ISSUE 03 | 2020
+ AFRICA’S STILL TOPS FOR
COMMERCIAL SERVICE
Let’s Count the Many Reasons Why
+ GREAT STORIES SELL THEMSELVES Rehad Desai on His Latest Documentary
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CONTENTS / 01
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02. ArtDept Launched
06 12 18 20
03. Redeeming Love
REHAD DESAI
Zubenathi Malothana talks politics with the prolific documentary filmmaker.
Shoots in Cape Town
04. Durban FilmMart to
Host Virtual Summit
05. City of Cape Town:
To the Filmmaker Big and Small
AFRICA IS STILL TOPS Katie Reynolds-Da Silva counts the reasons why Africa remains popular for commercial service work.
06. Rehad Desai
Talks Politics
09. Wesgro and Industry
Adapting to Business Unusual
10. SA Animation Set to Boom
STUNTS STAY STRONG SASA gives us a glimpse into how stunt performers are staying busy during the lockdown.
12. Africa Still Tops for Commercial Shoots
18. Stunt Crew
Remain Strong during Lockdown
20. The Artistic
Chemistry of Kyle Lewis and Toya De Lazy
ARTISTIC CHEMISTRY
What happens when a legend of a music video director and an edgy, pop princess join forces?
22. Locations for Africa 24. Directory of
Advertisers
02 / NEWS
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INTRODUCING ARTDEPT,
A FIRST FOR SA
Together with a tech partner, local filmmaker Lauren Wilensky has created the first ever art department directory in South Africa.
T
he directory, aptly named ArtDept, can be found on artdept.co.za. According to Lauren, this directory is for everything art departmentrelated. It should be noted that this is not a crew agency but rather an information portal for the art department community. “Please go and register, create your community profile and most importantly add a directory listing for yourself and/or your company. You
can add pics, video, links to your website and social media profiles too. If you don’t see your category, mail us and we will add one,” Lauren added. The site describes itself as a “one-stop for everything art department”, and was born out of a need for a shared pool of knowledge around this sector. “Whether you are crew, provide an art dept service or a vendor, you can create your own profile with links to your
work, portfolio, website or catalogue,” ArtDept explains.
HOW IT WORKS
Signing up is as simple as one, two: 1. Register and/or login (and join the discussion) 2. Add yourself or company (or both) to the directory Registration is mandatory – and free. After registration and login, new users can complete
the entire add listing process to maximise their visibility in directory searches. Any user can make as many listing as they want in the directory, and each listing can be edited or deleted as needed. You can even add a listing for another crew member or vendor, but be sure to use their contact details and not yours. If your category or crew title is not listed on the site, you can send an email and ArtDept will create one.
MY FATHER THE MOVER WINS AT TRIBECA
A local film has won a coveted award at the 19th annual Tribeca Film Festival, which was held online this year due to the pandemic.
M
y Father the Mover, a doccie by South African Writer/ Director/Producer Julia Jansch, won Best Documentary Short Film at Tribeca this year. The short tells the story of Stoan (a.k.a. Stoan ‘Move’ Galela), a dancer who uses African electronic Gqom beats to motivate kids in the township of Khayelitsha to jive through their hardship and find their superpowers.
According to Julia, the film happened quite by chance. “I met Stoan through my coproducer, Mandilakhe Yengo. It was a random encounter as he was working behind the scenes as a choreographer on a series. We started chatting and I asked him how long he has been a dancer for. He answered by saying ‘I’m not a dancer, I’m a mover’. I was immediately intrigued.” Stoan invited an intimate
crew into his home and his class. “The first time I met Julia we connected spiritually, and she understood my calling, and that made me trust her and our working relationship. I let her into my life and into my work,” he shares. “I think stories and films have a huge responsibility,” she adds, “They can uplift, challenge perceptions, change priorities, and garner awareness. They can do this because they can
move audiences. If ever there was a time that revealed the importance of movement, it is now. Movement can heal, transcend, transform. We will get through these times and we will move again.” Julia began her career in development, working for FremantleMedia and RadicalMedia. Her short films have premiered at festivals around the world, and she is currently writing her first feature.
NEWS / 03
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NOVEL ADAPTATION
FILMS IN THE CAPE
Redeeming Love, a big screen adaptation of Francine Rivers’ best-selling novel, has been announced as a theatrical release nationwide for spring 2021.
P
rincipal photography completed in March, where production transformed Cape Town, South Africa into California and Boston during the Gold Rush Era of the 1850’s. The film is based on the novel Redeeming Love, which has remained on multiple fiction best-seller lists for over 15 years, sold over three million copies, and has been published
in more than 30 languages. Directed by D.J. Caruso (xXx: Return Of Xander Cage, Disturbia), the film boasts an ensemble cast of Abigail Cowen (Sabrina), Tom Lewis (Gentleman Jack), Logan Marshall Green (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Famke Janssen (X-Men), Nina Dobrev (Vampire Diaries) and Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy). “While many are victims
of horrible circumstances that will haunt them forever, some characters are able to overcome the pain, the sorrow and the brutality to discover how remarkable they truly are,” says Caruso. Redeeming Love is produced by Cindy Bond (Mission Pictures International), Simon Swart and Wayne Fitzjohn (Nthibah Pictures), and Michael Scott,
David A.R. White and Brittany Yost for Pure Flix Entertainment, with exec producers Francine Rivers and Roma Downey (LightWorkers) attached. The film will mark the second collaboration in two years between Cindy Bond and Simon Swart, who produced the immensely successful inspirational film, I Can Only Imagine.
SA PROJECT WINS AT
MIPTV ONLINE+ Mother City, a gritty 43-minute drama series presented at MIPTV Online+ in April, won the In Development Drama Series Pitch this year.
T
he 8 x 43 minute drama series was pitched during MIPTV’s first ever virtual summit in April. The pitch was presented by Ernest Napoleon of Enigma Pictures, with Greig Buckle’s Local Motion Pitcures attached as the company producing the series in SA, and Moonrise Pictures attached as partners. Mother City tells the story of Charlie Moloi, who
MIPTV, the annual global TV market, took place online this year © Shutterstock
believed he receive his big break when he was picked to
be part of an elite group of young officers selected to
represent the SA Police’s Violent Crimes division at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. But when he returns as the department’s shining star to the newly established Murder Forensics Division, Charlie is immediately stymied by bizarre crimes that defy even the best forensic detection – crimes of a supernatural nature. The series is currently in search of broadcasters, distributors and co-producers.
04 / FILM FESTIVALS
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DURBAN FILMMART MOVES ONLINE
Africa’s premier film industry event, the Durban FilmMart, will take place online for its 2020 edition.
