TFS Acting Grad Steps Into Spotlight as Host of Upcoming ACCCEF Workshop
Recent Acting for Film, TV & the Theatre graduate Ayomide Ologun-Kolawole will be tackling a brand new role during an upcoming series of workshops hosted by the Afro Caribbean Canadian Cultural and Entertainment Foundation (ACCCEF) – that of a teacher.
“We have six workshops that are going to be happening – acting, directing, photography, cinematography, film sound, and production management,” said the Class of 2021 alumnus, who will be leading the latter-most session.
“Each of the workshops will be really hands-on and led by amazing instructors, who are all willing to impact fresh enthusiasts new to the industry. I know you can’t teach everyone everything in one day, but these workshops will cover all the basics you need to know.”
Presented in partnership with Xphrame Media, the workshops will take place on Saturday, April 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 2256 Sheppard Ave. W. in North York. While training is free, a fee of $20 covers the cost of course materials, refreshments and the certificates that will be issued at the end of the day.
The workshops will take place as follows:
– Cinematography – Instructed by Toronto-based cinematographer, producer and actor Rividu Mendis, this workshop will cover: the definition and an overview of cinematography; required skillsets for cinematography (including information on film technology, analytic skills, creativity, attentiveness, good training, practical skills, communication skills); camera settings and operations; lighting tips; optics/lenses; key tools of a cinematographer; and camera classes.
– Acting – Led by filmmaker, actor, director and music producer Noel Chris, the scope of the session will include acting terminology, general dramatic terminology, acting in practice, methods of analysis, the actor’s warm-up, theatre games and dramatic improvisation.
– Photography – Instructed by Fugar Media creative director Deji Fadero, this workshop will cover the definition and an overview of photography; cameras and lenses; shutters, aperture and their relationships; ISO, exposure and metering; light and colour; lighting, equipment and software; retouching, resolution and printing; photography business and studio essentials and practicals.
– Film Sound – Lead by trained filmmaker, sound specialist, editor and content creator Uyi Brown Amenghasihion, the scope of this workshop will include: What is sound; the importance of sound in production, the breakdown of sounds in a movie (music, dialogue, sound effects, ambient noise, etc); Soundtracks; and a how-to on audio practical sound recording sessions.
– Directing – Instructed by director/cinematographer Akeem Ogunmilade, head of operations at Xphrame Media, this session will cover the definition of a film director; the skillsets required for cinematography (creativity, communication, decisiveness, open-mindedness, organization, etc); camera operations; video editing basics; videography; cinema projection; optics/lenses; tools of a cinematographer; and camera classes and specs that matter.
– Production Management – Lead by TFS grad Ayomide Ologun-Kolawole, who has managed numerous film productions, this session will cover: the seven stages of filmmaking (development, pre-production, production, photography, wrap, post-production, distribution); the seven elements of the pre-production process in film, and the 12 essentials of film pre-production paperwork.
***Register here to attend any of the above workshops***
Ologun-Kolawole, who now sits on the ACCCEF’s board of directors, was first introduced to the not-for-profit organization shortly after graduation when she met its executive director on the set of a project she was working on at the time. She was immediately drawn in by the community-based organization’s mission to promote diversity and inclusion, with an emphasis on Afro Caribbean cultural integration and entertainment in Canada.
A lifelong performer who started acting at the age of six in her native Nigeria, Ologun-Kolawole said she struggled a bit after finishing her studies at Toronto Film School, and that the ACCCEF helped her find her footing.
“At ACCCEF you can meet and connect with people, and see that you’re not alone in this. That’s kind of how I felt in the beginning – like, ‘Nobody’s gonna hire me. Nobody’s gonna give me a job,’” explained Ologun-Kolawole, who juggles her work in film with full-time social work at two GTA-area shelters – one for women fleeing violence and another for homeless men.
“But coming together and meeting people of your kind, who are going through the same kinds of things, it makes you feel better to know there are people there who understand how you feel and say, ‘Let’s do this together.’”
Since graduating from TFS, Ologun-Kolawole has taken on a number of other different behind-the-scenes roles since graduating from TFS, including work as a production assistant, script supervisor, and 2nd assistant director, while also running her own fabric business, La Ropa African Prints.
Currently working as a production manager, her most recent projects include Emmanuel Igboke’s Crosses – a short film that tackles secrecy and how it destroys trust, love and bond in a society that does its best to tear people apart – and a Nigerian-Canadian feature film called Yinka Oyapero.
“I have some nice projects coming up, so I’m really excited,” she said, noting that she’ll be offering internships on the set of Yinka Oyapero to select participants of ACCCEF’s upcoming workshops.
For more information or to register for the ACCCEF workshops, click here, or contact organizers at 647-871-9628 or admin@acccefngo.org
