The Used of Computer in the Nigerian Film Industry
Computer is an Electronic machine which is made to received and organize data, it is a machine that has made work in different fields to be more efficient, faster and accurate. It is used in almost all aspect of Nigerian film production, form the pre- production to the post production. Films normally begin from idea which are later transferred into motion pictures by the crew and cast using computer related and other film technological devices like camera, sound recorders, light, cranes, e.t.c the use of highly advanced device during shooting or production is a major key for achieving base quality in film production, there could be hardly any other way of improving the quality of the film.
The use of computer in film production is more utilized in the post production. This is especially in editing, where the final making of the film is done. Film editing is done mostly in the computer, and there the editor with the film director and possibly the film production in Hausa are up till date to other films produce in Hollywood. This problem is still a major reason why the hausa film are still not having recognition as other films produces ins Holly wood (i.e films produced in English Language) and as well a reason that has effect negatively on their market
- HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE NIGERIAN FILM INDUSTRY
The world premiere of film was on December 28, 1985 at the late ground on the boulevard de L’ Opera in France. The Nigerian premiere of film was on August 4, 1903 at the Glover hall in Lagos.
The alka of Abeokuta, a Yoruba King of Nigeria was n one the scenes of the film projected at glover hall in Lagos. The film was shot during a visit to the Alaka made to England. In 1933, on the day after Sallah, Outside Gidan Shettima the emir of Kano and his council among a large crowd watched films projected by colorial health officers. Among the films exhibited were Jos miners, the Sarkin Kano, Kano city market and many other pictures.
The likes of which we never seen before was the Northern Province new on July 29, 1933. These films were projected by the colonial state as part of a much wider effort to use the media to propagate the idea about colonial citizenship, the respect for the colonial state, the queen and the empire- five years later, Mr. Williams sellers was in the northern part of Nigerian on new health care method.
These colonial films were projected because of the great increase the british Imperialist felt about the types of commercial films in the empire. Most of the commercial films were overwhelmingly of American origin, about gang stars, dance sec and crime. sex crime featured prominently in the films and for the British colonialists, this generated great anxiety that wrong idea about this white civilization were being spread and that this would create wrong impression and erode local cultural values.
Hesketh Bell, the governor of the Northern Nigeria wrote that “ The deplorable antics of white woman in a state of almost complete nudity- are calculated to be having shocking and dangerous effect on the coloreds youths ( Bell 1926) commercial films were viewed the suspicious by the colonial state and accused of corruptions the morals and eroding the cultural values of the people.
Nigeria and other African countries have suffered untold damages at the hands of the development nations which posses and control the technology and resources in the media industries. Africans have always been presented as a people without recognizable part, a turbulent present and a black future, ability, hope and intellect. Every media report about Africa is an disuse, hunger, and hopelessness. As if every desuse in the world originated from Africa and if there is any success story reported it must be the hand work of a white man. The films about Africa during the colonial period dwell on a jungle populated by wild uncivilized, and racially inferior people.
It was in the year 1939 that the British sets up the colonial films unit with Branches in different part of Africa. In Nigeria, Gold coast (Now Ghana), Rhodensia ( Now Zimbabwe), Tanganyka ( Now Tanzania) Uganda and Kenya. Those colonial film units produced mainly documentary films solely for education, information and entertainment, the films define the state to suit the colonial interest.
The Nigerian Celluloid films industry flourished in Nigeria between 1970s and early 1980s with a major debut in the future film genre, France Oladele’s Kongi Harvest sons of African, Bull frog in the sun, an adaptation of Chinwe Acehbe’s novel, things fall apart,, Eddie Ugbomah’s the dead of the black president, Ola Balagunn’s Amadi Ade love’s ( Adeyemi Kadara Taxi Driver 1 and 1 Adamu Halilu’s Shehus Uma and Many others.
2.2 ADVANTAGES OF COMPUTER IN THE NIGERIAN FILM INDUSTRY
The use of computer in the Nigerian film Industry has brought about tremendous improvement which includes:-
- The speed and accuracy of computer helps in making thousand duplicates of a film for sale in the market. This helpless the producer to earn more profit especially when the film is in demand and selling in the market.
- The use of computer with other related technological devices like cameras, sound recorders e.t.c help in producing good quality films. This helps in Stimulating the audience to opt for more and have confidence in the production.
- It also saves time during production as it helps in making sounds and effects that may be done on location
- Computer also helps in advertisements using the print media ( posters handbills e.t.c) The radio ( announcements and jingles) and the television
- Computer also improves film packaging as CD and DVD packs are designed in attractive forms. This also advertises the film and stimulates the public to buy and watch.
- The use of computer has help in reading unnecessary expenditure by the producer on thing that may not necessarily be done on location
- Computer also makes the production crew to work faster and more effective
- The use of computer also enables investors to make contacts with producers and as well be updated with development in the film industry.
DISADVANTAGES OF COMPUTER IN THE NIGERIAN FILM INDUSTRY
A major disadvantages of using computer in Nigerian is the problem of electric power supply. This problem is currently a disadvantages to computer usage in different organizations and the Nigerian film industry as well most of the computers and other film technological devices are powered by generators during production process and this helps in creating inefficiency in operation and also extra spending on the part of the producer.
Another disadvantage of computer usage in the Nigerian film industry is inability to control piracy. The copyright of a film is hardly protected and maintained and films newly released are copied and distributed using computer by other people. This problem is eating in the market of the Nigerian film industry and needs to be tackled.
