Screen Africa - February 2013

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Oscar nomination for Asad Asad, an 18-minute movie written and directed by Bryan Buckley, has been nominated for an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Narrative Short. This extraordinary tale about a 12-year-old boy who has to choose between becoming a pirate or an honest fisherman was filmed in South Africa and co-produced by local filmmaker, Rafiq Samsodien.

‘Elation’ is the word Buckley, Jarjoura and Samsodien use when describing their reaction to the Oscar nomination. “We feel really good about going into the big night.”

Their confidence is not misplaced as Asad has already won a host of awards. These include Best Narrative Short Film (Austin Film Festival), Best Short Film (HollyShorts Film Festival), Audience Award (Los Angeles Film Festival), Best Narrative Short Film (New Orleans Film Festival),

Grand Prize (Rhode Island International Film Festival) and Best Short (TriBeCa Film Festival).

The project was sparked in part by a United Nations short documentary entitled No Autographs, which brought director Bryan Buckley and producer Mino Jarjoura, both from the US, to refugee camps in Kenya and Sudan in the summer of 2010. There they encountered Somali refugees in Kakuma in the harsh region of northern Kenya.

“Their stories and their outlook on life haven’t been fully told and haven’t gained the exposure they deserve. Writing a film about these people was the next logical step,” says Buckley.

“Bryan really wanted to make a film about this subject matter, a film that had a voice. He sent me a draft. It was insanely good. We really didn’t change a word, even when we translated it,” adds

Jarjoura.

Shooting in Somalia was just not an option in the current political climate as it is simply too dangerous. With that in mind, Jarjoura and Buckley narrowed down the possibilities to film in Kenya and South Africa.

Jarjoura called on Samsodien to research whether he could find a Somali community to cast in Cape Town. To their surprise, Samsodien discovered that there was an influx of Somali refugees in Bellville in the Western Cape.

This resulted in the entire cast consisting of refugees who had fled to South Africa.

“Though we shot in South Africa, it was important to tell the story with as much reality as possible. We committed to the decision to cast all Somali refugees knowing we’d have a film entirely of non-actors.

– continued on page 3

SAFTAs sets benchmark

part in television so with this year’s eclectic mix of presenters we are aiming to be as inclusive as possible in order to accommodate all viewers. Presenters will be announced closer to the time.

“I believe viewers are going to be blown away by the 2013 SAFTAS and I can promise that the live performances will be dazzling,” says SAFTAs project coordinator, Lala Tuku.

She stresses that both nights of the awards ceremonies (nonfiction and technical categories on Friday 15 March, with fiction categories on Saturday 16 March) are of equal importance.

“In the past people have had this perception that the Friday night ceremony is less important than the Saturday event but this is not the case. We’ve taken particular pains this year to ensure that Friday night’s ceremony will match Saturday’s,” says Tuku.

Naomi Mokhele, Communications & Public Affairs manager of SAFTAs custodian, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), adds that while the SAFTAs will be as glamorous and high profile as ever, they will also capture the essence of what goes on behind – continued on page 3

For the first time ever presenters at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), to be held at Gallagher Estate, Midrand on 15 and 16 March, will include sports stars and fashion luminaries. These will complement the line-up of film and TV personalities, radio presenters, DJs and comedians.

“Sports and fashion play a big

ROLL CAMERA, ROLL WAGON: Shooting a scene from the new South African film Verraaiers. See page 34

Wesgro vs CFC? The recent announcement by Alan Winde, MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism in the Western Cape, that the marketing and promotion of Cape Town and the province as a film destination will now fall under Wesgro, the official Destination, Marketing, Investment and Trade Promotion Agency for the province, has raised questions about the role the Cape Film Commission (CFC) will play in the future.

Previously, the marketing and promotion of the Western Cape film industry was tasked to the CFC, an independent non-profit Section 21 company with an independent board of directors and an advisory board made up of industry representative bodies.

At the time of going to press

CFC CEO Denis Lillie said it was business as usual and that the CFC was busy with trade missions to the Berlin and Cannes film festivals and the European Film Market.

Explained Lillie: “The future of the CFC, like any company, is dependent on income whether it be generated by fees or funding, etc. and we have sufficient funds to continue the work we do. The City of Cape Town has made an allocation for the CFC for 2012/13 and we also receive revenue from other government departments and agencies.

“We are still at a loss to understand why the Provincial Government of the Western Cape would want to duplicate part of the services which the CFC offers – continued on page 3

From the editor

C o n t e n ts

The dazzle of awards

It was great to start the year off with the exciting news that a short film, co-produced by a South African and shot in Cape Town, had been nominated for the Oscars, as our lead front page story reveals. We hope to hear more exciting news about the film, Asad, later this month when the winners of the Oscars are announced.

Such is the all-consuming global power and hype of the Oscars that they tend, unfortunately, to overshadow awards closer to home. Preparations are underway for South Africa’s version of the Oscars, the SAFTAs, to take place in Johannesburg next month. By all accounts the industry and viewers watching the event on television will have a truly dazzling spectacle to look forward to.

Already the industry must be wondering who will triumph and be awarded a SAFTA Golden Horn trophy, a prize that should be as coveted as much as, if not more so, than an Oscar.

Another of our front page stories centres on the marketing and promotion of the industry in the Western Cape. The Provincial Government recently announced that this task would be assigned to its official agency, Wesgro, leaving the Cape Film Commission (CFC), which previously undertook these duties, in a doubtful position. The CFC, an independent agency, is continuing with its duties so it would appear there are now two entities doing the same job. We will have to wait and see how the situation pans out.

A fascinating read in this issue is Martie Bester’s Beyond the horizon, an in-depth look at the cinematography of the new South African feature film, Verraaiers (Traitors). Director of photography Tom Marais reveals how the film’s cinematography enhances this Boer War period piece.

Another intriguing read is Chinaka Iwunze’s opinion piece, The plight of an African scriptwriter, written from the personal perspective of an aspiring but as yet unpublished scriptwriter.

Iwunze questions, with great validity, why scriptwriters on the continent are not valued more when scripts are the springboard for all films.

Not to be missed is Cape Town-based filmmaker Simon Wood’s personal account of the recent IDFA (International Documentary Festival Amsterdam). This highly engaging article provides a real insider’s view of the event, regarded by many as the Holy Grail of documentary festivals.

As usual there is a good balance of technical content in this issue of Screen Africa. We have two special features – one on outside broadcasting and the other on studios. Each will provide readers with the latest news and trends in these two important sectors of the industry.

And, if you’ve ever wondered what happened to the television Test Pattern, read Ian Dormer’s fascinating article to find out.

Joanna Sterkowicz

SCREENAFRICA Publisher & Managing Editor: Simon Robinson: publisher@screenafrica.com Editor: Joanna Sterkowicz: editor@screenafrica.com Journalist: Martie Bester: news@screenafrica.com Contributors: Andy Stead, Anton Crone, Ian Dormer, Martin Chemhere, Chinaka Iwunze, Linda Loubser, Simon Wood, Jakkie Groenewald

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6 Countdown to 2013 Jozi Film Festival

9

10

Creative flair added to quirky campaign

16

28 Broadcasting Gelderland

The inside and outside of OB

30 Are studios under stress?

SPECIAL FEATURES OUTSIDE BROADCAST

ADCETERA

CINEMATOGRAPHY

On the road with Picture Tree;

Beyond the horizon .................. 34

The inside and outside

Campari’s first Nigerian ad

of OB .................................. 24 / 25

campaign ......................................... 8

All the tricks of

A land frozen in time;

the OB trade .............................. 26

Creative flair added

Going the (OB) distance;

to quirky campaign ....................... 9

Leading the way in fibre optics 2 .7

TRACKING TECHNOLOGY Mobile production truck; 4K Cinema camera; Leading display technology ................................... 36 Networked partyline intercom;

COMMERCIALS

HD integrated cameras ............ 37

Gelderland ................................... 28

Director Speak – Nic Hester;

Advanced asset-based workflows;

Top of the ‘Shots’ ....................... 10

Ready-to-shoot kits; Equipping

STUDIOS

A ‘touching’ campaign ..... 12 / 13

Iraqi HD news channel ............. 38

Case study: Broadcasting

Are studios under stress? ..................... 30 / 31 One-stop shop ........................... 32

FILM Director Speak –

Raycom standardises NLE system; ‘Driving’ the camera ................. 39

Willie Esterhuizen ..................... 14

AFRICA

Future’s looking ‘rosy’;

Minimalist filmmaking ................ 15

The plight of an African

‘Global’ heart of local TV ......... 33

TELEVISION

NEWS Asad’s Oscar nom; Wesgro vs CFC?; SAFTAs sets benchmark ............. 1 New movie plugs into digital

Caricature rules! Ok? ............... 16 Uniting people of the south .... 18

DOCUMENTARY The IDFA experience ............... 19

generation; Sasani receives top

BROADCAST

accolade; SA’s 1st Raptor-4 ........ 4

The death of the

Countdown to 2013 Jozi Film Fest; TV test pattern? ........................ 20 Back to the mainstream .............. 6 Making the move to DTT ........ 22 www.screenafrica.com

Top of the ‘Shots’

25

Caricature rules! Ok?

All under one roof;

Sub-Editor: Tina Heron Ratings: Enid Venter enid@ihjohannesburg.co.za

4

screenwriter ............................... 41 Radio is bucking the trend ...... 42 Uncovering a dictator’s legacy; ‘Bright’ sparks break African films into UK .............................. 43

REGULARS Audience Ratings ....................... 40 Production Updates ........ 44 / 45 / 46 / 47 Social ............................................. 48

Oscar nomination for Asad

| Continued from page 1

“Bryan saw it as an exciting challenge. Once we met our cast and learned their stories, we adapted the production and learned a lot of things on the fly,” recalls Jarjoura.

“We were faced with some challenges, that’s for sure. Firstly, our two leads Harun and Ali, didn’t speak English. We had anticipated TOUGH CHOICES: A scene from Asad that. Then, we learned that they couldn’t read or write.

They had never been to school and they hand-designed and painted businesses out had to memorise 18 pages of dialogue. of small houses that exist in the community “Then we found out that Harun couldn’t around Paternoster, and then brought swim. In fact, he had never been to the brutal and senseless destruction to them. ocean. Half the film takes place on the “We built and then burned and built water!” says Buckley. again. A sense of community and fellowship “The boys are extremely bright. They surrounds the meagre commercial area in learned the dialogue by listening to it being Asad that will not be overpowered by the read aloud. Then, every morning, they went violence. Our intention was to transform for a swimming lesson, followed by a tutor this beautiful vacation destination and local lesson and then a rehearsal. They did a lot fishing village into an equally beautiful of work,” Buckley adds. representation of the spirit of the Somali Asad’s location presented itself in the people,” adds Skinner. form of Paternoster, a coastal village in the Despite Asad receiving numerous awards Western Cape. The film was shot on RED at international film festivals globally, the Epics by cinematographer Scott Henriksen. filmmakers insist that the movie’s most “I spent a lot of time reading and astounding achievement is boasting an interpreting stories and articles about array of brilliant performances by a cast of coastal villages. It was through a great deal Somali refugees. of dialogue that Bryan and I discovered Buckley and his team are doing how we felt about Somalia and its everything in their power to get Harun and environment. We used these emotional Ali, who need special permission to travel discoveries to design the environment,” due to their refugee status, to the Academy says production designer David Skinner.

Awards ceremony on 24 February.

With great care the crew created – Martie Bester

SAFTAs sets benchmark the scenes of film and television production.

“Our theme for this year’s ceremonies is: ‘We are what you see’,” continues Mokhele.

“Every role player in the industry is responsible for the quality that makes it onto our screens, therefore the 2013 SAFTAs will ensure that they all partake in the show – to drive it, to set the scenes and to provide insights into this amazing industry. This year’s SAFTAs production will capture the excitement, intrigue, thrills, spills and action of what happens behind the camera, from soapies to documentaries.”

As reported in the January 2013 issue of Screen Africa, the tender to stage the events was awarded to two companies, Vibe 2000 and Vertical Limit Productions.

Says Sam September of Vibe 2000:

“SAFTAs 2013 will celebrate the making of films and television programmes and show how the diamonds of the industry are created. In previous years getting a television programme or a film made was reliant on big crews and expensive technology. Today even a student can make a film on their cell phone. At the SAFTAs we will show the interaction between technology and humans “Our stage design is going to be spectacular and the set will play with light and depth in an exciting way” The decision to stage the SAFTAs at Gallagher Estate for the third time was the result of a nationwide tender.

Freelance director Eugene Naidoo, who has worked on the SAFTAs before, will direct the television aspect of the two awards ceremonies.

This will be the 7th annual edition of the SAFTAs, which were created to honour, celebrate and promote the creativity, quality and excellence of South African film and television talent and productions.

Judging

excitement, intrigue, thrills, spills and action: SAFTAS 2012

A first for the SAFTAs is that the judging process included sessions in Cape Town for the local judges.

Wesgro vs CFC? through an agency that was as the dti, the instrumental in establishing National Film and the CFC in the first place. The Video Foundation CFC was established by (NFVF) and the Wesgro, the Province and the Industrial City of Cape Town in 2000 for Development the very reason that it was felt Corporation (IDC). that Wesgro was not We are also starting capacitated or experienced to tap international enough to run the film sector companies for film through that organisation. finance. It’s “This was further become evident FILM-MINDED: Nils Flaatten demonstrated in 2010 when that it’s preferable to Wesgro signed a finance a slate of films, Memorandum of Agreement with the CFC rather than a single film. for the CFC to be funded by Wesgro to “I believe that South Africa needs its film deliver the Film Sector Trade Promotion festivals to become markets so that local responsibilities for the Province. There is products can be bought and sold. In also an opinion that there is a conflict of addition, I think there are two key areas we interest in Wesgro promoting the film need to work on – script development and sector as they are 10% shareholders in the distribution channels.”

Cape Town Film Studios complex.”

Flaatten noted that Wesgro also works When asked how Wesgro viewed the with the Cape IT Initiative and Silicon Cape future role of the CFC Nils Flaatten, Wesgro and that the animation industry, which is CEO, said that as a Section 21 entity, the very active in the Western Cape, falls within CFC had the right to continue its activities. this.

He emphasised that the Wesgro According to Flaatten Wesgro has been announcement was the result of a decision approached by commercial production taken by Wesgro’s major shareholder, the companies regarding issues around visas Western Cape Government, but declined to for visiting foreign filmmakers and is comment on the reasons behind it. currently engaging with the Department of Said Flaatten: “Wesgro is an official Home Affairs on this matter.

Western Cape Government agency with its “We are also working on location issues own statute. We are mandated to attract – there are a number of attractions within domestic and foreign direct investment into Cape Town that filmmakers want to access the province, to market the province and to and can’t, such as beaches and train grow exports. Destination marketing for stations. Wesgro is using its stature to Cape Town and the province was previously leverage other government departments in the function of the now defunct Cape Town this regard and hopes, within the next few Routes Unlimited. The Destination months, to release a procedural document Marketing Act is to be repealed so that about how to procure permission for filming those functions will fall under Wesgro, on train stations and how film crews should giving us a province-wide mandate. operate on the day,” he said.

“Destination marketing used to be Lillie maintained that many people confined to tourism only but Wesgro has underestimate the work the CFC does. “It is always believed in the maxim, ‘A tourist much broader than that which Wesgro have becomes a trader becomes an investor’. been asked to do. We respond to some 50 We’ve been involved in the film industry for phone calls and 500 emails every day from many years in terms of development and people wanting support or advice on export as films become export products the filming in the Western Cape, or work moment they’re completed. permits, insurances or visas.

“Last year we participated in the dti “The CFC has strong ties with the South missions that took filmmakers to Cannes, African consulates in major film cities Nigeria, Ghana and Hong Kong. In addition around the world such as New York, Los we organised master classes for Angeles and Berlin who we partner with in scriptwriters and directors.” hosting visiting delegations of South African Flaatten pointed out that Wesgro has an filmmakers. advantage in that it is an official agency of “We are advising the Eastern Cape and provincial government and thus has Northern Cape on the establishment to automatic entrée to its counterparts in the their Film Commissions. CFC is also a countries it markets to. member of the International Emmys and of He continued: “Wesgro works with a the Association of Film Commissions number of local entities in order to try and International,” concluded Lillie. raise financing for South African films, such – Joanna Sterkowicz

Previously all judges had to congregate in Johannesburg.

“Durban has subsequently shown interest in hosting judging sessions and may be included for next year’s awards,” explains Mokhele. “In addition for the first time, we invited the media to observe and experience how the nominees are selected

in the final phase of judging.”

At the beginning of February the final stage of judging had just been completed in Johannesburg, with the Cape Town leg finalised earlier.

Nominees will be announced at a launch on 13 February in Johannesburg.

– Staff reporter February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 3

News

|

New movie plugs into digital generation

IMMERSIVE VFX: Shooting a club scene for Coded

Imagine a future where everyone spends increasing proportions of their lives in ever more immersive, networked and interactive media environments… Yes, as movies so often proclaim, the future is here.

This notion of an internet-worked generation is at the heart of Coded, a new South African movie in its planning stages.

The promo was shot in December 2012 in Durban.

Award-winning filmmaker Richard Green, who has been appointed as new head of the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance (AFDA) in Durban, co-directed the promo with Matt Neftd. Green is well known for his work on District 9, Spud and more recently The Long

Walk to Freedom.

“I have not directed for a while, it was more a question of survival, having to move into the service industry working as an assistant director, and line producing on all the foreign productions. Directing is my first passion though, surviving my second,” says Green.

Coded writer Gavin Humphrey is a pharmacist, so the idea of ‘audio narcotics’ came quite easily to him.

“He is a first-time writer, so his vision was unimpeded. We have a script editor pulling together all Gavin’s wonderful and crazy ideas.

“Coded and its genre is not strictly

Sasani receives top accolade At the recent Sunday Times Top 100 Companies Awards Ceremony, Sasani Africa, owner of leading Johannesburg-based television facility Sasani Studios, was placed tenth in the corporate social investment ECSTATIC: Eileen Sandrock (CSI) category.

Out of the 3 200 companies listed, 997 provided the required documents for entry into the initial training is complete, the interns awards and the top 40 were analysed in normally elect to specialise in audio, detail. Others in the top 10 besides Sasani editing, engineering or production, in fact Africa were Sappi, Mondi, FirstRand, Group any other discipline that we offer that the Five and Neotel. intern may show an interest in.”

“We are ecstatic,” says Sasani Studios Those interns that show potential are CEO Eileen Sandrock. “I was completely often employed by Sasani Studios as gob-smacked when we received this freelancers, or on a fixed term contract. acknowledgement from the Sunday Times.

These interns also supply the entire industry It is a huge honour for our tiny company with skills, and are often employed by and a complete surprise. Our CSI project pay-TV broadcaster M-Net or on started from a need identified as a lack of productions such as Rhythm City, The Wild skills for our requirements, and as a result and Muvhango. we started an internship programme.”

According to Sandrock, from a Sasani Sasani trains unemployed learners in perspective, the most rewarding part of the various disciplines, normally starting with programme is to witness the transformation studio assistant skills – rigging, basic of the unemployed learners. Often the camera techniques and basic lighting. In interns enter the programme with a certain addition their interns undergo computer sense of disillusionment, perhaps even literacy courses as well as basic financial desperation, and within a matter of days courses. they are energised and enthusiastic.

“The end result is that they gain “They develop new skills and knowledge, knowledge to equip themselves in the film and most importantly, they develop a sense and television industry and in business in of purpose,” concludes Sandrock. general,” explains Sandrock. “Once the – Andy Stead 4 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

speaking a science fiction movie. It involves some serious VFX and some serious audio VFX. It is a totally immersive experience and we will roll it out on all the new media platforms, which give us an advantage in terms of local and international release. We have interest and commitment from Nokia and Microsoft,” adds Green.

The promo is around five minutes long and it contains the audio and visual impact to help audiences and, more importantly, funders to appreciate the filmmakers’ vision.

The promo was financed by Volt energy drink and shot on the RED, sponsored by Panasonic.

“In terms of directing, I teamed up with Matt as I trust his energy and vision. I deal with the storyline and he works his magic with the visuals,” explains Green.

Executive producer Anthony Stonefield says Coded contains three types of revolution – namely free citizens revolting against consumerist enslavement; the pioneering use of wrap-around (3D) audio within a feature film; and the way in which the audience will ‘plug into’ the movie using an internet connection and earphones.

“The movie will be brought to audiences where technology first-adopters have already moved: to a private video-ondemand (VOD) environment on PCs, tablets and smartphones connected to the internet, in addition to traditional movie theatres,” says Stonefield.

Pre-production is scheduled for the second half of 2013 with principal filmmaking set for August or September 2013. – Martie Bester

SA’s 1st Raptor-4 Johannesburg-based Flying Circus recently acquired South Africa’s first Raptor-4 Motion Capture Rig from MotionAnalysis Corporation. This system is similar to that used in The Amazing Spider-Man, Tin Tin, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Avatar.

Mulitiple captures of full bodies and faces concurrent with real time feedback has been impossible until now, according to Flying Circus CEO Ronald Henry.

He continues: “The Raptor-4 system is particularly suited to animated films, effects-heavy stunt films, commercials and films with computer generated characters, animated TV series and video games.

“A while ago we were discussing the proliferation of 3D, specifically the madness and hype around 3D TVs. Part of the discussion was that despite any initial skepticism, you couldn’t get away from the fact that the idea of consuming content in 3D was here to stay, even if the amount of available content was very limited at the time.

“So, we started wondering if there was a gap to service the 3D content creation industry, pretty much in the same way a traditional facility house would service something niche like film transfers, etc. We realised that virtual production is becoming a more and more commonly used term for

the process of marrying traditional filmmaking techniques with completely digitally made content and significantly, that motion capture lay at the centre of this.”

Flying Circus technical director Martin Heigan notes that the Raptor-4 is the latest generation Motion Capture Rig. “With 40 high-resolution cameras we are able to capture multiple characters with an accuracy of less than .3 mm in a large studio. The accuracy is so impressive that face captures can be done simultaneously without the need of a dedicated facial capture set-up,” explains Heigan.

The interest shown by local agencies and production companies has been overwhelming, says Flying Circus producer André van der Merwe.

“Everyone who visits the facility for a demo of the system is amazed and wants to return for another viewing.

Even though motion capture is relatively ‘old’ technology it is still very new for most local filmmakers.

“We are currently involved in the development of a local feature film that will use Raptor-4, as well as in numerous pitches for commercial projects with very specific character animation,” concludes Van der Merwe.

– Staff reporter

A MOVING EXPERIENCE: A Raptor-4 rig being used for a motion capture scene

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News

|

Countdown to 2013 Jozi Film Festival About 80 submissions were received for this year’s Jozi Film Festival (JFF), which takes place from 15 to 17 February 2013.

The festival opens with the international premiere of Fanie Fourie’s Lobola on Friday 15 February at Villa Arcadia.

“Last year 27 films were screened over three days and approximately 800 people attended the festival. We received about 80 submissions this time, which is not bad for our second year. JFF enjoys support from Business Arts South Africa (BASA), Jo’burg Tourism, the National Film and Video Foundation, Radio Today, SAFM and Gauteng Tourism, to name a few,” says Lisa Henry, festival founder.

