Filmmaker Funke Akindele has shared her inspiring story of perseverance and self-taught skills in the film industry.
In an interview with Arise News, she revealed her early struggles in landing roles in English-language films, which led her to explore opportunities in Yoruba-language films.
According to her, Ayo Adesanya, introduced her to a producer and she began working in Osogbo, where she met industry ‘gurus’ like Fathia Balogun and Iyabo Ojo.
“When I didn’t get roles in English I got frustrated. So I was on a project with Ayo Adesanya, and I told her that I don’t have roles and she said, ‘I’ll talk to a producer, and I will have you on board for Yoruba movies.’ And she spoke to the producer and I was invited to come and act in Osogbo then.
“From there, I met with Fathia Balogun. I met Iyabo Ojo and I told them I need roles and Iyabo said, ‘Okay, come come.’ She took me to the Odun Fakoko where you have the Yinka Quadri and Taiwo Hassan. She said, ‘This is my friend. Give her a job,’” Akindele said.
She said despite not landing major roles, she learned valuable lessons about filmmaking, camera work, and production which led her to launching her own production company, writing and producing her own content.
“They didn’t give me the big role. I actually launched myself with my own production. I wrote it, I produced it. But I learnt a lot from the Yoruba movie genre; how to produce.
“I was always focused on the cameras; how things were moving up and down, I was always checking the cameras, checking the props, checking everything, asking questions,” she added.
