Walking Forward🚶🏿Season 1
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SERIES SYNOPSIS
Creative entrepreneur Ndinomholo meets some of Namibia's most incredible minds and talents who share what they do to not only walk through a global pandemic, but to walk forward into an unknown and thrilling future. . EPISODES S01E01 - Life Disrupted – 6 min Setting their own terms even within the limitations of a pandemic, is how a casting agency and a comedy institution reinforce resilience as a natural characteristic of Namibia's performing arts sector. S01E02 – Inventing New Ideas – 5 min Turning uncertainty into opportunity is how a fashion company and a modeling academy are creating change in Namibia's fashion industry. S01E03 - We Rose Up More – 6 min Preparing today for the needs of tomorrow are how a classical music student and a Shambo music star enshrine adaptability as a pillar of Namibia's music scene. S01E04 - Strike A Balance – 5 min Bravely designing the unknown is how a manufacturer and distributor of arts & crafts and an online gallery imprint versatility in the Namibian visual arts. S01E05 - Moving With The Times – 6 min Vulnerability and partnership are how a dance theatre and a dance company strengthen flexibility as a motif of the Namibian dance profession. |
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PRODUCER STATEMENT – TIM HUEBSCHLE
The creative economy has the power to reinvent itself when posed with a challenge, especially because creativity is the key component of this economic sector. “Walking Forward” looks behind the scenes of five cultural subsectors and showcases those who took the restrictions that life in covid times stipulates and turned it into an opportunity. The title of the series itself drives the underlying message of our web series. Following the model of iconic investigative journalist TV programs, specifically leaning on the South African “Carte Blanche”, our web series is presented by creative entrepreneur Ndinomholo whose keen interest in and advocacy for the creative economy translates into passion that bursts the seams of the screen. In a nutshell, the idea is to understand the impact Covid-19 had and continues to have on the arts & cultural industries, but instead of lamenting the reality we all know, we tell stories of hope, stories of finding a creative way to deal with the situation, stories that celebrate those who keep on walking forward. |
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ARTISTIC STATEMENT – NDINOMHOLO NDILULA
Resilience is the cousin to breath, a neighbour to survival and a confidant to greatness.
Although Covid has revealed the critical flaws in Namibia's creative ecosystem, it has also reinforced how synonymous the characteristics of ingenuity and dogged persistence are to the Namibian creative worker and the creative work environment.
When cinemas, theatres, clubs, dance halls and comedy clubs were shut around the world, it was evident that the status quo would not hold. On the ground, Covid caused production processes to stall, which halted support service functions and destabilized the distribution processes that had for decades made up this status quo. Whilst it is a deep calamity that continues to take lives around the world, Covid presented emerging creative centres, such as Windhoek is, with the opportunity to reevaluate their development activities in order to take into account the reengineering, retooling and reconfiguring necessary for such creative centres to survive and to thrive in the new normal.
The “Walking Forward” web series offered me the opportunity to delve into Windhoek's creative ecosystem and explore how a small sample of creative organizations and individuals are maintaining their resilience during a global pandemic. In addition to the web series, I have written corresponding blog posts with the intention to put forward concepts, ideas and potential actions that will echo the lessons I’ve learnt from the interviewees and contribute to a new era of utilizing Namibian creative resources even more wisely.
Resilience is the cousin to breath, a neighbour to survival and a confidant to greatness.
Although Covid has revealed the critical flaws in Namibia's creative ecosystem, it has also reinforced how synonymous the characteristics of ingenuity and dogged persistence are to the Namibian creative worker and the creative work environment.
When cinemas, theatres, clubs, dance halls and comedy clubs were shut around the world, it was evident that the status quo would not hold. On the ground, Covid caused production processes to stall, which halted support service functions and destabilized the distribution processes that had for decades made up this status quo. Whilst it is a deep calamity that continues to take lives around the world, Covid presented emerging creative centres, such as Windhoek is, with the opportunity to reevaluate their development activities in order to take into account the reengineering, retooling and reconfiguring necessary for such creative centres to survive and to thrive in the new normal.
The “Walking Forward” web series offered me the opportunity to delve into Windhoek's creative ecosystem and explore how a small sample of creative organizations and individuals are maintaining their resilience during a global pandemic. In addition to the web series, I have written corresponding blog posts with the intention to put forward concepts, ideas and potential actions that will echo the lessons I’ve learnt from the interviewees and contribute to a new era of utilizing Namibian creative resources even more wisely.
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PRODUCTION COMPANY
Collective Productions Namibia Collective Productions is a Namibian film and video production company, founded by Writer & Director Tim Huebschle and Producer & Business Manager David Benade in 2009. With more than 20 years of experience in the film and television industry, our purpose is compelling storytelling. A good story will travel far and wide, because stories need to be told and want to be heard. We believe Namibia has stories to tell and it is our calling to make authentic movies that inspire audiences, both locally and around the world. Collective Productions has produced a variety of award-winning documentaries, short films, music videos and TV commercials. Our creative team has made content for German and Chinese TV stations. In 2019 we released our debut feature-length thriller #LANDoftheBRAVEfilm across cinemas in Namibia. 
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FUNDING PARTNERS
Namibia Film Commission The mission of the Namibia Film Commission (NFC) is to create a conducive environment that develops a vibrant and sustainable film industry nationally, which reflects Namibia’s cultural diversity and contributes meaningfully to our country’s development. In conjunction with the National Arts Council of Namibia (NACN), the NFC administered a portion of the Covid-19 Relief Fund which aims to encourage continued creativity, artistry and practice during the global pandemic.
Bank Windhoek
Bank Windhoek’s purpose is to be a “Connector of Positive Change.” We help individuals and communities reach their full potential. In line with this purpose, Bank Windhoek journeys together with “Walking Forward” the web series that uncovers new possibilities and gives exposure to new creative energies through the art of Namibian storytelling in film and video. 
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WALKING FORWARD – INTERVIEWER & INTERVIEWEES
(in order of appearance) Ndinomholo Ndilula (Interviewer / Artist & Creative Entrepreneur) Kulan Ganes (Casting Agent / Pencilled Casting) Slick Upindi (Stand-up Comedian / Free Your Mind) Eva-Maria Manchen (Fashion Designer / Katharina Karl) Heino Manchen (Manufacturing / Katharina Karl) Leena Shipwata (Model / Leena Shipwata Modelling Academy) Galilei Njembo (Classical Music Student) Jackson Wahengo (Musician) Victoria Hailapa (Production Manager / Penduka Namibia) Andy Diergaardt (Acting Director / Penduka Namibia) Gina Figueira (Curator / StartArt Gallery) Nikhita Winkler (Choreographer / Nikhita Winkler Dance Theatre) Stanley Mareka (Dance Lecturer / Equipped Dance Academy) |
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WALKING FORWARD – CREW
Directed by Tim Huebschle & Ndinomholo Ndilula Created by Tim Huebschle, Ndinomholo Ndilula & David Benade Written & narrated by Ndinomholo Ndilula Produced & edited by Tim Huebschle Executive Producer David Benade Cinematographer Antonius Tsuob Online editor & colourist Haiko Boldt Audio postproduction David Benade |
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