Mobile Filmmaking and Storytelling With Students In Nigeria with Shola Ajayi Episode 19

Shola Ajayi is from New York and she worked with youth organizations in New York teaching people how to tell stories. That work inspired Shola to be the person she is today and her work with the UR4Africa organization. Shola’s father worked in Lagos in Nigeria and growing up she would visit him there during summer vacations. After college she moved back there for a year and she struggled at first because there were many things about living there she was not used to. One day, she made a decision to go to film school and tell stories about Nigeria. She then went back to Nigeria to make a film for her thesis project. That’s when things began to really inspire her because the entire community offered its support to her in order to make her film. There were many challenges to make her film including intermittent power supply and other issues. But she was able to overcome them thanks to the community’s support. But also, young people were really curious as to how she was making her film. That experience was what inspired UR4Africa. Her thesis project turned into something bigger. Shola traveled back and forth from New York to Nigeria and soon decided to work in Nigeria full-time. Her story and her experience is definitely worth listening to her explain the work of the organization, their mission and goals and how and why they decided to get involved in mobile filmmaking. The program launched last year, in 2017. Shola talks about creativity with storytelling with film because with limited resources troubleshooting and creativity are a must. This episode is very informative about storytelling in a community and how some communities with the least resources can make mobile filmmaking work for them to share their stories with the entire world. You can reach Shola in the UR4Africa organization at team@ur4africa.com. Be sure to mention SBP Podcast or something referring to our podcast in the subject line so she doesn’t miss your email. Website for their media content: www.UR4Africa.com Website for the Youth Program: www.publicartafrica.org Twitter, Instagram and Facebook: @PublicArtAfrica and @UR4Africa SBP Links: Patron Bonus Podcast Episodes and Festival Ticket Discounts on Patreon: http://patreon.com/sbppodcast SBP Podcast Blog: http://sbppodcast.wordpress.com SBP Podcast Website: http://sbppodcast.studio International Mobile Film Festival Website: http://internationalmobilefilmfestival.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/sbppodcast Twitter: http://twitter.com/sbppodcast Susy Botello on Twitter: http://twitter.com/susybotello © copyright 2018 S. Botello Productions™. All rights reserved.