WITH the hype leading up to today’s opening of the romantic comedy, Tell Me Sweet Something, pictures of the red carpet arrivals of actress Nomzamo Mbatha have been published everywhere.
But unlike Minnie, Bonang and their ilk, who deliver presenting mediocrity and are famous for their Limpopo matric-dance-inspired red carpet frocks, Mbatha actually has talent. This has been proven in her roles in Isibaya and etv’s Umlilo. And now, again, as the lead in Tell Me Sweet Something, her first venture into film.
The role came when Mbatha was a year into her career as an actress. “I was nervous and excited,” she recalls. “It was a huge character. I have to carry a lot of the scenes and I was very unsure and doubted myself. At times it was excruciating.” But she relished the entire experience.
“In film, there is freedom of expression and movement. Television is rigid and staged, so you are confined to space and time as to how to express yourself. But with film there is more pressure because you’re on a very big screen. You get one shot and you have to get it right. There is no sequel to most films.”
This is also Tell Me Sweet Something’s lead actor Maps Maponyane’s first time in film.
The storyline sees the two characters fall in love, even though their worlds are very different. Nomzamo’s character lives in literature and she owns a bookshop, whereas Maponyane’s character is a famous model – not very far from his own world.
He agrees with Nomzamo’s views on film: “With film you need to be a whole lot more patient, whereas with television you get away with a lot. In film, the audience sees every facial expression, so you need to be vulnerable and let yourself go.”
“One of my biggest challenges was to find my vulnerability. Yes, my character is close to me but I had to find that vulnerability without being me. My character didn’t read books because he was getting by on his looks. He never cared about his looks, but chose instead to be stereotyped. It was easier.”
Director of the film, Akin Omotoso and the rest of the cast, which includes Thembi Seete and Kagiso Lediga, as well as actress Thishiwe Ziqubu, workshopped the film for two years before going into production. Lionel Newton was a key player in that process.
Says Maponyane: “I went through the character with Lionel and he helped me find the balance between who he is, without making him me.”
About the effect the film will have on both actors’ careers, Nomzamo and Maponyane are pragmatic. “I don’t have any expectations about the changes it will make in my career but I know it will be a successful film,” she said.
“This film has done an incredible amount for me,” adds Maponyane. “I was given a lot of advice from Akin. There needs to be serious commitment and passion from pre-production until the end… I realised I will one day go into production and directing.”
This film’s sweet as ice cream
Outside of Shallow Hal and Jack Black, there are no ugly people in romantic comedies. Akin Omotoso (pictured) realised that and put the small cast of Tell Me Sweet Something into a gym and on an eating plan. But he went even further.
His team spent two years workshopping the film, meaning when it was time to begin shooting, the characters were natural with each other and knew the script very well.
“They got to know me and they go to know each other,” explains Omotoso. “I wanted to do something organic. Everything in the film is considered and not there by chance. When shooting began, we were free to play because they knew each other so well. I studied theatre and we don’t do enough of it in South Africa. It’s not about running the lines, its about deepening the character. I have established a methodology of how I want to work in the future.”
Omotoso is considered one of the great directors that actors would love to work with. His previous work has focused on serious issues. Man On Ground, for instance, had xenophobia as its theme.
In an experimental move, he also shot a film called Jesus and the Giant using still photography. It was screened at many reputable film festivals around the globe.
Tell Me Sweet Something is his first venture into romantic comedy, a genre which he confesses he enjoys watching. “This film is the film I want you to see. The film is sweet – it’s like ice cream. We have to look at ourselves in terms of beauty. I wanted to tell a beautiful story about falling in love. It is also about a young woman trying to fulfil her potential in love and in life. The challenging part, when we started the rehearsal process in 2010 was to keep that vision over four years.
“This film is the biggest production I have done in terms of time and budget. However everyone was not earning massive amounts of money. My challenge was to get everyone to give 100%. You have to care about the small details, which means every person on set counts.
“That is the principle of basketball. You have to work as a team. The crew must understand what we are all trying to achieve and that there is no room for mediocrity.”
Tell Me Sweet Something opens nationwide tomorrow and Omotoso is on to his next project, which has a serious theme.