SO U WANT TO BE AN ACTOR/ACTRESS?!

      A friend and fellow actor Nick Mutuma inspired me to write this after I read his post on acting. Over and over again, I have received emails and texts and met people who tell me they too are interested in acting. This warms my heart but the funny thing is that they think I can make their dreams come true. The fact is that I cannot. IT STARTS WITH YOU! I never had it easy getting to where I am and I did not get favors either. I am where I am due to hard work and determination. I acted in theatre while at Namasagali College in Uganda and that is where I was sighted by the Obsessions (a then popular music,dance & drama group) and was asked to join. I watched them for a year and joined in 2001 then all I wanted to be stating unfolding from then on. We don’t have acting agents here yet and it will take a long time before that starts I guess. Acting agents sight talent and make you a star, if I may easily put it-- or at least they should. 

I   If you know you have something you really want to do, go for it and try to make it happen. 

   WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ACTING

       It is not easy and it is not a by-the-way. 

  It is a profession, a job in which you have to put your time, effort and commitment.  In a feature film, documentary

 or TV series, there are timelines which are things in the

 script that determine time of day, date and weather. There are day scenes, night scenes, rainy scenes and so on depending on what is in the script and this cannot all be shot after 5pm like the young woman above hoped.  

 That is why actors/actresses spend more time on the set working!

• Acting takes patience! It can be monotonous and strenuous because you act for hours and hours and may repeat the same scene more than once in order for the Director of Photography-D.O.P. (locally known to many as the camera man, but in film, this is his title which comes with a lot of professionalism and experience) to take shots of the scene in different angles if one camera is beng used. If they are different cameras avaialble, still you will do more than one shoot of a scene.

• Acting needs time: If you will not commit to the time schedule, then do not waste yours and anyone else's time by taking on a project you will not be able to be on time for or complete!

• Acting requires discipline. Know your lines and the story of your character so you are on cue while acting and in sync with your co-actor. Keep time. Respect your fellow cast and the crew. Respect yourself too. Avoid alcohol or partying if you know you are to be on set the next day because this will show on camera, and it might affect your performance and professionalism.

  
  
• Acting opportunities in Uganda are still minimal so the projects are seasonal but the industry is slowly growing. The filmmakers we have invest a lot into a project and sometimes are lucky if they are funded by a sponsor production house abroad or a local company. You as an actor should make your payment negotiations with the people concerned before you take up a role. If you are not comfortable doing it, then don't because you will waste everyone's (cast & crew) time including yours. 

  
  
• Acting is a talent, it should come naturally and if you really feel that you can do it, watch a lot of films, documentaries and biographies to learn more about the actors/actresses' experiences, acting and anything to do with this field. 

  
  
• Maintain a good working relationship with directors, co-actors and everyone on cast and crew team because our film industry is small and word goes around first if you are a real pain in everyone's a**. I am not saying suck up, No! Let your voice be heard but do it in a professional manner. 
• What you should do to get started:

 §Research: Read Newspapers, magazines and watch film programmes that host actors and film makers. Look out for anything that talks about film as you could find some useful information. Research the acting techniques {Meisner, method acting etc}, watch clips of how to do them on You tube. Also take part in plays & have people who will be honest with you assess your performance.

 §  Notice boards: Always check the notice boards especially at the National Theatre for any info to do with film or theatre auditions. The more acting experience you have on your CV, the better for a film career.

§  Attend film premieres and film festivals: Here you will get to mix and mingle with film makers, actors/actresses and you might get an opportunity to hear of a new project that you could audition for. Film festivals are usually free. In Uganda, we have the Amakula film Festival, Maisha Film Festival and the German-French Film festival so far. 

      Premieres most times are invite-only and/or may require you to buy tickets but the range is usually between USH 10k-30k (regular) to 50-100k (VIP) depending on the organisers. If you really want this, you will make an effort to attend. 

§  Auditions: Go for auditions. Every actor/actress should go through this before attaining any role. Don't worry, being nervous is normal. I can never get used to it. :) But give it your BEST! Ask where you do not understand. Sometimes though, an established actor/actress will be called upon and given an offer of a role in a certain production but this happens after most of his/her work has been seen by filmmakers and they know his/her potential. Auditions should be free, if you go somewhere and you are being charged a fee to audition, then that is strange.

