What Drove Mpho Twala to Get to the Top of the South African Production Industry

Mpho Twala, who he is in person, is more powerful than any paragraph.

Yes, there are accolades to mention: his distinct, emotionally resonant body of work; six formative years immersed in high-level production in Belgium; a career that began in production and grew into mentorship and leadership; and an unwavering commitment to reshaping the local industry. But what truly defines Mpho is how he brings all of this together: with generosity, quiet tenacity, and a natural ability to guide teams toward something unexpected – something magical.

A dreamer with discipline, when he first stepped onto a set, that spark of curiosity quickly turned into conviction, and he rose through the production ranks to work alongside some of South Africa’s top directors. An invitation to work in Antwerp gave him the chance to observe, absorb, and elevate his craft, refining a deep appreciation for the mechanics of world-class production. But Europe couldn’t contain the stories he was driven to tell, so he came home.

Mpho co-founded FAM, a production company built on the belief that storytelling can empower, uplift, and disrupt. His vision: to create a collaborative space where artists, clients, and creators connect on equal ground. As a self-described conduit for artistic expression, Mpho’s mentoring journey has taken him across the continent, nurturing talent, forging relationships, and laying the groundwork for a more inclusive creative economy.

At his core, Mpho is grounded, generous, and disarmingly real. A people-first creative executive producer with a quick wit and open heart, he brings out the best in those around him – on set, in the pitch room, and beyond. And while these are just words, the real story begins when you meet him.

LBB> What first attracted you to production - and has it been an industry you’ve always worked on or did you come to it from another area?

Mpho> I’ve always been in production; I’ve been here for over 25 years now, with a few detours. I dropped out of second year law in university and started working as a production assistant. Initially, this industry wasn’t the intended end goal, but after a few days on set, I was bitten by the production bug, and that was the start of what's been an incredibly fulfilling journey.

In the beginning, I remember being on set as a set PA, seeing all the different departments going about their functions… It all looked so exciting, and for a while I went along with it. That’s until I met an EP who ran a production company – we shared words on set, and it ended with him offering me a job in his company as a production coordinator.

Once I got into that department, I didn't want to go anywhere else. I loved the idea of having an overall idea of what it took to make a shoot happen. And I liked that I was one for the people putting it together – it really was the best place for me to learn.

LBB> What was your first role in the production world and how did this experience influence how you think about production and how you grew your career?

Mpho> After a few years of being a freelance production assistant, I finally settled at a production house, as I wanted to take on more responsibility and have a bigger overview of how production really ran. (I’ve never liked being a bit part player, because it doesn’t allow you to be in the driving seat).

What I started to realise was production was a series of plans – plan Bs, resolving issues and fixing problems – for others. It required a fast mouth, resilience, and an ability to get along with many different characters from all walks of life (again, much like being a lawyer!).

As you move up through the ranks of production positions, the assignment remains the same – it's just the people you engage with and their positions that change. So, you’re no longer solving a small issue like you do as a coordinator, instead, you’re solving business problems as an executive producer.

I was fortunate enough to work with people and in companies that prioritised my growth, so every move I made was always in pursuit of more, and figuring out how I could get better.

The big motivator (then, and still to this day) for me personally was, in all the spaces I found myself in, there wasn’t anyone that looked and sounded like me. Most of my people were always assistants in the departments that were labour intensive, and I often wondered why that was so. As I grew, it became easier to see why that was. So, I decided very early in my career that I had to get to the top, one way or another, so I could be part of the people making changes for how things looked and worked in South Africa.

LBB> How did you learn to be a producer?

Mpho> The good old fashion way – jumping into the deep end.

I worked my way through the ranks in the production office. My eye was always on that prize: I wanted to be the leader, and I wanted to be the person in the meetings making the big calls and connecting all the different departments in our ecosystem.

My knack for being in the wrong place at the right time opened up a lot of opportunities for me. I was fearless in some regard, unafraid of making mistakes, and I loved seeing things come together.

Obviously, at the start, you get more things wrong than right, but I just kept on. When one door closed, another always opened, filling me with enough self-confidence to go again. The knocks were great, they grew my character and made me more accountable.

