By Grant Moyo
Creative producer and show runner Trevor Ncube, aka Trey , wants to come up with television shows and films, which stimulate and spark a strong creative economy that will help create careers and sustain livelihoods. The passionate independent filmmaker said film serves as a source of inspiration to help lead and guide communities by telling real-life stories and unveiling revelations that help develop, uplift and elevate people’s way of thinking and approach towards life.
Trey enrolled at AFDA (South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live performance) in 2004 where he studied a Bachelors Degree in Motion Picture Medium. He has produced and directed several television shows namely BYO Reloaded, Basement Cyphers, Zim Cuisine, and more recently the Arthur Evans Show, which was licensed to broadcast on Zambezi Magic, DStv Channel 162. The talk show went on to garner several awards at the National Arts Merit Awards and Bulawayo Arts Awards.
Trey recently facilitated a European Union Film Festival masterclass in the art department titled Understanding Your Frame, which was conducted virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The filmmaker attributes the progress he is making to the time he spent at the film school where he got the platform to explore various disciplines such as cinematography, editing, special effects, directing, and producing.
“Film school opened my eyes, it gave me a clear picture of what it is I want to do within productions,” Trey said.
“As a TV show runner and a creative producer with a speciality which can be likened to a mix of a TV producer and director, my duties entail overseeing an idea on paper to shooting script, recruiting the cast and crew for the pre-production, principal photography and post-production phases of the content.
“Besides obtaining technical and creative skills, I gained friends who later on became business partners in the industry in certain productions.
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“These are the sort of relationships that you build with each other as students that you then take into the professional world where you are able to plug each other into certain projects within the film and entertainment space.”
Trey said filmmakers in Zimbabwe and across the continent can serve as a mirror to show the global society some of the challenges, issues, and inspirations that the African community face.
He believes the biggest resource that the African continent has is not its diamonds, platinum or gold, but its people endowed with infinite minds and ideas.
He acknowledged film-making as one of the main mediums that allows people to freely express those ideas that can help stimulate and challenge the modern generation into breaking barriers and influencing positive alteration.
“Local films by local filmmakers can change the narrative the world has for us. Despite being referred to as a third world community which is underdeveloped, the truth of the matter is, as far as art is concerned, we are just as creative and motivated as the so-called first world countries. We often get this skewed sort of perception of who we are as a people due to our stories being told from a western perspective, it’s high time we told our original stories in abundance,” Trey said.
Having worked in various productions that he created, produced and operated as a show runner, Trey stressed the need for local producers to come together and begin to work with other leading film and television directors in creating content that will collectively contribute to the creative economy of the country.
The creative producer acknowledged the move as having the potential to provide jobs, opportunities, and platforms for homegrown talent comprising of film graduates and generally talented creatives who have the capacity to express themselves and tell original stories which help transform how the world perceive Africans.
“We have film schools and universities teaching media and film in Zimbabwe, but the challenge that creatives face after they graduate is where to go for employment and to express their creative talents and skills,” he said.
“Even though the current economic state has crippled the film fraternity, if we unite with one objective we can find means to bring the country out of the harsh situation by tapping into the very creative ideas and stories that we can then commercialise through mainstream media platforms.
“Look at what the film and entertainment industry has done in South Africa and Nigeria, it has not only transformed people’s perceptions of those countries, it has also inspired employment and created a creative economy that is able to sustain livelihoods within and beyond the film industry.
“That is the most important role that film-making in our country can play as far as social development is concerned, not only highlighting issues or challenges that we face, but also creating and providing solutions through our stories in helping to build the country up.”
Giving an insight on the European Union Film Festival masterclass he facilitated alongside illustrious Ugandan art director and props master Isaac Simba, aka Ak Simba, and local film maker Joe Jangu, Trey described the experience as a remarkable opportunity to educate local filmmakers and a reminder to strike a balance between the business and creative side of entertainment.
“Being involved with the EU Film Festival as a facilitator taught me that the business side of entertainment is just as important as the creative side,” he said.
“The art department ranks right up there with the other film-making disciplines as a storytelling technique because it helps create the story world, look and tone of the film or show.
“If fully utilised, it improves the overall production value of the film or television show. I think the ultimate goal of the festival is to empower more local filmmakers with a platform to showcase their local films and network with the counterparts overseas. This is a great initiative.”
While Trey admits that getting formal education in film-making shortens the learning curve of knowing the technical and creative aspect of a production, he strongly considers experience as a primal factor which matters and counts for the most, particularly when executing roles and duties in the field.