Durban FilmMart 2019 award winners
D
urban FilmMart, scheduled to take place in the last week of July, will now have new dates in August and will be hosted as a virtual summit. This will still incorporate most of its programmes, including Talents Durban in partnership with the Berlinale Talents. “As we move the DFM into a virtual space, we are delighted to announce that we are also extending the submission deadline for both DFM Projects and Talents Durban,” explains Toni Monty Head of the DFM and Durban Film Office. “While nothing quite replaces the face-to-face pitch and the networking that the DFM provides, we are excited about the prospects of involving many more filmmakers with creative works in development into this year’s edition.” In order to accommodate the new dates, the Durban FilmMart extended all deadlines
Delegates engage in multiple educational sessions at Durban FilmMart annually
for submissions to 15 May 2020. Those who had already submitted their projects and pitches and wanted to make changes were also allowed to do so during this time. The exact event date and the format of the virtual programme is yet to be announced.
A RENEWED DURBAN TALENTS PARTNERSHIP
DFM announced a new partnership with Talents Durban when applications opened for the 2020 edition. Talents Durban is a five-day talent development programme presented in Durban for the past 12 years in co-
operation with Berlinale Talents – an initiative of the Berlin International Film Festival. Up to 20 emerging African filmmakers and film critics are selected to attend the programme. Talents Durban comprises workshops and seminars by industry experts with opportunities to connect with a global network of film industry professionals and benchmark their work against African and global trends. “Through discussion with the Berlinale Talents and the Durban International Film Festival, in which Talents was
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECTS OF INVOLVING MANY MORE FILMMAKERS WITH CREATIVE WORKS IN DEVELOPMENT INTO THIS YEAR’S EDITION.
previously housed, we felt that as an industry facing programme, that it was a logical fit for it to be incorporated into the Durban FilmMart,” Toni explains. Christine Tröstrum, Project Manager of the Berlinale Talents commented, “With our shared aim to create again more synergies in project development and promotion, we are sure that the intensified collaboration will provide some excellent opportunities for the participants.” The DFM also announced the appointment of Menzi Mhlongo as the Manager of the programme. “The framework for the Talents Durban programme remains the same,” says Menzi. “This is just an operational shift, and we will continue to support emerging talents from the continent – with a special attention to promoting a community of filmmakers to inspire growth and expansion of African cinema.”
FILM CAPE TOWN / 05
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TO THE FILMMAKER
BIG AND SMALL T
he entire world is being tested by an unprecedented disaster unlike anything we’ve ever seen in our lifetime. South Africa has never had to deal, over the last 20 years, with any disaster of this magnitude. The coronavirus has forced us to put down our cameras and close our sets for the protection of human lives. Many of our brilliant scripts, concepts and finished projects had to be shelved because the entire world has ground to a halt. The virus has placed a challenge in front us. However, challenges like these provide us with an opportunity to look forward and be innovative in how we approach our work in the future. The Cape Town film industry
has already showed its resilience during the trying times by banding together to find solutions to the challenges in front of us. You have successfully lobbied authorities to allow you to return to work while also taking careful consideration for the safety and health of all of those on set. As your partner in the Film Cape Town initiative, the City of Cape Town has put together Standard Operating Procedures to guide how we continue our work while the threat of the virus still remains. It is our collective responsibility, as we all go back to work, to safeguard ours and the health of all those on film sets and other production workplaces. The City’s Film Office will be there to monitor your film sets, production spaces and be there
to work with you in implementing the health and safety measures. We may not be fully operational, but now is the time to showcase the beauty of Cape Town, the capabilities of our people and our can-do attitude in spite of this challenge. There will come a time when all these will be on full display for the entire world to see. For now, while the threat of COVID-19 remains, we have to work together as a collective and adhere to the safety protocols. To the world, you may not be able to travel to Cape Town, but we have a more than capable film industry
working on innovative ways to continue collaborating with you on world-class productions from our beautiful city. We are eagerly awaiting welcoming you all back to our city.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Film Cape Town Tel: 021 400 5596 or 021 400 5007 Email: info@filmcapetown.com or Film.CapeTown@capetown.gov.za Website: filmcapetown.com Social media: Twitter: @filmcapetown Instagram: @filmcapetown
06 / IN THE DIRECTOR’S SEAT
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REHAD DESAI TALKS POLITICS
Rehad Desai shares his experience in making his latest documentary, How to Steal a Country, with Zubenathi Malothana in an exclusive Callsheet interview.
How to Steal A Country Director Rehad Desai
W
hen it first burst onto the scene a few weeks ago, Uhuru Productions’ How to Steal a Country garnered high praise and rave reviews. Following his hugely successful doccie Miners Shot Down in 2014, prolific Director/Producer Rehad Desai continues to dive into the murky world of South African politics unafraid to say what others are unable or unwilling to. He shares his experience working on this film and what it’s like working in this all-tooreal-life sector with Callsheet. How did you discover your love of documentary filmmaking? And why do you love it? I’ve always loved film, I also grew up on film. The weekly current affairs documentary slots were what I was exposed to at an early
age. From around 17 years old, I started getting into alternative film. These were a very radical wave of filmmaker who began in the 70s. I am a political animal, you can see that from my work, but at one point I intended to become an academic in my early 30s. Then, while I was doing my PhD, I sort of fell almost by accident into film work. I applied for a story-researcher job on a documentary and I got it. Next thing I became an associate producer for that documentary. While I was doing that, I worked in current affairs journalism doing inserts for SABC. Then eTV opened, for whom I did 5-10 minute pieces here and there for a couple of years. Then I started doing some special assignments – freelancing, producing and directing, and just built up my experience. My first successful TV series was A Miner’s Tale (2001) which I produced. My first feature-length documentary was Born into Struggle (2004), and both these films really opened doors for me, with the big one being, of course, Miners Shot Down (2014). There are a lot of sacrifices that go into documentary filmmaking that we swear to. And up until several years ago, I was questioning how impactful this work was, if it really matters. Then I realised how powerful documentary filmmaking can be with Miners Shot Down.
You have a keen eye on South Africa’s political system and how that plays a part in everyday life. How do you identify which stories are best to tell? I would say that the stories find you. It’s got to have genuine questions and have a compelling central premise to sustain you on your film journey as you’re making the film, so there has to be a profound question there. An example of this was Everything Must Fall (2018). My crew captured the beginning of the fees must fall campaign because we felt it could fit into an existing film we were doing, A Giant Is Falling (2016). We put a little bit of it in that film. But we felt that the longer those battles become, in the process, the more your characters that you’re following will change.
Ramaphosa, Mandela and Zuma
What are your tips for creating an outstanding documentary production? I’ve come to the conclusion that for the stuff that is really engaging, you’ve got to be on it as the story is unfolding – and you’ve got to be wise enough to know where to be and understand you can’t be everywhere and you’ve only got so much money to make the film. I’m a firm believer that story is king or queen, so the story will often tell itself, you just have to allow it. Conflict and context are so important in storytelling. You’ve got to find the unity of truth, where the truth sits in your story, so it demands a lot of intellectual input. And lastly, I would say I try to work as collaboratively as possible with a collective approach so it’s also about finding the right team you can trust.
