 Good morning to you and welcome back. My name is Garandra Alex and you're right on time for entrepreneurship Tuesday where we get to know to have a look at some of the things that are making stories, of course, and we want to begin, of course, with the question that Barry and I asked you as we began. Ni business idea ganyu umiwa nai kakunais jia venye kwa creative na simple, just as that simple. Go to our social media platforms, we have Twitter, you know, at Y-254 channel, we have Facebook at Y-254. You can hit on us and you tell us some of the creative but simple ideas umiwa yonam siya konazo, ala fukafi like man, this is awesome. And of course now this morning I've got a team of men and of course I want to say young and one. Right Karibu Nisana, let me introduce them. Right next to me here, from my right is the producer himself, Mike Muikia. Karibu Sana. Thanks man. I hope you feeling it's cool you know to be here. Yeah man, we are really happy to be here. It's a big deal for us. We are happy. Karibu Nisana then we have James Chege. Yes. Yes, after himself. Thank you for welcoming us. Karibu Sana and of course we have Ambrose Kate. Yes. Karibu Sana. Thank you for the opportunity. So let's begin this thing. So you're doing a film called The Letter. The last letter that is. And how does it begin all the way from the zero one all the way to you guys want to release it? I mean the normal process of shooting a film you know you create a script. Of course there are licenses to apply before you even think of when to shoot and all that. And then auditioning people trying to get the right characters for every part. And then now the normal film acting and now going on set. And then the post production process that's the editing. And of course now how do you release your work? So AIMAX. AIMAX is the main thing that you did that in September. So you and your radia to military. Sunday for September. Alright so that's where you guys want to release it. Yes. That's your biggest aim right now. How long does the film take? 24 minutes only. Short and sweet. Let me go straight to James. How does it feel doing acting and you say that you have been doing acting since when you come to AIMAX? Yes I started when I was young. But I think the level of engagement. The level of nurturing is important and the exposure that you get. And I think the beauty about being an artist and arts is that translating what was just an idea and breathing life into it. This was just an idea then put on paper. Another reality. In simplicity entrepreneurship when you come up with an idea then you execute it. You execute an idea. What was simply an idea can be actually visualized and they are telling people what I was telling you as an idea this is it. What was just a simple idea in the mind an idea on paper now this is the reality. So what I was telling you now you can see it this is it. I think that creativity just bubbles me. I mean it excites me. They ability to translate an idea into reality. All right probably there is someone who is watching and they are like ok he last later and who are you acting as? I am acting as the main character called Jomo. What role does Ziri play in terms of kuna fanya kazi again you know being the main actor? In the character. Jomo is a man who has gone through a lot of issues in life. Basically the objective of that film is showing that you need to live your life well because you are going to live once. There is no rehearsal in life. There is no rehearsal in life. So you have to figure out how you are going to live your life. And you must also know how to handle your regrets and the challenges. And you must know the opportunities that come your way. You either miss them or hit them. You must also appreciate they are you are going to meet giants. You are going to meet ok what you may call hados or bumps in life. And I will put it this way. What do you see yourself? When you are faced with so many obstacles in your way of achieving your goals. When you are faced with so many challenges. What do you see? Do you see a godia that is too big to hit or too big to miss? Right. That's a good point you know to keep us you know interacted. And I want to come to you Ambrose. What role are you playing? In this film I am playing as Madeka. I am the caretaker to Jomo. In this movie it's very funny. First we have some life challenges. It basically tells us that in what we do in our life challenges. We should be able to focus and face them at dawn. When we want something we go for it. Don't wait until it's too late. Like him Jomo he loves somebody. But now he waits until the person dies. When he realizes that he loved the girl. You know that is an opportunity he missed. Now in this short film we are basically trying to tell people that go for it. If it's something you want go for it. A suth don't wait until time is too late. So that you start saying that I wanted to do this and this. If it's a business go for it. If it's a lover go for it. Ambrose you are trying to ask me this particular question. Kwa kuna demo lafu kako ele kuna gopa kusayama? Eh. No. Is that part of the video? Yes. No. That's why we are acting this movie. So to show that you should have confidence. Go for it. So you have ever had a business idea? Yes. I have been in business. And still you are? Yes. I have been an actor. I am a student. A scholar. Acting is something