by Susan Osiche in Nairobi, Kenya
Please check us out on TikTok and Instagram @thegreattitisabird!
Enjoy our animated Season 1 Trailer, and stay tuned for TGTIAB’s animated pilot episode in 2023.
💃 Behind the Scenes💃
A tidbit from the show: “A FANCY HELMET THAT COULD SCAN THE KIDS’ BRAINS AT HOME’’😲🥺 In Episode 2, Renella is being used to recruit vulnerable girls from Nsiitu for menial labor.
🌏 In the Real World 🌍
On this, we talk with one of the key players from The Great Tit is a Bird: Paula Hung-Palmer, Story and Audio Editor.
“I am from Virginia, but I now do work in DC and New York City. Primarily I’m a student, majoring in film and TV production with concentrations in writing and directing films. I try to combine activism, storytelling and drawing from my own experiences to tell stories that are really heartfelt and representative.
“The Great Tit is a Bird, to me, feels like a very powerful story.
“It’s a story that doesn’t really pull its punches, I think, and it feels incredibly aware of the world that we live in and the world that we are reflective of. because it’s science fiction, it draws from real world science and technology and the implications that science and technology have on the social world we know. Since science and technology interconnect everything it really highlights the interconnections and intersectionality of a lot of the social issues that we face, so I think The Great Tit is a Bird really emphasizes all of that, and it’s really powerful in doing that.
“I am an intern, but also the story and audio editor! So we get a whole bunch of feedback from different people who have been listening to the audio and watching our animations, and I sort of take that feedback to incorporate it into editing the story and editing the audio to deliver a more finished product. I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is just how collaborative the creative process can be working together and getting other people’s ideas. You now have a group of people who can feed into ideas and make things better, and you can get crazy ideas and also some really good ones!
“You know, but all of that comes together, making each other’s work better, which is such a great thing to be a part of. One of my biggest interests is that this kind of work perfectly fits the niche of the work I eventually want to do myself, combining real world elements of activism and advocacy with storytelling, So being able to work on a project like this so early in my career, you know, is so great and it’s something I feel so grateful for, I’m now always thinking back to what are the real world implications, who’s being affected by this, who’s being benefited by this, who’s had these experiences, and you always want to be sensitive about all of that, that’s something I’m learning now, and that’s really great experience to get because there’s so much more going on, than even what I thought beforehand.
“I find the realism of it to be incredibly compelling. There’s this realness to it that makes the characters really relatable. I could understand what it is that they’re going through, the emotions that they’re processing, even with all these more crazy fantastical elements it’s still grounded and has a consequence that brings real feelings. And that just sort of sucks you in, it gives this weight that I think just draws you in and keeps you in.
“My biggest advice for the audience is: if you listen and you relate to it and you enjoy The Great Tit is a Bird, do something with that energy! Take it into real life and do something local like talk to your neighbors and talk to the people around you. Change can really be impactful by starting really personal, starting small and it feels little, but it makes a huge difference in the end. And also: share the show!”
💗SUSAN’S INSIGHTS 💗
🤨 Many vulnerable girls in our communities go through so much due to poverty and this is the reason why when they are approached even before thinking what’s all about, they would want to join because at the end of the day all they want is opportunities to try and fend for their families. They will do this even without thinking of their safety and this is why people will always take advantage of them and use them for their personal interests. To learn more about Susan’s work at Inua Kike (Women Rising in Kiswahili), connect with Inua Kike on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
🐣🤹❤️🧡💚
Happy Holidaze from The Great Tit is a Bird!! 🦜🐦
🥳💜🌍💚🧡💕
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