R.I.P. Michael Jackson: The Greatest of All Time
Posted Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:55pm PDT by Billy Johnson, Jr. in Hip-Hop Media Training
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It still has not hit me. It feels so strange. Michael Jackson is dead. He was only 50 years old, a milestone age. He just celebrated the 25th anniversary of "Thriller," the best-selling album of all time, and re-released it in February.He was scheduled to start his show run in London in a few weeks.
Maybe Michael's career had reached its peak, but I was not convinced that he was done with music. When he turned 50 last August, I did a series of interviews with radio stations. All of the DJs asked me if I thought Michael Jackson could make a comeback. They wanted to know if he could get past the controversies that dominated his news coverage over the last 10-plus years. My answer was a matter-of-fact "yes."
People often underestimate the power of music, and the effect that it has on us. We sometimes forget how a great song with a feel-good message lifts us up, and makes us smile and remember the place we had the most fun dancing to it and with whom.
Michael Jackson is one of the few artists in the history of the art form to be able to take one song, like "Billie Jean," and reach people of all age groups, races, and nationalities.
Michael has done this time and time again for decades, as both a solo artist and member of The Jackson 5.
This type of legacy cannot be erased by even the most horrible of charges and allegations. His music and performances are historic and forever engrained in our hearts.
Rick Sanchez, a floor manager at the popular Amoeba Music in Hollywood, says that his staff was "equally shocked" when they heard the news of Jackson's passing. "A lot of people are buying his music which usually happens in these situations," Sanchez says, referring to the breaking news of a musician's death.
Sanchez adds that all of Jackson's music always sells well at his location.
Rosemary Jean-Louis, a Michael Jackson fan and blogger from Atlanta, is nervous, hoping the news reports that Jackson has died are not true. "I don't want to believe it because it's Michael Jackson," Jean-Louis says. "He has been the guy considered invincible who always seems to come back. He is only 50. He was on the verge of such a big comeback with his concerts. No matter what he's gone through or what the crazy circumstances and dark period of his life with that poor trial-that taken aside-he is one of the musical geniuses of our times, truly the King of Pop."
I never learned to do his moonwalk dance move, but like everyone else, I was blown away when I saw him unveil it on Motown's famous 25th anniversary TV special in 1984.
I was too shy of a kid to get one of the red-and-black stripped jackets like the one he wore in the "Thriller" video, but I thought it was cool.
I did, however, have an afro Jheri curl in 1979, when Jackson released his album "Off the Wall," which included jams like "Don't Stop ‘til You Get Enough" and "Workin' Day and Night." I was 10, and whenever the high school girls on my block told me that I was cute and looked like Michael Jackson, I blushed and took it as a huge compliment.
My 6 1/2-year-old twins know and love his music as do the rest of us. This will never change.
I know he had been dealing with a lot these last few years. I hope that at the time of his passing he was in a happy place. Reportedly, he had been rehearsing in Los Angeles for the last two months, preparing for his London dates. His 50-year-old life may have been short, but it was impactful. His accomplishments are tremendous.
I offer my sincere condolences to his children, parents, siblings, and other family members, and to his friends and fans.
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Michael Jackson, `King of Pop,' dead at 50AP, Jun 26, 2009 12:22 am PDT
Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop" who once moonwalked above the music world, died Thursday as he prepared for a comeback bid to vanquish nightmare years of sexual scandal and financial calamity. He was 50.
Jackson died at UCLA Medical Center after being stricken at his rented home in Holmby Hills. Paramedics tried to resuscitate him at his home for nearly three-quarters of an hour, then rushed him to the hospital, where doctors continued to work on him.
"It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of the autopsy are known," his brother Jermaine said. Police said they were investigating, standard procedure in high-profile cases.
Jackson's death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music's premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.
His 1982 album "Thriller" — which included the blockbuster hits "Beat It," "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" — is the best-selling album of all time, with an estimated 50 million copies sold worldwide.
At the time of his death, Jackson was rehearsing hard for what was to be his greatest comeback: He was scheduled for an unprecedented 50 shows at a London arena, with the first set for July 13.
As word of his death spread, MTV switched its programming to play videos from Jackson's heyday. Radio stations began playing marathons of his hits. Hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital. In New York's Times Square, a low groan went up in the crowd when a screen flashed that Jackson had died, and people began relaying the news to friends by cell phone.
"No joke. King of Pop is no more. Wow," Michael Harris, 36, of New York City, read from a text message a friend had sent him. "It's like when Kennedy was assassinated. I will always remember being in Times Square when Michael Jackson died."
The public first knew him as a boy in the late 1960s, when he was the precocious, spinning lead singer of the Jackson 5, the singing group he formed with his four older brothers out of Gary, Ind. Among their No. 1 hits were "I Want You Back," "ABC" and "I'll Be There."
He was perhaps the most exciting performer of his generation, known for his backward-gliding moonwalk, his feverish, crotch-grabbing dance moves and his high-pitched singing, punctuated with squeals and titters. His single sequined glove, tight, military-style jacket and aviator sunglasses were trademarks, as was his ever-changing, surgically altered appearance.
"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words," said Quincy Jones, who produced "Thriller." "He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."
Jackson ranked alongside Elvis Presley and the Beatles as the biggest pop sensations of all time. He united two of music's biggest names when he was briefly married to Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie, and Jackson's death immediately evoked comparisons to that of Presley himself, who died at age 42 in 1977.
As years went by, Jackson became an increasingly freakish figure — a middle-aged man-child weirdly out of touch with grown-up life. His skin became lighter, his nose narrower, and he spoke in a breathy, girlish voice. He often wore a germ mask while traveling, kept a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles as one of his closest companions, and surrounded himself with children at his Neverland ranch, a storybook playland filled with toys, rides and animals. The tabloids dubbed him "Wacko Jacko."
"It seemed to me that his internal essence was at war with the norms of the world. It's as if he was trying to defy gravity," said Michael Levine, a Hollywood publicist who represented Jackson in the early 1990s. He called Jackson a "disciple of P.T. Barnum" and said the star appeared fragile at the time but was "much more cunning and shrewd about the industry than anyone knew."
Jackson caused a furor in 2002 when he playfully dangled his infant son, Prince Michael II, over a hotel balcony in Berlin while a throng of fans watched from below.
In 2005, he was cleared of charges he molested a 13-year-old cancer survivor at Neverland in 2003. He had been accused of plying the boy with alcohol and groping him, and of engaging in strange and inappropriate behavior with other children.
The case followed years of rumors about Jackson and young boys. In a TV documentary, he acknowledged sharing his bed with children, a practice he described as sweet and not at all sexual.
Despite the acquittal, the lurid allegations that came out in court took a fearsome toll on his career and image, and he fell into serious financial trouble.
Michael Joseph Jackson was born Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary. He was 4 years old when he began singing with his brothers — Marlon, Jermaine, Jackie and Tito — in the Jackson 5. After his early success with bubblegum soul, he struck out on his own, generating innovative, explosive, unstoppable music.
The album "Thriller" alone mixed the dark, serpentine bass and drums and synthesizer approach of "Billie Jean," the grinding Eddie Van Halen solo on "Beat It," and the hiccups and falsettos on "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."
The peak may have come in 1983, when Motown celebrated its 25th anniversary with an all-star televised concert and Jackson moonwalked off with the show, joining his brothers for a medley of old hits and then leaving them behind with a pointing, crouching, high-kicking, splay-footed, crotch-grabbing run through "Billie Jean."
The audience stood and roared. Jackson raised his fist.
By then he had cemented his place in pop culture. He got the plum Scarecrow role in the 1978 movie musical "The Wiz," a pop-R&B version of "The Wizard of Oz," that starred Diana Ross as Dorothy.
During production of a 1984 Pepsi commercial, Jackson's scalp sustains burns when an explosion sets his hair on fire.
He had strong follow-up albums with 1987's "Bad" and 1991's "Dangerous," but his career began to collapse in 1993 after he was accused of molesting a boy who often stayed at his home. The singer denied any wrongdoing, reached a settlement with the boy's family, reported to be $20 million, and criminal charges were never filed.
Jackson's expressed anger over the allegations on the 1995 album "HIStory," which sold more than 2.4 million copies, but by then, the popularity of Jackson's music was clearly waning, even as public fascination with his increasingly erratic behavior was growing.
Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994, and they divorced in 1996. Later that year, Jackson married Deborah Rowe, a former nurse for his dermatologist. They had two children together: Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., known as Prince Michael, now 12; and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11. Rowe filed for divorce in 1999.
Jackson also had a third child, Prince Michael II. Now 7, Jackson said the boy nicknamed Blanket as a baby was his biological child born from a surrogate mother.
Cardiac arrest is an abnormal heart rhythm that stops the heart from pumping blood to the body. It can occur after a heart attack or be caused by other heart problems.
Billboard magazine editorial director Bill Werde said Jackson's star power was unmatched. "The world just lost the biggest pop star in history, no matter how you cut it," Werde said. "He's literally the king of pop."
Jackson's 13 No. 1 one hits on the Billboard charts put him behind only Presley, the Beatles and Mariah Carey, Werde said.
"He was on the eve of potentially redeeming his career a little bit," he said. "People might have started to think of him again in a different light."
__
AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch and AP writers Derrik J. Lang, Solvej Schou, Anthony McCartney and Thomas Watkins in Los Angeles; and Virginia Byrne, Hillel Italie, Nekesa Mumbi Moody and Jocelyn Noveck in New York contributed to this report.
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Mystery surrounds Michael Jackson's sudden death
Jun 25, 2009 11:05 pm PDT
One day after Michael Jackson's sudden death, speculation was already turning on Friday to what killed the 50-year-old "King of Pop" just weeks before his long-awaited series of comeback concerts. Jackson, a former child star who be...
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Neither one of them strangers to the strangest of headlines, Michael Jackson and Britney Spears also shared a stage. The duo performed "The Way You Make Me Feel" together for Jackson's 30th Anniversary Celebration, which air...
Like Elvis, Jackson was a King who died young
Jun 25, 2009 8:05 pm PDT
Michael Jackson didn't want to be just a superstar. Like the Beatles, he wanted to be the biggest, the king. He wanted to topple the reigning man with the crown, Elvis. In life and in death, there was Elvis. "It's just so weird. He eve...
News of Jackson's death first spread online
Jun 25, 2009 7:45 pm PDT
It was a where-were-you moment in a digital age. Michael Jackson's death was not learned from a fatherly TV news anchor. Instead, the news first spread online. Some of the initial reports from various outlets were confusing: Was Jackson ...
Selected Discography for Michael Jackson
Jun 25, 2009 7:23 pm PDT
A selected discography of Michael Jackson's music: ___ No. 1 songs: "Ben," 1972. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," 1979. "Rock With You," 1980. "The Girl Is Mine," 1982. "Beat it," 1983. "Billie Jean," 1983. "Say Say Say,...
