Conversations with Jabulani Mdingi

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jabulani Mdingi.

Hi Jabulani, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I root my journey down to curiosity. Seeing how far my mindset would take me if I thought a certain way. My thinking has been to try the perceived impossible. In simple terms, I was at school and a prefect told me to get in line and prepare for the school assembly. We had a little back and forth as I was a bit of a naughty kid. She stood her ground and I admired that. But didn’t like her much. Later that day, my Zulu teacher, called me into her class as they needed Zulu speaking readers. Little did I know that they were looking for actors. The prefect I had a tiff with was the play director and she was so kind, I fell in love with her art and fell in love with acting. So, school happened where I studied film and TV, majoring in directing and scriptwriting at City Varsity, After I attained my qualification, I went through the system of unemployment. I joined the industry as an intern in 2017 and I never looked back since.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As I have touched on my introductory answer. I went through the system of unemployment. I watched my peers, fellow classmates, people I outperformed get jobs and accessing spaces I could only dream of accessing. I tirelessly sent CVs to production companies. It was tough. At some point, questions of failure were beginning to cloud my mind. I questioned myself. A friend of mine who was going into the music industry was equally frustrated. We stayed together and every night we worked out strategies of how we were going to infiltrate the system of entertainment. He came back one day, pissed! His peer that he shared ideas with and had a skill exchange, was now a resident DJ on 5 FM. We vowed to approach the establishments in person as the method of emailing no longer works. So When I did my part of the vow, I met a gentleman by the name of Jeano Jacobs. He was head of HR at Red Pepper. He was fascinated by my mindset. He took my CV and gave me a call a month later.

The struggles were psychological. It was a battle of what I moved believing vs the reality. I was going to finish school, direct shows, and win awards. I didn’t realise that I was entering into a looooong journey. Filmmakers have an overreactive arrogance which they need to mold into wisdom. When they don’t mold it, it risks creating an egotistic monster who is unbearable to work with. Molding arrogance is a character building job. But a fruitful one. Patience is another thing I needed to learn. Patience will test you. I have been frustrated, angry, cussed at my industry and came back knowing very well that I wouldn’t even touch corporate. So one of the other struggles were the love and hate.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am obsessed with understanding the hidden systems behind performance, storytelling, and power. A storyteller of systems.
I run an online platform called The Behind the Scenes Network, known as TBTS Network. We document the industry practitioners’ journey in navigating the arts and observing their philosophy. We have an article platform on substack, a youtube platform and an instagram platform. The aim is to bridge the gap between those who are in the industry with those who are curious about the industry. But it is also to connect real life people and show that we are not different we just own our weirdness.

I am also currently working as a juniour Production Manager for a new eTV telenovela called The Four Of Us and I act on another telenovela, I play the role of Dean Shilombo on eTV’s Isitha S4. I am known by those trades by different people. What sets me apart is the humour I bring to my audience, my colleagues and friends. I take videos of celebrities behind the scenes and create a voice over.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
There’s been many lessons in my journey and they have not stopped. One that stands out now which is important for this interview is a lesson that a lot of my industry colleagues embody and is preached by the best in the game. Always lead with who you are. Don’t hide yourself. Filmmakers hide themselves. I am also guilty of this. We hide our art and hide the very thing that the industry needs from you in order for it to respond. Be yourself. We are sensitive to criticism which puts a thick layer that protects us from being vulnerable in our creativity. Criticism and I have a love hate relationship and I am also shy. So putting myself out there is the bravest thing I choose to do every day.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: tbts_network & Sir_Javastatus
• Youtube: TBTS Network

Image Credits
Image 1 & 2- Captured by Thabang R Photography

3rd Image is from the set of Isitha. 4th Image is a moment from the scene shot on isitha. 5th Image is from a new netflix show set to premier soon called Polygamy.