 actor, director, producer writer at the hall of fame entertainment so na lipo at times 3, amma times 4, amma amma niya ako, ndoma una jitu maivu hey hey, I see guys, you see hashtag thirsty vibes, no onitra? yeah, I'm a roto pito yeah I'm a finalist student at the university checking a bachelor's in film technology and theater arts but at the same time, I'm also an actor and a director to a company called Fiftu Konsahabatru Kenya aha do these two companies do the same thing? yeah, yeah, actually we do the same thing there's no conflict of interest? ah yeah, hey you're fully aware okay all right, so tell me about yours first oh Fiftu Konsahabatru Kenya is it's a budding production company actually the whole thing is to kind of try to do theater shows and even film there in the near future and the whole thing is like we're we're headed for change like we want to change how things how art is done out here because you know main reason I'm in school to study theater and film is because out here people think for you to be an artist you actually not supposed to go to school and aside they're actually doing some kind of crappy workout here like there was a discussion I was trying to have with some of my friends why is it that I can just wake up and go to the medical practice say I want to be a doctor today but then a doctor can just come from wherever he's coming from claim to be an actor research actor so we want to kind of try to change that knowledge know that acting is something you just wake up today and say I'm an actor no you have inasmuch as you like have the talent you actually have to get the discipline and the skills from school that is yeah so there's actually what 5th world conservator stands for okay okay basically what about YouTube University you don't subscribe like I can nowadays I can go to YouTube and learn anything I want to yeah sure yeah with film film is a technical art here that can actually be learned more on the internet but then when it comes to theatre theatre you should be taught there are things that you can just watch and then be good at you should be taught through practice you should train I mean yeah so you should actually have someone who is like your mentor maybe someone who you're looking up to someone who is teaching you this thing yeah for you to get the skills the right skills and you have to be taught yeah I can hear you agreeing yeah please would you like to echo his sentiments as you tell me now about your company sure sure sure like he said most of us think just walking away from I mean walking from one career to theatre is easy for theatre you have to go to class yeah you have to know all those integrities in regards to how productions are made how like what is expected when it comes to theatre performance is quite different when it comes to film film is actually totally different I can say because in film there are those basics that you will grasp quickly but when it comes to theatre you need the really integrities in regards to how the set is supposed to be how the performance especially the performance and delivery of your content is supposed to be done on theatre as opposed to how it's done on film and at whole of film maybe maybe just let me dive in at whole of film we take all those into consideration when it comes to nurturing this talent first of all we will train you I always try to tell the students I will train you not because I want you to go there and be a star probably that might be your own but I will train you on how to work with others because I have done a play before and I had a group of more than 30 then suddenly the play was needed around 12 to 15 people but I had a group of 30 what that brought the challenge we had was how do you balance and make sure somebody doesn't feel out of place under studies exactly you got it right I had to under cast it and every character actually interestingly some characters some roles had more than 3 characters wow and I wanted to create that attitude that it's not a competition but it will help you and build you to a level that all of you will be easy to say but if you are under pressure you will be able to understand and you will be able to tell the students that you will be replaced immediately we have sessions with them and try to make sure they are mentally they can actually take it because it's not easy I have seen people walking away and saying man that was when I was still directing in the African-Azerian University I felt irrelevant to say no, we are the biggest we are the best we are the best but at all of them we have made them understand that at the end of the day our philosophy is the best performs so fight fight fight and be the best it makes them grow and if all goes well and I feel the standards I want on set by more than two characters we have multiple shows the first person actually the last time we did we had a play called The Secret Code the last time we did that our last play actually was The Secret Code in 2019 hosted at Safariko Mako Joseph Center we had two shows the first show had like three different characters that were swiped when we came to the second show which means all of them had achieved the standards I want on stage so I'm comfortable saying we are the best we are the best because I know they still will deliver the same content I want to give the audience so it's what is it to impress you basically Pita, there was this narrative recently I say recently but it feels like a very long time ago there's a time where there was this whole dramatic situation on TV some child kind of went on a spree and killed his people at home and then what came out was they attributed