By Tosin Ajirire
The Nigerian movie industry is ranked the second largest in the world. Coming after India’s Bollywood and next to America’s Hollywood, Nollywood generates billions of naira as revenue annually.
However, while several actors are still struggling, trying to eke a living, quite a number of them have built successful careers in Nollywood.
Actors like Olu Jacobs, Ramsey Nouah, Jim Iyke, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Rita Dominic, Ini Edo, Joke Silva, Alex Ekubo, Daniel K. Daniel, Lateef Adedimeji, Femi Adebayo, Uche Jombo, Odunlade Adekola, Mercy Johnson, Timini Egbuson, Etinosa Idemudia, Fathia Williams and Mercy Aigbe have not only attained celebrity status, they have also raked in fortunes by showcasing their talents in the industry.
In this article, we hold up a candle for those who are eager to find a pathway to success in the Nigerian movie industry. With the listed 10 steps, they can develop and nurture their acting skills in Nollywood. Please keep reading.
1. Voice is key
It’s not unintentional that voice comes first on this list. For up and coming actors, voice is the most neglected aspect of acting. But for proper interpretation of roles, voice is quite important. Voice is one of your assets as an actor. It is your articulation, expression and reflection of your talent.
Your voice must be strong and flexible enough to embody any role you are given to interpret. If you want to play a powerful character or someone with a distinctive pronunciation, you need to possess a strong vocal ability for speaking. There is nothing wrong in using your natural voice, but eventually you’ll need to enroll for voice training, polish your vocal apparatus in order to attract quality jobs.
2. Read plays and acting books
To improve your skills as an actor, read plays, acting books and other literature. The more you read, the more you acquaint yourself with different writers and characters.
Most importantly, reading acting books gives you a perfect understanding of acting methodologies. But when reading plays or scripts, endeavour to read out-loud, and do it everyday to enrich your skills and boost your confidence as an actor.
3. Watch stage plays, films and TV series
Do you want to be an actor, and a good one at that? Then start watching stage plays, films and TV series. By doing this, you will acquaint yourself with the industry you want to be a part of. Don’t bother yourself with whether the stuff you watch is good or bad, just watch and learn.
4. Practice script analysis
When you get a script, the first thing you should do is to analyse it. What genre is the play or movie? Is it epic, tragedy, comedy, tragicomedy or romance comedy (romcom)?
By analysing and interrogating the script, you’ll know the intention or motive of the writer. You’ll also have a broad knowledge and understanding of the story as well as the character’s objective. Once these are determined, you’ll be able to plot your way through the scene, get the most out of it and own it. However, one of the ways to get the best out of a script is to develop your own process and keep refining it as you go!
5. Go for auditions
Audition is like an interview for a job. No one can secure a good job without going through an interview process. It is during the interview that your qualification and competence for the job will be assessed.
The same thing applies to acting. To secure a role in a movie or drama, there must be a practical demonstration of your skill, competence and suitability.
Therefore, if you want to be a successful actor, you have to go for auditions. You have to be ready to showcase your acting skills in front of casting directors. If your acting skills are up to scale, you can get selected to play a role in a movie. But, if at the end of the day you are not selected, the connection, relationship and networking with other actors, directors and producers could fetch you a role in another production in the future.
However, it is pertinent to note that the quickest way to know about where audition is taking place in town is to register with the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). Being a member of the association will give you access to lots of information about happenings in the industry.
6. Enroll in a talent agency
There are several talent agencies for actors in places like Lagos, Asaba, Enugu and Abuja. Find out the one nearer to you and enroll. Since experienced industry people run talent agencies, they possess the insider knowledge of the film industry and are also well connected. So, joining a talent agency will afford you the opportunity to know first hand where the next audition is taking place, and which movie is being shot and where. Aside making a pitch, a talent agency will also help you secure an acting job, and would even encourage the wannabes to enter for talent hunt.
7. Befriend social media
As an aspiring actor, you can develop and nurture your acting skills by befriending social media. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube are social media platforms that have turned everyday people into famous actors or celebrities.
Hitherto unknown comedians and skit makers like Mr Macaroni, Sabinus, Broda Shaggi and Kiekie have employed social media to showcase their talents to fame and fortune on the big screen. So, if you would like to become an actor, it is important you befriend social media by creating your own account on different digital platforms and use it to maximum effect. If by any chance any of your posted videos goes viral, you will not only be noticed, you would equally attract acting roles in some major movies. But it takes hard work and consistency to achieve this.
8. Build a brand for yourself
To make it as an actor in Nollywood, personal branding matters a lot. When you are thinking of developing and nurturing your acting skills, think of building a personal brand that highlights your talents and strengths as an actor. By creating a niche for yourself but not necessarily a stereotype, you can secure certain acting roles.
Being a comedian, Mr Macaroni has played funny character and has even gone ahead to act other roles in movies. So, create a brand for yourself to the extent that you are known for something. This will greatly help your acting career.
9. Go to school
To develop your skills as an actor, try and enroll in acting class. This is very important for aspiring actors in Nollywood. You cannot be a doctor without having to go to medical school neither can you be a lawyer without passing through law school. Therefore, to be a successful actor, you also need to acquire basic knowledge of the trade. Even, if you possess natural acting talent, you still need to hone or upgrade your skills by attending acting classes in such institutions like Delyork Film Academy, PEFTI Film Institute and Royal Arts Academy. In this way, you will be relevant in the competitive movie industry.
10. Work on your craft
Practice makes perfect. There is no other way to refine your acting skill than by constant practice. You get better by constantly working on your craft. Once you get there, don’t feel too big to continually work on your craft. The key to this is constant learning and working. It doesn’t necessarily need to be professional job. All what you need is to keep yourself busy interpreting scripts. It broadens your acting skills. And don’t forget to take risks and be confident on stage.