Today, we’d like to introduce you to Beatrice Funke Ogunmola.
Hi Beatrice, I’m so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Beatrice Funke Ogunmola, referred to as BFO. I am a filmmaker with great films to my credit. I started with the church and school drama groups. I would come up with stories for our stage ministrations/presentations and be involved in every part of it.
The turnaround came when I was assigned to direct the drama unit for the children’s department of my church; the idea to shoot their presentations and present them as all-children cast short movies came to me. I would write a short story, have rehearsals with my children cast, set aside a weekend for our location, shoot our movie, and that was it. We would use church equipment, use my house and church as locations, and get help from the church’s technical and drama team for shooting and editing.
I would pack my then Ford Explorer full of children, driving them between locations and dropping them off at their parent’s houses at the end of the day’s shooting. It was a whole lot of stressful work, but I always enjoyed and looked forward to it. Shooting with children is hectic on its own, especially as a timer that I was then, but my never-giving-up spirit was always to the rescue.
My passion, commitment, resilience, and love for excellence always make me want to do things better and bigger; these qualities and more formed the BFO that you know today. I am a product of grace. This is not to demean my hard work and great qualities; it is grace that always makes it great.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth? Heck to the no! It’s been rough and hard with several challenges. Time, people, finances, marketing, and all that, phew! Creating a brand from the scratch is difficult, maintaining the brand and ensuring it gets better is even more difficult. But yeah, we keep moving and keep getting better.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a filmmaker – a passionate storyteller, screenplay writer, producer, and actor. I direct occasionally. I have great films to my credit – Love Castle, The Thorns, Ajaku Akata, among others. Love Castle is my first Cinema movie, it was released in Nigeria cinemas in September 2021. And currently showing on Prime Video in the USA and UK territories. The Thorns, directed by Tope Adebayo, and Ajaku Akata, directed by Adebayo Tijani, are both my latest movies; I filmed both at the same time and did their pre/post productions at the same time. It was hectic shooting two films together, phew! The Thorns was released in February 2024 and Ajaku Akata in March 2024. Both films are currently showing on BFO TV YouTube channel. Ajaku Akata is my first Yoruba movie. I started in the English movie sector, but I have always wanted to produce a Yoruba movie, due to my love for culture, this aspiration led to the production of Ajaku Akata. All Yoruba movie lovers need to see that movie. I’ll continue to create English movies, but just like Ajaku Akata, I’ll produce Yoruba movies whenever I feel inspired to do so. It is amazing that both The Thorns and Ajaku Akata are official selections of Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival, TINFF 2024. That is a great feat. We hope to bring awards home at the festival. I tell engaging and suspenseful stories, this makes BFO Movies stand out among others. A BFO movie will keep you glued to the screen from the very first scene. Excellence is my watchword and I pay attention to details; these makes my work even better. In my movies, I lace entertainment with impact. So you’ll always have some take homes from watching my movies. You need to see one of my movies, to find yourself glued to BFO movies. I have worked with notable veterans in the Nollywood film industry, such as Jide Kosoko, Kehinde Bankole, Omowumi Dada, Zack Orji, Femi Adebayo, Desmond Elliott, Lateef Adedimeji, Peju Ogunmola, Late Rachel Oniga, Bimbo Oshin, Baba Aderupoko, Femi Branch, among others. And you know what, you are yet to meet BFO; she is coming real big.
Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
Support me with money. Sponsor or co-sponsor my production(s). I have a structure in place for film sponsorships and collaborations. Collaborate with me on marketing and distribution. This is the most difficult challenge my team and I are facing after financial challenges.
Promote my films. Share on social media. Watch my films and recommend them within your network. Use them in training, counseling, and as reference materials. I have notable works. Above all, pray for me. I need all the grace to make it great.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hopestudiofilms.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beatricefunkeogunmola/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beatrice.f.ogunmola
- Twitter: https://x.com/beatriceogunmo1
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@bfotv01?si=RibKLRZwxueOHv_o
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@bfotv01?_t=8nHPMCVomhK&_r=1