In a groundbreaking move JFF recently announced its mobile film category, sponsored by Vodacom. “We are the only festival in the country to have such a competition,” says Henry. “Our motto at JFF is that ‘we love Jozi, we love film’ and so we came up with this idea to get people out into the streets and tell us their diverse stories and experiences.” According to Henry, JFF received some excellent films, mostly based on filmmakers’ experiences on living in Jozi.

The finalists’ videos went online on

TRUNK CALL FOR AWARENESS: A scene from All the President’s Elephants

www.jozifilmfestival.co.za from 26 January 2013 and the public are able to vote via sms (49488) for their top three entries.

Films that make a difference In an effort to raise public awareness about wildlife and social and political issues, JFF will screen several documentaries about controversial matters that affect the way we live and also the preservation of the natural world that is essential to our survival.

As the demand for rhino horn soars, the slaughter continues. With rhino horn now worth more than gold, poachers are relentless in their pursuit of these animals, virtually on the brink of extinction.

However, filmmakers employ equal measures of persistence and tenacity when making movies that address the atrocities that greed inflicts on the natural world. One

Back to the mainstream After concentrating on religious films and TV productions for many years, well-known South Africa director Regardt van den Bergh (Faith Like Potatoes) recently broke away to focus once more on mainstream films.

Following the feature film Die Ongelooflike Avonture van Hanna Hoekom and the critically acclaimed TV series Vloeksteen for Afrikaans-language pay-TV channel kykNET, Van den Bergh completed Klein Karoo, which is currently on release at the local box office and distributed by Indigenous Films.

Klein Karoo is a romantic comedy about a young high school teacher in the Swartberg close to Oudtshoorn, who tries to enhance the lives of the children in the valley and at the same time fight the evils of alcoholism.

The film stars Donnalee Roberts, Tim

6 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

SECOND BREATH: Regardt van den Bergh

Theron and Hykie Berg. Popular musician Chris Chameleon was responsible for the

such revolutionary movie is the documentary, The Last Rhino, which examines the poaching industry from Africa to Asia.

Jonah Hull from Al Jazeera English, who produced The Last Rhino with South African filmmaker Clifford Bestall, will be available for Q & A sessions (dates to be confirmed) at the festival.

The Last Rhino will screen at Villa Arcadia on Saturday 16 February.

JFF will feature other thought-provoking documentaries such as All the President’s Elephants, about Sharon Pincott and the 400-strong herd of presidential elephants in Zimbabwe, which has been described as ‘one of the most remarkable relationships between humans and wild elephants ever documented’; You, Me, Mankosi, which premieres at the festival and is about life in the rural Transkei from three very different perspectives; and Orania, a 2012 documentary film written and directed by Tobias Lindner that gives insight into the segregated town of Orania in the

music score.

Van den Bergh explains his move back into mainstream cinema: “My main priority is to work on Christian films, but as a freelance director it is sometimes necessary to do mainstream work as well, as long as the film tells a good story. It seems like I have received a second breath of life with all the mainstream work coming my way.

“During the past few decades I mostly directed films, but recently I revisited being in front of the camera as an actor in an international film. I play the role of a real baddie, totally out of synch with how I’m known locally.”

To the layman, Christian movies may seem to have a limited market but Van den Bergh believes the audience for religious films is

northern Cape.

Feature films such as Jozi Kings and Zama Zama will also be shown.

JFF will rely on technical support from The Film and TV Department at Wits.

Unique venues Villa Arcadia in Parktown, nestled in the magnificent urban forest of Johannesburg, is a beautiful Herbert Baker building with stunning views of Jozi, and a new venue for JFF screenings. Films will also be shown at the innovative city venue, The Bioscope in the Maboneng Precinct, while audiences can enjoy open-air screenings in Kliptown, Soweto.

Everyone’s festival Movie tickets cost only R20 each to make the festival as accessible as possible to the public. Free screenings will be held too.

Visit: www.jozifilmfestival.co.za for more information. – Martie Bester

unbelievably vast.

“I’m somewhat disappointed that I don’t own royalties to Visual Bible: Gospel of Matthew, which I completed in 1993. To date the series has earned more than R1bn and copies of the DVD are still sold worldwide.

“Faith Like Potatoes did well in South Africa, breaking even at the box office and selling two million DVDs,” notes Van den Bergh.

His next two productions are once again religious works: The Lamb and Tertullus.

Van den Bergh is in the process of acquiring funds to produce The Lamb, which tells the story of a world torn apart by religion and politics, in a time of promise and expectation in which an astounding story of reconciliation unfolds.

Despite pressure that international stars should be contracted for big films, Van den Bergh plans to cast as many local actors as possible.

The script for Tertullus is still being written. It deals with a first century Jewish lawman who saves a convicted person from being executed. – Jakkie Groenewald

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ADCETERA

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Report on the South African commercials industry by Anton Crone

On the road with Picture Tree It’s the director / agency-team dream: travel the country to shoot a commercial. It used to be, ‘Travel the world’, then, ‘We open on a tropical beach…’ but those days are gone now, along with the big budgets. But if you’re working on a booze brand or a cellular network, you should still pack your bags – at least for a road trip between Upington and Kaapstad.

“I wanted the film to be representative of the whole country, so we spent lots of time looking at different location options and routes through South Africa,” says Picture Tree director, JH, of the latest Cell C commercial. “But because we had incredibly limited time, we decided that Joburg and various locations between Upington and Cape Town would give us the best variety.”

With 10 days of pre-production and just two weeks to air on cinema, the Picture Tree team was under pressure to deliver

Cell C something visually unique on a large-scale commercial, and JH was determined not to compromise on the images he had in his mind.

“I wanted to create a film that would

inspire people to get out there and live their lives,” he explains.

Conceptualised by Ogilvy Johannesburg, Cell C’s new brand commercial celebrates the role connectivity plays in our lives and shows South Africans of all colour and creed the full-time occupation of living, enjoying and connecting. In an unusual move for a cellular network, there is very little representation of cell phones and people are seen to live authentically, even while the voice celebrates, among others: ‘The LOLs, the braggers and the profile-pic taggers’.

With finely crafted imagery, people are seen to laugh out loud instead of texting ‘LOL’, driving stock cars around a dusty racing track instead of bragging about it, taking images with a cumbersome classic, film camera instead of a phone or compact digital model.

“Collaboration between the agency and us was very important because it’s not only my film but also their vision that needs to be realised and to see it come to fruition is always rewarding,” says JH. “On a personal level, it was quite amazing to stand in the desert with a Royal Enfield Bullet speeding through the dust, knowing that only two weeks ago it was just an image in my head.”

The visuals are inspired by JH’s love for photographic images, especially photojournalistic images that tell years of history in a single frame.

“I have no excuse, then, to say that 750 frames are not enough,” says JH. “I want my films, whether commercial or narrative, to have the same raw power in every frame and be able to move people to a new mindset in the short time I have to speak to them.’

the exact movements and pace of the lead actors’ ‘walking through the walls’ scenes,” says agency producer, Candice Brouwer.

“But Adrian put a tremendous amount of work into producing an animatic with stand-in actors in advance of the shoot, which put the team and client’s mind at ease around this challenge.”

As the African market grows, Saatchi & Saatchi is spending more and more time in this market, doing research and developing advertising. “Nigeria is one of Campari’s

most important markets, but with such a diverse ethnic and cultural mix it’s also one of the most complex,” says Whitfield. “We coupled our 15-year track record of creating communication for Nigeria together with in-depth research to ensure that we truly reflected the needs of our consumers and could offer them a story that they could identify with. The resulting campaign reflects our findings – a young and outgoing population with an unshakeable optimism that is distinctively Nigerian.”

Campari’s first Nigerian ad campaign

Campari

Partnering with Velocity director Adrian de sa Garces, Campari’s television commercial, Unstoppable, shows a sophisticated young man making things happen for himself.

Starring David Gyasi, who recently acted alongside Tom Hanks and Halle Berry in the feature film, Could Atlas, Gyasi is seen to push down walls to get from one place to the next. We follow him through his work day and into the evening where he is seen enjoying Campari with friends before meeting an elegant woman, and fellow 8 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

Campari drinker, at a bar. “In Nigeria, everyone is moving forward all the time, always looking to the next opportunity and what is to come,” says Saatchi & Saatchi creative director, Gavin Whitfield. “We wanted to capture the future facing attitude and determination of our audience in this spot.”

Filmed in Cape Town, De sa Garces and the Velocity team assured their clients of a smooth production.

“One of the challenges was working out

| ADCETERA A land frozen in time Director Kim Geldenhuys of Egg is no stranger to exotic location shoots and his latest commercial for Nedbank Private Wealth took him to a kasbah in Morocco where the major mode of transport is still the donkey cart.

Ait Benhaddou is a Unesco World Heritage Site; the people living in the kasbah do not use electricity and one cannot help but feel transported in time within its walls.

Geldenhuys’ brief from ad agency, M&C Saatchi Abel, was to find a setting that was timeless and would support a simple tale.

The commercial recounts the fable of a father giving each of his two sons a coin and

asking them to fill a room with what they buy.

“I’ve always believed it’s the people we learn from as boys that make us who we are as men,” recounts the voice representing the younger boy and we are drawn along each boy’s search. The elder boy attempts to fill the room with hay, the younger, more curious boy, fills it with light from a single candle.

Egg took a small unit of key crew along to Morocco and the majority of crew hailed from Casablanca – where the big production houses are located – and Marrakech. The shooting took place in a remote area and everything had to be

transported over the Atlas Mountains by road, a long and difficult journey. Shooting in any foreign location means a certain

amount of adjustment for the production team.

“Morocco is culturally quite different so their approach to everything is very different,” explains producer Dagny Warmerdam. “For example, negotiating a location isn’t just about speaking to the owner, the entire community has to be considered and involved in the process. It requires many meetings which is a time-consuming process.”

Geldenhuys’ approach was to work with local talent and, for the most part, non-actors, a challenging aspect since neither of the boys understood English. But with the coaching and guidance of a Moroccan actress enlisted as a translator and acting coach, this turned out to be one of the most enjoyable parts of the process for Geldenhuys and the team, as well as a chance to scout new locations and learn to understand another culture.

shone through in the carefully chosen cast members, especially the acting by the lead character, apparently based on a more cheerful version of Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family.

Evy Katz’s skilful editing added the finishing touches to the commercial.

“Working with Evy on an edit is always a plus. We’ve worked together for many years and he always seems to know what I want,” says Neale.

The Chicken Licken Orphanage ad is one in a series of three that is currently showing on TV and in cinemas, continuing the brand’s long tradition of daring advertising that combines bold creativity with effective marketing.

“You can feel the trust between the

agency, through creative directors Rob McLennan and Graeme Jenner and the client George Sombonos. It creates an environment where everyone is working to produce the best possible outcome,” says Neale about collaborating again.

The music, which suits the mood perfectly, is an original composition by Rob Schroeder of RobRoy Music.

Orphanage was shot on an ARRI Alexa.

Panavision supplied the camera and grips and the lights were provided by Media Film Service.

The post-production was completed at BFX for 3D, Pudding for the grade and Blade for Flame.

Watch the ad at http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=cRw6d2lxXto

Nedbank Private Wealth

Creative flair added to quirky campaign

By Martie Bester Terence Neale of Egg Films recently directed the new commercial for Chicken Licken for agency Net#Work BBDO. The commercial is set in an undisclosed location in Pretoria, although the images look hauntingly familiar and the opening scene conjures up scenes from television cult series American Horror Story.

However, there is a twist in the tale that places Orphanage in a league of its own when it comes to originality and exactly how irresistibly delicious Chicken Licken Slyders really are…

The ad, set in seemingly overlapping timelines, begins with an old-fashioned car driving through heavy wrought iron gates on which the word ‘Orphanage’ is displayed while a storm is raging outside. “The opening frame was created pretty much from scratch in 3D – all we shot was a car on a road and some building plates,” says Neale.

The script, written by Cara Messias and Clayton Swartz, was brought to life by the

HAUNTINGLY FAMILIAR: Chicken Licken commercial combination of skilful art direction, cinematography and cast performance.

Location was essential to bringing Neale’s vision to life. “We wanted the orphanage to seem like the worst place on earth and we needed a location that was institutional enough, yet had a gothic feel.”

Finding the right location was coincidentally the team’s biggest challenge.

“What we found provided the perfect backdrop of dark foreboding against which to juxtapose the couple wishing to adopt,” adds Neale.

The combination of location, thrilling art direction by Kezia Eales and the trained eye of cinematographer Paul Gilpin brought about a kind of suspended reality.

Neale’s knack for directing performance

February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 9

Commercials

|

Director Speak Nic Hester

WHAT ARE THE LEAST FAVOURITE ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB? Running out of coffee.

(Spitfire films)

WHAT WAS YOUR MOST HAIRY MOMENT ON SET? Flying in a helicopter over the cold northern Atlantic and suddenly having to dodge a flock of incoming seagulls. It was over quickly, but I had a real sense of everything possibly coming to an abrubt end.

HOW DID YOUR BACKGROUND SHAPE YOU? When I was a Boy Scout, I got the Path Finder badge. As a result I am good at finding paths.

WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL CAREER MILESTONES? Getting independent music videos, which I made for my friends, played on national television.

Becoming a finalist at Cannes Lions in my second year of directing. Writing and directing an international television campaign from Japan.

WHAT AD IS THE CLEVEREST YOU’VE SEEN? Apple 1984.

DO YOU HAVE ANY MENTORS? My friend Robert Wilson, the camera technician, has taught me a lot about the camera.

WHAT LOCATION WOULD YOU REALLY, REALLY LIKE TO SHOOT IN? The Himalayas. Peru. Eva Green’s bedroom.

DESCRIBE YOUR FILMIC STYLE? Warm yet cool. Visceral imagery. Graphic storytelling. Dust particulate rising up sunbeams.

Dynamic depth. Kinetic editorial. Emotion on celluloid. Minimal stylisation. Super realism.

DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS. Having a laugh, mate.

Top of the ‘Shots’ South African editor Kobus Loots of Cape Town-based Upstairs Post Production has the distinction of having 31 edits featured in Shots Magazine, regarded as the foremost source of information for the international commercial industry.

In addition Loots was the subject of a feature article

by Ryan Watson in the December 2012 edition of Shots.

“We were very honored that Kobus was featured in Shots and it is great to see South African talent taking its place in the international creative arena. The recognition

by Shots proves that Kobus is one of the finest commercial editors in the world. He is considered the oracle of commercial editing in South Africa and has been in the industry for over 25 years,” says Mark Ash of Upstairs Post Production.

Loots adds: “It is a great privilege to be recognised

by Shots. I am proud of how well South Africa has done in the international creative arena over the years and am glad that I have been part of this.”

He is something of a late starter in post-production, only moving into editing at age 30 after studying law and practising as a Public Prosecutor. Commencing his career under editor Sabrina O’Sullivan, Loots then moved to Cutaways where he became a part owner.

After many years he left Cutaways to open his own company, Elevator, which thrived for several years.

Following a much-deserved two-year sabbatical from editing, Loots joined Upstairs Post Production.

During his career, Loots has been awarded Grand Prix, Gold and Silver Loerie Awards and edited Cannes

10 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

Lions winners, as well as the trailer for South Africa’s Berlin Film Festival Golden Bear- winning film, U-Carmen eKhayelitsha.

Ash notes that Upstairs Post Production is also very excited that Metropolitan Republic’s FNB’s Dog, directed by Velocity’s Greg Gray and edited by Loots, was short-listed in the Shots TVC of the Year Awards category.

“Eleven of the best adverts of the year that appeared in Shots issues number 132 to 138 have been selected,” Ash explains.

Recent jobs for Upstairs Post Production includes the new Nedbank TVC. This was directed

by Kim Geldenhuys of Egg Films who travelled to Morocco for the shoot. It was produced by Kerry Hosford and Colin Howard. Prior to this Upstairs edited Standard Bank’s Moving Forward TVC, another Geldenhuys project. The commercial was featured in Shots and the Between10and5’s Creative Showcase, all within days of airing on TV. “2013 is expected to be a

bumper year for Upstairs Post Production,” states Ash. “Despite the fiscal cliff and the bad economic times we’re off to a great start with a calendar filled with work. While budgets have been tight, the creative energy in the industry is still alive and well.”

GOING UP, UP Upstairs!: Kobus Loots

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Commercials

|

A ‘touching’ campaign A recent advertising campaign for the South African Revenue Service (SARS) demonstrates the higher purpose of tax by showing how people can benefit from the country’s tax revenue.

T

he mere mention of the word ‘tax’ generates a host of negative connotations because everyone resents having to submit a large chunk of their hard-earned monthly earnings to the tax man.

With the SARS Touching Lives campaign, Marco Granelli, group executive: Communications, SARS, wanted to show why it is important to pay tax by having people from all over South Africa talk about how taxpayers’ money has helped them.

Says Granelli: “Over the past 10 years SARS has had two primary aspects to its external communications. The first is to inform tax payers of the how, what and when to pay tax and file their returns.

Secondly, we talk about the higher purpose of tax – why it is important to pay tax so as to underpin tax compliance and morality and show how tax can be useful to society in general.

“Touching Lives was conceived as a way to say thank you to taxpayers and to show how they’re making a positive difference to society in a real and emotional way.”

As a former journalist Granelli believed that these stories could most authentically be told by journalists, rather than through scripted ads with actors.

“In October last year I called in Odette Schwegler and Nicola De Chaud of Backyard Productions, two award-winning journalists who produce inserts for the acclaimed investigative show, Carte Blanche, to brief them on the Touching Lives television and web campaigns (www.touchinglives.co.za),” explains Granelli.

Says Schwegler: “Marco told us that he

12 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

wanted a campaign where taxpayers could see the good their money does.

Authenticity had to be key to this campaign and our starting point was research. Together with researcher Bronwyn Nesbitt, we spent a month identifying stories from all over South Africa. Veteran journalists Joy Summers and Bernadette Cook also contributed to the research effort.”

De Chaud points out that for every bad story about tax, there are lots of good ones.

“We identified several stories and then, together with Marco (Granelli), looked at the personalities in each story and whittled the stories down to six.

Each story had to be made into a three- to four-minute film for the web – a short documentary in other words – with a one-minute cut down for television,” she explains.

According to Granelli, a key part of the research was in identifying suitable stories reflective of South Africa’s diversity.

“We wanted to show that everyone in South Africa benefits from tax,” he stresses.

Emotional stories In Walking Tall, Junior Mohlabi from QwaQwa in the Free State tells how he was able to expand his start-up leather shoe factory into a fully operational factory with a government grant.

On 18 January 2012 Liezl Potgieter and Duwayne Schwartz, the subjects of Celebrating Life, were flood victims of the tropical storm Dando and had to be rescued off the roof of their house in Hoedspruit by the Air Force.

Infected with HIV in 1988, Elsie Bogatswe of Vosloorus tells in her film, Positively Alive, how she has managed to live a full and healthy life thanks to the governmentsponsored anti-retroviral (ARV) medication she receives on a regular basis from Charlotte Maxeke Hospital since 2005.

Bridging Gaps focuses on the use of taxpayers’ money to construct a bridge across a river between Madadeni and Newcastle, thus drastically improving thousands of lives. Previously Madadeni residents faced the potential danger of drowning when they tried to cross the river,

Dreaming Big: Michael Yelseth, Jonathan Price and TJ Lemon filming Modjadji Ramphelo

which is on a flood plain.

Born on the Cape Flats, Lynette October fell into a life of drug addiction after leaving school. A Second Chance shows how, following rehab, Lynette was awarded a government-funded apprenticeship at the Medupi Power Station and is now a fitter and turner.

Dreaming Big reveals how Modjadji Ramphelo received a government bursary to study at the Tshwane University of Technology, thus becoming the first child in Manareng Village near Tzaneen to go to university.

“The recurring question we asked in all the stories was: “If you had something to say to taxpayers what would it be?” says Schwegler, “and the response each time was: ‘Thank you’.”

Challenging production Schwegler and De Chaud contracted the equipment required for the shoot from Time Frame Broadcast Rentals & Services, with Time Frame’s award-winning director of photography (DOP) Mike Yelseth as DOP for the project. Yelseth was present on three films before having to head off to Jamaica.

Thereafter there was a team of two camera operators continuing in the style he had set up. Other operators included Dudley Saunders, Greg Shaw, Natalie Haarhof, Justus de Jager, Thomas Pretorius and Jonathan Price.

Says Yelseth: “We shot on the Canon 5D Mark 3 and the

A Second Chance: Lynette October

Celebrating Life: Liezl Potgieter and Duwayne Schwartz

Panasonic AF101 Camcorder, recording onto nano flash. The Panasonic was used in order to record the audio. We shared a set of Zeiss CP2 prime lenses between both cameras to achieve the look we wanted.”

Schwegler adds: “I can’t say enough about Mike (Yelseth), he really thinks and films in terms of narratives, which is a rare skill. When we are working under so much pressure, it’s just great to know that Mike ‘has your back’.”

One of the toughest shoots was filming Modjadji’s story.

“When we got to Tzaneen it was raining incessantly so all our interviews with Modjadji and her grandmother had to be filmed in the rain. The name Modjadji means rain so we decided to add a rain theme by getting her to talk about her name.

“Of course all the rain meant our Kombi mini-bus got stuck in the mud so we had to push it out with the help of the locals. At one point when it was getting more and

more stuck, I envisaged the whole lot of us having to spend the night in the Kombi, which we would all have coped with – it’s just that kind of team,” explains Schwegler.

Tough schedule There was a massive time issue to content with on the project, according to Schwegler.

“We were commissioned on 8 October and had to begin shooting on the 15th. By the time we started filming, we had identified five of the six stories. While Nicola was away shooting the first story, Bronwyn and I were locking down the rest. And, once I was in the field, Bronwyn continued full time with focused research and logistics while Nicola edited on Final Cut Pro at Backyard Productions’ offices in Johannesburg.

Throughout the 15 to 20-hour work days Nicola and I multi-tasked, juggling roles and responsibilities.”

De Chaud and Granelli set up a structural style with the first story and that became

Walking Tall: Junior Mohlabi

the template for all the films. Each story has a hook, an introduction into the character and a back story. The look and feel is carried on in the print campaign, which was photographed by TJ Lemon and written by Granelli and Lemon.

“Producing the campaign was a remarkable effort,” states Granelli. “Nicola and Odette basically pulled off a threeminute documentary (and one-minute cut down for broadcast) each week. All in all it was 10 weeks from brief to inception. The campaign had to coincide with the end of tax season – November 2012.

“Odette, Nicola and their team did an awesome job. I really appreciate all the hours they put in to produce such spectacular and beautifully put together stories.”

Positive feedback Granelli notes that he’s made lots of adverts during his time at SARS but none of them

Photo by TJ Lemon

Photo by TJ Lemon

Photo by TJ Lemon

Photo by TJ Lemon

| Commercials

Positively Alive: Elsie Bogatswe

has generated feedback like Touching Lives.

“Brendan Seary of the Saturday Star awarded it an Orchid for Ad of the Week.

