Meet M. Kennedy Simbai | Actor, Director, Editor, Film and Music Producer, Screenwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with M. Kennedy Simbai and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi M. Kennedy, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Although I’ve been an actor and musician since was I seven or eight years old, I was always interested in other professions. Before studying my MFA in Acting for Film at the New York Film Academy, I was at The University of Cape Town. After I completed my BA in Politics and Dramatic Arts I was accepetd into their law school. It was around this time that I had a change of heart and applied to the New York Film Academy. Perhaps I might’ve been a decent lawyer or politician but I find those jobs somewhat mundane in that the work I do in entertainment is cathartic and fun. I can educate and connect with the world in different, unique and fantastic ways I enjoy acting, directing, screenwriting and producing film and music. It gives me a reason to get up in the morning and be productive with my life. I can say with one-hundred percent brutal honesty that I never would’ve seen any of the other professions I could’ve gone into, in the same light. There is a possibility that I may end up going back to school and studying law…but not just yet. To be an artist is to be a chronicler of the times as well as an active participant in them. The work we do as artists is timeless and the world needs us to help make sense of our existence. It’s not an easy job nor is it a pain-free one, but it is certainly crucial.

What should our readers know about your business?
I have two businesses, the first being the Hanging Gardens Film Company. Named after the mythical Hanging Gardens of Babylon, I see the company focusing on aesthetics and constructing beauty where previously thought impossible. I registered it at the end of last year so it’s very new. Our goal is to become a premier Hollywood production company and studio specialising in creating stories that give a voice to the voiceless, particularly in minority communities. We want to do all genres and styles, nothing is off limits. So far we have one short film (my MFA thesis) and one music video under our belt. The music video (which was co-directed by me and JordyCalling) will be released in the coming months and I’m very excited as this project was the first time I’ve ever directed or been the Director of Photography on a project. I also have a tv series in development with the company Buffalo 8. My goal is to find a home for the series in the next month or two after we pitch it to a number of renowned studios. The second business is Golden Horde Records. I co-own this with JordyCalling and we established it this year. As musicians who also happen to be the owners of the label, we understand what it takes to be independent and to want something for yourself. We make everything from Eighties music to Dance to Plug GnB. No genres are off limits and we always want to collab with new talent who have a fresh perspective on music. We envsion ourselves as the ancient Mongol state of the Golden Hoarde. Our goal is to cover as much territory as possible and carve a large piece of the entertainment industry out for ourselves. I will say one challenge we have consistently faced is promo and marketing. Without it your brand can’t take off, with it your brand can soar to great heights. As we continue to build ourselves up, our reach is becoming bigger and utilising social media more is definetly a massive part of that. Starting a business is easy, growing it is hard.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
LA is an incredibly large city and certainly humbles Durban, South Africa which is where I was born and raised. The first place I would recommend is Mulholland Drive especially at night. It is one of the most stunning spots in this city if not the most stunning. Everytime I go it reminds me of the beauty of California and the resilient energy of its inhabitants. Next I would definetly recommend The Grove. I first visited it in 2011 with my family and the Gumbo I had there was absolutely delicious. It’s also a great place to do some shopping. I’m not a big fan of the beach but I would definetly take my friend to the world famous Santa Monica Pier. I always have a fun time going there and enjoy planting my feet in the sand as I watch the sun set over the horizon. It’s a maginificent and transformative sight to behold. Hiking would likely also be in order so I have to add the Hollywood Sign or the Joshua Tree hike. I enjoyed those hikes and would recommend them to anybody. The views are also picturesque and this for me is a major deal-breaker. The textile district downtown would also be on the list. It’s such a vibrant area with lots of cool things for sale such as clothing fabrics, trinkets and rugs. It’s also a great area to capture photographs of people engaging in making and sorting materials. Finally I have to put Hollywood and West Hollywood on the list as there are lots of cool bars, clubs and restaurants to go to. There is always something happening to entertain yourself with.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First of all I would like to thank my parents Kennedy and Lingiwe for instilling in me values that have gotten me this far. My family is Zimbabwean, and if you know anything about us it is that we are very hard-working. They worked very hard so that I could have a stellar education which prepared me for this industry. They also bought me my first guitars and always attended my school plays. My mother on top of being an accountant, is also a composer, singer and songwriter…so that helps for sure. I also have to give thanks to my older brother Kudzai who got me interested in music, acting, history, politics, comics and a plethora of other things. Although he recently graduated from law school, he is an actor at heart and will be joining me in the industry. I would also like to shoutout JordyCalling who is a fantastic singer and music producer. He and I have a record label together called Golden Horde Records and together we’ve made awsome music that we hope will make others groove and vibe. I would like to thank Pedro Louis of Last Supper Productions for helping me secure a visa through his company and for being a great human being. Lastly I would like to thank Jay Combs for getting me this interview. He and I are a comedy duo called the Culture Clowns. We make skits and have a podcast together. Having met at acting school in 2018, we’ve known each other for a while and have formed a close bond.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prod.by.h.m.t/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-kennedy-simbai-7b3330102

Twitter: https://twitter.com/m_simbai

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVwwxpH1PF7bPDlIFVHTgdA

Other: Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-737783974

Image Credits
Martensen Photography