IF I ACT NOBODY WILL BUY
THE FILM – EMEM ISONG

Call her Lady Nollywood and you’d be right.
In a male dominated industry, Emem hold the ace as an inspiring entrepreneurial leader who understands the importance of the
creative people and the value they bring to the nation.

Like a few of her ilk, she stepped into a man’s world to blaze a new path and surrounds herself with people who understand the process, discipline. From nobody to somebody, from nowhere to
somewhere and from grass to grace, the AkwaIbom State born Thespian calls the shot at the Royal Arts Academy. Emem in this interview with E24-7 MAGAZINE REPORTER, EMMANUEL OMENE-JOHNSON talked on
various issues as pertaining to her life as a movie producer and Nollywood as an industry.

How would you describe the person EmemIsong?
I do not know what to say about myself. I am just an easy going person. I like to work hard.
What more would the world like to know for that is all about me?

How was your growing up like
I was from a family of three and the first child. I grew up in AkwaIbom State. I come from a small close knit family and my parents were loving persons.

While growing up, what was or were your childhood dream(s)?
I have always wanted to be an entertainer and I think I am getting my dreams fulfilled. I grew up in front of the television. Even as a child I like staring at the screen. I have
always loved the entertainment world. I love creating things so I believe that made me to do what I am doing now. I loved watching TV.

When did this Nollywood thing start in you?
It started in 1994. I went to the Federal Government Girls College, Calabar and the University of Calabar where I studied Theater
Arts. This I deliberately studied since it was closer to the entertainment that I like. When
I left the university, I did my Youth Service in Lagos with the National Theater. I also went
to the banking industry for three years. I made my first movie, in collaboration with someone in 1994. That was with the late
Francis Agwu in an Ibo movie, Jezebel. I wrote and co- produced the movie. But my first major was in 1996, Breaking Point.

You are reputed to be a very private person, why and how have you been able to do this in a very public industry like Nollywood?
It is just the way I am. I do not go to a lot of events except when it happens to be necessary. Apart from that even if I were not in the entertainment industry, I just like to be by myself. I am not an outgoing person. I do not see myself as an extrovert but an
introvert. I rather read; an evening is an evening with my book. I love reading. I read
more than I watch the TV. So because reading was just me and the book, a very private kind
of thing, I really do not like too much going out.

Is that why you hardly talk to the press?
That is not true. I do when it is necessary. But I don`t like to go out of my way. If I`m doing any project for instance, why won`t I
talk to the media to promote my work. If there is really nothing to say, I can`t say anything. I am who I am. When I have a job to
inform the public of I will promote it. Other than that it is my privacy.

With your works been highly appreciated, what differentiates EmemIsong from the
others?
It`s the people that will tell me for I don`t know. If you`re talking about my work and getting the job done properly, may be
because I think as a professional. I do the very best I can to make sure I give out what I know the people would like. For instance I
don`t like to watch shoddy films and I will not make my films like that. I take my time.
It doesn`t matter if I spend all the money and don’t even make a profit, mine is that it
should be good.

Yet some will ask, what is the magic wand?
It is favour. For I really don`t know. I`m sure a lot of people are better than me. But for some reasons people still like my work. Many do but I still see a lot of people there who don`t like my work. I believe it`s true. I
always say that there is something for everyone. I don`t like horror movies for instance but it doesn’t mean that the makers of horror movies are not good. I can`t watch
action movies. I like romantic movies and watch some thrillers some time. So I`ve my
own life and I`ve carved a niche for myself.

If I made a movie and it sold 50,000 copies,
another person made his and it sold 200 copies, it doesn’t mean that I’m not good or the other person is better. I think it does
mean that I could have my own kind of thing. It`s like a cheap body cream from a very
expensive one, where the cheap one sells to the whole public, the expensive one is for a select few.

Do you actually do a lot of acting?
No. I do not act and I can`t act. I believe I can`t act. I did just one scene some time ago, a ‘waka pass’ thing. The reason I did that
was because the person to play the role was absent and I needed to have it done. It was just for one scene. Apart from that I do the
crowd thing. That is not my thing. I don`t think my strong point is acting. If I act, nobody will buy the film.

e247mag.com/if-i-act-nobody-will-buy-the-film-emem-isong/

I didn't know much about about her, but I respect this interview.

Boy, she can talk!
She does a good job as a director, tries to stand out from standard Nollywood movies and her films do from what I've seen.

i was just passing by o wt speed...

Here's someone who knows are "calling". Funny how people go to talent auditions (e.g Nigerian Idols) to embarrass their families.lol

nenergy: Here's someone who knows are "calling". Funny how people go to talent auditions (e.g Nigerian Idols) to embarrass their families.lol

LOL @ disgrace their familieS and "are"(her)calling.
She's one of the few people in the industry I admire and respect.And her movies are sensible and EDUTAINING.