In line with his campaign manifesto, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja vowed to grant content creators free access to take pictures, videos or movies in the vicinity of the town.
The governor asserted that the lift of compliance issues which required a filmmaker to own a license and pay some amount of money in order to shoot content in Nairobi, was to create a conducive environment for the industry business to thrive as well as to promote young and aspiring creators.
“When we say we want to be pro-business it is not just passive to stop harassment of traders but we want to be proactive to facilitate and promote. There are many archaic laws including those that hamper creativity and innovation and we are going to weed those out,” he said.
Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB) Peter Wambua also announced the removal of funding and licensing fees which required film agents to obtain and register a filming licence and permits whenever they were shooting a project.
The founding director of ADMI Wilfred Kiumi, supposed by withdrawing the charges would uplift the industry as well as the individuals. These licences costed a content creator 5,000 for documentaries, short films, music videos and Ksh 15,000 for a feature film or a TV series.
“I would encourage upcoming filmmakers to create more short films now that they can easily access filming licences. Success in the film industry comes through consistency and visibility. Make more short films, showcase your work at film festivals, network and connect with people in your industry. This prepares you for success.” said Wilfred Kiumi, the founding director of ADMI.