Analytical Evaluation of Light, Sound and Costume in Nollywood Films: The Case of Nowhere is Safe

Analytical Evaluation of Light, Sound and Costume in Nollywood Films: The Case of Nowhere is Safe Angela Nkiru Nwammuo, Ph.D Department of Mass Communication Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam Campus Nigeria angelanwammuoangela@yahoo.com Ifeyinwa Maureen Nwanolue Department of Mass Communication Federal Polytechnic Oko Nigeria maurifey@yahoo.com Abstract Nigerian film industry, often referred to as Nollywood, no doubt, has continued to yield to a revolutionary paradigm shift. The traditional notion of film making has been conceptualized with new models, especially by looking at Nollywood films. Presently, aesthetic elements seem to be conceptualizing the parameter of a new dawn in Nollywood film. Thus, by using a movie titled: Nowhere is safe, the aesthetic elements that make Nigerian made films interesting, eye-catching and unresisting, are explored. This paper uses analytical discussion methods in examining the aesthetic elements that stand out in most Nollywood films while calling attention to the need for re-positioning the industry as a tool for cultural identity and economic growth. Key words: Aesthetics, aesthetic elements, films, Nollywood, Nollywood film 146

Nwammuo, A.N. & Nwanolue, I.M. (2015); Analytical Evaluation of Light, Sound and Costume in Nollywood Films: The Case of Nowhere is Safe,, 4 (1): 146-154 Introduction Nollywood by popular acclamation refers to the Nigerian National Film Industry. Even though the origin of the name could be linked to similar acronyms like Hollywood and Bollywood. Nollywood made its first appearance in print in an article written in New York Times in 2002 by Matt Steinglass (Haynes, 2005). Ever since then, Nollywood has come to stay and has blossomed into a complex film industry. They serve as vehicles of encoded messages with themes that represent the life styles of not only Nigerian consumers but Africans, in general. Nigerian films are heterogenous in nature and portray the three major ethnic tribes in Nigeria divided into Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa. Each of these tribes produce films out of a context related to domestic and international cultural, economic and political environments and designate their production centers in the southwest, North and South-East parts of the country, (Uwah, 2011). Languages and themes that showcase African way of life is used in telling stories and though, producers, essentially make films to make money, they are guided by those issues that help them address local markets (Haynes, 2000; Dul, 2000). Nollywood has passed through several paradigm shifts. Initially there were economic factors that made it extremely difficult for the first generation Nigerian producers to sustain the industry. These producers and filmmakers engaged in film production without sponsorship from government. This happened between 1960 1980. During this era, aesthetics and other vital elements of film production were not put into consideration. There was also the shift in technology. Initially, ordinary video cameras were used to make cheap films in order to cut cost against the economic burdens of the celluloid productions. Added to this, is the fact that Nollywood came with the practice used in television productions. This meant since people were already watching local soap operas and theatres following the Nigerian Indigenization Act of 1972, it was also easier to watch Nollywood films in the same way on the same television screen with less convenience and cost (Kunzler, 2007). Nollywood s productions represent issues that both Nigerians and Africans can relate with. They therefore, affect Africans more than other foreign films since they originate from real genuine stories about the cultural experience of the people. The issue of identity, preservation of cultural heritage and resistance of dominant western influence, are clear factors contributing to the success of the Nigerian film industry, (Olayinka, 2008, Uwah, 2011). The Concept of Aesthetics in Films Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy concerned with the notion of the beautiful and good looking. It strives 147