After a while, when you make enough projects come together, you’re it. I’ve worked at some great production houses that had the best producers and EPs, so I’ve had access to seeing how the best do things. Along the way, I’d often compare myself to them, and I struggled to understand what they did that I wouldn’t be able to achieve, if given a chance.

You need to have that kind of belief in yourself, in order to make it. I come from a time when producers would shout and make threats, but I knew very early on that wasn’t the way that I wanted to work and produce. So, I often gravitated to producers and producing styles that were human-centric.

LBB> Looking back to the beginning of your career, can you tell us about a production you were involved in where you really had to dig deep and that really helped you to grow as a producer?

Mpho> I was fortunate enough to get a chance to produce for the second unit on ‘District 9’. We had a small budget, a smaller crew, and a very vague but clear list of deliverables… but we were on our own. We had an idea of what we were shooting, but needed a vivid imagination to piece it all together.

So, I ran this talented but small team, and we spent a lot of time shooting interviews and plates of environments where there’d be a lot of CGI. On that production, I was often the producer, PA, AD and catering lead. It was also my first time working on an international film of that scale. I only realised much later, after the film was released, how much of what we shot was actually used in the film.

In 2003, I produced a TV show called ‘Pure Monte’, the first-of-its-kind sketch based comedy show (sometimes said to be South Africa’s ‘Monty Python’). It was the first time I’d worked on a TV show, but the catch was I was working with the best South African comedian of that time (still the best today). It was new, all of it, for all of us, and we had to make things happen. The broadcaster had agreed to greenlight the show, but the delivery dates were insane – as in impossible to achieve. But the creators of the show took on the challenge, and asked me to join them.

We had to conceptualise ideas, shoot on location and in the studio, proof check, reshoot, and post all at the same time. The comedians had real jobs, which sometimes took precedence because the show couldn’t pay them enough.

Besides managing the running of the show, I had to make sure that the creatives’ schedules aligned with our shoot days, manage the hard money conversations with the broadcaster, and often, make sure all the creatives were there on time… whilst running post-production.

At some stage, I handed in my resignation letter to the creator of the show. He called me to a meeting where I thought we were finalising my resignation, but instead, it was in front of all the creatives. He said I couldn’t resign and told me to get back to work, which I promptly did. By far the hardest learning curve, but also so incredibly rewarding.

LBB> A good producer should be able to produce for any medium, from film to events to digital experience. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why/why not?

Mpho> I tend to agree with the statement – as far as generalising goes. I don’t like to generalise like that, mind you – I am the final voice of producers or the logo itself. But parts of me do think that, if you have all the fundamental skill sets of running a set (the bigger the better), then your abilities should be sufficient to manage other mediums too.

I think producers are great project managers, therefore, if a producer runs a production or project with the same principles, then you should be OK. There are a few minor details that have to be considered with each medium, and if taken for granted, could trip a person up. But overall, yes, I believe that the producer should be able.

LBB> What’s your favourite thing about production and why?

Mpho> There’s a thing about seeing the final product of a project that started on a piece of paper as an idea. That, and knowing you were in some way involved in bringing it to life. That you played a part in bringing all the pieces together.

I enjoy the creative process of figuring out how we make a vision and directors’ intentions and ambitions come to life, and ensuring that everyone on the project feels supported enough to play their part and contribute to the process.

I’m a stickler for process (and I love pre-production), where I get to have a bird’s-eye view of everything taking place. I love bringing people together on a project/production that are best suited to make that particular project happen.

I enjoy the high stakes involved with some projects where we don't have all that's required at the start of the production to make things happen, but where we must still find a way to ensure a smooth production.

I find production, in general, as creatively rewarding as I do because of being with the creative teams. Finding that sweet spot between the director having what they need to see through their vision, to ensuring that each department isn't stifled or restricted by production to deliver on mandate, to seeing a happy agency and client, and finally – a non-negotiable – production making sure that all has happened well within the confines of the working budget.

Basically, being in the engine room and leading with compassion (and some empathy) is the greatest thing. We have to make sure that we become better leaders than some of those that came before us. It's not always only about the bottom line and awards; it's about all the other warm stuff in the middle too.

Imagine being entrusted to help creatives tell a story using characters and spaces that you grew up in. Helping bring our stories to our people is by far my favourite thing about producing in South Africa, and the continent as a whole.

