8: NARRATIVE INNOVATION IN KEMI ADETIBA’S KING OF BOYS (2018)

Filmmaking depends heavily on narrative storytelling techniques that shape plot structure, directorial concepts, language, emotion, and audience psychology. However, the attention to narrative storytelling is not deep enough to reveal its essence in Nollywood films. This paper analyses narrative innovation in Kemi Adetiba’s King of Boys (2018), emphasising distinctive storytelling methods and directorial strategies that bolster the film’s narrative, plot, and structure. It also examines themes, characterisation, psychological complexity, and cinematic framework, grounded in Auteur and Narrative Theory. The study reveals that Kemi Adetiba uses various cinematic techniques to develop the protagonist's psychological profile, including visual, auditory, and narrative tools that evoke emotion. Costuming plays a key role: traditional, intricate clothing in early scenes signifies authority and heritage, while darker, simpler outfits later reveal loss, vulnerability, and reinvention. The film also delves into social, political, psychological, and cultural themes, enriching its story and stimulating thought while highlighting the importance of narrative innovation in Nollywood.