Nigerian film producer Josh Olaoluwa, in an exclusive conversation with The Nollywood Reporter, stresses the importance of balancing creative and business skills in film production, based on his experiences in both Nollywood and Hollywood.
Olaoluwa, currently a fellow in Film Independent’s Project Involve program in the United States, highlighted the need for producers to develop both creative and business acumen.
“When I first started, I was very creative, and the business side suffered,” Olaoluwa said.
To address this imbalance, Olaoluwa pursued additional education. He attended courses at Pan-Atlantic University’s School of Media Communications, where he studied film business, financing plans, and legal structures.
“I’ve done the Red Sea Lab, Torino Film Lab, and now I’m doing Film Independent Fellowship and Global Media Makers,” Olaoluwa said. “In between, I’m still making films because the best way to learn is by doing.”
Olaoluwa emphasized the importance of continuous learning in the film industry. He noted that his knowledge of film financing, paperwork, and legal aspects has grown significantly over the past two years.
“It’s important to assess your career and identify areas for improvement,” he said. Olaoluwa added that he focused on becoming a better creative producer last year, while this year he’s concentrating on understanding film financing, equity, partnerships, collaboration, IP law, and film accounting.
Olaoluwa advised aspiring producers to be self-aware and pursue knowledge in areas where they lack expertise. “You’ll be surprised at how much you don’t know once you start learning,” he said.
The producer’s experiences span both the Nigerian and American film industries. His credits include “Grind,” which debuted at number one on Amazon Prime Video in Nigeria, and “A Sunday Affair” for EbonyLife Studios, which topped Netflix’s Nigerian films.
Olaoluwa’s approach to balancing creative and business aspects of filmmaking communicates the evolving demands on producers in an increasingly global film industry.