Veteran filmmaker and cinematographer, Tunde Kelani, discusses with VERA ALKALI about his career and current trends in the industry
You have had an extraordinary journey in the film industry. Can you take us through the highest and lowest moments of your career?
You cannot just say the highest moments because that is a jump. I joined the industry at an early age. I had uncles who were already in the industry, but I also grew up in a community in Abeokuta (Ogun State) where I was exposed to different forms of culture and oral traditions.
As soon as I could read and write in Yoruba, I took off from there. Abeokuta is a meeting point of culture, and my experience started from there. I could read to my grandfather, and we learnt English alongside Yoruba. I was able to compare what I learnt from social studies with what I learnt through Yoruba culture.
That was how I started. Later, I went into photography and eventually moved into motion pictures. I was employed by Western United Television, where I was trained primarily as a film cameraman.
