story first.

dan mace

This is Dan Mace, our fearless leader. Dan is the founder & CEO of JOE films and CCO of Beast Philanthropy (the Chief Creative Officer). Dan’s office shelf is overflowing with accolades including three Wins at Cannes, an African Cristal Film Grand Prix, multiple Loerie Awards, Ciclope Africa Craft Awards, the Creative Circle Ad-Of-The-Month, and many more.

Dan’s work ethic is second to none, if you smell smoke at any point it's probably coming from Dan’s brain constantly burning late at night with new ideas. He still somehow manages to balance work, family, his beautiful newborn Seth, fitness, music and sticks to his rule of finishing a book a week. Dan’s ever-growing knowledge spans from understanding psychology, philosophy, storytelling, music and brand identity (how to build strong, meaningful brands). His mind has no limits, and he keeps pushing to reach his full potential. He also possesses a deep understanding of the human condition and submerges himself in learning about mental health and pushing boundaries against societal norms, he is a huge advocate for mental health.

Dan’s career spans over 13 years, a rollercoaster of winnings and learnings. He puts his absolute ALL into a film and will white-knuckle his way to the finish line and always deliver on time. A perfectionist all the way through, Dan will polish a rock until it’s a diamond. His Youtube channel has garnered over 830k followers and his videos are known for being unique, creative and relatable - inspiring anyone watching that they too can create great videos with a large budget or no budget at all: like making a song using only bricks.

Dan invests in people, not things. And will see potential you did not see in yourself. He sees beauty in places people would often overlook. We are so lucky to have Dan as the ringleader of this creative circus at JOE and we love you so much! Remember, you’re AWESOME BRU!

Jarrod allies

Meet Jarrod, the Executive Producer at JOE, our master of precision and organization. With a meticulous eye for detail and a penchant for perfection makes us laugh - he stresses about every detail (everything needs to be PERFECT, every time) and JOE runs like clockwork because of him. Need a document? Every time we fly (we’ve basically been living in airports around the world for the past few months) he arrives with 10 different flip files with every piece of documentation you’d ever need.

A young ‘veteran’ of the entertainment industry, Jarrod Allies boasts an impressive 14-year track record, during which he worked on numerous award-winning international TV shows and movies. Seeking a fresh creative challenge, he joined JOE three years ago and ascended the ranks with enviable speed, becoming the top dog among our pack of 14 talented staff members. When it comes to dedication, Jarrod Allies is second to none (well, maybe except for Dan, our resident mad genius!).

He's the embodiment of hard work and commitment, ensuring that every project we undertake is nothing short of a masterpiece. We're incredibly fortunate to have Jarrod on our team, and we can't help but shout it from the rooftops: We love you, Jarrod!

LONDI MYENDE

Meet Londi, the newest addition to our ever growing JOE Team! With her extreme (and sometimes slightly annoying, haha) attention to detail, organizational skills, communicative talents and strong desire to establish new innovative systems which streamline the ‘Production Line’, she makes for the perfect new addition as Production Manager at JOE.

In just a few weeks, she has stepped up to the plate and started with our biggest Job to date!

Her journey in the film industry didn’t start here… she has been freelancing since 2014, assisting in every department and this year marks her 10th year in Production, moving her way up the ranks from Production Intern, to Coordinator to PM in no time! She has worked on countless music videos, commercials, features and telenovelas around Durban, Johannesburg and now Cape Town.

She can’t imagine doing anything else, and is a self proclaimed ‘Production Assassin’! But notes that even though dysfunction freaks her out, she’s always down for a good organized mess to sort out if the challenge presents itself. With a smile that can melt hearts, the tenacity that can bulldoze any obstacle and a point of view that always keeps her eye on the prize, we know we are in good hands with Londi on the Team.

We welcome her with open arms and hope she is part of the JOE family for a very long time!

nIC PREEN

KYLE BONORCHIS

Meet Kyle, a visionary animator who has recently joined JOE! With an innate talent for storytelling through captivating visuals, he possesses a remarkable ability to touch the hearts and minds of future generations. Just what we need for achieving the near impossible task of making Philanthropy based videos viral, every single time!!

He effortlessly breathes life into characters, transforming them into relatable beings that resonate with audiences on a profound level. His attention to detail and commitment to perfection make every frame a work of art. One of the most endearing aspects of Kyle's personality is his infectious sense of humor. No matter the circumstances, he always finds a way to lighten the mood and make the JOE studio even more vibrant. While we often urge Kyle to take breaks and maintain a healthy work-life balance, he is driven by a passion for his craft. Known for pulling more all-nighters than anyone we've ever met, HE JUST DOESN'T STOP! (keep going though.. haha)

We are thrilled to have Kyle as part of our team, as he represents the next generation of animators who will shape the future of storytelling. With his infectious humor, unparalleled skills, and unwavering dedication, he is set to revolutionize the animation industry.

REUBEN MATEKE

Meet Reuben, the Studio Manager at JOE he is nothing short of remarkable. He has had a symbiotic relationship with Dan Mace for more than four years before Dan birthed the JOE venture. Possibly being one of the only people in the world known for being the Jack-of-all-trades and master of them all, Reuben doesn't just stop at proficiency, he masters every role he steps into.

He is also a talented musician that transcends the average, garnering an impressive following of over 200,000 people on his music page. His passion doesn't just lie in creating soulful Zimbabwean tunes, but it also mirrors his detailed approach towards maintaining the impeccable state of our studio.

