Future of film through the lens of Princecam Media founder
Paul Mukoma, 45, born and raised in Kiambu County, is the Chief Executive Officer of (CEO) of Princecam Media company and the founder of Talanta Institute, a training and transformation centre where talents are nurtured. The father of two has dedicated his life to mentoring young people in the media industry
What is the inspiration behind Princecam Media?
After High school, I moved to Nairobi where I pursued a course in food and beverage management, leading to employment as a waiter in two different establishments. One day, I was fired.
This changed how I viewed life. Frustrated, I went back to job-hunting, and it is at this point that I met my mentor Njuguna, who by then, was excelling in photography and video production. I worked closely with him for four years and learnt a lot of skills in the trade.
I always believe I was fired to meet my destiny because through him, I learnt more about business management, videography and photography. With my passion in enhancing positive transformation in Africa through media, I established Princecam Company in 2008.
My first clients were gospel singers Esther Wahome, the late Angela Chibalonza, Emmy Kosgei, Mercy Masika, and Jimmy gait among others.
How many employees do you have and what opportunities does Princecam offer?
So far, we have 15 permanent employees and we keep hiring part time workers when we have projects. Over the years, we have been offering internship opportunities that give students a chance to learn practical media skills.
We embrace talents at all costs, which is why we have produced free videos for various artists who cannot afford the cost with an agreement to recover the money after selling their music. Through Talanta Institute, we have trained people from the scratch about television and film, music production, animation, graphics and journalism.
How do you spot talent?
We identify talent by listening to one’s music. For instance, I recall an incident where a Maasai boy’s voice captured my heart and I went out looking for him. He later recorded his music here at Princecam. We also get referrals and are keen to spot some more as we travel. Social media is a powerful tool of interaction and we utilize it as we scout and nurture talents.
Do you think our education system is doing enough to nurture talents?
Over the years, we have had schools that have positioned themselves to nurture talents, although much needs to be done on a larger scale. I believe the government is on the right track with the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), which is intentional in nurturing talents.
How do you go about talent management?
Talanta Institute has been encouraging people to embrace their talents and continuously mentor others. Scouting for talents, growing them within the system, while developing needed expertise with a future focus, is another way.
We effectively engage, retain and motivate the trainees to achieve their career goals. We have the Talanta hub that offers individuals a chance to showcase the short video clips they create to the world.
As a training institute, we have also brought up a crop of visionaries who are behind successful projects and initiatives, and have even gone on to win accolades such as the Groove Awards, Kubamba Music Awards, among others.
What are your thoughts on the future of digital media?
Technology is advancing at a high rate, creating the need to be equipped with its innovations. The digital space is rapidly expanding, creating countless opportunities for people to discover and display their talents to the world.
We have seen many talents like Terence Creative and Crazy Kennar excel in the field due to growing acceptance of their content. There is a need to keep up with the pace of innovation by gathering more information about digital marketing, which is freely available online, or one can opt to pursue a course with us at Talanta Institute.
Any Challenges you encounter in line of duty?
I would say cash flow and management problems. I believe in impacting as many people as I can, and creating job opportunities. A strong cash flow, therefore, ensures that the business can fully pay salaries and have funds for the growth and expansion of the business, both locally and globally.
You are passionate about film production, tell us what you're currently working on.
I have been interacting with the Maasai community for a while, and I picked valuable lessons that can educate the world. We’re currently filming a tale of love, featuring a young Maasai girl who is in love with a boy from the same community.
She faces a lot of cultural barriers that almost cut short her education, but the young girl beats the odds and works towards her dreams. Eventually, she becomes a news anchor and her boyfriend, a pilot.
The story ends with the pair celebrates their love life and milestones . We will premier the film on June 27, and I believe this story will educate the world on the unique challenges faced by most Maasai girls and how they can be inspired to achieve their goals.
What are your future plans?
My focus is to grow the Talanta Institute to attract international students. I desire to start a film centre in Kenya, where people can visit and marvel at African culture. I look forward to sharing African stories and I believe the film we are releasing soon is just the beginning of what the future holds.
I admire Tyler Perry, the world renowned producer and entrepreneur, he demonstrates the power of working on your life’s purpose. I am following his footsteps. I believe that the world of film production is getting greater.
