Embassy TV Series will expose the uncomfortable truth about traveling abroad – Seun Akinseloyin
- We sat down with talented movie director, Seun Akinseloyin, to talk about his new project, Embassy TV Series, which will expose the uncomfortable truth about traveling abroad and save many people.
- He told us how the show is somewhat a Surulere production because the writers and most of the cast and crew members live in Surulere. The show was also mostly shot on locations within Surulere.
- Embassy TV Series will start airing on DSTV Africa Magic Showcase, and it’s sure going to break grounds. Enjoy.
Please introduce yourself
My name is Seun Akinseloyin
What is your expertise?
I am a filmmaker, I direct, I edit and I shoot but basically, I am a film director. I have directed feature films including Oluronlowomi, which premiered at the Silverbird Cinemas. It was produced by Asake productions. I also directed Amongst Us TV series showing on several cable channels, in and outside of Nigeria. I also have a couple of music video direction credits to my name.
Tell us about your new projects
Embassy is a television series. We just wrapped up the first quarter which is like the first 26 episodes. It is a show about two travel agents. They went through different hurdles of life trying to help their clients get travel documents and the entire traveling process basically.
What about the producers and writers- the crew members that worked on the project?
Well, I will start with the producer, we call him ‘Gentle’. He happens to be a good friend of mine. He called me one day and said to me, “Seun I have an idea, I want to do something about traveling. There are a lot of stories about people who travel”. I thought about it and was like this is actually new. Nobody has done anything like this on Nigerian TV. He said he wanted writers, so I said I have two people- Lekan Mejigbedu and Michael Osuji.
I contacted them and discussed the idea and they were interested and excited because it is a new twist in Television. So, they got onboard. Then we started getting some of the crew members, including the Director of Photography.
In all… we didn’t have all the money but we had to bring in the best hands to make sure that at the end of the day, we come up with something really fantastic.
I understand that some of the top crew members are Surulere indigenes
Yes. I live in Surulere, I work in Surulere. Michael Osuji lives and works in Surulere. Lekan Mejigbedu also lives in Surulere. The crew members are mostly resident in Surulere. Directly or indirectly, this is like a Surulere project. Aside from some of the actors who live outside but one of the major actors Paul Obazele lives in Surulere and a couple of other people too.
So who are the stars in the Embassy TV Series?
We have Okey Uzoechi and Ayoola. Okey has done a couple of projects like “Something Wicked”, “Battle Air”, “Africa Magic Battle Ground” and a couple of other productions. Ayoola has taken part in a couple of African productions. We have Paul Obazele; we have Nifemi Richards, who played the role of the Otunba. Nifemi is actually a very old hand. For those who used to watch TV back then, there was a TV show called “I Need to Know”, Nifemi played Funke Akindele’s father alongside Caroline King.
Which fresh talent should we expect to emerge from this project?
Well, there is a couple of talented emerging actors in Embassy TV Series, and I am so happy to have worked with all of them. Since you want me to mention only one person, then I’ll say Olive Amaechi. I think she’s going places.
This is actually the second time I’ll be working with her and I can tell you for a fact that the energy she brought on the project was on another level. For the fact that the character she had to play is actually an older character than her real age. I think she is my revelation for this project.
What moral lessons should people expect from the project?
The original Idea behind Embassy TV Series was to make a family-oriented TV show. You know, a show that transcends every human being or every person- be it a market woman, a trader, a banker, a lawyer or a doctor. It is a show that everybody can sit down and relate with because you would always find a character that is like you or someone you know, whenever you watch.
We have amazing characters in Embassy TV Series, thanks to the brilliant minds of our screenwriters; Lekan Mejigbedu and Micheal Osuji. These top quality and highly experienced Nigerian writers did justice to the story idea and crafted out an exciting plot, interesting dialogue, and a compelling narrative.
Another major reason for this show was to actually encourage, educate and entertain people and let people know that traveling abroad is not the ultimate.
I also love the way we spotlight the fact that people do a lot of awkward things just because they want to leave the shores of this country. So the primary lesson is that we can all stay here together, in Nigeria, build this country and succeed.
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When and where is it showing?
For now Embassy TV Series is premium content on DSTV, which will start showing on Africa magic showcase, from November 2018. We hope that by next year, it will start showing on our terrestrial TV stations, like SilverBird, AIT, TVC, etc.
What should we expect? – Action, Romance…
Like I said earlier, everything!!! There is a lot of action in it, there is a bit of romance, a bit of love. We are hoping that Embassy TV Series gets bigger in the second season, so we can further educate and inform people on the ugly side of traveling abroad no one talks about.
Read Also: She Left Me And I Wrote A Song About Her – Smilez Milliyan
What are you having in the Pipeline- what’s next in your plan?
My next project- I’m currently working on a cinema film. We are still on the idea stage.
So why do you love Surulere?
One word! It is central. I don’t see myself living anywhere else. I just love Surulere- the ambiance. It doesn’t make you lose yourself. You can be a big boy, be broke or be normal. This place keeps reminding you of the reality of life and you can still enjoy yourself.
Below are some of the other works of film director, Seun Akinseloyin.
