The filmmaker’s latest online venture is another feather on his cap, and a bold move for the budding creative
Like most producers, Brian Abudu had to face the challenge of resources when, fresh out of college, he took upon the work of producing independent short films. The urge to solve this puzzle propelled him to a hiatus in stage performance at Millaz Productions, a venture in photography, and a potential production outfit called Framed Productions with two friends with his theatre background and although it didn’t work out as planned, it was a clear indication that more had to be done.
Abudu had honed his skills in high school drama class, finding a niche in acting, an endeavour that would push him to study Film Production and Directing at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication. In college, he took it upon himself to produce short films, be it school projects or personal projects, which further sharpened his filmmaking skill.
Teaching drama in primary and high schools opened a door for the young filmmaker and filled in that gap for much-needed funds, topping up his savings and whatever else he had accumulated from previous endeavours. Nothing was going to stop him.
Having acquired the pieces of equipment I needed to be backed up by a dedicated team, I figured there was no time to slack and so it began,”he tells Sanaa Post
The result was an Instagram Live with his friend and partner in the venture, Ted Munene, where they announced their plan to release a short film every week for 12 weeks. The purpose of the live was for the audience to chime in and suggest the genres they would like to see as well as locations, props, and themes.
The audience engagement was to give a sense of belonging to what we were about to create on top of the relatability of the stories we were about to tell.”he enthuses
The Left Leg premiered on March 29 2024 setting sail for Klept OH! Maniac, Leah is Back, Definitely Not the One, Tap Tap , and Muddled.
Now already halfway through, Abudu promises more experimental themes and stories with a bigger scale and scope. His collaboration with Moonbeam Productions who, with their state-of-the-art filming equipment, have been a shot in the arm is a further attestation to his desire to execute this creative vision.
Abudu is a firm believer in Kenyan filmmakers telling original stories and not leaning on adaptations in an attempt to reach a wider audience. He believes that if the majority would take the risk and research on what our country has to offer in terms of culture and language, our stories would be well fleshed out, and by topping it with more collaborations, world cinema wouldn’t be as far as we think.
Watch all Abudu Productions‘ short films on YouTube NOW
Article edited by Peter Ndoria
