EXCLUSIVE: why i prefer lighting in film productions- Francis Okolie

The Ace Lighting Director who knows his onions in film and TV production, Evang. Francis Okolie has disclosed why he preferred to light in productions.

In an exclusive interview with Gospel Film News, Francis Okolie popularly known as F.A noted that the truth of the matter is that a production without light is a dead production, illustrating that it’s just like closing one’s eyes and begins to work around.

‘’You have to open your eyes, the room must be lighted.  If production is dark you can’t get anything, the camera cannot work, and you cannot act. So, lighting is the backbone of production,’’ he stated.

The professional Light Director who has worked on several productions both secular and gospel recalled that It was Kolade Segun-Okeowo that influenced his interest in lighting, saying then there wasn’t anything like lighting, it’s just general when they started productions, adding that he actually started like that. 

He continued: ‘’It was not lighting alone, I’ve done so many things in film production, i’ve done continuity management which is called script supervision, i’ve done production management, i’ve done so many. I have directed, assisted in directing. You may be surprised that what people don’t know i’ve done it in production, so, it’s not just only lighting, i just felt for a production to be sound lighting should be first thing and that’s why i just lighted.’’

The lighting professional also spoke to Gospel Film News on showing gospel films in cinema saying there is no big deal in gospel films in cinema, it’s an addition, it’s a plus when a gospel film gets to cinema. 

F.A stressed that sometimes there are criteria in cinema and if a gospel film can meet the criteria before they can accept it as cinema film then one should know that the producer has really done a great job physically and spiritually. 

‘’So, if a gospel film goes to cinema it’s a plus for us in the gospel world and i see no big deal about that,’’ he concluded.