Reuben Mateke isn’t just family (I think there’s a bit of favoritism from Dan's side for sure) but he is also the most trustworthy person we have ever met. He over delivers with every task he undertakes, instilling a sense of responsibility among the team. His particularity for gear is legendary (haha), one misplaced battery can lead to an unforgettable wrath of a talking to that the cinematographers dread yet respect.

To us, Reuben isn't just a co-worker; he's an irreplaceable asset to the team. We cherish him, not just for his unmatched genius, but for the person he is. We are incredibly lucky to have him on board. Reuben, you are a true one-of-a-kind.

JASON WINDE

Meet Jason, the score composer, and sound engineer at JOE. He has been beside Dan Mace's side for over five years and the two are pretty inseparable with their joint love for Music.

He is literally a human jukebox that pumps out original soundtracks on demand. He's orchestrated the composition of scores for six Warner Bros. Discovery feature-length films and brought soul to MrBeast's productions. His versatility stretches from Jazz Drummer to classical piano the whole way to conducting entire orchestras which showcases his endless knowledge of the music realm.

Jason and Dan can be found locked in our live room and recording studio for days on end (we do not advise this for health reasons, haha!) creating the most refined musical scores for our films. It's this obsession with sound and musical precision that makes JOE’s productions truly stand out.

We consider Jason an indispensable asset! His ability to surprise us with increasing goosebumps and hair raising music is awe-inspiring. His ear for sound and music is super rare - we've simply never encountered anything like it before. We love you Jay!

raiffe ingledew

Meet Raiffe, an Editor and one of the latest additions to JOE. In just a few short months Raiffe has become an extremely valuable asset and an integral part of our Post Production Team, making sure that each and every project we are working on is handled with the utmost care by providing the support and attention to detail that each Story deserves in the post process.

Besides being our youngest, Raiffe is also the tallest member on the Team (yes, he stands heads above us all, no jokes he is like 7 ft tall or something and casts a mean shadow, haha). He provides much needed enthusiasm and a youthful driving force to entice many Creative ideas. Raiffe's drive to become one of the Greats in the filmmaking world is clear as day as you'll often find him working in the Post Suite at any given time of day creating new storylines and coming up with innovative ways to streamline the post process.

You only need to give him an instruction once and he will run with it (which, in the film industry, is rare to get right) If this is what he can achieve in just a few months then we are super excited for what lies ahead!

Keep up the good work Raiffe, we're so happy to have you!

AMINE HARBOUL

Meet our newest addition to JOE’s Post and Production departments as an editor and videographer, Amine Harboul, a Moroccan born filmmaker with multiple international awards in the bank stretching from the US, UK, Spain and China. Beyond all of his achievements in Film he also studied in Spain for 4 years and got his Bachelor’s degree in Digital Media. He describes himself as ‘All over the place, haha’. However he now has a new home at JOE.

We could write all the generic stuff like he is creative, ambitious, and a motivated young filmmaker, passionate about purposeful storytelling. Interested in finding new ways of exploring the boundaries, relationships and complexity of human nature, but at the end of the day he is nothing short of a F*cking exceptional filmmaker!

It was his short film, ‘ZAMBEZIA: A Well For Change’, he made, that caught our attention. He has also directed multiple commercials, music videos and short films, but has found that he prefers the run-and-gun style of filmmaking while focusing on *Story First - always (over his traditional experience).

Before starting with JOE he said ‘I have a dream of making purposeful films for the rest of my life, and by working with Dan at JOE, I know I can elevate my filmmaking to the next level.’

We are stoked to have you on the team BRU!

hilde weiler

Welcome the newest member of our Team, Hilde Weiler. Hailing from Germany accompanied by her adventurous spirit and devotion to the Arts, Hilde is sure to add some exuberance and a unique outlook to the Post Production Team.

Hilde’s unwavering desire to work in the film industry stemmed from her childhood when she picked up her first camera at the age of 10 years old and has never put it down since. Her passion for traveling and experiencing new cultures on her many journeys throughout Eastern Europe and Africa has had a lasting impact on her storytelling abilities.

She has worked on numerous movie sets in Germany and Europe and is eager to learn whenever she has the opportunity to, often working on her own projects in her free time honing an acute sense of self expression through her films. Hilde cannot see herself anywhere else other than dedicating her life to telling important stories through the art of filmmaking. Her keen understanding of this is what makes Hilde the perfect addition to our Post Production team as they craft the amazing stories worth telling.

LUKE ROSE

Meet Luke Rose, the newest addition to the JOE team! It’s crazy to think JOE Was just a team of two, three years ago and is now a team of 15 brilliant and well celebrated minds in the creative world.

We are so grateful to be able to hire such experienced young talent! Luke is our new HOD for brand development, from concept to design and execution. He handles this area with great passion and precision, crafting compelling brand stories that speak volumes.

Emerging from two of the best advertising schools in South Africa. Luke is an exceptional designer and marketing wiz. He is committed to producing compelling designs and developing engaging brand stories.

Luke truly loves what he does, and it shows in his ability to make brands come to life. With Luke’s creativity and drive, JOE is in good hands.

We are happy to have you onboard BRU!

MATT FRIEDLANDER

We are super stoked to welcome Matt to the ever growing JOE. Matt has joined our production team as a Production Assistant (PA) with over five years of hands-on experience in the world of feature films and commercials. He boasts an impressive track record of involvement in more than 30 projects, collaborating with industry-leading companies such as Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO and Universal Studios , among others.

Our founder Dan Mace said ‘He is like a multi tool on steroids haha’. Just in the first month he has amplified our seamless pre production with extreme efficiency. Thank you so much for your dedication Matt you legend!