IN THE DIRECTOR’S SEAT / 07
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How to Steal A Country - Zuma Must Go Protest
How to Steal a Country turns a deep, reflective lens onto levels of corruption in South Africa. Was this your intention? Yes definitely. I’m not only a filmmaker, I’m also a political activist. I was active with the fight against Jacob Zuma. It was a tremendous relief when the Gupta leaks came out because now there was proof and we thought this would automatically lead to Zuma resigning – but no, the ANC was in denial, so a lot happened during the course of the film. When the ANC finally got rid of Jacob Zuma, the commission of enquiry took long, but we had to wait and be patient and see what came as a result. We interviewed very widely, and when you take that approach to filmmaking, your research in the development process get conflated into the production process and it becomes one – so in essence, you’re finding your
South African Treasury
story as you go along. We thought the whistle-blowers would be the lead but that didn’t work for us, but the next closest person to the story were journalists themselves who could make it more accessible. It was complex and showed the brilliance of the Guptas and their strategic thinking on how to loot under the guise of legality. The film shows the power of investigative journalism and its importance in South Africa. What are your thoughts on this? One of the first films I did was on the killing of an investigative journalist in Mozambique, and I learned there that what investigative journalists do when they are digging, particularly in a context like ours, is looking at how politics and economics intersect into organised crime. And this is what investigative journalists excel at: holding the elites in power accountable. Obviously this would have been impossible without the input of the whistle-blowers.
CCONFLICT AND CONTEXT ARE SO IMPORTANT IN STORYTELLING. YOU’VE GOT TO FIND THE UNITY OF TRUTH, WHERE THE TRUTH SITS IN YOUR STORY, SO IT DEMANDS A LOT OF INTELLECTUAL INPUT.
documentary filmmaking has increased and it has increased as the polarisation inside our world has increased and people have become less trusting of conventional news. The news landscape has become far more fragmented, therefore it’s difficult for people to find the meaning to things. That’s where documentary filmmaking becomes critical as investigative journalism, because we are
Documentary filmmaking doesn’t get the love it deserves, but I’d like to believe you played a major role in changing this perception, what do you think about this and do you think perceptions are changing? I think the popularity of How to Steal A Country Director Mark Kaplan
South Africa Power Station
trying to uphold progressive values and we judge our stories against those values. So we’re asking people to enter into a dialogue. As a documentary filmmaker, you are constantly asking the audience to make judgements about what they are seeing. How to Steal a Country is available to stream on www.showmax.com.
CUT THROUGH THE NOISE.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.
Get in touch with us to find out how you can maximise your reach and connect with new clients through our 20 000+ digital network. Contact Jennifer Dianez on jennifer@filmeventmedia.co.za or call +27 72 279 9931 and we will tailor a digital campaign specific to your needs.
Follow us on @TheCallsheetSA, @TheCallsheetSA and @thecallsheetafrica, or visit our website on www.thecallsheet.co.za for the latest film industry updates.
Image by Ian Dooley via Unsplash
WESGRO / 09
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WESGRO & INDUSTRY ADAPTING TO BUSINESS UNUSUAL
From the South African Film and Television Awards to COVID assistance, Wesgro continues its support of local filmmakers across the Western Cape. Kyle and Denise Newman. Kyle took the award for Best Actor in a Telenovela for his role as LeeRoy Foster in Arendsvlei, while Newman won the award for Best Actress in a TV Soap for her role as Bridgette October in Suidooster. Film Cape Town and Wesgro Film and Media Promotion team would like to congratulate all the SAFTA winners on their achievements once again. We are proud of the voice you continue to give South Africa, especially in these unprecedented times! To see the full list of SAFTA winners visit www.nfvf.co.za.
Carol Babalwa Mtshiselwa with her SAFTA in 2018
14TH SAFTAS CELEBRATION
On 29 April 2020, the 14th annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) – or should we say, the inaugural virtual SAFTAs – were held online with a live broadcast on various social media platforms. The awards were originally scheduled for 2728 March 2020, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the starstudded event was cancelled. Despite technical issues, the SAFTAs went ahead on Wednesday evening with, radio and television personality Dineo Ranaka hosting the awards show. Among the many winners in the Western Cape was Carol Babalwa Mtshiselwa, who won the award for Best Achievement in Make-Up and Hairstyling in a Feature Film for her work in Knuckle City. Mtshiselwa previously took home the award in 2018 and 2019 for Best Achievement in Make-up and Hairstyling in a TV Drama for Lockdown. Other notable wins for the Western Cape were Roberto
CANNES GOES DIGITAL
Although this year’s physical Cannes Film Festival has been postponed, Marche du Film will still take place this year exclusively online. A standalone market in conjunction with the Cannes Film Festival, one of the most prominent film festivals around the world, Marche du Film will be held online from 22-26 June 2020 in support of international film industry professionals. The intent of Marche du Film Online is to mimic the experience of attending the market in Cannes with alternative ways of facilitating meetings and networking events. Online screenings, video meetings, and conferences programmes are just some of what you can expect to find. Wesgro’s Film and Media Officers, Monica Rorvik and Lisa Mini, will be attending the 4-day virtual event in an effort to continue promoting Cape Town and the Western Cape’s film industry. www.marchedufilm.com.
Film banner strip 2017.indd 2
VIRTUAL ANNECY TO TAKE PLACE
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the Annecy International Animation Festival plans to go ahead this year virtually. Animation professionals and enthusiasts will get to enjoy an unprecedented festival experience at the virtual Annecy Festival, which this year had the continent of Africa as its focus. Even though the event will celebrate Africa once again when it goes live next year, the 2020 event will still have many areas of impact. There are currently two accreditation options to attend the online festival. The first gives access to the entire 2020 Official Selection, Work in Progress, Masterclasses and the Making Of. However, this does not include the film market (MIFA), and Annecy Network. The second option is MIFA accreditation, which offers access to all festival content and all the MIFA formats, and ‘areas’. Wesgro’s FMP team will virtually be attending this year’s MIFA to promote the region’s creative industry. The Annecy Festival will run from 15-30 June 2020. www.annecy.org.
22ND ENCOUNTERS POSTPONED
The African continent’s premier documentary event, the Encounters South African International Documentary
Festival, has been postponed. The festival, now in its 22nd year, was due to run from 4-14 June 2020, but will now be postponed until later in 2020. However, there is opportunity in adversity and new horizons appear, the festival plans to execute a limited virtual industry programme with a small selection of short films available online. For further updates please follow Encounters on social media or visit their website: www.encounters.co.za.
COVID-19 CONTENT CENTRE The Department of Economic Development and Tourism, together with Wesgro, the City of Cape Town, and industry partners, have activated the official a virtual COVID-19 Content Centre. This consists of sector specialists and communications experts, set up to develop reliable content to assist industry and manage daily queries and business concerns. These FAQs, which include film, can be found on www.supportbusiness.co.za. If you have any questions or queries, please send them to supportbusiness@wesgro.co.za. For more information, contact film@wesgro.co.za
a great place to create
2017/03/07 10:56 AM
10 / ANIMATION
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SA ANIMATION SET TO BOOM
South Africa is seeing a steady growth in its animation sector, ever-building its already stellar reputation as a creator of world class, award-winning animated content.
