N ANIMATIO Loeries BROADCAST, FILM, TV, COMMERCIALS, NEW MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS
www.screenafrica.com
VOL 26 – September 2014 R35.00
SHIPPING MID SEPT.
Think big with the smallest XDCAM professional camcorder.
PXW-X70
The new Sony PXW-X70 Take stunning pictures with the 1.0 type Exmor R CMOS Sensor and Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T lens. Record in a range of recording formats and monitor your work via Wi-Fi on a smartphone or tablet. You'll love the lifelike images captured by this compact, lightweight and ergonomically designed masterpiece that is easy to use as well. This fully-featured affordable palm-size camcorder is ideal for news gathering, events, documentary production, and many other applications. • • • • • •
Highly sensitive 1.0 type Exmor™ R CMOS Sensor (20 MP) for stunning picture quality. Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T lens with 12x optical zoom, which can be increased to 24x with Clear Image Zoom. Capable of recording in multiple formats like XAVC Long GOP (enabling 422 10-bit), AVCHD and DV. Built-in Wi-Fi control functionality for monitoring and remote control versatility. Compatibility with HDMI and 3G-SDI output 4K recording capability will be available in a future update
Sony and Sony logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation. Memory Stick and their respective logos are trademarks of Sony Corporation. AVCHD and AVCHD logo are trademarks of Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation. XDCAM, XAVC and their respective logos are trademarks of Sony Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Sony Professional Solutions Specialist: Jasco +27 11 266-1500 | Protea +27 11 719-5700 Specialised Broadcast Sales & Service +27 21 425-6337 | Visual Impact +27 11 788-9879 Sony Broadcast & Professional +27 11 690-3200 | Email: middle.east@eu.sony.com | www.sony-psmea.com
| IN THIS ISSUE
8 Filmmaking is not a ritual
33
18
21 Icons series captures the spirit of Ubuntu
animation feature
38
29
There is a new horse in town, and it has stripes all over it
A shot at the big time
Special Features ANIMATION FEATURE The rise of African animation........... 16 The state of animation....................... 18 At the controls of the Flying Circus......................................... 20 The ‘other side’ of Darkside............ 22 ‘Gamifying’ the art of storytelling... 23 The Animation School opens its doors in Joburg.................................... 26 Sphere Animation puts finishing touches on innovative short film.... 26
News MMSV, SABC and Generations cast face off in rates dispute............... 2 NFVF celebrates emerging SA female filmmakers............................ 3 M-Net and DStv set their sights on local content.......................... 4 Hollywood filmmakers attempt to prevent closure of Kodak film plant..................................... 4 Unilever launches academy for Africa’s aspiring filmmakers.......... 6 Erratum.................................................... 6 Where film and fashion meet............. 7
AFRICA
Television
Box Office
Filmmaking is not a ritual..................... 8 Filmmakers from Great Lakes region scoop awards
21 Icons series captures
Heavy hitters fight the good fight at the local box office
at DFM...................................................... 9 Rwandese filmmaker lobbies government to support
NEW MEDIA
the spirit of Ubuntu........................... 33
A new age of immersed
this August............................................ 42
WEB NEWS
storytelling............................................ 34
local film industry.................................. 9 Southern Africa opens
Anant Singh releases a statement on the passing of Richard
TRAINING & COURSES
the doors of Locarno........................ 10
Sabido eAcademy opens
Attenborough...................................... 43 Documentary explores the West’s
the doors of learning......................... 36 SAE working creatively to
fascination with “saving” Africa........ 43 SES delivers direct-to-home TV
shape our best creative minds......... 37
to French Speaking West Africa....... 43 A+E Networks UK commissions
SERVICES There is a new horse in town,
SA version of Pawn Stars.................. 43 SA SFX artist wins an Emmy
and it has stripes all over it.............. 38
for Black Sails....................................... 43
ADCETERA DDB and Frieze Films showcase the Car-iest Car............... 11 Bringing strategy and creative closer together.................... 11 Johnson’s Baby shoots multinational campaign in CT.......... 12 Jozi Social Media Week…
TRACKING TECHNOLOGY
Regulars
#DigitalAwesome................................ 12 Loeries Creative Week
Apple ProRes 4444 XQ codec increases capacity for
Production Updates................44 – 47
puts creativity into ‘affect’................. 13
effects and grading ............................. 40 AJA Kona 3G facilitates live sync
Social...................................................... 48
Get with the programme.................. 14
FILM Love the One You Love..................... 28 A shot at the big time........................ 29 South African productions shine at the 5th annual Durban FilmMart..... 30 DIRECTOR SPEAK: Jenna Cato Bass................................... 32
