Khanya Ndwandwe was nine years old when his mom enrolled him into a modelling agency. He started learning about the film and television industry on set and found his calling. Khanya, now 26, spoke to SMF News’ Kuhle Tshabalala, about his life in front of, and behind, the lens.
Multidisciplinary artist, Khanya Ndwandwe’s (26) life has been a documentary of artistic skills, captured with scenes of photography, music and acting.
His spark for filmmaking was ignited at the age of nine, when his mother enrolled him and his brothers, Zwide and Owethu, into a modelling agency.
The family had just moved to Cape Town from Durban.
Through the agency, Khanya earned many roles in commercials and films, including an Afrikaans kids series where he was the only character that spoke English.
“When I was in front of the camera… I loved going to set,” recalls Khanya. “And I loved watching how everything was shot.”
During this period, Khanya learnt the importance of working in a team and being able to adapt on set. He also learnt that the production is made up of different departments that each contribute to the final product.
“When you’re on set at that age, you actually learn that, ‘Oh, there’s a hair and makeup department, there’s the cinematographer, there’s the editor’,” says Khanya. “Just being on that set and seeing the scale of the production and being a part of it and watching it also on TV, Showmax, DStv, KykNET was an affirmation that I’m doing the right thing because it felt good.”
Khanya Ndwandwe, who is a multi-disciplinary artist, is a skilled photographer, editor, actor and musician. PHOTO: Kuhle Tshabalala
‘Your eyes have to be everywhere’
Khanya went on to study Film Studies at the Cape Peninsuala University of Technology (CPUT).
In 2020, Khanya was a finalist at the Bokeh South African International Fashion Film Festival, for his film Hide n Seek. The Bokeh festival brings together artists from film, fashion, art and related technical fields to celebrate their work all year, according to the Bokeh festival website. At the time, Khanya was still at CPUT, and it became a very important chapter of his varsity life.
The festival was accepting scripts for short films and had a judging period where ten finalists would get funding and equipment to shoot their very own films. For Khanya, this opportunity taught him how to work in a funded production with a budget as he had to assemble his own team.
“I was still a film student when I made Hide n Seek, and it was the first time that I had gotten funding for a project, which was very exciting,” said Khanya. “That experience really did impact my career… and it looks good on my showreel. So, I’m really grateful to Bokeh Festival.”
He has since worked on several projects, including the popular game show, Wheel of Fortune South Africa, where contestants solve word puzzles in order to win money.
“I’ve been working for HBC Productions and their game show, Wheel of Fortune as a senior editor on the first season last year, and we wrapped it up early this year.”
He says it was a great learning experience and a massive production that required his full attention.
“I learned a lot. It’s a 9-camera show. So, as an editor, your eyes have to be everywhere,” he says.
Following his success as an editor on Wheel of Fortune South Africa, Khanya is set to bring his expertise to Deal or No Deal, another South African game show where contestants select one of 20 sealed boxes for a chance to win cash prizes.
Khanya Ndwandwe, a multi-talented creative, is passionate about music and goes by the stage name King Khanya. His 2022 album titled Love Kills takes a look at the beauty and pain of love. PHOTO: Kuhle Tshabalala
Quality over quantity
When working on a project, Khanya’s approach highlights the story over the technical aspect. Filmmaking, for him, is about quality over quantity.
“My process is always story first,” Khanya explains. “I try to think about a story that could be practical to shoot, because it does cost a lot of money to make a film. So, I would say I put 90% in a good story and the other 10% in the technical stuff.”
Khanya emphasises the importance of keeping the creative process real and unscripted and encourages aspiring creatives not to be afraid of standing out.
“The advice that I would give to other creators is be honest with whatever it is that you’re creating. Be honest enough to learn. Be honest enough to be an outcast and be honest enough to be out of trend.”
Khanya also believes that collaboration is key to success. He has worked with talented individuals, who each brought their valuable skills to a project.
When it comes to teamwork, he believes that authenticity and a willingness to learn are essential.
“Be kind and be yourself when working within a team,” says Khanya. This is true for everyone in the team, he says, even the director. “People would rather work with someone who’s kind and authentic than with someone who is probably more experienced but is rude and not nice to be around.”
Khanya Ndwandwe, a Film Studies graduate, in his element during a photoshoot. Currently, Ndwandwe is an editor for television productions by profession. PHOTO: Kuhle Tshabalala
First take
His brothers, Zwide and Owethu, have fond memories of their childhood and remember how they starred in many homemade skits as children, where Khanya was the director.
“He didn’t even have a professional camera, but he would make these videos and mini comedy series with his friends and post them on YouTube,” says Owethu. “Those videos were really entertaining because you could understand his heart and his mind behind all of that.”
“It is a really cool process to see a childhood dream start off as kids and then still blossom and grow into something that he can really make a good career out of,” he says.
Khanya’s early exposure to filmmaking set the stage for his distinct work ethic and future achievements.
A passion project
Khanya grew up in a home where music is central to every day.
“Music is a particular interest that was cultivated as a culture of appreciation at home by our parents,” says his brother, Zwide. “And as we got older, we started to develop our own individual interests, where Khanya took a liking towards film, becoming a film boffin.”
As such, music – for Khanya – is a very important element that goes hand in hand with filmmaking. According to him, sound has the power to enhance a production or ruin it.
“Music is everything,” he says. “You can have a really well put together visual, but if the sound is bad and you can’t really hear anything, you immediately lose the audience.”
He is passionate about music and is a talented musician himself. His 2022 album, Love Kills, tells the story of how love is both fulfilling and heartbreaking.
“The album tells the narrative of the good times and the honeymoon phase, but then it also talks about the heartbreak and the disappointment,” says Khanya.
“I’m picking up my freelancing this year,” says Khanya, and starts talking about his production company, Khanya Films.
He is excited to bring his passion project, Creator’s Circle, into focus. This project, produced by Khanya Films, is a series of intimate interviews that offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse into the stories of Cape Town’s creatives.
“Creator’s Circle is something that’s very close to my heart,” he says. “That’s definitely one of the projects I’m really excited to share.”