Amajuru Edwin: University of Kisubi’s Promising Filmmaker

With the existence of movie streaming platforms like Netflix, The Girl in the Yellow Jumper by Lookman Ali recently became the first Ugandan movie to be subscribed on Netflix, granting the country’s filmmaking industry an international breakthrough.

Several Ugandans are indeed taking further steps in participating in this opportunity-filled industry. Kisubi University’s Edwin is one guy who has started his journey early enough.

Amajuru Lucky Edwin is a young filmmaker who has made his name within the precincts of the University of Kisubi and its surroundings after directing, editing and acting a series dubbed Campus Saga. He is on his way to making what he has called the most interesting thriller Taken.

We can probably start getting acquainted with Liam Neeson-like famous words “…I have skills that have made me a nightmare for people like you…I will look for you, I will find you and I will kill you” since this movie depicts the same title and a mind boggling plot according to the trailer he revealed to us.

This is our conversation with him;

Nice to meet you Edwin. Our Campus bee readers would be interested in knowing a little about you

(Smiles) My name is Amajuru Lucky Edwin, I come from Adjuman district. That’s where I was born and that’s where my dad is and everything about me is just from there. I am a former student of the University of Kisubi. I did information Technology.

How did the idea of becoming a filmaker come to you? Is it a dream you had from childhood?

Actually ever since growing up I never thought about filmmaking and I never dreamt about it at any bit. You know growing up you want to be a doctor, a lawyer. I personally kept changing dreams and I settled to becoming a journalist. What I can say is that filmmaking came as a surprise. It’s maybe a calling from God because it just happened and then one day I decided I was going to become a filmmaker.

Filmmaking was just a surprise, what prompted you to start this journey? What can you say was your turning point?

It was in my second year at campus while doing IT (Information Technology) when I was watching a show called Power. It is an amazing show by Courtney Kemp and I really love it. I can say it is that show that was my turning point. I decided I was going to become a filmmaker and I have never looked back. Up to now it is my favorite show.

It looks like you work on all the roles in your movies by yourself. Do you have a role you specify on, like acting, editing or directing?

Specifically if your are a filmmaker, especially a beginner, I don’t really think it is good to specify and be like I just want to be an editor or I want to focus only on writing. I want to do everything. Sometimes it is very hard to have the financial muscle to employ people to do for you what you can’t do, like hiring editors, sound crew, casting directors. It is really very hard when you don’t have money. When I look at that, I’m like why can’t I learn to do everything in general so that as time goes on and God-willing get enough money, I can hire people even when I have a clue about each department.

Amongst the roles in filmmaking, which role do you think you will focus on after getting that financial power to hire experts?

(Thinks momentarily and laughs), I really don’t want to reveal that right now. As time goes on, I think I will be able to get the best for me. (Continues laughing uncomfortably)

You came into the movie Industry after watching Power, a recent show. How have you managed to learn and adapt quickly and immediately have all these different projects.

Honestly speaking, no one taught me to do any of these things. I tried my paths to learn all these things. What I can say is that if you really love something, you will get time to learn about it. You will get time to learn more about what you love. So, that is the journey I took to learn something new about filmmaking everyday. I loved it from the first time I thought about making films. As time went on, I used YouTube tutorials to learn about everything. I have never attended any film class, so YouTube became my virtual classroom.

So how far with that short film?

Yeah I wrote this short film to keep my fans entertained as they wait for more from me. I have already done most of the work and I’m currently on post-production. The trailer is already out and on my YouTube channel and the premier is going to be on 9th July in Kisubi.

Oh, the Premier. Tell me more about it.

(Beams) Err. Actually I want to take the premier to the next level. As a young filmmaker, you have to be dynamic in what you do. I used to put most of my videos on YouTube to get some fans and indeed I gained some fans so I thought of how about making a premier so that people can come and criticize because that’s how we improve. I will premier it from different places and tickets are already in the process so that by 9th July we are already set.

