Food For Thought For Sierra Leone Film Makers
At a time when the Sierra Leone movie industry is taking a new dimension and slowly making some fair output, it would be interesting to know that like any other aspect of life there is always a source for inspiration.
At the start of the renewed filmmaking era about four years ago, movie production enthusiasts like the Late Abu Noah and Julius Spencer of Premier Media went to Nigeria to find motivation. They brought home top Nigerian producers, engineers, actresses and actors. To the surprise of Sierra Leonean Nollywood film lovers, they were able to see their favorite stars on home soil. And on the movie front, they provided much needed inspiration and helped both Abu Noah (late) and Julius Spencer to produce Bai Bureh Goes To War and Blood Diamonds, respectively. Though both films were not successful on the market they were seen as good starters. Sierra Leonean actors and producers worked successfully alongside their Nigerian counterparts in both films- there were now talks of Sollywood for Sierra Leone (replicating Nollywood- the Nigerian film industry acronym).
Nonetheless, it is interesting to note that if Sierra Leone's movie industry is to take a genuine drive towards excellence it will be important for movie producers to try to be creative, taking cognizance of home made innovations in film production. In other words we must look at the Nigerian film, take some examples from them and evolve a different method of film production of our won. But we must not tend to replicate them in exact manner; if that is the case then there is the possibility of our film industry not reaching the intended height and success all those in the growing industry hope for.
]]>Nollywood film lovers were astounded at the absence of Nigerian films from the big screen at Africa's biggest and most renowned film festival in Burkina Faso in 2007, FESPACO. Ezra was the only Nigerian film shown at Fespaco and its director, Newton Aduaka, is actually based in France, where he does his film business.
Notwithstanding the fact that Nigerian film-makers have been quick to criticize the absence of their films in Africa's most elite film festival, organizers deny any wrongdoing and say Nollywood movies do not meet their standards for the feature film category. FESPACO executive, Baba Hamma said: "Our festival is for motion picture. That means you have to bring films on 35mm and Nollywood usually makes movies on a video tape."
He went on: "But I do not think it is Nollywood's objective to come to our festivals."
Organisers at FESPACO received 500 movies but only 200 were shown in the festival theatres, and only one was Nigerian. Other critics have also point out that Nigerian films are most often straight and predictable stories mostly imitating Hollywood versions, deviating from African themes.
Abubakarr Sanogu, a Nigeria art student from Los Angeles, even agreed that Nollywood films have not had the space they deserve at FESPACO, but admits they need to be improved.
This is a warming to movie producers in Sierra Leone that imitating Nigerian films would be counterproductive and would actually have a negative impact in the growth of the film industry locally. If you look at some of the recent production ranging from Mysterious Death produced by Daniel Moseray Jnr and Street Life produced by Sahr Issa, you would notice that there are clear manifestations of Nollywood influence in them. If our film industry is to improve, local producers have to be imaginative and creative, adopting Sierra Leonean themes in order to create a breakthrough.
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