Meet Olwethu Maduna, the production accountant behind global hit ‘The Polygamist’

The South African drama series The Polygamist became a huge global hit on Netflix, reaching number three globally, hitting the number one spot in more than 20 countries, and charting in the top 10 across more than 60 nations.

And the woman who controlled the substantial budget on the astonishingly successful series is 33-year-old production accountant Olwethu Maduna, one of a handful black women in her profession.

Statistics show that black professionals remain underrepresented in specialised financial sectors, mirroring broader trends in the national accounting field and the commercial film and television industry.

But Maduna is undeterred by the figures and determined to help correct the imbalances by mentoring as many young women (and men) as best she can.

Highly sought after in a competitive environment, Maduna controls budgets on productions of more than R100m. Now she takes it in her stride, but it wasn’t always like that.

“I owe everything that I am to the helping hand I got when I first began,” she said, self-deprecatingly underplaying how sought-after she is in the industry.

In 2016, as a green, young 23-year-old, Maduna was placed by the National Film and Video Foundation at Quizzical Pictures, a multi award-winning film and TV production house that has shaped postapartheid national identity while commanding the attention of global streaming platforms.

And so began the internship of this daughter of the Eastern Cape who was born in Mthatha and educated at Nelson Mandela University (NMU) in Gqeberha, graduating with a diploma and BTech in financial management before earning an honours in business management, majoring in financial management at Unisa.

She credits the then financial accountant at Quizzical Pictures, Kgomotso Mokone, “who took me under her wing and played a significant role in my career development, guiding me every step of the way. She encouraged me to be open to learning. Her guidance was everything I needed to kick-start my career. I was also fortunate enough to learn from other experienced colleagues who were always open to sharing their knowledge and expertise with me.

“I do not think I would be where I am today if I hadn’t had the opportunity to intern at Quizzical Pictures.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Quizzical Pictures MD Odirile Mekwa, who said: “Being given a helping hand got me where I am today so I believe completely in giving people a start, helping them get the experience they need to secure employment in a competitive industry.”

Mekwa, a chartered accountant, said a large auditing firm paid for his tertiary education and gave him the training he needed through internships.

“We at Quizzical take huge responsibility with our interns. They don’t sit around doing menial tasks: we train them so that they are industry ready when they leave us. Not surprisingly, they are snapped up as a result,” he said.

I’ve learnt that creative and financial decisions are closely connected. The numbers often help shape what is possible, so I do get involved in conversations around budgets, schedules, and planning. It’s not just about saying what can or cannot be done but finding solutions that allow the creative vision to come to life

—  Production accountant Olwethu Maduna

Maduna happened upon production accounting by chance when looking for a job led her to the National Film and Video Foundation, which paired her with Quizzical. “I fell in love with it.”

While there have been numerous milestones in her career, she felt like she’d “arrived” when working on her first large-budget production, Netflix’s crime thriller series Marked, produced by Quizzical.

“It was the first time I was entrusted with a large-budget production, and when I saw it come together, it strengthened my confidence in my abilities. The final production was excellent and the team worked well together. The collaboration, problem-solving skills and trust made the experience memorable.

“It proved that I could make a meaningful contribution under pressure while maintaining my professional standards.”

For the layman, Maduna explained that a production accountant manages the budget and the expenses of a film.

“We are the financial backbone of a film production: collaborating with producers to prepare the budget. Setting up systems, charting accounts and cost reporting structures, among other duties, preparing the projections for the duration of the production and establishing financial workflows and approval processes.

“Monitoring and tracking production expenditure against the approved budget and maintaining accurate up-to-date cost reports are crucial.”

If that wasn’t enough, Maduna has to ensure that invoices are processed so suppliers — and crew and cast — can be paid.

She acknowledges that her role is “big and broad and goes far beyond the traditional accounting responsibilities”.

“The financial information I provide the producer must be accurate and timely to help ensure that the production remains on budget while creative objectives are met. You also work with every department.”

Maduna said that managing finances for a company with Quizzical’s range, from local drama to internationally distributed content is “a pleasure as I’m encouraged to make sound financial decisions, with the finance team. I feel supported, which helps with mitigating financial risk and ensuring the production is delivered successfully and within budget.”

Maduna said she’s proud of South African production companies that produce world-class productions, compete internationally and are streamed worldwide.

“The rights of crew, cast and everyone involved in a production are prioritised and protected. South Africa is one of the most attractive production destinations in Africa. This has increased the need for robust financial management to meet the requirements of local and international financiers, broadcasters, studios and regulatory bodies.”

She said streaming platforms introduced new investments in the film and production industry, which created job opportunities and a competitive and healthy industry.

“However, productions must meet the quality of international production standards with the budget they have, whether it’s little or not.

“I’ve learnt that creative and financial decisions are closely connected. The numbers often help shape what is possible, so I do get involved in conversations around budgets, schedules and planning. It’s not just about saying what can or cannot be done but finding solutions that allow the creative vision to come to life.”

Asked what the difference is between budgeting for an international broadcast and a local show, Maduna said it usually boils down to the scale and requirements of the project. International productions often have different standards, processes and expectations, while local productions are often focused on making the most of the resources available.

“Both require careful planning and strong teamwork to deliver quality content.”

She ends by saying that she has had to face new challenges as the projects have grown — larger and larger.

“It’s been an opportunity to learn more, take on more responsibility, and understand different parts of the production process. I love what I do.”

Business Day