Kanayo O. Kanayo loves the freedom YouTube offers Nollywood filmmakers
Kanayo O. Kanayo says YouTube has rescued the industry from “some ravaging wolves who were doubling as marketers.”
Nollywood actor, Kanayo O. Kanayo, has highlighted YouTube’s benefits and its limitations for Nollywood filmmakers.
While appearing as a guest on The Honest Bunch Podcast, the veteran said the streaming platform has helped the industry in several ways.
For example, he noted in the June 24, 2024 interview that filmmakers can post on the platform without their work being censored by the National Film and Video Sensors Board (NFVCB).
Kanayo praised YouTube for its accessibility and the opportunities it offers content creators and filmmakers and how it has saved the industry.
“It has come to help the industry. From the comfort of your home, you can make your money. Create content and put it on YouTube. In fact, YouTube rescued the industry from some ravaging wolves who were doubling as marketers,” he said.
He further highlighted a difficult period in the film industry when marketers wielded significant power, even suspending prominent actors such as Richard Mofe Damijo.
These marketers often prevented actors from marketing their films and imposed fines to scare them and maintain their control.
“The marketers you had then who also doubled as ex-producers never wanted an actor to become a marketer, so they placed a ban on anything that will make you come up to market your film. In fact, it was so bad that they imposed a fine of ₦500,000 or a levy that you have to pay ₦500,000 to be a marketer,” the actor said.
According to Kanayo, YouTube broke this barrier and gave room for filmmakers to express themselves.
However, his major concern about the platform is its quality and the authenticity of the films. He also emphasised that even with the platform's freedom, it has its limitations in fully showcasing creative elements in filmmaking
“I'm one of those who feel that YouTube is not a realistic channel because it restricts you from showing what you can do in the technical area. Most of the films you watch, American films and so on, you will see how a bullet hit somebody and how it pierced, that's creativity, that's somebody sitting down and saying, ‘We're going to crash this car.’ A lot of work will come into it.”
Despite this limitation, Kanayo acknowledged the financial opportunity the platform offers.
“On the good news, it is giving opportunities to people to earn in dollars every month,” he said.
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