From KIBERA KID FEATURE FILM to TOGETHERNESS SUPREME
Notes on the unfolding of the first community-based feature film made in an urban slum in Africa. 
From the making of the short film KIBERA KID in 2005 through the current filming of the feature film TOGETHERNESS SUPREME, the people of Kibera, especially the youth, have been at the center of the entire process. Kiberans have worked with Hot Sun Foundation on the feature film project (originally titled the KIBERA KID feature film project) for three years. People of Kibera want to share their stories with the world to show a new, realistic, entertaining picture of urban Africa in a feature film - an historic first in the cinematic world.
Post election violence Jan – March 2008
In Kenya, the year 2008 began with great turbulence and fear, following the disputed presidential election results. Kibera suffered through violence, killing, looting, burning and divisions within what had been a diverse community living in relative harmony. Kiberans started 2008 with profound insecurity, increasing their everyday struggle for existence. Kibera is one of the largest slums in Africa. One million people are confined in a small area with no toilets, no roads, and living in crowded shacks with open sewers running in between. Most people in Kibera live on less than a dollar a day and get by with only one meal a day. School dropouts, crime, disease, including HIV/AIDS, prostitution and unwanted pregnancies are some of the problems youth in Kibera face. This is only one side of the picture. The other side is the creativity that people in Kibera manifest every day of their lives.
The Vision of Hot Sun Foundation
From the time that Hot Sun Films shot the short pilot film, KIBERA KID in 2005, we recognized the incredible resources of untapped talent and creativity in Kibera. The international success of KIBERA KID, winning seven awards, including the prestigious Hollywood student EMMY 2007 for best children’s film, as well as screening at over 40 international film festivals world wide, and receiving extensive national and international media coverage, confirmed our view about the talent in Kibera. We committed ourselves to opening up the creative vent in Kibera through video and film.
When people saw me act in a movie, they saw anything was possible.
Ignatius Juma, 14, star of KIBERA KID
SCRIPT
The TOGETHERNESS SUPREME script is the culmination of three years of research and development in collaboration with the youth of Kibera. In January 2008, after violence broke out over the disputed presidential election held at the end of December, life in Kibera and throughout Kenya, changed dramatically. Many of the young people we worked with suffered.
Some had to flee for their lives and became homeless, 
displaced people living in tents in their own country. We realized it would be impossible to tell the story of Kibera unless the script was based on these devastating life-changing events that ripped apart the community. Just like the people in Kibera following the violence, we started over.
Picture: TOGETHERNESS SUPREME re-enactment
of post election violence in Kibera
Although tension was still very high, Hot Sun Films/Foundation held a weeklong screenwriting workshop at the Kenya Film Commission offices in March 2008. Fifty young people from Kibera participated enthusiastically in the process.
The new script, entitled TOGETHERNESS SUPREME is the story ofone youth whose longing for artistic self expression and tribal unity unfolds during the profound upheaval of life in Kibera during the post election violence in Kenya.
Hot Sun Films has helped me work to save our own community. Great things are happening in slums. We live to uplift our minds. Chris, aka Jah Hill, musician and Kibera resident
PRE-PRODUCTION/CONCEPT/CASTING
The entire pre-production process has been developed completely with and through the community. The Hot Sun Films/Foundation office is in Kibera, where we have been meeting for many months with musicians, artists, and actors from the community to develop the story and the concept art. The casting director and casting crew all come from Kibera. They are searching high and low for new untapped talents in Kibera, which deepens the authenticity of the feature film.
Observations of the casting process in Kibera
"You can define a professional film production as one that has big names, top-of-the-line equipment, and a multi-million dollar budget. By these standards, Hot Sun Films can't compete. But, instead, if you define a professional film crew as one that has passion, discipline, and an understanding that in order to succeed, everyone must take their work seriously, then Hot Sun Films has one of the most professional crews around."
Brian Ekdale, Graduate Student in Communications, University of Wisconsin, USA
The work of Hot Sun Films/Foundation is solidly based in Kibera, where we have developed a committed staff, a core group of writers, artists, musicians and filmmakers as well as an extensive film viewing audience. Hot Sun Foundation developed all the elements in Kibera for the TOGETHERNESS SUPREME feature film project.
CASTING and REHEARSAL PROCESS
As a result of an open call throughout Kibera, Hot Sun Foundation auditioned over 560 people for TOGETHERNESS SUPREME. All of the cast is from Kibera, except for two actors from Dandora, another slum in Nairobi. There are seven principal roles, 15 minor roles, and up to 300 extras for the crowd scenes. All principal roles have understudies. Rehearsal was six days a week for three weeks and including coaching and training. None of the cast had any previous acting experience, except for some short skits.
