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KZN Film Commission launches The board and CEO of the newly launched KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Film Commission are expected to be finalised next month, heralding a new era for the film industry in the province. The KZN Film Commission was officially launched on 23 July 2012 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban during an event attended by media and industry stakeholders, as well as delegates from the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) and Durban FilmMart. At the launch tribute was paid to the long history of filmmaking in the province, as well as KZN-native, the late Simon ‘Mabhunu’ Sabela, who was South Africa’s first
black director. Michael Mabuyakhulu, the MEC for Economic Development and Tourism in KwaZulu-Natal, told Screen Africa after the launch that more information about how the KZN Film Commission will function will be revealed once the board and CEO has been finalised. “For the board we are looking for knowledgeable people from all sectors and we’re looking beyond KwaZulu-Natal for the best South Africans that can contribute to the commission,” he explained. Among the core functions of the commission will be to develop and grow infrastructure and facilities for film and related industries in the province; to
facilitate policy, legislation and regulations necessary for the promotion of the industry; to attract foreign and local investment and funding; and to co-ordinate and provide advice, support and access to funding / incentives for filmmakers. According to Mabuyakhulu one of the priorities of the commission will be to look at the establishment of a film studio for the province. “We don’t want a studio that is owned by one particular company – we want a state of the art studio that compares to international standards and that is available to all filmmakers in the province. If we have to step in and build it, we will do so.” – continued on next page
More madness as Spud returns Production on the sequel to the hit 2010 South African film Spud began on 1 July, with British actor John Cleese returning to the role of eccentric English teacher ‘The Guv’. Says producer Ross Garland: “Mr Cleese was very happy with the first film and from early on was keen to do Spud 2. In fact, at the end of his last day on set his parting words to the crew were ‘To the sequel!’ Two years later, we’re back again and ready to continue to build the legend of Spud.” Spud 2 – The Madness Continues is produced by Rogue
Star Films and BLM Productions, and is based on the second book in the popular Spud series by author John van de Ruit. According to Garland, production will take place over five weeks, primarily in Cape Town and not at Michaelhouse school in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Midlands where the first movie was shot. “We’re shooting at SACS (South African College Schools) in Newlands, which provides a great backdrop to the world of Spud. We wanted to avoid travelling the whole crew and
cast up to KZN for the whole shoot, so we are filming the interior wood-panelled dorm, classroom and other school scenes at SACS – the oldest school in the country.” Garland notes that, while the first film was a ‘dramedy’, the second is more of an out and out comedy. “The central story is the battle between the housemaster Sparerib and the Crazy 8, who are trying to get each other kicked out of the school. Thematically Spud 2 is about rebellious teenagers, exploring that stage of a youngster’s life – continued on next page
ON A MISSION: Filming the anti-poaching documentary Saving Rhino Phila. See page 16
Durban FilmMart winners Zimbabwean feature film project Live from Zimbabwe, produced by Jackie Cahi and directed by Rumbi Katedza, scooped the Hubert Bals Fund Award for Most Promising African Project at the recent Durban FilmMart CoProduction & Finance Market. Says Katedza: “It was uplifting to be announced as the winner and we feel validated to know that our story resonated with an international judging panel. The prize money of 5 000 €uros will allow us some space to plan and focus on writing a good script. It will also enable us to attend other film marts to continue the fund-raising process.” Katedza conceived Live from
Zimbabwe when told of a newspaper article about an isolated village that set up a successful pirate radio station for one exhilarating week of transmission. “It was a beautiful story of a forgotten and neglected people finding their voice. I then started to imagine what could happen if the influence of this small radio station went far beyond its region,” she explains. The film’s producer Jackie Cahi notes that they will approach the European film funds and hope to interest co-production partners in Europe and South Africa. “We had some interest from a few sales agents and once we have a final script, we will seek agreements with different partners. The Hubert Bals Fund Award will give more exposure to our film project.” Cahi was also one of three recipients to be awarded the prize to attend the Rotterdam Lab 2013 along with David – continued on next page
Developing the KZN film industry He added that it was also an essential function of the commission to facilitate the previously disadvantaged communities to take their place in the film industry. “The commission must support budding filmmakers because we feel the industry can play a role in the transformation of our society and assist in addressing historic disadvantages in skills and infrastructure. The commission cannot afford to be elitist. “It must encourage the people from the small rural village where I was born that their stories can also be told.” However, Mabuyakhulu noted that they must also attract the lucrative blockbuster market to KZN’s shores. He said that, while researching different models for film commissions, they not only looked at the Gauteng Film Commission and Cape Film Commission but also at global models in India, China and Latin America. “I believe in the future of the film industry in KZN and we are passionate about it, but we must also be realists and not bite off more than we can chew,” said Mabuyakhulu. Director / producer Sandra Herrington from Tekweni TV Productions notes that, while it is welcome news for the province, it is still early days. “The way forward is still being mapped, and much will depend on who is appointed to drive the initiative. Hopefully it will be
Photo by Siyanda Mntambo
Continued from Front page |
A NEW ERA – Michael Mabuyakhulu
someone who has the expertise and vision to address the lack of skills for emerging filmmakers and to nurture those already established in both the film and TV industry. The commission needs to build on the success of DIFF and Durban FilmMart, which provide a screening and pitching platform for African filmmakers and attract a growing number of international broadcasters, funders and co-producers.” During the launch filmmaker Madoda Ncayiyana also spoke on behalf of the KwaZulu-Natal film industry. He noted the difficulties in getting a film made outside of Johannesburg and Cape Town. “We are happy to have a film commission and hopefully now some of these problems will ease off and we will have a shoulder to cry on. It will put us on the world map and we will be respected as an industry if we all take this seriously,” said Ncayiyana. The Durban Film Office’s Toni Monty told Screen Africa that they will continue to function independently of the KZN Film Commission, while working towards the same goals. – Linda Loubser
More madness as Spud returns when you are reacting to authority and conformity.” As with the first Spud movie, the screenplay is written by director Donovan Marsh, with the addition of some new comic material (not from the book) by Van de Ruit. Troye Sivan returns in the role of Spud, along with what is left of the Crazy 8 – Sven Ruygrok as Rambo, Josh Goddard as Mad Dog, Tom Burne as Vern, Byron Langley as Simon, Travis Hornsby as Boggo and Blessing Xaba as Fatty. “We’re two years down the line from
“TO THE SEQUEL!” – Troye Sivan and Genna Blair 4 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
the first film and the boys are now playing second year high school students. Some of them have shot up, but they all look about right for this rebellious stage of their teen years. “We wanted there to be a jump from the coming of age world of the first film and that’s worked well with the two-year gap. The boys still look young enough that the new prefect characters look clearly older and more dominant,” explains Garland. In the new film viewers will be meeting the trio of mean prefects who terrorise Spud and friends. “Jason Cope will also play a much larger role as Sparerib, the main antagonist who wants to get the boys expelled. There are also the new boys, the so-called Normal 7, played by a wonderful bunch of youngsters who get bullied by the Crazy 8,” says Garland. Other actors returning include Tanit Phoenix as Eve, Jeremy Crutchley as headmaster Mr Glockenshpeel and Aaron McIlroy and Julie Summers as Spud’s parents. Behind the camera Lance Gewer (Tsotsi, Otelo Burning) is returning as director of photography, shooting on the RED Mysterium system. Garland notes that the process of raising funds for the second film was, in some ways, quicker and easier. “However, closing finance on a film is always difficult. The financing plan for the film
Durban FilmMart winners Horler for Flatland (South Africa) and Ikechukwu Omenaihe for In Silence… & In Tears (Nigeria). Flatland picked up another two awards – a prize of 5 000 €uros from WorldView for The Most Promising Feature Project and the EAVE prize to attend the European Producers Workshop. Says Flatland producer David Horler: “It was naturally very gratifying and humbling to be recognised by the international delegates in attendance and writer / director Jenna Cato Bass and I are incredibly grateful for both the monetary support and publicity garnered from the event. “The WorldView prize money will go a long way to facilitate the myriad of research, travel and development costs required as the script takes shape, while the Rotterdam Lab and EAVE scholarships will similarly further my knowledge and training as a young film professional.” Flatland is a western set in the Karoo that sees three women face mental and physical hardships as they search for a fabled apartheid-era nuclear bomb. Cato Bass reveals she was inspired by the apartheid era nuclear programme and its abandonment. “I thought there was a great story in that but I wanted it to be contemporary. So I wrote a western with a bomb and a host of other mad ideas. When I returned to the script years later I realised that what I would like to see in a western is how women react to the same challenges that are usually reserved for men.” The awards for the Most Promising Documentary Projects, judged by the International Documentary Festival of Amsterdam (IDFA), the IDFA Fund and WorldView, went to Kenyan project Logs of War (directed by Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman) and South African project The Devil’s Lair (produced by Neil Brandt and directed by Riaan Hendricks). Says Brandt: “It’s great that the potential of the film has been recognised. Getting feature documentary films financed is no simple task as ever more filmmakers compete for a smaller pot of funds. This award is another step towards completing our financial plan and will secure our place at the IDFA Documentary Financing Forum in Amsterdam in November. “Our relationship with the WorldView fund is sure to open some doors that may have otherwise been harder to knock on. I have already been contacted by two certainly has matured on the sequel, with a lot of distribution money in the film. That’s a very positive development, working closely with a substantial content player from the outset. “The film is distributed and partially financed by Nu Metro Films. We are also using the Department of Trade and Industry rebate and Rogue Star Films’ slate funding from the National Film and Video Foundation. The gap is financed by a private consortium of Spud 1 investors and Collective Dream Studios.”
international distributors on the basis of the press from the award.” The Devil’s Lair looks at the struggles of a community against crime and the challenges faced by ex-convicts. Says director Riaan Hendricks: “The film has characters caught in a real dilemma with the ensuing conflict forcing them to make drastic life and death choices. Our visually engaging trailer accompanied the pitch at Durban FilmMart and delivered on all the promises we made during the presentation,” comments Hendricks.
TRIUMPHANT! – Bianca Taal (International Film Festival Rotterdam), Jackie Cahi, Rumbi Katedza and Janneke Langelaan (Hubert Bals Fund)
Anjali Nayar reveals that she and Hawa Essuman were ‘super pleased’ to win their award for Logs of War. “It was our first pitch and we were very nervous. Thank goodness no-one could tell. We had the opportunity to meet some great potential collaborators on our project in Durban. Hawa and I are looking forward to pitching again at IDFA.” Logs of War exposes the environmental and war crimes of former Liberian president Charles Taylor. Nayar conceived the project when reporting on environmental networks. “It got to the point where I knew I needed to do something longer, more nuanced, that addresses the tricky balance between development and environmental and social destruction.” Arte France awarded the Best Feature Film Project award of 6 000 €uros to Steven Markovitz and Wanuri Kahiu for Jambula Tree, a South Africa / Kenya co-production. Director and producer Joel Karekezi’s Rwandan feature project, The Mercy of the Jungle, was awarded Canal France International’s Most Promising Project award. Videovision Entertainment’s Best South African Film Project prize of R75 000 was awarded to The Visit, a coproduction by Imraan Jeeva, Omar Khan and Sara Blecher and directed by Nadia Davids. – Joanna Sterkowicz Garland adds that the first Spud movie – which will release in the UK and Ireland in the third quarter of 2012 – took R17m at the South African box office and was the Number 1 film at the box office during the December holidays in 2010, beating the seventh Harry Potter film. It is also the Number 6 local film of all time at the South African box office. The release of Spud 2 – The Madness Continues is provisionally set for June 2013. – Linda Loubser
From the editor
Life as a screen Once upon a time there was a big screen in a dark room called a cinema. Decades later came a little square screen encased in a box in our lounges…Today we have a plethora of screens in all shapes, sizes and resolutions that pervade our lives and bombard us with a never ending stream of content – plasma screens, LCD monitors, laptops, notebooks, netbooks, tablets, mobile phones…. Not to mention the screens we see in shopping centres, airports, on highways – everywhere we go in fact. The screen is ubiquitous; life without any kind of screen in our daily goings-on would be unimaginable. We are addicted to the screen. This issue of Screen Africa will be distributed at IBC2012, the premier global event for professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of electronic media and entertainment content worldwide. One of the big focal points at IBC2012 – as our cartoon on this page highlights – is the concept of multiscreen – getting the same piece of content out to as many screens as possible. Apart from our IBC2012 preview, which showcases a number of the new technologies that will be on display at the show, there is lots more to read about in this issue. Our lead front page story reports on an exciting development for the industry – the launch of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Film Commission, which is poised to develop and grow the film industry in the province and complement the ongoing valuable work of the Durban Film Office. The subject of this month’s Director Speak column is Ntshavheni Wa Luruli, whose new feature film, Elelwani, is not only the first Tshivenda film ever made, but also opened the recent Durban International Film Festival. Wa Luruli’s responses to our questions present a fascinating insight into his mind and work processes. It’s always exciting to hear about new South African films, and happily there have been many of them over the last two years. The latest is a comedy about a race swap from director Oliver Rodger, whose first film was I Now Pronounce You Black and White. Rodger’s new film, the cleverly titled Copposites, is the latest in a spate of films that use the star power of local comedians to attract local audiences to the cinemas. An in-depth look at the global trends in advertising and branding is provided in Pam Marsh’s personal account of the recent Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, one of the top events of its kind in the world. What exactly is creativity? Read the article and find out. Joanna Sterkowicz
Contents
14 SPECIAL FEATURES AERIAL CINEMATOGRAPHY Serving the skies............... 30 / 31
Editor: Joanna Sterkowicz: editor@screenafrica.com
Publisher & Managing Editor: Simon Robinson: publisher@screenafrica.com
Providing expert aerial filming............................................. 31 Radio controlled multirotor systems.......................................... 32 Taking to the skies...................... 33 Flying high..................................... 35
In-house Journalist: Linda Loubser: news@screenafrica.com
Advertisement Sales: Marianne Schafer: marianne@screenafrica.com Hermione Ballinger: hermi@screenafrica.com
SYSTEMS INTEGRATION Integrate & innovate......... 36 / 38
SCREENAFRICA
Contributors: Andy Stead, Anton Crone Ian Dormer, Martin Chemhere Pam Marsh Sub-Editor: Tina Heron Ratings: Enid Venter enid@ihjohannesburg.co.za Head of Design: Trevor Ou Tim: design@screenafrica.com Website & Production Updates: Berkia Banda: online@sun-circle.co.za Subscriptions: Delight Ngwenya: adminsa@screenafrica.com
Accounts: Marietjie Esterhuizen: accounts@screenafrica.com Front Office: Delight Ngwenya: adminsa@screenafrica.com
Sun Circle Publishers (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 025-3180 Physical address: Block A, Process House Epsom Downs Office Park 13 Sloane Street, Bryanston, Johannesburg PO Box 559 Fourways North 2086
24
6
Performing at the highest level; Providing end-to-end solutions; Leading with innovation and expertise....................................... 40 One-stop shop; Keeping customers satisfied; A real working solution......................... 42
IBC PREVIEW The big technology get-together; ‘Believe Beyond HD’; Evolution of broadcasting; Live production system............. 44 Processing power, providing solutions; Integrating reality...... 45 Blackmagic Design acquires Cintel............................................. 46
31 Streaming smoother workflows; Making the most of your media.................................... 47
NEWS KZN Film Commission launches; More madness as Spud returns; Durban FilmMart winners............ 3 SA fans find Sugar Man; New online TV venture; Day of the promo.......................... 6 More movies of the week; Battle of the filmmakers........................... 8
ADCETERA A film about breaking down; Creativity beyond advertising..................................... 10 New moves at BlackGinger...... 11
COMMERCIALS Creativity is key at Cannes Lions...................... 12 / 13
FILM Race swap in new SA comedy.......................... 14
DOCUMENTARY Last rhino standing..................... 16
26 TELEVISION TV gets technical............... 18 / 20 Soap bubbles in HD................... 18 Reality show on deadline; Falling for local rom-com.......... 20 I have an idea!.............................. 25
BROADCAST Serving the community.............. 22
INDUSTRY Director Speak – Ntshavheni Wa Luruli................. 24
OUTSIDE BROADCAST New SuperSport OB packs more punch............ 26 / 27
AFRICA Weaving a spell; On the road to nowhere; An African web.................. 48 / 49 Mozambique HD radio first..... 49
REGULARS Audience Ratings......................... 50 Film Lab Stats............................... 50 Events............................................. 55 Production Updates......... 52 / 53 / 54 / 55 Social.............................................. 56 August 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 5
NEWS |
SA fans find Sugar Man
A
ward-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man, directed by Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul, releases at South African cinemas on 31 August. The documentary is about two South African fans – music shop owner Steve ‘Sugar’ Segerman and music journalist Craig Bartholomew-Strydom – who search for mysterious 1970s MexicanAmerican singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez. Searching for Sugar Man recently had its South African premiere at the Durban International Film Festival, where it won
the Documentary Audience Choice Award. The screening was attended by Segerman and Rodriguez’s daughter Eva, who now lives in South Africa. The documentary has also caused quite a buzz around the world with press coverage in the UK, the US and at the recent Sundance Film Festival. Segerman explains that he started a website searching for information about Rodriguez after realising that he was unknown in the US, despite his album sales reaching platinum status in South Africa and Australia. South African fans knew very little about Rodriguez, and
New online TV venture
THE UNTOLD FACT – Sixto Rodriguez
most believed he had committed suicide on stage. According to Eva Rodriguez her father went back to Detroit to raise his three daughters and work in construction after his singing career flopped in the US. She got in touch with Segerman when she saw a copy of an article by BartholomewStrydom about the search for her father. Says Segerman: “I called Eva and we had this unbelievable conversation. I told her I wanted to speak to her dad, and he phoned me an hour or two later. If that was the end of the story it would still be resonating with me, but that was just the beginning of a better story leading up to the documentary.” Eva Rodriguez organised a concert tour to South Africa for her father in
March 1998. “They thought they were coming to play for 30 people,” says Segerman. “The first night at the Bellville Velodrome was sold out with thousands of fans in attendance. That’s what is amazing about the documentary – seeing Rodriguez see and meet his fans who believed he was dead.” Eva Rodriguez continues: “My father turned 70 recently but he has been touring the world since his South African visit. With the documentary winning awards and releasing in the US and UK, this is finally his year.” Segerman explains that Bendjelloul approached him in 2006 after stumbling upon the story and spent four years working on the documentary. “It’s the most unbelievable story, you can’t script this stuff. Americans watching it think it is a mockumentary,” notes Segerman. “But it’s not just a good story, the movie is also beautifully done, it’s a really emotional cinematic experience.”
Day of the promo
C
ape Town-based distributor Grigor Stewart of Clickboogie Media has launched a new online service, which he believes is the first of its kind in Africa, to stream content to the rest of the world. Boogienights.tv currently consists of 7 500 titles across a multitude of genres including action, cartoons, classics, comedy, documentary, drama, family entertainment, foreign titles, thriller, horror, shorts and music. Subscribers can receive the service on their iPads, laptops, mobile phones or in the home and can either pay per movie or sign up for a monthly subscription. Stewart explains that Boogienights came about through a US studio called Echelon Studios, which has set up its own existing movie library as an online streaming service. “They offered me a white paper version of their site to operate under my own brand but as a 50/50 revenue share of any new subscribers we generate. “While the service is available globally there didn’t seem to be much competition in South Africa for such a venture. Boogienights is a long-term plan as titles will be updated on a monthly basis. It was also the ideal opportunity to establish an online presence in South Africa early, prior to the day when we have cheap data access. Once that happens costs will come down and make the service more widely available and cost effective.” 6 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
The majority of the current catalogue is rare and cannot be found in DVD stores anywhere in the world. Stewart notes that the value of these obscure titles has been proved by the fact that there are already about 70 000 subscriptions on the US version of the site. Because Boogienights is an online streaming TV service Stewart does not need a licence from South African regulator ICASA. He describes Boogienights as an international marketing partner for London-based digital media company Crazedigital, which collects revenue via its safe pay system in the UK. Crazedigital runs the entire back end of Boogienights in addition to several channels that are carried across all the major online platforms. This includes 300 cellular networks worldwide and numerous sites. Although Echelon Studios and Crazedigital have sourced all the content to date and will continue to do so, Clickboogie Media has plans to contribute to the catalogue. Stewart is in discussion with a number of providers who want additional online revenue streams for their titles. “The big plan is to add South African and African content to the service. I want to create an African drop down menu that will be mirrored on the other international white paper sites.”
