Experience

SOLITUDE finally produced!

Oops! You guys should spank me thoroughly. I am more than sure that I deserve to be scolded. You know why? I forgot to post this piece since the time I have written it! That’s bad, you know?
Anyway, I was on location throughout the first week of June busy recording the rushes for my story ‘Solitude’. It was originally meant to be produced as a television serial, the one we call soap opera in this clime, but my friend, the producer (Femi Sanyaolu) pleaded with me to have it converted and recorded as a home video. Well, he is the boss here and I’ve got no choice than to agree with him, if I really wanted ‘Solitude’ produced.
Dou you know why I said I am without a choice? ‘Solitude’ has been written as far back as 2005 and here we are in 2008! So, if disagreed with him, Solitude could still remain in my kit for the next 3 years or thereabout!
So, from the 2nd of June till around the 8th of the same month, I was on location in far away Federal College of Education (FCE), Osiele, Abeokuta Ogun state, and I must confess, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The cast and crew were simply marvelous to work with, although a particular heavyweight (I will tell you it was a veteran actress, who has been around for a while. In fact, she is British trained!) in the Yoruba genre of Nollywood gave us a tough time both on and off set. It was quite obvious that the popularly called Mama sneaked out of a location elsewhere in order to quickly record her beats on the set of Solitude. That’s the hallmark of the Nigerian movie industry.
Despite that she was supposed to take just a scene or two, Mama was too much in a hurry that even the camera man (Gbolahan Busari) was too timid to take enough angle shots on the set! I don’t blame Gbolahan anyway. Who would not be afraid of an old woman, who had earlier promised to stay long enough on location, only to come around and start spitting dragon fire! She was obviously thinking by being harsh on the producer and everybody, the crew would quickly record her scene sand allowed her to return to the location elsewhere.
Anyway, other bigwigs on location for Solitude included Sanya Gold, Tunji Sotimirin, Kayode Olaseinde (Pa. James), Joke Fadirepo and Hafis Oyetoro (Oleku, Area C) among others. It was just too interesting to work with these veterans. Tope Dansu, Tosin (Tee-boy), Saidat Olorode, Bolaji Fakeye (Beee-Jei!), Lola Adekanmbi, Kris Mordi and of course, myself (Oba’ Adeoye) as well other experienced stage artistes joined them in giving a good interpretation to Solitude. Femi Sanyaolu married the job of a director with that of a producer… and Olo’un, I pity the Youngman as he was running from pillar to post all in a bid to ascertain that we had a good production at the end of the day.
Solitude is the story of an orphan, Toorera Ajayi (played by Tope Dansu) who gets diagnosed of the deadly HIV virus while at the university. This despite the very obvious that Rera is chaste to the marrows! Hardly has her been announced that the whole world turns its back on a girl who was once a celebrity, consequent upon her academic brilliance. Not even her only brother, Babajide Ajayi (Oba’ Adeoye) or her Fiancé, Adekunle Martins (Kris Mordi) was ready to give her the needed shoulder. They all abandoned her to her plight!
When she could not manage it any further, she took her leave from the university community (that is, she dropped from school) and relocated elsewhere in a city where she believes nobody is aware of her health status. Alas, her shadows followed her there and what seemed as an end turned out to become another bend!
If you would not say I’m blowing my own trumpets by myself, I think Solitude is a good story and until I see the end product, I hold my breadth….