So, the Uganda video launched on Tuesday morning under the title “Uganda 2012 – More Than Kony 2012”. The whole team is happy to see the video go out into the world and the timing couldn’t be better, with Invisible Children set to launch a sequel to their viral Kony 2012 effort this week. The Kony 2012 video split opinion in Uganda and even within the Foundation itself, but without wanting to detract anything from the effort to catch Kony, we are pleased to be able to offer an alternative view of the country, and hope that more people outside of Uganda and Africa generally start to see another side to the continent.
It took four attempts, four separate production companies, and lots of time and money to get 3 minutes of video that we thought projected Uganda in a world-class light. The winning team in the end was the very talented French-Cameroonian Yann Leblond of EyesBreakers productions, who directed the video, and our very own Isaac Oboth of Media 256, who did supplementary shooting and editing – himself a young entrepreneur, mentee on our mentorship programme, and member of our incubation space, the Mara Launchpad. Isaac’s company Media 256 produced our other two videos as well, which you can see on our Youtube channel. Which just goes to show that the homegrown talent is very much available…
The film’s sountrack, in case you were wondering, is performed by Radio & Weasel, one of Uganda’s biggest pop acts, who sing “Ndi mu na’Uganda” which simply means “I am Ugandan”. The song was composed by producer Richard Kaweesa as part of the “I am Ugandan” campaign to enhance national pride and unity in Uganda, and he kindly gave us the rights to use the song. Thanks are also due to Uganda Tourism Board and Uganda Wildlife Authority, who shared some archive footage.
We hope whoever you are and whatever you do, the film inspires you to be a part of the exciting journey that Uganda, and Africa, is on.
Posted by Nigel Ball, Director, Mara Foundation
Mara Foundation 