John Kamau: Kenya has a lot of uncut gems with a lot of room to grow

John Kamau is known for Black Ops (2023), His House (2020) and The Real Story of... (2016). He has been in the creative world for more than 10 years, with many experiences in musical theatre, opera, film, TV, audio – and recently, motion capture. His work has been seen on BBC, Apple TV, the Royal Opera House, Amazon Audible, Academy Dance Productions (in a Tinie Tempah music video!) and more

1.You have a degree in drama, is this something you always knew you wanted to pursue, and how traditional are your parents about it? What does school do to bring about the discipline required in acting?
Yes, I have a BA Honors degree in Performance Arts from University of Lincoln. I studied theatre, TV, and Kathakali dancing. At the same time, I was in a local street dance crew. It was something I had a passion for from a young age. I was always performing for the family by singing and dancing - and also, being the class clown. My parents were not too traditional. They always tried to support me and my brother with anything we had passion for.

Schools in the UK build discipline in teaching you the theory aspect of script work and character development. It's never just the lines you say; it's, why does the character say them? So you have to search for the three Ws: What? Why? and When?

2.You recently ventured into motion capture, what project was that on, and what was different about the medium for you from any other thing you've done before?
Motion capture is amazing! I have had experience in other small motion capture projects. That is when it captured my interest. This latest one was for a new game called Transformers: Reactivate. I have always loved the idea of motion capture. I've been very inspired by Andy Serkis’ work for a long time now and always wanted to explore it.

It's different because you have to use more of your imagination and body movement, because most of the set is just not there, like the superhero film we watch. Not everything you see on the screen is real. You have to tap into your imagination to see the tall buildings or a giant monster. Then, know the different techniques of using the space. For example, you could be talking to a big giant but on the set, you are just talking to a fixed point on a wall and nothing is there. It also gives you an amazing opportunity to develop your character’s movements, like the stance or the walk of the character – or animal! – you are portraying.

3.Who would you like to work with who you haven't worked with already? Why? How do you decide what scripts to do and what to discard? Is it easier, the longer you work, to have the allowance to be more discerning about scripts?
Oh, the list is very long. Luckily, I got the opportunity to learn and work with the amazing Chiwetel Ejiofor on a short film called Columbite Tantalite. That experience taught me a lot. Lennie James is another powerhouse. Arinzé Kene is just amazing in anything he does. There are a lot more…oh, I cannot forget Naomie Harris.

At the moment, I'm not too selective with scripts. I also don't discard scripts, because I love to explore each world, because they are all different. I read through all scripts. But it still needs to resonate with me. When you hold a script you just get the feeling that you can sink your teeth into it, or you feel it in your soul. The time you are trying to enter the writer’s imagination of the world they have created. I think that could be what makes one more discerning with scripts.

4.You come back to Kenya regularly to engage with the acting industry here - or at least to see what the scene has become and is becoming. In terms of acting and stories, what do you think Kenyans have not done yet? What's the last Kenyan production you really enjoyed?
I try my best to travel to Kenya as much as I can just to see the new creative work when it's possible, also to support friends like Robert Agengo and Chantelle Siameto, and their projects. I feel Kenya has a lot of uncut gems with a lot of room to grow. There's opportunity to explore more action, comedy, and horror. The last production I really enjoyed was Country Queen and African Folktales Reimagined.

5.What do you wish someone had told you when you started out? What do you think you'll want to tell yourself 10 years from now?
I wish I had been told about networking. It's the best way to connect with like-minded people who have the passion and drive to be creative. Also that, the road is long but learn and enjoy it. I hope I can tell myself to look back at what I have achieved and learn from where I went wrong.