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Monday 11 February 2013


DIRECTOR OF PROJECT FAME AND WHO WANT TO BE A MILLIONAIRE, BAYO ALAWAYE SPEAKS ON HIS NEW MOVIES AND PROJECT.

Bayo Alawiye is a renowned Actor and Director, he’s currently the director of the popular game show ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ and reality show Project fame. The executive editor in Chief of Islanders Magazine Ola Muhammed had a chit-chat session with him recently where he clears the air on why he’s perceived to be proud and why he can’t bend rules as far as acting or directing is concerned. Excerpts…….

 

BAYO ALAWIYE HAS BEEN SILENT LATELY, WHY?

Not really, a lot of people had been asking me this question. I guess we’re in a generation that’s more expectant. Gone are the days you release a movie and relax for like a year or two before you release a new one. I have been cooking lots of stuffs, I shot three movies recently. I’ve been busy doing a lot of background stuffs like you know I direct Who wants to be a Millionaire and Project Fame and I must say these two projects has been taking my time. I’ve been taking my time to ensure that I don’t deviate from the good standards already set by myself based on my previous works in order not to disappoint my fans, family and the industry I represent as well.

DO WE EXPECT THE THREE MOVIES THIS YEAR?

By God’s grace! One of the movies is an English movie; I invested all my life savings on it in fact at some point I had to sell my car before raising money to buy another one. It’s a movie that I’m hoping that it will give me a break by God’s grace. Titled ‘Dark side’ its stars Joseph Benjamin, myself, Ulu Eke, Norbert Young and more it’s my major project this year. It’s billed for the Cinemas hopefully it should Premiere in April and its still opened for sponsorship being a movie billed for the Cinemas you know you’ll need funds. The other two movies were shot in Yoruba Language and they’re both home videos they should be out this year too.

CAN YOU REVIEW THE CASTS IN THE YORUBA MOVIES?

The first one starred myself, Taiwo Ibikunle, Toyin Aihmaku, Dayo Amusa and many others while the second being a matured storyline had the likes of Peju Ogunmola, Remi Surutu, Muyiwa Adegoke to mention a few. I omitted another movie I shot a while titled ‘ Mr. Toaster’ but I had to stop midway without completing it reasons being that my attention was drawn to an Indian movie with a related storyline. I didn’t want people to have the impression that I copied the movie that was why I stopped, now the storyline has been restructured so I should be going back to shoot additional scenes for the movie.

WHICH ONES ARE YOU TAKING TO THE CINEMAS?

Just one. Movies are meant to be shot according to the medium targeted, if a movie is billed for the Cinemas you must ensure that you shoot it to measure up to the standards required. I’ve had an instance where people approach me that a particular movie shot for home video by me is far better than some movies seen at the Cinemas that why didn’t I take it to the Cinemas. I know the required standards for the Cinemas and I won’t want to go for anything less that. Even if it’s a good story does it have the Cinema appeal? These are some of the things that I have to consider, for me I have just a movie going to the Cinemas while the rest are home videos.

RELEASING FOUR MOVIES IN A YEAR, DON’T YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE TASKING IN TERMS OF SALES?

The release would span through the year, it would be structured quarterly. I know some people who release ten movies in a year judging by the kind of standard set by myself it would be difficult for some of my colleagues to invite me for a role. Besides I’m very busy hardly will you see me act in movies though I take part in Movies that interests me once in a while. Recently I played the lead in a movie titled the gods are still not to blame not my movie though; there are few others that I don’t know their titles.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO TAKE UP A ROLE?

Like I’ve always counseled young and upcoming acts, if you can’t afford pay Joke Silva to appear in your movie yet you want her to act, just give her a role that she can’t resist. Any role that will fit and challenge my personality will definitely sweep me off my feet. Some people speculate that I refuse a role that isn’t lead and that’s a big lie. For example I accepted the role of the gods are still not to blame because it was the modern version of the Odewale character, back in school I played Odewale severally in the gods are not to blame. It challenges me because I had played the older versions, I love to play a role that connects with my personality, the one I can interpret and can impact the viewers.

