During AGN’s pre-International Festival cocktail event in Lagos, the National President, Dr. Emeka Rollas, announced the unveiling of an online magazine titled “On-screen.” The primary objective of this magazine is to generate visual awareness for actors throughout Nigeria and educate the public about the roles actors play within the industry.
The cover page of the magazine has already been launched, with plans to reveal the main magazine during the guild’s International Festival scheduled for November 16th to November 18th in Miami.
Dr. Rollas emphasised that “On-screen” is dedicated to actors and will be published online on a quarterly basis. Its content will focus on capturing the activities of actors in Nigeria. The magazine aims to address the need for branding and rebranding the craft of acting on both national and international fronts.
Dr. Rollas expressed his desire to prevent the Nollywood industry from resembling the state of football in Nigeria, where, despite exceptional talent, there is often insufficient recognition and reward.
The International Festival serves as a deliberate effort to promote Nigerian actors and expose them to international casting agencies. This initiative will provide actors with the opportunity to access well-remunerated jobs alongside international actors, film directors, and producers.
The festival will engage casting directors and members of the Script Actors Guild of America in various workshops and will delve into the realm of artificial intelligence (AI).
Dr. Rollas emphasised the importance of actors’ involvement in productions with substantial budgets, as this is the key to improving their welfare and remuneration. The festival aims to create cross-cultural relationships between Nigerian actors and their foreign counterparts.
AGN’s commitment to strengthening the industry will extend into the following year, with the intention of having actors engaged in larger-scale projects beyond Nigeria.
The festival’s schedule includes a red-carpet gala and awards ceremony, film screenings, panel discussions, city tours, workshops, and seminars. Dr. Rollas expressed his gratitude to the U.S. Consulate in Lagos for their support in hosting AGN’s inaugural international festival.