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Mrs. O wears a floral v-neck dress, fitted through the bodice with a straight skirt that hits at the knee. She paired the dress with an ivory cardigan and double strand of pearls. In a fresh pastel palette, Mrs. O is perfectly dressed for Easter and a vision of Spring.
We recognize the fabric from Peter Soronen’s Spring / Summer 2009 collection – the dress perhaps customized in design for Mrs. O.
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Mrs. O wears a floral v-neck dress, fitted through the bodice with a straight skirt that hits at the knee. She paired the dress with an ivory cardigan and double strand of pearls. In a fresh pastel palette, Mrs. O is perfectly dressed for Easter and a vision of Spring.
We recognize the fabric from Peter Soronen’s Spring / Summer 2009 collection – the dress perhaps customized in design for Mrs. O.
Update: The dress, originally presented as a one shoulder design in Peter Soronen’s Spring Summer 2009 collection, was customized with two shoulders for the first lady. The fabric is a painted cotton lace, the beauty of which can be better seen here.
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MUSIC INDUSTRY
The music industry (or music business) sells compositions, recordings and performances of music. Among the many individuals and organisations that operate within the industry are the musicians who compose and perform the music; the companies and professionals who create and sell recorded music (e.g., music publishers, producers, studios, engineers, record labels, retail and online music stores, performance rights organizations); those that present live music performances (booking agents, promoters, music venues, road crew); professionals who assist musicians with their careers (talent managers, business managers, entertainment lawyers); those who broadcast music (satellite and broadcast radio); journalists; educators; musical instrument manufacturers; as well as many others.
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the music industry was dominated by the publishers of sheet music. By mid-century records had supplanted sheet music as the largest player in the music business. Since 2000, sales of recorded music have dropped off substantially,[1] while live music has increased in importance.
There are four "major labels" that dominate recorded music — Sony Music Entertainment,[2] EMI, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group — each of which consists of many smaller companies and labels serving different regions and markets. The live music industry is dominated by Live Nation, the largest promoter and music venue owner. Live Nation is a former subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications, which owns a majority of the radio stations in the United States. Other important music industry companies include Creative Artists Agency (a management and booking company) and Apple Inc. (which runs the world's largest online music store, iTunes Music Store, and sells the iPod.
HISTORY
1700s and 1800s
Until the 1700s, the process of composition and printing of music was for the most part supported by patronage from aristocracies and churches. In the mid-to-late 1700s, performers and composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began to seek commercial opportunities to market their music and performances to the general public. After Mozart's death, his wife (Constanze Weber) continued the process of commercialization of his music through an unprecedented series of memorial concerts, selling his manuscripts, and collaborating with her second husband, Georg Nissen, on a biography of Mozart.[3] In the 1800s, the music industry was dominated by sheet music publishers. In the United States, the music industry arose in tandem with the rise of blackface minstrelsy. The group of music publishers and songwriters which dominated popular music in the United States was known as Tin Pan Alley.
1900s
In the early 20th century, the phonograph industry grew greatly in importance, and the record industry eventually replaced the sheet music publishers as the industry's largest force. A multitude of record labels came and went, but a handful of label corporations prospered for decades. By the end of the 1980s, the "Big 6" — EMI, Sony, BMG, PolyGram, WEA and MCA — dominated the industry. In mid-1998, PolyGram merged into Universal Music Group (formerly MCA), dropping the leaders down to a "Big 5". They became the "Big 4" in 2004 when Sony merged with BMG.
2000s
Main article: Music industry in the 21st century
The advent of file sharing technologies has changed the balance between record companies, song writers, and performing artists. Bands such as Metallica have fought back against peer-to-peer programs such as the infamous Napster (even they are not against file-sharing now), and the arguments for and against technology to circumvent them - digital rights management systems - remain controversial. With the dawn of Apple Inc.'s iTunes online music store in 2003, legal music downloads became widely available.
By June 2008, digital music sales generated around $2 billion in revenue, with tracks available through 500 online services located in 40 countries, representing around 10 percent of the total global music market. Revenue from retail CD sales, however, continued to fall. IBISWorld eported in June 2008 that "the industry's financial future looks bleak," but noted that, although revenues have decreased, artists have suffered less than record companies, since they can "make most of their money on merchandise sales and touring
Business structure
The music industry is made up of various players, including individuals, companies, unions, not-for-profit associations, rights collectives, and other bodies. Professional musicians, including band leaders, rhythm section members, musical ensembles, vocalists, conductors, composers/arrangers, and sound engineers create sound recordings of music or perform live in venues ranging from small clubs to stadiums. Professional musicians negotiate their wages, contractual conditions, and other conditions of work through Musicians' Unions or other guilds. Composers and songwriters write the music and lyrics to songs and other musical works, which are sold in print form as sheet music or scores by music publishers. Composers and performers get part of their income from writers' copyright collectives and performance rights organization such as the ASCAP and BMI (or MCPS and PRS respectively for the UK). These societies and collectives ensure that composers and performers are compensated when their works are used on the radio or TV or in films. When musicians and singers make a CD or DVD, the creative process is coordinated by a record producer, whose role in the recording may range from suggesting songs and backing musicians to having a direct hands-on role in the studio, coaching singers, giving advice to session musicians on playing styles, and working with the senior sound engineer to shape the recorded sound through effects and mixing.
Most professional musicians, bands, and singers are signed with record labels, which are companies which finance the recording process in return for part or full share of the rights in the recording. A record company is an entity that manages sound recording-related brands and trademarks which consist of their owned labels; their owned and licensed master recordings; and various related ancillary businesses such as home video and DVDs. Labels may comprise a record group which is, in turn, controlled by a music group. As such, a larger umbrella label may have a number of sub-labels releasing music. Music publishers exist separately (even if sharing the same ultimate holding company or brand name), and they represent the rights in the compositions - i.e. the music as written rather than as recorded.
Record companies and record labels that are not under the control of the "Big Four" music groups and music publishers that are not one of these four groups are generally considered to be independent or "indie" labels, even if they are part of large, well-financed corporations with complex structures. Some music critics prefer to use the term indie label to refer to only those independent labels that adhere to criteria of corporate structure and size, and some consider an indie label to be almost any label that releases non-mainstream music, regardless of its corporate structure. According to US Market Research Firm NPD Group, iTunes recently surpassed Wal-Mart as America's largest music distributor. A record distributor is a company (often a record label)[citation needed] that works with record labels to promote and distribute their records, either in their home market or overseas.
Once a CD is recorded, record distributor companies organize the shipping of the CDs to music stores and department stores. Record labels have use an "A&R" (Artists and Repertoire) manager to help develop the performing style of bands and singers signed the label. A&R managers may organize shared tours with similar bands or find playing opportunities for the label's groups which will broaden their musical experience. For example, an A&R manager may decide to send an emerging young singer-songwriter with little live playing experience on a major tour with an established electric folk rock act from the same label, so that this person will gain more confidence.
When CDs sell in stores or on websites such as iTunes, part of the money is returned to the performers in the form of royalties. Most recordings only earn royalties for a short period after they are released, after which the song becomes part of the "back catalogue" or library. A much smaller number of recordings have become "classics", with longstanding popularity, such as albums by the Beatles or the Rolling Stones. These albums have continued to earn royalties for the surviving band members decades after their original release date.
Successful artists will hire a number of people from other fields to assist them with their career. The band manager oversees all aspects of an artist's career in exchange for a percentage of the artist's income. An entertainment lawyer assists them with the details of their contracts with record companies and other deals. A business manager handles financial transactions, taxes and bookkeeping. A booking agency represents the artist to promoters, makes deals and books performances. A travel agent makes travel arrangements. A road crew is a semi-permanent touring organization that travels with the artist. This is headed by a tour manager and includes staff to move equipment on and off-stage, drive tour buses or vans, and do stage lighting, live sound reinforcement and musical instrument tuning and maintenance. The tour manager's tasks can vary widely depending on the type of tour and where the group is playing. The tour manager's typical tasks of ensuring that hotel, restaurant and travel arrangements are confirmed may expand into other tasks, if the venue where the band is playing does not have certain equipment. If the venue lacks a grand piano or Hammond organ that the band needs for the show, the tour manager will be responsible for finding a rental instrument for the show and having it moved onstage; as well, if a band member needs an emergency instrument repair, the tour manager and/or the guitar tech will help to find a repair person or replacement instrument. The most high-profile celebrity performers may also have personal assistants, a chef, and bodyguards. Singers may hire a vocal coach to give them suggestions on how to take care of their voice or develop their singing range.
FASHION AND STYLE
50s Fashion
50s Fashion - women
Fashion in the fifties brought glamour to austerity Britain. Women adopted the New Look of Christian Dior. In the mid fifties, Chanel's simple suit provided an alternative and created a much copied fashion that lasted well into the sixties. When Rock'n'roll came along, young girls stopped looking like their mothers and adopted a more youthful look.
Christian Dior's New Look
Christian Dior dominated fashion in the fifties. He dispensed with the austere look of utility and created the New Look in 1947. Its narrow waistline and wide skirt made women look feminine once more. Dior's garments used large amounts of material; almost considered immoral in the days of rationing.
Dior's clothes, like those of other fashion houses, were aimed only at wealthy clients. Most women bought from high street shops which quickly imitated his style.
Dior's influence continued throughout the 50s. In 1953, he introduced the Princess Line, and in 1955 the A-line. Skirts were full and wide and bright colours were in. The look was glamorous. Girls aspired to look like movie stars.
Chanel
The Dior look was challenged in the mid fifties when Coco Chanel introduced her new Chanel suit. It was a simple design, featuring a just below the knee skirt and a collarless jacket finished with gold braid. Chanel's suit was much copied by the ready-to-wear fashion houses. It quickly became the standard formal look for women at all social levels.
The Chanel style look remained a favourite style for most of the sixties too. Even as late as 1969 in the film, Kes, Billy's mother (Mrs Casper played by Lynne Perrie) wore a Chanel style suit when going out on Saturday night. She was middle-aged rather than young, and working class rather than posh.
Hairstyles
Hairstyles in the fifties reflected the glamorous look of movie stars. These fabulous styles were achieved using curlers and lots of back combing.
Visit http://www.hairarchives.com for a detailed analysis of hairstyles in the 50s and other decades.
Fur
Women in the 50s had no qualms about wearing fur. Every girl's dream was a mink fur coat. Imitation fur, or fur fabric, was also popular. You could even buy mink coats for a few shilling per week from the tallyman, see left.
Fur fabric in a leopard skin pattern enjoyed a brief spell of popularity at the kitsch end of the fashion spectrum in the late fifties (right).
Rock'n'roll and younger style
Young women started to look less like their mothers in the latter part of the fifties. Brightly patterned dresses with tight waists and wide skirts were popular. The effect (right) could only be achieved with a stiff, starched petticoat. This style was suited to Rock'n'roll dancing. For Rock'n'roll and Jive dancing, the circle skirt, which swirled up reflecting the energy of the dance, was also highly fashionable.
