Zandi Tisani directs Rhea Blek music video for 'Ka Mzolo'

5 September, 2018 - 08:05

Arcade Content's Zandi Tisani directed Ka Mzolo, the new Ford Figo music video with Rhea Blek. The music video follows Rhea on an increasingly strange and wonderful journey through the streets and fashion of Diepkloof. I wanted to make something that was fun and bold and left a sweet taste in the mouth, says Zandi.

Zandi worked with agency GTB Africa to find and celebrate South African talent who encapsulated what it means to #GoMakeWaves and #GoFurther. GTB tasked us with finding talent that wasn't from the same pool of usual suspects and to shoot a music video that would allow everyone from musician to make-up to shine, she says.

Elle South Africa recently described Zandi as on the pulse and the talent she assembled for the music video backs this up: Durban singer Rhea Blek's been called The Goddess of Finesse' on Bubblegum Club; furniture designer Siyanda Mbele was a finalist in Design Indaba's Most Beautiful Object In South Africa competition this year; fashion designer Jacques Bam was runner up overall and earned a special mention at the LISOF fashion show last year; hair stylist Nikiwe Dlova runs the blog ownURcrown and was part of the recent Black Hair Matters exhibition at Eyethu Art Space; make-up artist Orli Meiri has been featured on Behance; and photographer Obakeng Molepe cracked 10and5's #Bayeza18 list of 40 creatives under 30 this year after being commissioned by Marvel to respond to Black Panther through photography. Ka Mzolo also stars BMX Maniacs, Bambanani Brass Band and Yo Coco dairy-free ice cream.

As Ford South Africa's YouTube introduction puts it, Drive. You either have it or you don't. And you (yes, you) clearly have it. This music video was made for, and by, some of South Africa's brightest young talents who know what it takes to push beyond the boundaries. They're making waves. The new Ford Figo is for those in the hustle and this music video is a celebration of what can be achieved when you decide to go further.

Adam Bentel from Krewkut shot the music video, which was produced by Julia Schnurr, art directed by Keenan McAdam, and edited by Joe de Ornelas at Left, with a final mix by Audio Militia.

Released initially as a vertical video on Instagram Stories, Ka Mzolo is Zandi's second music video: Zaki Ibrahim's Go Widdit, her directorial debut, made OkayAfrica's list of the top ten African music videos for 2012.

The music video is part of an innovative larger campaign for Ford South Africa by GTB, Egg and Arcade Content, which includes a choose-your-own-ending Twitter series, 360-degree videos for shop floors, a traditional TV commercial, and a series of TV ads that only tell you half the story - enticing you to explore the rest on your second screen.

The campaigns were conceptualised by GTB's executive creative director Nick Liatos, creative directors Nico Botha and Neil Lindsay, copywriters Sophia Basckin and Leyash Pillay, art directors Candice McLeroth and Martjie Louw, client service Pleasure Tsotetsi, and strategist Priniven Pillay, with Mthuli Bam producing.

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About Zandi Tisani

Zandi Tisani marries a strong understanding of narrative with a commitment to powerful imagery.

After specializing in screenwriting at UCT, she went on to be part of teams that won SAFTAs for TV scriptwriting in both Comedy (Those Who Can't) and Drama (Umlilo). She also studied photography for two years and found success as a stylist for the likes of Rolling Stone South Africa and award-winning fine artist Kudzanai Chiurai.

Zandi moved into directing with Zaki Ibrahim's Go Widdit music video, which made OkayAfrica's top 10 for the year. She followed this with up with the short film, Heroes, a dark comedy that explores a white community's reaction to the first black family in their suburb post-1994. She's also made two short Joburg-set documentaries, Highlands and Style Diary: Yeoville, which showcase the strong sense of place visible in all her work.

Her first campaign with Arcade, for Standard Bank, was MarkLives Ad of the Week, while her Superbalist fashion film topped a million views on YouTube. Her upcoming web series, People You May Know, screened in competition at Series Mania in Paris and won the OneX Pitch Deal at the New York Television Festival, leading CityPress to label her SA film's next big thing. Mail and Guardian included her in their 200 Young South Africans feature in 2018, calling her the character whisperer.

See more of Zandi's work at https://arcadecontent.tv/south-african-director/zandi-tisani/.

About Arcade Content

Representing directors Kyle Lewis, Lebogang Rasethaba and Zandi Tisani, Arcade Content is a multi-award-winning division of Egg Films that produces branded content that falls outside the realm of traditional TV commercials. This includes brand films, web series, music videos, documentaries and more. For more information, visit https://arcadecontent.tv/.

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