Zog (courtesy of Triggerfish Animation Studios)
L
ast year was arguably a great one for African animators. Not only are more internationals putting their faith in our professionals through commercials, edutainment, apps and games, but South African produced work in particular is receiving more and more international recognition. Of note are, of course, Triggerfish and Magic Light’s film Zog which recently won the International Emmy for Best Kids Animation. The 25-minute short has already won at the Royal Television Society, Shanghai International TV Festival and the New York International Children’s Film Festival. Meanwhile, Triggerfish is currently in production with their third and long-anticipated third film, Seal Team. In the commercial realm, companies like Black Ginger, Lung Animation and Tulips and Chimneys continuing to push boundaries. Black Ginger have won several awards for commercial work done in 2019, and have also worked on larger
Freja and the False Prophecy
projects like Escape Room and Andy Serkis’ rendition of Mowgli. Tulips has done several intricate animated adverts for Hendriks Gin since their last success with Fruit of the Loom and Cerebos a few years back, while Lung continues to work with international commercials while simultaneously working on Freja and the False Prophecy – a hand-drawn, 2D action-
Behind the scenes of Mowgli with Andy Serkis © Netflix
adventure game set in the world of Norse Mythology and set for release in 2021.
INVESTING IN LOCAL ANIMATORS
The National Film and Video Foundation, together with the other film commissions and promotion units in South Africa, continue to support local animators through market
exposure in partnership with the industry association, Animation South Africa. In June 2019, the NFVF led a delegation of animation students and professionals to the 2019 Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Market (MIFA), from 10-15 June 2019. In addition to assisting animators in getting international exposure, the NFVF has also entered into collaborative agreements with France in order to develop SA’s animation industry through collaborations between productions and skills exchanges between African institutions and their French counterparts. Furthermore, the NFVF also contributed more than ZAR 268 000 towards scholarships for a South African student to study at the prestigious Gobelins animation school in France. The scholarship programme is additionally funded by The Animation School in SA and Campus France. Karien Benz was the first student to be awarded the scholarship for a
ANIMATION / 11
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Mama K’s Team 4
Master’s in Character Animation and Animated Filmmaking. Other initiatives like Julia Smuts-Louw’s Draw for Life programme continues to see success in introducing high school students to the art of animation. Then there’s also Triggerfish’s Story Lab that has also seen consistent success since its launch several years ago. In fact, one of their incubator projects, Mama K’s Team 4, was snapped up by Netflix last year. The studio is working on this production remotely together with Seal Team during the lockdown.
SUNRISE TURNS UP THE BEAT
Sunrise Productions continues to create new content and build on their existing successes. Rumour has it there is something fresh on the horizon, but until an official announcement is made, they continue to keep that popular Jungle Beat going. The eighth season of the awardwinning preschool show is currently in production. It is set for release in late 2020, with worldwide distributors Monster Entertainment attached. Monster Entertainment has distributed previous seasons of the show to broadcasters in over 150 countries, as well as on 45 airlines. Meanwhile, the Jungle Beat YouTube channel, which is managed by Aardman, has attracted 2.5 million subscribers and has seen over 1 billion views. More excitingly, however, is Sunrise’s recent launch of
Jungle Beat
DUE TO THE NATIONAL LOCKDOWN, THE JUNGLE BEAT THE MOVIE WILL HAVE AN ONLINE, AT-HOME PREMIERE ON 26 JUNE. Jungle Beat The Movie. Due to the national lockdown, the film will have an online, at-home premiere on 26 June. You can join in the fun in the lead up to this ambitious release at junglebeatthemovie.com.
CTIAF POSTPONED
Cape Town International Animation Festival is the largest film fest dedicated to African animation. Unfortunately due to the global COVID-19 lockdown, this year’s event – set for May – was postponed to 24-27 April 2021. It will take place at the Cape Town Stadium and co-locate with Comic Con Cape Town. It is renowned for presenting world-class content as well as an opportunity to engage with global industry leaders. “We are obviously saddened not to be able to bring you the incredible programme we had lined up, but we are committed to being socially responsible and doing whatever we can to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” says Festival Director Dianne Makings. “The health and safety of our delegates, sponsors, staff – and the population at large – is and
will remain our highest priority. The good news is that next year CTIAF will be even bigger with an epic four days of events!” Delegates have a choice between refunding their ticket and rolling it over to the new dates in 2021. This process will be managed hand-in-hand with ticketing partner Howler.
ANNECY GOES VIRTUAL
The rise of the pandemic has forced the industry worldwide to innovate, with many festivals now hosting a virtual event
rather than completely cancelling the programme. Annecy International Animated Film Festival will also be running a digital event from 15-30 June 2020. It will feature an extensive mix of animated film and project competitions, masterclasses, MIFA pitches, meetings and expert presentation resources. “Developing Annecy 2020 Online is both a technical and human challenge,” Annecy’s organisers said, adding that despite the issues, this was “an obvious choice”. “Our event plays an indispensable role in the entire animation film sector, and is even more reason why we should be here during this unique situation.” Africa was set to be the region honoured at this year’s event and Annecy will no doubt still shine a spotlight on Africa’s burgeoning animation industry in its virtual festival.
ANIMATION SA RESEARCH Last year Animation SA conducted in-depth research on the South African industry to find out where there are gaps, challenges and how to better develop the industry. They toured the country late last year to showcase their findings and gather further information for how they should proceed. Should you wish to access the study or find out more, please contact chair@animationsa.org. Annecy will celebrate African animation online this year due to COVID-19
12 / COMMERCIAL SERVICE
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Left and Right images © Robot TV
AFRICA STILL TOPS FOR COMMERCIAL SHOOTS
Lauded for its turnkey offerings from seasoned professionals, South Africa as a commercial service destination – and as a result, the wider continent – is sure to bounce back now that filming constraints are being eased. Katie Reynolds-Da Silva reports.
COVID-19 AND COMMERCIAL SERVICE
Martin Jacobson of Juice Film says that their enquiry rate dropped significantly from the beginning of the lockdown. “We should have had work extending through March and into April. But pending jobs all fell away, and bid opportunities dried up. We are keeping busy with admin, but also staying involved with creating protocols for shooting when the government allows production to get going,” he says. “We are learning about video streaming options that are emerging, and how they work, and what we will be able to offer our clients in terms of live streaming of filmed footage, assuming that they would be watching remotely.
