GLAMOUR Women in Charge: Lala Tuku

Lala Tuku wears many hats, Executive Producer, actress, sleepwear designer, VO artist and mentor to young women who are aspiring to get into the male dominated film & television industry through her program “A Break with Lala”.

Lala has been recently announced as the executive producer for the first original BET drama, Isono. In this instalment of GLAMOUR: Women in Charge series, Lala speaks to us about being a producer in the male dominated industry, the importance of mentorship and running a fashion business.

GLAMOUR: What inspired you to go into the entertainment industry?

Lala: I’ve always loved theatre and the dramatic arts from a young age – so much so that I ended up studying it. As far back as I can remember, I have always loved story-telling. In grade 5, when we had to perform an English poem, I brought costumes and used different accents to perform each character and I tore that poem apart. I was too young to even understand that I would grow into an authentic story-teller myself.

GLAMOUR: You are one of a handful of women in power, as an executive producer in the SA film industry, was it hard for you to break into an industry that is so male dominated and how did you do it?

Lala: When I finally ventured into the media and entertainment industry, I found that there was paucity in terms of the representation of women in executive and key technical roles. This created an imbalance of power on sets and made it difficult to find the strength to speak up. Even though I was passionate and excited to have foot in the door, I equally found the experience daunting when I wanted to make the shift from being in the front to being behind the scenes. You must remember that, at the time, women on set didn’t really have the opportunity to fill decision-making roles like directing and producing. Instead, you would mostly find them in roles like acting and makeup artistry. Due to this dynamic, I first started as an actress. I then left the industry and went to the National Film and Video Foundation where I produced many live shows. An opportunity finally came about for me to be part of story creation and producing. I couldn’t resist and I took the leap! My road to getting here was less like a straight path and more like a series of acrobatics in a jungle gym.

GLAMOUR: What qualities make a great producer?

Lala: There are a number of qualities you need to be a great producer. You need to be financially astute as managing budgets is an important part of the game. You have to be able to think on your feet and be a great problem solver. You also need good communication skills in order to manage people and be able to handle stakeholder relations.

GLAMOUR: As an executive producer of the first original BET drama, Isono, one of the best dramas in SA, what is it like to work on the production?

Lala: Isono is a first on BET. Not only is this a great honour but it comes with various experiences and learning lessons. Every day is a new opportunity to bring the story to life and craft new possibilities. We have a great cast that work hard and bring their best on set. Our team of crew members consistently collaborate to enhance the production and take it to a new level. As an Executive Producer, my responsibility on the team comes with working with each of these different facets. We are also incredibly lucky to have a great channel team that we work with. The CMP/BET family is a great blessing. It’s been an incredible journey.

GLAMOUR: The entertainment industry has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, how are you adapting and innovating to match the times we are living in?

Lala: I think everyone can attest to the difficulty of working during this period against the backdrop of the pandemic. Creating television has been severely impacted, as there is so much uncertainty and so many moving parts in a production. Remaining vigilant and finding new ways to produce content most importantly making sure we keep our sets safe during this time.

GLAMOUR: Like Isono, we are getting a number of well-produced and well-acted local dramas and series, which is amazing for the entertainment industry, is there more investments in local talent than before and how important are shows like these for our country and Africa as a whole?

Lala: Our stories hold currency, and we must trade on their value. Across all forms of art and the arts, African stories and perspectives are growing in popularity, locally and across the globe, so stories like these are incredibly important, not only for showcasing African talent but for shedding light on an Africa that the world does not fully know exists. Stories serve an important role in society: of education, reflection, social cohesion and they are the heartbeat of the continent’s identity. They embody and evoke the culture, values, and beliefs that are inherent. All in all, they can be seen as a visual tool used to shape perceptions. There are still is a myriad narrative that the world needs to see emerging from the continent — especially when it relates to women. We need to see more black women from the African continent cast as #StrongBlackLeads across various film genres such as Sci-Fi, Action and Horror and not just in dramas. We also need to see the black women we are aspiring to become in real life represented on screen. Stereotypical gender roles for women are part of the old-school thinking and our characters need to be as progressive as we are in reality.

With Regards to funding and content opportunities, we are certainly seeing more locally produced content and platforms embracing local stories. Various initiatives on the rise though concerning women, could be a bit more urgent.

GLAMOUR: You wear many hats, a sleepwear designer, a film festival founder anda mentor to young women, what would you like to be remembered for?

Lala: In every space I participate in, My hope is that I am remembered as a Renaissance woman who used all her God-given talents to impact lives in whatever small way she could while inspiring others to do the same.

GLAMOUR: How important is mentoring or affording opportunities to the younger generation?

Lala: Sending the elevator back down is very important to me. The South African film industry has a complex history attributed to the legacy of apartheid; a system which not only marginalised black people, but also marginalised women. Most young women I come across are interested in my journey. While their questions vary, they share a common thread: “How did you make it? How did you get ahead? This shows a sense of desperation and fear as they face the harsh realities of the industry. My interpretation of their questions is How do I get a seat at the table? How do I gain access to the rooms where decisions are made and ensure my voice is heard? How do I get the opportunity therefore the break? Experience has taught me to be well prepared, confident, and persistent and to equip myself with knowledge and skill set. Moreover, it’s important that I know my worth and be resilient despite the odds against me in all my efforts. You have to believe in what you are bringing to the table so that when you get there you don’t make the mistake of selling ourselves short.

GLAMOUR: Tell us a little about Lala and fashion, what inspired your luxury sleepwear line LalaLand Luxury?

Lala: Like many other millennials, I tend to push myself very hard in all of my pursuits. Over time, however, I developed a relationship with restlessness and trouble sleeping. In 2018, my health suddenly started deteriorating under strain from high levels of stress which I believe contributed to my insomnia. The notion of rest was foreign to me. Until one day everything reached a screeching halt and emotionally, physically and psychologically I was done. I was forced to slow down and introduce rest into my schedule and life. I started to introduce pockets of self-love moments into my routine and I slowly started to learn how to fall in love with rest. These lessons became my inspiration to create a premium rest experience for myself. I then designed comfortable luxury sleepwear that consists of various luxury signature ranges that are housed in the LalaLand Luxury online store. Lalaland is a sleep health-conscious brand that encourages rest, self-care and luxury comfortable sleep. This work excites me as there is so much in-store for this lifestyle luxury brand.

GLAMOUR: Who are some of the women that inspire you and why?

Lala: I find inspiration in women who are true to themselves, who celebrate other women and who create opportunities for other women. Mothers who are holding it together. Women who show up regardless of their situations.

*Connect with Lala on Instagram @lalatuku