 I'm standing next to one of the leading make-up actress, make-up artist? Yes, and then wardrope artist, especially in the firm, firm production. Fatu, janiya kwa watua kujiwa, na kuna kato bihani since you're one of the leading creative in one of the leading TV adverts. Janiya kuna kuna kuna kuna film production in Kenya? Kia janiya kuna kuna household. What's your name? My name is Fatu Hassan. I'm a creative make-up artist and costume designer in film and TV commercial, documentary and billboard. Safariangu me kwanzuri sana kwa sababu niljipatiya jani nili kubali process. Process na watua na sahau nili kubali process. I stayed with my mentors for four years under them until they tell me now you're ready to go. Siku ji toa kwa kwa kwa I'm really appreciating that process I went through. Mibu, what was your life being under mentorship program? I had very good mentors who didn't teach me just to hold a brush or to iron. Also they taught me how to behave, how to brand myself, how to carry myself to client, how to talk to client, how to, when I'm called for a job, how to cut, how to do the power point. Because on wardrobe you have to read, you have to read the script and present the book look for make-up, the wardrobe, all that they taught me. And it's also amazing, I really appreciate that. Uyoku na watua mwa kiki kwangali e if mibu na sama. Ahu ni professional koeli. Napi okika maalu kiskemtura jini introduce kama ti a make-up actress. Situ what, what. Sama hui ni nini hui yo. How do you differentiate? Of course ni mi sama process. The process is not, people don't take the process serials. They just want to do one job, second job in Instagram and they're calling themselves a make-up artist. For me, actually I always say I went through the process and that's why Olizon production was the first production to give me in sugar with Lupita, key make-up artist. And that's the process I had to, actually they saw it, bomb production and Olizon production came together to do sugar. And that's the first time I saw key make-up artist, head of make-up Fatuhasan. The process is very important. Usi nda kujipatia titles. Don't give yourself titles before the job gives you the title. I appreciate I got the title from Olizon production and bomb production South Africa. Now working with Lupita Koset. Yes. How's the feeling? For me, I knew Lupita will go far because she was the most easiest understanding cast in my room. We were talking, we were having fun, we were listening to music, we were talking about life, we were talking in general about everything. She was the most easy actress I've ever worked with. I've worked with other actress that are easy but for her, I knew Lupita will go far because she was very easy. Like she comes in, what are we doing today? How easy question, she doesn't ask why are you doing this, why are you putting this color or what? Nothing, we move on like that and I knew she will go far. Now for two you want maybe just to mention any leading advocacy on TV. Ima ptm kono ya far two. That's a good job you're doing now. Yes. With all these leads, referrals, your work speaks for itself. It landed you in an amazing project. The Bufis. Yes. We want you to see what you're doing for two. Mahat Kala was also the co-director. Oh, director and his co-director, Vicencio. I hope I said the name correct. Mahat is the one who called me because we were working with Mahat in Ayanle. And then Mahat was like, I have a project for two but we'll talk to you more about it. And he called me one day and said, you know what for two I want you to do for me wardrobe and makeup. And come and meet my co-director also, the co-writer. And just meet the team and then we move on from there. That was nice because after Ayanle I was like another Somali movie. I'm the one who's going to tell the story of my own people. I felt so good. What was the life experience working with now, the crew for this amazing project? Oh, the crew was so fantastic. The cast also was amazing. And also me just sitting and reflect back and say, you know what for two I'm doing wardrobe and I have to keep the script the way it is, but also keep my own tradition. I could feel the material when I'm getting the material of the bati, the garbasar, the gogarad. And working with this amazing also, we had also an artist, Somali artist, like Hoddan Afrik. Hoddan Afrik is an artist. We had Hassan, the son who was acting. And also him, the old man is a very important person in our society. He writes, he does music in Somali community. We met, I work with Jini Chumi. Jini Chumi is a big Somali artist and very humble. You see, for me I was so excited but for them I was like, oh, the way they treated our side, it was amazing. You being part of the Somali community to tell our own story. Onajua, Bufis is a different story, you know? Yes, Bufis is the real thing we go through as Somali community. And our brothers and sisters after 91, you will do anything when you go through war. You will do anything to go the next. Kenya is a home for them. But again, they still look out there to go. That's a daydreamers completely. And for me to be part of this, to help them say the story and to help myself also. Because there's one thing Ahme Farah said. We, when we're doing Ayanele Ahme said, from today we need to say our own story. We should tell our own story, our own jokes. Let us say whatever. Let people laugh about it but it's us who say the story. No, safari me kwaji. Because now we see Bufis. You being part of the Bufis film team to tell a Bufis story because it's a kind of Piana story. Yes. Okay, actually people say, oh, maybe Bufis, you guys have said a lot. But guys, we need to tell our story. This is what we go through. In Bufis, you see, we are telling the story how we are daydreamers. In Ayanele we said the story how we go through has Somalis back here in Kenya. You understand? We