Doing Life With… is a BellaNaija Options collection that showcases how folks reside, work, journey, care for his or her households and… every little thing in between. We’re documenting the lives of all folks and making certain everyone seems to be well-represented at BN.
Did you miss final week’s dialog with Seye Dele? You possibly can catch up here.
This week, we’re doing life with Abbey Tumusiime, a Ugandan content material creator. He provides us a glimpse into his life. Get pleasure from!
Hey Abbey, how is it going?
All is sweet. We try to outsmart the system.
Haha, certainly. Give us a glimpse into your background
I’m from Uganda, from the Basoga tribe. I grew up in a small village in Iganga, the place I spent most of my childhood with each of my mother and father. I moved to Jinja, in a city referred to as Bugembe, and I’ve been residing there for nearly six years. I’m the youngest of my mother and father’ three youngsters, all of whom are boys. We didn’t have every little thing we desired or admired as a household, however my mother and father all the time emphasised the significance of discovering pleasure from inside. They taught us that happiness comes from important issues like household concord, good well being, and different seemingly small however vital components.
Regardless of being boys, my brothers and I had been taught the worth of laborious work by sharing family chores equally, together with duties historically thought of for females in our tradition, like cooking and cleansing. I attended Iganga Boys’ Major College for my major training and later accomplished my Extraordinary Stage Certificates at Busoga School Mwiri. I then obtained my Superior Stage Certificates at MM School Wairaka, the place I studied Literature, Divinity, and Historical past. This finally led me to pursue a level in Journalism at Uganda Christian College in Mukono. Apparently, my mother and father all the time envisioned a profession for me in engineering or legislation, however life had different plans for me.
I’ve fond recollections of my dad introducing us to a pc (desktop) at a younger age, hoping that we might be taught to make use of it for academic functions. Nonetheless, my brothers and I primarily used it for video games and films, a lot to his dismay. I felt impressed to be taught issues that may make my dad proud, as I witnessed how his happiness resonated all through our house. This led me to begin modifying movies, initially utilizing Home windows Film Maker. Over time, I progressed to utilizing Microsoft Images, and now I work with extra superior software program like Premiere Professional. I at the moment edit movies, and I attribute this talent to the encouragement and help of my mother and father. There’s a lot extra that has formed my journey, and I might spend hours speaking about it.
Inform me about your content material creation and comedy journey
My journey as a creator started on the age of seven once I began taking images with my mother and father’ cellphone, transferring them to a pc, and utilizing Home windows Film Maker to create tales or brief motion pictures. As I grew older, I shifted my focus to YouTube, the place I might create dance movies and add them. Nonetheless, attributable to sickness and feeling demotivated, I took a break from creating for a few yr. It wasn’t till a pal, Owen, inspired me to begin creating once more, that I started making skits with him, which I uploaded to TikTok and Instagram. Regardless of my efforts, success appeared out of attain, so I took a break and targeted on capturing and modifying movies for my mates, Cophi and Amon. Earlier this yr, Cophi satisfied me to get again into creating movies, even when they had been easy. This led to the creation of “Dad Jokes with Amon,” which surprisingly went viral worldwide.
Your dad jokes are all the time humorous. How do you make your movies?
Thanks for appreciating. I begin with brainstorming alongside my artistic crew and supervisor. We collectively generate concepts, from the idea of the Dad Joke to the modifying, setting, and numerous different particulars. We then schedule particular days to shoot a sure variety of jokes. As a perfectionist, I take cost of modifying and directing the movies myself, until directed in any other case. Earlier than posting, the crew opinions the movies. In the event that they don’t discover it humorous, we put it on the ready checklist for changes as an alternative of discarding it. We imagine that each one jokes might be humorous if executed accurately. The capturing course of takes round 8 hours a day, and the period for modifying will depend on the content material plan devised by my crew, nevertheless it normally doesn’t take lengthy.
