Who Is Ace Daniel?

Breaking  into the Uganda film industry is not a piece of cake. Ace Daniels is a director and a young talented film maker with famous videos like “killer portion” and “mandwa” which went viral both on the internet and on TVs. To know his journey to success, we caught up with him for an exclusive interview.

Faraja TV: Hello director Ace Daniels, how have you been?

Ace Daniels: I am fine. I have been busy with work. Shooting several videos.

Faraja TV: We have always seen your name on several music videos, who are you in general?

Ace Daniels: My real name is Ssenteza Daniel. I am a professional video and film maker known as ACE DANIELS. I was born 16th November 1998, raised from Kampala, in Kyanja, Nakawa Division. My dad’s name is Kalibala Patrick and my mother is Nankya Sarah. As a child, I loved dancing and my mother used to say I was going to be a dancer when I grow up. I was a little bit stubborn and wise only that I had a bad habit of stealing mathematical sets from fellow students in class and stealing sugar from the bowls. Hehehe!!!

Faraja TV: How was your school life like?

Ace Daniels: I enjoyed my school life indeed! I went to ABC Primary and Nursery School and Comprehensive College Kitetikka and Penn foster International.  In school, was a boy scout and my best subjects were Mathematics and Art. I remember teachers liked me so much because I always liked sharing with other students in class though I was stubborn and the same time humble. Every smart student could be my friend. I was a music and dance person. Much as many say we get girlfriends in high school, for me, I had none, I got her was after school.

Faraja TV: When and how did you join filming and directing music, how was the experience?

Ace Daniels: It was during high school, 2013 by then the Ugandan industry had small and low standard resources for filming. I remember the Sony Cyber-shot camera DSC-W70 is the one I first held. I made three music videos with it. However, the canons where already on market but I hadn’t met them. So straight talk club introduced MAISHA and I happened to be one of the school representatives to be always taken to the Uganda National Theatre in the schools’ short films competitions. We were many schools, and we all learnt many basic things about film making. Our school lost but that was just a steppingstone for me, I instead kept doing more research and focused on exercising myself again and again till now. On August 16, 2016, I released a video “Mandwa by Jim Nola MC” and it made my first breakthrough. It was followed by “Tompitako – Lil Joe ft Levixone” _ “#KO by Maro” _ “Killer Potion by Nince Henry” and many others

Faraja TV: Directors are fond of picking lovers from the vixens they use in the videos, are you one?

Ace Daniels: Hehehe!! I am a man who respects women. I choose only one that my heart fully falls for. And by the way, I am not even afraid to mention that I have a person I love and that person is called Alinda Shalline. Although we are not yet married, I hope that any time, we are going to seal it.

Faraja TV: How has Covid19 treated you?

Ace Daniels: It has been a little hectic. During the lockdown, it was hard to shoot videos because there was a restriction on movement. But since I trust in God and patience, I managed to survive.

Faraja TV: What would you change if you were a political leader in Uganda?

Ace Daniels: I wouldn’t want to answer that please.

Faraja TV: Who would you credit for this successful career?

Ace Daniels:  Yes of course. I have a few but first, its Mr. Ssenteza Daniel [Ace Daniels] coz I believed in myself when no one did for a long time, hehehe!! Then Straight Talk Foundation for paving way for me to rise.  My first-time using cameras was after joining the club, that was at Comprehensive College Kitetikka and I remember our club was always among the best two straight talk clubs in Uganda till the time I left college. There are also other many people I credit and cherish.

Faraja TV: How have you influenced your fellow youths?

Ace Daniels: A film/video director controls a film/video’s artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, production design and all the creative aspects of the making. Well I have personally educated and helped many models/actors reach their goals by creating a general vision for them to follow. And part of my work is to motivate and inspire the people I always work with. However, this work I do employ not only the production crew but also many others.

Faraja TV: What type of music videos do you direct?

Ace Daniels: They are two types of music videos and I do both; Concept Music Videos and Narrative Music Videos, but I choose what to do according to the song and client’s interest. A concept video is very different from Performance and Narrative videos, this is since concept videos have no storyline and usually does not relate to the lyrics. However, in most concept music videos there is either some sort of small performance or narrative so that the audience can somehow understand the music video without being too confused. Concept video is merely based on the artists ideas, it expands their creativity within the song.

Faraja TV: What are some of your likes and dislikes?

Ace Daniels: I like funny minds, thinking like a kid and sometimes I just pay attention to the world. That’s really what has addicted me as a director: the aspect of working with so many great people. And then comes telling stories. I love being able to tell stories and draw emotion and create an experience for the audience. When all those things come together, it’s the best feeling in the world.