Cars, food and…self-driving beds? Behind the lens with multifaceted Director Kofi Zwana
Hungry Films’ Kofi Zwana is the kind of director who brings it all to the table. With his technical experience, passion for visual storytelling, and collaborative spirit, he’s as multi-faceted in his role as a director as he is in his personal life. His latest spot for Spur is a whirlwind morning adventure with beds navigating Cape Town’s early morning traffic to deliver their occupants straight to breakfast. Bed goals! This playful spot perfectly reflects Kofi’s infectious energy and enthusiasm.
Spur ‘Beds and Breakfast’
The task from Spur and agency 99c? Shooting beds in motion with passengers, navigating the streets of Cape Town. As expected, logistical hurdles arose, like making it safe for actors to ride on mattresses and, ahem, finding roads without potholes. Kofi says ‘The dream was to have beds I could drive with remote control, alas there wasn’t budget for that haha. Instead, we put the beds on wheels and designed a pulley system that spanned from the back and the front of the beds, all of which we had to clean up in post.’
Kofi on set with DOP James Adey.
Kofi began in the industry over 13 years ago, working his way through most departments, from AD to Editor. Since directing, he’s been working on vastly different boards, but the golden thread always sees him leveraging his background across departments and his technical know-how combined with his openness to collaborate. Drawing inspiration from acclaimed directors like Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Baby Driver and Hot Fuzz), Kofi loves the technical aspect of filmmaking, especially when it comes to camera movements, utilising wide lenses and creative framing techniques to amplify comedic moments and enhance the overall performance. Kofi’s love of using the camera to amplify story is clearly evident in his spot for Aromat especially, watch below. We’ve also showcased one of his spots for Toyota that proves, whether it’s cars, seasoning or a beddy breakfast, Kofi brings it!
Aromat ‘The Right Dinner’
Toyota ‘Urban Cruiser’
‘Kofi has a strong technical background. Post production wise, he understands what is possible and what’s not. He’s also a good performance director. He’s spent many years as an AD so he knows what the frontline is like and how to work with cast and actors to draw the best out of them. He certainly has a very collaborative way of working with his team, which is always so refreshing in a director.’ Says Murray Macdonald, Producer at Hungry Films. Kofi’s collaborative approach has won him acclaim and loyalty from both his team and clients. This, says Founder and Executive Producer of Hungry Films, Jackie Hindle, is what sets him apart. ‘Almost all his clients return to work with Kofi again and I think that says it all.’
When not behind the lens, behind food.
You can’t talk about Kofi’s work as a director without talking about Kofi as a person. He brings so much of his passion and spirit to the filmmaking process. Before moving to Brazil where he finished high school, Kofi attended a music academy. Kofi plays five instruments #OverAcheiver, including the bassoon (we had to google that too) and speaks 7 languages…we know!
Although he can’t disclose details about the project at the moment, Kofi is about to direct his debut feature film – a romantic comedy in the vein of Mean Girls, YES PLEASE. And the film is for a top streaming service. Go, go Kofi!
Produced by the IDIDTHAT Content Studio – Credits: Anne Hirsch (Writer) / Julie Maunder
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