Talking to: Olamiposi Ayorinde

Olamiposi is a world of creative talent, he curates events, produces music, he assists on film sets (including Netflix’s Sex Education), holds interview Q&A sessions at film school and works for a marketing company. Recently included in Rife magazine;s 30 Under 30, Posi grew up in rural Ireland before moving to Bristol almost five years ago - he says he’s becoming a full-blow Bristolian now!

I caught up with him for an honest discussion about living in rural Ireland, his journey with mental health and what his long-term goals are.

·       I understand you grew up in Ireland – where in Ireland was it?

I grew up in a town called Mullingar which is outside of Dublin, a little rural town which, I suppose, now I see as quite backwards but it’s coming along.

·       Why did you move to Bristol? Is it different to Ireland in terms of culture and arts?

I moved to Bristol about four and a half years ago, I moved to Bristol because I was studying performance arts and I somehow got a scholarship to do acting in Hollywood.

I had a few friends who lived in Bristol anyway so I had a plan of moving there, to have a little break over the summer and to chill with my mates in Bristol before I left. Things didn’t really work out as I would have liked them to, going to America just wasn’t really viable and sustainable for the long-term so that’s why I decided to stay here

I’m becoming a full blown Bristolian, I live here permanently now!

I think, I prefer Bristol, in terms of the openness, which I’m still getting my head around. With growing up where I did, especially as a Black male in a very predominately white area. My family were the only Black family in the entire estate that we lived in and that’s been the case for the past fourteen years. It’s a traditional, Irish town, even in terms of how we speak, how we look, we were always kind of looked at through judgemental eyes.

I didn’t feel there was a lot of opportunities. Being in the UK or trying to make a name in the States, seemed more viable. It’s nice to see that things are changing, and Ireland is becoming more accommodating and diverse in the arts.

Coming to Bristol, really helped me understand myself a lot more and be myself a lot more. It’s cool in that sense but Ireland is my home despite what we went through.

·       You’re a poet, curator, filmmaker and producer – how do you get into the creative industry? Did you struggle with it?

I was just trying to fit-in back in school but I was getting in a lot of trouble and a teacher suggested I joined the local art theatre and so I did and it’s where I felt my skills would be best put to use. I’ve always been in to moving, making and shaking. Too much energy for my own good aha

I did terrible in my final year exams so I didn’t manage to get onto the course I wanted to initially, I really didn’t want to sit around doing nothing so I managed to blag myself onto a course for performing arts. I’d never left the country before other than a standard boys trip to Spain but somehow got onto a course in Yeovil which I had no idea where this place is.

Coming to Bristol, I really felt like I had no other choice than to put myself out there and network, so going to events, speaking to people and just seeing who’s local that I’d like to meet and hang out with. I had nothing else to fall back on, so it just kinda transitioned into my norm meeting like- minded creatives and building our own ideas of ‘the creative industry’

·       I have to ask – Yeovil?

Yeah, such a random place isn’t it! I just made my way out there and it was alright, definitely a learning experience. Then while I was there, I got the opportunity to go to America and then moved to Bristol.

I put myself out there while in Bristol, really tried to meet new people and make things happen, despite being riddled with anxiety like many of us are. I’m really grateful that I was able to be where I am and put my hands in different pots of creativity; from curating events, to making music, to working on film sets.

Now I’m working for a Influencer marketing company for Gamers as well as holding weekly Q&A sessions with successful creatives for a film school I work at. Enough time to explore my own creative interest. I’m really just taking my time and building it up.

·       Do you have a personal favourite of what you like to spend your time doing?

I’m still trying to figure it out! I love stories and narrative and within that, I love that we all have incredibly different stories and when I meet someone and vibe with them, I never know what we’re going to create. Most of us have access to a computer and so we can play around with imagery, visual effects, sound… that’s not really answering your question!

I spreadsheet everything aha! My time I’d say is focused on prepping my tools and space to create. I think so much and struggle to keep everything in my mind, so it really helps me balance everything I do.

I love everything! I love people and I love making stuff but I find that I’ve really been diving into illustration and being able to really get out what’s in the crux of my mind and in my dreams and how I perceive things.

My goal is just being able to be able to produce my own content, from idea to complete realisation. Collabing too, cause I get such a buzz from spring ideas and building on them.

·       You’ve worked with some incredible companies such as Afrika Eye Film Festival, BBC, Netflix and Multi-Track – how has that been? Can you tell us a little bit more about the work you’ve done or are doing with them?

For the most part, it has just been connecting with people, following up on emails, happening to see someone I’ve been looking into and striking up a conversation. I think one of the biggest things that has really helped me out, is seeing people as human, and really sharing that connection. It varies from working on the set of Sex Education with Netflix, to hosting Q&A sessions, Assisting Directing at the BBC, to Music Production with Multitrack. I try not to limit myself as a creative, and see the link between everything. It just really helps me be adaptable.