These colourful patterned skirts were also worn for more casual occasions (left). This woman's skirt has a very typically fifties picture style pattern.
In this era trousers and pullovers were more popular for women. Trousers followed men's fashion with narrow legs, but were usually tighter fitting. Jeans were also becoming trendy for casual wear.
60s fashion and style.
Like pop music, fashion went through a revolution in the 60s, but for most women little changed in the early years of the decade. The styles of the late fifties, the Chanel suit and the full skirt were still popular. By the middle of the 60s, the mini was in and short hair, in the geometric style of Vidal Sassoon, was the in look. By the end of the sixties, the look was long, flowing hair, hippy beads and kaftans.
For most men in the 60s, fashion still meant a trip to Burton, John Collier (formerly The Fifty Shilling Taylor), or Hepworth.
For younger men though, men's fashion also went through several transformations in the 60s. In the early years of the decade suits had changed little from the 50s, but the Italian look quickly took off: narrow trousers, narrow lapels and a thin tie. For the very fashionable, flares were in, lapels on jackets were wider and the kipper tie was hip by the end of the decade.
Full employment and a school leaving age of fifteen meant that teenagers had plenty of money to spend. They spent it on music, clothes, scooters or motorbikes. They were often married by their early twenties, so this period of freedom was short lived. The short term nature of the 'teenage' period meant fashions and styles quickly changed. There were several youth cults in the sixties, each quickly succeeding the other. First the Rockers with their leather jackets and motorbikes, then the ultra stylish Mods, who clashed with the Rockers at seaside resorts. Then the Hippy look, based on a growing drug culture and finally the Skinheads.
Early 60s
In the first half of the 60s, for women's fashion, the look of the late fifties remained. It was all about the glamour of American movies. By 1963, when this photograph, right, was taken, the wide skirts of the 50s had disappeared, but the look was still formal. The two girls in this picture look very grown up. The look was adult and glamorous, there was no real attempt to look that different from the older generation. This style can be seen in films such as 'Saturday Night and Sunday Morning' (1960).
The young man in this picture is in Mod gear: a smart suit with narrow lapels and tapered trousers, a slim tie and winklepickers. Fashion was very regional in the 60s. Styles adopted in the Capital took some time to reach the whole country. In the film 'Kes' (1969), about Billy, a boy growing up in Barnsley in Yorkshire, his older brother, Jud, still wears this style, right down to the winklepickers. In the early sixties, in some towns, the Teddy Boy style was still in vogue, whereas in London the Mod movement was beginning.
Detail: Winklepickers
Winklepickers (also known as winkle pickers) were sharp shoes, quite literally, with a pointed toe. Winkle pickers were popular mainstream fashion for young men in the early 60s. The pointed toe was also fashionable for young ladies' shoes, which were also known as winklepickers.
The photograph, above, from 1962, shows a selection of more casual styles. They range from a sports jacket and tie complete with hat for the man on the left, to open necks for the two in the middle. The hat was on its way out in the sixties and was mainly worn by older men.
Slim fitting trousers were also popular casual wear for women in the early sixties. This shot, right, is also from 1962.
For most men over thirty the smart suit remained the only way to dress for going out. Many went to tailors, such as Burton or John Collier to be fitted out at least one a year. Burton's suits were good value for money and lasted reasonably well.
Mid 60s fashion
By the middle of the decade little had changed in women's fashion. The Chanel suit, left, a hangover from the 50s was still very popular in the 60s. Hemlines might have been slightly higher. The bouffant hairdo (as worn right) dated from the middle years of the sixties. It needed a considerable amount of back combing and hair lacquer.
The smart suit and fairly formal look remained popular, certainly for women over thirty.
Hair styles
Below are some more popular hairstyles from the 60s. The flip was a classic 60s look that remained 'in' for most of the decade. The beehive was popular in the early to mid 60s; this girl has a typical 'Audrey Hepburn look'. The pixie was a short hairstyle, which was popular in the mid 60s, before long hair came back in the hippy era.
Flip
Pixie
Beehive
More fashion from the mid 60s
A more casual look was creeping into fashion for younger women. Calf length boots were becoming popular. This long leather jacket, right, is quite unusual, but in the spirit of the more fashionable, art school types. The young woman with short hair, left, looks like she might have had a part in 'The Avengers'.
The mini skirt
The mini skirt was the fashion phenomenon of the sixties. Hemlines rose to 7 to 8 inches above the knee. There is some debate over who invented the mini. Mary Quant's boutique, Bazaar, on the King's Road, Chelsea was one of the first places that sold them in 1965. French fashion designer, André Courrèges, also added mini skirts to his fashion collection in 1965.
The mini skirt slowly caught on throughout the country in the years following 1965. Most women took a couple of years to accept the new look. For the mini to work, the old fashioned underwear and stockings of the fifties had to go. Women now wore tights, or panty-hose. A new male fantasy ousted an age old one!
London in the mid sixties was awash with boutiques with names like Countdown, Blast Off, Top Gear, Change Down, Glad Rags, Clobber, Quorum, Ad Hoc, Palisades, Barricades etc all in the wake of Mary Quant's original. There a girl could get the latest fashion, which according to 'The London Spy (a sophisticated guide book) in 1966, was a buttercup-yellow satin gymslip worn with orange boots!
Most of these boutiques were fairly expensive. A simple shift dress cost around £10 (read at least £100 in today's money). For those with smaller pockets there were Wallis, Neatawear and Top Shop. Top Shop's range in the 60s included designs by Mary Quant. If Swinging London was not to your taste, then Jaeger made sweaters, suits and coats that lasted forever. Marks and Spencer was known for quality and value, though some of their dresses and suits were a little too classic. M&S was also considered the best place for underwear.
This shift dress, left, is typical of the swinging London style of the mid sixties. The bright colours and geometric patterns epitomise this period. This look lasted into the latter years of the sixties for those not ready to join the hippy revolution.
The Mod style
The Mods of the early sixties took the suit to new levels of style. The tapered trousers and thin lapels of the Italian style, became a new youth cult in the early to mid sixties. To this look they added striped blazers, Fred Perry shirts and the Mod scooter, a Lambretta if possible.
Carnaby Street was their fashion centre. John Stephen had several shops there. His male boutiques became the equivalent of Mary Quant's Bazaar.
In the mid 60s, the London Mods congregated in Carnaby Street for a regular fashion parade. Pop music poured from the boutiques and men's shops along the small, narrow street. By the mid 60s, boutiques catering for girls as well as boys were common on Carnaby Street; the Mods usually brought their girlfriends along with them. Shops on Carnaby Street often came and went. Shops that were on Carnaby Street in the 60s included:
Men's shops/male boutiques:
John Stephen
Lord John
Adam W1
Tre Camp
Carna B Hive
Paul's Male Boutique
Domino Male
Ladies' boutiques
Palisades
Tuffin & Foale
Carnaby Street also had a junk shop called Gear. It sold furniture from the Victorian past and reminders of the then fashionable Art Nouveaux era. Also on Carnaby Street in 1967 were a couple of old fashioned pubs, a health food shop, a toyshop and Button Queen, which sold old buttons.
For more on Mods see Mods and Rockers and 60s Mods
Hippy style
Mod fashions were mainstream youth culture by 1965. In 1966 the scene was changing. In January 1966, Granny Takes a Trip opened at 488 King's Road, London; the wrong end of the street, known as the the World's End. Granny Takes a Trip was run by Nigel Waymouth, his girlfriend, Sheila Cohen, a fan of vintage clothes, and former tailor John Pearse. They decorated the shop with red Art Nouveaux lettering on a black background. It looked very dark and mysterious. Inside were Aubrey Beardsley prints and blow-ups of French postcards from the naughty nineties (the 1890s that is).
Granny Takes a Trip marked the end of Mod and the beginning of Hippy style. The shop sold clothes for men and women, some vintage, some new. It also sold floral shirts, jackets with wide lapels, the opposite of the Mod style, velvet and brocade flares, and skirts and dresses in velvet and lace.
Granny's became a Mecca for the pop world. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Animals and the Pink Floyd were all customers.
Following on from Granny's, Hung on You had a shop front painted by pop artist, Michael English. He choose bold Art Deco inspired lettering in red over bright yellow sun rays on a black background. It timed in beautifully with the late 60s Art Deco rival which inspired Biba and films such as 'Bonnie and Clyde'.
Also in 1966, Michael Fish, opened his first shop 'Mr Fish' in Clifford Street. Michael Fish is credited with the invention of the kipper tie. All his clothes were labelled 'Peculiar to Mr Fish'.
Bridging Mod and Hippy style was this smart, double-breasted style, left. This was the the way for a fashionable young man to look hip without being scruffy. It was taken up by many of the Mod bands in the late 60s, often combined with elements of the Hippy style.
For mainstream youth fashion, everything changed again in the Summer of 1967. The smart look of the Mods was replaced with long hair, beads, beards and kaftans. Flower power was in the air. The look was psychedelic swirls and paisley patterns. Full on Flower Power was short lived, but its influence was long lasting.
1969 and after
As the decade ended, hemlines started to drop. The maxi and midi lengths offered women an alternative to the mini.
Working class youths, unable to join the beautiful people, opted for short cropped hair and Dr Marten boots. The Skinhead was born.
60s fashion: Reference and further reading
Revolt into Style by George Melly, published 1970 (Penguin)
Len Deighton's London Dossier, published 1967 (Penguin)
The New London Spy by Hunter Davies, published 1966 (Blond)
The Look by Paul Gorman, published 2001 (Sanctuary)
Sixties Source Book by Nigel Cawthorne, published 1989 (Quattro)
The Sixties Art Scene in London by David Mellor, 1993 (Phaidon)
Up the Junction, Nell Dunn, 1963 (Pan Paperback)
60s fashion on the web
The 70s
The 70s started where the 60s left off. Hippy ideas and fashions were becoming part of mainstream culture. In the 70s, everyone wore flares; technological advances brought many improvements to home life, and travel abroad, became accessible to many more people. The 70s though, was also a time of economic strife and Britain's standing in the world seemed to sink to a new low.
The big new luxury for many people in the 70s was colour television. Nearly all programmes in the 70s were broadcast in colour and more people were able to stretch to afford a colour set. For some the 70s is the golden era of British television with programmes such as Fawlty Towers, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads and the colour episodes of Dad's Army.
The 70s gave people a taste of a computerised future. High tech gadgets, such as pocket calculators and digital watches, became status symbols in the early years. By the end of the decade they were almost throw away items. There was also a chance to sample some primitive computer games, such as the tennis game Pong.
In 1971 Britain gained decimal currency and abandoned the age old system of pounds, shillings and pence. Old people hated it and shoppers thought the change was an excuse to put up prices.
Inflation in the 70s was a huge problem. Everyone talked about the cost of living. A series of strikes lead to power cuts and the Three Day Week. The 70s was not the best time for Britain's economy. Britain finally joined Europe in 1973. This was meant to improve things, but left our home market vulnerable to imports. Foreign cars became more the norm than the exception and British industry struggled to compete.
