An actor and producer based in the United States of America, Mr Sam Ojo has admonished Nigerian entertainers to participate in politics with an aim to improve the economy and the movie industry.
The American actor gave the advice in a chat with our correspondent on Saturday.
He added that entertainers would be able to design the desired industry they wanted if they were in government.
“We have many talented actors that can lead, I think they should participate more in politics, run for elective positions so that they can design the industry the way they want.
Read Also: More youth inclusion in modern agriculture will bolster economy – Buhari
“They can also hire a lobbyist to make laws that will help their industry.
“Actors should know that this is a service industry, and they must give that service better than others to gain repeat business,” he said.
Ojo who said that Nollywood was a huge market for the global film industry but with little dividend because of piracy, advised the government to do more at curbing piracy in the country.
“Many of the filmmakers are willing to pump heavy money into Nollywood like Hollywood and Bollywood but breaking even is tough with the menace of piracy, ” he said.
While talking about the cinematography and the quality of movies produced in Nigeria, Ojo said that the picture quality and sound were getting better.
“Most of the films in Nigeria are centred around drama and independent filmmakers which by the international standard is a low budget production.
“Nevertheless, with an improved economy and with our excellent economy of scale, Nigerian filmmakers will start producing movies that American distribution companies will want in their market.
“Our stories are fantastic, but it is about time we started to tell the stories in a way that people around the world will relate well to the story,” he said.
Read Also: Petroleum tanker drivers not part of PENGASSAN nationwide industrial action — Salimon Oladiti
Ojo who currently produced a movie called Alejandro to be premiered in Oklahoma sometime in April advised the government to create more jobs and give loans to better the movie industry.
“The biggest challenge in the industry is pricing for crews or cast, there is no standard price, this attitude could be frustrating for filmmakers from abroad.
“I have made movies in Asia and Latin America and I recruited all my cast and crew from the U.S.A, conducted pre-production online and went in to shoot for a few weeks and it was successful.
“In Nigeria, it can never work that way, sometimes, when you successfully reach out, some will not respond to text, calls or email, but I believe it will get better.
“The actors that featured in Alejandro were professional and easy to work with. Particularly, Tina Mba, Nancy Isime and Afeez Oyetoro, they made working with Nigerians easy, ” he said.
The movie to be premiered in April was inspired by a true-life event where a man’s random act of kindness becomes the answer to his most ardent question.
The movie showcased the Nigerian culture to the world by telling a story pertinent to Africa in a way that different audiences will relate to.
