With a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Pretoria, Takalani was drawn to the television industry quiet early in her career path, and ever since she has been hooked on telling stories. Takalani started as a Production Manager at Summit TV, a business news channel. She worked as Projects Manager in the SADC under Southern African Theatre Initiative, project managed SCRAWL and Women in Arts Festival (2003). She then went on and trained production management in Lesotho under the Soul City project and had stints at various productions houses such as Bomb Shelter, Ochre, Grounded Media until her last move to Dzuguda Production. It took her 5 years at Dzuguda productions as Head of Programming to sharpen her skills in Producing, where she produced a handful of TV series and corporate productions. Takalani found the urge to start her own company and craft her work more compelling and achievable. Tshedza Media was then born.
Since 2012 Tshedza Media has produced several documentary series that cover various topics such as family, gratitude, youth art forms, the political landscape in South Africa, and a presenter-driven travel show. Tshedza Media has partnered as Associate Producer on a Spanish produced feature documentary IDFA premier film titled Walls. Some of our corporate clients are Protec and CCISA. One of Tshedza Media’s programmes (100% Youth) has won a South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA). Tshedza Media is currently in post production of its first feature documentary film while developing other features under the NFVF Funded documentary slate. Takalani’s vision is to place Tshedza Media’s on the platform of thought-provoking content as well as empowering those who are part of it – storytelling is not just an art – it is life. The industry can only grow if we are willing to develop each other. Takalani has been a judge for the (SAFTA’s) South African Film and Television Awards (3 years in a row) judged preliminary round for the Zanzibar International Film Festival.
Takalani is a board member of the Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA) and Co-Chairperson of South African Screen Federation (SASFED)