Britain's standing as a sporting nation was damaged by World Cup defeat in 1970, following the historic win in 1966, however, there was worse to come when we even failed to qualify for the competition in 1978.
The 70s was also the decade when we finally woke up to the health risks of smoking. People started to quit in large numbers. Keg bitter was still the nation's favourite drink, although lager was gaining ground, especially in the hot summer of 1976. Wine was not as popular in the 70s as it is today. People preferred German wines: Blue Nun was particularly well known. Another favourite was Matues Rosé from Portugal.
1976 was one of the best summers ever, but the drought meant water shortages. 1976 was a turning point for music and fashion. Punk appeared on the scene and the younger generation rejected the ideas and style of the hippy movement.
In the following year, the nation celebrated the Queen's Silver Jubilee. There was at least something to be cheerful about. It also seemed that the worst of the economic problems were over. However, as the decade ended, a series of strikes, dubbed the Winter of Discontent, brought Britain to crisis point. Jim Callaghan's Labour Government lost the 1979 election to Margaret Thatcher's Conservatives. Britain had her first woman Prime Minister. Change was on the way.
The 80's
The popular view of the 80s is the decade of greed, its symbol being the City trader driving a Porsche and doing business on a brick sized mobile. The 80s was also time of rising prosperity and rising house prices for many, not just for few. However, that prosperity was not shared by all and the 80s was also a decade of deep social divisions and the North-South divide.
Politically the Conservative Party dominated in the 80s. Britain's first woman Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher was elected in 1979, following a series of public sector strikes dubbed the Winter of Discontent. She promised to bring a new economic order.
Britain suffered a severe recession in the early 80s. Many businesses failed and unemployment reached record levels. Mrs Thatcher's strict monetarist doctrines initially made the problems worse and violent riots broke out in Toxteth in Liverpool, Brixton in London and Moss Side in Manchester. It seemed that the country was falling apart. The Specials record 'Ghost Town' (1981), about the economic ills facing Coventry, summed up the mood of the nation.
In 1982, Argentina tried to take advantage of Britain's perceived weakness and invaded the Falkland Islands. Mrs Thatcher demonstrated her strong leadership and organised a task force to recapture the Islands. This victory, combined with more favourable economic conditions, restored her popularity.
Mrs Thatcher's policies shaped the character of the Britain throughout the 80s. She favoured private enterprise over state control. Britain prospered in the 80s with rising living standards for many. At the time, it was seen as an economic miracle. Those in the London and the South East did best and those in the financial sector best of all. The word Yuppie entered the language meaning young, upwardly mobile professional. Some of the Yuppies in the City of London boasted of bonuses as big as telephone numbers.
The 80s was an era of trends running in different directions. The Prime Minister talked about Victorian values and moral behaviour. Norman Tebbit, the Employment Minister who told workers to get on their bikes, derided the permissive society. Yet the 80s was, in reality, far more permissive than the sixties in attitudes to sex before marriage and gay relationships. In the end only AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) acted as some limit to sexual freedom.
Technology in the shape of home computers, video recorders and microwave ovens made many peoples' lives better. It also revolutionised the world of business in the 80s. The 'Big Bang', deregulation of the City of London, was only possible with technological advances. The world saw huge advances in communications and the first UK mobile phone call was made by Ernie Wise in 1985. The mobile phone became the symbol of the decade. Few people could afford one, and that was part of the attraction.
Yet the 80s looked to the past for its inspiration. Victoriana was popular and auction prices for Victorian art were high. New shopping centres rejected the modern and attempted to capture the charm of a previous age. By the end of the decade home interiors evoked more of the past than the present with country cottage kitchens, dado rails and Victorian print wallpapers.
There was a house price boom in the eighties and people felt wealthier. Speculators got rich by holding property. Council tenants bought into the new property owning democracy when the Government offered to sell them their own homes at a substantial discount. Government privatisations of British Telecom and British Gas also made more people share owners.
Rising living standards were not shared by all. Those employed in traditional industries, coal, shipbuilding, steel and motor car manufacture faired less well. There was a genuine North-South divide and the gap between the richest and the poorest widened.
In the world of fashion, Japanese designers were setting the pace in the early years of the 80s. There was a trend towards looser fitting, layered clothing. Later in the 80s, power dressing and big shoulder pads influenced by the glamorous American soap, 'Dynasty' took over. Fashion was more exclusive; it was all about designer labels. On the high street the innovative retailer, Next, set the pace. Next targeted the 25 to 45 age group with the emphasis on fashionable, designer-inspired clothing. Marks and Spencer also upgraded its image for the 80s.
There was a fashion for wax cotton jackets, particularly made by Barbour. They suggested you had a job in town, but a vast estate in the country (probably you just had a job in town). It was OK to be rich and let people know you were; the 80s was the era of the Sloane Ranger.
Musically the 80s was an innovative decade, taking the aftermath of punk through to the new romantics. Duran Duran captured the spirit of the decade, and were most identified with the new prosperity. The 80s ended with the mass produced pop of Stock, Aitkin and Waterman.
In the final years of the decade the scourge of inflation returned and higher interest rates put peoples' homes at risk. As the decade ended the new prosperity was unravelling. Mrs Thatcher, now unpopular with the public for policies such as the poll tax, continued in power to the end of the decade, but was ousted as Tory leader in 1990. The prosperity of the 80s did not last into the new decade.
AFRICAN FILM PRODUCERS AND DIRECTORS
Director/Co-Producer Franco Sacchi is a freelance director, editor, and producer. Franco co-directed, produced, and edited American Eunuchs, a feature length documentary that aired in 2004 on the Sundance Channel and on Channel 5 in the UK. It was also shown at several national and international film festivals, including the prestigious International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam (IDFA).
Franco collaborates on an ongoing basis with two news magazines of RAI International (the international branch of Italian Public Television) as a broadcast journalist/producer.
Franco also worked for over six years in the Department of Educational Services at Avid Technology. Clients included ABC, 20/20, ESPN, NBC Dateline, Telemundo, RAI (Italian National Public Television), and many others.
He graduated with a degree in Political Science from the University of Bologna and earned an MA in Visual Arts from Emerson College.
Still Photographer/Associate Producer Aimee Corrigan is a freelance photographer, writer, and producer whose first documentary project, The Village Heals: HIV/AIDS in Rural Zimbabwe, was presented at The University of Zimbabwe in 2001.
Since then, Aimee has produced media for several organizations in Boston and London; including Life is good Inc., Action for Southern Africa, Project Joy, and The Panos Institute.
Aimee is the Practicum Manager at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University. Based on the philosophy that media can make a difference, the CDIA Practicum creates partnerships with non-profit organizations around the world. As Practicum Manager, Aimee has coordinated web, photo, video, and 3D productions that capture the spirit of dozens of non-profits in Boston and beyond.
Aimee is currently producing a documentary on Hurricane Katrina's impact on Mississippi's poorest children. Her photographs from Nollywood will be on exhibition around the United States.
This Nollywood is a documentary film that captures the spirit of Nigeria's booming movie industry.
Making of Nollywood Film
Nollywood Film Making.
AFRICAN SCENE (WORLD OF FILM MAKING).
The Nigerian film industry is the third largest in the world, after Hollywood and Bollywood. Outside its native continent, the industry affectionately known as Nollywood remains relatively unknown. Yet millions of African fans can't get enough of its movies.
Unlike their international counterparts, the films coming out of Nollywood aren't intended for the big screen. Nigerian filmmakers use a mix of quick-and-dirty digital technology, shooting their movies entirely on digital video, editing them on home computers and delivering them to the market on VHS, DVD and video compact discs, or VCDs.
Two films, slated for screenings and release on DVD this summer, shed light on the flourishing industry. This Is Nollywood, directed by Franco Sacchi and Robert Caputo, follows Nigerian director Bond Emeruwa as he produces a feature-length action movie, Check Point, in just nine days on a budget of only $20,000, an allotment most American directors would deem incomprehensible. Welcome to Nollywood, a documentary by Jamie Meltzer, film professor at Vassar College, follows three of the hottest Nigerian directors as they race to complete films on shoestring budgets in a matter of weeks.
Both films provide a behind-the-scenes look at these sometimes seat-of-the-pants enterprises. During one scene of Welcome to Nollywood, top action-director Izu Ojukwu recalls his introduction to the movie business: Building a movie projector from scratch to host screenings in his village.
"There's an independent streak and a real pride in Nollywood, of getting across national identity and culture," says Meltzer. "Regardless of whether or not we pay attention, they're still going to make films."
Since its inception in the 1990s, the burgeoning Nigerian movie scene has bloomed into a $286 million business annually, despite the fact that films have minimal budgets (ranging from $10,000 to $25,000) and sell for just a few dollars apiece. What this industry does have is volume, with some 300 directors churning out an average of 2400 films annually. Most of the movies are in English, allowing for the widest possible crossover appeal in the multi-lingual Nigerian market.
This lightning-quick turnaround also allows directors and producers to make films with plotlines that reflect the rapidly changing political and cultural climate, often weaving in aspects of current events. Whether revolving around corruption, prostitution, folkloric legends, HIV/AIDS, cautionary tales, romantic comedies or even epic period pieces about slavery and civil wars, the films present an unfiltered view of African culture, intended for an African audience.
As Peace Anyiam-Fiberesima, founder of the Africa Movie Academy Awards, puts it in This Is Nollywood, "It's not about quality at the moment.… Africa still has people living on $1 a day, and these are the people that really watch these films."
This Is Nollywood comes out on DVD next month. Welcome to Nollywood will be shown at the Melbourne International Film Fest in Australia at the end of July, followed by a showing August 25 in Fort Green Park in Brooklyn, New York, as a summer movie screening and the Mill Valley Film Fest this October in California.
THE CINEMA OF NIGERIA
The cinema of Nigeria is a nascent film industry in Nigeria, growing up within the last two decades to become the third largest film industry on the planet, behind the United States and Indian film industries. According to Hala Gorani and Jeff Koinange formerly of CNN, Nigeria has a US$300 million movie industry, churning out some 200 videos for the home video market every month.
Nigerian cinema is Africa's largest movie industry in terms of the value of the movie industry and the number of movies produced per year. Although Nigerian films have been produced since the 1960s, the rise of affordable digital filming and editing technologies has stimulated the country's video film industry. The Nigerian video feature film industry is sometimes colloquially known as Nollywood, a term of uncertain origin, having been derived as a play on Hollywood in the same manner as Bollywood.
HISTORY OF NIGERIAN FILM INDUSTRY
The first Nigerian films were made by filmmakers such as Ola Balogun and Hubert Ogunde in the 1960s, but they were frustrated by the high cost of film production.However, television broadcasting in Nigeria began in the 1960s and received much government support in its early years. By the mid-1980s every state had its own broadcasting station. Law limited foreign television content so producers in Lagos began televising local popular theater productions. Many of these were circulated on video as well, and a small scale informal video movie trade developed.
