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The spark behind Star Films’ director Wim Steytler
Star Films’ Wim Steytler has established himself as a performance director who blends realism with the otherworldly. He can’t help but bring his love of symbolism and the mystical to each set he steps on, adding layers of meaning paired with strong attention to detail. Let’s get to know the man whose journey into filmmaking started in the most unexpected way.
Wim is a deeply contemplative and philosophical individual, something that drives him to approach his projects with care and meticulous attention to detail. A self-proclaimed ‘nature-junkie’ he spends much of his time with his wife and three boys, hiking, surfing, and, just like the other Wim, cold water plunging. Based between Cape Town and the artistic community of McGregor, Wim directs commercials with Star Films while also developing his feature film ‘Heaven on Earth’, in labs across Europe.
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While winning the Young Director Award at Cannes Lions was a fantastic start to Wim’s creative career, the real catalyst was something far more profound – and it’s a story not many know. At 16, as he stepped off a school bus on the highway outside his parents’ farm in Wellington, Wim was hit by a car driving at 100 km/h. The impact broke nearly every bone in his body, sparing only his neck and back. Despite the severity of his injuries, he miraculously survived. This event sparked a transformation, leading Wim to discover a deep passion for creativity and storytelling that would shape his future.
‘Before the accident, I was quite a jock, a farm boy obsessed with rugby, but my recovery period of over a year changed everything. I spent a lot of time in traction and began drawing to pass the time, and discovered I was actually good at it. When I was in a wheelchair, I turned to photography. What started as ways to keep busy became a deep interest in the creative world. That accident became a big part of who I am, shaping me creatively and giving me a unique perspective on life,’ says Wim.
Wim eventually went on to study Fine Arts, and it was at Stellenbosch University that he began shooting film and taught himself to edit. After graduating Wim went on to work as an editor for 8 years on features, commercials and documentaries. One of these doccies was the award-winning ‘Fokofpolisiekar: The Movie’. ‘Editing really laid the groundwork for my filmmaking career and gave me the ability to structure a story,’ says Wim. His background in documentaries shines through in his work, where he captures honest performances with a keen eye for visual composition and atmosphere.
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Wim took the leap from editing to commercial researching and spent 3 years first with Bouffant and then Picture Tree. During this time he became obsessed with the subcultures in Joburg and began exploring hijacked buildings, using the city as a creative muse, he began experimenting with stylistic realism.
Wim says of the time, ‘I found these buildings in central Joburg that had been hijacked but they were filled with furniture from the 80s. They were like little time capsules, intricate sets to shoot in. I bribed the security guards to let me take photos there and we created these other worlds.’ Wim ended up translating the stills into a music video, the very same one that led to Wim winning the Young Director Award in Cannes – Haezer: Minted. The music video deals with xenophobia within the Somali community in downtown Joburg. ‘I think music videos is how I developed much of my artistic voice, it’s a great way for commercial directors to explore early on in our careers,’ adds Wim
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Photography by Wim Steytler
Wim’s cinematic and sensitive approach to capturing genuine moments and intimate performances, has led to an exciting path for him as a commercial director. And we’re not the only ones that think so – he keeps racking up the awards, including his most recent – winning Best Film at the Lights, Camera, Liberty Film Festival in New York (2023). Can’t wait to see what he delivers next, but for now, here are some of our favourite spots from his reel, which includes his most recent work for AVBOB, released this week. And keep an eye out for his soon-to-be-released Clicks Flexicare Powered by Discovery commercial.
Discovery Bank ‘Banking 101’
VodaPay
AVBOB ‘Brand’
Haezer ‘Minted’
Wanna (s)talk some more? Star Films on IDIDTHAT and Company Website. Wim Steytler’s personal website.
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Contact The Star Film Co.
Executive Producer: Adam Thal
adam@starfilms.tv
+27 82 927 8930
Executive Producer: Saskia Rosenberg Haak
saskia@starfilms.tv
+27 82 888 1533
View IDIDTHAT Profile
View Website
View Wim’s Website
Produced by the IDIDTHAT Content Studio – Credits: Anne Hirsch (Writer) / Julie Maunder
*This content may not be reproduced or used in any part without the prior written consent of IDIDTHAT. Reprints must credit I DID THAT.co (ididthat.co) as the original publisher of this editorial piece and include a link to this site.
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