…How a Business Administration graduate became a cinematographer, editor, drone pilot and creative entrepreneur building a new ecosystem for Nigerian creatives
For many graduates, obtaining a university degree often marks the beginning of a predictable professional journey. For Ayorinde Taiwo Oladimeji, however, his degree in Business Administration became only the beginning of a much more unconventional story.
After graduating with a BSc in Business Administration in 2015, Ayorinde could easily have followed the traditional career path into business, management or corporate administration. Instead, an enduring passion for visual storytelling drew him toward the creative industry.
Today, he has established himself as a cinematographer, editor, drone pilot, project manager and creative entrepreneur, combining business knowledge with technical filmmaking skills to build a career that increasingly extends beyond his work behind the camera.
He is the founder of Shot By Thai, a media and production company established in 2019, and is currently developing 44 Studio, a forthcoming creative and content space designed to support photography, filmmaking, content creation and other creative activities.
His journey is a compelling story of reinvention, professional training, mentorship, entrepreneurship and the courage to pursue a different path.
When Business Met Creativity
Ayorinde’s academic foundation was laid in Business Administration, which he completed in 2015.
The degree equipped him with knowledge of business operations, management and organisational principles. But while his academic journey was taking him toward the corporate world, his fascination with creativity and visual storytelling was growing.
Rather than ignore that passion, he decided to explore it.
In 2017, two years after completing his university education, Ayorinde enrolled at PEFTI Film Institute, beginning a deliberate transition into professional filmmaking.
It was there that he developed his technical and creative abilities, particularly in post-production and editing. His dedication and talent eventually earned him the distinction of Best Graduating Student in Editing.
That achievement became an important milestone.
It proved that his decision to change direction was not simply a temporary fascination with filmmaking. He was beginning to establish himself as a serious creative professional.
Turning a Career Change Into a Calling
Ayorinde did not completely abandon the knowledge he acquired from studying Business Administration. Instead, he gradually discovered how to merge his business education with his creative ambitions.
As he took on more creative projects, his understanding of management, organisation and business strategy became increasingly valuable.
He also understood that succeeding in the creative industry requires more than talent.
Creative projects involve planning, budgeting, coordination, deadlines, clients, teams and execution. Recognising this, Ayorinde further strengthened his professional capacity by completing the Google Project Management Professional Certificate through Coursera.
The training expanded his knowledge of project planning, execution, organisation, stakeholder management and delivery.
For him, business and creativity are not opposing worlds. They are complementary.
A great creative idea, he believes, must be supported by the ability to organise people, manage resources and deliver a project professionally.
That philosophy has become central to his career.
Shot By Thai: From Creative Professional to Entrepreneur
In 2019, Ayorinde took another significant step by founding Shot By Thai.
The company became an avenue through which he could provide professional visual and media production services while continuing to expand his expertise.
His work has evolved across several areas, including cinematography, photography, editing, drone operations and live production.
But Shot By Thai represents more than a business name.
It represents the point at which Ayorinde began transitioning from an individual creative professional into an entrepreneur with a broader vision for the industry.
Through the company, he has continued to gain practical experience, work on different types of productions and develop a deeper understanding of the commercial side of the creative business.
A Portfolio That Spans Brands, Events and Entertainment
Ayorinde’s professional journey has taken him beyond individual productions, giving him opportunities to work on projects connected to established brands, entertainment platforms, events, personalities and organisations.
Among the projects and clients he has executed work for are Nigerian Breweries, Khadija Okunu-Lamidi, Detty Rave in Ghana, Dangbana Republik, Tension Rave, Valid Concert, Retro Lagos, RCCG, Soakers, Nomase, Twins Faja, DJ Kaywise, Emmovich, Obimzy Property and Tomi Raje Construct, among others.
His portfolio also extends to work with many artistes across different parts of the world, reflecting the increasingly international dimension of his creative career.
The diversity of these projects is significant.
From corporate brands and property companies to concerts, entertainment events, religious organisations, artistes and major cultural experiences, Ayorinde has operated across different creative environments, each requiring its own approach to visual storytelling, production management and execution.
These experiences have helped him build versatility — an important quality in an industry where no two productions are exactly the same.
They have also given him the opportunity to understand different client expectations and translate ideas into compelling visual experiences.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Although formal training played a major role in his development, Ayorinde has never viewed education as something that ends with graduation.
