Beauty Queen “Beauty Tukura” indeed looks good in just about anything. But when it comes to posing for a photoshoot, the reality star proves time and again that you can be comfortable, fun, or even tell a beautiful story without uttering words.
Comic actor and OAP Yawnaija received a new Land Cruiser from E-Money, a prominent Nigerian businessman.
Yawnaija thanked the billionaire and shared the good news on Instagram.
He wrote: On the 18th of February, I woke up to a lot of congratulatory messages on IG saying u got a gift from @iam_emoney1 and I was wondering what gift Only for me to get this message from him saying I should come and pick up this Land Cruiser. And I wonder what i did to deserve this. I just want to say thank you @iam_emoney1@iam_kcee@iam_mrse I love u all.
It appears that E-money has made it his trademark to give out various gifts on his birthday. The businessman, who recently celebrated his birthday, gave away six luxury cars, iPhones, cash prizes, and more during the festivities.
This trend started as far back as 2020 and actor Yaw has become one of the lucky beneficiaries of E-money’s act of kindness.
The comic actor and OAP has joined a host of other celebrities to own cars.
Other actors went ahead to congratulate Yaw.
Obi Cubana Wrote: Congratulations brother 👏
Another wrote: Chai…@iam_emoney1@iam_kcee@iam_mrse thank you so much for blessing our guy and may you all never lack…#giversneverlack. Dede Yaw, congratulations…where are we driving to fest?
Nollywood director Adeniyi Joseph is harnessing the power and enchantment of experiential film. With his unique vision and creative flair, he is capturing the essence of the human experience and bringing it to life on the big screen.
Through his work, he is creating a new wave of cinematic art that is captivating audiences around the world. His films are a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of cinema.
In a chit chat with Ranks Screen Correspondent, Check his response below:
Adeniyi Joseph – Nollywood Director
What inspired you to become a film director?
I didn’t set out to be a film director, what I really wanted to do from my childhood was to play professional football, but despite my many efforts and talent, Nigeria happened to me. So I put that dream aside after about 7 years of trying and I had to get a job as a video editor at Nigezie.
It was then that I started to do proper visual storytelling and since I was a very good editor, I wanted to be more involved in the entire creative process of making a film and that’s how I grew through the ranks and became a cinematographer and eventually a director and producer.
What are the biggest challenges you face when directing films?
People are your biggest challenge and your biggest blessing and since filmmaking is about people, you will need to learn to find a balance. Fortunately for me, one of my biggest strengths is managing and loving people, I don’t have the capacity for hate and toxicity, so it’s easy for me to get rid of that challenge and get result, because I love the people I work with and I work with the people I love.
TAJ
What do you think sets your films apart from others in the genre?
I am very invested in the stories I tell and I don’t involve myself with films that I don’t believe in the story. I believe film is about taking the audience through an experiential and an emotional journey and at the center of that journey is story. If the audience can find themselves in the story, it wouldn’t matter what camera it was shot with as long as it is decently done.
So I essentially concern myself with the emotionality of the story, how the character brings that emotion to life and how I as a director present that story with the use of the several storytelling elements at my disposal such as cinematography, art direction, editing, sound design and so on. I am also very big on post production, remember that my foundation is in editing, so I edit most of my project myself or I supervise the post production. In any case, I am known for making stories work.
How do you approach filming a scene?
First, I would have read the entire script at least twice and making notes, in doing that, I would have understood the story in its entirety and know what every scene is about and how it fundamentally contributes to moving the story forward as every frame and scene is intentionally crafted to contribute to the big picture.
So I do some sort of shot listing and treatment and I visually see what the film should look like which will also determine the choice of gears and all. All these would be decided during pre-production though, so we are in a good space during production.
What is your favorite scene to shoot and why?
I like mobility in my scenes because in reality people are always mobile, moving from one place to another while they do whatever they are doing. I don’t enjoy filming static scenes any more, I feel cringed when actors just sit in one spot and are talking for a long time, except when the emotion of the scene really needs them to stay put.
I always find a reason for them to move. So blocking plays a very major role in my scenes. There is a classic example of that in my short film Kill the Impostor.
What are some of the themes or messages that you hope to communicate with your films?
I pride myself as telling conscious, reflective and inspirational stories. I am a Christian and I believe that faith comes by the ‘continuous’ hearing of God’s word and a man/woman is as he/she thinks in his/her heart and what he/she thinks in his/her heart is formed by what he/she has ‘continuously’ heard, seen or been exposed to.
