Rising Stars: Meet Tolu Awobiyi (lordtanner) of Lagos, Nigeria

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tolu Awobiyi (lordtanner)

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started out as a banker – I spent 6 years (from 2006- 2012) working with Standard Chartered Bank as a Relationship Manager. I had worked in banking because it was the first job I got as a fresh graduate and the banks pay well in my country, hence I stayed there for several years, but as time passed, I felt a growing restless dissatisfaction within my soul. Working in the bank felt like imprisonment. I desperately needed to get out. I had to find something more creative to do. I grew up loving to draw ,write, read, dreaming and loving the arts. Something in me was longing for creative expression.

In 2012, I apply and got a job with Insight Publicis, one of the best advertising firms in Nigeria as a Client Service Manager. This was good at first but in 6 months, I knew this wasn’t it. My job role stifled my creativity and I found myself spending more and more time with the creative teams at the agency than with the client service guys. Something there triggered my longing to make film, to let out my wings and fly. I decided I wanted to be a filmmaker, so in the same year, I resigned and by 2013, I set up my production company LordTanner Studios primarily focused on making films.

In the last 12 years we have gone from a one-man company with a staff strength of over 80 contract staff during productions and stand staff strenght of about 15 in post. We have written, directed, co-produced and produced 10 of some Nigeria’s most notable films, most of which have debuted on Netflix and Amazon for global distribution. Our films include Couple of Days, Tatu, The Bling Lagosians, The Wait and most recently the Artifact to mention a few.

The Artifact, our biggest and most recent production is set to hit cinemas across Nigeria from the 21st of March, the first action adventure film shot on several locations across Nigeria is set to blow away our audiences with its fast paced action chase, set in the resplendent landscapes of Nigeria and a plot twist that includes four kids, some raunchy goons, a dubious senator and a super villain art thief. We are excited to present this film to our teeming youth population and from the feedback we have gotten, they really can’t wait for it to come out.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our journey has no smooth roads in it unfortunately. Making films in Nollywood is hard enough as it can be, especially without the requisite film gear, education, cast or crew skill sets, or suitable budgets to compete with our contemporaries from around the world.

Our environment has no real support systems in the way of equitable funds or grants, film studio infrastructure, skill and training opportunities, economic or tax support systems or even associations that provide basic cover from exploitation. I daresay Nollywood is the headquarters of guerrilla independent filmmaking in the world. We basically bootstrap every part of our creative process.

It is not all doom and gloom. This has it benefits, however, for an independent filmmaker, especially those who have the will to push through all the difficulties we face daily. We make some of the most passionate, most ambitious and most inspiring stories out of Africa. That we can even make these films in the conditions and circumstances we work in at all, is a testament to the never-say-die Nigerian spirit. This experiences force us to hone skills we are not inately blessed with, such that if you meet a good nollywood filmmaker he is an all-round creator. Personally, I have stories to tell that will have most filmmakers from around the world, shaking in the boots for days.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have a personal motivation. I love people around me to enjoy themselves and this feeds into our company motto: En.Joy.Life. In full it means Enter Joy in Life. I believe films give us a chance to dream of a life that is possible. Films are a mirror into our souls, which gives us the opportunity to for us to make micro-changes to our attitudes, beliefs, behaviour which ultimately affects the outcome of our lives in the future. So when we make films at LordTanner Studios our core focus is to tell stories that have the potential to inspire change on the inside and help people make the right choices to elevate their lives.

I am a screenwriter, film director and film producer and I find that all of my talents find full expression across these three key areas. I find I do my best work as as a creative producer, pulling together all the resources necessary to make a story a great film, but I still find that I love to get into the mud, in the actual story creation, which in truth, is my first love and the need to guide the vision I see has me chasing the high calling of directing as an acquired skill. If I love a story, I find the lure to direct the vision of the story is an allure too strong to ignore.

I have been told I tell stories that have very layered meaning, a lot like TYLER PERRY, but my film-mind mentor and all action film director is GUY RITCHIE. That’s he guy I want to tell stories like. I love his pacing and fast paced style but I want to have social impact like Tyler Perry. Wish me luck in merging those two character film types together.

I think what makes me different from others is that I want to tell very entertaining stories that have meaning and leave a lasting impact on my audience.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think passion and tenacity have to be the words that describe it for now. I always tell creatives who ask me this question. If your goal is to become wealthy quick, filmmaking is not the path for you. A lot of creatives are looking to get famous quickly and earn the big bucks early, but for most, 98% of the time this will not be the case.

Filmmaking is for those who are willing to persevere and push through in the face of apparent poverty, repeated failure and circumstances of great uncertainty. To become a success at filmmaking is to never arrive, but to continue to milk and enjoy the journey to getting to a land you do not know. It is a process of chasing dreams and believing every single one will come to pass, without know which will succeed, but acting in faith like everyone in the past did and next one will be your biggest ever.

This, in my opinion, is what is important to any success you may perceive I have. But left to me, I haven’t arrived at success yet.

Pricing:

• Not sure I understand this

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lordtannerstudios.com
• Instagram: Tolu LordTanner
• Facebook: TOlu Awobiyi
• LinkedIn: Tolu Awobiyi
• Twitter: LordTanner
• Youtube: LordTanner Studios
• Other: https://theartifact.ng

Image Credits
All Images were taking by our in house behind the scene team and its the property of LordTanner Studios