BOTSA LEBONE (Ask the higher power)
LOGLINE
Where does real inspiration and creativity come from? Inspiration and creativity can come from many sources. Can technology answer spiritual questions?
SYNOPSIS
The story is set at a table with a keyboard and a mouse on a mouse pad on the side of the keypad with nothing else on a wooden table. The presence of the keyboard and mouse on the mouse pad symbolizes the presence of technology. We see two hands typing words on the keyboard. The writer wants to know how to make a winning movie and type the words in, letter by letter. After a few moments the writer deletes the search. The writer again types in letter by letter on how to make a good movie. Again, in doubt, the typist again, type letter by letter how to make a film without a budget. Again, the writer deletes the search. The repeated typing of letters and words and then deleting the words symbolizes the doubt and the self-doubt of the writer. The emptiness of the table-top further showcase the "inspiration-poverty" of the writer.
The camera moves over the keyboard and mouse with a reddish light shining over it. The viewer sees the red shining light from the table lamp without a lampshade that stands over the keyboard. The red light symbolizes the depression of the writer, as the writer is having self-doubt. There is an unlit white candle and matchbox next to the candle in the candleholder. The white candle symbolizes a connection with the writer's ancestors. The writer strikes a matchstick and lights the candle.
The music set a very emotional atmosphere. The typist wants to make a film, but does not have a budget to do that and is in doubt that inspiration and creativity can come in abundance to do so. It seems that by lighting the candle, the writer receives the inspiration to be more creative. The writer was trying to use technology to fuse with the higher power, but the writer found the eureka-moment only when manually lighting the candle and switched off the light of the table lamp. The singular light of the candle shows that one is nothing without the connection with one's ancestors, the higher power.
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Tebogo Timothy ChologiDirector
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Tebogo Timothy ChologiWriter
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Tebogo Timothy ChologiProducer
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Tebogo Timothy ChologiKey Cast
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Project Type:Experimental, Short
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Runtime:5 minutes 56 seconds
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Completion Date:December 31, 2023
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Production Budget:0 USD
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Country of Origin:South Africa
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Country of Filming:South Africa
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
Tebogo Timothy Chologi, aka “Mrembola”, is an auspicious artist born in 1988 and was raised in a village named Magogoe Tlhabologo in Mahikeng. Since a young age, he has been involved in the art industry through poetry, pantsula dance, and writing/acting for theatre, television, and film. This has born the passion to produce and direct films, which also led to him completing the qualification of a National Certificate in Film and Television production.
Before he started to produce his films, he acted in various productions such as Roped, Never Say Goodbye, Tlhala Ntša, Kgaratlho, Caged, and Naphtal. He also participated as a judge for the South African Film and Television Awards. He is also a well-known tutor for filmmaking at various institutions.
Since he started directing and producing films after the completion of his qualification, zero/low budget films that were directed and produced by himself are Inmate, Mobocracy, Ghetto Situations, Lesedi, One for the Ghetto, and The Shack. He also co-produced/co-directed films such as Caged, A Plight of an Ordinary Man, and Maletsatsi.
He is the proud creator of THE SHACK, which was shot during the harshest lockdown of the country at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought him a great number of awards and accolades. The short film has been screened at many national, regional, and international film festivals. THE SHACK has won awards for Best Arthouse Film (2020, Kismet Film Festival, USA); Best Director Award and Audience Award (2020, uMgungundlovu Film Festival, RSA); Standard Bank Gold Ovation Award (2021, Makhanda National Film Festival, RSA); third place in Jury Award (2021, Unified Film Festival, Germany); finalist (2021, Cannes World Film Festival, France); Best Experimental Film and Best Director for Experimental Film (2022, GIMFA – Gralha International Monthly Film Festival, Brazil); Silver Award for Best Short Film – Fiction (2022, One Earth Awards, India); and Grand Prize Winner (2022, IHRR Exploring Risk Film Festival at Durham University, UK).