What Goes Into Making A Movie?.......Half of A Yellow Sun

Making A Movie....Half Of A Yellow Sun

Film is just like any other type of art is a creative medium which could also be commercialized on. We definitely enjoy seeing movies from comedy to drama, romance, thriller and for those who love terror, horror movies, all these genres of movies and many more entice us to sit for hours and be entertained, and for this to happen, filmmakers have to spend a lot of time, hard-work, dedication and money to provide the entertainment. The power which financiers hold on a movie seems to be way greater than what people think, the film industry is here to make money, through entertainment so  finance is a very important aspect for a film's production.

Film making involves a number of stages from the initial story line, idea, to script-writing, casting, shooting, editing and screening the finished product in front of an audience. Making a film could take you to different places around the world with different social, economic, and political background, with a range of technologies and techniques.

Film production involves 5 main stages:

• Development- is the first stage, this is when ideas begin to roll in for the film, the book rights (Half of A Yellow Sun) gets bought and a screenplay gets written.The finance of the film project needs to be sorted out and clear.
• Pre-production- all the things which need to made for the shoot is prepared, cast and film crew get hired, locations selected and sets built.
• Production- the main elements to the film gets recorded at the film shoot.
• Post-Production- sound, images and visual effects of the recording are edited.
• Distribution- this stage is one of the most important stage of film production and could greatly affect the profits which are made, this stage is when the completed film is shared and screen in cinemas or home theaters around the world.

The Film's primary producers are:

•  Scottish producer Andrea Calderwood (The Last King Of Scotland among others
•  Gail Egan of the UK Film Council (has produced films like The Constant Gardner and Vera Drake).

Development is the stage at which the producer decides on a story, in this project, the film is based on a novel. After a theme has been selected, the producer works with the writer to create a sypnosis.
Director and Writer: Mr. B. Bandele
WRITERS-Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Screenplay:Biyi Bandele
After this, a step outline is made, this breaks down the story into a paragraph per scene that focus on dramatic structure. A treatment is then prepared; this is a 25-30 page description of the story, characters and mood. Little dialogues and stage direction is usually written, they contain drawings which help to visualize the main points.
 Cast:

• Thandie Newton-Olanna
• Hakeem Kae-Kazim- Captain Dutse
• Anika Noni Rose- Kainene
• John Boyega- Ugwu
• Chiwetel Ejiofor- Odenigbo
• Joseph Malwe- Richard
• Genevieve Nnaji- Ms Adebayo 
• O.C. Ukeje- Aniekwena
• Rob David- Redhead Charles
• Babou Ceesay- Okeoma
• Paul Hampshire- Professor Lehman
• Onyeka Owenu- Mama
• Zack Orji

Production is about 70% Nigerian (in front of and behind the camera)
Casting, the majority of the actors cast are Nigerian, with the crew being about 50/50 (British and Nigerian).
Budget- $8 million, producers calling it the most expensive movie in Nigeria's film history.

Its World Premiere would be at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. It is still without distribution.

Second Unit Director & Assistant Director;
Lance Roehrig- 1st assistant director,  Alexander Holy- 2nd assistant director  
Dom Channing-Williams- 3rd assistant director,  George Batchelor- 3rd assistant director: UK
Mark Cockren-3rd assistant director:dailies  

Trailer: 

It tells the story of two sisters, Olanna and Kainene, during the Nigeria/Biafra civil war of 1967 to 1970.

The novel is about the impact of the war, especially on the lives of top political figures, a professor, a British citizen, and a houseboy. After the British left, the lives of the main characters drastically changed and things were never the same again with the two sisters.

Casting by; Jina Jay
Original Music by; Ben Onono & Paul Thompson
Cinematography by; John de Borman
Film Editing by; Chris Gill
Production Design by; Andrew McAlpine
Art Director by; Christophe Dalberg & Steve Summersgill (Supervisor)
Costume Design by; Jo Katsaras
Makeup Department; Csilla Blake-Horváth-makeup artist, Chris Lyons-special effects teeth
                                          Sharon Martin-makeup & hair designer, Sue Wyburgh- hair stylist & key makeup artist
Production Management; Holly Pullinger- Production manager Kate Glover- Production manager:UK
Casting Department; Jessie Frost- casting assistant

Interview with Andrea the film producer:

What is the percentage participation by Nigerians?

I think it is about 70 per cent Nigerian. In casting, majority are Nigerian, the crew is about 50-50.

Could you tell us some of the historical sites you are using?

We have filmed at Tinapa studio, Government Lodge, Creek Town, Boco Street in Calabar South, various government edifices, including Okoi Arikpo House, the secretariat and a wide range of buildings in Calabar and Creek town

There are so much more departments that goes into making a movie.
Thanks to James M. Costello