Get lost in the audiovisual experience of ‘Stay True’ telling the London’s story through the lens of Ife Ogunjobi [@IfeOgunjobi] [@mahogany] [@thesmalls]

Shenell Kennedy and Samuel Adjaye make their directorial debut with ‘Stay True’ a dynamic story detailing London culture through the locations and experiences of Jazz artist Ife Ogunjobi.

‘Stay True’ is a project that came together in collaboration between GUAP and The Smalls facilitated by Mahogany‘s Key Light programme which aims to showcase new and emerging musicians and film makers. With that in mind, the directorial debutants Samuel Adjaye and Shenell Kennedy chose to explore the story of Nigerian Jazz performer Ife Ogunjobi and some of the locations and experiences that have shaped his journey.

Sam Macauley takes centre stage in ‘Stay True’ visually and leads us on a contemporary movement journey across key locations to not only Ife‘s story but also to black London as a whole. Yet the performance is only part of the story with it serving the dual purpose of entertainment and simultaneously social commentary on London and what makes it creatively vibrant and culturally so unique. It specifically centres the influence and contributions of black people to the London scene and covers the variety of spaces they interact with. We see imagery of estates alongside images of the Southbank Centre, Waterloo Bridge, The Shard and Elephant & Castle’s iconic statue which come together to form a unique snapshot of what drives London’s creative scene forward.

About The Directors of ‘Stay True’

Samuel Adjaye and Shenell Kennedy started their journey as classmates at the BRIT School. After graduating in 2020, they dived into their creative careers and now work at GUAP Magazine. Merging their respective skills in photography, creative direction, visual design and animation the duo then started their journey in film directing. In collaboration with Mahogany, they present to you their short dance visual exploring London’s Jazz music scene through the lens of Ife Ogunjobi.

Credits:

Musician – Ife Ogunjobi
Dancer – Sam Macauley
Directors – Samuel Adjaye & Shenell Kennedy
Colourist – Hannah Squires
1st Camera Operator – Ashwin Noel
2nd Camera Operator – Ben Stonely
Video Editor & Animator – Samuel Adjaye
Photographer – Tunmiji Osibodu
Stylists – Korede Alabi & El-Shaddai Nyagodzi