Changes: The new drama

By Shirley Genga

On Friday 19th, the who’s who of Kenyan television industry gathered at Nairobi’s Norfolk hotel. They had all come together to witness the official launch of the highly anticipated Kenyan drama series, Changes. The series, commissioned by Big Ideas Entertainment, is funded by M-Net and cost close to Sh4million to produce.

The MC of the prestigious event was none other than Capital FMs Seanice Kacungira who came dressed in an enticing little black dress. The event began promptly at 7:30pm. Those in attendance were treated to scrumptious delights, as Njoki Muhoho the series executive producer, Wangeci Murage and Multichoice Kenya general manager, Stephen Isaboke, made speeches.

After the speeches and introduction of the cast was introduced, those in attendance were treated to a twenty-minute sneak peak of the series.

The series revolves around three urban Nairobi couples: One settled, one starting out, and the third breaking up as they battle their own histories, prejudices, and desires against a backdrop of greed, love and lies.

The first couple tell the story of a career woman, Ugandan born Namata Gitau (Susan Nolwoga) and her lawyer husband Alfred Gitau (Ian Mbugua) who are both are career driven with strong personalities. Thus they all have different opinions on when to start a family and this is what causes the tension in their union. Meanwhile their downstairs neighbours Jabali (Godfrey Otieno) and Lupita Otieno (Renee Rewe), face troubles of their own when their comfortable marriage of several years begins to slowly disintegrate. With two daughters depending on them, they must somehow find a way to resolve their issues or risk destroying their family forever.

Couple number three is composed of gorgeous and glamorous Cindy Kamau (Pierra Makena),and her older Tanzanian boyfriend Minja Kabwe (Adam Juma – Tanzania) who live in the most expensive flat at Makao Close. Minja is wealthy, mysterious man who will go to extraordinary lengths for family and for love. Generous but ruthless he keeps his family’s mining success a closely guarded secret. Meanwhile his wife Cindy is trying to run away from her past as she tries to learn how to make it on her own using her brains and not her body.

The script does try to deal with a variety of issues a quality that will enabling it to relate to a wide type of audience all over Africa.

Multichoice Kenya general manager, Stephen Isaboke revealed that the company is still in the process of searching for quality productions.

"Changes, is a local production taken over by M-Net. This is part of our drive to do local content, local content is the next big thing, and the demand for quality local productions is high. Basically anyone having a good script can approach M-Net staff but if they reside in East Africa the person to approach is our East African manager Wangeci Murage. Last year we were involved with Idols East Africa which was a huge success, we also are involved currently in buying locally produced programmes like Tahidi high, Mother-In-Law and Papa Shirandula and airing them on paid television. Television is constantly changing and so is customers tastes, thus if customers love local content then our job is to provide local content," asserts Stephen Isaboke.

According to Isaboke, M-Net was still searching for quality productions as the company seeks to work with the local industry. In April, the company even held a scriptwriters workshop. Kenyan film and series producers are often riddled with problems from funding to finding good location sights to shoot, according to Njoki Muhoho executive producer of the series said that although they had to fire some writers at the beginning of the project because of creative differences. However, they suffered no problems when it came to getting locations to shoot that in fact people were very cooperative.

"The reason it was so easier for us, is because most of the people involved in the project are not only interested in film but are also involved in other professions, like I’ve been a management consultant for almost twenty years although I’m still involved in the film industry. It helps one to broaden their horizons and to be connected with people in different professions, basically networking. As a result I have quite a bit of clients, so getting locations was easier for me than it would be for a green executive producer who has nothing much to work with.

It takes only a look at the credits to believe her. Margaret Kibe of Odds and Ends furnished two apartments, Inaara provided the dinners set and honourable Michuki and his son let them shoot some scenes at Windsor Country at no cost at all whilst former minister Mutahi Kagwe let us use his sleek Mercedes said Muhoho.

According to Muhoho making a series is very costly. Just hiring a helicopter, in order to make use of 360 degrees camera cost them $4000 (Sh310,000) and they had received a fifty percent discount, they also had to least a whole block of apartments for Sh300,000 and renting filming equipment cost them between Sh0.8 to Sh0.15million in only a week. That they shot the whole series, a combination of 13 episodes in 61 days.

"The reason we were able to finish shooting on time, is because the whole team was hard working and committed" said award winning producer, Eric Musyoka did our sound mixing, he was so dedicated that him and his wife cut short their honeymoon, she literally slept in the studio while he did finishing touches. And most importantly the whole cast were willing to work on commission. "Kenyans need to learn to work on commission. We only got paid after we had done work we were required to do, a catch 22,basically we produce the series and M-Net pays, after all it is a business. A lot of people in the industry want to be paid before working .I think that is the reason they was a lot of problems with the ‘Agency’ the other Kenyan series," asserts Njoki.

Margaret Kibe who, not only edited the script but came on board as the supervising producer, has worked for four and a half years as an executive assistant to the producers for The Bold and the Beautiful and also worked for Castle Rock and Warner bros, before returning to Kenya. She was of the opinion that although she was challenged by the quality was not at per with those in Hollywood that the TV industry had really grown and that Changes was a testimony of that growth.

Ian Mbugua the famous Tusker Project Fame judge who plays s a pivotal role in the series also attended the launch looked very exited.

"It was a nice experience to be part of this project, the script was well written with a beautiful story line and was not only superior direction wise but also artistically," said Ian.

Twelve year old Trevor Mbotela, who popular among kids for his role as presenter, for Angels CafÈ on Citizen television was also in attendance to support his other cast members The event came to an end with a breathtaking performance by Wyre and his band.