Iyke Bede
Recently, some of Nollywood’s biggest names assembled in the cinema arm of the Kunle Afolayan Production (KAP) Film and Television Academy cradled in Ikeja, to mark the auspicious graduation ceremony of its first set of graduates.
The KAP Academy is an initiative affiliated with the University of South California’s (USC) School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) and supported by the international streaming platform Netflix.
The first graduating class comprised 10 trainees who embarked on a 10-week journey to become certified diploma holders in picture editing, with all emerging successful.
With what started as a tour around the facility that housed various production units, Nollywood stakeholders like Joke Silva, Tunde Kelani, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Tola Odunsi, and Babatunde Adewale were later ushered into the KAP Cinema where the convocation ceremony held.
The graduates were Toye Peter, Ifeanyi Passion, Todumu Adegoke, Adesuwa Omon, Ugbede Peter, Oyinbra Fegha, Emeka Egbueui, Unyime Patrick, Temitope Folarin, and Candace John-Jumbo.
The occasion was chaired by Professor Duro Oni who noted their potential and the significant contribution they will add to the local film industry.
“I have come to realise that editing, lighting, and sound have been major causes of concern in Nollywood. Many great scripts have been ruined by poor aspects in those areas. The entry of their graduates today into the industry will no doubt alleviate this challenge and as such make Nigerian films compete more favourably.”
Oni’s insight is reflective of the driving force behind filmmaker Kunle Afolayan who started the academy as his way of ensuring continuity of excellence in Nigerian filmmakers.
“I hate to say that there was no structure; there was a structure,” Afolayan noted the contribution of past filmmakers whose work was driven by passion. However, you cannot compare Nollywood’s structure to structures in other places around the world. Despite not having those structures from other places, we are still able to do stuff. Our films are now going international.”
He added that he started the training programme to impact and “build a new generation of filmmakers in our little way.”
In alignment with best practices, the academy sourced the expertise of Dough Blush, Stephen Flick, and Richard Burton, all of whom have gained international repute for their works in the space.
Femi Odugbemi, a well-decorated film producer and writer applauded this step to upscale production through institutional training. He also delivered the keynote where he addressed the subject at length.
“So there is general agreement that the quality of the product needs to improve and that the opportunities of international exposure and distribution will come only with a certain commitment to global best practices and technical quality and artistic exploration,” Odugbemi pointed out.
He, however, remarked that for such programmes to bear more fruits beyond set visions, film professionals must be willing to “esteem the learning experience as critical, not just in the economic world, but to their personal growth as artists and as storytellers.”
