 Today it's all about discussing art as a career and particularly we shall be talking about acting and we shall include other things to, you know, just to put icing on the cake. Now today we shall find out what is art, what is acting? Can you be an actor with zero experience? Well today we shall find out about this and particularly stage acting, is stage acting different from, you know, screen acting where we shall find out the definition, the terminologies about this. Joining me, I am with none other than Brian Mwanzo. To my extreme left he is a director and script writer, Karibusana Braio. And also next to me I am joined by Brian Organa. He is an actor and a director, Karibusana. Aka Louis. But do people still call you Louis? I'm even contemplating changing and adding it to my math certificate officially. So yes. Louis, Louis, Brian Martins Organa. So yeah. You can be part of this conversation art as a career. What do you think about this? You know, the hashtag as always is why in the morning at Ramaguko, at Y254 channel on Twitter, at Y254 on Facebook. Good morning to you. My name is Ramaguko. Welcome to this final conversation of the day. Make sure that you participate with us as we find out what is, you know, what is all about when you talk about all these things. Now, let me start with you Louis. Brian. If you look into that. You're forgiven. Let me start with your journey. Yes. You know, many people have worked with you, you know, moving around the country, you know, doing plays and scripts. But how was this particular journey for you? How did it start? And what was the beginning of all of this for you? Well, basically what I can say is my dad planted a seed because I remember back in the heyday he used to come with playbooks and he used to give them to me and I used to find it so fascinating, especially the Shakespearean plays whereby how the diction and how they carried themselves. Oh yeah. So you can imagine at such a tender age between eights. Here is a young boy who has been, you know, yes, doing Shakespeare. So you can imagine in campus. So basically I have to thank him for all this because without him then Brian, the actor will never be born. So the journey began way back and he's the one, he's the main man who, you know, did all this. So you read those books? Oh yes. How were you doing the plays in the house? I was even, you remember during those times we never used to have this DVDs. There was this VCRs. The actual tapes. So yeah, we used to have those tapes. March into Venice, Romeo and Juliet. I used to watch them. I used to watch them and imitate whatever they're doing. So my screen by then was just the mirror. That was my screen. So I get, do a couple of monologues lines. I imitate, I see how it is and I love it. How old were you back then? Eight, nine. Eight nine? Eight nine. Cut this with your father? Cut this with my father. Brian, how was... Okay, you're both Brian. So let me... Brian's affair. My Brian, you have to watch it. And you know that thing about Brian's. Misconception. Misconception. Very good one. We'll finally get this. But Brian, how was it for you? Just like any other Kenyan kid. My story is not like his. I come from a background whereby theatre, moso arts or acting was not appreciated. You really have to struggle. Just our Kenyan setup. Most of the parents don't appreciate that thing. Okay, kwa na nafana kana sama soma kwanza? Soma kwanza. This thing is a wasting time. That is the background that I'm coming from. But I thank God out of my zil, patients, discipline and pushing, that is how I started my journey. Unlike him, I started immediately after high school. So you can imagine. I started when I was around 17 years old. That was when I was starting. That was after high school. That was after Soma kwanza kijana. So you joined campus or what did you do now to begin this? After high school, I attended an audition in Eldorat. So I did it with a certain company in Eldorat for a few months. Then I had to come to Nairobi for campus in Jayquat. And that is when I decided to venture into that thing seriously. Because at that time, I've left my parents in Eldorat and now I'm alone here in Nairobi. And this is what I love. So what can I do? Because these people only did want me to do it. They are now some miles away and now I'm here alone. I had to take advantage. So that is how it happened. For many, you may not know how this guy started what they are doing. You see them doing the directing, the acting, the script writing and then you feel like they just got it there, they made it there. But it's never too easy. It's never easy. For someone watching you at home, they have zero knowledge, zero experience. They say that, well, you can learn from those that have come before. True. What should be their starting point? Someone who is interested in acting. Someone like me. What I'll tell you is your passion. If you have that passion, follow your passion. Because truth be told, most of us, we've been rejected a thousand times. Because for me, auditions, I've done over 400 plus auditions. And they are saying, oh yes. Let's agree that. Oh yes. Did you count? You have too. You keep them. You keep the records. You keep the records. I even remember. You are given forms. So you keep the records. I even remember the producers, some of the producers, what they said. Because when producers I remember, I'm done with a specific scene. He picks a call and he says, auditions are done. We are Tasiyoni Nikimchkua. What's the time of the Hurupak? But