It’s nerve-wracking at first – I have imposter syndrome quite a lot and I had this idea that people would be really into what they do and have everything figured out and I’m just this kid who blagged his way into these places.

But it’s always refreshing when you get in there, there’s a confirmation that everyone is human and we’re all in the same boat. It doesn’t happen without all of us working together as a team which is really important.

·       You also release music under the moniker Posidays (we added his latest single Fazed in Winter to our December Spotify playlist) – what inspires your music?

Musically, I’m a very vulnerable soul and I just like to get to the crux of saying that we’re all in this together, we all have our ups and downs and it’s just trying to reflect that connection of being human and being vulnerable.

I just throw words around and I would say I’m quite hip-hop and soul and pop-esque. I have so much music as well that I should really release but I am just loving playing around with different elements and having fun with it.

I’ve been so focused, before, on trying to catch those Instagram numbers and now I’ve been able to focus on why am I doing this and it’s a lot pressure.

Taken by @owen_piercy

·       To My Younger Self was released last year which you were the assistant director on – was that through BBC Arts and Calling the Shots? What was it like working on that?

Yes, a great friend of mine, Owain Astles, an incredible visionary, and he messaged me about a project for BBC Arts and so I started shooting for him. It was a great project.

I think that’s one of the great things about Bristol is that I’ve been able to meet so many amazing souls.

I find it so crazy because this time year, I was riddled with anxiety, I really couldn’t see right in front of my face. But it does take some time to build the momentum and one day I woke up and, when thinking back into the past, I could see the progression and the steps that you’ve been trying to take to get to where you or where you want to be

·       Have you always suffered with anxiety, if you don’t mind me asking?

Absolutely, it’s been huge for me, to be honest. I think a lot of does stem from being a Black male. I grew up in a council estate where a lot of people grew up with drug addiction and it generally tends to be known as quite a violent area. This isn’t really the case anymore which I’m really happy to say and it’s always going to be home.

But it was always difficult being the only Black family in rural Ireland and it was hard not having that sense of connection, even when I was out with friends, it was obvious I was different.

I was called ‘Black Junior’ growing up because there was a white kid called Junior and he can’t be ‘White Junior’ so I had to be ‘Black Junior’. It was very difficult.

You don’t understand it as a kid, the difficulties my parents have being immigrants and coming from a completely different country to Ireland and trying to start a life with a family and trying to adapt to the culture.

My mum and dad are awesome, we haven’t always got along but I have a lot of respect for them. They’re very creative; my mum wanted to be a fashion designer and my dad used to run a Nollywood theatre in Dublin. He created this community where people could enjoy Nollywood cinema and that’s always grown with me.

It’s been ingrained in me to do my best and show love and care for people. It takes time to really understand each other and where we’re coming from but once we get past that, it’s beautiful the things we can create and inspire each other to do.

·       Has your work taken a pause at the moment with COVID or are you still able to work despite the situation?

I’ve been really lucky in terms of work; I was working on Sex Education for a while for Netflix as production assistant so that was a really great experience. It was an amazing team and really great process.

I’ve been working with Screenology in the past year and all through lockdown and also Rising Arts, I’ve been doing little bits with them.

I’ve also been working as an intern at Fourth Floor Creatives. The Gaming industry is thriving at the moment, so I’m quite blessed to be a part of it.

·       You’ve been doing it all!

Yeah it’s been so much! That’s why I’ve been more low-key online as there’s lots of work going on in the background, and March is the big monthere I’m ready to put everything out there.

·       What have you got coming up in 2021?

For the most part is just to really settle into my creative self that I’ve always been. It’s been a struggle but 2020, and this year have really given me the chance to breathe and see myself as I intend to.

A friend of mine who works for Crack magazine as an amazing cinematographer and so we’re working on a short piece with dancers which will start shooting this month; we’ve got out dancers, we’re just trying to nail our location down.

I’m planning a shoot with Lowri Roberts, Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams and Shama Joseph, which I’m really looking forward too.

I’m also working with an arts agency and, personally, for me, I’m hoping to release some more tracks.

I’m so grateful to be where I am, considering where I come from, but I have certain dates in my mind for when things will be happening but from March on, there’s a lot to look forward to.

·       Do you have a goal in mind with the work you are doing – is there a certain milestone you’d like to reach or is it more of an ongoing and sustainable dream?

 For myself, my ultimate goal is to be able to be in sustainable creative spaces and I’d love to be part of a content creation company where we can create ideas that are really focused around understanding the complexity of culture – this could be from film, music, events.

I don’t want to put myself into a bubble of being like I just want to work on one thing, whatever means I have, I want to be able to do.