My Life In Nollywood: Martini Akande

Every week, The Culture Custodian grants you an all-access backstage pass into the lives of Nollywood rock stars. You get to learn about their fascinating backgrounds, the behind-the-scenes stories, and more. This episode features film editor and post-production supervisor, Martini Akande.

The arts have always been dear to Martini Akande’s heart. In secondary school, his optimal level of intelligence meant he was best suited for the sciences, but he relentlessly found his way to the drama club during extracurricular periods through which he familiarised himself with the world of make-believe. Here his dream to become an actor sprang.

After secondary education, Akande gained admission to the University of Ibadan where he studied Statistics, made meaningful connections with creatives and up-and-coming filmmakers like himself, delved into acting for a while and eventually found solace in film editing. In those days, venturing into film editing, an aspect of filmmaking that blends creative instinct with technical expertise, was a matter of necessity. As he learnt on the job, Akande adopted excellence as his watchword and steadily gravitated towards the mainstream. With a series of short films marking the elementary stage of his professional career, he soon began editing feature films, making immense contributions to notable works such as In Ibadan, Brotherhood, Gangs of Lagos, Christmas In Lagos, Adire, and Nneka The Pretty Serpent.

Akande has been twice nominated in the Best Picture Editor category of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) for his contributions to Brotherhood, a crime thriller film, and Christmas In Lagos, a romantic comedy, both films produced and directed by Jade Osiberu, a recognition that underscores his ability to effectively collaborate with directors and make credible choices that accumulate in the final cuts of films. Outside work commitments, Akande loves to play and watch football, usually taking up goalkeeping duties, visit the cinemas or stay at home to watch films that interest him, and mentor aspiring editors through masterclasses and informal sessions.

This interview with Martini Akande has been edited for clarity.

Ibadan, where you were born and raised, is an ancient Yoruba city with a rich cultural history. One of your films, In Ibadan, which you made with associates Taiwo Egunjobi and Isaac Ayodeji, also pays homage to the landscape. Can you recall some formative experiences of yours in the city, which may have contributed to your artistic development?

I’ve always been quite a bright kid in primary and secondary school. Maybe not top of the class throughout, but about 80% of the time. My dad had a science background, so naturally I went to science classes. I graduated as the best science student in my set. But throughout this time, I realized I was never really drawn to the sciences. I loved the concepts, and I was very good at cramming. I would study just three weeks before exams and still get great results. But outside the classroom, I was more interested in co-curricular activities like drama, music, and entertainment. That’s when I started noticing I was more drawn to the arts than the sciences.

You set out as an actor during which you scoured for opportunities, just before you stumbled on film editing and switched career paths. What informed your decision to prioritize a career in film editing instead?

In university, I still studied a science-related course, but I started acting on stage in church. That’s where I met Taiwo and Isaac. I saw Taiwo trying to make films, and I became interested. Initially, I thought I was going to be an actor. I was going for auditions, sometimes getting callbacks, sometimes not. Eventually, we started making short films ourselves. But then no one was editing them properly. Since I was already making money from event videography, editing weddings, seminars, and workshops, they asked me to take up editing. At first, I thought film editing was another level I couldn’t attain, but I tried. I edited a few short films, showed them around, and people started asking me to edit theirs. At first, I did it free; later I began charging. That’s when I realized how much power lies in editing,  especially bringing images together to make a coherent scene. I became fascinated and started studying film editing: watching YouTube videos, taking masterclasses, and reading. Over time, I forgot that I even wanted to be an actor. I had become an editor.

What was the first film project you edited, and what lessons did you take from that experience?

The first feature I edited was In Ibadan. Being my first feature, I realized how long and demanding a feature film is. For all of us that worked on the project, it was a learning experience on the job. Most of us were under 25 at the time. I had edited maybe 10 short films before then, so I approached it like a very long short film. But I began learning pacing, foreshadowing, and how one scene plays into another, which are things that don’t really come up in short films. I learned how long to stay in a close-up so it pays off later, how to transition from one act to the next, when to bring in the inciting incident, and so on. It was like film school for me.

Speaking of training, you taught yourself editing by watching tutorials and practicing. Did you also take any professional courses or masterclasses to enhance your skills?

Yes, I did. Most were online. I had older editors I looked up to and sometimes sat with them on the job. But I also bought online courses and masterclasses, some of which I still have. Honestly, I would say 60% of what I know came from trial and error, from practice, from making mistakes and trying again. The other 40% came from formal learning like YouTube, books, and masterclasses.

After receiving raw footage, what steps do you take towards shaping the story and refining the narrative to its final form? How much time do you ideally take to edit a feature film?

Ideally, I have an assistant editor who sorts and syncs files, since films aren’t shot in sequence. The assistant organizes everything into folders by scene. If not, I handle it myself. I begin with a rough assembly cut, then move to the first cut, where I influence performance, pacing, and meaning. For example, if the scene is about Femi breaking up with Sade, the real question is: whose scene is this? Maybe it’s more about Sade’s reaction. That determines when to cut to her, how much screen time she gets, and how the audience connects with her. The first cut is my interpretation, which I share with the director. We refine it together until the director, producer, and I agree to “lock picture.” After that, it goes to sound design, color grading, VFX, and music. Editing a feature usually takes longer, but Christmas in Lagos was unusually fast. I started editing the film in February and locked picture by May, which was just within three months.

