Comedian and Filmmaker Ayo ‘AY’ Makun, says in spite of the economic challenges, Nollywood has projected Nigeria’s image positively.
Makun, a Guinness World Record holder stated this on his Instagram page @aycomedian on Thursday while sharing his thoughts on the growth of Nollywood using a video of Cinema filled with visitors.
He wrote: “I am impressed with the growth of Nollywood. Unlike Hollywood, with little or no budget, we make cautious efforts to tell our stories.
“For some, it is the hype, for others, is either the work of conspiracy of theories.
“Above all, it does not stop me from aiming for an improved production for more box office records and a better Nollywood,” AY wrote.
He reiterated that he would not stop striving for better movie productions to improve the industry.
Similarly, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also shared his thoughts on the growth of the industry.
Atiku took to his Twitter handle @atiku to interact with his followers who sought his opinion on the growth of Nollywood on Tuesday.
He wrote: “I’m excited by Nollywood’s growth. Purchasing power to watch Nollywood films is a huge problem.
“If we increase Nigerians’ purchasing power, more cinemas will open; more people will watch films, so Nollywood budgets increase.
“We also need to check piracy, which diverts revenues from film makers to criminals. Intellectual property owners need to enjoy the fruits of their labour,” Atiku wrote.
Nollywood, which officially started with the 1992 release of ‘Living in Bondage’, has grown considerably from just ‘direct-to-video’ to curating a large cinema audience.
According to a 2014 report by the United States International Trade Commission, “The industry employs a million people and second only to farming in Nigeria.
“Pumping 600 million dollars annually into the national economy; in 2002, it made 400 movies and 45 million dollars.”
Recently, most of the industry’s blockbuster movies such as ‘The Wedding Party’ and its sequel, ’30 Days in Atlanta’ and ‘October 1’ were screened in International film Festivals. (NAN)