Co director of Funke Akindele’s Behind The Scenes, Tunde Olaoye, has described the filmmaker as “not ordinary”.
Olaoye said this while speaking on the recently released movie, which he co directed with Funke.
The filmmaker, who has worked on projects such as Jenifa’s Diary and Everybody Loves Jenifa, said Funke stood out from the beginning.
“From the beginning, it was obvious she was meant for the top,” he said. “She’s not ordinary. There’s always something extra about anything she wants to do.”
Produced by Funke, Behind The Scenes tells the story of Deronke “Ronky Fella” Faniran, a successful real estate mogul and mother of two whose generosity earns her widespread admiration. As people around her grow to expect her constant kindness, Ronky Fella gives until she is completely drained, forcing her to confront the emotional cost of self sacrifice.
Olaoye said Funke’s strength as a director lies in her clarity and preparation. He described her as a producer director actor and writer who comes to set with a clear vision.
“Everything is already in her head,” he said. “She just needs your help to realise it.”
He added that this clarity makes collaboration easy, even when Funke is not physically present on set.
“It’s like a mental storyboard,” Olaoye said. “We’ve already seen the scenes before we shoot them, sometimes even before we cast.”
According to him, Behind The Scenes represents a shift from Funke’s previous work.
“It’s an emotional rollercoaster,” he said. “You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll see yourself, and you’ll see someone you know. It’s like you’ve been groping in the dark and suddenly a bulb has been turned on.”
Behind The Scenes was released in Nigerian cinemas on December 12 and has since recorded strong box office performance, crossing the five hundred million naira mark nationwide within weeks of its release.