the boat riding. So you can imagine. Oh yes. So it's crazy. You get rejected. Yes. Over 400 times. I never got a role. I was frustrated. And I was like, what am I not doing right? Now look at you. Look at me now. And the journey is not easy. Someone sees you and things like you wake up in the morning and boom. This is what I want and I'll be like, it's a journey. It's a process. Because the process you have to go. Remember, the skill you have to polish that skill. You can grow a talent. Everyone has a talent. But how do you finesse that talent? You polish that skill to greater heights. And you have to polish it every day. You wake up in the morning, polish your art. Because every day you're not just the same. Because there's someone else who wants to be better than you. So you have to be better at your game. Because I usually live with a very simple theory. Whereby I usually say, better an opportunity to get you when you're ready. Than opportunity coming and you're not ready for it. So always prepare yourself. Better an opportunity that gets you when you're ready. Yes. Than when it comes when you are not ready. So be ready. Be prepared. Be always ready. Be always ready. What is your daily routine? How does your day start as you go through this career in art? Personally speaking, I drink art. I sleep art. I wake up thinking about art. That is my daily routine. My life revolves around art. That is what I do basically 24-7. If I'm not writing scripts, I'm directing. If I'm not directing, I'm marketing. If I'm not marketing, I'm creating concept. So my daily routine revolves around artistic activity. Even if I move from one office to the other in town or anywhere, I'm just exchanging those offices, discussing matters at whether I'm talking to sponsors, to partners, to come in, whether I'm talking to people. It's all about art. And you also get to interact with people who are potentially interested in this career? Many of them. Many of them. In my position as an artistic director of theatre, you know theatre is the foundation. Stage place is the foundation to go where you want to go, to pick you, to be where people like Louis are. Stage is the foundation. So I interact with many people in my line of duty as a director in terms of starting their journey off, in terms of auditioning them. Now, you said you eat art, you drink art, you walk art, you sleep art. The passion. The passion is there. Yes. You mostly focus on script writing and directing. Yes, yes. When I look at script writing in particular, how do you get the ideas? How do you come up with the scripts and be able to be taken to a potential someone and can get some airplay or can be done. People like Uganda can be able to act it. Daily life activities, what you just see outside there, when you are going to your daily duties, the matatu experience, what people are going through in life, the current affairs. Writing a script is a creative work. So whenever something comes, for example, you see right now, we are in an era of gender-based violence, we are in an era of COVID-19 as a pandemic. As a creative, you can take that situation and you twist it, you tilt it to fit the current affairs. If you come up with a script like that, you already have an idea. So those are the things. Then when you think about that, you sit down in your boiling room or your boiling room is at the script writing room. That room is too hot because you come with a lot of ideas, superseding ideas. So you can come up with one script that you've thought for even an year. Like the script that we are doing currently, the script we are involving Louis as a character, the script that we will be doing on 17th. It is something that the first part of it, we did it in 2019. So we are doing a sequel of the second part. That is why we are calling it Sweeter 2 which we are involving Brian Uganda. So it's all about the relationship. It's all about matters, kukula fair. The current affairs that we are going through. So daily life activities is what inspires me to come up with the scripts. For you, how is your daily routine life? For me, I'm an avid reader. I read a lot. My day starts as early as 3.30 a.m. A.m.? Yes. Now this is the funniest part. I think I suffer from a sleeping disorder to some extent because once I get to my house, I have to watch a series or a movie. Maybe I sleep around 11 a.m. and then I wake up at 3. 3.30 a.m. I shower. I do a bit of jamming here and there. Then I have to read my novel and then kofi. Then my day officially begins. If it's now going to work, I do my thing. But again, arts, as Mwanzu said, arts, I'm always passionate about art. I also drink dream arts. I'm so passionate about art. I'm also a director. I'm a screen writer. I'm a creative in my own right. So basically, art is instilled in me. And I've learnt that most people involved in art normally do a lot of things all at the same time. You can find one who is doing these things. One of them is Kila Kitu. But now we only act as asa. But one of them is Kila Kitu. Do you ever get writer's block? Oh yeah. You're human. That's my area of the human. Hali or in Makata. In Makata. You know, sometimes it gets crazy to a point someone can think you're running mud. Because you're writing something and like, ah, you smush something. What's not happening? Is this what we normally see in movies for writers, scriptwriters. And they do something, time lapse or something. Makata is imejap even. And then... They call it blue pass. Blue pass. It also happens. It happens for anyone. So