Nigerian Directors Shoot Akon’s Video

Source: nigeriafilms.com

The dividends of having a Nigerian at the helm of affairs at MTV base is becoming obvious by the day. Two of Nigeria's finest music video directors - Woody Awah and Kingsley Ogoro -have just enjoyed the break of a lifetime, going to work and study with some of the world's top music video practitioners. The two video makers participated in the MTV base Video Master Class in Accra, Ghana, an event that brought together international stars and video crews with Africa's hottest video directors to share skills and expertise.

The two video makers were the first Nigerians to benefit from this fantastic new initiative, which is a joint initiative between The Ghana Ministry of Tourism, music TV channel MTV base, NYU's Ghana campus and the team of directors and cinematographers working on Akon's new video.

In the coming months, more Nigerian video directors will benefit from this new initiative, as MTV Networks Africa plans to roll out the MTV base Video Master Class to other territories, including Nigeria, by involving other international artists and video production crews.

Awah and Ogoro were handpicked as the only two Nigeria participants in the MTV base Video Master Class, which took place between August 23 and 29 alongside the crème de la crème of the Ghanaian music video industry, including: Gerald OG, Felix Dakat, King Luu, Paa Kwesi, BB Menson, Abraham Ohene Djan, Q de Lust, Abdulai, Ezekiel and Panji Anoff.

All participants attended a series of classes, seminars and hands-on instruction with key members of Akon's own video crew, including director Gil Green (director of videos for Brandy, Lil' Jon, Akon), Producer Martell Rose (producer for Akon, Ben Harper and Lil Flip), Director of Photography Martin Lince and Editor Pierre Verna.

The Workshop wrapped up with the whole crew getting hands-on experience in creating two separate videos : Akon's own video for his new track 'Mama Africa', followed by a new video for 'Kangaroo' - Tic Tac's collaboration with D'Banj.

MTV base cameras will follow the video shoot and Master Class, capturing all the action, for MTV base's 'Making the Video' programme, which will air on MTV base (DStv Channel 88) and on the MTV base block on STV later in the year.

Commented Alex Okosi, 'MTV base is delighted to be involved in this unique project which will give African video directors creative inspiration, an inside track on state-of-the-art video production techniques and hands-on experience of working on a video shoot of this calibre. I am sure that both parties will learn more about the video making process from each other and that the Nigerian vibrant music industry will benefit from this unique interface with the crème de la crème of the contemporary music video industry.