 A very good evening to you and thank you for joining us on why to fight for my name is Patricia Muriochi. Tonight we're talking about the Kenya film industry and what we're trying to focus on is the milestones that have been made in the industry. We'll try to look at our challenges and to be very specific in terms of what are some of the challenges that the upcoming talents in the film industry are facing. What opportunities are there for them and how can they be able to acquire or probably where can they be able to assess those opportunities. We also try to look at in terms of when we look at our film industry how much has the female or how has the woman been represented in terms of opportunities in terms of in what capacity are our women also playing in the film industry. Talk to us across our social media platforms that is at why to fight for. You can also reach me at Patricia Muriochi and let me do an introduction of my guest. We have Collins Motunga who is a producer, a director and an actor under Steve Ward's productions. We also have Daisy Nabuyaya who is an actress and producer under the Steve Ward's production. Welcome and thank you for the fighting the time to be here with us tonight. As we start off our film industry we can see is really growing because we have seen in this year alone we've seen three films on Netflix which is a big step for us. Yeah well I missed one. Four films on Netflix which is a big step because we've always talked about putting ourselves out there in there as people say put putting ourselves in the map and we know with Netflix there is assess there are many people who get to watch at that but before we really dive to our discussion for the night and the things that we were talking about starting with you Daisy what is your take what is your opinion on how would you rate our industry at the moment? Aha okay thank you so much Patricia. You're welcome. So in terms of rating I would give it a six that is from a four that I had and yes I think the show. Okay what's it? Between the journey from your house to the studio. That change came from 46 which is on Netflix which is premiering on Netflix in the 20th year and I just found out on my way here so that is the fourth one and then as it's a wide it's a wide screen you know and it's growing so that is the thing you know that is why we as filmmakers we as actresses and actors are supposed to push further for more growth you know it is there for everybody okay you know people people feel like the movie is not the industry is not growing the industry is stagnant but then at the end of the day we as actors know that it is growing and there is space for everybody in the industry okay and looking at Netflix coming to Kenya that was one hell of a move yeah you know and looking at the first premiere on Netflix that was Pocha yeah you know when Pocha premiered on Netflix that was one great move you know because I know Breino Golan is my friend and I was like oh my god you know this guy is doing great so I am also headed somewhere you know and young artists you know for young artists they want to make it once you know they don't want to grow slowly as others grow they just want to come in the industry you know I'm an actor I'm from I'm from from folk and I just want to jump to be famous you know they don't know what what makes an actress or what makes an actor good okay let me cut you short on that because these I would like us to in details look at the young they are coming talents but before we get to that up quality as a producer and as a director what I would you say look in it let's even take three years comparing to 2020 how is our film industry and what are some of the milestones that you have been able to see as a producer and as a director thank you so much for having me is a director speaking from the director's point of view in the film industry we have grown you see I've seen growth and we have so many people out there trying to tell the story of Kenyans from a Kenyan's perspective okay most of our producers out there right now are not they do not fear telling our stories we are open right now guys are open you write our stories is different from how it was a few years ago when we do not have our own producers from this land people are coming to to the industry and giving you money to do a film but a certain kind of way they dictate to you how how they want the film done and you know the only person that can tell you a story is yourself because you know yes okay someone seated from outside cannot tell you a story the way it should they will see things that think maybe it's funny to them maybe it's it will get them some clout but it does not cut to the audience that was it created a disconnect between the audience our local audience and the content that we are producing okay because you know a film is more than it's more than what you're telling to the audience it serves as a good purpose to good characters and a good story okay now when your audience sees a story that they did not relate to one on one you lose them okay so when we talk about the good things that we've been able to achieve as a film industry we also have the challenges and we know this literally nothing in life that does not have challenges but if my first question would go to you Daisy as a woman do you feel that the female or the women who are interested have opportunities that they want and I would refer this to just the other day I think in 2019 that is when we've seen more women even get nominated for the Oscars especially on the director's roles so how do you think our industry is doing when we now talk about women okay thank you so much when it comes to women in in the industry there is a very long way to go we have a long way to go in that especially in the production part that is the production the producer the director we have very few females I only know a handful maybe like three four and when it comes to the actors and actresses women are coming up strong yeah you know women are coming up strong people look up in Kenya people look up to Brenda we remote okay Kate okay the actress yeah and so many others but then we have a milestone to jump when it comes to production so and if you look worldwide it has taken some time to build these to build a notion that women can also do do it good and do it very very good okay so it is it will take long it will take long like maybe five years to come maybe some of us like Daisy will be a very known you know director and I look forward to that but then it has it has been a journey and it's good that I have mentors like Collins here and I have other mentors that are pushing me and it's it's unfortunate or fortunate that there are men but