Interview with filmmaker Nkeng Stephen

65% of the English-speaking Cameroonians will either know the face or the name. He is a film director, a film producer, film editor, a manager and also, a student at the University of Buea studying Performing and Visual Arts.

On Facebook, he is known as Pablo Steve. Kamerflow Magazine went deep into his mind and brought out his real identity. Pablo was once a musician but paused for a while to pick up his passion which is Cinematography.

The guy you see is a whole film, he is also an actor. The Magazine had an interview with him and he was very impressed that the Cameroonians are getting to realize where they are coming from. He was interviewed and he answered with great eagerness to let the world know where he is coming from (Cameroon) and where he is heading to. It is all on Kamerflow Magazine, you should update yourself about the latest happening.

Km: Nice having you onset tonight Mr. Pablo.

Nkeng Stephen: My pleasure

Km: before I start the interview, I will like to ask you this question, are you a musician?

Nkeng Stephen: I was a musician but now I am not.

Km: Who really is Pablo Steve?

Nkeng Stephen: I am a video Director, video Editor, a producer and also a Manager and my real name is Nkeng Stephen. I am a student at the University of Buea still to graduate, studying performing and visual arts. I am 21 years old and from a family of four

Km: So Nkeng, where do you come from?

Nkeng Stephen: I am a gangway guy, from the Labile Division.

Km: are you married? If yes with how many children or still dating?

Nkeng Stephen: No, no….I am not married, I am single and no girlfriend for the moment.

Km: away from your personal life let’s switch into something else. What inspired you to become a film director instead of the musician that you were?

Nkeng Stephen: I used to be a musician as I told you before but I couldn’t pay for my videos because I didn’t have money to pay. So I decide that I had to start doing my own videos. Through that, I started with a friend’s machine and as time went on I got my own machine. Finally I came to discover that I am a better director, editor than musician. So I decided to take that part.

Km: have you left music totally or you still write and sell to people as it was the first gift God blessed you with?

Nkeng Stephen: Yah! Of course, I still write and sell to people though I even have plans to sing and rap again when I succeed from this.

Km: Is it that you have all these talents and you wish to promote them or it is because you want to do everything yourself not paying people to do them for you?

Stephen Nkeng: No I came to discover my talent because I didn’t have money to pay people. As a result I discovered what I am blessed with, and these are directing and editing.

Km: Cameroon is fast advancing and I believe they will be needing professionals. I mean People who can see a fault and find the solution. Why don’t you specialize only in directing or editing as you do?

Nkeng Stephen: You know professions in visual arts are so linked. An editor needs to be a good director in oder to be good. Especially when you have to achieve an effect in the editing section. Before you do the effects, you are suppose to know how to shoot the video in order to do the effects well. So it is necessary for an editor to know how to direct. It is of good help for his career.

Km: Are you specializing only on after effects or editing as a whole?

Nkeng Stephen: Editing as a whole. Doing special effects like car hits, gun shots, blood splatter, green screen footages. I always wanna learn more effects to make me a pro.

Km: What does one need to become an editor like you?

Nkeng Stephene: First of all, you need to be patient and focused. Obedience also in the sense that you need to be ready to learn at all times. You also need a good machine and probably good tutorials to let you grow.

Km: In a world that is fast developing in editing software’s like ADOBE, COREL, SONY, MAGIX Etc for film editing, which software do you use in your film editing?

Nkeng Spephen: I use Adobe suit. I believe and know most of the essentials and more can be done there. I just need some few plug-in to get updated. That’s all.

Km: thank you for that section of interview. Away from you being a film editor and now you being a film director. What does it take to be a film Director?

Nkeng Stephen: You need to watch more movies and do more research to fulfill that.

Km: Have you directed Cameroonian movies with big stars on set? If yes like?

Nkeng Stephen: Yah! I have but it is not yet out. ‘The Syndicate’ an action movie.

Km: Do you think the Cameroon Film Industry is ripe for action when they lack financial and material supports?

Nkeng Stephe: Yah! We are ripe; I think we got all it takes. With a good editor, you can make a toy gun for instance look real.

Km: Who wrote the movie The Syndicate and who were some of the characters?

Nkeng Stephen: I wrote the movie with one of the actors.

Km: What was the first film you ever directed?

Nkeng Stephen: I have been directing a couple of movies but they were mostly comedies, so they were not popular that much.

Km: That means The Syndicate will be your first premiere?

Nkeng Stephen: Yah….it will.

Km: What challenges did you face with your characters during the making of The Syndicate?

Nkeng Stephen: Yah man, my actors were kind of slow sometimes in delivering, but it wasn’t a big deal because I got financial problems too but my sister in America, Lekeaka Unice helped me out. I got late comings and also location problems.

Km: Watching movies for over twenty years today, which are the best movies you like to direct? Action, Epic, Glamour?

Nkeng Stephen: Action

Km: Why action movies?

Nkeng Stephen: I love and have always loved action man. I love films with more action than words. It speaks more than words you know and it’s not easy work as compared to the others and you know anything not easy is worth doing.

Km: Are you concentrating only on action or you are universal?

Nkeng Stephen: I focus just on action, scary and sometimes epic. But you know in action movies we use aspects of love in epic also peace.

Km: Among action, epic, love which one is more expensive

Nkeng Stephen: It all depends on the kind of movie. But actions are mostly like that.

Km: Expensive?

Nkeng Stephen: Yeah

Km: What is the most important note an actor should get in the back of the mind before acting?

Nkeng Stephen: Be in the character and forget that there is a camera, just do your thing.

Km: Talking a little about scripts, how do you see a script and have the concepts of directing it?

Nkeng Stephen: When you see the scripts, you start thinking of how to start the scene and how to end it. Think of how to take your shots and the different techniques in directing.

Km: How do you decide on the location?

Nkeng Stephen: From the script

Km: Is it from the writer or the director’s points of view?

Nkeng Stephen: The writer’s point of view

Km: So writers play great parts in film directing?

Nkeng Stephen: Yah they do a lot. They help

Km: What are the challenges awaiting upcoming directors?

Nkeng Stephen: They will face failure. For example during certain days of shooting, it might be rainy or no light when you need light. They will be sorry. Hahahaha

Km: With all that are you discouraging them from the field or encouraging them?

Nkeng Stephen: You need to be courageous

Km: Considering the present situation, do you think the movie industry in Cameroon is progressing or do you think it’s a good profession for Cameroonian to sign in?

Stephen Nkeng: it is growing

Km: So it is good to engage in?

Nkeng Stephen: yeah it is.

Km: what advice will you give to the upcoming directors and to the Cameroonians?

Nkeng Stephen: Just keep on…..Be determined

Km: It was a pleasure talking to you sir.

Nkeng Stephen: my pleasure too