you're working on what's the trip now? Right now, I'm going back to basics. By that I mean where it all began. Stage is where it all began. I began as a stage actor. And truth be told, I miss stage acting. Is stage acting better than... How do you call it? Screen acting. I would not say this is better than this one. I think for stage acting, it gives you more life. Because for screen acting, it limits you. It's all about emotions. And stage you have to play big. I remember seeing you cry on screen. How do you do this? For screen it's all about emotions. I remember when we used to be directed by our directors back in the day, he used to say, once you're in stage, you perform for a blind man and a deaf person. So they have to coordinate to each other and tell the story they're seeing on stage. So you have to play big. So you must play big for them to understand. So that's the only difference. So there is a youth watching. So it's automatic. Should they join drama club? Yes, definitely. Drama, debates, journalism. That is the way to go. Yes, that is where I started. So I was there. So about the creative world is the world that we are in today. Any kind of creativity. When we were starting we were talking about something about art and we were to trickle it down to acting. But now when we are talking about art, we are talking about art generally. What the cameraman is doing is artistic. What you are doing is artistic. Debate club, journalism, drama, music. All those things are artistic. The world is going right now. So if there is any youth watching, I will personally advise that youth to join drama or to join any artistic activity. It is drawing, writing of scripts. Any kind of scripts I will advise them to join. You also started with theatre. Yes. That is where I am there up to this point. All actors. That is the foundation. Most of them. That is the foundation. Most of them. That is the foundation. Those you see on TV, still on stage, that is the foundation. Because the unfortunate part is we don't have an acting academy. So where would you finance that art? So you have to begin from the stage and finance. Others are lucky. You can easily get into TV without going through. But it is always ideal to begin from somewhere. For you to polish that skill. And then you will know your range. Even those that are lucky to go direct on screen, most of them, they have that thing of wanting to go on stage. So you will realise some place at Kenya National Theatre, you get them there performing. Because there is some fascination when it comes to theatre play. There is some spirit. Some energy. But when it comes to stage, because it involves Yanni, when you are on stage, it involves all of you. So now you said you are going back to the basics. Yes. And this is where you started from. Like how many years back? Where do you started? Ladies and gentlemen. The journey. The journey. I think two or three. Two or three, yes. That is theatre. Theatre, two or three, yes. My God. Two or three. We did, I remember, the basics back then was set books. So it was called Travelling Theatre. So that was the basics. But is it still something? I think it's still going on. It's still going on. It's still the basic. Yes, it's still the basic. That's where the journey began. Set books, Travelling Theatre. I remember watching some guys when I was in high school. They were so fascinated. Oh, yes. We were looking at how they were doing. How they got all those lines. And they were really struggling in class with them. I was watching this newspaper. Nothing. Nothing. You cram all of that. That's the basics. That's the basics. What are the values or principles that someone in this career needs to have? For me, what really worked for me is to be an avid reader because these are ways it polishes how you think, how you see things. Be very attentive with your surroundings because you get one, two, three things. And always improve on your diction. Wow. How you pronounce, how you articulate your words really means the whole world. So, for me, that is the basic. Now, let me touch on this before I come to you on the principles of values. Yes. You talked about diction. Do you normally have things that you do? Practices. Give me examples. Someone can do too. For me, I have this. You know the rules. R-A-E-O-U. I go R-A-E-O-U. And then I do ma na pa ba ta la mo no po bo to lo mi ni p-b-t-e R-A-E-O-U. So, someone may be saying, like, what's wrong with this? What are you doing? It's like you're in a church. But there is a way it opens up your jaws. Yes. And then the pencil. You get a pencil and each and every time just be sucking on the pencil. There's a way the pencil usually tones down your vocal code. So it gives you that thumb voice whenever you're talking or whenever you're delivering a line it gives you that. Sucking your pencil all the time. So someone may be like, I thought this stage, you've passed. What's happening? Yes. Why are you still doing it? So those are the basic exercises I usually do. And then there is breath control exercise. So breath control exercise helps you whenever you're given a passage or a monologue and you have to say it in one breath. So there's a way you breath control and each and every line you say it with one breath. Can you give us a test for the breath control? The human cry of the new millennium has left me totally cold and unmovered. Me, Amalfrost, asked if this is really my new millennium. Taking into account that most Africans do not know what a new millennium is and here