that they're still pushing me to do to do good okay yeah I think it doesn't the most important thing I think with mentorship a topic that I'm very passionate about is as long as a person is impacting your life it doesn't matter it's a man or a woman so Collins for you as a producer and director you know the person who will sit down and feel this is the character that I want you are involved I'm sure with casting I would just say when you would have been auditions what probably would you say is a one thing that you feel people coming up into this industry should work on what is that one thing that you feel is missing and that can make someone a really great actor or actress but they they do not have it I would say first priority to most of our actors myself included you'll get a job you learn one job and then you start relax you relax and get into the stardom and you start forgetting about what it is that you do you have to improve yourself every other day and the only way that we can do that is by doing a lot of practice on monologues on different because most of the time you find an actor is also a writer give yourself the challenge to continue upping your game in characters that will create and deliver monologues attend their seminars and workshops all around the city for actors engage a acting coach they'll help you a lot that will make the difference between an actor and a good actor okay I don't know my director if the what-heave trailer is ready we could probably play that and get to talk about the film what that's creativity I think on another level I yeah I I checked that and let me first start by asking you this daisy taking up this role because okay it gave me the vibe of Quantico I don't know why but it gave me Priyanka Chopra so what would you say like as you are going through these what stands out for you in that film whatever stands out for me in the film is the production like the cinematography is so good yes and you can feel it and it's a different storyline something that is so different from the Kenyan you know what we are used to in Kenya and that is something that caught my eye like we're talking about terrorism for the first time yeah and I'm like oh my goodness this is good this is it this is what we want these stories are supposed to be told to Kenya yeah because we find the most of the times like all these movies that we've seen about terrorism they will even refer to our own these literally no production company that has ever taken and wanted to really do that so for you Collins what as you are taking up this role and taking up this character what is the one thing that you really had to do best him for you to really give quality not only good work but also making sure that these could be a stepping stone for you to get into bigger and greater opportunities when I got the call that had landed the role and I was briefed by the writer about the character and what he what what he wants first I was a bit scared because it's quite a huge huge huge role and it's sensitive to most of or some of us who have been affected by terrorism in one way or another so I took it personally to be able to to to to give it out and and leave the character best the best I could then again the production crew are amazing people first I got shocked when we met to a production and the average age was I think my age everyone is 20 is in their 20s mid-20s and they are we everyone is so passionate about film that you want to do more it gives everyone the push to do more okay yes luckily we had worked I had worked with some of the people in the production in a film they did in Kenya film school which has given a huge huge platform for young guys it has taught young guys how to do quality film and how to tell our stories without fear okay and make sure that you know a film is a film it does not show it does not represent reality but it amplifies it okay it will show you that this is what guys are facing it's here when you do not talk about it okay when we talk about natural intelligence and when we think about people are watching us tonight and they would really they have passions I have attended a film workshop by Glite Lakes production probably might have heard of them and the numbers people literally show up and they are very passionate about it and they do they do presentations there and you really look at people and you're like wow if only I think more would be done so before I get to like what the government in terms of sponsorship Daisy I saw you speak about how you've had experiences where you've gone to set and you're told be natural and that triggered me because I'm like when I look at Viola Davis who happens to be your role model when it comes to acting you ask yourself the way Viola Davis behaves in most of our movies that is not who she is like when you see in an interview it's differently it's a different person compared to the person that you see on the movie so how do you get to deal with such comments when someone you show up and you do your best and you're told be natural okay in the first days when I when I when I was told that I am not natural in acting and during auditions I used to be like my goodness then I'm not an actress then I'm supposed to leave these role and just move on with me with other things maybe be a writer or a producer or something else other than acting but then I come forth and my and my you know and my director tells me that Daisy you are a very good actress can you go watch Viola Davis can you go and watch Taraji B. Henson is that how they talk naturally you know so I'm like no that is not how they talk naturally they are actresses so whatever I'm doing is just the right thing until I landed a role in Rwanda then I was like my god okay so in Kenya this is natural acting this is not natural acting but in Rwanda this is way this is very good acting so I was like yeah yeah I'm a good actress but so I went to figure out what is natural acting and what is stage acting you know there is this Phoenix the Phoenix way of of speaking you know it is mostly in high schools that is what they don't term as natural acting you know if you watch the drama festivals mostly then if you go to theater and stage acting there is also that stage acting that mostly is coming to natural acting but you will you will feel some sense of stage then there is this Kenyan version of natural acting where I'm just talking to you like high-part how are you doing I think that is what they mean when they say natural acting because at the end of the day you look at someone's acting and you look at the reviews of that production and you you see that this production the production is good but the acting is terrible okay you know so there