Joan Kabugu at the Standard group's offices along Mombasa road, Nairobi on December 30, 2021. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]
Having recently had her short film,Throttle Queensair onAl Jazeera,Joan Kabugu is counting her wins. Her journey has been one marked by highs and lows, but she has stuck to her passion. She is the founder of Ecila Films, which focuses on women, teens, and indigenous communities.Joan has many hours of TV content under her belt and has directed several environmental documentaries under the series,Giving Nature a Voice,and short films touching on heartfelt themes such as fatherhood and mental health. The creative is currently completing a multi-media documentary about a deaf dancer called. Sounds of Silence. She shares her journey.
Your short filmThrottle Queenjust aired onAl Jazeera. How does that feel?
Exhilarating, exciting and rewarding! I have come a long way from where it all began. The journey started 10 years ago when I stumbled onto a TV and radio training programme (in Medeva Media for Development in Africa). With no background in media, I had to work extra hard when I landed an opportunity on the job, training for a political talk show production. To get toMedeva TVfor the month-long training right after graduating from university, I had to walk from Nairobi CBD area to South B a distance of four kilometres - and back daily for almost a month because I had no source of income and the bus fare I had was not sufficient. I started from the bottom, labelling camera tapes, training on camera operations and assigned a camera for cutaway shots. Maisha Film Labs was another platform that helped me grow in my early years; I submitted two of my short films and got invited to compete for a production grant two years in a row. In second year, I won and went ahead to work on my first short film -Madam Chief- a mustard seed that allowed me to not only carry the writer credit, but also director and producer for the first time. My friends at Medeva came together to make the short film a success, I am forever grateful.
As a producer how have you managed to continually bag opportunities?
The biggest opportunities have come from learning. I have done this through attending workshops on writing, content creation fellowships and taking part in business and leadership training. These have made me understand the business side of things and how I can leverage my craft to make a living. When I attended the Obama Leaders Forum in 2018, Ecila Films was given a major spotlight for the work we have been doing; telling stories about women, teens, and the indigenous community. That has been our niche.
What have been some of the challenges this far?
I was recently having a discussion with fellow African creatives, trying to understand two phrases; love what you do and do what you love. This was against the backdrop that it takes a lot to make a living out of the creative industry and stick it out for the long haul. My toughest issue has been financing projects I care about, and convincing investors to come into the film space - it is hard to get a solid return on investment, unlike other industries. It has also been hard to gain traction and visibility, making it hard to reach my audiences both with my company Ecila Films and my personal profile.
How have you handled the challenge of having a steady stream of income?
Overtime, I have developed different skills and used them to multiply my revenue streams. The top three are; writing, directing, producing, and working as a production manager. I balance between doing independent content for my company, writing, and taking on production assignments. This ensures that as a creative I am not frustrated when it comes to finding jobs and paying bills.
Which have been your greatest highs as a producer?
Being part ofGiving Nature a Voice, which was an award-winning environmental documentary series. We won the bBest TV Series in ZIFF Awards. This series helped me improve my storytelling ability and took me to far corners of Kenya to find stories; from Cherengani to Bogoria to Rimoi. My first two short films were sponsored by grants and investors respectively. Working on three consecutive independent films after that, has been a proud moment; I have invested in myself. These projects have not yet offered a return on investment, they have, however, served as a portfolio for me and my team and opened doors for new projects, which have been sponsored.Winning an award for a Chevrolet project by Mofilm in 2015 was another proud moment, I did Richard Tureres Story;Lion Lights. In 2021, I won an award in New Yorks Oniros Film Award for the short film Its All A Game. I know the future holds even greater wins for me.
What have been some of your lowest moments?
I missed out on a few great opportunities earlier in my career because I felt inadequate. I have learned to be a loud introvert and get heard while communicating confidently and politely. Being able to work with people across the world from New York, Spain, Ethiopia and Liberia have expanded my worldview and by default made me more boisterous.
What have you discovered about yourself?
I am aggressive, which means that when I put my mind to something, I place all my cards on the table and go all in. I can take criticism; this makes it easy for me to put my work out there without fear of judgement. I am not a perfectionist, but I value exceptional excellence. That means I do not procrastinate in publishing what I want, I just ensure that I am growing in the process. I know how to plan and this has helped in saving money when it comes to film production. I rarely lose my cool, I keep the production team calm. While filming on location, ones patience is tested and I feel like I have passed that patience test every time. When it comes to working with a team, I believe in the leadership of self. If we all bring our A-game, it is a win-win situation.
What would you count as the rewards of pursuing your dreams despite the challenges?
