My 40 years experience in film making -Tunde Kelani

Having spent over 40 years in film production, Tunde Kelani has carved a niche for himself. The foremost cinematographer is currently on location shooting a film titled Dazzling Mirage. In this interview with ADA DIKE, The prolific film producer among other issues speaks on the challenges facing film production in Nigeria.

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*Kindly give us an insight to your background

I am from Abeokuta in Ogun State. I attended Oke Ona United Primary School for my primary school education and proceeded to Abeokuta Grammar School for my secondary school education. I studied the Art and Technique of Filmmaking at the London International Film School, London. I am the executive director of Mainframe Film and Television Productions, an outfit I set up to document Nigeria's rich culture. I joined Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) in 1970 and worked for 10 years in both Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) and Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) in Lagos. I have done a lot of works for many organisations including Reuters and BBC World Service. 

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What are some of the challenges you face while producing films?

Every movie production is problematic, especially when you are making films in an unfriendly environment like Nigeria. High cost of production is one of the major challenges of film production in Nigeria; so many film producers find it difficult to recoup their investment. Another challenge is the menace of piracy.

Nigeria today has one film to three million people as against one film to 8000 people in the United States of America.  There are over 13,000 screenings in India where about 15 million people watch films at cinemas every day, while South Africa has about 761 screenings. I see nothing stopping Nigeria from having up to 5,000 screenings. So it shows that, although, Nollywood is the second largest film producers in the world, that may be true in terms of number of films produced, not in terms of infrastructure.

*Individually, what effort are you making to ensure that film production becomes lucrative in Nigeria?

Individually, we have bought generators, dug borehole to get water and other things. You can’t take laws into your hands because the government has not created enabling environment for our business to thrive.

We are striving to move the industry forward, but government should provide security and enforce laws to protect the industry, businesses, lives and property.

*How are you coping in your business?

Although, I have not released any movie for years, we have not given up so. We have many projects lined up.

*Can you tell us about some of your new projects?

The new project I am working on is a film titled Dazzling Mirage. It was adapted from a novel by Dr. Olayinka Abimbola Egbokhare in the Department of Communication and Language Art, the University of Ibadan.

The theme of the film is about sickle cell, which aims to create awareness about sickle cell. The story is about a lady who suffers from sickle cell. She was born with it. Against all odds, she manages to go through the pains and trauma and to graduate from a university before she finds out that she was actually adopted. Her father is a doctor and her mother is a nurse who discovered that they are carriers of sickle cell and decided not to have children.

One day in their hospital, a woman had a baby girl through operation but died and they didn’t know her relatives. So they adopted the baby and take care of her. She has a crisis and asks her parents to explain to her why they put her in such a situation after all, they are educated and into medical field. So, they inform her that they are actually not her biological parents and told her that she’s actually adopted. They try to console her. The question is: would she make something out of her life?

In any case, this movie is used to sensitise people about sickle cell which is predominantly, a black man’s disease because it is a genetic disorder and about 150,000 children are born with the disease every year. Also, 415 children are born every day with the disease. Its management is expensive and unreliable, but it can be prevented.

*In what ways can sickle cell be prevented?

It can simply be prevented if a would-be couple go for a genotype test before marriage. If you are not AA, you must make sure you do not marry an AS. The film aims to create awareness about sickle cell.

If you are familiar with films I have made in the past, they usually have a very strong female character.

*Who is the lead character for Dazzling Mirage?

The lead characters are Kemi Lala Akindoju and Seun Akindele. Other cast includes: Taiwo Ajai Lycett, Bimbo Manuel, Yomi Fash Lanso, Tosin Bucknor, Kunle Afolayan and Ayo Badmus. Location of the film is Lagos so scenes are being shot all over the city of Lagos.

*What did the lady do when she discovered that she was adopted?

She broke down in tears because she was in crisis at that point in time. Finally, she managed to achieve the purpose of her life.

Can you compare and contrast the difference between film production in twenty years ago and now?

 Today’s producers have more opportunities than when we started film production in Nigeria. At that time, we did not have mobile phone, internet, social media, You Tube and so on.  So today’s producer has a better avenues to position themselves in the industry. They can advertise their films online and don’t have to wait for a television station to advertise their products before their films would be sold. I think they will have a very bright future if they explore any new innovation. We believe that this industry is economically viable, that is why we are struggling to introduce innovations to take it to the next level. I know that Lagos State Government has a programme for us in terms of training and they planning to provide an enabling environment for cinema and they are going to set up an endowment fund. Also, the Federal Government has their plan including the $200 million intervention fund approved by President Goodluck Jonathan. So, there is hope for the film industry.

*There is a speculation that some Nollywood stakeholders are having issues over the intervention fund from the federal government. What is your view on that?

 If there are challenges in accessing the intervention fund presently, it will soon be over because the fund will help the growing film industry immensely.

*What is your advice for the upcoming film producers?

 For you to be a film maker, you have to have passion for your job. They should be passionate about their jobs because the road is not easy but tough so only the focused and determined ones can succeed. You have to work hard and make in life. If you look around, you will see everything you need to be successful.

*Which of the films you have produced is the most challenging one?

I have been in film industry for over 40 years. There was time I collaborated with other film makers on some projects. Each film production has its peculiar challenge.

*It seems your films are mostly about culture and tradition of Nigeria.

I do a lot of films about culture and tradition.

*Kindly tell us about some of your film?

Some of my16mm feature films among others include Taxi Driver; Anikura, Ogun Ajay, Iya Ni Wura, Iwa and Fopomoyo. My award-winning videos include: Ayo Ni Mo Fe; Koseegbe, Ti Oluwa Nile and Oleku.

I also produced and directed two digital features Saworoide and Thunderbolt. I shot Agogo-eewo on Dvcam

Others include: an M-net short features films, Twins of the Rainforest, A Place Called Home and Barber's Wisdom, The White Handkerchief, The Campus Queen Abeni, The Narrow Path, were my initial works using digital camera.

Efunsetan Aniwura in 2005. I shot The Narrow Path in 2007, Arugba in 2008 and Maami in 2011.