CRITIQUE ON BEBA BEBA

BEBA BEBA
INTRODUCTION
This critique was done by Beryl Oywer. Beba Beba is a local comedy aired on NTV (Nation Television) on Tuesday night from 8:30-9:00p.m. The programme is approximately twenty minutes excluding the advertisements. The programme targets the youth of Kenya because of the use of Sheng language and also the matatu used is a hip one because of the graffiti present. The programme evolves around:
i) Mr. Tembo. A middle aged man who tries to juggle parenthood and at the same time make sure his Matatu business (hence the title of the programme) does not run to the ground as it is his main source of livelihood.
ii) Mrs. Tembo. She is Mr. Tembo’s wife and she is a housewife and her character is to solve the family problems and make sure the house is in order.
iii) Angel. She is their firstborn daughter in her early thirties. She is goal oriented and will not let anything or anyone come in between her and her future plans.
iv) Job. Their last born son. He has just completed his secondary education and is trying to discover himself. He wants to be a famous rapper in future. He believes that education is not for him. He has attended many colleges and is yet to find what suits him. He is constantly trying to prove to his parents that he can make it in the entertainment industry especially as a local musician of which they are totally opposed to.
v) Sifrosa. Mrs.Tembo’s friend. She is also a business woman and a staunch Christian. She believes in equality as she is always trying to solve people’s quarrels amicably. She is generous as she is living with her niece who is an orphan.
vi) Vokezz. He is the matatu’s conductor. He enjoys his job as he is always concerned when the boss (Mr. Tembo) does not want them to work. He is optimistic as he has hopes for one day becoming something better in life but for now he is content. He makes the programme livelier with his altered language (sheng) that always leaves people stunned and confused.
vii) Banda. He is the matatu’s driver. When the boss is not around he acts like the boss and bosses Vokezz around. He sounds more intelligent than vokezz which he uses as an upper hand to intimidate others. Just like Vokkezz loves his job but aspires to be something better in future.
viii) General. He is Mr. and Mrs. Tembo’s neighbor. He is quite annoying and spends most of his day in their house. He is an old man who has retired. He is always trying to solve other people’s problems instead of first solving his. This is finding something to do after retirement.
ix) Majengo. He is a maize seller along the way. He is always making fun of the working class who pass by to buy maize and at the same time pour all their troubles to him. He is a self pronounced therapist.





CRITIQUE ONE
SEASON 2: EPISODE 3
The episode starts with Mr. Tembo and Mrs. Tembo arguing about the matatu business and how it is not fetching a lot of money like it used to. What they do not know is that Vokkez and Banda have been putting aside some money for their own personal gain and blaming it on the rise in fuel prices. After that Angel goes to Jobo’s room to find out why he was still sleep and it was past his time for going to college. She finds him lying on the bed in pain so she quickly rushes to the nearest hospital to get an ambulance to take him to hospital. Along the way she meets Majengo who has been lied to by Banda and Vokkez that he is dying because of a misinterpretation of his blood test results. He therefore decides to do everything he has ever wanted to do before he kicks the bucket. Angel explains to him the results and he leaves very angry at Banda and Vokkez for lying to him. When she comes back to the house she finds Jobo playing his guitar and not looking as sick as he did earlier. She confronts him angrily for lying about his sickness because he did not want to go to college and do an exam he had not prepared for.
The theme of the episode is deceit. This is because of the lying that goes around the episode. The episode starts inside the house and there is some indoor illumination because of the presence of shadows of the actors. Outside the house the key light used is the sun because the programme is shot approximately at noon when the sun is directly above them and also by the look of the shadows indicates the time of shooting.
There is the start up music or introduction music which is the same for all the following episodes. The music is from a popular local musician which attracts the attention of their target audience who are the youth. The song is also comedy like hence best suited for the show. There is use of zoom in when they were concentrating on something and zoom out to show the matatu going away to show that it has gone a far distance. When Angel was talking while walking with Majengo there was use of tracking shots and also the use of nose room shots. There is also the use of studio cameras which are normally used to shoot sequels and are of high quality for television use. The microphones used both outside and inside the house are dynamic because they are magnetic and don’t need outside source of power and is also Omni-directional because the sitting position is arranged in that they are sited in a circle that is around the sitting room table. The transmission from one story line to another is flawless as one does not notice the change meaning their editing techniques are good. The editing technique used is most probably computer software called cool-edit pro.