for VFX and animation workflow.... 40 NewTek Tricaster 8000...................... 41 Belden SMPTE311 HD camera assembly......................... 41
Events..................................................... 47
|
From the editor
News
Performers vs producers
MMSV, SABC and Generations cast face off in rates dispute
Probably the biggest story to hit the headlines this month is the latest explosion in the year-long battle between the cast of Generations and the production company and broadcaster. Although this particular conflict has been dragged into the public eye amid a great deal of media hype, I don’t think it is the only one of its kind. In a storm of mutual recriminations and accusations, expressed with businesslike calm on one hand and declaimed amid fiery (and utterly irrelevant) populist political rhetoric on the other, the warring parties have highlighted an ongoing problem in this industry. One of the first rules of the industry is ‘make sure the talent is looked after’. Performers are at the heart of this industry. Without them, a state-of-the-art production set-up is useless and a script is just words on a page. Yet, throughout the industry there is a history of exploitation of performers and the tendency among producers to underestimate their value. Hollywood stars, who have been able to demand salaries equivalent to the GDP of a small country, are the exceptions, not the rule. For the most part, it could be very credibly argued that the talent gets a raw deal when it comes to sharing out production income. On the other hand, this needs to be considered in perspective. While the work of performers is the heartbeat of this industry’s work, it is used to create entertainment products, not a cure for cancer. Why then should an actor, no matter how in demand, be entitled to draw a salary and benefits far in excess of those of a worker of similar economic status. They must be able to make a decent living of course but are they entitled to the high life? How realistic are performers’ expectations? Having said that, performers must still get their due and that includes repeat fees and other moneys raised through the syndication of television shows. In the manner that is becoming characteristic of the national broadcaster, it has been less than transparent about what it owes the Generations cast in this regard. There are merits to both sides of the argument (see our leading news story) and the situation gives voice to the need that this industry has long had to formalise and better organise its business and financial aspects. The benefits and drawbacks of the labour movement are a matter for constant debate but perhaps the unionisation of the acting profession is something that should be seriously considered. Guilds already exist but, like so many other parts of this industry, they are fragmented and there is little consensus on any kind of unified approach to representing the needs of actors. As long as performers – and other practitioners in the industry – are bargaining on an ad hoc, individual basis, they will be forced to accept whatever they can get. Walt Disney once said that the animator has the best casting process – if he doesn’t like an actor, he simply rubs him out and draws a new one! Considering the importance of the voice artist in animation production and the increasing use of physical performance in motion capture as part of the animation workflow, it is clearly not true that performers are irrelevant to this part of the industry. Nevertheless, there remains for the animator a far greater freedom than the live action director has and we picked up some of that sense of fun and unfettered exploration as we researched our animation feature for this issue. It is also Loeries month of course and we wish all the competitors for these prestigious awards the very best of luck. Warren Holden
GENERATION GAP WIDENING: Generations Actors Guild press conference Tensions between Generations cast members, MMSV Productions and the SABC reached an all-time high when 16 of the soapies’ prominent actors had their contracts terminated on 11 August after they refused to continue work until issues surrounding fees and royalties in their contracts were resolved. Subsequent public statements from either side of the dispute have resulted in heated accusations and a battle which has played out in the media. The actors are seeking to operate in accordance with international best practices which apply a sustainable fee structure for actors, due to the uncertainty that characterises their career paths. Some of the practices used to cater for this include syndication fees, fees paid to the broadcaster by brands which integrate their product into a storyline, as well as a share in the performance bonus afforded to the production house when the series performs well. Concerns surrounding the performers’ fees are the subject of an ongoing dispute which began in October 2013. According to the actors’ legal representative Desmond Brown, the cast members’ decision to withhold services was not taken lightly and was a reaction to the SABC and MMSV’s unwillingness to negotiate. This contradicts statements made at an SABC and MMSV press conference, in which SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng stated that he was interested in engaging with the actors and working towards a resolution. “Disputes with employees will always happen and we always want to
