Good for 'New Nollywood' : the impact of new online distribution and licensing strategies

Pratt, Lande (2015) Good for 'New Nollywood' : the impact of new online distribution and licensing strategies. International Journal of Cultural and Creative Industries, 3(1), pp. 70-84. ISSN (print) 2309-6640

Abstract

The Nigerian video film industry has done well in the last two decades. UNESCO (2012) reported the industry (also known as ‘Nollywood’) was the second largest in the world based on the quantity of films produced per year. In its most recent report UNESCO (2013) excluded Nollywood from its analysis of emerging film markets, widely attributed to the presence of semi-professional/informal productions and high levels of piracy. Piratical and informal economies are, however, syncretic with the formal economy of Nigerian film. It has both benefitted and suffered from their impact. The emergence of ‘New Nollywood’, has sought to deal with these challenges. Opportunities have arisen which provide positive markers for emergent local and global markets in the sector. By close empirical analysis of Cinema Kpatakpata’s award winning feature Confusion Na Wa, this paper critically analyzes the role played by: digital disruption, day-and-date release, creative licensing, and Netflix expansion to African content. The findings show that: VOD and day-and-date have great potential to disrupt control of the value/distribution chain by infamous marketers. Independent filmmakers benefit from flexible and creative use of new distribution, and modernized IPR provisions capable of handling change.

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