Mitchells Plain filmmaking siblings are on a mission to help local actors reach for the stars.
Impossible Dream, a production company based in Morgan Village, was started in 2021 by brother Justin, 32, and sister Jade Barends, 29, who wanted to bring real-life stories to the big screen.
Justin, who is a director, says they wanted to create a platform where ordinary people can come and showcase their skills.
Justin says: “People can come to see their acting, singing or if they want to be a filmmaker, they are welcome to join.
“They need no experience because opportunities are limited for these types of things.”
With some experience under his belt, Justin says that Impossible Dream has already attracted and given acting opportunities to young people who aspire to make it big, and those who have already featured in well-known productions.
Justin says: “Some of the guys in my series have played in Arendsvlei, Blood and Water and some in Suidooster.
“I also have two guys who live in a shelter in Observatory. They have the passion and desire for acting.”
The siblings and their team are now working on an action series called Chess Moves, a story that many young people will be able to relate to.
He adds: “It’s about young people who are presented with opportunities, making mistakes and recovering from them.There’s a whole lot of twists and turns in the series.”
The self-funded production company also has a movie in the pipeline and they hope to catch the eye of international streaming service, Netflix.
Justin’s sister, Jade, who does the scriptwriting, says it was easy to choose the characters for Chess Moves.
Jade says: “We looked at the characters and then at the actors and what kind of person they are in their daily lives, and that’s how we filmed it.”
The siblings have earned high praise from the City’s Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith who praises them, saying: “These siblings have such a motivational story, showing how one can truly overcome any adversity as long as you stay motivated and focused. To all our youth out there, always dare to dream. Remember, it always sounds impossible, until it’s not.”
Meanwhile, if anyone is interested in joining Impossible Dream Productions, they can make contact with them via their Facebook page.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za