C.J. Obasi may be a first time feature filmmaker, but with an Africa International
Film Festival win already in the bag for his zombie film Ojuju, something tells us he
doesn’t regret leaving a nine-to-five IT job behind him…
How did you get into the movie business?
I still can’t say if I’m really in the movie business yet. I mean, I’m a filmmaker,
sure enough. But I just made my first complete feature Ojuju, and even that hasn’t
been released to the public yet, as it is still on festival rounds. Previously, I was in
the ICT sector working a nine-to-five job, but I wasn’t too happy or fulfilled doing
that. I had nightmares about waking up 10 years into the future, with the nice
house, and the wagon, and the 2.5 kids, and the cushy job with health insurance,
but hating my life. That was enough reason for me to quit and pursue film.
Which filmmakers have influenced your work?
Over the years many directors have come to influence my work, as well as affect
how I view film as an expression. I would say my oldest and strongest influence
would be Martin Scorsese. I like how he is such an artist and a film connoisseur,
and coming from such a deep and layered background in film, he is able to marry
that art with a coolness and a freshness that’s almost always commercial, and yet
isn’t. I have always admired David Lynch for being able to articulate dreams and
visions through film. Also, Alejandro Jodorowsky for the same reason; as well as
for being such a core spiritual and elevating film to that almost God-like medium –
something I will always aspire to as a filmmaker. I would also mention Sam Raimi,
being that the first two Evil Dead films were probably my earliest introduction into
the horror film genre, back when I was still in nursery school and I would hide
behind the walls when my elder siblings were watching late night movies. I’ve also
been influenced greatly by Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, Ousmane Sembene,
the Coen brothers and Wes Anderson.
If you had an unlimited budget, what movie would you make?
I would make a trilogy about a character and story I’ve been developing for almost
10 years. It’s a supernatural story involving a man, demons, angels and
mythological creatures.
Which five film characters would you invite to a dinner party?
I would like Ferris Bueller and Stanley Ipkiss (if he brings his Mask) because they
would just be the life of the party. Tony Stark because he’s awesome. The Dude
because, he is well, The Dude and Sid – Quentin Tarantino’s character in Sleep with
Me, for stimulating party conversation.
What inspires you?
The cliche: everything. Life. People. Conversations. Air. Dreams. Nightmares. Art.
Paintings. Films. Books. Animals. Everything.
If you could play any famous horror movie character, who would it be?
Easy. Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th series. Because he’s been to hell and
back. And he never speaks. But I’m probably not big enough.
If your life had a soundtrack what songs would be on it?
Radiohead – You and Whose Army?, Kid Cudi – My World, Lupe Fiasco – The
Coolest, Dropkick Murphy’s – I’m Shipping Off to Boston, Malcolm McLaren –
Soweto, and a gazillion others.
What was the best and worst part about making Ojuju?
The best part – learning so much and meeting new and dedicated people, who I’ll
probably be indebted to for the rest of my life. The worst part – having to
compromise so much of the vision for a reason a simple as: lack of funds.
What does the future of film in Africa look like to you?
The future of film in Africa is looking really great. I know that in the coming years,
we’re going to see very fresh and innovative takes on genre filmmaking from all
over the continent; we’re going to play a bigger and more significant part in
contributing to world cinema; and we won’t be ignored so much anymore.
What projects are you working on now?
I’m currently on pre-production for my crime-gangster thriller titled O-Town. It’s a
part fiction, part semi-autobiographical; as it takes on some of the crime stories I
knew and heard growing up in Owerri, a small town in south-eastern Nigeria.
What is on your filmmaking bucket list?
To film in more countries and continents. Especially African countries. Shoot a film
on film, at least once. Make one purely experimental film, with no commercial
value whatsoever.
What has been your hardest lesson to learn?
That the term “independent filmmaker’ really means what it says, “independent’.
How would you describe your directorial style? Are you a tyrant or a teddy
bear?
I think I’m neither. I believe being a director works better when you’re able to
strike that fine line of balance. You can’t really afford to do everything in extremes.
You can’t be too nice, and you can’t be too mean either. You run the risk of being
taken for granted and disrespected when you’re too nice, or feared and
unapproachable when you’re too mean.
What do you think would most surprise Screen Africa readers about you?
I can rap.
– Carly Barnes
