Posted: September 9th, 2022

Impact of Globalization On African Film Society

Impact of Globalization On African Film Society
The African film industry has been greatly affected by globalization. Globalization brought with it both negative effects and positives impacts in almost every sphere of life. Inasmuch as there may be improvements in areas such as communication, transport and technology, globalization has come to haunt than bless Africa when culture is the subject. In that regard, it is important to note that one of the most hit industries in Africa is the African Film Industry. As an industry, it has lost more than what it has gained from the concept of globalization. The widespread use of televisions to reach out to African markets has contributed to the continued erosion of the African culture making African films appear irrelevant and as of low quality and also as not entertaining. The following are some of the ways that the westerners’ concept of globalization has affected African film society.
Language Usage. Because of globalization, English has been spread all over the world as the best language rendering African languages irrelevant. Consequently, Africans themselves have been made to believe that there is low quality in African films as they are mostly relayed in African languages (Anao). The effect of this is that, while African film makers try to address their audience in a language they can easily connect, globalization forces African film makers to shift from their language to the “internationally accepted language” thus making African films to fail to reach their intended viewers. For example, this has been seen in many Nigerian films where, actresses and actors try their best to mix their native languages and English just to appeal to some of their viewers. Further, because of the growing generational gap, the issue of language becomes more important as majority of Africans abandon their local dialect to embrace foreign languages. This, to a great extent, leaves African films with less percentage of the market meaning proceeds would not match the costs of production (Anao).
Film Content. Another factor that has affected local films is the content difference between western movies and local films. While African films produce content that is related to the daily lives of an African setting, western films present content that is more adulterated thus changing the perception of African viewers on African films (Daramola, & Oyinade). This also has the tendency to make African films to embrace the same obscene content and non-African dress codes trying to match their western counterparts. It is clear that censoring bodies in Africa sleep on their job thus allowing obscene films to enter and infiltrate the local African markets hence diverting the attention of African viewers from local content. It is also evident that local production has its own challenges and western countries knew this and took advantage of the situation (Daramola, & Oyinade). They first reduced the world into a global village and since they had a competitive advantage in the sector, they could produce quality content that captured the target audience’s attention entirely. To add on the foregoing, because of lack of proper skills and technology, it is possible that investors who flock African countries would take over the production of African films and this means that they would control what is produced and what they want to reach their target viewers (Daramola, & Oyinade). Consequently, this totally gives them the opportunity to mess up the African film industry.
Technological Differences. Globalization is synonymous with technological advancement. Western countries have greatly advanced in technology than Africa. The equipment they use to produce their films cannot be easily acquired by financially unstable local film producers in Africa (Dominique). Therefore, this has also contributed to the downfall of local film industries in Africa. As mentioned earlier, once the audience has been treated to two films, great quality films from developed states and low quality films from local producers, the audience may make up their mind on what type of film they have to watch in future. Evidently, no reasonable person would pick a low quality film over a high quality one and this explains why the African film industry has been stalling. It follows therefore, that because of technological backwardness in Africa, western film powerhouses would easily penetrate African markets thanks to advancement in production technology and means of transport and communication (Dominique). Also because of technological differences between African countries and western countries, the latter would have an upper hand when it comes to advertisements and marketing which is a major factor when it comes to commanding a specific market. This is true because Africans always depend on most of the strategies learnt from westerners.
Marketing Networks. In addition to the above, globalization is a western concept aimed at expanding their own ideologies beyond their boarders. Therefore, they created new markets through the imposition of the notion of globalization and established their own networks and this was easy because they had all the resources they needed to achieve that. They also have media powerhouses that reach to the farthest existing countries and also have the acquired local labour force that they use to communicate to the locals through their own language. Additionally, the fact that they have all the resources they need to expand coupled with the establishment of marketing networks makes it impossible for African films to compete western films (Dominique). Western countries have had distribution channels that have existed since early 19th century thus with globalization, they can easily supply anything they want for instance, their films. They have established agencies that are either privately owned or belonging to their governments and therefore, the environment they create becomes unfavorable to the marketing of African films.
Globalization and Stereotyping of Africans. Globalization opened Africa to the whole world. As such, it brought a new culture into Africa-the culture and mentality that Africans could not do anything on their own as in it can be seen when Burton cannot believe that his counterpart could not discover the source of Nile without any sophisticated equipment (Rafelson 115). This is the main reason why Africans were forced to change their policies on almost every sector to reflect the thoughts of the westerners. Those who are skeptical about Africa’s future have always believed that Africa will never progress either economically, politically or even democratically and therefore create the assumption that Africans cannot produce their own films (Anao). Even in films that Africans have managed to feature, they have been depicted as very minor characters under the direction of western bosses for instance, slaves, beggars, the homeless and the likes as it can be seen in the movie “The Kitchen Toto” (Hook 334). Consequently, it becomes an uphill task to confidently sell films made by African societies to locals and outside world in general (Daramola & Oyinade).
Western Imperialism. Colonization was thought to be the showcasing of western countries’ ability to control Africans. However, when this only form of imperialism was being faced out by African resistance, there had to be another means of maintaining their dictatorship on African affairs (Daramola & Oyinade). As such, through the excuse of globalization, westerners have managed to force new things on Africans. They have imposed on Africans what they consider a safe culture; what constitutes best economic strategies; what makes up acceptable forms of entertainment among other standards that they think everyone ought to embrace regardless of their country of origin. In that process, they have infiltrated African film industry with conditions on what they believe constitutes standard films, standard quality, best language and setting (Bakari). Since they have resources to effect their plans, they easily manage to control what is produced not knowing that Africans also had their own choices and preferences. This has resulted into importation of western culture into Africa as opposed to what the real definition of globalization ought to be doing-promotion of and embracement of diversity.
Forced Structural Adjustments. Most African governments, as highlighted in the above paragraphs, have resulted into more problems for Africa especially in the film industry. Ideas such as privatization have infiltrated African economies forcing reduction in for instance, movie theatres (Cham). Further, western policies being forced down the throats of African government has resulted into the over concentration by African governments on other sectors leaving the film industry with less attention from African governments. The resultant effects of neglect by government are that there would be no or less resources being set aside for film industries. Because of failure to see the importance of the film industry, most facilities created for purposes of entertainment end up being sold to business moguls who convert these facilities into other profitable establishments most of which probably distribute or deal in goods from foreign countries (Muyale-Manenji).
Blind Embracement Of Free Trade Concepts. Because western countries had lost direct control of business activities in Africa, they embarked on deceiving Africans to buy the concepts of free trade. Blindly, African countries bought the idea and opened African markets to western goods. While this may not be a bad idea at the beginning, it becomes a big mistake when African countries open up their markets to an ocean of foreign products including films yet their products are given limited access to foreign markets. The result of this unfair trade is that more foreign films would end up cheaply into African markets with no chance of African films going beyond national borders. In essence, Africa becomes a good place for dumping of cheap foreign movies at the expense of our own culturally sensitive films. Also, instead of basing their content on African sources, westerners who have taken advantage of freedom of doing business bring their own scripts of what they think Africa looks like or stands for and produce it as a movie shot in Africa yet it’s a reflection of the desires of Western producers. A good example of the forgoing is when Bruce Baresford brings his own novel and acts produces it in African context by titling it as The Making of A Good Man in Africa (Yates 49).
Global Film Standards And Overdependence On Foreign Funding. Lastly, because of the desire to control everything, global movie powerhouses manage to manipulate the industry by setting standards that must be met by all film makers. In most cases, African film makers would be at a disadvantage as they lack the financial capability to meet the high requirements imposed by western film makers. Consequently, African film makers are forced to seek funding to conform to these standards. Most of these standards have very minimal attention to African cultures. They demand that African films should meet the standards that please westerners than Africans (Cham 2000). As a consequence, African films end up marketing western cultures than their own cultures. Matters of dress code, the setting of the film, the content, the choice of language among others become more about western countries than African countries as Hook (334) presents his movie to depict the suffering of Britons in the hands of Mau Mau resistance movement. Even characters are made to sell or represent a certain western superiority than representing African conservatism.
Conclusion
As it can be deduced from the above, the film industry in Africa has been taken aback by globalization. Globalization has firstly opened up African markets for ease access by western film makers. Secondly, through globalization, there has been an uncontrolled erosion of African cultural values and principles by foreign film makers to the advantage of the latter. Thirdly, because of globalization, western countries managed to establish strong film marketing and distribution networks that work towards exporting films into Africa than giving African content access to foreign markets. Fourthly, because of their inability to accept and embrace diversity, western forces have ended up forcing African governments to make structural reforms most of which have resulted into over concentration on other industries and less attention being paid on film industries in Africa. Fifthly, because of technological advancement in western countries, western film makers have managed to prove to the world through extensive marketing and distribution networks, that Africa is still behind hence adversely affecting the progress of the African film industry. Lastly, through the setting of high standards notably “global standards” which is a branch of the vast concept of globalization, western countries have made it difficult for African film makers to get funding and access western markets.

