Most Nigerians and Africans are familiar with Nollywood. But with the recent release of Lionheart on Netflix, Nollywood is also getting a lot of global attention. Many people are wondering what is Nollywood. We will, therefore, give a quick guide to the Nigerian movie industry to all the new Nollywood fans around the world.
What is Nollywood? Frequently Asked Questions Answered
Where is Nollywood situated and are there any studios?
Nollywood currently has no designated location. There are a number of film productions companies who have set up studios where film production take place. Ebonylife Place and ROK Studios are some of the known ones. Nollywood is for most people a term used for the entire Nigerian movie industry. The term is however used a bit interchangeably. Some will claim that movies made in the Hausa languages (spoken in the North) are not Nollywood movies
What is the average budget to make a Nollywood film?
Basically, most Nollywood films are low-budget films. So anybody with somewhere around 10, 000 dollars will be able to make a good movie in Nollywood. However, recently the Nigerian movie industry is seeing an increasing number of high budget quality productions.
How many movies are produced in Nollywood every year?
If counting Nollywood films as all movies made in the entire Nigerian film industry, the number of films may be somewhere around 1500 movies every year. This is roughly twice as much as the Hollywood movie industry produces.
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What is Nollywood’s biggest movie of all time?
When you talk about the biggest movies in Nigeria in the early 90s, “Living in Bondage” resonates. Not because it had the greatest storyline, but because it was the first to be commonly distributed on VHS. Towards the 2000s, many more films were released, but there isn’t one that clearly stands out. However, in 2018, the directorial debut of Genevieve Nnaji “Lionheart” has in many ways taken this position. The movie is the first original Netflix Nollywood movie and is receiving a lot of attention both in Nigeria and abroad.
Who are the Biggest stars in Nollywood?
The Nigerian film industry has quite a long list of big actors. It is not easy to say which is the biggest, as different criteria will give different answers. Their career experience, net worth, and status will of course vary. However, by popularity, here are a few top names: Genevieve Nnaji, Pete Edochie, Nkem Owoh, Onyeka Onwuenu, Funke Akindele, Joseph Benjamin, Rita Dominic, and Uche Jumbo.
What is the biggest market for Nollywood movies?
Traditionally, the biggest market for Nigerian movies has been English speaking African countries. Movies made in the Hausa language has also been marketed around North Africa. Nigerians abroad have also been good at patronizing the Nigerian made films. So the industry has always had a big market. Nollywood movies have also recently been introduced to a larger audience in the world. Its reach has suddenly expanded into distant territories and regions.
What is the “Famous G8” in Nollywood?
The famous G8 is a number of A-List Nollywood actors who were banned in 2005 for collecting huge amounts of money from producers for hiring them. They, later on, returned to filming after being banned for one year from appearing in films. The list included Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Nkem Owoh, Ramsey Noah, Stella Damasus Aboderin, Richard Mofe Damijo, and Pete Edochie.
How much are Nigerian actors paid?
Nollywood actors are not exactly receiving 20 million dollars like their Hollywood counterparts, but the big stars are still making good money. Most Nigerian actors do not belong with agencies since they are almost non-existent in Nollywood. Instead, the actors hustle for their roles themselves and get paid as such.
Who is the paid actor/actress in Nollywood?
Anybody will say Genevieve Nnaji. She has earned the most money for a long time. Ever since the “Famous G8” incident, Genevieve has reached even greater heights. Having starred in several foreign movies, she may have started a new trend for Nollywood actors.
Is the Ghanian film industry the same as the Nigerian film industry?
Many will take them to be the same because of the dominance that the Nigerian film industry has in Africa. They are however separate industries, even though they sometimes co-produce and make films together.
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