The Most Lucrative Skills in Nollywood

Are you an actor or actress with an undying passion for the movie industry? Have you been trying to break into the industry to no avail? This is the perfect article for you. Nollywood represents the Movie industry of the Nigerian entertainment industry. It is an industry rife with different opportunities that many creatives do not take advantage of because they all want to be center stage. If you are tired of waiting for that lifetime opportunity and would like to try other roles available in the film industry, I have compiled a list of roles that in my opinion are highly sought-after and are lucrative skills in Nollywood.

It is no news that breaking into the movie industry as an actor is an arduous task and could take years before you get that breakthrough role. It is essential for people looking at careers in Nollywood to seek out other opportunities available in the industry. This would require that you gain the appropriate skills and training.

The Nollywood industry majorly favors those who are at the forefront of the screen, actors who help them sell films, and sometimes the directors.  This is why more and more people go in search of acting roles while neglecting many of the other lucrative skills in Nollywood.

Even with a terrible structure and no major contributions from the government, the industry is still one of the major contributors to the nation's GDP. The movie industry, like any other industry, requires different departments to make it work. While some skills may receive better recognition and financial remuneration than others, none of the roles are less important than the others.

Most lucrative Skills in Nollywood

Directing

The film Director is in charge of creatively bringing a movie script to life. The assistant director on the other hand is an integral part of the process that ensures that the production is going as planned. The Assistant Director is in charge of the day-to-day progression of the production schedule. He/She prepares and maintains the call sheet, Blocking the scenes, continuity, and welfare of the cast and crew. It is possible to have a second and third assistant director, depending on the size of the production. 

Screenwriting

The screenwriter converts the original story for a movie or series into a screenplay. The screenplay is divided into different acts and scenes and contains the dialogues for each scene. The screenwriter is an integral part of film production, they are in charge of transforming what was just an idea into the final draft we all watch and love. Most scriptwriters work on a contractual basis, most of them do not originally own the story. They are hired by the production studio to transform a story or idea into the final screenplay.

Photography

The Director Of Photography is more than just a "cameraman", he or she is one of the most important personnel on a production set. The DOP visually brings the Directors ideas to life, he does not necessarily handle the camera. The roles of a DOP include framing the shots, selecting camera lenses, and choosing the appropriate lighting for each scene. Staff who work closely with the DOP include the Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator, Gaffer, and Key Grip.

Sound engineering

The sound engineer handles the voice recording of the movie shoot. He is also in charge of mixing the recorded sounds that make the final cut of the film. The Boom operator works with the sound engineer, he handles the mics used in recording the sounds.

Video editing

Video editing is one of the most lucrative skills in Nollywood. The video editor works closely together with the director during the shooting of the scenes and during post-production. The editor takes the day-to-day clips shot during the filming of the movie and puts them together in order to arrive at the final cut of the film. 

Continuity

The person in charge of continuity has an important job of noting what is going on every time during the shot. The continuity personnel makes sure there is a uniform progression of the shoot. He/She notes what the actors are wearing for each shot, how long the shots last, the actor's position during the shot of the scene, and other important details.

Score

The musical score of a movie or series is the series of soundtracks that accompany emotions, dialogues, and different scenes in the movie. It is handled by the music mixer, they work with a team of musicians and producers to develop the final soundtrack of the movie.

Special effects

Special effects are usually applied in the post-production aspect of film production. Special effects artists are in charge of designing the special effects needed for the movie. This is one of the most sought-after and lucrative skills in Nollywood as filmmakers are looking to continually improve on the quality of video effects used in movies. Another aspect of special effects is make-up effects, these effects are used to create images like amputated hands, gunshot wounds and so much more.

Other important and lucrative skills in Nollywood include:

Location management

The location manager is in charge of researching and scouting for the appropriate locations to shoot the various scenes. The role of the location manager is one that cannot be eradicated from the film industry. The perfect location goes a long way in bringing the director's vision to life. To qualify as a location manager, you need to have a trained eye and a good understanding of the scripts and requirements. As a location manager, you are in charge of picking locations for the shots, negotiating with homeowners, and getting permits to enable you to shoot in a particular location.

Costuming

The costumier provides the apparel and attires won in the film. If you're looking at a profession in costuming, other than training, you need to have a keen sense of fashion. As costumier, you are in charge of sourcing the appropriate clothes, jewelry, shoes, and other props needed by the actors on set.

Makeup

The makeup artist applies the appropriate makeup suited for the scene on the actors. Make-up artists are trained professionals who understand the requirements of the script and you should be prepared to recreate the makeup effects needed in the film. 

Set design

Set designers are in charge of developing or organizing props used during the shoot. Set designers are mainly trained artisans, carpenters, builders, and painters who are called on to build or design different sets needed for the film shoot. As a set designer, you can also be called on to play the role of the props manager. This will require you to source for props needed during the shoot, this can include special cars, guns, etc.

Graphic design

The graphic designer designs all images, logos, and trademarks needed during the production. You are in charge of designing promotional logos for advertising and marketing the film or series.  Graphic designers are also tasked with creating cover jackets for DVDs, film posters, banners, and logos used for Merchs.

Alongside acting and directing skills, most of these skills are taught in various film institutes in Nigeria. So if you are interested in getting into the industry, Institutes like Royal Arts Academy and Ebonylife Creative Academy offer different courses, training, and certification on these roles.

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