Nollytale.com brings you an exclusive interview with one of the most renowned directors and script writers, Amayo Uzo Philips.
NOLLY
CAN WE MEET YOU SIR?
AMAYO
MY NAME IS AMAYO UZO PHILIPS (HIGH PRIEST) FROM UMUOKPARA AKWA-AKUMA OKPORO, ORLU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN IMO STATE. HAPPILY MARRIED WITH 4 KIDS, 3 BOYS AND A GIRL.
NOLLY
AS A DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, AND WRITTER, WE WILL LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU STARTED THIS DIGNIFIED JOURNEY OF YOURS.
AMAYO
I STARTED AS AN ACTOR IN PRIMARY SCHOOL; THAT WAS WHERE MY DISCOVERY BEGAN. AFTER MY SECONDARY SCHOOL IN 1978 I WROTE MY FIRST SCRIPT TITLED THE WAIT FOR LIFE, I WROTE, PRODUCED, AND DIRECTED IT ON STAGE.
IN 1980, I GOT ADMISSION INTO UNIVERSITY OF JOS TO STUDY THEATER ARTS AND I GRADUATED IN 1984. IN THE UNIVERSITY, I MAJORED ON DIRECTING, ACTING, AND CHOREOGRAPHY, I ALSO POLISHED MY WRITING ABILITY. I WENT INTO TELEVISION SERIES WHILE IN SCHOOL. I WAS IN ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS T.V SERIES CALLED COCK CROW AT DAWN AS AN ACTOR INCLUDING 7 OTHER LOCAL T.V PROGRAMS WHICH INCLUDED DRAMAS, TALK SHOWS, DANCE AND PUPPETRY. I ALSO HAD RADIO PROGRAMS THAT I WROTE AND DIRECTED.
DURING MY NYSC IN LAGOS STATE WHERE I SERVED, WE FORMED THE FIRST NYSC DRAMA GROUP AND TOURED THE COUNTRY WITH DRAMA. AFTER MY SERVICE, I PRACTICED WITH THE NATIONAL THEATER AS AN ACTOR.
WHEN I GOT BORN AGAIN IN 1987, I LEFT THE FIELD AND WENT BACK TO MY VILLAGE WHERE I VENTURED INTO POULTRY AND FISHERY FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS.
IN 1997 I WENT BACK TO LAGOS TO JOIN NOLLY WOOD, AND IN 1998 I DID MY FIRST DIRECTING PROJECT TITLED SONS AND DAUGHTERS. THAT SAME YEAR, I WAS CALLED TO ASSIST IN DIRECTING THE FILM KING JAJA OF OPOBO AS THE 2ND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. THIS MOVE BROUGHT ME BACK FULLY INTO NOLLY WOOD.
AFTER KING JAJA OF OPOBO, I DECIDED TO SETTLE IN ENUGU, WHICH WAS AT THAT TIME HOME OF MOVIES.
IN 1999 I WAS CALLED TO WRITE THE COMING OF THE ANTI CHRIST. I WROTE AND ALSO ASSISTED THE DIRECTOR SIMI OPEOLUWA. THAT SAME YEAR I WROTE CONSPIRACY 2 AND LAST BURIAL 2, THAT WAS WHEN I GOT A FIRM FOOTING IN NOLLY WOOD AS SUCCESS CAME MY WAY.
LATER, I DISCOVERED OSITA IHEME AND CHINEDU IKEDIEZE, THEN WROTE, PRODUCED AND DIRECTED AKI N’UKWA FOR KASVID PRODUCTIONS. A MOVIE THAT TOOK NOLLY WOOD FROM RITUALS TO COMEDY.
THAT WAS HOW I KICK STARTED AS A DIRECTOR PRODUCER AND WRITER.
NOLLY
WHAT WHERE THE CHALLENGES YOU FACED?
AMAYO
FIRST IT WAS GOING BACK TO THE INDUSTRY AFTER I LEFT IT FOR A LONG TIME. MY FRIENDS WERE VERY RELUCTANT TO HELP. I WAS GOING FOR AUDITIONS AND STUFFS LIKE THAT TO MAKE SURE I FIND BACK MY PLACE.
ANOTHER WAS STARTING IN THE MIDST OF COMPETITORS AND CONFIDENTLY STANDING BEFORE THE ALREADY MADE NAMES THAT WERE SEEING ME AS A BEGINNER. BREAKING THROUGH THE ALREADY EXISTING CLIQUES THEN, WAS ALSO NOT A FUNNY ONE.
NOLLY
CONSIDERING YOUR NUMEROUS JOBS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO NOLLY WOOD, WE WILL LIKE TO KNOW THOSE YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TRAIN OR MAKE THROUGH YOUR JOBS AND POSITION.
AMAYO
THE FIRST PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE MINDS OF PEOPLE AT SUCH TIMES ARE OSITA IHIEME AND CHINEDU IKEDIEZE, APART FROM THEM, I HAVE MADE AND TRAINED OTHERS IN BOTH ACTING AND DIRECTING, THE LIKES OF NONSO DIOBI, OBY IKECHERE ONE OF THE FEW FEMALE DIRECTORS WE HAVE IN NOLLY WOOD, TO MENTION BUT A FEW, NO ONE MAKES PEOPLE. EXCEPT GOD WHO USES US AS A MEDIUM.
NOLLY
WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS
AMAYO
I HAVE A DREAM TO LEAVE AN INDELIBLE MARK IN NOLLY WOOD FIRST, THEN BEYOND. I HAVE LOTS OF FANS WITHIN AFRICA AND BEYOND. I WANT TO AFFECT THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH CONTENT OF WHAT I DO.
I DREAM TO ESTABLISH A CENTRE WHERE PEOPLE WILL COME TO DISCOVER THEIR POTENTIALS AND GET ARTISTIC KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE A LIVING. I ASPIRE TO BE ONE THE LEGENDS OF NOLLY WOOD.
NOLLY
IT IS BELIEVED THAT YOU ARE MORE OF A COMIC DIRECTOR THAN OTHER AREAS.
AMAYO
COMEDY IS A VERY SERIOUS BUSINESS, I TOOK TO COMEDIES AND TRADITIONAL STORIES NOT BECAUSE I AM MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THEM, BUT BECAUSE I FIND IT MORE CHALLENGING. MOST DIRECTORS GO FOR GLAMOR BECAUSE THEY FIND IT EASY OR NOT TOO CHALLENGING. I HAVE DIRECTED COMEDIES, EPICS AND GLAMOR. THE PYTHON IS NOT A COMEDY FILM, SO ARE OTHERS LIKE WRONG IDENTITY, DIED TO SAVE, ZOZA, SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO MENTION BUT A FEW.
IN EVERY COMEDY, THOUGH THEY LOOK UNSERIOUS, THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL OF SERIOUSNESS IN IT, IF IT MUST ACHIEVE ITS AIM. IT IS NOT EASY TO MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH, ESPECIALLY IN NIGERIA. AND I THINK THAT IS WHY MANY DIRECTORS RUN FROM ITS CHALLENGE.
NOLLY
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
AMAYO
THE WORD OF GOD
NOLLY
YOUR WORD FOR THE YOUNG.
AMAYO
BE CONSISTENT, PATIENT, HARDWORKING AND FOCUSED
NOLLY
WHERE DO YOU SEE NOLLY WOOD IN 5 YEARS?
AMAYO
BY THIS TIME, NOLLY WOOD WILL BE WELL STRUCTURED AND THOSE WHO ENDURE DILIGENTLY, CONSISTENTLY AND PROFESSIONALLY WILL REAP THE HUGE BENEFIT.
