Here We Come, Young Filmmakers Announce
By Bethsheba Achitsa
Young, energetic and smiling faces are what greet when you walk into the production workshop at the Lola Kenya Screen festival. Beaming with radiance are these young minds all set to become future filmmakers?
The production workshop facilitated by Eid Abdel latif an award winning filmmaker and academic who also heads the animation department at El Mania university in Cairo, Egypt. At the end of the festival the children and the youths in the production workshop will produce a film comprising a story, poem and song. The children have a great time as they draw, model and learn to make a film.
Children, ever dreamt of being a film maker? Then Lola Kenya festival would be the place for young the new thing that the participants have had to learn so far. This refers to the art of making models appear as real characters. You could simply do this. You need clay dough, wire to make the characters move, cameras and recorders, and there you are a filmmaker.
Alongside, the children’s workshop is also practicing filmmakers who are being guided on how to make film documentaries by Duco Tellegen an award winning filmmaker who has worked in Kenya several times. Solomon , a practicing filmmaker who had never ventured into documentary as he feared the costs and could not get funding or sponsorship from anyone. he has realised that through the support of Lola Kenya Screen he could easily do the documentary without incurring a lot of costs.
However, he does not encourage the others to venture into documentaries unless they are determined. Though he says he could easily do a documentary and comfortably present it to an organisation.
Not all that glitters is gold. Like any other event or person, Lola Kenya screen festival has its shortcomings. The children though had a lot of fun, the teens who are in the production workshop did not like all about modelling. They disliked the early lunch breaks but hoped that the event will be more organised come next festival. They suggested that it would be wise if the workshop would be exposed to working with real characters. Since the society is gender sensitive and change is as good as a rest, the director should welcome a lady tutor for the production workshop next year.
Guests from other countries, include Tony mushoborozi a journalist working for New vision paper in Uganda. He said Lola screen was such a great event and like in Kenya the Ugandans have the Amakula festival held annually in May. Interacting with him realises the great passion for bananas the Ugandans have. In each homestead bananas is all one can see as it is their food staple.
Ever known that Uganda has the most number of radio stations with over two hundred stations. He noted that Kenya televisions had quality programs that keep one glued to the screen. Congrats to the television stations.
Actually, Lola Kenya screen was meant to harness the talent in youths and children. Youths have learnt that that it’s not all about having a passion and lacking determination, the two go hand in hand . the film press thought that journalism is all about appearing before a camera and saying :
“hallo viewers this is… reporting for…”
Little did they know it’s all about learning about journalism and meeting journalistic deadlines.
Next time you hear of Lola Kenya screen festival don’t brush off the idea, make a point of making it to the venue.
Young, energetic and smiling faces are what greet when you walk into the production workshop at the Lola Kenya Screen festival. Beaming with radiance are these young minds all set to become future filmmakers?
The production workshop facilitated by Eid Abdel latif an award winning filmmaker and academic who also heads the animation department at El Mania university in Cairo, Egypt. At the end of the festival the children and the youths in the production workshop will produce a film comprising a story, poem and song. The children have a great time as they draw, model and learn to make a film.
Children, ever dreamt of being a film maker? Then Lola Kenya festival would be the place for young the new thing that the participants have had to learn so far. This refers to the art of making models appear as real characters. You could simply do this. You need clay dough, wire to make the characters move, cameras and recorders, and there you are a filmmaker.
Alongside, the children’s workshop is also practicing filmmakers who are being guided on how to make film documentaries by Duco Tellegen an award winning filmmaker who has worked in Kenya several times. Solomon , a practicing filmmaker who had never ventured into documentary as he feared the costs and could not get funding or sponsorship from anyone. he has realised that through the support of Lola Kenya Screen he could easily do the documentary without incurring a lot of costs.
However, he does not encourage the others to venture into documentaries unless they are determined. Though he says he could easily do a documentary and comfortably present it to an organisation.
Not all that glitters is gold. Like any other event or person, Lola Kenya screen festival has its shortcomings. The children though had a lot of fun, the teens who are in the production workshop did not like all about modelling. They disliked the early lunch breaks but hoped that the event will be more organised come next festival. They suggested that it would be wise if the workshop would be exposed to working with real characters. Since the society is gender sensitive and change is as good as a rest, the director should welcome a lady tutor for the production workshop next year.
Guests from other countries, include Tony mushoborozi a journalist working for New vision paper in Uganda. He said Lola screen was such a great event and like in Kenya the Ugandans have the Amakula festival held annually in May. Interacting with him realises the great passion for bananas the Ugandans have. In each homestead bananas is all one can see as it is their food staple.
Ever known that Uganda has the most number of radio stations with over two hundred stations. He noted that Kenya televisions had quality programs that keep one glued to the screen. Congrats to the television stations.
Actually, Lola Kenya screen was meant to harness the talent in youths and children. Youths have learnt that that it’s not all about having a passion and lacking determination, the two go hand in hand . the film press thought that journalism is all about appearing before a camera and saying :
“hallo viewers this is… reporting for…”
Little did they know it’s all about learning about journalism and meeting journalistic deadlines.
Next time you hear of Lola Kenya screen festival don’t brush off the idea, make a point of making it to the venue.
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