I am adding to this that this millennium is here to stay. Ethiopians, yes. So that's one breath. So you need to also just you need to like say in one breath. In the morning, in the evening or time? It actually depends what works best for you. For me the exercise works best in the morning hours and that's where I do the exercises. There's this issue of I don't know if it's a myth or something that is a fallacy. Taking hot water. Yeah, it helps as well. It helps. It comes, it comes your vocal. It comes your vocal. Taking hot water comes there's a way when you take cold water it gives you that deep voice. So it depends on how you want to play with it. Yes. You come to that. Talking about the principles and the values. I normally summarize that in two words. One is discipline and two understanding the ability versus availability. Most of the people tend to think that if you have the ability of doing that, you can maneuver or do it in any way but you need to be very available. Very available. For yourself, for yourself you need to offer yourself and be very available. So I always believe that there is a big difference between ability and availability. So you can be able to do it very powerful but you are not available for it. So it's a very critical thing. So when it comes to value, you need to think about the ability being available for that thing. Now let's define this and based on how you've distinctively put them, ability and availability. If we talk about ability we talk about what an individual can do. What an individual can do? In terms of what if I don't know that I can do it? What if I've not done something called self discovery? What if I don't know my capabilities or my elastic limit? The beauty of it is life is all about experiments. Someone can sing someone can't sing. You don't know if you can sing unless you try singing. And instrument others can't play an instrument. There is someone who has a different range on stage compared to the script. So it's just discovering what bests and what suits me and what works for me and then concentrating more and giving it more power to it. That is ability. Availability. Let's talk about an audition. You must go there and make yourself available. Make yourself available, look for those opportunities. Regardless of the number of rejections. Man, regardless of those numbers. Continue making yourself available. He's was 400. And counting. Never get tired of auditioning. That's the bottom. That is the only thing. I've done auditions. Have you counted the number of rejections? You know people are different. I treat a point. I decided to lose the count. Don't like it. Because they were too many and they were very discouraging. I remember there was a place I went for an audition and there was a camera there auditioning people. But when it reached my tongue the camera was changed to a phone. Why is it that when it is your turn? My turn is when they are using a phone and it was too quick. To come and listen. And you know I was there watching people auditioning and I was like I think 100 and something. So you can imagine watching 100 people auditioning. Fitted there patiently. But when you so you are following everything even the procedure even the questions that they are asking. But now when it reaches to me it was changed from the camera to a phone. And the questions were so They changed the questions. They were very less and I felt like they were they were shallow. You know you know that these auditions are done when they already know what or who they are looking for. Personal that is a fallacy. You just go there. Because that person that they are already looking for might be you. Is it possible for someone to be personal number 500 in the audition list Oh yes. Why not? Don't give up ladies. Why not? Problem is especially once Thespians go to an audition and probably let's say an audition is being held let's say here and then people have flocked in and they come in numbers to audition and then they see me since they saw me You see He's here. He was called. They don't know I'm also coming for audition So already. Let me tell you. Let me give you a secret I used to do. I used to go to auditions then I see the crowd is crazy so I get to the room I do my very best and then I come out and then I just shout What are you still doing here? This world is mine Go on What I'm doing is I'm dismissing these people because I'm also auditioning So I don't want these people to get this role I also want this role So that's what happens So since your popular people know He's taken the role but they don't know that you're also auditioning for the same role In this particular level that you've reached there's always room for improvement you have other targets that you've set for yourself but have you ever gone to audition in this particular level where you feel like you can get something done and someone else gets that job instead of you What usually happens is the script has to talk to you because for me auditioning is a must but sometimes the role they send you you don't feel the role so you feel like if I do it I will do a disservice to this particular role so there is no point for me touching it when you say it about availability and all that now that's where professionalism discipline again comes in so sometimes if the role is talking to you you can back off and say I choose not to do this because I'm not feeling it probably someone ABCD will do it better than me because maybe you may do it and end up giving it life how they expected