which is passion. Something which comes and goes. But to me after I did well I was young. Sometimes I feel like acting is not paying. I just go to school. Work hard. Start businesses. But then of the day the acting in me takes me back to acting. Yes. Let me come to you Mike. He has talked about something I want us to come on board. Passion. Yes. It's the center thing for everyone who wants to act. How do you get to notice the passion behind each and every person? I mean. When you do the auditions. Okay. Of course they are given a script. And you act that one. So the character you portray in that script that is not necessarily what we are going to shoot in the main field. That means whether we can see a potential in you. Featuring in a project that we intend to produce. So. I mean audition in Lazzima. Yeah. Because I tell you if you call for auditions tomorrow in Nairobi. A lot of people will come. They have never acted but they believe they would act. So you have to differentiate now between those who acted. Those who are passionate about it. Right. And now they have never acted before. Do you think there is a form of relaxation? Let me notice that word. Are we having some sort of relaxation to one and two proteins in the house? Yes. All the time. All the time. All the time. So young people are so there. I mean young people I mean they don't have jobs. Some of them are retalented. And then you see they don't have to be really excellent actors. Even those who are big actors. They still need some coaching once in a while. Because you are doing a different role. You have to adapt a character that is not your day to day character. And so it's my job really as a producer also to ensure that they bring out the best of that character. As it's written in the movie. Probably there's a producer who is watching before I come to the rest. There's a producer who is watching you, Mike. And the producer is like how do I venture into this industry? No. You know this is my second film. This is a second film. Yeah. The first film we released 2015 is a music film. It was a bigger film. A bigger budget. But you know very challenging also because of course we were clueless with my team on how to release, how to do many things. But now you know you learn in the process. Like they are saying if you feel you want to do something now. You do it. You know go and do it. Challenges will be there. You are trying to meet standards. You don't want to do shady shady work. But you are trying to meet standards. You don't want to do shady shady work. But there is a process of growth. If you want to be a film producer. I mean it's something amazing. I tell you what for us now having IMAX as apartment because you are going to premiere there. We couldn't actually we didn't expect that IMAX will accept this one. Being 24 minutes film. But I think there is an experience that I have had as a producer that has helped me to perfect the art of storytelling. Right. As we will be looking at that of course let me come back to James. When we are talking about the issue of acting. We have quite a number of young people are like by the way Meena Gopa. How did you handle that? Before I mentioned about handling that issue of acting. Allow me to give a little brief of something that is happening. Right. From this year of 2019 something is happening in the entire continent of Africa. We are experiencing a 400 year breakaway from enslavement. Because the first live was taken away from Akragana 400 years ago. We are now having our moment. It's time for Africa. This is our time. Just the same with the children of Israel who are released exactly 400 years. To go into their destiny. In their land of milk and honey. Exactly from this year things are happening. And I just want to validate this point. Probably you could have trade last year some things never worked out. Right. You have trade so many things. So many years ago they never worked out. I want you to watch from this year moving forward. I have told you this is our time. So I just want to start from that point of encouragement. That it is good to know there are two types of seasons. There are two types of calendars in this world. Right. Kairos and Kronos. Okay. That means... That's the time by itself when it's a branch. Yeah there are two types of timing in the world. You live in two calendars. Yes. You have the life God has ordained for you. And you have the life, the cycle of the world. All of them coincidentally in 2019 are open. I mean it's our time. So we are living under open heaven. So I just want to encourage somebody. Whatever idea you have from this year don't give up. Try it against going to work. Now in terms of that encouragement or building the concept of acting. One, it starts with the point of believing yourself. And then association. They say there are only two things that are very important in your life. The people you meet and the books you read. The only two things. Because both of them give information. Not just information, even transformation. The people you meet and the books you read. Anywhere in the world. All you need are two things. Show me the books you read and show me the people you meet. Right. And to actually tell me five years, ten years from now, the kind of influence. Because the people you usually keep interacting with influence you. For example, if you interact with other