THE NETFLIX CASE THAT IS INTERROGATING ‘FAIR USE’ FOR DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS

If you’re ever online when viral trends and or news is circulating the streets of the world wide web, then I’m willing to bet my last everything that you heard of, and maybe even watched, the Tiger King on Netflix. For those of us who weren’t cool enough to jump on the Tiger King craze, we got various versions from friends and family. What most of us however didn’t know, was that Netflix was sued for this documentary. Why? Whyte Monkee Productions claimed that a certain clip was used by Netflix without their consent. ***** The case of Whyte…

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Lil Maina, Kanzu, and the Beats Behind ‘Kishash’

In the latest episode of “Things We Never Talk About in Studio But Should,” we find ourselves with Lil Maina and Kanzu, the producer behind the mega-hit Kishash—a song that has probably been played at more sherehes than you’ve attended in your entire life. With over 8 million views on YouTube and TikTok challenges, you'd think everyone involved in creating Kishash would be popping bottles of champagne, no? Well, not so fast. . . Kanzu, the man responsible for that infectious beat, says he’s still waiting for his fair share of the brownies (because kishash – get it? No?).…

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The Dance (and Drama) of Working with Agencies: A Cautionary Tale from the Kenyan Stage

So, you’ve made it as a dancer in Kenya— congratulations! All the sweaty rehearsals, and hours spent mastering that one tricky eight-count are paying off. You get your big break, land a project with an agency, and it all seems like smooth sailing from there, right? Wrong. If you think your biggest battle is nailing that ‘Set It’ choreo (shout out to Dyana Cods & Ajay for this chuuune btw), you haven’t yet tangoed with a contract negotiation. Let’s take a quick tour through the often hilarious, sometimes frustrating, but always educational world of working with advertising agencies as…

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FROM KIOO CHA JAMII TO THE SENATE: A REFLECTION ON THE CREATIVE ECONOMY SUPPORT BILL 2024.

It started as a simple idea—bringing together creatives and legal experts working within Creative Industry in Kenya in a space designed to amplify voices often drowned out in policy discussions.  On Thursday 29th August 2024, at the cozy offices that are Baraza Media Lab, Keystone Park, we held our inaugural Kioo Cha Jamii sitting! We sat down – baraza style - and listened to both artists and legal experts dissect the Creative Economy Support Bill 2024 with an intent to understand its implications.  Was the Bill really what we needed as an industry? Did it cure some of the…

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