Thu, 01/09/2022 - 13:00
Mthabisi Mlauzi has moved into studio 4.1 at Banks Mill having recently won our student residency award. He is currently in his second year at the University of Derby studying a BA in Film and Television Production.
He has also just set up Wolf Street CIC, a community interest company which will be targeting the creative community. The business is a multimedia platform for creatives to showcase their talents, talk about their work, and network with other creatives.
Mthabisi comments: “I so happen to be a creative myself, I am a film maker and photographer and before starting this business I ran a production company, Akmi Arts, for five years while I was a teenager, with my friend and business partner Adoniah Haslam. We did all sorts of jobs through our production company from funerals to weddings and even travelling abroad to film music videos. This was all exciting but what we found was that the creative element that we cared dearly about such as documentaries, short films, podcasts and interviews usually never had a place to be showcased amongst the creative platforms around. Rap music has been blessed enough in this country to have numerous platforms that cover it entirely but what about R&B singers, your alternative musicians and even the artists that can be found in Banks Mill, where do these individuals go to get showcased? That's what Wolf Street aims to be.”
Mthabisi has worked on numerous projects already, including the Repton Book Festival, at the Civic Lab Symposium, Reimagine Festival and the S.H.E.D project. Mthabisi says: “I worked on the S.H.E.D project with Dr Rhiannon Jones from the University of Derby, and I had the pleasure of showcasing my photography project around toxic masculinity. I am now currently working with Derby CAN which is the Derby Creative Arts Network, a new project led by Derby Theatre. I’m co-creating and producing the Over to You festival with them as well as setting up photoshoots and interviews for their project around black history called ‘Black Hair’.”
Mthabisi has also been able to use the student employment agency at the University, giving him the chance to work with the University on several occasions to help solidify connections for his business.
Mthabisi concludes: “I’m almost over the finishing line in setting up my business, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to have a base in Banks Mill for the year which will be absolutely major for my podcasts, interviews and more as I aim to kick start Wolf Street with a bang once the C.I.C application has been accepted.”
Mthabisi will be busy as his work usually takes him 2-3 weeks to complete and he plans to maximise his 12-month studio residency at Banks Mill by recording around 15 podcasts, conducting 10-15 interviews and three photography projects as well as 1-2 short films.
You can follow Wolf Street on Instagram and Mthabisi’s personal Instagram account.