The release of the box-office movie Living in Bondage in 1992 by NEK Video Links owned by Mr. Kenneth Nnebue in the Eastern Nigerian city of Onitsha set the stage for Nollywood as it is known today. The story goes that Kenneth Nnebue had an excess number of imported video cassettes which he then used to shoot the first film. The huge success of this film set the pace for others to produce other films or home videos. Through the business instincts and ethnic links of the Igbos and their dominance of distribution in major cities across Nigeria, home videos began to reach people across the country. Nollywood exploded into a booming industry that pushed foreign media off the shelves, an industry now marketed all over Africa and the rest of the world. The use of English rather than local languages served to expand the market and aggressive marketing using posters, trailers, and television advertising also played a role in Nollywood's success.
Since then, thousands of movies have been released. One of the first Nigerian movies to reach international renown was the 2003 release Osuofia in London, starring Nkem Owoh, the famous Nigerian comedic actor. Modern Nigerian cinema’s most prolific auteur is Chico Ejiro, who directed over 80 films in an 8-year period and brags that he can complete production on a movie in as little as three days. Ejiro’s brother Zeb is the best-known director of these videos outside of the country.
The first Nollywood films were produced with traditional analog video, such as Betacam SP, but today all Nollywood movies are produced using digital video technology. A March 2006 article in The Guardian cites Nigeria's film industry as the third largest in the world in terms of earnings. The paper cites unknown sources estimating the industry to bring in US$200 million per year. Nollywoods biggest competition on the African continent is the Ghanaian film industry. Nigerian film makers often times collaborate with Ghanaian actors and film makers. Van Vicker a popular Ghanaian actor has starred in many Nigerian movies and famous Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji has also starred in many Ghanaian films.
PRODUCTION
Most movies are not produced in studios. Video movies are shot on location all over Nigeria with hotels, homes and offices often rented out by their owners and appearing in credits in the movies. The most popular locations are shot in the cities of Lagos, Enugu, and Abuja. However, distinct regional variations appear between the northern movies made primarily in the Hausa language, the western Yoruba-language movies, the Edo-language movies shot in Benin city, and the Igbo movies shot in the southeast. Many of the big producers have offices in Surulere, Lagos,Nigeria.
Nigerian directors adopt new technologies as soon as they become affordable. Bulky videotape cameras gave way to their digital descendents, which are now being replaced by HD cameras. Editing, music, and other post-production work is done with common computer-based systems.
DISTRIBUTION OF FILMS
The primary distribution centers are Idumota Market on Lagos Island, and 51 Iweka Road in Onitsha in Anambra State.
Currently, Nigerian films outsell Hollywood films in Nigeria and many other African countries. Some 300 producers churn out movies at an astonishing rate—somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 a year. The films go straight to DVD and VCD discs. Thirty new titles are delivered to Nigerian shops and market stalls every week, where an average film sells 50,000 copies. A hit may sell several hundred thousand. Discs sell for two dollars each, making them affordable for most Nigerians and providing astounding returns for the producers.
Most of the films are produced by independent by companies and businessmen. However, the big money for films in Nigeria is made in the direct-to-video market. The average film costs between US$17,000 and US$23,000, is shot on video in just a week—selling up to 150,000–200,000 units nationwide in one day. With this type of return, more and more are getting into the film business there. By most reports, Nollywood is a $500-million industry. And it keeps growing.
According to Frank Ikegwuonu, author of Who's Who in Nollywood (www.nigeriaentertainment.com), about "1,200 films are produced in Nigeria annually." And more and more filmmakers are heading to Nigeria because of "competitive distribution system and a cheap workforce." Further, Nigerian films seem to be better received by the market when compared to foreign films because "those films are more family oriented than the American films.
Nigerian video movies are available in even the most remote areas of the continent. The last few years have seen the growing popularity of Nollywood films among the African diaspora in both Europe and North America.
Nigerian films are currently receiving wider distribution as Nigerian producers and directors are attending more internationally acclaimed film festivals.
Unlike their international counterparts, the films coming out of Nollywood aren't intended for the big screen. Nigerian filmmakers use a mix of quick-and-dirty digital technology, shooting their movies entirely on digital video, editing them on home computers and delivering them to the market on VHS, DVD and video compact discs, or VCDs.
Two films, slated for screenings and release on DVD this summer, shed light on the flourishing industry. This Is Nollywood, directed by Franco Sacchi and Robert Caputo, follows Nigerian director Bond Emeruwa as he produces a feature-length action movie, Check Point, in just nine days on a budget of only $20,000, an allotment most American directors would deem incomprehensible. Welcome to Nollywood, a documentary by Jamie Meltzer, film professor at Vassar College, follows three of the hottest Nigerian directors as they race to complete films on shoestring budgets in a matter of weeks.
Both films provide a behind-the-scenes look at these sometimes seat-of-the-pants enterprises. During one scene of Welcome to Nollywood, top action-director Izu Ojukwu recalls his introduction to the movie business: Building a movie projector from scratch to host screenings in his village.
"There's an independent streak and a real pride in Nollywood, of getting across national identity and culture," says Meltzer. "Regardless of whether or not we pay attention, they're still going to make films."
Since its inception in the 1990s, the burgeoning Nigerian movie scene has bloomed into a $286 million business annually, despite the fact that films have minimal budgets (ranging from $10,000 to $25,000) and sell for just a few dollars apiece. What this industry does have is volume, with some 300 directors churning out an average of 2400 films annually. Most of the movies are in English, allowing for the widest possible crossover appeal in the multi-lingual Nigerian market.
This lightning-quick turnaround also allows directors and producers to make films with plotlines that reflect the rapidly changing political and cultural climate, often weaving in aspects of current events. Whether revolving around corruption, prostitution, folkloric legends, HIV/AIDS, cautionary tales, romantic comedies or even epic period pieces about slavery and civil wars, the films present an unfiltered view of African culture, intended for an African audience.
As Peace Anyiam-Fiberesima, founder of the Africa Movie Academy Awards, puts it in This Is Nollywood, "It's not about quality at the moment.… Africa still has people living on $1 a day, and these are the people that really watch these films."
This Is Nollywood comes out on DVD next month. Welcome to Nollywood will be shown at the Melbourne International Film Fest in Australia at the end of July, followed by a showing August 25 in Fort Green Park in Brooklyn, New York, as a summer movie screening and the Mill Valley Film Fest this October in California.
THE CINEMA OF NIGERIA
The cinema of Nigeria is a nascent film industry in Nigeria, growing up within the last two decades to become the third largest film industry on the planet, behind the United States and Indian film industries. According to Hala Gorani and Jeff Koinange formerly of CNN, Nigeria has a US$300 million movie industry, churning out some 200 videos for the home video market every month.
Nigerian cinema is Africa's largest movie industry in terms of the value of the movie industry and the number of movies produced per year. Although Nigerian films have been produced since the 1960s, the rise of affordable digital filming and editing technologies has stimulated the country's video film industry. The Nigerian video feature film industry is sometimes colloquially known as Nollywood, a term of uncertain origin, having been derived as a play on Hollywood in the same manner as Bollywood.
HISTORY OF NIGERIAN FILM INDUSTRY
The first Nigerian films were made by filmmakers such as Ola Balogun and Hubert Ogunde in the 1960s, but they were frustrated by the high cost of film production.However, television broadcasting in Nigeria began in the 1960s and received much government support in its early years. By the mid-1980s every state had its own broadcasting station. Law limited foreign television content so producers in Lagos began televising local popular theater productions. Many of these were circulated on video as well, and a small scale informal video movie trade developed.
The release of the box-office movie Living in Bondage in 1992 by NEK Video Links owned by Mr. Kenneth Nnebue in the Eastern Nigerian city of Onitsha set the stage for Nollywood as it is known today. The story goes that Kenneth Nnebue had an excess number of imported video cassettes which he then used to shoot the first film. The huge success of this film set the pace for others to produce other films or home videos. Through the business instincts and ethnic links of the Igbos and their dominance of distribution in major cities across Nigeria, home videos began to reach people across the country. Nollywood exploded into a booming industry that pushed foreign media off the shelves, an industry now marketed all over Africa and the rest of the world. The use of English rather than local languages served to expand the market and aggressive marketing using posters, trailers, and television advertising also played a role in Nollywood's success.
Since then, thousands of movies have been released. One of the first Nigerian movies to reach international renown was the 2003 release Osuofia in London, starring Nkem Owoh, the famous Nigerian comedic actor. Modern Nigerian cinema’s most prolific auteur is Chico Ejiro, who directed over 80 films in an 8-year period and brags that he can complete production on a movie in as little as three days. Ejiro’s brother Zeb is the best-known director of these videos outside of the country.
The first Nollywood films were produced with traditional analog video, such as Betacam SP, but today all Nollywood movies are produced using digital video technology. A March 2006 article in The Guardian cites Nigeria's film industry as the third largest in the world in terms of earnings. The paper cites unknown sources estimating the industry to bring in US$200 million per year. Nollywoods biggest competition on the African continent is the Ghanaian film industry. Nigerian film makers often times collaborate with Ghanaian actors and film makers. Van Vicker a popular Ghanaian actor has starred in many Nigerian movies and famous Nollywood actress Genevieve Nnaji has also starred in many Ghanaian films.
PRODUCTION
Most movies are not produced in studios. Video movies are shot on location all over Nigeria with hotels, homes and offices often rented out by their owners and appearing in credits in the movies. The most popular locations are shot in the cities of Lagos, Enugu, and Abuja. However, distinct regional variations appear between the northern movies made primarily in the Hausa language, the western Yoruba-language movies, the Edo-language movies shot in Benin city, and the Igbo movies shot in the southeast. Many of the big producers have offices in Surulere, Lagos,Nigeria.
Nigerian directors adopt new technologies as soon as they become affordable. Bulky videotape cameras gave way to their digital descendents, which are now being replaced by HD cameras. Editing, music, and other post-production work is done with common computer-based systems.
DISTRIBUTION OF FILMS
The primary distribution centers are Idumota Market on Lagos Island, and 51 Iweka Road in Onitsha in Anambra State.
Currently, Nigerian films outsell Hollywood films in Nigeria and many other African countries. Some 300 producers churn out movies at an astonishing rate—somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 a year. The films go straight to DVD and VCD discs. Thirty new titles are delivered to Nigerian shops and market stalls every week, where an average film sells 50,000 copies. A hit may sell several hundred thousand. Discs sell for two dollars each, making them affordable for most Nigerians and providing astounding returns for the producers.
Most of the films are produced by independent by companies and businessmen. However, the big money for films in Nigeria is made in the direct-to-video market. The average film costs between US$17,000 and US$23,000, is shot on video in just a week—selling up to 150,000–200,000 units nationwide in one day. With this type of return, more and more are getting into the film business there. By most reports, Nollywood is a $500-million industry. And it keeps growing.
