About Senzo Zindela
He couldn't further his studies because his parents couldn't afford to pay for tuition fees. His parents told him to look for work after completing matric in Port Shepstone, but instead, he opted to visit his relatives in KwaMakhutha township in the beginning of 2003 with his focus on getting a bursary to further his studies. What pushed and motivated him was the advice he received from his late English Grade 12 teacher, Mr. Mabotho Dlamini, who approached him back in 2001 while he was doing grade 11, and advised him to forfeit his camera business and focus on his studies because he was performing very well in Mathematics, Accounting and Economics during high school. He advised him to focus on getting good grades from high school so he can easily secure bursaries after matric, go on and study business management at the tertiary level then come back to continue with his videography at the international level! Camera services for events was his daily business since 1997 while studying at high school and he was a breadwinner at home through this business. But he obeyed his teacher, sold all his cameras and indeed managed passed his matric with Merit with aggregate C Symbol doing Higher Grade in all subjects! One day while he was on a taxi to look for a job, he overheard women passengers speaking among themselves saying there is a new College being opened at Mbumbulu Campus focusing on computers and business studies, they need students. He deciced to go there and asked the driver to drop him, then he stepped out of the taxi at KwaThekwane bus stop and walked back to the campus. He presented himself and revealed that he doesn't have money but if they can let him in, he promises to make the College proud. Registration officers were amazed and laughed at this confident young man, then urged him to get at least R1000 for registration. He went to call his parents on Thursday afternoon to get loan from anyone, they tried to get it until Sunday but no luck. On Monday, he went back to the college and advised them that he didn't find it, seeing his determination, registration officers allowed him to join Business Studies class. Indeed, he performed very well getting straight A+ without books or studying materials from March until September 2003, then the college nominated and introduced him into the Student Exchange Program at Chicago State University, what surprised him is that one of the requirements was that he must have good matric results with aggregate symbol C on Higher Grade. This requirements corresponded and matched his matric results he achieved after obeying his teachers advise. He we to Chicago and did very well at CSU maintaining 3.2 GPA doing Business Management and Entrepreneurship, he came back and got another bursary from Studie Trust that took him to the University of Zululand in 2005 doing Bcom Accounting. In 2008, he ventured into international film production and his company has been growing from strength to strength since then until today, and never left community development initiatives to plant back into previously disadvantaged areas hence he established Ugu International Film Festival.
About Exchange Program
The initial Exchange visit led to the birth of the long term entrepreneurial Exchange Program between Zindela Pictures Group, K&G Global Initiative Educational and Training Services and many other Stakeholders. The International Incubation Film Exchange Program will take 15 entrepreneurs and students to study advanced leadership & international business operations at Chicago State University and Michigan State University. Beneficiaries will go in 3 groups, group of 5 beneficiaries will spend four months totalling to 15 Beneficiaries. Expenses for each group of 5 is expected to be around R2.7 Million inclusive of all tuition fees, books, accommodation, food, stipends, admin costs totalling to estimated annual budget of R8 177 000. Every year in September, we will host an annual business and entrepreneurship conference aimed at empowering, growing and embarking job creation methods.
About The Conference
The conference will be planned by a planning committee consisting of all key stakeholders involved in the Exchange Program including but not limited to Zindela Pictures Group, K&G Global Initiative Educational and Training Services, Coastal KZN College, South Coast Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Saigon Cowboy Pictures, and many other interested parties. Topics covered will range and cover Small Business support systems with positive impact on sustainable job creation, Entrepreneurship oriented mechanisms that must be adopted and maintained to stabilize the economy, Advanced Technologies that can be adopted to grow our economy, Investment Presentation to international investors willing to partake in the growth of our economy etc. This event is proposed to take place at Elangeni Hotel Elangani Hotel in September 2025, all local businesses and banking stakeholders will be welcomed.
About K&G Global Initiative Educational and Training Services
K&G Global Initiative is a non-for-profit, that specializes in education and training. We work with higher learning institutions, community organizations, NGOs and small business organizations to promote education, nutrition, health maintenance, gender equality and empowerment of women, and rural economic development.
