Aduda is a screenwriter, producer, director and TV enthusiast. She has worked as a Production Manager across notable projects, including a Street Art Opera. Aduda has just completed a production for Disney and National Geographic titled Team Sayari, where she played the role of post-production supervisor. Telling African stories and celebrating its unique anthropology brings her immense satisfaction
1. You’ve said before that you want to show your mum that doing TV productions doesn’t mean you threw your life away. Does she still feel this way?
My mom had to deal with my dissociative personality, which meant that most times I was not doing my schoolwork, which was considered ‘the correct thing’. I used to binge on shows on E! channel. Now I write and produce films. I had to work very hard to prove that this was my preferred profession and that it could sustain me. Nowadays she is proud of me, and even once purchased a tripod stand for me! My peers have divergent stories and sometimes they face scepticism. Most times, creatives have to beat their own paths. Rarely will family actually sponsor the education in courses like film, but the numbers are growing.
This, in my opinion, is because people do not fully understand the role that visual media plays in their lives, the skill levels it takes to make it good, the sheer effort and cost. They then do not see it as a viable career path. I think that just as we understand the roles of doctors and engineers, we should also understand the role of film in anthropology, education, communication and conservation of our history and cultures.
2. You’ve also said that you want to tell wildly interesting and uncensored stories. Has anything you’ve ever worked on been censored?
I love to tell a story and hear my friends go: “That’s wild.” My desire to tell interesting stories begun when I discovered the concept of genres and how to manipulate them to trigger emotions. The divergence in creativity blew my mind. Suddenly I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to be a romantic writer, a thriller writer, or stick to comedy. I ended up doing a combination of them all! Writing started as an outlet for me to let out my neurodivergent thoughts. No one could talk back at my work, or shout at me. Fortunately I met people who encouraged me like Thogori Karago and taught me that “Showing up exactly as yourself in this world is a revolution in and of itself.”
She hired me at a time when I really needed a job because she related to something she read on my blog! She took my haphazard script and sent it to Netflix and I had never experienced anything like that before. That it did not get picked up does not shock me, I had a lot more learning to do, which could only happen when people edited my work and gave me notes, encouraging me to be better. Censorship takes away my precious authenticity, which truly breaks my heart. I have certainly been censored. Recently I had to adjust a script in order to get licenses. This is the nature of the job.
3. What exactly does a post-production supervisor do? What do you learn in school to do it?
Post-production supervision is a branch of production. While I learnt production in school, post production was a skill I learnt on the job. Initially it involved keeping communication lines between the network and the production team, but as time went by I realised that making a TV series had a lot more elements. These elements include graphics, voice overs, sound effects, and stock footage.
It is therefore imperative, for example, that they are in the correct formats, with all copyrights cleared for broadcast. Scheduling then becomes one of the most important skills I could have.
Before I took on this amazing responsibility I wish I knew how much dedication and attention to detail it would require. I had little idea that film production was that extensive! I, for the first time, had to really work hard and not just smart. Secondly, my people skills rose by 90 per cent! I ended up coordinating a really large team internationally and sometimes that meant very little sleep.
4. Tell us about your short film. What is it called, what inspired you to shoot it?
The short is currently in picture lock and in pure chaotic fashion, we have not settled on a name yet. We are leaning towards Shee. This film was, to me, a stroke of magic. I was feeling disillusioned with my reality as a filmmaker, having experienced an extended writer’s block. I had just concluded school at the Art of Music and met a good friend, Lia Campbell who is based in the UK.
At the time of our application, we were required to work with a UK-based film production company. I partnered with Reel Connoisseur, an upcoming film production company founded by my talented pal, Nimoh Githinji. I picked a storyboard and challenged myself to write. Pitching was nerve wracking and very competitive. This would also be the first time that one of my personal projects would get funding. The day I received the congratulatory email was surreal. I remember calling my mum and trying to explain to her. I believe that was our turning point.
5. There’s a lot in the press lately about our government seeking to censor certain groups, including LGBTIQ and the press. What role can film play to counter this?
Art and film play a major role in protests. Historically, film is used to educate just as much as it entertains. Media censorship is harmful to our society and a violation of human rights. I believe that people should have access to information and make informed choices.
Yes, it is clear that some members of our society stand to benefit when the larger majority of Kenyans are in the dark on various issues. It is my hope that the media and the state can coexist while remaining independent for continued credibility and legitimacy.