to ascertain why a particular thing is regarded as beautiful why another is not. It is discussed as both the study of beauty and the properties of a system that appeal to the senses, as opposed to the content, structures and utility of the system itself (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2006). Film aesthetics or aesthetics in film has to do with the study of film and its properties that appeal to the audience s interest and fancy, (Ofeimum, 2003). It seeks to outline those elements that give films emotional engagement. As Owuamalam (2007:76) explains, film aesthetics is the study of certain sense perceptions, which deal with the artistic elements that arouse pleasure and create specific sensations and impressions of the work. It is the major reason that accounts for the careful selection, arrangement and presentation of scenic episodes in order to satisfy the interest of the audience. It is therefore, the evaluation of a work of art, in this case, film, based on its entertainment value. What are the Aesthetic Elements in Films? The objective view of aesthetics with regards to any work of art insists that works of art be adjudged using yardsticks that are peculiar to its nature. Aesthetic elements in films are therefore those parameters upon which films are evaluated. They are the yardsticks used in assessing the beauty of films. Films are produced by recording objects and people with cameras, or by creating them using animation techniques or special effects. A film therefore involves more than figuring out where to put the camera and what lens to use before shooting, it involves more of, articulating a clear and provocative purpose for telling the tale. Hence, it is guided by certain rules and idiosyncrasies which determine its nature. It is based on the very nature of films that the aesthetic elements emerged to serve as templates for assessing whether a film is beautiful or ugly, bad or good (Ekwuazi, 1997). Many scholars have tried in listing the aesthetic elements that could be used in evaluating films. The most common elements as emphased by Owuamalam (2007) and Ekwuazi (1997) include: light, sound, costume, colour, plot, montage, acting, camera work, setting, special effects and miseen-scene. Lighting: This is the aesthetic element that in film helps to depict the time, season, atmosphere and or environment in which the story of a film is set. It indicates day, night, determines atmospheric conditions like rain, fog, tornado, storm etc. lighting shapes a shot s overall composition and also affects people s sense of the shape and texture of the object depicted. For instance, if a ball is lit straight from the front, it will appear round, but if lit from the side, it will be seen as a half circle. The proper use of light 148

Nwammuo, A.N. & Nwanolue, I.M. (2015); Analytical Evaluation of Light, Sound and Costume in Nollywood Films: The Case of Nowhere is Safe,, 4 (1): 146-154 could therefore embellish and dramatize every object. Sound or Music as an aesthetic element, performs both communicative and social functions (Owuamalam, 2007). It helps the audience to organize their thought patterns which aids in understanding and appreciating the message being communicated. It is worthy of note to state that it is the universal meaning attached to music/sound that signifies its conventional use. Costumes are any material worn by an actor/actress that depicts the place, time, setting, and culture of the actor/actress as well as determine the social class of the character being depicted. Costumes include clothing, eye wears, foot wears, headgears and other clothing accessories which are different from make-ups. Make ups include what is used to conceal or enhance the character being portrayed. Make-up is mainly used to adorn the face (Ogundele, 2000). Colour in films helps the audience in appreciating a specific feeling. For instance, most Africans mourn their dead relatives by wearing either black or white garments. Any widow in Africa performing widowhood rites either dresses in an entirely black garments wearing black ear-rings, necklace, blouse, wrapper, headscarf and shoes or an entirely white outfits and ornament. Red signifies love universally while green depicts nature or life-giving substance. Plot refers to the storyline which may have been developed by a scriptwriter or conceived by the producer, director or any other person. A good story is one at whose beginning the audience cannot predict the end. Uwah (2011), compares the plotting of a story to the toughness involved in plotting of a coup. The plot of a good film must therefore be interesting, captivating and chronological. Montage according to Encyclopedia Britannica Ready Reference (2005) is a pictorial technique in which cut-out illustrations are arranged together and mounted on a support, to produce a composite picture made from several different pictures. In film, precisely, it is the sequential assembling of separate pieces of thematically related film by the director, film editor, and visual and sound technicians, who cut and fix each part with the others to produce visual juxta-positions and complex audio patterns. It is common in modern films to see intelligent fade in, fade out, systematic scene cutting, proactive scene arrangement and interplay of shots. Acting enhances the aesthetic quality of films. Good actors 149

