Producing and Creating

Wearing many hats, Caillin Basson carries herself well and confidently on any platform where she is required to talk. She knows what she wants and what she is there for. At the age of 32, she is the chairperson of the Film Association of Namibia (FAN), a board member of the Namibia Film Commission, a board member at Sister Namibia and Let’s do it Namibia.

Her competence has garnered followers across the board while working on various projects to uplift the Namibian film community. As the communication manager of the Tala Film Festival, Basson, with her capable team, created an app that allowed the Namibian public to quickly access Namibian content.

When listening to the young creative, a sense of passion emanates on the topics she is passionate and knowledgeable about.

A story that will always come up is the start of her journey in the film industry. At the tender age of 15, Basson worked on a movie set and has since then expanded her love for film making and creative storytelling, that has helped put Namibia on the map. Basson naturally progressed in the industry from her humble beginnings as a set assistant, and has slowly worked her way to the top. From an on-set personal assistant, to receiving producer credits in her career.

A professional start

Her success has not been overnight ¬– she has investment many hours of work to develop professionally.

Among international productions she has worked in, are Mad Max which starred the likes of Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy. Another international production that graces her CV, is the famous Amazing Race series where she worked as the production coordinator in 2016 in Zanzibar and again in 2017 as the producer’s assistant in Zimbabwe. The series took her to various destinations and exposed her to an “array of adventures and cultures. Each comes with its own set of experiences both good and bad,” she said. She said the projects have all shaped who she is today.

Basson has also worked on some interesting series as the head of production at Joe Vision.

She has worked on the BBC series, ‘My house next door’, which saw a British family relocating to Namibia to live close to a San community.

Her time at Joe Vision has seen her work with various producers who were “cut-throat”, and had different but harsher ways of doing things to ensure a successful and cost-effective end product.

When Basson is not working on set, or the various boards she serves on, she is actively reaching out to the community.

Her community work includes teaching young people the ins and outs of communication through the Media and Information Learning Initiative (MiLLi).

She also mentors like-minded young woman looking to pursue a career in film.

Where to now?

With her LLB in law that she obtained at the University of Namiba (UNAM), Basson is getting ready to obtain a masters in anti-corruption studies at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria, which she will officially start in September 2022. The young creative now looks to explore the policy and governance roles in the creative industry that she has been working in the past 16 years. “I am looking to do a realignment in my careers,” she said.

(IN A BOX)

Lessons learned from her work

Assumptions are the mother of all mistakes.

The key to effective communication is comprehension.

If I do not know about something then I cannot do anything about it.

3 Important questions she asks herself

1. Should this be said?

2. Should this be said right now?

3. Should this be said by me?