How Money Convinced Me to Direct Film I Still Don't Understand - Kunle Afolayan

Nigerian movie director Kunle Afolayan is opening up about taking opportunities, and doing projects, even when sometimes you don't really understand what exactly is going on. The celebrated movie director shared the story of how he made a film he still doesn't understand because the money was good at the third edition of Kunle Afolayan Productions (KAP) Film & Television Academy’s Reel Circle. Here is the story Kunle shared, and how much he was paid for the work.

**Before reading on, please make sure to sign up for my newsletter below so you don't miss out on any new and interesting lists, articles, and stories that I post every single day.

Speaking about how and why he directed movie he still doesn't understand, Kunle Afolayan opened up saying:

KUNLE AFOLAYAN: I was asked to direct something I know nothing about. I tried to like bail out but somehow I was convinced that I could do it. But I knew, I did not know what I was going to do. I did not understand the story. It is an installation film, even at the time I didn’t know what installation film was.

Before I agreed to it, I read the script, I did not understand it. I called someone, Biodun Aleja, may his soul rest in peace, he read it and said ‘this is crazy’ and then a few other people. I spoke to the person who introduced me to the project that ‘can I meet with the producer? Maybe if she shares her vision, I would get it’.

Then he flew me to London and we sat for like two hours and she was talking. She showed me her showreel and I knew there was a problem because the showreel did not make sense. It was a complete abstract installation, people just doing weird things and I am a narrative director. Then I called the link and said ‘I am not doing this, I would not even know what to say’.

But he was like they are paying you $40,000, you have to do it. I said okay but I was like let us do an adaptation of a scene but even with it I did not know what to adapt. But because Biodun Aleja was there, he studied Performing Arts, so his literature is stronger. I was like look, we have to find a way. They are flying us to Miami and Chicago, we cannot turn that down.

They did this and we went, we filmed in like the oldest museum. I was the director and there were five trucks of equipments. It’s like someone throwing you into the ocean and asking you to start swimming. I am like I am the director, so I have to use that power. But then I have always wanted to shoot in a space where they have large windows, where I can have a ray of light.

So I was focusing on other things, I did not understand the story. Up till now, after we shot the film, if I watch it again, I am like what was the story? There was no story but guess what? They flew me to five countries to premiere the film and they were flying me in business class since 2007.

What do you think about what Kunle Afolayan said? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment either below or on my Jide Okonjo Facebook post.

That's All.

I hope you’ve had fun. Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter if you don’t already for more stories like this - collated every week and sent right to your inbox so you don't miss out on anything.

To catch up on other content you might have missed, click here.

Until next time, have a wonderful rest of your day