VJ Emmy, one of Uganda’s most renowned video jockeys (VJs), shared the story of how he began interpreting local movies, with a specific focus on “Who Killed Captain Alex,” a groundbreaking Ugandan action film.
His journey into the world of translation and film interpretation began in 2013, when he was approached to translate the film.
According to VJ Emmy, his introduction to interpreting local Ugandan films (locally known as ebinauganda) was not planned.
He was given a chance to translate Who Killed Captain Alex and, as someone who believes in giving people opportunities, he decided to take it on.
The film was brought to him by a filmmaker named Nabwana, who had originally intended for another renowned Ugandan VJ, VJ Jingo, to translate the movie.
However, Jingo declined the offer, and when the team turned to another VJ, Junior, he too rejected the project.
Finally, they approached VJ Emmy with an offer of Shs50,000 to do the translation. Though Emmy was initially surprised by the low payment, having never translated a movie for that amount, he agreed to help because he saw the potential in the project.
Reflecting on his decision, VJ Emmy explained that he felt a sense of pride in contributing to a Ugandan product. Translating the movie became more than just a job for him—it was a way of adding value to his country through his craft.