He said the campaign really made a difference because it was authentic in that none of the people featured were paid to give testimonials. Ornico gave the campaign a similar honour and a number of journalists have tweeted about it. Ferial Haffajee of City Press devoted an entire editorial in the City Press to the campaign.

“I’ve also received very positive feedback from other government departments who are keen to do something similar.

Furthermore, I’ve been blown away and humbled by the feedback from normal people who have posted favourable comments on the website,” concludes Granelli.

The Touching Lives campaign began re-airing on 19 January in time for the deadline for the submission of annual income tax returns by provisional taxpayers.

– Joanna Sterkowicz

February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 13

FILM

|

Compiled by Martie Bester

Director Speak Willie Esterhuizen After 20 years in the South African industry, Willie Esterhuizen shows no signs of slowing down. Following the television hit shows, Orkney Snork Nie and Vetkoekpaleis, he subsequently wrote, directed and produced Ester en Hester Bester as well as Molly & Wors for kykNet. More recently his movie credits as writer, director and producer include Poena is Koning (2008), Vaatjie sien sy Gat (2009) and Stoute Boudjies (2011), which were all box office hits. Plus the yet to be released Molly & Wors Die Movie (2012).

According to Esterhuizen, the only qualifications he has are his poor matric results and a ‘pink panty’ in ballet.

DIRECTLY RELATED: Pieter and Willie Esterhuizen

What is the secret to making a really funny sitcom?

Honesty. Write about what you know. If you don’t think it’s funny, it won’t be funny for the viewers either. Never try to be funny, it will come across as forced and not humourous. Write strong characters and give each of them a flaw or weakness. Even Nemo, the fish, had a tiny fin on one side, a flaw.

Are you a ‘funnyman’ or serious person in ‘real life’?

I am just an ordinary blue collar working guy.

Making movies and television is a job. Do it with passion, but keep in mind, it is only a movie or a TV show. That’s all. We are entertainers; there to entertain other people.

That is our job.

Have you based any of your characters on real life people? If so, did they mind?

No, I create my characters from a combination of attributes found in many people that I know or who cross my path. Creating a good solid character with his or her frame of reference, background, likes and dislikes, vocabulary, etc, is something on which I spend a lot of time.

How have you sustained your success in a competitive industry?

Holy cow, it’s hit or miss all the time. When success comes, be grateful and pray your next job will be the same. To think that you are the bee’s knees would be a huge mistake.

How do you direct yourself and act at the same time?

My brother Pieter Esterhuizen directs me. I don’t think you can direct yourself. It is arrogant to think that you can. Another pair of eyes is needed to direct your performance.

Would you ever write and/or direct a serious, non-comedic film or television series?

Yes, if I had money to blow. I have yet to find a way of making a profit with a serious movie, and no-one would ask me to direct a serious TV series.

THE SECRET IS HONESTY: Willie Esterhuizen You used to be a ballet dancer. How did you make the transition from dancing to acting, writing and directing?

I did ballet only because of the beautiful woman. It was a great way of holding, lifting and playing with the most gorgeous of creatures. I always wanted to make movies, and studied drama in England for two years after my ballet adventure. I believe that acting helped to develop my writing, and especially with dialogue. I know when dialogue won’t work and that prevents me from writing crap dialogue. Directing followed my writing because I am, unashamedly, a control freak. It really is such a privilege to be allowed to act, write and direct your own work. In some countries the unions would make it very difficult to do all that.

14 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

Where do you get the inspiration to write your sitcoms and film scripts?

The need to survive financially in this country is a really good motivating factor. I really don’t believe in ‘inspiration’. Hard work gets things done. Nothing else does. Inspiration is for people who can afford that luxury.

I work incredibly well when cornered like a rat.

What are the technical differences of shooting a studio-based sitcom as opposed to a location-based feature film?

It is completely different. Studio work is so sterile and monotonous. I love making movies, not one day is ever the same.

What makes an actor/actress funny?

When they are serious. Comedy is a serious business.

What is your motto for success?

Huh? I just flipping hope the viewers like what I do. I try to be honest and reflect society as it is, and not a sanitised version of reality. Don’t be pretentious and try to make art.

What is the funniest film you’ve ever seen? Why? They differ all the time. The last one I enjoyed most is The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. That’s a good example of really good scriptwriting, unpretentious acting and plain and simple directing with no special effects.

What new projects are you working on?

We are doing a brand new sitcom and a movie this year. I never talk about what I do, because I believe that you talk away the energy that should go into your writing. I have friends who have talked their movie away. Save that energy and write it down. Talk is very cheap, and greatly practiced in our industry.

Tell us a little more about Molly & Wors Die Movie.

Our latest movie, Molly and Wors, was shot at the end of 2012 and it’s now in postproduction. We shot in Amsterdam, Johannesburg, East London and Long Beach, California. It was such a privilege to do this movie. It will be released either in April or June this year.

| Film

Minimalist filmmaking

MOUNTAIN SEARCH: Warrick Grier and Sthandiwe Kgoroge

By Linda Loubser South Africa-made film Fynbos by production company A Four Letter Word had its world premiere at the Durban International Film Festival in 2012 and was selected to screen at the Slamdance Film Festival in the US in January this year.

Jessica Haines in a scene from Fynbos

A

ccording to director and screenwriter Harry Patramanis, his first feature film Fynbos was made as an exercise in minimalism.

“Not in the sense that we didn’t have much equipment, but in the sense of how minimally you can tell a story so that you leave room for audience interpretation.

Because of the way movies are marketed these days, there is a tendency to overexplain stories and think that people are stupid.

“We wanted to make a film where the audience can become clever again – without making a boring film, because that is another challenge,” he explains.

Patramanis and producer Eleni Asvesta are both originally from Greece but are now based in Los Angeles. “We’ve been visiting South Africa for almost 20 years to shoot commercials,” says Patramanis, “and we’ve always felt an attachment to your country.”

The screenplay was originally written in Los Angeles almost 10 years ago by Patramanis and his friend Jonathan Glatzer, to be set in the American west.

“We slowly abandoned it because it just didn’t gain momentum. Three years ago we were scouting locations for a car commercial in the Western Cape, and we suddenly saw a house that was very close to the description of a house in our script. The image almost told the story on its own.

Suddenly we thought: wow, we can make the film here.”

Different angle According to Patramanis they rewrote the script to localise it. “We worked with great respect for the fact that we’re foreigners, and we didn’t want to make a film that was judgemental of the country and its people.

But we also found it advantageous that we’re outsiders, as we can see things from a different angle.”

In the film, described as a mystery drama, a real estate developer on the brink of bankruptcy travels with his wife to a remote property he needs to sell urgently. While showing the house to a brother and sister from London, his wife disappears.

Fynbos was made independently and is completely self-financed. “We relied very much on the actors to carry the film, and luckily the story itself attracted very, very good talent. They all worked on deferred payments, so in a sense, they’re all co-producers,” notes Patramanis.

The film stars Warrick Grier, Susan Danford, Jessica Haines, Cara Roberts, Sthandiwe Kgoroge, John Herbert and Chad Philips.

Asvesta adds that the location is very important in the film. “We needed a glass house in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a township area. The original house we saw is a popular commercials location, so we didn’t want to use it and had to go on quite a journey to find the right location. Eventually we found the perfect house in a book about modern South

African architecture. It’s called the Fynbos House in Betty’s Bay, and was designed by an architect called Sarah Calburn.”

Amazing crew The film was shot by German cinematographer Dieter Deventer over 24 days starting on 23 September 2011. It was shot on an Arri Alexa that was flown in from Greece.

Says Patramanis: “Media Film Service in Cape Town provided additional camera support, and we worked with an amazing South African crew. We also had some help from Moonlighting in Cape Town, who we have worked with many times before on commercials.

“In terms of the cinematography, we went for a very naturalistic look. Because it’s a glass house, it gave the feeling of being in a fish bowl and almost became like a stage where we could move the camera around and observe the life within.”

He notes that the shoot itself went well. “I think the challenges we faced were mostly creative, not technical. We worked less than 12 hours a day and were never behind schedule, and we had gorgeous, gorgeous weather.

“The time of shooting was very quiet and very focused. I never said ‘action’ as we wanted the actors to stay in character, so we were almost rolling every minute.”

The film was edited by Yorgos Mavropsaridis in Greece, with grading by Kodak Cine Labs in Athens and sound by Wildfire Studios in Los Angeles.

According to Patramanis they will explore different means of distribution.

“We hope to have a festival run, and we’ll also look at releasing on video on demand and online, as many people don’t have access to art house cinemas. Our target audience is film lovers and film buffs – I think they will enjoy this film.”

February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 15

Television

|

Caricature rules! Ok?

By Joanna Sterkowicz

The name Roger Law might not be known to many South Africans but suffice to say he is the man who held former British prime minister Tony Blair by the ears and had a humorous conversation with the late Osama Bin Laden… sort of.

A

nyone living in the UK between 1984 and 1996 who watched the ITV network would have seen the iconic comedy series, Spitting Image, featuring hilarious puppet caricatures of famous celebrities and politicians of the day.

Late last year Roger Law, who co-created Spitting Image together with Peter Fluck, emailed Thierry Cassuto, producer of the South African satirical puppet series, ZANEWS, and asked if he could do a radio documentary on the show for the BBC. “I was quite gobsmacked when I received Roger’s email,” said Cassuto, “in fact, I had to pinch myself and double check the email address because my first reaction was to think it was a joke. Roger Law and

LAWFUL CONDUCT: Roger Law and Thierry Cassuto

Peter Fluck were like demigods to us. They inspired so many generations of producers and writers to dare to do similar shows to Spitting Image, in France, Russia, India, Kenya and many other countries, including us in South Africa.”

Cassuto noted that when Law arrived at ZANEWS headquarters in Cape Town with BBC senior producer Mark Richard, it seemed like a strange reversal of roles.

“We had so many questions we wanted to ask Roger,” continued Cassuto. “He spoke to everybody – our writers, voice artists, puppet makers, puppeteers, producers. We compared the way they used to do Spitting Image and what we do here. They had a lot more money than we do, as they were aired in prime time on ITV on Sundays, and drove huge ratings and had thousands of puppets. But all in all we’re doing things pretty much the way they were doing it, including the brutal deadlines and the intoxicating smells of the chemicals used to make the puppets.”

Law added: “I saw ZANEWS on the internet and I thought it was really terrific.

ZANEWS should be on mainstream TV and not just pay-TV and the web. If the South African politicians are frightened of the show I can say to them with the utmost honesty that Spitting Image didn’t change one single thing about British politics.”

Ground-breaking

Right mix

Prior to Spitting Image Law was a caricaturist for the print media.

“Peter (Fluck) and I originally came up with an idea of taking political cartoons from newspapers and turning them into a TV series but it didn’t work out. So we thought about doing a puppet caricature show.

“Spitting Image was in many ways ground-breaking, but it was very difficult to produce, in particular the first series, which did not really work well. The show improved when we switched from long skits to one-liners and moved the puppets around much faster. You see, the problem with puppets is that they can’t act,” explained Law. He revealed that he was particularly fond of the ‘Fergie’ puppet (Sarah Ferguson) on Spitting Image. “Every time ‘Fergie’ went out, she would put a colander in front of her face and spray-paint freckles on her face.

“Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan featured prominently on Spitting Image. They were pretty unpleasant characters and therefore suited to puppets. There’s not much point in making puppets of nice politicians.”

The show was originally envisaged as 28-minute episodes of political satire but, according to Law, viewers lined up to switch off the show when it was in this format.

“We decided to add celebrities and sports stars to the mix and that’s when the show took off. So, in any episode there would only be about seven minutes of real political satire. ZANEWS is doing the same thing.

“The other reason why the mix of political, celebrity and sports puppets worked so well is because we attracted two types of audiences – the ones who read highbrow newspapers like The Guardian and the others that read tabloids like The Sun.” With such satirical content you’d think Spitting Image might have had generated legal issues.

“We only experienced minor problems,” commented Law. “The irony is that the more popular the show became the more politicians sent in their photos hoping that we’d make puppets of them.

“Author Jeffrey Archer contacted us once, desperate to be on the show and I said absolutely not. But then afterwards he was caught in a compromising situation on camera so we made a puppet of him.

Nobody ever filed lawsuits against Spitting Image which is a pity; it would have been a great pleasure to have been sued by politicians.”

Costly show

POLITICAL SATIRE: A YouTube clip of Spitting Image’s Ronald Reagan character

16 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

Law noted that Spitting Image was an expensive show to produce partly because it required a workshop of about 15 to 20 artisans, including himself, and lots of different materials to make the puppets.

“For every single puppet we needed a draughtsman, a modeler, a moulder, a painter and an engineer. In the studio each puppet needed a voice artist and at least two puppeteers, sometimes three.

“There were lots of scriptwriters on Spitting Image, mostly young people who could work odd hours because they didn’t have spouses and kids. Among the writers were Ben Elton (The Thin Blue Line) and Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Blackadder),” said Law. All in all, there are 300 hours of Spitting Image.

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Television

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Compiled by Joanna Sterkowic z

Uniting people of the south…

Traditionally South African film and television producers have always looked north to Europe, the UK, the US and Canada for co-production opportunities.

However there is a current move afoot to encourage co-operation with the global south such as Brazil.

A

t the recent DISCOP AFRICA content market held in Johannesburg, a strand of the conference programme was devoted to co-production opportunities between Africa and Brazil.

South African producer Neil Brandt of Fireworx Media commented that many local producers work with northern partners as a means of survival.

He continued: “However, this means we have to work with commissioning editors who have stereotypical ideas of Africa being comprised of nothing but war and starvation.

“I definitely think that South African content producers should collaborate with the global south. For instance, Brazil and South Africa share similarities – we both have a history of colonialism and our societies are unequal as a result. Brazil’s history of slavery is similar to our history of apartheid. Collaboration should not just be about Brazil and South Africa but about Brazil, Angola and Mozambique.

“Brazil and South Africa are emerging economies on the world stage and our societies have upward mobility. There is lots of opportunity for sharing content ideas.

Ideally we should develop relationships with Brazilian producers to get our content onto the global stage.”

Brandt noted that he’d been to Brazil several times and observed a high level of professionalism among Brazilian producers, a generosity of spirit and a lot of curiosity for African stories.

“Fireworx Media is looking for stories where a protagonist from one country is in the other. I think there is a lot of opportunity to work with Brazil and there is a push to create a co-production treaty between the two countries,” he said.

18 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

Brazilian content South African Mike Dearham, senior vice president of the Côte Ouest Group and GM of the Mauritian office explained that the company distributes programming produced by Brazil’s TV Globo into Africa.

“I believe that developing south-south relations is a social-economic imperative.

There are clear cultural and developmental similarities between South Africa and Brazil,

such as the rich / poor divide. Côte Ouest has found a home with TV Globo in that we’ve developed an African audience for content from Brazil and have paved the way for other strands of content.

“It’s good that we’re at DISCOP AFRICA discussing ideas around co-production but we should also create a common database between the TV Producers Association of Brazil and similar organisations in Africa. It’s important that we identify production and post-production synergies between the two countries. We need specialised workshops to do this.”

Industry body

Mike Dearham

Neil Brandt (Fireworx Media)

Rachel Do Valle of the Brazilian TV Producers Association commented that the organisation was founded in 1999 and has 235 members, all companies.

“Brazil has 194 million inhabitants with 50 million TV households. We have local content quotas on all international pay-TV channels in Brazil, which is why it’s important to have a co-production treaty in place.

“Without a co-production treaty the Brazilian producer must have at least 40% of the production to enter into it. With a co-production treaty the percentage can be anything between 20% and 80%. Brazil has tax incentives, national film funds and industry funds, support from the Brazilian Development Bank and from the Ministry of Culture,” said Do Valle.

She noted that the trade between Brazil and Africa and South Africa has increased since 2001 and highlighted the Rio Content Market which takes place from 20 to 22 February 2013. This market is very focused on the business side of television and includes matchmaking sessions.

SHARING SIMILARITIES: Rachel Do Valle and Monica Monteiro

Active in Africa Brazilian production company Cinevideo has been in Africa for six years and has an office in Maputo.

Said Cinevideo’s Monica Monteiro: “We have produced many documentaries in Africa including a series about powerful African women. This features Nadine Gordimer, Graca Mandela and former prime minister of Mozambique Luisa Dias Diogo, among others.

“We also produced Mozambique’s first soapie – 16 half-hour episodes. Close to a hundred local people worked on this soapie.”

Monteiro is currently prepping a series about African presidents that will be shown in Brazil.

SA’s treaty stance Head of Policy & Research at the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) Aifheli Dzebu pointed out that South Africa has eight co-production treaties in place so far.

“There is strong motivation for a treaty between South Africa and Brazil so we should fast track the discussion,” she continued. “It’s worth noting that both South Africa and Brazil have co-production treaties with Canada, Germany and the UK so Brazilians and South Africans could co-produce using these treaties as long as they agree on who the lead producer is.

“While the NFVF is responsible for the administration of treaties we don’t have the competency to liaise with the relevant international desks, the Department of Arts & Culture (DAC) does that.”

Brandt commented that the main challenge in co-production is developing cross-cultural scripts.

“Every Brazilian producer has ideas, so there is lots of potential but let’s not kid ourselves, it’s a difficult path,” he stated.

At the close of the session Dearham suggested that the Brazilian TV Producers Association and South Africa’s Independent Producers Organisation partner together to make a presence at the upcoming BRICS (Brazil Russia India China South Africa) Summit in March in Durban.

| Documentary

The IDFA experience One of the world’s première documentary festivals, IDFA (International Documentary Festival Amsterdam), took place late last year. Cape Town-based filmmaker SIMON WOOD provides an insider’s view of the event.

A

year ago I travelled to IDFA for the first time. While I’d like to tell you I had a great time, in reality I was terrified. I got there far too early, saw some mind-bendingly brilliant films and by the time I was due to screen my film, Forerunners, I almost threw up. A year later I went back with 37 South Africans to watch films, network and party.

Documentary Filmmakers’ Association (DFA) stalwart Pascal Schmidt came up with the extremely bright idea to utilise the Department of Trade and Industry’s (the dti’s) EMIA (Export Marketing & Investment Assistance) scheme to send an official South African delegation to the 2012 festival. The scheme funded flights, accommodation, marketing material and a South African stall.

Brand SA also chipped in with a lot of scarves and beanies, allowing the South African delegates to survive Amsterdam’s ‘ice age’ weather conditions, and also made the delegates identifiable from roughly 300 metres as all these products featured the South African flag.

Hans Boscher, a Dutch independent producer, coordinated many of the delegation’s meetings and guaranteed they met the right people.

Sadly, there were no South African films showing in any of the competitive sections at this year’s festival. Truth be told it hasn’t been a great year for South African documentaries with none of the latest batch of films managing to impose themselves on any of the major festivals.

FILMS, FILMS AND PARTIES!: Simon Wood and Francois Verster

The recipient of IDFA’s Worldview Award and the Blue Ice Production Grant, the film had commissioning editors vying for pre-sales. Please check out the trailer (http://vimeo.com/23937652), it will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

One particular scene depicts a gangster planning a murder while a faulty light bulb flicks on and off, constantly plunging the room into darkness.

The second of Brandt’s films, which featured in a new strand at The Forum for work in progress, is Francois Verster’s documentary, The Dream of Shahrazad. A kaleidoscope of characters from three countries (Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey), the film was shot during the Arab Spring and has been three years in creation. Verster screened a 90-minute rough cut to great acclaim and the film promises to be a strong presence on the 2013 festival circuit.

Outside of the official co production market, Rehad Desai was making a solid impression on European producers with his new project about the infamous Marikana massacre which resulted from a strike at the Lonmin mine.

Festival highlights Five days into the festival Pascal Schmidt emailed to ask if I was ok. I replied telling him it was awful – I was being forced to watch films and party every day, which brings me to my next and most favourite part of any festival – the parties. Just kidding! The films (I think) are my best part.

My IDFA film highlights this year come from Brazil and Georgia. Firstly Elena, an incredible tale of a young woman coming to terms with her sister’s suicide, with each scene pushed to its creative apex. The film, framed around a searingly personal and poetic letter to her sister, is a perfect combination of creativity and content building to a conclusion which left me unable to leave my seat for several minutes.

The film took eight years to make and was in post-production for three of those years.

The second film, The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear, was a delightfully simple idea (good ideas generally are). A Georgian filmmaker placed an advert in a national newspaper requesting people who would be interested

SA’s Forum films The good news, though, is that there are some incredible films on the way. At IDFA’s co-production market, The Forum, South Africa had two films, represented (unbelievably) by the same producer – Neil Brandt of Fireworx Media in Johannesburg.

One of these films is Capetonian Riaan Hendrick’s The Devil’s Lair, which has to be one of the most anticipated films of 2013.

CAPS FOR TEAM SA: Michael Lee with other South Africans

in appearing in a film. She shoots the interviews and if she finds them interesting enough, returns home with the interviewees to carry on filming them. The film is a patchwork of characters and landscapes that leaves you with a deep visual understanding of Georgia, a country struggling to come to terms with itself.

Each night at IDFA there is a party.

Worryingly, due to a slowdown in global economics, this year you had to buy your own drinks. That is until the South African party, which thankfully was sponsored by the South African Embassy in the Netherlands, which clearly recognises that there is value in getting a lot of producers and filmmakers drunk. Consequently, hundreds of people turned up and the party was an extraordinary success featuring pantsula dancers from Soweto and DJ Clive from Johannesburg. As the party drew to a close Rehad Desai was at hand to marshal everyone to another venue, guaranteeing some serious hangovers the following day.

Leaving IDFA I bumped into Peter Wintonick, one of the festival’s organisers.

He asked me if I’d enjoyed myself this year and I told him that going to IDFA was like traveling to the base camp of Mount Everest – it allows you to stop, look up and imagine.

Simon Wood is currently working on two documentaries, Untamed, an exploration into the evolution of the human psyche with poet, psychologist and ex Springbok Ian McCallum, and Child Free, an examination of prejudice against women who choose not to have children.

February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 19

Broadcast

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The death of the TV test pattern

By Ian Dormer On 5 May 1975 the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) began experimental broadcasts in the main cities of South Africa. Many viewers will remember staring at the mesmerising colour test pattern in their sitting rooms. Once a common sight, test patterns are now only rarely seen partly because they are no longer intended to assist viewers in the calibration of their television sets, but mainly due to the fact that most television stations run programming 24/7.

T

he history of television test signals dates back to 27 January 1926 when John Logie-Baird first demonstrated that it was possible to transmit pictures using his mechanical scanning apparatus in Britain.

It wasn’t until 1929 that the first experimental television service was broadcast by the BBC in collaboration with The Baird Company. At this time transmission took place for 30 minutes per day using the Baird 30-line system.

It was around 1934 that the first simple test patterns were generated to test the equipment. These consisted of a simple circle and line chart, which tested the picture ratio and the first wedge-shaped ‘frequency grating’ for testing highfrequency response.

Between 1939 and 1946 there was no television due to the war. After the war, Britain’s 3 350 TV viewers tuned into some new test signals and to the first ever BBC Clock. It was around this time that the BBC generated the first true ‘Test Card’. Test Card A was designed to aid the aligning of studio cameras and signal response. It was also broadcast to aid the field engineers who were setting up television sets. ‘Test Cards’ were so called because the original ones were indeed cards, usually handdrawn on large pieces of card. Typically they would measure 2ft by 3ft and a large camera would be placed in front of them.