Aside from making jokes and “geniusing” on social media, inform us about your life exterior content material creation
I’m an internet developer, working an organization referred to as TRilz Media. Whereas my firm does supply social media advertising and marketing companies, my foremost focus is on internet improvement. I’m additionally a pupil of Journalism at Uganda Christian College. I generally interact in video modifying and associated duties. I work with a crew of creatives, aiding with modifying, and generally with capturing and directing.
“I believe this man is a genius” and “By the way in which” are your signature tones, how did these two phrases come about?
“I believe this man is a genius” is an outdated meme that didn’t get folks’s consideration. I discovered it on a web page that focuses on memes and realised that if I used it in my movies, it’d be of nice influence. It sounded humorous the second I heard it. Then, “By The Approach” is an intentional assertion in a whisper to point out sarcasm or satire. If you happen to hear intently, you’ll really feel that. Then there’s a phrase that has been used to establish me in all places I’m going – “The System is Rigged”. This can be a assertion we only one time talked about and realised it obtained folks’s consideration. So we went forward with it.
What are the challenges you’ve encountered in your journey to this point
Despair. This hits on a regular basis and I believe is the one factor I’m frightened of going through. Waking up at hours when everybody’s asleep, solely to be hit by a pound of melancholy.
Hmmn. How do you cope with this?
I’ve folks I all the time run to. I’ll be actual with you, once I face a problem and efficiently remedy it or discover a answer, it stops feeling like a problem. In consequence, I are inclined to overlook about it as a result of I now not see it as a menace.
What a few second once you felt so pleased with your self?
There are lots of moments I’ve felt pleased with myself however those who stand out are when my family members are literally celebrating my wins. I’ve grown up with individuals who imagine that I might be so nice. However it from my perspective, my consistency and willpower make me pleased with myself all the time.
What’s a typical day in your life?
My day begins at 5 am when I’ve a cellphone name with my crew lead or supervisor to debate the plan for the day and what content material creation duties are pending. We set a goal for the day, which generally makes me marvel why my supervisor is awake so early. Then I attend faculty lectures and take part in group discussions. Throughout breaks, I examine on the efficiency of my content material and ensure to put up repeatedly. Within the afternoon, I usually shoot content material for others. Within the late night, I spend time going via feedback on my content material and gathering suggestions. I reply to as many feedback as I can. Lastly, I finish my day by modifying and perfecting any pending initiatives on my laptop.
What’s that unconventional thought concerning the world that you just assume folks received’t agree with?
I imagine that failure will not be solely inevitable however needs to be celebrated as a vital a part of private {and professional} progress. Whereas society usually views failure negatively, I see it as an important studying expertise. All through my life, I’ve confronted a number of setbacks that originally felt devastating. Nonetheless, every failure taught me useful classes, offered alternatives for self-improvement, and in the end led me to larger success.
Like it for you! If you happen to might introduce anybody to Uganda, the place would you are taking them and what Ugandan meal would you serve?
The primary place I’d take somebody to in Uganda is Jinja. The Ugandan meal I’d suggest is the Rolex. It isn’t a conventional meal, however we take into account it a nationwide meal. One which unites all tribes and cultures within the nation.
Let’s say you will have a particular energy to vary the world with a joke, which joke will you inform?
How come it’s a secret if you understand it’s a secret? The system is rigged actually.
Three enjoyable details about Uganda everybody should find out about?
Meals, hospitality, stunning girls.
Three phrases that greatest describe you?
God fearing, humble, blessed. (I want you requested for ten, haha).
Thanks for being on Doing Life With…, Abbey
Thanks for having me.
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Many because of Abbey Tumusiime for having this dialog with us and answering all our questions – and swiftly too, we should add.
Do you’re keen on this content material, have any suggestions for us or need to be a BellaNaija Options contributor? We’d like to learn from you. Shoot us an e-mail: [email protected]. Be a part of us on Saturday for the subsequent episode!
