A STAR AND A GOFER.

 

A new month means a new blog. Yay!

This time, I’m taking you back to a pivotal moment in my career when a production house in Nairobi hired me, but before that, I started as an intern. At the time, I lived along Mombasa Road and had to commute to Westlands daily. The journey was tedious, yet strangely satisfying. I loved my job and looked forward to it every single day. But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself so let’s rewind. Before landing this job, I had an acting job which kept me afloat. Even though I would be on set for two or three days depending on the schedule, I still wanted to do more. To avoid the monotony of being stuck at home, I often spent time at a friend’s business, assisting her just to stay busy. The alternative was endlessly watching my bulky Cathode Ray Tube television (a TV ya mgongo, as we called them) felt unbearable. I had memorized every commercial and program lineup from morning to night, and that was anything but fun.

She introduced me to her cousin, a Marketing Director at a well-known company. His job involved regular interactions with people from the film industry, which meant one thing, opportunity. Long story short, I sent in my documents, and just like that, voilà! I landed an internship. I was beyond elated. Finally, I would set foot in a real studio, step inside editing booths, go out on fieldwork, and get a firsthand look at life behind the cameras! What pleased me most was the technical know-how of how a production set runs and everyone involved, until post-production where work is edited and delivered to the Client. This Production house created content for TV. Everything you watch on TV we created and packaged it. I was part of this journey in training. How exciting! I had no idea what I had signed up for. But let me tell you, Maina, when I met Alice, one of my fellow interns, everything seemed easier.

        

There were a number of us interning, but I found myself spending most of my time with her. One thing about being an intern? You never have a permanent desk. That was my reality for the better part of my tenure. Coming from a life as an actress, where I was respected, and a leader in my circles, I dare say I was even a guest of honor in some Harambees I was invited to. I was used to being served, taken care of, and basking in the glitz and glam of the industry, this new role was a complete shift. Suddenly, I was a Mtu wa Mkono (a gofer), doing menial labor. Ah, as my people from Naija say, “This life no balance.” Twice a week, I was required to be on set, while the rest of my days were dedicated to my internship duties. It was hectic and confusing but I learned to master the art of balance. I had to shed the stardom and step into the shoes of a humble intern while at the production house, I would pick up my stardom while on set later, it was a cycle. Anyway, no task was beneath me, I did everything that was required, and in the process, I was humbled.

I carried out my duties with unwavering dedication. I recall one evening when I was deep in logistics planning for the next morning’s TV commercial shoot. The office had emptied, except for Alice and the driver assigned to take us home. Before we could leave, there was one last task we needed to load several packs of bottled water onto the equipment truck. With no one else around to help, Alice and I braced ourselves for the challenge. We hauled dozens of water packs, climbing up and down three flights of stairs, our muscles screaming in protest. Exhaustion became our second name, but we pushed through, determined to finish. By the time we were done, it was incredibly late, yet there was no rest in sight. My call time was always 3:30 a.m. without exception. Social life? Nonexistent. Friends, church, personal time? For sure this was a distant memory. My world revolved around one thing and one thing only, work.

Another task was added to my plate. On shoot days, I was responsible for stewarding and managing the tent that hosted our Clients, the Advertising Agency, the day’s Cast, the Director of Photography, and other important guests. This meant catering to their every need, no matter how small or demanding. I had a specific routine for one individual who had a very particular list of requirements. Every shoot day, I made sure to have two newspapers, Daily Nation and The Standard ready for him, along with a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, coffee (two parts whisky and three spoonfuls of sugar), chicken sausages for breakfast, and a bottle of Jack Daniels. His whisky had to be chilled at all times. Throughout the day, I carried boxes of Dunhill cigarettes, lighters, and an ample supply of booze to ensure he never ran out. Our shoot days were intense, often stretching through the entire night. We knew when we left home, but returning was unpredictable. I did all this with a smile on my face, serving others was a joy no matter the circumstances. The end of a successful shoot came with a lot of gratitude from our Executive producer. Those texts she sent me always filled my heart with gratitude.

We were trained to find solutions, and solutions had to be found, no matter what. Ultimately, this story serves as a reminder that no matter how esteemed our position may be, true leadership requires the humility to step down and serve when needed. We are called to lead by serving others. So, step off your high horse and embrace the true essence of leadership, serving with humility and purpose!

Matthew 23:11 (NIV)

"The greatest among you will be your servant."