Today

In North America, most stations ran the now infamous Indian Head Test Card personalised with a station ident, originally a piece of artwork in card format. RCA then

developed an electronic test card generator called a monoscope. This was made up of cathode ray tubes with a metal plate onto which the image of the Indian Head was etched, which burnt a permanent image into the tubes. The monoscope had a UHF signal output that was fed into the transmitter.

The Indian Head monoscope was also used in Canada, Sweden, the then Rhodesia Television (now Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation) during British colonial times and was also used by Venezuelan TV in South America. Towards the end of the Indian Head TV era (around the late 1970s), there was no nightly test pattern on some stations in the US, typically when automatic logging and remote transmitter controls allowed shutdown of power immediately after the formal sign-off.

In the 1970s, Philips introduced the PM5544 test generator. The test pattern was not just an electronically generated version of a colour image – the signal from which it derived contained some deliberate deviations or violations of the TV standard which were designed to cause obvious aberrations in specific areas of the pattern if the receiver had any amplitude or phase distortion in its Phase Alternating Line (PAL) decoder. How the pattern was distorted gave a clear indication of what part of the PAL circuit was not working so the TV repairman could fix the problem.

Perhaps the most iconic of all test cards was Test Card F. First broadcast on 2 July 1967 (the day after the first colour pictures appeared to the public on television) Test

In modern times Test Card F has been replaced by Test Card X, which can be viewed for 90 seconds every two hours as part of the BBC HD preview slot when programming is not on air. The test card, when viewed, is enhanced with 5.1 surround sound tests. The card is a rescanned HD version of Test Card F artwork and Miss Hersee, who is now 50 years old and who was paid around £100 by the BBC when the image first appeared, is thought to hold the record for the most TV appearances by a single person!

BBC Test Card F

Indian Head

Test bars

Test pattern

North America

20 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

Today, modern TV sets such as LCD and plasma sets rarely need adjustment as the use of digital interconnect standards operate without the issues inherent to analogue broadcasting. But the bottom line is that the financial imperatives of commercial television broadcasting mean that air time is now typically filled with programmes and commercials (such as infomercials) 24 hours a day, and non-commercial broadcasters have to match this.

There are, believe it or not, groups of ‘test pattern fanatics’ who monitor and log the use of test patterns when they occur. For example, did you know that Hungary’s RTL KLUB, Iceland’s RUV and Latvian Television all run test patterns between broadcast hours? Most Asian countries including China, Nepal, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia also do the same, but test cards are no longer broadcast in Thailand when Thai PBS stopped broadcasting them in January 2011.

Iconic

Card F was created by BBC engineer George Hersee. The central image on the card featured his eight-year-old daughter Carole, playing noughts and crosses with a clown doll, Bubbles the Clown, surrounded by various greyscales and colour test signals needed to ensure a correct picture. Like other test cards, it was usually shown while no programmes were being broadcast, but it was the first to be transmitted in colour in the UK and the first to feature a person. It was used on television around the world for more than four decades.

Text Card X

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Broadcast

|

Making the move to DTT

Africa’s migration from analogue broadcasting to digital terrestrial television (DTT) has been a hot topic over the past few years. At the DISCOP AFRICA Conference held in Johannesburg in November 2012, the continent’s digital migration was once again under the spotlight.

TALKING DTT – Kate Skinner, Russell Southwood, Marc Schwinges and Romanou Kouferidji

I

n terms of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Africa must complete its digital migration by 2015, after which the analogue signal will no longer be protected.

Mauritius is the only country in the African region to have switched off the analogue signal. South Africa, by contrast, has been trialing DTT since November 2008. In October 2012 the South African Minister of Communications undertook a ‘proof of concept’ or a soft launch of DTT in the Northern Cape. The commercial launch is yet to take place.

At the DISCOP AFRICA Conference, Russell Southwood of Balancing Act, pointed out that some African countries are running small DTT pilots while only five countries have actually launched the process.

“Africa is a poor continent so it seems a bit mad to ask poor people to pay $50 for a set-top box (STB) just to decode the digital signal,” continued Southwood. “But this transition will happen so it’s important to focus on the benefits. DTT is not only a technical transition but a business and consumer transformation as well.

“In the rest of the world migration has taken between six and 10 years. One of the African countries to have launched DTT is Nigeria, in the form of a public / private partnership with Star Times.”

Jason Njoku from Nigerian company iROKO Partners, an online distributor of Nollywood and other African content, stated that DTT is an important step for the continent because it offers cost-effective access to content and quality in terms of picture resolution and audio.

“The success of DTT will all come down

22 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

to cost – what are you going to get in terms of content once you have bought the STB? Nigerians will pay but they need the right triggers and that boils down to lots of content. I must say that Star Times has done a fabulous job in contributing to Nigeria’s DTT progress,” said Njoku.

Sass Jahani of ABC Broadcasting, a UK company that specialises in playout, noted that one of the main benefits of DTT is capacity. “A single analogue channel equates to 20 digital channels so international broadcasters can introduce niche channels and localise them.”

IMPORTANT STEP – Jason Njoku

Content issues The South African Screen Federation (SASFED) has concerns regarding the funding that will be required to pay for all the new content on the DTT channels.

Said SASFED’s Marc Schwinges: “Where will the money come from to pay for all this new content that is meant to reflect South Africa’s various language groups? The production sector is concerned that the local broadcasters are trying to convince regulator ICASA to reduce content quotas to help them pay for the migration process.

SASFED is working for a better regulation of local content.”

Schwinges stressed that it was important to differentiate between DTT and IPTV. “They are two different things – IPTV is global while DTT is niche. So from a content point of view there are two different markets and sets of needs. We are curious about the delayed roll out of DTT in South Africa and we may miss the boat if in two to three years we can receive content in our home through better broadband which enables IPTV services.”

Craig Johnson of Nielsen maintained that DTT is great for new players but established broadcasters could see an erosion of their market share from existing channels.

“Advertising sales models need a careful rethink once all the extra DTT channels appear. In most countries the additional DTT channels have been targeted to niche audiences and it’s worked well.

“DTT also threatens to erode pay-TV channels. From a sales point of view – good audience ratings equals ad sales. The Coca-Colas and Unilevers of this world won’t advertise in the African market

without audience ratings and these need sophisticated measurement models.”

Consumer point of view Focusing on the consumer perspective, Kate Skinner of South Africa’s SOS: Support Public Broadcasting Coalition, noted the absence of an effective DTT communications campaign in South Africa.

“To date there has been very little information about the digital incentives and new content that will be on offer. We still don’t know how much a STB will cost – we’ve only had estimates varying between R400 and R700. There are also issues around what kind of antennas will be needed. The actual costs of what DTT entails must be clarified for the public.

“Government has announced that there will be STB subsidies for South Africa’s poorer households but has not explained how this will be implemented,” said Skinner.

She pointed out that public broadcaster SABC is going to play a crucial role in DTT. “The SABC’s 24-hour news channel has been discussed and there has been a lot of talk around sports and educational channels.

“We need more transparency from the SABC about its digital migration plans,” said Skinner.

– Joanna Sterkowicz

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Outside Broadcast

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By Ian Dormer

The inside and outside of OB Photo Courtesy SuperSport

Photo Courtesy SuperSport

Today, live sport broadcasts are the content most prized by television viewers and therefore by TV networks alike. Games coverage has evolved from four cameras to configurations of more than 20 cameras to enhance the spectacle. The costs of rights to broadcast sports and live events are increasing and new platforms for other media such as mobile TV, interactive television or the internet are on the increase.

24 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

Multiple requirements Today, OB vans are designed to cover a big variety of production requirements. They must be flexible enough to adapt to the changing requirements from a technical and operational point of view.

Economic constraints and new technical requirements have led to a change of the design concept of OB vans over the past few years. The emergence of high definition TV (HDTV) broadcasts worldwide, with a high content of live sport coverage, have created a strong requirement for multistandard OB vans able to produce (HD) programmes, while still being able to produce standard definition (SD) programmes for the change-over period.

China Beijing Television’s recent delivery of a stereoscopic 3D production and distribution van is testament to that philosophy. In this instance, Sony Professional Solutions developed a full HD 3D TV OB van architectured around a unified 2D plus stereoscopic 3D workflow.

The new truck was designed as a general purpose unit which will primarily be used for sports production, enabling the network to cost effectively capture and broadcast sporting events in 2D and stereoscopic 3D.

Photo Courtesy SABC

O

utside broadcast (OB) vans used to cover live events are adopting technology and techniques needed to adapt to the ever changing world of television.

2012 was a watershed year for the OB sector worldwide. The European Football Championships in Poland and the Ukraine; the London Olympics, Paralympics and Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in the UK; the Winter X games in Aspen; the French Open and Wimbledon Tennis; Super 15 Rugby; various cricket and golf tournaments and the list goes on.

This long list gives an indication of both the number and diversity of sporting events covered by broadcasters and the demand for OB facilities is illustrated by Euro Media’s UK subsidiary CTV’s OBs being involved in six different events simultaneously on the opening day of the Olympics, including cricket in the Netherlands, four golf competitions and a music concert on mainland Europe. Euro Media had 17 OB vans at the Olympic Games opening ceremony alone.

Barry Johnstone, managing director of CTV and chief operating officer of the Euro Media Group, says the OB market in 2012 was ‘very healthy’ for all leading suppliers and adds that, for CTV, it was the biggest in company history.

Broadcast Technology Solutions (BTS) in Germany has been in business for 80 years and recently delivered its 555th OB van to Qatar Television. BTS maintains that no production company can afford to keep a costly OB van in the garage just because it cannot be used for a certain type of production. Not long ago OB vans were usually built for a particular production purpose such as sport events or shows or other cultural events.

The state-of-the-art OB truck is equipped with 10 HD cameras, including two Sony 3D cameras and two super slow motion cameras. Six of the cameras can be combined to create three 3D cameras.

3D and OB A big discussion point for OBs in particular is whether 3D is going to remain a speciality service or a novelty, or will it become mainstream in the future?

Sky channels across Europe continue to push 3D technology, but stereoscopy was dealt a considerable blow when Canal Plus dropped its 3DTV channel earlier in 2012, although the broadcaster has not ruled out resurrecting it in the future.

Some OB companies, notably Telegenic in the UK, have made a serious commitment to 3D. They have four dedicated 3D trucks in service.

In early 2012, Norwegian facilities company OB-Team took delivery of the country’s first 3D capable scanner. The 13.6m truck can accommodate 16 HD cameras, and was built by Sony Professional Services working with UK systems integrator Broadcast Networks, and OB-Team’s technical department.

Espen Frøysa, technical director at OB-Team, says that because the vehicle was being built from scratch, it made sense to include 3D capability.

Malcolm Robinson, head of live production solutions at Sony Professional Services, comments that the continuing appearance of such trucks shows that 3D stereoscopy for OB may be here to stay in Europe.

More toys Providing support for HD productions and modern tapeless workflows has dramatically increased the complexity and capabilities of modern OB vans. As technology changes and developments in electronic design continually evolve, equipment gets smaller, allowing engineers who plan OB van design to cram more and more into their limited space. More space means more toys providing the viewer with an enhanced viewing experience.

An increasing number of broadcasters are developing fibre networks connecting venues such as stadiums, race tracks and athletic venues to their studios sometimes hundreds of kilometres away. Fibre networks are helping transform the OB van

Photo Courtesy Telemedia

Photo Courtesy SABC

| Outside Broadcast

into a virtual remote office fully integrated in the overall IT, production and studio infrastructure of the TV channel.

Remote production In the US market fibre network technology has allowed fan based sporting disciplines such as Nascar, NFL, Formula 1 and College Football see the introduction of FanVision, a handheld controller that offers 10 channels of information including the live video feed, multiple camera angles, instant replays, real-time statistics and audio commentary via a dedicated in-venue broadcast network linked to the OB facility covering the event.

Those who invest in remote production will benefit from the cost savings associated with centralising production to the main facilities. All in all, this will reduce cost and increase efficiency in editing and production. The fibre network is a real

8 Camera HD OB Van (Triax)

alternative to satellite, where gaining access to capacity can be a challenge. But the benefit is not only related to cost savings; it is also possible to cover a larger number of live sports/musical events since the content production is less costly due to new technology.

South Africa saw the potential of remote production methods used during its hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. A north American broadcaster was able to extend its national backbone in South Africa due to its investment in technology that would guarantee 100% quality of service, low latency, and zero packet loss. With this assurance, it allowed both the local production team to access content and material in the US, as well as the postproduction personnel in the US, to access content in South Africa in real-time. This created a seamless workflow over thousands of kilometres. The same network was used to distribute the live feeds back to both the US and Latin America.

Such success stories are increasing in number within the broadcast industry, but for the time being a production crew will most likely want to be around for the major events to ensure that camera control is running smoothly, as issues related to remote handling still occur.

OB crews are therefore probably needed at least for the next few years and the OB market, it seems, will continue to flourish.

4 Camera SD OB Van (Triax)

4 Camera SD Flyaway Kit

Various Multi Cam Mix Kits

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February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 25

Outside Broadcast

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All the tricks of the OB trade READY TO ROLL: SuperSport OB vans gearing up for a job

South Africans in general are obsessed with sport, and one may argue that the best method of watching sport is on television. Coverage of sporting events has improved in leaps and bounds in recent years and, with the introduction of high definition (HD) cameras, it’s almost like being at the match. Andy Stead reports.

OB crew in Namibia

26 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

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o further enhance viewer interest many technological add-ons have been introduced including those that examine in detail decision making by referees. While some sports are not great users of this technology, cricket has adopted virtually all available technologies and now relies heavily on them to confirm umpires’ decisions regarding several aspects of the game.

As far as television coverage of cricket is concerned a lot of requirements come from the International Cricket Council (ICC), which informs broadcaster what services are required. These are mostly for the third umpire decision making.

South Africa’s national team, the Proteas, currently the number one team in the world, have popularised the game for South Africans and, with their recent series against New Zealand being televised live by SuperSport, viewers have been afforded the benefits of a whole gamut of available technology.

Despite having been around for a while the sophisticated graphics and historical data seen on the screen during cricket matches are superb. Almost instantaneously we are able to see scores, run rate, history of the batsman or bowler, the percentage chance of a win and exactly how many runs per over are required.

Clever cameras Stump cameras are the small cameras embedded inside one of the stumps, intended to give a shot of the action as seen by the batsman. The first stump camera was

the SABC’s coverage of the London Olympics in 2012 and resulted in very cost effective and efficient workflows,” says Nic Bonthuys of SABC TV Outside Broadcasts.

“We have used the Spidercam and will be using Sky Cam as the Host Broadcaster on AFCON 2013. These devices are very expensive and on top of this you have to add the HOWZAT!: SABC gun mount capturing cricket action cost of bringing them into the country since a local installed by the BBC in the early 1990s. solution is not available.”

Hot Spot is an infra-red imaging system A lot of the devices used are hired in for used to determine whether the ball has the specific event. Take the New Zealand struck the batsman, bat or pad. This cricket tour for example, SuperSport hired technology requires two infra-red cameras in Hawk-Eye, Hot Spot and stumpcams but on opposite sides of the ground above the they do have four ultra HD cameras, gun field of play that are continuously recording mounts and a jib of their own. For other an image. events they also make use of helicopters Hawk-Eye is a complex computer system and a gyro cam – again rented in. used in cricket, tennis and other sports to “We do experiment with angles and use visually track the trajectory of the ball and a Q ball Sony camera (round ball) which we display a record of its most statistically likely place in the commentary position. Its fully path as a moving image. In cricket and remote controllable, so can also go into tennis, it is now part of the adjudication change rooms, etc,” says Johan van Tonder, process. technical operations manager at Ultra slo-mo cameras, such as the SuperSport Outside Broadcast. i-movix, which operate at frame rates from SuperSport has four multi expander large 25fps to 2 600fps in 1080i50 or from 25fps HD vans (horse and trailer) housing up to to 5 600fps in 720p60, provide instant 22 cameras, one six-camera unit and replay at native HD resolution and image another due in March, and one standard quality. definition (SD) unit with 14 cameras. There The Spidercam operates with four are no plans at this stage for further vans, motorised winches positioned at each but according to Van Tonder they may corner at the base of the covered area, each change the SD van to HD. SuperSport of which controls a Kevlar cable connected services South Africa from Cape Town to to a gyro-stabilised camera-carrier, or dolly.

Messina.

Gun mounts give the option of a very low While some sports have made efforts to angle shot – just centimetres above the minimise the intervention of technology, ground. namely rugby where third umpire decisions While this may not be the full list of are kept to a minimum, it is inevitable that technology available it does cover the most where technology is able to assist in commonly used, and it’s not just for cricket. determining whether it’s a try, a goal or a SABC TV Outside Broadcasts is using this line call in the case of tennis, the benefits of technology to cover the Africa Cup of camera positions or ultra slo-mo replays will Nations (AFCON) 2013 football tournament become part of the process. in South Africa and is in the process of Lest we forget however, regardless of all purchasing two ultra slo-mo systems as well the above spectacular technology, the most as gun mounts, Steadicams and Jib important element is human skill. Ninety equipment. They have introduced DMNG percent of the broadcast is still dependent (Digital Mobile News Gathering using 3G on excellent camera work, not missing the and 4G) technology, first used in the Rugby shot, being in focus, following the ball, World Cup in New Zealand last year. anticipating the next move and being in “This was also used successfully during focus.

| Outside Broadcast

Going the (OB) distance Deciding on the right time to upgrade is a conundrum faced by many facilities suppliers. Technology improvements take place on an almost daily basis, and with the cost of capital equipment escalating, it’s critical to choose the right equipment at the right time.

EFX Productions, suppliers of a fully digital high definition OB van and flight case solution, believes it has chosen the right time to upgrade and to consider further upgrades in the near future.

The kick-start for their decision to purchase was winning a contract to shoot the ISPS Handa Match Play Golf Tournament for the Sunshine Tour.

“I think we were well priced,” says EFX Productions Brendan Marsay. “I ran the first tournament at a bit of a loss because of all the purchases, but it was a worthwhile

UPGRADED AND READY: The EFX OB trailer learning experience and as such, we’ll definitely improve on the next one.”

Recent upgrades include a new Sony PMW-350 2/3” chip, big body camera that offers fantastic pictures and is an excellent body for the bigger lenses. There are also some optical modules, and Marsay has redesigned the housing to accommodate more electronics so that there are now seven, full-up fibre chains with CCU, comms and Bi-di video. He also purchased some more RMB150 camera control units to complete the chains.

Cable runs are critical for major events

and Marsay anticipated this by acquiring four 100m runs, four 200m runs, two 250m runs and two multicores of 300m and 500m each.

“The multicores are ideal because I can run one cable into a venue/stadium and then run six shorter camera runs off that to make rigging easier and quicker and it’s less wear on the cables,” explains Marsay.

He notes that 2012 was a good year for EFX Productions.

“I had some great events and implemented some decent upgrades. 2013 will be even better!” he states.

Leading the way in fibre optics Rivonia-based Telemedia recently completed several fibre optic links between South African production companies, facilities and broadcasters.

A recent project involved setting up a fibre link between SABC and Melville-based Yebo Media, a production company responsible for the much lauded Matrics Uploaded programme, which is broadcast on SABC1 every afternoon of the week at 2.30pm.

Matrics Uploaded, a show which helps matric students study and pass their final school hurdle at year-end, first hit the South African airwaves in 2010. For the first two seasons it was produced at Urban Brew Studios, but due to budgetary constraints a decision was made at the end of 2011 to move the production in-house to Yebo’s own small studio for the 2012 season.

The show is interactive, hence the need to be live on air, and the studio makes significant use of green screen and virtual studio technology to ensure a dynamic and high-tech look. It is flashy, new age with two presenters and guest schoolchildren.

Telemedia was contacted to provide a connectivity solution late in December 2011. Divesh Maharaj, teleport manager, took on the project and claims that Telemedia was the only company able to offer a solution to meet the deadline of going live on-air by the second week in January 2012.

HIGH ON FIBRE CONTENT: Quentin Barkhuizen and Tom Salmon in Telemedia FCC “Initially, due to the timescale, we did not use fibre. A microwave link was installed as the primary link, and the fibre link went in and was operative from July last year. Going fibre was a quality and convenience upgrade from the microwave link,” explains Maharaj.

Fibre ducting trenches are dug by subcontractors, and the optical fibres are blown through. Telemedia is one of the few ECNS (Electronic Communication Network

Services) licence holders able to do this.

The link between the Yebo team and the SABC is open 24/7 and is simply confirmed open about an hour before the show is due to go on air.

Video and audio from the studio is sent via the fibre link as an uncompressed SDI feed with a data throughput of 270 megabits per second.

Tom Salmon, Data Services manager explains: “Most companies will compress

the video signal and sell on at a per megabit rate – every other network provider does this and will charge accordingly. We don’t do this – we charge for an uncompressed SDI service and because we manage the network ourselves we can facilitate this kind of service. Almost every link that we have supplied in the Gauteng area is uncompressed – this means there is no degradation of the signal, no compression artefacts or losses and no latency, as well as greater network simplicity by not having to encode or place the video onto a transmission protocol such as IP.” Telemedia has also supplied fibre links for the Big Brother high definition (HD) broadcast from Sasani Studios to MultiChoice, as well as Rhema Church and Stark studios, which broadcast a morning programme to kykNET. Telemedia uses DWDM fibre technology to offer multiple uncompressed services over the same fibre link and also offers services over the fibre links such as ASI circuits, Gigabit Ethernet and high speed, low latency internet connectivity. In the past month they also installed a fibre link to signal distributor Sentech in Honeydew.

Ensuring there are no breaks in transmission is vital and Telemedia provides redundancy in the form of microwave links and offers 24-hour monitoring on the circuits.

February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 27

Outside Broadcast

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Case study: Broadcasting Gelderland When it comes to live news reporting, there is no dress rehearsal. Timelines and the right technology to not only get it right the first time, but every time, is critical. TV Gelderland [Omroep Gelderland], a regional public broadcaster in Gelderland, Netherlands, knows this all too well.

ALL-IN-ONE OB SOLUTION: Theo Kooijmans inside the OB van

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veryday TV Gelderland provides live radio, television and online programming to one of the largest Dutch provinces in the country.

The local television station is keeping pace with its national counterpart, Omroep Max, by producing an impressive amount of live and taped content for daily news broadcasts and local programme formats.

Shows include deBuzz, which provides a stage for residents of the region to tell their story, as well as a wide variety of political, historical, and sports programming.

To cope with the volume of content and to get the television station closer to the heart of the action, senior editor of TV Gelderland Theo Kooijmans recognised the need for a purpose-built electronic news gathering solution (ENG) and began planning an outside broadcast (OB) van built around Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture and playback cards. As well as the ATEM 1 M/E production switcher and broadcast panel, all of which would be run using software written by himself.

Production and editing on the fly

TV Gelderland required an all-in-one OB solution, as everything from production to broadcast would be carried out inside the van. To ease the transition of working between the studio and out in the field, Kooijmans mirrored the studio setup at their headquarters in Arnhem, Netherlands.