According to Frank Ikegwuonu, author of Who's Who in Nollywood (www.nigeriaentertainment.com), about "1,200 films are produced in Nigeria annually." And more and more filmmakers are heading to Nigeria because of "competitive distribution system and a cheap workforce." Further, Nigerian films seem to be better received by the market when compared to foreign films because "those films are more family oriented than the American films.
Nigerian video movies are available in even the most remote areas of the continent. The last few years have seen the growing popularity of Nollywood films among the African diaspora in both Europe and North America.
Nigerian films are currently receiving wider distribution as Nigerian producers and directors are attending more internationally acclaimed film festivals.
CELEBRITY GOSHIPS
It's a busy weekend for photographers in London as the stars are out in force - enjoying a stroll (Russell Brand) and doing their bit for Radio One (Pixie Geldof, Eoghan Quigg). Meanwhile, Hollywood hunk Ethan Hawke was trying to keep a low profile in...New Zealand. 06 April,2009.
We've got all ends of the spectrum today! While Jennifer Garner and Gavin Rossdale did the family thing in California, R+B star Chris Brown was in court on charges of assaulting girlfriend Rihanna - and veteran rockers Iron Maiden did the old guard proud as they wowed the crowds in Argentina. 07 April,2009.
Lindsay Lohan out shopping, Danielle Lloyd eating lunch, and Pat Cash flashing his wad for the homeless - we give you yet another peek into the daily goings-on of the rich and famous. Oh, and Katy Perry being her usual kooky self at a show in New York - at least some things never change... 08 April, 2009.
From London to New York and Los Angeles, the week's hotting up to be a big one as some of our favourite celebs come out to work - and play... 09 April,2009.
Mel Gibson's wife of 28 years, Robin, has filed for divorce from the Lethal Weapon star, citing irreconcilable differences. Under Californian law she could claim half of Mel's estimated £600 million fortune, as the couple didn't have a prenuptial agreement. They married long before Gibson became a Hollywood superstar. We take you through some of the other costliest divorce settlements ever...
Mel Gibson's wife has filed for divorce after 28 years of marriage, court records in Los Angeles showed.
Mel Gibson's wife files for divorce
Mel Gibson's wife has filed for divorce after 28 years of marriage, court records in Los Angeles showed.
Robyn Gibson filed the petition in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences.
The petition gives no details about the split.
Robyn Gibson is seeking jewellery and some other property, and has suggested joint custody for their nine-year-old son.
The records show that the couple were married in June 1980.
An email message sent to Gibson's publicist was not immediately answered.
March 2009
It is just February but the wedding of the year had already been held.In terms of perfect planning, glamour, colour and the quality of guests, it will be difficult to beat the wedding of Governor Isa Yuguda & Nafisat Yar Adua.That is why we have dedicated an entire special edition to properly document this celebration of love for your reading delight and for posterity.This is our expressive edition enjoyed in Francophone Africa.
PATRICE MOTSEPE-BLACK SOUTH AFRICA’BILLION DOLLAR MAN
He is suave, he is articulate, he is a businessman par excellence, he is an exemplary family man and above all, he is a billionaire. Welcome to the world of Patrice Motsepe, the pride of blacks in South Africa and the country’s first and authentic black billion dollar man. In fact, we can call him a real life King Midas since everything he has been touching has turned to gold!Just a few years ago, Motsepe who holds a B.A degree from Swaziland University and an LL.B Law degree from Witts University was a middle-level lawyer specializing in mining and business law. Then later, Patrice became a partner in one of the largest law firms in South Africa, Bowman Gilfillan Inc. He was a visiting attorney in the USA with the law firm, McGuire Woods Battle and Boothe and was employed by this firm for approximately three years.In 1994 taking advantage of the new majority rule in South Africa and the democratization of the economy, he founded Future Mining, which immediately grew in leaps and bounds due his keen knowledge of the industry and the will to succeed. Three years later in 1997, he floated African Rainbow Mining Limited, christened ARMgold. ARM had bought chunk of shares from formerly white-dominated enterprise, Anglovaal Mining Limited. With ARM firmly in place, Motsepe was soaring, he began to buy up top-rate business and luckily ARM was so well doing that it was eventually listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 2002.That same year he was voted South Africa’s Business Leader of the Year by the CEOs of the top 100 companies in South Africa. In addition, he was winner of the Ernst & Young Best Entrepreneur of the Year Award.Motsepe who also made headline when his Ubuntu-Botho Investments bought into South African National Life Assurance Company better known as SANLAM. SANLAM is one of the largest insurance companies in Africa and it has major shares in many companies listed on the JSE. His stake in the company soon gave him the leeway to be elected into the board as Deputy Chairperson. Another Major move for Motsepe was his strategic investment in Harmony. Harmony is the fifth largest gold mining company in the world and the third largest in South Africa.Named after Congo’s first democratically elected President by his father Jay, Motsepe whose ARM is involved in ferrous metals, nickel, base metals and platinum also has a 64 per cent stake in a company called TEAL Exploration and Mining Company which handles all his non-South African businesses. TEAL is involved in Copper in Zambia, Copper-Cobalt in Democratic Republic of Congo and Gold in Namibia.This mining entrepreneur is an avid football lover, he is so in love with the game that he owns South Africa’s most successful Premier Soccer League (PSL) club, Mamelodi Sundowns.This charming gentleman 44 year old gentleman who is also an Executive Director of ABSA Bank is married to Dr. Precious Moloi and they have three children, Thopie, Kgosi and Kabelo.
FEMI OTEDOLA-HIS ZENON ZOOMS INTO BIG LEAGUE
The President/CEO of Zenon Petroleum & Gas, the white apparels-loving Femi Otedola is one businessman who enjoys the game when the stakes are high. Otedola who isThough he is popularly called Diesel King, Otedola is actually the Real McCoy of the marketing side of the Downstream industry. Since he launched Zeon in March 1999, he has built it into a major force. Zenon which handles diesel, kerosene, fuel oils and lubricants now has three independent entities that has helped it become the undisputed numero uno. There is Seaforce Shipping Company owners of MT sir Michael Otedola, MT Lady Doja, MT Nana and MT Zenon Conquest, Atlas Shipping Company and F.O Transport.As if all these are not enough, he is showing his competitors that he is constantly innovating and has just introduced a new idea dubbed Zenon Diesel Direct. This initiative is aimed at taking Zenon Products to the doorsteps of its clientele in a more efficient and hassle-free manner. From what we hear the price will be competitive too.Meanwhile, Otedola who also have heavy investments in blue chip companies in Nigeria and abroad is also into real estate big time. A few months ago he was on the pages of man main stream papers when he purchased a prized property Knightsbridge from Harrods owner, the Egyptian millionaire, Mohammed Al Fayed.
SOUL LOUNGE- THE PALM MALL”S FUN ZONE
It is just been in operation for a few months but Soul Lounge located within the very classy The Palm Mall has become the top spot for those who cherish a nice, fun-filled night out on the Island. Conceptualized and bankrolled by a team of young Nigerians, the place has an appealing interior and has been attracting the right crowd. It has become common place to find a top TV star, a bank MD and a top politician sharing a drink and a dance at the lounge where the hosts of if would like to call them waiters are decked in 60s bell bottoms and crazy wigs.The soul lounge was recently opened by the Nigerian president accompanied by former military President Ibrahim Babangida and Lagos State Deputy Governor, Femi Pedro.
CHIEF MIKE INEGBESE- A BUSINESSMAN WITH A DIFFERENCE When you meet Chief Mike Inegbese at a public function he always stands out from the crowd. His excitingly colourful suits, classy hats and at times walk stick and of course almost always by his side is his lovely wife are part of that distinguishable package.Interestingly, you would never catch Chief Inegbese who holds the titles of Atunwase of Lagos and Iyase, the Traditional Prime Minister of Opoji in this type of attire when he is in the office. Inegbese who is one of Nigeria’s biggest and most consistent auto magnates turns out all the time in overalls. According to him, it suits his kind of business. Another thing that thrills you when you step into any of his showrooms is that adorning the walls are success tips and wise saying.This music lover who’s favourite is King Sunny Ade will tell you that he does not joke with his relaxation. You know what it is? oh no it is not golf, tennis or squash, it is draught-and he enjoys it with buddies, many of whom he knew before he made it.Like it is done in local settings where draughts are played, the game in Inegbese’s home is enjoyed with BBQ and assorted drinks.
FEMI FANI-KAYODE- A FOOD FOR THOUGHT
No doubt the task before the new Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode is very enormous in view of the spate of disasters that have hit the country in recent times. As he is settling into his job a lot of people would really like him to resolve the issue of the Presidential jet. They want to know if the presidential jet is second hand (Tokunbo) or brand new (Tear rubber).The brouhaha over the issue led to a sedition charge against two journalists but not a word was said about the meat of the story. These patriotic Nigerians are concerned about the safety of their NO.1 citizen and they believe that considering the kind of commitment and fervor exhibited by Fani Kayode especially as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, then he would be the best man for the job.
OBEAHON OHIWEREI-LEAVES ACCRA WITH LOVEI am very certain that when Tony Elumelu, the MD/CEO of then Standard Trust Bank now the much bigger United Bank For Africa (UBA) broke the news to Obeahon Ohewerei that he has been seconded to Accra Ghana as MD of STB Ghana, he must have been very unhappy. But two years down the line, Obeahon has made the best of the situation, like him or hate him, he was very effective in no time with its aggressive marketing style and unique products, STB soon made an impact and the bank’s image was enhanced by the “Hi, I am Obeahon....” commercial on radio, which effectively made him the most popular bank executive in town. Unfortunately like every good thing, his tour of duty has ended and when friends held a send forth party for him Obeahon, who is as strong-heated as they com actually broke down-an indication that he would be leaving Accra with lovely and fond memories.The latest is that Obeahon is back in Lagos to take up higher responsibilities in UBA as well as oversee his family business. But while the nitty gritty is sorted out, he is presently chilling out in America.
THAT LONDON PARTY
For many weeks the London social scene was agog, the whole buzz was about the party that socialite Toto Abuga will be throwing to celebrate the arrival of his baby son. Though the party was to be held in London, invites where distributed widely in Nigeria. There was hardly a paper invitation, what was sent out were yards of expensive blue lace material. On the day, the venue, Praba Banqueting suite was really bubbling. Due to the wide spread discussion in town about the event, the venue was besieged but as expected six foot plus security personnel where on guard to prevent unwanted guests. The party where Fuji King, K1-The Ultimate as usual was flown in First Class aboard British Airways was swell. K1 belted out medley of his popular songs and everyone danced till the break of dawn. One key thing about the party that was co-ordinated by Lanre Ijaola was that exotic champagnes and cognac were inexhaustible. Those in attendance included, Tunde Oshinowo, Ola Kukoyi, Ade Lexus, Bisi Olatilo and Shade Alesh.
