Interrogating the Problems and Prospects of Film Directing in the Nigerian Film Industry

Abstract

The Nigerian Film Industry, also known as Nollywood, is one of the fastest growing industries in Nigeria and the second most job-creating industry in the country, after the Agricultural sector. However, despite the influence of Nollywood on the Nigerian economy, the sector has been faced with several challenges which have hindered her from achieving her potentials in the global space. Among several fields that are in the Nollywood, the art of film directing, which occupies the leadership position in the creative process, has particularly been met with some challenges. Due to these challenges, this paper, therefore, interrogates the problems and prospects of film directing in Nigeria. The paper adopted the participant-observation and interview as methodology. It is revealed that the problems of film directing in Nigeria can basically be classified into seven categories which are; policy formulation, artistic problem, technical problem, market structure, skill and education, religion and cultural barriers, and colonial influence. The study also identified some prospects in the industry such as: the innovation of Directors Guilds on the training and retraining of budding and established directors and the introduction of film school by both private and public institutions. The study concludes that Nollywood can achieve a greater global stature if the above-mentioned problems are tackled and the identified prospects are explored. Directors Guilds should form a pressure group to advocate against piracy in the country. Lastly, the Nigerian government should endeavour to render support to the industry and create favourable policies including enabling environments for Nigerian filmmakers.