ABSTRACT
The Nigerian home video industry which formally began in 1992 with the
production of Kenneth Nnebue's Living in Bondage has become very vibrant,
producing hundreds of films per annum. The films are very popular with
audiences and dominate television screens on the African continent and in the
African Diaspora in Europe and America. The industry employs a large number
of Nigerians as actors, scriptwriters, directors, camera men and costumiers while
many others are involved with distribution, sales and exhibition.
Over the years, some studies have been carried out on some aspects of the
industry such as the historical development of film in Nigeria, the contributions
of cinema to social change in West Africa and the impact of the film medium on
aspects of national life. There has been no study on the techniques involved in the
production of these films. This study critically examines the home video film
from a practical perspective, which is, looking at story lines, acting, directing,
locations and post production - use of sound and music and editing.
In doing this, we employed the use of certain methodological approaches.
We examined existing literature on the film and home video film
industry in Nigeria, Africa, the United States and the other film producing
countries to enrich our understanding of the film medium. Interviews were
conducted with some selected stakeholders in the film industry to throw more
light on the state of the industry. Visits were also made to some production
facilities in Lagos, Onitsha and Aba in Nigeria and Los Angeles in the United
States to have a deeper insight into the technical facilities and personnel involved
with film production. We also previewed some selected home video films to
assess their production quality.
Using the above methodological approaches, we arrived at the following
conclusions. That little progress has been made in raising the quality of
production of the films; this is while many avoidable problems still remain with
the films. The stories although derived from the rich African traditions, lack
depth and receive poor treatment. Acting is amateurish and stage oriented while
directing is weak. Costume and makeup which enhance the quality of films in the
other film industries are rarely used in the video films, editing is poor while
cinematic time and continuity are not utilized to serve narrative functions as
found in Hollywood films. This we adduced to be due to the poor finances
available to the filmmakers, the absence of well
trained manpower, lack of government support and inadequate finances to
indulge in quality productions.
Agber, K (2021). Production Techniques In Nigerian Home Video Films. Afribary. Retrieved from https://tracking.afribary.com/works/production-techniques-in-nigerian-home-video-films-1
Agber, Kwaghkondo "Production Techniques In Nigerian Home Video Films" Afribary. Afribary, 10 Apr. 2021, https://tracking.afribary.com/works/production-techniques-in-nigerian-home-video-films-1. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Agber, Kwaghkondo . "Production Techniques In Nigerian Home Video Films". Afribary, Afribary, 10 Apr. 2021. Web. 25 Nov. 2024. < https://tracking.afribary.com/works/production-techniques-in-nigerian-home-video-films-1 >.
Agber, Kwaghkondo . "Production Techniques In Nigerian Home Video Films" Afribary (2021). Accessed November 25, 2024. https://tracking.afribary.com/works/production-techniques-in-nigerian-home-video-films-1