DkIT Graduate Tomiwa shines behind the scenes on RTÉ’s The Traitors Ireland

Driven by a lifelong passion for film, the 34-year-old moved to Ireland to pursue a Film and Television degree at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT). His love for storytelling began at a young age, sparked by behind-the-scenes footage that revealed the magic of filmmaking—the way countless creative elements blend together, and how powerful collaboration can be in bringing a vision to life. Seeing the profound impact movies can have on people inspired him to be part of creating that same magic.

For Tomiwa, movies like Ridley Scott’s hit classic Gladiator and Zack Snyder’s “300 had a particular impact on him and gave him the push towards exploring a career in film. Prior to moving to Ireland, he gained invaluable experience at Hip-TV, Nigeria’s Largest Independent free to air cable channel on DSTV, where he worked as the Head of Department for Music Videos and Editing/Scheduling. There, his role involved curating the daily music video playlist that airs on the channel and creating the monthly Electronic Programme Guide (EPG). This ensured smooth broadcast scheduling and coordination across HipTv’s 24-hour entertainment channel. Confident that film was the right path for him, he attended workshops covering cinematography, lighting, sound design, and scriptwriting to refine his knowledge. 

Drawn to Ireland by its vibrant creative media sector, rich film locations showcased in productions like Vikings and Game of Thrones, and Ireland’s reputation for education, Tomiwa made the move to expand his skills. Fully self-funded, he immersed himself in the programme, experiencing everything from pre-production planning and scriptwriting to filming, editing, and post-production.

During his time at DkIT, Tomiwa collaborated with other students on award-winning short films including Lies of Envy, which was nominated for Best Drama in the Royal Television Society Student Awards this year. Another short film, where he worked as Director of Photography, The Forgotten Griever, was nominated for the Louth International Film Festival Award, The Berlin Indie Film Festival, and an AIMAFF Honorable Mention. These projects cemented his interest in cinematography and hands-on production roles.

Tomiwa’s break into professional television came when a former classmate invited him to join a project at Slane Castle. “Another student I had worked with rang me and said they were on a project and was I interested in some work, they sent me an Eircode and a time and I took a chance,” laughed Tomiwa. Taking that chance really paid off as the opportunity led to a role in the art department on RTÉ’s The Traitors Ireland, where he was responsible for ensuring set pieces — including the iconic Traitors lanterns — were perfectly placed.

“It was a huge operation, and I got to meet producers, camera crew, and art department members. Seeing my name in the credits was an incredible moment,” he reflected.

The scale of the production offered Tomiwa unique insight into large-scale television. 

“Every single person had a specific role, and seeing it all come together behind the scenes was incredible.” The vast number of positions also made him re-consider exploring different career paths within the television and film industry- It opened my eyes a bit more and made me realise being flexible and open to different roles in the industry can open so many doors,” he added.

With credits already rolling on the Traitors, Tomiwa is only getting started but it’s a world that is wide open to him with lots of different opportunities. 

“I see myself working on projects that centre around strong visuals and storytelling, whether in feature films, TV dramas, documentaries, or music videos. I’m open to any branch or project that allows me to create meaningful visual stories, and I’d be glad to grow wherever chances come.”