Kooijmans frequently has to record direct to DVD, edit on the fly and upload to TV Gelderland’s play out servers at the station’s headquarters.

“We recently filmed the opening of a new care centre by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Our van is linked to a SNG and to the local cable network for broadcasting live. After the opening ceremony ended, we then had to get the process of editing inside the van underway immediately so that we could create a shorter segment for the evening news. The edited ENG package was then recorded to DVD and distributed to the cable network 28 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

Screenshot of a software programme written by Theo Kooijmans

in loop playback for all the residents at the care centre to see the finished product,” said Kooijmans.

One of the most important pieces of kit Kooijmans uses alongside his editing system, which is fitted with multiple DeckLink capture and playback cards, is a Blackmagic Design ATEM 1 M/E production switcher and ATEM 1 M/E broadcast panel.

“I switched to Blackmagic’s ATEM 1 M/E switcher because it offered us access to far more live options and powerful features, like a direct link to Photoshop which is perfect for live broadcasts; no external CG needed. Using the ATEM 1 M/E broadcast panel alongside the switcher makes it an even more powerful, not to mention easier, system to operate,” explained Kooijmans.

With the ATEM 1 M/E broadcast panel, TV Gelderland has full control of the switcher including cameras, transitions, keyers, faders and DVE Control.

Furthermore, the high quality buttons, knobs and controls provide an intuitive user experience essential for 24/7 live broadcasting environments. Due to the limited space in TV Gelderland’s OB van, the compact size of the ATEM 1 M/E was ideal.

“The broadcast panel is portable and its

small form factor means it can fit easily into tight spaces, like our van. We also like the transitions, fader and keyer controls that the panel comes with, while the intuitive nature of the switcher makes this piece of kit very easy to use,” noted Kooijmans.

Furthermore, the ATEM 1 M/E production switcher includes a built in multi viewer, which allows 10 channels of video to be displayed on a single SDI or HDMI television or monitor, which TV Gelderland uses frequently.

Kooijmans continued: “The ATEM 1 M/E also gives me a very nice, high-quality multi viewer with even green and red tallies when using the AUX outputs. Lastly, as a developer, I really like the programme (SDK) options too, as I now have the ability to create an automated rundown of a complete show with animated transitions.

It’s a great piece of equipment and I’m sure that we’ll continue to add more Blackmagic Design products as our productions grow.”

Capture and playback on the road

One of the most important advantages to working with Blackmagic Design products for Kooijmans was the ability to individualise

his workflow.

“As I have a lot experience in writing software and prefer to write my own programmes, I wanted to use licence free products that allow me to use my own software. Since the Blackmagic Design DeckLink capture and playback cards come with an SDK and is freely available, it was the perfect solution for our studio and OB set up,” said Kooijmans.

“I’ve written a number of purpose-built programmes from the ground up, ranging from playout servers to playout systems and network-controlled live flash recorders, as well as a universal recorder and a graphics engine for Radio TV. The build quality and reliability of Blackmagic’s DeckLink cards means they work perfectly with all the software I have written,” adds Kooijmans.

The DeckLink Studio cards are mainly used in Adobe CS5.5 Production Suites for editing at TV Gelderland’s headquarters and within the newly built OB van.

“We first started using the DeckLink cards in our editing systems and steadily began using more and more Blackmagic products due to their reliability and affordability. We now have loads of cards, mini converters and now an ATEM 1 M/E production switcher and broadcast panel in our OB van,” said Kooijmans.

News on the move

“I built the OB van because we needed to set up a portable multi cam workflow for the various events that are broadcasted on TV Gelderland, such as our annual Dutch carnival, summer music festivals and performances at the local theatre,” said Kooijmans.

“In addition to the live broadcast of the event, we frequently need to complete an edited package either same day or within a couple of hours of filming. Having the right kit, which can be operated using bespoke software written by myself and that works together as a complete solution is essential for our studio set up and that’s what the Blackmagic products we use provide,” he concluded.

G O L F

D A Y

2 0 1 3

One of the most popular events on the South African film and television industry calendar, the Annual Screen Africa Golf Day, will take place on Thursday, 18 April 2013 at CMR Golf Club in Maraisburg, Roodepoort.

As per tradition, the golfing competition will be followed by a networking cocktail at the CMR Clubhouse. This is a great networking opportunity as non-players, spouses and industry friends are all welcome. We will also sell Mulligan tickets at R100 per ticket, with the proceeds going to a charity organisation.

Hole sponsorship costs for 2013 stay the same as 2012. Screen Africa invites its previous sponsors and any new sponsors to participate in this year’s Golf Day.

In order to secure your hole sponsorship, please confirm your sponsorship by 1 March 2013 with Ellen Oosthuizen.

The competition will be a shotgun start. Please confirm how many 4-balls we must provisionally book for you.

Last year we filled up very quickly.

Information on the golf day:

Date:

Thursday 18 April 2013

Venue:

CMR Golf Course

Sponsorship:

R6500.00 (Hole 1)

Halfway House:

R5000.00 (all other holes) (Sponsorship is excluding VAT) For your own account

Green Fees:

R250 per player - includes VAT, cocktail snacks and prize giving

Competition:

Shotgun Start @ 12h00

Please confirm in writing your participation or non-participation in this year’s Screen Africa Golf Day.

Event Organiser: Ellen Oosthuizen Cell: +27 (0)83 268 6868 Fax: +86 (0)86 670 6809 e-mail: ellen@screenafrica.com or ellen.oosthuizen@pixie.co.za

Studios

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Are studios under stress?

SPACE TO FILM: Cape Town Film Studios

The international film and television studio business, like many other businesses in these recessionary times, is taking strain, writes ANDY STEAD.

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here are several possible reasons for the current tough times experienced by studios all over the world. For example, American producers may be reluctant to travel to foreign destinations that are seen as potentially unsafe. The distance away from home base and the long travel time required are also off putting. Despite these factors, it appears that it is less expensive to shoot in the US at the moment.

Decisions as to where to shoot – whether to go on location or in studio – and whether to go the digital visual effects route, all come down to cost. If the production can be shot in a foreign country, then the exchange rates and incentives offered by that country are taken into account. Studios that attract business are those that offer fantastic incentives and have favourable crew and competitive facilities rates.

In South Africa the Department of Trade & Industry (the dti) rebate and other incentives offered to filmmakers are generally most beneficial on really large budget films. If you are going to a country

30 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

offering a great rebate but with a poor exchange rate this incentive doesn’t work.

Studios cannot survive on the promise of big international productions alone.

Generally they will struggle if they don’t also service a significant amount of domestic productions as this is their bread and butter. Long-running local television series are probably the best bet and a daily drama with a long-term contract is also particularly useful.

the Dark, Knowing, Ghost Ride, Nightmares and Dreamscape.

“Both facilities include sound stages, production offices and workshops, and a community of independent businesses providing services such as equipment hire, travel and freight, casting, post-production, an explosives/pyrotechnic factory and adjoining residential properties. It’s critical to have this surrounding infrastructure,” says Sive.

Partnership deals

Going south

The recent multi-million pound deal between America’s Walt Disney Company and Pinewood Studios in England has been described as a major victory for the British film industry. This deal means that Disney will have sole use of several of Pinewood’s 17 sound stages in a leasing deal.

Australia has a booming film industry and studio design consultant Veronica Sive, who is no stranger to South Africa, having had a hand in the Waterfront Studios as well as Cape Town Film Studios (CTFS), was also involved in the early development of a complex in Melbourne, as well as the Fox movie studio complex in Sydney, which occupies the site of the former Sydney Showground at Moore Park.

“This studio is owned by News Corporation and was opened in May 1998.

It is one of the three main film studios in Australia, the others are Village Roadshow Studios and Docklands studios, Melbourne.

Productions shot at the Sydney studios include The Matrix, Moulin Rouge, Mission: Impossible II, Star Wars Episode II, Star Wars Episode III, Superman Returns and The Great Gatsby, and in Melbourne – Frankenstein, The Pacific, Don’t be Afraid of

South Africa is a hugely viable option for international filmmakers. Climatically it’s perfect and offers a diverse array of locations. It also has the skills, equipment and infrastructure. The attractive dti rebates are used by almost all visiting filmmaking internationals. While the exchange rate fluctuates all the time it is generally favourable for foreigners. South Africa is, however, a long way from home for Americans and travel costs increase

production budgets.

Having said this CTFS, which is currently the only Hollywood-style studio complex in Africa, is faring well, even in these tough times. When planning the complex, CEO Nico Dekker consulted with some of the world’s well-known studio facilities such as Fox, Disney, Universal, Warner, Paramount and Pinewood in order to create a facility that would learn from the challenges faced by other studios and their solutions to problems.

This led to the creation of special technical features in the CTFS sound stages and resulted in several new innovations. For instance, special gutters were designed from concrete to prevent vibration from wind and rain and the concrete slabs were connected with a mixture of silicone and concrete to enhance sound isolation.

A chiller plant was built and cold water directed through pipes into the stages, where it runs through air handlers.

The water cools the air of the air handlers and the cold air is taken into the sets with

Cape Town Film Studios

| Studios

Sasani Studios in Johannesburg

flexible ducting. This saves energy from conventional air-conditioning, but also provides more efficient cooling.

The new water tank facility is one of the first elevated film water tanks in the world and it is capable of holding 40m long ships and has a maximum depth of 4.8m. Furthermore the tank has also a unique rim flow design and is connected with a special beach reservoir to create a tandem system holding a total of 10 million litres of water.

Says Dekker: “CTFS has only been in full operation for just over two years and has already attracted international productions such as Dredd, Chronicle, Safe House, Labyrinth, The Borrowers, Flight of the Storks, Strike Back III, Young Leonardo II, Mary and Martha, Long Walk to Freedom,

SuperSport studio in Lagos, Nigeria

House Party, Fury Road (Mad Max) and Black Sails.

“Producers, directors and actors from 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Warner Brothers, Relativity, DNA Films, Scott Free, Tandem and Starz Entertainment, to name a few, have described CTFS as among the best facilities in which they have ever worked.”

has several studios at its Henley TV Facilities in Auckland Park; however last year a fire destroyed Studio 6, where the popular soapie Isidingo is recorded.

Henley has now been restored back to working order, according to acting chief technology officer SM Masinga, except for the actual epicentre of the fire and its immediate surrounding area.

Johannesburg

African scene

There are several studios in Johannesburg, including Sasani Studios, which offers four large stages, Atlas Studio, which boasts two stages and Global Access which also offers two large studios.

Public service broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC),

Looking to beyond South Africa’s borders, continental pay-TV broadcaster SuperSport has bought out the Kenyan Film Studios from long-time owner Charles Simpson.

The Kenya SuperSport facility offers two studios of 300m² each, with the latest lighting infrastructure and a three-camera

studio with control room. There is also a 14-camera high definition (HD) outside broadcast (OB) facility.

Further north, SuperSport has converted warehouses into studios in Lagos, Nigeria.

Two of the studios are equipped for HD and have control rooms and the other studio can be used as a swing-around with up to eight cameras. The third is used for a daily soapy called Tinsel and is 905m² with up to six cameras. There are also two SuperSport HD OB vans in Nigeria, each with 14 cameras.

Is there more to come? Will the global film industry really go into decline? Is there room for more international style studios in southern Africa? These are difficult questions to answer. Only time and the global economy will tell.

February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 31

Studios

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One-stop shop Broadcast studios and post-production based facility Sasani Studios, located in the Sasani Studios complex in Highlands North, Johannesburg, caters for all segments of the television broadcast and postproduction market.

This multi-faceted company, with its depth of knowledge and experience dating back to the early 1980s, has recorded some remarkable achievements. It has perfected a reliable and proven method of recording studio productions directly to server-based hard drives, offering complete tapeless solutions for both high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) productions.

Says HOD Operations at Sasani Studios Neil Van Heerden: “Our big attraction is that we cater for a wide range of services and all types of studio productions. We are currently providing complete solutions and services on site for M-Net’s reality show Big Brother Africa and e.tv’s popular local soaps Scandal and Rhythm City.

“Last year the SABC2 soap Muvhango moved to Sasani following the unfortunate fire that damaged SABC’s studios. We also support and facilitate the 7de Laan studios off site and cater for a variety of other

32 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

MULTI-FACETED: A live show being filmed at Sasani Studios studio based productions such as Die Nataniël Tafel cookery show.”

Sasani supplied services and studios for The World Debate, which saw Tony Blair and other high profile international and local politicians visit its premises to take part in a live international broadcast in collaboration with other production companies.

Van Heerden notes that Sasani provides post-production services for various productions such as e.tv’s Ekasi: Our Stories and Mzanzi Love drama series.

“We facilitate the popular Nigerian soap, Tinsel, handling the final mix and converting HD media creating final HD and SD broadcast masters for DStv. Sasani has provided post services to Fox International, for National Geographic Channel and

National Geographic Wild channel promos, on a monthly basis for the past six years,” he comments.

All Sasani’s studios are connected to dgital controls rooms via fibre-optic and the ‘Live to Drive’ tapeless offering in all studios has become very popular. Studios can be dry hired for stand-alone shoots or be rented with full lights, cameras, control rooms, crew and all equipment, as well as set storage, make-up rooms, green rooms and production offices.

Additional services to complete turnkey solutions include providing multiple format edit suites both in SD and full HD. All suites are digital, networked and available on shared storage, allowing any suite to access the same media at the same time, while simultaneously having the choice to access

Sasani’s three top-of-the range HD Pro-Tools audio post-production suites that include its experienced audio engineers.

Edit suites are a mix of various HD Avid suites and HD Final Cut Pro suites and also offer HD Adobe Premier. Sasani has a significant multi media and DVD authoring service and has been authoring Ster-Kinekor’s masters for many years.

Sasani’s complete offering includes the rental of fully equipped production offices, as well as lights, cameras, edit suites and final mix all in one facility. A wide range of cameras is available for rental for location shoots or top of the range studio HD cameras – Grass Valley 8000 HD/SD full digital chains for studio rental. Location camera rentals of HD P2 cameras are offered, subject to availability.

Other facilities offered are format conversions and transfers that include creating broadcast masters for external privately owned edit suites and from client hard drives to convert and transfer to HD and SD broadcast tape formats such as HDCAM, Beta SP, Digi Beta, HDDV and also onto hard drives for international release.

Sasani also offers delivery of HD media via electronic delivery to or from international broadcasters or production houses.

| Studios

All under one roof Where are you likely to find a television studio, audio recording studio, conferencing facilities and guest house under one roof? The answer is Centurionbased LemonJack studios and theatre, the preferred facility for many recording artists and television producers.

The studios offer a veritable ‘sound village’ recording environment which is acoustically treated for piano and choir recordings, with recording booths and a wide range of equipment including lighting, mixing desks, microphones and ancillary equipment – all available for rental. This is coupled with a 90-seater recording theatre.

Green screen capabilities have attracted television productions such as AF and Scar Tissue for NeethlingNolte Productions, as

UNIQUE AND INTIMATE: ‘n Lewe met for Sonneblom Films shot in LemonJack studios well as LemonJack’s own Dokter my and Kief… for TopTV / ASTV. The Magic Factory

Future’s looking ‘rosy’

‘Global’ heart of local TV 2012 proved to be a busy year for Johannesburg-based studio facility Global Access, which serviced sitcoms such as Ses Top’La and Sam Sokololo, both for Black Brain, as well as the talk show Thami – Life with Thami, and season 2 of the sitcom, Skwizas for Lilian Dube.

In addition Global Access serviced a training video for Sun International for the Clearview Hotel & Casino.

Global Access is currently busy with the sitcom Perfect Family for Burnt Onion Productions.

The company’s head of Television Broadcasting Amelia Thiart believes that Global Access stands out from other studio

SOAPIE SET: Shooting a scene for Villa Rosa

Jonathan Gimpel of Atlas Studios reports a good 2012 for the facility, most notably because of resident soapie, Villa Rosa, which occupies the two largest studios in the complex.

Villa Rosa is produced by Spectro Productions for Afrikaans-language pay-TV channel kykNET. “The show generates consistently high ratings and continues to grow from strength to strength. Villa Rosa has been on air for nine years,” says Gimpel.

Atlas Studios has two short-term rental spaces available, including a 140 square metre sound stage where Gimpel is building an infinity cure. This studio is most suited to newsroom, chat show, commercial and small television drama applications.

“Our other short-term rental space is not a sound stage but is used for public or

shot the Boere Orkes Kompetisie for kykNET at Lemon Jack and Sonneblom

private gatherings. It is 260 square metres and is used for commercial shoots, debates, screenings, exhibitions, functions and so on,” explains Gimpel.

He notes that Atlas Studios has developed a large education facility for the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) over the last three years in some of the underutilised space in the complex.

“This has proved to be quite popular,” continues Gimpel. “It comprises 10 specialised auditoriums / classrooms and admin facilities.”

The joint venture between Atlas Studios and producer Akin Omotoso, the First Wednesday Film Club, now enters its seventh year. This initiative showcases ‘great local and international films’ once a month at Atlas Studios and has proved to be a very popular industry event.

Films shot 13 episodes of ’n Lewe met before a live audience.

Says Sonneblom producer Carla Prinsloo: “’n Lewe met is a programme examining mental health conditions and includes discussions with studio guests living with these conditions. The audience had the opportunity to ask questions during each episode.

“We found LemonJack Studios to be a unique and intimate one-stop production location – soundproofed studio, stage, seating, lighting, catering and accommodation. Its accessibility and affordability makes it a very desirable option.”

LemonJack also offers three luxury suites and six standard suites, all with private en-suite bathrooms and either a full lounge or working area guest suites on site, as well as full catering facilities.

“It’s the complete package,” says LemonJack’s Christel van Heerden. “We believe we can cater for any requirement and we are proud of our ever growing client list and the services we have to offer.”

facilities for several reasons, including superior acoustics and sound proofing, height of studio grid and studio size.

“We experienced an increase in enquiries for local commissioned television content, especially in the second half of 2012 onwards. It seems that broadcasters are beginning to commission new content.

“Our studios are also used for corporate broadcasting, corporate videos and training videos. We can also broadcast live to any broadcaster,” says Thiart.

Global Access offers a wide range of facilities to clients including fully equipped sound proof studios ranging from 234m² to 564m² with the flexibility of combining studio space up to 800m².

In addition there is high definition (HD) / standard definition (SD) digital multicamera equipment; street level access for large sets and vehicles; 12m x 3m green screen cyc; full lighting grid with dimmers and lights; green room, make-up room, crew rooms, drawback areas and production offices; a back-up generator that can accommodate lights as well; and secure parking.

SUPERIOR SOUND: A set for Sam Sokololo

February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 33

Cinematography

|

Beyond the horizon

By Martie Bester

W

A distinguishing feature of the new soon to be released Afrikaans language feature film, Verraaiers (Traitors), is its moody cinematography.

hen watching Verraaiers, No Country for Old Men comes to mind. And Fargo. Those beautifully shot exteriors, one filmed in the desert and the other in snow.

Both are movies shot in such an expert way that they carry the eye beyond the horizon of film.

South African cinematographer Tom Marias accomplishes this with Verraaiers – that pull of the eye and, inevitably, the rest of the senses.

PULLING OF THE EYE: Tom Marais

Verraaiers is set during the Second Boer War (1899 – 1902) and tells of a celebrated Boer officer, Jacobus van Aswegen, who decides to return to his family after hearing about Kitchener’s planned scorched earth policy. However, he and his sons are tried for high treason after being branded traitors.

Since Verraaiers is a period piece based on actual events it was important to 34 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

maintain the authenticity of the look and feel of that time. Marais and his team had to recreate a very different South Africa in terms of scenery, both interior and exterior.

“Director Paul Eilers wanted to achieve a very classical approach through the cinematography. We referenced movies such as True Grit, Once Upon a Time in the West and my favourite, The Proposition,” says Marais, who won the award for Best Cinematographer at the Silwerskerm Film Festival in Cape Town in 2012.

“I decided to use the Sony PMW-F3 camera for its super 35mm chip and PL lens mount capabilities and its 2K 4:2:2 HD SDI output, which we recorded onto an AJA Keypro in a ProRes format. That saved us a lot of transcoding time in post. We shot S-LOG for the grade in mind with no filtration except for exteriors when I used a Tiffen 85 correctional filter as I shot at a constant 3200K colour temperature and from time to time with a Schneider True Polarizer to soften the harsh glare.”

However, during the death cell scenes Marais did not use a polariser or even silk as they wanted the sharp sunlight on the characters to emphasise their physical and emotional suffering.

Throughout the movie, the camera movement is “very calculated and grounded, we moved with weight, the same way in which time moves. We never had sudden or jerky movements. Only once did we use handheld to portray the characters in the final moments before their execution.”

As is the case with portraying war, a lot of distance and ‘time’ had to be covered. “We watch our characters travel across beautiful landscapes and we see how the seasons pass. To capture this adequately, I thought a 2:35 aspect ratio was the only way to go.

We could not afford anamorphic lenses, so

we marked our eyepiece and monitors and achieved the aspect ratio in post,” says Marais.

“We lensed Verraaiers on Zeiss Compact Prime lenses, 25mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm. I was very happy with the fall-off of focus and quality of images through the lenses.”

Time lapse As the seasons change and the years come and go during the movie, Marais and his team often used stylised time lapses at various locations to help the transition along. “We shot RAW 21-Megapixel full-frame stills with an intervalometer and then reframed it in post to match our aspect ratio. The footage blended in beautifully with the rest of our F-3 work and added that extra touch of production value.”

However, lighting proved to be a challenge. Marais and gaffer, JP du Preez, decided to light primarily with Tungsten bulbs to enhance the period feeling. “The quality of Tungsten reminds me of an oil painting, whereas HMI lights are too clean and digital,” says Marais.

In Verraaiers, the nature of the lighting changes with the story and timeline. “We started off with bounce and soft lighting.

Then, as our characters are captured and are broken down emotionally, the lighting becomes harder and more direct and less bounce is used.

“Another challenge was preventing the audience from noticing the lighting and distracting them from the performances, so Marais and his team always strived for a realistic approach. Because of the timeline, there was no electricity and thus less motivation for light sources.

“Our night time interior and exterior scenes needed to feel realistic and not

overly lit. It was a wonderful challenge. JP and I used various tricks and light rigs to accomplish the task,” he explains.

Campfire As news of the Boers’ desertion reaches Generals Christiaan de la Rey and Jan Smuts, the strategists and other leaders decide the fate of the ‘traitors’ around a memorable campfire scene. Marais recalls that this was one of the most challenging scenes to film.

“We lit our characters with two flame bars and I used minimal light to highlight the plants and trees immediately behind them. We put some additional flame bars to imitate other camp fires in the background, to add some depth. This was probably my favourite scene because it looks so simple and real, but it took quite the opposite to achieve.”

The audience sees how the characters travel through the seasons, physically and emotionally. “In the beginning, we use bright lush colours and then, as the men leave their wives and are imprisoned, we see winter approach and all the vibrant colours disappear.”

Marais, art director Waldemar Coetsee and Eilers decided on a pastel-based palette. “We used blue and green on our protagonists’ farms to symbolise freedom as these colours are calm and naturally softer on the eye. Then we used red, brown and orange at the farm where the men were held captive to symbolise the prison and war, because these colours are harder on the eye and often associated with blood and decay. Towards the end of the film, the colours in both worlds – freedom and death – become less saturated until it is hard to determine to which world the colours refer.”

