From early on Silus ‘Sledge’ Ambani quickly established timeliness in delivery as a hallmark of his work, and effortlessly seized an opportunity to get his first job.
From behind his acclaimed monitor, he has several projects up his sleeve including Click Click Bang, County 49 and A Grand Little Lie. The highly-sought editor is also as a director, producer, and actor.
His early association with Phil It Productions has played a defining role in his career trajectory. It is here that he had a throw of the dice, a dare to prove that he could deliver on work at a fraction of the time others were doing it, and was subsequently given a job. So where else to chat about the good old days other than the place where it all started? Sledge welcomes me to the Phil It Productions offices and we kick off with how the name ‘Sledge’ came to be.
While appearing in a play during the 2014 Drama Festivals at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communications, his performance caught the attention of Abel ‘Mkurugenzi’ Mutua. In his subsequent remarks, Mkurugenzi, who was an adjudicator at the festival, acknowledged the performance of a character that was wielding a sledgehammer and, obviously not knowing his name, referred to him as ‘sledge’. This brief interaction between the two would lay a foundation for a long-lasting partnership.
Two years after that first encounter, while he was still in university, he received a call from Abel about a job opening as a set-runner. It was the life-changing opportunity he had been hoping for after a rather tough season- the proverbial foot through the door. His now-trademark curiosity and diligence led him to eye another position at the office, editing. But he had to do more than just persuade the higher-ups that, more than being a set-runner, he had skills behind the monitor.
He set a personal benchmark for the department, which presented a way for editing and delivering quality footage faster. This effectiveness so impressed the executives that it landed him the position of Junior Editor. Fast, efficient and reliable, with few months in, he got promoted to Editor, overseeing work in shows such as Hullabaloo Estate and Sue na Jonnie.
In time, he became the one calling the shots in the entire department; implementing structures and building a reliable and trusted team. His efficiency and multi-faceted approach from behind the camera quickly earned him the director’s seat, taking charge of episodes in shows such as Hullabaloo Estate.
By now he had shored up enough confidence and registered his own production company, Sledge Entertainment. What initially acted as a banner for his early works in college, allowed him to explore his potential not only as an editor, but also as a producer, director, and performer.
In the course of starting my company, Phil pulled me aside and said, ‘If you’ll still be in my company for the next three years, you’ll be a failure. I want to see you grow and start your own thing.’ He saw my potential and the steps I had made.”He says, in appreciation to his mentor.
Silus Sledge Ambani attests his success to three qualities: Being fast, efficient, and reliable.
These are attributes that have made him stand out in the creative industry making his mark not only in the editing frontier but also as an actor, producer, and director.
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