Every week, The Culture Custodian grants you an all-access backstage pass into the lives of Nollywood rockstars. You get to learn about their fascinating backgrounds, the behind-the-scenes stories, and more. This episode features production designer and art director, Okechukwu Nwankwo (Captain Frost).
A sociable and charismatic person, Nwankwo easily made friends in new environments and took up leadership positions in social groups. He had a soft spot for football and divided his time between sports and academics while he was studying at the University of Calabar. In 2012, after graduation, he had a chance to meet with a filmmaker through which he got to work on his first Nollywood project, Half of A Yellow Sun, as a runner.
In 2013, he struck a working relationship with EbonyLife after serving as a swinger and set dresser on the production of Ojos in The House, and soon relocated to Lagos where he pursued an active career as a production designer and art director. Since then, he has served as an assistant art director on other EbonyLife projects like On The Real, Royal Hibiscus Hotel and The Wedding Party 2, and Art Director on Tosin Coker’s Lara and The Beat, Niyi Akinmolayan’s The Set Up, EbonyLife’s Chief Daddy 2: Going For Broke, Dare Olaitan’s Ile Owo, Kayode Kasum’s Afamefuna, and BB Sasore’s Breath of Life. At the 2024 edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA), he earned a joint nomination with Kelechi Odu in Best Art Direction for their work in Breath of Life.
This conversation has been condensed for clarity.
What was it like growing up? Are there experiences from your formative years that inadvertently prepared you for a career in Nollywood?
I grew up in Aba with my parents. I attended a private American school, Dorathy International Secondary School, where I had my primary and secondary education. The biggest thing I wanted to do in life was play football, but it just didn’t materialize. My parents didn’t want me to travel abroad because they knew if I went there I would completely neglect my studies and chase my dream to be a footballer. So, I went to the University of Calabar where I was more of an athlete and scholarship student. In the university, I was under the care of one of my uncles who they told to keep an eye on me because I was gregarious and easily mingled with people.
What prompted you to pursue a career in production design and art direction in Nollywood?
One day, I went with a friend to an audition and was just chilling in my car when a guy walked up to me and asked if I was a student. I told him I had just finished school and was trying to find my way in life. He told me that they came for a movie shoot in Nigeria and asked me a few questions about what the director does and what the art department entails, and I tried answering to the best of my understanding. He invited me to work with them on a project that was my first film, Half of A Yellow Sun, where I served as a runner on set and chaperoned for Andy Newton. Then, EbonyLife came to Calabar and I applied to work with them, with the likes of the late Biyi Bandele giving their recommendations. The art director, Mr John, who came from the UK saw me and felt I should be an art director instead of just being a runner. I did The Ojos In The House with him, did a few other films, and then he left the country.
What was your first art direction gig, and how did that further impact your career?
My first art direction gig was Life 101. After that, I came to Lagos where I did The Wedding Party, gained the attention of the guys at Inkblot, and got called to another set. I decided to leave Calabar and move to Lagos where I started getting more jobs as art director, production designer, and set designer.
Do you have any qualifications and training that have been helpful to your career?
For me, training is best when it’s experienced. I have worked with several sound producers and good art directors, and I ask questions a lot. When I make mistakes, I am always willing to learn. My biggest way of learning is from people who are doing the job, but I go for masterclasses and training and use YouTube for research.
Can you talk about your skill set as a production designer and art director?
The first thing is understanding spaces and how spaces work. I also have to understand the character and the story to correctly build the space.
After getting notified to work on a project, what steps or plans do you make?
The first thing I always do is to demand to read the story. Then I demand to talk to the director because our visions must align. I ask questions about the production because I want to be in a comfortable work environment. I also find related stories to help my research on the project. I like to take two to three weeks to study the script, after which I start to form a team of people who know the kinds of places mentioned in the script. After that, I do a lot of paperwork, breakdowns, and drawings.
How do you reconcile creative differences with the director?
Some directors are naturally collaborative, and they always want to listen to you. They want to try something new and interesting. But sometimes, it’s okay for me not to want to be part of a project because I don’t think it is the right direction. Everyone’s creative ideas do not have to match. Ultimately, the director is the vision of the film, and I have to submit totally to what he wants.
In a situation where the budget is below the cost to execute your ideas, what do you do?
In film, we create relationships. I have a good relationship with Inkblot, for instance. You can meet a production company and they tell you they have a particular budget. That’s where you involve relationships and collaborate on how to navigate the ideas creatively and work within the budget. There are instances where the filmmakers do not have the money yet they want a very big film. In that case, you simply say “no” to the project when you cannot find a creative way around it.
Are there professional ethics that specifically apply to production design and art direction?
Of course. You have to understand call times. The art department personnel are always on set before everyone else. Nowadays, producers give us a day or two to prepare for the location. You also have to learn to plan your budget and manage people’s money. Phone calls are also not allowed on set. You have to treat people with respect and align with what the director wants.
You have worked on different projects, among which are The Set-up, Chief Daddy 2, Ile Owo, Afamefuna, and Breath of Life. Which of them do you consider your most challenging project, and why?
Breath of Life and The Wedding Party. These are jobs in which everything was from conceptualization. Money was not the main focus. The focus was doing a very good film and working from scratch. The Wedding Party was my first big Nigerian film and my second or third ever. It was also my first time in Lagos. We were at Eko Hotel for like five days where the wedding scene was shot.
Have you experienced creative blocks while on set? If so, how did you manage the situation?
Yes. I am not a magician. But I can’t afford to be in that block for long because we have limited time to film. What I easily do is to ask for support from my friends like Isioma who is also a producer.
BB Sasore’s Breath of Life is critically acclaimed for its production values. It’s no wonder the film won the Overall Best Movie category and received a joint nomination with Kelechi Odu in the Best Art Direction category at the 2024 AMVCA. How long did you spend working on the set, what was the overall experience like?
The planning stage took over three months. BB and Eku were very particular about pre-production. We often came together and had luncheons, and I would watch different movies that we were trying to mirror. Kelechi was the art director with me on that job and he’s very good with colors and history. We kept on gathering ideas for weeks. It was during this production that I had my first ever train ride. We decided that Lagos would not work for us because we couldn’t find a house that matched the set. So, we kept going to Ibadan back and forth.
Who do you consider your mentors in your profession?
Isioma, my friend, is a good mentor of mine. And there’s Naz who I always go to when I need ideas.
Do you have a long-term goal or any project idea you would like to execute as an art director?
I would like to work in Hollywood someday and I also want to direct my films.
Are you currently working on any projects that you don’t mind talking about?
It’s a commercial but I am not at liberty to talk about it.
