Has Nollywood Outgrown the Open Casting Call?

On March 6, 2026, Nigerian filmmaker and one of the dominating presences in Nollywood YouTube productions, Ruth Kadiri, held a physical open audition in Lagos. This open audition attracted, as anticipated, a slew of eager Nigerians passionate to enter the film industry. In one of the multiple videos captured from the open audition, what was palpable was the eagerness of these mostly young Nigerians about breaking into the Nigerian film industry. In large numbers, they braved the sun, the stampede, and long-awaited time, hoping to get an audition and possibly get considered for a heavy or light role in one of Kadiri’s YouTube productions. 

A week later, Uchenna Mbunabo and Sonia Uche held another physical open audition in Abuja. The filmmakers supposedly didn’t anticipate the huge turnout. The audition center, just as the Lagos one, was populated with Nigerians pining for an opportunity to enter the industry. This same expectation/hope for an opportunity has encouraged young Nigerian actors to populate social media with self-taped monologues honoring Kemi Adetiba’s open audition. Adetiba, searching for the next actors who would inhabit her newly-created characters in The Stool, announced an open call which has attracted impressive monologues. The open audition has also received critical comments from Nollywood enthusiasts who likened it to a “humiliation ritual.” 

As with every scarce opportunity, what’s certain is this: only a handful will be called back, and another sparse number will be given roles. Auditioning actors, like job seekers, are familiar with that uncertainty. What then is the use of the physical open audition and social media audition in a digital and technology-driven world?

In the late 90s to early 2000s, when the Nigerian film industry was taking shape, physical open auditions weren’t rare; they were the standard. These physical auditions were the gateway into the industry. In search of the next star and roles, established filmmakers and aspiring actors exposed themselves to the laborious nature of these physical auditions. These auditions were high-energy, often crowded events held at specific cultural hubs. The National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, was one of the epicenters of the industry. Aspiring actors would gather at the “Trees” area to network, wait for casting directors, and participate in massive open calls. Another spot is the Winnys Hotel in Surulere, notable for its mixed history and regional hubs and sites in Enugu, Asaba, and Onitsha which hosted frequent physical auditions as the industry expanded. 

The auditions followed a predictable pattern. Notices were rarely online. Instead, they were shared via radio announcements, newspaper classifieds, or posters pasted around movie production hubs. These open calls could attract hundreds or thousands of people. Actors often spent the entire day waiting for their turn to read and perform a short script (a monologue or a specific scene). This casting model gave the industry some of its defining actors. But, it was contentious. 

There are reports of some producers and ‘Nollywood moguls’ who viewed women as ‘commodities’ and worked on the perception that any pretty face and/or attractive figure (in their eyes) is an automatic actress and star. In her memoir, I am Not Yvonne Nelson, the Ghanaian actress who had a stint in Nollywood, described the industry as a hostile environment for women. It was a sex-for-role situation which normalized courtesy of misogyny. In a 2006 interview with Nollywood Reel, producer and director, Teco Benson detailed how physical presence in Old Nollywood was exploited both by aspiring actors and filmmakers. With this fractured history, what’s the place of open audition in 2026?

 Today’s industry has shifted, where Old Nollywood favoured physical presence. Then, there were no formal structures for entering into the film industry. Actors such as Rita Dominic, Desmond Elliot, Emeka Ike, Ngozi Ezeonu, and others stumbled upon acting thanks to these open auditions. But, in 2026 where there’s a semblance of entry structure into the industry through initiatives like the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), Accelerate Filmmakers Project, EbonyLife Creative Academy, and others that annually absorbs young Nigerian filmmakers and actors into their structured film education. Over the years, it has produced filmmakers like Orire Nwani, Precious Irogalachi, Emmanuel “StoryPriest” Adejo, Myde Glover and others who are slowly making their way in the industry. 

In 2025, Niyi Akinmolayan launched The One Take App as a casting and filmmaker networking platform through his production company, Anthill Studios. The platform was designed to modernize and decentralize the Nollywood audition process, moving it beyond physical locations like Lagos. The filmmaker created the application to protect unsuspecting actors from the fraudulent activities within the industry. It was also to provide Nigerians outside of Lagos with equal opportunities. The app operates a dual system: the OneTake (Red Icon) is designed for actors to find roles and manage their profiles and the OneTake Pro (Black Icon) is created for producers, directors, and casting agents to post projects, filter talent, and manage the casting pipeline. In a largely unstructured industry, The One Take App was supposed to provide a single solution for casting and auditioning. 

Kadiri is arguably the most successful YouTube filmmaker. She has bypassed traditional cinema to build a YouTube empire. In a digital-first economy where platforms like One Take App exist, the recent open audition feels less like “giving back” but more like an outdated, exclusionary gatekeeping tactic. Nollywood and its practitioners have constantly bemoaned the absence of structure and professionalism. Isn’t it ironic that some of the filmmakers who should champion and propose forward-thinking initiatives and activities are the ones pushing us backward? 

Physical auditions will forever hold their place in the film industry. There’s an unfiltered intimacy that sending taped monologues can’t give. But, rather than opening up casting directors, producers, and actors to the horror of a monumental physical audition, a hybrid model is best. Actors can be asked to send a 1-minute monologue online. Interesting actors can then be invited for a closed physical audition. This allowed for less chaos and mental fatigue on both ends. 

Also, two weeks ago, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Tari Taylaur, the authority’s Executive Director, announced a partnership with the University of Abuja for its new original drama series, New Branches. For interested and educated Nigerians, this is an avenue to enter the industry. By involving students in cast and crew roles, the project provides an unprecedented standardization  of internships and entry-level roles in the media. Initiatives such as this should be standard and repeated across various institutions.