A Scientific Boost for RAL Institute

The Leeds Beckett University graduation ceremony is a prestigious event that celebrates undergraduate, postgraduate and research students. The university ranks 960th out of 20,966 in the world, 91st in the UK, and 624th in Europe.

Tunji specifically graduated from the Northern Film School which is part of Leeds School of Arts. The Northern Film School at Leeds Beckett University is considered one of the top film schools in the UK. The Hollywood Reporter named it one of the top five film schools in the world to watch. It took Tunji 7 years to complete his research including making a documentary film with one year lost to the pandemic. He was warmly congratulated and thanked by many African guests for keeping Africa and Nigeria on the map.

Thesis Topic and Abstract

Topic:

Identifying the Cinematography of Nigerian Cinema in the Nollywood Era (From 1992 onwards)

Abstract:

This research investigates the identity of cinematography in Nigerian Cinema or Nollywood from 1992 onwards. The thesis investigates how Nigerian Cinema visually represents itself through the camera lens and examines its style of cinematography to establish whether Nigerian Cinema has a particularly unique visual identity – a ‘look’ and ‘style’. It then explores these questions: If it does, does this pose a barrier to global audiences? If so, how can filmmakers create a visual look that transcends the African diaspora to reach a mainstream audience, and maintain a distinct Nigerian cultural identity?

It is within this framework that part of this investigation involves the creation of a documentary focusing on a range of interviews with five directors of photography, who discuss Nollywood and Nigerian Cinema’s cinematography. A range of articles, books and journals using qualitative research methods are critiqued and their findings considered as part of this investigation. Based on this review of the existing literature in this area, it is evident that the cinematography and visual aesthetic of Nigerian Cinema are yet to be investigated in any depth. Thus, this thesis offers not only a new area of study but also one that looks back at the origins of Nigerian Cinema and its links to Yoruba Theatre and Nigerian schools of art, from the colonial period to the present, to help create an exciting new area of knowledge and study.