Director exceptionnel!

Jennifer Gatero   PHOTO: COURTESY

JENNIFER GATERO, 28, has been directing television shows and writing scripts from the time she was in high school. She spoke to SHIRLEY GENGA about her incredible journey on the silver screen.

By Shirley Genga

What do you do for a living?

I am a script writer and director.

Which are some of the television shows you have worked on?

Better Days, Changing Times and Mheshimiwa.

It has been a while since Changing Times was on air. What have you been up to?

After the behind-the-scenes special, which was the last thing we did for Changing Times, I focused on setting up my own company, Avant Films. We worked on several documentaries last year. I love docu-films: They are very different from drama. This year, however, I will return to drama.

Tell us a little about your production company.

I formed Avant Films last year, in April. Although I have worked in production for over five years, this is the first time that I have owned a company, and it is very exciting. We have several ongoing projects, the most exciting being the series I am currently working on. I have found  myself waking up in the middle of the night because I just came up with a new idea for it. The first season should be done by the end of May, with prospects of a big premier once it is finished.

You wrote your first script aged 19, while still in high school, and it was produced on television. Tell us about that.

I came up with the concept for Better Days (a drama series) while I was in Form Four and continued to write after I completed high school. The following year, I took the script to all the local television stations and a few months later, Mburugu Gikunda, KTN’s production manager, called me and told me they were interested in producing it. He was very shocked to learn that I was only 19. With his encouragement, it did not take long before I eventually took on TV and film as a lifetime career.

Tell us about your experience as a script writer?

It has been fulfilling. I enjoy writing because I get to create characters, give them personalities and make them real. To be a writer, you have to be a little crazy.

I have a love-hate relationship with writing. It can be frustrating, especially when you get writers’ block, but, as John Braine once said “Writing’s not always a pleasure to me, but if I am not writing every other pleasure loses its savour.”

This year, I plan to take on a script that will be the most challenging one I have done yet.

What are some of the lessons you have learnt so far about being a scriptwriter?

You need to allow people to critique your work. Constructive criticism is the key to growing as a scriptwriter.

You got to play the role of director for the first time on Changing Times. What was that like?

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Directing was fun and the Changing Times cast was amazing. I think job satisfaction is everything, and as far as TV and film are concerned, I could not be happier.

When did you know you were gifted in writing, and how did you connect it to  script writing?

I knew that I wanted to be a writer as soon as I could write; I must have been about eight. I would write fairy tales and excel in compositions. I knew I loved writing but I did not know what I wanted to do until I completed high school.

It was only after I went on the set for Better Days that I knew, firmly, what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Originally, I had plans to study Commerce, but instead I joined a film school for a year.

Where did you study film?

I went to the Mohammed Amin Foundation for a year. There I learnt a lot and fell in love with film, but the greatest lessons I have learnt about production have been on the ground.

What advice would you give young people who have talents but are afraid to take a chance on their gifts?

You have to believe in yourself. If you do not believe in yourself, no one will. When I told people that I would be a writer when I grew up, my dad was not agreeable. Our parents believe that to make it, you have to follow traditional career paths like being a doctor or lawyer, for instance. In short, the arts have never been celebrated. I, however, stood my ground and floated my boat even when my father did not agree with it. I am glad that just before he passed on, he saw how happy my work makes me. I know that he was proud of me.

Which is your favourite series?

Prison Break (Season One). For me, it was the main character, played by Michael Scoffield, that stole the show. The characterisation and writing technique was amazing.

What is the highlight of your career so far?

When Changing Times won best TV Drama less than a year after its first went on air. I would say that was the highlight of my career, but I believe that there is so much more to come.

You have not made a film yet. Do you think you will one-day branch into films?

Yes. I will definitely write and produce a film soon, maybe even this year. I just need to find a story worth telling.

What do you do for fun?

I love cooking. I am always trying out new recipes and cuisines. I also enjoy outdoor activities like camping, hiking and travelling with friends. I also love hosting dinners at my house and having a good laugh. I love laughter; it is what makes me remember that life is absolutely beautiful.