RED SOIL IN SHORT
Soil was accepted to the Aesthetica Short, Norwich and London Film Festivals (LFF). At the latter, ‘it took on its own life’. The film grabbed the attention of a BFI programmer, who lobbied for its inclusion in the 2024 LFF line-up. “We were like, ‘oh shit, that’s way bigger than we thought possible’,” he confesses. LFF represented new territory, as “I’d never directed something that was going to be seen by a wider audience before,” says Ighodaro. Thankfully, “people were quiet when they were meant to be; they were responding and giggling at little things, at the right moments. Everyone said it’s a really good film,” he adds modestly. ‘Always hyper-critical’ of his own work, he expected a smidge of constructive feedback, welcoming the chance to improve his craft. “There’s been none of that,” Ighodaro shares. Still, he’s “confident that it’s in a place where I can say, ‘yeah, that story is done’. I’ve made my peace with it.” With a full calendar for the foreseeable future – including a documentary for the Horniman Museum, a music video for Ella Jinks and two proofs of concept – Ighodaro keeps himself busy. “There’s lots to sink my teeth into,” he summarises; we can’t wait to see what comes next.
Director and DOP Joshua Ighodaro reflects on what filmmaking means to him, and the success of Red Soil WORDS Katie Kasperson
she urged him to avoid taking on every task, proposing Jasmin John as editor, Antonio D’angelo as colourist, Guldem Masa as sound designer and Hollie Buhagiar as composer (Ighodaro’s brother is credited as ‘sound recordist’). Following a six-month stint in post- production, McCallum suggested submitting the short to festivals, which Ighodaro hadn’t considered because ’I was just shooting it for me’. “It wasn’t for anyone in particular,” he admits. Red
oshua Ighodaro isn’t altogether interested in being a director. Though credited as such on his short Red Soil , his passions lie
primarily in cinematography and visual storytelling. “I’ve always loved creating images,” he reveals. “Whenever I read a script, I’m always thinking about visuals.” Ighodaro’s career in camerawork began about ten years ago. He’s since worked on a whole slate of projects, from features to short films to music videos. Red Soil departs drastically from anything he’s done before, as it centres around his grandmother’s funeral. He describes it as a cinematic experience, allowing him to explore Nigerian cultural customs while understanding himself and his grief. Using a Bolex 16mm camera and shooting just six rolls of film, Ighodaro served as both DOP and director. His friend AK McCallum acted as producer;
LIFE IN TECHNICOLOUR Stills (below and left) from Red Soil, Ighodaro’s short film chronicling the funeral of his grandmother
45
definitionmags
Powered by FlippingBook