How crew members are used and paid almost nothing in Nollywood, hence the reason most of them spend years in the industry without anything to show for it…
Nollywood is one of the most glamorous entertainment industry around the world, such that most people see those in the industry as people favoured differently by God.
Yes, these people are seen by outsiders are extremely rich and wealthy, just for the fact that they are working in Nollywood. Funny enough, some people have even quit their jobs just to be in Nollywood, while some others are ready to follow same footstep.
Well, we have carried a deep investigation and background checks on what these crew members in Asaba Nollywood are paid per job.
1) DIRECTORS: Gone are the days when directors are seen as revered personalities in the industry, precisely when it comes to Asaba Nollywood.
This is because of the desperation to become directors by people there, hence the reason why most of them are ready to accept whatever that is presented to them by Producers just to answer the name “director”.
Well, the average pay for a director in Nollywood range between 100-300 thousand Naira. Those who get paid above the 100,000 mark are just few, who are high ranking directors like Ugezu J Ugezu, and others.
Though they are some others who are paid above that like TChidi Chikere, Austin Soundmind.
2) DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY (DOP): Funny enough, back then DOPs are well paid and well respected. But now, they are amongst the least paid in the industry.
You may not believe it that the average pay for a DOP is around 70-100 thousand Naira. On the other hand, it is just few who earns slightly above the above.
3) PROPS/SET DESIGNERS: In spite the fact that it’s a combination of two separate departments into one, yet they are paid peanuts as well. In Nollywood, it is hard to see a situation were the two departments are separated during production.
Sadly, the average pay here is between 7-100 thousand Naira, on most occasions it is 70 thousand or less, except in a case were there is a special addition in the script, hence there will be a slight increase in their payment.
4) COSTUMIER: Regardless of the importance of these departments in Nollywood, and equally the tedious nature of their job, yet they are highly under paid in the movie industry.
The average payment for a costumier in Asaba Nollywood is between 80-100 thousand Naira, or slightly above, depending on the nature of the job/movie. But on a regular, most of them fall under the 80-100 thousand salary.
5) MAKEUP ARTIST: Yet another important department in a movie production, yet one of the least paid in the industry as well.
The average pay for a makeup artist in Asaba Nollywood is between 50-70 thousand Naira. You can imagine what that amount of money will actually do in the life of this person, especially considering the current hardship, high cost of living and the economic situation in the country.
The only time a makeup artist may get a better pay is if he or she is trained as a special effect makeup, aside that, any job that doesn’t require such category of makeup, the artist gets a peanut as usual.
6) PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS: Even though they do most of the dirty jobs during a movie production, unfortunately they remain the least paid in the industry till date.
The average pay for each Production Assistant per job is just 15,000 Naira, except in a situation were the producer decides to pay more than that amount. Else, their regular payment per job is just this amount.
Let me further shock you, because on several occasions these Production Assistants are owed even this peanuts at the end of the job. Some times, they are paid less than this 15,000 thousand Naira even, and if they protest the producer may stop calling them for jobs. So sad indeed!
7) PRODUCTION MANAGER: The progress of the production lays on his shoulder, yet his payment doesn’t in any way equates to the amount of work and efforts they put into the production.
The average payment for a production manager is a meagre 70 thousand Naira per job. Some may even get lesser than that amount, or even owed as well.
8) CONTINUITY: Their importance in a movie production can never be over emphasized, yet they get poor pay like others.
To understand their job, do you know that even in the absence of a director, that a good and experienced continuity can comfortably assume the director’s position and the movie will still come out a top notch?
The average payment for a continuity in Nollywood is 50 thousand Naira, regardless of his tedious work nature, including working closely with both the director and the editor of the film.
9) SOUNDMAN/SOUND ENGINEER: One of the most underrated department as clearly reflecting in the payment they get.
The average payment for this department is 50 thousand per job.
10) GAFFER: In Nollywood, the nature of your job or the quality of your job doesn’t necessarily determine your salary. They just pay you whatever they like, and to them.
Meanwhile, if you are not comfortable with that then you walk away, because they believe they are many others waiting to take up your position, who will happily collect that amount or even lesser.
The average payment for a gaffer in Nollywood is around 50 thousand Naira per job.
11) CAMERA ASSISTANT: most camera assistants are used as boom man on most productions, yet are given peanuts after all these suffer and stress.
Their average payment is about 30 thousand Naira per job.
NOTE: The average duration for a single in Asaba Nollywood lasts between 5-7 days or more, depending on whatever unforseen circumstances that may arise along the line.
But on most occasions, while crew members spend extra day/days in a job, the producers will never add extra pay. But some of them will delegate the job of he or she has another job to start elsewhere.
Meanwhile, while there are few other crew departments in the industry, of which most them negotiate differently for their jobs, unlike these ones that are seemingly static.
Photo Credit : Google Photos.
