Drikus Volschenk
Head of Acting For Screen
Drikus Volschenk is one of South Africa’s top actors who has worked on over 60 films, television and theatre productions, both locally and internationally. Drikus has starred in multiple award winning productions, alongside world class talent, including Idris Elba and Naomi Harris in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (20th Century Fox: 2013); Beauty (2011)
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, the Queer Palm Award Winner at Cannes Film Festival, which was also the South African entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards; Durban Poison (2013), which won the Best South African Feature Film at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF). He also starred in Dis ek, Anna (2015), which won six South African Film & Television Awards (SAFTAs), and was cast alongside Sophie Okonedo and Sam Neil in, Skin (BBC Films: 2008), the biopic which won 19 international awards. Well versed in the art of theatre and film, Drikus also lectures Film, Television and Screen Acting at the top film schools on the African continent, e.g. AFDA, which has won numerous local and international awards, including the student film Oscar (2013) and several other Academy awards Nominations the past few years. AFDA is a world class institution and member of CILECT, the International Association of top Film and TV Schools globally, representing over 60 countries, which produce 65% of the world’s blockbuster films and TV series. In 2018, Drikus starred in the critically acclaimed dystopian science fiction series alongside Dylan O Brien and Rosa Salazar in the American Blockbuster, Maze Runner: Death Cure (20th Century Fox: 2018). The series is nominated for several awards including BreakTudo Awards (BTDAs) and Teen Choice Awards. In his latest work he stars as one of the leading men in the remake of the iconic SA film Fiela’s Child (SAFTA winner best feature film 2019) and just finished a run at the famous Market Theatre in Johannesburg of Victor Gordon’s Brothers.
JOSEPHINE OBUDO
Head of Sound Recording and Production for Film & TV
Josephine Obudo is a freelance sound mixer with experience in documentaries, short and feature films, television, commercials, and corporate videos. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts and Film Technology from Kenyatta University, with training in competency-based learning. Notable productions Josephine has been part of include: the political documentary,
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Nyandeng (2020 The Whickers Film and TV Funding Award), and the mental health feature film, Lusala (2019 Best Film Nominee, Durban International Film Festival). Other recent productions working on location, post-production, and live: Coke Studio Africa, Sema Nami (TV shows), Midlife Crisis, Salma (features), ICEA LION, Velvex (commercials), Morning After, Coachez (shorts), The Blue Economy, Tatu City (corporate videos) among others. She also works with an array of organizations like UNDP, Unilever, United Action Fund, ESADA, Carrefour, Docubox, LBX Africa, Form ni Gani, East Africa Procurement Forum, Republic of Kenya – President’s Delivery Unit among others. Josephine helps productions; plan and record good location sound ensuring the post-production process is about creativity in sound design and not trouble-shooting. She believes in George Lucas’ famous saying, “Sound is half the experience” and is passionate about sharing her skill set; training film students and practicing filmmakers upscale their knowledge and skills in film/TV sound. When not working, Josephine enjoys going on road trips, bike rides, amateur woodwork, and watching movies.
BABA AGBA
Head of Cinematography & Lighting
Baba is a Lagos, Nigeria based Director of Photography and Photographer. He is driven by a passion to give a voice to African perspectives. He believes in the power of images to shape consciousness and the power of storytelling to realign perspectives and change the course of society.
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Baba studied Cinematography at London’s Met Film School. He has worked on over 7 films to date most notably Farming (Dir: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) which tells the story of a young Nigerian boy, 'farmed out' by his parents to a white British family in the hope of a better future. Instead, he becomes the feared leader of a white skinhead gang. Baba shot additional pick-up scenes for the film on location in Lagos. Farming is slated for release during the second half of 2018. He also shot the Nigerian art house short Brood (Dir: Michael Omonua). Brood was shown at the 47th International Film Festival of Rotterdam (Jan 2018) as part of the BEYOND NOLLYWOOD showcase. He is currently in Post-Production on the Nigerian entry in the Netflix/UNESCO “African folklore, reimagined” series, Hanyan Halima (Dir: Korede Azeeez). Other Nigerian projects he has worked on include the VISIONS anthology by the Surreal16 Collective, The Lost Café (Dir: Kenneth Gyang) which won the Golden Palm at the 2018 Mexico International Film Festival, Cemetery of Doves (Dir: Ade Sultan Sangodoyin) and Ojukokoro (Dir: Dare Olaitan). Baba holds the work of fellow cinematographers Roger Deakins (Blade Runner, Skyfall, True Grit, The Lady Killers) and Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now, The Last Emperor) in high regard. Baba additionally holds a BSc in Economics from Queen Mary, University of London. Past Work: • One Chance (2015) [Web Series] • Erased (2015) [Short Film] • Ojukokoro {Greed} (2017) [Feature Film] • The Lost Cafe (2017) [Feature Film] • Visions (2017) [Short Film Anthology] • Farming (2018) [Feature Film] • A Cemetery of Doves (2019) [Short Film] • Ego – WurlD (2019) [Music Video] • Mad – WurlD (2019) [Music Video] • Wayo – WurlD (2020) [Music Video] • Story – WurlD (2020) [Music Video] • Can’t Come Outside – WurlD (2020) [Music Video] • Stamina – WurlD (2021) [Music Video] • BFD (2022) [Short Film] • The Journey of the Beat (2022) [Documentary Series] • Hanyan Halima (Post-Production) [Short Film] • Nowhere to Be [Documentary] • Born in New York, Raised in Paris [Documentary] Website: www.babaagba.com
YINKA OGUN
Head of The Art of Screenwriting
Born in Sheffield England in 1968, Yinka Ogun studied Architecture before delving into screen writing, and has since emerged as one of the most accomplished screenwriters in modern day Nigerian television.
