Video film era

Many of the television productions often found their ways into VHS, leading to the development of a small scale informal video trade.

[3] This method was adopted and built on by producers and distributors at Alaba market to reinvent the film industry which was at the time facing a major decline.

[4] However, the boom experienced in this era is generally believed to have been kick started by Kenneth Nnebue's Living in Bondage (1992), although some historians claim otherwise.

[4] The boom also led to backlash against Nigerian films in several countries, who supposedly wanted to prevent "recolonization" by Nigeria (or "Nigerialization of Africa").

The film was extensively promoted before being aired on the television, and as a result, had streets flooded the following morning with video copies of the recorded broadcast.

Since Evil Encounter, it became common, especially in Southern Nigerian cities to see video copies of recorded television programmes traded on the streets.

[3] This method was adopted and built on by producers and distributors at Alaba Market to reinvent the film industry, since the Nigerian cinema culture was facing a major decline.

[4][5] However, the boom experienced in this era is generally believed to have been kick started by Kenneth Nnebue's Living in Bondage (1992).

[16] Film people who pioneered this period, often called the "second generations", include Amaka Igwe, Alade Aromire, Zeb Ejiro, Chico Ejiro, The Amata brothers, Femi Lasode, Liz Benson, Kenneth Nnebue, Richard Mofe Damijo, Zack Orji, Pete Edochie, Sam Loco Efe, US Galadima, Yinka Quadri, Jide Kosoko, Omotola Jalade, Genevieve Nnaji, Kenneth Okonkwo, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Bob-Manuel Udokwu, along with others who were part of the Golden era, such as Tunde Kelani, Olu Jacobs, Joke Silva and amongst others.

[4][6] The film actors also became household names across the continent,[4] and the movies have significantly influenced cultures in many African nations; from way of dressing to speech and usage of Nigerian slang.

The decline of this mode of filmmaking has been attributed to high levels of copyright infringement, which deterred investment in video films.

According to the World Bank, approximately 90 percent of the DVDs circulating Nigeria are illegal copies, with new releases enjoying just about a two-week window, known as "Mating season",[6] before their unlicensed versions become massively available in the market.

[27] However, this was not limited to just DVDs, as there also became a major increase in television networks, who began to show independently produced Nigerian films without any permission from the filmmakers.

[18][12] As a result of this, most investors of the "Alaba cartel", who control almost 90 percent stakes in the video industry, began to channel their money into other business ventures instead.

[10] The decline in this era has also been blamed on the refusal of the Government to provide support and funding, the lack of a formal and effective indigenous film distribution infrastructure, as well as, the increase in the cost of production in Nigeria.

[28] Videofilms in this era were produced on very low budgets and do not pass through the traditional theatrical run, as they were shot using cheap video cameras without the required cinematic quality, and edited with basic VCR machines.

[4][6] The films are usually produced and shot on location all over Nigeria with hotels, homes, and offices often rented out by their owners and appearing in the credits.

[7][8] Other themes usually depicted in these films include: violent robbery, ritual performances, rivalry, conflicts, sexual violence, organized crime, prostitution, murder, greed, avarice, impatience, jealously, envy, pride, arrogance, infidelity, treachery, occultism, amongst others.

[11] Stories in these films were "rehashed from the bowel of the Nigerian society, [as] a good number emanate from our belief systems and our tendency to attribute most things to, not ill-luck or any fault of our own but the evil machinations of wicked people.

[11] One of the major criticism the Nigerian film industry received during this era is the abysmal portrayal of black magic and witch craft, thereby giving other people a skewed impression about Nigeria and to a large extent, Africa.

[6][7] The industry was also criticized for promoting lawlessness and upholding of immorality; some of the visual images depicted in 18-rated films include: sexual activities, nudity, obscenity, vulgar language (cursing), indecent dressing, murder, rape, domestic violence (especially against women), smoking, molestation and harassment.