Afrigather Whenever you hear that Donald Tombia wrote or headed the writing group for a film or collection, you possibly can immediately anticipate suspense, intrigue, and a well-put-together story devoid of plot holes. Nevertheless, the good author has solely been writing screenplays for 5 years. He set a five-year objective earlier than shifting to screenwriting and determined to stop if he didn’t hit the mark. It’s protected to say that followers can anticipate extra brilliance from him as he has matched his targets, and a few might even say he surpassed them.
Donald has at all times had a eager thoughts for creation. As an solely youngster, he typically received misplaced in his creativeness, creating alternate universes and worlds. He was an artist in each sense of the phrase – studying completely different comfortable expertise like drawing. Nevertheless, when it was time to select a subject of examine, he discovered himself within the sciences.
After learning Electrical Electronics Engineering at Igbinedion College and getting his masters in Forensic Computing and Cyber Safety from the College of Bradford, it was solely logical that he would construct an illustrious profession in cybersecurity. Nevertheless, the artwork lover in him begged to be set free, and he discovered it troublesome to seek out fulfilment regardless of making some huge cash. So, he by no means let his artsy aspect die.
He began a prose weblog, Sleeick Tales, in 2011. The origin story is quirky, however nobody tells it higher than the originator. “Whereas in search of a job after ending my Masters in 2011, I began sending out every day devotionals on my BlackBerry. It received a number of traction. I might clarify the scripture in a novel means representing on a regular basis life, and it was once quick. I keep in mind a good friend reaching out to me to encourage me to maintain the devotionals on a weblog so I may at all times confer with them. In my computer-only weblog, the devotional was three traces. I knew I couldn’t put it out like that, so I made it longer. The primary one I attempted to make longer turned a narrative.”
He ran that weblog efficiently for 3 years till it affected his earnings in 2014. He had gotten a job that helped him earn lots. However, the weblog was a distraction, particularly after he acquired a promotion to supervisor that 12 months. In his phrases, that call made him weep. He mentioned, “In some unspecified time in the future, I couldn’t stick with it. So, I made a decision to close it down. However after I did, I wept. I sobbed like a child.”
That robust response was his first indication that storytelling is perhaps extra essential than working with computer systems. The break didn’t final lengthy. He resumed running a blog quick tales in 2015 with Sleeick Tales. He describes the strikes as “his spirit at all times in search of fuller expression. It was a soul-deep satisfaction to create a narrative from scratch.”
In 2017, he determined he wanted extra methods to inform tales, particularly one which could possibly be manifested visually. Spurred by his good friend and fellow author, Xavier Ighoroje, he took a category with the Head of Manufacturing, West Africa, MultiChoice, Victor Sanchez Aghaowa, on screenwriting. Then, in 2018, he took award-winning filmmaker Chris Ihidero’s Story-Story workshop.
He began writing on Africa Magic’s Ajoche in 2018. Donald describes the times between 2017 and 2018 as his stress cooker 12 months. He stored his tech job and would work on it throughout official time, pack it up proper after closing time and immerse himself in studying about writing. At this level, he was sleeping in his workplace, pulling every day all-nighters, and consuming as a lot information as doable about writing for TV or display.
“I name what I did ‘the load of my time’. Between 2017 and 2018, I’ll go to the workplace and work until 5 or 6 pm. Everyone goes residence, and I keep within the workplace, working. By this time, I’d swap from tech to storytelling and writing by studying and watching movies all evening. I had a rest room in my workplace, so I’d bathe between 4 and 5 am. When my colleagues return by 8 am, I’d get up, brush my enamel, and begin the day. You possibly can’t preserve that form of routine for some time and never stand out,” he mentioned.
By December 2018, he determined to utterly quit working in tech and focus squarely on creating tales for the large display. On the time, he had simply completed engaged on Ajoche. He met Tunde Aladese, who launched him to Nkiru Njoku, the top author for Tinsel. He started writing on the extremely acclaimed collection in 2019 and continued effectively into 2021. Curiously, as he moved to full-time writing in 2018, Donald whetted his urge for food for multi-dimensional storytelling by working with Revolutionary Comics. Nonetheless, his time on Tinsel was all of the motivation he wanted to dive headfirst into screenwriting.
