Rain and chilly weather did nothing to dampen the spirits of budding actors and actresses who attended Indibano at Isivivana Centre in Khayelitsha on Saturday July 6.
Well-known and experienced actors and actress such as Bongile Mantsai, Faniswa Yisa, Ntomboxolo Makhutshi and Adrian Galley were invited to share their knowledge about the industry.
The initiative is aimed at creating a platform for budding actors to engage and to help them make well-informed decisions about their careers.
The gathering was spearheaded by Khayelitsha actor, Malibongwe Mdwaba, who has in the past hosted three of these social upliftment engagements in Johannesburg.
The key message was that young actors should be true to themselves, versatile and keep learning.
Mr Galley, an actor and vice-chairman of South African Guild of Actors, urged those there to support each other and that actors should invest in their craft and to become better actors.
He also emphasised the importance of being financially savvy because as actors, they worked as freelancers with little financial security.
Actors, he said, should toughen up and learn to deal with rejection and limited job opportunities.
“There are no shorts cuts. Do you and be yourself. Don’t put your faith and career in someone else’s hands. You are the person that you can rely on the most,” he said.
Ms Yisa echoed the importance of working wisely with one’s finances and warned the budding artists against living lavishly without saving.
Ms Yisa said many thought it was easy and glamorous to be an actor, but what they didn’t see was the hard work behind the scenes.
She also pointed out that there were other jobs in the industry and that not everyone needed to be an actor.
Mr Mdwaba said he was pleased with the turn-out at the event. “This is a social upliftment initiative. I want these actors to make wise and well-informed decisions. How we make change in this industry lies within us the young generation. I want to make a difference,” he said.