'I'm too cool for this catwalk' is what Saint supermodel Kibwe McGann seems to be saying to himself as he rocks a Pablo Palair design. - File

Following the mantra 'chase what you love and the money will come', Saint International model Kibwe McGann has moved from the catwalk to behind the scenes as a director and producer of shows geared outside of Jamaica.

A modelling sensation, Kibwe, a former Wolmerian, has made waves locally and internationally living every model's dream. Having lived in South Africa for a year, Kibwe has shot major catalogues such as Foschini, Woolworth and others. He also appeared in many leading fashion magazines such as GQ and Drum, and has also been booked by Puma for a successful cologne campaign.

With countless years on billboards, in advertisements, walking the runway and in magazines behind him, two years ago Kibwe closed his chapter on fashion and has since moved on to a new passion.

Kibwe's latest chapter has taken him to hosting duties on CVM's Saint's 'Faces of Summer', a short stint hosting the BET Awards, coverage for RE TV and now producing countless programmes. When The Gleaner spoke with Kibwe recently, he was over-flowing with enthusiasm for his current projects and the work that has taken him along this path.

Interest in production

"Every time I would be on a set or on a commercial, which I did a lot of, I would always wonder what's going on with the cameraman. What's going on behind the scenes cause it seemed much more interesting. It's hard for me to drive by a production of any kind and not wonder what's going on," Kibwe said.

Three years ago, Kibwe took that interest to the next level, interning at various locations and following Saint boss Deiwght Peters to planning and sponsorship meetings to see what life beyond the stage was like. With a degree in economics, Kibwe soon realised that the Jamaican market was saturated with producers and decided to push Caribbean culture outside of his country.

"In 2007, I got the opportunity to partner on a project that evolved around racing. The show was called 'Jam Speed Adrenaline Rush' and aired on CVM. We followed 21 rookies vying to be a rally driver. I travelled to ESPN's head office to see how they filmed the dynamics of racing cars, and I brought them from home in Jamaica to the Barbados Rally which is the biggest racing event in the Caribbean. This was something that wasn't done before."

Creative experiences

From CVM, Kibwe followed his love to American station BETJ where he hosted and produced 'Wicked Style', a two-hour Caribbean lifestyle programme. The show ran for three seasons and, according to Kibwe, earned him countless creative experiences.

With BETJ changing its name to Centric, Kibwe is poised to replace his show with a whole new programme tentatively called 'Ocean Splash'. The show is a joint effort between Centric and Ocean Style Magazine. Filmed across the Caribbean, the show will be hosted by Miss Jamaica Universe 2009 Caroline Yapp, Miss World Barbados Leah Marville and from Trinidad, Saint model Crystal Cunningham .

He said, "We're planning on making the show very sexy, fun. We filmed the pilot episode in Barbados, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic so there's a complete Caribbean feel. Wyclef (Jean) even invited us to go to Haiti to film his charity work there."

While Kibwe strives to do Caribbean broad-based work, he couldn't resist the lure of live television. So when Executive Producer of Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall, Mark Kenny, invited Kibwe to direct the show, he was eager to join the team in its second season.

"I wanted to learn the dynamics of live television and I was responsible this year for the story of Poor and Boasy. I found his love and desire for music despite being on the streets and thought it was an awesome story. One that carried him through the competition and it really was the best year voting wise for the show. I will also be working with the third season," he said.

Passion

Kibwe says the key to his success has been his passion for what he does and his willingness to work hard and to learn. While tackling all these projects as well as owning his own business, Kibwe spends a lot of time reading online about production and directing.

And while offers have been thrown at him for music videos, including directing a video in Jamaica for international star Fergie, he prefers the time spent telling a story.

He said, "Oprah once said don't do stuff for money, chase what you love and money will come."

Currently, Kibwe also has two documentaries working on, one called Passport 246, which follows the journey of Miss Barbados Leah Marville. Kibwe will soon be going to South Africa for the finals to finish that project. He also plans to do a documentary on street children in Jamaica and plans to involve Poor and Boasy in the project.

High praises

While Kibwe has moved on from modelling, he still has high praises for his roots which he credits as giving him the platform and has opened doors for him in the business. Saint boss Deiwght Peters also had high praises for his former model saying, "Kibwe is a very hard worker, passionate about what he does and very loyal. I am very proud of what he is trying to achieve and I have offered my support in anyway he needs to take him to the next level. He also loves what he is doing and that is important in this business."

One day, Kibwe believes he will reach the heights filming documentaries for the likes of HBO, MTV and major International networks.