NAN-ELS-5
Films
By Vezi Isike
Lagos, April 6, 2016(NAN) Paul Achebe, a movie producer has called on the regulatory authority to enhance the profile of the nation’s movie industry.
Achebe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that the professional quality of the personnel was bound to improve, if the regulatory body could adopt proactive procedures.
He stressed that regular exposure to capacity building programmes was needed to weed out mediocrity from the industry.
He lamented that the profession was gradually losing its reputation because many movie makers are not well grounded in the art of film making.
According to him, cinematography required constant development to ensure proficiency and productivity, for every new project embarked on.
He said film theory and techniques as well as art history and appreciation, were core courses to learn but innovation should be the centre of everything cinematographers learn.
“Our profession is very tasking and requires a lot to stay relevant.
“Especially in this part of the world where a producer wants to stand in as a photographer, director, cinematographer and all you can think of.
“We have to ensure that we remain on top of our game by bending our backs to study new trends and what’s obtainable in other climes.
“We must find a way to equip students in film academies, on how they can use innovation to stand out and become more proactive in what they do,’’he said.
“We have flooded the movie market all over the world but my concern is the fact that our movies from scripts to characters lack professionalism.
“It is quite unfortunate that the norm in our industry is to pick road side acts that even pay their way just to be seen on screen,” he said.
He alleged that the movie makers are in the film business to rather amass wealth rather than create movies that will stand the test of time.
“In other countries you clearly can see development in the industry from one point to another but ours is up today and down tomorrow,” he said.
Achebe is the CEO of “Creative Scripts”, that has produced a number of movies and music videos including “Dark Ages’’, “Cradle, Billionaires’’ and “Daughter’’. (NAN)
VOI/ERO/EAL
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Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Ekemini Ladejobi