So I want to make films that you will continuously reflect on, be conscious of by reminding you of your humanity and that you are inspired by.
I believe that storytelling can either be a tool or a weapon in the hands of the wielder. I want to it to be a tool for positive impact in my hands.
How do you decide which scenes to include in a film and which to omit?
That’s very easy. Since I know the story from end to end, my job as a director is to eliminate whatever doesn’t make the story stronger. So the simple way of knowing whether we need the scene or not, is to ask if it makes the story stronger or not.
How do you come up with the story for a film?
Self-reflection is definitely a way to come up with stories. I have found some stories just by reading other materials online and I readjust them to suit my story. That’s the case of my multiple award winning short film, Kill the impostor and its available for anyone to watch here https://kill-the-impostor.tribearc.work/ for N1,000
I also collaborate with amazing writers and I believe that a good writer makes a great director so I consciously make friends with writers, they are my greatest assets.
Do you have any advice for aspiring film directors out there?
My advice would be, stop aspiring and just do it. You become a film director by directing films, so start with a short film. Of course learn as much as you can to make sure you increase your capacity, don’t lie to yourself about your strength and weakness, be open to feedbacks and make films with the people you love.
What are you looking forward to in the New Year—any projects?
Actually we have a new project, a52 episode series premiering on Africa Magic on the 1st of March 2023, it was created by myself and my friend Allen Onyige and directed by myself and my other friend Orire Nwani.
I am looking forward to making more films on my terms with our production companies Nostalgia Media Agency and Anecdote Media Agency and I am especially looking forward to engaging people with work.
– ADENIYI JOSEPH OMOBULEJO
Film Director and Creative Director at Nostalgia Media Agency
Oyo State Ministry of Youth and sports partners Chess In Slums Africa
The Oyo State Ministry of Youth and Sports collaborated with Chess in Slums Africa led by Tunde Onakoya to use Chess as a medium of taking Children and the vulnerable out of the Streets.
Oyo State Ministry of Youth and sports partners Chess In Slums Africa
The Ibadan Chess Initiative For Street Kids is a two weeks program of intense learning of game of Chess at the Mokola Underbridge, Ibadan. The competition which included Art exhibition, Mental Math Finale, Chess without borders and presentation of awards to the winners.
The Commissioner for Ministry of Youth and Sports, Dr. Seun Fakorede, MNSE who described the event as “eye opener for Government to use Boardgames, Athletics and other Sports to take the weak and the homeless out of the Streets to give them better assess to basic needs of life.
Through this Initiative, the State Government through Oyo State Ministry of Youth and Sports are committed to partnering and hosting life changing events, sports activities and opportunities that will open Oyo State Talents to the World”.
Fakorede, who further appreciated his Principal, Governor Seyi Makinde, For the use of sports as a means of alleviating poverty and further human capital development”.
The winners of the Contest, in the Mental Math Category are Adisa Taiwo, Umar Ibrahim and Ayobami Ridwan while in the Junior Category, Usman Adegoke,Dauda Lasisi and Babangida Sanni emerged as the. Winners and in the Senior category is Jimoh Fawaz, Okele Nnenna and Bilal Umar emerged the winners in the categories respectively.
NIGERIAN Disc Jockey, producer, songwriter Oluseye Sodamola aka DJ Spinall has opened up on the making of his new album ‘Top Boy.
In a recent chat with Apple Music’s Dadaboy Ehiz, DJ Spinall analysed the making of his new album, ‘Top Boy’ as well as the reason for naming it Top Boy.
On the name of the album, DJ Spinall said, “So what even is a top boy? A top boy is anyone who has beaten the odds and used the resources made available to them to get from point A to point B.
“That’s who I am, and I feel like all the people that I have on the project as well. They’re genuinely passionate about music and they just give the best with the little resources they have. A lot of them are not signed to any majors… They’re doing this with a little at their disposal, and that’s what a top boy is,” he said.
DJ Spinall said, “This album is different to a lot of the albums I’ve put out in the past. This album really resonated with me on so many terms – from producing most of the tracks to co-writing, to flying here and there to find somebody – it was really really that album that asked me do you really want to do this or not? I’m glad that we’re able to answer this question after three years. It was a lot of lessons, a lot of blessings in the making. I really still wanted to put way more people on the project, honestly, but I think I’m very satisfied with where we are on the final cut of the album.”
Many know Naira Marley to be an artiste who entertains his fans with his music. But at a recent event, it was the other way round, as the artiste was entertained by another singer, Segun Johnson, who leads a live band. In a video shared on social media, Marley could be seen dancing to Johnson’s music at a party. In the video, Johnson praised Marley as he sang. He later noted that the Soapy singer gave him a cash gift.
