White Guys Get All the Awards

While you were partying, people in Nairobi filmed, edited and submitted a film in 48 hours The 48 Hour Film Project ( 48HFP) is a global competition in which teams compete to film, edit and submit a cohesive project in two days, and for the first time in Nairobi, 200 teams signed up for the competition which took place on November 29th 2013. The participants only learn of their genre on the competition’s opening night, which is a Friday. The White Guys Get All the Awards completed film is later screened at a local cinema.

“The 48 Hour Film Project is an opportunity to open up the film industry in Kenya to the “ordinary” guy. For too long filmmaking has been about a specific few or a small movement of individuals,” states Carol Kioko who is the 48HFP City Producer.

Whilst the genres vary, there is a compulsory prop, character and line of dialogue each team must use: A bunch of keys, a street vendor, and a line saying “Don’t say I didn’t warn you”, was all the Nairobi teams had to work with.

Riyo Films won the competition with their Sci-fi submission, Bulb. The film’s director, Liam Acton, says: “Apparently the judges liked the fact that our female character wasn’t a [traditionally] entrenched gender role. That’s certainly a compliment…My favourite feedback was: ‘you white guys, you come over here and take our awards.’ Hard to dispute that one, not sure how to take it.”

The winning team did take five of the nine awards including: Cinematography, Art Direction and Sound Design. “We found potential. All we have to do now is nurture and grow it. I was VERY impressed by the technical delivery of films by the Nairobi teams. Most of the filmmakers were competent enough to tell a story, which is key in communicating to your audience in seven minutes or less,” recalled Kioko. She has her own film company, The Lemon Slice Pictures, which assists independent filmmakers develop their craft. On the topic of the 48HFP, Kioko explains: “Following the overwhelming response we’re glad to return in November 2014 for another wild and sleepless weekend of filmmaking.”

For more info, log onto: www.48hourfilm.com or 48HFP Nairobi on Facebook.

 

By Josephine Opar