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Mobile production truck Oklahoma-based Kodiak Mobile Television has built a new mobile production truck featuring a range of products from AJA Video Systems. The truck is equipped with FS2 frame synchronisers, Ki Pros and Ki Pro Racks for file-based acquisition and playout, a range of mini-converters as well as Io XT and T-TAP for editing.

Production veterans Paul Bronsteader and David Kearnes started Kodiak Mobile Television in 2011 and sister company Kodiak Production Group four years ago and have since produced posted and live events, from gymnastics and Grand Prix swimming to pro and college football.

“If there’s something that AJA makes a product for, we will use that product over anything else out there,” said Kearnes. “They not only have outstanding service and tech support both before and after the sale, but their products just work. We’ve done some pretty crazy things with AJA products and the performance has always been spectacular.”

Kodiak’s truck is able to provide full-blown editing capabilities on site if needed, or clients can immediately receive hard drives at the end of each production with all their materials ready-to-edit as there is no need to digitise thanks to the Ki Pros.

Kearnes knew that AJA’s solutions would be an affordable and reliable choice for Kodiak Mobile Television. The truck houses five FS2 units for dual-channel conversion and fibre I/O, 10 Ki Pro Rack units for tapeless recording and playback, an Io XT and T-TAP for Thunderbolt-enabled editing, and various Mini-Converters for video up/down/cross convert and fibre connectivity.

AJA’s tools are not only a reliable choice for Kodiak, but an efficient one. “We love the performance of the FS1, so getting double the capacity in the same amount of rack space with the FS2 is great,” said Kearnes. “The Ki Pro Racks allow us to rack mount with dual drive bays, plus the addition of DNxHD codecs allows us to cover all bases whether we’re editing in Avid, Final Cut or Premiere Pro. And using the Io XT and T-TAP™ allow us to have full edit capabilities at all times, directly on light, compact laptops and iMacs. The bottom line is that AJA’s products are not only letting us work more efficiently, they’re also saving significant space – our truck’s GVW is less than 40 000 lbs as opposed to the standard 80 000. Lightweight and compact products equals better gas mileage and so more savings we can pass onto our clients.”

4K Cinema camera Canon recently expanded the Cinema EOS System with the official launch of the company’s eagerly-awaited 4K cinema camera and four compact EF Cinema Lenses.

Originally unveiled as a development announcement in April 2012, the EOS C500, the CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L S/SP and the CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L S/SP join the new EOS C100 and ground-breaking EOS C300 in creating Canon’s strongest ever line-up, offering outstanding quality and performance in a range of different configurations.

Canon’s Cinema EOS System brings together unique expertise from the company’s DSLR, video, broadcast and lens divisions – offering exceptional quality and creative freedom to professionals of all kinds. With the new entry-level EOS C100 and the 4K EOS C500, the system has grown to meet a range of production requirements for users of all levels.

Additionally Canon’s new cine zoom lenses provide excellent value and performance in EF and PL variants – offering compatibility with virtually any camera in production today. All new products will be showcased at IBC 2012, marking the first time the complete Cinema EOS System has been displayed in Europe.

“This is our strongest-ever professional video line-up,” said Kieran Magee, Professional Imaging marketing director, Canon Europe. “Each of these new products has been developed with the needs of professionals in mind, empowering our customers to be more creative than ever before. With the EOS C500 and our new cinema zoom lenses, as well as the new EOS C100, we’re extending the range to meet the needs of an even wider range of users – from independent users through to cinematographers.”

The EOS C500 is a new digital cinema camera capable of 4K resolution (4 096 x 2 160 pixels) video output. Designed for motion picture and high resolution digital production industries, the EOS C500 offers the ability to output 4Kresolution images as RAW data for recording using an external device. The camera’s uncompressed 4K output also unleashes the full potential of Canon’s expanding range of 4K-resolution EF Cinema Lenses, while an EF mount with Cinema Lock makes it easier for operators to switch lenses during shooting.

As well as uncompressed 4K footage, the EOS C500 supports 12-bit or 10-bit RGB 4:4:4 output signals for 2K (2 048 x 1 080 pixels) or Full HD off-board recording – delivering rich colour and high compatibility with image processes such as chroma key positioning. The camera also supports frame rates up to 120p in both 4K and 2K modes, providing enhanced creative flexibility for high-speed (slow motion) video capture.

Leading display technology RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana recently made a substantial investment in Sony’s OLED display monitors for use in its production and post-production operations. In one of the largest endorsements of Sony’s cutting-edge TRIMASTER EL technology, with Sony the winner of a public tender to supply 1 105 monitors to RAI over a three-year period. Sony’s OLED technology qualified for the tender thanks to its exceptional colour reproduction, unprecedented black levels and rapid image refresh rate.

OLED is the leading display technology and Sony’s prominent position in this market demonstrates its ability to deliver innovative

36 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

technology at an affordable price. All of Sony’s OLED displays come with its market leading TRIMASTER EL technology, providing a higher processing capability that allows users to benefit from the

incredible image quality that OLED has to offer. With other benefits including deep blacks with a high dynamic range, blur-free image motion, wide colour gamut and accurate picture reproduction, Sony’s

TRIMASTER EL OLED monitors provide a superior visual experience to CRT and LCD monitors.

Benito Mari, country sales manager Media Solutions, Sony Professional, says: “We’re really excited to be working with RAI and are delighted with the positive feedback we received following independent technical tests they carried out before working with us. This announcement cements our position as the leading manufacturer of professional displays and demonstrates our continued focus on producing monitors of the highest possible standard through constant innovation.”

Ubaldo Toni, head of Engineering TV Production Department at RAI, commented: “The rapid evolution of display technology requires people to make informed choices based on identifying the right balance between technical performance, technological sustainability over time and return on investment. Sony’s OLED technology fully meets these three criteria and allows RAI to maintain the technological leadership that has always characterised the company.”

| Tracking Technology

HD intergrated cameras Networked partyline intercom Clear-Com’s HelixNet Partyline Intercom System is the industry’s first networked partyline intercom that successfully showcased its capabilities at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and other recent London events.

Live production teams took advantage of the systems’ efficiency, cost-savings and flexibility from setup to operation and maintenance.

Under the initial release of HelixNet Partyline, users can purchase the HMS-4X Main Station, HBP-2X HelixNet Beltpacks, an HLI-2W2 two-wire Interface Module and the HLI-4W2 four-wire Interface Module. They can then experience the first system to combine a revolutionary platform with the superb audio clarity of the digitised Clear-Com sound and the ruggedness to withstand all conditions. Also, as the central administration of the entire system can be performed from the Main Station with a single cable including firmware upgrades and maintenance, HelixNet can work off one’s existing cable infrastructure.

HelixNet’s sleek 1RU main station fits into any standard 19-inch rack, and can provide power and four channels of audio to support up to 20 digital beltpacks. Unlike standard analogue systems, the all-digital HelixNet system is immune to electro-magnetic interference and ground loops, so there is never any hum or buzz. The main station settings and menus are quickly accessible, highly flexible and offer intuitive user operations. The system’s firmware maintenance and upgrades can also be achieved easily via USB ports and offers greater connectivity with existing analogue intercom systems and audio devices.

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Panasonic Corporation released the HD integrated cameras, AW-HE60S, AW-HE60H and AW-HE2 in December 2012. The AW-HE60S and AW-HE60H are the first cameras capable of IP image monitoring.

The new AW-HE60S and HE60H HD integrated cameras are equipped with a 1/3 type Full-HD MOS sensor and 18x optical zoom lens. Multiple HD/SD format signals can be outputted. The video output interfaces include HD/SD SDI output (AW-HE60S only); HDMI digital video output supporting the 1 080p output (AW-HE60H only); analogue component (D-sub15 pin) output; and analogue composite output.

They incorporate the dynamic range stretch (DRS) function to minimise saturation in highlights and blocking in dark areas and the hybrid digital noise reduction (Hybrid DNR) function for suppressing after images even in dimly lit situations.

They are also equipped with an infrared ‘Night mode’ for shooting at night or in dark places.

Furthermore, they incorporate mechanisms for panning of ±175 degrees and tilting between 90 and -30 degrees and preset memories for 100 points.

Alternatively, the AW-HE2 is a low-cost model that incorporates a 1/2.33 type, 14-megapixel MOS sensor and the ultra-high resolution technology to achieve approximately 2x ‘iA’ zoom. Electronic pan/tilt/zoom controls are possible by image cropping. It is equipped with a preset memory for up to nine points. It also features HDMI terminals and can output multiple HD/SD format signals supporting the Full-HD progressive output (1 080p).

The AW-HE60S and HE60H can be remotely controlled in serial mode from the remote control panel (AW-RP50) that has been designed for Panasonic’s HD integrated cameras.

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February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 37

Tracking Technology

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Ready to shoot kits

Advanced asset-based workflows Avid recently unveiled a series of critical new advances to its integrated solutions for advanced asset-based workflows, spanning distributed production, media management, and storage, for customers in news, TV, sports, and post-production.

Among these solutions is Interplay MAM (Media Asset Management) Active Archive, a solution package that delivers essential Interplay MAM technology to support key workflows centered on a core archive capability. Comprised of software, workflow automation, partner integrations, and professional services, Interplay MAM Active Archive lets media producers easily customise the system to their needs, expand workflows, and add system integrations, and clients as needed.

According to Dana Ruzicka, vice president of segment and product marketing at Avid, “We’re giving our customers everything they need to quickly install and implement a complete archiving solution”.

Avid has also introduced a significant number of updates to its asset-based workflow solutions, including: Interplay Production 2.7 which now supports Interplay Sphere, ISIS 2000, Avid DNxHD 85/100, and Media Composer® 6.5/NewsCutter® 10.5. Interplay Production 2.7 also features greater workflow flexibility and capacity, support for multiple ISIS installations.

Enhancing the ability of sports teams to build fan excitement and strong franchise brands, InGame 1.5 now supports Avid DNxHD 85/100, widely used in sports production for its optimal balance between excellent image quality and storage efficiency. Avid has also added the same support for Media Composer, NewsCutter, Avid Interplay Production, Interplay Central, InGame and AirSpeed 5000.

Increasing its ability to automate ingest and playback for both Avid and third-party editors, AirSpeed 5000 2.1 now includes more economical two-channel HD models, as well as multiple ISIS system and Avid DNxHD 85/100 support. iNEWS 4.0 introduces greater scalability with capacity to handle 130% more stories, and enhanced Media Object Server (MOS) support for increased flexibility in news workflows.

Blackmagic Design recently announced that ARRI, the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of professional motion picture equipment, has introduced ready-to-shoot kits for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera.

Kits from the ARRI Pro Camera Accessories (PCA) line are built for a wide variety of users, situations and environments. Stable and reliable support systems, sturdy connections and quality engineering allow DPs to stay prepared and tackle a range of workflows in dynamic shooting environments.

All Blackmagic Cinema Camera kits include ARRI’s Mini Base Plate MBP-3 and Camera Cage System, offering a non-obstructive solution for the mounting of accessories through industry standard 3/8-16” and 1/4-20” interfaces, as well as a Universal Cable Safe System CCS-1, which protects internal electronics against accidental stress when using HDMI, USB or audio cables.

ARRI’s MBP-3 was designed to fit small form factor cameras, such as Blackmagic Cinema Camera, through dedicated adapter plates. Attaching the strong yet lightweight cage support system to the MBP-3 provides numerous 3/8-16” and ¼-20” mounting points for arms and accessories and an ergonomic design allows for efficient set up and operation.

Because no two workflows are the same, the ARRI PCA set for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera come in several different configurations. The basic configuration adds an aluminum left side Support Arm CSL-1, providing solid support for handles and accessories, while still allowing for the use of handgrip and controls. The top of the line professional configuration comes with a Hot Shoe Bracket CHS-1 to prevent camera body flex.

Stephan Schenk, GM of ARRI’s Camera and DI Business Unit, comments: “All motion picture cameras need reliable and well-designed accessories to deliver the best results. The idea behind our Pro Camera Accessories range is to make film-style functionality available to users of all professional cameras that are real players in the market, which the new Blackmagic camera clearly is. Both Blackmagic and ARRI have responded quickly to customer demand, working together to create an accessory kit that improves the interface between camera and operator.”

“Seeing the addition of ARRI accessories for our Blackmagic Cinema Camera is incredibly exciting,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. “When we designed the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, it was vital that it could work with the best accessories possible to ensure quality, reliability and the ability to work in any production situation or location.

ARRI’s PCA kits absolutely provide that.”

Equipping Iraqi HD news channel

Bruce Retief Gallo Music Publishers is proud to celebrate the success of Cape Town’s hottest new composer, Bruce Retief.

Fresh from Hollywood, Bruce has recently been recognized as one of the world’s leading composers and orchestrators, after having just completed the score for the new animated movie Adventures In Zambezia.

Locally produced, Adventures In Zambezia is South Africa’s most successful film to date. Although still a new release, it has secured distribution in over 60 territories worldwide and had its score recorded by the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra in LA.

Bruce Retief is proud to have been part of this project. Previously a school teacher, this classical and orchestral musician found his passion late in life and has subsequently become of the most sought-after feature film score composers in the country. He is currently working on his second feature film Khumba.

Bruce has been nominated for ‘Best Score in an Animated Feature’ at the most prestigious award ceremony in the animation sphere – The Annie Awards.

He is up against big-gun productions such as Brave, Rise Of The Guardians, Ice Age 4, The Lorax and others - a huge accolade for this homegrown talent.

Gallo Music Publishers: Representing some of the biggest International Publishers in Africa, including Warner/Chappell, Walt Disney, Pig Factory, Spirit Music, Shapiro Bernstein, Bicycle Music and Sugar Music, as well as well known composers such as Joseph Shabalala, Dorothy Masuku, Caiphus Semenya, Sipho Mabuse, Don Laka, Ringo Madlingozi, Lucky Dube and many more.

Use music in new ways For more info contact Michaelé Codd | 011 280 3000 | michaelec@gallo.co.za

Harris Broadcast Communications has delivered an integrated infrastructure and workflow solution for the first Iraqi high-definition (HD) news channel in the Kurdish region of the country.

Rudaw Media Group, one of Iraq’s leading publishing companies, selected Harris technology as the core of its new file-based production workflow and playout facility. With this channel, Rudaw extends its reach beyond print media and venture into television to gain audience share from Kurdish-speaking TV viewing communities.

Based at a recently completed Greenfield site in Erbil, the capital city of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, this news production centre incorporates the latest Harris HD infrastructure and workflow technologies for signal routing and management, distribution and play to air. The deal was brokered by Sahi-Ateksis, a leading distributor in the region.

The facility is primarily used for the production of news programming and documentaries.

The infrastructure solutions implemented at Rudaw include a Harris Platinum router that integrates video and audio processing, as well as Harris HView SX Pro multiviewers, within its frame. This single-frame routing and multiviewer solution minimises space requirements, cabling and energy consumption. Harris Videotek CMN-41 test and measurement devices will ensure signal integrity and superior on-air quality.

Harris Invenio digital asset management software will simplify content ingest and storage across the media workflow, and transfer that content to the NEXIO HD playout server for onward transmission — all under the control of the Harris ADC automated content management and distribution system.

38 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013 SA_quarter page_BR.indd 1

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RG001 Clear Advert_Screen Africa_Paths_HR.pdf

Raycom standardises NLE system One of the largest broadcasters in the US, Raycom Media, has selected Grass Valley EDIUS Pro 6.5 as its nonlinear editing (NLE) system of choice for its news operation.

Headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, Raycom will integrate EDIUS Pro 6.5 with the Bitcentral media content management and Panasonic P2 media formats used at the stations it owns and manages. Any Raycom stations using a previous version of EDIUS will be upgraded to EDIUS Pro 6.5, so that all edit seats are standardised across the organisation.

The main reasons for selecting EDIUS Pro 6.5 was the software’s loudness metering, its ability to handle closed captioning, the USB dongle-free software licensing solution, and the ability to deploy EDIUS Pro 6.5 across the entire enterprise, including desktops and laptop field editors. By using Grass Valley’s EDIUS, C Raycom will be one step closer to simplifying the way their content is produced and delivered across multiple M platforms.

“All of our stations have been using EDIUS 5.5 for a while and they love it,” said David Folsom, VP and CTO Y for Raycom Media. “The release of EDIUS Pro 6.5 gave us the perfect opportunity to not only standardise our CM NLE systems across our organisation, but to also address specific production needs. The fact that we have MY the same editing ability in all of our stations and our journalists’ laptops makes our workflows much more efficient.”

CY The rollout will begin with Raycom bench testing at each station for verification.

EDIUS is software-upgradable between versions (Neo, Express, Pro and Elite), so that users can have the CMY exact functionality and constant performance they require.

K

‘Driving’ the camera OConnor, part of Vitec Videocom, a Vitec Group company, recently launched the O-Focus Dual Mini, a compact, double-sided direct drive follow focus unit optimised for still and cine-style camera lenses, to meet the exacting needs of professional camera operators and assistants.

The precision gear drive of the main bridge is designed with a gear ratio of 1:0:75 so that 360 degrees of input results in 270 degrees of output (ie. rotation on the drive gear).

There are two versions of the O-Focus DM, the Photo Set and the Cine Set, each with its own unique transmission ratio. The difference is accomplished by the use of two different types of handwheels that interface with the main bridge to generate optimised transmission output. Changing the transmission ratio is as easy as changing a lens.

The Photo Set utilises a new Hard Stop Handwheel, which has a transmission ratio of 1:1 (input; output).

When coupled with the O-Focus Bridge, it yields a follow focus industry first; a 1:0:75 transmission ratio. This translates to longer, more exacting focus pulls when using limited barrel rotation still lenses for digital cinematography, and allows more precise lens control than has previously been available for these camera configurations.

In addition, the hard stops enable the operator to set minimum and maximum focus points for lenses with unlimited rotation and to carry out hard focus stop pulls. To allow the focus-puller to react to unexpected movements, the unique single-hand-operated hard stop on/off switch, allows for instantaneous disengagement of the end stops for critical adjustments even during the shot.

The Cine Set utilies the existing CFF-1 Studio Handwheel and has a transmission ratio of 1:1:8 (input / output).

1

2012/06/28

10:

November 2013

Audience Ratings

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.

2

Zone 14

19/11/2012

Dram

17.5

3

Soccer Build-Up

14/11/2012

Spor

15.3

4 Tshisa 5

Nelson Mandela Challenge:

South Africa vs Zambia

02/11/2012 Dram 14.3 14/11/2012

Oct 2012 AR

22/11/2012 Soap 22.0

Nov 2012 AR

1 Generations

3 Talk

Talk

16:30 M-F S5

3

2.3

2.7

3rd Degree

Actu

21:30 Tue

W

e

4.4

5.0

7de Laan

Soap 18:30 M-F S5

2

6.5

6.9

Binnelanders

Dram 18:30 M-F S5 K 0.6 0.9

Carte Blanche

Maga 19:00 Sun

W M

0.9

1.0

Fokus

Actu

W

5.0

5.0

Genre AR

Spor

13.6

SABC2 Rank Programme

Date

1 Muvhango

27/11/2012 Dram 12.9

2 Powerball

20/11/2012 Vari

10.5

Generations

Soap 20:00 M-F S5 1 19.8 20.0

3 Skwizas

25/11/2012 Sitc

9.4

Gospel Gold

Musi Vari

09/11/2012

Dram

9.2

27/11/2012 Sitc

9.1

Inkaba

Dram 20:30 M-T S4 MM 0.3 0.2

Isidingo: The Need

Soap 19:30 M-F S5

3

4.7

5.2

Live Lotto Draw

Quiz

21.30 W/S S2

2

5.0

5.8

Morning Live

Maga 06:00 M-F S5

2

1.8

1.7

Muvhango

Dram 21:00 M-T S4 2 9.5 9.0

News at Seven

News 19:00 Daily D

e

6.4

7.1

News at Seven on 3

News 19:00 Daily D

3

2.6

2.6

Pasella

Maga 19:30 W

W 2

3.7

Rhythm City

Soap 18:30 M-F S5

Scandal

Dram 19:30 M-T S4 e 8.0 8.3

Selimathunzi

Vari 18:30 Wed W 1 4.0 4.5

Mokgonyana Mmatswale

4

5 Mponeng

Genre AR

Frequency

Date

Day/s

Rank Programme

Channel

The cream of the local productions Start Time

The top five programmes

SABC1

Genre

|

Name

Audience Ratings

SABC3 Rank Programme

Date

Genre AR

1

Isidingo: The Need

02/11/2012

Soap

6.7

2

Days of Our Lives

06/11/2012

Soap

6.0

3 Dumbo

18/11/2012 Movi 4.8

18:30 Sun

Sun

W

2

2

5.0

5.1

4

Isidingo – O

25/11/2012

Soap

4.7

5

Isidingo – R

22/11/2012

Soap

4.3

Rank Programme

Date

Genre AR

1 Abduction

25/11/2012 Movi 1.2

2

Carte Blanche

18/11/2012

Actu

1.1

3

Johnny English Reborn

04/11/2012

Movi

1.0

Special Assignment

Actu

3

1.5

1.2

4

Horrible Bosses

11/11/2012

Movi

0.9

The Wild

Dram 19:00 M-F S5 M

0.3

0.2

5

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 18/11/2012

Movi

0.9

Top Billing

Maga 20:00 Tue

W

3

2.4

2.4

Villa Rosa

Dram 18:00 M-F S5

K

0.5

0.9

Yo-TV

Y-Ent Vari Vari D 1 2.0 1.9

M-Net

e.tv Rank Programme 1

Rhythm City

Date

Genre AR

14/11/2012

Dram

10.7

2 Scandal

19/11/2012 Dram 10.0

3 News

08/11/2012 News 9.6

4

Transformers: The Movie

04/11/2012

Movi

9.1

5

Mr & Mrs Smith

18/11/2012

Movi

8.7

We feature the top five shows viewed for each of the channels.

21:00 Thu

W

e

8.4

9.1

Top foreign shows Days of Our Lives

Soap 17:30 M-F S5

1

4.9

5.1

WWE Wrestling Smackdown

Spor 20:30 W

W

e

4.3

4.9

The Bold and the Beautiful

Soap 18:00 M-F S5

1

5.3

4.9

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.

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

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.

programme included please contact Enid Venter on +27 (0)11 339-1051 or email enid@ihjoburg.co.za. The purpose of the

• Television Universe estimated at 5.232 million households • One ratings point of all viewers represents about 145 590 viewers

40 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

schedule is to show the types of programmes South African audiences view, and to what extent.

| AFrica

The plight of an African screenwriter Amid ongoing hype and discussions around recent highprofile international movie awards like the Golden Globes, African screenwriter CHINAKA IWUNZE finds herself at the edge of her seat anticipating awards ceremonies closer to home such as the SAFTAS, AfricaMagic’s Viewer’s Choice Awards, AMAA and FESPACO Jury awards to name a few.

Iwunze also feels that much of this excitement has incited some thoughts, particularly on the questionable state of screenwriting in Africa.

