We recently had a chat with Zim-born Cape Town-based filmmaker, Alpha Chihora, to get to know him a lil' better and pick his brain.
Can you tell us more about you and the work you do. . .
I'm a videographer based in Kraaifontein. I attended a college called Media Village where I got to do my School of Video Production and my School of Digital Film in 2015 after my Matric.
the dedication needed is to pull off a project
I do camera work and sound, usually on set, but I'm passionate about music videos.
Take us thru your creative process; how do you choose your themes and the artists you’d like to work with?
I usually don't get to choose my clientele because they pay the bills but when I need to work some of my creative juices I work with local artists from my community that I believe have talent; the dedication needed is to pull off a project.
Who are your main artistic influences and what is it about their work that you find most interesting?
I'm mostly influenced by Kyle White who is a music video director and editor. He has worked with the likes of Nasty C and A Reece. What inspires me most about him is his amazing editing style that involves cool transitions. And the fact that he shoots with the camera as he directs the set.
Talk to me about your highs and lows; what has been your greatest achievements thus far and your lowest points in the art scene?
The highs for me have been the traveling part of my job. I have been to 5 cities in South Africa in a week and for me that was fun. The lows will have to be the disappointments from fellow artists when we try to collaborate but the project fails. And also this job is seasonal so there is a particularly dry season every year.
What is your impression of the Cape Town art scene in general?
The Cape Town art scene for me is huge. I feel like as a videographer I have better opportunities here than anywhere in the country for the film industry is growing bigger in Cape Town. I also find Cape Town being rich in talent and culture which inspires one to come up with good concepts at any given time.
I love music but when it is live I connect more with the artist
Your youtube channel has plenty of recorded live music sessions. What is it about live sessions that appeals to you?
I love music but when it is live I connect more with the artist. What appeals to me about live sessions is stripping the artist of all the voice effects and actually getting the real raw emotion from the performer. I also do them to promote local artists that can't always afford music videos but show great potential. This serves as a good platform for them and for me.
Connect with him:
FB and YouTube: Alpha Chihora
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