{"id":93017,"date":"2025-09-07T04:19:05","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T04:19:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=93017"},"modified":"2025-09-07T04:19:05","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T04:19:05","slug":"reputation-is-your-currency-hollywood-producer-sharifa-johka-inspires-unimac-ift-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=93017","title":{"rendered":"\u201cReputation is your currency\u201d \u2013 Hollywood producer Sharifa Johka inspires UniMAC-IFT students"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Award-winning Hollywood producer and cultural advocate Sharifa Johka has urged film students at the University of Media, Arts and Communication\u2013Institute of Film and Television (UniMAC-IFT) to prioritise reputation, consistency and credibility as the foundation for lasting success in the creative industry.<\/p>\n

Speaking at a masterclass on 1st September 2025, Johka, who is also the Founder and Executive Director of Black Realities, told students that while technical knowledge is important, resilience and strategic thinking are what ultimately sustain a career in filmmaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cFilm school is absolutely important\u2026 but the industry ultimately tests your resilience. Sets are messy, budgets are never enough, the rain stops the show, and you have to be able to adapt,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The two-hour session was organised around three themes: Reality versus Theory, The Practical Craft, and Funding and Resources. Johka explained that success in the industry depends less on grades and accolades, and more on how one is perceived over time. \u201cIt\u2019s no longer about grades, it\u2019s about reputation. And reputation is based on consistency. Reputation is your currency. It opens doors, builds trust, and shapes how people engage with you,\u201d she stressed.<\/p>\n

She also shared strategies for dealing with industry gatekeepers such as producers and festival programmers, urging students to prepare thoroughly, present ideas clearly, and remain adaptable. \u201cGatekeepers have biases, but they also have jobs to do. If you show up prepared and clear, some doors will open. If one doesn\u2019t accept it, find another strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johka emphasised that networking should not only be about seeking mentorship or climbing the ladder but also about forging collaborative peer relationships. \u201cLook to the right and to the left. These are the people you\u2019ll rise with,\u201d she advised.<\/p>\n

On the practical side of filmmaking, Johka encouraged students to sharpen their craft through peer projects, micro-films and reshoots rather than waiting for formal job opportunities. \u201cIf you wait for someone to hire you before you practice, you\u2019re not serious,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She further underlined the importance of budgeting and resource allocation, noting that spending should reflect creative priorities. \u201cEvery line in the budget should reflect priorities. If you say visuals matter the most but only spend 1% there, I won\u2019t believe you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Addressing the challenge of funding in African cinema, Johka advised students to use proof of concept as a tool to demonstrate capability and vision. \u201cYour proof of concept is your credit card. It shows the world what you can do and why your story matters.\u201d She added that funders look for clarity of story, urgency, feasibility, team competence and the director\u2019s unique perspective. \u201cIf you can explain your story in two sentences, it\u2019s a good story.\u201d<\/p>\n

The masterclass concluded with reflections on integrity and consistency. Johka told students that credibility is built through reliability and smart choices, even in unpaid opportunities. \u201cYour goal when you work for free is to gain access, learn every day, and build relationships. If the opportunity ceases to offer growth, pivot and find the next chance. Consistency and reliability create credibility that lasts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students left the session with practical lessons and renewed motivation, inspired by Johka\u2019s message that in the creative industry, reputation is indeed currency.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cReputation<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n \n
\n \n \"Happy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Happy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sad\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sad <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Excited\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Excited <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sleepy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sleepy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Angry\"\n <\/a>\n
Angry<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Surprise\"\n <\/a>\n
Surprise<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\"\u201cReputationAward-winning Hollywood producer and cultural advocate Sharifa Johka has urged film students at the University of Media, Arts and Communication\u2013Institute of Film and Television (UniMAC-IFT) to prioritise reputation, consistency and credibility as the foundation for lasting success in the creative industry.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93018,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[213,10,9,8079,4018],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-movies","category-politics","category-popular","category-sharifs-johka","category-unimac"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=93017"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93017\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/93018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=93017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=93017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=93017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}