In an interview with Sunday Scoop, Johnson stated he was not expecting the cash gift. He said, “Aside from Naira Marley, there were so many celebrities at the event. I just entertained as usual. My style is centred on crowd engagement. The performance led me to hyping Naira Marley and I was not expecting him to transfer any money to me. However, I noticed him telling his younger brother to do a transfer as we were performing. At that point, I knew my bank account would ‘smile’ the next day.”
Asked how he developed his unique style of hyping people during his performances, the singer said, “My style of performance emerged from my sense of duty to my audience to give them a performance. I usually feel responsible for the client’s happiness during performances. The hyping came from that.”
One of the actresses, Debbie Felix, now thinks she has a lot to say in Nollywood.
She told The Sunday Scoop: “Today, Nollywood tells stories about what is really going on in society. We also talk about politics and what is happening in schools, on the streets and at home. online and real life usage is now included in our films making them more attractive. Producers and directors are now working harder to make our films meaningful to both domestic and international audiences.
Felix reflects on what makes Nollywood different from other film industries in the world, saying: “At Nollywood, we started to delve into cinematography and storytelling. More and more of our stories are already making their way to the big screen.” Character names in our films used to be foreign names like “Tracy”, “Debbie” and “Kelvin”, but now they use Nigerian names like “Ishaya”. more culture than ever.”
When asked about her new business, the actress said that her focus is fashion and home decor.
MULTI award winning actress, Sandra Okunzuwa believes that acting is her special calling. She recalls mimicking the likes of Nollywood stars Genevieve Nnaji and Stephanie Okereke Linus at a younger age till she eventually became one of the most sought after actresses in Nollywood today. She speaks with ADENIYI ADEWOYIN in this interview.
You seem to have relocated abroad or is it just for vacation?
I haven’t relocated abroad, I only traveled for holiday but I am back in Nigeria. I love Nigeria and I am based in Nigeria.
Would you leave acting for a more paying or suitable job?
I will never leave acting for a paying or suitable job. I love acting and it will always be a passion and producing as well. So, for now, I am still in the business of acting and filmmaking. I am currently working on a project titled ‘Ruthless’.
How does it make you feel to be among a few actresses getting major roles?
First of all I feel grateful, I am actually happy and excited, the fact that I have people watching my movies, supporting me, I am inspiring people through my craft which is like the first and most important thing. This industry chose me in the sense that I’ve always loved it from my childhood seeing myself mimicking Genevieve Nnanji, Stephanie Okereke and a lot of wonderful talented actresses so I am happy. It makes me feel like I am doing something right, like I’m on the track and this is just the beginning for me because I’m going to go higher and bigger in the industry.
How do you keep up with movie locations and other personal stuff?
Honestly, sometimes it’s really stressful because there’s this thing a lot of people don’t know about actors, we work round the clock, we go to set at like 8am and we can be on set till 8am the next day, it is really really stressful. I think the thing that keeps us going is that we are passionate and we are really interested in this. I think that the first and the most important thing that makes us stay and tolerate all of these. So, juggling between set life and personal stuff is not easy. I run a business called Sally Signature Skincare and Hair and I have to manage both my business, career and personal relationships. It’s not easy but now I’m just trying to take one step at a time, so what I can do and just keep going. I set out my daily plans and achieve the ones I am able to achieve that day. I think that if you sleep well, write out your daily plans and pray, you can be able to achieve something.
How would someone get your special attention?
I would say it’s the manner of approach be it social media or personally you have to approach someone properly. When the person has a good manner of approach and you get to listen to the person and have something meaningful to say, the person gets my attention. Sometimes with a good compliment and proper presentation of the things you want to say to add to that, if it’s someone that I’m meeting physically, the person has to have a good smell. I frown when someone is approaching me and the person has a very horrible body odor, in my mind I’m not paying attention to whatever the person is saying, especially when the person has a bad breath. I am not just paying attention, I just want to leave because I’m already uncomfortable. I feel as a human being when you want to approach somebody just make sure you look good but most importantly smell good.
Which actor do you love pairing with most in movies?
I have paired with a lot of actors like Alex Ekubo, Timini, Eddy Watson, Stan Nze and many others but I don’t really have one to say I want to keep pairing with this particular actor. The thing is there are some kind of actors that when you are being paired with they make your work easier because acting is reacting, if you give me the same energy it makes my work easy, it makes me to be able to deliver the role perfectly so I don’t get to choose but I like a really good actor with energy that knows his craft. When paired with such an actor the movie becomes a hit.
