During Entertainment Week Lagos (EWL), Emmy-nominated cinematographer Nausheen Dadabhoy led a workshop on cinematography titled “Breaking Through the Frame: Professional Insights from a Global Storyteller.” The session explored the ethical dimensions of storytelling, the influence of a filmmaker’s perspective, and the responsibility that comes with documenting people’s realities.
Dadabhoy, whose work spans both fiction and documentary filmmaking, emphasized how a filmmaker’s background inevitably shapes the way they capture the world. Reflecting on her career, she recalled an early project in Pakistan about women rebuilding their lives after a devastating earthquake.
“I look back at that film now and realize I was not the right person to tell that story. It wasn’t just about having access—I lacked the lived experience to truly understand the nuances of what those women were going through,” she said.
Her remarks touched on a broader discussion within the film industry about authorship and representation—who tells certain stories, and how does their perspective shape the final narrative? A 2022 analysis by the Center for Media & Social Impact found that over 65% of documentary subjects from underrepresented communities felt misrepresented or reduced to stereotypes due to a filmmaker’s external viewpoint.
“We talk a lot about diversity in front of the camera, but it’s just as important behind the scenes. The way you see a place, the way you frame a shot, the details you focus on—it all reveals something about your own understanding of that space,” she continued, noting that while diversity on screen has been a major focus in the industry, representation behind the camera is just as crucial.
Her insights also reflect ongoing concerns in global filmmaking.
A report by the International Documentary Association found that nearly 80% of documentaries about marginalized communities are directed by filmmakers who are not part of those communities. This has fueled debates on ethical storytelling, consent, and the risk of imposing external narratives on communities whose voices are already underrepresented.
Dadabhoy explained that even well-intentioned filmmakers can unintentionally distort a story by filtering it through their own biases. The framing of subjects, the moments chosen for emphasis, and the overall narrative structure are all shaped by the filmmaker’s perspective. As a result, some documentaries end up reinforcing stereotypes or portraying communities through a lens of hardship rather than complexity.
She stressed that meaningful representation goes beyond research or access—it requires collaboration with individuals who have lived the experiences being portrayed.
“If I were to shoot something in Nigeria, I would absolutely want a Nigerian filmmaker by my side. They would pick up on things I wouldn’t even know to look for. The way you see yourself and your environment is different from how I, as an outsider, might see it,” she explained.
A filmmaker’s role, she suggested, is not just to document but to engage—recognizing what they know, what they don’t, and when to involve others who can provide deeper context.
Launched in 2022, Entertainment Week Lagos (EWL) is an annual destination event in Lagos that brings together an array of industry experts, thought leaders, creatives, and enthusiasts from both local and international backgrounds. It is a dynamic mix of education, innovation, and entertainment designed to foster the growth of Nigeria’s creative ecosystem.