Money making opportunities in Nigerian home video industry
By Tunji Afuwape
Published: June 11, 2007
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At present there are over 138 T.V.Stations in Nigeria. (Including private and government owned) There are even more privately owned production and post production facilities. While there are no shortage of good actors/actresses, writers etc, there is no single company that manufactures (or even assemble) the smallest camera, digital tape, or its shell locally.

Most filmmaking accessories we use are imported. Hence, many have no option but to send their cameras back to Europe and America at the slight hint of technical "headache." This is a unique business opportunity. If the industry is growing in the art aspect, the science aspect must also grow. otherwise the development will be incomplete. Big investors can consider setting up plants to assemble cameras, or manufacturer other important filmmaking Ingredients such as tapes.

The market for such business people will inevitably extend beyond Nigeria and even Africa. A less expensive involvement will be to seek franchise from big name Western brands such as Sony, Panasonic, JVC, Canon, Hewlett Packard and represent them locally. With adequate stock of the Equipment while offering excellent after sales service.

*The Producer*
You may compare him to the entrepreneur who brings all the element of production together. This guy hunts for the idea/script, commissions the screen play, looks for a financier, hires a director - and basically brings the team together. The producer creates the product and looks for a buyer. If he succeeds in "manufacturing/selling" The product chances are he will smile to the bank. However our guy may not the be the financier of the film, so his income will be tied to other considerations. But suffice to say that one successful movie brings in good income, and many successful Productions can lead to a fortune.

*Acting*
Actors entertain us by portraying characters in dramatic productions such as plays, movies, soap operas and commercials. You may narrate a documentary one-week and play the role of a villain the next. You may work in theatre, film, radio or television, or specialize in one area.

Unless you are a well-established artist, you must compete for parts by auditioning. You spend many hours studying scripts to learn lines and cues, and doing background research to "fill out" characters. Some roles will require you to learn new skills such as how to juggle or handle exotic animals, or how to speak, sing or move in particular ways. In rehearsals, you work with others (directors, other actors, even playwrights) to fine-tune your interpretation of a role.

A crude estimation shows that in 2003 a couple of them earned over N40 million individually from acting alone. So what makes actors and actresses special? No easy answer, but perhaps it is because they are Entertainers and the world love entertainers.

Acting is mainly talent, but like football that talent requires training. Where you train, how you train is not the focus here. The key point is if you can act, and you Market your talent in the right places, fame and fortune could be your reward. Your income will rise as your popularity soars with the audience. If in doubt ask Genevieve Nnaji.

*Cinematography/video camera operator*
Filmmaking is teamwork. A collection of professionals from various disciplines. While actors act, writers write, the cinematographer has the responsibility of recording the picture. His job requires skill, knowledge and discipline. Video camera operators operate cameras to record news, live events and various productions including television and made-for-television movies.

You will move the camera to get the proper shot and operate the optical controls such as zoom and focus. You may align the camera and make minor electronic adjustments, as well as take care of the camera's storage. On small productions you will help with the lighting and staging.

You may operate your camera in the air-conditioned comfort of a studio or out in the field.

You have excellent motor co-ordination and good vision and hearing. You should be in reasonable physical condition with some stamina. You have an interest in electronics and technology and learn quickly.

What does it take?, You must have a practical educational training in Cinematography; a diploma in NFC (Nigerian Film College) is an advantage. You can also learn on the job.

Good cinematographers are in high demand. No producer wants to invest millions in a project and end up with badly recorded images. There are no fixed rates per job, but excellent cinematographers can Call the shot not only on set, but also while negotiating their pay.

*Recording and sound engineer*
Recording and sound engineers are the "wizards of the sound board" who record, mix, and edit sound for recordings and live performances. You will probably be called a recording engineer if you work mostly in studio environments, a sound engineer if you mix sound during live performances. The two types of work are related but few people do both.

As a sound engineer, you have to understand the needs of performing artists. Then, you produce the desired effect by using different types of equipment that will take separate sound feeds from different sources, alter the sound of each feed if needed, and mix feeds. You also set up and tear down the sound systems for live performances. As a recording engineer, you may use a mixing board, computer or other equipment to record and edit the music, dialogue and sound effects for sound recordings, films or videos. You work closely with producers, performers and others to achieve the desired sound.

*Editing/special effects/animation*
Some special effects technicians create many different types of illusions for movies, television commercials and shows, theatre productions and other special projects. You work with other people to decide what is needed, and then you have to figure out how to produce the desired effect, safely and convincingly. You may specialize in certain types of illusions or in a particular method of producing illusions. For example, you may specialize in pyrotechnics, make-up effects, computer animation, mechanical props or sound effects.

However, the more versatile you are, the more work options are open to you. For pyrotechnic effects, you have to be an expert in working with fire arms and explosives. To create the illusion of a monster or alien character, you need to know and sometimes create complicated prosthetic devices, masking and make-up techniques. To integrate animated figures with the actions of live actors, you have to be an expert in using sophisticated computer animation software.

To design, set up and operate mechanical props, you have to be able to work knowledgeably with electricians, welders, carpenters and robotics experts. To produce realistic sound effects, you obtain recordings of actual events or record sounds produced by artificial means. Technicians who specialize in producing sound effects are often called "Foley" artists.

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