Filmmaker creating content and hope for Kenya

In 2013, Joan Kabugu felt tired of being employed and decided to set up a production firm where she would be her own boss.

That is how Ecila Films, which specializes in character-led authentic Kenyan stories was born.

Ms Kabugu says her firm, which features Kenyans from all walks of life, deals with content creation for entrepreneurs.

Her firm also creates short films for the Kenyan audience, and bigger content for major clients like ShowMax.

“The company creates content for younger entrepreneurs, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), digital broadcasters and YouTube,” she says.

And even though the company started in 2013, Ms Kabugu reveals that it only became profitable in 2016.

The 36-year-old content creator names Marikiti Women, Madam Chief, Lion Lights, Climate's Children, Youth Safari and No Man's Forest as some of the best films her firm has produced.

Iconic location

She has also worked with Mnet, Demand Africa, NTV Kenya, Aga Khan University and DOCUBOX East Africa.

Many of her films showcase Kenya’s iconic locations, talking about real people and their real stories, and uses Kenya’s national language, Swahili.

She prioritises digital platforms to distribute her content.

Ms Kabugu, who has been in the film industry for 10 years is a 2018 Obama Leader because of her work with Ecila Films.

The company was among other four that received Sh1 million each from Standard Chartered Bank in partnership with @iBizAfrica-Strathmore University, in the culmination of the fourth cohort of the bank’s Women in Tech incubation program.

The awardees were picked after a rigorous process that assessed the businesses on scalability, technology adoption, entrepreneurial and leadership excellence.

Ms Kabugu manages a sizable team that has a wealth of experience gained over the years doing multiple related assignments with media agencies, broadcasters, corporates, conservation and humanitarian agencies.

Professional equipment

Since inception, she says the firm has worked on more than 30 projects.

The sociology and political science graduate from Moi University cites lack of enough resources as a hindrance to her expansion plans.

“It has been hard to raise enough money to buy professional equipment, which is very expensive,” she says.

The cost of licenses required for film makers is a bit high, she observes, and urges the government to make it easier for filmmakers, content creators and start-ups, by making them cheaper.

Like other businesses, the Covid-19 pandemic did not spare her; she only managed one major production job the whole year.

She is, however, optimistic that business operations will eventually go back to normal.

Ms Kabugu’s plan for the next 10 to 15 years is to be a household name in mentorship of the next crop of entrepreneurs and investors.

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