‘Why there’s absence of science fiction genre in Nollywood’

Nollywood’s new narrative, according to one the industry’s directors and producers, Mr. Kingsley Omoefe, is refocusing the industry from its initial blunders to one with professionally savvy hands and equipment that are in tune with today’s global standards.

“Today, we have better trained filmmakers, better equipment; corporate and financial institutions are now more interested and the reception is amazing. The outcome is that Nollywood is making better films and the world has noticed us,” he submitted recently upon completion of his new movie, Wheel of Fate.

However, Omoefe noted that the industry is still challenged in one area of cinematic experience, which is science fiction (Sci-Fi) genre of filmmaking. He attributed this to “three major factors. First is finance. We don’t have the funds to do a good Sci-Fi. Two, the expertise and technology are not readily available and the audience. Nigeria cinema viewing audience does not appreciate such genre. It’s not part of our culture and lifestyle. And as such, anyone funding such film will be taking a bigger risk.”

Wheel of Fate, according to Omoefe, “is a story of friendship, greed, desires and trust. A virgin girl, Annie (Bimbo Ademoye) is pregnant and clueless. She is faced with a disappointed father (Akin Lewis) and rejected by her fiancee (Seun Akindele). Annie’s pregnancy mystery is unraveled, when a man confesses to being hired by her stepmother (Susan Peter) to rape her after being drugged. The climax is when it is revealed that Annie’s stepmother is her real mother. The movie is set in present day and goes back into the early 1990s.”

While there has a buzz about Nigerian films going to the cinema in a resurgent manner of bringing audience to the cinema tradition, Omoefe believes otherwise and said he did not have cinema in mind when the idea of Wheel of Fate was conceived. He, however, said the film brings with it a unique viewing experience that audience will find fascinating.

“Basically, every of my project has its own value that it brings to the industry,” he stated. “There’s originality of the story, good actors, good message and entertainment. Going to the cinema, depends on the executive producer, but I’m not sure. It’s (Wheel of Fate) not produced with cinema exhibition in mind. It was the producer’s decision, which is as a result of budget limitations. Like I have always maintained, not all films are meant for cinema.

“I have not taken my film to cinema yet, but the challenges we hear from colleagues are much. That major one is that agreements do not favour independent producers and things like unfavourable sharing formula to bad schedules for film shows among others factors.”

Following his thesis that not all films should go to the cinema, Omoefe is, however, said for a film to qualify for the cinema exhibition, “It must be one that appeals to a large audience. The story must be original and good; the screenplay should be properly done, with use of good equipment and very good crew, and of course, use of good actors.”

He further explained that “lack of good, original stories and shallow screenplays” are some of the challenges Nollywood still faces, noting that practitioners “never got the cinematic art right in the first place since inception; we are still striving,” as quantity trumps quality, a development he described as worrisome, adding, “That was then. Things have changed drastically. We are not there yet, but we are growing.”

Delta State capital, Asaba, has for a few years now become the hotbed of film production and some describe it as the ‘new’ Nollywood on account of its youthful production crew, with a new production style. But Omoefe does not think there’s anything ‘new’ about Nollywood, saying, “There is nothing like new Nollywood, just as there is nothing like New Hollywood; just new ways of doing things. And guess what? Those who claim to be new Nollywood are already getting old as we now have new sets of entrants calling them old. Nollywood is Nollywood. You are either in the business of film or television or nothing.”

moefe acknowledged that many producers have left off filmmaking to television production and other aspects of filmmaking business, including guild politics. Omoefe last produced On My Honour and Fugitives, which he co-directed with Andy Boyo, including directing three short movies.