you will give it life So Brian Okay Brian Okay Brian Affair Yeah The Q As you go through this industry there are those low moments those times that you said this is my lowest moment in my career Give us such a story How was it for you? The industry has a lot of fallacy and when you are starting it you might sink in them just like you have said whenever you are attending an audition you know this thing has no shortcut audition is everything to anyone who is out there because you know it is the scriptwriter and the director that know that the person who can pull this role so you can be there 500 of you people but now you are the specific person that the scriptwriter had in mind while he was doing that script in terms of color complexion in terms of physique in terms of how you are talking all those things so you realize that there is a lot of discouragement when you are attending those auditions for example just like you have said you are attending an audition here then out there you meet like 500 people in that crowd of 500 people you see Louis you see Pascal Takodi you see the big shots in the industry you see Ramanguko there then and you don't know that they are just coming for the same thing just like you so you become so low you become discouraged at some point you walk out you decide to go before even going into that room are you getting it? and you go home discouraged so the next thing that you are called to go and attend you don't feel like you want to do it you feel like you are discouraged you feel like I this thing are specific people let me go to another industry or I will go there and again meet Louis there and already he is an out old name so of course I will not manage to secure that thing so you become so low but what I can tell people is keep on trying keep on trying it is your opportunity until that time when you are told it is not you your lowest moment many many many people discouraging you people not valuing what you are doing and they see it is just a waste of time pressure from probably the outside world because sometimes the expectation is too much for you and trying to balance because at the end of the day you will never make everyone happy you will create enemies along the way and the enemies are a lot I never really used to understand why people are talking bad about what I am doing but I got to understand at the end of the day if you are not doing something and people are not talking then you are as good as dead so people talk bad about what you are doing yeah yeah yeah they do and let me tell you we are living in the digital space and of course you get a time you go through and I have to pick what is happening and then boom it can be the lowest but I learnt and the art of forming a fixed skin and you know not every dog that is that intense so you like you continue barking I know what I am doing good for you social media has been one factor that has really affected so many who are in their creatives so many creatives what is your experience in regards to that my experience is very simple know your truth stick by your truth and you own no one any apology or justification for what you are doing as long as it is the truth period that's it in theatre there have been issues that have risen including gender based let me say violence in a way gender related someone says that if you do this you want this role as an actor do this what would be your your word your comment to that just like any other thing our values in life our values know your what know what you can do and what you cannot do but these things actually happen it's the world all over it's not even just our industry not in theatre alone know what you cannot do and what you can do and know your what your value is really important if you carry yourself like a thousand note people will see you as a thousand note but if you degrade yourself to that penny people will definitely see you as a penny so your value is very important so you should stop saying carry yourself put yourself in that level even if you know I'm not in that level but put yourself in that level I know people have also gone up on social media considering the way you are they would say they ask questions is he married that's for me to do to find out you know someone send you a message that they love Luye sweet heart yes sweet heart tell us about it sweet heart is basically a normal Kenyan story I believe as a scriptwriter on telling our own stories no one can come here and tell our stories on our behalf we know our stories more than anyone else telling our stories you realise that the word sweet heart is an oxymoron in literature not sweet heart not heart it's heart pain these are two contradictory words it's a style in literature called oxymoron putting two contradictory words together so the big question is how can heart be sweet or how can how can you define that how can sweet be heart how can heart be sweet basically it's very hard so we are just telling a story of a newly wedded couple who thought that life is a bed of roses but they were not ready for the eventualities the normality of life what happens after celebrating that one day event which is a wedding and getting the difference between a one day event a wedding and a lifetime activity which is a marriage so we are just telling that story a little bit we are mixing a lot of normal things that are happening currently women bad friends, influence alcohol all those things we are mixing them there together so this is what you shall have coming up on the 17th