# Robert O. Peters

Robert Peters sometimes credited as Roberts O. Peters is a Nigerian film producer, director, cinematographer, actor, and occasional voice-over artist. He is best known for directing the 2014 Nollywood breakout movie 30 Days in Atlanta, as well as the movies Shades of Attractions (2015), Boxing Day (2016) and A trip to Jamaica (2016) which featured: Ayo Makun, Ramsey Nouah, Richard Mofe Damijo, Vivica Fox, Dan Davies, Lynn Whitfield, Eric Roberts, Paul Campbell, Funke Akindele, Karlie Redd, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Desmond Elliott, Rasaaq Adoti, and Chet Anekwe amongst others.

## Early life

Peters was born in Sabon Gari, Kaduna, Northern Nigeria and is the second of eight children. His parents are Lawrence Adagba and Comfort Peters. He is of Afemai descent and hails from Ososo in the Akoko Edo local government area of Edo State.
Peters began his formal education at St. Gregory Primary School in Kaduna. He attended the University of Jos Nigeria, where he studied Geology and Mining.

## Career

Peters began his career as an actor in Nigeria in the 1998 movie Mama Sunday, and went on to play the role of Paul in 2002 in the daytime series Everyday People created by Tajudeen Adepetu. In 2004 he relocated to the US, where he enrolled for a certificate degree in Visual Storytelling hosted by New York University. Peters was then associated with Film Career Connection in Atlanta, which offered him on-the-job training on various film sets across the US. He also enlisted with REDucation a real world training on Red camera and equipment, taught by working professionals, for current and future working professionals.
Peters began working as a cinematographer and film editor in 2006 and worked on a number of African-American Productions. In the space of 10 years, he worked with a number of Hollywood and Nollywood filmmakers including: Vivica A. Fox, Lynn Witfield, Eric Roberts, Karlie Redd, Paul Cambell, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Neville Sajere, Ayo Makun, Ramsey Nuoah, Desmond Elliott, Majid Michel, Jim Iyke, Chris Attoh, Funke Akindele, Oc Ukeje, Jeta Amata, Van Vicker, Nse Ikpe Etim, Lisa Raye McCoy, Mercy Johnson, Stella Damasus, James Michael Costello, Sulehk Sunman, Yvonne Okoro, Carl Anthony Payne, Joseph Benjamin and Tangi Miller.
In 2014, it was reported that the comedy film, 30 Days in Atlanta, directed by Peters, was the highest-grossing film of all time at the Nigerian box office. The movie was also featured in the 2017 Guinness Book of Records as one of the films with the highest domestic gross in the territories of Bollywood, Nollywood and Hollywood, listed alongside PK (from Bollywood) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (from Hollywood).

## Personal life

Peters is married to Deborah Peters and they have a son Zachary Lawrence Onafa-Orafa Peters. They own and run Whitestone Pictures LLC, a film production studio and equipment provider based in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

## Awards and recognition

| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
| 2010 | Nafca Awards | Best Cinematography | Immoral Affairs | Won |
| 2012 | Nafca Awards | Best Cinematography | Silence Total | Won |
| 2013 | Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards | Best Director | Faces Of Love | Won |
| 2015 | Nafca Awards | Best film | Affairs of the heart | Won |
| 2015 | Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards | Best Film | Affairs of the heart | Won |
| 2015 | Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards | Best Director | Affairs of the heart | Won |
| 2015 | Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Comedy | 30 Days In Atlanta | Won |
| 2015 | African Academy Movie Awards AMAA 2015 | Best Comedy | 30 Days In Atlanta | Won |
| 2015 | Golden Icons Academy Movie Awards | Best Comedy | 30 Days In Atlanta | Won |
| 2016 | 2016 AMVCA (Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards) | Best Cinematography | Refugees | Nominated |
| 2016 | African Academy Movie Awards AMAA | Best film made by African living Abroad | Boxing Day | Nominated |

## Filmography

Feature Films
| Title | Year | Notes | Role | Type |
| Black November | 2009 | Directed by Jeta Amata | Actor | Feature Film |
| Le Silence Pure | 2011 | French/English Movie | Cinematographer/Director | Feature Film |
| Black Money | 2012 | A Vogue entertainment production | Director/DP | Feature Film |
| Reflections | 2012 | Directed by Desmond Elliot and shot in Sierra Leone | Cinematographer | Feature Film |
| Refugees | 2013 | Yvonne Nelson, Belinda Effah, Diana Yekinni, Sandra Don Dufe, Ross Fleming, David Chin | Cinematographer | Feature Film, nominated for Best Cinematography at the 2016 AMVCA |
| Shrink Wrap | 2013 | NBC USA Series (One purpose production) | Lead Cinematographer | Feature Film |
| Faces of Love | 2013 | Starring Monica Swaida, Raz Adotti, Syr Law | Directed by Robert Peters | Feature Film |
| Knocking on Heaven's Door' | 2013 | Royal Art Academy Lagos, Production | Lead Cinematographer | Feature Film |
| 30 Days In Atlanta | 2014 | Starring Ayo Makun, Ramsey Nouah, Richard Mofe Damijo, Vivica Fox, Mercy Johnson, Rachel Oniga, Karlie Redd, Majid Michel and Lynn Whitfield | Director | Feature Film |
| Affairs of The Heart | 2014 | "Nevada Bridge Production" Starring Stella Damasus, Joseph Benjamin, Beverly Naya, Monica Swaida | Director | Feature Film |
| Carpe Diem | 2015 | DSTV Africa Magic's Original film | Director | Feature Film |
| The Dowry Man | 2015 | DSTV Africa Magic's Original film | Director | Feature Film |
| Boxing Day | 2015 | A Gifted Gift Studios Production; starring Razaaq Adoti, Richard Mofe Damijo, Joseph Benjamin, Yvonne Okoro, Tangi Miller, Wistina Taylor, Carl Payne, Ikenna Obi | Director | Feature Film |
| Shades of Attraction | 2015 | Post-production; "Nevada Bridge Production" OC Ukeje, Richard Mofe Damijo, Ernestine Johnson, Desmond Elliott, Van Vicker, Tasia Grant | Director | Feature Film |
| A Trip to Jamaica | 2016 | Post-production | Director | Feature Film |
| Closure | 2016 | Post-production | Director | Feature Film |
| Lagos Blues | 2016 | Pre-production | Director | Feature Film |
| Lies men tell 1&2 | 2013 | | | feature film |
| Voiceless | 2020 | | | feature film |
| Small chops | 2020 | | | feature film |