About Zindela Pictures.
Zindela Pictures Group is a film production company that was established by Mr. Senzo Zindela in 2007, officially registered in 2012. The company produces and sell Commercially viable social justice films, high concept science fiction films, for more information, visit www.zindela-pictures.co.za . We also have a community development division which serves as an information sharing platform known as Ugu International Film Festival which just hosted its 12th Edition, for more information, visit www.uguiff.co.za
* _Local Film Industry Status and Challenges_ *
1. Our film development institutions have been funding and supporting several films over the years but unfortunately there is no local hit movie that has successfully made it to International box offices like Mojo https://www.boxofficemojo.com/ or The Numbers https://www.the-numbers.com/ . This is a very serious concern that can't be ignored and serves as the bottom line that shows that something is wrong somewhere.
2. Most of our local art house films are not able to sustain crew and lead cast! Most of the artists are living from hand to mouth and relying on grants to survive.
3. The current film industry system is suffocating the very same artists, crippling regular job creation and keeping film film stagnant.
4. Local artists, thespians, filmmakers die poor, with NO pension, NO benefits, NO retirements, NO insurance and forced to ask donations for even their funerals.
* _Intervention and Film Exchange Benefits_ *
1. We aim to contribute in the mental empowerment of local filmmakers to embark on projects that will sustain their businesses and their families our INTERNATIONAL INCUBATION EXCHANGE PROGRAM.
2. We aim to achieve this by taking local artists and filmmakers to learn practicals from the best serious successful filmmakers from the USA and other countries through our current projects going into production in 2025.
3. The exchange will give beneficiaries practical skills and develop them to implement long-term and breakthrough projects that can yield sustainability.
4. Beneficiaries will get the seldom opportunity to network and rub shoulders with A-listers like Simon Kook, RonSmoorenburg, Peter Pham etc.
5. This Change will promote our cultures, market our province and market our country at large. 6. Beneficiaries will get certificates which are signed by legends and moguls, this will be a lifetime experience that will inspire them to do great things.
INTERNATIONAL INCUBATION EXCHANGE PROGRAM SUMMARY
This a long term business breakthrough development plan, strategic move to empower and emancipate aspiring African businesses, business students, value chain service providers and film production companies to sustain their businesses by improving their standards thus enabling them to compete internationally. Minimum of 5 company leaders or executives and students will be assessed, be trained by successful executives on how international business is conducted, go through technical theoretical training which will then be followed by practical training where all beneficiaries will be taken into all our international film production sets. All beneficiaries will have a welcome chance to network, learn about the culture and exchange their cultural activities, visit heritage, parliament of each country they visit and be awarded with certificates signed by prominent figures involved in the project.
Mission
We aim to revolutionize our economy from a hand-over oriented approach to a commercially viable self-sustainable creative sector through continuous training and improvement of small aspiring businesses.
Vision
This sector rejuvenates the economy, uplifts , highlights and enables the country to be outstanding, we envision our geographical location recognised as the best film servicing destination.
Goals
Some of our goals includes:
-improvement of services and production value
-empowerment and emancipation of emerging businesses
-improvement and development of local film production and supply chain -revival and upliftment of local economic activites
-cultural exchange and promotion of our country
Incubation Duration
This long term practical training will be pioneered by a 3 weeks stay in the USA, Texas during the shoot of our international action thriller titled OPERATION CROSSBOW. All beneficiaries will be mentored on global business management at Michigan State University and Chicago State University for 4 months, doing:
1. SmallBusiness Management
2. International Business Marketing
3. Entrepreneurship
4. American Political Science
The above modules are preselected to enable beneficiaries to grow on international operations, be in a better position to identify breakthrough opportunities and embark on effective business strategies.
Contact Person
Name: Nthati Van der Merwe Number:
+1 (703) 755-4117
Email: vice@zindela-pictures.co.za
Websites: www.zindela-pictures.co.za
