Filmmakers urged to seek mentorship

Richard Mulindwa – a multi-award-winning film producer, writer, and director has  called for mentorship among young actors, directors, and producers as the lack of it hinders the quality of the productions they embark on.

“We are losing a lot of talent because of inexperienced directors in Uganda. Some people

know how to write scripts but will wake up one day and decide to direct without

understanding even the basics of directing,"Mulindwa said.

"As a result, many actors will end up staying at the same level because a director’s job is to push actors and get them out of their comfort zone so that they can improve their skill and delivery."

He was speaking to  filmmakers  who gathered at MoTIV for the first of MoTIV’s Creative Fridays Sauti Plus Takeovers - an initiative of MoTIV, the SautiPlus Media Hub, and Reach A Hand Uganda and a platform for creatives in the film industry to connect, learn, collaborate, and network under

the theme: “Navigating creative film production”.

The platform is an opportunity for creatives to showcase their work while engaging with their

vibrant communities and featured talks from Mulindwa (Production and Directing); Stella Nantumbwe (Acting); Rehema Nanfuka (Screenwriting) and; Tony Kastimo (Sound

Production for Film).

Rehema Nanfuka – a film, theatre, and TV actress, director, and filmmaker known for her

roles in Veronica's Wish, The Girl in the Yellow Jumper, and Queen of Katwe, said, “When

creating stories, do not go the common route. Try to use a different unexpected route such

that you can stand out from the rest. And when it comes to pitching your scripts, create a

writers’ room because pitching as a group takes you further while pitching alone is less

impactful. There is more magic in multiple people pitching an idea.”

Humphrey Nabimanya, an Executive Producer and the founder of Reach A Hand Uganda

and SautiPlus Media Hub emphasised the importance of sharing knowledge, connecting,

and networking as a way of investing in and building the local film industry.

“Let’s not create films because of awards but because we want to create a sustainable impact in Uganda’s film and creative industry. As SautiPlus, our vision is to build a streaming platform and proper warehouse studios in addition to creating more spaces for filmmakers to learn, dialogue, and work together to take our industry to global standards.”

SautiPlus Media Hub is a full-service communications agency and production house that is

behind productions like Sabotage (2024), When You Become Me (2023), and the Kyaddala

TV series (2019-).

In March 2023, they were officially licensed by the Uganda Communications Commission to exhibit and distribute audio and visual film and video works in Uganda as a national distributor and exhibitor.