Material

I

t was 2011 just before I was due to go to Lagos to head the media department for a company hosting the New York Film Academy. I remember watching an interview on Jara, an M-Net Africa produced show, where a Nollywood professional screenwriter talked, with great pride, about his career. At first his success sounded obvious as he explained his writing process, and in some ways I was envious, until he mentioned what he had earned for some of his scripts. Without cynicism or sarcasm, he said 3 000 Naira per script. According to xe.com that is the equivalent of ZAR170 or US$19!

As one can imagine, this was a very disheartening discovery – then again, there are no organisations that protect the rights of screenwriters in Nigeria. I then decided to search for a credible agent in South Africa, only to find out that there was only one established organisation/agency in the country, the Writers’ Guild of South Africa.

For this to be the case in a country where filmmakers have gone as far to take home an Oscar (for Tsotsi), what hope was there for other countries yet to create Oscar-winning films?

The question really sunk in once over coffee, when a friend and mentor – Matt Graham, whose most recent work has been on Oliver Stone’s The Untold Secret of the United States – shared his opinion on the state of screenwriting in Nigeria.

“I have heard tales in Nigeria of how directors and producers expect a script to be written for them in days by a writer, who often has to support him or herself with a full-time job in the meantime. It seems the script is a necessary evil, something which has to be ‘gotten out of the way’, and is regarded as rather a ‘nuisance’.”

It all made sense – the neglect… the inertia. But why should a script be a necessary evil? And if so, isn’t this justification enough for screenwriters to be respected and duly compensated for their work? Ideally yes, but the problem still remains the ‘neglect/inertia’ factor, which I believe stems from a series of issues.

SPELLING IT OUT: Chinaka Iwunze

to the telenovelas and soap operas dominating South African and Kenyan local television; it’s no wonder everyone who wants even a little piece of the action is constantly on edge to bring something out and quickly, irrespective of the quality. And what eventually ends up happening, yet again? The screenwriter is pushed aside.

Finally, the African audience is lazy – most of us at least. This is because of the steady stream of non-challenging content being churned out, like Big Brother Africa running for its eighth season (no offence to Big Brother Africa, as it is actually a show I have respect for).

Greed

Nurturing values

The first is the lack of funds, aka greed. Let’s take South Africa and Nigeria, two countries with which I am all too familiar. In Nigeria, most organisations and the government have shown no interest in assisting an extremely vibrant industry that not only put local culture on the map, but is hailed as one of the top industries responsible for job creation and income generation in the country.

In South Africa it is plain old selfishness.

This is because we have film professionals, who have managed to carve a space for themselves in the industry, insisting on keeping things exclusive – so that those ‘eating’ the money must continue to do so.

The second issue is what I like to call the ‘Cinematic Wave’, which looks at the consistency of films being produced. At the moment, the wave is very high, from never-ending low-budget Nollywood films

At the end of it all, it is like caring for a child – the values you instill in them will eventually become a way of life. Empty or poorly scripted content breeds a lazy audience, which in turn breeds more empty content.

This is not about big-budget or high-tech films; a low-budget movie, with a strong content can win the heart of any audience – for example, Paranormal Activity, Napoleon Dynamite, Material and Semi-Soet.

The fact is, if good content is not valued within the industry, how can we expect the rest of society (government and consumers) to value or invest more in what we make?

Ousmane Sembene, who was one of Senegal’s top filmmakers and whose great films earned him the nickname, ‘the father of African cinema’, once said in an interview: “Why be a sunflower and look to the sun? I, myself, am the sun”.

The time has come for us, particularly the up and coming generation of film professionals like myself to refuse to be sunflowers. We need to be suns and rise with new values and approaches, like

Semi-Soet

holding more significance to the art and craft of screenwriting – Quentin Tarantino will vouch for this any day.

“As a writer, I demand the right to write any character in the world that I want to write. I demand the right to be them, I demand the right to think them and I demand the right to tell the truth as I see they are.”

– Quentin Tarantino, goodreads.com.

It seems to me that Tarantino appreciates the screenwriter’s ability to embody the director and the producer in his quote; because the truth is, behind every great film, is a great script. This is not to say, other roles are not important, but rather that the screenwriter is just as important and should be treated as such.

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Screen Africa.

February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 41

Africa

|

Reports by Martin Chemhere

Radio is bucking the trend Cape Town-based Buck Broadcast has several major radio studio projects already confirmed for 2013 in Africa, including Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

N

ew projects for Buck Broadcast this year include two new FM radio stations in South Africa featuring digital on air and production studios.

In addition, Buck Broadcast is involved in two digital FM radio studio upgrades in South Africa; one new FM radio station in western Zambia featuring digital on air and production studios and a FM transmission system; a high power FM upgrade for a station in Malawi; two new community radio stations in Zimbabwe; and the design and construction of a recording studio complex for Red Bull South Africa.

Matt Buck, the principal owner of Buck Broadast, says: “Several other projects are in the quoting stages. Radio is certainly continuing to present itself as a growing and powerful medium in Africa.”

He explains that the upsurge in establishing new radio stations in Africa is attributable to the fact that many of these projects are funded internationally and there are noticeable periods or trends where certain countries are assisted by media development organisations. For example, this year will see major USAID (United States Agency for International

42 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

Development) support for the Mozambique media sector and the company expects to provide levels of technical consolation and assistance in that regard.

Technical requirements Meeting standard technical requirements are a challenge to many broadcasters due to budget constraints, and here experiences and technical options continue to vary. Buck notes that as the push for studio digitisation budgets increase, many stations have to generate additional investment to adopt this technology.

Computerisation of studios has also seen equipment budgets decrease when compared to the older studio designs that incorporated DAT, MD and multiple broadcast CD players.

“We advise new stations to go the digital route right through from the studio to transmitter link to be prepared for any future regulation or standards. Future proofing can avoid additional expense at a later stage and with careful equipment, hardware and software selection we can still

keep studio budgets realistic,” Buck says.

Throughout the years many rural community radio stations have shown a strong liking for more robust equipment.

For example, Buck Broadcast still receives enquiries for the Soundcraft RM100 On Air console, which hasn’t changed for almost 20 years and is a solid workhorse.

Urban stations with better IT / technological support are embracing the digital revolution and utilising systems from AXIA and Wheatstone. Many stations opt for more simplistic playout software with a buy-out option rather than the more expensive and complex leased systems.

the logistical challenges of supporting many stations in different parts of the continent. With localised technicians undertaking immediate technical support and troubleshooting they can provide the detailed information or spare parts required to solve any issues that arise.

They also utilise software applications such as Teamviewer and LogMeIn to carry out remote trouble shooting of PC-based systems. Transmitters can be fitted with GSM telemetry systems that notify of any failures or problems that develop due to poor performance or environmental conditions.

Training deficit

Specific challenges

One of the major challenges in the African radio sector is that it still underserved by professional training facilities. There is a noticeable shortage of technical professionals with the required experience to adequately support community radio, especially in rural areas. The commercial, state and national broadcasters attract the lion’s share of broadcast professionals, as they can offer better salaries than many community stations that are volunteerdriven.

Buck observes that training opportunities are improving as community broadcasters are targeted for training by media development organisations. He hopes to see an increase in training levels to meet the demands of the many new community radio stations now being established.

Buck Broadcast works with local partners and freelance professionals to overcome

All projects present their own specific challenges whether they are technical or logistical. This year Buck Broadcast is undertaking several major acoustic construction contracts. Here, there are always challenges, as bulky specialised materials have to be sourced and shipped to more remote areas as well as securing local artisans who can assist with the building process.

Installation of FM transmission systems on remote sites requires extremely detailed planning as nothing can be left behind once the crew departs for site. A lot of time is spent planning to ensure that everything is considered in terms of local site conditions.

Buck’s advice is that it always pays to have some contingency plan up your sleeve as local conditions can bring a few unexpected surprises.

Based on current trends, the African community broadcast sector has vast potential to grow and radio, in particular, still has a major part to play in community development. Buck argues that there is no reason why every African town should not have its own local community radio station.

Though his company has received several design requests for community television stations, this sector is still in its infancy and will take several years to proliferate.

To conclude, he states that countries such as Zimbabwe (that have slowly developed their independent media) will eventually ‘loosen up’, resulting in huge growth in broadcast projects.

“All in all, the African broadcast sector offers huge employment potential for many people while at the same time they play a vital role in ensuring democracy and good governance,” observes Buck.

Uncovering a dictator’s legacy Feature film The Ugandan will launch in Uganda in May this year, following its world première held in Boston, USA in December. It recently won the Best Narrative Feature Film award at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival.

LIES, LOVE AND XENOPHOBIA: Director Patrick Sekyaya and actor Tony Katabula

Positioned as an action drama, The Ugandan lays bare a dark past in East Africa when one of the continent’s most notorious dictators ruled with the proverbial iron fist.

Says the film’s director Patrick Sekyaya: “It is a riveting story of lies, love and xenophobia, where we get a peek into the legacy of former president Idi Amin’s Uganda and the challenges of inter-racial relationships in a country where polarisation

created a deep mistrust on all sides.”

The Ugandan revolves around an Indian survivor of Idi Amin’s Dada regime, who is blackmailed by his Ugandan girlfriend when he claims his father’s property. Drama unfolds when his daughter falls in love with the girlfriend’s brother.

Sekyaya wrote the film and co-produced with Alvin Kasule under Afriplus Films. The Ugandan is Sekyaya’s third feature film after

Nafulu and Origin of Sin. “This is a film that seeks to evoke feelings and desires, by emphasising moments of the everyday relationships of the Ugandans and Asians living in Uganda,” he notes.

Sekyaya believes The Ugandan is important for the African film industry because it clearly shows how African stories are better told by Africans than by Hollywood filmmakers.

| AFrica

“This is something I really wanted to put forward with this film,” Sekyaya continues. “For example, in Mississippi Masala Mira Nair also focuses on the same theme of Ugandans and Indians after Amin Dada. But the difference is that The Ugandan focuses on the Ugandan dilemma and events, unlike the Mississippi Masala where the Asians end up in Mississippi and the rest of the film focuses on their life there.”

Shot entirely on location in the capital city Kampala and the small town of Jinja, the cast includes Arfan Ahmed, Dora Mwima, Edlyin Sabrina, Tony Katabula, Halima Nakamula and Sekyaya himself.

He explains that it was tough securing the Asian cast due to deep rooted mistrust and friction between Ugandans and Asians caused by Amin’s expulsion of Asians.

“The Indians I approached were not quite sure if it would be safe for them to act in the film. However, later I approached the Indian Association of Uganda and pitched to them the idea of the film and they welcomed it.”

During filming the crew had to control huge crowds who caused delays as many people were keen to see a shoot with Indian actors on set.

Although the film was completed with a budget of $35 000 it was initially budgeted at $52 000. For Sekyaya this was a big budget because so far his films have been completed with budgets of below $35 000.

‘Bright’ sparks break African films into UK

Despite the presence of several African-focused film festivals in the UK, breaking into this market has been very tough for most African filmmakers.

Simon Bright The Afrika Eye Film Festival in Bristol, co-founded by Zimbabwean filmmakers Simon Bright and Ingrid Sinclair in 2005, is a viable platform to channel African film productions into the UK and Europe.

Bright has enjoyed personal success with last year’s successful screenings of his documentary, Robert Mugabe... What Happened?

“Through Africa Eye we screened the film in about 30 venues in the UK – the first for an African documentary. Consequently we would like to be the channel for pushing African films in the UK,” explains Bright, who in the mid-2000s abandoned Zimbabwe, where he and Sinclair ran the production company, Zimmedia.

Bright and Sinclair make frequent trips to major African festivals on the continent to source local films. In 2012 they sourced a number of films at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), South Africa’s largest and longest running film festival.

Last year in November Africa Eye

screened films such as La Pirogue, Kinshasa Symphony, State of Mind and Weapon of War. “Even when you have a good African film there is a lot of work to be done to publicise it and get it onto the circuit. This is where our film festival and the network we have established with regional cinemas in the UK comes in. Less than 1% of total cinema screenings in the UK are African, so African films rely on festivals like ours (plus Africa In Motion, Film Africa) to create awareness and an appreciation of African cinema in the UK. These platforms can also be used as a launch pad for wider distribution,” comments Bright.

A case in point is the hectic touring schedule enjoyed by Robert Mugabe…

What Happened? After playing in the UK, the documentary screened to full houses in Germany. This prompts Bright to say that he has tips for African filmmakers seeking a breakthrough overseas. He believes that all type of stories and genres from Africa could

EFFECTIVE STORYTELLING: A scene from La Pirogue be popular with both UK and European audiences.

“Whatever the genre – be it tragedy, comedy or whatever – it just has to tell a powerful and authentic story. Our screenings of La Pirogue were very successful because the film has powerful and engaging content.

“It would be interesting to develop African political crime thrillers – there is a lot of material there! Or science fiction, or Sowetan detective fiction, just as long as it is well-written and effective storytelling.

Genre is less important than having a well told story,” concludes Bright.

February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 43

P R O D U C T I O N U P D A T E S FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT www.screenafrica.com

Those productions in red are newly listed this month Production Updates Order of Information 1. Title 2. Production Company 3. Director 4. Genre

IN DEVELOPMENT 80 MINUTES

Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature Drama AFRICAN NIGHTS

Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker A LION IN THE BEDROOM

Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature AMABHUBESI

At The Creek Without A Paddle

Zen Crew Exec prod: Laura Tarling Documentary BAD MEDICINE

Tin Rage TV Production Dir: Enver Samuel Documentary Bagged

Izithulu Productions Exec Prod: Donovan Mulligan / Mike Westcott Short Film BLAST FROM THE PAST

Inkwasi Television Prod: Bell Curle TV Magazine

Sirius Films Prod: Ian Manly Documentary

STUDIO FACILITIES

BODA BODA THIEVES

Yes That’s Us Prod: James Tayler Feature

BREAD AND WATER

Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature Documentary BREAKDOWN

Bollysamo Pictures / Apeiro Productions Prod Man: Carolyn Gregorowski Feature CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

2

2

234m – 564m

With flexibility of combining studio space up to 800m2 The facilities are best suited for sitcoms, dramas and live interactive broadcasts.

www.globalaccess.co.za

• Fully equipped sound proof studios • HD/SD digital multi-camera equipment • Street level access for large sets and vehicles.

• 12m x 3m green screen cyc • Full lighting grid with dimmers and lights • Green room, make up room, crew rooms, drawback areas and production offices available

Amelia Thiart Nadia van Reenen +27 11 350 6111 +27 11 350 2035 amelia@globalaccess.co.za nadia@globalaccess.co.za

Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature CHILDREN OF FAMOUS ACTIVISTS

Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature Film CHILLI CHICKS

International Radio Pictures, Inc Kit Reynolds TV series COILED

DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature CONSERVATION & BEYOND

SuitePeople TVP Prod: Bell Curle Documentary DAISY

Bamboo Media (PTY) LTD Dir: Marguelette Louw Feature Film do good design south africa

Concept Interaction Producer: Karl Fedderke Educational

ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

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 FOR THE NEW CITY – DANCE ON FILM

SWiTCH / Resonance Bazar Prods: James Tayler / Julia Raynham Film FORSAKEN

DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature Genius

V

Inhlakanipo Films Dir: Dumisani Vusi Nhlapo Short Film

E R S

GOUE STERRE

A T IL E

Suite People TVP Prod: Bell Curle TV Series

Multi-Viewer Full-featured, compact and versatile Multi-Viewer

VULTURE KILLING FIELDS

Iyeza Theatre & TV Lighting (Pty) Ltd Prod / Dir: Cal Morris Corporate JAM SANDWICH

Meerkat Media Prod / Dir: Pauli van Dyk / “MQ”, Alvine Darboux Music reality show JAN SMUTS: AN INTERNATIONAL ICON AHEAD OF HIS TIME

Tekweni TV production Prod / Dir: Sandra Herrington / Neville Herrington Documentary KADU’S JOURNEY

DO Productions Prods: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature DYINGCRACY

Sabstance Productions Prod: Edmund Mhlongo Documentary LION GIRL

DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën TV Feature Lonely Planet

Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature MANCHE, THE AFRICAN SAINT

Get the Picture Prod / Dir: Jacky Lourens / Karin Slater Documentary MHLONGO

Inhlakanipho Films Dir / Writer: Dumisani Vusi Nnhlapo Feature MUTI DOT MOBI

Vuleka Productions.

Prod / Dir: Julie Frederikse / Madoda Ncayiyana .

Feature Film NEW BEGINNINGZ

Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhanhla Ncube Documentary Nongoloza

Current Affairs Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature Palace of the Faithless

White Heron Pictures Dir: Themba Sibeko Feature

PASSARES (BIRDISH)

White Heron Pictures / Casa De Criacao Cinema Prod: Themba Sibeko Feature RAF INDUCTION VIDEO

Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate

ROAD ACCIDENT FUND INDUCTION

Panache Video Productions Dir: Liesel Eiselen Corporate SEBOKENG

MPA (Motswako) Dir: Charls Khuele / Zuko Nodada Feature SHORT BUSINESS FEATURE WITH BBC / ABC

Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Short Business Features SUPERMAMA

GoogelPlex Productions Dir: Karen van Schalkwyk Feature SWANK!

International Radio Pictures Prod: D Gillard Musical The Black Blonde

Steve Radebe Post Productions Prod: Steve Radebe Feature Film tHE blood kIng and the red dragon

HISTORICAL KIMBERLEY

THE CONSEQUENCE

HOTEL SONGOLOLO

The Dreaded Evil Eye from Past to Present and Across Cultures

Spike Productions Prod: Steve Mueller Bsc. Documentary The Media Workshop Dir: Benito Carelsen Comedy Series

Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature

44 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

IYEZA THEATRE & TV LIGHTING (PTY) LTD

Current Affairs Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Mtutuzeli Matshoba Feature

IIQ

JHB Tel: +27 (0)11 7709800 KZN Tel: +27 (0)31 5330900 Web: www.electrosonic.co.za E-mail: sales@electrosonic.co.za 24 Hour Support Lines: AV: 0861 AVHELP (28 4357)

The Scores Are In

Imageworks Prod: Anthony Irving Documentary

GRIZMEK

Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature

Up to 16 Inputs Multi-Viewer

Inventing Africa

IK1 – TOURISTS IN DANGER

Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature

DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature

It’s a Wrap Productions Dir: Eugene Botha Documentary THE EDGE

International Radio Pictures Kit Reynolds TV Series THE FILM MAKER

Elle Bolt Productions Prod: Elle Bolt Reality Series

Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Game Show / Entertainment 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 WHIPLASH

Get the Picture Prod / Dir: Jacky Lourens / Meg Rickards Other Crew: Tracey Farren, Jenny Hicks Feature Film ZERO DIET

Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature ZEBRAS

DO Productions Dir: Bruce Beresford Feature ZEN FILM CREW MANAGEMENT

ZEN Film Crew Management Prod / Dir: Laura Tarling Commercial

PRE-PRODUCTION Chabela Day Spa

Grey Cloud Production Dir: Jacques Brand Information Video Die Verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer

Brett Michael Innes Films Prod: Brett Michael Innes Historical feature film

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 JUB JUB DOCUMENTARY (working title)

Baxopath Media Nolitha Tshinavha Documentary

LET HEAVEN WAIT

Revolution real entertainment Prod / Dir: Deon Potgieter Sitcom Mandela

Synergy Films Drama / Documentary MISTIFY

Gleam studios / Wilddogs productions Prod / Dir: Sonja Ter Horst / Johnny Swanepoel Short film NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SOUTH AFRICA

Panache Video Productions Prod / Dir: Liesel Eiselen Corporate video PSALTED

Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Variety RATE MY PLATE

International Radio Pictures Exec Prod: Kit Reynolds Community Project SAFE IN THE CITY

Imani Media.

Comedy

SAINT & FREEDOM FIGHTER

It’s a Wrap Productions Dir: Eugene Botha Documentary Si-solutions

International Radio Pictures Exec Prod: Kit Reynolds Community Project SHAKESPEARE IN MZANSI: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Fireworx Media Prod: Bridget Pickering Mini Series

SLENDER WONDER INFORMATION VIDEO

Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Information Video TALK OF THE TOWN

SuitePeople TV Productions Bell Curle TV Series

P R O D U C T I O N U P D A T E S The Black Out

Dithakeng Projects and Flms Exec Prods: 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 THICK SKIN

Media Navigation Prod / Dir: Dan Akinlolu Feature Film VKB LANDBOU BEPERK

FC Hamman Films PM: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video VROU SOEK BOER

West Five Films Pro / Dir: Maynard Kraak Feature Film WAY TO FREEDOM

Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke & Bertha Spieker Feature Film

IN PRODUCTION 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

Bopsy Bunny

Firefly Animation Prod: Ant Steel Animation Short

BOPSY BUNNY

Hectic 99

Firefly Animation Studio Exec Prod: Antony Steel Short Films BORDER MARAUDERS

NHU Africa Exec Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Wildlife Documentary Carte Blanche (inserts)

Modern Times Prods: Sofia Phirippides / Jon Pienaar Documentary Child Geniuses

Talent Attack TV / Fuel Media Productions Prod: Paul Llewellyn Documentary Series 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 Cool Cats

Red Pepper Exec Prod: Cecil Berry Children’s Show CORTEX MINING

FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video Come Dine with Me South Africa

Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine Reality Cutting Edge

SABC News Current Affairs

DADDY’S MESS

Dzunde Productions Prod: Thandiwe Mashiyane TV Sitcom DIE VIERDE KABINET

ANGLO GOLD ASHANTI SAFETY SERIES

2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Exec Prod: Anne Myers Cookery Series

ABC AMERICA NEWS SPECIAL ON MANDELA

Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature News Special

AFRICA FACTS SEASON 3

Lebapi Productions Dir: Daniel Moleabatsi TV Magazine AFRICA 360

eNews News Head: Patrick Conroy Current affairs

DINNER DIVAS

DIY Met Riaan

Prod: Riaan Venter-Garforth Magazine EM PETROCHEMICALS TOP END

Betta Beta Communications Prod / Dir:Tommy Doig Training Program EXPRESSO 2

Cordover Trading Prod: Paul van Deventer Lifestyle EASTERN MOSAIC

Red Carpet Productions Magazine Programme FORMIDABELE VROUE: LEONORA VAN DEN HEEVER

AFRO CAFÉ SEASON 7

Khaki Productions Prod / Dir: Christelle Parrott / Wynand Dreyer Documentary

AFRO SHOWBIZ NEWS

FORMIDABELE VROUE: Petronella van Heerden

Bonngoe Productions Exec Prod: Pepsi Pokane Music Show

SABC News International Exec Prod: Jody-Layne Surtie TVMagazine Agape

Gabaza Productions Prod: Sarah Ngubeni Magazine Alex: A history from below

Uhuru Productions Dir: Rehad Desai Documentary ALL ACCESS

Homebrew Films Prod: Paul Venter/ Hannes van Wyk / Tammy Anne Fortuin Magazine Show 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 BINNELAND

Stark Films Dir: Danie Joubert TV Drama

HEAVEN – Africa

Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE 5

SummerTime Productions Prod / Dir: Sean Gardiner Corporate Video

Bitch Films TV Magazine

Kagiso TV Talk Show

Bonisanani

Jan Scholtz Productions Prod: Jan Scholtz Series

Endemol South Africa Reality

HEADLINE 5

Khaki Productions Prod / Dir: Christelle Parrott / Wynand Dreyer Documentary FOX NEWS CHANNEL

