Veteran Nollywood actor, Francis Duru, has urged theatre arts students of Kaduna State University (KASU) to take characterisation seriously in acting.
Duru made the call on Wednesday at the 9th Kaduna International Film Festival, held at KASU with the theme, “Cultural Renaissance.”
He said characterisation was central to acting and that every actor needed to understand its importance to grow in the industry.
“If you don’t master it, you won’t do well. But worse, some people still succeed by mistake; they get roles or prosper even though they are doing things wrong.
“The danger of that is you won’t notice your mistakes, so you won’t improve,” he said.
Duru added that actors must be intentional, learn properly and avoid relying on luck or mistakes to advance their careers.
He urged young and aspiring actors to be intentional, patient and prepared for the struggles involved in pursuing a career in acting.
Similarly, the Director-General of the Kaduna International Film Festival, Israel Audu, said the festival celebrates art, culture, creativity and film while promoting Kaduna’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.
“The Kaduna International Film Festival gives filmmakers a space to show their films, meet the right people, and turn their talent into real distribution deals,” he said.
Audu said the festival was hosted at the state university this year to help theatre arts students connect classroom learning with practical film industry experience.
“Students know theory but struggle in the field. So this year, professionals like Francis Duru are brought in to teach practical skills and help students transition from school to real acting sets,” he said.
He urged aspiring actors and filmmakers to go beyond the classroom, gain practical experience, build networks and use social media to showcase their work globally.
Audu said the 9th edition brought the film festival into an academic environment, describing it as the first film festival in Northern Nigeria.
He said the festival began in 2018 to bridge the gap and create opportunities for creatives in the region, adding that preparations were underway for its 10th anniversary in Kaduna.