A
new category – Best Weekly Wonder – has been added to the already substantial list of categories for the PromaxBDA Africa Awards, which takes place on 26 October at Johannesburg’s Sandton Convention Centre. PromaxBDA is a global body dedicated to recognising excellence in on-air promotion, branding and advertising. Its awards and conference events take place all over the world. Says PromaxBDA Africa director Vanessa Sheldrick: “PromaxBDA has always had many categories – in the US there are over 300 alone. We are able to have more categories in the Africa event because the competition has grown significantly in the past seven years, with truly innovative and creative work coming out of the region which is applauded globally.” Sheldrick is delighted to report that each year the PromaxBDA Africa profile grows. “We’re extremely happy that this unique event is recognised by all the broadcasters and their agencies and supported so fully with sponsorship, attendance and award submissions. It is the only event where the community can learn together about global trends, experience world class speakers within their industry, swap ideas and socialise.” The theme for the PromaxBDA Africa Conference, also to take place on 26 October and preceding the awards, is The Art of Engagement. Sheldrick elaborates: “As the world
becomes more and more complicated, connecting with anyone is an art in itself. PromaxBDA Africa Conference sessions will reveal how effective on-air promotion can cut through thousands of messages, emotionally engage with the viewer and trigger an action. Audiences, media consumption and businesses are changing. With change comes opportunity, particularly when you’re ahead of the game.” “We’re extremely thrilled with this year’s speakers, which include Maurice Marable from BET and HBO in New York. PromaxBDA Africa continues to attract world class speakers such as digital strategist Polle de Maagt, Andrea Chinese, project manager of MediaSet and Cindy Gallop, founder and CEO of IfWeRanTheWorld. Sponsors of PromaxBDA Africa 2012 are SABC, M-Net, DStv, TopTV, SuperSport, e.tv, Clearwater, Monarchy and Csquared. Design and animation house Orijin created the concept and branding for this year’s event. To enter the PromaxBDA Africa Awards and register for the conference, log on to: www.promaxafrica.tv.
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NEWS |
More movies of the week
Bubblegum flavour – Brian Lethlabane
Pay-TV broadcaster M-Net’s South African content channel Mzansi Magic is to commission 45 one-hour movies for the 2012/2013 cycle of its Bubblegum Movies strand, which starts airing in August on Mondays at 21h00. Since Mzansi Magic was launched two years ago, 30 movies have been produced under the Bubblegum banner. According to newly appointed Mzansi Magic commissioning editor Brian Lethlabane, submissions for proposals for the 2012/2013 cycle closed on 28 June. “We received lots of interesting proposals and have so far commissioned 10 production companies. Some films are in production with others in script development,” he says. Commenting on the budget for Bubblegum Movies, Lethlabane notes that there are three budget brackets: R100 000; R150 000; and R250 000. The latter is for a five-part series (as opposed to a single standalone movie). “The five-part series is positioned as a sub-brand of the Bubblegum genre,” continues Lethlabane. “Last year we made our first five-part series, Mshika Mshika, produced by Jeremy Nathan. “Our budgets encourage filmmakers to be creative. I tell filmmakers not to have pre-conceived projects but to look at the Bubblegum budget and then come up with a story to fit it. They need to limit the number of their locations and keep the cast small. If you look at overseas examples, Quentin Tarantino said that he would have
Battle of the filmmakers The three finalists in the SA’s Next Top Filmmaker 2012 competition – Nompumelelo Tshabalala, Mondli Magenuka and Tebogo Kgakoa – are currently in the process of refining their concepts and will each shoot a mini television show between 15 August and 15 September. Post-production is scheduled to conclude at the end of September, followed by an event where the three mini shows will be screened. The winner of SA’s Next Top Filmmaker 2012 will be announced in Johannesburg on 13 October (venue to be confirmed). During this final phase of the competition the finalists are being mentored by production companies: Magenuka is placed with Endemol South Africa, Tshabalala is working with Ochre Moving Pictures and Kgakoa is at Quizzical Pictures (formerly Curious Pictures). On 7 July the three young filmmakers were selected out of 15 semi-finalists to go into this final round of the competition. Says General Post’s Kirsty Galliard, originator of the competition:
8 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
“Enthusiasm is the first thing that comes to mind when you meet Nompumelelo Tshabalala – a quality she demonstrated when she arrived almost an hour early for our first meeting with the three finalists. Mpumi, as she prefers to be known, initially studied acting but soon realised that her talent and passion is more behind the camera than in front of it. “She won the judges over with her creativity and organisational skills. Mpumi aspires to become a writer / director and sees SA’s Next Top Filmmaker as the perfect opportunity to learn her craft under the mentorship of some of the country’s top professionals.” Mondli Magenuka got his first taste of the television industry at age 16 when his script Two Boys, Two Worlds won the Eastern Cape leg of Lights, Camera Action, an SABC writing competition. As part of his prize he was paired with an experienced writer and given the opportunity to shoot his story in Johannesburg. “This small taste of writing for television convinced Mondli that television was where his future lay. He enrolled at AFDA to study writing and
shot Reservoir Dogs in a garage if he’d had a smaller budget. Similarly, the first movie in the successful Saw franchise only had two or three locations.” Bubblegum movies are aimed at family viewing which precludes the inclusion of explicit violence or sexual content. “That’s why film is such a great medium, because you can hint at these things without showing it, but only if they support the context of your story. We’ve seen that comedy is doing particularly well as a genre in South Africa and it has sub-genres such as romantic comedy, horror comedy, action comedy and dramedy,” states Lethlabane. Audience ratings figures for the Bubblegum Movies prove that they have been well received by the audience. Says Lethlabane: “Our viewers like moral conclusions in their stories – they want to see good triumph over evil but they don’t want to be preached to as TV is an escapist medium. The success of local movies depends more than anything on audience approval and I think the Bubblegum movies have struck a chord with viewers. These movies are a like a mirror of society told against the township and semi-urban backdrop.” Lethlabane comes from a production background, having directed short films and music videos and worked on major international productions such as Dredd, Tsotsi and Hotel Rwanda. He was previously a commissioning editor at free-to-air channel e.tv and was also a storyliner on the popular soapie, Scandal.
“He entered the competition because he feels the format is the most conducive to getting ahead in the industry. Mondli Magenuka Tebogo Kgakoa The SA’s Next Top Filmmaker process allows entrants to submit an idea, pitch it to a panel of industry experts and provides the finalists with the resources and mentorship to shoot their script. Tebogo’s ultimate ambition is to write THE COMPETITORS – Nompumelelo Tshabalala and direct.” Judges for the competition are Mariki Van der Walt and producing and graduated in 2011,” JP Potgieter from Quizzical Pictures, explains Galliard. Anton Burggraaf from Ochre Moving She describes Tebogo Kgakoa as Pictures and Tracy-Ann Van Rooyen and having an intensity about him that is hard Bev Ditsie from Endemol South Africa. to miss. “He is incredibly intelligent with SA’s Next Top Filmmaker is presented an unmissable creative streak. Tebogo by General Post, Quizzical Pictures, impressed the judges with the quality of Ochre Moving Pictures and Endemol his presentation and the amount of South Africa and sponsored by iKhaya, consideration he put into responding to Digitalfilm, The Bladeworks and the first round of feedback he received Finetune Audio. from the panel.
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Report on the South African commercials industry by Anton Crone
A film about breaking down
The car proved to be a wonderful conversation starter I recently sat down with commercials director Brett Wild of Hammersmith and Elephant to talk about his most recent work. Little did I know I would be sitting with him for five weeks. Wild was on an expedition – he is most days but this was official. He was curious to know if his wife’s Smart Car could make it from the Cape to the Serengeti and back and he agreed to the interview if I didn’t mind tagging along. Of course this had to be a working trip for Wild and I, so we devised a theme for a documentary. Fortunately we are both curious about the smart things that are going on in
Africa and it seemed a natural fit. One of the smartest people we had heard of was William Kamkwamba of Malawi who built electricity generating windmills for his village. He seemed a great role model so we decided to go and find him and other people like him. The documentary is not an ad for a Smart Car. Mercedes Benz was not involved, but they did contact us when they found out what we planned to do and expressed interest in coming on board. When they explained to us that they would like to see the car filmed in urban settings (because that is what their customers would relate to), we described
Brett Wild coaxes a brilliant performance out of a tree exactly where we were going and all communication ceased. They clearly knew something about the limitations of the little car. Boy, did we prove them right. We put the vehicle through stuff it obviously wasn’t designed for, but breaking down opened up wonderful aspects to the trip. Besides forcing us to spend time in the communities we floundered in, it meant that the mechanics we met, because of their inventiveness and resourcefulness in dealing with this strange car, became part of the ‘smart’ thread of the story. Wild and I came back smellier and,
dare I say, smarter. One of the things I enjoyed was the incredibly long interview with Wild, affording me the opportunity to see how he really ticks. At times during the smart trip I was runner, gaffer, loader, assistant director, director of photography (DOP) and editor. At other times I was agency and client, and I was ‘badass’. But Wild never lost sight of the vision and he was the eternal gentleman and optimist. Where others would give up, he kept things moving forward. Wild is on an expedition and that’s official. The documentary will be released early 2013.
thought he did a great job on the final screenplay. He also managed to capture the tone and mood of the book perfectly,
and his casting was spot on.” Among others Berk has directed the British hit series, Wild at Heart, and the acclaimed local drama series, The Lab. Filmed on the KwaZulu Natal South Coast and at Oribi Gorge, Sleeper’s Wake is his feature directorial debut. Morgan advises budding writers to write for at least one hour a day, read the books that inspired the great novelists and not to have kids or expensive tastes. “Sleeper’s Wake was written pre-fatherhood, so I had a lot of time outside of my daily work routine – early mornings and weekends and holidays. But now it’s a little harder,” says Morgan on writing his second novel, The Land Within (Penguin), due to be published in September. “Parts of my new novel were written on sabbatical, but it was very difficult to find regular writing time and near the end I had to hide away in a cheap hotel room for a couple of weekends to finish it off. Even more so than stubbornness and tenacity, writers need time,” concludes Morgan.
Creativity beyond advertising Most advertising copywriters have aspirations outside of advertising. But few find the time and energy to follow through on that novel, short story or screenplay, as Lowe Bull creative director, Alistair Morgan, has done. He is soon to release his second novel, and his debut novel, Sleepers Wake (Penguin), was recently made into a feature film by South African director, Barry Berk. Morgan was keen on writing long before he got into advertising: “I thought that getting into copywriting would be a way of working as a writer, but copywriting doesn’t actually involve much proper writing. So I’ve always written short stories and vague attempts at novels on the side. None of it went anywhere until I decided to take a two-year break from advertising and enroll in a creative writing course at UCT. That gave me the platform to complete a handful of short stories, two of which were published in the Paris Review, a New York-based literary magazine.” Morgan is the first non-American ever to be awarded the Plimpton Prize for Fiction by this venerable literary journal.
10 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
Afterwards, he was fortunate to find an agent in London who said he’d represent him if he ever wrote a novel. “At around the same time I heard about a man who had lost his wife and child in a car accident and I wondered how it must feel to survive such a tragedy,” explains Morgan. “That was the starting point for Sleeper’s Wake. I didn’t ever feel like I had a novel in me; I just kept writing until I thought I had a novel in front of me.” South African writer and director Barry Berk was introduced to Morgan through a friend. Very taken by the novel, he asked Morgan if he wanted to be involved in the writing of a screenplay but, as tempted as he was, Morgan did not have the time because was already halfway through his second novel. “Barry was kind enough to show me work in progress and I have to say that I
New moves at BlackGinger
AD cetera
Anderlini composited this XBOX commercial, directed by Daniel Askill
Anderlini was senior Flame compositor for this Barclays spot, directed by Nicolai Fuglsig
Anderlini was the compositing lead on the Filip Engstrom-directed Mitsubishi Invisible spot
Anderlini led the compositing team on the Peter Thwaites-directed Sprite Camouflage commercial.
I LIGHTING A NEW FLAME – Naomi Anderlini
nternationally awarded Flame artist and visual effects (VFX) supervisor Naomi Anderlini has joined Cape Town-based animation and VFX studio BlackGinger. Anderlini has spent the past four years as the lead Flame artist at The Mill New York, working with renowned commercials directors Peter Thwaites, Jake Scott, Nicolai Fuglsig, Daniel Askill and Filip Engstrom, as well as all the world’s top advertising agencies. Originally from Australia, Anderlini has spent her working life as a Flame artist at top post-production facilities all over the world, including Post Modern in Sydney (where she worked on projects with Baz Luhrmann); Spin in Toronto
(where she collaborated with director George Romero); ToyBox in Toronto (where she collaborated with world renowned director Darren Aronofsky); and Cutting Edge in Brisbane where she started her career as a Flame artist. Anderlini’s expertise as a VFX supervisor has led her to typically consult on projects’ technical methodologies in preparation for on-set supervision and picture finish on Flame. As a lead Flame artist, Anderlini also does art direction and supervises teams of artists throughout the picture post-production of all the projects she finishes in Flame. Says BlackGinger owner Marc Bloch: “We’re delighted to have someone as experienced and awarded as Naomi on
our team. Her appointment adds an exciting dynamic to our Flame artistroster. “Growing our Flame capacity for the commercials industry remains one of our top priorities in our development as a VFX studio. We believe that the combination of Naomi together with Marco Raposo de Barbosa, Eddie Addinall and Ash Ryan and our growing VFX-team is one of the best post-teams around. “BlackGinger is very excited about introducing Naomi to local production companies in the coming weeks and hopefully soon we’ll see her in action on some award-winning work with the directors that frequent our studio.”
COMMERCIALS |
Creativity roars! South African PAM MARSH of Hello Charlie reports on the recent Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, one of the premier advertising awards and conference events on the global calendar. 12 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
W
hile my plane hurtled through the sky en route to Nice, I wondered what Cannes Lions would bring this year. Well, it brought an astounding 11 000 delegates from all over the world and an equally astounding 35 000 entries into the competition. One of the highlights of Cannes Lions is the seminar programme. Innocean Worldwide presented a seminar called The Regeneration Project, a great piece of branded entertainment. Client Hyundai Veloster was looking for a new audience which they called ‘the young creative class’. In order to connect with this new ‘tricky and discerning’ audience, they realised they had to be what people are interested in. It was the first outreach of this brand to the audience. They challenged DJs to re-inspire five genres of music and to create five music tracks with traditional artists and this was documented into a movie. Although YouTube was used as its platform, it was launched like a traditional film. The client was really interested in capturing the authentic moment. This movie earns attention and you can watch it on: www.regeneration.com I was very excited to attend the seminar
on Google Rebrief and loved this story when I first saw it on YouTube. It was wonderful to see these advertising veterans in the flesh. Google and their agency created a challenge – can the most iconic advertising campaigns be reimagined for a modern audience? These were: Coke Hilltop; AVIS We Try Harder; Volvo Drive It Like You Hate It and Alka Seltzer I Can’t Believe I Ate the Whole Thing. Here are some statements from the veterans: All you have to do is think it, let the techno guys do the rest. Ask yourself, what is the goal? Everybody needs the same goal. You can choose to either believe you are giving in to the client or learning from the client. Take the time to think of the problem and solution; take time to consider, it’s our job in communication to take time to think. If you haven’t yet seen this documentary, it is really worth watching on-line at: www.projectrebrief.com.
What is creativity? I also attended a couple of workshops, among them Selling Creativity by Landor. They started by saying: Our clients need creativity more than ever.
What is creativity? — The capacity to bring together knowledge and imagination; to bring original ideas that give value. It would be great if great work sold itself, but that’s part of the problem. We create brilliant ideas but spend too little time preparing our presentations to clients. It’s about inspiring your clients to see the potential in the work you have generated. We are often asking clients to take a leap with us but most ideas are pitched poorly. The sad thing about this is that mediocre work gets produced. They left us with this thought – creativity is courageous. Creativity and courage are brothers.
In short I loved Jung von Matt’s Mercedes No Emission. Even though some naysayers said it had been done on Top Gear, clever JvM made it into clever advertising. That’s our job, right? The Austria Solar Company Annual Report was fabulous. It was written in ink that only becomes visible in the sun! As the jury president commented: “This was a special concept with a very brave client who needs to be commended.”
| COMMERCIALS
Colombe d’or lunch: Thomas Ferreira, Ryan McManus, Pam Marsh & Janette de Villiers
I was pretty blown away by former US President Bill Clinton who announced: “We are here to re-imagine the world,” and ended with: “We all need mutual empowerment... with a lot in between.” Sir John Hegarty and Dan Wieden’s banter about what makes great advertising was really enjoyable. The South African party at La Plage Royale was great as always. Thanks to the main sponsors – 7 Films; AFS Productions; Egg Films; Gatehouse Commercials; Lucky Rabbit Films; Moonlighting; and Orange Films.
Jury presidents’ insights Sheng Yon Lo, jury president Outdoor: “Present a case on behalf of your client that is beautiful and inspiring.” Rui Alves, executive creative director of Y&R SA and member of the Outdoor jury: Technical and traditional were split in two. They were looking for quick, simple and very clever ideas. As there were so many entries the jury split into sub-categories to get through the work.” 2012 brought South Africa the first ever mobile winners. Jury president Tom Eslinger had this to say: “This category
spanned big brands to small business. Mobile has an ongoing engagement with people, it is a ubiquitous connection. Even though mobile is about the connection it is also about the idea.” The Creative Effectiveness category comprises advertising that won the previous year and is then re-submitted with all the data required, to prove its effectiveness. Jury president David Jones said: “There were a lot of entries where the entrants were quite lazy and this was a problem as the jury wanted real return on investment (ROI) data. A lot of work is required for this category.” The Radio category was up 31% this year. Rob McLennan, executive creative director of Network#BBDO and radio jury president: “The categories at Cannes are getting more diverse. Radio is being used with impact like never before. The jury debate was a tight decision between the battle for traditional or for innovation. South Africa has the best reputation for radio in the world; it also had the highest entries. We won Grand Prix in both 2009 and 2011 and all the Gold Lions in between.” Cyber chair Iain Tait: “This category is the evolution of the industry; everything
JURY DUTY – Terry Savage (Chairman, Cannes Lions) and Rob McLennan (Radio Jury President)
has a digital consideration these days. The standard is getting better but there is not enough breakthrough work yet.” Titanium & Integrated jury president Rob Reilly said the jury was blown away by the work. ”Most importantly it was fascinating to see where the work came from, places like Colombia, Tunisia, Lebanon, Finland and Latvia, to name a few. It was completely inspiring to see the entries, which delivered all sorts of cultural nuances. These are amazing pieces of communication. The jury agreed that the definition of the Titanium Lion will be debated forever, as it will be ever changing.” Espen Horn, Film Craft jury president: “Judging craft is about looking for enhancement and development of the craft.” Branded Content and Entertainment jury president Avi Savar: “This was the debut year for this category, which is about building brands through real storytelling and real people engagement. It’s about embracing content to connect and cultivate a better world. It’s about – engagement, creativity and story.” Film Jury president Khai Ming Tham: “We had to remember it’s always about the idea, simply executed in an engaging manner.” Catherine Ireland, creative director of Amplified and member of the film jury, shared her experience with me. “This year, films that won at Cannes needed to be powerful enough to entertain and move 23 jurors from around the world. This is no mean feat. Especially since the jurors in question were sequestered to dark rooms for 15 hours a day for seven days. Occasionally someone would come in with some baguettes or a pizza and the jury would descend upon the humble fare like a bunch of shipwrecked sailors. We were there to watch over 3 000 films, to sort the ‘ho-hum’ from the ‘woohoo’. The process involved repeated scrutinisation of any work that was deemed brilliant enough to be on the shortlist. “Initially the jury is divided into three groups and each group is shown a different portion of the entries. It really is very difficult to get onto the shortlist and creatives that managed it this year should be really proud of themselves. Work that had the potential to make the world a better place or the ability to change how we think about social issues was generally unanimously awarded.” So what does all this mean? Consumers, especially young ones, want more than just ads and easily reject obvious efforts to persuade. More than ever advertising needs to provide value. South Africa’s ability to compete in this space will not be limited by our budgets. And it can’t possibly be limited by our creativity or brevity. Right? As to what South Africans should be doing more of? If you’re not sure if it’s any good, go with your gut. Next year’s film jury will. (Thanks to the RAB for covering my expenses while in Cannes.).
Congratulations to all the South African Cannes Lion winners! PR Gold – Metropolitan Republic – Wimpy Braille Burger Silver – Metropolian Republic – Wimpy Braille Menu Bronze – Ogilvy CT – SAB Be the Coach
Direct Bronze – Ogilvy CT – SAB Be the Coach Bronze – Ogilvy CT – VW Bluemotion
Outdoor Silver – TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris – Tigerbrands Enterprise Silver – Y&R – Land Rover Defender Bronze – Net#workBBDO – Mercedes Benz
Media Silver – Ogilvy CT – VW Bluemotion Bronze – Black River FC – Nando’s
Press 2 x Gold – DDB – McDonalds Kids Party Silver – TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris – Tigerbrands Enterprise Bronze – TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris – City Lodge Hotels Bronze – DraftFCB – Media 24 Die Burger Bronze – DDB – McDonalds Kids Party
Radio 2 x Gold – Net#workBBDO – Mercedes Benz Bronze – TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris – Tigerbrands Doom Bronze – Net#workBBDO – Galderma Bronze – Net#workBBDO – Chicken Licken Hot Wings Bronze – Ogilvy JHB – Greenpeace Bronze – Ogilvy CT – Stimorol Bronze – TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris – Tigerbrands Doom
Film Bronze – King James – Santam Insurer
August 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 13
FILM |
Race swap in new SA comedy
By Linda Loubser
A new South African comedy from Ollywood Productions and OC Productions combines the body swap and buddy cop genres.
