Since the mid 2000s, a formidable amount of Kenyan television content has graced our television sets. This phenomenon can be said to have a been a little overdue but the gesture was and still is a welcome phenomenon on us the audience. But reason can still be due to the fact that the Kenyan government gazetted a policy for the amount of local content to be aired in Kenyan Television, the explanation for the surge of "local" content as they are synonymously referred to. For this reason we shall try to highlight a critique of one of these Kenyan productions; Papa Shirandula.
Papa Shirandula is a Kenyan based television production airing on Citizen Television Thursday nights at 7:40pm. It is a Citizen production maybe airing from the fact that it needs to satisfy the minimum amount of Kenyan content in Kenyan Television broadcasts. Papa Shirandula is one of those productions that can be referred to as a television drama and also qualifying as a series, which is it needs to air for a period not less that six months which it does.
The production
The production is a low budget affair in that not much of the much money is needed to incept and maintain the running of the programme. This factor is a satisfactory progress in the Kenyan television and film scene because, it ensures that money does not necessarily have to be the most determinant factor in a television production. Also, it can be assumed that since it is a low budget production, many of the technical personnel double up as many other things in the same production.
The Timing
The timing is superbly orchestrated. Papa Shirandula is set at a time when most families are either on the dinner table or are just about to. Because of this, it is perceived that numerous numbers of people are watching television or tuned in at just about this time, and hence they are able to reach out to the numbers.
The Themes and Language
Themes illustrated in Papa Shirandula are easily identifiable within the context of the typical struggling Kenyan family. The money factor is the dominant theme with it cutting across the other themes such as corruption, family disputes, relationships and even education. Such themes are what are making this programme popular with the average Kenyan audience.The language is common swahili which certainly over three quarters of the Kenyan Population are associated with.
The performance
The performers used in Papa Shirandula are not necessarily vastly experienced in performance. This is because high level actors and actresses would milk the production dry, and also because it gives a chance to aspiring performers who are given parts. So, Papa can be said to offer a chance to up coming performers in the television dramas.
The Misgivings
Papa Shirandula has its fair share of misgivings. The first notable is the artistry in the television drama in terms of film language. Maybe since it it a low budget production, the technical crew may not be extremely inclined into the art of film making, the reason the film content is flat. Only given shots are used and lack of timing hence making it sometimes boring to watch. Also, there is evidence of a badly written script or not a non existence one for that matter. It seems that the storyline is priory set, but the lines are conceived when the performers are on camera. This phenomenon sometimes is not the best since a performer might try to showcase his/her idea of the concept being highlighted in the drama, hence the performers may offer divergent views in relation to what the director may have had in mind. The costuming is also over-exaggerated by some of the characters such as Otoyo and Jalang'o.
But Papa is a clear case of an attempt of the Kenyan television and film industry to offer something which is uniquely Kenyan. If our Western film mentality is put down just a little bit, then in deed we shall look at our productions more differently. This is an introductory part, we shall start to look at papa episode by episode to see if it truly satisfies our western conventions of television drama. so what is your take on this matter?
Pany
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