How To Start A Film Production Company In Nigeria (Guide To Making & Selling Movies)

How To Start A Film Production Company In Nigeria (Guide To Making & Selling Movies)

Nigeria movie industry is a multi-billion Naira investment. Currently, the Nigerian Nollywood ranks the highest in Africa. Today, Nigerians movies due to its creativity and diversity in language have made names for itself on the international stage.

The Nigerians Nollywood is competing favorably with the likes of American Hollywood and Indian Bollywood. Apart from the popularity brought into the. Industry some great Nigerian actors and actresses the partnership between the American movie producers and Iroko tv has given international recognition to the Nollywood movie. Iroko tv is the singular and largest station for Nollywood movies streaming globally.

Without mincing words, Nigeria movie industries are a major player in the economic growth of the nation. Over the years, it has contributed immensely to the country’s gross domestic growth. The Nollywood as it is called is the largest singular employer of labor in the country. This has not only to address the restiveness of the youths, but created job opportunities for millions of Nigerians. Where you are on the academic ladder of education, there is something for everyone. With that, several Nigerians have more than food on their tables just as the government garner revenue to their purse.

Film making like any other show business come at a huge price. So movies or film making involves many things other than the actors and actresses. Nonetheless, the myriad of challenges facing the industry is enough for the players to back the business. Passion and dexterity have kept most of the key players in the game going. Ask an average film producer, actor, and actresses, they will tell you how frustrating it could be to get involved in film making in Nigeria. Some of the challenges include unfavorable government policy, piracy, extortion, and exploitation.

How to become a movie producer in Nigeria

As we look at how to start a film production company in Nigeria. A movie producer is a businessman or woman with many caps. If you like call him or her “jack of all trades and master of all. He must be intelligent, creative, resolute, industrious, prudent, discipline and calculative. Above all, a producer must be able to source for the fund, trustworthy, and prudent.

A film producer as a chief chef harmonizes all other cooks and ingredients to bring to the table the cuisine that will be loved by all and sundry. Since movie production is highly demanding and a work that relies on the contribution of various skills, a producer must equally experience in film making.

Before we talk on how to start a film production company in Nigeria let us see a few of the roles and the responsibility of a movie producer.

Roles And Responsibilities Of A Movie Producer In Nigeria

1. He is a dream caster. A producer either have the dream of the script or take that of another person who needs a buyer or sponsor for his idea. It could be fictional on nonfictional film. The story the producer wants to turn into a film might be from a written story, a real-life event, history, or about a personality.
2. Hire a film director. Like I said earlier some producers double as a director at the same time. If so, they will ensure the right screenwriter is hired. The job of a screen or movie writer is to ensure the story is presented in an acting format. It is this format that the artist will act out that present the story in a virtual way
3. Delegate authority. For effectiveness, a film producer most times, delegates some authority to make the production easier and faster. In a big project, a producer can have other co-producers while he is the executive producer. This happens mostly if the producer is handling multiple projects at once.
4. He ratifies the actors and actresses. Though it is the primary function if the movie director to recruit cast for the film, the producer has a lot when it comes to the final shortlisting of who features in the film. Since he is to foot the bill his decision takes prominence over that of the director.
5. Funding. Producing a movie is expensive. Therefore, a producer must think and work out on raising the money for the project. The producer if he has the financial muscle could finance the production by himself. But if the project is big, he would have to collaborate with some sponsors.
6. You must be a team player. A producer who knows his onus will possess great management acumen. His management skills will help him to manage people and resources to bring out award-winning movies. Been a team player connote you have a good relationship with everyone
7. Have a good negotiating power. Every entrepreneur will try everything to cut costs. Thus, a producer must be able to negotiate effectively with everyone on his team.
8. He is trendy. If you want to be on top of your game as a producer you must be current with what is going on in the film industries. Knowing what is trendy in the game will give you an idea of what story resonate with the people. A little knowledge of psychology will make you fit as a producer

How much does it cost to produce a movie in Nigeria?

There is no single answer to how much it costs to produce a movie in Nigeria or any other place in the world. The only truth is movies cost a lot of money to produce.

Since movie expenses are not only in one specific area. To understand what it cost to produce a film, you need to know what makes the money.

1. Location. Part of where the money goes is the location for the shooting of the film. Most times you use several locations. This often requires moving things and personalities. The overall result is financial involvement. In Hollywood for instance, most of these things you needed are available in the film village. Though you pay for them, it couldn’t be compared to hiring or renting a new one by each producer every time. This is what reduces the profit in movie-making in Nigeria
2. Costume. The movie producer must secure the right kind of costume that is relevant to the film. Producing an epic movie, for instance, required getting to the root of tradition. Reproducing such ancient materials is part of the cost of producing a movie in Nigeria
3. Casts. In addition to other expenses, are the cost of getting the right kind of cast. Fees charged by actors and actresses differ. Those actors and actresses that are popular charges higher than the upcoming actors and actress. As a good movie producer know the more popular your actors and actresses the better acceptance you receive from the people. There other people working on the background that their works are not obvious but important. Interestingly their role can mar or make the movie. They include the caterer, hairdresser, costumiers, make- up, drivers, etc. All of these puts together are some of the costs of producing a movie.
4. Equipment. The cameras, vehicles, lightings, generating sets, etc are a few of the areas a movie producer spends his money on.
5. Statutory payments. Part of the statutory payment is the insurance of your crews and cast against accidents, injuries, and death. Payments for hotels, security outfits are part of a film producer’s expenses. In Nigeria, you sometimes have to give financial or material gratification to some community leaders before they allow you to use their facility or community. In some cases, the producer will have to part away with some cash in a way of settling some people who may claim to have to appease the gods of the land before you can shoot your movies. This may be different from the financial demands of the youth in the community. This is what is added up to increase the expenses borne by a movie producer in Nigeria.

How to sell a movie in Nigeria

After a great job of producing a movie is another hurdle to cross which is advertising and marketing. Without advertising the work, all effort is a waste. The overall success of the movies hangs mainly on the success of the advert.  Your choice of advertisement is based on your targeted audience. The audience equally depends on the type of movies you are marketing.

1. The traditional method. Though there are modern ways of publicity, these traditional ways of promoting your movies are still relevant. These include publicity on billboards, television, radio, newspaper, magazine, banner, handbills, etc.
2. Cinemas. Though video CDs are gaining ground, the first point of call for the movies that will earn a producer decent money is the cinemas. Once the film is successful at cinema halls, the likelihood of profit is higher. The benefit of enjoying a good patronage in the cinema cannot be overemphasized. Agreed, the CDs will reach more people, the challenges of piracy will take the better part of the gain that should accrue to the producer
3. Online. One viral way of putting your products before millions of people is the internet. Today, there are more people especially the young are more on the internet than any other place. An online advert has more advantages than any other channels of publicity. One, it is cheaper. Two, it is easily available. Three, it breaks the distance barrier. Four, it cut across all age and gender bracket. Five, it allows you to get feedback.

It is easy to see flaws in some movies. You blame the producer, director or the poor quality of the production on the incompetence of the team that produces the movie.  But now that you know how to start a film production company in Nigeria, you will tighten your seat belt if you have the opportunity to produce one. At least now you can appreciate the production of the movie in Nigeria.