The reward comes in getting the chance to create more content each year, working with a diverse cast and crew from Kenya and beyond and of course being paid to do so. Being nominated for awards has increased our visibility and assured us that we are being seen and appreciated. Something as simple as getting direct feedback for stories from our viewers whether in person, over the phone, or on social media is a big deal for me.
What next for Joan?
(2021 was) a defining year for me as a film-preneur. I have won a grant as an innovator from Stanchat Women in Tech, I also started my one film per month project beginning with a Lake Baringo Story Saving Pink Beauty,a coming of age story about a father and daughter. We recently had our first project featured onAljazeera-Throttle Queens- for their one of a kind series Africa Direct featuring exclusively African Stories by African Filmmakers. You can check it out on YouTube. These three highlights all point to one direction; creating more stories, consistently, and for an even wider audience.
The goal of Ecila Films is to create more authentic African stories with multiple teams, stories that transform communities and create discourse and dialogue. Making our content easily available on YouTube via our channel, Ecila Films and affiliate channels such asAljazeera, means we can have more people watch engage and dialogue. The plan is to also use our platform to launch new and upcoming storytellers and filmmakers, I know how hard it can be to break through in this industry. This is one way I can pay forward what I have benefited from other platforms.
What would you say is the importance of working towards consistent growth?
Continuous learning has made me understand different aspects of creativity, business, and leadership. I have been part of numerous fellowships, training, and workshops throughout my career: Amplify Content Creation Fellowship, Obama Leaders Fellowship, Maisha Film Labs Writers Workshop, Docubox Screenwriting Workshop, Young Africa Leaders Initiative, Women in Tech Business Incubator, Generation Africa Workshop, ZIFF Writing Workshop, Talent Campus Durban and One Fine Day Production Training, to name but a few.
I have found that consistency is the oldest formula in the book; keep at it, improve your craft, improve yourself. Improve and people will notice you before you know it, more people will be willing to pay for what you have to offer.
The other thing that has worked is becoming my own investor. I have save and foot the bill for some of my productions. Invest in the stories you love and share them with the world. Sometimes, the world needs to see you believe in yourself first before they believe in you.
In the last five years, I have worked a lot with mentors and this has allowed me to see my blind spots, personally and in the business of storytelling. I have also done a small portion of mentorship and it is something I hope I can do more of in the days to come.
Finally, there is no growth that comes from magic or presumption. All growth is intentional, and even if some opportunities find us as we work, such opportunities come because we are putting in the work to be bigger and better.
Plan out your 2022, even if you achieve only 50 per cent of what you set out to do. It is better than the five per cent you will achieve if you are not intentional about your growth.
Have an intentional New Year.
View post:
I learnt to come out of my shell and be heard - The Standard
- Intentional Community and Capitalism - Shareable - April 10th, 2024 [April 10th, 2024]
- How alternative communities have evolved from pacifist communes to a solution to the ageing population - The Conversation - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Georgia Power Announced T. Dallas Smith named to Georgia ... - All On Georgia - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- CSRWire - Thought Leaders Gather for Critical Community ... - CSRwire.com - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- EPA centers diversity with first-ever environmental youth advisory council - Yahoo News - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Rigor, Relevance, & Reality: Education Collaboratory at Yale ... - Yale School of Medicine - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Gaza: UN experts call on international community to prevent ... - ReliefWeb - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Fathering Together Announces Acquisition of City Dads Group - PR Web - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Company to pay over $50 million in largest environmental lawsuit settlement in D.C. history: Health risks to the public - Yahoo News - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Student death is now part of the routine at Middlebury - The Middlebury Campus - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- We welcomed an abandoned dog into our family. But dog dumping ... - Kansas Reflector - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- The National Climate Assessment Goes Woke - Dallasweekly - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- A Conversation about History, Race and the Meaning of True ... - Philanthropy Roundtable - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- The color of community | WORLD - WORLD News Group - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Kindness has good benefits | News, Sports, Jobs - The Review - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Georgia Power Foundation awards grant for BIG Edge ... - Georgia Southern University Newsroom - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- "Chilling": Maryland lawmakers threaten to cut aid to immigrants ... - Salon - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Three water options come with high cost | News, Sports, Jobs - Evening Observer - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Welcome to the Team, Kintan! | Office of Immigrant Affairs - Philadelphia Water Department - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Fannie Mae Recognized for Its DEI Efforts - DSNews.com - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Fannie Mae Named 'Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion' and ... - Fannie Mae - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Focused on progress - Weekly Challenger - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Good Ancestors and Messengers of Hope - Digital Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- 'Make it intentional': 3-N-1 Trinity Services helps young ... - Longview News-Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- 'Latinistas' is the World's First All-Latina Fashion Doll Line - hiplatina.com - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- CSU Releases Findings of Three-Year Research Study on NAVA'S ... - InvestorsObserver - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Press Ganey's Physician of the Year on a cardiology 'game changer ... - Becker's Hospital Review - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- City Officials Join Summer Campers and Local Artists to Kick Off ... - Philadelphia Water Department - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Merrill and Linda Hutchinson on Communication for a Summer of ... - Digital Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Feathers installed as Rotary District Governor | News, Sports, Jobs - The Inter-Mountain - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Theatre at St. Luke's: All Shook Up to The Little Mermaid - Orlando Sentinel - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Culture wars rage on, forcing marketers to decide whether to ... - Marketing Dive - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Some thoughts on governance of the local variety - Resilience - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 988 is saving lives, but more awareness and support needed - Alton Telegraph - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- The Limitations of Eco-Anxiety | Atmos - Atmos Magazine - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Welcome Back: How JAPER Becomes Real for the People in Brazil ... - Just Security - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Now Is the Time to Go All In on Heat Pumps - Rocky Mountain Institute - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) celebrates 40th ... - Elizabethton.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Discrimination or bureaucracy? A Jewish community in Germany ... - The Jerusalem Post - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- AAP Rules And Guidelines For How To Keep Kids Safe From Cars - Fatherly - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Pine County Sheriff's Report and Jail Roster | Communities ... - Pine City Pioneer - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Is a Hanan Ben Ari concert the solution for Jewish divisions? - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- What the LGBT wedding website Supreme Court ruling means for ... - The Atlanta Journal Constitution - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Out at CHM hosts its first 2023 event - Windy City Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 'The time is now': Longtime friends launch support organization for ... - The Lawrence Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- La Vergne Receives Municipal League Award for Excellence in Fire ... - rutherfordsource.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- UW System offers status update on its five-year strategic plan (day 1 ... - University of Wisconsin System - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Hawaii Native Krystal Ka'ai Tackles Equity And Anti-Asian Hate For ... - Honolulu Civil Beat - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- News & events / News - Diocese of York - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Businesses that address social or environmental problems often ... - The Conversation - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- EFOC: Is This Happening To Me Because I'm Black? Combating ... - Essence - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Stations Telling Diverse Stories With Sponsored Segments from ... - Next TV - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Ex-Prisoners Face Headwinds as Job Seekers, Even as Openings ... - The New York Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Bungie weighs in on the current argument raging through the ... - PC Gamer - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Myanmar: Dire humanitarian and human rights situation ... - OHCHR - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Invest in our public schools - EdNC - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- N.Y. stands up for LGBTQ equality: Having Pride 12 months a year - New York Daily News - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- NASCAR, Bubba Wallace bring 'Bubba's Block Party' to Chicago - Daytona Times - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Fifth Third's 2022 Sustainability Report Shares Progress on Priorities ... - InvestorsObserver - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Top LGBTQ+ Financial Influencers to Learn from in 2023 - Investopedia - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- 'Retirement is so traditional,' try periodic retirement to figure out ... - Morningstar - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people brings federal ... - New Mexico In Depth - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The Astounding Power of Intentional Productivity (And How You Can ... - The Good Men Project - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- What SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action means for UL schools - Louisiana Radio Network - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Community managers find the path for developers and players to ... - VentureBeat - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The EPA was ready to clean up 'Cancer Alley.' Then it backed off. - Grist - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- What Bidenomics Means for Workers and Families - UpNorthNews - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The vital link between a healthy press and our republic - The Fulcrum - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Death, Drag, and Decadence shows off the queer joy of DnD - Wargamer - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Israeli Expats in the U.S.: 'I Speak English, but I Don't Speak American' - Tablet Magazine - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- NTSB hearings end with talks on tanker conditions, fire's aftermath - Marietta Times - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Can 'Friendship Clubs' Cure the Loneliness Created by Remote Work? - The San Francisco Standard - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- 'Men in Blazers' Podcast Comes to Higher Ground to Talk Vermont ... - Seven Days - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Mindfulness, breathwork expert preaches value of slow living to Black and brown communities - Yahoo News - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Idaho's physician shortage is here. Here's what we can do about it. - Idaho Capital Sun - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Awards Ceremony Shines Spotlight on Caltech's Trailblazers in ... - Caltech - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The African American Museum of Iowa Announces Juneteenth ... - River Cities Reader - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- US Supreme Court Rules Against Striking Drivers Who Abandoned ... - Engineering News-Record - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The Future of the Thomaston Green is Green (or should be) - PenBayPilot.com - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The Elephant in the Ethernet Port - City Journal - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]