JOHNSON DAVIDSON BECOMES TELEVISION PRODUCER

DAIRY OF THE HOOD STARTS SHOOT

Lennox Lewis and Johnson Davidson

Ace music producer, studio owner, voice over guru and superstar actress Lillian Bach's ex boyfriend Johnson Davidson has decided to extend his brand by jumping into the murky waters of television production. The voice and the music maker behind several commercials in the country and brother of action hero superstar George Davidson(Dangerous Men) in a well articulated plan has already expanded his music production studio, located in Eric Moore Close Surulere into a movie making concern with new state of the art equipment to accomodate his production facility. Presently Johnson Davidson who collaborated with Lillian Bach to produce a yet to be released Bollywood/Nollywood flick in India is ready to go on set again to lense a special television series with the working title "DAIRY OF A HOOD"
The series which will be directed by unassuming and multi talented Nollywood Director Reginald Ebere is a story about the lives of many residents of a middle class estate located in Lagos Nigeria, called Jankara Estate

George Davidson in Dangerous Men

In talking with us Johnson Davidson said "...the lives of the residents of the estate is a metaphor and a reflection of the larger Nigerian society. what we want to do is to explore the relationships of a particular group of people who are affected and affect those around them. the intrigues, the fights and quarrels, the love, the betrayals, the corruption, the crime and bigotry x-rays who we are as a people." There are rumors that major Nollywood and music supertars like Sam Okposo, P Square, Sunny Nneji will feature in the soap.

Reginld Ebere(Dre)

On why he chose Reginald Ebere to direct the series amongst a plethora of directors who were considered for the job Johnson said "I have worked with Dre before. he is one of the best writers in the industry and also in the top bracket of directors. but most importantly, he is a visionaire and has the calmest head i know in Nollywood. amongst all the directors he is also ahead of everybody else in understanding new technology and how to deploy it."

The series is expected  to commence shoot in the next few weeks.


                            
YEFON  the movie
Emergent Camroonian movie maker Sandra Kiven Fondufe has concluded shoot on her first feature film YEFON the movie is about the journey of an African woman fighting against traditional laws that have held Cameroonian women down for generations. It's a movie of love, hope, treason and friendship. A film where two friends from opposite worlds fight against all odds to change their lives, and in doing so , they change the world around them. Sahndra who is a Cameroonian actress, an Alumni of the New York Fim Academy and currently resides in LA wrote and co produced the movie.Sahndra befoe now has earned credits in the movie Lost in Abroad. The film which has Nigerian superstar Uti Nwachukwu is scheduled for release in Autumn 2013 by African Pictures International, INC.


CORNERSTONE. THE SOAP

Reginald Ebere (Dre)

Still on Ace Nollywood director Reginald Ebere, it looks like the busy movie maker who only recently gave up his position as Head of Production and Channel Manager on the Infinity Television Station is set to return to location to conclude shoot on the soap Corner Stone. the soap which is an experimental project from the stables of CFI pictures started shoot almost two years ago but was suspended due to quality control proplems. " We did not like the quality of the first thirteen episodes we shot. Almost everybody who worked on the project was a new person in the industry so they did not fully understand what we wanted to do so we had to suspend shoot for a while to get things right. now that a couple of them have gained a little experience i feel it is time for us to continue shoot. hopefully this time i think they can all understand our processes and our style. Much as i ama firm believer in new talent, we still have to maintain and better the quality of teh work we are doing every time we go on set which was the major reason why we called off shoot in the first place." From what we have gathered, cast and crew have been called back into camp in Asaba Delta State and shoot will commence next week.


WHO IS A FILMMAKER IN NOLLYWOOD?

Emile Garuba

by Emil B. Garuba on Friday, July 6, 2012 at 9:09am ·

NOLLYWOOD SCREENWRITER OR FILMMAKER?
I wrote this in reponse to something I read on this blog "NOLLYWOOD'S BEST SCREENWRITERS".

Nice article. Good interviews. But I thought it focused mostly on people who write, direct, and produce their OWN films. What about the screenwriter whose job is to write the script? To forge the building blocks of the movie itself?
I figure the article should be retiltled "NOLLYWOOD FILMMAKERS I ADMIRE" and here's why: No one is just a screenwriter in Nollywood! No, we like to do it all (write, direct, produce, act, sing, edit, distribute, etc.) just like the neighborhood electrician is also the carpenter, plumber, mechanic, and recharge card vendor! Not that there's anything wrong with that, but there are those that are called in for the sole purpose of developing the script based on their expertise and years of experience learning and perfecting the craft of screenwriting that no one else can duplicate 100%. These are the screenwriters.
Yes, we'd all like to be categorized as filmmakers (screenwriters direct too in a sense because the script serves as a guide to the director, editor, sound guy, etc.) but we don't get celebrated as much simply because we live behind the scenes. In Nollywood, I find that one can't be behind the scenes to truly get the recognition they deserve -- it's an economic reality that Nollywood screenwriters aren't balling out of control with mansions in Lekki or trips to exotic lands based off the sale of a script, not like our Western counterparts anyway -- so the more ample title of filmmaker comes into play. The filmmaker title looks, feels, and sounds palatable and well-rounded professionally.
I’d like to read an interview about the screenwriter who brings to life something that wasn’t there a minute a go – something wonderful, thought-provoking and engaging to entertainment and possibly enlighten. I’d like to read about the screenwriter who spent long hours, or days, toiling away in the dark (waaaaaay past their bedtime) to create a thing of beauty that can be transformed into a film, tv series, documentary, or other visual medium to be viewed and shared by all! It’s truly an art form. So as artists, the screenwriter should be celebrated as such! They are out there, RIGHT NOW, staring at the laptop screen, alone, possibly lean and hungry, trying to break through the infamous wall that is the middle of Act 2! We know who they are, and they have no aspirations of being behind the camera or spending time in the editing room or coming up with which music to put on the end credits! Nope, just the script!
There is no real specialization in Nollywood, but rather a perceived one where we say we can do it all. But I’ve met filmmakers who couldn’t write a script to save their lives, tone-deaf they didn’t understand the intricacies of sound mixing or editing, or simply direct traffic let alone a Nollywood movie! So let’s get real – ARE YOU REALLY A FILMMAKER? Can you take all aspects of filmmaking and churn out something entertaining and memorable that’s seen as visual art? Can you make a movie all by yourself? Write, act, direct, edit, produce, and score?
It’s possible. It’s being done somewhere right now! But in Nollywood?
Every film industry in the world plays host to independent filmmakers, and that’s what we are breeding today in Nollywood – INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS! I like that title… it sounds less pretentious than just “FILMMAKER”.
Point is: let’s all do our best within our chosen fields of expertise to raise the standards of Nollywood in general. Filmmaking is a collaborative venture and a sum of many moving parts. My dad keeps telling me that no man is an island, and rightly so. If we were all filmmakers, there’d only be one name on the beginning & end credit list. Also, on the DVD box!
Yeah, good luck seeing THAT film with a cast of ONE – THE FILMMAKER!

Questions? Comments? Insults? Let's hear 'em...