Notable Nollywood actors

History
The first Nigerian films were made by filmmakers such as Ola Balogun and Hubert Ogunde in the 1960s, but they were frustrated by the high cost of film production. However, television broadcasting in Nigeria began in the 1960s and received much government support in its early years. By the mid-1980s every state had its own broadcasting station. Law limited foreign television content so producers in Lagos began televising local popular theater productions. Many of these were circulated on video as well, and a small scale informal video movie trade developed. Nigerian film is thus a video movie industry; Nigerians call them 'home videos'. There is some debate concerning what caused this small local market in videos to explode into a booming industry that has pushed foreign media off the shelves in much of Africa and is now marketed all over the world. Use of English rather than local languages served to expand the market. Aggressive marketing using posters, trailers, and television advertising also played a role in Nollywood's success. Many point to the 1992 release of Living in Bondage, a film about a businessman whose dealings with a money cult result in the death of his wife, as the industry's first blockbuster. Since then, thousands of movies have been released. One of the first Nigerian movie to reach international fame was the 2003 release Osuofia In London, starring Nkem Owoh, the famous Nigerian comedic actor. Modern Nigerian cinema’s most prolific auteur is Chico Ejiro, who directed over 80 films in a 5-year period and brags that he can complete production on a movie in as little as three days. Ejiro’s brother Zeb is the best-known director of these videos outside of the country.

The first Nollywood films were produced with traditional analog video, such as Betacam SP, but today all Nollywood movies are produced using digital video technology. Only recently, Time magazine published an article rating the industry as the third-largest after Hollywood and Bollywood.

Production
Nollywood has one studio, Studio Tinapa in Tinapa, Calabar. Most movies, however, are not produced in studios in the Hollywood style. Video movies are shot on location all over Nigeria with distinct regional variations between the northern movies (made primarily in the Hausa language), the western Yoruba-language movies, the Igbo movies shot in the southeast,(Benin City) Edo Language shot in Benin city and the popular English-language productions, also shot primarily in the southeast. Many of the big producers have offices in Surulere, Lagos. Shooting films in Nigeria is difficult.

Nigerian directors adopt new technologies as soon as they become affordable. Bulky videotape cameras gave way to their digital descendents, which are now being replaced by HD cameras. Editing, music, and other post-production work is done with common computer-based systems.

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Rating: Reviews: Name: anke   11/9/2009 9:26:13 AM Review: I cannot image that Ghanaian women and men can be so loose. This is the third Ghanain movie I have tried to watch without been judgemental. But I must say affect barely making it through ten minutes, I am very disappointed on how the actress allow themselves to be so sexually expose and do not leave nothing to the imagination. There is a limit on following the Americanised way of making movies. Remember that no matter the modernisation in our sociiety we are still Africans. I am very worried about the image they are potraying to the youth and those who watch their movies as we Africans are still battling with severe diseases such as HIV/Aid. There needs to be a revolution!!! Feel free to bad-mouth me afterwards, the truth needs to be told and I will not keep quiet about it. Not everything is good for us; there must be moderation. Please!!! Name: Africanchick9   11/6/2009 3:13:14 PM Review: EEEEIIISH...IM LOVING DA TWIST N TURNS TO THIS MOVIE OHHH...CANT WAIT TO SEE WAT HAPPENS NEXT...IF U DONT LIKE ALL DA SEX SCENES DEN WHY R YALL JUST WATCHING...AFRICANS TALK TOO MUCH...GO GHANA Name: mana   11/3/2009 11:37:42 PM Review: keep this up n it wont be called african movie but western. i truly dont understand us anymore. y go this far, the nude scenes were unecessary..shame on u producer n actors Name: mana   11/3/2009 11:37:20 PM Review: keep this up n it wont be called african movie but western. i truly dont understand us anymore. y go this far, the nude scenes were unecessary..shame on u producer n actors Name: suzanne   11/1/2009 12:14:36 AM Review: this movie is so unethical for african movies. it has no theme, the girls constanly through out the movie had no shirts on. this is ghanian porn in the making. please no more ghanian porn wanna be on nigerian websites. very stupid, i totally lost my respect for the top artist in this movie, they do say money is the route of evil but i never new that these beautiful girls not wemen indecent girls will go this far. shame. Name: suzanne   11/1/2009 12:14:31 AM Review: this movie is so unethical for african movies. it has no theme, the girls constanly through out the movie had no shirts on. this is ghanian porn in the making. please no more ghanian porn wanna be on nigerian websites. very stupid, i totally lost my respect for the top artist in this movie, they do say money is the route of evil but i never new that these beautiful girls not wemen indecent girls will go this far. shame. Name: nne   10/31/2009 5:25:11 AM Review: VERY VERY INSANE AND UNAFRICAN. UNECESSARY NAKEDNESS AND SCEX SCENES. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR HOME ENTERTAINMENT. VERY DISSAPOINTED BY THE ACTOR AND ACTRESSES I LOVE FOR TAKING PART IN THIS PORN VIDEO. THIS IS UNAFRICAN. IT IS NOT OUR CULTURE. Name: brandsmat   10/31/2009 12:42:47 AM Review: wow these girls are really naked oh...chai...i wish i was in that scene, especially with that dark skin girl hmm hmm hmm..majid M. do ya thing bra...GO AFRICA GO! Name: belove   10/30/2009 9:05:06 PM Review: THIS IS REALLY GOOD . THE ONLY THING IS TOO MUCH NAKEDNESS AND SEX SCEAN. I LIKE IT (THE MOVIE OF COURSE. LOL) Name: marcella   10/30/2009 3:02:20 PM Review: i like the movie not bad at all

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