24 Julie | July 2025
Mikayla Brown, een van Suidoosterfees se NATi Jong Sterre van 2024, se rolprent Finding Optel word in Augustus vanjaar by die kykNET Silwerskermfees vrygestel. Miakyla het die draaiboek geskryf, sy speel die hoofrol en sy het die prent saam met haar broer Jess geregisseer. As Jong Ster het Mikayla se verhoogstuk, Poppie in the Dunes, verlede jaar by Suidoosterfees gedebuteer.
In die rolprent Finding Optel soek die 16-jarige amateur-speurder Claire Abrahams na ’n hond wat in die buurt weggeraak het. Dit lei onverwags tot die oopkrap van ou wonde wanneer sy ook op leidrade afkom oor haar ouer broer se verdwyning.
Die broer-en-suster-duo Mikayla en Jesse Brown vertel meer oor hul debuutrolprent wat deur Blended Films vervaardig is:
Waar het die idee vir die storie ontstaan?
Mikayla: In 2022 het ek my honneurs in kreatiewe skryfwerk aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch voltooi, en ek wou graag ’n draaiboek vir my finale opdrag skryf. Ek kon nie besluit tussen ’n speurverhaal of ’n verhaal oor verlies nie. My wonderlike dosent, Malan Steyn, het voorgestel dat ek die twee kombineer, en só is Finding Optel gebore!
Ek wou ’n oorspronklike verhaal skryf waarin elemente van my kinderjare vervat is. Ek het baie tyd by my ouma en oupa se huis deurgebring. Ek het lieflike herinneringe aan die parke, die winkeltjie, die oop strate waarin ons gespeel het, en aan hulle huis. Ek wou daardie herinneringe in die draaiboek vasvang.
Hoekom het julle besluit om dié projek saam aan te pak?
Mikayla: Finding Optel is gekeur vir Showmax se ope kategorie vir nuweling-skrywers en -regisseurs. Ek was baie op my senuwees om my eerste rolprent alleen te regisseer en ek wou hê Jesse moes die regisseur wees. Maar hy het my aangemoedig dat ons dit saam aanpak. Ek is bly ons het! Ons het ’n goeie span gemaak.
Jesse: Ons werk eintlik al vir baie lank saam. Toe ek op 12 my eerste selfoon gekry het, het ek allerhande video’s gemaak, en Mikayla was dikwels die hoofaktrise! Ons het deur die jare baie lawwe kortfilms gemaak en het ’n goeie idee van wat ons elk van ’n storie verwag. Ek het veilig gevoel met die wete dat Mikayla ook die belangrike besluite sou help neem. Haar visie vir die wêreld waarin die storie afspeel, beteken dat sy nie, soos ek, opsies te veel deurdink nie.
Mikayla, jy het baie hoede gedra – draaiboekskrywer, regisseur en aktrise. Hoe het jy jou fokus behou?
Mikayla: Gelukkig was daar tyd om op elke rol afsonderlik te fokus. Ek het mentorskap vir die skryfwerk ontvang van Marianne de Klerk en die Blended Films-span, Dominique Jossie en Quanita Adams. Soos hulle sê: “Skryf is herskryf.” Ek moes verskeie weergawes lewer om binne die begroting te bly.
Tydens pre-produksie het ek en Jesse saam die visuele bord uitgewerk om seker te maak ons visie is dieselfde. Ander take het ons verdeel, maar ons het alle finale besluite saam geneem.
Tydens die verfilming het ek gefokus op my toneelspel. Die kere wanneer ek op stel nie self in ’n toneel was nie, het ek gehelp met die regie. Wanneer ek wel gespeel het, het Jesse die leiding geneem. Ons het tonele vooraf bespreek. Tydens post-produksie het ons notas saam deurgegaan, maar hy was hoofsaaklik verantwoordelik vir die redigering, kleurgradering en klank. Die werksverdeling het gehelp om ons produktiwiteit ’n hupstoot te gee.
Vertel meer van julle benadering tot die produksie-ontwerp en styl van die film.
Mikayla: Baie rolprente oor die Kaapse Vlakte fokus op bendegeweld. Hoewel dit ’n hartseer realiteit is, is dit nie die enigste waarheid van die plek nie. Daar is soveel skoonheid in daardie gemeenskappe. Ek wou hê Finding Optelmoes ’n ander kant belig – een wat hoop bring. Die storie word uit Claire se perspektief aangebied: sy is vol lewe, kinderlik en verbeeldingryk. Ek wou daardie kinderlikheid deur die kunsregie en kinematografie oordra.
