‘Brrr’ advert star eyes South Africa movie industry

As opposed to the Kenyan case where directors appear on the set at the last minute, most South African directors are at hand to ensure that the actor is in the best frame of mind and is not bothered by anything or anyone. “Things down there ( South Africa) are different compared to what is happening here in Kenya.”

“In fact, I almost moved to South Africa a few months ago. I am still looking at what is on offer,” he says, but later reveals his plans to acquire two upmarket houses in Nairobi.

When he received the first call to audition for the Coke advert , it was just another one, but he obliged. Industry insiders say that Mr Bukeko got the chance to play the African buffoon in the Brrrrrrr commercial by default.

Another Kenyan actor his size had been cast and had even signed a contract for the role. When the shooting date finally arrived, the actor arrived on the with fresh demands.

This threw the crew into confusion forcing the director to start looking for an alternative actor— same size and still able to execute the concept at hand.
When Mr Bukeko arrived on location, the director was impressed by his natural character, size and acting abilities.

The other contract was cancelled.

Costumes were ready and cameras easily rolled after the usual drills. Shot on the sandy Zanzibar beaches, the first Brrrrrrr advert targeted the mass market.
The other two were shot in South Africa— one of them was a promotion around the Brrrrrrr concept and was initially targeted at the higher end of the market.

“My experience in South Africa has opened my eyes on what I am entitled to as an actor.”

Before stepping onto the Coke commercial, Mr Bukeko had diverse experiences on the set, some nasty, others usual.

He recalls a nasty experience during the shooting of a commercial that eventually grabbed the attention of country when it aired about five years ago. He was invited to audition, offered the job by the director, but the casting director was not very impressed.

When he stepped onto the set, he neither had an idea about the script nor the contractual terms.

After the shoot, Mr Bukeko demanded his pay and the response was what he had grown used to. He was ordered to go home and wait for the call. When the pay finally came through, it was the usual meagre pay (usually around Sh 40,000 on a brighter day) minus several commissions for agents he had not hired.

Kenyan scene
His costumes for the commercial were his personal clothes as the director did not initially have a person of his size in mind and he could not wait as he was also acting in a theatre production at the same time.

“That is what happens in Kenya especially when it comes to advertising.”

Over the years, the unregulated Kenyan advertising, film and theatre scene has been a walk-in-walk out scene. With several briefcase casting agencies that rely on commissions, the scene has been invaded by non professional actors who cast anyone as their faces are on television and billboards.