Tebogo Chologi shares a touching story of life in a shack during the global health pandemic at Brighton Fringe’s 2022 festival.
Credit: Totem production, Tebogo Chologi.
Don’t judge a SHACK by its cover.
Despite its low budget, THE SHACK is a rough treasure in a sea of Hollywood made films, garnering an international audience. It's a beautiful story of a shack that looks after its owner, narrated by the film’s director, Tebogo Chologi. Its minimalist style, on the other hand, creates a one-of-a-kind experience that can either move or perplex its audience.
The format of THE SHACK is entirely unique to the blockbuster’s you see in the cinema. Everything is heavily restricted: it is short and brief, we hear only one voice in a setting that never changes, and there are no actors to drive the story forward. It all comes down to several clips showing various parts of BUTI’s shack.
However, there is a serious language barrier present between Tebogo Chologi and his foreign audience. It is spoken in his native tongue and viewers will have to refer to the subtitles below to understand what is going on. The film, therefore, is presented with the challenge to land that emotional impact in a situation where viewers are constantly switching their focus between the visuals and the subtitles below.
Tebogo Chologi recognised this challenge regarding his foreign audience. He says: “I thought about narrating in English, but it wasn’t having the desired effect. Instead, I believed the artistry would speak louder than any language.”
As a result, the film's quest for success on a shoestring budget works to its advantage: the film's limited scope draws the audience's attention to the shack's tale, allowing them to follow along without feeling overwhelmed. I never felt pressed to keep up with what was going on during the preview. The sentient shack's mellow tone is soothing to listen to as it tells the narrative of its owner. It seems pleasant and harmonising when combined with the graphics of BUTI’s valuables, which is paradoxical given that we’re not situated in a luxurious hotel but a humble shack.
Watch the full trailer: https://youtu.be/OU2AhYTVNdY
The artist's foundations.
Who is Tebogo Timothy Chologi? He’s an independent artist in the South African film industry, aspiring to one day direct a high budget feature film.
Credit: Totem Poduction, Tebogo Chologi
Born in 1988 and raised in Magogwe Tlhabologo in Mahikeng, he has had a knack for artistry since his childhood and throughout the years has been involved in numerous industries. He first started off in street dancing, joining the ‘PNX Productions’ group back in 2006. Later on, his artistic vision took him away from the dancefloor and towards the stage of poetry, becoming involved with the North West Talent Show ‘The Province’ just a year later.
But the young artist would yearn for greater things, and it wouldn’t be until 2010 when Tebogo Timothy Chologi would set his sights on much grander ambitions: the big screens.
When asked about this sudden change in career, Tebogo Chologi said: “I used to tell stories through poetry and dance, but now I wanted to extend my natural urge to tell stories. To tell it through the lense in film format, so that it can be cast in stone forever [and] appreciated by generations to come.”
After completing a National Certificate in Film and Television Production, he then went on to direct 'Inmate' and 'Mobocracy', in which the latter won best student film of South Africa in 2015. His most recent film prior to THE SHACK, Lesedi - The Light, was also hosted at the Lavuth' Ibhaayi Short Film Festival Screens in Port Elizabeth - one of many breakthroughs in Tebogo Chelogi's success in South Africa's film industry.
When asked what Tebogo Chologi has learned after years in the industry, he says: “Most stories don't make sense until they hit the lense . . . People will think you're crazy, but if you tell the story, they’ll think you're crazy but also telling the truth.”
Tebogo Chologi wouldn't start drafting his next big concept until 2020, when Covid cases and limits were at their pinnacle. As someone who grew up in poverty, he wanted to make a film telling ‘the truth’ about shacks and their role during the pandemic.
Tebogo Chologi says: “I had a camera, I had a shack, It all came down to me deciding I wanted to do something.”
Tebogo Chologi has since launched a youtube channel, where he uploads trailers for his films, after years of presenting his passion projects on South African screens, in the aim of growing his social media presence and reaching out to a much bigger audience beyond his home country.
Does ‘THE SHACK’ hold up?
THE SHACK is a unique experience that brings Brighton and South Africa closer together. Though the lack of english narration may prove challenging for some, the slow and relaxing pace of the film, combined with its carefully placed still shots, makes viewership enjoyable and thought provoking.
Credit: Totem Production, Tebogo Chologi.
However, the film was released in 2020 when the world was mostly in lockdown. As vaccination rates in the United Kingdom hit an all-time high, restrictions are being relaxed. It begs the question of whether a film on the pandemic is still relevant in a time when people seem to have moved on. Is it still worth seeing after all these years?
Tebogo Chologi says: “COVID, as one of the themes in the story, will bear as a reminder as to what pushed impoverished people further down the poverty trap and exacerbated their problems and challenges . . . Therefore, as long as there are shacks and informal settlements in the world, not only [in] South Africa, THE SHACK will remain relevant.”
He hopes that through screening the film at festivals across the UK and beyond, it will spark renowned appreciation for shacks as the unsung heroes of COVID-19 whilst also raising awareness for the challenges faced by South African communities.
Tebogo Chologi demonstrates how a story can be greater than the sum of its parts.
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