The Last Hand Before the Screen: Shola Ayorinde and the Art of Film Editing

By Michael Ayeni

The success of a film production does not solely lies on the acting dexterity displayed by the casts, or the director’s brilliant ability of making sure the cast delivered their roles naturally, or the shots that were accurately taken from different angles, or the light or sound combination in the movie, but the editorial process where the real story is being told systematically and strategically. The editing part is where the action errors that were merely noticed by the directors are corrected, or where the sounds or audio doesn’t sync or are not arranged properly to provoke emotions and feelings.

Film editors are  the last chain in the success of the film output before going live. They prepare the movie professionally through a carefree observation and correction before making it to the screen. One of these talented film editors whose editing skills have influenced the growth of movie qualities in the Nigerian film industry is the award winning film editor, Shola Ayorinde.

Shola Ayorinde’s dynamic skills in the art of film editing has made him a name in the movie industry, his editorial skills can’t be undermined especially the impact on the several movies he had worked on. Shola Ayorinde edited Murder at Prime Suites, a 2013 movie produced by Jumafor Ajogwu. Shola Ayorinde did a great job making the movie feel original and scary almost like the real life event behind the movie. He made the scenes in such a way the audience could feel the tension growing, creating a climax. Because the story is based on a real-life crime, the editing needed to feel serious and authentic. Shola Ayorinde also focused on the sound employed in crucial scenes. He made sure to fill every moment with loud music. He employed quiet, natural sounds that made the hotel rooms feel empty and creepy. This helped the viewers focus on what the detectives were saying and the clues they were finding. The way the scenes flow together makes it easy to follow the mystery without getting confused. Everything in the edit was designed to make you feel like you were right there solving the case, turning a tragic news story into a very tense but clear movie.

For the movie Voiceless Scream, which was released in 2018 and produced by Yinka Adewale. The movie which deals with very heavy topics like child abuse, kidnapping, and trauma. The sound combination is also very important here. Instead of loud music, Shola Ayorinde and his editorial team kept the sound simple and natural so that the actors’ voices and emotions stayed as the major focus. With the editing being simple, the film made sure that the message about social justice and mental health stays throughout the scenes, from the scratch to the end.

Also, The Mystic River, a Nigerian TV series produced by Rogers Ofime in 2021 for Netflix was edited by Shola Ayorinde. Shola Ayorinde’s edits on this movie, enables the show to possess strong elements of horror, as most scenes feel so scary and creepy. He went beyond cutting the clips together; he employed edits that made the forest and the village feel alive. There is a way Shola Ayorinde brings specific scenes alive, by allowing dark shadows and quiet moments take over, somehow that makes viewers feel like someone is always watching the characters. This editorial style sustains the viewers and keeps them on the edge of their seat. And specifically, there is something unique about how Shola Ayorinde processes the sounds as part of the edit, making the silence in the scenes more scarier than the music.

On the most viewed series in the Nigerian film industry, Wura, a soap opera that  premiered around 2023. The soap opera, Wura was regarded as the longest series ever produced in the Nigerian movie industry, which Shola Ayorinde worked on, a long project and which delivered greatly in the post production. The editing of Wura required careful episode-to-episode continuity, especially because of its long-running nature. Shola Ayorinde with his editing prowess was able to edit the character movements, costume flow, and emotional reactions that were properly matched across scenes filmed on different days. The pacing of conversations was carefully controlled so some of the scenes did not feel rushed. These technical efforts helped the series maintain quality from episode to episode without fatigue.

Shola Ayorinde is without doubt a talented film editor, whose great skill has been influential in the post production of various movies, especially in the Nigerian movie industry. Shola Ayorinde’s work portrays the essentiality of film editing  in telling stories and making successful films. His attention to details, especially when it comes to  sound, colour, and timing enable every project to come out clean and organized. Through his editorial techniques, Shola Ayorinde has helped improve the standard of different movies he has worked on, reminding us that successful stories are truly completed in the editing phase.