Daniel Ehimen

Director and cinematographer Daniel Ehimen lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria. His showreel includes cinematic features, TV shows and short films, and he's proud of the fact that no two works are the same.

Always looking for the next challenge and confident in his ability to overcome any obstacles that stand in his way, Daniel's attitude to filmmaking embodies the 'Nollywood' spirit that, in just a few decades, has enabled Nigeria to become one of the world's most influential film industries.

Eventually, Daniel progressed from film to digital and bought a Canon EOS 7D. "That's when my interest in photography exploded," he says. "I became a lot more knowledgeable because I could learn by trial and error, without spending a fortune on film, and the internet became a much more accessible tool for learning."

Daniel began to earn a living as a fashion and beauty photographer, curating images to fit client briefs. His introduction to filmmaking came when he realised the skills for both mediums were interchangeable. "I knew I could create a beautiful composition and it eventually clicked that rather than shooting just one frame, I could shoot 24 frames per second and create a moving image," he says. "That's when I fell down the rabbit hole, and I haven't stopped since."

Daniel initially studied biochemistry at the University of Benin, but after discovering his passion for visual arts he signed up for a diploma in filmmaking. His mentor was American cinematographer Shane Hurlbut. "I learnt so much from Shane," he said. "He isn't afraid to hold back, and I got unprecedented access to his methods over the course of five years, which inspired me to find confidence in my own voice."

Alongside his work on award-winning feature films, commercials for international brands and independent short films (including Ba Ni, a short clip of which you can watch above), Daniel also invests time in training a community of like-minded filmmakers. He sees it as his duty to share the lessons he's learned in order to raise up everyone around him – an attitude that has made him an indispensable part of the Nollywood film scene.

What was the subject of your first film?

"It was called A Father's Confession, and it was the story of a father allowing himself to be vulnerable around his son. My dad was a military officer, so the struggle of opening up was relatable to me, and when I found the right people to play the parts, I knew I wanted to tell the story. Shooting this film changed everything for me, because it was the first time I truly understood how to use a camera to bring a complex subject to life. I shot it all on my Canon EOS 7D, with very little additional kit or accessories. I had no funding, I just knew I wanted to tell the story, so I used the resources available to me. My filmmaking has developed a lot since then, but I hope the message inspires parents to take more time to understand their children and the importance of opening up around them. I'm sure it will make me a better father to my own children one day."

What inspires you?

"I'm inspired by the people around me, and the country I live in. There are 525 individual languages in Nigeria, and each person has their own original story just waiting to be told. Our culture is so rich – I see Lagos as a volcano that's constantly erupting. It's chaotic; there are no promises, and there's so much uncertainty. Living in an environment like that creates responsibility – I have to forge my own path, and that's what inspires me and encourages me to be brave."

What would you like to achieve in your career?

"I'm only at the very beginning of my journey. All the work I've done until this point has blemishes, but I'm proud of those blemishes because of the honesty they represent. They're true to the nature of who I was at the time, and they're part of my story, which is one of learning and pushing. My dream for the future is to create an ecosystem that helps others overcome the limitations I had at the beginning."

"There is always going to be something that stands in your way, but the only way you lose is to give up. Keep swinging, stay in the game, and see every setback as an opportunity to learn and evolve. Fail quickly, embrace it, then push forward with the lessons you've learned. When you're already on the ground, there is nowhere lower to go, so the only choice is to rise up. My attitude is always 'what's the worst that can happen?' I approach life with a lot of intensity and without fear of failure."

Facebook: @Daniel Ehiman

Instagram: @danielehimen

Twitter/X: @_DANIELEHIMEN