Where was the commercial shot?
We worked in Johannesburg South Africa and it was directed by an experienced American director who has done a lot of movies. He could be checked out on IMGB. These are people who love their work and are so vast in experience.
Compare the shooting and what obtains in Nollywood?
There is no need to make any comparison. The commercial was shot on 35mm celluloid format and you know in Nollywood, we still shoot with DV and all that. These people shoot with the latest equipment obtained internationally with all the techniques and everything, the people, the cameras, the grips, dollies etc.
The make up, wardrobe, boy it was in depth. I have never experienced anything like that before. It was time for a good learning for me and I thank God. It’s gradually becoming very difficult for me to get into doing our regular movies.
The way we do it now in Nigeria, you get to a point where you just have to keep going on and on. And I really want Nollywood to catch up, we really need to.
How many days did it take to shoot a less than a minute commercial and how tasking was it?
It took ten days of working on a daily basis. Don’t forget we shot during winter (in June) in South Africa, it was freezing. All that time I was smiling, I was freezing and we had done about 100 takes of same part.
The thing is that even while I was going through that, I had so much support from cast and crew. If I’m cold, they will cover me with a big robe and when I’m about to commence work, they would run back.
They made me feel like a star in the true sense of the word. It was red carpet all the way. It was fabulous and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything in the world. It was God’s way of showing me where we should be if we redirect our minds towards excellence in Nollywood. I do know we’d get there some day.
A lot of people say very negative things about Nollywood but I’m not going to be one of them. The advert is very inspirational and it shows how a little act of kindness from someone to an innocent bystander propels one ahead.
I don’t want people to get lost about just Dakore - the advert, Let us look at where we are going. I ended up in Hollywood and it is possible.
Has this new project prized you out of reach or are you still within reach by Nollywood producers?
In all honesty, it’s quite possible. A lot of producers may be skeptical about coming to meet me now. Even if it’s not for the money, the fact that they have seen me exposed to that level of production may scare them away.
However, I don’t think they should be scared, they should rise up to the challenge by not only paying me well in their movies, but also increase the entire budget for the cast and crew.
And that is the reason I always say, finances is a big issue in production.
What next?
I’m actually working on several projects now and waiting to see the one that would come out first. I won’t rest on my oars. Television is where I started from, that’s my background in mass communication.
I started with Total sports, Best of football with Dudu Orumen, Whitewood Group, Ben TV in London. I was also the first presenter on Sound City before it became a channel. I joined them in 1998.
I had done all these before the movies started coming. Everything is full circle now and I have matured over the period.
How far has your success changed you?
Can I change who I am? No. I am still around the people who knew me before now. My family, my friends and even you are still part of me. I have a generally innate humility which is instilled by my upbringing and that I can’t change.
I believe if you humble yourself in the face of the Lord, he would lift you high.
Pastor...?
I’m not, but what I said is a reality. I believe in what I read in the Bible and that is what I live on. I’m not a saint but I am working towards salvation.
I believe strongly that humility is key especially in our line of work. Some become big stars and get big headed, while some do not remember those they passed along the streets of life especially those who helped them on the lane.
I’m different you know. I have known you for long, but haven’t seen you for sometime. But meeting has not changed anything or did it?
Do you miss music?
So much. I have really missed music. Now that I have some time I will definitely think music. When I say full circle, I mean I’m back to those things I started doing before the race became faster. I will definitely do.
I miss the studio, I miss writing songs and the band I had may have dispersed but we would see how it goes. Acting is very time consuming. Now that I have more time, I will return. In those hey days, I opened for one of the biggest jazz musicians in the U.S. Now, It is just like a dream, like it never happened.
Education?
Life itself is school, I have learnt a whole lot, I have received so much lessons from life. But it does not mean that school is not important. I will one day take it up again. But these are long time plans and I believe that God in his infinite mercies will guide me through and I will find my level.