Dr. Princess Ezinne Agwu is the Chief Executive Officer of Royalty Life Studios, a leading film production company in Nigeria. She says she wants to produce films that are relevant and relatable. Apart from being a seasoned film producer, she is a legal expert with more than 14 years of experience, specializing in international law. She is also the founder of Princess Ezinne Agwu and Associates, a prominent law firm in Nigeria.
She is also a fashion entrepreneur with her brand, Royalty Signatures by Ezinne.
In this interview with Ikechi Nzeako, she shares her experience in the Nigerian film industry, and counsels actors and actresses to hone their skills and fulfil the terms of their contracts. Excerpts:
What do you do at Royalty Life Studios?
Royalty Life Studios is a show biz entertainment company which provides services such as movie and music production, beauty pageantry, event management and others.
What was the gap you wanted to fill when you established the company?
I wanted to fill the gap in the entertainment industry with regard to the quality of films that were being produced; my intention was to teach and to also create job opportunities for young people.
When was the company founded?
It was established in 2022.
How has it been over the three years?
It has been quite challenging and it is difficult to break into the industry; but so far so good. The people in the industry like to look down on everyone. They don’t believe anything good can come from you. As God will have it, we didn’t come in small; we came in big and with the right team. We are breaking in and overcoming the challenges.
Can you enumerate some of the challenges you faced?
As I said, people in the industry like to look down on other people; when you call actors and actresses to work for you, even when they are looking at the type of equipment you have and looking at me as a young person, the mindset is that this girl has money and doesn’t know what to do with her money. They are not interested in giving you what you want. They believe they know better. At times, they are too proud of themselves. They walk out on your production set and behave as if they have beef with you even though they are seeing you for the first time. At times, I feel it’s either inferiority complex or the fact that they are upset that you are trying to make it young. Maybe they feel that there are certain levels you should suffer in the industry before making it. Most of them are generally not cooperative. When you call them for a project, they are happy to come but when they come on set and find out that the producer is a new person in the industry, they become uncooperative. This is more prevalent among the young females. Oftentimes the elderly ones are more cooperative, but with the young ladies, it’s as if they are angry; they are ready to abandon your production not minding the financial loss their behaviour will cost you.
What changes need to be done to make the industry better?
People in the industry should be open to learning, relearning and unlearning. You cannot say this is the way it has been and it should continue in that way. There is no particular way of doing things; there are always opportunities for improvement. And they should be willing to adapt to changes. As an actor, you should be able to depict your character well. I cannot call you to act the role of a poor man, for instance, and you want to wear a rich man’s cloth. I like producing films that are engaging and at the same time relatable; actors are used to disappointing people. They do not want to sign an agreement with you. As a lawyer, I know it is important to sign contracts in business so that there won’t be disappointment for any of the parties. You can’t just opt out anytime you like, you should know that there is an obligation to fulfill the terms of the contracts. I don’t think they even read the contracts because if they do, they will not will come on set and misbehave and walk out not minding the cost. I think nobody has sued them, when producers start filing suits in court against them, then they will understand the essence of honouring an agreement.
How do we change stereotypes in Nigerian movies?
In my films, there is always suspense, something new to watch out for. In my films, there is always an improvement even if we are telling a story you feel you already know, we always bring it through an angle you do not know about.
What is your advice to Nigerian young actors and actresses?
They need to be patient to make it in the industry. The first film I made was in 2022 and it is not yet in the market, and I have other two films that are already in post-production. If you really want to make quality films, you need patience and perseverance. You need to keep doing the right thing and keep trusting God.
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