Anna Marano (l), Sam Greenlee (c), and Wanuri Kahiu (r)

Anna Marano and Wanuri Kahiu are the kind of people you may pass in the streets without acknowledging. Both are 24 and display disarming girlish smiles. But looks can at times be deceptive for Marano and Kahiu are no ordinary young women. They are visionary and passionate about helping build a vibrant film industry in Kenya. And they will not just complain about how things are not going right. They are big-hearted women determined to take destiny by the throat and force it to work for them and their country.

"Having worked in the Kenyan entertainment industry," says Kahiu, "we have noticed that Kenyan technicians and their assistants are paid less than their European or South African counter-parts on the same job in the film industry. This salary difference is attributed to a lack of adequate training." To remedy the anomaly, Kahiu and Marano have founded DADA Productions of which the former id managing director and the latter president. Dada Productions say they were inspired by Information and Communications Minister Raphael Tuju when he attempted to introduce broadcast quotas that would have seen broadcasters air up to 60 per cent locally made programmes unlike now when the broadcast content is more than 80 percent foreign. Tuju’s directive would not only have stimulated local productions but also increased employment opportunities in the media sector had it been implemented. Reliance on imported material, Kahiu says, has stifled the potential of local manpower and contributed to the scenario in which local professionals are paid less than their South African or Western counterparts for performing similar tasks.

In an attempt to bring Kenyan artists up to date on international entertainment industry techniques used in filmmaking, DADA Productions flew two film professionals to Nairobi to facilitate a production workshop in the East African metropolis July 26-30, 2004. "The aim of this film production workshop is to raise the existing level of professionalism and sharpen artistic skills in Kenya," said Marano of the workshop that is intended at becoming an annual feature in Kenya. The workshops, it is anticipated, will increase the level of communication between the various tiers in film production and allow for a better understanding and improved personnel and equipment management besides increasing the efficiency and quality of film and television productions in Kenya. Although based on the curriculum of the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA)'s School of Film and Television where classes are run once a week, 3 hours each for 10 weeks (an average of 30 hours in 10 weeks), Dada Production’s intensive workshop runs 30+ hours spread over five days.

Anna Marano explains DADA’s vision

Dada Productions, that provided the service at a time when Kenya’s local broadcasters have been challenged by the government to increase the local broadcast content, say they have interested parties in Hollywood-writers, directors, sound composers-who have confirmed their willingness to work with Kenya over the next three years. It was against this background that they single-handedly flew in writer Sam Greenlee and cinematographer Geary McLeod from the United States to share their experience with their Kenyan counterparts as the first of many initiatives aimed at empowering Kenyans to be in charge of their own audiovisual media sector. They are also planning work training (internships) and exchange programmes besides production workshops like the one held in July. However, the drawback DADA faced was from an unlikely quarters: local filmmakers. Neither the Kenya National Film Association nor the Kenya Film Television Professional Association showed up at the five-day training. Lamenting what they called ‘lack of enthusiasm from local filmmakers’, DADA Productions took issue with some Kenyans for adopting the ‘Fast, Quick, and Cheap’ formula of making films despite the immense artistic potential in the East African country. It is said that some people, once they receive grants for making films, rush through the process without thinking about quality scripts, cast or crew. All they are interested in is completing the production in order to rush it to the grant giver or a film festival. This has resulted in poor productions-derogatorily referred to in Kenya as NGO films-that few people want to see.

“In our workshops, we will begin by focusing on writing, directing and cinematography before moving on to areas like music scoring and talent management,” said Marano. “We don’t have to continue relying on outsourcing of personnel or finances as we have enough of this here” Greenlee observed that unless Kenyans take destiny by the throat, no one would help them. “Neither government bureaucrats nor production companies will help filmmakers,” he said, adding, “Established organisations won’t support new ones because they feel threatened.” Developing professionals and improving quality of filmmaking are the two aims of Dada Productions. “We intend to coordinate a series of workshops in an effort to increase the quality and quantity of films coming out of Kenya. Our goal is to challenge Kenyan filmmakers to compete in an international arena even as we encourage international investment in Kenyan filmmaking,” Kahiu said

Gary McLeod"

“The script is the key to making film. You can’t make a good film from a bad script,” Greenlee said. Saying a good script takes time to develop, as it is the blueprint for making film, Greenlee pointed out that one should not be in a hurry in putting a script together. “You can’t shoot a good film from a bad script. It doesn’t happen and never will. You can’t substitute a good story with technique. DV, DVD, HD etc are merely formats being used in filmmaking.” He challenged Kenyans: “Don’t just sit around whining about how the government is not supporting you but get up and make films using camcorders; you can only learn through doing.” While Marano has recently moved from Milan in Italy to work in Nairobi, Kahiu has worked and studied at the film school in the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) for the past three years. Our objective, Marano says, is “to raise the existing level of professionalism and sharpen artistic skills. Dada Productions will be working with international artists who are experts in their field to help train professionals.” She added: “With audiovisual sector professionals as students, the experts can skip the craft basics and jump straight into methods of improving the art form. This allows for a more technical problem solving approach to suit the artistic challenges found in Kenya.”

Marano and Kahiu, who both attended secondary school Hillcrest in Nairobi before going to Italy and Britain for university education, say Dada Productions have developed a cinematography workshop programme to use as a blueprint for future investment. The July workshop, held at the Show Company in Jamhuri Park grounds, concentrated on bringing lighting technicians and camera personnel up to date on how to light and operate a one-camera set-up for narrative (fictional) film and television projects.

Cinematographer McLeod (City of Angels) demonstrated various lighting techniques with the aim of teaching directors of photography (DoPs) how to communicate with the director and how to light various scenes He also taught lighting technicians, electricians and grips how to rig lights and grip in different scenes besides maintaining safety on a film set indoors and outdoors. The workshop also tackled the advantages and disadvantages of various formats: Film (16mm, 35mm), DV, HD in the current Kenyan environment that suffers from an acute shortage of funding. Report by Ogova Ondego.

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