If you’re a fan or keen observer of the movie industry, you may notice that certain trends emerge where the same types of films (be it comedy, gang movies, etc.) are repeatedly produced within a specific period. The question is, why? Seasoned filmmaker Biodun Stephen sheds light on this phenomenon and explains why it seems like the same types of movies keep getting made repeatedly. Here’s what Biodun Stephen had to say.
Addressing why it seems Nollywood often repeats the same types of films, Biodun Stephen explained:
BIODUN STEPHEN: Nollywood is largely built out of pocket so of course commercialization is very key. It’s almost like you open a shop out there and you’re selling rice and fried stew, and you’re making a lot of money. In another few months, somebody else opens a store ten meters away and sells the exact same thing because they feel like that’s what’s making money. And that’s how exactly the business is.
Somebody makes one comedy film, the film does well, and we’re all now making comedy. Somebody says ‘oh this is the camera, we shot it on this camera and it was the best’ and now we’re all trying to do that without understanding what were the reasons why certain choices were made for certain films, which is why perhaps it was successful. Sometimes, the actors, the tech involved in the film, has nothing to do with success. Sometimes, it was just the right time.
Film is gamble and all filmmakers, we’re all gambling and we’re all thinking this is what they want to see, let me just do it. Because of course, you want return on investment. If you’re making film only for the money, I can’t question certain choices that you make in making the film. Not every razzle dazzle is travel worthy, sometimes simple is travel worthy.
This commercialization has been a disease that has plagued us for years. It was the campus film before, and everybody jumped on the train. Everybody jumped on the gang film, everybody was making gang films. Everybody jumped on comedy. Everybody is just jumping on whatever everybody thinks is the cash cow. Right now, there is a street thing that everybody is doing now, and everybody is jumping on it.