SWITCHED BODIES – DOP Elwin Buchel behind camera
I
n Copposites a black crook (Sivuyile ‘Siv’ Ngesi) trying to leave his criminal past behind him and a white, chain smoking, semi-alcoholic cop (Rob van Vuuren) switch bodies during a freak medical accident, and are forced to work together to get their own bodies back. Director Oliver Rodger explains that Copposites is mainly inspired by the films he enjoyed watching while growing up in the 1980s – buddy cop movies like Lethal Weapon. “I thought a cop and a crook working together would be a cool variation on the theme, and throwing a body swap into the mix would make it even more interesting,” explains Rodger. The film was written by Rodger and producer Carla van Wyk and approaches the issue of race in a ‘light hearted and refreshing way’. “One of the things I’ve always noticed is stereotyping and prejudice,” comments Rodger. “A black friend and I always compared how we were treated differently in restaurants. This was the seed for the race swap idea. “Rob and Siv really embraced the challenge of acting as two different characters – before and after the body swap. They even insisted on doing the accents themselves and spent a lot of time together, work-shopping to get each other’s accents right. They have such a great chemistry that I can’t take credit for how funny they made the film,” he notes.
More ambitious The film joins a list of new South African titles hoping to utilise the star power of local comedians to attract their fan bases to the cinema, along with Material, Taka Takata and Blitz Patrollie. Besides Ngesi and Van Vuuren, who are good friends from the comedy circuit, Copposites also stars comedy actors Lukhanyo Bele and Anthony Oseyemi, with cameos by comics Loyiso Gola and Nik Rabinowitz. Grant Swanby, Casey B Dolan, Precious Kofi and Alfred ‘Shorty’ Ntombela, better known for his roles in 14 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
Dr Frontosa
Leon Schuster films, also appear in Copposites. Rodger’s first film was 2009’s I Now Pronounce You Black and White. “I wanted Copposites to be more ambitious – it’s on a bigger scale with better cameras, a bigger crew and more recognisable cast as well as a few well-known figures in cameo roles. That will hopefully make marketing a bit easier and entice audiences to spend money to see it.” Copposites was shot in May 2011 in about four weeks on locations around Cape Town including Athlone, Silvertown, the Ottery Youth Centre – which doubled as a police station – and the Imperial Garden Chinese Restaurant in Fishhoek. Among the challenges they faced, Rodger notes that it was difficult to schedule all the busy actors and comedians into one shoot, and he also struggled to keep a straight face with all the funny people on set. “We also had an incident where, during a car chase stunt scene, a rogue bakkie crashed into our stunt vehicle. That was probably our biggest nightmare. The scene eventually had to be done without the stunt vehicle. We were also hoping for better weather, but on the whole, we didn’t have too many issues,” he says. The film was made on a budget of
R3.7m (including deferrals) with funding from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) rebate. Director of photography Elwin Buchel shot the film on 2K on a RED camera and all lighting equipment was supplied by Media Film Service. “We wanted to make it look really good, with as high production value as possible and that Hollywood gloss and feel,” notes Rodger. “However, I can’t promise a massive Die Hard-esque experience. The action will be more along the lines of comedy violence – fights, breaking things and stuntmen, although we used some special effects in the actual body swapping scene.” Post-production was done by Paul Speirs of the New Creation Collective.
Theme song Jan-Hendrik Howley, who also scored I Now Pronounce you Black and White, composed an original score for the film, which boasts a theme song called Kopposites produced by Capetonian Adriaan Hellenberg aka The Crackpot Realist and featuring Nasi & Trenton and Free Radical. It was recorded at the Sotho Mafia Collective in Johannesburg. “We hope to playlist the theme song on
radio as part of our marketing campaign. In addition we shot a music video with Rob and Siv, which was a nice bit of fun,” says Rodger. I Now Pronounce You Black and White earned about R1m at the local box office, and Rodger notes that he will be disappointed if Copposites earns less. “To get our next film funded we need it to at least break even,” continues Rodger. “We’re still negotiating the number of screens, but I’ve been disappointed that some exhibitors are not supportive enough of local films. If you’re a non-Schuster film you get the bare minimum screens. I just hope for a long enough run and enough screens so that people who want to see the film have the opportunity to see it.” He points out that Copposites is a very different film and genre than I Now Pronounce You Black and White. “I think this one will mainly attract a more youthful, teenage audience. But we made the film as commercial as possible and selected a cast we felt would be attractive to South African audiences, including Alfred Ntombela in the role of a bad guy, which you don’t usually see.” Copposites premièred at the Durban International Film Festival on 21 July and will release on 12 October at cinemas countrywide.
DOCUMENTARY |
Last rhino standing By Joanna Sterkowicz
A new South African documentary reveals a remarkable story of survival in the midst of a rapidly escalating rhino poaching epidemic, which threatens the species with extinction. EMOTIONAL ISSUE – David James as the rhino poacher in Saving Rhino Phila
I
f the title of the documentary, Saving Rhino Phila, reminds you of Steven Spielberg’s devastating World War II drama, Saving Private Ryan, it’s no coincidence. Phila is involved in her own private war – she was targeted by poachers on two separate occasions and shot multiple times, yet somehow pulled through. Her traumatised owner has placed Phila in a zoo in a desperate attempt to keep her safe. Commissioned by Natural History Unit Africa (NHU Africa), Saving Rhino Phila was conceived by Oloff Bergh and Anton Truesdale of Triosphere. The film features a number of heart-wrenching interviews with Phila’s owner, her vet, her self-appointed ‘protector’ and another rhino owner who has seen a number of her beloved rhinos poached. A fair proportion of the film comprises thriller-like dramatic recreations of poaching, showing the sophistication and military-like precision of rhino poaching syndicates. Triosphere producer Kira Ivanoff describes Saving Rhino Phila as a passion project. “It’s one of those rare opportunities where a group of filmmakers invest themselves emotionally in a film for a cause that is close to their hearts and the outcome is of global importance. “Having defied death on two occasions, Phila is the ideal heroine to carry the story of the rhino poaching crisis to the world and buying into her story emotionally was something that none of the crew could avoid. She stole our hearts and fuelled our passion to make a film that would reach into the hearts and minds of an international audience that was possibly oblivious to the crisis and not necessarily the usual ‘wildlife fanatic’ viewer.” Vyv Simson, NHU Africa
SWITCHED BODIES – DOP Elwin Buchel behind camera 16 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
commissioning editor adds: “Rhino poaching is a hugely important issue but it’s always very difficult to make a film about an issue rather than a story. This project had all the ingredients – the story of one rhino’s survival interwoven with a number of human stories. “Our goal was to make the film as dramatic and theatrical as possible to grab people’s interest. The film’s nomination for a Panda Award at Wildscreen encourages us to think that we’ve succeeded and we hope broadcasters will agree.”
The scourge It was during 2010 when the rhino poaching scourge was hugely prominent in the media that Bergh and Truesdale decided to create awareness of the problem through film. Says Bergh: “Anti-poaching films are generally issue driven and tend to feature a bunch of khaki-clad people with epaulettes chasing a faceless enemy, and as such very difficult to sell to international networks. We stumbled on Phila’s story when news broke that she had been shot a second time by poachers and survived. This presented the ideal opportunity for us to draw attention to the onslaught against rhinos in general, by telling Phila’s personal story in the mould of Saving Private Ryan. “We approached NHU Africa and were delighted that commissioning editor Vyv Simson had the vision to see the film’s potential. It was very important to Vyv that we produce a film to appeal to international audiences. He was adamant that it remain Phila’s story – as we had originally pitched the project – and not end up an amorphous rhino poaching chronicle.” Once Simson green-lit the project Bergh and Truesdale brought in director
Richard Slater-Jones. “We knew Richard would bring sensitivity to the project and add a theatrical element that would appeal to international audiences,” comments Bergh. According to Slater-Jones the challenge was that television viewers don’t want to be bombarded with issues. “That’s why I chose to present the film in such a way that audiences will engage with the tough subject matter. The film had to be driven by a strong narrative – Phila’s story. “However, the problem was that most of Phila’s story happened in the past so I had to tell it in a gripping way. Oloff (Bergh) and Anton (Truesdale) originally pitched the film to NHU Africa in a ‘movie-istic’ manner so we knew from the outset that we would have to do dramatic recreations.”
Reconstructions As he was working with a standard TV documentary budget, Slater-Jones initially toyed with the idea of doing stylistic, arty recreations. He continues: “This was because our film had to compete favourably with big budget Hollywood action films. In the end I decided to go more literal and pulled together an excellent team to ensure that our recreations would stand up. “The crew included director of photography (DOP) Michael Cleary and assistant director Barry van Zyl, as well as sparks and gaffers. We shot everything in five days. It was a very intense but fantastic experience.” Ivanoff comments that logistically it was nothing short of a miracle that the impossibly tight schedule worked out for the crew. “I put it all down to a ‘dreamteam’ of crew who invested themselves emotionally, physically and professionally beyond the call of duty: Richard’s clear
and captivating vision of the scenes, Mike’s ability to capture them so exquisitely on film, and David James’ incredible acting brings the rhino poaching villain to life. “We had 3.30am call times every freezing morning, long hours in the heat and dust and death-defying aerial manoeuvers in the chopper.” The Phantom high speed camera, operated by Graham Cooke, was brought in to add a ‘wow’ factor. Cleary shot on the Canon 5D while Dale Hancock and Alex Sletten shot on Triosphere’s Panasonic AJ HDX900 cameras. The helicopter was helmed by Frank Molteno. This was the first time Slater-Jones had directed drama so he wrote a ‘visual script’ for the recreations and storyboarded some scenes. Using information from the interviews and police ballistic reports he created the most likely scenario. The recreations were shot at Nash’s Farm in Mulderdrift and Modimolle in Limpopo, in the actual boma where Phila was shot.
Making the cut Editor Kathy Pienaar had an 11-week post-production schedule, cutting on an Avid with Unity at Triosphere. “Through Phila’s story and the dramatisations we aimed to carry the viewer through all the conflicting issues. It was wonderful to cut the drama scenes because they’re very actionoriented. However, the second time Phila was shot by the poachers was very emotional for me. Sadly, the rhino poaching epidemic has got so much worse since we made the film. “This is a film that you feel can make a difference – I don’t think anyone can walk away from it without being affected in some way,” concludes Pienaar.
TELEVISION |
Reports by Linda Loubser
While many TV viewers won’t give it a second thought, technology defines the end product they see on their television screens by determining the quality and the way the story is told. Over the next two pages, Linda Loubser explores the technology used on three South African TV productions – The Wild, Saktyd and Mzansi Love: Kasi Style.
Soap bubbles in HD
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outh African pay-TV broadcaster M-Net’s The Wild has been hailed as a groundbreaking soap since its launch in April 2011. According to executive producer Bobby Heaney from Imani Media, part of what makes the soap unique is the fact that it is shot completely on location on a game farm near Heidelberg in Gauteng. Another unique aspect is the production’s use of the Canon EOS 5D MkII – originally a stills camera. “We were the first in South Africa to use 5Ds on a long-form project. Although it caused some problems initially, it has put us a step ahead of our competitors because we are producing high quality, high definition (HD) footage.” Heaney explains that the initial problem was that the 5D, being a stills camera, doesn’t record audio separately. “We have to sync every single shot and do a full clapperboard routine. The process is longer and more time consuming, but we’re in a good rhythm now.” Among the advantages of the 5D, according to Heaney, is its ability to get into small spaces. “It’s very mobile,” he notes. However, it is also difficult to get handheld and moving shots with a 5D as it can be ‘quite bouncy’. “We are looking at switching to other HD cameras with further advantages, but nothing can be confirmed yet,” says Heaney. He explains that they shoot mostly with a three camera set-up, using tripods as well as a slide and glide system for moving shots. “It’s very quick and easy to set up,” notes Heaney. “We also have a Jimmy Jib that we try to use once or twice every episode, we use Steadicam once or twice a week, and occasionally we shoot handheld as well. We have a lot of movement in the camera work which adds to the quality of the show. “Much of The Wild is shot outside, so we also use wide and panoramic shots, which makes it more visually interesting.” According to Heaney they use Canon lenses – 400mm, the normal 50mm lens and down to 17 or 18mm. The two directors of photography (DOPs) working on The Wild are Leon Kriel and Greg Heimann. “Between them they operate one week on, one week off,” explains Heaney. “We’ve also got 18 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
GROUNDBREAKING PRODUCTION – The crew of The Wild
four directors: Alex Yazbek, Krijay Govender, Jonny Barbuzano and Gert van Niekerk. “We work very hard and meet regularly to make sure we’ve got a uniform look, but each director still brings a slightly individual look to it as well.” In terms of lighting, most of their indoor scenes are permanently lit to save time, with standby lights bought in as they are needed. “We also recently introduced eye lights. Battery operated lights are placed close to the camera to register as little pin pricks of light in the actor’s eyes, bringing their faces to life,” says Heaney. According to DOP Leon Kriel, they use 4K or 6K lights, as well as Kino Flos, which are not too hot on the actors and easy to move around. “We also try to use as much natural light as possible,” he adds. The 5Ds, as well as most lighting and sound equipment were bought by M-Net for the production.
Audio Anthony Naidoo is the head of department for audio on The Wild and Heaney notes that, while they struggled with the audio initially, the quality of the audio now matches the video.
Says Heaney: “For audio we use two booms and some lapel microphones. We’re constantly upgrading and we’re very proud of the picture and audio quality we manage to maintain. We believe it’s even better than in a controlled studio environment, despite having to battle the elements every day.” According to Heaney it’s not unusual for crew to work in minus temperatures, or to have to work in the blazing sun the whole day, and they often have to battle strong winds as well. The cameras on location feed into three monitors on a movable trolley for the director to check the footage wherever they are shooting. “We don’t vision mix on the spot, we record everything and then leave it to the four editors for the post-production based at Sasani Studios,” explains Heaney.
Post-production Senior post-production supervisor and editor Dale Venediger explains that there is a small post-production set-up on the set of The Wild, where the footage is downloaded and the files are transcoded to a native format they can be edited in.
The footage is also backed-up and the audio and video is synced. “This is then transferred onto transport drives which are couriered to Sasani where it is ingested into the server,” continues Venediger. “We edit on Final Cut Pro, and where necessary we use Adobe Photoshop and After Effects for effects,” he explains. The Wild has a combined cast and crew of about 140 people working on the production. Heaney notes: “I am the leader of an excellent team and the success of The Wild is largely due to the exceptional working relationship that the entire team has with each other. “Cast and crew have to travel an hour to work and an hour back each day. Some crew members have to leave Johannesburg at 5am and then work a very long day. It’s a challenge to try and keep the crew from burning out, but we’ve changed the schedule to working a normal five day week with a full weekend to recover.”
TELEVISION |
Reality show on deadline
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n Apprentice-style reality series, Saktyd, started on Afrikaans pay-TV broadcaster kykNET on 17 July. Says production manager Mark Veltman from Homebrew Films: “It’s about 13 aspiring or budding journalists vying for a contract to work at Media24 magazine Huisgenoot. In a way it’s also similar to Fair Lady’s 2010 series Style Intern,” says Veltman. “We received over 1 000 entries and held auditions all over the country.” The term ‘Saktyd’ refers to the deadline when a magazine or newspaper is sent to the printers. Veltman notes that it is a synergy project between Homebrew, Huisgenoot and kykNET, conceived by the CEO of Media24. “What makes this series unique is having a print magazine as partner and subject. They publish weekly information on the contestants, their tasks and the outcomes.” The series was shot at the Media24 building in Cape Town, and the contestants had to do tasks all over Cape Town, plus one in Johannesburg. “We built a kind of studio in the Huisgenoot offices. It was very cleverly done to blend in with the environment by our art director Valerie Groenewald, who was also art director on MasterChef South Africa.”
events on camera to get the full story across.”
Studio-like environment Veltman explains that the set-up was similar to a studio environment with 80% of the lights mounted on the ceiling, mostly Kino PRESSED FOR TIME – Behind the scenes of Saktyd Flos to ‘keep it quite natural’. “The Media24 He adds that the studio set-up building has glass walls consisted of a press room with the bustle with beautiful views of Cape Town, but of the Media24 offices in the background, we put up a lot of canvasses to block out separate work rooms for the teams and an the light and keep it consistent night and elimination room which he describes as day.” ‘tightly padded with very dramatic red Five Sony PMW EX3s were used to lighting’. capture the footage. “We went with these They shot 13 episodes of 24 minutes cameras because of budget, but they did each, which Veltman says is not a lot of what they needed to do,” says Veltman. time to tell the story. “We used a format They wanted the footage to be very where the contestants talk through the slick and clean, with an almost ‘corporate’
feel to it. “In the studio set-up we shot with tripods, but once the tasks began we switched to a handheld style. We used one Steadicam, but the rest is completely handheld.” The bulk of the cameras and camera equipment was hired from Camera Station in Cape Town. “We also had a fantastic technical engineer, Mo Marais, on set.” According to Veltman they had a crew of about 45 people on set, and the director of photography was Amelia Henning. “When you shoot in high definition (HD), the biggest challenge is to be selective and not to overshoot, because the footage needs a lot of data space. Making sure there is a good enough data flow was key for us. Another challenge was mixing and marrying the studio and handheld location footage,” explains Veltman, “but with the use of Steadicam we managed to get it right.” He notes that the three audio guys were ‘running around more than anyone’. “We could only lapel mic nine people in total, which often had to be the judges, so everyone else was recorded on boom microphones. All our microphones are Sennheiser, and we used a Sound Device 302 audio mixer.” Editing was done in-house at Homebrew on Final Cut. “We had less than a tenth of the budget of the big reality shows like Survivor and MasterChef, but South African audiences are quite critical and expect the same quality. We had to call in many favours and work very hard to reach the same standard,” says Veltman.
Falling for local rom-com
Mzanzi Love team – Director Mmabatho Montsho
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outh African free-to-air commercial broadcaster e.tv commissioned a new local romantic comedy series, Mzansi Love: Kasi Style, based on the popular Nollybooks novels published by Moky Makura. The series is produced by Makura’s MME Media and Fireworx Media. 20 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
Executive producer Moky Makura
According to producer Bridget Pickering from Fireworx Media, they filmed six episodes of 46 minutes each. “Production started in June 2012 and all the episodes were shot in five weeks at locations all over Johannesburg,” notes Pickering. The series first aired on 31 July in the
8.30pm timeslot and each episode is a stand-alone rom-com featuring a variety of female protagonists, from an aspiring chef to a budding journalist and an eclectic marketing executive. A Panasonic P2 camcorder was used to film the series, as well as a dolly and tracks. The camera and other equipment were rented from Panavision and Media Film Service. Pickering notes that they were aiming to create a ‘bright, warm look with strong colours that celebrate love’. Kino Flos were used for lighting. Mokura adds: “Bridget and I had a very limited budget to work with but managed to come up with a viable production model so that the movies wouldn’t look low budget. “Our crew was small (15 to 18 people) and we filmed all six movies in a short time, with no more than five actors in each movie. We had fantastic scriptwriters and four directors, one of
whom directed three of the films. e.tv has been incredibly supportive throughout the project.” The four directors are Mmabatho Montsho, Zamo Mkhwanazi, Neo Ntlatleng and Myrto Makrides. Offline post-production was done at Fireworx Media and online at Sasani Studios. Editing was done on Final Cut 7. When the show was introduced to the media, e.tv’s head of Channels Monde Twala noted that they have increased their local content quota significantly over the past two years, because their viewers consistently want more. “Mzansi Love: Kasi Style is built around the eKasi brand (eKasi: Our Stories) which has proved itself over and over again. It generates good ratings and delivers refreshing and inspiring stories to the market. Mzansi Love: Kasi Style comprises gritty, real and uplifting stories about young women falling in love.”