LBB> How has production changed since you started your career?

Mpho> The landscape has shifted a lot over the years – a major part being the democratisation through tech which has made producing more accessible. Smaller or independent creators can produce (learn on the job) at a fraction of the cost, on their own productions.

We’ve moved from broadcast on TV to multi-platform as well. There's a greater focus on versatility and adaptation. Also, messaging needs to be quicker, sharper, and more attention-grabbing.

User-generated and influencer content is often supplemented or even replaced by influencer content, or native-style ads that feel more ‘authentic’ to audiences. These are often produced by the content creators themselves or a friend/manager.

LBB> And what has stayed the same?

Mpho> The principles have stayed the same, regardless of budgets, markets and deliverables. Production is still about delivering the best value for clients, whilst maintaining the creative agency’s goals and ensuring they’re achieved within the stipulated budget the production house has been given.

The processes in production may have changed to facilitate smaller productions, less able budgets, or independent projects, but that is still very much the same.

I think the modern day producer has to be versatile, and must have the ability to cross over on their job function. They also have to understand the function of an agency producer, and sometimes be able to do some of what the agency producer does, in order to get the job over the line.

LBB> What do you think is the key to being an effective producer - and is it something that’s innate or something that can be learned?

Mpho> Tenacity, empathy, calm demeanour, a great sense of humour, and probably a big dose of self-awareness. 

There’s a definite shift from how things used to be done to a new way that's a little more collaborative and inclusive – on so many fronts. And yeah, I think producing can be learnt… look at me.

LBB> Which production project from across your career are you most proud of and why?

Mpho> I can't say I’ve loved them all. Rather, the privilege of doing what I do, and having done it over the years – that's what makes me proud. A young producer somewhere in South Africa or elsewhere on the continent that looks like me gets to see themselves through me – that was the point from the beginning. I wanted to open the door for the youth. Seeing them thrive in this industry is enough.

That, and being in Belgium for a few years, working in production at what was previously Roses Are Blue, and seeing that transition into what is now known as Caviar. Those were some of the most important years of my career.

LBB> Producers always have the best stories. What’s the hairiest / most insane situation you’ve found yourself in and how did you work your way out of it?

Mpho> An electric shock ran down my spine reading this question – triggered, having shot in multiple countries – there are too many stories to pick a best one.

However, a few years ago, we filmed in a country that had just come out of a civil war. We expected it to be difficult, but wowzer! The shoot itself had challenges, but at wrap, we were accosted by some of the crew and cast demanding to be paid immediately, which wasn’t possible.

Normally, payments are released with an agreed timeline, but that has changed. One of them had a family member in the police department, so they held us hostage in the hotel until the morning, when we could finally talk to the bank to release the funds. The process took two days. We had to change our flights and extend our stay until all payments were made.

LBB> What are your personal ambitions or aspirations as a producer?

Mpho> My aim is to contribute to the creation of spaces within our industry that are genuinely inclusive – where opportunities are not limited to a select few. My goal is to be the opposite of a gatekeeper in the commercial world.

In the near future, it would be great to produce a few international projects through collaboration with European agencies and production houses. And produce a few long form projects.

That, and to be happy.

LBB> Producers are naturally hands on - they have to be. How do you balance that in the more managerial role of an EP?

Mpho> I wont lie, I’m a little more hands on – especially with the directors – rather than the producers. Producers have to manage the production, and I make sure that the creative is protected, allowing the directors to focus on the craft.

I’m all about collaborating with the right people on the right job; we’re fortunate enough to work with great producers that don’t need to be micromanaged. There's a trust you need to give a producer – they know when they have your trust, and that enables and empowers.

I find my balance in communicating the values of the business and what outcomes we’re aiming for, ensuring that there's clarity of functions within the production team, while trusting that the producers have a good handle on their people and the job. Also, making sure they know I hold space for their process. That’s the biggest thing for me as an EP – my team knows they have my support, always. It's about creating a sense of ownership on each project, where the producers feel safe and protected enough, should a need ever arise for that.

I’ve found that the more I hand over the reins of the more hands-on stuff, I have more capacity to focus on finding the kind of work we want to produce at FAM, and the right kind of agencies we want to collaborate with.