Kibera child actors reading script
of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME
KIBERA TRAINEES AND CREW POSITIONS
In addition to casting, Kibera youth were selected for 22 trainee positions in casting, camera, directing, sound, lighting and grip, continuity, wardrobe, make up, and catering. All of the security positions, set runners, location manager and assistant, casting director and driver (total of 16) are from Kibera. Overall total is 38 trainees and crew from Kibera.
"For me, the TOGETHERNESS SUPREME feature film project is a
new field of discovery and career building. Every new day has been a thrilling experience. The feature film project reminds me how a community should be united even in times of crisis. TOGETHERNESS SUPREME also makes me think of how poverty, tribalism andlack of knowledge can lead to destruction of property and enmity."Faith Wavinya, 22, resident of Kibera, Digital Imaging and Editing Technician trainee
INTRODUCTION OF ADVANCED DIGITAL VIDEO TECHNOLOGY TO KIBERA AND EAST AFRICA
After a careful selection process and a cost benefit analysis, Hot Sun Foundation chose the RED ONE camera for the filming of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME. Our goal was to introduce the most advanced digital video technology to our crew and trainees, working in Kibera, east Africa’s largest slum. Introducing the RED ONE to East Africa, (the only other RED camera that we know of on the continent is in South Africa), attracted considerable interest from Kenyan film industry professionals. The opportunity to work with the RED camera encouraged them to join us in the TOGETHERNESS SUPREME project in Kibera. Working with the RED means that Kibera trainees are learning an advanced digital technology that will give them opportunities into the future. It also allowed us to do the editing in Nairobi, working with Kibera trainees under the supervision of an experienced and talented editor from Los Angeles, Jesse Ellis. Jesse is working on a pro-bono basis because of his commitment to the vision of TOGETHERNESS SUPREMEand the opportunity to make a contribution to the development of a film school and film industry based in Kibera.
<<TOGETHERNESS SUPREME Director, Nathan Collett, DoP Dru Mungai, Kibera trainees Washington Jadivera and Victor Ombogo with the RED ONE camera
We moved our outdoor base camp frequently, sometimes even daily, during the thirty days of shooting on locations throughout Kibera, with limited transport of two vehicles and a minivan. Except around the perimeter, there are no paved roads in the interior of Kibera, making moving our base camp and equipment extremely challenging. We downloaded the digital files from the RED camera daily, using MAC laptops, external hard drives and a generator. The digital editing technicians worked under a tent to protect them from the sun and rain. Because all of our cast and most of our crew were from Kibera, including our security, we had no loss or theft of equipment during the entire shoot. We often worked into the evening hours and even at night. Our experience belies the common misconception of Kibera as a high crime area. Camera crews from local television have told us they are apprehensive about bringing their equipment to shoot in Kibera.
PROJECT SCOPE and IMPACT on KIBERAWith all of the cast, most of the crew and all of the trainees coming from Kibera, TOGETHERNESS SUPREME involves more people directly and indirectly than any other project in the history of Kibera. On any given day, there were at least 70 people on location and up to 300 with extras for the crowd scenes.
All of the locations were in Kibera, which means renting housing compounds, schools, church halls, sheds, and cooking facilitites from local people. Almost all of the wardrobe, props, and make up were sourced in Kibera. Set construction was done by people in Kibera. Two Kibera women with experience in their own beauty parlors were in charge of makeup. All of the security people were from Kibera.
They know their community well and were responsible for the physical safety of all the cast and crew as well as the security of all equipment. We had no serious breaches of security nor loss of equipment during the entire filming.
No one in Kibera has ever been involved in any project of such magnitude and intensity in their own community. Youth are being trained, learning valuable skills, including strict call times when they must report to the set each day. Discipline, teamwork, and responsibility are built in to the everyday routine on the set. The direct and indirect economic impact of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME is considerable due to the number of youth employed, (most of whom are generally idle without resources for schooling or skills for jobs), the number of adults employed, the renting of local properties for locations, for base camps and for cooking, as well as the purchase of wardrobe, props, and other supplies locally.
The socio-emotional impact of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME is immeasurable—breaking down boundaries of self definition as well as societal definitions of the people of Kibera. The sense of confidence and the group solidarity was strengthened day by day. With representation from most of the major tribes, religions and cooperation between different socio-economic groups, TOGETHERNESSS SUPREME feature film is building a solid foundation of solidarity and collaboration that no one has experienced in Kibera in such a profound way.
The storyline of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME is based on events that people in the cast and crew actually experienced during the post election violence in Kibera for the first two months of 2008. During the shooting, participants as well as bystanders, (women living in one of the compounds which is a film location), informally discussed daily how the violence effected them and how re-enacting it affects them.
