00:00Like, check, this is where the camera is facing. Let's lit for this face.
00:03No, you're lit in for, see people, you're lit in people.
00:07Being a cinematographer as a lady in Hollywood, I don't think I see it as a challenge anymore.
00:13I think it's just me trying to just work on making sure whatever project I work on,
00:18I make sure I lay a very good foundation for whoever is coming,
00:22that they know that, oh, if Nora can do this and execute the brilliance,
00:25they can trust other women that are also coming into the game.
00:28So I try to make sure, like, I get these things right.
00:35In Nigeria's thriving film industry, Nora Awolowo carved out her own path.
00:41In a space where women behind the camera are overlooked,
00:44she's risen to the top as an award-winning filmmaker.
00:48But she started out with a phone.
00:51So I started cinematography because I got bored of photography.
00:54I needed something in the same, like, spell field that I found interesting.
00:58I see the photography, though, but I try to make sure it's something that interests me,
01:02something that I love.
01:03It's different from what I've done before,
01:05because now I'm trying to, like, prioritize, like, my passion and interest more over money.
01:09Well, I think what cinematography has taught me is collaboration
01:12and how knowing that you cannot do it alone.
01:15You are working with, like, different people.
01:17So every time there's a challenge or something,
01:19it is temporary, in my opinion.
01:20Like, in Nigeria, there's a problem, no, they finish.
01:23That means there's always going to be a problem,
01:25but just see it as a temporary problem that is going to go.
01:28When the result comes out, nobody even remembers, like, all of those problems that you face,
01:32then you realize that it's actually a face.
01:35Nora's journey has been fueled by curiosity, passion, and a healthy dose of determination.
01:41Her first teachers were online videos.
01:44First of all, I learned from YouTube,
01:46and there are people that are actually sharing their ideas and knowledge on these platforms.
01:50I try to make sure I watch a lot of movies.
01:54When I see something that I find very mind-blowing,
01:56I go check, like, a BTS of it.
01:58I try to watch a lot of behind-the-scenes content.
02:00How did this person get this? How did the cinematographer get this?
02:03I also try to imitate what you've also, like, learned from all of these things.
02:09According to recent reports,
02:11only 4% of top box office cinematographers are women.
02:15In Nigeria, Nora Awolewo stands as the only female cinematographer at her level,
02:21collaborating with global giants like FIFA, Sony, and Canon.
02:25Her relentless drive has helped her reach new heights.
02:29The most mind-blowing experience that I've had in my career over the years
02:33is getting flown by brands to do stuff.
02:36It's so exciting knowing somebody just pays your ticket and say,
02:39oh, we want you on our project, and you're flying around the world.
02:41I enjoy traveling so much.
02:43And it is exciting knowing that girl that did not have this kind of opportunity.
02:49And now working with, like, big brands like Sony, Canon.
02:52It's big!
02:53Because we have about 200 million people in Nigeria.
02:56And being selected and saying represent the country at certain stages,
03:00global stages, I think that's very huge for me.
03:02I went on to also win, like, a prestigious AMVCA award in Nigeria.
03:06Like, that's an Oscar in Nigeria.
03:08So, every time I see that award in my house,
03:11that just solidified, like, all the artwork I've put in over the years for me.
03:16Nora Awolewo's journey is a beacon for every dreamer.
03:20From a cell phone to screens across the world,
03:22her work is a testament to the power of persistence.
03:26I mean, that's my company, that's my baby.
03:31We have Red Circle coming out.
03:32That's my first executive produced film.
03:34The sky is not the limit for me.
03:36We're literally just starting out.
03:37It is a whole long journey, and we're ready to also journey through this
03:40and churning out, like, great results, great content.
03:43Yeah, Nigerian stories to the world.
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