PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICS IN FILM PRODUCTION: A CRITIQUE OF TECHNICAL AND AESTHETIC ELEMENTS IN SELECTED NOLLYWOOD FILMS BY IKPELEMOH, SUNDAY EMMANUEL (PG/MA/13/66579) DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND FILM STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA NSUKKA DECEMBER, 2015 1 TITLE PAGE Professionalism and Ethics in Film Production: a Critique of Technical and Aesthetic Elements in Selected Nollywood Films, being a research submitted to the Department of Theatre and Film Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Nigeria Nsukka, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the degree of Master of Arts 2 CERTIFICATION This is to certify that IKPELEMOH, Sunday Emmanuel, a postgraduate student of Theatre and Film Studies with Registration number PG/MA/13/66579 has satisfactorily completed the requirements for both course and research works for Master of Arts Degree in Theatre and Film Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Nigeria Nsukka. The work is original and has not, to the best of my knowledge, been submitted partially or in full for any Degree of this or other universities. __________________________ _________________________ DR. FELIX U. EGWUDA-UGBEDA DR. OYIBO EZE (SUPERVISOR) (HEAD OF DEPARTMENT) DATE: _________________ DATE: ___________________ ____________________________ PROF. JOHN S. ILLAH (EXTERNAL EXAMINER) DATE: __________________ 3 DEDICATION This work is dedicated to the one whose grace started and finished it – my father in heaven, the one to whom I owe gratitude for life and the successful completion of this work. Thank you Lord. My late father, Pius Ikpelemoh who nurtured me with all that he had, diminishing in the process, for me to be the person that I am today also shares in this dedication, alongside my mother, Deaconess Felicia Ikpelemoh, and Raphael, my departed younger brother who called me Doctor up until he passed on. Raphael, I have just crossed another huddle in my pursuit to becoming the Doctor you always called me. When I do get my PhD, a place shall be provided for you in the dedication page. Thank you for believing in me and continue to rest in the bosom of the Lord. 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To God almighty I give all thanks and praise for the successful completion of this work. His grace has been more than sufficient. Thank you almighty Father for helping me breast the tape of this challenging race. My appreciation goes to my supervisor, Dr. Felix Egwuda who is largely responsible for the timely and successful completion of this work. Even when I failed to meet up with his expectations on the work, and occasionally get downbeat as a result, he always made sure to call me and help me get back on track. Whenever I needed his assistance he was always there for me. I had unlimited access to his books that I know are priceless to him. I am eternally grateful to you sir for the privileges I enjoyed from you. My colleagues in the Department of English and Literary Studies, Federal University Lokoja inspired me in so many different ways. It was Late Professor Joseph Sunday Aliyu who impressed it on me to enrol for this programme when I did. My joy would have been complete were he alive today to raise my hands like he promised he would do if I round off the programme within the stipulated two years. Baba, I am happy and proud that I have fulfilled this aspect of your numerous dreams and aspirations for me. Thank you for bringing me to Federal University Lokoja. Thank you for believing in me. May the good Lord give you rest in paradise. My boss, my teacher, my brother and friend, Professor Gbenga Ibileye (who is also my Head of Department) has been a source of inspiration to me. ‘How far have you gone with your work?’ he would ask me time and again. In that question I found his true desire for me to grow and to excel on the job, and with it comes the motivation to do the things I had to do. I am eternally grateful for everything, sir. James Iorliam Udaa is my brother from another parent. He is the closest colleague and the most reliable friend I have in Lokoja. His input and advice have helped to forge a 5 purposeful direction for the work. I owe a lot of gratitude to him for helping to solve some of my family challenges whenever I was away to Nsukkka, especially during the course work. To my other colleagues in the Department, Dr. Abel Joseph who never stopped encouraging me; Mr. Jatto Abdulazeez from whose’ wealth of experience I learnt so much; Mr. Peter Okpe whose commitment to his PhD programme always served as a challenge to me; and Mr. Tosin Olagunju whose versatility I always admired, I say thanks for your contributions to this work directly or indirectly. To Professor Emeka Nwabueze, Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwu, Dr. Ngozi Udengwu and