BROADCAST |
Report by Andy Stead
Serving the community the Gauteng greater Soweto area; Trinity Community radio and Broadcasting Network serving the television stations provide a Eastern Cape Bisho area; and Tshwane Community Television serving the City vital link in the information of Tshwane municipal area. Mandela Bay TV, which serves chain, serving specific regions theNelson Eastern Cape Nelson Mandela Bay with local news, events and area, holds the temporary licence. entertainment. Partnerships
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o broadcast as a radio or television station permission must be granted by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), which regulates the broadcasting sector. Says Paseka Maleka, ICASA manager of Media and Stakeholder Liaison Communications and International Relations: “Currently there are 180 licensed community radio stations across South Africa. There are five television stations with current licences and one with a temporary licence.” The five licensed stations include Bay TV (now known as One KZN TV) serving the KwaZulu-Natal area; Cape Community Television serving the Western Cape greater city metropolis; A ad 03-12 p 3/27/12 12:26 PMTelevision Page 1 serving Soweto Community
Gauteng-based production company Urban Brew Studios has entered into a partnership with Soweto TV, One KZN TV and Bay TV. Says Marco Velosa, group sales and marketing manager of Urban Brew Studios: “We have a management agreement in place to help generate content and revenue. The channels themselves, however, have a management structure and an independent board. “Our first partnership was with Soweto TV, which has been in place for almost six years. Urban Brew has helped to manage and grow the channel successfully during this period and learnt some hard lessons along the way. We’ve seen viewership figures and revenues grow exponentially. The trick for us is to sustain this growth and continue to mine Soweto TV’s potential.”
HEALTHY PARTNERSHIPS – Marco Velosa Urban Brew is heavily involved in the facilities side of these stations and has assisted in putting the infrastructure in place at the respective sites. The signals all originate from the stations themselves but Urban Brew digitally splices the ads into the various transmissions at its Randburg studio. “I think that with the right commercial partners these stations can be sustainable,” says Velosa. “Soweto TV has been hugely C
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successful both in growing its viewership and revenue but there are also unsuccessful channels which battle to keep afloat. Soweto TV has grown from an initial AMPS (All Media and Products Survey) viewership figure of 714 000 (past seven days AMPS 2008AB) to a present figure of 2 581 000 (past seven days AMPS 2011AB), and we expect to be pretty close to the three million mark in the next AMPS release. “As viewership grows so does revenue generated from advertisers, making the stations self-sustaining in the long term. You still need a partner to help you through that initial growth period. “Also, regions like Gauteng will always be more successful for obvious reasons but other regional stations provide a niched and attractive alternative for marketers to reach specific target markets.” Revenue generation is mainly from advertisers in the generic and sponsorship form. Some revenue is generated through outside broadcasts and coverage of special events but this is more sporadic and unreliable. Velosa concludes: “I believe regional TV will hold a key role in the future TV landscape and provide audiences and marketers with interesting options other than mainstream TV.”
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INDUSTRY |
Director Speak
pushed the boundaries. The majority of contemporary films are meaningless; bad imitations of Hollywood genres, at best suited for television. A point and shoot brigade.
Ntshavheni Wa Luruli
WHO IN THE INDUSTRY WOULD YOU LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH?
I wish I could make a film in which I could cast all those talented black actors I see being wasted on local soapies. It’s heart-breaking to see them rattling off lines and just walking through the motions like that. They desperately need some challenges. Unfortunately without a robust, lively film industry, they remain relegated to the gutter; it’s just a shame.
South African director Ntshavheni Wa Luruli has worked as production assistant and assistant director with Spike Lee on films Jungle Fever, Malcolm X and Crooklyn. Wa Luruli directed TV dramas in South Africa before making feature films Chikin Biznis (1999) and The Wooden Camera (2003), which both won international awards. His latest film Elelwani was the opening night film at the 33rd edition of the Durban International Film Festival.
IF YOU COULD CHOSE TO MEET ANY CHARACTER FROM A FILM, WHO WOULD IT BE?
It’s a toss-up between Count Dracula (Bram Stoker) and Darth Vader (Star Wars). These two, in my view, are among the greatest characters ever created.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GET INTO THE MOVIE BUSINESS?
I don’t think that there was a moment I decided to become a filmmaker. I remember that my father bought me a stills camera, pocket size 110, after passing matric. I still have it. I took pictures at parties, in the township. I think that sparked curiosity and passion to learn more about the art of photography. So every Saturday and school holiday I spent time at Ben Suzan Museum, on Empire Road, studying depth of field, composition, etc… looking at amazing photographs by photographic legends and masters. I met an old man from Israel, Natan Lavie, a great professional photographer whose photographs have been exhibited all over the world. He saw some of my township snaps, I guess he realised some kind of talent and began to teach me how to process negatives and print photos. Later he bought me one of the best stills cameras with different lenses and a tripod. Some of my photographs were exhibited at the Market Theatre. I was accepted to the School of Dramatic Art at Wits University. Subsequently I went to a film school at Columbia University in the US.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE FILM ELELWANI?
school. He invited me to his film company, Forty Acres and Mule Filmworks. That is where I learnt professional film production at the highest level. He let me direct a music video for Senegalese music superstar Youssou N’Dour, which was my very first professional directorial debut. WHO WERE YOUR MENTORS IN THE LOCAL INDUSTRY?
Two people who really instilled passion for filmmaking in me were John Hookham and Liza Key. John was my film teacher at Wits University. I had never met anybody with such passion for film before. On a 13-inch monitor, we watched classic films day and night in their house in Melville. The neighbours hated seeing me there. I think they thought I was a terrorist hanging out with communists. It was during the Group Areas Act days when black people were not allowed to sleep in the so-called white areas, unless they were domestic workers.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH SPIKE LEE?
It was great. He is the hardest working filmmaker I have ever seen. Great passion for film. Master craftsman. Visionary. I lived a block away from his apartment at Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The lights in his apartment were always on throughout the night, working. I was introduced to him when I was at film
WHAT ARE YOUR THREE FAVOURITE SOUTH AFRICAN FILMS AND WHY?
Mapantsula – Oliver Schmitz Place of Weeping – Darrell Roodt Shot Down – Andrew Worsdale These films were based on stories with meaning; they
I realised that novels written in African languages were no longer published. I thought it was important that we preserve some of the legacies that embody our cultures and traditions that are fast disappearing — other nations have been doing it for ages. I put a proposal to the SABC to adapt four books for television by the same author, Dr Titus Maumela. The project was tossed around from one commissioning editor to the other over the years; eventually I was told no channel was interested. I met Florian Schattauer at a film conference in Cape Town about five years ago. He showed interest in helping make a feature film. He struggled to raise funds but finally managed to raise half the budget needed. We decided to make the film with that. When we heard that Elelwani had been chosen to open the Durban International Film Festival, boy, I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. HOW DO YOU COPE WITH STRESS ON SET?
Drink tea, light and sweet. I make it myself. WHAT IS THE STRANGEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU ON SET?
We were shooting a Spike Lee film in Manhattan and I was walking around the honey wagon checking whether the six banger was properly labelled for each talent. I opened one of the doors and found a handsome six foot man sitting in the place reserved for a famous lady who had a cameo role in the film. I stepped outside and angrily berated my assistant for not doing a proper job putting talent in the right places. He was adamant that he did the right thing. Moments later a beautiful, six foot lady in a big Afro stepped out of the same place. I was aghast. It was RuPaul, the world’s most famous drag queen. He gave me a purple Afro comb for my ignorance. I still have it. WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR INSPIRATION?
Watching classic films, plays, novels, dance… I take a leaf from the grandmasters of cinema who were well read and were able to draw from such disciplines. I have also lived a life, so that also helps a bit as a source. WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
A family drama – a modern day tragedy. IN THE FIELD – Ntshavheni Wa Luruli directs Florence Masebe in Elelwani
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| TELEVISION
I have an idea! T
he first step to a great pitch is to write up a killer proposal in which you not only tell the story, but what you’ll do with it, how you’ll do it (without getting killed, arrested or eaten that is) and what access to the subject matter you can guarantee. You need to cover the practicalities and logistics. Don’t throw names around unless they are on board with your project already. You’ll look a right twit if you promise footage, or people, that you can’t deliver. At pitch stage you only really need a script if the show is a drama and probably only if the broadcaster asks for it. It helps to be prepared so it doesn’t hurt to have a script ready. However, you may need to perform the script – are you ready to do that and are you a good reader? Or will you need to take actors with you when you present the script? You need to know upfront whether the broadcaster wants you to deliver the script in paper format. If your show isn’t a drama but does need to be scripted at some stage, that will happen as and when the broadcasters ask for it.
Originality Before you carry on with the pitch you need to ask yourself – is the idea definitely
original? There are hundreds and hundreds of broadcasters greenlighting new shows every day. Find out which broadcasters are in the region you think your show is a good fit for – local or international. Check out all these broadcasters’ websites and see what they are airing at the moment and what they’ve green-lit in the last year. You need to see if you can find their ‘what we’re looking for’. If your idea fits in with that, great! If not – it’s back to the drawing board. If you can afford it, produce a promo to go with your proposal but make sure you have the people you want in the final production in the promo. It may also be more profitable to do a killer casting reel of the characters you’d like to have in the show or whom the show is about. Say you have an idea about a reality series on a family that owns a pawn shop – a great idea that will crash and burn if you can’t show the broadcaster the incredible characters in the real family at your pitch. If your show needs a host – can you get the person you want? Are they on board? If this person isn’t a well-known celebrity, get them on tape. However, be prepared for the broadcaster to completely reject your choice and go with someone else.
So you have a great idea for a TV show and you want to pitch it to a broadcaster. You just know it’s going to be a smash hit, but how do you go about making a broadcaster think likewise? ANDY STEAD gives the low-down.
Budget-savvy “A budget is essential,” says producer Elaine Dodge of Aquavision Television Productions, “but a very general one to start with. Don’t promise you can do a US$500 000 hour show for R75 000. “You may want to prepare a full crew list with their biographies attached if the broadcaster doesn’t know you as a production company. Local broadcasters insist on this in the initial pitch document. “They have very specific rules about how and when to pitch an idea. Public service broadcaster SABC has a Request For Proposal (RFP) intake, usually in November, on their website. Read their document carefully and abide by everything in it. “If they say don’t bind your proposal they mean it. If you do, they will dump it in the bin and not even look at it. With international broadcasters you may be able to put the idea on their website for them to look at as a starting point.”
The personal touch You may have to pitch in person. Go to the international trade shows like MIPTV, MIPCOM, Wildscreen, WildTalk Africa, Jackson Hole or
Comic-Con. Find out which trade show is the best for your idea; find out who would be the best people to sell your idea to and make appointments with them in advance. Learn how to do a killer pitch before you get there. Be prepared to see a form of your ‘rejected’ idea on screen. Some broadcasters will tell you upfront that you lose your idea once you pitch it and that you can’t prove they didn’t come up with it first.
Commissions If you get the go-ahead from a broadcaster the amount of money you receive from them depends on whether it’s a full commission or a co-production. “A full commission means the broadcaster pays for everything and owns everything afterwards, including the idea. With a coproduction you can negotiate the rights. Know what you want and what you can reasonably expect to get. “Truly original, well-conceived ideas presented by passionate people who can pull them off are more likely to be winners in the end,” concludes Dodge. August 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 25
OUTSIDEBROADCAST |
New SuperSport OB packs By Ian Dormer Sony South Africa Broadcast & Professional Division was awarded the contract to supply SuperSport Outside Broadcast Division with a new 28-camera HD OB van, similar to its flagship OB6 HD. NEW HD OB FLAGSHIP – SuperSport’s OB4 HD
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he new OB van – OB4 HD – features the latest in high definition technology and was recently launched at SuperSport’s OB City premises in Strydom Park, Johannesburg. Similar in design to OB6, the new van features fully expandable sides allowing for more interior space. “The new arrival will be a replacement van for our ageing OB4, an SD van,” says Johan van Tonder, technical operations manager, SuperSport Outside Broadcast Division. “Not only will it replace a van with older technology, but it is also in keeping with our quest to keep abreast, if not ahead, of technology internationally and to ensure that our offering is comparable to the best the world has to offer.” At the heart of the production area in OB4 HD is the Sony MVS-8000X multi format switcher. With 200 input connectors, 164 primary inputs, 100 output connectors and 68 assignable outputs, the MVS-8000X’s new processing engine means more M/Es, more keyers and more format converters without having to tie-in external devices. The MVS-8000X’s processing unit is completely redesigned, with a new internal architecture, more I/O and
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extensive configurability. From a production perspective it is very similar to the other OB van switchers, but packs more punch with greater features. The latest Sony 42-inch production monitors on the multiviewer network provide the crew with accurate picture quality throughout the van, from engineering through production to audio. OB4 HD is equipped with 16 HD cameras and four Slomo cameras. Sony’s latest HDC2400 cameras have colour viewfinders and the newly designed 2/3-inch CCDs and improved digital signal processing provide incomparable picture quality, improved signal to noise ratio, better low light and highlights handling enabling more realistic rendering of sport events. The super slow motion cameras are Sony HDC3300R models, also new on the market offering enhanced quality of slow motion playback. A variety of Canon lenses; 100x, 86x, 40x, 22x and 14x4.6 complement the cameras — all rest on Sachtler tripod systems. The van has also been equipped with the flexible 8-channel EVS XT3 slow motion playback server. Based on its unique loop recording technology and powerful networking capabilities, the XT3 offers the SuperSport EVS operators
Velly Sekotla and Lebogang Tou
complete media control from ingest to playout; including live editing, slow motion replays, multi-channel playback and transfer to third-party systems.
Brains The brain of the van is the Snell Sirius 840 router which enables video as well as embedded and discrete audio routing through high-performance cross point modules, with multi-format video cards that can handle 3Gbps as well as SD, HD, and ASI audio over 24 input
and output channels. Sirius provides 576x576 video in a space-efficient 27RU chassis. The router was sourced at IBC last year and was one of the first off the UK head office production line. From an engineering perspective, small things like Snell’s illuminated connector technology, which allows the engineers to see the status and format of all input and output signals on the rear of the router, have made OB lives a little easier when out on shoots in difficult and often trying conditions.
more punch
Johan Chandler, Deshnie Naidoo and Nqabomzi Rozani
Audio The core of the audio production chain in an OB unit is obviously the audio mixer and the SuperSport engineering team chose to continue doing business with award winning UK based Calrec Audio Ltd. Space is always an issue in an OB van so the Artemis Beam was chosen over the bigger Apollo module but without compromising on the requirements needed for today’s multi channel broadcasts. Artemis is equipped with an enormous routing and processing capacity which certainly belies its mid-size footprint. Genelec are the preferred suppliers for audio monitoring with 5.1 being standard both in the audio and production areas. The use of CD players and mini discs for music, jingle and effects playback in the OB vans has been replaced by hard drive playback systems using South African
designed software solution called QuickFire™. For communications SuperSport opted for a solution from RTS/TELEX. The nerve-centre of the installation is a 144 x 144 Advanced Digital Audio Matrix (ADAM) from RTS linked to numerous key panels, microphones and headsets securing communications both inside the control rooms and out. This system is fully compatible with OB6 and can be cascaded allowing inter-communications between the two vans at larger sporting events. The glue holding the production chain together is the VSM – Virtual Studio Manager. VSM seamlessly integrates the video routers, video switchers, audio routers, audio consoles, multi-viewers, intercoms and other modular equipment. OB4 HD is an engineer’s and production crew’s dream and rapidly changing new technology certainly helps to make it the perfect platform for live broadcasts.
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Serving the skies
Photo courtesy CineSky
AERIALCINEMATOGRAPHY |
Aerial cinematography has become a common feature in today’s world of motion pictures – from high end commercials to television series to major 3D international feature films. Andy Stead reports
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South Africa has built a reputation for providing expertly trained pilots.
the most amazing visual, but through the tunnel? This is of course a model helicopter. Flown by a dedicated radio control (RC) expert (as these models are no mean feat to fly), and a vehicle which is driven as a chase car behind the action. The footage can be quite astonishing as models are able to fly lower, and in a much more confined space, than a
Photo courtesy CineSky
wo GT40 sports cars wind along Chapman’s Peak drive at speed. Shot from behind the camera follows closely – veering out over the water on the bends but keeping the cars close and in sharp focus. Clearly a helicopter shot. A short tunnel appears, the cars roar through – the camera follows them – THROUGH THE TUNNEL!! It is
conventional helicopter. Traditional airborne cinematography has evolved and while there is no substitute for the real thing, model helicopters, drones and multi-engined devices such as the Quadcam, Hexcam and SteadiDrone, capable of carrying a payload of up to 10kg, as well as providing exceptionally stable and relatively silent platforms, are becoming increasingly popular for applications where radio control will suffice. Local company Motion Pixel offers the unique SteadiDrone, which they claim is unique in its ability to shoot fast low level shots and smooth jib shots. Brushless motors are more powerful than previous electric motors and work with far less noise, making devices of this nature ideally suited for aerial cinematography.
Conventional option A wide variety of both local and overseas companies also offer conventional, single turbine and twin turbine model helicopters with multi axis gimbals able to carry payload of several kilograms and will comfortably carry a RED One camera or a conventional film camera. These set ups generally require two operators, assuming the mounted camera is mobile. A vehicle is used which houses the camera RC operator, his RC transmitter, and all required monitoring equipment for the director. This vehicle will follow the model and the highly experienced RC ‘pilot’ as they track the flight of the model.
RC blimps are also used, and in this case the payload may top a hundred kilograms. Benefits of a blimp are long endurance, safety and superior stability and versatility. Many forms of gyros and stabilised camera mounts can be carried. The obvious choice for unusual applications, such as taking seemingly impossible angle shots of buildings and inspecting inaccessible sites and structures like large chimneys and pylons, are RC cameras.
Real McCoy But the real McCoy, the preferred choice for any application, must remain the full sized helicopter camera platform. Full size choppers offer complete versatility of use. Range and altitude are not an issue, poor weather conditions, while not ideal, are not necessarily a deterrent, and a huge variety of multi-axis, gyro stabilised remote heads and cameras can be used, mounted in front, side or under mounted. The range of cameras is limitless, from a small Canon 5D for instance, right up to the large rigs required for both Imax and full 3D cinematography. South Africa does not lag behind the rest of the world in this regard. Several local companies provide the expertise, the equipment and the helicopters to suit any needs of the film, television and broadcast industry. These systems are used regularly on both local and visiting international cinematography. Our country has built a reputation for providing expertly trained pilots (some of
Expertise, equipment and helicopters to suit the needs of the film, television and broadcast industry. 30 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
Photo courtesy Helimedia
| AERIALCINEMATOGRAPHY
who travel internationally on overseas projects in preference to their European and North American counterparts) and a wide variety of mounts and cameras with offerings on a par with their overseas competitors Cape Town-based HELIMEDIA supplies a wide variety of mounts and camera equipment and currently sources helicopters, although they have plans for ownership of a twin engine craft later this year. HELIMEDIA provided aerial services for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and won this contract against several international players. The wide variety of equipment and expertise available will suit any demand for aerial photography, and indeed suit any budget. Companies such as Airborne Camera Experts employ all the required specialised staff and equipment to undertake the most demanding shots, the Oscar nominated movie Invictus being a typical example. Indeed their chief pilot is internationally renowned and was trained by the legendary Ken Eddy. Cape Town based CINESKY also offesr a complete airborne service, with UK trained Cineflex accreditation and all the tools required to handle any eventuality. Having recently shot in Qatar, CINESKY received accolades for the professionalism and world standard method of operation
Providing expert aerial filming
H
ELIMEDIA is an aerial filming company formed in Cape Town in 2007. Founding members Chris Bohnenn, a filming pilot, and Emmy Award-winning cameraman Skip Margetts worked together for a number of years before identifying that the South African market needed the latest aerial equipment. With this in mind, they purchased two Cineflex HD stabilised systems. The market readily accepted these systems when their capabilities and reliability became apparent. HELIMEDIA has a third member – camera operator and technician Jonathan Genis. He brings 20 years of broadcast experience to the team. “Our aim is to provide the highest service for each job through top crews and equipment. When the client is smiling after the shoot, our job is done,” Bohnenn says. “We own camera equipment and we lease the helicopter. The largest line item in any aerial quote is the helicopter, so we source the correct machine closest to the location to save any undue flying. These savings are passed onto the client. ‘Dead leg’ flying is a killer for production
companies. We drive in our equipment, with a refuelling facility and spares and have access to 26 certified and proven machines dotted around southern Africa.” HELIMEDIA owns an assortment of cameras, helicopter mounts and ancillaries to support any filming requirement. One of the two Cineflex HD camera systems is stationed in Cape Town with the other in Johannesburg. Stabilised heads include a Gyron ‘Compact’ Stab C – Nettmann and HD slip-ring compliant head which was utilised for the London 2012 Olympics. Other equipment includes HD monitors for operator, director, client and pilot, certified mounts for industrystandard filming helicopters and a Uni-Mount that fits on all helicopters and aircraft to provide a solution for all scenarios. “HELIMEDIA has the same set-up as any major aerial film provider worldwide,” continues Bohnenn. “We fly 400 hours per annum filming within southern Africa which is above industry norms. The 2010 FIFA World Cup was my highlight. When the director informs you that you are live to two billion people it really is a heart stopping moment and there’s no room for error.”
