Niyi Akinmolayan, filmmaker and Anthill Studios founder, is asking a deeper question in an industry where everyone has a story and even more have the urge to shoot one. The question is simple: can you make a successful film?
That is the ethos behind the new Nollywood Filmmaker, a groundbreaking platform designed to connect investors, filmmakers, and vetted crew members under one roof. Unveiled in the heart of Nollywood with support from several respected filmmakers, the app comes at a time when the industry is simultaneously booming and struggling—with quality, with funding, and with trust.
“For the first time, we have a space where people don’t just shoot films; they build them,” Akinmolayan declared during the launch event. “We’re creating a system that verifies competence. The app is not just tech; it’s a statement.”
A New Way to Vet and Verify
The Nollywood Filmmaker App isn’t just another directory. It’s a curated ecosystem where only qualified professionals are listed. It offers tools to match investors with reliable crews, guide first-time producers through the production journey, and ultimately raise the floor for what is considered “standard” in Nollywood filmmaking.
Veteran filmmaker Biodun Stephen, who was present at the launch, put it plainly: “A successful film might not be a box-office hit. It’s about a collection of things—the right team, story, technical finesse, post-production, and marketing. This app aims to bring all of that together in one place.”
Stephen is optimistic about the platform’s potential, especially for investors who have previously been burnt. “A lot of people have stopped investing because they’ve fallen prey to scams or unqualified hands,” she added. “This app gives investors a verified list of capable people. It’s not a cabal—it’s a trust network.”
That “trust network” model means that Akinmolayan, and by extension Anthill Studios, are staking their reputations on the people featured on the platform. If a film goes wrong despite their recommendation, the accountability trails back to the app’s creators—a bold but necessary risk in an industry where handshake deals still often replace contracts.
Building Better Teams, One Role at a Time
For Niyi Akinmolayan, the app is also a response to years of frustration with how talent is sourced in the industry. From DPs who don’t understand blocking to editors who deliver 3-hour cuts with zero rhythm to actors who stumble over script structure—bad casting and crew selection cost filmmakers more than just time. It costs credibility.
Filmmaker Akay Mason, known for his work as a writer-director, agrees. But he doesn’t believe the problem is incompetence. “We don’t have a competence problem. We have a training problem,” Mason said. “There aren’t enough resources, so people end up in roles they’re not ready for.”
What the Nollywood Filmmaker does is solve that in two ways: by filtering the pool to include only those who have demonstrable skills and by providing resources and potential mentorship links so that people can grow.
“The ones who are trained are stretched thin across productions,” Mason added. “This app helps balance that. It spreads the load better.”
Legally Covered: A Safer Industry
The app isn’t just about the creative or the technical—it also takes care of the legal side of filmmaking. For screenwriter and lawyer Rita Onwurah, the inclusion of legal services within the app is a game-changer.
“I’ve had to come in as a lawyer a lot of times when things go bad,” Onwurah explained. “People only call lawyers when things have already gone south. But with this app, that gap is breached—you can get the legal advice you need before you get into anything.”
The app will offer access to vetted legal professionals who can draft contracts and provide documentation that protects both filmmakers and investors. “From the legal standpoint, this redefines things and makes it a lot easier and safer for people to go into film production the right way,” she added.
Even the idea of standardising rates, which often raises concerns in creative and legal circles, is something Onwurah embraces. “With the database, people can see the different rates that each legal firm charges. If it’s within your budget, great. If not, you find someone else. Everybody smiles to the bank,” she said with a laugh. “It just works.”
A Culture Shift in the Making?
For years, Nollywood’s DIY energy has been both its superpower and its Achilles heel. Anyone could pick up a camera. Anyone did. But quality assurance was always secondary to hustle. The Nollywood Filmmaker App may be ushering in a cultural shift—one where vetting is the first step, not the last-minute regret.
And yet, even with this app, making a successful film is still a part miracle. Mason puts it best: “Get a good story, hire competent people, and then pray to the box office gods.”
Still, with Akinmolayan’s infrastructure, the industry is being asked to stop relying so heavily on miracles. A bad film might still be made—but the number of variables leading to that bad film? Drastically reduced.
The app’s success could influence how funding is allocated, how crews are hired, and how producers approach storytelling. It could also be a game-changer for emerging voices—especially those without industry connections. The platform levels the playing field, allowing talent to speak for itself.
With Niyi Akinmolayan putting his name and Anthill’s brand behind the app, there’s reason to be hopeful. He’s been one of the few filmmakers consistently advocating for improved standards and transparency. The Nollywood Filmmaker is a digital extension of that mission. And in Niyi Akinmolayan’s words, that’s how you “make successful films”.
