Creativity and Entrepreneurship

Business Personality: Oliver Oscar Mbamara www.olivermbamara.com

Nowhere has creativity, and entrepreneurship come together as in the business of entertainment. Film maker, Oliver Oscar Mbamara is a “Judge Entrepreneur”—a legal professional (Administrative Legal Judge for the State of New York, United States), who also is an Actor, Poet, Author, and Playwright. Trying to understand what drives Oliver to do these other things takes one to the person of Oliver Oscar Mbamara. In this interview, you will meet the personality—Oliver O. Mbamara, the entrepreneur.

How did you start off as an entertainment entrepreneur?

Actually, I don’t remember a starting point but I remember having dreams like many other children but I also practically delved into lots of creative activities as a child. I had to express my creativity as my audience grew, and I needed some sort of structure to help me reach them more easily. So, I would say, my zeal to express my creativity grew into entrepreneurship.

What was the primary motivation for starting a business?

I needed some sort of structure to help me reach my audience more easily. Also, I figured there are certain creative ideas that maybe too controversial or non-commercial for the mainstream producers or publishers to touch. To have these ideas and expressions reach the public without censor, corruption, or deformation, I had to find a way to produce or publish them myself.

Why the entertainment industry?

I have always been an artist and artistic expressions mostly find outlets through the entertainment industry. So to fulfill my passion as an artist I had to get involved with the entertainment industry.

Have you always been interested in films and acting as a child?

Yes, always been a fan of the entertainment world. I vaguely remember my first acting experience because it was at kindergarten. I know they call it concert in those days. I knew I acted in them, but I remember little more than that. In fact my parents had to remind me in casual conversations how I played roles in concert at kindergarten.

Who influenced you? –

Life generally, but my father has been of great influence in my life.

In terms of the film and TV industry, I grew up watching some local TV shows like New Masquerade, Village Headmaster, Cock Crow at Dawn, and some western shows like, Dan August, Chips, Hawai 50, The Saint, and other detective stories. At the cinemas, I loved watching detective and didactic stories such as Hercules, Shaft, James Bonds, western action stories like John Wayne, heroic war films and Chinese King Fu movies. At a point, I started thinking about getting involved and not just watching these stories. On the other hand, most of my poems and plays reflect the influence of my cultural and spiritual background.

Has it been a smooth sailing?

In a way, yes, because when you choose to be a channel for creativity and you trust and ride on the wings of God, life will always be a smooth sail despite the usual challenges. Nevertheless, the fun to create and deal with new ideas make the ride worthy and refreshing.

How did you finance your beginning?

From my meager savings. I always avoided accepting money from investors who would want to stifle my creative freedom. It was tough but I had to choose between easy money and creative freedom.

Did you do anything creative to come up with needed resources?

My creativity has been more applied to my work. In terms of applying creativity to raising resources, there are possibilities. However, the preoccupation to remain an outlet of creative work makes it difficult to follow through on those creative ideas to get the needed resources, and yet you need the resources to manifest your work. It’s like some catch 22 situation, but if asked to choose between the two, I will choose to make myself available for creativity over the pursuing of resources. Somehow, I believe the resources will come. Nevertheless, if I have an external source of resource provision, my creative output would increase, but until then one has to sacrifice and try to balance the two.

Were you prepared at the time you started the venture? Or was it on the fly?

I did not set out to start. Preparing and doing it were part of the same process. Having a venture was not the real motivation but the need to have a channel to manifest the creative resources was the actual motivation for the venture as a necessity. Creativity is always in flow. Sometimes too much preparation leads to a sort of paralysis. Spirit is always in flow and one has to be flexible to enjoy the ride like a feather rides the wind.

Were there assumptions that you had when you first started that subsequently proved to be wrong?

I don’t really remember any assumptions apart from my anticipation of success as a creative artist. I mean the anticipation of success that my content would come to be appreciated by people. That is what gives me satisfaction. That is different from an assumption of commercial success. One has to be careful about assuming commercial success and using it as a motivation because the lack of such success could stifle the drive to continue being a creative outlet. My attitude is to consider the creative content first and be grateful if it turns out to be a commercial success.

What did you learn from those assumptions?

The passion to consider the creative content and expression before commercial gain has been very paramount in my decision-making and assumptions. I believe that is what tells the artist from the businessperson. Of course, that is why some businessmen and businesswomen come into entertainment and quickly leave – either the pay/profit/return is not coming in fast before the annual account is closed or the current account shows loss and no profit. Most passionate artists that I know have been successful though financially or commercially they may not have made a lot, but they have been happy and content in their creative work. If they had any assumptions, it was that life would be great as long as they live as artists or entertainers.

What were your greatest and worst moments so far as an entrepreneur?

Tough question. I am not sure I have particular moments of such since I have always try to live in the present. Every time I complete a new work every time an expression of creativity comes through remains great to me. As for worst moments, sorry, I can hardly think of any. Perhaps, any moment my entrepreneurship becomes an impediment to my creativity could be a bad moment.

Are there things you could have done differently as an entrepreneur actor/filmmaker?

I try to do the best I can and to be content with what comes through. My perception is that there will always be room for improvement as perfection is a rarity. Only the reality of the moment would determine how I would deal with any situation.

Are there days you feel like giving up? What keeps you going?

There have been tough days but not enough to make me consider giving up. I think my passion keeps me going.

What effect(s) has your commitment in your business on your social life and family members?

The effect is tough but I try to allocate my time accordingly hoping to balance them out—a little sacrifice here, a little sacrifice there. In all, I try to sneak in some dose of fun as much as I can. It helps to relief the pressure of work.

What is your future entrepreneurship outlook? In essence, are you comfortable where you are, or do you intend to take all these to a different level?

The plus element rule suggests that there is always room for improvement. I am grateful to be where I am in the present, yet I look forward to the future with positive expectation. The journey continues.

Oliver’s recent film projects include, The Slave Warrior (2007), and This America (2005). The book version of the Slave Warrior will be out soon, and he has the part two of the This America coming out also in the near future.