are the one who is saying the truth. If someone feel offended and say, oh, why are you guys saying the secret? No, no, no, it's not the secret. It's a journey that we go through has Somalis. How has my brothers come back? And this is the journey they go through. They are dreaming to go another place because of the war. I'm here to tell that story. Of course, there are scenes where Somalis come back and say, why are you going through a war? And they say, where are you going? Oh, my God, of course. They will judge me. This is my community. They will judge me. Hey, guys, I pray. And I'm a very good Muslim, by the way. And I believe my religion is here. This hair should not fool you. But this red hair should not fool you. And I'm a very old soul. I listen to the old Karami music. I listen to poets for Somalis. And actually, if you see me, you're like that fatwa, jataku pika. This one cannot even cook. But listen, I'm an old soul because I was raised by an old grandmother and my auntie. But there are scenes, yes, in Bufis. And every movie has, we have to put something to spice up. Truly, for the scenes that you see in Bufis, just remember that these guys, when they came back to Kenya, they said they need to work. If someone doesn't have education, maybe they are good in other things. In that scene, I know they will talk. They will judge us, but it's reality. It is the truth. This is happening, of course. Please, we are Somalis. We have our culture. We are Muslims also. But remember, these things are happening. And we have to talk about it. Because we don't want to lie to the generation. This thing is happening and we need to accept it. Okay, now Fatu, coming up with what is required for the film, getting it on point, the makeup, the wardrobes, just to tell the story going on, where come of Fatu, was this an opportunity maybe you'll sit down on, appreciate it, say Niaje, it's high time now from TV commercial advert now I'm telling my own story. Come of Fatu na sama Niaje, I didn't see this coming. Okay, of course commercial world is still my, I love doing commercial, I love doing print, I love doing the billboards, to see people out there, you know. But when I've put myself in that, in TV scenes, and also I've put myself in film. For me to prepare a bufis, it took me, I was talking to Vince and Mahat for a whole week. We did a read through with director and continuity and my assistant, who is Sara Owen, thank you so much Sara, you're always there. We sat down and we read the read through and I wanted to understand the feel of two directors. You see, this time round I always have one director. But this time round I'm working with two directors and I have to respect the opinion, the DOP also. However there are three people, I need to make sure all of them are happy. The DOP wants this palette of colors, the director wants this feel of a look and the other director also. However you can imagine three people but I am sure Vince will tell you I didn't disappoint them. I really made sure all of them are happy. What is the most interesting maybe scene? Yes, my favorite scene is Aisha. Aisha being daytime. She's in full outfit Bati Garbasar but after that in the evening she changed to go to her job, which is she's in club, working. That was my favorite scene and another scene it's Samira when we're doing the day dreaming. Me and Samira were having conversation about the outfit and she keeps saying but you don't think I should wear a pant and I'm like you know Samira you look very nice in a dress, in a small dress and Samira has very beautiful body and I think she didn't understand but she was like okay and that was the first time we did Samira's glam makeup. All the time she was just natural, very natural if you see the film but at the end when she was day dreaming I had to make her look like you know what, you're in America day dreaming and that was my favorite, those two were my favorite scenes and also the special effect when we're doing now the scenes of they're shooting the blood, the bruise on Zubair Kai, he was Kai on the film, those bruises and stuff, those were my moment. No, for two. You are in the better position maybe to tell us now. You've been in the industry for more than 20 years maybe do you guys feel like a lot need to be done maybe do you get more like appreciation is done to you guys in terms of now maybe loyalty is being paid in half maybe what do you feel like need to be done maybe. I always say the day I will walk in in a production and they ask me how much is your pay and I say and they don't argue about it then I feel I'm appreciated by for now we're still struggling with pay we're struggling with on time pay and then again at department that is wardrobe make up hair special effect it's a very very important department in a film set in a commercial set but guess what they always like they always think that we are magician anyway we are magician by the way because we sacrifice a lot when we are doing those department really sacrifice for form but we're still waiting for them to appreciate and Kalasha please pay me what happened to our money I won an award I won the money but I've never seen the money what do you mean yeah we won you remember 2022 I won best costume in Kalasha with Ayane I won the best but I've never seen I've never seen the money but I've seen my trophy it's home my trophy I see it it gives me strength and more working hard but I don't know no one communicated about us and it's good has them they should communicate to assess it you know what this and this is happening we are still working on it maybe are you alone who didn't receive the money how much was it it was 200 1000 yes and that's a good money for me as a makeup artist I could add a lot on my kit with that I could do another I could do another class because being a makeup artist every day we are learning and every day we are