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Interview with Toka McBaror

Go to:  Toka Mcbaror artist's page.

Tell me when you discovered your love for telling stories.
It started for me in 1998, a friend of mine's father worked for a local television station in Kaduna Nigeria, as a director and an editor. He would take me and his son to his office and gradually I started as a voice over artist for children's programmes. I then graduated into editing. A few years down the line I started learning camera. After the riots in Kaduna in 2000 I made up my mind to learn film making.

What was the first film you made, and are you happy how it turned out?
My first film was Tales of Bante, in 2003. I thought I was on top of the world. I was very happy I thought I made a brilliant film. I had no training of any kind, I was self taught. Thinking about it now makes me laugh, but it was a starting point for me. The mistakes forged me into what I am today.

What part of Nigeria do you live in? Where were you born?
I live in Abuja at the moment but I was born in northern Nigeria. Kaduna.

Talk to me about the film industry in Nigeria, is there a buoyant film industry?
The Nigerian film industry is very complicated. Most of the film makers are independent, but there are too many factions. The industry is growing fast. I can boldly say we have improved technically but we lack proper distribution. Investors are careful not to put in too much for fear of returns. That affects the production value because you may have to cut corners in telling the story. I can't say the industry is buoyant.

How many feature films have you made?
I have directed 22 and been part of over 30.

What does the phrase "Nollywood" mean to you?
Nollywood is just a name Nigerians came up with to identify English speaking home videos. It's our own way of classification.

What is your favourite Nollywood film?
This is a very difficult question. I will say Igodo directed by Don Pedrobaseki. I say that's the best Nollywood film of all time because of the strength of the story. The visuals are nothing to write home about because it was shot on a DV quality, but I still love it anyway.

Why do you think the Nigerian Film Festival is so popular in Africa?
I guess it's the type of stories Nigerian film makers tell. You don't need to be in Nigeria to know whats happening in Nigeria, all you need is a Nigerian film.

Tell me about some of the awards you have won.
It started in 2008 when a movie I directed was nominated for Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction in the AMAA (African Movie & Academy Awards). We didn't win. I then got nominated for Best Cinematographer in ZAFAA awards in the United Kingdom, I won that one. Then in 2011 I won Most Promising Music Video Director at the NMVA (Nigerian Music Video Awards.)

Nollywood is constantly facing issues with online piracy. What are some of the steps the country is taking to alleviate that?
I think piracy is a global threat to the entertainment industry but we have a peculiar problem in Nigeria because no one has been prosecuted so far. People sell pirated materials openly on the streets without fear. Film makers have embarked on several campaigns trying to force the government to do more but it's been the same thing. Not much has been done.

Film making in Nigeria can often be fraught with danger. What was one of the scariest moments you have ever had on set?
Hmmmmmm... my scariest moment will have to be from my last production (Kada River.) We where filming in southern Kaduna. I wanted the actors and crew to feel the impact of the story we were filming, so I took them to the actual place where gunmen sacked a village and all the villagers fled. The village was empty. I heard a gun shot not far from where we were and that moment was very, very scary for me and the crew. I can never forget that day. It turned out that the gun shot actually came from one of the security agents we took there to protect us. He claimed he was trying to scare any potential hostiles.

What is coming up for you?
Kada River is based on true events that took place in northern Nigeria on the 21st day of February year 2000. The movie is based on my perspective: a story about my friend and a girl he loves. It was actually filmed in the area where the events actually took place 17 years ago. This story was what actually pushed me into film making. Thank God I'm able to tell this story now.