NATALIE LORENCE-OH WHAT A NITE
Natalie Lorence, Marketing Manager of Softsheen.Carson turned a year older earlier in the year but she chose to celebrate it on Friday September 28, 2006 at her Accra, Ghana home. The attendance at the event was very impressive and it showed one thing: The celebrant is a woman that many respect because she takes her job seriously and wants the best all the time. This Russian lady and her American husband, the very amiable Jonathan were very good hosts. With the couple’s baby well tucked into be the party kicked off at about 9pm.Guests was served assorted canapés and later spicy BBQ. Of course drinks flowed endlessly from the close-knit party that had Natalie’s boss Monsieur Jerome Camus in attendance. Perhaps what would be described as the most exciting moment was the dance session-from 60s souls to R&B, hip-hop to roots reggae everyone was really soaked in the fun and as they began to trickle home as the clock approached midnight, they could not help but exclaim that it was a wonderful evening.
RICHARD MOFE-DAMIJO- TAKES HIS ART SEROUSLY Spread the word to the North, South, East and West, Richard Mofe-Damijo, the original glamour boy of Nollywood, Nigeria’s exploding movie industry is planning some exciting projects in 2007 that will take the industry by storm. RMD as he is fondly called is one of those top stars that were supposedly banned by Nigerian marketers but he was not fazed one bit. While the ban went one, the rugged Warri boy who strongly believes that his art and his good-given craft are priceless was busy concluding his law programme at the University of Lagos, earning his LL.B at the Nigerian Law School and making money from his consultancy firm, Whitewater.Talking of his project for 2007, RMD is about to turn Centrespread, the spell-binding book of his late wife and famous journalist, Richard Mofe-Damijo into an elaborate production project. Centrespread will be shot as a television series and film. Knowing RMD who is finicky about standards, I am sure hew has laid out creative plans for marketing which will include merchandising.
NAZIR ADO-IBRAHIM-UNITES WITH PLANET ONE The Prince of Ebiraland Nazir Ado-Ibrahim and the owner of Planet One Entertainment, Shaka Momodu are in discussion at the moment regarding a major project. Nazir who can be described as the godfather of the niteclub business on Lagos Island, he owns Club Tower, the longest-running club in Victoria Island has been seen a couple of times feeling out Planet One, the newest entertainment centre in Lagos for weeks now. From what we gathered, the two like-minds are working on a concept that is sure to raise the stakes in the business.
WHEN NIGERIANS SHOOK PARIS Paris, the French capital was literally taken over by Nigerians during the Nigeria Cultural Week organized by The Embassy of Nigeria in Paris, The Permanent Delegation of Nigeria in UNESCO and the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Europe, France Chapter.Held primarily in within the UNESCO Headquarters, the week was an exhibition of the best out of Nigeria in terms of art, crafts, fabrics, books and films. Arts and craft were exhibited by Quintessence and Chinwe Roy, a female artiste based in Suffolk, UK. Photography exhibition was displayed by a group that included award winner Emeka Okereke and of course Nigeria’s N0.1 exports after oil, Nollywood stars, Stella Damasus-Aboderin, Segun Arinze, RMD, Nkem Owoh and famed producer, Kingsley Ogoro. There was also an exhibition of the different culinary delights from Nigeria.The whole week was brought to an exciting climax at a gala dinner where rising comedian Teju baby face was compere. The Bayelsa Cultural troupe provided energetic dance performance, Remi Lagos presented her fluid brand of fashion then sweet-voiced Stella Aboderin performed. The main act for the night was Asa, the singer cum guitarist whose fusion of jazz and soul has won her acclaim.
BISI OLATILO- HOSTED BY LONDON RESTURANT When his office was completely razed taking with millions of naira worth of equipment and decades of library materials, ace broadcaster, Bisi Olatilo did not know that God was preparing him for greater glory. Today, Olatilo whose widely syndicated show, The Bisi Olatilo Show is a must-watch for Nigerians in Nigeria and in continental Europe via Ben Television has bounced back big time. Not only has he completely overhauled the office, he has been able to replace his equipment too. Months back when he was in the United Kingdom to spend a few days with his entire family who were on holiday, he was hosted to sumptuous dinner by the owners of newly-opened Eko Restaurant in Hackney.The meal was excellent but what really impressed all those who attended including Olatilo was the classy décor of the place. Everyone had fun and like a super star, he also spent time signing autographs.
GLOBACOM- THIRD YEAR OF EXCELLENCEGlobacom. The proudly Nigerian and most innovative telecoms network is till basking in the euphoria of its third year of operations. Glo which is Nigeria’s Second national carrier hosted many events to mark the occasion and reaffirm that it is committed to its track record of customer friendly products and excellent service. These pictures show some faces at one of the events.
HOUSE OF OVATION-Redefining Entertainment in AccraWell, by now everyone who is someone in the whole of the continent would have heard the news that your leading celebrity journal is taking another giant step in the area of adding value to people’s lives as it opens its doors to HOUSE OF OVATION. For all those who have always craved for a place with the right ambience to have authentic, home made Nigerian, Ghanaian in deed African and continental cuisine then your prayers have been answered. Research has shown that, the restaurant can be quite a boring place, so this place is conceptualized as The House of Fun. It would not only be serving food, it will be a dancing restaurant where you can really let go at any time of the day-and the clincher? Guests will be served by the most courteous and beautiful ladies on the continent. Trust me. In addition, the facility has a VIP lounge, at has been tailored to the taste of men and women of exquisite style. While you wait for your meals, the VIP can even get a quick massage.
We've got all ends of the spectrum today! While Jennifer Garner and Gavin Rossdale did the family thing in California, R+B star Chris Brown was in court on charges of assaulting girlfriend Rihanna - and veteran rockers Iron Maiden did the old guard proud as they wowed the crowds in Argentina. 07 April,2009.
Lindsay Lohan out shopping, Danielle Lloyd eating lunch, and Pat Cash flashing his wad for the homeless - we give you yet another peek into the daily goings-on of the rich and famous. Oh, and Katy Perry being her usual kooky self at a show in New York - at least some things never change... 08 April, 2009.
From London to New York and Los Angeles, the week's hotting up to be a big one as some of our favourite celebs come out to work - and play... 09 April,2009.
Mel Gibson's wife of 28 years, Robin, has filed for divorce from the Lethal Weapon star, citing irreconcilable differences. Under Californian law she could claim half of Mel's estimated £600 million fortune, as the couple didn't have a prenuptial agreement. They married long before Gibson became a Hollywood superstar. We take you through some of the other costliest divorce settlements ever...
Mel Gibson's wife has filed for divorce after 28 years of marriage, court records in Los Angeles showed.
Mel Gibson's wife files for divorce
Mel Gibson's wife has filed for divorce after 28 years of marriage, court records in Los Angeles showed.
Robyn Gibson filed the petition in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences.
The petition gives no details about the split.
Robyn Gibson is seeking jewellery and some other property, and has suggested joint custody for their nine-year-old son.
The records show that the couple were married in June 1980.
An email message sent to Gibson's publicist was not immediately answered.
March 2009
It is just February but the wedding of the year had already been held.In terms of perfect planning, glamour, colour and the quality of guests, it will be difficult to beat the wedding of Governor Isa Yuguda & Nafisat Yar Adua.That is why we have dedicated an entire special edition to properly document this celebration of love for your reading delight and for posterity.This is our expressive edition enjoyed in Francophone Africa.
PATRICE MOTSEPE-BLACK SOUTH AFRICA’BILLION DOLLAR MAN
He is suave, he is articulate, he is a businessman par excellence, he is an exemplary family man and above all, he is a billionaire. Welcome to the world of Patrice Motsepe, the pride of blacks in South Africa and the country’s first and authentic black billion dollar man. In fact, we can call him a real life King Midas since everything he has been touching has turned to gold!Just a few years ago, Motsepe who holds a B.A degree from Swaziland University and an LL.B Law degree from Witts University was a middle-level lawyer specializing in mining and business law. Then later, Patrice became a partner in one of the largest law firms in South Africa, Bowman Gilfillan Inc. He was a visiting attorney in the USA with the law firm, McGuire Woods Battle and Boothe and was employed by this firm for approximately three years.In 1994 taking advantage of the new majority rule in South Africa and the democratization of the economy, he founded Future Mining, which immediately grew in leaps and bounds due his keen knowledge of the industry and the will to succeed. Three years later in 1997, he floated African Rainbow Mining Limited, christened ARMgold. ARM had bought chunk of shares from formerly white-dominated enterprise, Anglovaal Mining Limited. With ARM firmly in place, Motsepe was soaring, he began to buy up top-rate business and luckily ARM was so well doing that it was eventually listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 2002.That same year he was voted South Africa’s Business Leader of the Year by the CEOs of the top 100 companies in South Africa. In addition, he was winner of the Ernst & Young Best Entrepreneur of the Year Award.Motsepe who also made headline when his Ubuntu-Botho Investments bought into South African National Life Assurance Company better known as SANLAM. SANLAM is one of the largest insurance companies in Africa and it has major shares in many companies listed on the JSE. His stake in the company soon gave him the leeway to be elected into the board as Deputy Chairperson. Another Major move for Motsepe was his strategic investment in Harmony. Harmony is the fifth largest gold mining company in the world and the third largest in South Africa.Named after Congo’s first democratically elected President by his father Jay, Motsepe whose ARM is involved in ferrous metals, nickel, base metals and platinum also has a 64 per cent stake in a company called TEAL Exploration and Mining Company which handles all his non-South African businesses. TEAL is involved in Copper in Zambia, Copper-Cobalt in Democratic Republic of Congo and Gold in Namibia.This mining entrepreneur is an avid football lover, he is so in love with the game that he owns South Africa’s most successful Premier Soccer League (PSL) club, Mamelodi Sundowns.This charming gentleman 44 year old gentleman who is also an Executive Director of ABSA Bank is married to Dr. Precious Moloi and they have three children, Thopie, Kgosi and Kabelo.
FEMI OTEDOLA-HIS ZENON ZOOMS INTO BIG LEAGUE
The President/CEO of Zenon Petroleum & Gas, the white apparels-loving Femi Otedola is one businessman who enjoys the game when the stakes are high. Otedola who isThough he is popularly called Diesel King, Otedola is actually the Real McCoy of the marketing side of the Downstream industry. Since he launched Zeon in March 1999, he has built it into a major force. Zenon which handles diesel, kerosene, fuel oils and lubricants now has three independent entities that has helped it become the undisputed numero uno. There is Seaforce Shipping Company owners of MT sir Michael Otedola, MT Lady Doja, MT Nana and MT Zenon Conquest, Atlas Shipping Company and F.O Transport.As if all these are not enough, he is showing his competitors that he is constantly innovating and has just introduced a new idea dubbed Zenon Diesel Direct. This initiative is aimed at taking Zenon Products to the doorsteps of its clientele in a more efficient and hassle-free manner. From what we hear the price will be competitive too.Meanwhile, Otedola who also have heavy investments in blue chip companies in Nigeria and abroad is also into real estate big time. A few months ago he was on the pages of man main stream papers when he purchased a prized property Knightsbridge from Harrods owner, the Egyptian millionaire, Mohammed Al Fayed.