aim at fitting body, spirit and soul into a role in a way that the actor tends to disappear while the audience sees only the character being portrayed. Good acting therefore requires more of visual elements like appearance, gestures and facial expressions. Good sound (voice) is also required from actors/actress, (Bordwell and Kristine, 1997). Camera work refers to aesthetic conventions and compositional principles of the camera which guide cinametography and filming (Olayinka, 2008). These principles include camera distance or field of view, camera movement and composition as Ekwuazi, (1997) explains, has to do with the creation of film space, which relates to the maximization of the enormously creative and informational potential of the visual image. All these aesthetic elements imply that a film maker who wants to capture striking images should know about the camera and how it works so as to achieve what he/she wants. Setting also known as scenery implies the environment, usually the locale or place where an action takes place. If in a film, events are not set in a locale, the story line or plot will not be complete because films depict reality. Setting therefore helps the audience in understanding the storyline. Special effects are computer generated graphic imaging and other technical shots used in creating sequences and actions that cannot be created or captured naturally (Zettl, 2005). Examples of such effects are bombs, gun shots, blood, ghost, flying, crashes, and other sounds that cannot be created naturally. Mise-en-scene refers to the concept of staging an action for the camera or what the layman calls film tricks. It allows for control over element of the film, making it possible to demonstrate a great range of technical possibilities. Setting, lighting, costume, make-up, all interact to create patterns of movement, of colour, depth, line, space, light and dark. The most essential aspect of mise-en-scene is figure-expression and movement. Often in some films, we see actors/actress shot dead, hit by spears, cut into two, jump from cliffs or into oceans, climb tall buildings. In some other situations, we see aeroplanes crash, buildings collapse, and many other near impossible events occur. All these acts are sequentially and carefully staged manifesting the art of mise-enscene (Bordwell and Kristin, 1997; Alamu, 2010). The essence of mise-en-scene is therefore to make the acting and role playing of actors/actresses as true to life as possible. 150

Nwammuo, A.N. & Nwanolue, I.M. (2015); Analytical Evaluation of Light, Sound and Costume in Nollywood Films: The Case of Nowhere is Safe,, 4 (1): 146-154 Theoretical Framework Kairies (2012 p. 1) developed three theories upon which evaluations of all works of art are based. These theories are the theories of imitationalism, Formalism and emotionalism. The theory of limitationalism applies to art works that looks realistic or those ones that imitate what we see in the real world, (Kairies, 2012 p. 2). An art work is therefore judged as good or beautiful if it accomplishes this goal to a high degree. Formalism is the theory that guides the evaluation of artworks based on the arrangement of colours, lines, shapes etc that make up any design (Kairies, 2012 p. 3) The third theory, emotionalism is the theory that guides the evaluation of artworks, based on their expressive qualities (Kairies 2012 p. 4). The purpose of such artworks is to vividly express or communicate moods, feelings and ideas of the characters to the viewers. They may be realistic or abstract, it does not matter. What matters most is that the artist/director achieves the major goal of getting and retaining the intended message. This third theory, serves as the foundation upon which this study is situated. It fully captures the rationale for using the aesthetic elements of light, sound and music in capturing viewer s attention and in conveying the message of the producer and director of the movie. The movie is therefore judged good because of its ability to appeal to the emotions of its viewers. A Synopsis of No where is Safe The main crux of this paper is to ascertain the aesthetic elements that are mainly used in Nollywood films using a film titled No where is Safe. This film was produced by Obi Cajethan in 2013 and directed by Ugezu J. Ugezu. The film, just like many Nollywood films featured popular actors/actresses in the industry like Chika Ike, Yul Edochie, Ndubuisi Vitalis, Patience Ozokwor, Dave Hendric Ogbeni and Chacha Eke. Set in recent times, No where is safe is a story that revolves around the lives of promising son and daughter born to a typical wealthy Nigerian family who grew up under a broken marriage. Chief Obi-Okoye (Vitalis Ndubuisi), the head of the family refused to forgive his wife Celena (Patience Ozokwor) for cheating on him and bring her back to the house despite pleas by his two children and his friends. This decision to remain apart and live separately, does not seem to bother the duo but the whole effect of their decisions haunt their children. Helen, who is the fiancé of the Prince (Dave Hendric Ogbeni) got rejected by her would-be father-in-law simply because she comes from a broken home, and as such cannot marry the prince. Anthony on the other hand, ran out of luck as his fiancé, Lyn (Chacha Eke) also leaves him and marries another man because of lack of approval by her mum because he also comes from a broken home. 151