We are also looking internally at our company, to ensure we can move forward into the unknown future positively. We are staying in touch with some key producers and organisations keeping them abreast of what is evolving in South Africa.” When the restrictions are fully lifted, Juice Film will be looking at various scenarios going forward. Unfortunately it is hard to predict what the future will look like. There are many questions that need answering: • Will there be an effective treatment protocol available at the beginning of the service season that will allow clients, agencies and production houses to feel comfortable to travel? • Even if that is in place, will there be a new normal
•
•
•
•
for a while, where clients and agencies prefer to live stream rather than travel? And will director’s adapt to shooting remotely if they themselves can’t travel? And how many of them will want to adapt? Will American jobs come our way if there is live streaming, meaning they would have to stay up during their nights to view our day shooting? Or will they travel south to South America to avoid time-zone issues? Will clients and agencies adjust the way they advertise? Will there be more reruns of old commercials or cutting of old commercials with possible new footage or stock footage? Will agencies write scripts that allow them
to shoot at home? • When will an effective vaccine be available? “Only time will tell,” says Martin, “It is early days in the pandemic and a lot is changing all the time. It is a moving target and we will ensure we are prepared accordingly.” Liam Johnson of Robot TV says that they have enjoyed a fun and crazy season, including TVCs for Euro Millions, Chupa Chups, Asics, Kiabi, Homebase and F&F, as well as young, energetic and youthful commercials and as some big music videos for Victoria Monet, Tom Grennan and HRVY. Liam says that his team have had a lot of enquiries during lockdown, and they are talking with their clients about what
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the future might look like, but nothing has translated into work yet. “Luckily it happened near the end of a good season and traditionally we were going into a quieter period. The silver lining is that we have had a minimalist approach for a long time so we are now perfecting systems and getting ready for when the world opens up again,” says Liam. Robot TV has an amended growth strategy for when the restrictions are lifted. Like the other companies it includes collaborations and partnerships with local director-based companies but importantly the team is focusing on how to streamline its production, leverage technology to make it more efficient, and less dependent on manpower with more focus on sustainability and safe practice. “As a company and individuals we’re broken hearted at the effects of this pandemic, the lives lost and the economies near destroyed. But this is the time that will define us. A time of collaboration, ingenuity,
proactivity and importantly, compassion. It’s great to feel so proud of our president and our nation. From the solidarity fund to the CPA Relief fund, with everyone taking this so seriously, staying home and wearing masks. It’s tough, but we’re weathering this storm,” says Liam. Toni Marais of Red Petal says that they completed a Kinder Pingui commercial before lockdown, but have unfortunately lost two jobs as a direct result of the virus and almost all business has halted. “We have dealt with a few usages renewals over this time and recently had a request for a remote shoot. As a CPA EXCO member, we have been kept very busy with the COVID-19 fund and researching a way forward for the local industry,” says Toni. “This is such an unknown situation and the future so vague that a degree of flexibility is going to have to be an essential part of any strategy. We are going to work within the legal parameters and adapt as required until there is some kind new normal.”
BACK IN BUSINESS
On the 4th May 2020, the Commercial Producers Association announced the commercial production sector has opened its doors under Level 4 COVID-19 Restrictions. “The CPA is pleased to announce that our industry is, once again, open for business!” the statement said. The South African Government has permitted filming under level 4 regulations from 4 May 2020, however, there are certain restrictions that have been put in place. These are strict industry protocols that must be adhered to at all times. The number of people on set has been limited to 50, and according to the CPA, these rules are “non-negotiable and need to be followed under all circumstances”. The CPA has published the CPA COVID-19 Protocol for use by members, clients and suppliers. Clients and suppliers should please note that the CPA has no jurisdiction over non-
members, therefore due care should be taken to ensure that all productions comply with all requirements. (Guidelines are listed at the end of this article).
SPOTLIGHT ON SUZANNE CURRIE, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AT MOONLIGHTING. After studying art and photography at Michaelis Art School, a few years later Suzanne was introduced to Dianne Bramhill and Dianne Beatty at Cape Direct, one of the original service production companies in Cape Town. This is where she started out in the service commercials industry in the mid 90’s, when the service industry was just starting to take off here and she loved every moment of being a part of it. “The constant flow of international clients, the creative process, the adrenaline and all the amazing people I was working with….I was hooked! South Africa basically has it all, excellent crew and cast, beautiful and diverse locations, gorgeous light, great work ethic and service delivery and great overall production value especially with the exchange rate, mostly in our international clients favour,” says Suzanne.
Left and Right images © Robot TV
MUSIC IS UNIVERSAL We’ve been carving out our own path within production music for over 70 years, and our collaboration with a whole host of Artists and Composers ensures the music stays sonically adventurous. We make sure music makes the difference. UNIVERSALPRODUCTIONMUSIC.COM
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All images © Moonlighting Studios
MOONLIGHTING GOES VIRTUAL
Moonlighting created a Virtual VT Village which they have used successfully on a recent shoot with London production company 1stavemachine. Their clients were unable to travel so Moonlighting took the shoot to them, enabling them to have full, real-time participation as normal. Using the dual facilities of a conferencing system and a high-resolution video stream, the clients participated in real-time with the team on set and watched the setups without compromise, dialing in from different time-zones from around the world. While the conference system can stream in without delay, the quality is not always as high as is required so the high res stream follows 20 seconds later on a dedicated and secure streaming platform. The images are controlled by the set VT operator as per normal. It was first time out for everyone. Nisa from 1stavemachine established a very workable communication strategy with their remote clients; each setup was discussed, a walkthrough of the set done and artists introduced to the client. The different camera takes were discussed as per normal and approvals given without delay. “As this was our third job with this client it was our
OF COURSE, IT’S PREFERABLE FOR THE WHOLE TEAM TO BE HERE FOR THE SHOOT, BUT WHEN THAT’S NOT POSSIBLE FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE HAVE A PROVEN AND SUCCESSFUL SOLUTION. IT CAN ALSO BE OF GREAT BENEFIT WHERE A PROJECT’S BUDGET IS RESTRICTED AND WHEN REDUCING CO2 EMISSIONS IS A BRAND IMPERATIVE.
intention to maintain the same standards, despite the travel ban, and have an uninterrupted
service,” explains 1stavemachine EP / MD Kerry Smart. “ Live-streaming
became the obvious choice - the quality of both picture and sound of this service was impeccable. It was just as if Video Village was a little further away… 12 434km away to be exact.” Moonlighting’s Philip Key adds “Of course, it’s preferable for the whole team to be here for the shoot but when that’s not possible for whatever reason, we have a proven and successful solution. It can also be of great benefit where a project’s budget is restricted and when reducing CO2 emissions is a brand imperative.”
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WHY WE’RE TOPS
FOR SERVICE LIGHT
GEAR
EXPERIENCE
TIME ZONE
We’re renowned for having some of the best natural light in the world. – and lots of it! Lengthy daylight hours in summer make for better shooting durations (average of 15 hours: 5:30am to 8:00pm).
Our creatives and crew have in-depth experience that span decades and genres. While many have been poached by the deep pockets of foreign countries, there is a stronghold of SA-based talent that is dedicated to their craft.
LOCATIONS
This fact is now so famous it is tattooed on our brains, but it still bears repeating. 90% of the world’s geographical or man-made features can be replicated within a twohour drive from Cape Town. And that’s just the Mother City! There are eight other provinces to explore, enjoy, film, and do business in. Not to mention the rest of the Western Cape.
