• How did you become involved with the making of this music video?
  

Gerwin contact me from Netherlands and we started discussing how we can create a music video for Luckner that showcase Cape Town as backdrop.

• How did you come up with the theme or context of the music video?
  

The song lyrics, pacing and style very much influenced the concept. Myself and Gerwin discussed it during a meeting at which we presented the concept of taking the character from the corporate world and on a journey through different settings. It became even more intriguing the moment we decided to bring in Poplock dancers as the antagonists.

• What has stood out for you on this project?
  

Definitely working with such talented cast and crew. It makes the work of a director a pleasure.

• What is it about this project that attracted you into doing it?
  

I am passionate about South Africa as a country and believe we have so much to showcase to the world. I also believe that our country is more than just a backdrop for international commercials, but that we have the content, the actors and definitely the stories to create engaging creative content and films.

• How do you prepare for a shoot as a director?
  

Preparing myself for a shoot is different from project to project but in general consists out of a lot of visual research. A person need to know the design you want from each department, the movement of camera as well as blocking you will require from your actors. For this shoot it was a very fast intense shoot- so preparing in advance was crucial. On this project it was very important to really know the track and pacing there of, so I listened to it over and over again while I did visual research. 

• How long have you been working as a director and what have been some of the highlights so far in your career?
  

I think there are two sides to this question. First the more glamorous side and secondly the heartfelt connection to making stories.
I have been directing stories since I was a child. Even my Xhosa oral we had to do for class I would do using our home camera. We even did Hamlet in Xhosa.   Professionally I have been directing for the last 11 years.  Highlights-  there are so many. I have been fortunate to work with various acclaimed celebrities from Desmond Tutu, Brian Turner (BBC chef), The Hairy Bikers (BBC chefs), to great South African actors like Richard van der Westhuizen, Albert Maritz, Lida Botha, Andre Rossouw and various others. 


It was also a great honor to receive 4 awards at the Monaco International festival with our upcoming film Anderkant die stilte. I recall speaking to Babitha, a well known presenter on BBC news, and responding to how she really enjoyed the story. It is moments like these I treasure and carry close to my heart.


I am currently in development of a documentary “A little bean”, which was born out of mutual interest between the Africa Fresh Coffee brand and my deep passion for telling stories of hope in Africa. My second feature film Lenteblom, which deals with the Virgin cure related to aids, have been release successfully to over 10 000 farms across South Africa. “ As a story writer/ brand specialist I hold a hope for our continent to reassess the way we see ourselves, to present a new fresh creative story. We’ve been sidelined, belittled and misunderstood, but our time has come. It is time we share the stories of significance, of Africa’s potential and its people but in a completely new way.

•  Do you feel you have a specific style of directing? If so can you please tell us about it?
  

I have a style that I love and would love to do more of definitely. I started out mostly doing dramas as this was feasible to tell engaging stories without spending millions or rands. But my big admiration is in adventure and epic films. I am inspired by films such as Mesto vstretchi izmenit (English- the meeting place cannot be changed). It is an very engaging crime based Russian series featuring Vladimir Vysotsky. It is definitely a character based film that ties you to the screen wanting to solve the crime with them. My great interest is character based stories-  I often find this in Russian stories as well as anime such as Trigun, Cowboy Bebop and other. I think it is a true art to make you really engage with characters, the world they find themselves in and to go along with this magical make belief reality.   We have a TV series in the pipeline that I have been working on for years to write the script that will entail everything I truly love about films in one story….  But you will have to wait to find out more on this.

• How do you come up with new ideas and stay creatively stimulated?
  

For me ideas and creativity is like breathing… If I don’t do it I will die...   it comes natural. Whether I am busy researching a persons life story that raided banks and ended up in Pollsmoor prison, or discovering a whole new world very different than our own while I write- it is a continuous process.  I must admit since I got married to my beautiful wife Vera and have had our first daughter Katelyn, the process have been even more intense and can feel myself really pushing forward with creative stories.


They have been the backbone to everything I do and for every success I have, I know in my heart they have been there for me. Katelyn and Vera has also been a great inspiration to my stories I write and I have found myself more and more drawn to epic stories such as Pirates of the Carribean and Lone Ranger- that is completely family friendly, but so memorable.

• Do you sometimes feel trapped in your own life and how do you break free?
  

I think all creative people do. Whether it is dreaming about an idea for years, struggling to bring a concept to life… or as simple as paying the bills- I think we all in our own way feel trapped between dreams and obligations.


It is the struggle between following the route everyone else does and sitting in a day to day office job, with a clear job description, clear salary- a life between the black and white… or following the risk and excitement of truly being a creative entrepreneur. I must admit I think too many people jump into this field blindly. To be a true artist you must also be a great businessman. There is no use in creating great paintings, but it does not appeal to an audience, or you simply can’t market it. 


What I do to break free… is daily (whenever I am not on shoots) keep to my schedule. I let my creativity roam free in those times and stick to having to do my errands within the time I put out- then I get to go body board in the ocean in pringle bay, go do agility training with my german shepherd called Malyshka and really spend quality time with the people closest to my heart- my family.  I will not trade one day of what I have now for any other job as what I do gives me so much and gives me the opportunity to give even more to others.


Whether it is helping a family on the coffee lands to get real fair trade solutions or giving a musician a visual spectacular showcase of his song, I can truly say it feels like I breathe creativity and can only thank my creator, God for that.

• What can audiences still expect from Imagenheart in the future, any exciting projects awaiting us?
  

We are currently busy with the release of 3 of our films through cinema. The first is Anderkant die stilte 


We are also busy working on an high adventure action film based on a true life story- The film is called Ndota.

• What advise can you give to aspiring filmmakers out there?
  

Find what you truly love in life ----   (your dreams, those you share it with, your family) and when you find it give your everything for it.   You do not want to wake up one day in the future realizing you have lost that what you love most along the way. I see too many people very successful but unhappy- having lost their passion or their loved ones along the way. This balance is crucial.


Secondly learn the business of art.  Get yourself trained- from watching Ted videos online, reading articles, speaking to marketing experts, listening to clients- or enroll in a course. 


There is too many wannabe’s around that falls in the grey lines of average. Being an artist you need to amaze people. That is why it is the creative industry.   This year at Imagenheart we have set out to take every project on with this in mind-  creative bravery.  No matter what the budget- from doing a PSA for a non commercial company, to working on big budget commercials or features-  there is no limit to creativity and we aim to take audiences on a journey to a new world of visual wonder.