Tukifikiria kuhusu kufanya vitu vikubwa, most of the time we think of people like Mohammed Dewji, Mark Zukerberg, Elon Musk and the like. Lakini tuna vijana hapa hapa Tanzania wanaofanya mambo makubwa katika sekta ya teknolojia.

What started off as a mere passion to tell a story, went viral and made this man think even bigger. Kijana huyu si mwingine, bali ni Princely.

Princely Glorious is the Co- Founder and Director of Strategy and Storytelling at OnaStories Group, a digital storytelling company.

OnaStories works in the future of storytelling. They’re pioneering the field of immersive storytelling in Tanzania through virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and a range of 360 visual content (360 live streaming, underwater 360, 360 drone filming and animation).

“What we do is a technology of immersive media where we allow someone to be a part of the experience, example when you wear that VR glass, you won’t just be viewing the video, you will feel like you are (IN) the video,” said Glorious.

HOW ONASTORIES STARTED 

Glorious says, “We started OnaStories officially by being registered in 2017, even though the ideation and trials started since 2016.”

 OnaStories was co-founded by two people, Tulanana Bohela and Princely himself.

The story of how or even why is started is whats even more interesting.

Glorious anatuambia kuwa alianza na kutengeneza video kuhusu Tanzania kuhamishia makao makuu yake Dodoma. Kwenye video hiyo, aliangazia je ni kwanini Rais Hayati Magufuli alitaka kufanya hivyo? Je wazo hilo ni lake au lilitokea wapi? Na mengineyo. Video hiyo ilikuwa na 5 minutes.

In one week, more than 58thousand people were reached, more than 1100 people shared and it was viewed 14thousand times on YouTube, in all brand-new accounts. That was a ticking starting point for him, wakaona uhitaji wa story kama hizo kwa hadhira ya kiTanzania.

“Lengo letu kuu hapo lilikuwa kuanzisha kampuni ili kusaidia kampuni zingine, sio tu zilizozoeleka kutoa habari pamoja na businesses, NGOs, indivuduals mbalimbali waweze kutoa simulizi zenye kufikia walengwa wao,” aliongeza Glorious.

BEGINNING CHALLENGES NA SOLUTIONS

Hata hivyo, Glorious anainsist on persistence and doing what you love regardless of having expensive equipments.

“Watu wengi ambao ni beginners huona kama kutokuwa na equipments kama vile camera ni kikwazo, lakini sio kweli. Wakati ninaanza kutengeneza ile video ya kwanza, nilitumia video za archives, graphics na picha na kuzitengeneza kwenye computer yangu,” he said and added,

“Ukifika sasa kwenye level za juu ambapo una deal na clients mbalimbali, hapo sasa ndipo unaweza kusema uanze kuinvest kwenye equipments bora zaidi ili kuongeza value kwako na kwa mteja wako,” alisema.

PRINCELY’S ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS

Kwa wale ambao ndio kwanza wanaanza au wanataka kuanza kufanya digital storytelling, Glorious hajawaacha nyuma. Alitupa a few tips for us who are beginner in the industry.

1. START WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

Kama alivyosema Glorious, alipoanza alikuwa na laptop yake tu na vitu vinge alivipata kupitia mitandaoni. Passion is what you need.

“In a world like now, ukiwa na smartphone yako tu unaweza kufanya mengi sana. For beginners ni bora uanze na ulichonacho then utakapokua ndipo unaweza kuinvest kwenye equipments kama quality camera na mics.”

2. STUDY THE BASICS (Skills)

Focus on learning things like shooting and editing ili uweze kufanya kazi kwenye equipement ulizo nazo. Ukijikita kwenye kujifunza zaidi, hata ukipata kifaa chenye uwezo, utaweza kufanya production nzuri zaidi na kufanya kazi yako ikapendwa zaidi. Tumia huu muda kuongeza skills zako.

OPPORTUNITIES ZA DIGITAL STORYTELLING

As Glorious says, “The opportunities are endless.”

1. EVERY PERSON HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A BRAND

Siku hizi kutokana na utandawazi, una uwezo wa kujijenga wewe na career yako popote ulipo.

“As an individual, the internet is a great equalizer. The difference between me and BBC now is who can tell a better story and yes you can tell a better story than anyone else out there,” he added.

2. SELLING UNIQUENESS

Since opportunities are endless, Glorious stress youths to ask themselves what’s unique about them that they can sell online.

You need to find something to monopolize, that will be your selling point.

3. MONETIZING ON PEOPLE’S ATTENTION

 Glorious says, “The greatest currency right now is people’s attention.” 

Watu wakianza kukusikiliza wewe, hapo ndipo unaweza uka monetize. You need to focus on giving out the best content out there so people would want to get to you when they need a certain information. The more people you capitalize, the more money you are able to get from people and companies that want to reach out to your audiences.

Bottomline, digital storytelling is one creative career to explore. With the world moving more virtually, there is more to do in the digital space. Kwa kijana ambaye anataka to move forward in life, digital is a space to explore and be in. Jifunze skills mbalimbali zitakazokusaidia kunavigate career mbalimbali ndani ya digital.

Let’s meet next Wednesday katika Makala za technology, tukigusiana kuhusu maswala na watu mbalimbali wanaofanya mambo chanja katika sekta hii.