by Bonface Mogaka

Breaking into the Kenyan Film Industry

What were your biggest challenges during the training at Hot Sun Foundation?

We were always under so much pressure to deliver our work and the administration was very strict. I was worried to be dismissed from class because of missing a deadline. And they expected us to present only high-quality work. This was so stressful. But it turned out to be a good experience  because it prepared me for the real life in the business.  Making films with a minimal budget was a very big challenge, too. It taught me to be very organised because it doesn't work out otherwise. And I learnt to achieve good quality with limited funds. 

What did you do after finishing your training at Hot Sun Foundation? 

Hot Sun Foundation had a program that offered their graduates to apply for departments at Hot Sun. So when I finished the Foundation in Filmmaking course, I stayed with Hot Sun for another three months. I became the head of the film clubs department.  During this time I organized mentorship programs for school children from Kibera. That means I went to schools and taught them about filming. I also organised workshops about filming and community screenings.

What were the biggest challenges in the "real" film world?  

What do you think are the biggest challenges young filmmakers face in Kenya?

I see two main challenges; first there is a lack of mentorship, and second there is a lack of opportunities. Filmmaking is a business that is difficult to approach because there is no defined way how to enter it. If there's no one who helps young filmmakers and shows them what to do and how to deal with the business, it is almost impossible for them to find their way into it.  

Filmmaking also requires a lot of practical experiences in different environments. The problem is that we have a massive lack of spaces like Hot Sun Foundation. Another problem is of course very often the lack of financial means because filmmaking is expensive.

Why should people support Hot Sun Foundation?

All the graduates at Hot Sun have completed a high-quality training in filmmaking when they leave the school. They are taught discipline and deep knowledge and because of their practical approach to the subject they are prepared better than the graduates from any other film school.  

Hot Sun Film School understands where the youth comes from and transforms them during the training so that they can find their way into the Kenyan film market. This is possible because they also understand Kenyan society. At the end of the day a filmmaker tries to tell a story from our community, so you need to understand it first before you are able to tell it.  

Thank you!  Happy Holidays!