PORT HARCOURT -In a bid to add some muscle to the film industry in Nigeria known for its drama, comedy and romance, Nollywood is bringing recreations of famous fight scenes to its flicks.
Based in the oil hub of Port Harcourt in the south, the 15-member Xcel Theater started by posting dance and comedy routines on social media. Last year, the ensemble began clashing sabres, ducking kicks and flipping over scenery to recreate some of the most famous fights of film and television including ones that appeared in “Into The Badlands”, “The Witcher” and “The Raid” and those scenes featuring actions stars Jason Statham and Jet Li.
Spotting their talents, movie producers have brought them to Lagos to choreograph fight scenes for upcoming movies to give a shot in the arm to Nollywood, which is a multi-billion industry, that churns out movies and series at a rate only rivalled by Bollywood in India.
“This started as a result of a passion I have for creative stunt works that I see in most big films,” said Samuel Iyare, 35, the founder of Xcel, while on a shoot in Port Harcourt.
A huge fan of Hollywood, Iyare bankrolls shoots for just 30,000 naira ($80) by making furniture – skill which comes handy when creating props.
“We dull the edges,” he said while holding a wooden knife. “We paint it to give us the feel of the weapon, then stain it with a little blood so once you are making the motions, it looks as if the person has actually been cut.”
Director and producer Olukiran Babatunde Olawale roped in the group last October to choreograph stunts for action comedy “Mamba Diamond” about two amateur thieves who inadvertently steal the world’s most valuable jewels. The movie is slated to be released in May.
“We were very, very impressed,” said Olawale, who is optimistic about the bright future of Nollywood with the inclusion of fresh talent like xcel.