#17: Ofentse Ntuli (Friendly SA)
The original "Jack of All Trades, but Master of None", Ofentse Ntuli, checks in to tells us more about sci-fi films, the Johannesburg Art Gallery, his favourite House & Kwaito music, and more!
Ofentse is a 22-year old multifaceted creative, a networking consultant/in-house DJ for Friendly Acoustics & an aspiring filmmaker, hailing from the East of Joburg. An original "Jack of All Trades but Master of None", Ofentse's scope of creativity encompasses a wide range of pursuits, such as photography, fine art, DJing & part-time modelling.
We welcome him to The FRM Newsletter to share what he’s been into recently!
🎥🎬 Films
Being a film student means watching literally everything, be it horror, romantic comedies, drama, sci-fi… the list goes on. All under the name of “how to spot & pick a good film”. I've never been a big supporter of sci-fi films, but recently I watched this sci-fi film which I find very interesting & mind-blowing, ‘The Adam Project’. It is a 2022 American science-fiction adventure film co-produced by Skydance Media, Maximum Effort, and 21 Laps Entertainment, directed by Shawn Levy from a screenplay written by Jonathan Tropper, T.S. Nowlin, Jennifer Flackett, and Mark Levin. It's star cast features the famous Ryan Reynolds, Walker Scobell, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, Catherine Keener, and Zoe Saldaña. The plot of the film follows a pilot (Reynolds) from the future, who goes back in time and encounters his younger self (Scobell). Time travel has never been this real.
🍞🍖 Food
“If you haven't tried the Bree taxi rank meat then what are you doing?”. Spending half of your time in the streets of the city that never sleeps means you'll only get to chow your normal home cooked meals as your supper. So whilst getting those errands done in the streets, the Bree taxi rank meat becomes my fuel pump – but its not for everyone though. Only the rebels can get to both eat & enjoy this type of meal. But for someone who prefers a more decent & reasonable meal, there's a restaurant down De Beer Street in Braamfontein, called ‘Mangrove’ which serves a different variety of meals suitable for everyone & every budget.
👕👞 Fashion
In case you’re wondering how does the homie get to look this fly & stylish every time, well my friends run two online thrift stores & the answer is literally in your hands. Haha yes "in your hands", with your cellphone, your internet access & your Instagram account you can simply check out @hopeville_jhb & @thriftcuisine. Surf throughout the feed to check out what exactly you'd love to own & what you think would look good on you. With a simple DM you get to place an order of your favourite local brands, including those 1/1 rare international pieces.
🎶🎧 Music
Growing up in the East Rand township meant being exposed to different sounds from different backgrounds, listening to both Kwaito & House built up my foundation structure of the music taste I have now. The likes of Mandoza, Kabelo, Msawawa, Ralf Gum, Black Motion, DJ Fresh & so many other talented artists which came before us paved the way for this authentic South African sound we currently have today.
🎭 Art
I've always been a lover and all-time supporter of eye-catching art pieces, as I also grew up enjoying creating art too, specifically fine art. The Joburg Art Gallery famously known as the ‘JAG’ serves as the capital of great art pieces to ever exist in our time. That's how I personally feel, since it is the biggest art monument in Africa. The space has some of the famous Picasso’s original paintings – you wouldn't want to miss a chance to see Picasso's original work with your own bare eyes.
📚 Books
Self-Help books are my dopamine because self-care & self-love has been the memo recently. ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck’ by Mark Manson has helped me with a lot of personal challenges. The title is a bit contradictory until you open the book and go through the first chapters. I would recommend this book to anyone at anytime of the day.
🛍️💰 “Jack of All Trades but Master of None”
I've always considered myself as an amateur in whatever I do because that allows me to learn & make mistakes without any harsh judgement on myself. Believing in doing and going for what my heart desires, regardless of me not having a detailed idea on how exactly to go through with it. Boxing myself into one level of creativity has never been an option. I personally consider myself as an original jack of all trades but master of none since I don't see myself as a master of any of the creative mediums which I find myself doing. I just “dala what I must” – the right ideas always eventually come into my thoughts. I'd recommend the same to anyone who finds themselves confused on what exactly to do and how to go with it. Starting is the answer, even though you might not be having an actual idea of what you are trying to achieve. The right ideas always come through after starting.
It's a Friday night and having to figure out where exactly to go just to have a few drinks to cheer you up after an exhausting week, and maybe get to hear something different might be a little bit tricky. But if you know Kitcheners in Braamfontein, then you know where the vibe is. That's normally my hangout spot whenever I am tryna get something for the throat & the ears, since experimental music events take place there every week (because the weekend starts on Wednesdays in Braam).
🍃 Plants
I've never been a parent to a pet nor a plant due to some personal reasons haha but I've visited some plantation shutters to name a few, like the JFF Rooftop Farm in Juta Street. If you’re trying to be parent to a plant, that would be the perfect place to visit. Please do make means to take care of your kids though (plants & pets).