A Nigerian, Uk-based filmmaker, Adeyinka Adetoyi has underscored the importance of film as a major tool in raising awareness and empathy.

Adetoyi noted that if films were carefully and judiciously utilized, it could change the world.

“We are in an era where few people read books, few people listen to news on radios, or watch news on television. What about films? The figures are still encouraging compared to news and reading culture. Almost everyone watches films. You might say I am being biased, but I am not. It is what it is,” he said.
[ad]
Adetoyi who hails from Ila-Orangun in Osun State Nigeria, while highlighting the process of filmmaking said the filmmaking space is a magical ecosystem, and every experience is unique.

“While it can be very unpredictable, it gives you a reason to be alive and digging,” he added.

Speaking of switching into filmmaking, the Lautech graduate of Pure and Applied Physics said:
“From a little chap admiring movie characters, intrigued by their art and the magical spin behind the production of films, I have now become an element of that making, the most fascinating part I switch roles.

“I simply wake up every day to give it my best shot while flowing with the tide of life. To be honest, smashing a life goal is not an easy task, especially as a Nigerian child with limited resources.

“Today, I could be on set as an actor or part of the general setup crew, tomorrow, I could be buried in post-production activities, from editing video scenes or dressing sounds for the best outputs to spending days fixing VFX aspects of the production.”

On the low earning of filmmaking as a starter, the filmmaker stated that filmmaking, especially as a starter in a saturated yet under-appreciative space like Nigeria.

His words: “It can be frustrating but it is what it is and starters need to be sincere with themselves. We have all been there, we think we are good when in truth we are still prawns.

“Learning the craft and becoming an expert isn’t an overnight thing. If you must learn under industry leaders, please do so as humbly as possible. The sure way to get paid for your craft is to be good at it. Your star becomes irresistible. That’s when it can be monetized. This goes for all, whether as a screen actor or production crew.

“Also, you set your own limitations. Being an actor doesn’t stop you from being a video editor if part of your heart ticks for it. In the movie space, there are endless opportunities. So, keep growing and leveraging.

“If I am not acting, I am editing or handling other roles, in the now-released Yahoo+ movie on Netflix, I only handled the VFX, where I helped enhance the final production to become more visually appealing through animations, and the infusion of computer-generated imagery. It’s all about opening yourself up for opportunities.”

He further disclosed that a soon to be released film project, “Sociopath” is in the pipeline.

“I have worked tiredless as an editor on the project. It is a UK-based project produced by a UK studio. I am rooting for it because it’s a story with depth, directed by the awesome director Amrita Baine,” Adetoyi said.
[ad]