Meji Alabi teaches music video production at Canon-PEFTI Film Workshop

Music video director, Meji Alabi, who is known for his several mind-blowing music videos, including Fever by Wizkid featuring Tiwa Savage, Assurance by Davido and Right Now by Seyi Shay, brought his cinematographer skill to bare, as world-renowned camera manufacturer, Canon partnered Nigeria’s foremost Film School, PEFTI Film Institute to train Nigerians on DSLR filmmaking and music video production, through practical workshops that held from May 6 – 10.

The five-day free workshops, which held the PEFTI Campus, Ajao Estate, Lagos saw some of the best creative, cinematographers and certifiedd Canon trainers, including Andrew Emil from Egypt, Rodney Quarcoo from Ghana, and the award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, Meji Alabi train the participants on some of the latest hands-on techniques in music video production and filmmaking.

Commending Canon for its continued partnership with PEFTI, Managing Director of PEFTI, Abiola Adenuga said, “We appreciate the continued partnership between PEFTI and Canon because we are able to enlighten Nigerians about state-of-the-art equipment and software, which are immensely beneficial to PEFTI students, and Nigerian entertainment industry as a whole.

“Technology has simplified the film-making process; regular training and workshops like this, ensure we remain ahead.”
Speaking on the factors he consider when coming up with the theme for a music video, Alabi said, “One of the main factors I like to consider when conceptualising is simple – I ask myself whether I would watch this again. I feel that if a music video doesn’t make you pull it up – rewind – or want to go back and just watch the whole thing again, then it hasn’t served it purpose.

“Another factor I consider is whether it makes the song better. I feel that music videos should become extensions of the artistes’ songs – take the song somewhere else even more interesting and breathing new life into a song. Music videos are interesting because you are trying to grab an audience’s attention for only about three minutes.”

According to Alabi, he starts with listening to the song of course. “After that, I tend to find a lot of inspiration through imagery – I look at pictures from the internet, magazines,” he added.