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The Historical Challenges of Independent Film Production in Kenya

Written by Barasa Simiyu

Sunday, 23 August 2009

In 1895 the Lumiere brothers were documenting reality while the commercially inclined Thomas Edison and special effects experimentor Georges Melies were inventing and developing film as a mode to document, create dramas and showcase their creations. At this time, however, Africa was being divided by Europeans for colonization during the scramble for Africa. By 1908 the independent film movement was born globally with some producers revolting against Edison’s Edison Trust which tried to control their art form. The industry began to get recognition by the 1920’s. As the Europeans made Africa their home, film was also introduced, but with that came challenges of independent production. We shall discuss the historical challenges as we also trace the history of film in Africa, within the socio-economic and political history of the African continent since some of these early issues have a bearing in the challenges independent film production in Africa faced then, and also now.

From the early stages, film was a restricted enterprise that Africans were not allowed to engage in. Some of the earliest attempts at filmmaking in East Africa are Britain’s colonial Bantu Educational Cinema Experiment (from 1935) and later on Colonial Film Units in East Africa (from 1939) and other regions in the continent. These groups produced propaganda films which helped promote the interests of the British Empire on the second World War or on other British colonies. Film was also used to create awareness on teaching Africans ‘civilized behaviour’ like washing hands etc. Therefore restriction to training and using of this mode of communication proved to be the first major challenge to Independent film making among African producers because they were not allowed to engage in it.

Sembene Ousmane’s La Noire de ( Black Girl)

Around 1962, television was introduced to Africa. At first it was used as a medium for colonialists to spread information within themselves and also as a tool for teaching modernity to the natives. At this time, however, most African countries were getting independence from their colonial masters, and with it ownership of television stations changed hands into those of African-led states. Fired by the nationalistic Africanisation of these new governments, film and television were used as tools for lashing out at colonialism. Sembene Ousmane’s La Noire de ( Black Girl) blazed the way in international recognition for African film. Several challenges presented themselves for both film and television: first was the lack of film and television training, hence no room for independent film making. Secondly, the lack of financial backing hampered the development of independent film making. Films were scarcely funded by established Hollywood studios and British filming companies, while television productions, even when local, were funded by state. Finally, with thematic inclinations towards propagating state ideology to the masses, no room was left for independent film making since productions were exclusive tools for state.

Intermediary film distributing companies, Compagnie Africaine Cinématographique Industrielle et Commercielle (COMACICO) and Société d’exploitation Cinématographique Africaine (SECMA) were formed to distribute content for Francophone countries while the American Motion Picture Export Company (AMPECA) distributed films in Anglophone Africa. This saw the United States of America replace Britain as the main supplier of films in Anglophone Africa. Distribution immediately became a challenge for anyone wishing to do independent production since they had no muscle to fight these international distributers since they could not finance productions as these distributors had.

To counter these, local film corporations were formed to help in funding, producing and distributing local films. Africa also tried to form forums for showcasing their films, for instance, FESPACO in 1969. Several of these corporations collapsed: Nigerian Film Corporation and the Kenya Film Corporation among others. The political approach of African film makers was drafted in the Charte du cinéaste africain (Charta of the African cinéaste) which the union of African film makers FEPACI adopted in Algiers in 1975. Despite the creation of these film associations there were no market nor festivals to showcase independent films.

Towards the early 80’s all the way to 2000 several big budgets, studio funded films shot in Africa won awards and created the challenge image of Africa as a great location for filming foreign films due to its scenery, people and colours. Award-winning movies that have been shot in Africa include: Out of Africa (1987) and Nowhere in Africa (2002). Independent film production, such as The Ghost and the Darkness which had a budget of over US$ 55M, could not stand a chance against these blockbusters. African governments were reeling under bad politics and economic slumps, hence diverting governmental attention to trying to feed, give medical attention and manage its populations rather than encourage independent film production.

The few training institutions that had been established quickly went under, case in point the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC). Lack of training impeded independent film production, as well as lack of equipment and facilities. KIMC for instance had the only 16mm lab facility in Eastern and Central Africa which was broken down by mid 80’s. To process 35mm the only labs available within the continent were in countries such as South Africa or Egypt.

Equipment was expensive and out of reach for many independent African filmmakers; for many of them hiring was out of the question since film was still celluloid, and Arricam and Arriflex cameras were either unavailable or too expensive. Television still used analog Betacams which were also expensive.

Emphasis on marketing East Africa as a filming location for foreigners with little attention given to East Africa as a cultural hub that should spawn an independent filming industry became a major hurdle.

