Bringing the drama

At 25, Jennifer Gatero is a director, scriptwriter and producer. Her TV drama series Changing Times and comedy Mheshimiwa have both been nominated for Kalasha Awards, she talks to shirley genga

When did you know that you wanted to work as a director, scriptwriter and producer?

I knew that I wanted to be a writer as soon as I could write, I must have been about eight years old. I would write fairy tales and excel in compositions. I would get pretty emotional when I didn’t get top marks in a composition.

I didn’t know what I wanted until after I finished high school, it was only after I went on the set of Better Days that I knew, firmly, what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, so I quit university, went to film school and the rest as they say, is history.

What type of a childhood did you have?

I’m the last-born in a family of five, I have one brother and three sisters.

When I was growing up, I was a complete rebel, I went to three different high schools, was suspended twice and expelled once, In two of these schools I was branded the ‘most notorious girl in school’.

Today when my mum looks at me, she always sighs in relief like “phew, at least she turned out okay!” I thank God that my mum did not give up on me, all that rebellion was just a phase I was going through and not a reflection of who I am as a person. I am who I am because she was patient with me, You’ve got to love mums!

What did you learn from the experience of the Better Days drama?

The first show I was involved in was Better Days, I wrote it in High school and after I finished, I got a chance to get on set as the writer and creator, it was very exciting. Better Days was a learning experience for me and it changed my

life, because before Better Days, I was actually going to do Bachelor of Commerce in University. Now I can’t imagine my life behind a desk nine to five, in fact I can’t imagine my life doing anything else other than what I am doing now!

Were your parents supportive of your career?

My mum did not understand at first, especially after I made the decision not to do B -Com, she kept asking: “what do you want to do instead?” and I would say “I want to be TV Director”. She insisted I get a degree first but I had different plans.

When she agreed to take me to the Mohammed Amin Foundation, I was very grateful because I know that she still didn’t understand what exactly I wanted to do.

 Most parents are dead set on seeing their children follow the path they have set out for them so I am glad that my mum is different. My dad was a different story, he had a Masters in Engineering and he had some difficulty accepting my choice. Just before he died a couple of months ago, I finally got his approval, he saw how happy I was.

You have a production company, what inspired you to get involved in something so big?

Insignia Productions was born about a year and a half ago at the beginning of 2009, I and my then boyfriend Philippe Bresson were working at an NGO, he was the Head of TV and I was the production manager of a web station. We decided to quit our jobs and start our own company, a lot of people thought we had gone crazy, to quit such well paying jobs to venture in the unknown.

It was very difficult in the beginning but we stayed focused and towards the end of last year, we signed a contract to produce both Mheshimiwa and Changing Times. It’s been quite a journey for the both of us, a journey that has been filled with so many challenges and hardships but we have seen the company grow into something that we can be proud of and we found that it was all worth it!

How do you feel about being nominated for the Kalasha Awards?

I’m very excited about the nomination, I didn’t expect it and I am really happy that I got the nomination irrespective of whether we win or lose, this is the stuff that dreams are made of and I am literally living my dream so please, vote for Changing Times and Mheshimwa, go to the website or join our Changing Times Fan page and vote as many times as possible.

Who do I admire the most?

Two people, Sidney Sheldon and as clichÈ 1as it may sound, my mum. Sidney Sheldon is the reason why I am a writer today, I have read all his books and I cannot begin to explain how obsessed I was with his books. The first time I opened a Sidney Sheldon I must have been ten years old and I was amazed at how a book could capture your imagination and carry you into another world, I also admire my mum for her strength, she truly has been the rock in my life, she has taught me never to give up and to always go for what you want. Nothing keeps my mum down and everyone draws their strength from her. That will be me one day!

Describe a typical day at workÉ

On a normal shooting day I am up at about 6am, I am on set by 7:30am, we have breakfast and get to work and sometimes we shoot way past midnight. Working on the set of Changing Times is so much fun and it’s new everyday. I love my cast and half the time when we are on set we are joking around instead of working.

The hours are long but my work is very fulfilling, sometimes I sleep less than three hours a day and it can be very draining. The Changing Times set is the coolest set you will ever be on and sometimes when we are done shooting we play PS (play station) or go out to eat.

I work with the most amazing people in the world and I am not just saying that, they truly are, each and every one of them. It also helps that Ihave a great crew, Gayleen Akinyi, Abdallah Mohammed and Emmanuel Otieno, they all rock!