If you have a passion for acting and would like to know how to join the Nollywood industry, then this is an article for you.
So many potential actors never see the limelight in the movie industry, because they follow the wrong paths and guides.
Successfully joining the movie industry in Nigeria is a very difficult move.
However, with the right guides and proper information, you can make it high in the industry in no time.
Joining the Nigerian Movie industry (Nollywood) is not something that should be joked abou.
It can turn out to be a very lucrative and life changing venture.
Nollywood is the third largest movie industry in the whole world after Hollywood of America, and Bollywood of India.
Today, so many Nollywood actors and actresses have made it big in the industry.
They live big lives from the profits they make in the industry.
Guess what…
All those big stars were once like you, struggling and looking out for quality information on how to join the Nollywood industry.
Happy to hear that right?
Being successful in the movie industry goes with a lot of eye-popping benefits ranging from cash and fame, to wonderful endorsement deals and more.
As we speak, the average pay of Nigerian actors for a role is between #100k-#500k, and between #2million-#5million for top class acts.
This should tell you how much cash these actors rack in from their craft.
Now, I will urge you to read on as an aspiring Nollywood act, to discover how to venture into the industry the right way.
I know I’m already itching you with the whole delay, so I will just go straight to why you’re reading this quality post.
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How To Join the Nollywood Industry in 2021
First and foremost, before anyone can join the Nollywood industry.
He/she must be naturally gifted with the talent of acting, and he/she must possess deep passion for it.
Some say its the passion that matters.
As long as you have deep passion for something, you’d struggle hard to make it a reality.
Well, I agree with that but in the case of acting, you have to possess the natural flair and talent too.
This is very important, as it will allow you to climb high in the industry in no time.
So, if you have the gift and passion for acting, and would like to get proper guidance on how to join the Nollywood industry.
Here’s what you need to do…
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#1. Develop Your Natural Talent
Being talented is just the first step towards becoming an actor in the Nigerian Movie industry.
As an aspiring movie star.
You have to look for numerous ways to hone your acting skills.
This will enable you to improve on your overall acting experience.
The best way to develop your skills as an actor, is to sign up to a reputable acting academy.
You can register with any good one here in Nigeria, or anywhere else in the world, if you have the funds to do that.
There are so many acting schools that properly analyze the abilities of candidates.
They do this to confirm if they are naturally talented actors/actresses or not.
These schools can quickly allow you to know if acting is not for you as whoever finds it hard to cope is not a potential actor.
By joining an academy…
You get so many benefits like honing your skills to a professional level.
You will also get a professional certificate which boosts your CV as an aspiring actor.
For added advantage, you can even consider getting a Bachelors’s degree in Theatre Arts.
This is not actually compulsory yet there are so many courses and diplomas from acting schools that can get the job done.
To gain hands-on experience in acting, you have to enroll in a course at a reputable acting school.
This will introduce you to how living in a pure acting environment works and will expose you to the competition.
#2. Attend Talent Hunt Shows
So many aspiring actors overlook this, but it is very important.
Talent hunt shows are secret routes to the movie industry.
So many movie directors, producers, and other top showbiz personnel attend these shows.
Once they spot a rare talent, they make offers.
So many people have luckily made it in the industry today through these talent shows.
To find talent shows, you can just hit up the search query- “ongoing acting talent shows in Nigeria” on Google.
You’d get relevant search results.
So many of these shows are held each year all over the world and so many big stars have risen from them.
On the other hand, you can search for a willing director and register with his production team. so you can get roles and develop from there.
If you are talented, a director will easily pick you for major roles once he discovers you.
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#3. Build Connection
Like I have said earlier, learning how to join the Nollywood industry is something that you have to be careful about.
Once you take the wrong path.
You get lost and find it hard to retrace your steps.
To make it into the Nollywood industry, you have to value the importance of networking and connection.
Struggling on your own is a big no when it comes to joining Nollywood.
You have to work collectively.
In addition to that, you have to expand your contact list, so as to get recommendations from those who are already in the industry.
You have to be ready to make everyone your friend, and you also have to get as close as possible to other aspiring actors like you.
You never know whose help you may suddenly need.
#4. Consider Auditions
To maximise your chances of becoming an actor in Nigeria, you have to always attend movie auditions.
Here in Nigeria, the right place for you to get as many audition opportunities as you can get, is in the city of Lagos, and a few other major cities in Nigeria.
To boost your chances of venturing into the Nollywood industry, you can consider moving to any of the major cities where these things happen.
You always need to have access to these Auditions, as they maximise your chances of getting featured in a movie.
By attending them, you expose your skills to a wide range of personalities, and a wider range of opportunities.
#5. Join The Actors Guild of Nigeria
As a desiring actor, I’m sure you must have heard of the AGN (Actors Guild of Nigeria).
This is an organization set up to manage, regulate, and oversee the affairs of actors here in Nigeria.
Although registering with the AGN doesn’t guarantee you a job in the industry, it is a necessary step to take.
AGN protects its members, and helps them when dealing with shady directors or producers.
To register with the AGN, you need to locate them physically.
So many people have been defrauded while trying to register with the Actors Guild of Nigeria.
Note: AGN does not carry out online registration processes.
The current chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria is Mr. Rollas Emeka.
He took over from the popular actor Emeka Ike back in 2017.
To increase your chances of joining the Nollywood industry, you can consider joining the AGN today.
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Best Acting Schools In The World
Some of the best acting schools in the world are:
- The New York Film Academy
- London Film School
- National Film And Television School (NFTS) London
- Vancouver Film School
- Los Angeles Film School
And a few more…
These international film schools are all very good, and they have produced so many world stars in the movie industry today.
If you are blessed with enough funds to attend any of them.
You can find out more about their enrollment processes from their website or social media pages to start the process.
Best Nollywood Acting Academy in Nigeria
Some of the bests in Nigeria are:
- Royal Art Academy
- PEFTI Film Institute
- Del-York Creative Academy
- Lufodo Academy OF performing Arts (LAPA)
- HD Film Academy
And more.
These Nigerian film schools are good and most of them have produced top-class Nollywood stars today.
You can make research about them to know more.
But I urge you to continue reading as there are many more things you need to learn from this wonderful post.
Feel free to check them out later and make plans to register with one today as an aspiring Nollywood actor.
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Final thoughts on How To Join Nollywood In Nigeria
Like I have said earlier, joining the Nigerian Movie industry is not an easy task.
However, with the steps in this article, I believe you can make it through the struggle.
The journey towards becoming a successful actor in Nigeria is not something that happens in a swift manner.
It starts slowly, and then grows in a gradual manner.
No big start ever jumped into the big scene from the blue.
They all started acting at a lower level, attended auditions, built their connections, and viola!
The rest is history today.
I believe that you can do that too.
So, without wasting time, I urge you to practicalize the tips you’ve gotten from this article, to maximise your chances of joining the industry.
I hope you found this article helpful…
