The chaotic Kenyan creative scene

BY COLLINS KARIUKI

When the lights are out and the camera is off, when the show is over and the curtains come to a close, celebrities are human too. Like most of us, they struggle to survive and pay the bills. Glamorous as it may seem, the creative industry has a soft underbelly. If the events witnessed over the last few weeks are anything to go by, this industry is highly unpredictable and risky. 

We teach younger generations that acting is a career like any other, but with many former stars now struggling to make ends meet as a result of the pandemic, one can’t help but wonder if that is indeed true. Is the creative industry in Kenya lucrative at all? Or are our artists the problem? How can one even survive in the industry?

Sonie Gicheru
Actor and YouTube comedian 

When it comes to online comedy skits, Sonia’s face is one of the most recognisable in the country. The 21-year-old has been a regular cast in skits aired on Wololo TV, a Kenyan YouTube channel. She has also featured for the popular Kenyatta University theatre, and she recently started a YouTube channel. Her most recent post attracted more than 21,000 views in just four days.

But Sonie is quick to point out that things are not as rosy as they may seem.
“The creative industry in Kenya is like a monster that eats its own children. It is everybody for themselves and God for us all. As a content creator, there is so much pressure to produce quality content because that’s the only way to succes.

Many don’t recognise how hard this is. Small production companies like mine have to hire quality cameras, lights and sound systems. If you are doing an outdoor shoot, you have to pay the crew, the cast members and feed them too. All this is expensive and with no support, one can easily get overwhelmed,” she says. 
Even though Sonie got into acting by chance after accompanying her friend to auditions where she ended up auditioning herself and getting a role, she is keen on making a name for herself in this industry.

“I started acting in 2017, while in my first year of campus. I did some work with the Kenyatta University theatre before moving to Wololo TV. I value acting. It is a form of therapy to me, and allows me to express myself in different ways. It also keeps me engaged. In the few years I have been acting, my confidence has grown and I even got the courage to start my own YouTube channel. However, I want to do bigger things. I dream of being featured in TV series, adverts, getting into radio and even making it to Hollywood. My short term goal is to be a brand ambassador. This is what drives me. I will keep producing content and going for those tiring auditions until someone takes note and gives me a chance,” she says.

Her experience so far, however, hasn’t been pleasant.  

“The local creative industry is not a reliable source of income. I don’t think you can pursue it full time. You need a career in a different field. Firstly, the industry is so unpredictable. You have to be very well known to make good money.

dditionally, the jobs are seasonal. On YouTube, you must consistently come with exceptional content to make money,” she says.

“However, if you have a good following, you can earn from influencer marketing. If you are lucky, you could end up in a TV series or even advert. But before you get there, you will have to stand on the queue almost all day, hungry and tired, as you wait to audition.”

“Seeing big acts being reduced to beggars is so devastating for me, and it makes me think hard about my acting career. I know that one day someone else will take my place, so I have decided to advance my skills in directing and production. 

“The popular adage, ‘trust the process’ is what keeps me focused and hopeful. I am determined to put in the effort and patience required to navigate this unpredictable and seasonal industry,” she says.

Joshua Mwavita Jave
Veteran actor, currently featuring on NTV’s KAIDI 

“The local creative industry has improved. Artists are working under better conditions, unlike when I was starting out. In 1995, when I started acting in TV shows, we used to be paid per episode. However, no one would be informed of the amount payable until pay day. The amount one was entitled to was a prerogative of the management which never responded to complaints. I remember signing blank vouchers after shoots. It was the management’s work to fill in the figures payable. We also used to buy our own costumes and we would never be compensated. Now, production houses enter contracts with artists where terms of payment are made clear to everyone even before the scripts are given to the artists. They also provide costumes.”

Joshua is a veteran who started acting in 1986 and has been part of shows like Muflis which aired in the late ‘90s, Kudra, Saida and Almasi which aired between 2012 and 2015, and Kaidi (2019), which is his most recent TV series. 

Joshua believes that it is possible to live comfortably off the Kenyan art scene. He however adds that this can only possible where artists are given binding contracts.