Jesse: Ons het van die begin af ’n sterk idee gehad oor die styl van die film. Ek hou van ernstige kunsfilms, terwyl Mikayla van snaakser, lighartiger films hou. Met dié kombinasie het ons gereken dit sal die film emosionele diepte gee, maar ook ’n prettige element behou. Ons wou ’n ander kant van die Kaapse Vlakte wys, en dit moes in die styl weerspieël word. Ons is beïnvloed deur rolprente soos Amélie en The Royal Tenenbaums, sonder om dit direk na te boots.
Die dialoog is eg en realisties. Hoekom was dit belangrik?
Mikayla: Ek hou nie daarvan om na ’n fliek te kyk en te dink mense praat nie regtig só nie. Ek het inspirasie by my familie gekry – hulle is ’n bedrywige spulletjie! Ek het geluister hoe uniek en verskillend elkeen praat, wat my gehelp het om die karakters se stemme te vind. Ons het ook die voorreg gehad om gesoute akteurs in die rolverdeling te hê. Ek en Jesse het hulle ruimte gegun om met die karakters en dialoog rond te speel. Dit het gevoel asof die rolle vir hulle geskryf is.
Jesse: Mikayla skryf graag dialoog gebaseer op hoe ons gesinslede praat. Daar is iets besonders aan ons informele manier van gesels. Ons haal nog goed aan wat iemand 10 of 15 jaar gelede gesê het!
Die rolverdeling sluit bekende akteurs in. Hoe het dit gebeur?
Jesse: Dis te danke aan die span van Blended Films. Hulle het goeie kontakte in die bedryf en het akteurs aan boord gekry wat ons nooit sou kon droom om in ons debuutfilm te hê nie! Ons het ’n paar opsies vir elke rol gehad, en dikwels was ons eerste keuse beskikbaar.
Mikayla, het jy Claire van die begin af vir jou eie vertolking geskryf?
Ek het aanvanklik nie beplan om Claire te speel nie. Ek het gedink dit sou te veel hooi op my vurk wees om te regisseer én te speel. Maar ons vervaardigers by Blended Films en die span van Showmax het my aangemoedig om dit te doen, en ek is so bly ek het geluister! Dit was heerlik om Claire te speel. Ek hou van haar andersoortigheid en effe bemoeisieke geaardheid. Dit was maklik om met haar te identifiseer.
Wat wil julle hê moet kykers bybly ná die fliek?
Mikayla: Ek glo ons is nie gemaak om die lewe op ons eie aan te pak nie. Ons het ander mense nodig om ons deur moeilike tye te dra en die goeie tye saam te vier. Soos hulle sê: “Dit vat ’n hele gemeenskap om ’n kind groot te kry.” Ek dink dit geld ook vir volwassenes. Dit is Claire se reis na volwassenheid. Ek wil hê kykers moet die belangrikheid van gemeenskapslewe besef – en hoopvol voel nadat hulle die film gesien het.
Mikayla Brown, one of the Suidoosterfees NATi Rising Stars of 2024, will debut her film Finding Optel at the kykNET Silwerskerm Festival this August. Mikayla wrote the screenplay, plays the lead role, and co-directed the film with her brother Jess. As a Rising Star, Mikayla’s stage play Poppie in the Dunes premiered at Suidoosterfees last year.
In the feature film Finding Optel, 16-year-old amateur detective Claire Abrahams’s search for a missing dog unexpectedly reopens old wounds when she also finds clues relating to her older brother’s disappearance.
Sibling duo Mikayla and Jesse Brown share more about their debut feature film, produced by Blended Films:
Where did the idea for this story come from?
Mikayla: In 2022, I completed my Honours in Creative Writing at Stellenbosch University, and I wanted to write a screenplay for my final assignment. I was stuck between a detective story and a story about grief. My amazing lecturer, Malan Steyn, suggested I combine the two. From that, Finding Optel was born!
I wanted to write a story that was quirky and incorporated my childhood experiences. Growing up, I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ house. I have such fond memories of the parks, thewinkeltjie, the wide-open streets we played in, and my grandparents’ home. I wanted to capture those memories in the screenplay.
