Adebayo Adeniyi is a young Nigerian actor, film-maker, producer and entertainer .He hails from Epe in Lagos state. He was trained at the Wale Adenuga School of art where he studied Film and television production in the year 2012 to 2014 and bagged a National diploma certificate, then joined nollywood in the year 2019 through Afeez owo.
He has since then acted in multiple Nollywood movies including Seriki olopolo, Obalufun Directed by Afeez Owo,Ife Atorun,Eni obanke directed by Afeez Owo,Window Directed by 9iceteeFilms to mention but a few.
He produced his first Nollywood movie in February 2020 titled Bogiri olanu and the second in March titled Okiki Iku.
The movies were directed by Afeez owo. He met with CITY PEOPLE Assistant Editor SUNDAY ADIGUN and TITILOPE OGUNLEYE where he spoke about his experience in the movie industry and how losing his father at a tender age changed his life.
As an actor when did you join the movie industry?
I joined the Movie industry professionally in June 2019, but before then I was with Wale Adenuga productions since 2012. I studied film and television production and after then I took some years to strategize before moving into the movie industry fully.
So far, how has been your experience in the industry?
Being in the movie industry has been quite difficult, I won’t mince words. It is difficult for an upcoming artiste to get roles or slots for movie roles. People tell us that if we don’t train under an establish actor, we won’t get movie roles, and even the established actor also have some student and friends they wish to slot into their movies.
There are so many times, I will go to locations when some directors that knows me invite me, spend like about three to four days without getting a role. I would have to pay location fee, accommodation fee, transportation and feeding all myself without getting a role and that has really been challenging.
What movies or project have you worked on so far?
Ok, before I joined the movie industry fully, I had to contact Nollywood star actor Afeez Owo who is my current boss. I had contacted him and he told me that I need to be a member of his team before he can direct and guide me on what to do because he has his own student too.
I got the membership form and he gave me roles in some movies and I had to tell him about my project, then he said it is capital intensive. I showed him my script and he advised me. i got my friend who is a script writer and he helped me after I narrated the story line to him. It took me about two month to save up the money and I went to him to tell him I am ready to produce the movie.
So we shot it in February and the title is BOGIRI OLANU and the next month I produced another one titled Okiki Iku. Bogiri Olanu was filmed in Lagos while Okiki Iku was filmed in Abeokuta. In BOGIRI OLANU, we featured Nollywood stars like Adeddimeji Lateef, Wumi Toriola, Seyi Edun, Afeez Owo, Okele , Mide martins to mention a few. It is an interesting movie which consists of betrayal, scandal, love and hatred, all mixed in one movie. I am sure you will love the movie when it comes out.
What inspired you to join the Nollywood movie Industry?
Basically, I love anything entertainment right from my secondary school days. I was the official {dj} disc jockey for my school and anytime there is an occasion I tell my principal not to border getting a dj but only get speakers and I will play songs for the student and they will enjoy it. I have loved entertainment way back.
I was not privileged to go to university because I lost my dad just after writing my WAEC exam. I was advised that I needed to further my education, if I want to be successful in the movie industry and I enrolled with Wale Adenuga production for two years to get a National diploma in film and television production where I learnt how to handle the camera, direct movies and much more.
It was frustrating after schooling because no one was calling me to handle camera and the only I was getting was pictures and that was not giving me want I wanted and some were even owing, so I decided to explore other channels of entertainment apart from film making. I know I could not sing and thank God I have the experience of acting in my 2 years with Adenuga, so I decided to develop that skill and I contacted Afeez Owo to put me in line. He lectured me extensively on acting for months before I produced my own movie.
Aside acting, what else do you do?
I am an artiste manager. I have music artiste that I am managing but because of my movies I had to hold on so I can push myself then push my artiste. We need capital to push them and I will need to push well to make money and push others. Once I am doing well, then we I can pick others.
What should we be expecting from you in the next five year?
As time goes on, I want to keep producing quality movies and want to also be selected among the best young film makers. I don’t really care if I am the best, the world can do without the best. I just want to be known for good movies with excellence in all the stages.
I want to be like the great Tunde Kelani, Kunle Afolayan of the industry who is known for quality movies. They are film makers and anytime their movie drops people rush it because they are sure of a wonderful story line and acting. So in few years, I want to be selected among the best film makers with quality movies.
Who are the actors you will love to work with?
I will love to work with Odunlade Adekola, Ibrahim Chatta, Mide Martins, Adeniyi Johnson, Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham and a host of others. I have worked with Mide martins and I see put so much passion, hard work, excellence into her roles and I will like to work with her again. Odunlade Adekla is exceptional and can deliver on any role and that is why I will love to work with him.
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