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Movie:		8.0
Picture:		8.0
Sound:		7.0
Extras:		7.0
Score:		8.0

Director(s):	Jamie Meltzer
Starring:	Izu Ojukwu • Chico Ejiro
Genre:	Documentary
Website:	http://welcometonollywood.com/home.html
Release Date:	February 09, 2010

List Price:	DVD - $19.95
Amazon:

“Nigerians prefer their own films to the Hollywood imports” we’re told. This explains the amazingly rapid growth of the fledgling Nigerian film industry, which is essentially a grass roots business funded by the people involved. Director Jamie Meltzer gives us a fascinating look at the inner workings of this underdog industry, which is referred to as ‘Guerilla filmmaking’.

Based in Lagos Nigeria, the “Nollywood” movie business didn’t even exist in 1990, yet it has quickly grown into the 3rd largest film industry in the world. In the first 10 years of its existence, movies made in Nigeria netted the equivalent of 400 million US dollars. The projects are financed by the filmmakers themselves or by donations. No big studio backing or government funding. The creators take all the risks themselves.

The way the industry works there is in amazing contrast to Hollywood. Nollywood films are not released to cinemas. (Nigerian theaters show only imported films.) They go directly to video cassette. We learn that the filmmaker sells the master copy of his film to a “marketer” who makes copies of the film to distribute. For example, if the filmmaker produces a film for $15,000 he can sell it to a marker for $20,000. Then the marketer sells the video cassettes and keeps the profits. (An average video cassette costs $1.50 to make in bulk and is sold for $3.00.)  Nigerian films are made in a matter of weeks and filmmakers produce an average of 2,400 films per year.

Welcome to Nollywood follows two very different filmmakers. One is director Chico Ejiro, also known as “Mr. Prolific”, who’s made nearly 100 films since the mid ‘90s. Ejiro has a workmanlike attitude toward the business. He is a skillful and meticulous director but his focus is on output. Time is money. He can’t afford to fall behind schedule because he runs Grand Touch pictures (the biggest of the independent Nollywood companies) and has very high overhead. He needs to make as many movies as possible and any delay can be fatal to his bottom line.

The other director is the likable Izu Ojukwu, known as the master of action films in Nigeria. He sprang to fame filming a biopic on the true-life kidnapping of the Governor of Anamba state by policemen. Although several people filmed the same story, Izu’s was a masterfully done action thriller that generated huge profits. Ever since then, he has created a series of action films that have made him the most popular of the Nollywood directors.

Izu has a passion for filmmaking that makes him very appealing. We learn he built his first film projector as a child, and began showing movies to the neighborhood children. He is interested in the art of film more than the business end of it. We see Izu attempting to make an epic war film called Lavia, which takes place during the Liberian Civil War. Despite his meager budget, he wants to make it “indistinguishable from a Hollywood film”. It’s not an easy task.

Izu’s money runs out and he can’t afford to pay the hotel bill where he, along with his cast and crew, are filming some locations shots. Worse still, the welfare catering who the crew depends on for food, doesn’t show up. Izu has to beg credit and some of his equipment is held hostage. Yet through it all Izu remains positive and soldiers on.

The Nollywood filmmakers have to battle not only severe financial limitations but also deal with the day-to-day problems of living in Nigeria, such as frequent power failures. It’s a wonder films can be completed at all under such conditions and it’s a testament to the devotion that these filmmakers have to their craft that the Nollywood movie industry is growing and thriving.

DVD Bonus Features

Director Jamie Meltzer gives us a moving audio commentary regarding his experiences in Nigeria filming this documentary. It helps give us an appreciation of the difficulties that the people involved faced trying to create their art. They risk so much for their work, unlike Hollywood filmmakers and Meltzer helps us understand their struggle better.

Theres a less interesting section which previews other films at Indiepix. It works as a good teaser for similar films.