One thing I’m glad about is never breaking the television as I have always thought. I was just a kid who knew nothing about life. All my aim was breaking my father’s television screen so I can be with the actors. Many times, I wonder; “These people are big but how do they squeeze themselves to fit into the size of the television?” I asked my dad.
“They record and film it before showing it to people,” he said to me but I didn’t understand what he meant by that. I just want to enter the screen, meet my television stars and act with them. Maybe I’ll be one of those children actors.
Twenty years later, I became a big girl. Everything like my baby acts vanished but one thing was still intact. It was my childhood dream. I wanted everyone to see me on their television screens.
Following my dream, I was enrolled into a film school with the aim of getting the opportunity to feature in big movies.
On the first day of getting to the film school, Taiwo Ibikunle, I screamed. That was my first time seeing a celebrity and even having a close contact with one. In the end, the school’s provost, Mr Afinko, also a well known actor as well grabbed my hands and said to me, “you will get to see more of this”.
Lo and behold, I was eager to get more of that and I made sure not to ever miss classes so I can witness the arrival of any celebrity who comes around.
I love my peace a lot and as a single girl who doesn’t have a man, I sleep as early as 8:00 pm and wake up late as well. I was just lazy but took my acting career seriously.
Drrring… my phone was ringing. It was so sudden. No one calls me as early as 6:30 am and when I checked the caller, it was Mr Afinko, the school’s provost. I know I’m still owing the school fees and if that’s what he wants to ask, it’s too early to do that, I thought but picked the call.
“Good morning sir,” my voice sounded groggy. I’m sure he could tell that I was still asleep when he called.
“Hello Bisola, you are to come to the studio with three different dresses today. You’ll be acting in three scenes today,” he said to me. I never liked Mr Afinko because he’s so authoritative. He’s the kind of man who will call you and command you to leave every other thing you may be doing just to attend to him. He’s capable of doing that but that morning, I didn’t complain. It was a dream come true.
I was just a new student and out of every new student, he chose me to be the one to feature in that movie.
I jumped out of my bed and fell on the floor. I almost broke a bone but I’m glad that didn’t happen because if it did, it was going to shatter the dream of going to act.
I got to the studio and felt like a celebrity for the first time. The cameras were on me, I had a body microphone and I was given the respect that every actor on the set were given. It was a happy moment and a dream come true.
“What’s wrong with you? Why do we have to correct you so many times before you get it right. Why are you trying to act classy. It’s either you get it right now or I chase you out of my set,” Mr Afinko, the man who called me to be a part of the movie yelled at me in the presence of everyone.
I was embarrassed. I had a crush but he embarrassed me in the presence of my crush by yelling at me. I was so sad. I think Mr Afinko doesn’t even want to think about the fact that I’m still learning.
I went to one of the free rooms to cry and it ruined the entire makeup on my face.
I tried to be courageous again and went back to the set for my last scene. Truly, I didn’t know if they were all looking at me but that’s what it felt like. I was so timid. I thought he did that because I was a student until someone else experienced it.
He was a veteran actor but wasn’t doing well what the director ordered. He was yelled at too and I got to realize that it is part of the job.
On a movie set, actors may be yelled at too but the thing that made me happy was me being able to feature in the movie. Normally, I wouldn’t tell people what I went through or how it was for me. I’m just going to be happy that they are hailing me for featuring in a movie.
I was able to live that dream and I know there will be more opportunities.