Betta Beta Communications Prod / Dir: Tommy Doig News Current Affairs Freeway Frog

Firefly Animation Prod: Ant Steel Animation Short FRENZY

Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Palesa Mopeli Variety GENERATIONS

Morula Pictures Exec Prod: Mfundi Vundla Soapie GOOD MORNING AFRICA

Planet Image Productions SA Prod/Dir: Wale Akinlabi TV Magazine Gospel GOLD

Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Music Show GROEN

Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Wildlife

Okuhle Media Prod: Wilna van Schalkwyk Magazine Show HITACHI POWER AFRICA MEDUPI & KUSILE

Betta Beta Communications Prod / Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary THE DR MOL SHOW

Prod: Michael Mol Magazine HOUSE CALL

Izwe Multimedia / Urban Brew Series Prod: Annalie Potgieter Live Medical Talk Show Imizwilili

Ukhamba Communications Music

Music Moves Me

Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Music Show News Night

eNews Prods: Nikiwe Bikitsha Current Affairs

PASELLA

Tswelopele Productions Insert Dirs: Liani Maasdorp / Werner Hefer TV Magazine Programme Phoenix Rising...The Business of Style

Phoenix Entertainment and Production Prod / Dir: Koketso Sefanyetso Reality Docutainment

NIGCOMSAT – TELEVISION COMMERCIAL SERIES

SWiTCH Prod: Sarah Wanjiku Muhoho Commercial

POWER COMBAT ZONE

Mixed Motion Entertainment Dir: Dieter Gottert Sport Programme

Nomzamo

Tom Pictures / Authentic Images Comedy

Project MV

Zen Crew Prod: Laura Tarling Music Video

ONS MENSE

Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Current Affairs

Religion and the ANC

Eugene Botha Productions / It’s a Wrap Productions Prod: Eugene Botha Documentary

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Plexus Films Prod: Miki Redelinghuys Corporate Video

Inkaba

Urban Brew Studios Prod: John Kani Telenovela INSIDE STORY

Curious Pictures / Discovery Channel Dir: Rolie Nikiwe Feature ISEDALE

Golden Effects Pictures Dir: Kunle Afolayan Documentary Series ISIDINGO

Endemol South Africa Dirs: Raymond Sargent / Johnny Barbazano Daily TV Drama IT’S MY BIZ

Urban Brew Studios Reality business makeover series JOU SHOW MET EMO en Wickus

Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Variety Show

Judge For You Self

eNews Current Affairs

Laugh out Loud

Exec Prod: Rapulana Seiphemo Comedy Khumbul’ekhaya

Urban Brew Prod: Enel Viljoen Reality KWELA

Pieter Cilliers Productions Prod / Dir: Pieter Cilliers TV Magazine LATE NITE NEWS ON E.TV

Diprente Productions Prod: Tamsin Andersson Satire Live

Urban Brew Music Show Live Lotto Show

Urban Brew Game Show

Maggs on Media

eNews Prod: Jeremy Maggs Current Affairs

MASSMART CSI REPORT

BooK YouR SHoot

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SummerTime Productions Prod / Dir: Roxanne Rolando/Sean Gardiner Corporate Video MATRICS UPLOADED

Educational Improvement and Study Help Exec Prod: Lisa Blakeway Educational MGONGO BY SONY

Sony Prod / Dir: James Lennox Lifestyle & Entertainment Million Dollar Race

Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature MK Campus

Homebrew Films Prods: Jaco Loubser / Ben Heyns Student Show MOFEREFERE LENYALONG

Moja Movie Factory Sitcom Montana 2

Penguin Films Exec Prods: Roberta Durrant Drama Series MOTSWAKO

Carol Bouwer Productions Prod: Vesko Mrdjen Talk Show MUVHANGO

Word of Mouth Prod: Pieter Grobbelaar Feature MZANSI INSIDER

Bonngoe Productions Exec Prod: Pepsi Pokane TV Magazine

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February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 45

P R O D U C T I O N U P D A T E S RETROBOUCHON

TASOL “Old Geezer”

ROLLING WITH KELLY KHUMALO

The B-Ball Show

RHYTHM CITY

The Chat Room

Tunnelvizion Productions Prod / Dir: Ruan Lotter/Hein Ungerer Short Film Red Pepper Prod: Cecil Barry Reality Series Curious Pictures Prod: Yula Quinn Soapie

RHYTHM CITY INTERACTIVE

Curious Pictures / e.tv Prod: Viva Liles-Wilkin Interactive Platform Media Rivoningo

Asi-B Films Exec Prod: Asivhanzi ‘Asi’ Mathaba Kids ROCKING FUTURE

Summertime Productions Prod: Sean Gardiner / Tanya Vandenberg Educational Video ROER

Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Cooking Show Roots

Ukhamba Communications Music Show SAKEGESPREK MET THEO VORSTER

Dirk Mostert Camera Production Dir: Dirk Mostert Talk Show SANPARKS YOUTH & PARKS

Francois Odendaal Productions Prod / Dir: Francois Odendaal Natural History TV Series

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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

Ses’khona

Tswelopele Productions Prod: Phuthi Ngwenya Magazine SHARK STORIES

NHU Africa Exec Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Wildlife Documentary SHIZ NIZ

Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Allen Makhubele Variety Shift

Urban Brew Talk show SHORELINE 2

Homebrew films Documentary series S.I.E.S (SOCIAL IMPACT AND EMPOWERMENT STRATEGY)

SKWIZAS 2

Lillian Dube Productions Prod: Lillian Dube Sitcom SISTERHOOD

real HD

real flexibility

Official Worldwide Olympic Partner

Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Vuyo Sokupa Variety Siyakholwa – We Believe

X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Edutainment

SKETCH U LATER

Chris Morris Productions Dir: Genna Lewis Comedy series Soccer 411

Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Magazine Soccer zone

SABCSports Head: Sizwe Nzimande Magazine

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

46 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

A Pa

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The Cypher

Spoon Fed Generation Lerato Letebele Talk show THE GREAT PENGUIN RESCUE

NHU Africa Exec Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Wildlife Documentary The Justice Factor

eNews Exec Prod: Debbie Meyer Current Affairs THE REAL GOBOZA 7

Urban Brew Entertainment

THE RUDIMENTALS

Periphery Films Prod: Simon Taylor Feature Documentary

THE STORY OF LITTLE FOOT

Paul Myburgh Film Prod: Paul Myburgh Documentary

TRANSFORMATION STORIES

Penguin Films Dirs: Roberta Durrant / James Ngcobo Sitcom

real IT

Infomercials A BUSHMAN ODYSSEY

NHU Africa Exec Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Wildlife Documentary

SCHOEMAN BOERDERY – MOOSRIVIER

Sikhoyana Productions Prod: Baby Joe Correira Variety Series

Sony Presents Mgongo

Sony Variety

Spirit Sundae

New Wave Productions Prod: Mishkah Roman-Cassiem Spiritual STUDIO 53

M-Net Inhouse Productions Insert Dir: Navan Chetty Mag Programme STUDY MATE

Educational Improvement and Study Help Exec Prod: Lisa Blakeway Educational

POST-PRODUCTION

THE CHEETAH DIARIES SERIES 4

THE WILD

SELIMATUNZI

The Bomb Shelter Prod: Angus Gibson Drama

4LIFE NETWORK

SCANDAL

Khaki Productions Prod / Dir: Christelle Parrott / Wynand Dreyer Documentary

Zone 14

Eclipse Prod: Thokozani Nkosi Talk Show

The Tech Report

Ochre Moving Pictures Series Prod: Romano Gorlei Soapie

the finest freelance post-production & creative crew

SABC Commissioning Ed: Dinah Mahlabegoane Variety

SA’S GOT TALENT

Rapid Blue Prod / Dir: Kee-Leen Irvine Reality

general post

Bragge Film & TV Dir: Guy Bragge Commercial

Greenwall Productions Exec Prod: Nicky Greenwall Magazine Magic Factory Exec Prod: Bobby Heaney Daily TV Soap 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

Bragge Film& TV Dir: Guy Bragge

Onetime Films Prod: Richard Wicksteed Documentary AFRICA CALLING

Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature AFROX CO2 PLANT

FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AFROX SHEQ INDUCTION

FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Commercial ALL’S FAIR

PianoJ Productions Prod: Pia van Rensburg Short Film AMBASSADOR II

Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature Animal Doctor (Working Title)

Animal Doctor cc.

Prods: Greg Simpson, Jonty Acton TV Series AURECON STAFF INSERTS

Panache Video Productions Dir: Liesel Eiselen Marketing

Bally Cullen Guesthouse Ad

Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate Bitter Root

Imageworks Dir: Kerry Negara Documentary BLITZ PATROLLIE

Diprente Films Prod: Kagiso Lediga Feature BUA NNETE

Owami Entertainment Dir: Charles Khuele Short Film Calafornia: Valley Christian School Transformation

TRAPPER IN AFRICA

Media Village Prod: Diane Vermooten Documentary

TSHIPE BORWA MANGANESE MINE

Media Village Prod: Debbie Matthee Short Film

Turn It Out 2

NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary

VILLA ROSA

Imani Media Dir: Peter Heaney TV Drama

Don’t Look Down Radio / TV Simulcast NHU Africa Exec Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Wildlife Documentary Betta Beta Communications Prod / Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary Fuel Media Productions Dir: Marvin Raftopoulos Dance Reality show Spectro Productions Dirs: Luhann Jansen / Andries van der Merwe/ Leroux Botha/ Isabel Smit TV Drama

DEAR SISTER

DRAGON’S FEAST 3D

ERFSONDES

Fanie Fourie’s Lobola

Spier Films Dir: Henk Pretorius Feature Film

WEEKEND LIVE

Freedom Park installations

When The World Was Here

Documentary FROM GUN TO TAPE

SABC News Current Affairs

Fuel Media Productions Dir: Mzilikazi Kumalo Documentary Series

Kevin Harris Productions Dir: Nadiva Schraibman

Why are We so Angry?

Content House/Shadow Films Prod / Dir: Jackie Lebo / David Forbes Documentary

Why Poverty?

Bottom Line Productions Dir: Jozua Malherbe Series

Wicket to Wicket

British Film Institute Dir: Biyi Bandele Feature Film

Fuel Media Productions Dir: Scott Smith, Shaft Moropane Documentary Series STEPS International Exec Prod: Don Edkins Documentary Series SABC3 Lefa Afrika Magazine

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

GETROUD MET RUGBY SEASON 4

HALF OF A YELLOW SUN

HOME OF THE LEGENDS

L. Dukashe Productions Prod / Dir: Lumko Dukashe / Lulu Dukashe Documentary Hong Kong

Media Village Prod: Diane Vermooten Documentary INTEL HISTORY

Bragge Film & TV Dir: Guy Bragge Corporate IQILI

Impucuzeko Prod: Sharon Kakora Feature

P R O D U C T I O N U P D A T E S Israel Inside (Working Title)

Imagination Productions / Wayne Kopping Films Dir: Wayne Kopping Documentary JACK UP YOUR SHACK

Technology Innovation Agency CEO Address

Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate Video Technorati

JAM SANDWICH

Talent Attack TV / Fuel Media Productions Dir: Maxine Nel Technology Magazine Show

Kemang?

It’s a Wrap Productions Dir: Eugene Botha Documentary

JULIUS HAS A DREAM

NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson/ Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Series

Let It Rain Films Prod / Dir: Lee Doig TV Series

Meerkat Media Dir: MQ Ngubane Music Reality TV series lmol Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature Film Creative South Africa, Nkanyethi Productions,Jam TV Prod: Bathelemy Ngwessam Documentary Launch of the Academy of Young SA Scientists

Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Documentary LIFE UNDER THE FLAG

Lifeundertheflag.Com Prod: Prince Angelo Doyle Documentary LION’S TRACK

Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature LOVE ABOVE ALL

Firstfruits media Dir: Nthabiseng Gamede Feature Film MARRY – ANN

Shadow Films Dir: David Forbes Documentary MASTERS OF DREAMS

Current Affairs Hambrook Prod / Dir: Jane Thandi Lipman Series Melodi Jazz Festival 2011

L. Dukashe Productions Dir: Lumko Dukashe Live Concert DvD MICROSOFT 365

Bragge film & TV Dir: Guy Bragge Corporate Video

National Heritage Council Educational Outreach Programme

Panache Video Productions Dir: Liesel Eiselen Corporate Video PEACE PARKS

NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Series PERFECT SHISHEBO

Curious Pictures Prod: Nthabiseng Mokoena Cooking Show PREDATORS’ PLAYGROUND

NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Series

THE AFRIKANER BROEDERBOND

RESTYLE MY STYLE

Curious Pictures Prod: Anita van Hemert Children’s Programming River of Stones

Prod: Wiseman Mabusela Documentary SA JUNIOR MASTERS

Our Time Productions Dir: Jaun de Meillon Sport Programme SCAREDYKAT

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 STETSON HATS

Fourth Dimension Films / Creative Photo Services Dir: Neil Hermann Corporate Video Stolen Time

Prod: Eric Myeni Feature Tanzanian Investment Opportunities

Benchmark Productions Dir: Dermod Judge Corporate Video

Street Smart Creative DOP: Peter Palmer Commercial GNLD AFRICA CONVENTION

FC Hamman Films Prod: FC Hamman Corporate Video HARTLAND

Bottomline Entertainment / Fix Post Production Michael Modena TV Drama

11 – 13

8TH ANNUAL CTO DIGITAL BROADCASTING SWITCHOVER FORUM Holiday Inn Sandton, Johannesburg www.cto.int

Kaapland Films Dir: Regard van den Berg Feature Film

15 – 17

JOZI FILM FESTIVAL Johannesburg www.jozifilmfestival.co.za

I Am Woman – Leap of Faith

17 – 1 Mar

DESIGN INDABA FILM FEST Cape Town www.designindaba.com/events/filmfest-2013

15 – 28

MOMA DOC FORTNIGHT New York, USA www.moma.org/

21 – 28

LUXOR AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL Cairo, Egypt www.luxorafricanfilmfestival.com/

THOSE WHO CAN’T

KLEIN KAROO

TO THE POWER OF ANNE

FX Productions Prod / Dir: Robert Haynes TV Series

TOUCHING LIVES SEASON 3 GHANA

Launch Factory Dir: Spero Patricios TV Series

TREASURE GUARDS

Tandem Communications Exec Prod: Jonas Bauer / Rola Bauer Feature Triple O

Monarchy Prod: Mosibudi Pheeha Feature TRUE DREAM ( Revised Version)

South African Great Movies Production Dir: John Wani Feature Vallejo Transformation

Media Village Prod: Diane Vermooten Corporate Vehicle 19

Forefront Media Group / Picture Tree / The Safran Company Exec Prod: Paul Walker Feature VERITAS

Media Village Prod: Debbie Matthee Documentary VIENNA BOYS’ CHOIR MUSIC STUDY TOUR

SummerTime Productions Prod / Dir: Tanya Vandenberg Corporate

WALKING IN VICTOR’S SHOES

Current Affairs Films SA Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature Documentary WELLBODI BIZNES

Plexus Films / Four Corners Media Prod: Miki Redelinghuys Documentary ZION

Letcosmart Prod: Zibusiso Nkomo Feature

COMPLETE AFROX AFRICA INSIGHT EPS 4

FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AFROX YEAREND RESULT

FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AMKA

Panache Video Productions Dir: Liesel Eiselen Corporate Angels Of The Sky

CDS-Films Exec Prods: Chris Dos Santos, Andrew MacDonald Feature Film CHINESE SCHOOL, PRETORIA

Video clip productions/Panache video productions.

Prod/ dir Rudi Kruger/Liesel Eiselen.

Corporate.

Club Culture

Bonngoe Productions Prod: Tumi Rabanye Variety Cooking With Siba

Prod: Siba Mtongana Variety

DINEO’S DIARY: A MOGUL IN THE MAKING

New Vision Pictures and S2 Multimedia Exec prod: Dineo Ranaka Reality

Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Melody Xaba Music Reality Competition

Plexus Films and Lisa Chait Prod: L Groenewald, M Redelinghuys, L Chait Television Series Lepelle Northern Water

SummerTime Productions Prod: Sean Gardiner Corporate

Lepelle Water Safety Induction

SummerTime Productions Exec prod: Elaine Tribe Corporate

DURBAN/REEF FUEL PIPELINE

Betta Beta Communications Prod / Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary

MARCH

MASTERS OF DREAMS

Current Affairs Hambrook TV Series

8–9

AFRICAMAGIC VIEWERS’ CHOICE AWARDS Lagos, Nigeria www.africamagic.tv

1 4 – 17

SUN VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL Idaho, USA www.sunvalleyfilmfestival.org

15 – 17

JOZI FILM FESTIVAL Johannesburg www.jozifilmfestival.co.za

15 – 16

SOUTH AFRICAN FILM & TV AWARDS (SAFTAS) Gallagher Estate, Midrand South Africa www.nfvf.co.za

21 – 29

INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE (IFS) Hollywood, CA, USA www.ifsfilm.com

20 – 31

MOMA NEW DIRECTORS/NEW FILMS New York, USA www.moma.org/

7 – 17

SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL San Diego, CA, USA www.sdlatinofilm.com

Shoprite Showcase

15 – 24

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL Atlanta, USA www.atlantafilmfestival.com

SHORELINE REVISITED

28 – 30

GENEVA FILM FESTIVAL Illinois, USA www.genevafilmfestival.org

SING YOUR SONG

13 – 23

CAPE WINELANDS FILM FESTIVAL Cape Town, SA www.films-for-africa.co.za

MENTALIST MARTIAL ARTS

Panache Video Productions Dir: Ryan Blumenthal Training MZANSI LOVE

Fireworx Media Dirs: Myrto Makrides, Mmabatho Montsho, Neo Ntlantleng, Zamo Mkhwanazi Anthology series ONE LAST LOOK

Fireworx Media Prod: Dan Jawitz / Philip Roberts Feature POPCRU 7TH CONGRESS

FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Event SHAKESPEARE IN MZANSI: FORCED LOVE

Dirs: Itumeleng Wa Lehulera and Annalet Steenkamp.

Penguin Films Drama mini-series SummerTime Productions Exec Prod: Janine Truter Corporate Homebrew films Documentary series

Dir: Susanne Rostock Documentary SPACE, ALIENS, UFO’S AND RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS

Eugene Botha Productions / It’s Wrap Productions Exec prods: Eugene Botha; Anna Teichert Documentary SUZUKI Braveheart

Bragge film & tv Dir: Guy Bragge Commercial

The Animal Communicator

NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary

Advertisers List

|

AJA Video Systems.......................35

Jasco.................................................17

Eugene Botha Productions / It’s a Wrap Productions Prod: Eugene Botha Documentary

Atlas Studios .................................45

Jaycor...............................................25

Avmark Systems............................46

LaserNet.........................................39

TOUCHING THE DRAGON

Backyard Productions..................13

LemonJack......................................32

BlackGinger......................................1

Mediatech Africa.............................5

White Heron Pictures/Film Factory / Bos Bok Ses Films / Spier Films Dir: Paul Eihlers Drama

Blackmagic Design..........................7

Obeco..............................................25

Case Connection, The ................46

Panasonic........................................21

VKB BRANDING LAUNCH

EFX Productions.............FC

Pro-Sales

Electrosonic ..................................44

SAFTAS........................... IBC

Gallo Music Publishers................38

Sasani Studios................................31

General Post..................................46

Screen Africa Golf Day..................29

Global Access................................44

Sony............................... OBC

IDC..................................................11

Telemedia........................................23

Inala..................................IFC

Vision Cases...................................46

THE BLACK JEWS AND THE LOST ARK OF THE COVENANT

NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Verraaiers (Traitors)

FC Hamman Films Prod: FC Hamman Corporate Video

YOU LAUGH BUT IT’S TRUE Day 1 Films

Dir: David Paul Meyer Documentary

DRAGON’S FEAST 3D

NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Series

1 Feb – 2 Mar CASCADE FESTIVAL OF AFRICAN FILMS

Portland, USA www.africanfilmfestival.org/ PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL Los Angels www.paff.org/

JAM ALLEY CREW VS CREW SEASON 2

Quizzical Pictures SABC Comedy Series

FEBRUARY

7 – 18

THE CHEETAH DIARIES SERIES 3

PURPLE TOWN

Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Documentary

FIRESTONE

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@screenafrica.com

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February 2013 | SCREENAFRICA | 47

Social

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Photos by Simba Nyamukachi

DoC Community TV Workshop

Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Deputy Minister of the DoC

Beverly Parr and Joanne Thomas

Johannes Weyssenhoff, Robin Sewlal and Themba Phiri

Dr N Kekana and Patrick Baleka

Karen Thorne, Imraahn Mukaddam and Akiedan Mohamed

Kopano Molefe

Graham Thompson and Bernard Robert

Howard C Thomas and Alilsa Tulloch

Lerato Moabelo and Collin MacKenzie

Monde Ntebe and Dr Love

James and Anel Alexander

Pierre and Anzel Breytenbach

Klein Karoo Première

Klein Karoo producers Jorrie van der Walt, Tim Theron and Cobus van den Berg

New Appointments

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Andrew Victor Louis has been appointed as a director of Telemedia (Pty) Limited.

Louis, who has been with Telemedia for 15 years, is the Workshop and Technical Services manager responsible for Repairs and Maintenance, Service Contracts and International Support.

He was recently appointed as a director of the board of Telemedia (Pty) Limited.

According to Telemedia (Pty) Limited MD Peter Bretherick, Louis is not only highly qualified technically and commercially, but exhibits the characteristics of loyalty, motivation and commitment.

“He is heavily involved with every aspect of the business, as well as being the company representative on the NAB’s Technical Committee,” comments Bretherick.

While Bretherick (67) is quick to add that he is not retiring yet, he believes that Louis’ addition to the board will be a significant asset for the ongoing continuity of the company.

48 | SCREENAFRICA | February 2013

Carien Nel and Bouwer Bosch

Donnalee Roberts and Gerber Strydom

Verraiers Première

Verraaiers producer Piet de Jager, director Paul Eilers and Ilse van Hemert

Actors Ivan Zimmerman and Ivan Botha

Actress Rika Sennett

Deon Lotz portrays General De la Rey in Verraaiers

Karen Meiring (kykNET) and Martie Pansegrouw (Rooi Rose)

GFC Projects Announcement

Zizi Kodwa (GFC)

Bongumusa Zungu, Thapelo Mokoeng, Jamie Ramsay and Matshepo Maja

Nikki Tilley and Dr Melanie Chait

Ntshaveni Wa Luruli and Florian Schattauer

15th and 16th March 2013

Honouring, celebrating and promoting the creativity, quality and excellence of South African film and television talent and productions; encouraging entrepreneurship and the development of new talent within the industry.

www.nfvf.co.za

SA Dealers: Jasco +27 11 266-1500 | Visual Impact +27 11 788-9879 | Protea +27 11 719-5700 | Specialised Broadcast Sales & Service +27 21 425-6337 Sony Broadcast & Professional +27 11 690-3200 | www.pro.sony.eu/mea