Rotimi Salami: Industry challenges made me a filmmaker

Weekend Magazine: How successful has your plan to team up with governmental bodies to promote your movie ‘Omoye’ across Nigeria been? Rotimi Salami: It’s yet to be accounted for as successful, but there’s a move on that already. There’s ongoing discussion with the Lagos State government to finance the community screening. With the help of […]

Weekend Magazine: How successful has your plan to team up with governmental bodies to promote your movie ‘Omoye’ across Nigeria been?

Rotimi Salami: It’s yet to be accounted for as successful, but there’s a move on that already. There’s ongoing discussion with the Lagos State government to finance the community screening. With the help of private bodies, we were able to do a couple of community screenings, which of course is nothing compared to what we need to do. However, we are still hoping that we will get some money. I know that sometimes it’s quite difficult for young filmmakers to get grant or support from the government, but then I want to believe that it isn’t a yardstick for us not to get support. Domestic violence cannot be over flogged, and if you make a film for the masses, you should find a way to get it across because that is the message you want to pass. Many of them couldn’t go to the cinema to watch it because they don’t have that privilege and lack the money. That is why we came up with the community screening plan and we are hoping it will be a hit. 

We did one screening in Abuja, which was successful. But we would have wanted something bigger than what we did. We had to cut our coat according to our material. 

WM: You played the role of Femi in ‘Omoye’. What usually influences your decision to be part of a film project? 

Salami: A lot of things. Before now, I hardly had any reason because I was simply scouting for opportunities. It’s only when I am called upon or I go for an audition and I am being picked. I don’t tell them the kind of role I want to play. Every moment was an opportunity for me, whether it was a good story or not, but when my career started to grow, I began to make choices. Now, I have rejected a couple of scripts because they aren’t good stories. I appreciate every effort for intellectual property, but then the brand keeps growing and I can’t be caught doing just any movie. With ‘Omoye’ I was able to choose the character I would play because I happen to be the producer. I knew what it took for me to play that character. I was however sceptical because I didn’t want a film that people would start picking apart. I believe that when you make a film, people should see it to the end. Some people hated me for that role, thinking that I played it too well. I see this happening in houses where men batter women and women rain insults, so domestic violence is about the best topic for me to choose as my debut as a producer. It was wonderful.   

WM: You featured in a movie released early this year titled ‘Unbroken’. What was the experience like?

Salami: The movie depicts the life of many young men out there. It shows the level of unemployment in the country. For me, playing the character was like playing out the life of many young men out there. 

WM: You won the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award. Did you envisage that and how did you feel afterwards?

Salami: I never saw it coming. I had been facing many challenges in the industry just like every other person. I faced mine in a different way in that I could be thought to be a good actor and yet too young, but because I am passionate about what I do I take every opportunity that comes. I was in the same category as several celebrities. I happened to be the only unknown actor. I didn’t see it coming until my name was announced. I felt very good. That was a boost for my career and an eye-opener. That was just the voice I needed. 

WM: What inspired you to work on the Comedy web series titled ‘Jack of All Trades’?

Salami: Everything boils down to our society and the struggle of an average young male who thinks ‘if I can’t live, let me at least survive’. In a bid to survive he tries to go into just anything that brings in money but unfortunately if he goes into a profession which nitty-gritty he doesn’t know, he would fail. So, ‘Jack of All Trades’ is about a young man who just wants to survive but forgets that he has to learn and understand any trade he desires to go into. 

WM: When, exactly, did you become an actor?

Salami: I started as a child actor back in primary school. I enjoyed reading a particular Bible storybook. I love anything that is story related. If you want me to get interested in anything, tell it to me as a story and I will be glued to it. I started acting Bible story dramas then and joined the drama club in secondary school where we emerged first, second or third because of my performance. I started acting professionally in 2007. 

WM: What was your first experience on set like?

Salami: It was fun because like every other child, I never believed I would see in person people I saw on TV. I looked at myself and felt good. The very first production I had that went on TV was ‘Shangisha Kingdom’ produced and directed by Ola Razak but the first series that brought me to limelight was Super Story’s ‘Because You Love Me’. I featured in several after that. Many of us who are doing well today featured in ‘Super Story’.

WM: How do you juggle acting and producing?

Salami: I initially only wanted to act. I was going through challenges and at a point decided to get creative in order to remain in the game. That was how I started producing. I had my first production in 2010, ‘Kuti’s Career Palace’, which started showing on TV stations in 2013. It was nominated for Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards in 2010. It was my first series. My first movie was ‘Omoye’. 

While I was producing, I wasn’t getting many acting jobs so I had time to produce but currently, I have a lot of movie productions to feature in. Still, I have to create time to produce because I have productions lined up. 

WM: What would you say is most challenging about being a filmmaker in Nigeria?

Salami: Capital is the only thing that can frustrate your effort and output. For example, if you don’t have finance, you can’t crash a car to make the movie good or get an animator to create animation. So, there’s so much challenge in that area but America didn’t get where it is overnight and Nollywood is also passing through different stages and I am happy to be a part of it. 

I have been working on a Yoruba movie. As a Nigerian actor and producer, I don’t want to be limited in any way regarding what I do. People have asked me to do a Yoruba movie because I am Yoruba. It’s all acting, but I didn’t start my struggle in that line. Now I have gotten a couple of appearances in Yoruba movies.