If the successes of music videos like 2face’s ‘African Queen’, Nkem Owoh’s ‘I’LL Chop Your Dollar’ and Sunny Neji’s ‘Oruka’ are anything to make out of a man’s career, director Uzodinma Okpechi could be said to have returned with an audacity that will reference Nollywood. The ‘madness’ of this man on the camera to make a strong statement in the motion picture industry is the peg leading up to KAMSI, the anticipated Nollywood thriller he is pitching for the rare blend of artistic and commercial end. He spoke with VICTOR AKANDE, ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR about this action-packed film.
Why your choice of a thriller?
Thriller because I believe filmmakers; ‘the good ones’ must be bold and audacious.
And how bold are you to release soon?
KAMSI will be released by FilmOne on November 23, 2018.
To FilmOne, is this a commercial film; because there is this crazy preference for comedies and a cluster of popular actors in recent times?
They are yet to see it, but they are anticipating it. However, it was shot with the audience in mind. And I have been proven right that producers should not spend their entire production budget on hiring actors.
Why is this?
A lot of the films with the so-called stars have failed. The audience demands a performance not faces.
Largely, what are your expectations for the market? I hear of arty films and I hear of commercial films… Which side does this tilt to the more?
I have always been an advocate of both. I will never support shooting a movie solely for the arts, except of course, it’s a funded movie or a grant and I have to adhere to certain submissions.
What aspect of the production is taking the chunk of the budget in this case?
Production values and logistics of movement of equipment and people to and from Jos, and, of course, accommodation
Why the choice of Jos?
I have shot a couple of movies in Jos in the past in 2000 and 2001 precisely; as a Producer and Assistant Director. The weather and topography is any good filmmaker’s delight.
Tell us more…
We went there during the Harmattan; cold and rustic which go with the theme of the movie. We wanted to see foggy background and withered vegetation. We wanted the background to envelope our main character, Dozie, who is himself in a valley until the end of the movie. We wanted a location that resonates with our colour theme of shades of Brown, Blue, Wine and dull Silver.
Is the crew entirely local? What brand of camera did you shoot with?
Yes, entirely local crew. KAMSI was shot on Arri Alexa Classic.
Kindly refresh our memories of those previous movies shot in Jos; ‘Battle of Love’ was one of them, I guess…
‘Battle of love’ was produced by me and directed by Simi Opeoluwa. It was financed by Kingsley Ogoro and that year, it won Best Overall Picture and Best English Picture in THEMA Awards then organized by Fame Weekly. ‘Blood of Jesus’ was produced and directed by Simi Opeoluwa in 2001. I was Co – producer and Assistant Director.
Is KAMSI influenced by a true life event or is it a fiction?
Fiction, but I wanted that father-daughter connection. What wouldn’t you do to save your only child’s life?
Is this the moral of the story?
Yes. Drama and film are formed on unpredictability and the complexity of humans. Different strokes for different folks. A widower whose daughter is about to lose her arm and who, by calculation got saved by the same man who used his daughter as a bargaining chip… Come on, put yourself in his shoes. What would you do? Or what wouldn’t you do? You can cage a man but not his will.
How much support did you get from the police? How much of improvisations went in in terms of props?
No support. Police uniforms were made by me. By me, I mean our costume designer, Iyen Agbonifo. I formed a whole police unit called Akwanga Police and brought in detectives on Post. That way, we had nothing to do with NPF. I told a story in a place I called Akwanga which actually exists in Nasarawa, formerly part of Plateau State. But I wanted a force detached from the NPF. So Akwanga Police births but it is futuristic. Now juxtapose that with our rustic environment.
Interesting…
Conversations begin on this note. Since films are supposed to generate conversations there will be pros and cons. Since it doesn’t exist now it gives the liberty to say this is how they will dress. Yet in this rustic place.
Any other challenges; may be something you didn’t foresee?
Yes, there were challenges as expected but nothing out of the ordinary. Principal photography was 16 days, although I went back to shoot for another five days. So, yes I never envisaged going back but I did.
Screenplay and Sound are some of the major challenges of Nollywood films, how were these handled?
We had the 1st, 2nd and final draft. Two script writers: Sola Osofisan based in the US and Anthony Kehinde Joseph who wrote the final draft. The 1st and 2nd drafts were from Sola Osofisan. There was also a script conference before the final draft. Location Sound was fairly good but I am doing ADR (Automated Dialog Replacement).
Tell us about your influences… on the need to do it right
Doing it right can never be compromised by me. I love it and I preach it. Reason I went back after first cut and I noticed that some scenes can be better. I live it.
KAMSI Synopsis:
A loving father, Dozie Nnamani (Wole Ojo) deals with the struggle of being a single parent after his wife passed. 13 months passed and while on their daily commute, Dozie and his daughter KAMSI (eight years old) fell victims of a violent crime. This incidence puts KAMSI in a very precarious situation needing surgery or amputation. Raising money for the surgery becomes an uphill task for Dozie, having spent his life savings on his wife who died eventually. Dozie, now forced to extreme measures finds out how crazed a father can be when his only child becomes the bait for him to join a notorious gang whose leader believes everybody is disposable. In this thriller, Dozie must not only try to stay one step ahead of the gang leader, Nicholas Katanga (Sam Dede) and the police, but not to allow violence consume him.
Cast: Wole Ojo, Sam Dede, Kiki Omeili plays detective Adesua, Timini Egbuson, Bimbo Ademoye and Ben Lugo play University students. Olakunle Abounce Fawole plays Brutus, Sam Dede’s second in command.
