‘Ladies calling the shots’ speak on directing experience

Ema Edosio, one of the female directors profiled in Niran Adedokun’s ‘Ladies Calling the Shots’, a book on female film directors in Nigeria, says she received strong opposition from her parents when she decided to venture into directing. 

Edosio disclosed this when she featured on Classic FM book on review.

Adedokun and two other female directors-Ronke Macaulay and Adeola Osunkojo-profiled in the book, also featured on the radio programme.

Speaking on if their career choice was easily accepted by their parents, Edosio described her experience as a “fight”.

“I won a scholarship in Nigeria and that was when the world of film making opened to me. It was a fight,” Edosio said.

“I am from a shielded family. I studied computer science at Ogun state university. It was a fight. My mum literarily cried,…’after six years in the university you want to become a camera man, over my dead body’, and she locked me in the house until someone did a publication on me online, that was when she said there is something here and then she just started letting me.”

Macaulay, on her part said she was already independent before she delved into the directing career.

She, however, said, it takes patience to reap the fruits of job.

“The film making came at a stage when I could make my decisions. So, unlike Emma who had to fight or kick against parental control, there was no such thing. I decided to do I and I went for it,” Macaulay said.

“Film making has become the next thing for me and one of the best things I have ever done. Film making is not glamour, it is a lot of hard work. It is becoming more attractive to people as a career. If you make good documentaries, people will watch.”