What editing tools, softwares and techniques do you rely on for the quality of your work, and why?

I edit across three softwares: Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and a third one. But those are just tools. What really matters are storytelling principles. I focus on emotion first. The audience comes to feel something: sadness, anger, joy, fear. That’s why Walter Murch’s six rules of editing guides me. Emotion is always first. Then I cut for rhythm, pacing, and readability. It’s more important to be a storyteller than just a technician.

So Walter Murch is one of your role models? Which other film editors do you look up to for knowledge and inspiration?

Oh yes, definitely. I saw him last year at the Sheffield Documentary Festival. I wanted to take a selfie, but he said no. I still carry that in my chest. But he’s still my hero. Another editor I admire is Thelma Schoonmaker. She edits all of Martin Scorsese’s films. Also Michael Kahn, and the guy who edited Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash. But more than following editors, I follow well-edited films. I’ve seen almost every film that won Best Editing in the last 20 years. It builds my subconscious sense of what editing should feel like.

Among all, which film would you say is the best edited you’ve ever seen?

That’s hard to pick. But recently, I’d say Oppenheimer. Also Top Gun, Baby Driver, The English Patient, and Whiplash. There are many more, but those stand out.

Part of your filmography is an interesting collaborative history with Jade Osiberu on at least three major Nollywood projects: Brotherhood, Gangs of Lagos, and Christmas in Lagos, which one might naturally ascribe to an alignment of creative values. What is the genesis of this partnership, and how exactly has it been sustained over the years?

It’s a funny story. In 2021, Jade reached out to me to edit Gangs of Lagos. At the time, I was busy with a 260-episode Africa Magic series, so I couldn’t take it. By May–June 2022, I was done, and she needed an editor again for Brotherhood. I came on board then. Brotherhood was slated for cinema release in September, and I started editing in July with a rough cut already in place. While working on it, Jade began discussing Gangs of Lagos with me, saying I should also edit it afterward. When we finished Brotherhood, we moved to Gangs of Lagos. That film already had a decent cut, so I just finished it up. After two films, we had a solid working relationship. Later, she called me for Christmas in Lagos, and I joined. With Jade, you’re promised a story worth your time, because she’s very intentional. As an editor, I enjoy working on her projects because I connect with the stories. The trust between us also makes it work. For example, if there’s a big sequence, I might ask about her intention before cutting. She often tells me, “Go and cut it first.” That trust instills confidence in me as an editor. She allows me to interpret scenes my way, then we refine together. That balance is what makes our collaboration special.

With reference to any of your films, for instance Gangs of Lagos which is a crime thriller and Christmas In Lagos a romantic drama, how do you use editing to build tension and emotions while reflecting the peculiarities of a genre and style?

That’s a really good question. Some argue editors should specialize: action editors should stick to action, comedy editors to comedy, and so on. I understand that, but I see editors primarily as storytellers. Our job is to tell the story while factoring in genre demands. For example, in a rom-com, you want the audience to empathize and linger with the characters. Shots may stay longer, giving time for emotions to build, like when Phinny falls for Elo in Christmas In Lagos. Those extra seconds matter. In contrast, action scenes are fast-paced; you wouldn’t edit a shootout like a romantic scene. It’s about knowing what each scene is about and what emotion drives it. Timing is crucial: when a shot comes in and how long it stays. For comedy, pacing is everything. In Christmas in Lagos, there’s a scene where the chef speaks bad French, and the girls laugh. It took trial and error to find the exact cut point so the audience could laugh along with the characters. I also leave a pause after audience laughter before bringing in the next dialogue, so nothing is lost. So the main difference between genres is in the rhythm: the timing, the length of shots, and the emotional beats. That’s how editing shapes tension, humor, and emotion across different styles.

Let’s reflect on two big moments in your career: your AMVCA nominations for Brotherhood and Christmas In Lagos. The first time you got nominated, how did you feel? And how have these recognitions contributed to your career as an editor?

Honestly, I can’t fully quantify its effect on my brand. Nobody has directly told me they hired me because of the nominations. But I’ll say this: I’d definitely rather have them than not. The satisfaction of knowing your work is recognized is priceless. Even though I haven’t won, the nominations mean a lot. They’ve likely been helpful for my brand in ways I can’t measure. More importantly, they give me access and a platform to make an impact. When I started editing, I didn’t even know AMVCA had a category for editors until about five years ago. Never did I think I’d be nominated. So, it’s been surreal, humbling, and deeply appreciated.

You once spoke about AI tools in editing. Since AI is now integrated across industries, including film, there are both opportunities and ethical concerns around fair and responsible use. How do you balance making use of AI while maintaining professionalism as an editor?

I believe AI should improve our work, not replace editors. Globally, regulations are still being developed because AI wasn’t anticipated in most legal frameworks. In the coming years, we will see more guidelines on responsible use. But in practice, we’ve already been using AI in editing for about four years, even before it became a mainstream topic. For me, AI is more of a helping hand than a replacement.

How do you see yourself further evolving and contributing to the future of Nollywood?

Before fully becoming an editor, I worked as a producer and production manager, so I still see myself producing more films in the future. I’ve directed short films, but I’m not sure yet about directing features. One thing I know for sure: I’ll keep editing for the rest of my life. That’s my passion. Alongside that, I’ll definitely produce films, both mine and for others, and continue mentoring upcoming editors. I’m a product of people’s kindness, so I want to extend that same support to others coming up in the industry.