“When the client is smiling after the shoot, our job is done.” – Chris Bohnenn
The company was selected to provide the aerial filming for the 2010 FIFA World Cup over three other major players worldwide. “We employed five helicopters, six filming pilots, six camera operators and amassed 420 flying hours in 32 days. In addition we enjoyed the privilege of being the only civilian aircraft allowed over stadiums throughout the tournament. “Skip and I flew 19 games, including the opening and closing ceremonies. We were fortunate enough to capture the only goal by Spain which was used on the global replay,” concludes Bohnenn. Later this year HELIMEDIA takes delivery of a twin-engine, ‘film-friendly’ helicopter that will be rigged 24/7. August 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 31
Radio controlled multirotor systems
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teadiDrone develops, designs and manufactures advanced aerial filming and photographic platforms specifically aimed at the film and media production industry. Motion Pixel, the home of SteadiDrone, offers complete ready to fly radio controlled multirotor systems with full GPS navigation and stabilisation built in, with high-tech three-axis gyro stabilised camera gimbals and a range of platforms with payload capacities from 600g to around 10kg. “We offer the unique SteadiDrone systems which are ideal for smooth aerial filming for just about any application,”
says Duran de Villiers, creative director at Motion Pixel and owner of SteadiDrone. “The SteadiDrone brings with it a revolution in filmmaking, the ability to shoot low level fast moving and technical action shots as well as very smooth jib type shots. Unlike traditional film equipment, the drones have almost no limit to their movements, providing an affordable and very quick way to capture those tricky aerial shots.” The SteadiDrone is powerful enough to carry primarily DSRL cameras like the Canon 5DIII, Nikon D800 up to the RED Epic, Sony FS100 and even the
“The SteadiDrone is powerful enough to carry primarily DSRL cameras.” – Duran de Villiers
32 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
Canon C300, which can be lifted with bigger SteadiDrone octocopters. “SteadiDrone systems have been used on various television productions, films and commercials. Some recent television commercial work includes the latest Tsogo Sun, Thorpe Park and Audi spots and many others,” comments De Villiers. “SteadiDrone offers unique and affordable aerial options and we pride ourselves in customer service and the advanced system we develop for reliable and affordable aerial media. “We offer complete ready-to-fly drones and fixed wing aircraft, as well as a range of airframes and accessories, fpv equipment, free tech support, training and more.”
Photos courtesy Motion Pixel
AERIALCINEMATOGRAPHY |
| AERIALCINEMATOGRAPHY
F
alk Eggert and Chris Hughes, directors of CINESKY, have 25 years of combined experience in the industry and have serviced various productions including feature films, documentaries, reality shows, outside broadcasts and wildlife programming. Their experience with high definition (HD) systems is the perfect complement to aerial film production. Hughes was trained on the Cineflex in the UK and is an accredited operator, with six years of experience on the system and 10 years on the Gyron. Having previously worked in the outside broadcast industry, Hughes has invaluable experience in the technical aspects of live event coverage.
Their experience with HD systems is the perfect complement to aerial film production.
Eggert comes from a camera background, having worked with HD video systems on land and under water. Shooting for TV, documentaries and features he is well versed in digital media management and all aspects of digital film production. “CINESKY primarily uses the Cineflex V14HD,” says Eggert. “We own our system which is based in Cape Town and are able to supply third party equipment, if required. Our Cineflex has a Sony HDC1500 camera unit, which is enabled with a Hypergamma upgrade.” The company has just returned from shooting in Qatar, where the producers were impressed not only by the Cineflex’s capability, but also by the operator’s ability to get the most from the system and interpret the creative brief. Five different programmes were shot in all. Other recent shoots include the award winning SABC2 series Shoreline and Himmel Ueber Afrika, a German feature film, which seamlessly integrated the Cineflex footage with Arri Alexa footage. “Both Chris (Hughes) and I are passionate about making films – we eat sleep and breathe Cineflex. We have a great attitude and love going to work knowing that we have the tools to deliver the absolute top end. To see the reactions from clients, when they are blown away by the footage, is priceless. Owning and operating the Cineflex and working in the air are the realisation of a dream,” concludes Eggert.
Photo courtesy CineSky
Taking to the skies
August 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 33
AERIALCINEMATOGRAPHY |
Aerial Gallery
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Flying high Photo courtesy Airborne Camera Experts
A
irborne Camera Experts was established in 1998 as a turnkey solution for all aerial filming requirements in the film and broadcast industries. Key staff include company director, co-owner and specialist filming pilot Gert Uys; Chris Aberdein, company director (Financial) and co-owner; operations manager Justin van Rooyen; aerial camera mount technician Gregory John; Danielle Louw, accountable manager Flight Safety; and logistics coordinator Derick Siebritz. All have vast experience in aviation and the film and broadcast industries. “Our aerial camera systems,” says Van Rooyen, “include the Gyron FS/Stab-C remote head (5 axis, Gyro-Stabilised); Cine-Flex V-14 HD remote head (5 axis, Gyrostabilised) with built-in Sony HDC1500 camera; Tyler Gyro Stabilised Middle (side) Mount; Tyler Nose Mount; Continental Side Mount; and Filmair Side Mount.” The most common camera packages used on the Gyron FS/Stab-C are the Arri Alexa (for HD filming) and the Arri 435 (for 35mm filming). The Gyron FS/Stab-C can be rigged with 16mm cameras, 35mm cameras, HD Cameras (Arri Alexa, RED), IMAX and various broadcast video cameras, as well as 3D camera packages. A variety of lenses can be utilised, up to a maximum 25-250mm Angenieux. Airborne has an impressive client list. “We have worked with major International production houses such as NBC, Universal Pictures, HBO, Warner Brothers, BBC NHU, BBC Films, The Weinstein Company, National Geographic, Discovery Channel and Red Bull Media House,” adds van Rooyen. “We offer aerial filming expertise and equipment that is used around the world.” Airborne Camera Experts has been involved in over 50 feature-length movies, such as: Long Walk to Freedom; Invictus (Oscar nominated); Safe House; Blood Diamond (Oscar-nominated); Machine Gun Preacher; 10 000BC; Flight of the Phoenix; and The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency (multiple award nominated), among many others. TV series and documentaries include: Shoreline (winner of two SAFTA Awards); Generation Kill (three Emmy wins and several Emmy nominations); The Philanthropist; Silent Witness; and several award-winning BBC documentaries. “Gert Uys, our chief pilot, is an internationally renowned aerial filming pilot who is often specifically requested by local and international directors and directors of photography. He was trained and mentored in the art of aerial filming by South African filming pioneer, Ken Eddy,” adds van Rooyen.
“We have worked with major International production houses such as NBC, Universal Pictures, HBO, Warner Brothers, BBC NHU, BBC Films, The Weinstein Company, National Geographic, Discovery Channel and Red Bull Media House.” – Justin van Rooyen
SYSTEMSINTEGRATION |
Integrate & innovate Systems integration has become integral to any broadcast operation, production studio or post-production facility. Andy Stead gets to grips with the sum of many parts.
I
n the pursuit of perfection, many purists believe that any system (commonly defined as a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network) should all be of the same manufacturer or supplier. For example a quality hi-fidelity sound system should have tuner, amplifier and speakers from the same brand. In the old days it would have unthinkable to have a Quad amplifier linked to Leak loudspeakers. One would not rebuild a classic Ferrari with a Ford engine. Indeed a Meccano construction could not have Lego parts. Manufacturers catered for this and if a system was to be made up from several different units, generally they would
36 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
manufacture all the required units. In some ways the manufacturers of broadcast products attempted to do the same, manufacturing a wide range of items in an effort to maintain a chain of their
own products. As technology evolved and the range of product offerings grew, niche manufacturing began resulting in products that filled gaps, exceeded the specification of some of the larger manufacturers in some instances, and provided for newly developed technologies. Broadcasters, facilities houses, equipment suppliers and other users of television equipment took beneficial advantage of the wide variety of equipment available, and were able to build systems tailor-made to the specific requirements. Instead of using the same supplier of say a vision mixing desk, for the cameras and monitors, an end user could pick and choose, matching each link of the broadcast chain to his own specific requirement and usage.
Modern times In the modern age any system used in any facility reveals a fully integrated equipment list, and the skill and expertise required to put systems together that comprise a wide variety of manufacturers’ products has now become a worldwide business – the business of systems integration. In South Africa most of the larger recognised agents or suppliers of equipment are cognisant of the
importance of providing an integrated solution, and are masters of weaving together a variety of equipment to best suit the customer’s needs – and perhaps more importantly, their future needs. In these days of rapidly changing technology it is imperative that any system will be future proof in terms of changing technology, for several years at least. South African suppliers are first world in this regard and offer the most modern equipment solutions available anywhere on the globe. The industry demands this.
Full integration A typical example of a fully integrated system is the construction of one of the huge high definition (HD) outside broadcast (OB) vans that ply our sports fields on a weekly basis. Often the chassis could be of German manufacture, the coachwork made in England, the mixing desk of English manufacture, the cameras Japanese. Other links in the chain may come from Taiwan, China and indeed even South Africa. All these elements are assembled in a confined space to create a single unit which operates flawlessly, feeding on the best each manufacturer can offer and ultimately producing pictures and sound that travel around the world. – to page 38
In South Africa most of the larger recognised agents or suppliers of equipment are cognisant of the importance of providing an integrated solution, and are masters of weaving together a variety of equipment to best suit the customer’s needs – and perhaps more importantly, their future needs.
SYSTEMSINTEGRATION | from page 36 Sony South Africa recently supplied just such an HD OB van to SuperSport and indeed local supplier ON-AIR Systems also hopes to secure a few projects later this year which include the proposal of an OB van build. Other local systems integrator companies include Zimele and Harambe. Concilium Technologies has several projects on the go and Steve Alves has a good point when he suggests: “As long as the integrator has the local expertise to understand the customer’s needs, the resources to be able to design and offer the solution and install and maintain any systems they put in place, and is willing to invest in continually up skilling their staff – there are no negatives.” Inala Broadcast is also heavily involved in the systems integration field and is currently busy with several projects. The company claims uniqueness in that they handle systems integration totally in house, with highly trained project and engineering management, therefore retaining intellectual property locally.
38 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
Specific expertise Telemedia too (although probably best recognised for its expertise in the area of satellite and terrestrial transmission, fibre, microwave and uplink services) supplies a wide variety of equipment and components ideally suited for systems integration for production based systems such as studios and control rooms. Jasco Broadcast Solutions offers a wide range of solutions covering all aspects of systems integration, from the original consultation through to final commissioning. They are currently busy with SuperSport’s ‘Nearline’ project as well as an upgrade for the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation news solution. Pro-Sales too is busy, having moved into the Timbre Audio premises in Bryanston and the two companies have completed a fully integrated systems solution for CNBC in Johannesburg.
“As long as the integrator has the local expertise to understand the customer’s needs, the resources to be able to design and offer the solution and install and maintain any systems they put in place, and is willing to invest in continually up skilling their staff – there are no negatives.” – Steve Alves
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FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call: +27(11) 266 1500 Email: broadcastsales@jasco.co.za www.jasco.co.za
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SYSTEMSINTEGRATION |
Performing at the highest level
Concilium Technologies provides solutions that meet customers’ unique requirements, ranging from a standalone item of test equipment to a complete broadcast infrastructure that requires ingest, storage, editing, asset management, signal conversion or transcoding, distribution and transmission. This is in addition to system design, installation, commissioning and ongoing local support. Says Concilium’s Steve Alves: “Good systems integration requires technical and project management expertise to find the best components to meet the design specifications of the overall solution. It’s vital to understand how different components interact with each other and to come up with innovative ways of using modern technologies to provide performance at an acceptable price.”
Any system implementation has its challenges, but with good project management and committed teamwork with the customer, they can be overcome. Systems also require updating, expanding, modifying and maintaining through their lifecycle, so local expertise is essential to address these requirements timeously. It is not uncommon for Concilium to have locally skilled application engineers on site almost full time to assist the customer meet the challenges of the ever changing demands on broadcasters. There is a huge range of products that are needed to meet certain requirements, and typically they come from multiple vendors. “Our projects,” continues Alves, “have incorporated cameras, storage servers and server control, vision and audio mixing desks, editing suites, graphics creation, multiviewers, automation, near offline
Providing end-to-end solutions By providing the solutions, services and enabling technologies that cover the entire broadcast value chain, Jasco Broadcast Solutions has played a significant role in the development of the African industry and has developed a reputation for excellence in solutions provision and integration. From cameras and related accessories to post-production editing software and solutions for broadcasters, the company specialises in the design of complete integrated solutions with all necessary equipment around best of breed products, with in-house integration skills. “Jasco Broadcast Solutions operates throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Mauritius and the Seychelles, and has provided solutions to several high profile clients across the region,” says Steve Lauter, sales manager, Broadcast Solutions. “We currently have two big projects on the go – the implementation of the integrated solutions required to run SuperSport Nearline and the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation’s news solution upgrade, which was recently awarded.
“In addition we have also serviced various other high profile programmes and assisted Swaziland TV with the products, installation and support of their integrated television broadcast facility. In fact, we offer consultation, design, delivery, installation, training and support on a wide range of broadcast, production and post-production equipment.” Lauter points out that integrating different brands and functionality allows end users to achieve a total end-to-end solution, using equipment that is either best-of-breed for their purpose or most suited to their budget.
archives, signal conversion, distribution and routing via virtually every transmission medium, transcoding and media streaming devices. This is to cater for the ‘display everywhere’ emerging nature of broadcast consumption. Recent projects even include TV transmitters and all of the equipment required to get content from the broadcast studio to the transmitters.
“Systems integration is an essential part of any broadcaster or production facility. As every broadcaster has unique requirements to stay ahead of the game, systems integration provides solutions that meet current needs and can typically be expanded to cater for future needs. There are very few instances where there is an ‘off the shelf’ total solution.”
in-house integration skills –
Steve Lauter
Leading with innovation and expertise Inala Broadcast makes systems integration its top priority and believes that they offer a superior service for this reason. The company has specialised staff including project managers and project engineers who provide a complete turnkey systems solution. This includes everything from the original concept based on the customer’s goals and objectives to after-project service and Service Level Agreements (SLAs). “We look at the customer’s long term goals and objectives,” says Colin Wainer, general manager of Inala Broadcast, “and consult on all the elements from technical through to operational workflow. My team dots the ‘i’s’ and crosses the ‘t’s’ of what the customer wants to achieve, taking into consideration their future
40 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
TURNKEY SOLUTIONS – Colin Wainer
growth plans. At the end of the project we ‘hand over the keys’. We provide operational and technical training together with complete wiring and systems diagrams.”
Inala provides the consultancy, workflow concepts (both operational and technical), training (operational and technical) and commissioning, plus on-air assistance. At the end of a commission they continue to provide SLAs and technical support, even though some of the equipment may not be supplied by their principals. “I believe we do systems integration differently,” comments Wainer. “If you look at some of the suppliers in the local market, a lot of their integration is in fact done by their principals. We do it all locally, with local intellectual property that we have invested in. With the investment in our staff all intellectual property remains in South Africa, providing our customers with localised
systems integration. “Inala Broadcast is a distributor for leading edge manufacturers. Our partnership approach with these world leaders and innovators gives us access to their products, technical expertise and enables us to share the knowledge with our customers. “We do in fact have an overseas systems integrator who won a project in South Africa and they have sub-contracted us to provide them with local project management on their behalf. Inala also supplies equipment for this project – but the overseas company understands our value-add, taking into consideration the projects we have successfully completed, and they sub-contracted us for their local project management.”
SYSTEMSINTEGRATION |
One-stop shop Systems integration, as its name implies, is the bringing together of a large number of technical components to form a homogenous, fully functioning facility. In the broadcasting context, this means the joining together of cameras, tripods, viewfinders, microphones, sound mixers, vision mixers, monitors, video tape recorders, servers and if necessary, satellite uplinks and transmitters to provide an integrated television facility or national broadcasting system. Telemedia is a supplier of integration services and also provides integration for production based systems such as studios and control rooms, although their main focus is in the area of satellite and terrestrial transmission, fibre, microwave and uplink services. The company does not generally install third party equipment, meaning that it will not become involved in the engineering services if less than 75% of the equipment is supplied by Telemedia.
Says national sales manager Quentin Barkhuizen: “The huge advantage of an integrated system is that one supplier only is responsible for the after sales service and warranty. Obviously with an integrated system, it is often difficult for the customer to determine exactly where the problem lies in the event of a fault and this becomes more serious if different parts of the programme chain are provided by different suppliers. “The only real downside of systems integration is that there are inherent risks. Anything that involves installation – particularly in emerging Africa – is likely to have problems with regard to logistics, power supplies, access, accommodation and freight costs. Often the labour content and the time taken to install the system is not easily predictable, and unless the company doing the system integration installation has the margin associated with the sale of equipment, it can often be a very risky area of business.
“Systems integration is a global practice and certain companies both in South Africa and in Europe specialise in
providing this service without favouring any one equipment supplier or tying in with any specific products.”
A real working solution
SUPPLY AND INTEGRATE – CNBC Africa installation
Keeping customers satisfied Pro-Sales was established in 1986 as a supplier of good quality used equipment in the professional, broadcast video, audio and lighting industry. Over the years the company has evolved and now offers service, repair, design and installation of electronic news gathering (ENG), outside broadcast (OB) and studio equipment. Owner Arne Sack comments: “We have always done systems integration and recently started to work very closely with Timbre Broadcast Systems and in conjunction with them install and integrate. Where there is television, there will be systems integration. “One of our most recent installations 42 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
has been the upgrade of many of CNBC Africa’s bureaus across the African continent, as well as in Cape Town. We have also completed integration projects at some local banks and for the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. A larger project involves the installation of a second virtual studio in the Broadcast Centre.” Pro-Sales imports, distributes and supplies most products required for integration. This includes products from, among others, Panasonic, Blackmagic Design, Q-Gear, Yamaha, Telos, Altair and the NewTek Tricaster 450 live production system. “Many customers fear putting all their eggs in one basket,” continues Sack. “However, when a single company is used to supply and integrate, the customer has the advantage of having a single service provider to rely on, from concept right through to hand over. “We operate on a simple premise – give the customer what he needs at an affordable price.”
Systems integrators are companies that supply equipment and products from different manufacturers, ultimately mixing these products to give a client a working solution. This is what makes ON-AIR Systems proud to call itself a systems integrator. According to director of Technical Operations Gavin Flanegan, ON-AIR Systems undertook a major systems integration project during the latter part of 2011. “This involved the complete installation of a six-camera high definition (HD) chain with master control room (MCR), venue set, studio set and green screen room. The entire budget for this project was handed over to ON-AIR Systems including the wet works, as well as the normal design, installation and commissioning,” explains Flanegan. What made this project slightly different was the fact that ON-AIR Systems was given some freedom in the final look, feel and design. This led to ON-AIR Systems going for a completely different approach – glass. The entire MCR, sound engineering and camera control unit (CCU) remote operations room’s entire finish was in glass, probably the only one of its kind in the world. “ON-AIR is also hoping to secure more projects later this year,” continues
Flanegan. “This includes a proposal on an OB van build, further proving that ON-AIR Systems can truly be called a systems integrator. “Gone are the days of single product solutions. Integrators are now required to source from various suppliers and manufacturers, and ultimately provide the client with a working solution at the best possible price.” He notes that securing products from local third party vendors and local competitors has become almost impossible, based purely on the monopoly and cartel style business practices within the broadcast industry. “Thus, smaller SMEs have had to look at procuring products internationally to ensure that they are able to provide the client with the specific equipment required for their specific workflow and application at the best possible price,” says Flanegan.
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TRACKINGTECHNOLOGY | IBC PREVIEW
The big technology get-together IBC2012, the premier annual exhibition for professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of electronic media and entertainment content worldwide, runs from 7 to 11 September at Amsterdam RAI. Here is a taste of some of the technology that will be on show.
Evolution of broadcasting
‘Believe Beyond HD’ Sony returns to IBC this year to showcase its strength in technological innovation as part of its ‘Believe Beyond HD’ vision and to demonstrate how its innovative products enable European customers to take the lead in the content creation and distribution markets. From developing the industry’s first complete 4K workflow, to its continued innovation in groundbreaking solutions such as the Optical Disc Archive system or 3D, Sony will show how it uses its immense technological power to serve the individual needs of its customers. IBC will also be a platform for Sony to show its commitment to becoming a leading technology provider to the sports industry. In recent months, Sony has led highly successful 3D productions for
world famous sporting events including the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and Goodwood Festival of Speed. In addition, Hawk-Eye, the Sony-backed technology solution, was also qualified by FIFA to license its goal-line technology to football associations across the world. “IBC 2012 is an important opportunity to meet many of our customers and show them how our innovative solutions can help meet their business needs,” says Olivier Bovis, head of AV Media, Sony Europe. “By working in close collaboration with partners and customers and listening to their feedback, we are uniquely placed to develop entirely new technology platforms where necessary for the industry.”
