Formalised transnationalism in the informal Nigerian video film industry: streaming, audience re-imaginations and production reconfigurations

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article examines the implications of the transnational dynamics of streaming for the Nigerian video film industry (Nollywood) considering its historical predominance of informality in cross-border circulation. Right from its emergence in 1992 as a straight-to-video film industry, Nollywood has been significantly transnational in distribution albeit through the complex web of transnational piracy and other informal networks. This mode of informal transnationalism orchestrated wide visibility for the industry, but it brought minimal revenues for producers who were desirous of much formalised distribution system to connect to transnational capital and audiences. Since 2010, streaming has become progressively integrated into Nollywood’s distribution eco-system and is introducing much formalised transnational consumption practices. Adopting the critical transnationalism approach (Higbee & Lim, 2010; Shaw, 2018), this paper draws from semi-structured interviews with 35 stakeholders in Nollywood and critical analysis of trade press. It argues that streaming has opened formal pathways to transnational capital and audiences hitherto unseen in Nollywood and is orchestrating audience fragmentations and reconfigurations of production practices in the industry. The paper extends existing debates on critical analysis of how specific forms of transnationalism impacts the quotidian practices in a media industry as well as the cultural implications.