is that I truly don't understand what Kenyans mean when they say you we need natural acting on something but you at least you've been able to figure it and you've heard from someone who has told you it is the right way because one being life you'll always find people different opinions yeah Collins when we talk about support that the government has done we've seen the Kenya film classification but even like when COVID started they came out with the way you're supposed to produce a film using your phone tell I think tell your Kenyan story and they're continuing to do more and bring up opportunities for the young people but when we talk about sponsorship do you think that there is really impact and at what point should these sponsors come and the day that you're launching or would you appreciate them if they came and brought finances as the progress or the process is starting of creating the film it's for you financing these projects is hectic in Kenya it's nearly impossible I can use that term because you'll go you'll approach someone who can fund your project you have their script you have a good outline a pitch you want sell to them the idea then they'll look at you and ask you my friend is he Sarakasi that is what they call them we cannot fund Sarakasi because they do not understand that this is an industry that is employees people once a lot of people that is one it's a it gives many people actually when you go to these sets you'll find more than 30 people depending on it and then it's a business this is your business it will have returns any day when you put in good money you get it gets good reward from it but now these lenders we depend on to give us money these sponsors are not really comfortable with us which is I'd not blame them fully but it's an attitude that's in Kenyans because we look at this industry is Sarakasi look at it as jokes there was a friend of mine who once told me he wanted to go and study film when when he wants to his parents to tell him that trail them that dad not a cuckoo summer that looked at him that's my friend you're becoming you're going that is really bad it's a it's an attitude problem but we can I believe with time and the way the way we are going right now in Netflix coming in the Kenya film Commission has is really working by they are creating creative hubs around the country everywhere in areas these one is one in embo I think there's one in Kakamega they want to at least have one in each county okay what would be your final comments tonight for someone who is watching us and they want to be a director or an actress or an actor or in whatever role it is that they are aspiring to be in the film industry what is your advice to them my advice to them is that first it's not easy nothing is easy in anything you do you have to put in work putting a lot of effort research study make connections with people there's this notion that when you get on set when you get to a set you are the superstar of the day you don't talk to people you want to to bounce all over and those connections the people that you have in the in that set will connect you to higher places the place where you want to go you reach there through the connection that you have with the people that you are with in that sitting okay Daisy as you wind up how can we change the attitude that is already there in the industry to make it a more accommodative industry for every person who dreams or has passion to be part of it okay to begin we have a notion that there are only 10 actors in Kenya that is one I always see it every time a few faces appear in certain movies and that is a very bad notion and that creates the attitude you know so many people are like are these the only actors in Kenya you know what is wrong yeah but then I would like to tell them that there's so many actors in Kenya there's so many productions in Kenya there's so many directors in Kenya people who are working tirelessly every day to make these programs and to make these productions come to the people and there is also these notions that the Kenyan Kenyans don't know to act you know you cannot judge all actors best on a few that you have that that are known yeah we have so many people we have also seen what if the trailer and we have seen that Collins is a very good actor and he is not known yet just you know time so it is a matter of taking that attitude and placing it with faith you know yeah you keep the attitude yeah by the way by all means keep it it is us to prove you wrong it is not you to prove us right or whatever it is us to prove you wrong it is up to us to work tirelessly and ensure that the Kenyan movie industry is moving a step farther you know I looked at the reviews on sincerely Daisy he just premiered next week's the other day and we it created a whole gulabalu you know it was a mixed you know a mixture of reactions yeah some felt it was nice others felt it was really bad you know terrible acting good production terrible casting good cinematography you know there was that mix but that is that is the way we want yeah we want that conversation so that we're able to move yeah with that conversation we will we will know okay we okay this is where we did this is what we did wrong this is what we did right so this is what we are supposed to change this is what is supposed to go you know and I was so happy sincerely sincerely Daisy we it brought in new actors you know because that is what I want as a Kenyan actress as an you know I will not call myself up coming because I've done a few films yeah okay that is what we want then we also saw Pocha who has new faces you know it's also Netflix we have also seen okay disconnect has already has celebs yeah but we have seen these movies take a step we have seen the journey that is coming and trust you me Kenyans we are coming and it is going to be good and it's our dream is the Oscars okay well that is seconds to say something to a young lady a young girl watching you tonight that is seconds what message do you have for them 30 seconds to just say something just act just act be you just act don't listen to me sayers just do your thing somebody's always watching wow thank you very much for finding the time to be here with us we didn't have as much time as you'd have wanted but we can always share you for another interview for the viewers back at home I hope that you've learned something it has Daisy I said no matter whatever it is that you might be going through when you have a passion and when you have your dream the only thing that is supposed to stop you is when you get there so until you get there keep on moving someone is watching you thank you very much my name is Patricia Murioki do have your very good nights