Online Reporter
Mthokozisi Ncube [email protected]
GWANDA’S Content Creators Connect organiser T Schedule may have set himself a difficult task of topping the inaugural edition after the event drew a massive crowd and brought some of the country’s popular digital creators to the mining town.
What started as a dream for T Schedule culminated in a lively gathering at Mount Cazalet Hall on Saturday, with the crowd responding enthusiastically to performances, speeches and discussions centred on the growing content creation industry.
The event was designed to give Gwanda content creators a platform to network, learn from established creators and showcase their talent.
T Schedule said the idea was also driven by a desire to challenge misconceptions about Gwanda and demonstrate that the town has talented creatives capable of producing and supporting quality content.
One of the major themes of the event was whether content creation can become a viable source of livelihood.
Abu Dhabi and Bee Wezhira shared their experiences and perspectives on the business side of content creation, addressing the realities creators face when trying to turn their platforms and creativity into sustainable livelihoods.
“As content creators, it’s important to balance content creation with your work as well. You can’t just rely on content creation alone, but also have a permanent job,” they said.
Sekuru Bitterness also tackled the question of whether content creation actually pays, a subject that generated considerable interest among aspiring creators and members of the audience.
“Posting once a month will not get you paid in content creation. You need to be consistent always. That’s how brands notice you,” he said.
Yung Steazy took participants through the fundamentals of content creation, encouraging emerging creators to understand the craft and take their work seriously.
“As content creators, it’s important to do content that aligns with your beliefs. Do not try to be someone you are not; at the end, it will trouble you. One important thing is to always be relevant as a content creator. Make content about the things that are trending; that’s how you gain traction,” he said.
Ashton TXL also used his platform to encourage creators to remain focused and continue developing themselves and their brands.
The speeches were complemented by practical advice from Mai TT Diaries, who stressed that building an audience was not an easy task and that creators needed to understand why people should follow their content.
Mai TT Diaries urged creators to remain consistent, continue posting and actively promote their work rather than giving up when growth was slow.
She also challenged the belief that expensive equipment was necessary to succeed, revealing that she still uses her phone to produce content.
“You don’t need the most expensive camera. I’m still using my phone for content. Everything you see is that phone,” she said.
Mai TT Diaries encouraged creators to learn editing and make use of what they already have, saying a fancy studio was not a requirement for getting started.
“All you need is your phone, good lighting, creativity, and the courage to start,” she said.
She further encouraged Gwanda’s creators to tell stories from their own surroundings rather than believing they had to leave the town to succeed.
Mai TT Diaries pointed to Gwanda’s people, businesses, culture, fashion and music as sources of stories and opportunities for content creators.
She urged the creatives to be proud of their roots, emphasising that success was not determined by where someone lived.
“It’s not where you live. It’s how you live,” she said.
Mai TT Diaries also challenged the creators to think beyond Zimbabwe, saying she wanted to see them take their talent global.
T Schedule, meanwhile, focused on another crucial ingredient in the creative industry — support.
He told the audience that supporting creatives did not necessarily mean giving them money. Showing up at their events, encouraging them and sharing their work were also meaningful forms of support.
T Schedule expressed his appreciation to the people of Gwanda for turning up in numbers and supporting the inaugural edition, saying their response demonstrated the importance of creating platforms for local creatives.
He said next year’s edition would be bigger, with plans to bring international artists and content creators to Gwanda.
The night was not confined to speeches and discussions.
Dancer Gama had the crowd on their feet with an energetic performance that left the audience demanding an encore.
Mfanomsotho added a strong cultural flavour to the evening with his Sotho songs, while Zagoe Radge, Black Operator and Psalmist Dumo Moyo also entertained the crowd.
Mai TT Diaries, one of the headline guests, spoke about the realities of life as a content creator before later surprising the audience with her modelling skills.
The event also had its fair share of humour, with Ashton TXL ending his address with one of his trademark “drip checks”, drawing laughter from the crowd.
For T Schedule, the overwhelming response to the inaugural edition appears to have confirmed that there is an appetite for platforms that bring together Zimbabwe’s growing community of digital creators.
But with T Schedule promising international acts and creators next year, the pressure will now be on the organisers to deliver an even bigger experience.
If Saturday’s turnout and atmosphere are anything to go by, Gwanda may have just witnessed the beginning of a major annual creative gathering.
derick.khumalo