Young local set to conquer the film industry step by step
He decided it was time to develop his original idea into a romantic action comedy.
A local youngster recently received R100 000 from the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) to fulfil his dream.
Unique Shabangu (26), film director, scriptwriter and producer, studied film and television production in Cape Town and created his company Chaotic Films in 2014.
He applied for funding to produce Love on Fire in February this year, and recently received the good news that it was successful.
This young man has actively been pursuing his passion for films since 2013, when he was still studying accounting at TUT in Mbombela.
Since his love of film-making emerged, he has produced more than 10 music videos in his hometown, Hazyview. Two of these have already premiered on SABC’s late-night music show Koze Kuse.
In 2016 he produced an experimental romantic comedy, titled The Purple Holiday which was later renamed A Love-Hate Thing after losing half of the film’s footage, the film being cancelled and the remaining footage being distributed on his YouTube channel as episodic short films.
That same year Shabangu started offering acting classes for Numbi Primary pupils. Earlier in 2018 though, he decided it was time to develop his original idea into a romantic action comedy with the hope to eventually turn it into a feature-length film.
NFVF now approved funding to develop this concept.
Shabangu hopes to produce more feature films in the future, collaborating with other creatives in the country to bring stories to the big screen. “I am overwhelmed by the opportunity to get a foot in the film and television industry, and I am proud about this short film to be produced in Mpumalanga,” he said.
He dreams of becoming the next Ryan Coogler, director of Marvel’s Black Panther, who inspired him since his debut film Fruitvale Station.
This youngster is highly motivated and looking forward to contributing to the South African film and television industry.
NFVF is an agency of the National Department of Arts and Culture. The third funding cycle, through which Shabangu received his funding, was the last one for the 2017/18 financial year – a year dedicated to advancing the NFVF’s transformation objectives as well as funding projects that have the potential to make a significant impact on the South African film industry.
