Africa needs a film fund

What led you into the world of film?

After high school, I wanted to study film, but I ended up studying communication. I was unhappy and looked for other courses. I knew I wanted to enter a field of expression where I could release and share emotions. What I like about the film medium is that it makes us realise that we are not so different after all.

What are some of the multiple roles your work has entailed?

As in any job, and especially in the film industry, you can end up doing all sorts of menial jobs in order to break in.

What inspires you?

My emotion. My work often begins from an overwhelming feeling within me that I need to release. The great thing about my work is that research comes in the form of watching music videos, films and photos. The research phase can be angst ridden, but it is fun and enriching.

What are some of your most memorable work triumphs?

Completing a project well is always a triumph for me. I just completed a trailer for a film and my dad was so impressed that he considered it his birthday present. That made me feel good. I remember the first time I got funding for a project. In November last year, my partner and I were invited to France by potential funders. I had always feared pitching, but that day we did the pitch in front of an entire full cinema. We did it so well that I impressed myself and, of course, the funders.

What are some of the challenges?

Maintaining a steady income and being able to forecast and plan financially. Creatively is sometimes also a challenge, especially when you have to tone down some concepts.

What personality strengths do you have that make you well suited to your career choice?

I like people and I am fascinated by stories. I like to work hard and see new things. I am also extremely curious about how other people live, what they do and how they think. These inspire me to write and photograph. Besides determination, one has to be persistent and committed.

Have your parents been supportive of you in your endeavours?

Their continued support has been insurmountable. I would like to make a film that touches them as a form of appreciation.

What are some of the films you have made?

I will mention two successful ones. The first is Gubi — The Birth of Fruit. This short film is an experimental folk-tale and has screened at numerous film festivals worldwide, notably Fespaco in 2009 and the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles in the same year.

The score for this film was written and performed by emerging drummer Kesivan Naidoo in South Africa. Her audiovisual film for the One Minute Foundation in Amsterdam was screened at the Beijing Today Art Museum in 2008 and the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2010.

I have just completed a feature documentary, I’m Not Dead Yet, about anti-apartheid resistance artist Manfred Zylla. The film is an intimate, observational portrait.

How would one get started if they wanted to pursue a career path in film?

Start writing, reading and photographing. Blog and read about people in this field. Network, watch all types of films and inundate yourself with images. Contact people you admire and tell them what you are doing. Ask them to mentor you and to give you some work. Begin working, even if it means starting at the bottom.

Where would you say the film industry in Kenya and in Africa is headed?

We are creative and extremely productive. I believe we need not be scared of doing something new. We need to break out of copying people.

What do you love most about your work?

I like the fact that my schedule is flexible. I love the buzz on set when everyone is working towards the same goal and the energy is great. Through my work, I get to travel to new places and meet new people. During conceptualisation and scripting, I love going into another world and imagining places and people that only exist in my mind.

What do you find most frustrating about filming?

Funding. Most projects require money and lack of it can be stifling. As filmmakers, if we want to raise the bar and up the production value of our work, we need to accomplish a number of things, including paying ourselves and those who work with us. We should also have the freedom to shoot at any location. African countries need a film fund. For many of my projects, I have to seek funding from film organisations abroad. With dependable funding, filmmakers can concentrate on the project, shoot it anywhere and include all the desired effects without constraints.

Who are your role models or mentors?

I have always gone out of my way to get mentors. When I admire somebody’s work, I find their email address and contact them. Sometimes they respond and other times they don’t. I have been lucky enough to forge friendships through this. I also often ask the advice of colleagues and peers whom I respect and trust. I do not believe in not sharing just because someone does the same work as I do. Everyone has a unique way of looking at the world and we can build each other.

The people who have been supportive and helpful have been Judy Kibinge (Kenyan filmmaker), Don Edkins (South African producer) and Hubert Sauper (Austrian documentary filmmaker).