Exploration of the Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools as Aesthetic Elements in Select Nollywood Movies

This study sought to highlight how important AI is in contemporary film production, identify how
specifically it has been used to enhance the aesthetics of Nollywood movies and challenges in its
deployment. The study was anchored on the Technology Acceptance Model. The research was a
qualitative one and the researchers used the in-depth interview method with an interview guide as
the instrument for data collection. The population of study comprised the producers and other
crew members of the movies studied. Others knowledgeable in Nollywood productions like movie
directors, producers, movie review journalists and film aesthetics scholars formed part of the
population. Convenience sampling technique was used to select nine respondents for the study
and three movies released between 2022 and 2024 were the focus, namely, ‘Treasure in the Sky,’
‘Too Sure To Lose,’ and ‘Win or Lose,’ given the newness of widespread use of AI. The results of the
study revealed, inter alia, that while AI tools are helpful in enhancing aesthetic elements such as
costume, pyrotechnics, sound, lighting and translation/sub-titling, they are minimally deployed in
Nollywood productions. It was, therefore, recommended, among other things, that Nollywood
movie producers should intensify efforts towards quelling resistance to AI use, introduce and
broaden the incorporation of AI tools for such purposes as visual effects, realistic facial animation
and storyboarding. The study also recommended more investment in Nollywood by the public and
private sector to facilitate the use of AI tools to make Nollywood movies more competitive
internationally.

Key Words: Artificial Intelligence, Aesthetics, Aesthetic Elements, Nollywood, Movies