to what he was watching and what he was reading so there's a series called Killing Eve and the the star of that show Anitwa Jodikama you can act how do you feel about doing such a good job that now someone is taking it's wait let me compose my thoughts here we have a situation something has happened you know it's really bad and then they're saying it's because of a show that they watched but this person does not know you they're like 5 million miles away and they did such a fantastic job that they convinced you of their character but now suddenly it's how do you feel about that first I think film I would say film was was introduced to us as a as a very foreign thing you know yeah and also people have different people watch film for different things the people who watch film for purposes of entertainment people who watch film for purposes of study like I do personally when I watch film I just don't watch film for those of entertainment as much as I be entertained I have an intention who do I want to gain from this film and more reason that we actually inform the kind of films I watch I will just go watching every kind of film so in that in respect to actually the question you're asking probably the kid was had maybe mental issues probably these are people who are watching things these are people who are watching things that they can actually identify with at times it so happens that the society we are living in today we actually having people who are calling themselves introverts so when they say they are not introverts these are people probably out of the environment they've been raised in they don't have anyone to talk to so as such they are friends at the movies they watch and actually the movies they watch they actually try to look for movies that click with their thoughts the movies that will entertain their thoughts like if someone is a psycho he or she might be interested in looking for the movies that have been psychotic so as such it's a bit harmful for this person because probably the end result won't be that good so yeah I would advise people probably if you are watching a movie other than entertainment look for movies that can build you as a person don't just watch actually we are somewhere I was reading where result of actually what you consume on a daily basis that is very true result of what you consume so I'm trying to imagine someone who is consuming violence 24-7 and the dad is violent with the mum in the house who is the next thing he ended up hitting the dad so how has the movie actually influenced you so let people just try they actually have no problem because at the end of the day you must live as an actor you must be very believable because that's the whole thing you must be very believable but then it's not it's all my fault that I can influence your decisions I'm just doing my job I'm just acting I'm doing it so well but then in real life I'm not that that's my acting life but then you come to my real life I'm not that but then why do you want to emulate that this is just an act just be careful know the difference between reality and make believers perhaps as a producer and a director how do you feel about something that you you created in the same respect okay let me start with the story that's in my head so I know some of these actors and Nisha is kia kunam tutao like these dramas too ali kwanenda kwa duka and then ali patatuna mamaflani akanza tukum chaba simply because the episode previous ali fanya tukitu just and that's mama took offence like what are you doing no so she didn't even ask questions she just found him in the supermarket instead beating him and was like okay so now that's something that you have acted once again so well that you have believed that I am capable of doing something like that so how do you feel like when you're production someone can relate with it so intensely how did it still goes back to what Peter as mentioned we are a product of what you consume you still if you watch those movies and get into relate with it so well such that we get like carried away with what is going through the episode you're watching rather the series you're watching you might find that you will start emulating the character of that person or rather your star in that field and as a drama director or a theater director this is something I can attest to because we've seen cases in high school, he's also a high school director when we are doing the drama festival now we've seen cases where we giving a student a script we train and pile pressure for you to deliver exactly what you're supposed to bring let me give you an example of a boy school that is receiving a script that has female characters that person that person will give you the 100% you want from that female character because in a year it's in a figure and also when you get to the festival you find that whenever they are changing from getting into the costumes you might confuse that person true I'll show you a photo after this I'll show you a photo after this session but now we are probably producers or other directors the fact that we have to unlearn that character after this session reaching the peak we have to unlearn the character from this person I have a very good friend from Sigala Mbue that is my the school I trained during the 2019 festivals family friend a close friend but he did a female role his name is Owen this is an inside joke catch me up so he brought out the character so well to an extent that I felt like I think I'll be scrutinized by the family if I fail to unlearn this it will be your fault we have to create after the festival I have also my co-directors my guys excuse me