EDITING AND CREATIVE APPLICATIONS OF VISUAL EFFECTS IN THE NIGERIAN CINEMA: A STUDY OF THE SETUP AND KING OF BOYS

Nollywood, as Nigeria's film industry is known, has rapidly embraced modern editing techniques and VFX to overcome production limitations and elevate the visual appeal of its films. Editing allows filmmakers to craft compelling narratives by manipulating time, space, and rhythm, which is crucial in a market driven by culturally rich and diverse stories. This study investigates how editing and creative applications of visual effects in filmmaking helps the Nigerian cinema. It explores the application of creative visual effects in films, using “The Setup” (2019) and “King of Boys” (2018) as case studies. Adopting the qualitative method of data gathering, it analyses two Nigeria films that employ editing and visual effects techniques to understand their process and challenges. The findings also highlight the critical role that VFX and editing play in bridging the gap between traditional Nigerian storytelling and modern cinematic techniques. In both The Setup and King of Boys, these tools are employed to make stories more dynamic, visually engaging, and appealing to both local and international audiences. Also this research concluded the growing importance of editing and visual effects (VFX) in enhancing storytelling within Nollywood. Despite the industry’s limitations in terms of access to cutting-edge technologies and advanced technical expertise, filmmakers have demonstrated remarkable creativity in utilizing the available resources to produce visually compelling narratives. Through my research, I discovered the profound significance of editing and creative applications of visual effects (VFX) in Nigerian cinema, warranting further investigation.