Works Cited
Akashoro, G. O. The African Filmmaker And Content Of African Films: A Study Of The Perspectives Of The Nigerian Film Audience. Global Media Journal African Edition, 2010 Vol. 4 (1). doi: 10.5789/4-1-14
Anao, A.R. Positioning Nigeria for Effective Response to the Challenges of Emerging Technologies and Globalization: Paper for Maiden Zenox Annual Lecture, 2002. Retrieved from http://www.globapolicy.org/globaliz/econ/2002/1204actafrica.htm Accessed on 3rd December, 2017
Bakari, I. What Is The Link Between Chosen Genres And Developed Ideologies In African Cinema In June Givanni, 2000
Cham, M. B. Globalizing African Cinema? 2000. Retrieved from http://www.africanfilmny.org/2000/globalizing-african-cinema/ Accessed on 3rd December 2017.
Cham, M. Film and history in Africa: a critical survey of current trends and tendencies, delivered at an International Conference on Film and History, 2002. Retrieved from http://web.uct.ac.za/conference/filmhistorynow/papers/mcham.doc Accessed on 3rd December 2017.
Daramola, I. & Oyinade, B. Impact Of Cultural Globalization On Africa The Role Of Western Media. International Journal of Education And Research. Vol. 3 No. 3 March 2015
Dominique, C. Film and the Third World 1983. Retrieved from https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly-/film-and-third-world# Accessed on 3rd December 2017.
Hook, Harry. The Kitchen Toto. 1987
Muyale-Manenji, F. The Effects Of Globalization On Culture In Africa In The Eyes Of An African Woman 1998. Retrieved from www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/public-witness-addressing-power-affirming-peace/poverty-wealth-and-ecology/neoliberal-paradigm/the-effects-of-globalization-on-culture-in-the-eyes-of-an-african-woman Accessed on 3rd December 2017.
Rafelson, Bruce. Mountains of the Moon 1989.
Yates, Roberts. A Good Man In Africa. 1993.

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