At IBC2012, Harris Broadcast Communications will showcase the latest advances in its mission to service customers with the tools and technologies that allow them to prepare their media for any particular distribution channel at the right cost. Harris-enabled media workflows allow broadcasters to deploy 3DTV, 3 Gb/s, HD and integrated baseband / broadband operations easily and cost-effectively. Over-The-Top (OTT) TV will be a key feature at IBC this year, and Harris will highlight the relevance of many of its core technologies to this business model – from baseband infrastructure and file-based processing to compression and networking, as well as nonlinear ad sales / traffic scheduling systems. In an industry that is constantly evolving, Harris asset management and business solutions ensure broadcasters maximise revenues in traditional and emerging business models. “In today’s rapidly changing world, broadcasters need insight from partners capable of showing where this evolutionary process could lead us,” comments Richard Scott, senior vice president, global sales and services, for Harris Broadcast Communications. “Harris is unique in terms of the breadth of our technology solution combined with the ability to integrate our systems alongside third-party solutions. “With this market position comes a responsibility not only to supply the technology, but also the thought leadership about where our industry is heading and what is the lowest risk route of arriving where our customers need to be. At IBC, we will demonstrate that we have both the proven technology and the integrated vision that our customers need to thrive and survive in this dynamic market.” At IBC2012, Harris will also demonstrate new products, features and applications in many of its core areas of expertise in broadcast and production, including servers, storage and editing, routers and multiviewers, signal processing, transmission, video headend solutions, automation and digital asset management, outside broadcast (OB) truck workflow solutions and test and measurement.
Live production system
44 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
Teleprompter, newsroom and video server specialist Autocue will launch the Autocue Production Suite, a new, standalone live production system that combines several components into a single cost-effective system. Features include a vision and audio mixer, a playback device, a still store, a caption generator, a picture-in-picture processor, a chromakey processor, a logo / bug / ticker inserter, an output recorder and a multiviewer. Based on Autocue’s successful video server range, Autocue Production Suite provides designated video inputs for live sources, designated audio inputs, internal players, processing to provide various graphic, effect, transition, mixing and switching operations and designated outputs to provide synchronised audio and video for preview and programme feeds. The system also has an internal recorder, which allows programme output to be saved directly to the media store. Autocue will also introduce solid state versions of their acclaimed video server range. Designed for outside broadcast (OB) trucks and mobile applications where space is at a premium, the two- and four-port solid state drive servers run on single PSUs and include 800GB and 2TB of unprotected storage, respectively. IBC will also see the European launch of leading-edge accessories that complement Autocue’s acclaimed Master Series teleprompter range. The accessories include a 22-inch talent feedback monitor with native HD-SDI; a new mounting system; a dimmable tally light that displays any camera number from 1-9, going green when live on air; an under-monitor talent clock; and new USB controls to ensure compatibility with the latest PC hardware. Autocue’s Master Series prompters are the world’s lightest, high-bright LED backlit monitors, which means they are just as legible indoors or out and can be rigged on smaller and cheaper tripod heads than competing heavier models.
IBC PREVIEW | TRACKINGTECHNOLOGY
Processing power, providing solutions AJA Video Systems has announced the compatibility of its KONA family of professional video solutions with Sonnet Technologies Inc.’s family of PCIe Thunderbolt expansion chassis. This joint effort allows video professionals to simultaneously tap the processing power and flexible conversion capability of AJA KONA hardware, and the enhanced computer performance and connectivity of the Sonnet expansion chassis. KONA 3G, KONA LHi and KONA LHe Plus enable capture, display and mastering solutions for a wide range of projects from SD to HD, 2K and 4K. Sonnet’s Thunderbolt expansion products for PCIe cards, including the Echo Express line and xMac mini Server, provide external PCIe expansion slots via the high-speed Thunderbolt connection to systems that otherwise would not have PCIe expansion capabilities. A second Thunderbolt port on the Sonnet chassis allows daisy chaining to other Thunderbolt devices. “Thunderbolt is fast becoming the norm in rapid data transfer and this
provides users with access to all of AJA’s hardware capabilities,” says Nick Rashby, president, AJA Video Systems. “We want to offer our customers maximum performance and flexibility so it’s important for our KONA family to be compatible with these complementary products from Sonnet.” “AJA KONA cards are a vital component of the film, video and broadcast markets, industries that heavily employ Sonnet’s Thunderbolt expansion chassis to optimise processing power in portable systems,” adds Greg LaPorte, VP sales and marketing, Sonnet Technologies. “The compatibility of our respective products enables our customers to create powerful yet compact end-toend solutions.”
Integrating reality At its IBC stand Ross Video will showcase a fully integrated virtual set and augmented reality solution using all Ross technology. Ross will produce a live newscast every half hour to demonstrate how a single operator and talent can efficiently deliver a highly sophisticated virtual production. The solution combines Ross’ Furio Robotic Camera System with dynamic, tracked on-air moves; XPression 3D Graphics Platform generating virtual set; production graphics and a live ticker with social media integration via Ross Inception; and Vision production switcher keying and mixing video, all automated with the OverDrive Automated Production System. Ross’ new social media management product Inception provides a professional suite of tools to create, schedule, broadcast and manage media content in and out of newsrooms and promotions departments.
WORK SOME MAGIC INTO YOUR WORKFLOW Selenio™ integrates all processing, compression and IP networking into one unified platform. It’s so brilliantly simple, you’ll think it’s magic.
Check out Selenio at IBC2012 — Stand 7.G20 or visit broadcast.harris.com/selenio
UK, Israel, Africa +44 118 964 8200
North, Central, Eastern Europe +49 89 149 049 0
Southern Europe +33 1 47 92 44 00
Middle East, South Asia +971 4 433 8250
harris.com
August 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 45
TRACKINGTECHNOLOGY | IBC PREVIEW
Blackmagic Design acquires Cintel On 24 July 2012 Blackmagic Design announced its acquisition of the assets of Cintel International, one of the world’s leading researchers, designers and manufacturers of motion picture film scanners. According to Stuart Ashton, director of Blackmagic Design, EMEA, this acquisition gives Blackmagic Design the ability to combine its vision and expertise with Cintel technology to provide the best technology for artists using film, create more efficient and affordable ways to bring film into a digital workflow, and offer better ways to archive and restore existing archive film worldwide. “Cintel products are among the most trusted names in the film scanning business, and the incredible design expertise that has been built into every one of the Cintel products is amazing. Their film scanner and telecine technology is used worldwide and there is more than 80 years of design experience built into the current generation of products,”
46 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
comments Ashton. As per the deal Blackmagic Design owns the intellectual property (IP) and all aspects of Cintel’s entire portfolio of film scanning products. This includes all of the IP, name and brand ownership and product development rights for the Cintel diTTo and dataMill digital scanner lines, URSA, C-Reality, DSX, and Millennium telecine lines, as well as imageMill data management products. Ashton stresses that Blackmagic Design will not be selling past models of Cintel products. “We will research the Cintel product lines to establish which ones we want to continue with. Customers who would like to purchase an existing Cintel product, or spare parts for older Cintel products, are asked to contact Cine Solutions Inc or Cine Solutions UK, which currently have an inventory of older products. “As part of the acquisition agreement, Blackmagic owns the IP for all Cintel products, and Cine Solutions was able to
VISION AND EXPERTISE – Stuart Ashton
purchase the remaining inventory of spare parts for old Cintel products. Cine Solutions will not be manufacturing any new Cintel products, and will only be able to sell inventory of existing Cintel products and spare parts,” explains Ashton. In addition Cine Solutions will also
provide service and support for existing Cintel customers which will be handled by UK based Cine Solutions Ltd. and US based Cine Solutions Inc. Both are independent of Blackmagic Design and will supply replacement parts and repairs, provide expert engineering services as well as a 24/7 maintenance help line to all users of equipment previously manufactured and supplied by Cintel International. Ashton notes that the Blackmagic Design team has always loved film. “We feel that the industry is still very much alive and thriving. Blockbusters including Black Swan, Wrath of the Titans and The Hangover Part II are all recent examples of movies shot on film. “Although it is currently in the middle of some big changes, the film market continues to evolve and the way in which film is used on a daily basis changes all the time. What hasn’t changed is the acknowledgement that film is an extremely creative way to capture images.”
RG005 Clear Advert 2_Paths_final_CROP&BLEED.pdf
IBC PREVIEW | TRACKINGTECHNOLOGY
Streaming smoother workflows Leading provider of video transcoding and workflow automation solutions Telestream will feature new high-performance transcoding products for the creation and delivery of Over-The-Top (OTT) multiscreen content, Vantage GPU acceleration, a new video replay and analysis system for sports and live events, plus powerful partner integration and partner opportunities, at IBC. New Vantage Multiscreen transcoding software combines with Telestream’s new Lightspeed server to accelerate video transcoding and packaging for OTT multiscreen, web and mobile delivery. Vantage Multiscreen addresses the unique requirements of adaptive bitrate (ABR) production and packaging by automating the entire process of source file decoding, video image processing, parallelised H.264 encoding, packaging, encryption and archiving. The Lightspeed server is architected for acceleration of video processing and H.264 encoding on parallel GPUs and multicore CPUs to produce the highest quality images at the fastest possible speed. The new Vantage Multiscreen Pro bundle combines Vantage Multiscreen software, the new Telestream Lightspeed server, and Vantage Transcode Pro software to provide the most powerful and complete video transcoder solution on the market. New Vantage Transcode 4.0 features will also be demonstrated. Advanced video processing includes 16-bit 4:4:4:4 YUV image quality, vastly improved up / down / cross conversion and de-interlacing. New support for the x264 codec for high-quality H.264 transcoding, plus support for broadcast and sports file formats includes AS02. Vantage also expands its workflow automation capabilities with CALM Act loudness control, web caption support, greater support for Avid production workflows, and Screen MediaMate subtitling and captioning workflows. Telestream’s new Pipeline Replay system will make its IBC debut. Developed for NASCAR’s 2012 racing season, the NASCAR Pipeline Replay project was named as a finalist in the IBC2012 Innovation Awards.
Making the most of your media
At IBC 2012 Avid will demonstrate the largest range of integrated media production technology the company has ever presented at the event. Avid is featuring new and upgraded solutions for advanced asset-based workflows spanning distributed production, multi-platform distribution, server and storage, and video editing/audio mixing solutions, demonstrating how customers in news, sports, TV and post-production can make the most of their media, achieve their creative vision and improve their productivity. IBC will see the European debut of Avid’s cloud-based, real-time, remote editing solution, Interplay Sphere, and details of early customer adopters. In addition, the newest developments to Avid’s asset-based workflow solutions including a new Avid Interplay MAM solution package; Interplay Central cloudenabled web and mobile tools; Interplay Production asset manager; Avid iNEWS release, and the AirSpeed 5000 video server will be revealed at IBC. Visitors to the Avid stand will see new enhancements to Avid’s suite of industryleading creative video and audio editing tools, including Avid Media Composer, Symphony, NewsCutter, DS and Pro Tools.
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AFRICA |
Reports by Martine Chemhere
Weaving a spell On the road to nowhere A new Tanzanian historical horror-themed Bongo movie launched recently at the Zanzibar International Film Festival ahead of its release on DVD all over East Africa.
BONGO ON THE RISE – Shooting a cave scene for Black Magic
Lead actress Lisa Jensen
Black Magic is proof that the Bongo movie genre, which emanates from Tanzania and assimilates Nollywood filmmaking techniques, is currently a big trend in East Africa after first making its mark in the 1990s. Bongo movies, which generally feature the Swahili language, have resulted in a rapidly growing creative industry in the region, along with the simultaneous emergence of Bongo music. Zanzibar-based ZG Films is a leading producer of Bongo movies. Its newest offering, Black Magic, is directed by Amitabh Aurora who also wrote the script. Javed Jafferji, founder of ZG Films, is the producer. Inspired by a true story in Zanzibar during the Omani era, the core message of Black Magic is that your deeds – good, bad or evil – will never leave you. If one doesn’t pay for them in this life, they may haunt you in the afterlife or even in another life in an alternate world. According to Aurora the major challenge of making the film was its very low budget – about US$8 000 – in addition period costumes, sets and props were required. “Nevertheless, we gave of our best and made a convincing and an effective film,” says Aurora, whose major credits include Glamour: The Reality Behind Dreams. Black Magic was shot last November in Stone Town and the villages of Muyini and Nungwi in Zanzibar. Lead roles are played by Lisa Jensen, Ben Kiniyaya, Abdallah Mkambilla and Oselah Saph. Jensen is no stranger to the Bongo genre and has also appeared in commercials in India. She was a finalist in Miss Tanzania 2008 and won the Redds Miss Tanzania World in 2012. Kiniyaya is a well-known television personality and has starred in a few Bongo movies. Mkambilla (aka Muhogo Mchungu) is a veteran of over 50 Bongo movies, while Saph starred in Amitab Aurora’s earlier Swahili feature film called Usaliti, which was produced by Pili Pili Entertainment. Aurora is very happy with the film. “Black Magic screened at this year’s Zanzibar International Film Festival to a packed house and lots of applause. For the first time ever I had the feeling that one of my films was universally liked. My two previous films were appreciated by audiences but less so by critics. “I am emotionally attached to this film because with a technical crew of just five people, including myself, we managed to tell a timeless and true story from Zanzibar’s history. We hope that the world gets to see the film,” he says. 48 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
A new message oriented film from Tanzania deals with human values and how the loss of dignity can lead to humiliation.
Produced by Tanzania’s Pili Pili Entertainment, Lost (A Journey to Nowhere), is a 2012 production directed by Sajni Srivastava, who also wrote and produced the film. In Lost a woman falls into a trap without thinking because she craves money, only to realise later there is no way to undo the situation. The film’s story revolves around a girl from a poor family who enters a relationship with an old man. Later on she meets a young guy her age and they fall in love. The love affair takes a dramatic turn when the girl discovers that her young lover is the son of the old man. She finds herself between a rock and a hard place – there is no place to go – she is lost. Lost was shot in February this year with post-production completed by the first week of April. Locations included various naturally stunning places in Dar es Salaam, including Kunduchi Resort, Mombasa Resort in Sinza and Coco Beach. Shot on Sony HDV Z-7 with a two-camera set-up, the film’s budget was around 18 million shillings, excluding distribution and marketing costs. The film’s release is likely to cost a further 10 million shillings including DVD mastering, printing, posters and inlays. Commenting on the film’s production
director Srivastava says: “From preproduction to post-production, the film took nearly 45 days with the crew working tirelessly day and night. The shoot went very smoothly and everybody enjoyed their respective roles. It was a fun and enjoyable experience; every day was like a picnic for all of us.” Lead roles in the movie are played by local talents Ahmed Olotu (Chillo), Baby Madaha, Yusuph Mlela, Jackline Pentazel and Mama Mpangala. These actors are all famous in Tanzania and considered leading superstars of Bongo movies. Lost was screened at the Zanzibar International Film Festival 2012.
An African web
PREMIUM CONTENT – Jozi – The Moving City, a reality show on MeTV
Mozambique HD radio first
| AFRICA
Universidade Politecnica’s broadcast facilities in Mozambique will soon house a radio training studio and radio station, which recently received its licensed frequency of 97.1. record stream. For maximum clarity the audio signals remain in the digital realm up to the transmitter point. In terms of equipment installed and studio size, the total acoustically treated studio area size is in the region of 100m² with the station floor being about 300m². The station’s transmission zone will cover the greater Maputo area, which is about a 50km radius.
Challenges
ON AIR – Politécnica Radio studio
University students will be trained at newly-formed Politécnica Radio to develop their broadcast skills in real life situations. The radio station will broadcast to the greater Maputo area with programming to cover youth development, health and HIV awareness, social issues and education. Construction of the radio studio and station is ongoing with the test phase of transmission planned to commence in September 2012. Mathew ‘Matt’ Buck from Cape Town is building the facilities through his company, Buck Broadcast. He explains that the Maputo facility comprises of a ProTools HD recording studio and a digital broadcasting studio – “both a first for Mozambique”. He adds that there is also a performance studio electronically and visually linked to the ProTools control room and on air studio that will allow the transmission of live performances. The broadcast technologist elaborates that his company’s contract on this job is
in four phases. Phase one saw the renovation of the existing building where three acoustically treated and soundproof studio rooms were created. The second phase saw the installation of the ProTools HD recording studio, while phase three involved installing a digital On Air broadcast studio. Phase four is to incorporate the installation of an STL linking the station to a 1 kW FM transmission system that will be set up on the roof of a nearby tall building.
Transmission and equipment Antennas to be used include a two-stack stainless steel wideband dipole array manufactured by BSE of Cape Town. To safeguard against poor transmission possibilities, Buck states that the antenna support tower will be installed on a roof in an elevated part of Maputo city. “The exact location is still to be confirmed but
obviously we need to get as high as possible to avoid signal shadowing,” he stresses. The equipment used on this project has been sourced from a variety of established and internationally reputable manufacturers such as Audioarts, Tascam, Telos, Electrovoice and BSI. Buck and his team installed Mozambique’s first ProTools HD system with Avid C24 control surface. This was supplied complete with a selection of musical instruments and a comprehensive array of software instruments and plug-in. The recording studio is capable of producing extremely high quality musical recordings and will play an important part in developing the local music sector. The broadcast studio is centred around an Audioarts digital console with automation handled by BSI Siman software. A Lynx multichannel AES digital audio card interfaces with the Audioarts console to provide four stereo digital playout streams and one digital
According to Buck the spectrum in Maputo is congested and not particularly well monitored or regulated. “The roof tops of most tall buildings are cluttered with transmission towers and in many cases the installations are quite chaotic! Most transmitters are used for UHF radio links, FM radio, terrestrial TV and WiFi links.” He highlights that the project currently faces challenges in locating a suitable transmission site at a realistic price, since many landlords charge exorbitant rates and cash in on the demand for rooftop transmission sites in the city.
Technical difference As he has done similar work before in Mozambique, Buck points out that this current project stands out owing to the high level technical input: “Over the years I have personally overseen the installation of around 18 community radio stations in all parts of Mozambique, mostly in rural areas. The current project is quite different in that it will be an urban service and the technical solutions are somewhat more complex and sophisticated than the average community radio station. “As far as I am aware this building will house the first digital broadcast studio and HD recording facility in Mozambique. The broadcast facility is supported by the Johns Hopkins Foundation and will be recognised as a centre of excellence in broadcasting,” he adds.
In less than two years, web television operator MeTV has acquired over 1 500 hours of African films – and the catalogue is growing. MeTV Africa’s chief marketing officer Tongai Ndavambi describes MeTV as a Johannesburg-based African operator motivated to make content from the continent easily accessible around the globe. “At the same time we are growing the industry by developing a new business model. We’ve gone from chasing producers for films to having producers approach us with experimental content suitable for the web. “Initially it was a process of explaining
our concept and how they (producers) would benefit. The traditional model of distributing content has crippled the industry,” says Ndavambi, who founded the company together with Nyasha Mutsekwa (chief executive officer) and Sipho Ngwenya (chief technology officer). MeTV Africa’s target audience seeks African stories told through African eyes by African voices. Sixty-five percent of the viewership comes from South Africa, 15% from Kenya and 10% from Nigeria, with the balance from around the globe.
Web television context According to Ndavambi, many producers won’t produce the same quality of content for web television as they do for traditional television. Another issue is bandwidth cost constraints in Africa, which means most web television viewers will not watch long shows. “In terms of sourcing web television content, we’ve seen that some producers hoard content just so that nobody else can access it unless through them, such as
catalogue owners,” says Ndavambi. Compared to other television models, web television is cheaper in the sense that an operator doesn’t require a studio or a technical team to schedule and enable broadcasts. There are however costs for relevant staff such as developers as well as the cost of web hosting. Currently MeTV Africa streams content from South Africa and the African diaspora. Content ranges from shorts, documentaries, animation and reality shows to events. August 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 49
Ratings & STATS | May 2012 This monthly feature selects prominent local productions and ranks them in terms of audience ratings (ARs). Selected foreign programmes are shown only for comparison. ARs are weighted over the period of transmission and the number of transmissions during the calendar month. Data is supplied by the South African Advertising Research Foundation and processed by Interactive Market Systems (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd.
