The First Day

Okay, right down to business. Today is the first day of the rest of my life - today I shoot a boardroom sequence for The Apprentice Africa in my capacity as Assistant Producer/Director - but that's not the main thing right now

The main gist is that after my first film 'Letters to a Stranger' which I wrote in 2003/4 and Fred Amata and the great guys at Ecobank picked for one of the Project Nollywood releases for 2007, finally got released this year...well after that became like a major success? - I had a bit of a nervous melt down

I HAD dreamed of getting a movie made all my life, but with Genevieve and Yemi Blaq headlining? Alongside Fred Amata who was directing and producing? Throw in the AMAZING Elvina Ibru with Ibinabo Fiberesima - and top it off with cameos from the likes of Eucharia Anunobi, Segun Arinze and the force of nature that is Joke Jacobs - all in my first movie?

WOW...

Then I cramped up. What now? Sure I had a couple of stories and scripts lying around...but a worthy follow up?

Then came Day Zero - December 26th 2007 (the day before my birthday incidentally) - a friend (ineffablewater, I'm talking bout YOU!) dragged me out of my deppression and sat me down in front of a PC, logged on to the internet and viola! NAIJARULES.COM forums and there was this whole thread arguing the merits (more) and the demerits (haters! lol!) of LTAS

WOW...

It made my day, my month, my year - my life...and so I logged on and after weeks of watching the talk go back and forth, I logged on and dropped a few comments...

Hmm - dont know if that was a smart or dumb move, but after a few comments, I mentioned the next script I was planning to write called Deleting Bisi. Imagine my surprise when I logged back on that night to find a whole seperate thread called - - - you guessed it, 'Deleting Bisi'! LOL

Naija no dey slack!

Anyway - after a huge amount of ambivalence, I finally finished the first draft of the Deleting Bisi (and the rough outline of 2 other movies) and the search for a producer began

In all honesty, the 'search' wasnt exactly door to door - but a producer who would let me direct? And keep the vision the way I wanted it? Hmmm - tough sell...

So this blog? Is a little account of my day to day attempt to not go crazy as an uber-creative type in Naija. And a sort of diary while I try to get my film made!

Every nasty little titbit, goof or pshyco Idumota marketer I have to meet with? You'll hear about. Every star, starlet or wannabe who turns me down? Right here baby - and for all the producers who throw me and my wacky movie out? Hall of Fame here too

Get an umbrella in case it rains, an icebox, in case it gets too hot and come along for the ride!

Victor Sanchez Aghahowa