You can refer to me as a misfit – Tunde Kelani

Tunde Kelani, popularly known as TK, is a Nigerian filmmaker,cinematographer, photographer, storyteller, director and producer. In a career spanning more than four decades, TK has produced movies that promote Nigeria’s culture for the purpose of documentation, archiving, education and entertainment. In 1991, Tunde Kelani started his own production company, Mainframe Films and Television Productions, and has produced 16 box office movies through it. They include Ti Oluwa Ni Ile, Ko Se Gbe, O Le Ku, Thunderbolt, The Narrow Path, White Handkerchief, Maami and Dazzling Mirage. He established his film school, Mainframe Film and Media Institute in 2016

Weekend Magazine: You’ve built a reputation for scripting movie drama that is vintage TK. What is the distinguishing quality?

Tunde Kelani: Books. Most of my works are adapted from literary texts. When I was young, I read books so much I began believing nobody can be a good filmmaker without reading.

While some of my movies are from books, others are merely works of fiction. Interestingly, some of the fictional movies have now become published books, too. 

 I also use movies to promote causes. For instance, Arugba, one of my fictional movies, is about the millennium development goals (MDGs)from a cultural viewpoint, not the Osun Osogbo festival, like most people believed.

WM: As a young child, was there any incident that led to your decision to become a filmmaker?

Kelani: Yes, my love for photography has always been there since childhood. Throughout my secondary school days, I was doing amateur photography; I was always with a camera. I found money to get the camera for myself. I was witnessing things happening all around me; I needed to capture the moments. That was what built my interest in film making.

Then, I didn’t think about whether it was lucrative or not. It was my passion and interest that I was pursuing.

WM: What was your experience your first time of handling a camera for filming?

Kelani: I started work professionally in 1970. I didn’t just come across the camera; I was well trained by the best African broadcast managers at the former Western Nigeria Television (WNTV). After three to four years at WNTV, I went to the London Film School for a two-year course on the arts and techniques of filmmaking. I was trained both in Nigeria and abroad.

WM: Wasn’t there any parental scolding to separate you from your camera?

Kelani: When I was young, I felt my parents abandoned me with my grandparents. But sincerely speaking, staying with my grandparents has made me who I am today. They opened my eyes and mind to our culture and traditions. I inherited an insight into Yoruba life, culture, traditions, philosophy, literature, music, morality and everything positive through staying with them.

WM: When should moviegoers be expecting your next movie?

Kelani: My new movie, Sidi Ilujinle,has been screened already. It is the Yoruba adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s book, The Lion and the Jewel. It has been adapted and brought down to the level of our people. The idea is to retrieve the book and make it interesting. It is a play which has theatre, music, dance, poetry and prose, all in one movie.

My body of works is a legacy for me, from Ti Oluwa Ni Ile to the last one, Sidi Ilujinle.

WM: Do you engage professional script writers in your works?

Kelani: Yes, I do. Film-making is collaborative; many people come together to work, so I have to work with writers. 

WM: Some film critics describe you as a total film maker. Are you?

Kelani: Yes, I am a total film maker. I am a story teller who uses the medium of cinema to tell his story. I am making films that others will not make because they (my films) are meant for archiving and documentation. The culture is threatened, so my aim is to document as many things as possible through films.

WM: Do you use a particular kind of camera that gives your films the quality that differentiates them from other Nigerian films? 

Kelani: Camera is not as important as what you put in front of it. I spend more time on production value, and I have been so consistent with the resources that I have.

WM: Many of your works have been locally and internationally acclaimed. Are they as financially rewarding?

Kelani: The truth is: I am presently insecure, financially, because I have lots of debts I need to pay. I am owing a lot of money. Piracy hasn’t only affected my work, it has destroyed it. Mainframe has become so popular because our movies have become pirated and we are everywhere. Piracy made us popular, but killed us as well. It is true that some people still earn good money in the movie industry, but the commitment of the producer is far more.

WM: How did the early theatre practitioners and film makers impactyour development?

