Recently, the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, approved the usage of train service for the shooting of Nigerian films. According to him, this is to show the world development going in the country orchestrated by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. Amaechi spoke in Abuja while receiving Rogers Ofime, CEO of Native Media, and his crewmembers. The minister reiterated his resolve to support filmmakers when they need train service for their shootings. He also said the facility would be provided to movie producers at no cost to enable them to do their shooting. PRECIOUS OGWA spoke with the director, Robert Peters.
Background
My name is Robert Peters and this film is called Conversation in Transit. I am a filmmaker and I’m based in Atlanta, Georgia. I have directed films such as, 30 Days in Atlanta, Christmas in Miami, Voiceless and a couple of others.
What is Conversations in Transit all about?
It is a contemporary, gritty and a romantic comedy. The film project is a beautiful idea. It will engage the people meaningfully, provide entertainment and grow the economy.
Why Conversation In Transit?
Rogers Ofime sent the script to me and joked that I was the only crazy person that he knew who could attempt to work on it. He told me to read the script and later, he asked me what I felt. I was not disappointed. I loved it and that was how we started the production.
You know, one of the biggest problems we have on this side of the world is that we don’t plan. I wanted us to plan properly and pay attention to details so that the story will come out looking okay.
Coming back to Nigeria what does that mean to you?
Funny enough, I come back twice every year. I see every thing I do, as the last thing I will do in my life. I put everything into it; I always tell people I am not in competition with anyone. I am in competition with myself, I always want to outdo myself. I felt Ofime’s script Conversation in Transit needed to be told. We have been at it for the past six months, I am very happy we are breaking the ice now.
What is it about destination movie?
This destination movie is beautiful because it shows you different perspective of the world, It constrains me, because, at the end of the day, you are not at your best. You are at your best when you are within your comfort zone, home. When you do something that takes you out of your comfort zone, I see it as a challenge you are going to stress that extra muscle. at the end of the day, people are going watch what ever we make and judge us by every frame. I’m beginning to get to that place where I’m making conscious effort to give attention to every frame of picture. At the end of the day, destination has it flavour and it has it challenge.
Difference between this and what you have been doing before
This is going to be the first film to be almost 98 per cent shot in a train. That is the first challenge for me. I have shot short scenes in a train, I am not sure of a whole feature in the train. What do I need to make every frame believable and we went into reviewing the script, making sure it is ready, make sure the cast is ready, then the most difficult part, logistics. I am changing the way I work, normally. When I work, I just come on set and I go with the flow. But this one, we are doing what we call the total shortlist; currently, we have a list that is going to show every thing that we are going to shoot. We have a map that we are following, this way, it has been shot on paper, we are just coming to act, that took us two months to prepare, this is a new process for me I am happy and exited I cannot wait to share it with everybody.
With four scenes how many days will it take you?
Standard worldwide is 12 hours a day for production, we are trying to take our time to create this stories for you people at home so that you to enjoy it, I think it is frame is going to be about one hour forty minute long.
Main characters?
Richard Mofe Damijo, Osas Ighodaro, Tope Tedela, Tana Adelana, Uzee Usman, Rhama Sadau and others.