YOU’RE AN ACTOR AND A DIRECTOR WHAT’S THE EXPERIENCE LIKE, ESPECIALLY HAVING TO DIRECT A GAME AND REALITY SHOW?

Frankly speaking I never knew I’ll go into directing a game show not to talk of a reality show, all I had in mind was to direct movies. When the offer to direct the game and reality show came up I had to ponder over it in order to be sure if this is what I want being a drama person. When my boss Mr. Ayeni the C.E.O Ultima studios  invited me I had to understudy a lot in order to understand all it takes to direct a reality and game show. Right now it had structured my life in such a way that I can do this and that, I can boldly say that directing pays me more while acting is a passion. I’m happy juggling both; it’s like playing different roles.

GENERALLY IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE MOVIE INDUSTRY IS NO MORE LUCRATIVE ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF ACTING?

It’s due to the pressure of the environment. I thank God that at the latter part of my schooling I majored in Directing, maybe I foresaw the challenge ahead unconsciously because I was a full time actor on stage. By the time I got to my 300 level I felt there was no need for me to major in acting so I took to Directing, if I hadn’t majored in Directing it might have been very difficult because I know the challenges many actors are facing today. Basically it’s due to the situation in the country, training aside but a lot of people want to be actor today just to be popular. They feel that fame can bring them money or spouse compared to people like us who had the passion. Despite the hardship in the country lots of people aspire to be actors just for the fame, that’s why they accept peanuts from some producers.  I turn down offers that are peanuts, because I have something else to fall back on unlike an actor who has no choice than to accept whatever offer that comes his way. In directing this isn’t the case because I am doing the job because I have a family to cater for am not interested in acting because I want to be popular people aren’t ready to put their foot down to turn down cheap fees. Thank God for the exposures that we have, there are several reality shows that will pay your bill without thinking of drama.

WHAT SPEAKS FOR YOU IS IT THE MEDIA HYPES OR THE IMPACT OF YOUR JOB?

I can confidently say that I’m not where I want to be but as far as I have gone is what I have done. I have seen people who haven’t done much that I have done but are very or fairly popular that they get recognized when they walk into an event while I pass unnoticed. The little publicity that my job has been able to garner is what keeps me going. I have tried as much as possible to step up, I don’t want to be in all productions if I should accept any script thrown at me I might just end up to become some people that I don’t like. I like the steady and slow kind of attitude that I have I want people to speak about my job rather than me creating unbelievable aural around myself that it’s not real. I believe my job actually put me where I am today.

DESCRIBE YOUR PERSON?

Lately I tweeted ‘tender heart, calm outlook and very very over active mind’. When you see me you don’t know what is going on in my mind you might just see this cool guy, moving around thinking am gentle. I hardly indulge in stimulant drinks or smoke because like I said my brain is very active and at the rate it is am scared. I’m not temperamental I’m just a regular calm guy you see and say it’s cool.

CAN YOU SHARE THE JOURNEY TOWARDS YOUR CAREER?

I’m Bayo Alawiye, I was a Science oriented person I was in OSU for three years studying Chemistry and I started writing stories. I gave my first script to Alade Aromire of a blessed memory I was at their office in Otto and  was told that they have enough scripts that they don’t buy stories though I didn’t intend to sell the story to them. The thought of doing my thing just sprang up and that was how I started at some point when I left OSU I felt the need for me to study theatre arts and before then I had joined a group that sharpened my acting skills. When I got to University of Ibadan I started with the diploma programme and was later admitted for a degree programme, I became an actor on stage and a director. My first major project was with Kingsley Ogoro on the set of ‘Widow’ as a production manager. I served in Benue state during our youth service I enlightened my fellow corp members on the prospects of the film industry so they contributed money to shoot my first movie.

CAN YOU MENTION SOME OF THE MOVIES YOU HAVE SHOT?

My first movie was Ija Okan ( Battle of the heart), the second was Ala mi ( My dream) while Richie Rich the third was released last year. I have directed some movies for my colleagues as well they include Aye ore meji, ise to mention a few. I’ve not acted much in movies but I’ve directed well over twelve movies.

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