90 per cent of Nollywood A-list actors are from Anambra – Prince Amaechi Anachebe

In an interaction with Prince Amaechi Anachebe a filmmaker and coordinator of the Nnewi zone of the Actors Guild of Nigeria Anambra State chapter, Anaedo online sought answers to the challenges and prospects of acting and film making in Nigeria.

Prince Achebe also bore his mind on specific areas of movie making; taking time to motivate and challenge new entrants to the industry, while lampooning mischief makers who are set at nothing to bring the reputation of the industry to the mud.

There were a few questions he tackled in an interview with Khaleb Ogbonna our Editor, we made them available here:

How is the business of movie acting film making in Nnewi?

Nnewi is a fertile ground for the business of film making. However, I wouldn’t say a virgin land though but in a way, it is; in the sense that there are lots of undiscovered talents that need to be cultivated. There is a lot to do in terms of talents, and film location.
Not forgetting the people who are also accommodating; which makes the business on its own interesting, because the human capital factor is very important.

With the notion that the south-east is not a hub of entertainment and the achievements of A-list actors in Lagos, how easy has it been for talents in this part of the country to break into the industry?
People have this false notion of the east and west in terms of where the hub of entertainment actually is. Film making in Nigeria began in Anambra state with “living in bondage” shot here in Anambra state. Of course, this was the first home video made in Nigeria.  Also, almost all the A-list actors we have today (about 90% of them) were either groomed in or hail from the east. Anambra was, and is still the home of Nollywood.

Prince Amaechi Anachebe

What does the budget of film making in Nnewi look like as compared to other places? What are the challenges as regards the process of shooting and the environment?
Before budgeting comes into the picture, it must be put into consideration, the kind of story/movie you are working on. This comes in three ways: an epic story, an urban story, or glamour story. In Nnewi however, you can make any film, as it has the resources needed.
As I said earlier, the human capital factor is very paramount. Here in this town, one is not left stranded when it comes to the issue of having people who can deliver on their roles.

What’s your take on sponsorships and investment in film making in Nnewi?
There are always willing individuals ready to support, sponsor or invest in the industry in Nnewi, even though some fraudsters or inexperienced filmmakers tend to float the film market. This gives the investors cum sponsors reasons to think twice.

Does the AGN serve as an association or a supervisory and regulatory body in film making?
The AGN is a regulatory body that oversees the affairs of Nigerian actors both here at home and in the diaspora. The guild is tirelessly working with the necessary authorities to exterminate infamous activities within the industry. Hence, I can tell you that the AGN from the national to the state is both an umbrella body that brings together people in the movie industry and that which supervises activities going on under the umbrella.

There have been complaints about the quality of products coming from Nollywood, what is your take on this?
Something should be clarified, there are bound to be bad eggs among the good ones. There are some inexperienced filmmakers out there who operate with little or no training. Some others take charge of areas where they are not specialists in. There are quite a number of film academies where one can get adequate and sufficient training, but a lot these half-baked filmmakers do not attend them.

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However, when a marketer takes the role of a director, what is bound to be produced will be nothing short of mediocrity and a mockery of what a professional work should be.

What is the minimum qualification for a filmmaker/actor?
Even though there are no specified qualifications, ‘talent’ is one very important thing to have in your possession to be a good filmmaker, while another is education. Talent is natural and God-given, but with education comes upgrading and development of one’s their talents.
Also, let us bear in mind that there are no glass ceilings anywhere restricting one from growing beyond the provisions of his education; there is no cast-in-stone requirement for one to be called an actor.