where is it at Eldoret CBD at the heart of the city of the champions there is an auditorium in a 14 story building called KVDA 3rd floor Auditorium there standards of Kenya National Theatre wow let me just say Louie you are in this play where do you come your role here my role basically is the disruptor I travel to the US seeking greener pastures and there was this girl who I was eyeing for so in my mind I know coming back shock on me the girl is no more and she is married or no more not dead yeah so I try all the charms I come all guns blazing trying to win her over but she is married she is married sometimes you usually have this thing once you go black there is no coming back shock on me the girl is no more I am left in the dilemma of what next now she is gone and on this play you are not now Louie now is Will I Am Will I Am William and there are actually life lessons from this play oh yes for every play every work of art that is being showcased you have to get pointers what are the takeouts from everything because lessons have to be learned like how do you go about it because the girl as much as she is married she is in a very abusive relationship with her husband and the point of gender based violence comes in so she is even in this play so yes so all the lessons are there takeouts are there for you to go reflect and point upon them and see as much as in yes there is a way someone can carry themselves in marriage and still it will work it's not like you've been casted this is forever doomed there is a way you can easily make marriage institution work you wrote the script for this for every script writer there is always that part you like apu I found that that hitting point that climax that hit you what is it that was the hot area hot seat for this play when you are doing the scripting basically that question is very critical because you know people who are playing those roles are watching so I cannot I cannot give me personally as a script writer the hot point is from the introduction to the introduction of that script that is the hot spot so atatesasana atafuruga na yung uberribu atakuna kibur I love that so it's happening on the 17th how can people get access to considering the issues of covid we're just hoping everything walks out but we know in a society whereby we're hopeful he's actually slim but wake up tomorrow and say you know what before what? we're just a hopeful society and we're just hoping for the best I think when we were doing it I received a lot of communications from people from Nairobi Nakuru, Busea who are to attend the play in Eldoret and now that just like Briana said in a society whereby we're hopeful that things will work out but if not the way we're hoping everything that's supposed to be in place all the covid-19 protocols the social distancing the wearing of mask the sanitization it's a government facility so everything is in place and we want to assure the people who will attend it I believe right now it will be now people from the western region now that people from this side are kind of in a dilemma unless our president says something before then but we believe that people from the other areas because we've got an audience you know Sweeter script is our 13th script as far as theater plays are concerned so we've gotten people attending our shows from Maralal from Kitale from Busea so we were hoping to get people from all over now that we have the the star of stars in the building as part of the cast so we had received we had received the this is for me no we are saying the truth now they are using that bro let me touch on social media first thank you so much mama Kenansi Kalale Waiyuna for watching Forra I don't know what to say Forra for Riot Dense Konka Kei and Winnie Julie thank you so much everyone for participating and committing I am Ninona Masalamuzenu Hapeivi let's wrap this conversation our time is over but now finally what would be your advice for that young Kenyan interested in art in nature get out get out go knock those doors whenever you learn of any addition and I thank God that everything comes with an opportunity yes we are in this era Covid-19 and all those things but it has introduced us to more of online activities whenever you see even online auditions whenever they are if you are passionate about that art try that thing out get out knock the doors attend auditions when it comes to our thing when it comes to acting it's all about auditions so whenever you see that opportunity just try it out even if it is far go on that poster then keep the contact regardless of the distance atakamaiku mombasa na ukonairobi if you cannot go there that day of audition go on that poster take the contact keep the contact what you will use that contact for it is up to you Louis your final word for that young Ken and watching interested in art my parting shots will basically be nothing is impossible nothing is impossible in this world kill that vibe of I need to know someone A B C D for me to get there kill it it's you 90% of everything you do is up to you 10% is just that person 90% is basically you I love leaving you with a takeout where you usually say when you pray pray asif you're going to die the next minute and when you plan plan asif you'll never see tomorrow that should be your driving force and basically you will succeed I am impressed gentlemen thank you so much it's a pleasure karebuni sana karebuni sana our fingers are crossed serikan serikan's idea serikan's idea I was with Louis Louis serikan's idea serikan's idea