GENESIS: THE CREATION

Uzalo fans will catch their first glimpse of Club Genesis during its launch on Freedom Day, Friday 27 April 2018. But we asked Uzalo production designer Anita van Hemert to sneak us under the velvet rope a little early to find out where they splurged, where they skimped and how MaNgcobo’s Club Genesis came together…

What kind of atmosphere did you want the nightclub to have? Modern and sophisticated despite being set in an industrial building. Is MaNgcobo taking over a space or starting from scratch? She takes over a run-down club and renovates it to her specs. So it’s a bit of both. So will there be a makeover of the space as part of the storyline? Her renovation of the club is in the storyline, except we don’t focus on it in such a way that it will look like a makeover show. It’s in the background for a few episodes. Were there practical considerations that you had to take into account? As a typical nightclub, it takes its atmosphere and aesthetic from light emanating from different parts of the space, like undercover lighting, floor lighting, stage lasers, etc. It was vital that I worked closely with the lighting department on this aspect. The lighting that is built into the set as a part of it will greatly support the ultimate lighting design. What was one of your favourite touches that isn’t immediately noticeable? I love the bar area – everything has strip LED lights inside and underneath. It’s like a glowing work of art! How did your team get clever to avoid blowing the budget? We concentrated on the features that would have the most impact. That is where we spent and used the budget a bit more. A couple of old shiny golden couches, a spectacular chandelier that you can’t miss, the LED light wall designs and a glittering stage. The rest then just falls into place.