Audience Ratings
Frequency
Channel
May 2012 AR
April 2012 AR
3
2.8
3.2
W
e
5.0
7.8
S5
2
7.8
7.7
3 Talk
Talk
15:30
M-F
3rd Degree
Actu
21:30
Tue
7de Laan
Soap
18:30
M-F
Binneland
Dram 18:30 M-F S5 K
Carte Blanche
Maga 19:00
Sun
W M
1.0
1.0
Fokus
Actu
Sun
W
4.3
5.5
Generations
Soap 20:00 M-F S5 1 21.8 22.9
Gospel Gold
Musi
Inkaba
Dram 20:30 M-T S4 MM 0.3 0.3
Date Genre AR 02/05/2012 Soap 5.8 18/05/2012 Soap 5.6
Isidingo:The Need
Soap
18:30
M-F
S5
3
4.7
4.9
Jam Alley
Vari
18:30
Fri
W
1
6.6
5.8
Live Lotto Draw
Quiz
21.30
W/S S2
2
5.5
5.4
06/05/2012 Docu 01/05/2012 Soap 20/05/2012 Docu
Morning Live
Maga 06:00
M-F
2
1.7
1.9
Muvhango
Dram 21:00 M-T S4 2 10.0 9.2
News at Seven
News 19:00
Date Genre AR 10/05/2012 Soap 24.7 08/05/2012 Dram 17.5 21/05/2012 Dram 16.9 25/05/2012 Dram 15.2 02/05/2012 Sport 15.1
Date Genre AR 15/05/2012 Dram 13.2 27/05/2012 Sitc 10.9 29/05/2012 Vari 9.5 23/05/2012 Soap 8.8 11/05/2012 Dram 8.7
5.3 5.1 5.1
Name
Day/s
SABC3 Rank Programme 1 Days Of Our Lives 2 Isidingo: The Need 3 National Geographic – Mystery Fish Of The Moose 4 7de Laan – R 5 National Geographic-Prehistoric Hunters
S5
Start Time
SABC2 Rank Programme 1 Muvhango 2 Stokvel 3 Powerball 4 7de Laan 5 Bophele Ke Semphego III
The cream of the local productions Genre
The top five programmes
SABC1 Rank Programme 1 Generations 2 Montana 3 Zone 14 4 Tshisa 5 Soccer Build-Up
Pasella M-Net Rhythm City Rank Programme Date Genre AR 1 Fast Five 20/05/2012 Movi 1.7 Scandal 2 Carte Blanche 20/05/2012 Actu 1.1 Selimathunzi 3 CSI Miami 22/05/2012 Dram 0.9 Special Assignment 4 Limitless 27/05/2012 Movi 0.9 The Wild 5 Desperate Housewives 17/05/2012 Dram 0.8 e.tv Rank Programme Date Genre AR 1 Rhythm City 24/05/2012 Dram 13.4 2 Boa vs. Python 06/05/2012 Movi 12.3 3 Anaconda 13/05/2012 Movi 12.1 4 Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid 20/05/2012 Movi 12.0 5 News 10/05/2012 News 11.9
We feature the top five shows viewed for each of the channels.
Sun
W
S5
Daily D
2
e
5.0
8.2
5.6
8.1
Maga 19:30 W W 2 4.4 4.8 Soap
18:30
M-F
S5
e
11.7 11.6
Dram 19:30 M-T S4 e
9.3 9.7
Vari 18:30 Wed W 1
6.0 5.8
Actu
3
1.5
1.5
Dram 19:00
M-T
S4
M
0.1
0.1
Top Billing
Maga 20:00
Tue
W
2
2.7
2.9
Villa Rosa
Dram 18:00
M-F
S5
K
0.8
0.8
21:10
Yo-TV Y-Ent Vari Vari D e 1.8 1.6
Top foreign shows Days of Our Lives
Soap
17:10
M-F
S5
1
5.1
4.3
WWE Wrestling Smackdown
Spor
20:30
W
W
e
5.6
6.1
The Bold and the Beautiful
Soap
18:00
M-F
S5
1
7.1
3.4
• Television Universe estimated at 5.232 million households. • One ratings point of all viewers represents about 145 590 viewers
The Collective Dream laboratory in Cape Town and the FILM LAB @ Media Film Service have chosen not to release statistics at this stage. The Johannesburg Lab has just finished processing Strike Back 111 (British television production) and is now busy with Long Walk to Freedom. In this period no commercials were processed and only one documentary. Bulk printing reveals that no features were printed; there were 830 trailers and 1 397 commercials. This is well down on the previous month and the lowest level year to date. Media Move reports 965 transfers of commercials in June which is down on the previous month, while Adstream reports 780 which is up on last month. We would like to thank the Johannesburg Laboratory, Media Move and Adstream for the information they have supplied to us. We make no attempt to identify the title of the production, or the
Vari
2
Wed W
Key: Day/s refers to the day or days of the week the programme is transmitted. Frequency refers to how often it is transmitted D=Daily, W=Weekly, S (followed by a number) indicates a series of that number of episodes. Key to genres: Actu: Actuality, Docu: Documentary, Dram: Drama, Educ: Education, Maga: Magazine, Musi: Music, News: News, Quiz: Game Show, Real: Real life, Reli: Religion, Sitc: Sitcom, Soap: Soap, Spor: Sport, Vari: Variety, Y.Ent: Youth Entertainment,
Film Lab Stats
18:30
1.0 0.9
The above represents a selection of programmes only, and is calculated on the total calendar month’s weighted average of the total audience over all age groups. If you want a particular programme included please contact Enid Venter on +27 (0)11 339-1051 or email enid@ihjoburg.co.za. The purpose of the schedule is to show the types of programmes South African audiences view, and to what extent.
Statistics for June 2012 Through the labs: Johannesburg Features 2
Shorts Commercials 0 0
Doccies 16mm 35mm 1 1 2
Commercials submitted to broadcasters via: Media Move: 965
Adstream: 780
production house or any other information as this is often confidential information – we simply supply the numbers. We rely on the co-operation of broadcasters, suppliers of commercial material to broadcasters and local film laboratories for information however at the moment local broadcasters are not forthcoming in providing these vital statistics. Efforts will continue to be made to build on this statistical data base in order to improve the accuracy, and should readers have comments or other ideas in terms of statistic gathering, please send an e-mail to: web@screenafrica.com. Your comments would be appreciated.
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RAI Amsterdam
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IBC2012 IBC2012 Discover More Discover More Discover More IBC2012 Discover More RAI Amsterdam
Conference 6-11 September : Exhibition 7-11 September
is at the cutting-edge of new technology in the IBC is at theIBC cutting-edge of new technology in the rapidly evolving electronic media industry. It couples rapidly evolving electronic media industry. Itincouples IBC is at theacutting-edge ofexhibition new technology the of comprehensive covering all facets arapidly comprehensive exhibition covering all facets of evolving electronic media industry. It couples today’s industry with a highly respected peer reviewed today’s industry with athat highly respected peer reviewed conference helps shape the way theof industry a comprehensive exhibition covering all facets conference that helps in shape the way the industry will develop the future. today’s industry with a highly respected peer reviewed will develop in the future. conference that helps shape the way theinindustry IBC is at the cutting-edge ofanew the including: Take advantage of varietytechnology of extra special features will develop inelectronic the future. rapidly evolving media industry. It couples
• IBC Production Village • Future Zoneof extra special features Take advantage of a variety including: a comprehensive exhibition covering all facets of presenting the latest camera showcasing the latest developments Take advantage of a variety of extra special features including: today’s industry with a highly respected peer reviewed in broadcast technology technology in a purpose built environment Village that helps shape the way the industry Future Zone IBC Production •conference • • Future Zone • IBC Connected World • IBC Production Village showcasing thethe latest developments presenting the latest camera will develop in future. including demonstration area presenting• the IBClatest Awards Ceremony showcasing latest developments camera in broadcastthe technology technology in a purpose built in Hall 14 acknowledges those who have made in broadcast technology technology in a purpose built environment a real contribution to the industry IBC Connected World •Take advantage of•aIBC variety of extra special features including: Big Screen environment hosted on Sunday 9 September • IBC Connected World thearea including demonstration providing perfect platform • IBC Awards Ceremony • Future Zone • IBC Production Village in Hall 14demonstration acknowledges those who have made including area demonstrations • IBC Awards Ceremony for manufacturer showcasing the latest developments presenting the latestcontribution camera a real to themade industry in Hall 14 acknowledges those who have and the Saturday Night Movie • IBC Big Screen technology inhosted a purpose built in broadcast technology on Sunday 9 September a real contribution to the industry providing the perfect platform • IBC Big Screen hosted on Sunday 9 September forConnected manufacturer demonstrations environment • IBC World providing the perfect platform and the Saturday Night Movie • IBC Awards Ceremony including demonstration area for manufacturer demonstrations acknowledges those who have made in Hall 14 and the Saturday Night Movie a real contribution to the industry
• IBC Big Screen providing the perfect platform for manufacturer demonstrations and the Saturday Night Movie
hosted on Sunday 9 September
www.ibc.org IBC Fifth Floor International Press Centre 76 Shoe Lane London EC4A 3JB UK T +44 (0) 20 7832 4100 F +44 (0) 20 7832 4130 E info@ibc.org
www.ibc.org IBC Fifth Floor International Press Centre 76 Shoe Lane London EC4A 3JB UK www.ibc.org T +44 (0) 20 7832 4100 F +44 (0) 20 7832 4130 E info@ibc.org IBC Fifth Floor International Press Centre 76 Shoe Lane London EC4A 3JB UK T +44 (0) 20 7832 4100 F +44 (0) 20 7832 4130 E info@ibc.org
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P R O D U C T I O N U P D A T E S FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT www.screenafrica.com
real IT
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Those productions in red are newly listed this month Production Updates Order of Information 1. Title 2. Production Company 3. Director 4. Genre
C A M E R A S • M O N I T O R S • P L A S M A D I G I TA L M I X E R S • 3 D • P R O J E C T O R S
Avmark Systems cc Digital - Broadcast & AV Systems Unit 5 Bryanston Gate 170 Curzon Rd, Bryanston South Africa Tel: +27 (11) 463-3167/8 Fax: +27 (11) 463-2534 Email:avmark@icon.co.za
IN DEVELOPMENT 80 MINUTES
Av m Pa
nas
ark Systems
d mite Unli cialists e
onic B ro a d c a s t S p
Authorised Distributor
www.avmarksystems.co.za
Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature Drama
A LION IN THE BEDROOM
Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature
DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature Genius
GOUE STERRE
DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature
GRIZMEK
International Radio Pictures Kit Reynolds TV Series
Inhlakanipo Films Dir: Dumisani Vusi Nhlapo Short Film Suite People TVP Prod: Bell Curle TV Series Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature HISTORICAL KIMBERLEY
At The Creek Without A Paddle
Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature
BAD MEDICINE
Imageworks Prod: Anthony Irving Documentary
Izithulu Productions Exec Prod: Donovan Mulligan / Mike Westcott Short Film BLAST FROM THE PAST
Sirius Films Prod: Ian Manly Documentary
BODA BODA THIEVES
Yes That’s Us Prod: James Tayler Feature
BREAD AND WATER
Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature Documentary
IIQ
IK1 – TOURISTS IN DANGER
Inventing Africa
KADU’S JOURNEY
DO Productions Prods: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature
CHILLI CHICKS
International Radio Pictures, Inc Kit Reynolds TV series COILED
DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature
LION GIRL
DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën TV Feature Lonely Plannet
Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhanhla Ncube Documentary Nongoloza
Current Affairs Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature
Palace of the Faithless
Production Company: White Heron Pictures Dir: Themba Sibeko Feature PASSARES (BIRDISH)
do good design south africa
Panache Video Productions Dir: Liesel Eiselen Corporate
Gaonakgang Film Productions and Publications Writ: George Phuthiyagae Documentary ESCAPE
Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Beata Lipman Feature Film Ex Pats
Current Affrairs Films / French Connection Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Drama series
SuitePeople TVP Bell Curle Documentary
WAY TO ROLL
Blue Ice Productions Dir: Freddie Strauss Feature
WARD 22 AKA SPECIAL OPS
DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Documentary Welcome To The Club
Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature ZERO DIET
ZEBRAS
PRE-PRODUCTION Chabela Day Spa
NEW BEGINNINGZ
DAISY
ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION
VULTURE KILLING FIELDS
Brett Michael Innes Films Prod: Brett Michael Innes Historical feature film
Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate
Concept Interaction Prod: Karl Fedderke Educational
Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Game Show / Entertainment Series
MUTI DOT MOBI
CONSERVATION & BEYOND
Bamboo Media (PTY) LTD Dir: Marguelette Louw Feature Film
The Scores Are In
Grey Cloud Production Dir: Jacques Brand Information Video
White Heron Pictures / Casa De Criacao Cinema Prod: Themba Sibeko Feature
SuitePeople TVP Prod: Bell Curle Documentary
Elle Bolt Productions Prod: Elle Bolt Reality Series
DO Productions Dir: Bruce Beresford Feature
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature Film
THE FILM MAKER
Curious Pictures SABC Comedy Series
LEARNER TEACHERS
Vuleka Productions. Prod / Dir: Julie Frederikse / Madoda Ncayiyana Feature Film
CHILDREN OF FAMOUS ACTIVISTS
THE EDGE
Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature
BREAKDOWN
Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature
THE CONSEQUENCE
Sabstance Productions Producer: Edmund Mhlongo Documentary
DYINGCRACY
Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature
Bollysamo Pictures / Apeiro Productions Prod Man: Carolyn Gregorowski Feature
Steve Radebe Post Productions Prod:Steve Radebe Feature Film
Current Affairs Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Mtutuzeli Matshoba Feature
AMKA CORPORATE
Bagged
52 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
tHE blood kIng and the red dragon
Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature
Inkwasi Television Prod: Bell Curle TV Magazine
Tin Rage TV Production Dir: Enver Samuel Documentary
Follow us on
FORSAKEN
AMABHUBESI
Zen Crew Exec prod: Laura Tarling Documentary
SCREENAFRICA
The Black Blonde
SWiTCH / Resonance Bazar Prods: James Tayler / Julia Raynham Film
Spike Productions Prod: Steve Mueller Bsc. Documentary
Panache Video Productions Exec Prod: Haroon Kalla Corporate
Unit C5 RobeRtville Mini FaCtoRies 255 nadine stReet RobeRtville RoodepooRt 1709
FOR THE NEW CITY – DANCE ON FILM
RAF INDUCTION VIDEO
ROAD ACCIDENT FUND INDUCTION
Die Verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer
Elegy: forsaken in South Africa
Market Street Productions Prod: Paul Van Zyl Short film
Holidays for Madmen
Imageworks Prod: Anthony Irving TV Series
IMATU UNION VIDEO
FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video LET HEAVEN WAIT
Revolution real entertainment Prod/Dir: Deon Potgieter Sitcom Mandela
Synergy Films Drama / Documentary
MASTERS OF DREAMS
Current Affairs Films / Hambrook Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Documentary MISTIFY
MPA (Motswako) Dir: Charls Khuele / Zuko Nodada Feature
Gleam studios/ Wilddogs productions Prod/Dir: Sonja Ter Horst / Johnny Swanepoel Independent short film
Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Short Business Features
Panache Video Productions Prod/Dir: Liesel Eiselen Genre: Corporate.
SEBOKENG
SHORT BUSINESS FEATURE WITH BBC / ABC
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SOUTH AFRICA
SUPERMAMA
ONE LAST LOOK
SWANK!
PSALTED
GoogelPlex Productions Dir: Karen van Schalkwyk Feature International Radio Pictures Prod: D Gillard Musical
Fireworx Media Prod: Dan Jawitz / Philip Roberts Feature Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Variety
P R O D U C T I O N U P D A T E S RATE MY PLATE
International Radio Pictures Exec Prod: Kit Reynolds Community Project Si-solutions
International Radio Pictures Exec Prod: Kit Reynolds Community Project SA’S GOT TALENT
Rapid Blue Prod/Dir: Kee-Leen Irvine Reality SAFE IN THE CITY
Imani Media Comedy
SLENDER WONDER INFORMATION VIDEO
Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Information Video
TALK OF THE TOWN
SuitePeople TV Productions Bell Curle TV Series The Black Out
Dithakeng Projects and Flms Exec Prod: Thabang Nkunyane Short Film THE LOST ANGEL
Inhlakanipho Films Dir: vusi dumisani nhlapo Feature Film
TO CARE FOR YOU ALWAYS
Noble Pictures Prod: Claudia Noble Short Film TRUE DREAM
South African Great Movies Production Dir: John Wani Feature THE MESSENGER
Spirit Word Ministries/Footprint Media Academy Exec Prod: Annalise Van Rensburg Series VKB LANDBOU BEPERK
FC Hamman Films PM: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video
ALL ACCESS
Homebrew Films Prods: Paul Venter/ Hannes van Wyk / Tammy Anne Fortuin Magazine Show AMBUSH ALLEY
NHU Africa Exec Prod: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary
ANIMAL COMMUNICATION
NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Awesome Africa
Steplite Films Dir: Jacqui Logie Tv Series
barbour and thorne: 60 years strong
Our Time Productions Dir: Juan de Meilon Corporate Video
BBC PLANET EARTH LIVE
Wild Images Dir: James Smith, Tim Scoones, Roger Webb Documentary
3 Talk
Urban Brew Talk Show
3RD DEGREE
e.tv Investigative TV series 50 50
Clive Morris Productions Current Affairs
A 400 year old bestseller – The King James Version of the Bible
Eugene Botha Productions / It’s a Wrap Productions Prod: Eugene Botha Documentary ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE 5
Endemol South Africa Reality
ANGLO GOLD ASHANTI SAFETY SERIES
SummerTime Productions Prod/Dir: Sean Gardiner Corporate
Firefly Animation Prod: Ant Steel Animation Short Bonisanani
Kagiso TV Talk Show
BOPSY BUNNY
Firefly Animation Studio Exec Prod: Antony Steel Short Films
Carte Blanche (inserts)
Modern Times Prods: S Phirippides / J Pienaar Documentary Talent Attack TV / Fuel Media Productions Prod: Paul Llewellyn Documentary Series
New Vision Pictures and S2 Multimedia Exec prod: Dineo Ranaka Reality
The Communist Republic of South Africa
Jam TV, Creative South Africa, Nkhanyeti Production Prod: Barthelemy Ngwessam Documentary
Codesign – commercial spot for furniture designers
SWiTCH Dir – James Tayler Commercial
Cooking With Siba Cool Cats
CORTEX MINING
Come Dine with Me South Africa
Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine Reality Cutting Edge
AFROX AFRICA INSIGHT EPS 4
AFROX YEAREND RESULT
Jan Scholtz Productions Prod: Jan Scholtz Series
Gabaza Productions Prod: Sarah Ngubeni Magazine
Alex: A history from below
Uhuru Productions Dir: Rehad Desai Documentary
HEAVEN – Africa
Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature Hectic 99
THE DR MOL SHOW HOUSE CALL
Imizwilili
Ukhamba Communications Music Inkaba
Urban Brew Studios Prod: John Kani Telenovela INSIDE STORY
Curious Pictures / Discovery Channel Dir: Rolie Nikiwe Feature ISIDINGO
Endemol South Africa Dirs: Raymond Sargent / Johnny Barbazano Daily TV Drama IT’S MY BIZ
DINEO’S DIARY: A MOGUL IN THE MAKING
Dzunde Productions Prod: Thandiwe Mashiyane TV Sitcom
Agape
Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Wildlife
Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Variety Show
Bonngoe Productions Prod: Tumi Rabanye Variety
SABC News Current Affairs
FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video
GROEN
Club Culture
AFRO SHOWBIZ NEWS
FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video
Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Music Show
Urban Brew Studios Reality business makeover series
AFRICA 360
SABC News International Exec Prod: Jody-Layne Surtie TVMagazine
Gospel GOLD
Bopsy Bunny
FC Hamman Films PM: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video
Bonngoe Productions Exec Prod: Pepsi Pokane Music Show
FC Hamman Films Prod: FC Hamman Corporate Video
Izwe Multimedia / Urban Brew Series Prod: Annalie Potgieter Live Medical Talk Show
AFRICA FACTS SEASON 3
AFRO CAFÉ SEASON 7
GNLD AFRICA CONVENTION
Prods: Michael Mol Magazine
Stark Films Dir: Danie Joubert TV Drama
Red Pepper Exec Prod: Cecil Berry Children’s Show
eNews News Head: Patrick Conroy Current affairs
Morula Pictures Exec Prod: Mfundi Vundla Soapie
BINNELAND
Endemol South Africa Reality show
Prod: Siba Mtongana Variety
Lebapi Productions Dir: Daniel Moleabatsi TV Magazine
GENERATIONS
Big Brother StarGame
ABC AMERICA NEWS SPECIAL ON MANDELA
Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature News Special
Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Palesa Mopeli Variety
Okuhle Media Prod: Wilna van Schalkwyk Magazine Show
Child Geniuses
IN PRODUCTION
FRENZY
DADDY’S MESS
DIE VIERDE KABINET
DIY Met Riaan
Prods: Riaan Venter-Garforth Magazine EASTERN MOSAIC
Red Carpet Productions Magazine Programme Freeway Frog
Firefly Animation Prod: Ant Steel Animation Short
JOU SHOW MET EMO en Wickus
Judge For You Self
eNews Current Affairs
Laugh out Loud
Exec Prod: Rapulana Seiphemo Comedy Khumbul’ekhaya
Urban Brew Prod: Enel Viljoen Reality Live
Urban Brew Music Show
Live Lotto Show
Urban Brew Game Show
Maggs on Media
eNews Prod: Jeremy Maggs Current Affairs
MASSMART CSI REPORT
SummerTime Productions Prod/Dir: Roxanne Rolando/Sean Gardiner Corporate Million Dollar Race
Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature MK Campus
Homebrew Films Prods: Jaco Loubser / Ben Heyns Student Show
MZANSI LOVE
Fireworx Media Dirs: Myrto Makrides, Mmabatho Montsho, Neo Ntlantleng, Zamo Mkhwanazi Anthology series Music Moves Me
Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Music Show News Night
eNews Prods: Nikiwe Bikitsha Current Affairs
NIGCOMSAT – TELEVISION COMMERCIAL SERIES
SWiTCH Prod: Sarah Wanjiku Muhoho Commercial Nomzamo
Tom Pictures / Authentic Images Comedy
Asi-B Films Exec Prod: Asivhanzi ‘Asi’ Mathaba Kids ROCKING FUTURE
Summertime Productions Prods: Sean Gardiner / Tanya Vandenberg Educational Video ROER
Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Cooking Show Roots
Ukhamba Communications Music Show
SANPARKS YOUTH & PARKS
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Ochre Moving Pictures Series Prod: Romano Gorlei Daily TV Soap
PASELLA
Sikhoyana Productions Prod: Baby Joe Correira variety series
PEACE PARKS
Dirk Mostert Camera Production Dir: Dirk Mostert Talk Show
Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Current Affairs
Plexus Films Prod: Miki Redelinghuys Corporate Film
Tswelopele Productions Insert Dirs: Liani Maasdorp / Werner Hefer TV Magazine Programme NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson/ Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Series POPCRU 7TH CONGRESS
Penguin Films Exec Prods: Roberta Durrant Drama Series
Mixed Motion Entertainment Dir: Dieter Gottert Sport – Martial Arts & Combat
Carol Bouwer Productions Prod: Vesko Mrdjen Talk Show
Zen Crew Prod: Laura Tarling Music Video
Word of Mouth Prod: Pieter Grobbelaar Feature
Eugene Botha Productions / It’s a Wrap Productions Prod: Eugene Botha Documentary
Montana 2
POWER COMBAT ZONE
MOTSWAKO
Project MV
MUVHANGO
Religion and the ANC
Bonngoe Productions Exec Prod: Pepsi Pokane TV Magazine
Rivoningo
ONS MENSE
Moja Movie Factory Sitcom
MZANSI INSIDER
Curious Pictures / e.tv Prod: Viva Liles-Wilkin Interactive Platform Media
Francois Odendaal Productions Prod/Dir: Francois Odendaal Genre: Natural History TV Series
FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Event
MOFEREFERE LENYALONG
RHYTHM CITY INTERACTIVE
RHYTHM CITY
Curious Pictures Prod: Yula Quinn Soapie
SCANDAL
SELIMATUNZI
SAKEGESPREK MET THEO VORSTER
Ses’khona
Tswelopele Productions Prod: Phuthi Ngwenya Magazine SHIZ NIZ
Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Allen Makhubele Variety Shift
Urban Brew Talk show
S.I.E.S (SOCIAL IMPACT AND EMPOWERMENT STRATEGY)
Penguin Films Dirs: Roberta Durrant and James Ngcobo Sitcom SISTERHOOD
Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Vuyo Sokupa Variety
Siyakholwa – We Believe
X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Edutainment
August 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 53
P R O D U C T I O N U P D A T E S SKETCH U LATER
WEEKEND LIVE
Soccer 411
When The World Was Here
Chris Morris Productions Dir: Genna Lewis Comedy series
general post the finest freelance post-production & creative crew editors * researchers * animators * visual effects artists storyboard artists * directors * sound engineers * writers post-production producers & supervisors
ALSO offering flexible, cost-effective post-production solutions for the commercials industry tel: 0860 111 553 fax: +27 11 706 7949 bookings@generalpost.co.za www.generalpost.co.za after hours emergency number: 076 225 9173
Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Magazine
Sony Variety
Spirit Sundae
STEPS International Exec Prod: Don Edkins Documentary Series
STRANDED
SABC3 Lefa Afrika Magazine
Sony Presents Mgongo
New Wave Productions Prod: Mishkah Roman-Cassiem Spiritual NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary STUDIO 53
M-Net Inhouse Productions Insert Dir: Navan Chetty Mag Programme TASOL “Old Geezer”
Bragge Film & TV Dir: Guy Bragge Commercial
The Chat Room
Eclipse Prod: Thokozani Nkosi Talk Show The Cypher
Workers World Series
Cape Town Television Prod: Sharon McKinnon TV Series WORLDSOUTH
Leago Afrikan Arts Foundation Dir: Sakhile Gumbi Documentary Xihlovo
Grace Bible Church Religion
Yilengelo Lakho
Prod: Nndanganeni Mudau Current Affairs Zone 14
The Bomb Shelter Prod: Angus Gibson Drama
POST-PRODUCTION
GETROUD MET RUGBY SEASON 4
Bottom Line Productions Dir: Jozua Malherbe Series HARTLAND
Bottomline Entertainment / Fix Post Production Michael Modena TV Drama Hong Kong
Media Village Prod: Diane Vermooten Documentary INTEL HISTORY
Bragge Film & TV Dir: Guy Bragge Corporate IQILI
Impucuzeko Prod: Sharon Kakora Feature
Israel Inside (Working Title)
Imagination Productions / Wayne Kopping Films Dir: Wayne Kopping Documentary Kemang?
