Solo FX is a cinematographer with 15 years, experience in the film industry. He defines cinematography as the art of creating motion pictures using motion picture cameras with a cinematographer being in charge of the camera and lighting.
In his field of professionalism he is inspired by the movies “loves watching movies” and the works of Loukman Ali, Musta, Meddie Menz and Isaac, his young brother. In his journey Solo FX has been quite successful as he has worked on big projects in Film, TV and Advertising for Riham, DFCU, Africell and the Churchill TV Show in Kenya etc.
His favourite thing about being a cinematographer is the art of telling a story using a camera and the technology in cinematography. Cameras like canons, Sony, Panasonic, DSLRs to digital cinema cameras; the RED, which he has all used and has helped cinematographers tell their stories in a better way.
He adds that being a cinematographer does not only mean shooting and editing but it also requires one to be smart, focus on every aspect of cinematography and doing research to know what is trending worldwide. It also requires creativity i.e. creation of something new and valuable, that when the audience looks at it says “wow, this guy is creative”.
Solo FX’s biggest achievement is networking and through that he has become better in cinematography, he has won more deals which has helped him invest into the film industry.
As a guru in cinematography, Solo FX can’t go unchallenged by the tight client budgets, expensive equipment and lack of creativity by some film makers that are first money makers. In his opinion he urges collaboration of the film makers and involving in policy makers like UCC to be hard on laws concerning film making in the Ugandan film industry.
He believes that through collaboration and working as a team, unemployment among the youth can be reduced. This can be done through inviting the interested youth on set, train them thus such exposure can help them get jobs from other filmmakers.
Solo FX’s advice is to work smart, watch what others are doing and embrace technology.