He made this known while speaking on National Television, JJC revealed that he felt “too old” for the high-energy demands of the music scene, which prompted his transition into filmmaking.

“As far back as I can remember, I’ve been shooting music videos. Even my We Are Africans video, I shot that myself. But after doing African Gang in 2011, I realised I was getting too old for the young scene, so I knew it was time to evolve. I packed my bags and moved into Nollywood. I was very passionate about telling stories,” he said.

JJC, who ventured into filmmaking in the early 2010s, admitted that despite his success in the UK, he had to start all over again in Nigeria and faced significant challenges breaking into the industry.

“I was a JJC, newbie. I didn’t grow up with most of the filmmakers in Nigeria, so it was like, ‘You want to enter our space?’ Some doors were closed. There are gatekeepers at all levels,” he explained.

The filmmaker credited actor Deyemi Okanlawon and actress-producer Funke Akindele for supporting him when others were hesitant to give him a chance, saying they believed in his talent and encouraged him to push forward.

On the challenges of cinema culture in Nigeria, JJC lamented the poor revenue share filmmakers receive from ticket sales, describing it as “horrible.” He added that Nigerian filmmakers must step up their game to ensure audiences get value for their money.

“I’ve even had to market my film with a promise of refunds if viewers weren’t satisfied,” he revealed.

Source: Channels