My people have a problem. Somebody goes out and tries something new and my people are up in arms against one of their own. QTM was a great youth initiative by my peers. They had an idea, waited for money, the money didn’t come through and they did the best that they could with the little that they had. This one girl on Twitter was like, “QTM is the biggest prank ever played on Bulawayo people,” no sweetie the joke’s on you because you don’t recognise talent when you see it. These boys went out and did what they love while you were sitting at a job you hate.
I also took into account the ‘constructive criticism’ from the arts and cultural veterans, who should know better than anyone else the struggle of trying to source funding for such initiatives. And amidst all this advice, I’m not hearing anyone saying, “You know what, here’s a couple thousand go and make a movie of higher quality.” Put your money where your mouth is and if you ain’t got none, STFU!
This one guy was like, “Why make a movie when you ain’t got the money?” Why do men make girls pregnant when they don’t have the money to provide for that child? For the thrill of it duh! The artists needed to know that they could do it. To actually give birth to their dream. Many dreams are dying in Zimbabwe because you are all pulling a Charles Mungoshi waiting for the rain.
So the venue sucked. You act like there were plenty options to choose from. What was your contribution to this problem? When was the last time you went to the movies? Where do you think Rainbow will get the money to refurbish their joint? Your cheap nature ripped dvds off the internet and watched them on the laptop. You should thank QTM that you finally saw the big screen.
I don’t blame Rainbow for overselling tickets. They haven’t pulled that large a crowd since The Byo Show. All the money they raised was to make up for all the years they’ve been running at a loss. It was a strategic business move. They have tried everything including being a church venue to make some money. They saw an opportunity and they went for it. Kudos to them! Complain all you want but they are laughing all the way to the bank.
Bottomline is, you need to support your own. Nollywood started off like crap but the national GDP is practically living off of it. And over the years they have improved because funding was made available. Don’t come out here on your pedestal talking about how this movie should have made a dollar out of fifteen cents. Use your common sense!
And if you want to know how relevant your shade is, look up the hashtag you’ll realise that most of your comments don’t show up. Turns out Twitter can filter crap. Shoutout to my big spenders that understand that you get what you pay for and that for $5 your expectations weren’t that high.
Anyway, work has already begun on their next project, ‘Jane the Ghost’ coming soon to a cinema near you!
thanx Thembie, as always ur articles are insightful
wish I had watched the movie… can’t comment but as I always say “support local”
Agreed … they will complain …
Reblogged this on vimbaimandiri and commented:
I cant agree more.
To the Qiniso crew dont worry about armchair critics who have never done a movie in their lives or even a short film or a two minute Advert just continue making films.soilder on they will never do anything , some of them only know how to criticise
Did you just say what I said…but smarter? lol
Thanks for the great article Thembi. It really made me comprehend some thoughts that have been raffling in my mind since the day of the premier and the immediate aftermath.
And I totally agree with you. It is so damn unfair and saddening.
@ Brighton, the only time I would have my hands cover my face in ‘shame’ is when I see my friends gathered around a laptop watching a Hollywood movie. They are fully absorbed into the American lifestyle and way of thinking, yet their reality is totally different. I have shame because a 100 years from today my grandchildren may not know/ see how I used to live.
Film is a media that chronicles the story of a particular society at a given time. And still lina bantu bako Bulawayo have the nerve to sit-back and shoot down a production that aims at achieving that. Until we have a film industry up and running, we cant critize film. The only person that qualifies to criticize QTM is me – one of the best scriptwriters in this city and an aspiring filmmaker. So I will probably criticize and say something like:
“That film had poor sound, lighting, pans and always hate to be kept waiting. But you know what, it will still do because it is the only production to be done in Blues after a long time. It will always somehow create a smile on my face whenever I hear its name. Qiniso represents hope, The kicks of live that show dying that the dying horse can still make it”
Chronicle and Southern Eye’s Nonhlanhla called the premier it a DUMP. As a writer I know it can take months to write a story and build it up until its ready for production. Then after all that hard work someone calls it a piece of trash. It takes years to build a career but it can also take a few words and a pen to shred one.
Media please dont kill our vibe!
This article makes a lot of sense, but if u had watched this production your hands would be on your face with shame every time u tall about.
Its not even the money, nah its ye quality of work… The management of the event, the stuff the that are actually smaller than we think.
I don’t have to be a smart monkey to know that they rushed it, big time.
One word planning!