The 1990’s however brought with it the digital revolution which instantly started re-shaping film and television on the continent and elsewhere. Hitherto a celluloid form which required professional training was suddenly readily available even to semi-proffesionals, especially with the arrival of PD150’s and non-linear (digital) desktop editing softwares. Slow pace of adapting to new technology at first was a hinderance to independent film makers and television producers in Africa because they either couldn’t operate computers, or believed digital filming was ‘inferior’ to the analog system it was replacing.

The 1990’s brought with it the liberalization of airwaves, and more stations to challenge state-run broadcast houses came up. However, harsh economic times of the 90’s where bad governance, struggle for multi party politics and inflations hampered the few independents' desires to create content for these new television stations. In most African countries, cinema halls were virtually shut down or converted into churches because people could not afford the luxury of going to the cinemas, or insecurity fears made people stay indoors.

Exposure to international programmes however, created the desire to professionalize and shoot with the same digital technology. Nigeria paved the way with the growth of its Home Video industry, and soon equipment was widely available and enabled people to shoot films and TV programmes cheaply, faster, and efficiently. This spurred the independent production culture.

However, some problems still persisted. As has been the case in the past, little financial funding for independent productions lead to low budget productions funded from producer’s own pockets. Certainly the quality of movie production could not be as good as foreign films (compare $300m for Pirates Of Caribbean and $55,000,000 for Ghost And Darkness shot in Kenya.)

Censorship creeped in as states tried to fight the independents spirit of free story telling, some of which rubbed governments the wrong way. As film and television shifted towards entertainment, issues of morality and religious dogma ‘authentic African cultural puritanism’ became a continuing challenge.

Film festivals that are not market oriented did not adapt to times by adopting market economics (pitching sessions, linking independent producers with funders and distributors etc) but still maintained the same old screening only format. The Sithengi Film Market in South Africa attempts to address this need but very few festivals have risen to this challenge.

Television outlets, seen as a cheaper solution to telling independent stories, has also not been successful because of low television financing which has not helped in improving the quality of production. Lost, an American television series, averaged $4 million financing per episode (the pilot cost US $ 10M) yet in 2009 Kenyan television stations (as of 2009) offer a meagre ksh150,000 (US$ 2,000) per episode. South African stations offer better rates with stations such as MNET and SABC whose budgets for television average US$ 40,000.

There is mostly lack of proper film commissioning procedures and production departments that would liaise more with independent producers as most stations prefer in-house productions. Lop-sided contracts have disheartened most independent producers. For instance, television stations insist on retaining copyright on series' rights. Or as is the case in Kenya and Uganda where stations demand that show/film creators buy airtime to have their film screened on their channel when they should instead of pay filmmakers as is standard practice around the world. Many African independent filmmakers have resorted to sell their work to the South African Pan African broadcasters (Mnet, Movie Magic, DSTV ) who actually pay for content.

Training still remains a big issue despite emergence of digital film and television production schools due to the high costs.

Digital technology has made making films easier as it has allowed for new modes of distribution and marketing (VCDs), but it has also largely contributed to making piracy easier. Independent film makers compete with cheap twenty-in-one movies of Hollywood blockbusters retailing at less than a dollar while local independent movies sell at averagely 3-4 dollars across Africa.

A host of other issues have hindered the growth of independent films on the continent. Bureaucracies procedures and numerous (sometimes expensive) licences in some countries hinder independent filmmakers from operating efficiently. Independent filmmakers organizations that could lobby governments are almost non-existent. These organizations would not only offer filmmakers support, but would also monitor their local film industry and enhance unity and networking.

Low technological infrastructure in Africa is an impediment to filmmakers who cant fully utilize technology such as the internet to advertise, market and sell their movies online. Internet is slow in most countries, and non existent in many regions.

Socio-political situations in our countries continue to affect independent film makers. In many countries insecurity discourages people from going to cinema halls, inflation means people cannot afford luxury expenses such as films. Hostilities between neighboring countries grossly affects the growth of the industry as it reduces the niche market.

Presently, the major challenge for independent producers in Africa are still the same old ones: funding, platforms to distribute and market their works, and legislative policies to promote and safeguard their products. These are not unique to Africa alone, but other continents have learnt how to overcome most of them.

Barasa Simiyu
		About the author:
		The writer is a film maker and writer, recently qualified to be a playwright after staging a play at phoenix theatres called 'Mr Lover Lover'.
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