She says box-office figures pile pressure on colleagues and narrow the industry's idea of success.
Biodun Stephen, an actress and filmmaker, is pressing colleagues to quit making public declarations of their films' box-office takings at the cinema. Appearing on Paul & Baaj's In Character podcast, she argued that this habit places undue strain on fellow filmmakers and shrinks how the industry defines triumph. The remarks were published by Vanguard on October 22, and by PM News and The Nation on October 23.
Her objection was direct. "I think that we really should do away with the announcements," she said. "I feel like this is a distraction, and it puts pressure on those other people who feel as if that is the determinant and that's how you determine my success," she added.
In her view, when film people repeatedly publicise massive numbers, peers whose movies earn less start seeing themselves as failures, despite the artistic merit of their work.
Using a slipper business as her example, Stephen said people rush to copy a successful venture without seeing the work behind it. "Somebody starts selling slippers and people are rushing to buy slippers, the next one is going to sell slippers because they think that slippers sell, meanwhile they don't understand what you have put in to ensure the slipper sells," she said. Aiming higher is not a bad thing, she acknowledged, but filmmakers should understand what success means for their own journeys.
She also raised doubts about the hurry of performers and filmmakers trying to win global acclaim before they have built a reputation in their own country. "It's great to hunger for more, but I always say, have you even conquered Nigeria that you can stand and say that if I go to Kano they know me as an actor?" she asked.
Stephen argued that box-office earnings alone do not show a film's quality, longevity or global potential. "The film go tough, but it can be a lot of crap, and then the film that is really good that can travel, that has export value, can do 40 million… the only yardstick for measuring success is this very shallow number." she said.
Explaining her approach to filmmaking, Stephen said her motivation was purpose rather than box-office records or audience numbers.
"I'm doing it because I am living a life of purpose, I'm not chasing the numbers, I'm not chasing the audience."
She added that the emotional impact of her stories, and the difference they make in people's lives, meant more to her than industry awards. She described people calling her to pray and cry over her work, and said that for her the work was done without needing an award.
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