“Supporting casts or actors who take minor roles will find it hard to rely solely on the arts. Additionally, the artist’s attitude, discipline and financial literacy is a big factor when it comes to making a living out of acting.

Joshua has a fulltime job as a paralegal, and he negotiated for a contract that requires him to come for shoots only during his free time. Proceeds from his acting career go into funding his personal projects such farming, paying school fees for his children and taking care of his parents while his salary caters for statutory payments like rent and other utilities. 

“I am testament that the creative industry in Kenya pays. However, we need to realise that no amount is ever enough. What one does with their money is a personal decision and no artist should blame production companies, especially if his or her dues were paid on time. I have seen people who run businesses worth millions with capital got from this industry,” he says.

Joshua says it is important for every artist to accept that nothing is permanent and nobody is indispensable. One day, your input will no longer be needed in the show. Could this denial be the reason some established acts have since been reduced to beggars? 

“The problem might be the industry itself or the acts in question. Sometimes actors are recruited and absorbed on unclear terms. A project is started and along the way, the contract is terminated prematurely and all of a sudden, the actor is left at the mercy of producers. Additionally, there are no financial products tailored for artists, so securing loans from banks is often a problem because production companies are not willing to act as guarantors,” he says.

“On the other hand, the problem could be the acts themselves. At times fame gets into the heads of actors and the pressure may lead some to live beyond their means. This often results in debts, depression and alcoholism.”

Even so, Joshua is of the opinion that shaming or blaming these acts might not be the best move. Production companies should provide counselling for their actors as some of them may have psychological problems.

“The industry requires discipline from all parties involved. You need to be aware that although you might make money, the jobs are seasonal. That’s the nature of the industry. Additionally, top artists must draw a line between real life and stage play. They must not be deceived into maintaining an image or brand they’ve built on TV. This industry is unpredictable, and self-discipline is key if you want to make the best out of it,” he concludes.

JOEL MUREITHI WAGACIRA
Producer and actor, pilot
Joel wears many hats. In addition to being a pilot and IT practitioner, he is a singer, actor and producer at Stewardz Production. So far, he has staged eight plays in various local theaters.

As a producer, he is the person tasked with paying the cast. However, when asked how lucrative the creative industry in the country is, he vehemently asserts that it does not pay enough. He says that it is impossible to pursue a full time career in the Kenyan creative scene.

“This industry has potential, but we lack support from entities like the government. Most of the time, actors are paid peanuts because of the costs associated with producing a show. For example, on a good day, an actor can take home between Sh5,000 and Sh10,000 per show. However, these gigs might come once a month. So, if there are two shows in one month, the actor can get about Sh20,000. This amount is not enough, especially in dry months when an actor may make as little as Sh10,000 a month. They frequently end up taking loans to make ends meet,” he says.

According to Jeff, producers are unable to pay actors well because of the high cost of hiring halls to stage plays. However, he admits that some producers are just unscrupulous, and that things are hard for producers too. 

“Currently, I have three careers. I am a software and graphic designer, a pilot and aviation engineer, and an actor/producer. To manage, I divide my days into three eight-hour blocks. I spend the first eight hours flying with Skymax Aviation while practicing engineering at KAC Aviation Engineering Limited. I then spent the next eight hours with my family or resting, and in the last eight hours, I try to do something constructive in my acting career or for my family.”

Still, stability is not guaranteed. 

“Were it not for the short films I had produced and the pre-recorded shows I had in my files. I would have returned to my rural home as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Last year was tough for most of us and we realised that we didn’t have good saving habits. I even started painting walls and drawings just to make ends meet. That is how bad it got, but things are now improving,” he says. 

“One thing that everyone needs to learn, especially us in the creative industry, is money management. At Stewardz Production, we have started offering financial literacy lessons in addition to acting to enable our actors weather such tough situations. However, the government needs to help improve this sector, perhaps by providing flexible loans to production houses or adjusting the cost of hiring acting halls downwards. Our films need to be promoted like those from other countries. Until this is done, this industry will remain unstable, and those involved will have to endure immense suffering just to pursue their talents.”

[email protected]