Is there anything that you believe that you have already achieved as a young filmmaker?

In monetary terms, I have not yet really gained anything but the main aspect is about learning. I have learnt so many things and I appreciate the time that I took. That is what I looked forward to, first learn before earning. Filmmaking necessarily doesn’t have a special route. You have to know what you want and as long as you make a good film, you will get money.

What are you future plans in the filmmaking career

My future plan is already in place. I own Sundown films and that is the company that I’m building from the grassroot and it’s growing with all the works I am putting forward. I pray that the efforts I have put in reap big because I see Sundown films becoming one of the biggest film companies in the world in the next few years.

Do you have anyone in the filmmaking Industry who inspires you?

I do. She is called Courtney Kemp, the show runner for Power. Deon Taylor is my favorite director. He is an African American and his touches are always good. You can see them in the finale of Power Book IV. These guys give me a lot of motivation to improve my craft.

What about here in Uganda? Which filmmakers Inspire you?

Haaa, here in Uganda (laughs). Based on a few Ugandan films I have watched, Michael Wawuyo is someone doing a great job to push the industry to a greater level. His projects are of great standard.

In your perspective, what do you think needs to change in the Ugandan Movie Industry?

However much many people complain that the government does not support the industry, but I think eighty percent of what we have to change is the way we make our stories. This is the truth by the way and it hurts when I say it out because people will say that I’m young, you know. I think a good film is meant to entertain people rather than focusing on preaching and educating people. Movies are supposed to entertain those who are bored, those who come to watch them want to get entertained and not educated. They know where to get the education from; documentaries, tutorials and the like. An example like vampire diaries, what do you think is educative in that? Just entertainment. So we need to improve on our story to be entertaining.

Have you got any harsh criticism yet?

Yes! I can’t hide this. You know in Campus saga I used an American accent because the movie was an American Boy campus boy who had two different lives as a drug dealer and a student so it needed someone to use the American accent. Some people criticised me for using an American accent in that movie. They criticized and told me that I was forcing the accent when but I told them that it is what the script was actually directing me to do. I actually prefer using the African- American accent because it makes me feel the vibe. In movies, you have to follow the script, for example Daniel Ezra who plays the role of Spencer James in All American is British but the Script prompted him to switch to African American. The other is Hisham Tawfic who acts as Dembe in Blacklist naturally uses an African American accent but he had to switch to British English because of the script.

That is quite impressive. Do you face some challenges in your filmmaking Journey? What are some of the challenges you have so far realised in the filmmaking industry?

Challenge is Money. (he says it bluntly). Without money, there is nothing you can do in the filmmaking world. The other challenges I faced was one while making Campus saga. Getting actors was really challenging. Actors came in expecting to earn something big from it only to get disappointed, I mean they are right to demand for something from their input. There was also a time one of the actors of campus saga crushed the car we were using to shoot and we had to foot all those bills to repair the car. Never the less, we went ahead and completed it. As we were shooting Campus Saga I was also writing a mini series which I don’t want to reveal the title right now, but I had to pause it because I did not have the money but that led me to creating a short film which needs less spending than a series.

What would be your advice to those campus students who want to join the industry?

Go for it! Go out there and do it. Don’t keep saying you want to be a filmmaker, an actor when you keep laying in your bed. Go to YouTube, use google and go through all the tutorials. Use your phone for the start and make short movies. You are rich with what you have. You don’t need big cameras, the cannons and stuff. Start with what you have and you will get along.

Thanks for your time. Any last word for our Campus Bee followers

Man! You guys of Campus Bee have helped to bring out our names and we appreciate that. Thank you for all that you guys do. People can subscribe to my channel and we connect from there. It is called Sundown Filmz (https://youtu.be/fio6RgtrnCg) and we would appreciate every subscription. Lets meet on 9th July as we premier Taken. I know you will like it. Thank you.