The Gambia in Motion' Due to Hit the Air - Fatou Camara Explains

Television viewers in the Gambia are eagerly awaiting the airing of a documentary series on national television, GRTS, on Sunday, February 7th. The series entitled 'The Gambia in Motion,' encompasses major development issues across all sectors, and is produced by renowned media and PR company, I-Media. The Proprietess, Fatou Camara, speaks to the Point about the mega project.

POINT: Fatou, tells us about the series that you have just completed, which the entire nation is waiting to see on TV.

FATOU: Well, the Gambia in Motion is an extensive series highlighting the most recent development trends in the Gambia. The project was contracted to us by government, and I must use this opportunity to thank H.E the President for the trust he has had in us, as a bona fide Gambian company, to execute this assignment. We also consider it a contribution to national duty. Actually, it covers all the sectors being overseen by various Ministries.

POINT: That is an enormous job by all accounts. It must have been a challenging task.

FATOU: Indeed, very challenging. Media production is naturally tedious and demanding, because it requires not only the time, creativity and innovation, but the professional know-how and capacity to do it the right way, unless you want something sub-standard. So from the very stage of planning, coordination and research, to scripting, filming, editing and reviewing; it was a very engaging process and we had sleepless nights to accomplish the job. But thank God, it is finally done, of course not without the support of government, the President’s Office in particular; the Task Force constituted to oversee the project and all the Ministries that had contributed by granting us interviews and supplying us with vital information concerning their sectors. I must single out GRTS, for all the support, in helping us with the filming, providing us with a script editor and supplying us with relevant archival material.

POINT: It is quite suprising that this volume of professional media work can be done locally in a single production. At least we haven't seen it done here before.

FATOU: Yes, and it is for you to know now that Gambians can do more than this, even though we had a couple of non-Gambians work on some technical aspects. Sometimes, it is a question of opportunity, but Gambians are very talented people. The initiative by the President is symbolic and inspiring. By his example, it is for others to also strengthen and support the private sector as the proverbial engine of economic growth. On the other hand, local companies must also prove their mettle and demonstrate a sense of direction to earn the continuous confidence of the people. At I-Media, we strive to exemplify the true values of the progressive, modern business. This is our motivation and for many other media and PR services, we can and have been performing very well.

POINT: For you personally, how does this challenging work fit into your life, especially as a woman?

FATOU: I think with the proper mental, professional and moral orientation, this kind of responsibility should be normal for any woman. My entire life’s work has been in media and PR, and this is where I have had my training. So it is very familiar ground. The rest is a question of self motivation, discipline and sacrifice. I am just too keen about standard and quality delivery, and this is how I lead my team. At the end of the day, both ourselves and our customers are winners. And let me tell you, I don’t work with the psyche of feminist complex or anxiety. I just try to prove myself and that way, transcend the negative divides of gender.

POINT: What should viewers expect to see in the documentaries that will start airing on Sunday?

FATOU: They should expect to see a vividly visual, insightful and informative documentary that presents the concrete dimensions of governance and development in the Gambia. Our approach is expository, in international terms, 'touristic.' Countries all over the world have such promotional videos and it is timely that we are also showcasing our country and all the good things that make us unique, in the most influential global medium, which is television. One thing the audience may find interesting is the range of amazing sites and facilities in the Gambia that many may not be privileged to see except on television. It is also a terrific exhibition of our rich culture, natural resources and endowments. And until you find time to watch a documentary like this, you may not appreciate the vast investment and business potential of the Gambia. But especially for outsiders watching GRTS through satellite, it is a compelling story of the natural beauty of this country, its exciting realities and very promising future.

POINT: Will I-Media continue to handle media projects of this magnitude, given the time, resources and human capacity they take?

FATOU: Certainly. We are eager to execute such projects and execute them with the best of results. Whether they are documentaries, corporate documents, brochures, bill boards, print and electronic advertisements, or it is about text editing, speech writing, business planning, designing or event organizing; we have been handling the most widely acclaimed of media products and services. This is the feedback from our customers anyway. And talking about video documentaries, you may be interested to know that the Gambia in Motion is obviously our most high profile product, but there are others, like the one we did with the ACCP and UNDP, called ‘Climate Change: the Gambian Scenario.’ This too has an international dimension and it is supposed to be aired on both local and international media.

POINT: Finally, what's the business outlook for I-Media now and in the future?

FATOU: Our record in business has been a tremendous achievement, particularly with our recent accomplishment in the Gambian in Motion. We are inspired by the goodwill of government in working with us this far and at this level. Our relationship with our other customers in the private and public sector and in the NGO community has also been excellent, marked by unprecedented trust and confidence. But we have been able to satisfy the core values and principles of our existence as a business and as a media entity, thanks to the efficiency and professionalism of the I-Media team. I am very proud that we continue to positively represent all ambitious and well meaning young people of this country. We intend to nurture this very healthy momentum of service and hope that the future shall be bright, indeed.   

POINT:  Thank you Fatou, its good talking to you.

FATOU: Thank you.