Nollywood Insiders Define Elements of Successful Films

The popular parlance in filmmaking is usually that: “It takes a village to make a film.” Is that all it really takes to make a successful film?

The journey of filmmaking is notoriously a complex layer of diverse elements that must connect at a point. From the screenwriter to the director including the least personnel, all hands must be on deck.

In recent times, arguments about whether story is a sole element that makes a film successful have erupted severally on social media.

To streamline my point, In December 2024, Nollywood actor Emeka argued that it is unfair how critics judge the success of a film. “Lazy criticism,” he described it.

According to him, there are other elements such as cinematography and production design that also elevate a film or drive its story forward.

Lest I forget, Emeka’s statement was spurred by the incessant review of Nigerian film critics, who he criticised for focusing mostly on ‘story’ to analyse the success of a film.

What are the core elements of a film?

It is pertinent to note that just as every piece of art has its unique technique and structure, filmmaking is not an exception. There are certain elements that can make or mar a film.

Martin Roberts’s idea of film culture provides the framework for understanding core elements that shape the success of a film.

Robert posits that one of the essential elements of a film is the story. This is what drives the magic of cinema as a narrative that transcends time, culture and geography. Be it a feature, documentary or short, story is the soul of every form of film.

The screenplay comes next as the roadmap to guide the journey from written words to visual screen. A well-structured script determines the plot of the film.

To wrap up the core elements of a film, Cast and Crew evoke the collaborative spirit of filmmaking proving the phrase; “No man is an island.”

Cast and crew play pivotal roles in filmmaking more like breathing emotions into the narrative. It’s beyond the actors, but the director, cinematographer, sound engineers, editors, sound engineers and amongst others behind the scene players. Nonetheless, the synergy among the cast and crew is crucial to the success of a film.

How important is ‘story’ in films?

According to Anne Billson, the story is simultaneously the most and least important element in a film. It is most important because it provides viewers with a guide.

However, it is the least because even in the best movies, it doesn’t matter that much. Billson also pointed out how ‘story’ is a trick to keep you watching a film.

The Academy of Film, Theatre and Television noted that the entire multi-billion dollar filmmaking industry is built on the insatiable human desire. It is the desire to experience, tell and see stories through films confirming the importance of learning storytelling.

Andrew Stanton in his TED talk ‘ The Clues to a Great Story’ further acknowledged how humans are fascinated and in love with stories because it deepens the understanding of who they are.

The importance of ‘story’ in films, for Vocal Media, is arguably the foundation upon which the entire movie is built and sets the tone for the entire film.

Is ‘story’ the sole element for the success of a film?

Discussions regarding the significance of storytelling in filmmaking frequently arise, particularly among critics.

However, the debate surrounding whether ‘story’  is the sole factor that dictates a film’s success is a recurring issue worthy of resolution.

Script Writer and Story Consultant, Ifedoyin ‘Fe Doyin’ Igbasan, who wrote an episode on AMVCA recently nominated “Italo” shared her thoughts on the lingering debate.

“The core and foundation of any film is its story. When we write stories, what we’re putting out there is emotions. We’re selling shared happiness or sadness or awe or delulu. We’re selling something that people can connect with.

Now, if along the line, there’s a disconnect in the story and it doesn’t flow organically, there will be a disconnect in the minds of the audience. No amount of acting or direction or picturing can bring back that interest because you have reminded them that this is fiction,” she said.

Fe Doyin, the Ex-MTV Shuga cast, who is best known for her film “Homecoming” (2021), also noted that story is the foundation on which films are built. “It is the author and finisher of films, and should not be considered with liberty,” she added.

Art Director Frank ‘Hardy’ Ojo, who had worked on the set of Falz and Adekunle Gold’s “Who go pay” agreed with Fe Doyin, painting a picture of how filmmaking can be likened to cooking a meal.

“A story is an essential ingredient to the meal called ‘film’. Just like good food, if the ingredients are available and there is no gas, lighter and the Chef, the ingredients would become useless and nobody would be delighted by it.

According to the Art Director for “Drowning in Despair” (2023)  which won the Camon 20 Short Film Award Festival for Best Art Design and Best Light Design categories, If all the other elements are available and there are no ingredients, we still wouldn’t have a meal.

“Crew members play a very vital role but without a story, there would be no coming together of a crew to produce something,” Hardy added.

Lending his voice to the debate, Oyebanji Oyeleru, the Creative Director of Angel Nations Studios and Director of the upcoming “The Cry” film disagreed.

Oyeleru said that ‘story’ is not the only element to determine the success of a film. He referenced how character is a strong point in elevating a film.

“Well, story is not the only thing that makes a film successful or failure. Story is only one of the elements. There are various elements that are used to elevate a film to see it as a success. Character is one. Strong characters can make a film successful or fail. As a matter of fact, people might not even remember the story well, but remember the character clearly,” he noted.

Corroborating Baji’s point, Nollywood cinematographer John Chizoba Vincent (JCV), who was among the 2021 top five video directors alongside Meji Alabi, opined that there are other factors like set design, art direction and cinematography that actually make up a film.

“It takes a village to make a film. This takes us back to the fact that with a Good story, the film may not be as good as it should be because other elements or factors that are supposed to make the film what it should be are not present,” JCV added.

Known for his performance in the 2024 AFRIFF selected film “Closed Book”  and the 2024 Africa Magic series “Glass House,” Nollywood actor Ifeanyi Okondu emphasised on the poor marketing/publicity of films with well-told stories.

“Story is one thing and you can judge a film’s success by its critical acclaim which is in part. However, if it becomes a commercial success it still counts,” he said.

Okondu made a comparison between Biodun Stephen’s “Small Talk” (2023)  and Funke Akindele’s “A Tribe Called Judah” (2023) to drive home his point.

According to him, “Small Talk” had a better story but lacked commercial success. “For a  “A Tribe Called Judah,” it had both critical acclaim and commercial success,” he claimed.

Amid these diverse industry perspectives on whether or not story should be the sole criteria to judge the success of a film. This debate remains as one that will always spark conversations.