For Naledi Mahomane, a young filmmaker from The Hill, the road into the film industry has been built on passion and a refusal to wait for opportunities.

The Johannesburg-based filmmaker, photographer and founder of SHE Media Productions is determined to use her journey to encourage other young people, especially young women, to believe in their abilities.

Finding a passion

Mahomane matriculated from Hill High School in 2023. In 2024, she spent about three months at home after struggling to find a place to study and facing funding challenges.

The quiet period was frustrating, but a link from her mother changed the direction of her journey. It led her to a short photography course at a non-profit organisation in Auckland Park.

Although the course lasted only three weeks, it gave her a foundation in photography and confirmed her love of photography.

Still searching for opportunities, she discovered a three-month film and television training programme offered by the City of Johannesburg. One requirement was two years of camera experience, despite her having only recently finished school. Instead of allowing this to stop her, Mahomane applied.

“I told myself they are not going to deny me access to an opportunity that I know very well I deserve simply because I don’t have experience,” she said.

She was accepted and completed the programme, earning a certificate and gaining skills that would lead to her next opportunity.

She later joined a year-long training programme for aspiring writer-directors, where participants received training and gained practical industry experience.

She also interned on the television show Smoke and Mirrors. Mahomane said she was often the youngest person in these programmes, surrounded by graduates and more experienced people.

What she lacked in experience, however, she made up for with passion. “I was just there with passion,” she emphasised.

From photography to SHE Media Productions

Mahomane’s early photography work eventually developed into SHE Media Productions, a female-owned creative media company focused on storytelling through film, photography and digital content.

The company currently offers photography, videography, film and content development. It also helps clients develop film and content ideas and create pitches or presentations for potential investors.

Mahomane wants the company to grow into a studio that creates jobs, develops skills and tells meaningful stories.

She hopes to introduce skills development programmes in the future, inspired by the free training programmes that helped shape her own career.

Her experiences also showed her the lack of women in the media industry. She noticed that many of the people in the programmes she attended were men, with only a few women. SHE Media Productions therefore aims to uplift women while remaining open to everyone.

“I’m not saying the production company only caters to women. Everybody is welcome. Our main focus is uplifting women,” she said.

She believes women have many stories that deserve to be told and should receive the same opportunities and treatment as anyone else.

A message to the youth

Mahomane is currently in her second year of Motion Picture Production at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).

The three-year diploma can be followed by an advanced diploma, allowing her to continue towards a degree.

Her passion lies particularly in cinematography, with international cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw among the professionals she admires. Locally, she looks up to cinematographer Zeno Petersen.

Beyond her own career, Mahomane hopes to inspire young people to take action rather than wait for opportunities.

She points to organisations such as the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, which offers free courses in areas including content creation, photography, blogging and radio.

“Do it while you’re scared. Do it while you’re nervous. What is life without taking risks?” she added.

Her journey has taught her that opportunities can be found through research, persistence and courage and when they cannot be found, young people can create them.

Through SHE Media Productions, she hopes to create opportunities, develop skills and tell stories that make people feel seen, heard and inspired.