The founder of newly minted Mako Studios and a key architect of Wall of Entertainment’s meteoric rise, Taf Makopa has emerged as one of the most dynamic figures in the social video economy – a restless creator, strategist, and matchmaker who thrives at the collision point between talent, brands, and content.
Speaking on TellyCast, Makopa comes across as part showman, part realist, and all-in believer in the power of digital-first formats. “Production costs aren’t going down, talent fees aren’t going down, and the cost to retain people isn’t going down,” he says. “What’s going up is the demand for the right formats – the ones built from talent outward.”
Makopa’s philosophy is strikingly simple: creator-led ideas first, brands second, and production companies third. “If you miss one of those three, it doesn’t work,” he says. He’s betting his new studio on the ability to weave these players together, agnostically working with whoever fits – and crucially, keeping control of intellectual property. “Brands are waking up to format rights,” Makopa notes. “They want to help create, but they also want a piece of what takes off.”
The early proof points are compelling. Just two months after launch, Mako Studios has six shows in production with four different production companies – a pace even Makopa admits is “a marathon.” Highlights include Are You Even Real?, a dating format hosted by UK rap legend Chip, and You’re Lying, a playful social experiment fronted by Beta Squad’s King Kenny. There’s also Luke Comes Home, a two-part short-form documentary following Luke Littler (interviewed by Angry Ginge), and You’re Out the Chat, a sharp twist on friendship group dynamics. Notably, all are being made for under £10,000 per episode.
“I want to win awards next year,” Makopa laughs. But behind the humour is a serious point: he’s aiming to show that format-driven, brand-funded social video can punch far above its weight. “Good formats cut through,” he says bluntly. “That’s it. It’s not complicated.”
For industry watchers, Makopa’s pivot is notable given his legacy at Wall of Entertainment, where he helped turn a scrappy comedy outfit into one of the UK’s leading digital-first studios. Under his watch, the company achieved nearly 900% revenue growth, scaled to 50 employees, and produced viral hits like Does The Shoe Fit? and Harry Pinero’s Worst in Class. Makopa left on good terms, he says, but with a gnawing sense that it was time to build something new – and on his own terms.
That sense of timing extends beyond his own career. As media giants from Netflix to Channel 4 rush to court creators, and as brands scramble to stay visible on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Makopa believes the digital-first sector is no longer a scrappy challenger, it’s the place where innovation happens first. And yet, he’s also blunt about the grind. “There’s no magic. There’s no shortcut. It’s about waking up every day thinking, ‘How do we serve the audience, and the people we work with, better?’”
In conversation, Makopa oscillates between business strategist and creative dreamer, but his reflections are also deeply personal. Leaving Wall, he admits, was “the hardest decision” – not least because it meant walking away from the camaraderie and pressure of running a 50-person company. Now, at Mako Studios, he’s deliberately keeping things lean, aiming to staff up with what he calls “growth buddies” rather than chasing headcount. “I want people who are excited by what Mako represents, who have that can-do attitude. Experience matters less to me than mindset.”
Makopa’s ultimate goal? To help formalise the social video production economy as a real IP marketplace, where good ideas travel, scale, and generate lasting value. He points to breakout formats like Hot Ones and Pop the Balloon as models of how simplicity, personality, and clever execution can deliver global impact and licensing revenue.
“I’ve learned a lot,” Makopa says, reflecting on his journey so far. “Some things I’d do differently, sure. But the one thing I know is this: we’re just getting started.”
