A cinematographer, Prince Bright-Uti, has described his experience working on short films Ijo and Omozi, as Director of Photography, as a pleasant experience in which he was allowed to explore his creativity to bring out the best in both productions. Both films were written and directed by Fatimah Binta Gimsay.
Recall that ‘Ijo’ was selected for viewing at 10 international film festivals in Ghana, Canada, Sweden, and the USA. The film has also won the Best Romance Film award at the Couch Film Festival in Canada.
‘Ijo’ explores grief and love through dance. The short film narrates the story of a depressed man who seeks closure and healing through dance.
Bright-Uti said, “For Ijo, when I got the script and read through, I discovered it was a nice unique story.
“For Omozi, it was a story about a single mother in debt trying to leave the country. However, things take a bitter turn where she has to choose between her dream and her daughter.”
He added, “Fatimah was the director and writer for both. Fatimah is easy to work with. She gives you the DP time to think and explore to achieve shots you both would like. She gives you room to do what you want to do and also do what she wants as the director.”
Bright-Uti said that a director of photography (DP) and a cinematographer are the same role, and the terms are often used interchangeably. Both titles refer to the person in charge of a film’s visual style.
“A cinematographer’s role is central to shaping the visual storytelling of a film. On a short film, this can be particularly challenging and rewarding due to the condensed nature of the narrative and the need to maximise impact within a limited timeframe,” Bright-Uti explained.
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