CRITIQUE 2
SEASON 2: EPISODE 4
The theme of this episode was on The Fight for Animal Rights. The family decided to invite their friends for a small get-together. Mr. Tembo decided to treat them to some goat meat. Jobo was totally against the idea of slaughtering the goat because he believed that all animals had rights therefore they should not slaughter it. Everyone else was in disagreement and couldn’t wait for the feast. He tries everything including hiding the goat so as to avoid its demise. Which he fails miserably. At the same time Angel finds a lonely kitten along the way and decides to bring it back home. The parents are totally against it and she decides to keep it against their wishes by hiding it in her room. When the mum finds out she throws it away and she is very saddened claiming that it will probably die out there.
The episode is acted mainly in the house with the family still debating on weather to slaughter the goat or not. There is indoor lighting which creates the mood of homeliness this is determined by the shadows and also because it is a comedy it needs to be bright to show happiness. The microphones used are Omni-directional as their voices are of the same pitch and it can pick sound waves from all directions since they are sited around the coffee table. In the outside scenes there are a lot of sound distortions because of the interference by strong winds hence the sound quality becomes poorer as one struggles to get what the actor is saying. The lighting outside is the use of sunlight. To create a comical effect there is presence of funny sounds especially when Jobo goes to hide the goat also when Angel is hiding the kitten and then Mrs. Tembo throwing it out. The use of trucking shots following Angel as she carried the kitten to their house. There was use of dolly-in and dolly-out which is the smooth movement of the camera from Jobo to Mr. Tembo when they were arguing weather to slaughter the goat or not. One cannot realize the camera movements because of continuity of the action. There are also close-ups especially when a specific actor is talking and when they want to show all of them in the room there is use of wide shots or long shots.
The introduction music or start up music is the same as the previous episode also the ending music is similar. They are both comedy like hence emphasizing on the genre. The editing is done by use of computer software called cool-edit pro.












CRITIQUE 3
SEASON 2: EPISODE 5
The theme of the episode is about teenage dating. Jobo falls in love with Generali’s niece. After getting bad advice from Vokezz and Banda he gathers up his courage and decides to go and let her know about his feelings. She is skeptical about him at first but later on decides to give a try. When Generali discovers about their love his against the whole relationship because he knows Jobo’s behavior and claims that he will influence his niece badly.
Angel on the other hand is being forced by her friends to start dating because she has all the qualities a man would want in a woman. Which are: she is beautiful, young, intelligent and independent. But despite all this she still declines claiming that she is still young and is not ready for a relationship and the problems it brings along. She would therefore rather focus on her career and later on engage herself in a relationship.
There is a lot of use of trucking shots because three quarters of the episode is acted outside. Especially when Jobo is talking to Vokezz and Banda as he paces up and down trying to gather up his courage to go and talk to Generali’s niece and also as he walks towards the house. The source of light is primarily the sun and it was most probably shot at noon due to the presence of short shadows. There is zooming in when Angel’s features are being discussed by her friends the camera zooms in to focus on her. This is done hand in hand with medium shots as her image fills the screen. There is use of High Definition cameras which are suitable for Television. There is use of close-up shots when Jobo is talking to Generali’s niece but when Generali comes into focus it changes to a wide shot showing all the three characters.
The introduction music or start up music is the same as the previous episode also the ending music is similar. They are both comedy like hence emphasizing on the genre. The editing is done by use of computer software called cool-edit pro.















CRITIQUE 4
SEASON 2: EPISODE 6
The theme of episode six was craftiness and how people doing blue-collar jobs have to result to some crafty ways just to survive. Vokeez and Banda took the matatu for its regular servicing which is done once per month to the mechanic. The car oil was to be changed and other things like the brakes checked before the public service vehicle was out on the road. Instead of the mechanic changing the oil, he drained it out and filtered it to apparently remove the impurity which is impossible. He later returns the same oil to the car and to add to that he mixes it with vegetable oil which he argues makes the oil fresher and adds flavor. When Banda goes for the car to carry passengers he starts smelling something funny. After a few minutes the car stalls and it refuses not only to move but also to start. He immediately calls Vokezz and they push it all the way back to the mechanic who later on explains to them what he did. He claims that he was trying to save them some money by filtering the oil which was cheaper than buying new oil. They are furious and make him drain the oil and put a new one without pay.
The start up or introductory music is the same as the previous episode to create consistency in that whenever one hears that song their minds immediately relate to the programme and they switch their attention to watch it. The ending song is also similar to the previous episode. This episode is mainly shot outside with the sun as the source of lighting. Time of shoot is probably at noon because of the short shadows. The use of bright light creates the illusion or brings up the mood of happiness and joy it also helps brighten up the audience. There is presence of background music when mechanic is filtering the oil and mixing it with vegetable oil making the scene more hilarious. There is use of fast forward on that scene because the process of filtration is long and would have cost them time. Which in this case is very limited to content and getting the desired effect. The use of close-up shots when Banda is talking to the mechanic and he is the one in focus but when the camera man wants to show both of them talking s/he uses a wide shot. Full shot is used when we Vokezz arrives and we can see the three actors plus the matatu. The trucking shots used when the vehicle is moving and then the camera man zooms-out to show that it had gone a far distance. When the matatu stalls the shot is back to close-up. Since the entire episode was shot outside there are a lot of distortions from the microphone used because of the wind. The microphone used is Omni-directional as it picks sound from all directions that are unnecessary.
The introduction music or start up music is the same as the previous episode also the ending music is similar. They are both comedy like hence emphasizing on the genre. The editing is done by use of computer software called cool-edit pro.








