Experiencing Interruptions?

Here, Now

When you lose yourself in the things you love, you’ll find yourself there too. 'Here,Now' is a short documentary about living in the moment. Its narrative is a collection of artists’ thoughts about finding authenticity by honouring passion and embracing imperfections.

  • Porteus Xandau
    Director
  • Herman Le Roux
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 37 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 18, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    8,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    South Africa
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Porteus Xandau

Half man and half lens, Porteus Xandau, was born in Johannesburg and bred in Cape Town.
He has a BA in Performing Arts at the South African School of Film and Drama (AFDA), and graduated top of his class for Visual Arts at the AAA School of Advertising. Initially starting out as an actor, he has performed opposite the likes of Mark Strong, William Hurt and Eric Stoltz in feature films like Dredd (Lionsgate) and Endgame (Film Four).

In 2012, Porteus moved behind the camera, and has since directed commercials for brands like Feiyue, Hyundai, Virgin and Trenery. Hard to pigeon-hole, his work reflects his many interests—from performance based narrative films to gritty doccies. His years of acting and design has also earned him a reputation for crafting human stories with aesthetically striking visuals.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I love filmmaking. The process of prepping, interviewing, travelling, shooting, and editing is an adrenaline rush. But if you’re not careful, you can get so caught up in the technicalities at hand.

Lost in the nitty-gritty, I completely forget to soak up the beauty and wonder amidst the intense hustle around you. And just like that: “Poof!”. The project is wrapped up and the moment is gone forever. Every filmmaking project, like the process of documenting the artisans and artists featured in Here, Now will never again repeat itself. And there’s a lesson in that… Never forget to be “in the present moment”.

It’s not always easy, as the nature of directing demands that you go down many mental rabbit holes to reach the best possible creative decision. The trick is to revert back to a state of being “in the moment”. It’s the space where you let yourself stand back and appreciate the process or interactions that are unfolding right in front of your eyes.

Shakespeare called his players, “players” for a reason, as the space that they operated in was strictly an open space designated for discovery, invention and being in the moment. And let’s face it, magic can’t happen if your own brain is constantly interrupting and blocking the flow of your own creativity or artistry.

The artisans and athletes featured in Here, Now have also reminded me that you have good days and bad days. You have days where you feel charged up and you feel like a pro. Other days where you bash your head against a wall. Always peaks and valleys.

“In the moment” is a space we too rarely permit ourselves to occupy, but I think it’s better to see it as a destination and a goal, instead of giving up if you’ve just hit a little speed bump. Just accept today for what it is and try again tomorrow.