The Newbie’s Chronicle
By: Margareth Egbuchulam
Tags: Screenwriting, Writers Life, Screenplay, Writer, Nollywood

Margareth Egbuchulam at a class excursion at Nike Art Gallery

Everything I have written is personal- it’s the only way I know how to write. — Charlie Kaufman

My Backstory

I have always loved telling stories but more importantly, I have enjoyed listening to stories.

My mom introduced me to the beautiful world of oral storytelling. I experienced my village and the activities that went on there even without visiting.

I discovered the worlds that existed in books through boredom and I have never looked back since then. When I started diving into realms and dimensions depicted on screen, you can say I got hooked. Seeing the stories of people on screen and learning about their culture stirred something within my spirit.

My secondary school days was a time I gave in to the feeling for a bit. The arts subject combination scared me so I shelved my feelings back. My university days had me lighting the flame only when announcements had to be made in church during Mass.

I focused on fanning the flame during my service days but I fell by the way. I think the pursuit of money made me fire down the embers and I never knew just how dead I was inside.

The Set up

L-R: Olakunle, Margareth, Gabriel and Tega after a producers speed date for the short film The Samaritan

I am an ardent follower of Mo Abudu on Instagram. Her story and contribution to the Nigerian movie industry and Africa at large is phenomenal. Through her, I got to have faith in Nollywood films after many years.

I saw on her feed a post regarding a film school for individuals either professionals or newbies in the field. I was ecstatic. I felt the spark once more in my heart. The spark fizzled out in a blink of an eye after seeing the deadline for application had passed. I refreshed the website over 20 times hoping the application portal would magically open for me. I was comforted by the fact that there were other intakes later in the year.

I started to prepare for this journey. I told my dearest friend Liviee about this spark I felt in my heart. She made my dream hers and never let go of my hand all the while we waited for the portal to open. I had to sign up for a film school in United States but I couldn’t continue the conversation due to lack of funds. This was why, the dream of going to the Ebonylife Creative Academy had to become a reality.

My Inciting Incident

Margareth in the Screenwriters Class

The moment I had been waiting for finally happened! The call for applications was out. With an excited heart, I decided to apply and one of the requirements snuffed the excitement in an instant. I didn’t have my certificate from my university. This problem was solved by me traveling to get the certificate. The journey back home is one that’s forever etched in my memories.

Armed with the certificate, I started my application process. I knew that I was a newbie in the field and I was competing with other professionals and newbies for one out of the 16 slots available in the June intake. I wrote my story and had it proofread by both Liviee and Ebose.

By the time I was submitting my application, I began to doubt myself. I didn’t even tell anyone at work. I was scared to fail. I thought by not letting anyone know about the spark in my heart, Liviee and Ebose would be the only ones who would know how disappointed I was. I was proven wrong. These ladies gave me all the encouragement I needed.

I started telling people about this dream of mine. I told my family, told my line manager, told my best friends and I asked them to pray for me. I wanted this badly. I really had to tick this off as an achievement in my goals for the year. Take this from me; share your dream with the right people and you will never feel alone.

One day at work, I checked my mail as I normally do since I applied for the program and there the mail was. It was an email inviting me for an interview the next week. I screamed!

The First Act Climax

Margareth at an event with friends

I attended the interview and I enjoyed the interview process. When one thinks of interviews, its enough to make you overly nervous but this, was different. It was a conversation that we had. This interview afforded me the privilege to meet Karima Effendi and Glory Onyegbula for the first time. If I ever needed a confirmation that I was doing the right thing, meeting them cemented that.

I was offered an admission to study the Art of Screenwriting at the Ebonylife Creative Academy. The class was to run for 12 weeks; June 7th 2021 — August 27th 2021. I was all shades of excited. I signed all needed and registered on the portal and got ready for the journey ahead of me.

The issues I would have to sort out to survive the 12 weeks were, accommodation, personal and gadget security. I am grateful to my brother for accommodating me thus solving the accommodation issue. I had to be extra careful all the time especially as I was getting home very late.

My Mid point

The June screenwriting class of the Ebonylife Creative Academy

I had the honour of learning about the rudiments of screenwriting with 15 other diverse individuals. We all had different personalities and we complimented each other perfectly.

The quiet, the goofy and the efikos are words to describe us. There will definitely be no other set like us and I would not have wished for anyone else to walk this journey with.

We brainstormed and worked on a short film and series together. We walked the streets of Victoria Island together whenever it rained, dragging our bodies through the flood and coming back the next day with a huge smile.

Through this class, I have learnt

how to effectively communicate my ideas

how to be a better team player

how to lead without lording your ideas

take more risks

personal time management and

having fun while doing what I love

writing daily is a must.

Resolution

The June intake screenwriters with our lecturer- Karima Effendi and Glory Onyegbula (TA)

Today, my watch as a student of the Ebonylife Creative Academy has ended. I am proud of myself for; enduring the pains, the tears shed in quiet and overcoming struggles that almost broke me.

I am grateful for my friends and family for their constant support throughout these 12 weeks. I am grateful to the women on Idowu Taylor street who made getting lunch easy; they braved the odds to sell their food to us daily. I also grateful to my team members for their support.

I am one not to take risks but I stuck to my guts on this one and i am so glad I did. So, if you have always wanted to try something new, take a cue from me and give it a shot. You need to leave this world empty; devoid of regret.

P.S: I am open to collaborating and working with industry professionals in this new field of mine. Telling the African story through films is my dream.