He has continued to learn through practical experience, personal development and mentorship.
Among the industry professionals who have contributed to his development is renowned Nigerian director Paul Gambit, from whom Ayorinde has had the opportunity to gain further insight into professional filmmaking and directing.
For a creative professional, such exposure can be invaluable.
Classroom training provides technical foundations, but working around experienced practitioners offers another level of learning — understanding the realities of production, decision-making, directing, storytelling and professional discipline.
Ayorinde’s career has therefore been shaped by a combination of formal education, professional training, mentorship, practical experience and continuous learning.
Beyond the Camera: The 44 Studio Vision
If Shot By Thai marked the beginning of Ayorinde’s entrepreneurial journey, his forthcoming 44 Studio could represent its next major chapter.
The planned creative space is being developed as an environment where photographers, filmmakers, content creators, artists, brands and other creative professionals can produce and develop visual content.
The idea comes from an observation about the rapidly expanding Nigerian creative industry.
Nigeria has no shortage of talented creatives, but access to suitable professional infrastructure can sometimes determine the quality and scale of what those creatives are able to produce.
For Ayorinde, 44 Studio is intended to contribute to solving that problem.
The vision goes beyond creating another photography or film studio. It is about building a space that encourages creativity, collaboration, innovation and professional content production.
In many ways, the project reflects how far his career has evolved.
A young man who once studied Business Administration and later entered film school is now thinking beyond his own career to the infrastructure and opportunities that can support other creative professionals.
Building a Creative Ecosystem
The development of 44 Studio signals an important shift in Ayorinde’s professional journey.
He is no longer focused solely on being behind the camera.
His experience as a cinematographer and editor gives him an understanding of production. His drone operations add another technical dimension to his work. His project management training provides organisational expertise, while his Business Administration background gives him insight into the commercial side of entrepreneurship.
All these experiences have converged into a bigger ambition.
Through Shot By Thai and 44 Studio, Ayorinde is gradually positioning himself not simply as a content creator, but as a creative entrepreneur interested in building an ecosystem where other professionals can work, collaborate and bring ideas to life.
That may ultimately become one of the most significant aspects of his story.
A Journey of Reinvention
Ayorinde Taiwo Oladimeji’s journey is ultimately a story about refusing to allow one’s first qualification to determine one’s final destination.
In 2015, he graduated with a degree in Business Administration.
In 2017, he entered professional film training at PEFTI Film Institute and emerged as the Best Graduating Student in Editing.
In 2019, he founded Shot By Thai, beginning a new chapter as a creative entrepreneur.
He later strengthened his professional capabilities through the Google Project Management programme while continuing to develop his filmmaking expertise through industry experience and mentorship, including learning from director Paul Gambit.
His growing portfolio has taken him across corporate, entertainment, religious, events and lifestyle productions, with projects involving brands and organisations such as Nigerian Breweries, RCCG, Obimzy Property and Tomi Raje Construct, as well as entertainment platforms and artistes in Nigeria and beyond.
Today, he is working toward another major milestone with the development of 44 Studio.
The progression is striking: from business administration to film school; from student to editor; from filmmaker to entrepreneur; and now from entrepreneur to someone seeking to create platforms and infrastructure for an entire community of creatives.
The Bigger Picture
There is a valuable lesson in Ayorinde’s story.
A career does not always have to follow a straight line.
Sometimes, the knowledge acquired in one field becomes the foundation for success in another. In his case, Business Administration provided the business foundation; film school supplied specialised creative and technical skills; industry experience provided practical knowledge; project management brought structure; mentorship expanded his perspective; and entrepreneurship created the platform for growth.
The result is a career sitting at the intersection of business, filmmaking, technology and creativity.
As Shot By Thai continues to develop and 44 Studio moves toward completion, Ayorinde’s ambition is becoming increasingly clear: to build a sustainable Nigerian creative enterprise capable of producing quality work, supporting other creatives and competing beyond the local market.
For a young man whose professional journey began with a degree in Business Administration, the destination has been anything but conventional.
But perhaps that is precisely what makes his story compelling.
Ayorinde Taiwo Oladimeji did not abandon his original path. He expanded it.
And with Shot By Thai behind him, an impressive portfolio of projects across brands and entertainment, and 44 Studio ahead of him, the next chapter of his creative journey could be his most ambitious yet.
