By Oluwafemi Dosu
The Chancellor of Sword of Excellence Drama
University, Evangelist Paul-Esupofo Oriade is calling on drama ministers
nationwide to embrace the use of Smartphone to shoot movie because it will ease
the burden and hatred. Paul-Esupofo who was speaking during an exclusive
interview with Ayanfeoluwa Oladapo, Segun Balogun and Oluwafemi Dosu (members
of Lagos ANCEDRAM Publicity Team) at the state congress of All Nigeria
Conference of Evangelical Drama Ministers, ANCEDRAM Lagos state chapter at Ajah today. He also challenged Lagos ANCEDRAM
leaders to do more of the good works they are doing, bombard the internet with
the correct message, the right message, and biblical message not religious
message, also not to preach religion to people saying they should allow people
have their own relationship with Jesus, Excerpt:
Press: Good afternoon sir
Paul-Esupofo: Good afternoon
Press: Can we meet you sir?
Paul-Esupofo: My name is Paul-Esupofo Oriade. I’m
the lead instructor of Special Drama Film School Online and the Chancellor of
Sword of Excellence Drama-Film University, not yet accredited Chairman Board f
Trustee of Sword of Excellence Dunamis Ministry INC. (SEDMI) and a child of God,
most importantly.
Press: Smartphone
filmmaking and this era, what’s the benefit?
Paul-Esupofo: I want to believe that having gone
through the class that I have given this morning, you will see the essence of Smartphone
filmmaking. It is another dimension and alternative to other big cameras and
this has not made it lesser in output. It’s just like you are watching cartoon.
If you look at cartoon very well you will see the rudiment of film making as
long as whatever device you are using in filmmaking is correct and you follow
the techniques or rules in film making you are good. So Smartphone filmmaking
has come to stay even the professionals have been using it.
Press: What advantage does editing on Smartphone has
over editing on system?
 |
| Paul-Esupofo Oriade at the Lagos ANCEDRAM congress, Ajah 2018. |
Paul-Esupofo: Oh! Beautiful, Wow! we call it ‘on the
go’. You tell a story on the go, edit on the go, you are not limited by time, space
and locations, and you are not limited by anything, you can even edit on the
plane without restrictions unlike using laptops. You will only need the use of
power banks such that last for 6hours or I have even seen some that last for
24hours.We travelled one day from Kano; from Kano to Ibadan we finished editing
a whole work. The only disadvantage is that your phone can be hot or limited storage;
sometimes your fingers might be paining you. Those are the common things apart
from the fact that it is a device whether you say desktop, laptop, Smartphone,
it’s a device to use so that is just it.
Press: Does shooting on Smartphone reduce expenses
in filmmaking?
Paul-Esupofo: yes, it does
because it is economical and relatively expensive. It is economical because
anybody can shoot on the go. You can shoot one-minute film and upload it right
now on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and people will be blessed
instead of waiting and spending hours or days without achieving positive
result. You can shoot your films anywhere in your office, home etc. asking
somebody to hold your phone for you. It all deals with your preparation and
creativity.
Press: Recently you posted on social media about
film training; can you tell us about it?
Paul-Esupofo: the free
training has started for so many years; it started even before we started the
school in 2006. The free training started in my living room in ‘Odejayi’ in
1998/1999. It involves making yourself available for people who cannot ordinarily
afford you and it has really gone wide. We do Skype training for those outside
Nigeria. The first time I did Skype training was in Canada (video training).
People can call us as a team; get a venue/ location for us. We can also guide
them on how to design (do publicity) and also reach an agreement on certificate
of participation and material. No hidden charges.
Press: What can you say about Lagos State ANCEDRAM?
Paul-Esupofo: Well, I thank
God for this revival, there was a time I don’t know if they were dying or
sleeping or alive but I thank God because since last dispensation I’ve been
seeing a kind of revival. The only thing I want to challenge them for is to do
more, bombard the internet with the correct message, the right message, and sound
biblical message not religious message. Don’t preach religion to people; draw
people to have a personal relationship with God. It is only a man that is not
complete that compete. Lagos should not compete with anybody, let them just be
their selves and do better.
Press: What is the possible challenge Drama
Ministers will encounter on location using Smartphone?
Paul-Esupofo: Oh! That is a
very fantastic one. We didn’t get here overnight it’s been more than 4 years
now. The first time we used a Smartphone on location in November, 2014 we used
paper as tripod, it was Iyanu Adebayo that shot it and the title is “Linked
with Deity”. You need to prepare because Smartphone requires the same
preparation for film making. Using a Smartphone on location doesn’t remove the
fact that you are on location, all you needed is to be prepared ahead of time.
At times Holy Spirit might minister to you to go and shoot something, with that
you can go along with your equipment; with Smartphone you’re good to go. You
must make sure your battery is fully charged along with power bank, you must
have enough space on your phone, another one is sound, and making sure you move
away from noise.
Press: How are you planning to encourage this at the
National Level?
Paul-Esupofo:
Let
me be sincere with you, I’m trusting God to be there at the National level.
Just when I started the issue of internet that everybody must be on internet
people were looking at me like a strange man. Our ministry has been the pioneer
of many new things. As the bible quoted “we are all things to all men.” If we
talk about phone, internet, we want to encourage national, it will make our
work easier, imagine you want to produce two movies and you’re still waiting
for an Editor. The National should
embrace it to solve problem of people being lazy or not fulfilling their
purpose, it will also ease the burden. We should all forgive what some Editors
have done in the past. We should all work in love. I can tell you a brother was
moved with what I did on the internet; he has been releasing film every day
since the beginning of this year except for just two days. The name of his
ministry is ‘Christ Mirror Drama Ministry,’ and he uses phone to edit. With
this we can counter the secular. Especially the comedians releasing nonsensical
things to the world, even with just drama skit we can release on our own on YouTube,
Dailymotion, et al. If we release Christian films every two weeks we have at
least 52 dramas in a year for every week. If each ministry is releasing ten (10)
films, ten times ten thousand (10,000); still not enough. With good phone (Smartphone)
in your hand all you needed is a good location, fantastic cast, and your crew. The
crew could be you and your wife. Look at what Sis Toyin Fatunsin is doing in
Spain with her husband. In my home now my wife can light my child can help with
the sound. Sometimes I allow them to direct me. With your friends and family
you’re good to go. Don’t border to become a professional at the beginning, just
aim at quality job and good message. You grow in the work and you learn more in
the work.
Press: Any advice for the learners?
Paul-Esupofo:
as you know that this is new to many
of us, if
you are just learning, just take it easy with yourself. Be patient with
yourself, be ready to do more, don’t allow people discourage you or shut you
down, eschew any form of distractions and any time you are having problems you
can call on us we are ready to answer you because we believe Professionalism plus anointing
equals excellence.
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