Advert makers go shopping for technology across borders

By Macharia Kamau

Kenya is losing billions of shillings due to lack of technology in the film industry required to produce adverts.

The problem is so severe that when Kenyan producers want to produce world-class adverts some of the production work is done in other countries.

Take the case of the MTV Pass the Mic advert, which is now been screened across Africa, post-production was done in India for two weeks.

The producers said it would have taken longer in South Africa, despite its fairly developed film industry. In Kenya, they say, production would take even longer because equipment and personnel would have had to be flown into the country.

A man holding a video camera. Kenya’s film industry has the potential to generate over Sh40bn and create over 250,000 job annually but is held back by lack of equipment. Photo: courtesy

The advert, which started airing on local television and 15 other African countries early this month, is a campaign in support of African music and sponsored by MTV and Zain.

The producers said the technology available in India has cut the costs of making films, attracting moviemakers from around the world.

Much cheaper

The Kenyan producers spent a fraction of what they would have in other film making destinations.

"We spent a third of the amount that we would have spent had we shot in South Africa," said Mr Eric Ndavi creative director at ZK Advertising.

The advert cost Sh25 million to produce in India compared to Sh75 million in South Africa. In Kenya it would have cost Sh100 million.

Ms Josie Kamunyo of Mojo Productions — which partnered with ZK Advertising in production — said the technology has been a major hindrance in the advertising industry.

"Kenya has theatrical talent to grow the film industry but technology is a major setback… Anything shot on film, unlike on video, is sensitive and has to undergo certain process but the equipment is not available in Kenya.

It would have been expensive to bring in the equipment and personnel," she said.

Big plus

Though the advert was not entirely produced in Kenya, developing the concept and execution was lead by Kenyans, which was a big bonus for local advertising and production houses.

"The success of making the MTV advert by Kenyans is a significant development because African countries are sidelined in favour of South Africa," said Ndavi.

"The advert has been received well in Kenya and other countries, demonstrating that South Africa is not the ‘ideas factory’ for the continent."

The main characters in the advert are local musicians, while part of the cast are African students studying in Indian universities.