ALISON NGIBUINI

ALISON NGIBUINI, 36
PRODUCER
Why she is a woman to watch: Alison is CEO of Al is On, a production company that has been behind numerous films, documentaries and TV shows such as Siri, Shuga and Staying Alive. She is a natural storyteller with a hands-on approach and a passion for her craft
As a child, I was awed by films such as The Ten Commandments and Macbeth. Watching Factual Films inspired me to form my own company. The early days were difficult and every day I woke up wondering when the phone would ring, but being focused and driven helps.
I have worked on productions such as The Constant Gardener, Love Actually and Seconds Before Disaster: 2008 Nairobi Bombing. I also worked on the ZAIN Africa Challenge, which gave me an opportunity to travel and to understand the challenges facing education.
Producing is about stringing things together, about turning ideas into reality.
When I first saw Yizo Yizo I said I must find the producers of that show but I never did. Then came Jacob’s Cross and I met the producer who became my mentor.
My day begins at 5am and by 5:45am I am heading to the gym. At 9am I start an in-house production meeting.
Depending on what is in production and at what stage it is, I could either spend the rest of the day in brain-storming sessions or meeting clients to pitch for jobs. On production days I spend weeks on location filming. In the evenings I watch the day’s filming and review scripts, so I often get to bed at 3am. I make a conscious effort to take breaks from
work between productions to unwind and catch up on sleep, family and friends.
As a producer, my greatest challenge is funding. The government needs to create legislation to encourage growth and recognise the industry as an economy driving sector. Distribution is another major challenge as we need more channels to sell locally produced shows across the globe.
This is an exciting time to be in the film industry. There is a lot of potential and growth. Ten years ago there were very few Kenyan productions but now we have a variety.
I am what I am today because of great mentors. Working with international crews gives me an opportunity to evaluate myself and to learn.
Siri is a very special show to me. It is inspired by the secrets that we carry in our everyday life.
As an artist, I look up to pioneer greats such as Miriam Makeba. As a producer, I look up to Steven Spielberg. Locally, I look to winners on the corporate scene for inspiration: Joanne Mwangi, Rose Kimotho, Sheila Amdany, Wachira Waruru.
I’m working on a soap. I feel that Kenya is ready for a local soap. We need to stop running home to watch news. I also want to do feature films and go into reality TV.