Participants are hopeful that TOGETHERNESS SUPREME will enable people to reflect on what happened, help bring healing and prevent further tribalist violence. Some of the cast and crew from TOGETHERNESS SUPREMESome of the cast and crew from TOGETHERNESS SUPREME>>
Update on Additional funding
Through donations solicited by email, sale of Hot Sun Films DVDs on line, screening fees for KIBERA KID and CHARCOAL TRAFFIC, we have raised enough money to meet the living expenses of a highly experienced editor who is training a group of Kibera youth in advanced digital video editing skills.
Cameras for Kibera: We have received donations from youth in Europe and the USA of ten digital cameras, as well as two weeks in-kind training by a volunteer from the Netherlands (Anneke Coopolse) who worked with 15 trainees and produced three short films on life in Kibera: Moving Goods in Kibera, Kids in Kibera and Sports and Youth in Kibera.
Through the University of Minnesota International Studies Program, we had an intern, Peter Zook, working with us for two months, coordinating the Stories from Kibera project, which was funded through the Changamoto Arts Fund of the Kenya Community Development Foundation.
We currently have a filmmaker intern, Rachel Wamoto, a Kenyan who graduated in film studies from the University of Coventry, UK. Rachel is assisting Kibera trainees in making a series of short Behind The Scenes promotion films for TOGETHERNESS SUPREME.
On 26 May 2009, we received a long-term loan of a digital CANON camcorder video camera that we are currently using for our short film series Behind the Scenes, linking aspects of Kibera culture, such as food, art and graffiti, clothing and locations to the TOGETHERNESS SUPREME feature film. The camera loan was organized by ACUMEN fellow Suraj Sudhakar, who is currently on assignment in Nairobi.
While in New York City as the honored guest at a benefit dinner 4 May 2009 for the Fulbright program, sponsored by the Institute of International Education where Nathan Collett received the New Leaders Group Award for Mutual Understanding, presented by Queen Noor of Jordan, Nathan solicited contacts and film funding possibilities from film organizations and interested individuals.
CINEREACH (New York City) gave Hot Sun Foundation a grant for the production of the TOGETHERNESS SUPREME feature film project. Kenyan Film Government waived the film licenses and fees for TOGETHERNESS SUPREME. We have applied to the following Kenyan businesses to be considered for grants:
- Safaricom: mobile telephone and internet services
- East African Breweries Limited
- Alliance Francaise
- Goethe Institute
- Cultural Affairs department of the United States Embassy
- Ford Foundation
- Soros Foundation
Outreach and Social Networking
Follow our progress here on our blog which we usually update on a daily basis. We also update twitter.com/hotsunfilms daily. Staff and trainees post photos and info on TOGETHERNESS SUPREME on their Facebook sites. Hot Sun Foundation trainees are currently working on four short films to promote TOGETHERNESS SUPREME. The short films link a unique aspect of culture in Kibera with the feature film TOGETHERNESS SUPREME regarding clothing and wardrobe, art and graffiti, food and catering, train and locations. Trainees are also working on a longer documentary the Making of Togetherness Supreme which explains the community-based, innovative participatory process of our feature film through Kibera trainees telling their stories of involvement in script, locations scouting, camera work, logistics, digital down loading, editing, and post production. Documentary film maker Sarah George form Los Angeles, spent two months behind the scenes working on a documentary PRODUCING PAMOJA about the making of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME. She interviewed cast and crew to reveal their lives before and after the post election violence in Kenya and what role TOGETHERNESS SUPREME is playing in the process of reconciliation.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Globe and Mail, (Canada), 1 June 2009, Kenyans use film to confront ethnic tensions http://tinyurl.com/kswqoa Ameri-Ken Connection
US Embassy in Nairobi newsletter, May 2009, extensive article about Hot Sun Foundation and TOGETHERNESS SUPREME.
Trouw, Dutch National daily, 19 May 2009, full page article and photos about the making of TOGETHERENSS SUPREME and the process of peace and reconciliation following the post election violence in Kenya.
Slum Healing is Good for Us, 26 April 2009, article in the EAST AFRICAN about the making of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME.
CNBC East Africa Business Report, 16 April 2009, included extensive coverage on location in Kibera of the making of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME with interviews of the director Nathan Collett, and the principal actor from Kibera, Wilson Maina.
Echappees Belles, French Television program, 3 April 2009, Emission No. 89, Brief report on the work of Hot Sun Foundation as community filmmakers and our outdoor film screenings in Kibera.
Agence France Press: 30 March 2009 http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news?ei=UTF-8&p=kenya&c=av available to AFP TV's international clients which include the BBC, Bloomberg TV, France 24, TV5 and hundreds of national channels from Latin America to Asia. Each story goes out in English and French and some are translated in German, Spanish, Arabic and Portuguese.
Associated Press, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Reuters Africa Journal, All Africa News visited TOGETHERNESS SUPREME on location in Kibera during the filming. We have not yet been notified of their broadcasts.
On June 11, 2009 BBC World Service is scheduled to visit Hot Sun Foundation office for a radio feature on our work.
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