Although I have not written my blog for a number of weeks, I have been collecting photos and jotting down notes. This blog is jammed packed with colourful photos and covers a wide variety of experiences from scouting locations to teaching an acting class in Mombasa on the tropical coast of Kenya.
I am not totally sure where I left off but I don’t think we had started shooting the third and fourth seasons of Higher Learning yet. This year, due to budget constraints as well as time constraints, we are shooting the same amount of content in 40 days that took us 52 days last year. How, you might ask. Well after much master minding and brainstorming, the producers, myself and the 1st AD came up with a plan which we are now executing successfully. Shoot everything on a set and keep the writing of the show in and around those locations. Well, at least the majority of what is written anyway. And it is truly working. The very first day of shooting we got 24 pages in the can. Since then we have been consistently shooting from 16 to 22 pages a day. After day 10, which was this past Friday, we have shot well over 200 pages of script. We will make our target of shooting over 600 pages of script in just 30 days. And let me tell you, the actors are better than last year because they are grooved into their characters. The writing is better because the story lines are taking on a whole new twist. This show is entirely about the story lines. The background of sets and props and locations have very little to do with it and we are creating a realism that is going to be enjoyed by the audience.
As you know from my last blog, I saw over 500 actors in two days of auditioning in Nairobi. From those actors I saw I cast three major roles in the series. And a dozen or so smaller, but just as important, roles. I have taken on the job of Art Director as well and designated all the colours of the walls and costumes to create an integrated look to the show that clearly defines the characters and the messages of each scene.
And, honestly, the shooting of Higher Learning seasons 3 & 4 couldn’t be more enjoyable. The crew is now a tight team that plans ahead and keeps the ball rolling, even when we are faced with some sort of problem that seems daunting. And, without having to kick students out of their dorms, control crowds of students on campus and deal with the bureaucracy of the university to get access to certain areas of the campus or offices to shoot in, shooting is much more creative and fun. These seasons are going to ROCK!
The photos below tell the story of locations and some of the shooting we have done.
Meanwhile, after a week of shooting, I flew to the tropical coastal city of Kenya, Mombasa. And, although, I didn’t have much time to enjoy the place, I did manage to squeeze in an hour of swimming in the Indian Ocean. The water was jacuzzi-warm. And the air was humid with 34 degrees.
I taught in a small theatre that only had ceiling fans to cool it which were not working due to the power being out the entire day. So I drank two litres of water that day and sweat every drop and more out. But it was a great experience to teach actors in yet another city. I do believe I am now up to 8 cities in two countries. I am sure there will be more to come.
Actors, no matter their location, all respond to what I teach in a positive way and their acting improves. And there is talent everywhere. People are people and can relate to the human condition no matter the continent. Teaching here in Kenya has opened my eyes and I am grateful.
Enjoy the photos and the captions below. They are for you!
Asante sana!
Temko Lavinda - one of the stars of SAINTS
Neil
SOME OF THE STARS OF HIGHER LEARNING
VERONICA WACEKE plays Aida in Higher Learning.
JANET KIRINA plays Jessica in Higher Learning.
NEVILLE MISATI plays J.W. in Higher Learning.
NICK NDEDA plays King in Higher Learning.
Alexander playing Zigiman in Higher Learning. Can you tell he's a thug?
MARION WAMBUI playing Linah in Higher Learning.
VALERIE KIMANI plays Kira in Higher Learning.
ME AND THE THIRD AD - MWENDE MARY
ERIC ON CAMERA AND FIRST AD LEDAMA
ZIGIMAN played by Alexander Ikawah.
VERONICA
READY TO SHOOT
BLOCKING A SCENE
KEMI MY 2ND AD
Neville
LYDIAH plays Professor Da Silva in Higher Learning.
REVIEWING A SCENE
VERONICA
VERONICA playing Aida in Ngugi's office.
NGUGI AND HIS SON J.W.
Sam who plays "Masta" and Valerie who plays "Kira". Valerie won Kenya's equivalent to American Idol a couple of years ago. Great actress too.
Setting up a classroom shot.
Lydiah playing De Silva and David playing Mashaka.
Art Director Shiko.
Nick who plays King joking around with an extra.
Nick as King.
Veronica who plays Aida. Nick chatting her up.
King and Aida.
The city of Mombasa - downtown.
Yep that's a smoke stack in Mombasa. And a mosque.
My 2nd AD Kemi posing for a photo we needed for the show.
Lydiah as Da Silva
Valerie Kimani
Downtown Nairobi as seen from where we are shooting.
Marion playing it up!
Our exterior back lot.
The character Ngugi.
Directing actors for the next shot.
Nice location for a restaurant scene.
Downtown Mombasa from the rooftop of my hotel.
Another shot of rooftops in Mombasa.
Coconuts in the tree. Shooting from above.
Mombasa acting class.
At the Chaguo la Teeniez Awards where Higher Learning was nominated for Best New Show.
Setting up a classroom shot.
Grace at the advanced audition class I gave.
At the Teeniez Awards.
Mount Kilimanjaro on my way to Mombasa. It's there you just have to enlarge this photo by clicking on it and then you'll see it.
Characters King and Linah square off.
Lizz Njagah at the Advanced Audition class I gave. I coached her on her audition for a series in Nigeria called Tinsel and she landed the part. Also a star of SAINTS.
Night shoot for Higher Learning.
Thitu at the Advanced Audition class.
Valerie Kimani at the Advanced Audition class. Now a star of Higher Learning.
