well, this year certainly hasn't gone according to plan. but as my friend in dallas, dminer, reminds me, "maybe God has a better plan?". and so it goes. the leap of faith every month this year has been "God has a better plan", because whatever my plan has been for this year or the last few months has certainly not been my plan. (Didn't i write a book called "God is Not a Smart Planner".com ???) why is this new ground for me?? i guess when the divine plan clashes with the stiff-necked human plan, there is bound to be new conflict, doubts, wonderment, panic! but the overriding kung fu is that i am following my brother's credo "make art or teach art". and august was a busy month of finishing a 9-week Hollywood Acting Master Class and then launching STA...SLingshot Talent Agency.
https://www.facebook.com/slingtalent
we have roughly 12 clients all from the Master Class and it's a big leap into the unknown. lorella my trusty sidekick and producer for sling prods had to jump in as Managing Agent and negotiate a monthly contract for a Nairobi TV show on Day 1.
after i finished the master class i made 12 headshots and cut 12 acting reels for our clients. and hired a webmaster to put the STA site up and running and well organized. a pretty hectic month all in all and was glad to escape back to lamu sept 1 for some much needed R&R.
Sling Prods is itching to get back into production and may have something in south sudan as well as a big US govt gig for MCC in developing countries. we're in the mix at least. hopefully that will pop.
HAMC (hollywood acting master class) is offering a new 8 week course for students 12-18 in NBO and maybe up in Nakuru on saturdays and sundays. Open House next saturday to gauge interest level. but the word is slowly getting out that we are offering something unique in the NBO market and are the real deal in teaching TV & Film techniques. and i have to admit i have a lot of fun teaching, directing, and shooting! each class is a 2 camera shoot. with sound. and lots of distractions to teach folks how to "commit & concentrate". and my students have really grown. that's we started STA, cuz we have folks who are trained now and can compete. fingers crossed they all get nice contracts!
can't believe sept 30, 2 years ago, i left LAX with a one way ticket to africa and everything i owned. have only been back home once i that time and have plans to return again for christmas and new years. last year was definitely more "adventure", and this year it's turned into the "kenya experiment"...meaning i guess the outcome is unknown! not sure if i'm going to fly or sink yet, but i'm here and i'm swinging for the fences. now that we have SLing Talent and are repping actors and singers and performers and presenters, i kid that i'm building an empire! emerging as a starmaker, and idolmaker. who knows?? i love the arts and artists and it's been a blast training up our clients. it keeps me invested over here now that i'm investing in people. and they are cool people. you would love them all. i'm proud of who they are and how far they've come and am eager to see their progress. meanwhile, we still do "work out" days at HQ and work scenes.
on a sidebar, i started yoga again in Lamu this trip. pretty laughable getting my granite slab body on a mat, but it's been good. i sure need it. and need to continue in karen area in NBO.
might be doing a movie in ethiopia in nov/dec. waiting for actualities to take place like a script in english and a plane ticket, but i think something will happen. should be fun.
well, that's all for now. short and sweet. let's get to the pics and some captions.
p.s. oh yeah, to dig my roots deeper into NBO, i bought a share of a share in a racehorse... Trade Secret. he's barely 2 years old, but should be fun to follow.
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| maryolive has a bright future and is really talented. |
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| tracy is an old-timer with me since last year. her work is getting very good and she's on a contract now! |
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| our logo. (font: lunar bar) |
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| Sharlyn is a three-time NBO Actor Monologue Champ and just got a show! she's a fellow "set junky" like me. loves being on set! |
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| Wilfred was a Karen street kid and comedian but becoming a serious actor. |
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| Shirlyne is a triple threat...singer, dancer, actor. lots to develop! |
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| brian is becoming a local star. he started with me last year and has blown up! |
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| Trade Secret. run baby run! |
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| matt chancey is the other share of a share holder. |
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| self portrait last month. i've trimmed up since then. |
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| lorella has jumped in wearing lots of hats now! lunch at Purdy Arms. |
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| Paka Paka is the biggest cat in kenya now i'm pretty sure. he was having dreams of flying. |
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| some STA clients at HQ doing scene work on camera. great bunch! |
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| off to lamu. nothing says vacation like an open cockpit! |
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| another dhow, from the airport back to shela. |
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| peponi hotel terrace at dusk. a great watering hole. |
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| lamu town. always photogenic! |
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| errol's house at dusk. part Morocco, part NYC loft! very cool space! |
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| Peponi terrace the other direction, towards Manda channel. |
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| some lamu bling...masai bangles. |
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| this boat capt snagged a ride in stuart's plane, who took me up to shoot some aerial footage of the new lamu port. he was stoked...first time off the ground! |
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| my brother Lee at the Lamu Beach Club. cool cat. from harlem! |
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| my yoga studio at Banana House. 9am. |
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| om. |
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| "warrior 3"? (some yoga humor) |
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| a wall made of bottle. |
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| from lamu town to shela. |
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| charlie's house. a wonder. |
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| where's Acrhitectural Digest? Dwell?? Conde N'est??? |
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| unusual high view of shela village. |
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| poised for photo shoots! |
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| more shela village! |
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| clean. |
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| shela pathway. |
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| Peponi boat to lamu today. |
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| my friend Nyambura on our way to Mass. |
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| path to shela with donkeys carrying sand. |
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| mass in lamu town. |
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| love the singing. never gets old. |
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| view from my blog post at lamu house restuarant right now! |