producers. With other actors. It will rub on you. If you are interested in something to build your confidence. To build yourself up. You start looking for that information. You start looking for that opportunity. So that you learn from others. What you may call a presentation. So that is the beginning point of view. And a presentation is two ways. It can be both formal and informal. Ambrose, James has mentioned something about information. Do you think as young people we are lacking information in terms of how to venture into the industry? No, I don't think we are lacking information. It's only that we don't know how to use the information we have. These days we have mobile phones. We are not even shooting a movie using a mobile phone. In me I want to say that in order to walk you have to crawl. So as young people we should allow the process. Let us not think that because somebody is famous, we want to be famous the next day. It is a process. Some of us here started acting when we were in Sunday school. It was a process. We build our self confidence there up to now. You may not ask us for how long we have been acting but it is a lifetime. So this thing is a process. Just don't think that you will reach at the end of the journey just when you start it. A thousand journey starts with one step. So we have to go slowly slowly so that we reach where we are. So we have information but now we are like we want to reach there very fast on the top. So what we should do, we should take it slow. Trust the process, be courageous and push on. Run for it. Alright Mike, probably I want to begin my own film and of course a film production house. How much does it cost? If somebody comes home and feel like one and then send up one. Like a production house, you mean you have your own equipment, lights, cameras, all those things. Well I don't believe there is a producer who has everything. Because in this one you have to count assets as well as personnel. You pay people differently according to their skills. So I will only say filming is not cheap. It's not cheap for many people and especially because there are so government regulations that you have to comply with. I mean it's workable. I don't know if I can give you a figure really but if you want to do a big, I mean not necessarily a big film but a good project. There is a huge investment you have to do there. You have to work on it. You have to work on it. Forts and money and resources and people. And people. You have to invest in people also. Because you need the right people also. Sometimes people will let you down but you will always get the right people if you are persistent. I'm from there to ask this question. How much does it cost or rather did it cost for you? For this movie. I'm not supposed to tell you the budget because I don't want to be predictable. It will make people start guessing about the movie and the outcome. Be anything but not predictable. That's my thing. It's done on it from that point. There's this emergence of very many people who are coming into the industry and probably in the acting sector. Do you think we have people who are really talented and others feel like they don't know how to do it? No, that is the worst mentality. Coming to the industry to make money. When you come to it to make money, you'll not get that money. I'm 100%. When you come to the industry saying that you want to make money, first thing, you'll not be committed. You'll be doing things in Aari. You'll not be even settling in your roles to do them. So, at the end of the day, you'll be looking the money factor and as you want the quality. So, definitely, you'll be in a clash. How do you weigh between the people who want money and the people who are here out of passion? How do you look at it? People who want money, it's very easy to get them. They'll be fast, not patient. There are things to be done in Aari so that they get the money. Next, they will not be able to listen because they already know what they have in their mind. They are focusing on money. So, what you are telling them is budget. Even we say. So, they don't really care what they are doing. At the end of the day, they are looking how much. These are the people, these are the actors who are looking at the end of the day how much are we sending in the contract instead of their work selling for them. Okay. Let me come to you James. When we are talking about analyzing the entire story and of course, Mike had mentioned about you don't script or rather you do brief scripting than the rest, you know, it just comes up about creativity part of it. We have very many who are creative but they don't have the ground to bring out the creativity. How would you address this kind of an issue? I would not say that young people lack ground. Allow me to talk about how do you get information from it. It starts from what you call the point of information. The word information are two words. They are two generic words. In and form. In and form. And then information is a continuous present tense. Now, what is it that is getting inside you to create a form that manifests? What is it that is getting inside you? What is it when you are alone and you have time, do you listen? Do you hear? Do you think about it? Very good. If you are interested in acting, if you are interested in theater, do you take time to listen? Do you take time to watch that which is