Why did the two of you decide to take on this project together?
Mikayla: Finding Optel was accepted for Showmax’s open call for first-time writers and directors. I was very nervous to direct my first feature film, and wanted my brother, Jesse, to do it. He, however, encouraged me to do it together with him. I am glad we did! We worked well as a team.
Jesse: We actually have a long history of collaboration. Back when I got my first cell phone when I was 12 years old, I would film all sorts of clips, and Mikayla was often the lead actress! We made a lot of silly shorts over the years, and we have a good understanding of what we both like and are looking for. I felt secure in knowing that Mikayla was also making some of the decisions. Her vision for the world of the story meant that she didn’t overthink certain options like I would.
Mikayla, you have so many roles on this film – writing the script, directing and acting. How did you keep your focus?
Mikayla: Fortunately, there was time to focus on the writing, co-directing and acting. For the script, I received mentorship from Marianne de Klerk and the Blended Films team of Dominique Jossie and Quanita Adams. As they say, “writing is rewriting”. I had to write a few drafts to make my script budget friendly.
During the pre-production, Jesse and I did the storyboarding together to ensure we had the same vision. We split up other tasks but made sure to inform each other before a decision was finalised.
Once the filming happened, I took a step back so I could focus on the acting. On set, I’d see where I could support and offer direction when I wasn’t in a scene. When I was in a scene, Jesse took the lead. We made sure to discuss the scenes before filming. For post-production, Jesse and I would discuss notes together, but he was the point person when it came to editing, grading and sound. Splitting up the work ensured we could work efficiently.
Tell us about your approach regarding the production design and general style of the film?
Mikayla: A lot of films about the Cape Flats focus on gangsterism and violence. Though this is sadly a reality, it’s not the only reality. There is such beauty that exists in those communities. I wanted Finding Optel to portray a different narrative that is more hopeful than harrowing. The story is presented through Claire’s eyes. She is full of life, child-like and imaginative. I wanted to bring that child-like lens through the art direction and the cinematography.
Jesse: We had a strong sense about the style from the beginning. While I lean towards serious arthouse films, Mikayla appreciates quirkier, light-hearted films. We thought this would help Finding Optel have emotional weight while also being fun. The idea was to show a different side of the Cape Flats, and this needed to be reflected in the film’s style as well. We drew on films like Amélie and The Royal Tenenbaums without wanting to emulate them too much.
The dialogue in the script is authentic and realistic. Why was doing it this way important to you?
Mikayla: I don’t like watching a movie and feeling like the characters don’t speak like that in real life. When writingFinding Optel, I drew a lot of inspiration from my family. They are a busy bunch! I listened to how differently and uniquely they speak, which helped me find nuance when writing the characters. We were also blessed to have veteran actors in the cast. Jesse and I gave them space to experiment and make the character theirs. It was as if the characters were made for them.
Jesse: Mikayla enjoys writing dialogue based on our family’s use of language. There’s something about the way we speak to one another colloquially that is so enjoyable to listen to. We tend to quote things to one other that someone said 10, 15 years ago!
The cast includes some stellar veterans. How did this come about?
Jesse: This is down to the team at Blended Films. They are well-connected with local talent and were able to get people that we would never have dreamt of, to play in our debut feature! We had a few options in mind for each character and often got our first choice.
Mikayla, did you originally write Claire while planning to play her yourself?
I didn’t intend to play Claire. I thought co-directing while acting would be too much on my plate. But our producers at Blended Films and the team at Showmax encouraged me to play her, and I’m so glad I listened to them. Playing Claire was such a joy! I love her quirkiness and busy-body nature. It was quite easy to connect with her character.
What would you like viewers to remember after they’ve watched the film?
Mikayla: I believe that we weren’t made to do life alone. We need people to get us through the tough times and to celebrate the good times with. Just as it takes a village to raise a kid, it still takes a village to live as an adult. That’s Claire’s coming-of-age journey. I want people to realise the importance of community and to feel hopeful when watching the film.
KykNET, een van die Suidoosterfees se hoofborge, se Silwerskermfees word in Augustus in die Kaap gehou. Besoek hul webwerf vir die program, datums en alle besonderhede.
KykNET, one of the Suidoosterfees’s main sponsors, will host its Silwerskerm Film Festival in Cape Town this August. Visit their website for the full programme, dates and all the details.