Abraham Adeyemi is a multi-award-winning writer-director from South London who dropped out of an International Politics degree to pursue his dreams.
His directorial debut No More Wings world premiered and received the best narrative short award at Tribeca Film Festival, and he was later selected as the lead director’s mentee on Netflix’s Top Boy season two, where he directed some scenes including part of the opening montage of episode two.
Recently he completed production on Chasing the Night, a Film 4-backed short film.
Abraham is currently developing numerous original projects for film and television and writing a pilot under the mentorship of Jesse Armstrong (creator of Succession) as part of the Dancing Ledge/ITV New Talent Scheme.
He previously participated in Channel 4’s 4Screenwriting programme and has since been commissioned to write two episodes of an unproduced All3Media drama series and has participated in several writers’ rooms including Supacell (Netflix), Black Ops (BBC Studios), Fremantle, Bandstand Productions, Joi Productions, 87 Films and Sugar Films/Ringside Studios. In gaming, he has participated in writers rooms for Play Station Studios.
Abraham strives to tell stories that explore the multiple facets of human behaviour, the range of perspectives they carry and the complex dichotomies of life that exists within that, sans condemnation. Lastly, he would like you to know that he is a socks and green tea enthusiast, and his life would be incomplete without his loved ones.
When did you know you wanted to be a director?
I believe there were two specific moments when I knew I wanted to be a director, but they both happened after I was already on an accidental, potentially temporary journey to becoming a director. The first was when I spent a day shadowing Sam Mendes on the set of 1917. I should note, this was arranged for me; I had won a screenwriting competition where the prize was funding to shoot the winning script and the stipulation that it was mandatory for the writer (me) to direct the film (No More Wings). It was the same organisation who arranged the shadowing for me. When I arrived at Shepperton Studios that day I was – quite simply – mesmerised by the entire machine of a big budget, blockbuster studio film in the makings. But, more simply, I was in love with the idea of being on set and I was very aware that, as a writer, that’s not an experience that one is guaranteed. You are guaranteed to be on set if you’re a director.
The second moment happened whilst on set shooting my debut short film and being surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I’d entered the process thinking I’d hate it, that I’d suck at it and it’d be one and done. But all of a sudden, I realised that – actually – I cared more than I realised, that I really enjoyed this directing thing, that I might be good at it, that I might want to be good at it and – actually… that I wanted to continue to do this and I’d be sad if this was the only time I ever got to do it.
Once you knew you wanted to pursue a career as a director, what where your first steps in achieving this goal?
Well, as I noted above, I was already accidentally on my way before I knew I actually wanted to! However, despite not knowing if I wanted to do it, the moment I knew I’d be doing it, my first steps were to figure out what the hell to do. I was clueless. I didn’t go to film school. And – though I’d be writing for eight years – I hadn’t taken any interest in directing whatsoever, never picked up a camera or anything like that. I had approximately ten weeks between learning I’d won the competition and being on set shooting the film so the first thing I did was reached out to any of my friends who where directors. Some of them recommended books which I read (or, have since, read) cover to cover and swear by:
- Making Short Films by Max Thurlow and Clifford Thurlow
- Directing Actors by Judith Weston
- Shot by Shot by Steven D. Katz
These were great for me because I think my best learning styles are reading and actually doing. One of my director friends spent an afternoon with me and we covered the first page of the script and the considerations I need to make as a director so that this would go from a “writer’s script” to a “director’s/shooting script”. And throughout the entire pre-production process, I just asked endless questions, to these same people but also my Heads of Department. It massively helped that my producer was a long-time collaborator that I’d made a lot of theatre with, so she was someone who absolutely understood my capabilities and heavily supported me in my development, with an awareness of my weaknesses. But, really, my film school was very much on the job and so the first steps in achieving this goal was making this film, but with a very generous budget compared to what most would usually have at their disposal when making their first film of any kind.
What obstacles or set backs did you face in becoming a director?
I think I’m still facing the same set-back; the question marks. My debut short film was – by some standards – wildly successful. Not only did it world premiere at a BAFTA and Oscar-qualifying festival – Tribeca – it also was then selected unanimously by the judges as best narrative short. However, for all the success, it doesn’t change that it was my first short film. Sure, he can make one good short film, but was it a fluke? Furthermore, it was a chamber piece (small number of characters, one location) so – when it comes to being considered for long-form – there are so many things that, understandably, a producer or financier are unsure I’m capable of. How would he feel about multiple locations? Multiple characters? Multiple scenes in different locations? The list is endless of things that my one short film, set in a South London chicken shop, cannot prove that I’m capable of. And so I’ve gone up for many jobs, made it to the final round and lost out to a more experienced director. It’s not something I lament over, though, especially as I’ve thankfully also had my writing as a means of income/progress. And, aware of this setback, I sought out to address it and – to that effect – I’ve made a new short film (with the backing of Film 4) called Chasing the Night. It’s fifteen minutes long, a heterosexual romantic drama (noted this because – unlike my first film – it means I now have characters of all genders), nine-speaking characters, twenty-three scenes, eleven locations, interiors, exteriors, car scenes and more supporting artists than I can count. I’m quite proud of the film and my hope is that it will put to bed any of the question marks that have existed since my first short film, and result in me making the progress I’ve been trying to make.
How did you develop your voice and hone your craft?
My voice always began with my writing, and I’ve been doing that for far longer than I’ve been directing. I developed that through… well, writing. I just wrote and wrote and wrote.
Alongside writing, I consume, and I mean that in the vaguest, all-encompassing way possible. To consume is to learn is to develop and – eventually – all subconsciously informs one’s voice and craft. Watch things. Speak to people. Travel. Whatever it is. And – whilst you do it all – just continue to write. If it’s developing my voice and honing my craft as a director, I’m still doing that, and I feel in that sense I’m an active learner. Making work, going through the entire process of first conceiving an idea, writing the treatments, doing the pre-prod, shooting the thing, the post, that’s how I develop my voice and hone my craft. Other ways I consciously do so is reading books and sometimes watching or listening to talks from people that I admire. But I think much of my development and honing is subconscious; it’s watching and sponging from everything and everywhere.
How did you get your first break?
How does one even define a first break? There are so many moments which I think someone might call a first break for me. Winning a screenwriting competition and making the short film as a result. But, after that, getting my first break(s) were a direct consequence of that first short film. The film world premiering at Tribeca Film Festival and winning best short film certainly opened plenty of doors. Making a good first short film meant that Film 4 were prepared to fund my second one without any qualms. The existence of that short film (and – I should say – the peculiar advent of COVID-19 and the state of the world) meant that festivals were online and my film was widely available. The talent scheme manager for Netflix’s Top Boy came across it online and reached out to me directly, asking if I would like to be considered for their Director Mentee scheme. And that’s how that happened for me.
TV Credits: Top Boy (shadowing)
Film Credits: No More Wings (2021), Chasing The Night (2023).
Photograph: Fẹ́mi Awójídé