of value or the quality you want, the standards you want? That which you aspire to achieve. Do you take time to read through? Do you take time to watch? Do you take time to interact? Because the moment what is getting in is what is taking shape. Now, as a result of doing that, what psychologists will tell you what becomes a predominant thought will actually manifest. You start seeing the people who you are like minded. You will start noticing and everybody else. And in the process, in the process, you now start interacting. So, the most critical aspect is if you want something bad enough, are you ready to go for it? There is a saying that says in African settings that the speed at which you run depends on the animal that is chasing you. The speed at which you run. The problems that you have will determine what time you get out of the house. That's how it happens. For example, we had to invest more than 12 hours. I remember I had to borrow water from a neighbor. We never ate anything, we never did anything. I was asking how many people would put in 12 good hours non-stop to play the part. 12 good hours. From 8 to 8. From 7 to 7. From 6 to 6. No food, nothing. If you feel your thirsty and whenever it, the only thing is just borrow some water. Nobody has even carried water for you. Now, the point is this. Before you build in the house, before you do anything, calculate the cost. Are you willing to pay the price that comes with it? For example, we were required to be here by 730. You didn't call us. 730 has found us here. Never mind what has happened. Whatever happens in between is not your problem. As long as I find my way here. So, all I'm telling you is sometimes people are saying they want to do this, they want to do that. But actually keep asking. Don't like to ask whoever is watching us today are you willing to pay the price that comes with the price tag? Right. And I want to come back to you, Mike. He has mentioned about time. I don't stroke about time in terms of the business as it is. Most often times we find people don't make it to keep time. Do you think it's one of the things that is making us fail? Yeah, quite. Quite. We say it's one and again. We say it's one and again. Whether it's a shame, because my mum was asking me you know, I mean, that's when you feel you start seeing yourself as a failure. Other than there's a process of learning also. Time waits for no man. Yes. I think it's the most precious thing that we really have to think about using well. The theme of the film is life is a one-time offer. Use it well. Because there's no rehearsal in life. Time is a one-time offer. Time is money. Time is money. And then you said earlier on about time, about money. Money should not be the spearheading of everything in your life. I was trying to mean that in whatever we are doing, let us tujitume in whatever we are doing. And then we have the money, the last option. Because when we go finding the money, it will not be there. But if we invest in our time producing good movies, money will come. We see something good in us and then they will come and invest. And at the end of the day, we will get money. Youth of these days, one thing that drives me is I am allergic to puvati. Very allergic. So in whatever I do umusota is umusota. Can I add something about that? I don't lose the track of the issue of money. The biggest mistake you can do because I think today is an entrepreneurship Tuesday. Anybody will tell you in the world over people who are very successful who are dollar millionaires they never changed the money. Because there are only two things that are very important. The most important thing is there are two types of resources that are very important in this world. Only two, people and time. People are the ladder to success. People and time. What is your time in adding value to people? Because you should be asking yourself what value are you adding? As long as you are continuously improving yourself and the service of the product you are offering so it is a continuous improvement to be able to add value to people in terms of a product or a service. As a result of that then money comes. As a result of so it is a continuous engagement improving yourself under daily, every day, every minute, every hour. And then you are doing that because your main aim is to add value to the people you serve, to the people you target. If that happens as a result of that then we pay for that value. Now if you put money on the other side if the money becomes the end of the stick what happens is you will have it in the short term. You will lose it in the long term. So money makes you lose track? Yes. Money makes you lose track of everything. So if you want to have money in the long term you must sacrifice. So this is one thing they do not want to sacrifice. They want money but they don't know what to do. They want it in the short term. They want it very fast and they don't want to work for it. Like if it is a movie they don't want to put all their effort in a movie they want quality to get the money. They want it done today, produced today sold today, they are giving the money. We are talking about the micro generation but I want us to differentiate that because you are loaded with a lot of information. I want us to talk about we are looking at the scenes that have been happening in the past even as we are talking about unemployment