CRAFT boot camp was an eye-opener – Simz Masuku

LAST year, contemporary music artiste Simphiwe “Simz” Masuku participated at the inaugural Creative Reproductive health Arts Festival for Transformation (CRAFT) competition in Harare.

It is there where his exploits got him selected to be part of a seven-man cohort that took part in a seven-day boot camp meant to hone their artistic careers to unleash their unpolished talent.

The boot camp, a brainchild of a charitable organisation, SAYWHAT and the Swedish Embassy sought to nurture up-and-coming creatives who are taking it upon themselves to be change-makers in society with regard to sexual health, teenage pregnancies, and substance abuse among other ills was held at Pandhari Lodge from 17 to 24 September.

Focal points were music, film, poetry and public speaking.

Simz Masuku told Chronicle Showbiz how insightful the boot camp was to him.

“The boot camp exposed me to a whole new level of creativity and truly, creativity goes hand in hand with self actualisation as this helps unlock one’s imagination. Thanks to Ian P Universal for taking us through all the stages and breathing exercises which became the skeletal structure of this whole project as we first imagined the whole film unknowingly.

“I also appreciate having to be close to other creatives as this boot camp gave us time to know more about each other and bond. This enabled us to patch all the glitches that we had as we encountered ups and downs in our seven day journey towards obtaining the final product,” he said.

The boot camp was facilitated by different industry experts who have vast experience and knowledge in their respective fields. Among these were filmmaker Joe Njagu, Feli Nandi, Lucious Ali, and Rutendo Mutsamwira.

“Joe Njagu took us through script writing since most of us didn’t know the proper formula for coming up with motion pictures, Tatenda in Poetry, Feli Nandi and Lucious Ali in music as they explained how or rather why they are in those fields.

“Fusing all these forms of art is a great tool to help raise awareness in matters that have a lot to do with Sexual Reproductive Health Rights and Gender Based Violence,” said Masuku.

The participants had to brainstorm ideas, exercise as well as write poems, compose music for a short film that they had to do in the presence of their icons.

The seven then became the characters of their short film which reveals how young people suffer emotionally, mentally or physically due to different forms of abuse.

Masuku is known for the song, “Settimo Cielo” a collaborative effort with budding guitarist, Reilo Viekk. @MbuleloMpofu