Pulse Review Banky W’s video directing is a work in progress

He has heart, he has spirit, he has zeal…but most importantly, he has the capital to scale his business. Banky W's directional skills is still a work in progress.

In quick-fire succession, newest director in Nigeria, Banky W has dropped two music videos. First is the touching ‘Unborn Child’ with Lynxxx, and a love-themed visual for ‘Lowkey’.

Releasing two music films is a good move. Both songs are from the past. They are classic Banky W specials that did not possess visuals to tell the story at the time of their release. But with his newfound skill, the singer is revisiting his past, and releasing with impunity.

Banky W seems to have found an outlet for his creativity. After concluding his training at the New York Film Academy in 2014, he needed hands-on experience to hone his skills, but he has found a way to experiment, choosing himself as a test subject. Banky W has become his guinea pig.

In ‘Unborn Child’ music film, Banky W played his hands at the concept of life after death. In character as cop and a husband, (or boyfriend? It wasn’t made clear), the EME boss was killed while on duty, leaving behind his colleague to show support to his wife who was pregnant for him.

While the directional quality and location of the set was picture-perfect, the scripting was a bit off, with the few dialogues missing in basic coherence. The scene that starts at 00.59 min, which showed his conversation with Lynxxx didn’t have a convincing flow.

Also, during the birth of his child at the , Banky W was in the waiting lobby, without any indication of his spirit-form. One would think he didn’t really die, and was there in person. Only the scene at 5:22 min really gave the impression of his status. That was a flaw that marred a good production.

“Lowkey” is simpler and without a twisted storyline. It tells the story of a covert love affair between a student, and his teacher, who was played by the the beautiful and talented Tanzanian supermodel Millen Magese.

It is every student’s wet dream to date their tutor, and Banky W’s concept ticks the right boxes. But a flaw in this fairytale rears its head at the 3:23 min mark, where Millen wakes up after a night’s rest with Banky W wearing makeup. She had earlier made love in the shower, and moved to the bed, cuddling with the singer. Then she wakes up with makeup.

Who on earth goes to sleep and rises all madeup? Banky’s lead character does.

These little flaws give us insight into the budding director’s skills as a filmmaker. He works hard at his craft, thinks up new ways to tell his stories, and executes with flair and finesse. But the little errors betray his effort and reveal that he is a work in progress.

Also, the paucity of special effects in the videos needs to be addressed. Banky W’s videos strike one as a modest replication of reality, but deep down, our insides are screaming for something wow. We need more special effects Sir. Please throw in some CGI or weird motion, anything that blends in as an aesthetic asset would do just fine as a little something extra.

Those little corrections aside, Banky W is on the cusp of something great here. Three visuals from his time at the New York Film Academy says a lot about his discipline and entrepreneurial spirit. He has heart, he has spirit, he has zeal…but most importantly, he has the capital to scale his business.

He is still a work in progress, this Banky, but he is on the right track.