Durban, South Africa © Kaan Numanoglu
Anything you may need for your shoot is available for rent or hire at very reasonable rates. Dedicated companies are abundant in SA, and they are helmed by passionate, reliable, renowned professionals.
We’re on the same clock as most of Western Europe, making communication a breeze.
EXCHANGE RATE
As of 6 May 2020, the rand is trading at 18.43 to the US Dollar, 23.14 to the Pound, 20.24 to the Euro, and 5.10 to the UAE Dirham. That’s enough to make any producer or client salivate.
LANGUAGE
English is the business language of the world, an as one of our official languages, you’ll have no issues with the lingua franca.
DIRECTORS
Our directors are known worldwide as some of the best
in the business. To profile them all requires a book in itself, so we’ve included just a handful of stars. Sunu has directed commercials for the likes of Standard Bank, Castle Lager and Coronation. Most notably his One Source music video with Khuli Chana for Absolut won Gold, two Silvers and a Bronze at Cannes Lions and was the most awarded campaign at The Bookmarks in 2017. He went on to be the topranked Director at the Loerie Awards that same year. Ndumiso Sibanda of 7 Films began his directing career at the helm of a few of South Africa’s most loved tv shows, before moving into the world of branded storytelling. Commercials, documentary and web-based content are a deep passion, and he has over 45 million online views and counting. He has spent the last couple of years shooting TVC’s, short films and content for well-known brands Zwelethu Radebe of Egg Films has subsequently directed commercials for both local
Cape Town, South Africa © Rohan Reddy
and international agencies and clients, shooting in nine countries across Africa and Europe. In 2017, he won a Silver Apex Award for Creative Effectiveness for Strongbow. Recently his SAB ‘Vuka’ campaign was voted 2nd at the 2019 Creative Circle Awards. Kim Geldenhuys of 03:07 Films has developed a strong local and international clientele and has shot projects for several agencies around the world including Arnold, Crispin Porter Bogusky, TBWA Chiat Day, Pereira O’Dell, Saatchi’s, Fallon and Ogilvy Mather. Karien Cherry of Giant Films is sought after by creatives for her ability to effortlessly collaborate and be adaptable and nimble whilst maintaining relevance. Directing is part of who she is and her world view, and when approaching an idea she is driven by the need for truth and meaning. Karien was shortlisted for the 2016 Cannes YDA (Young Director Award) and her work has been recognised at the Loeries, the Bookmarks, and the Creative Circle Awards.
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Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town, South Africa © Greg Jeanneau
STUDIOS
South Africa has a plethora of studios that cater to the full gamut of production – from stills to table-top to long-form features. Sound stages, daylight studios, post-production and sound design suites abound, and you’d be hardpressed to find a studio that can’t meet your specific needs. Arguably the most famous is Cape Town Film Studios, where international features, budgetfriendly short-form projects, and everything in between can be shot. Studios of every shape and size can be found in all of South Africa’s big cities, such as Johannesburg, Tshwane, Durban and Cape Town, but world-class studios can be found outside of the major urban hubs, too.
PRODUCTION COMPANIES
South Africa’s legendary production companies have garnered attention, praise and
accolades over the years, and have produced some of the most memorable and moving commercials ever made.
WE WIN STUFF
At the recent Ciclope awards, South African creatives knocked it out the park with multiple high-profile wins. Some highlights include: Grand Prix: ‘Boni & Wes’ • Production Company: Motion City Films • Director: Helen & Kim • Director of Photography: Zenn Van Zyl • Production Designer: Jade Ashton Scully • Visual Effects: Strangelove Adapted Music: Sanlam ‘A Whole New World’ • Production Company: Giant Films • Director: Karien Cherry • Agency: King James Group
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Casting: Chicken Licken ‘Everyone’s Talking About It’ • Casting Director: Bonnie Lee Bouman • Production Company: Giant Films • Director: Karien Cherry • Director of Photography: Adam Bentel • Agency: Joe Public United Cinematography: Hyundai Genesis ‘The First Time’ • Production Company: Hochkant & 03:07 Films • Director: Kim Geldenhuys • Director of Photography: Franz Lustig Direction (90 Seconds and Under): Chicken Licken ‘Everyone’s Talking About It’ • Casting Director: Bonnie Lee Bouman • Production Company: Giant Films • Director: Karien Cherry • Director of Photography: Adam Bentel • Agency: Joe Public United Direction (91 to 180 Seconds): Chicken Licken ‘Thato, The Time Traveller’ • Production Company: They Shoot Films • Director: Alan Irvin • Styling and Costume Designer: Ruy Fillipe • Agency: Joe Public United Editing: KFC ‘Hot & Crispy’ • Production Company: Figment Films • Director: Robin Goode • Editing Company: Deliverance Post • Editor: Anthony Lee Martin • Agency: Ogilvy Cape Town Original Music: ODC ‘The Light at the Start of Everything’ • Production Company: 03:07 Films • Director: Kim Geldenhuys • Music Company: Field • Sound Company: Sterling Sound • Agency: TBWA Hunt Lascaris
Mamelodi, Pretoria, South Africa © Mpumelelo Macu
SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCTION COMPANIES OF NOTE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
0307 7 Films AFS Productions Arcade Atomik Pictures Bioscope Films Birdfilm Bird on a Wire Bob & Harry Bravo Zulu Carbon Films Cineco Films Darling Films Egg Films Evidencia Africa Productions Figment Films First Pencil Gatehouse Commercials Gentlemen Films Giant Films Ginger Pictures Grinder Films Groundglass Juice Film Lobster Tree Lucky Rabbit Masters & Savant McKenzie Rudolphe Migrate Films Monkey Films Moonlighting North South Productions Nowhere Else Productions Ola Films Orange Films Patriot Films Red Petal Productions Robot Rocket Films Romance Films Simpleman Skinny Films Stillking The Big Picture Company The Bomb The Farm The Network The Shooting Gallery The Star Film Company They Your Girlfriend
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COMMERCIAL SERVICE
COVID RULEBOOK The Commercial Producers Association of South Africa (CPA) has drawn up Rulebook Guidelines for Commercial Film Production in SA based on risk adjusted strategy.
