Nollywood Cannot Move Forward Without Structures That Match International Standards – AGN

The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has come out to introduce new bylaws for the Nollywood film industry.

This is coming as it presented what it described as the final report on the 10 April boat mishap that claimed the lives of Junior Pope and four other crew members on Adanma Luke’s movie set.

According to AGN President, Emeka Rollas, the guild cannot move forward without structures that match international standards and practices put in place, so if anyone intentionally flouts the new laws, they will be punished severely.

He added that AGN members must know that their leaders will always take the guild very seriously.

His words, “This will show members that we are taking the guild seriously. We came up with this presentation because the guild cannot move forward without structures that match international standards and practices put in place.

For two months, these people were brainstorming. The core of their discussions was to improve actors safety, workspace conditions, and industry standards.

What this also means is that after these laws have been passed, if people intentionally flout the guild’s laws, we will take it very seriously because time was spent developing this structure.”

Emeka Ike added, “A nation without bylaws is not in existence. An association or a group without bylaws is not profitable. The Nigerian film industry has lived in this state. This is one of the reasons things are not adequately regulated, why there is not much residual income, and why people in the industry are not gaining from the benefits they should be receiving.

People go to make contracts without having a background, and in this, it is the wisdom of Mr President that we should sit as a committee to find ways to address these issues that have existed in the entertainment industry related to acting.”

It’s going to send shockwaves through the industry. I also hear the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) is already working on their bylaws.

This would encourage Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo filmmakers to adopt similar standards, leading to a better industry where everyone benefits. These bylaws contain everything that pertains to acting. The president will release these bylaws to the press and actors.”