I love the cinema.
Simple. Yet so true and sublime, and just— Oh my goodness.
A lot of my great memories growing up involve me watching something with family members – movies, tv shows, wrestling, cartoons, music videos, name it. We watched everything!!
I’m the kind of girl nostalgia hits super hard when I watch a good old movie, or see an actor from my childhood on screen.
Beaut!
At some point, I decided I wanted to be part of this world. Part of those that bring magic to the screens. But of course, I never knew or understood how to navigate that world. Plus, honestly, our ecosystem here both discourage and motivate me. Best believe the motivation outweighs the disappointment, however.
I’ve always been a writer. I frankly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t. My vivid and constant thoughts and imaginations inspired me to write plays, stories, diaries, shows, etc.
As I grew older, and pursued academic and artistic endeavours, I realised that imagination and writing was much bigger, beautiful, refined, unconstrained, defined, magical than I even knew. And I wanted to write for screen even more!
My first opportunity came in 2016. I was working as a staff writer and audio-visual producer at Ventures Africa magazine (also two new fields I was navigating as a professional). I was chosen to represent the company at a training held by AFRIFF (Africa International Film Festival).
As far as I initially knew, I was attending to gather skills that could be put back into my work. But I was mad excited. A screenwriting course? Sign me the heck up, and put me on the bus! Especially after our instructor, Tunde Babalola was IT!
Now, imagine how I felt when a chance at another opportunity I never knew I had (given my inexperienced background) saw me in France in 2017 to further my knowledge in screenwriting and filmmaking in general. And in Lyon, the birthplace of cinema!
Write me up as the character that had zero lines in the entire movie, but loved it anyway – S P E E C H L E S S.
I got to work with amazing talents in acting, screenwriting, and cinematography under the tutelage of renowned French filmmakers. It was breathtaking.
I love the cinema because it’s entertaining and presents you with endless possibilities to imagine, create, and enrapture. But, I also love the impact it can potentially have on real life.
When done right, we can tell the stories that shape the way we perceive and interact with individuals, groups, and societies. It can affect the way we progress when it comes to our values and policies.
It can expand our knowledge and give us insight into foreign cultures, and take us to places we didn’t know existed, or might never actually visit.
Today, I’ve never managed to finish a script – I mean, besides for work, and a short film… But, I’m certainly on my way, and working harder towards becoming one of those who command your attention on a screen.
This is another side of me that keeps my blood pumping.
What’s yours?
CUT!