CRITIQUE 5
SEASON 2: EPISODE 7
The theme of this episode was theft. Jobo stole his father’s old records which he sells to some collectors who are ready to pay a large sum of money for them. He stealthily sneaks into his parent’s room who have been pretending to be asleep to steal the records. No sooner is he outside the door than the lights are switched on and in shock he throws the records which later fall and break. Mr. Tembo is furious and is at the verge of strangling his son. Mrs. Tembo who was also shocked but calmer orders Jobo out of the room for her to talk to her husband and calm him.
Meanwhile Banda and Vokeez need quick cash to pay for some loan they took from one of their friends during the Christmas holiday. All their efforts are proving futile so they had no choice but to resort to theft. Since Majengo recently started selling chicken besides his maize they reason that he will still survive even if he lost a few chicken. They come up with a plan. They trick him to go and buy credit for them in a kiosk claiming they can not go because they owe the kiosk owner. Since he is their friend he agrees to it and they promise to watch over his business while he was gone. After two minutes when they are sure that he can’t see them they start untying the chickens and make a run for it. They get a buyer and sell them at a throw away price just to go a few miles and meet with Majengo who was watching them from a distance. They are tongue-tied and have to get back the chickens from Sifrosa who is reluctant to return them at that price.
The episode begins with a shot in the bedroom and to create the illusion of darkness there is use of dim light. The camera man uses trucking shots following Jobo as he stealthily walks towards the records. The music used is for suspense and keeps the viewer at the edge wondering whether or not he will be caught. When Mr. Tembo suddenly opens the lights there is a pose for a moment and the volume of the music becomes much higher. The suspense creates a shock and immediately after Jobo drops the Records because of the shock he gets. It leaves the audience wondering what next? When the lights are turned the camera man uses a full shot as we can see all the actors plus the entire room.
In the other scene there is use of two-shot when Vokezz and Banda were conversing and also use of trucking shots because they were moving. Since the scene is shot outside the sun is the source of lighting. It was probably shot during noon due to the shadows. When they reach Majengo the focus changes to a close up as he is the one speaking. The background music is comical and it makes the whole situation of chicken theft funny. The scene is fast forwarded to show the rush of Banda and Vokezz trying to untie the chicken before Majengo returns. But after being caught the music changes abruptly to a more dangerous one indicating the trouble in which Banda and Vokezz were in. The camera zooms in on Majengo’s face to show the anger by giving us an extreme close up.
The introduction music or start up music is the same as the previous episode also the ending music is similar. They are both comedy like hence emphasizing on the genre. The editing is done by use of computer software called cool-edit pro.




CRITIQUE 6
SEASON 2: EPISODE 8
The theme of this episode is about Business and the key to Success is Customer Satisfaction. Mr. Tembo decides to check in on his business. He realizes that the reason his matatu is not fetching a lot of money is because Vokezz and Banda are not treating the customers well. He wants them to change their habits which they find very difficult because then customers will get used to it and if they will lose respect from the other matatu drivers and touts plying the same route. Mr. Tembo proposes that they should greet the customer before s/he enters the vehicle and incase s/he has a heavy luggage they should offer to carry it for them. To add to that the driver should wait till all the customers are seated for them to start movement cause the abruptness in which they move can cause someone to fall consequently they will not choose to board the same vehicle after such an experience.
In other scenes Majengo decides to improve the quality of his maize by having different flavors so as to create a range for one to choose from. To add to that he decides to do house deliveries for his customers bringing the product closer and making it convenient for his customers. He puts up a big Billboard written “I MAKE HOUSE DELIVERIES 24 HOURS A DAY ‘NA KIBOGOYO NI SARE’”. This is quite hilarious and Jobo makes fun of him asking him how he will sell maize for twenty four hours.
The introduction music or start up music is the same as the previous episode also the ending music is similar. They are both comedy like hence emphasizing on the genre. The editing is done by use of computer software called cool-edit pro.
Both scenes are acted outside with the use of the sun as the primary source of lighting. They are both shot at noon due to the presence of the short shadows. The bright lighting is used to create the mood of joy or happiness. In the first scene there is use of a long or wide shot to show the three actors that is Mr.Tembo, Banda and Vokezz talking. By the use of dolly in the camera man changes the orientation of the scene but still showing all three actors. This later on changes to a medium shot not filling the entire screen and showing less of the physical environment. When Mr. Tembo is giving Banda and Vokezz the guidelines to better customer treatment the camera man uses a close up shot on him removing the rest on focus. The microphones used are dynamic because they do not need an external power source. They are also Omni-directional because it receives signals from all three actors who when arguing talk at the same time. Their arrangement in a semi-circle also confirms this.
In other scenes the billboard put up by Majengo is quite hilarious and the camera man gets an extreme close-up on it filling the screen and giving the audience a chance to read it. The background music used is also funny adding to the comical effect. When Jobo arrives the Camera shot immediately changes to a two shot of him and Majengo conversing. When Jobo is trying to explain to Majengo that his idea will not work there is an extreme close up as his face fills the screen. When Jobo gives up trying to convince Majengo to forget his silly idea he walks away and the camera zooms out showing how far he has gone.




GLOSSARY
Kibogoyo-someone without teeth
Matatu- Kiswahili word for public service vehicle
Sheng- a language as a result of mixture of the English language and Kiswahili language
Hip- a current trend
Sare- something that is given out for free