Your idea, their film; An experiment?

Imagine you giving an idea on a random instagram live and in the next 24 hours, a film is made based on your idea!

Well, with Abudu Productions, that is the order of the day. Led by the incredible filmmaker Abudu Shikhuyu , this team is switching up the world of filmmaking in the most exciting way possible. Calling it the pick up film project, every week on Wednesday, they hop on Instagram Live, eagerly waiting for your suggestions on what their next short film should be about. It's like having a direct line to your favorite broadcaster, but way cooler. Their goal is to make 12 films in 12 weeks. 1 week, 1 film. So far they have made 6 films, all available on their You Tube channel.

What makes Abudu Productions so special? It's not just their awesome live sessions or their killer storytelling skills (although those are pretty impressive too). It's their commitment to telling stories that matter to the audience, stories that the audience feel they had a hand in creating. Their films are as diverse and dynamic as the audience that inspires them. Some are pretty hilarious, others are quite unnerving. "Leah is back" is my current favorite. I don't know whether it's because of the twisted end or the controversial plot. I just like it.

But here's the really cool part: when you suggest an idea, you're not just shouting into the void. You're becoming a part of the creative process. You can mention an item, a word, a prop, anything really that you want to be in the story and poof! Abudu and his team come up with a script and shoot a film and the next week on Friday at 4pm, you have a film! Whether you're a die-hard movie buff or just someone with a wild imagination, your voice matters here. And when that idea you suggested ends up on YouTube as a fully-fledged short film, it's like watching your dreams come to life right before your eyes. You can confidently say, "that sick idea was mine guys!"

And let's talk about the community they've built. It's not just a bunch of fans passively watching from the sidelines. It's a tight-knit group of people who love storytelling as much as Abudu Productions does or just feeling like they influenced the storyline. From sharing ideas in the comments to dissecting every frame of the finished film, it's like being part of one big, happy family. And who wouldn't want to be a part of that? After my last edition talking about You Tube and using it as a distribution platform to get other benefits from it, I am glad Abudu is using the red app to develop a community and possibly his catalog. For low budget films, I would say they are doing well for themselves. Getting a whole cast and crew to shoot every week in just 24 hours isn't child play. The consistency as well is something I proudly commend.

Their entire model is something that really piqued my interest. However,it might have its own minor not so minor implications. The uncharted territory of soliciting ideas in real-time raises concerns about potential copyright infringement. As the boundary between inspiration and replication blurs, the risk of inadvertently adopting copyrighted material looms large. A member of the audience might suggest something seen somewhere else. While the approach fosters community engagement and democratizes the creative process, careful navigation of intellectual property rights becomes paramount to mitigate any legal repercussions. This new model of collaboration, while exciting, necessitates a nuanced understanding of copyright law to ensure artistic integrity and legal compliance. I will leave that to Abudu Productions to mull over.

So next time you're scrolling through Instagram, why not drop by one of Abudu Productions' live sessions? Who knows, you might just come up with the next big blockbuster idea. And even if you don't, you'll still be treated to some seriously awesome filmmaking from a team that's changing the game, one Instagram Live at a time. We will revisit them once they've done their 12 films and see what came out of it.

Here is a link to access their content. https://linktr.ee/abuduservices

Signing out,

Gloria Nkatha,

Social media strategist and film critic.