Techno-scientific innovations in Nollywood Films: A textual analyses of Kunle Afolayan’s Aníkúlápó and Xtly Bazzey’s Afíábóm

Abstract

This paper textual-analysed two Nollywood films produced in 2022. Precisely, Kunle Afolayan’s Aníkúlápó and Xtly Bazzy’s Afíabóm. Emphasized are the films practical benefits from adopted techno-scientific methods, principles, practice and outcomes, aided by camera angle, lighting, audio, mis-en-scene, scenic effects and algorithmic video editing technology. The paper relied on Cognitivism and Realism Theories and derived its data from the analysed films’ texts and reviewed literature. It traced Nigeria’s “techno-scientific film history” to late 1950s, when her pioneer “cinema-theatre” by Ogunde et al modelled after [then] Western “analogue movies types” used to produce and advertise Christian, racial, colonial and Eurocentric films. Evidence revealed that analysed films benefitted greatly from aforementioned techno-scientific methods, used mainly to create, structure, embellish, edit, frame, evaluate and exhibit their contents. Findings affirmed that used techno-scientific methods adhered the films to the “3-step course” (exposition, confrontation and resolution) recommended to guide realism production. Thus, the generalized conclusion that techno-scientific innovations aid efficiency, acceptability and quality outcomes in Nigerian films.