Patriot Films has added comedy and performance director Tumelo Moropa to their talented stable of directors. Tumelo is known for his humourous and authentic takes on Mzansi, creating hilariously relatable characters and an offbeat visual style in his work.

Patriot’s Co-Founder and Director Anton Visser and Director Tumelo Moropa are no strangers. The two met over 11 years ago when Tumelo was at Velocity Africa. Since then Anton has remained a mentor to Tumelo through much of his directing career, Tumelo says: ‘Anton has shared so much about the mechanics and psychology of performance and comedy with me. He’s been a really strong influence in my career and how I work with my actors.’ It’s no surprise then that the two would eventually end up on the same directing roster.

Tumelo will be joining Patriot directors Anton Visser, Aadil Dhalech and Sam Coleman with the support of Producer Deenan Naidoo and Executive Producer Zayd Halim. Anton says of the signing: ‘I’m very excited that Tumelo has joined us because he’s a director who puts a unique spark into his work – you feel it in his characters, in the worlds of his ads, and in the way his edits just crackle. I suppose it’s also because he’s putting a bit of himself into his stories? So they never feel calculated or contrived, they always feel warm and inviting and they never fail to make you smile. That authenticity combined with Tumelo’s huge potential when it comes to comedy storytelling is why we believe his joining us is a perfect match. I think with Melo, the sky is going to be the limit.’

On why the move to Patriot, Tumelo says: ‘Patriot’s work is standout to me. It has a distinctly South African flavour but can also be held to the highest production standard. I am really energised about having access to the multi-talented directors and the Patriot production support. I love how collaborative Sam, Aadil and Anton are. They have agency backgrounds, so it’s very interesting to see how they approach scripts and I think I can really benefit from being a part of the team. I’m very curious as a person, and as a director, and I’m always wanting to grow and evolve and for me, there is no better place to do that, than Patriot.’

Curious is a great word to describe Tumelo, not just as a director, but also as a creative collaborator. With a background in copywriting, fine art, art direction and music production, Tumelo is a patient listener who genuinely engages with people, which is probably why he manages to craft such nuanced performances from his actors. He’s a film buff that loves the industry and the kind of director we would imagine you would look forward to introducing to your client; authentic, kind, honest and damn talented! A great fit for the Patriot team!

Tumelo Did That

Watching Tumelo’s reel, it’s no surprise that he and Anton have had such a long collaborative relationship. Tumelo’s work screams ‘Patriot’; really funny, proudly South African work with performances that can hold up internationally.

Tumelo has already hit the ground running with Patriot and Executive Producer Zayd Halim says of Tumelo’s first Patriot piece for DSTV and Ogilvy Johannesburg: ‘Tumelo brings a wealth of experience with him and is a director with a wonderfully unique tone of voice. His latest piece for DSTV showcases how he always sketches fresh and interesting characters and situations in his stories. Ubumnandi; it’s a one-of-a-kind feeling of South African joy. Just like Melo’

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