§  Take acting classes: This is a little tricky because acting classes aren’t available in East Africa but Maisha Film Lab at the National theatre is one film company I know that helps nurture acting skills, camera, script writing and son. You can go there and find out more. I have not been a part of Maisha before but I believe they can help get you started. There’s a lot you can get off the internet too but be careful because the sources may not be so credible. 

Modelling agencies: These days, most production companies contact modelling agencies when they are looking for models/ actors. Unfortunately a few individuals have identified this as the new get rich quick scheme so be careful, some of them are scams or use only a handful their ‘best’ models.

Stay in shape or get into shape: Most of our local celebrities in East Africa gain weight after they start making bank. Nobody invests in their body, be one of the few & you will have an edge over the competition. some roles will require you to be fit and in shape so work out. ;)

Facebook: Where would we be without it, huh? Make use of facebook too. There are many film groups but you need to search them up and see if any info suits you.

I wish you all the best! :)

Cheers! 

Cleopatra.

Changes Season 2 trailer

OMG!

Just dropped in to say a quick "HELLO! I"M STILL HERE!" ;-)
It has been a while since I posted something on my blog... shame on me, right? ... Darn it! I apologise for the silence. I do have a lot to tell you about what I have been up to; poetry, acting, my new music... blah blah blah ... as well as other stuff but I need to get some good "me" time and spill it all out.
Oh, before I go, to those of you in Africa, please make sure you do not miss out on the African TV series Changes, on DSTV's M-Net East channel 101. I act in it. :-) If you do not know about it, check it out on my facebook page or its facebook page, see photos and read about story. I hope it will also air on local channels soon after so that everybody gets a chance to watch it. Ta-ta!
Chat soon!
xoxo
Cleopatra.

Am back...

Oh my... it's been a very long while since I last posted something on my blog.... Where do I start?
It has been a busy year, and it still is going on.... I am acting in the second season of CHANGES, an M-Net East African TV series, being filmed in Kenya. All is going on well, but I just hope I will be done in time to go back to Uganda.
A lot to do there too. I miss Ugandan food.... :-(
I miss my munchkin sugarplum... Lol
I miss my family.... well, consolation is that I have my cousins and aunt & uncle who live in Nairobi so it's not that lonely. I also have some cool friends, most of them from the CHANGES set.
I also miss everyone I work with at African Woman magazine.
Anyway, gotta go now, just wanted to say hey and fill u in on what's up.
Meanwhile, I released my first single titled "Ngamba" which means "Tell me", u should listen to it. check out my facebook page.
Nuff love! :-)

DON'T SHOOT!!

I feel angry at the way some police officials misuse their guns and abuse their offices. First, well not first, (it could have been the umpteenth time it was happening but the first time it got pointed out by our dear media), about three students in Bugema Adventist Secondary School, (my old school by the way, O-Level) were shot and injured by one of the security guards, just because they were demonstrating. I think one or two of the students died. What was this guard high on? These were unarmed students for Pete's sake--unarmed! Couldn't he just shoot in the air? We don't have to go to shooting school to know that rule. Did he think or fear that they were going to turn into werewolves? This isn't TWILIGHT, it's real life. I love the movie though... but, really, these security people lose it a lot these days. You might even get shot at in the bank just coz you didn't join the queue.


Well, most of you are aware of our musician's condition, Bebecool, yeah, some cop shot at him more than four times injuring both his thighs... Even when Bebe fell down, the cop kept on shooting at him with such venom that even anyone who tried to save the situation got shot at too.NO HEROES! My God! what's this world coming to? If you dono what happened, Bebecool was leaving Effendy's and finds this cop harrassing another new musician, (Bebecool loves to defend his own unless you are a rebel among your own--if you get what I mean), so he asks the cop to leave him be that he too is an artiste and he aint doing nothing but minding his biz in his car.... to cut the story short, cop loses it, feels like Bebecool is trying to steal his thunder and he cocks his gun.... "Woooww don't shoot!" But then, bullets go flying everywhere like it was a scene in a movie, am not good at story telling especially something i didn't see for myself so you can check the web for any information connecting to this and find out more for yourself but dear people, the cop was way out of line here, and this time, there were witnesses. You can tell how serious it was because even Kayihura, the police force leader, apologised to Bebecool and... WAIT FOR IT... our president H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, went to visit Bebecool at the hospital.... Now that's what I call, making amends and trying to right a wrong.... Kudos Mr President. Bebe, wish u a quick recovery...