whole of them has also directors I sent them to do that job for me just take your time make sure you bring this character from that person let him not to be perceived as a female in a boy school because now there's a whole lot of stigma now I've seen in my high school there's a case that wasn't unlearned sorry to say what happened should it be a story for another day I summarized there's a character that wasn't unlearned how did now everyone else relate to him now it became so hard for that person to an extent that every person in the school was perceiving that person to maybe have fallen to the other family wow okay wow first what happened and wow how he's phrasing it but okay I get you I understand what you're saying and if you watch one big family I have a similar case but we'll explain later is it bitter? it's not me we have a similar case we have to tell those stories this is a balanced environment I can get both male and female characters however I still have to tell that story and let me just preempt it's a result of depression and absense of maybe self belonging he doesn't know where he is and now gets into what you've been talking about watches all those series and immediately a character is watched and the life takes that direction oh yeah this play of yours sounds exciting he was going to say something I actually think what actually I would like to emphasize something on what Martin is actually saying I think it's high time directors learnt the art of deralling yeah because all of us will agree that for you to put up a role be it in film or even in theatre that's the whole intention of rehearsals like if it's having some character traits you must train if you're walking like a very straight man and then the character requires that you slouch then you have to practice that on a daily basis so that you're very good at it so that by the time the shoot is over or rather the production is done you have to be taken through a process of deralling so that you now be yourself before you came to this production and that's one thing that people who watch don't understand yeah this is someone trying to be like someone else you see yeah that's not them that's just someone else you know and after the production these people are deralled so that they are now themselves but then you who is watching is connecting with this person mentally is connecting with this person emotionally and as such it's overwhelming so I think maybe it's high time the audiences also learnt this thing because at times if I told you that how these films are made you will hate yourself for believing some of these things these things are done behind the green screen you think people in an ocean no they are not even in an ocean they are just somewhere doing their own thing they are just in a kebab somewhere relaxing but then something does out like in some ocean you believe that there's some violence I don't think people don't even fight they don't kill one another you are watching you are emotionally invested and you are like this is the real thing so you want to be like it's not that I think people should learn some of these things that's why you said the film was introduced to us not in the right way so kindly I would urge viewers out here don't just watch film ignorantly kindly you have to be educated also you should know some of these things I mean I'm not too sure but it's okay I'm joking hashtag is Thursday vibe before we finish so in a nutshell what we are saying is honestly two things I've been on stage myself and the thing that excite me most about being in the theater is the immediate response when you are on TV you don't really get to connect with the people behind the camera but theater is if you did something funny they are laughing I like to laugh all the time and you're supposed to be in a character role there's ones I had to cry on cue that was especially difficult for me was naga macho zitu at his papa but the first time I ever heard about deroaling was from Lupita Lupita Nyonga I think I was seeing something on her social media and she was talking about how she literally has to get massages to get her out of it's a very intense process when you have decided to become someone else and pita is very right I used my hands a lot the director had to tie my hands behind my back because the character did not need hands everywhere and had to walk differently you get in, you don't even say hi you just touch your character walking it's legit very intense so this deroaling thing is a plan alright in conclusion tell us about one big family okay Mr. Producer one big family play that talks about the lifestyle in the city rather it would have gotten a different title called One Big Bedroom exactly so one big family actually is talking about the life in the city we have a lady by the name Sharon who falls out with the family and actually due to her lifestyle and the family can't handle that kind of lifestyle as well brought I mean like heads of the family like the father and mother want their child to be Sharon is not doing the thing because Sharon actually is the completely opposite of what the parents are telling her to do so in the process of there's a confrontation they have then in the process they fall out and goes and says I want to live my life so in that process the revelation is that actually this like this family that is living in the right way like rather the father and mom actually are not there father and mom too noo blood twist so Sharon has a brother called James James also is in that house as a brother but he's a result of adoption Allah he's not a blood brother it's a whole lot of twists I want to