What personal projects are you working on at the moment?
I’m working on this project called Ruthless, this project is so dear to my heart and is different from other characters that I have played and it is quite challenging because I’m playing the character of a boxer and it is positive because I’m starting the year with a challenging role because it’s something that I prayed to God for that I want to be more flexible, I want to play a character that is out of the box from the one that I have been used to. I also want to talk about my previous project ‘Something like Gold’, that’s my personal project because I also produce movies as well. I’ve produced a couple of films like ‘Vida’ and ‘Enitan’ that got screened at Afriff and a lot of other projects. Currently we are still filming Ruthless, it is directed by Dimeji Ajibola, the director of ‘Shanty Town’ and it is produced by VSL Media.
If you go out with your non famous friends do you all split the bill or do you pay?
To be honest it depends because I have some rich friends that are not famous, they might even have money more than me but then, there are time that I will be like don’t worry I will take care of it and there are times that we all bring money so we can pay because I am a single girl oh and money is not easy to come by these days so I try to manage my funds. When we go out sometimes we split the bills, sometimes I take care of it but it doesn’t have anything to do with whether I’m more famous or I am an actress. It’s just normal because we are friends and we are responsible for each other.
Have you ever used your fame to get something for free and what was it?
There’s something that comes with fame, people want to be associated with you, people want to buy you gifts, appreciate you, people want to be nice to you especially when they are good friends who have watched your projects, so, yes I have. I have received gifts from fans from cash gifts, clothes, wristwatches, shoes and even normal gifts. Sometimes when I’m at the airport traveling the workers there do help make my service easier and all of that. It comes sometimes while sometimes you are just a normal person and nobody really cares. I appreciate their love and the fact that my birthday is coming. I want them to appreciate me more.
Have you ever been told to change something about yourself, maybe your weight, diet or gesture just to fit in for your status?
This one is true, a capital yes. Let me just start with this movie I’m currently on, because as a boxer I have this physique like an Algae shape and I’m kind of thicker so the producer said I have to lose weight so I can be able to move and throw kicks and punches. So, because you are always on the screen you have to keep a certain kind of weight and physique and for my kind of person that I play characters from 17 to 30 above, I literally have to look a certain kind of way, I cannot be on screen and be looking too fat or somehow. Other than someone telling you, you should know that it is healthy to keep fit.
Nollywood movie queen Funke Akindele Bello has set another record for the Nigerian film industry.
The stunning actress broke her own record as the highest-grossing film in the Nigerian box office.
A post shared by Film One revealed that Funke Akindele’s latest movie, Battle on Buka Street, had broken the record of her 2020 released film, Omo Ghetto The Saga.
“Battle on Buka Street” grossed 640 million naira at the box office and defeated “Omo Ghetto Saga” with 636 million naira.
Filmone took to Instagram to note that the actress’s only competition is herself.
It wrote: If the only competition you have is yourself was a person, it is clearly @funkejenifaakindele
What a Woman! What a Movement! What a Movie! What an Achievement!
Not once but twice she has set a record and she has broken her record.
we present to you the “Highest Grossing Nollywood Movie Of All Time” /𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐤𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭.
Thank you Nigeria 🇳🇬 we definitely couldn’t have done this without you. @funkejenifaakindele here is to breaking more records 🥂
Thank you to the incredible cast and crew that made this movie possible. We appreciate you
A popular content creator, Timothy Obotuke, aka Sirbalo, says he features well-endowed women in most of his skits because that is the trend in the industry.
He told Saturday Beats, “I am only following the trend. Using endowed women in skits has become a selling point many skit makers use. I am not the only doing that; there are many other skit makers like me. Once upon a time, it was not about women with big backsides. But now, they have become a selling point in the skit-making industry. It is what Nigerians like. I am only giving my fans what they want.”
The comedian also maintained his personality off-screen is different from the characters he plays in skits. He said, “We are completely opposite characters. Sirbalo gives the public what they want to see and watch, while Timothy has other interests that are totally different from Sirbalo’s character.”
Sirbalo also noted that contrary to what some people might think, he had been in the entertainment industry for a whole, having worked as a film director. He added, “Venturing into skit making was something I never knew I would do as I used to be a movie director. Becoming a skit maker was not so easy, because I was also a shy person; and the financial cost (of creating content) was not easy either. To succeed as a skit maker, one has to be consistent, be ready to learn from people and always improve on one’s craft.”
