ALLUMUAH — MOTION DESIGN
Nearing the end of 2019, Duah Francis Boafo introduced me to Curtis Essel , a UK based film maker of Ghanaian descent, who was in the process of directing a film inspired by his culture - our culture, identity and digital creativity. We quickly realized we shared very similar interests and ideas for his film. He then brought me onboard beginning a wholesome collaborative journey.
Allumuah means leader in Nzima and is inspired by the memory of Curtis's own grandmother; an oral storyteller and a great community leader. The film was essentially a challenge thrown to Africans around the globe urging them to reflect on their own lives and revise what they think about their heritage, and subsequently about their 'true self' and 'identity' .
Curtis brought me up to speed on influences that inspired the ideas for the film; identity and duality, escapism and soul searching or reconnection. I was ecstatic when he gave me free reign to generate concepts based on these ideas. These themes sparked the ideation process for me specifically hinging on situations where the duality of identity of some Africans caused them to be seen as too African to be foreign and too foreign to be African, consequentially inciting a yearning for belongingness. This sense of belongingness influences a state of escapism followed by the desire to reconnect to their roots.
I decided early on to embrace an earthly tone sepia haze mimicking the grit and root of early african culture. This was meant to break up any polished look as that would not have fit the story and mood we were aiming for. Also a big play in the look and development was the presence of contrast. In order to accentuate the importance of light and hope, dark scenes were featured with highlights bringing out the shapes of forms and selling the cold void mood of outerspace.
Allumuah was commissioned as part of the No Direct Flight series by Nowness in partnership with the British Film Institute and British Council and has gone on to win the Vimeo Staff Pick award at the 2020 BlackStar Film Festival, selected for the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival as well as Best of Year for the experimental category at the recently ended Vimeo Film Awards.
