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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