Mr. Domba Asomba who taught me during the course work, I say a big thank you for adding value to my life. You all have helped to mould me into a better academic and I am truly proud of you. My wife and children were awesome. Whenever I returned to Lokoja from Nsukka and they snuggle around me, I get the push to want to put the work behind me so that I can always be there for them. The questions my senior son, Mystar always asked; the way his brother Gift always looked into my eyes; and the way the baby of the house, Emmanuella would fondle with my face gave me the feeling that I mean a lot to them. Thank God the sacrifices all of you have made have yielded result today. Finally I want to acknowledge my mother, Deaconess Felicia Ikpelemoh whose love and prayer for me is constant; My brothers, Supol Simon Ikpelemoh (my ‘twin’ brother though two years older); Joseph Ikpelemoh (the one who does not know how to say ‘No’ to me); John Ikpelemoh (whose smile and laughter I admire); Paschal Ikpelemoh (Mr. creative) Mathew Ikpelemoh (whose love for academics is amazing) and my only sister, Bridget who I know prays for me always. I am grateful to all of you for being there for me. Ikpelemoh, Sunday Emmanuel December, 2015 6 ABSTRACT What is generally known today as Nollywood industry began around 1992 when Kenneth Nnebue shot Living in Bondage. The industry has since passed through a series of revolution with recognisable growth in out put. Today it has grown to become the world’s second largest producer of films ahead of Hollywood, generating millions of Dollars to the Nation’s economy. There is however the claim that the growth of the industry is not qualitative but quantitative. The hijack of the industry by amateurs have been partly blamed for the poor quality out put of the movies. It is in this light that Udomisor and Opara Anayo said that despite Nollywood’s success in home videos and across films produced in Africa, more has to be done in terms of production, film content, quality and originality (9). Poor finances have also been blamed for the low quality out put of movies made in Nigeria. It is in response to the general poor rating and the feeling that the Nollywood industry is about amateurish practice that this research is embarked upon. The idea is to direct attention to the fact that in spite of these challenges, Nollywood filmmakers still produce quality films. Three Nollywood movies have been selected for analysis to prove this. The films are The Figurine (2009), Phone Swap (2012) and Half of a Yellow Sun (2013). The analysis is in the area of Camera manipulation, lighting and shadow, sound recording, continuity, acting, speech and costume and make-up. The research methodology relied on are the Historical research methodology, the Sociological methodology and the Artistic methodology. The preference for these research methodologies is their suitability for theatre and media researches. 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page - - - - - - - I Certification - - - - - - - - II Dedication - - - - - - - III Acknowledgements - - - - - - - - IV Abstract - - - - - - - VI Table of Contents - - - - - - - VII CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.0 Background to the Study 1 1.1 Statement of Problem 7 1.2 Research Question 9 1.3 Objective of the Study 9 1.4 Significance of the Study 12 1.5 Scope of the Study 13 1.6 Limitation of the Study 14 1.7 Research Methodology 15 1.7.1 Historical Research Methodology 15 1.7.2 The Sociological Research Methodology 16 1.7.3 The Artistic Research Methodology 17 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2.1 Preamble 18 2.2 Comparing the Film and the Video Mediums 18 2.3 Different Stages of the Film Production Process 22 2.3.1 The Pre Production Phase 22 8 2.3.2 The Production Phase 24 2.3.3 The Post Production Phase 25 2.4 Film Ethics and Censorship 26 2.5 Film and Society 31 2.6 Professionalism 36 2.6.1 Professionalism in Film Production 37 2.7 Concept of Aesthetic in Film Production 40 2.8 Theoretical Framework of the Study 43 2.8.1 Formalist Theory 43 2. 8.2 Theory of Classicism or Classical Theory 44 2.8. 3 Theory of Auteurship or Auteur Theory 45 CHAPTER THREE: SYNOPSIS OF THE THREE FILMS 3.1 Preamble 46 3.2 Half of a Yellow Sun 46 3.3 The Figurine 49 3.4 Phone Swap 51 CHAPTER FOUR: CRITICAL REVIEW/ANALYSIS OF THE THREE SELECTED NOLLYWOOD MOVIES 4.1 Preamble 53 4.2 Mode of Analysis of the Selected Movies 54 4.3.1 Cinematography in Half of a Yellow Sun 55 4.3.2 Sound and Music in Half of a Yellow Sun 56 4.3.3 Lighting in Half of a Yellow Sun 58 4.3.4 Continuity in Half of a Yellow Sun 59 4.3.5 Costume and Make-up in Half of a Yellow Sun 63 9 4.3.6 Speech/Dialogue in Half of a Yellow Sun 65 4.3.7 Acting in Half of a Yellow Sun 68 4.3.8 Ethical issues in Half of a Yellow Sun 70 4.4.1 Cinematography in The Figurine 71 4.4.2 Sound and music