What's Good Studio in Nairobi, Kenya
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Pinterest
Written by Bryant Frazer for StudioDaily
GoodMakers Films is a production company with a mission. Leveraging the storytelling chops of co-founders Tilo Ponder and Cris Blyth, GoodMakers aims to bring new exposure to worthy charities, non-government organisations and marginalised communities through documentaries and community projects. Ponder had worked previously on multimedia advertising campaigns and her husband, Blyth, was a commercial director, animator, editor and VFX artist, but both of them were eager for a change that would make them feel like they were contributing more to the greater good. They just didn't realise at the time how dedicated they would become to that cause. We asked Blyth Five Questions about GoodMakers Films and its work with not-for-profit groups and youth-led organisations in Kenya and beyond.
--
Your motto is increasing charity impact through documentary films. How do you accomplish that?
Cris Blyth: There are many charities or NGOs out there. Some of them don't need help; they have good messaging and good stories that get them donations to further their cause. However, we found that there were some great NGOs that didn't know how to tell their stories effectively and were always working hard to get funds to sustain themselves. As filmmakers, we can find the right way of telling the story to appeal to an international donor base, which is important because many of these community charities are based in developing countries.
We made an effort to leverage our storytelling expertise to benefit charities and create meaningful impact. We vetted different causes, raised funds, and planned trips to spend time with the charity founders. We got to interact with their communities and translate their value proposition into compelling short documentaries. It was - and still is - a great success. Using the short documentaries to reach international donors, the charities have not only raised awareness of their existence but have taken in considerable donations. It has had an immeasurable impact on us personally and on the charities we seek to help.
Initially based in Los Angles, we balanced our efforts by working our regular jobs for around nine months of the year and taking about three months to go film and edit the projects. Over the first couple of years, the 70-30 split became 60-40, then 50-50. At that point, we realized that a change might be coming for us.
How do you discover and select the subjects for your films?
After our first film, we found that people came to us. We were connected to other networks like Creative Visions, a group that, among other things, does a great job of connecting the right activists and donors to the right projects. That said, we are careful about which projects we take on. We look for NGOs that have an end goal and a game plan to either do the work and expand, or replace themselves as they grow and help others. After a few years, we also had other corporate social-responsibility projects from the likes of Southwest Airlines and Ericsson. We also had incredibly helpful tech partners such as Red Digital Cinema, Sony, Drobo, and NewTek to help us along. Without that help, it would have been incredibly difficult to finance the work.
Tell us about a recent project and how it successfully raised awareness of a specific cause or community.
Our most recent project has been a complete shift for us - to Kenya! My wife, Tilo, was asked to work on the 2013 presidential elections by the Kenya Red Cross and its partners, which culminated in a peace campaign called Chagua Peace - something that was especially needed after the violence of the 2007-2008 Kenya elections. During the same period, our GoodMakers Films team worked with local youth to hold Kenya's first Youth Town Hall, giving young Kenyans from marginalsed communities a voice to discuss issues of concern that impacted their daily lives, including health care, education, skills training, and concerns over corruption. This project was a great success and led Tilo to realise that the youth in Kenya didn't really have a voice in matters of governance and civic engagement. That's when she really discovered what talent there was here in Kenya - talent that we realised could find presence through video, radio, and TV. So we decided to stay and do something about it.
Over the past four years, we've built a youth-culture platform that encompasses radio, TV, and blog posts - all online, and all written and produced by our young staff. It's called What's Good Networks. We are now East Africa's leading digital content studio and aim to become the premium entertainment platform celebrating Africa's youth culture globally. We were the first to live-stream back when most Kenyans didn't have a smartphone. So we were early to be on time. We have always served a mobile-first audience with a focus on under-30 consumers who get their media predominantly online. Our writers, editors, camera people, producers, and hosts create and produce original shows. We guide them by training them in all aspects of production, and we maintain an international standard to ensure our content will be consumed globally. Kenya TV is still in SD - yes, standard definition PAL. However, everything we make is in HD. NewTek supplied us with a TriCaster 8000 system, which really allowed us to work efficiently and deliver quality products that we can all be proud of. One of the shows we make, ShengTalk, is based entirely on the popular urban informal settlement language Sheng. The show is very popular. We've known the hosts since they were 14 years old and now, all grown up, they are rising celebrities in their own right.
However, it's incredibly difficult doing something new like th
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
05/05/2026
SVG is proud to announce Warner Bros. Discovery's Techwood Studios in Atlant...
05/05/2026
With no operator required, AutoMic workflow automates talent identification on U...
05/05/2026
A crash in 2015 set the industry back, but this winter proved that drones are he...
05/05/2026
Another year, and more proof that Asia continues to shape some of the world's most exciting new sounds. This year's RADAR artists draw from deep local r...
05/05/2026
The Austin City Limits Music Fest 2026 lineup just dropped, and this year, Spoti...
05/05/2026
New drum machine book campaign incoming
Bjooks have announced that during Superbooth 2026, they will be launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund the product...
05/05/2026
Flagship all-in-one production bundle updated
The latest version of Native Instruments' flagship virtual instrument and plug-in bundle has just been ann...
05/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host RF Testing Innovations Forum 2026, helping design engine...
05/05/2026
L3Harris provides communications, electronic warfare, sensors and mission systems that enable Virginia-class submarine crews to operate with confidence in conte...
05/05/2026
The company grew by 7.6% in net revenue and 16.3% in EBITDA, achieving a 33% inc...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
What's Good Studio in Nairobi, Kenya