Security is meant to make us feel safe, Police is meant to protect us but lately, it seems civilians are in a silent war with all these gun powered people.... (sigh) I hope all will be better soon. This is why I do not like poli-trics...i mean, politics, it's a mess.
These are my sentiments, what are yours?

BE AN INSPIRATION!

I really do not understand it when someone who knows that they should be passing on a message to the masses, and should be looking for positive ways to enhance his/her life and those of others resorts to violence and chaos!
What is happening to some of our local musicians??!! This is now affecting the industry and people are even getting the guts to put up discussions such as "The ways in which musicians are affecting the youths' aspirations and direction today". What??? Seriously??? I do not believe it. This is ridiculous.
Yes, you might say we are all human but when we choose to do what we do, which puts us in the public eye, we must expect that there are many people who look up to us and we must try and live up to it. We may slip sometimes, but, always repeating the same mistake is sheer stubbornness, hooliganism and lack of self respect and respect for others... The way you treat people around you really tells how you feel about yourself and the sort of person you are... Please, let us be more positive, more inspirational and let us gear the youths to the right direction. We are not perfect but we can only try to do what's right and appropriate. Hatred is a tool of destruction; let's not let it be a part of our hearts. This goes out to all other public figures: politicians, artists, journalists and so on. As long as you know you stand out from the crowd, you have a role to play in this world. I can't say no more.
These are my sentiments, what are yours?

UMEME, wa guan?

I want to love these guys but my heart is slowly failing me. What is it with the continuos mistakes they make with the electricity bills, and the overcharging or should I say ridiculous figures they come up with at the end of the months? Oh, bot forgetting the unnecessary power cuts and mix ups!!! What am about to share has been on going by the way! Just when you thin kthings are better, you're back to where you started!

Here I was, thinking, "C.K. get home and take a lovely warm shower, make some nice dinner and eat it while watching your favourite series Brothers & Sisters" but alas! I found my place in sheer darkness! I call up the Umeme customer care line and after giving the guy on the other end the account number, and calmly... (did i say calmly?) Ok, and as calmly as i could, telling him my UMEME frustrations, I got a humble response, "Sorry madam, there seems to have been a mistake. You were not the one supposed to be disconnected. We will rectify it as soon as possible but this will have to be next week on monday seeing that tomorrow is a saturday and right now it's after 8pm." (WHAAAAAAAAAAT??) "The electricians don't work on weekends." he politely went on. I wanted to scream or blow up.... but these customer care guys, i must give it to them, they know how to cool us off. Not that I would want a rude attendant but they are good. More money for them. If only the electricity issues were as smooth as the customer care service!

Anyway, I stayed in darkness the whole weekend; more of candle lit dinners and conversations-- wasn't bad for a change. (I say, look at the bright side....LOL )
As soon as Monday struck, I had to follow up and make sure my complaint was cleared. The electrician was apologetic and connected my power back on. All forgiven, bygones!

I am now in the month of September and haven't yet received the bills of July and August. Who is in charge of delivering this stuff?? Seriously, they should be fired! So I get a call a few days ago from UMEME customer care, (they have my number now- not with al the complaints I raise) and the gentleman tells me my renumeration for July/August but adds, "...The bill for August is not yet ready. You can go on and pay if you don't mind or you can wait for the August bill which comes with past month's bill too and you can pay at once."
"Okay, thank you." I said.
Wow! nice people. They actually call us back. I get back home and there is no power! AGAIN!!! I am the only one in the neighbourhood with no power! GOODNESS! The whole process again and remember each time you call customer care, a different person speaks to you. What makes it easier is if you wrote down your complaint number on a piece of paper or in a book and you have it ready with you but how i hate repeating myself!

I rest my case! I get disconnected when I have no pending balance and I still get disconnected when I haven't yet received the bill. what do they want from me?!!!? (sigh! sigh!) At least they are quick to respond.
Anyway, this time it wasn't their fault, it was a short circuit or something that had forced the button in the box to automatically switch off.
People, what we go through with these electricity bills can fill up a book! LOL
I will continue to be a patient citizen.... for a bit...... ;-)