Chief Obi Okoye and Madam Celena later reconciled but that was when their two children stood up to the challenge and threatened to disown them if they failed to unite as husband and wife. No where is safe clearly portrays a typical African family faced with the realities of cultural challenges that can bedevilled any child brought up under a broken marriage. Such issues as lack of trust, unfulfilled promises and unforgiving spirit, as depicted in the film, are the root causes of most broken marriages in Africa. Aesthetic Elements in Nollywood Films: The Case of No where is Safe. Lighting: Just as in most Nollywood films, the director utilized this element to show day/night and other atmospheric conditions. For instance, light was used in showing a flash back in the movie to reflect when Celena was a spinster and how she tried to explain the issue of what later broke her marriage with Chief Obi Okoye. The use of light in this scene clearly depicted the events in the past lives of the characters. Black and white were employed in such scenes to differentiate them from other scenes. Sound or Music: It is hard to see any film in Nigeria without theme music or other sound effects. This element seems to be the most visible aesthetic element utilized in Nollywood films. This film No where is Safe has its own music that seems to depict the theme of the film. In most cases one can tell the theme of any Nollywood film by listening to the Iyrics of the songs played as the film is going on. Costume: Nigerians and indeed Africans in general, know how to adorn themselves with various types of clothing and make ups. In No where is Safe, Patience Ozokwor, Chika Ike, Chacha Eke, Yul Edochie and indeed all the actors/actresses, were adorned with various costumes/make ups that clearly portrayed their characters and roles. In No where is Safe, the director made excessive use of notable faces in Nollywood industry. This brought out the aesthetic quality of the film since characters were well adorned with various costumes. The costume/make up artist used in the film was an experienced professional in the industry. The careful selection of Igbo attires worn by the characters added to the aesthetic quality of the film. Each character stood out in his/her unique make up. Most Nollywood films do not have any problem with plotting. The act of holding audiences spell bound as they watch Nigerian films is one of the qualities that make 152

Nwammuo, A.N. & Nwanolue, I.M. (2015); Analytical Evaluation of Light, Sound and Costume in Nollywood Films: The Case of Nowhere is Safe,, 4 (1): 146-154 most Nollywood scriptwriters ahead of their contemporaries. Costumes, music and light help producers in making Nollywood movies popular and able to compete with the other film industries in the world. Conclusion Nollywood films have been used, and are still being used in propagating those values for which Nigerians, and indeed Africans are well known for. They educate, entertain and socialize their audiences, no matter the continent in which they find themselves. The ability to hold and retain audiences interest and attention, as emphasized by Adesanya (2007); Adesokun (2005) and Akpabio (2004), could be attributed to the mystery behind the use of aesthetic elements. As could be seen in No where is Safe, music/sounds were introduced at the appropriate intervals to reveal the utmost depth of the singer s feeling and desires. The theme music was used in heightening the unfolding actions, to explain the plot and to build up emotions in the audience. Characters were well cast by notable actress/actors in the industry while the story line was chromologically and interestingly woven. No doubt, Nollywood has come a long way in portraying the African way of life, its people and its culture as well as its challenges in the face of digital divide that seems so wide to close up. Recommendations This paper has clearly analyzed those elements mostly used in Nollywood films to achieve aesthetics. Hence, the following recommendations are made: Nollywood producers and directors should endeavor to use modern movie equipment that will allow them use more aesthetic elements, especially in the area of mise-en-scene. Competency is required in the industry with regards to the use of most digital movie equipment. Government should provide an enabling environment in which the industry can flourish. Funding and assistance is needed especially in the hiring of foreign professionals and equipment. References Adesanya, A. (1997). The Sight of Sound in the Media and Theatre. Lagos: Kraft Books. Adesokun, S. (2006). Drama and Theatre in Nigeria: A critical source Book. Lagos: Nigeria Magazine. Akpabio, E. (2004). Attitude of Audience to Nollywood films Nordic Journal of African Studies 16(1) pp. 90 100. Alamu, O. (2010). Black Experience in Theatre. The Drama of Human Conditio 2(1) 81 98. Bordwell, D. and Kristine, W. (1997). Film Art: An Introduction Boston: McGraw-Hill. Dul, J. (2000). Culture and Art in Hausa video films In J. Haynes 153

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