My name is Francis Adeyinka Thomas, and I work as a producer in Nollywood. Beginning my acting career in Lagos, Nigeria, I appeared in several Yoruba films, including Alani - Ekun, Atori, - Laye and Saworo - ide. I have worked on short films such as Journey (2014), Survivor (2016), Family Matter, and Shadows of a Whisper (2017). In addition, I have produced Nollywood documentaries such as The African Movie (2016) and The Tourism Potentials in Nigeria (2017).

My interest in film production grew after I retired as a senior cultural officer from the Ogun State Council for Arts and Culture in Nigeria. It was here that I discovered the little secrets of filmmaking that most Nollywood filmmakers are unaware of. The performing arts sector in Nigeria is a fantastic place to work because it provides practitioners with so many opportunities and avenues to explore their skills and hone a craft that can eventually serve as a source of income. Even after moving to the United Kingdom, I continued to show my love for Nollywood films through research and the production of diaspora films... Growing up in Nigeria and being familiar with Nollywood and its operating systems, I have seen how much the industry has grown in terms of production quality, originality of plots and storytelling techniques, and broadening as well as gaining transnational audiences. This demonstrates how dynamic the filmmaking process is, and as a Nigerian film practitioner, I believe that gaps in the Yoruba film industry can be explored through research to arrive at possible recommendations to boost the industry's development.

I am curious about Yoruba neo-Nollywood film production, both the challenges and the opportunities. My academic research track record, as well as my passion for learning and exploring various Nollywood topics, served as a source of inspiration throughout my undergraduate and graduate education, greatly improving my technical knowledge. Throughout my university education, I demonstrated tremendous strength in practical production work. My graduate studies were completed at the University of Cumbria in 2016 and the University of Central Lancashire in 2017. My determination and focus enabled me to overcome the obstacles in my path. I have a clear goal in mind, and I am confident that I will achieve my highest ambition. It would thus be an honour to pursue my Ph.D.