Congratulations to Nigeria’s Nollywood film director Kunle Afolayan who was recently featured/profiled in Hollywood’s Trade Magazine, Magazine.
“Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the Daily Variety Gotham edition, based in New York City was added. All three have been in continual operation since. Now delivered to 60 countries, Variety presents in-depth news, exclusive reports, trend stories, box office information and reviews.” – Wikipedia.
“Helmer is hot, in more ways than one
Former banker Afolayan shakes up Nigerian pic biz
By CHRISTOPHER VOURLIAS‘Phone Swap,’ from director Kunle Afolayan, did solid B.O. in Nigeria before it was pulled.
LAGOS — He might be the hottest thing in Nigerian cinema right now, but Kunle Afolayan was disgruntled on a recent afternoon at the offices of his production company, Golden Effects.
That morning Silverbird Media had pulled his third feature, “Phone Swap,” from its screens. Afolayan was convinced the chain — Nigeria’s largest — was retaliating for recent comments he had made that criticized the company’s revenue splits. Silverbird argued that ticket sales had dropped, and it was time to make way for new releases.The film had grossed about $125,000 during its five-week theatrical run, a solid figure for a local pic. Afolayan felt the decision was personal. A frank, stocky man, he had the look of someone spoiling for a fight.
It was just one of many headaches for a director who has been at the forefront of a movement to raise the artistic bar for the Nigerian film biz. Since the helmer’s sophomore effort, “The Figurine,” met with international acclaim, he has been one of the industry’s leading lights.
But in many ways, Afolayan, a former banker whose father was the celebrated helmer known as Ade Love, is still learning the industry’s ropes.
Last month, he clashed with his distributor over the DVD release of “The Figurine,” which he called “a nightmare.” He thought the marketing strategy was poorly executed; nearly four months after the release, he still has no idea how many copies have sold.
Financing also remains a challenge. Afolayan estimates that roughly 40% of “Phone Swap’s” $370,000 budget came from corporate placements, with 40% from personal loans and the rest financed out of his own pocket. . .”
Full feature on Variety.com.
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That is a good publicity that a good director like him deserve. He is a good ambassador to the Nigeria Movies.