Talking to creative people is probably one of my favourite things on earth simply because it is beautiful to see the light in their eyes when they talk about their work. I had the opportunity to speak to Luthando Sigubudu who shared his journey from growing up in Soweto to pursuing his passion for filmmaking, the role that working at Bomb productions has helped him understand the importance of research and references, particularly in the context of South African culture.
Can you provide some background about yourself
My name is Luthando Sigubudu, and I’m originally from Orlando, Soweto. My journey here was motivated by various factors, one of which was my passion for football. I remember playing football passionately, although I also recall experiencing bouts of illness during that time. Despite my interest in graphic design, which my family expected me to pursue, I found myself drawn more to creating advertisements than traditional design work. However, my aspirations extended beyond mere advertising; I dreamed of owning businesses and creating something remarkable. Reflecting on the past, I find it amusing how many of us started with sports and eventually transitioned into different paths. For me, it was my interest in physiotherapy that emerged during this time, spurred by extensive research—a practice I’ve always been keen on.
When it comes to photography and videography, my initial lack of reference materials, particularly South African content, led me to follow American creators. However, I soon realized the importance of documenting our own stories and experiences. This realization prompted me to purchase a camera and seek guidance on its usage. Even though I didn’t go to film, I was determined to document and capture moments, primarily with my friends.
Your work often features a deliberate visual documentation of Zulu/South African culture. Is this intentional, and if so, why is it important to you?
Yeah, everything I do is very intentional because, you know, there was a question about what fuels my creativity or something like that. I was thinking, when I started, it was just about documenting life, capturing what I saw and found beautiful. Growing up in the neighborhood, everyday scenes felt exciting to me, like a spin on society. For example, when I was in Paris, surrounded by ordinary cars and Teslas, the VRC in my neighborhood felt like a standout. I noticed similar contrasts in other places, like Asia with its supercars and rules. Online, I couldn’t find much about our local scene, so what I saw in my neighborhood felt like the coolest stuff. I believe South Africa has some of the coolest people and culture in the world. The essence of our culture is in our unique way of doing things, how we present ourselves on camera, even our dress code—nothing too bright. Our personalities shine through.
I recall discussing with my producer why the government isn’t leveraging our unique culture to boost tourism. I watched a new video promoting events, and while it looked nice, it seemed to borrow too heavily from West African or Caribbean references. Our culture has its own distinctive way, from how we carry ourselves to our dress code. I felt the video missed capturing that essence.
When I worked on the music video Spirits, I immediately thought of Socrates and his philosophy, which is deeply rooted in our culture. This resonated with me, and I wanted our work to reflect that authenticity. When people from my community saw it, they connected deeply because it represented us authentically.
Then there was a time when activism was on the rise, especially among the youth fighting for their place in society. My focus shifted from self-discovery to activism. I was also searching for my roots, trying to understand where I came from. This journey influenced my emotions and my writing. I’ve always used references, but during this time, activism became my driving force. It was no longer just about being cool; it was about having something meaningful to say and finding a cool way to say it, something that resonated with the youth. My work shifted from being purely creative to being purpose-driven.
Nowadays, my work goes beyond just making cool images or documenting culture. It’s about activism, raising awareness about issues like cultural identity and self-acceptance. It’s about using my platform to advocate for change, to show that our culture is valuable and deserves recognition.
Zamalek
In your opinion, what aspects are currently lacking in the industry, and what do you believe should be emphasized more?
People who read my stories know I am very passionate about ownership and how we do not own and don’t own resources. So for me, it’s pretty important. So when I was working, it was one of those things that really bothered me. So it talks about ownership being important and not just having people pay you for what you do. So for me quitting where I was working as a part of that, because I was doing things for other people, so when am I doing things for myself and telling the stories that I want to tell and producing work that I want to produce.
Please give a quotable or any line you live ?
There is a Zulu idiom that loosely says “onokuthile ngeke ahlupheke” which mean he who has a gift/something may not suffer.
.