Kelani: They were my mentors. They taught me everything I know today. I worked with Pa Hubert Ogunde, Adelove, Ola Balogun and the rest. I learnt from them. Anytime they had a production, I would be there, to learn and work, even without pay sometimes.

 The problem today is that our youths don’t want to learn or work without pay. That is why it will be very difficult for some of them to make the type of films we are making. If they only think about money, they won’t make a headway.

WM: Why is Nigeria still producing low-budget movies compared to the movie development in other climes?

Kelani: Those countries have the infrastructure already, while we are still struggling to build ours. America has about 40,000 screens while Nigeria doesn’t have 100. America is 10 times the size of Nigeria, yet they have electricity, while Nigeria does not have stable power. All these will be factored into the production of any movie.

WM: Why did it take so late in your career to establish your film school?

Kelani: I didn’t have enough experience then and I needed to work. All my movies are materials of study, with each having its own peculiarities. If the school was established earlier, such materials wouldn’t be available. Earlier, the time was not right; now is the right time. We run only short modules for eight weeks.

WM: You just turned 70 years. Is there something you want to do differently?

Kelani: Attaining 70 years on earth has given me various opportunities to see things differently, to experience lots more in life and, most importantly, to learn.

 I felt I wasn’t doing enough for certain reasons and circumstances, but now I will like to pay more attention to the youths and children. I now have more experience and maturity, which will,henceforth, reflect in what I do.

WM: Is age not slowing you down?

Kelani: At almost 84, Prof Wole Soyinka is agile. When he walks, I struggle to catch up with him. It will be disgraceful if I mention slowing down at this time.

WM: What lessons has life taught you?

Kelani: I am one of the few people who were privileged to pursue a childhood passion.  In spite of the ups and downs, I kept going. In some quarters, things didn’t go well, but it didn’t matter since what I was doing was making me happy – and still does.

WM: Asides filmmaking, do you have a passion for something else?

Kelani: Nothing else. I would have quit filmmaking a long time ago if I am not destined on this path. My film life isnot an ordinary work; it is an ongoing dialogue between me and the community.

WM: Is there a part of you that is yet to be explored?

Kelani: I have explored a lot. What filmmaking does is to give me the legitimate opportunity to learn forever. One film is not in any way related to the other. I have the opportunity of travelling a lot, meet new people and explore the world. When you make a film, you look at the subject matter and develop it. A filmmaker needs to learn a lot and come up with something new.

WM: Which of your films would you pick as your favourite?

Kelani: Each film is different and presents different levels of challenges. Each has its challenges.

WM: Your job takes you to different cities and countries. How does that affect your matrimony?

Kelani: I am not a conventional father. My colleagues and I in the arts can be referred to as misfits because most of the time, we are never around. I have three children but I was never around when they were born. I have never experienced taking a pregnant woman to the hospital during labour. Usually, they found me the third day after the delivery of my child, and there were occasions I would just rush in for the child-christening ceremony. I would rush into town, buy a pair of shoes, go to the market to get the ram and after the whole ceremony, leave home that same day.

When my son was very young, anytime he noticed I was packing again for the next shoot, he would ask the question, “When will you return?”

Not being at home was part of my family’s own contributions and sacrifice to my work. I will be eternally grateful to them for that. They had two options: either to find another father or husband, or stay patiently and wait for my next return. They decided to stay, whatever the reason, and I am glad they did.

WM: Is there any chance your children will take after you?

Kelani: My children have bigger dreams. My son, a Computer Engineering graduate, will always tell those who ask him why he is not taking after me, ‘Please leave me out of it.’

WM: How has your fame and popularity in the movie industry influenced your relationship with women?

Kelani: I am a Balogun l’ehin obinrin (women’s regular companion). I have a soft spot for women. That, however,doesn’t mean I am a womanizer. Instead, the fact that I am always behind the screen makes it impossible for women to run after me.

I don’t get the same attention the movie stars have anyway. And to make matters worse, I am not a fine boy. Which woman will leave all those Ramsey Noahs and Desmond Elliotts to come to me?