You may have seen the pilot for the BBC 3 series Enterprice earlier this year, a show created, starring and written by Kayode Ewumi. Well, this Thursday it returns with a new series following the escapades of business partners Kazim and Jeremiah whilst attempting to run their delivery service, Speedi-Kazz.
Kayode Ewiumi is better known for his character creation R.S or Roll Safe, star of 2015’s Hood Documentary, the viral mockumentary which has currently surpassed 3.4 million views on YouTube and went on to be picked up by BBC3.
GRM were lucky enough to catch up with the star as three weeks of filming for the new series wrapped.
How did the concept of the show come about?
“Whilst shooting Hood Documentary, some ideas for this show first came to me. Later, I was at my friend’s house and I called my agent saying I had an idea which surrounds these two guys setting up a business together, she then told me to watch the show Silicon Valley.
The idea just stayed there for a while and then when Hood Doc was done I said I didn’t want to do R.S anymore, so the BBC said to me and my friend who I created the show with that they wanted to hear from us individually and as a collective about more of the kind of stories we want to tell.
I’d also watched a show called Atlanta which changed the whole game for me. Essentially it’s just about a guy who’s having a hard time in life when he then becomes the manager for his cousin who is a rapper. It just follows them on their journies. I liked their social commentary on America at that time, so I wanted to tell my own social commentary on these two young black boys in London just walking around, with things happening in their area. Watching (Atlanta) gave me the drive to create a simple story, it pushed me to another level.”
What themes are explored in the series?
“We look at themes of family and class definitely.
My girlfriend’s upbringing was quite different to mine, she was raised in Sidcup and went to grammar school, but she picked up on that when she watches a lot of shows on TV nothing reflects her experiences as a black middle-class girl. I said it would be quite cool to just look at two young black boys who are going through different kinds of experiences without guns or knives in South East London. Of course, that exists, but we wanted to talk about families, relationships, class and businesses, particularly black-owned businesses. One thing I really wanted to look at is seeing more actors of colour on the screen, that was a conscious decision.
I’m heavily involved in the casting process. I need to thank the production team here as they let me do what I need to do but were also honest with me, it’s a great balance.”
Did you discover scriptwriting at the same time you discovered acting?
“I discovered writing when I was at university. I wrote a play called An African Tale for a module and I got a first for it, this is whilst studying theatre and professional practice. Then in my third year, I wrote another play and got a first for that also so was I was like oh I can do this, it just takes time. I realised I could take it to next level.
I have been acting since a kid, I was always interested in theatre performance.”
What advice do you have for those aspiring to get into acting or writing?
“My advice for those aspiring to be writers is to tell the stories you want to tell not the stories you think should be told. For actors, you should also go and see everything possible in theatres. When I was younger I had a hunger unseen to man, I went and saw everything. That’s why Enterprice is how it is because I was so interested in comedy at a young age I can see and hear when it’s not working.
I don’t like going out much or to the industry type events you have to attend, I just like writing scripts and acting, that’s it. Just be all about your craft.”
Do you have a set process when you’re writing?
“I try and say I’m going to write an episode in a day. I write in beats and generally first write out what basically happens within a day in an episode, once I have my structure I then procrastinate and don’t write for weeks until we’re close to shooting. I work well under pressure, I like the intensity and work better under deadlines. I don’t miss deadlines, but I prefer working close to them. I was born and raised on pressure, I get a rush.”
In your Ted Talk you mentioned that your dad didn’t think there was space for black British actors on TV, has he changed his mind?
“I think so yeah, they’re proud. It’s an emotional feeling.
But there is space now, now you have social media. There’s a lot of people doing their thing now, there’s people like Michael Dapaah using these online platforms to push themselves. Now you decide what you want to watch, growing up there were only five channels and they tell you what you’re going to see at 7pm. In Emmerdale, Eastenders, Coronation Street you weren’t seeing black people, but now you can decide and look for them yourself.”
With Hood Documentary and your earlier work, would you say you put a higher importance on social media back then in comparison to now?
“Social media’s a funny one, it played a big part in my rise and in Hood Documentary and it got me a following. But I also felt that for myself, my sanity and for my way of working it’s not for me, I’m not a fan of social media as much.
It will still have a big part to play for Enterprice and I’m aware of that. I found out about Atlanta on Twitter you know! There’s so much power in it. Personally, I made a decision to not get involved. I need it for the show, and I’ll use it to the best of my ability to push it via social media. I try not to dabble in it, I just focus on writing scripts.”
Even though you grew up in Elephant and Castle where the series was filmed was there anything new you discovered about the area?
“That I live in one of the best places in the world. I discovered that.
The first treatment for the show was set in Tottenham but Phil (Gilbert, the show’s producer) said why don’t you base it where you from? You know the place.
It meant so much to me to do something positive somewhere that means something to me. Enterprice holds such a place in my heart, it’s just about two boys who are trying to make it, anyone can relate to that story. They go through issues in their life, as everyone does, but it’s not easy. That’s what Enterprice is, it’s the story of hope.”
Enterprice debuts as a box set online on BBC3 this Thursday 29th November, the first episode will then be shown on BBC One on Friday 30th November.