Letting It Rip with Mzonke Maloney
Mzonke Maloney, an internationally recognised director from Cape Town, South Africa, has firmly established himself as a visionary in the world of filmmaking. Renowned for his unique style, meticulously crafted narratives, and distinctive sense of humour, Mzonke has become a prominent figure in both local and international cinema.
What sets him apart is his ability to weave compelling, boundary-pushing narratives that emphasise authenticity and strong characters. His stories resonate with audiences on a profound level, as they are grounded in real experiences and emotions. Each frame is carefully composed, showcasing his keen eye for detail.
Mzonke’s talent has not gone unnoticed by global brands. His portfolio includes collaborations with Coca-Cola, KFC and The Heineken Group. These partnerships highlight his versatility and ability to adapt his unique style to a wide range of projects, all while maintaining his signature narrative-driven approach.
PORTFOLIO: MZONKE MALONEY
LOCATION: California / International
REP: Let it Rip Pictures / USA
CLIENTS: KFC, Coca-Cola, The Heineken Group, Shoprite, Spur
SKILLS: Unique style, meticulously crafted narratives, sense of humour, pushing boundaries, storytelling
Q> What’s the place you feel like you belong in?
Mzonke> I can be anywhere really, contexts change and there isn’t a perfect condition. But I really enjoy living in the country I live in South Africa, there is crisis everywhere always, but there are also other wonderful things. I appreciate the context that produced me.
Q> What’s your favourite food related memory?
Mzonke> Umphokoqo namasi - it’s Phuthu and fermented milk. I don’t know what Phuthu is in English. Google that. The AI is on point.
Q> Share with us your guilty pleasure. And a sport you’d like to be good at.
Mzonke> My guilty pleasure is Smokin’ Joe’s burger in Cape Town lol.
I wish I was a great tennis player or like Courtney Walsh the West Indian cricketer in his prime. I’d like to be him. Sports is to watch now. My friend Luvas told my economics teacher Mr Smit that after high school he would no longer move his body rapidly for any reason and he’d retire from the world of sports - and he did. Back then it was a hilarious proclamation, I get that sentiment now.
Q> If you’d need to pick where you draw your inspiration from - based on the last three questions - would it be places, foods or guilty pleasures?
Mzonke> Everything is an ongoing study, there’s not one place to find inspiration but I love people. I’m deeply charmed by people. My family is super fascinating and complicated in their own way. I like looking and observing people I love, they inspire my ideas.
Q> What US state would you choose for an open-budget weekend?
Mzonke> I lived in California for four years, I’m most likely there, but I think this is a bit of a strange question. I don’t really think of America like that. I was in New York once and that was great too.
Q> What’s a movie scene you’d like to recreate in a branded content?
Mzonke> I do not have any desire to recreate anything. I don’t think the films I like would translate well into branded content. But I used to love that scene in Swingers, when Vince Vaughn says to Jon Favreau “You are so money and you don’t even know it.” It aged badly but I’m indebted to it.
Q> Can you name a project that changed the course of your career in an unexpected way?
Mzonke> I think all of the short-form film work I’ve done has moved my career a lot, straight-up storytelling pieces like Skaap and Hyperlink. The commercial work that sort of worked for me was a Castle Lite beer commercial, it was the first time I got the chance to do a comedic piece and it turned out good.
Q> How do you collaborate with actors in order to get their best emotions out?
Mzonke> I think that directing is less of a technical craft for me and more relational so I think being a human being and seeing it as a human engagement works better for me. It doesn’t happen on set only, it’s about being an aware, compassionate, sensitive and honest person in my day to day life and so that becomes intertwined with work and how I look to create interaction on a set.
Q> What’s your favourite in camera trick?
Mzonke> It’s difficult to speak about a camera trick in isolation. I guess it depends on how and in what context it’s being used. I really think that the story dictates that kind of thing. I’m also not really into tricks. I’m not a purist either I’m just keeping my eye on another part of the job.
Q> Transitions - love them or hate them?
Mzonke> Again the context matters but I have no strong stance on them either way. Use them if necessary.
Q> What’s your take on AI?
Mzonke> I can’t wait till it takes my job so I can go back to being a hunter gatherer haha… I don’t think there’s time.
Q> Did you ever do a cameo role and if so, can you share a picture with us?
Mzonke> No cameos haha. Maybe in uni, but no evidence exists.
Q> Dream client?
Mzonke> A Nike piece with some scale would be fly.
Q> What is your advice to producers in order to keep our film sets more eco-friendly?
Mzonke> Haha everybody bring your own water bottles.
