Uzee: From makeup artist to film director

Usman Adeyemi also known as Uzee is one of the known faces in Nigeria’s movie industry.  He is an actor and filmmaker who started off working as a makeup artist – a skill which won him the 2008 African Movie Academy Awards for Best Makeup Artist for the movie, ‘London Boy.’ He speaks to Weekend […]

Usman Adeyemi also known as Uzee is one of the known faces in Nigeria’s movie industry.  He is an actor and filmmaker who started off working as a makeup artist – a skill which won him the 2008 African Movie Academy Awards for Best Makeup Artist for the movie, ‘London Boy.’ He speaks to Weekend Magazine about his experience making movies and his latest project.

Weekend Magazine: How did you end up in the movie industry and starting as a makeup artist?

Uzee: I came into the industry in 2003 and that’s when I would say I started professionally and as a makeup artist. My passion, dedication and the desire to do greater things for the industry were my motivation to join. This is something I’ve nurtured since childhood. 

A veteran in the industry advised me against starting of as an actor because I wouldn’t make it fast that way and rather encouraged me to go behind the cameras. I went to South Africa for a course in makeup and special effect and returned in 2005. It was after that, I did the makeup for ‘London boy’ and became a household name and one of the most talked-about makeup artists. The movie earned me the 2008 AMAA for Best Makeup Artist. That’s the story from there. I also started my company – Uzee Concept – which is now even bigger than me.

 

VOXPOP: What is your opinion on the published PDP looters list?

In 2010, I began considering releasing my own movie. This made me shift from makeup to producing and it was a success. I shot my first movie in Ghana titled ‘UNDER.’ It featured Atuz Frank, Tonto Dike. That was actually the first movie Atuz featured in, with Daniel K. DANIEL who left Abuja to Ghana. 

I met Ali Nuhu in 2008 and that was the same year he won Best Male Actor in the same movie I won the Best Makeup Artist. He told me then to return to the north and give back to the society because it is where I am from. That was my entry into the Hausa movie industry. I wanted to do something different, not just a regular Hausa movie with a goal to marry both Kannywood and Nollywood. 

So I came up with the script for ‘Wata Sheria’ and brought in Jim Iyke, Ali Nuhu, Ahmed and others. I planned a comedy ‘Oga Abuja,’ incorporating some Igbo concept and the movie came out a mega hit and launched me as a mega producer in Kannywood. Afterwards, I shot ‘MAJA’ featuring Nkem Owoh aka Osofia. Uzee became a household name. I also had another project which I brought in Osofia, and it was inter-religion and inter cultural. It was very thick in terms of how to connect both north and southern part of Nigeria, not only artistically but also in reality. ‘MAJA’ also launched me globally. It also gave me the United Nation Award, the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and many more. From then on, I returned to my first love – acting. I have been doing some movies in Kannywood. My first major movie was in Mike Ezuruonye’s movie ‘Lagos Real Fake Life.’ I also starred in ‘Make Room.’ The movie is not yet released, but it is going to serve as an avenue to judge my acting prowess.

WM: Would you say that Kannywood offers a fair playing ground for both male and females in the industry? 

Uzee: In my opinion, it depends on how one started off their career. If for instance, you start your acting career basically from the north, that would affect you. But for me, I can’t limit myself as an actor in terms of passing across messages to the general public because it won’t be passed thoroughly. The aim of making movies is to pass across messages. The culture and tradition hinder northern women from doing certain things. Women have limitations and this has been brought into showbiz. There’s a limit you can go as a woman in the north as it concerns the movie industry. For instance, Rahama Sadau, exceeded her limits and it caused a lot of problems for her. But she still pushed on because she has a larger dream, because she believes she’s not supposed to be limited to expand her knowledge and expertise in the industry. Today, she’s everywhere. When you go online, she’s one of the most talked-about because of the controversies she has gone through. She was bullied but accepted across the world. Everyone is fighting to have her star in their movies because she is already a face in the industry.

WM: Could you tell us about your recent movie which starred RMD, Alexx Ekubo,Ali Nuhu and others?

Uzee: It’s a movie, ‘Zero Hour.’ My concept is to merge both industries together. There is nothing like Kannywood and Nollywood on a separate note. They are all Nollywood. If you notice, my movies now include people from every part of the country to make it international standard. When ‘Zero Hour’ came up, I had to bring in different actors. Ali Nuhu has good followership. I brought in RMD, who has a global face. Alexx Ekubo who is one of the most talked about right now. I also brought in Robert Peters from the USA to direct the project. So it is a combination of technically sound and actors who are professionals, and have good viewership. Coming in as the producer, I tried to take it global which meant shooting right. Anything I do now, has to be of international standard. That’s why I don’t make many movies now. Shooting a movie that will be watched globally involves a lot of money. 

 

VOXPOP: What is your opinion on the published PDP looters list?

WM: So what are you working on now?

Uzee: It is ‘Make Room,’ a project in Hausa that I want Nigerians to watch. It is based on a true story, a global issue that everybody knows. The movie is about the kidnap of the Chibok Girls, and it’s going to tell the world, what really happened. It would also tell the world we are capable of producing a movie of international repute.