How To Join Nigerian Nollywood Movie Industry: 2019 Guide To Becoming Actor, Actress

How To Join Nigerian Nollywood Movie Industry: 2019 Guide to Becoming An Actor, Actress

Do you want to become the next “Genevieve” or “Desmond Elliot“? Do you have what it takes? This article will help you realise your dream.

Here, we’ll be bringing you a comprehensive guide on how to become a Nigerian actress and actor in the Nigerian Nollywood movie industry.

Nollywood is the biggest and richest movie industry in Africa, and also one of the biggest movie industries in the world. The actors and actresses dominating the movie scene are among the elite class in the Nigerian society; enjoying fame, wealth and glamour. In light of this, the ultimate dream of a typical Nigerian youth is to become a Nigerian movie star, with the primary aim of enjoying the fame and wealth that comes with the title.

However, Nollywood is not a conventional organization where you can just walk in and drop your résumé. Just like the music industry, joining Nollywood and becoming a Nigerian actor or actress requires more than raw talent. More often than not, your breakthrough depends on sheer luck.

Nevertheless, you need to work towards achieving your dream, which, as believed by many, translates to “creating own luck”; a case of “opportunity meeting preparation”. This is what this article seeks to guide you on.

In this piece, we are going to be guiding you on the various channels you can go through to realize your dream of  joining Nollywood and becoming a Nigerian actor or actress.

How To Become A Nollywood Actress & Actor

Today, for some reasons, actresses are in demand more than their male counterparts. As such, as a female, you stand a better chance of getting into the Nollywood movie industry than a male. Nevertheless, actors are also in high demand.

As emphasized earlier, in order to become a Nollywood star, you need to be exceptionally talented and/or well-connected. If you fall in the later category, you can be rest assured of getting a movie role sooner or later. However, if you are the unconnected type, albeit exceptionally talented, you can give yourself an edge by following the above-listed guides:

Discover And Develop Your Acting Skill

Acting is a dynamic profession, with numerous skill sets on display. The point here is; as an aspiring movie star, you need to discover the skills you possess and work towards developing those skills, in line with the established standards (in Nollywood).

To discover what/where you are good at, ask yourself the following self-evaluating questions:

• I’m I good at making speeches?
• How fluent is my spoken English?
• How standard is my communication and interpersonal skills?
• Am I good at making people laugh/smile?
• Would I make an excellent comedy star?
• Do I look sexy or romantic?
• Do I have the physical attributes?
• How versatile/dynamic Am I?
• How good am I in handling pressure?

These questions could be exhaustive, and depending on your favourite movie role, you need to answer some or all of these questions (without bias) to evaluate yourself and determine if you have what it takes or not.

The interesting thing is, an undeveloped skill is useless. So, pick yourself up and develop the acting skill(s) you think you possess, and make efforts to acquire the ones you lack. With a bit of luck on your side, the “sky would be your starting point and not your limit”.

Get Yourself Out There

Entertainment business is all about showbiz, and Nollywood stands at the forefront in this aspect. As an aspiring actor or actress (especially if you are not well-connected), you need to dissipate any element of shyness in your body. This is especially important if you are a female, who is aspiring to become a Nollywood actress.

Create a public profile (on the social media) and be ready to mingle with the “who-is-whos” in the movie industry, and also create awareness for yourself as much as you can.

Specifically, you can go through the following channels to put yourself out there:

• Create Social Media handles; preferably a YouTube channel and an Instagram page.
• Create short skits and upload them on these Social Media handles.
• Build your fan base on Social Media.
• Reach out to movie promoters, distributors, directors and producers.
• Attend auditions.

Note: All these do not, in anyway, guarantee your acceptance into Nollywood. However, they further improve your chances, and give you an edge over other aspiring movie actors/actresses.

 Nollywood Acting Auditions

Unlike the music industry, Nollywood has a working audition system. Audition is an essential process in the production of virtually all Nollywood movies. As a producer, your movies are your investments, and to get a good return, you need to ensure you get the best of fresh talents available, usually for supporting roles.

Movie producers often advertise auditions for movie roles. And as an aspiring movie star, all you need, to kick start your acting career is a starring role in a movie. So, always be on the lookout for movie auditions and participate in as many of them as you can.

To be at the top your game at movie auditions, follow the guidelines below:

• Conduct mock sessions, few days or one week to an audition. Your friends or family can help out in this aspect.
• Wake up early on the designated day (of an audition).
• Eat well, dress well, and smell nice (keep your perfume moderate).
• Be punctual; make sure you arrive at the audition venue an hour or two before the official kickoff time.
• Keep your performance original; trying to fake-up would make you lose control. So, don’t over-do.
• Maintain your confidence and creativity.
• Approach the stage with elegance.
• Maintain a solid voice output (not too loud and not too calm), depending on your role.

Successful people never give up; no matter how many rejections you get, keep honing your acting skills, continue expanding your fan base and keep on attending auditions.

If you do things well and you do them right, your breakthrough would come, sooner or later.

Nollywood Contact Number

Nollywood is a large industry, with millions of people directly or indirectly benefiting from the largess it offers. However, it is made up of several stand-alone production units, which are founded and headed by prominent actors, actresses, distributors, directors and producers.

So, if you are looking to join Nollywood and become an actor/actress, producers are the ones to get in touch with.

Nollywood Producers Contacts

Below is a list of some prominent production firms, their CEOs and contact details:

Mainframe Productions

• Founder: Tunde Kelani
• Head Office: Lagos
• Phone Number: 08023524057

Zeb Ejiro Productions

• Founder (CEO): Zeb Ejiro
• Head Office: Surulere, Lagos
• Phone Number: +23415850976

Golden Effects Pictures

• CEO: Kunle Afolayan
• Head Office: Ikeja Lagos
• Phone Number: +2348027147327
• Website: Golden Effect Pictures
• Email Address: info@goldeneffectspictures.com

BOBTV – Amaka Igwe Production

• CEO: Amaka Igwe
• Head Office: Lagos
• Phone Number: 08023661580
• Website: Bob TV
• Email Address: info@bobtv.org

Jamal Mogaji Production

• CEO: Jamal Mogaji
• Head Office: Lagos
• Phone Number: 08023414779

Seun Arowojolu Production

• CEO: Arowojolu, Seun
• Head Office: Lagos
• Phone Number: 08034955932

Afrikan Vogue

• CEO: Femi Lasode
• Head Office: Ikoyi Lagos
• Phone Number: +23412611062
• Website: Afrikan Vogue
• Email Address: Afrikanvogue@hyperia.com

Lloyd Weaver Productions

• CEO: Lloyd Weaver
• Head Office: Lagos
• Phone Number: 08023004609

Authentic School of Drama & Film Production

• CEO: Muyiwa Ademola
• Head Office: Ibadan
• Phone Number: +2348156950358

Black Culture Concept

• Head Office: Lagos
• Phone Number: 08029087664

Nollywood Registration Form

There is nothing like “Nollywood Registration form“, “Online Audition form” and the likes. So, kindly disregard any website or blog advertising such.

That said, movie auditions are, most times, not publicly advertised, not to talk of an online publication and registration. More often than not, auditions are carried out in-house.

So, build your connection around people that knows “what’s up” in the Nollywood movie industry.

And with dedication and a bit of luck, you might just be the next AMVCA or AMAA Best Actor or Actress.

For latest news in Nollywood, visit Nollywood Breaking News Column.

Best of luck!!.