19/09/2024
NOLLYWOOD; HOW NOT TO BE AN INDUSTRY
Lights, camera, action! Oh wait, is that a boom mic I see? Ah, Nollywood! The land of endless possibilities, where dreams come alive on screen… and sometimes, boom microphones.
Nollywood, our beloved Nollywood, we need to talk. This is 2024, and we're still playing "Spot the Boom Mic" like a game show from the 90s. Remember when we could blame our shortcomings on being an "infant industry"?
Well newsflash: we've grown, but some mistakes haven't gotten the memo.
In '97, when I was cutting my teeth as a Broadcaster, Scriptwriter and Producer on "Straight From The Heart" and "Marketing Today," on Raypower and AIT, we dreamt of Nollywood becoming a global powerhouse. And credit to everyone, Nollywood can stand among some giants in the business. Fast forward to today, and we're still serving up boom mics like they're part of the cast. What's next? We credit the gaffer's reflection as a supporting actor.
Let's break it down, shall we?
1. Boom Mic Bonanza: Nothing says "amateur hour" quite like a mic dropping into the frame. It's not a special guest star, folks. It is time to retire this unintentional cameo. Seeing a boom mic on screen is like watching a football match and suddenly spotting the referee eating suya on the pitch during the game. It’s distracting, unprofessional, and frankly, a sign of laziness.
2. Shadow Puppetry: Our crew's silhouettes aren't meant to be part of the performance. Unless we're producing "The Shadow Knows," let's keep our shades to ourselves.
3. Sound Sync Shenanigans: When the lips move but the words come three seconds later, we're not being artistic. We're being sloppy. Sync up or ship out!
4. Lighting Lottery: Dark scenes aren't moody if we can't see the actor's face. We're making movies, not "Guess Who?"
Nollywood, we've come too far to be making rookie mistakes. We're in the age of 8K, AR, and VR, yet some of our productions look like they were shot on a potato. It's time to up our game.
Shout out to Producers, Directors, and Crew members keeping it 100. But let's all commit to technical quality. Our stories deserve better. Our actors deserve better. Our audience deserves better. We know we have the talent, the stories, and the audience.
Remember, a Nollywood pioneer sheds a tear whenever a boom mic appears on the screen. Let's make them proud instead. Biko!
