Film and National Rebirth
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION Film is a thin, transparent and flexible material composed of a base supporting a base of emulsion in which a latent image is formed upon exposure to light though a camera lens. But for the purpose of this study, we shall be discussing more film in its motion picture sense Film is any kind of motion picture, be it fictional, documentary, educational, experimental, or animated. Film is a connotation of serious art “movies” which suggest the popular nature, entertainment value, and motion picture which has the connotations of film either as the process of moving pictures or as big business motivated by economic and the market forces. Film is an important and very popular mass medium of communication most especially in terms of persuasion and entertainment as very picture is worth a thousand words and is more realistic than what is heard. Although in the Nigeria, the potentials of film are yet to be harnessed in such a strategic way that could help in addressing social vices and other problems. However in other developing nations this medium is being utilized properly and it has been yielding positive results. Films have been produced on different topic and subject in different parts of the world but the topic that has always be en the centre of attraction since the inception of motion picture is war. War films have always been used as a lag-waving” propaganda to inspire national pride and morale, and also to display the nobility of a nation’s forces, while making a mockery and criticizing the villainy of the enemy especially during war or in post war periods. Jingoistic Type of war films, usually do not represent war realistically in the support of nationalistic interest while avoiding the reality of the horrors of war. The good guys are portrayed as clashing against the bad guys. The first ever war film to be documented was one reel, 90 seconds propagandist effort, the vita graph company factious tearing down the Spanish lag
GENERAL INTRODUCTION Film is a thin, transparent and flexible material composed of a base supporting a base of emulsion in which a latent image is formed upon exposure to light though a camera lens. But for the purpose of this study, we shall be discussing more film in its motion picture sense Film is any kind of motion picture, be it fictional, documentary, educational, experimental, or animated. Film is a connotation of serious art “movies” which suggest the popular nature, entertainment value, and motion picture which has the connotations of film either as the process of moving pictures or as big business motivated by economic and the market forces. Film is an important and very popular mass medium of communication most especially in terms of persuasion and entertainment as very picture is worth a thousand words and is more realistic than what is heard. Although in the Nigeria, the potentials of film are yet to be harnessed in such a strategic way that could help in addressing social vices and other problems. However in other developing nations this medium is being utilized properly and it has been yielding positive results. Films have been produced on different topic and subject in different parts of the world but the topic that has always be en the centre of attraction since the inception of motion picture is war. War films have always been used as a lag-waving” propaganda to inspire national pride and morale, and also to display the nobility of a nation’s forces, while making a mockery and criticizing the villainy of the enemy especially during war or in post war periods. Jingoistic Type of war films, usually do not represent war realistically in the support of nationalistic interest while avoiding the reality of the horrors of war. The good guys are portrayed as clashing against the bad guys. The first ever war film to be documented was one reel, 90 seconds propagandist effort, the vita graph company factious tearing down the Spanish lag
References: Hyginus Ekwuazi. Film in Nigeria. Ibadan: Moonlight publishers, for the Nigeria film Corporation, Jos (1st Ed). Ben Uchegbu. ‘Goal-Oriented Censorhip policy for Nigeria: Kesson from the Colonial Era’ in Hyginus Ekwuaxi & Yakubu Nasidi (ed). Operative Principles of the Film Industry: Towards a film policy for Nigeria Jos: Nigeria Film Corporation, 1992 Pp. 46-48. “Profit-oriented Film Production: Strategies for the Establishment of a Valuable Nigeria Film Industry. Decree No. 85. National Film Corporation and Video Censor Board Decree 1993 in Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 25; Bol. 80. Lagos: Fed. Govt. Press 1st September, 1993. Hyginus Ekwuazi & Yakubu Nasidi (ed); No, Not Hollywood: Essay & Speeches of Brendan Shehu. Jos: NFC. 1992.