give you the skeleton apparently James insist he wants to know there's a clue during the fallout there's a clue dropped by Sharon trying to notify James that if I were you I would have started to find out who my real dad is when Sharon is walking away then that triggers something in James remember all that time James has been feeling not safe I don't feel like this is home identity crisis and that's what I was trying to explain he decides also there's luxury there's everything he wants to get in life but then just decides to follow the other family just to get acceptance because he like failed to identify himself that process James goes into a session of looking for who the real dad is and the whole revelation is there's so many twists by the way James' mom is the house help of this so it's a whole lot of it's an interesting story and this is the first time I've just revealed what is happening in one big family is a crazy, crazy, crazy entanglement so guys come and watch one big family it's happening this Saturday at 4pm and at 6pm at Kenya National Theatre how much is the ticket? the ticket goes for VIP 1000 a regular one I mean 700 and at 700 for advanced booking at the entrance you'll pay 1000 and if it's a VIP 1500 so we are encouraging guys to book in advance it's an interesting story I can say and I trust you pick a lesson or two at the end of the day we have to give you the message we don't compromise that because in real life that is what is happening what role is he playing not really he is he is the dad who cannot say oh my god oh I can't wait I cannot wait I will make a point our last question because it kind of transitions to the rest of the day is we are asking on our social media how do you keep your mental health in check how do you make sure you go sell yeah let me go first again maybe I just make sure I don't get idle as maybe I didn't mention I am a software developer wow senior software developer craft silicone and my life and computers are like they are the same if I am not directing I will spend close to 16 hours on if you do how do you not have glasses I don't like glasses I spend almost 16 hours because after office I go home and continue also there are some projects that may need you to be in office for those many hours I have many sessions where I have spent the night in the office it's our life I chose the life but like you've asked if that was the kind of life I wanted to live then I would easily get depressed because I don't have time to rest so now to the answer how I keep my mind set and upright I want to avoid the depression I go to the theaters I do stage directing and producing just to make sure I don't I want to ask the same question but please make it succinct he said what he does other than directing when I'm not directing I'm a drama therapist what is a drama therapist what we actually do is try to bring about therapeutic healing through using drama because there's one thing I've realized that most people have unresolved childhood issues and aside they come to house them infusion so such we have a program that we help people to get through that actually enacting them and helping them come up with solutions from their own problems using their own realities because there's one thing I'm trying to bring about change this is also still in relation to mental health yeah if you are a mental health case I can actually come to bring about change using my realities imposing my realities on you it's me to help you use your realities to actually bring about change so basically that's what we do in drama therapy and psychodrama basically that's what we do and what I can tell people I think mental health goes beyond seeing people who are mad being in distress actually not just being at peace with yourself that's your mental health and rest and rest in your own self you're not easy, you can sleep probably you have issues with your mental health and you should seek medical attention and I was also encouraging most youth and young people to actually have someone you can talk to kindly just have someone you can talk to mostly to men men assume a lot you know I'm a man can't handle these as a man I have a secret I think I'm suggesting the next month's conference next year you just go congregate somewhere and then just start talking to anyone like bro enyewe last week this happened go to a corner cry just to express yourself emotionally if you cannot do it all the time where you are allowed just be mad just talk to yourself just do something remove it please no I don't want hashtag there's the vibes how do we find your social media? faster I would like to for holofame entertainment follow holofame entertainment on all social media platforms and as an artist you can follow me on all social media platforms at Rotopito and you sir? I'm Martin Odongo on all social media platforms or rather dadimato d-a-b-d-y-m-a-r-t-o dadimato on all social media platforms but more importantly follow holofame entertainment YouTube Facebook Twitter holofame entertainment so in short guys thank you for staying with us on this particular interview in case you missed it you can find it on YouTube admin will upload it as soon as possible nani talk to somebody if you have problem talk to someone just express yourself don't be afraid don't be shy just it's hard for one woman to be shy but when she is shy just go to shower take it take it so those tears go with the water you don't feel very vulnerable if that's what you want but do something hashtag is Thursday vibes you can find us at whitepiphone facebook whitepiphone channel on Twitter whitepiphone underscore underground we'll be right back