manis in the country today is entrepreneurship Tuesday I want to ask each and every one of us before we look at the trailer I want to say that we have a lot of ideas we want to work together because you are a producer and then we are told young people will be creative what do you think? I want to get your question I am trying to get your question I want to work together and come up with the creativity Okay Personally I think because it is my thing I would probably come up with another bigger script bigger movie You will be thinking about a movie What I am good at What I am good at What I am not good at Alright, let's talk about the movie itself right now before we even answer the questions you are on wheelchair Is the life changing thing from the movie? It's life changing because for those who don't know me they think that is the way things are and I had people asking me I mean when I was in wheelchair so I was like the last time you saw me you just told them this is acting I had to be very categorical I had to be very categorical that this is acting I am not on wheelchair but I think that also validates the emotion of because the concept of me is about also having an emotional aspect can you move people emotionally psychologically so that they are able to resonate with that movie so the moment I am getting those questions they are able to resonate but that is a character in the movie which is different from I am trying to understand your part of the story I don't understand I don't understand I don't understand I don't understand I don't understand I don't understand We wait for the movie I told you don't be predictable We anything but don't be predictable Let's wait I don't understand It's 24 minutes short and sweet we would have made a bigger film like 70-80 minutes but for some reason I want to taste the orders I want to attend How much is it and where probably 500 Angadiamond IMAX It's at Parklands Diamond Plaza 2 First Sunday of September Satisa So you are getting to watch two movies so you watch this the last letter and then you watch another Hollywood movie IMAX and then you get a free popcorn It's a lot of good So there's so much probably to be gained Man it's going to be one amazing afternoon When we're looking at these there's so much that has been released in the local content and we're talking about supporting the local content Do you think we have fully gotten to that level that we feel like now we are growing Yeah quite You see the quality we are putting on TV now Many producers are really working hard to meet standards of good camera work, lighting and all these things There's a lot of growth you can see from the digital migration era from 2015 I mean it's been amazing So we think we are making some good trades Quite yeah but for filming it's baby steps still we don't shoot as many movies as many countries in Africa But those producers producers who are taking the risks to do movies I mean they are helping the industry to some extent We are running out of time I want probably just to finish up with this one question Ni business idea gani Umeona ikakuna isi ya kwa yote Ni kakuna creativity Man I'm still thinking about it I'm still thinking about it We are working in progress You see things every day But If you are an experienced person Spending money Investing money You just don't see something and then you jump into I see Umeona ikakuna rukiya but it's all about the state I still want to know which is that business Do you want that to happen? When I say that it will happen Ni business idea gani Umeona ikakuna isi ya kwa yote and very simple It's full of creativity but still very simple I think one that's a very tricky question Very, very tricky But let me say this I'm moved by innovations The innovations I find in young people But also what is exciting me nowadays is if you read the book by Robert Kiyosaki The business of the 21st century I think that has really excited me I'm reading that book and it's talking about that the business of the 21st century is professional network building Of course this is changing Ambrose Yes, first of all I'm a business I'm a professional I'm a procurement officer Apart from acting I'm professional So when it comes to business I catch my eye Then when you come about your question you have asked about a business Creative and very simple I've been thinking I've been seeing people doing something which is very creative Being a broker Okay, yes Simple and to the point You get a person who is buying less say beans from the farmers A person has no vieko He hires takes them to Mombasa sells then comes back pays the people giving the beans That's not easy It's good doing You have something creative and easy I don't think there is anything creative and easy Maybe kushinda to online Again kushinda online maze una like ma picha it doesn't earn money but then you want to I'm saying I don't think there is anything easy that can earn you money but I think things like academic writing online You need good English That's how we call it today Just a minute because you are running out of time because you are running out of time So Sunday, past September we gave them the movie at IMAX So 9, 5, 6 8, 20 So many thanks for keeping it Y254 TV It has been such an exciting moment with the last letter from the producer Bari is coming up next and entrepreneurship continues in just a few