adding knowledge for me as Fatu I don't know others I add knowledge every day there's a new product I add knowledge there's a new look it's coming in I have to try that look and if it doesn't work for me I'm like this one doesn't work for me in film or in TV were you alone to receive the money I don't know guys you try to reach out you try to call them I send email no one has ever replied to me but I've never asked because for me I'm like what was the conversation like the conversation was send us your bank details and everything and until today no one has ever responded and then I email again I say did you get my bank details and stuff they reply yes but we have not dispatched the money I think they should just communicate and say do you know what we are working on communication because we believe you try to reach out to the office no no no I didn't because for me I feel like your filmmakers are working there in film number one thing communication communication I'm going to be late you have to tell your producer something is not working you have to tell your first AD this scene I don't have that it's communication in film we were expecting them to communicate to me and tell me that but anyway I will wait we are very this scene you have wumulivu sana has filmmakers you know to cut wumulia sana I will wait I'm sorry about that now maybe given a chance maybe you talk to a young someone who's looking up to you maybe in your field maybe admires to be like you and then maybe a message to the upcoming actor actress because they find it harder times maybe to work with makeup artists you know oh yeah yeah yeah for upcoming actors and actresses please know yourself me as a makeup artist when you come to my room my work is to make you feel comfortable to go and work if I disrespect an actor I think it's time an actor to just say it openly go to a producer and say you know what that makeup artist is rude because actors do a lot of job actors do a lot of work these guys they they're there my work is to make sure they're on set happy I always say being a makeup artist is being like a you're like a psychiatrist because this person comes in maybe I'm a pitiakitu at home maybe she's going through something or he go when he comes to that scene he comes and release and say you know what I had a very long day my work is say it's gonna be a good day we are going to I'm going to help you to give you that remove that tiredness make you feel good and even I I tell them do you need coffee do you need something to drink please please we need to take care of actors because that's the job one job we need to take care of them actors know yourself know your worth take care of you because do you know what they're going through a lot coming maybe makeup artist makeup artist upcoming makeup artist or costume designer please please follow the process process when you get a mentor stick to your mentor go through the process akuna short cut there's no short cut in film industry there is no short cut you have to go through the process and learn just learn slowly give yourself time you'll be the best one day you will shine all day you will come all right maybe fatu kwa lembo wana kutizamo nuliza maybe fatu nizam patawapi nizam fanyane kazi nizam appreciataj nizam supportaj maybe kuna yangapu makeup artist kushinda lawaya ingain tansibu kwa fatu Instagram is fatu makeup artist Africa and even my tiktok is fatu makeup artist Africa my Facebook but mostly I check my DMs in tiktok and I check my DMs on Instagram Facebook is very rare me going into my DM but if you want to find me just DM if you want an upcoming and you're given a job and you can you see it's a bit hard you don't understand please DM I'm here to help I will guide you and you will you do it just feel free all right thank you so much is that one person maybe you're very grateful who has helped you maybe achieve what you've achieved in your career one person oh my god not one person I've trained more than 7, 8 and Vanessa Vanessa Cheng also she's in Instagram she's a good makeup artist and a wardrobe I've fortunately also I'm the one who trained from ground yes I'm the one like these two people Jackie Mwende there's a people that name is Kamkono and these are girls who are doing also a job and I always also any other makeup artists who come through and ask me I always I'm a actually if you ask I'm one makeup artist who has trained more in the industry because for me I think that the way I was trained by my mentors how can you how can you how can you be for me also I'm also a Kamkono and I still do it until now okay I'm not sure if you're grateful maybe you're grateful for what you've done and what you've achieved I want to say production Alisson Gibweni that's Alisson production Mojo production Wame Nishika Sana that's Moe and Josie Jenny Pond production oh my god Wame Nishika Kamkono actually for me I always say production Wame Nekapa Jinja Ink I've worked with them Blue Sky I've worked with them level one Maureen oh my god Wame Nishika Kamkono I want Wame Nishika Kamkono to make a mingi Wame Nishika Kamkono onawana ni kumbusha that I'm doing great and if I go wrong they call me and tell me fatu hapani wrong how nichkuli kama to just a crew also Wame Nichkuli kama toto dada and I really appreciate these productions all right those one and only fatu makeup artist queen of makeup artist in Africa fatu God bless you hope to see you many many many many years to come nice was nice time talking to you thank you so much ma fans eh jama ni ma fans muku jitu him slide in kwa diem ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha anyway thank you so much following spm bars of course in nature s spm bars oh sp bars oh spm bars muende mu follow mu subscribe mu like na mu eke message mu commentivitum zuri mu support please support thank you so much that was one and only fatu til next time adios