Owen Sejake gives advice to upcoming actors

Owen Sejake has over 40 years in the film industry. He had some knowledge to share to young artists.

He however expressed his frustration at the disregard older people get when trying to give the young generation advice.

Because of his no-nonsense approach to art, he has been labelled troublesome and hard to work with.

“The crux of the matter is often we meet young artists and directors that have attitudes towards us because they’ve been told ‘Ntate Sejake is difficult to work with.’ These people are our children but it then becomes a competition. Yet we have given them the long rope so that they can take the art forward.”

He went on to add that the younger people lose sight of the big picture when promised big houses and cars.

“Once you’ve reached the upper level then you think that you don’t need anyone. It then becomes a situation of us versus them. They are influenced into thinking ‘why do you worry about people like Owen? When you can bring your own family up, get yourself a nice car and move into a nice house by finding people who just want work’.”

Owen has been featured in productions such as Tsotsi, Ocean Harvest, Soul City, Yizo Yizo among others.