Sound design in film is concerned with creating and manipulating sounds to enhance the mood and overall atmosphere of the work. The term is often used interchangeably with sound editing, a concept that refers to the arrangement of already existing sounds instead of creating new ones. Being essential elements of filmmaking, sound design and sound […]
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Sound design in film is concerned with creating and manipulating sounds to enhance the mood and overall atmosphere of the work. The term is often used interchangeably with sound editing, a concept that refers to the arrangement of already existing sounds instead of creating new ones. Being essential elements of filmmaking, sound design and sound editing encompass sound effects, mixing, Foley sound, dialogue and music. The sound designer is a technical/creative artist who is in charge of the sound post-production stage of filmmaking.
Here we examine five sound editors and sound designers making waves and rocking the contemporary Nigerian film industry.
Kolade Morakinyo
Kolade Morakinyo is a sound designer and film composer who has worked on a number of Nollywood projects, radio and TV commercials, including critically acclaimed feature films like Funke Akindele’s Battle On Buka Street, EbonyLife’s Blood Sisters, Tope Oshin’s Here Love Lies, Xavier Ighorodje’s Shanty Town, Ayo Makun’s Merry Men: The Yoruba Demons, Femi Adebayo’s King of Thieves and Funke Akindele’s Omo Ghetto: The Saga. He also worked on short films such as Fine and The Reunion. Skilled in aspects like composing, dialogue editing, sound design, foley recording and final mixing, Morakinyo often has to collaborate with other technicians and filmmakers towards the audio post-production of Nollywood projects.
Grey Jones Ossai
Grey Jones Ossai is an award-winning sound specialist and sound designer. His expertise spans music composition, sound design and audio post-production. A sought-out name in the music and sound unit of Nigerian film and TV productions, Ossai believes in using music and sound to enhance visual storytelling. He has worked in different capacities on popular Nollywood projects like Day of Destiny, My Village People, Progressive Tailors Club, Far From Home, Blood Vessel and Breath of Life. He was nominated in the Best Sound Design category of the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) for his work on Blood Vessel and Breath of Life.
Ava Momoh
Since 2007, Ava Momoh has been involved with composition for film and television. Also a sound designer and an audio post supervisor, he remains one of the sought-after experts in the modern Nigerian film industry. Momoh is associated with projects such as Kofa, The Johnsons, Over The Bridge, It Blooms In June, and Criminal, serving mostly as a composer. He is also the Creative Director of Sound Effects Music Productions, a sound engineering company that has collaborated with several instrumentalists, composers and music producers.
Kulanen Ikyo
Marking his debut as a film composer in Kunle Afolayan’s film October 1, Kulanen Ikyo rose to become a successful composer and sound designer in the modern Nigerian film industry. The Benue-born award-winning film composer and sound designer is also known for his work on Lionheart, Blood Sisters, The CEO, I Do Not Come To You By Chance, The Trade, The Black Book and Oloture, among other Nollywood projects. In 2015, he won the Best Sound Design category in AMVCA for his efforts in October 1 and received a nomination in the same category a year later for his work in Road To Yesterday.
Anu Afolayan
Anu Afolayan is a sound editor and composer that got into the business of film scoring and music production through his brother, Kunle Afolayan, who is one of the most successful filmmakers in the modern Nigerian film industry. He started with observing and learning from Kulanen Ikyo, a film composer and sound editor. In his career, Anu Afolayan has worked on films such as Roti, Tribunal, The Bridge, The CEO, Aníkúlápó, Citation, Swallow and Mokalik. The height of his achievements is winning the 2023 AMVCA prize for Best Sound Editor.
