Backstory
A group of kids from Nigeria are quickly gaining attention and recognition across social media and from Hollywood for their home-made movies. The 10 person group, ranging from 7 to 27 in age, create short films using their phones to create short films about robots, aliens, and more. The group goes by “The Critics” and have amassed over fifteen thousand followers on social media. The group’s editor and visual effects artist, Raymond Yusuff, explained that they taught themselves to edit, use a greenscreen, and more through watching Youtube tutorials. In 2016, the group purchased the green fabric needed to create their own greenscreens after saving up for a month. Using their new greenscreen, they made their first film, “Redemption”.
Earning Hollywood’s Attention
3 years after their first movie, the group was contacted by multiple American film executives such as Scott Myers, Franklin Leonard, and director of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”, J.J. Abrams. This past year, Abrams and Leonard sent the group filming and editing equipment including gaming PC’s, cameras, stabilizers, and monitors. When asked about the young filmmakers and his generous gift, Abrams said that “Getting them some additional gear was just adding fuel to their awesome fire”. Since then, the group has created over 20 short films and transformed into a production company. Yusuff says that they plan to create more short films and aim to become one of Africa’s biggest multimedia studios.
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