VIDEOS IN MOTION - fasopo

the profits (image II). Furthermore, by applying this strategy Izoya created for himself a name asNigerian cultural ambassador, and was often portrayed by the Nigerian press as the man whosecontribution to make Nollywood known throughout the world will be remembered (cf. Iwenjora2003b and 2004a). This gave him solid connections within the Nollywood environment, making themarketing of his films in Nigeria easier.I: Dapo Junior: the Nigerian star Saint Obi II: Love in Berlin: the Nigerian star Patience OkonkworThe strategy adopted by Obi Emelonye was profoundly different. As underlined in a recentinterview, since the beginning of his career as a filmmaker he wanted to differentiate his work fromNollywood mainstream productions. Hence he oriented himself toward higher budget films whichcould open for Nollywood a space in the global cinema arena.Once I started making films in Nollywood – he underlined in an interview – I toldmyself that […] I wasn’t going to use the so called stars. I wanted to create my brand,up to the level that my name carries the film as opposite to have a star to sell it(Emelonye 2009).To achieve this goal Emelonye got involved in transnational co-productions (i.e. UK/Nigeria/SierraLeone for Echoes of War and UK/Nigeria/Gambia for The Mirror Boy), used expensive shootingand recording equipment, and targeted cinema audiences. Applying this production and distributionstrategies he managed to be the first Nollywood director who saw his films been released by Odeoncinemas all over the UK. Together with a number of other diasporic Nigerian artists in 2010 hepromoted an initiative at the British Film Institute in London to sanction the birth of “New Nigeriancinema”, a movement that intends to promote higher production values for Nollywood films while180