I vividly recall a moment during my second year, sitting in a lecture hall and being captivated by Jabu Newman’s “The Foxy Five.” It struck me how she seamlessly blended the political with aesthetics, creating something profoundly beautiful. I had the privilege of engaging in a conversation with Jabu, where she generously shared insights into her creative process and the inspiration behind her work. She underscored the significant role artists play in shaping societal conversations and stressed the importance of providing more support for emerging filmmakers, particularly women in cinematography.
Can you provide some background about yourself
I had quite an interesting introduction to film. Unlike my parents who were cinephiles, I would always watch films with them and appreciated that. But I never saw myself doing it. I used to love writing and painting; I used to love music. But when I went to study, I pursued PPE, aspiring to go into politics. However, I was still creating my own work at the time. But back then, it was just photographs, artworks, and things like that, nothing related to film yet, or at least not that I understood or knew of. I didn’t know that film was an option as a career path or something like that.
But then at UCT, my whole brain community and everyone I was hanging out with was studying film, and I was spending my entire weekends helping my friends move their stuff instead of focusing on my own schoolwork and research. Yeah. So onto the first Yeah, I wasn’t doing that well, and basically decided, “Okay, do I carry on with this?” I decided that I wanted to pursue film and media. So I changed majors, keeping politics but dropping philosophy and economics to take up Film and Media at that time. And then, yeah, that kind of just opened up my entire world. At that point, I didn’t really know what a director was or what the difference was, but I always ended up directing my own stuff without fully understanding what that meant until I realized, “Okay, cool. This is what I want to do.”
Then during my second year, I wrote and directed the Foxy Five. It was actually my second year, and it was with all the people I was studying with and my friends. So it was an amazing moment to just work with each other. And then, yeah, from there, I continued to make short documentaries, short fashion films, and quickly got into the industry as a director straight after studying.
What is the creative framework that governs your thinking when approaching a project or set?
Yeah, I find that I’m often creating my own work through people who inspire me. It’s usually based on real stories or real people I know. I tend to write what I know and find interesting—moments, nights out, conversations with friends—and then build stories around them. So, I often already have the people I want to play the parts in mind because it’s their story that I’m creating, embellishing, and adding to. That’s the approach I prefer; I draw so much inspiration from my community and the people around me.
That’s the first step in my process. Then, I move on to figuring out the genre, references, or the aesthetic I want to achieve. I always aim for my work to carry a political theme and address political issues, identity politics, and more. However, I prefer placing these themes within a fictional world that is colorful, fun, and engaging. It’s about finding a balance between serious subject matter and presenting it in a visually appealing, vibrant manner.
This juxtaposition is intriguing to me, as it blends my political background—both my parents were in politics and activists, involved in trade unions—with my early interests in photography and art.
You mentioned the political aspect because it leads into my next question. When I first watched the Foxy Five, I was struck by the depth of content. There were so many layers to unpack—themes of womanhood, identity—yet it was also visually stunning. So, here are two separate questions for you to address.
Firstly, concerning the intentionality behind incorporating political themes into your work, has this affected your ability to secure commercial gigs? How do you navigate this balance?
Secondly, considering the current state of affairs in the world, what do you believe is our responsibility as filmmakers and artists? How can we contribute to these conversations while still sustaining ourselves economically?
When I initially entered the commercial space, I anticipated potential challenges, yet I also saw an opportunity for impact. Historically, South African commercials carried strong political messages, but this seems less prevalent nowadays. My debut commercial, “Scanline LA” for Nando’s, explored political themes through the lens of different scanners. It was a project close to my heart, reflecting my interests.
As the landscape evolves, I strive to infuse my work with meaningful content. For instance, a recent project with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation focused on HIV awareness. It allowed me to explore the complexities of today’s sexual landscape and our generation’s options, from prayer to home testing kits. These projects hold significant personal value to me, driving my passion and purpose in my work.
Despite commercial projects, I remain committed to pursuing personal endeavors, conducting research, and writing my own material. It’s a continuous journey of exploration and growth.
Do you believe artists bear any responsibility towards what happens in the world, what is our responsibility?
Personally, I strongly believe in our responsibility as artists. Regardless of the type of work we create, there’s always some form of messaging, theme, or idea behind it. These themes and ideas are inherent in our society, and they automatically convey something, even if we attempt to remain apolitical. Thus, even choosing to be apolitical is, in itself, a political choice. So, in a way, there’s room for entertainment for entertainment’s sake, but I don’t believe these endeavors make a significant impact. As artists, we inherently have an impact, and it’s crucial for us to recognize the influence we wield. We must consciously decide what kind of influence, messaging, and impact we want to impart.
What key practical things do you think have helped you get to where you are?
I think it’s definitely important to make time to create your own work—things outside of commissions or brand deals—because that’s how you hone your storytelling skills. You figure out your style and what you enjoy. Plus, you build a community. Filmmaking isn’t a solitary art; it relies on a large group of people. You need allies, people to lean on and collaborate with. So, when you create your own work or collaborate with others, you’re building a community of support. In this industry, you really do need people.
In your opinion, what aspects are currently lacking in the industry, and what do you believe should be emphasized more?
I think the one thing that we’re lacking majorly here is women in cinematography. Yeah, that is a huge lack here. And I just think that there’s a lack of development in storytelling. Like, I don’t think that there’s enough government support or structures in place that are helping young filmmakers and creators learn how to tell stories and learn how to write, and paying them to write and paying them to have that time. You know, I think that right now, often without industry, young creatives are forced into a commercial space where they’re forced to do lots of other things to make money and just make ends meet, but to take time to write a script, or to take time to really focus on one cause. Like, you need support, you need funding, you need mentors. So I think that is hugely lacking, just supporting young filmmakers through grants or workshops or through mentors that are teaching us just to tell our own stories really.
Please give a quotable or any line you live
I think my favorite line is “the best camera in the world is the camera that you have.”