GENERAL PRACTISES:
• Identification and protection of vulnerable employees will be mandatory Encourage a work-from-home strategy where possible for freelance and permanent Production + Administrative officebased staff. Any person / s who can work remotely must be allowed to do so. • Safe transport of employees / freelance independent contractors • On entering the workplace, all personnel will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 • Limit prevention of viral spread in the workplace. This will include cleaning of surfaces and shared equipment and ensuring good ventilation • Monitoring systems must be in place to (1) ensure compliance with safety protocols and (2) identify infections amongst employees • Social distancing measures will be implemented in the workplace - Maintain regular housekeeping practices in your immediate space, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment, and other elements of the work environment • All employees and freelance independent contractors will use a mask at all times (PPE will be provided for personnel who don’t have their own) • People over the age of 60 to work from home • All work environments will have hand sanitisers and /
•
•
•
•
or hand washing facilities with soap available Individual film production business or workplaces will have COVID-19 risk assessments and plans in place, and must conduct worker education on COVID-19 and protection measures Identification and protection of vulnerable employees will be mandatory Any worker that is immune compromised or in a high-risk category must disclose this to the employer, be protected, and work from home Depending on the different alert levels, curfews and legislated rules must be adhered to
Image by Julian Wan via Unsplash
PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION ON COMMERCIAL FILM SETS:
• Face-to-face meetings to be avoided if possible • At least one Medic / appointed Health + Safety Officer must be present on every shoot and a designated consultation area is to be provided for health checks • Masks will conform to the National Department of Health guidelines • Crew will suffer no fear of reprisals and be assured of confidentiality should they report to the Health + Safety Officer if any protocols are not being adhered to that might compromise them
• Production will ensure that all interior spaces are well ventilated • Before every shoot a short health + safety briefing will be held • Production will ensure that there is regular and frequent cleaning of all contact surfaces • Masks will be required to be worn by all personnel on set, with the exception of actors during filming • Where a workstation is used by more than one person, it will be cleaned between each user • Production to provide sanitising stations on set in appropriate areas
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Fire Base - All images courtesy of SASA
STUNT CREW
REMAIN STRONG DURING LOCKDOWN The South African Stunt Association shares a brief overview of the body and gives us the lowdown on what is happening to stunt performers during the national lockdown.
T
he South African Stunt Association was conceptualised in 2015 and launched in 2016, to represent the stunt crew within South Africa and to promote professionalism within the industry. SASA is not an agent but rather a group of professionals who came together for one purpose: the greater good. Over the past four years, SASA has grown from strength to strength, and with access to various professionals in law, health and insurance, etc SASA has been able to consult with, as well as assist members in many areas. These include crew contracts, insurance, health care policies, set protocol, training and much more. Callsheet caught up with them to find out more.
What does one have to do to become a member of SASA? In order to become a SASA member, you will need to meet the joining criteria for new members. To find out what
this entails, you can email admin@sastuntcrew.co.za, state which role(s) you consider yourself as, e.g. stunt performer, stunt coordinator, stunt rigger, precision driver, etc.
ULTIMATELY, ALL OUR MEMBERS WILL ADAPT FAST AND MAKE THE MOST OF THIS UNKNOWN SITUATION. THIS IS COMMONPLACE ON FILM SETS NOW, AND MANY WILL USE THE TIME OFF TO UPSKILL THEMSELVES IN REGARD TO CAMERA WORK, EDITING, WEAPONS HANDLING AND MUCH MORE.
You will then be sent the necessary information and joining criteria. Once your application is in, you will have your application considered by the SASA Board and the SASA Advisory Committee. In general, in order to be accepted as a stunt performer, you need to meet the relevant joining criteria, plus submit a competency video. If you wish to be recognised as a stunt rigger then you would need to submit proof of relevant qualification(s), experience and references. How is SASA and its members coping with the COVID-19 lockdown? The COVID-19 pandemic been a shock to the world, never mind the film and television
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industry. Productions were in pre-production, production and post-production. We had members all over the world who had to stop working immediately and be under lockdown in their own homes in South Africa. In order to keep the creative action juices flowing, a challenge was put forward to SA stunt crew to make a short film where they had to set up a one person fight – basically a fight with yourself. No other person was allowed to be involved apart from someone to operate the camera for you. The results were awesome and there were many unique and
entertaining submissions. Ultimately, all our members will adapt fast and make the most of this unknown situation. This is commonplace on film sets now, and many will use the time off to upskill themselves in regard to camera work, editing, weapons handling and much more. SASA has also been researching ways in which to best support its members during this time. We’ve done so by garnering advice from various other international organisations and engaging with similar local organisations that find themselves in the same situation.
Fear Factor
What is the next step for SASA? With regards to returning to work, in early May we were informed that the South African government – in particular the Department of Arts and Culture – has approved the film industry as an essential service during Level 4 COVID-19 Restrictions. Hopefully this means
that we will be returning to set as soon as possible. However, SASA will keep on helping its members as much as possible and is still working behind closed doors (lockdown!) to better the industry and ensure professionalism. With such diverse and highly motivated members, this virus will not hold us down for long and we will be back shooting action bigger and better than before.
20 / MUSIC VIDEOS
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Funani music video
THE ARTISTIC CHEMISTRY OF
KYLE LEWIS AND TOYA DE LAZY Neither are strangers to the creative industry, so it comes as no surprise that their latest offering to the world is fire. Zubenathi Malothana catches up with them to find out more.
K
yle Lewis is an acclaimed music video director, having worked on projects with some of our favourite local artists like Nasty C, Cassper Nyovest, and, of course, Toya De Lazy. Toya defines her music
as Afro-Rave, inspired by her love of alternative rave music and channelling her isiZulu culture. Now residing in the UK, producers are loving her unique artistic style and take on all things Africana. But what drew
Kyle to her sonic adventure? “I’ve always been a South African music fan and I really enjoy working with them (musicians). When it comes to different artists, I like to connect with them on a creative level. They have
created this incredible song and it is my responsibility to create a visual presentation that not only amplifies it but also gets the artist’s vision and my vision working in a collaborative way,” Kyle says. And buoyant by the release of
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Kyle Lewis - Music Video Director
her single Qhawe, Toya De Lazy searches for a creative mind when looking for a music video director. “It’s all about how far they can take their mind and creativity but still present it with the highest quality,” which is something she says led to her collaboration with Kyle Lewis and the creation of their visual masterpiece Funani. One of the greatest challenges in filmmaking is to implement what is an initial concept, and have that idea thoroughly reflected on screen. Taking a sound and creatively crafting a visual presentation is something Toya leaves to the genius of Kyle Lewis, she says. “What I love about working with directors like him is that we make art. From the cast to the costumes, it just shows how art can change lives.” For the concept of the music video Funani, Toya remembers
Toya De Lazy - South Africa Singer © Augustin
WHEN IT COMES TO DIFFERENT ARTISTS, I LIKE TO CONNECT WITH THEM ON A CREATIVE LEVEL. THEY HAVE CREATED THIS INCREDIBLE SONG AND IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE A VISUAL PRESENTATION THAT NOT ONLY AMPLIFIES IT, BUT ALSO GETS THE ARTIST’S VISION AND MY VISION WORKING IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY wanting Kyle to make a music video with unconventional style. Kyle then had to create a storyboard that could encapsulate the song – including the colourful nature of Afro-Rave. And as the cherry on top, all of this took just two weeks to produce. “When I heard Funani, it was one of the
pushed the colours to make it vibrant and pop out.” One of the many things I have learned from Kyle and Toya was how in the creative process of making music video, it is vital to collaborate on ideas with an artist-to-filmmaker dynamic. Film production in general is a collaborative art form, however the creative chemistry between these two proves it to be ever so true.
freshest tracks I had heard in a while, so immediately I said to myself, ‘I’ve got to do something creative’,” he reminisces. “We shot it in Tembisa, Johannesburg, and on a location scout we saw a car wash that presented itself perfectly with what we were trying to do. We really Qhawe
On set of Funani music video (left and right images)
22 / LOCATIONS
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Image by Ashim D Silva via Unsplash
Exceptional beaches and mountains collide in Cape Town © Kyle Cut Media (via Unsplash)
LOCATIONS FOR AFRICA Katie Reynolds-Da Silva explores the plethora of beautiful African locations that will be available to filmmakers the world over once the global pandemic begins to dissipate.
