But first, some insight into how most of our Skype conversations kick off. Warning: You’re about to come face to face with some thrilling hard-hitting journalism, buckle up.

Norman: I’m in Joburg…
iDidtht: We’re in Cape Town…
Norman: Yeah, it’s cold here, I dunno what’s happening?
iDidTht: It’s windy here…
Norman: I wonder if it’s still flooding in Durban?
iDidTht: Dunno…
Norman: Winter hey?!

And now back to our regular programming…

Norman spent the first three years of his directorial career traveling the world with his debut film, Soldiers of the Rock, which played at over 100 international film festivals. A pretty illustrious introduction to the world of filmmaking and it didn’t slow down there. When he finally unpacked his bags back in South Africa he settled in as a commercials and TV Director, putting his name behind some of SA’s most loved and talked about shows including the drama ‘Skeem Saam’, ‘Entabeni’, ‘Unsung Heroes’ and the 13 part coming of age comedy for Mnet – ‘It’s Complicated’. He’s now found a home at Figment Films which is a perfect fit as it houses a range of Directors who work both in long form and commercials. His latest feature film ‘Love Lives Here’ is a romantic comedy centered around a modern woman with strong traditional values who’s been unlucky in love. The film explores uniquely South African relationships and features a star-studded cast.

iDidTht: You look really relaxed for someone who’s just come off of a feature film.
Norman: Haha, that’s why you do comedy.

iDidTht: You’ve directed everything apart from the kitchen sink, but ‘Love Lives Here’ is such a beautiful authentically South African story, what inspired you?
Norman: I grew up in the townships in a time where we were being integrated as a country. It’s almost been three decades of watching the new South Africa evolve. What has impacted me is the little things in how we’ve changed along the way, what we’ve become and this idea of what being South African means and trying to embrace that. For me that’s authenticity, and it should always be present in my work. I also come with a strong cinematic background so I always try to merge the two. Whatever story I’m telling I try to be authentic about it and evolve cinema.

iDidTht: How do you think the film industry has evolved with the country?
Norman: We’ve always been a small industry but I feel creatively we are growing and things are starting to happen and happen fast. We are quickly becoming citizens of the world but we need a voice and I think that voice is gonna come from a movement, not from singular Directors or Producers. I think it’s going to come from all of us being inspired by the risks we take in order to be unique. Even though we’re always aspiring to be international, we are unique in what we say and where we come from and I think we are starting to embrace that.

iDidTht: What excites you about directing commercials vs. directing features or series?
Norman: To me, filmmaking, whether features or commercials, is always about culture – both have the power to inform our culture and the power to move and shift trends etc. A commercial is an opportunity to put an idea into the world; either it’s going to sell a product or position a brand by telling stories, but at the same time, it talks back to culture, just like films, which to me is the most exciting aspect.