lmol Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature Film
JULIUS HAS A DREAM
Creative South Africa, Nkanyethi Productions,Jam TV Prod: Bathelemy Ngwessam Documentary
Launch of the Academy of Young SA Scientists
eNews Exec Prod: Debbie Meyer Current Affairs
A BUSHMAN ODYSSEY
LIFE UNDER THE FLAG
AFRICA CALLING
LION’S TRACK
AFROX CO2 PLANT
LOVE ABOVE ALL
AFROX SHEQ INDUCTION
MARRY – ANN
ALL’S FAIR
Melodi Jazz Festival 2011
AMBASSADOR II
MICROSOFT 365
Animal Doctor (Working Title)
National Heritage Council Educational Outreach Programme
Bragge Film& TV Dir: Guy Bragge Infomercials
Phoenix Rising...The Business of Style
Onetime Films Prod: Richard Wicksteed Documentary
THE RUDIMENTALS
Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature
THE STORY OF LITTLE FOOT
FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video
The Tech Report
FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Commercial
THE WILD
PianoJ Productions Prod: Pia van Rensburg Short Film
Periphery Films Prod: Simon Taylor Feature Documentary Paul Myburgh Film Prod: Paul Myburgh Documentary
Greenwall Productions Exec Prod: Nicky Greenwall Magazine Magic Factory Exec Prod: Bobby Heaney Daily TV Soap
TRANSFORMATION STORIES
Media Village Productions Dir: Diane Vermooten Documentary
THE TRANSPORTERS
Sukuma Media/ Reality Motion Pictures Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Documentary THERE ARE NO HEROES
AFDA Cape Town Dir: Kyle Stevenson Science Fiction TOP BILLING
Tswelopele Productions Prod: Patience Stevens TV Magazine Top 10 at 10
Don’t Look Down Radio/TV Simulcast
TOUCHING THE DRAGON
NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary
Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature
Animal Doctor cc. Prods: Greg Simpson, Jonty Acton TV Series
Bally Cullen Guesthouse Ad
Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate Bitter Root
Imageworks Dir: Kerry Negara Documentary BUA NNETE
Owami Entertainment Dir: Charles Khuele Short Film
Firstfruits media Dir: Nthabiseng Gamede Feature Film Shadow Films Dir: David Forbes Documentary
L. Dukashe Productions Dir: Lumko Dukashe Live Concert DvD Bragge film & TV Dir-Guy Bragge Corporate
Panache Video Productions Exec Prod: Amos Mlaudzi Corporate PERFECT SHISHEBO
Curious Pictures Prod: Nthabiseng Mokoena AFP – Cooking Show PURPLE TOWN
Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Documentary RESTYLE MY STYLE
Curious Pictures Prod: Anita van Hemert Children’s Programming River of Stones
SCAREDYKAT
Verraaiers (Traitors)
VKB BRANDING LAUNCH
NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary
VILLA ROSA
Imani Media Dir: Peter Heaney TV Drama
Spectro Productions Dirs: Luhann Jansen / Andries van der Merwe/ Leroux Botha/ Isabel Smit TV Drama
Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature
DEAR SISTER
Media Village Prod: Debbie Matthee Short Film
FC Hamman Films Prod: FC Hamman Corporate Video
Lifeundertheflag.Com Prod: Prince Angelo Doyle Documentary
Prod: Wiseman Mabusela Documentary
Turn It Out
White Heron Pictures/Film Factory / Bos Bok Ses Films / Spier Films Dir: Paul Eihlers Drama
Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Documentary
Calafornia: Valley Christian School Transformation
Media Village Prod: Diane Vermooten Documentary
Fuel Media Productions Dir: Ben Brewster Dance Reality show
54 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
Wicket to Wicket
Content House/Shadow Films Producer / Director: Jackie Lebo/ David Forbes Documentary
4LIFE NETWORK
Phoenix Entertainment and Production Prod/Dir: Koketso Sefanyetso Reality Docu-tainment
SCREENAFRICA
Why Poverty?
FROM GUN TO TAPE
Spoon Fed Generation Lerato Letebele Talk show
The Justice Factor
us on
Why are We so Angry?
Fuel Media Productions Dir: Scott Smith, Shaft Moropane Documentary Series
SABC Commissioning Ed: Dinah Mahlabegoane Variety
SCREENAFRICA
Fuel Media Productions Dir: Mzilikazi Kumalo Documentary Series
SABCSports Head: Sizwe Nzimande Magazine
Soccer zone
The B-Ball Show
Join us on
SABC News Current Affairs
DRAGON’S FEAST 3D
ERFSONDES
Freedom Park installations
Kevin Harris Productions Dir: Nadiva Schraibman Documentary
SA JUNIOR MASTERS
Our Time Productions Dir: Jaun de Meillon Series on SuperSport
Dirty Soul Productions Dir: Kyle Lewis Horror Feature Film
SCHOOL E-WASTE INITIATIVE/ DESCO/ INCREDIBLE CONNECTION
Philip Schedler Productions Prod: Philip Schedler Corporate SLENDER WONDER
FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video South african Field Band Foundation Championships
Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Documentary
P R O D U C T I O N U P D A T E S STETSON HATS
Fourth Dimension Films / Creative Photo Services Dir: Neil Hermann Corporate
BLITZ PATROLLIE
Lepelle Northern Water
CHAMELEON
Lepelle Water Safety Induction
Diprente Films Prod: Kagiso Lediga Feature
Prod: Eric Myeni Feature
NHU Africa Exec Prod: Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary
Benchmark Productions Dir: Dermod Judge Corporate
NHU Africa Exec Prod: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary
Stolen Time
Tanzanian Investment Opportunities
echnology Innovation Agency CEO Address
Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate Technorati
Talent Attack TV / Fuel Media Productions Dir: Maxine Nel Technology Magazine Show The Animal Communicator
NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary TO THE POWER OF ANNE
FX Productions Prod / Dir: Robert Haynes TV Series TREASURE GUARDS
Tandem Communications Exec Prod: Jonas Bauer / Rola Bauer Feature Triple O
Monarchy Prod: Mosibudi Pheeha Feature
CHEETAH DIARIES 3
Child On-Line Protection Week
Imageworks Dir: Anthony Irving TV ad
CHINESE SCHOOL, PRETORIA
Video clip productions/Panache video productions. Prod/ dir Rudi Kruger/Liesel Eiselen. Corporate. DANGEROUS TRAILS – ELEPHANTS IN THE MINEFIELDS
NHU Africa Exec Prod: Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary
SummerTime Productions Prod/Dir: Tanya Vandenberg Corporate
WALKING IN VICTOR’S SHOES
Current Affairs Films SA Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature Documentary
COMPLETE AFRICA CALLING
Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature
AFRI-INFRA OVERVIEW 2010
Panache Video Productions Dir: Adele de Klerk Corporate
AFROX AFRICA INSIGHT EPS 3
FC Hamman Films PM: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video
All the president’s ELEPHANTS
NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Angels Of The Sky
CDS-Films Exec Prods: Chris Dos Santos, Andrew MacDonald Feature Film
AYESAN – FIGHT TO LOSE
National Heritage Council Educational Outreach Programme
September
PASEKA EASTER ELEPHANT
15 – 15
Bunt Onion Productions Prod: Rethabile Ramaphakela Comedy
Pananche Video Productions Documentary
Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival
21 – 23
25 – 28
FIRESTONE
SummerTime Productions Exec prod: Janine Truter Corporate
Food with Friends
Bragge film & tv Dir: guy bragge Commercial
Free State Balloon Fiesta
Our Time Productions Dir: Juan de Meillon Corprate
JAM ALLEY CREW VS CREW SEASON 2
Luna Films / On Land Productions Prods: Bridget Pickering / Richard Pakleppa Feature
Studio Republic Prod: Darren Kerr Talk Show
Imageworks Prod: Anthony Irving Corporate
Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Melody Xaba Music Reality Competition
GLAMOUR – THE REALITY BEHIND DREAMS
WOLWEDANS IN DIE SKEMER
Letcosmart Prod: Zibusiso Nkomo Feature
Mobile Entertainment Africa Conference
Cape Town http://entertainment-africa.com/wp/registration/
NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary
BIP Films Dir: BI Phakathi Feature Film
ZION
29 – 30
My Perfect family
Evocative AfricaVentures of Discovery
WELLBODI BIZNES
The Film Factory Dir: Jozua Malherbe Movie
Dzivha Production Exec Prod: Walter Gumbu Feature Film
ENDANGERED
ZG Films Prod: Javed Jafferji Feature
Plexus Films / Four Corners Media Prod: Miki Redelinghuys Documentary
Mutshenzhe
Edinburgh International Television Festival
Edinburgh www.mgeitf.co.uk
18 – 23 Africa In The Picture Film Festival
Vehicle 19
VIENNA BOYS’ CHOIR MUSIC STUDY TOUR
24 – 26
Summertime Productions Prod: Sean Gardiner / Tanya Vandenberg Educational Video
Creative Pictures / Genius Productions Dir: Vusi Dumisani Nhlapo Documentary
Street Smart Creative DOP: Peter Palmer Commercial
Media Village Prod: Debbie Matthee Documentary
Panache Video Productions Dir: Ryan Blumenthal Training
DUMISANI FILM TOUR
Vallejo Transformation
VERITAS
August
MENTALIST MARTIAL ARTS
Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor Feature Documentary
FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Three-day corporate event
Clifton Publications Gerald Cubitt Photographic book publication
Forefront Media Group / Pictue Tree / The Safran Company Exec Prod: Paul Walker Feature
SummerTime Productions Exec prod: Elaine Tribe Corporate
Dept of Social Development Congress
NHU Africa Exec Prod: Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Series
Media Village Prod: Diane Vermooten Corporate
Events |
NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary
TRUE DREAM ( Revised Version)
South African Great Movies Production Dir: John Wani Feature Film
SummerTime Productions Prod: Sean Gardiner Corporate
GULUVA
I Am Woman – Leap of Faith
Plexus Films and Lisa Chait Prod: L Groenewald, M Redelinghuys, L Chait Television Series
IMATU 3 DAY CONGRESS
FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Three-day Corporate Event
Israel Inside: How a Small Nation Makes a Big Difference
Jerusalemonlineu Prod: Raphael Shore Documentary
JOURNEY TO STATE HOUSE
ZG Films Prod: Javed Jafferji Documentary
JOURNEY INTO WILDERNESS
Tekweni TV Productions Prod: Sandra Herrington Documentary KAN EK SO LEEF
Liquid Gate Creative Studios Prod: Kobus Swart Music Video Ke mo fumane
StreTalk Productions Bobby Mokhema TV drama KING NAKI
Plexus Films Prod: Miki Redelinghuys Documentary
PROGRESS
ROCKING FUTURE
SAVING RHINO PHILA
Shoprite Showcase
SUZUKI “ Braveheart”
Kathmandu, Nepal www.kimff.org/ 15 – 23
Creative Week Cape Town
Cape Town www.theloerieawards.co.za/ Amsterdam http://africainthepicture.nl
The Loerie Awards
Cape Town www.theloerieawards.co.za/default.aspx?link=awards_background 9Th Abuja International Film Festival
Abuja, Nigeria www.abujafilmfestng.org/festival.html
October
Sweet Serinity
TASTE OF RAIN
TERMINATRYX – “Midnight” (The Awakening Remix)
Flamedrop Productions Prods: Paul André Blom, Sonja Ruppersberg Music Video TIMELAPSE
Team GR8 (for 48 HFP) Writers: Carl Roddam / Deon van der Merwe Short Film THE BETRAYAL
Shakarny Inovations Prod: James Kingston Feature
THE MEDUPI WAY
Panache Video Productions Exec Prod: Adele De Klerk Corporate
TOUCHING LIVES SEASON 2 GHANA
Launch Factory Dir: Spero Patricios TV Series
1–4
SABA AGM
Namibia 3–7
Shnit! – International Short Film Festival
Cape Town www.shnit.org/home-cape-town.html 5–7
Colchester Film Festival
Colchester, United Kingdom www.colchesterfilmfestival.com 13 – 21
Fcat Córdoba African Film Festival
Spain www.fcat.es/fcat_en/ 18 – 28
15Th UNAFF (United Nations Association Film Festival)
Palo Alto, Stanford University, East Palo Alto and San Francisco www.unaff.org// 19 – 21
Citizen Jane Film Festival
Columbia, Missouri www.citizenjanefilm.org/ 25 – 2 Nov Africa In Motion Film Festival
Edinburgh
Supreme Launch Video (Joe Public)
30 – 31
VISCOUNT DOWN
31 – 2 Nov Discop Africa
Fuel Media Productions Dir: Paul Llewellyn Corporate Msasa Enterprises Dir: Harmon Cusack Feature
WEC Projects Corporate Video
PSP Productions Dir: Philip Schedler Corporate
YOUR LOVE NEVER FAILS: FRED DE MEILLON
Our Time Productions Dir: Juan de Meillon Corprate ZAMA ZAMA
Kokamoya Productions Prod: Bertus van der Walt Feature
Ip&Tv Me And North Africa
Dubai http://iptv-mea.com/ Johannesburg www.discop.com/ci/pages/show/da7_index_en
November 27 – 28
My Content
Dubai www.mycontent.ae/ 27 – 6 Dec Cairo International Film Festival
Egypt www.cairofilmfest.org/
SMS Multimedia Inc Dir: Seyi Specialborn Akanbi Feature
AWOYE – RETRIBUTION
Sms Multimedia Line Prod: Temitope Akanbi Feature
Screen Africa relies on accuracy of information received and cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions which may occur. E-mail production updates to: online@sun-circle.co.za August 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 55
Social | Durban FilmMart Awards
Riaan Hendricks and Neil Brandt (director and producer of The Devil’s Lair), Isabel Arrate Fernandez (IDFA), Himesh Kar (WorldView), Anjali Nayar (producer of Logs of War), Jenna Cato Bass and David Horler (director and producer respectively of Flatland)
CFI representative Etienne Fiatte and Audrin Mathe of the Nambian Broadcasting Corporation with Joel Karekezi (director and producer of The Mercy of the Jungle)
Omar Khan, Sanjeev Singh (Videovision Entertainment), Sara Blecher and Imraan Jeeva
Durban Film Office head Toni Monty
Durban International Film Festival (DIFF)
Peter Rorvik (DIFF director), director Ntshavheni Wa Luruli (Elelwani) with lead actors Florence Masebe and Ashifashabba Muleya and producer Florian Schattauer
Kagiso Lediga, scriptwriter of Blitz Patrollie
NFVF CEO Zama Mkosi and actress Terry Pheto
Jury member Tsitsi Dangaremgba and Gcina Mhlophe
Planet RadioTV launch
Patrick ken Kalala (DRC), Ahmed Eighoneimy (Egypt), Steven Markovitz (South Africa) and Lesedi Moche (Encounters)
Actor Ronnie Nyakale (Snare)
Bryan Little (The African Cypher)
SuperSport OB4 HD launch
Steve Lauter and Francois van Zyl
Actor Hakeem Kae-Kazim
Jess Goedhals and Gerhard Strydom
Musician Khuli Chana and PRTV CEO Wale Akinlabi
Jason Dresser and Eileen Sandrock
Photo by Kobus loubser
MasterChef SA Finale at MondoVino Restaurant, Montecasino
Nigerian actor Tuvi James
PRTV COO Mabel Mabaso, PRTV CEO Wale Akinlabi and Rianette Leibowitz of Owitz Communications
Advertisers List |
Winner Deena Naidoo, judge Benny Masekwameng and finalist Sue-Ann Allen
Judges Pete Goffe-Wood, Benny Masekwameng and Andrew Atkinson
Director Donald Clarke, executive producer Harriet Gavshon and culinary producer Arnold Tanzer
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
Nicola Valentine (Velocity Films) and Jason Plumbly (Seven Fillms) 56 | SCREENAFRICA | August 2012
Mike Smit (Media Host) and filmmaker Jason Xenopoulos
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