Veteran Producer Decries “Too Much Begging” in Kenya’s Production Industry

Veteran Kenyan multimedia producer Elayne Okaya has raised fresh concerns about the working conditions in the country’s production industry, saying years of professional experience have left her questioning whether it is time to pursue other things.

Okaya, who has worked as a producer, director, journalist and cinematographer, said she was approaching the point of hanging up my boots after becoming frustrated by what she described as a culture of repeatedly asking for basic professional obligations to be met.

“There’s way too much begging in this business,” Okaya said in a post on social media.

Okaya Details Frustrations in Production Industry

The Pineapple Productions founder said producers and other creatives are often forced to chase opportunities, payments and approvals long after completing assignments.

Among the frustrations she listed was having to beg clients to pay for services they had commissioned months or even years earlier.

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She also questioned the opportunities available to professionals outside established industry circles, saying some creatives are forced to seek chances from what she described as cartels that favor their own networks.

Okaya further criticized clients who, in her view, fail to appreciate the expertise and resources involved in professional production.

“Get your interns to shoot on their phones and edit on the free version of Capcut, since you think it’s all the same thing,” she said.

Industry Players Call for Better Working Conditions

Her concerns come as other industry players continue to raise questions about pay, contracts and professional standards in Kenya’s film and television sector.

Veteran actress Nini Wacera also spoke about low pay and the lack of royalties for actors in an interview with The EastAfrican, arguing that the sector needs clearer wage standards and stronger welfare systems.

Okaya’s remarks add a producer’s perspective to the wider conversation about how professionals across Kenya’s film and television industry are compensated and treated.

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The Kenya Film Commission (KFC) has meanwhile called for stronger structures within the sector, highlighting the need for standardized contracts, fair payment systems, protected working conditions, transparent crediting and professional dispute resolution.

It made the remarks during the 2026 Kenya Actors Guild AGM, where industry stakeholders discussed measures to strengthen professionalism and working conditions in Kenya’s film sector.

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A photo of a film set. PHOTO/PD