@ Kitkat: the movie producers are indeed more innovative.x
ReplyDelete@ Myne: You saw Inale and Anchor baby? How was it? x
@ Surprise: lol but they said different things na
@ Ibhade: we are alike oh! I posted for whom it may interest. My little token of support.lol
@ Ginger: Agree 100% with Amazing Grace. That movie was fantastic, its the last nollywood movie I saw that was up to international standards in every way. Now am curious about keeping faith. x
@ Olori: I am not a nollywood fan so I am really hanging on your word now.lol
ReplyDeleteLoving your insights about Jeta. So you think he alienates his core audience.
Kajola and through the glass? Okay will avoid them.
How good was Ije, Anchorbaby and Figurine when compared with amazing grace, that 'magun' movie with uche osotule and 'Diamond ring'?
Yes promotion is a million times important, particularly in Nigeria.Some films sell purely on the basis or far flung and constant marketing and promotion!!
Thanks oh and migwo! LOL!
@ Olori: I am not a nollywood fan so I am really hanging on your word now.lol
ReplyDeleteLoving your insights about Jeta. So you think he alienates his core audience.
Kajola and through the glass? Okay will avoid them.
How good was Ije, Anchorbaby and Figurine when compared with amazing grace, that 'magun' movie with uche osotule and 'Diamond ring'?
Yes promotion is a million times important, particularly in Nigeria.Some films sell purely on the basis or far flung and constant marketing and promotion!!
Thanks oh and migwo! LOL!
Since when have most Nigerians given credit to who it was due. People like empty barrels nau. I've not watched any of these to be honest. I'm not impressed with most nollywood movies, so to avoid cringing i usually don't watch them :s
ReplyDeleteAdiya