Prosper Kunyetu is undoubtedly a prolific visual storyteller and quite frankly an Oscar for Best Cinematography in the near future wouldn’t be much of a surprise. In his most recent work produced by Tracy Mason Media, the young artist from Budiriro captures the “Tanganda Tea” story in a cinematic slow-burn style fused with chattering ambient sounds of the Chipinge landscapes in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe.
With a career spanning almost a decade, the young cinematographer has told many stories alongside top-tier Zimbabwean artists such as Enzo Ishall, Takura, Ishan and Tamy Moyo. What started as a series of random photographs from his day to day life, eventually turned into a motion picture that birthed the distinctive visual art expressed in Takura’s music video for “Mufaro” and Ishan’s music video for “December”.
Prosper is also a travel enthusiast who has documented adventurous escapades in the Nyanga mountains, rainy forests of Vumba, sandy beaches of Binga and other beautiful parts of Zimbabwe. His documentary work includes personal and commissioned experiences captured through cinematic lenses, of which the “Borehole Drilling Experience”, “African Village Life”, “My Year 2019” and “a Day in Windhoek” are outstanding on his Visuals by Prosper YouTube channel.
Zimbabwe’s film industry has so much potential, dedicated and hard working players such as Prosper stand a chance to revive it amid the many challenges it faces. Collaborative work and establishment of functional institutional bodies will ensure continued growth and unleash unrealized potential such as that of Prosper.
Mukudzei Nyamhamba
One would say he is a visual storyteller first but to be more specific, his forte is in cinematography. In 2020 he won Best Cinematography in the Bioskop! Zimbabwe Short Film Competition by the European Film Festival Zimbabwe with his “Love in Lockdown” cinematic film. It was filmed in his hometown Budiriro, one of the southwestern high density suburbs of Harare. The film went on to be selected in the 2020 Africa Film for Impact Festival , 2021 Georgetown University Shorts Film Festival and the 2021 Pan African Youths Film & Arts Festival.
earground 