The 2019 Realtime Film Festival, which kicked off on Sunday, 23rd June 2019, ushered in amazing happenings, like a masterclass by Kunle Afolayan and interesting short films.
The second day of the event showcased about 76 films at different screens at Protea Hotel and Presken Hotels in Maryland, Lagos.
The film festival also saw various masterclasses anchored by big names in the international film industry, including Kunle Afolayan. It was a great way for screenwriters, producer, director and actors to network and learn new ways to improve their craft.
Plat4om was there to witness some of the highlights of the day’s event.
Kunle Afolayan’s Directors’ Masterclass
This was a very insightful and enlightening session. At this year’s Realtime Film Festival, Kunle Afolayan spoke on what it takes to be a successful director in this clime. He explained spoke on how important certain decisions were to the success of a film.
Afolayan admitted that making a film costs a lot of money, and he still has some unpaid debts. He added that he takes out loans for a lot of his films and bears most of the business risks. Also, he advised young directors to take advantage of every freebie they can get while producing a film.
He advises young directors to know how to tailor a story to the international and local market. For Mokalik, for example, Afolayan said he had to make a version adapted for local cinemas and another to air at international festivals.
He said he thought of censorship and the fact that, if certain scenes made the cut, he would have a film rated 18+ that will cut off a certain demography. That will exclude the film from being a family’s favourite which will fetch him less money.
Directing Decisions
Casting is another thing he said makes or mars a film. He said some great actors will cost a director more disadvantage. Because of this, it is better to choose characters carefully. Sometimes, it is better to choose an actor that will listen and show up on time.
Afolayan said some actors are great for marketing, some just look good on camera and others get the job done. He advises directors to make these decisions critically and carefully.
He admonished directors just starting out to start small. The “October 1” director said, “When negotiating deals, ensure that you don’t come with tough negotiation skills, as you grow you can now begin to make more high-end demands.”
Afolayan said he already cut a deal with Netflix for Mokalik. The film, which is his latest, was 95% Yoruba language. However, Netflix has decided that they will subtitle the film in various languages and ultimately make other adaptations in other languages.
The Short Films
Dark Room
This was a Nigerian film about a photographer that still uses a dark room with a damsel in distress and some unusual occurrences ensued. The woman eventually kills the man with a gun he intended to kill himself with. He was on his way home to his family when she shot him.
Thorn
A Nigerian short film addressing the Post Traumatic disorder caused by domestic violence. A young man, who had witnessed his father serially abuse his mother, had PTSD. He beat up a man who he assumed was hitting his wife and ended up killing the innocent man. Apparently, the noise he was hearing was from a film showing on TV.
The Fisherman
This hilarious Ghanaian short film is about a talking fish and an old man who everyone thinks is crazy because he can hear it. The fish eventually got to pass its message to the old man after it was fried and eaten by his wife.
Losing My Religion
This is an interesting Nigerian short film about a young boy who got molested by a religious leader. He leaves home and loses his religion after his father beat him up.
Beta Pikin
This Nigerian short film tells the story of a little schoolboy who shot his very abusive dad while he was hitting his mom. He’d had enough of the serial abuse and felt he needed to do something to stop it. The boy was taken away forever, and that ruined the family.
In 72 hours
This Cameroonian film tells us about how war tears the world apart. It particularly depicts what is currently happening at the English-speaking part of Cameroon. It is based on true events.
Phoenix Girl
Phoenix Girl is a Nigerian documentary on acid attacks in the country and how easy it is to access the deadly chemical. The film later navigated into the life of Chizoba Obanye. She is a girl who survived an acid attack by her uncle’s wife. She was only a little girl at the time and has now grown to be a great inspiration to many.
Obaasima
This Ghanaian documentary of a cross-dresser who believes that he can blur the gender lines and identify as female when he pleases is quite thrilling. He believes he’s an artist and what he does is an art form. It was directed by a young woman who spent a few weeks with him in order to document his life.
Leading Lady
Leading Lady is a Nigerian documentary about the life of a Nollywood leading actress who paid heavy prices to make it to the top. Her life seemed glamorous, but she struggled with uncertainty and depression. She ended up killing herself.
Five Course Meal
This one is a Canadian horror short film about a couple that went into an exclusive program where they were being monitored. They were to stay in a room together for a few days.
They asked for food and got insatiable after the first meal. The couple could not stop eating and started to eat everything they brought to them even as the quality of the food got worse. They started to add weight on the spot and even resorted to eating each other.
Adefellas
This very fun hilarious Nigerian animation is about some young people in a university campus. It features a nerd, a tomboy, a super shy boy, a sweet girl and a very quiet smooth operator.
Remember that the event is still ongoing, and you can still catch exciting classes and films. Just visit the official Realtime Film Festival website for more information on how you can still be a part of it. Also, stay in touch with Plat4om here and on social media for live updates.