T
he global lockdown has had one distinct advantage: drone shots have shown us just how spectacular the world’s natural spaces are when devoid of humans. Thankfully, we know that with the right permit, just about any film location can be ‘locked down’ and shot in its people-free splendor. In fact, a small army of location professionals are on hand to make sure the perfect building, park, or street is ready to turn your vision into reality, to the collective sigh of relief from producers everywhere.
MORE THAN A MOUNTAIN
When booking a trip to South Africa, one might conjure an image of Table Mountain, or
vast plains filled with creatures great and small. But locals know that we are more than a mountain. Where else can you find a purple city? Try Tshwane, with its explosion of Jacaranda-lined streets. While you’re there, take a look at the majestic Union Buildings, ideal for official/ governmental scenes. Seeing as you’re in Gauteng, the richest square mile in Africa is well worth a visit. Situated in Sandton, the futuristic skyscrapers can double for any economic powerhouse on the planet. When you’ve had your fill of luxury and you’ve got relaxation on your mind, it’s time to head for a game reserve. The Pilanesburg a notable example, filled with a
diverse ecological array. The accommodation is equally diverse, and you can find a budget-friendly rondavel or a five-star uber-luxe resort within kilometres of each other. A film-friendly destination with an illustrious film CV, Sun City Resort and Casino is a noteworthy spot. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore called it home in their Blended collaboration. As did Clive Owen in his casino thriller Croupier. Sun City is also frequently used for music videos, live events and celebrity weddings. Further north, the arid, sweeping dust pans of the North West are ideal for the cars-moving-very-swiftly type of shot. Why go slow
when the land-speed record is begging to be broken? The Kruger National Park is an obvious choice for footage of wild animals; and with the absence of visitors recently, the animal populations are sure to
SAFETY FIRST Location experts such as Amazing Spaces has been so proactive that they have partnered with a specialist cleaning company to ensure that every space is sanitised and free from any potential viruses. In this way, they are doing their bit to halt the spread of the pandemic.
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be thriving, and are ready for their close up. As with most national parks, accommodation with a variety of architecture can be found. Colonial style mansions, rustic bush retreats, and everything in between are yours to be discovered.
THE LOWDOWN ON PERMITS
A DIVE OFF THE DEEP END
We cannot talk about locations without mentioning South Africa’s magnificent beaches. It would be remiss to do so, therefore, the Callsheet presents a superlative-laden account of the bits where the land meets the sea. Journey up the West Coast, starting from Cape Town, and marvel as each beach seems prettier than the last. Charming small towns, where fishing is the main economic driver, are abundant in this area. On a windy day, watersports abound and the area is abuzz with activity. If a more sedate look is required on shoot day, any one of these beaches (large and small) will suffice. West Coast beaches are characterized by pounding waves, soft sands and rolling dunes. Readers of the previous edition may recall that I waxed lyrical about Chapman’s Peak – the most beautiful road on Planet Earth, so I’ll leave it at that. Or perhaps just add that to drive Chappies
Johannesburg views © Clodagh Da Paixao
on a glorious summer’s day is something close to experiencing the divine. Some people are foolish enough to attempt it on a bicycle, but I recommend the passenger seat of an air-conditioned luxury van. The views of the beaches can’t be over-hyped. Onwards, along the eastern coast, towards the towns situated along the famed Garden Route (there’s even a film studio or two in this region). Stop in Oudtschoorn for some old-school cool and a stop off at the Cango Caves. The acoustics will give you chills. Stop in George for the exquisite golf courses and resorts - home to the who’s who of industry and sports. Hang ten in Jeffrey’s Bay, grab a custom board, and attempt to surf the
world-famous break. Then there’s Durban’s Golden Mile, too, that deserves praise. Sunkissed skies, perfect bathing suit weather, and an accommodating permit system are the order of the day in South Africa’s surfing paradise. The KZN South Coast is also worth a mention. This is where filmmakers from across the world congregate annually to witness the frenzied sardine run along its shorelines. Last, but certainly not least, is the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape – which more than lives up to its luscious, bountiful name. Along this stretch of coast from East London to the border of KZN, are iconic blue flag beaches, secret hideaways and urban surf hotspots.
South Africa has a film friendly and streamlined permitting process, with a number of privately owned locations as well as those that run through the film office. Citywide permits are available for filming b-roll at public locations. For more complicated shoots that require large setups or shutting down city streets, allow at least two weeks for permitting. You will need a permit if your shoot: • Interrupts traffic on municipal roads or pedestrians on sidewalks; • Requires wires or cables running across or over sidewalks or municipal roads; • Requires the use of generators, tripods or dollies on sidewalks or municipal roads; • Impacts on public use of, or access to, public parking areas, community facilities, beaches, public open spaces, and nature reserves under City management; or • Generates noise and air pollution. Many areas do not require any specific permissions, but in some of the more popular areas – like Cape Town, Johannesburg and Tshwane as well as National Parks, permits are either recommended or essential. In some cases these are at no cost, while some do carry a fee. Visit the websites of the Cape Town Film Permits Office, the Gauteng Film Commission, and the Durban Film Office for detailed instructions.
Image by Paul Fiedler via Unsplash
Image by Hu Chen via Unsplash
24 / DIRECTORY
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Blood & Water. Photo by Neo Baepi © Netflix
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CONTACT US Cover Image: Cover image © Kushagra Kevat via www.unsplash.com Publishing Editor: Lance Gibbons lance@filmeventmedia.co.za Contributors: Katie Reynolds-Da Silva, Zubenathi Malothana Editor: Kim Crowie kim@filmeventmedia.co.za
Head of Design: Liam Abrahams design1@filmeventmedia.co.za Production and Digital: Cindy Jarvis cindy@filmeventmedia.co.za
Vector Image Credits: Illustrations used to create Commercial Feature headers on pages 12 - 23 © Vector designed by ibrandify via Freepik www.freepik.com
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Loeries 2020 entries are FREE COVID-19 has brought about unprecedented challenges for the brand communications industry across Africa and the Middle East. The Loeries is here to support you. This year all entries are FREE, giving all agencies across the region the opportunity to enter and #CreateChange. Entry deadline 15 June Visit loeries.com to enter
