‘I used to trade my scripts for film roles’ – Omoni Oboli

Popular actress and filmmaker, Omoni Oboli has narrated how she traded her scripts for movie roles during the early stage of her career.

She said this in an interview, while revealing what inspired her to transition from an actress to a director.

Omoni explained that she realised that her vision wasn’t being brought to life after watching the films, hence her determination to be a director.

“I was trading my scripts for movie roles, I’d say you know what, don’t pay me just give me a role in the film.

“So, I started to do that. But then I will watch the film and realise it is not what I had in my head when I was writing because I write in pictures. I see what I’m writing, so when I’m watching the movie it’s so different.

“Not to say that it wasn’t good because no two directors will direct the same script in the same way. So I said to myself, if my stories are going to have my DNA, then I’m going to have to direct them myself,” she said.

“And it was a scary thought, but then I said to myself, Warri no dey carry lass na. wetin dem get wey I no get? I was like, I will do this thing.

“So I started understudying directors, like I’m acting on set but I am watching the director closely. And I said maybe I need some formal education on this. So I went for a short course at the New York Film Academy,” she added.