Growing up, Lusanda Payiya always knew she had a knack for entertainment and all things creative.
Her love for the film industry started when she discovered that she could tell the most influential stories, that could touch lives.
Payiya like many other creatives, faced a lot of challenges, but never gave up hope that she would one day make it big in the film and television industry.
Now, after years of hard work, she’s finally reaping the rewards, as an assistant director for the Netflix movie Miss Fortune.
“Oh it’s been a journey in the filmmaking space. Just recently in this project we are working on, we had so many background actors and when I saw them in line for food it got me thinking back to when I was a featured extra on this project. Extras are not really considered in most things and in some productions they are not even catered for.
“But today when I look back I am very proud of myself, and can say out loud that I am eating at the big table,” Payiya remarked.
She is currently working toward her NQF Level 5 qualification in TV and Film Production from The National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, bringing her one step closer to realising her full potential.
Payiya took a leap of faith and submitted her work to the Eastern Cape Film Festival Film Hub, created by legendary Kariega filmmaker Nceba Mqolomba, who was seeking scriptwriters to transform their projects into compelling narratives.
Now, Payiya not only gets to rub shoulders with some of the most influential names in the industry, but also gets to create a legacy for herself, putting her name and the town of Kariega on the map.
“I got the amazing opportunity to work with the director of e.TV’s Smoke & Mirrors, Zuko Nodada, which is a dream come true. Just to learn from the best in the game. A special thanks to Eastern Cape Film Festival for granting us the opportunity to work with such big and wonderful people who inspire emerging filmmakers,” the 24-year-old concluded.