Yinka came into national prominence in the early 2000’s as the creator of the multiple award winning TV series
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‘Dear mother’, after which he was a member of the writing teams for ‘Doctors quarters’ and ‘Edge of Paradise’ both owned by Mnet (Africa’s biggest TV network), and in between, finding time to pen the Tunde Kelani block buster ‘Abeni’ In 2007, Yinka created the hit show ‘Tinsel’, and spent a year as its head writer, before moving on to other things. In recent times, Yinka has created ‘Daddy’s girls’ which won the 2016 AMVCA award for best TV series, and was story consultant for the MTV base TV series ‘SHUGA 4’. He has also been head writer/co-writer for shows like ‘The Governor’, and ‘Life 101’ and story consultant for ‘Sons of the caliphate’, all for Ebonyife media, for whom he also co-penned the hit romantic comedy ‘Royal hibiscus hotel, the December 2019 Christmas hit ‘Your excellency’ and the highly successful Netflix 'Original' film ‘Oloture’ Yinka has in the past worked and trained on international shows like ‘Binnelanders’, ‘Egoli’, and ‘Generations’ in South Africa. Yinka is the present head of the Screen writer’s guild of Nigeria, and teaches screen writing, storytelling, and most importantly, the art of creating and developing long lasting and engaging TV series, through which he has mentored a lot of the present day screenwriting rising stars, and was one of the final round judges for the Writers guild of South Africa ‘MUSE AWARDS 2020’, as well as a juror for the prestigious Sir Peter Ustinov international television scripting competition 2020 and 2021, hosted by the International Academy of Television arts and sciences (Hosts of the Emmy awards). In September 2022, Yinka was formally elected into the International Academy of Television arts and sciences
VINCHO N’CHOGU
Head of Producing For Success
Vincho Nchogu is a producer with over fourteen years in the TV and film industry. MS. Nchogu has experience producing in East and Southern Africa. She produced Gabriel and the Mountain, 2017 winner of visionary award at Semaine de la Critique, Cannes Film Festival. She has worked in the European and American markets. Vincho Nchogu is a Film Independent Producing Fellow.
DANIEL ORIAHI
Head of Directing
Daniel Emeke Oriahi works have gained theatrical releases, international film festival selections and local and foreign critical mentions. He studied Motion Picture Production at Nigerian Film Institute, Jos and Writing for the Screen at Pan African University, Lagos, Nigeria. Daniel is also a Berlinale Talent alumnus and CEO of House5 Production; a
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Media production company which has produced/co-produced several commissioned shorts, television/online series and films for reputable media companies such as EbonylifeTv, Africa Magic (Mnet), Rok Studios (IrokoTV), Ndanitv and FilmOne Productions. Daniel’s graduating student short film Waiting Lines (2009), was awarded “Best Student Short film” at ION International Film Festival, 2009 hosted in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Daniel’s first feature film Misfit (2013) made official selection at NollywoodWeek Paris International Film Festival 2014 and Berlin International Film Festival (AfrikaMeka Section) 2014. Daniel’s second feature film ‘Taxi Driver - Oko Ashewo’ (2015) was officially the third highest grossing Nollywood film in Nigerian cinemas in 2015 and is available on Netflix. Oko Ashewo also screened at numerous prestigious international film festivals such as Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2016, Bazar/Centre for Fine Arts Brussels and several Ivy League institutions in the United States, namely Yale University, Columbia University and Dartmouth College as a focus study on the emerging style and aesthetics of New Nollywood. Daniel’s third feature film, Sylvia (2016) was an official selection at BFI SouthBank, London UK 2018 and is also available on Netflix. Daniel lives with his wife and daughter in Accra, Ghana.
WAVINYA NGEI
Head of Production Design and Art Direction
Wavinya Ngei entered the world of art in film in 2006 with the advent of Tusker Project Fame in Kenya, run by Endemol South Africa as an Art Department assistant. Since then she has never looked back and has trained in the art department on the job under more experienced designers and by self training. An enthusiasm to learn, a keen eye for detail and
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a natural ability in fine art has seen her join many interesting projects in Kenya’s film industry, and has enabled her to work in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and South Africa. She was a volunteer art teacher for girls aged 7-16 years with Binti Pamoja in Kibera Slum Nairobi where she taught painting, drawing, story writing, sculpture while also learning tremendously from the young girls about the natural talent that distinguished African youth. She is driven by a passion to help bring Great African stories to life as they have never been seen before. During her 15 years working in the film industry, she noted that many young people share the same desire to learn and grow their skill sets in film and that there did not exist many platforms to make this happen. The creation of EbonyLife Creative Academy and the chance to pass on what she has learnt over the years is therefore a dream come true, and she looks forward to welcoming students to this amazing new learning centre.
ADELAJA ADEBAYO
Head of Visual Post Production For Film & TV.
Adelaja Adebayo is a graduate of Mass Communication from the Lagos State University - School of Communication. He graduated with emphasis in Photojournalism and Cinematography. As a student member of the Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN), He received training in various stages of film and television production