An appraisal of cinematography technique in select Yorùbá films

Abstract

Visual storytelling is a deliberate and highly technical form of storytelling that involves a lot of arts, crafts and techniques as well as specialized professionals in different fields. It is impossible to contemplate the film phenomenon without dissecting the art of visual storytelling – cinematography. This technical demand may be the reason scholars have written sparsely on cinematographic technique in Yorùbá films. Therefore, this paper interrogates the art of cinematography in Yorùbá films to ascertain their technical reliability. Using the historical-analytical method, and relying on the canons of Mascelli’s 5Cs of cinematography (2005), the study examines Yorùbá film cinematography through Camera Angles, Continuity, Cutting, Close ups, Composition in selected film. These films were purposively selected for their popularity, artistry, and technical fidelity and were subjected to theatrical analysis. From our examination, it is apparent that Yorùbá films are shot on high quality digital equipment as any film tradition in the world. Furthermore, films with good literary design and professional cinematographers enjoy better cinematographic quality compared to the movies with improvised scripts. This is due to the exhaustive script development stage and the pre-production planning. Better planning and higher technical knowledge lead to better visual storytelling. This study also finds that cinematography technique of Yorùbá films as a nuanced form of art that enriches the cinematic experience and preserves the cultural heritage of the Yorùbá people through vibrant visuals, dynamic camera movements, strategic lighting, and thoughtful framing. It is recommended that camera and film professionals should get more training in cinematography to improve the use of filming techniques for more dramatic storytelling in Yorùbá films. Finally, technology has helped the industry to be more dynamic and it is important that this explosion of technology should couple with a lucid understanding of our culture in order to improve industry output.