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First Kenyan Film and Television Awards

  • The past two months have been a roller coaster of madness. So many things have changed and happened in these sixty or so last days that I am not sure, which side is up or which is down.

    You see our country, Kenya, has never held film or television awards before. In the past, the two industries have been so green that they could not sustain such a program. There was not enough content of good quality.

    However, things have changed these last five to ten years. There has been an awakening by young filmmakers and television producers. Television stations are also full of local content and the DVD market is flooded with productions.

    The Kenya Film Commission, a Government body charged with developing the film industry, has been studying this growth. They have seen that there is material in the market. They feel, and many will agree, that the industry is slowly but surely coming of age.

    This year, they have decided to organize the first film and television awards in the country. Their hope is to spur further growth by awarding those who have made a mark in the industries.

    My company, the company I work for that is, has been contracted by the Kenya Film Commission to provide consultancy services during the process.

    The last two months has been spent researching, meeting KFC and other parties, drafting proposals, designing PowerPoint presentations and generally running around like headless hens. It has also been spent typing late into the night and all weekend.

    Personally, I have been working with my boss to develop the nomination and voting processes and get them going. I am also in charge of coming up with ad concepts for radio and helping to write scripts for television. Come January when we start planning the actual Gala event, I will assist with the creative aspects of the event, i.e performances, choreography, e.t.c.

    It is a tough assignment. Every day the workload seems to increase and the pressure continues to mount. The ball has not yet started rolling at full momentum, but the office is already bee-hive of activities.

    Still, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We are part of a great milestone in the Kenyan entertainment industry. The awards will, we hope, shape the next phase in the grown of the industry and we are only honoured to play a part in the landmark event. In fewer words, we love every moment of the job and cannot wait until March to see the culmination of our labour.