Filmmaker builds creative hub

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A Business Administration graduate, Ayorinde Oladimeji, has carved a niche for himself in Nigeria’s creative industry after switching from the corporate path to filmmaking.

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Oladimeji, who is now a cinematographer, editor, drone pilot, project manager and creative entrepreneur, began his journey into filmmaking when he enrolled at the PEFTI Film Institute to receive professional training.

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His dedication to editing earned him the Best Graduating Student in Editing award at the institute.

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However, rather than totally abandoning his academic background, Oladimeji stated that he has incorporated the business knowledge acquired at university into his work in the creative industry.

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According to a statement he shared with Saturday Beats, the combination of business and creative skills has been instrumental to his career.

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Creative projects, he noted, involve budgeting, planning, team coordination, meeting deadlines, managing clients and delivering quality results.

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In 2019, he founded Shot By Thai, a media and production company through which he has continued to provide services spanning cinematography, photography, editing, drone operations and live production.

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Since then, his portfolio has expanded to include projects involving brands, such as Nigerian Breweries, Empawa Africa, Dangbana Republik, Retro Lagos, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Soakers, Nomase Nigeria Limited, Twins Faja Nigeria, Obimzy Property and Tomi Raje Construct.

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Meanwhile, his ambitions now extend beyond working behind the camera.

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He noted that he is developing a creative hub designed to provide a space for photographers, filmmakers, content creators, artists, brands and other creative professionals to produce and develop visual content.

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The proposed hub is expected to provide infrastructure for photography, filmmaking, content creation and other creative activities, while encouraging collaboration among professionals in the industry.

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According to him, the project is informed by the need for more accessible and professional creative infrastructure in Nigeria, particularly as the country’s creative industry continues to expand.

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His transition from a Business Administration graduate to a filmmaker and creative entrepreneur reflects an increasingly unconventional career path.

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After graduating in 2015, he entered film school in 2017, emerged as the Best Graduating Student in Editing, founded Shot By Thai in 2019 and subsequently expanded his skills into cinematography, drone operations and project management.

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His planned creative hub represents another phase of that journey, as he seeks to move from building his individual career to creating opportunities and infrastructure for other Nigerian creatives.

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