It was inconvenient to maneuver from tech. Donald shared, “For the longest time, my dad and mom didn’t perceive what I used to be doing. It was robust round me as a result of I had a household, however that was additionally one of many main propellers. I didn’t wish to remorse my determination 5 years after leaving my job. So, I had 5 years to get to a degree of Mastery the place I’m commanding the kind of cash I might have if I remained in tech. This stuff have been driving me. So, it was not sufficient for me to be a very good author. I wanted to be the billionaire inventive. I despatched out emails to completely different individuals, pitching myself. By 2019, I began writing for Tinsel, and my household began understanding what I used to be doing.”
Later, in 2019, the previous techie leapt from writing for a TV collection to writing his first characteristic movie, Pressure. Uduak-Obong Patrick directed the movie, whereas Benjamin Abejide Adeniran, by whom Donald had gotten the prospect to work on the undertaking, produced it alongside Oluwatoyin Adewumi. The movie gained the Finest Worldwide Movie 2020 award on the City Movie Competition in Miami, USA, and the 2021 Finest Screenplay Movie on the 2021 version of The African Movie Competition (TAFF).
2019 would come to be a defining 12 months in Donald’s screenwriting profession. That 12 months, he wrote 4 different movies, three of which have been launched and acquired excessive commendations. His YouTube undertaking, The Philosophy Of Demise, produced by Lilian Afegbai and launched in January 2023, now has over 157,700 views.
He additionally wrote Shanty City alongside Xavier Ighorodje that 12 months. The movie clinched 11 nominations on the ninth Africa Magic Viewers Selection Awards. Donald additionally wrote ‘Introducing The Kujus’ that very same 12 months. After its November 2020 launch, it acquired 4 nominations on the AMVCAs, for which its solely win was for ‘Finest Author in a Film or TV Collection’.
Yearly since 2019, Donald has gotten author credit in varied collection. He was the Story Editor for Enakhe in 2020 and one of many writers and later Story Editor for Dilemma in 2021. He wrote Covenant in 2022, and the present acquired quite a few praises from viewers through social media. His YouTube collection for Ndani TV, AfroCity, additionally premiered in 2020. Donald wrote the second season, which has over 113,000 cumulative views.
He has writing credit on two of the newest TV collection on Africa Magic. He is likely one of the good minds behind the highly-acclaimed Slum King. Produced by Chichi Nworah and directed by Dimeji Ajibola, the story follows younger Edafe and his traumatising life story to turn out to be the Slum King, MAJE. The collection has acquired excessive reward from MultiChoice executives, movie critics and actors alike for its good storytelling. It airs each Sunday on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv ch. 151) at 8 pm.
In the meantime, Masquerades of Aniedo has viewers spellbound with its intricate story a couple of village boy, Muna, who is decided to earn his neighborhood’s respect by changing into the Nice Masquerade of Aniedo. The present airs each weekday at 8 pm on Africa Magic Showcase. Curiously, Donald’s movie, ‘Massive Guide of Lies’, produced for Speed up TV, additionally airs each Thursday at 9 pm on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv ch. 151).
He shared concerning the reveals, “I’ve Slum King and Masquerades of Aniedo on air proper now. They can’t be any extra completely different. Whenever you hear that each reveals got here from the identical particular person roughly across the identical time, you might be like, ‘Oh s***.’ So, Slum King is a gritty story that begs individuals to die. That is the story we’re telling – slum, medication, sh** is occurring. Nevertheless, the Masquerades of Aniedo is ready in a quiet neighborhood. The individuals dying are essential within the story’s trajectory. The tales decide what will get to occur.”
As anticipated, the author is already engaged on some initiatives that shall be launched in 2024. Nonetheless, he’s permitting himself to get pleasure from watching his work on TV, being deliberate about interacting with the completely different present’s followers and basking within the glow that he met and surpassed his preliminary five-year goal.
However that doesn’t imply he’s resting on his laurels. Donald Tombia has massive desires and won’t relaxation till he sees each come to fruition. “The subsequent part for me could be pivoting into producing my work. I wish to be completely satisfied. I wish to be worshipped as a God and king as a result of that’s storytelling – you’re creating. I need the celebration, worship, lauding, accolades, and flowers. Give the individuals who have created the reveals you like their flowers as a result of it brings individuals collectively. That’s what I imply by worship.”
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