I Picked Up a Camera and I Suddenly Saw the World Differently
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I started learning filmmaking. And not just the “hit record and hope for the best” kind of filming, but the real, intentional, storytelling kind. The kind that makes you feel something, makes you think, or at the very least, makes you pause.
Honestly, I’ve always had a thing for meaningful films. I don’t enjoy random, pointless vlogs—never have. Maybe it's the writer in me, but I’ve always been drawn to storytelling. And while I’ve spent years weaving stories with words, I realized there’s something equally powerful about telling stories with visuals. I just never knew the exact word I’d been searching for was filmmaking.
As an introvert, I notice the tiny things. The way the sunlight dances on a cracked window, how a fleeting smile can change the whole energy of a room, the soft hum of life happening in the background. I connect these little dots in my head all the time, and filmmaking, I realized, does the exact same thing. It pieces together small, seemingly random details to tell a much bigger story. That’s why this whole thing just clicked for me.
The Learning Process & Where It All Started
I took a filmmaking course on CreativeLive, and let me tell you, it was a refreshing experience. Unlike those course platforms where someone just reads off a script, this one felt interactive—like a real classroom, but without the anxiety of sitting next to actual humans (introvert win!).
Of course, there were challenges. Equipment was a big one. I don’t own fancy cameras or high-end gear, and at first, I thought that meant I wouldn’t get far. But the process gave me something better—confidence.
My First Video: A Surprising Win
The moment that truly sealed my love for filmmaking was when I shot my first real video. It was for a nonprofit project with my friend, and I volunteered to do the filming. Mind you, at this point, I had only watched one random YouTube video—nothing even related to documentary filmmaking—but somehow, I just knew what to do.
I asked questions, captured moments, and put it all together into something that actually made sense. And when I watched it back, I was shocked. The small details—the ones I almost overlooked—ended up shaping the entire story. I had no idea I even had this in me.
That video was my lightbulb moment. If I could do that with barely any knowledge, imagine what I could create if I truly honed my skills? That’s me in the picture below holding the camera. Let me know if you’d like to see what I created.
Romanticizing My Nigerian Life
Now, I’m diving into something even more personal: filming my own life. And wow, it’s tough. I’m used to observing, not being the subject. Filming myself feels… unnatural. I can’t see myself the way I see others, so I’m trying this little mental trick—imagining I’m outside my own body. If I were someone else watching me, how would I want to capture my life?
It’s a challenge, but an exciting one. The goal isn’t clout or aesthetics for the sake of it—it’s about embracing the small, everyday beauty of life here in Nigeria. The moments we often overlook. The quiet, unnoticed details that make life feel whole.
What’s Next?
Well, I want to turn this passion into something bigger. A business, maybe. Because where I am, filmmaking is often reduced to getting “amazing angles” with no real heart. It’s all about the flashy shots, the slow-motion spins, the dramatic drone views—but where’s the story?
I want to help people capture the beauty in the everyday. Not just visually, but emotionally. I want to tell stories that matter, that make people feel something. And maybe, just maybe, this is the start of something bigger than I ever imagined.
For now, I’m still learning, still experimenting, and still seeing life through a new lens (literally). But one thing’s for sure—this introvert has found a new way to tell stories, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop.
Over to You
Have you ever started something you loved out of nowhere? Let me know in the comment section.
Until next time,
Yadi ♡
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