SOUL LOUNGE- THE PALM MALL”S FUN ZONE
It is just been in operation for a few months but Soul Lounge located within the very classy The Palm Mall has become the top spot for those who cherish a nice, fun-filled night out on the Island. Conceptualized and bankrolled by a team of young Nigerians, the place has an appealing interior and has been attracting the right crowd. It has become common place to find a top TV star, a bank MD and a top politician sharing a drink and a dance at the lounge where the hosts of if would like to call them waiters are decked in 60s bell bottoms and crazy wigs.The soul lounge was recently opened by the Nigerian president accompanied by former military President Ibrahim Babangida and Lagos State Deputy Governor, Femi Pedro.
CHIEF MIKE INEGBESE- A BUSINESSMAN WITH A DIFFERENCE When you meet Chief Mike Inegbese at a public function he always stands out from the crowd. His excitingly colourful suits, classy hats and at times walk stick and of course almost always by his side is his lovely wife are part of that distinguishable package.Interestingly, you would never catch Chief Inegbese who holds the titles of Atunwase of Lagos and Iyase, the Traditional Prime Minister of Opoji in this type of attire when he is in the office. Inegbese who is one of Nigeria’s biggest and most consistent auto magnates turns out all the time in overalls. According to him, it suits his kind of business. Another thing that thrills you when you step into any of his showrooms is that adorning the walls are success tips and wise saying.This music lover who’s favourite is King Sunny Ade will tell you that he does not joke with his relaxation. You know what it is? oh no it is not golf, tennis or squash, it is draught-and he enjoys it with buddies, many of whom he knew before he made it.Like it is done in local settings where draughts are played, the game in Inegbese’s home is enjoyed with BBQ and assorted drinks.
FEMI FANI-KAYODE- A FOOD FOR THOUGHT
No doubt the task before the new Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode is very enormous in view of the spate of disasters that have hit the country in recent times. As he is settling into his job a lot of people would really like him to resolve the issue of the Presidential jet. They want to know if the presidential jet is second hand (Tokunbo) or brand new (Tear rubber).The brouhaha over the issue led to a sedition charge against two journalists but not a word was said about the meat of the story. These patriotic Nigerians are concerned about the safety of their NO.1 citizen and they believe that considering the kind of commitment and fervor exhibited by Fani Kayode especially as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, then he would be the best man for the job.
OBEAHON OHIWEREI-LEAVES ACCRA WITH LOVEI am very certain that when Tony Elumelu, the MD/CEO of then Standard Trust Bank now the much bigger United Bank For Africa (UBA) broke the news to Obeahon Ohewerei that he has been seconded to Accra Ghana as MD of STB Ghana, he must have been very unhappy. But two years down the line, Obeahon has made the best of the situation, like him or hate him, he was very effective in no time with its aggressive marketing style and unique products, STB soon made an impact and the bank’s image was enhanced by the “Hi, I am Obeahon....” commercial on radio, which effectively made him the most popular bank executive in town. Unfortunately like every good thing, his tour of duty has ended and when friends held a send forth party for him Obeahon, who is as strong-heated as they com actually broke down-an indication that he would be leaving Accra with lovely and fond memories.The latest is that Obeahon is back in Lagos to take up higher responsibilities in UBA as well as oversee his family business. But while the nitty gritty is sorted out, he is presently chilling out in America.
THAT LONDON PARTY
For many weeks the London social scene was agog, the whole buzz was about the party that socialite Toto Abuga will be throwing to celebrate the arrival of his baby son. Though the party was to be held in London, invites where distributed widely in Nigeria. There was hardly a paper invitation, what was sent out were yards of expensive blue lace material. On the day, the venue, Praba Banqueting suite was really bubbling. Due to the wide spread discussion in town about the event, the venue was besieged but as expected six foot plus security personnel where on guard to prevent unwanted guests. The party where Fuji King, K1-The Ultimate as usual was flown in First Class aboard British Airways was swell. K1 belted out medley of his popular songs and everyone danced till the break of dawn. One key thing about the party that was co-ordinated by Lanre Ijaola was that exotic champagnes and cognac were inexhaustible. Those in attendance included, Tunde Oshinowo, Ola Kukoyi, Ade Lexus, Bisi Olatilo and Shade Alesh.
NATALIE LORENCE-OH WHAT A NITE
Natalie Lorence, Marketing Manager of Softsheen.Carson turned a year older earlier in the year but she chose to celebrate it on Friday September 28, 2006 at her Accra, Ghana home. The attendance at the event was very impressive and it showed one thing: The celebrant is a woman that many respect because she takes her job seriously and wants the best all the time. This Russian lady and her American husband, the very amiable Jonathan were very good hosts. With the couple’s baby well tucked into be the party kicked off at about 9pm.Guests was served assorted canapés and later spicy BBQ. Of course drinks flowed endlessly from the close-knit party that had Natalie’s boss Monsieur Jerome Camus in attendance. Perhaps what would be described as the most exciting moment was the dance session-from 60s souls to R&B, hip-hop to roots reggae everyone was really soaked in the fun and as they began to trickle home as the clock approached midnight, they could not help but exclaim that it was a wonderful evening.
RICHARD MOFE-DAMIJO- TAKES HIS ART SEROUSLY Spread the word to the North, South, East and West, Richard Mofe-Damijo, the original glamour boy of Nollywood, Nigeria’s exploding movie industry is planning some exciting projects in 2007 that will take the industry by storm. RMD as he is fondly called is one of those top stars that were supposedly banned by Nigerian marketers but he was not fazed one bit. While the ban went one, the rugged Warri boy who strongly believes that his art and his good-given craft are priceless was busy concluding his law programme at the University of Lagos, earning his LL.B at the Nigerian Law School and making money from his consultancy firm, Whitewater.Talking of his project for 2007, RMD is about to turn Centrespread, the spell-binding book of his late wife and famous journalist, Richard Mofe-Damijo into an elaborate production project. Centrespread will be shot as a television series and film. Knowing RMD who is finicky about standards, I am sure hew has laid out creative plans for marketing which will include merchandising.
NAZIR ADO-IBRAHIM-UNITES WITH PLANET ONE The Prince of Ebiraland Nazir Ado-Ibrahim and the owner of Planet One Entertainment, Shaka Momodu are in discussion at the moment regarding a major project. Nazir who can be described as the godfather of the niteclub business on Lagos Island, he owns Club Tower, the longest-running club in Victoria Island has been seen a couple of times feeling out Planet One, the newest entertainment centre in Lagos for weeks now. From what we gathered, the two like-minds are working on a concept that is sure to raise the stakes in the business.
WHEN NIGERIANS SHOOK PARIS Paris, the French capital was literally taken over by Nigerians during the Nigeria Cultural Week organized by The Embassy of Nigeria in Paris, The Permanent Delegation of Nigeria in UNESCO and the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Europe, France Chapter.Held primarily in within the UNESCO Headquarters, the week was an exhibition of the best out of Nigeria in terms of art, crafts, fabrics, books and films. Arts and craft were exhibited by Quintessence and Chinwe Roy, a female artiste based in Suffolk, UK. Photography exhibition was displayed by a group that included award winner Emeka Okereke and of course Nigeria’s N0.1 exports after oil, Nollywood stars, Stella Damasus-Aboderin, Segun Arinze, RMD, Nkem Owoh and famed producer, Kingsley Ogoro. There was also an exhibition of the different culinary delights from Nigeria.The whole week was brought to an exciting climax at a gala dinner where rising comedian Teju baby face was compere. The Bayelsa Cultural troupe provided energetic dance performance, Remi Lagos presented her fluid brand of fashion then sweet-voiced Stella Aboderin performed. The main act for the night was Asa, the singer cum guitarist whose fusion of jazz and soul has won her acclaim.
BISI OLATILO- HOSTED BY LONDON RESTURANT When his office was completely razed taking with millions of naira worth of equipment and decades of library materials, ace broadcaster, Bisi Olatilo did not know that God was preparing him for greater glory. Today, Olatilo whose widely syndicated show, The Bisi Olatilo Show is a must-watch for Nigerians in Nigeria and in continental Europe via Ben Television has bounced back big time. Not only has he completely overhauled the office, he has been able to replace his equipment too. Months back when he was in the United Kingdom to spend a few days with his entire family who were on holiday, he was hosted to sumptuous dinner by the owners of newly-opened Eko Restaurant in Hackney.The meal was excellent but what really impressed all those who attended including Olatilo was the classy décor of the place. Everyone had fun and like a super star, he also spent time signing autographs.
GLOBACOM- THIRD YEAR OF EXCELLENCEGlobacom. The proudly Nigerian and most innovative telecoms network is till basking in the euphoria of its third year of operations. Glo which is Nigeria’s Second national carrier hosted many events to mark the occasion and reaffirm that it is committed to its track record of customer friendly products and excellent service. These pictures show some faces at one of the events.
HOUSE OF OVATION-Redefining Entertainment in AccraWell, by now everyone who is someone in the whole of the continent would have heard the news that your leading celebrity journal is taking another giant step in the area of adding value to people’s lives as it opens its doors to HOUSE OF OVATION. For all those who have always craved for a place with the right ambience to have authentic, home made Nigerian, Ghanaian in deed African and continental cuisine then your prayers have been answered. Research has shown that, the restaurant can be quite a boring place, so this place is conceptualized as The House of Fun. It would not only be serving food, it will be a dancing restaurant where you can really let go at any time of the day-and the clincher? Guests will be served by the most courteous and beautiful ladies on the continent. Trust me. In addition, the facility has a VIP lounge, at has been tailored to the taste of men and women of exquisite style. While you wait for your meals, the VIP can even get a quick massage.
YOU ARE HIGHLY WELCOME.
I welcome you to the entertainment world. An avenue where you would feel comfortable and feel at home as well to make your day great with pieces of useful information as regards the enteratainment industry in the areas of getting informed about the latest films to watch, the latest fashion and style, stage acting, celebrity gists, modelling, music, football,and many more opportunities that might come from the entertainment circle around the world. Just stay glue to this page and remain blessed and fulfilled.
Yours sincerely,
Yemi.
Yours sincerely,
Yemi.
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About Me
- ENTERTAINMENT AVENUE
- I am into Entertainment industry as a talented Film Actor,a scriptwriter, a film producer,a film Director, and a singer. I write,listening to music,swimming,playing Basketball, football,watching TV,Movies,comedies,and I love public intimacy. I love encouraging my fellows on things that would be advantageous to them all.My most happiest moment in life is when I see my colleagues' dreams comes true.I don't feel relaxed until a particular targeted goal is achieved. Anyone who is hardworking,focus,committed to quality services and humanity.A sincere person in life is my best friend.I am happy when they are happy. I like sharing good and profitable ideas with reasonable people.I like people with creative works and innovative mind. I love positive thinking, creativity,and great ideas.I am loyal,active, responsible,kindhearted,warm,accomodating,nice,compassionate,tolerant,and homely
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