Foreigners go ‘gaga’ over our films — Oge Obasi

Oge Obasi (Nee Ugwu) is an experienced producer, with experience spanning ten years, having worked on location and on sets in high-scale productions both for TV and film, such as Kunle Afolayan’s The Figurine & October 1, Amstel Malta Box Office, TV programs for SpiceTV, Miss Earth Nigeria, and Heineken’s Champion’s Planet in various production capacities. Oge produced the feature film “Apostate”. She Managed the Ultima Studio’s sitcom “Aduke Hotel”, as well as Ebony Life’s Desperate Housewives Africa. She also coordinated MTV Base Shuga 4. Oge is the Head of Production at Fiery Film, where she has produced the award winning and critically acclaimed zero-budget film “OJUJU”, as well as the crime gangster piece “O-Town”, with husband and business partner, C.J. Obasi. She is presently working in pre-production for their next feature film, Otokoto, based on the ritual murders, and subsequent riots that took place in Owerri in 1996. In an exclusive chat with EDIALE KINGSLEY she bares her heart on industry and matters as well as her projects.

O-Town seems to be making more waves than Ojuju. Why is that so?
I believe that it could be as a result of the fact that Ojuju already created a fan base for Fiery Film and O-Town has expanded that fan base. Ojuju is also a genre based film, namely horror, and O-Town is a combination of genres thereby appealing to a variety of audience.

Ok, so how has it been? What is the reception like for O-Town. And do you think you have effectively distributed both projects?
No we haven’t effectively distributed either project. Ojuju is still doing festival rounds internationally and O-Town just started its own tour. Locally it’s been quite a challenge to get good distribution because we have very few distribution channels. The cinemas for one had very unfavorable conditions which would be a sinker for independent filmmakers like us. The DVD market is fraught with piracy. You can neither control your sales nor your earnings. Leaving the options to just Africa magic and Iroko TV. We have chosen to go with Africa Magic and are in the middle of negotiations with Video on Demand platforms in the US.

So how long should the fans wait? Since the appetites of the fans have been triggered by great reviews and critiques that have greeted your projects in recent times?
All things being equal, Ojuju will hit the streets in a few months on DVD, braving the piracy. For now it’s available for viewing on mobile devices for just N100. Just download the Afrinolly app on your mobile device and search for OJUJU. O-Town will be going to international festivals for the rest of this year. If we do however get a good theatrical deal in Nigeria, we would be most delighted. We want nothing more than for the public to see our films. That’s why we made them. The reality however, is that we need to make money in order to make more films.

Talk about making money. How true is it that both projects are No-budget films? Also share your take on the emergence of high budget movies in Nigeria?
Ojuju is a no-budget film. O-Town is a low budget film (4.1m). I am happy that people are putting much more money into films. My only worry for high budget films and any other film for that matter is that they recover their budget and make profit. We don’t have any transparent check in place to give us accurate figures so it’s hard to tell. Essentially, it’s a great thing that people are beginning to see films as worth investing in. I would love to work with a high budget. We have projects lined up that would just be a shame to shoot on a low budget. Films that we can export and that can stand head to head with international films we see and admire, whilst preserving the authenticity of our indigenous setting and story.

You have invaded and seem to do well with international festivals. What are the secrets and your take on the term White Oscars (the anger from the black community for not having any black actor as nominee for last year and the coming Oscars)?
Well, our films so far seem to be more appreciated by foreigners. Even the Hollywood Reporter was intrigued. There’s so much surprise that such films can come out of Nigeria. However, the gatekeepers of our local distribution like to think that the audience isn’t intellectual enough or diverse enough to embrace different genres and appreciate a different kind of storytelling. Our secret, if I can call it that, is that we have chosen to define ourselves through our work. As for the Oscar thing, I think maybe the black community should also invest in itself. Their elites should invest in making more edgy films and less of the same old romance drama kind of black films that we see. The black writers should write the great characters into the great scripts. I believe the best way to earn anything is to take it. So maybe, maybe not, there might have been some strong contenders but it’s only now that they are fighting for it, that they just might get it. There is history in the making.

“Braving the piracy”…do you have a more clear cut method to beat the pirate lords or you just want to risk and share the market?
With Ojuju, we will take the risk and share the market. The aim is to have good circulation for the film and introduce Fiery Film to the grass root audience.

You produced both films. How is it working with your production team?
My production team is great. We haven’t enjoyed financial rewards yet, but they see beyond that and want to be part of something they term different. I have an amazing and gifted writer/director who makes it worthwhile to stick out my neck. Everyone, cast and crew, which we have worked, have been people who wish to push themselves and test their own limits and have been nothing but dedicated and professional.

And the last question. What policy do you think the Government need to execute most importantly?
The governments need to put in place firm laws that deal harshly with thieves of intellectual property. Copyright laws should be applied. The Nigerian film corporation should be able to effect changes that benefit filmmakers. The corporation should be headed by someone who understands the business of filmmaking. We can bring in a lot of revenue to this country through our films and entertainment if only people are not robbed of their intellectual property as is done daily at the moment.