engage in these circumstances, but we won’t allow anarchy. You can’t not go to work – no one is allowed to do that, not even permanent SABC staff – that is anarchy,” remarked Motsoeneng. Producer Friedrich Stark and executive producer Mfundi Vundla of MMSV productions claimed that the terminations were as a result of trying to comply with their contractual obligations to the SABC and stated that reports of cast members getting paid ‘peanuts’ were not true. Stark explained: “On average, taken from the 16 actors earnings, a Generations actor gets R55 000 per month.” Vundla added that that he felt betrayed and recalled an incident when one cast member was rushed to hospital with a life-threatening condition and, as the actor had no medical aid, Vundla himself had paid for the medical expenses out of his own pocket. “To be painted as this avaricious person who doesn’t care, I feel betrayed,” he said. Generations cast members reacted to these statements in a press conference which took place on 26 August. “Lies have short legs – they can run very fast but don’t cover a lot of ground,” said cast member and celebrated South African actor Patrick Shai. Sophie Ndaba, the longest-serving Generations cast member, said in reference to the SABC, “We collectively make them the money that allows for their Christmas bonuses at the end of the year,” and added: “bonuses based on targets met by us. With turnover of R500 million in profits, what’s R55 000?” Actress Nambitha Mpumlwana remarked:
SCREENAFRICA Publisher & Managing Editor: Simon Robinson: publisher@screenafrica.com Editor: Warren Holden: editor@screenafrica.com Journalists: Carly Barnes: carly@sun-circle.co.za Chanelle Ellaya: news@screenafrica.com Contributors: Ian Dormer, Claire Diao, Sam Charoz, Dr Elsabe Pepler, Rita Doherty
Sub-Editor: Tina Heron Design: Trevor Ou Tim: design@sun-circle.co.za Website & Production Updates: Carly Barnes: carly@sun-circle.co.za Subscriptions: Tina Tserere: data@sun-circle.co.za Delight Ngwenya: admin@sun-circle.co.za Advertisement Sales: Marianne Schafer: marianne@screenafrica.com Lorna MacLeod: lorna@screenafrica.com
Accounts: Natasha Glavovic: accounts@sun-circle.co.za Sun Circle Publishers (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 025-3180 Physical address: First Floor, Process House Epsom Downs Office Park 13 Sloane Street Bryanston, Johannesburg South Africa Postal address: PO Box 559, Fourways North, 2086
www.screenafrica.com
| News
NFVF celebrates emerging SA female filmmakers
“The situation has all of us heaving from our guts – how a colleague had to be rescued because he had no medical aid. If you have to rescue an actor because they don’t have medical aid, I say shame on you.” On Monday, 25 August, the Minister of Arts and Culture invited the cast members, who have formed a Generations Actors Guild (GAG), the SABC and MMSV to a meeting where they could explore how best to resolve the issues mentioned. Though MMVP turned down the invitation, and the SABC, according to Brown, was unwilling to speak to the actors with their legal representation present, the meeting resulted in the SABC showing interest in working things out. “I agree in principle with some of the issues that the actors are raising, but they need to go to work. They can’t hold the SABC at ransom,” Motsoeneng said at the SABC press conference. The members of GAG have expressed that their stance does not only apply to the 16 people involved in the dispute and maintain that it is an industry-wide battle which they are fighting in order to transform how the industry is structured and run. – Carly Barnes
MAKING STRIDES: Naomi Mokhele, Milly Moabi, Zandile Tisani and Nomusa Nkabinde On 13 August the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) screened some of the films produced in their ‘Africa by Women’ female filmmaker initiative at the Cine Centre in Killarney Mall, in celebration of Woman’s month. The project, which was established as a way of providing South Africa’s young woman filmmakers with funding and support to create a short film, produced ten films – each expressing a unique story, perspective and creative voice. In her address to the audience Mmabatho Ramagoshi, chairperson of the NFVF council said, “Since 1994 we’ve seen woman make strides in different positions. Our industry is young and still developing and we as the NFVF want to ensure that systems are in place to help build it further.” She added, “We want to see sustainable businesses run by women and our aim is that these female filmmakers become their sister’s keepers.” The process involved the filmmakers participating in workshops where, under the guidance of seasoned industry mentors, their ideas were developed into solid stories and engaging scripts. Two
production companies, Born Free Media and Quizzical Pictures, collaborated on the initiative to ensure the women and their ideas were nurtured through all stages of production. The theme ’20 years of democracy in South Africa’ was one which was explored in workshops while projects were still in their development stages and all attending mentors agreed that the variety of filmmakers’ interpretations around this subject was exciting and encouraging. Many of them made mention that a range of unheard female voices and untold South African stories are waiting to be unearthed and that there is a need and a demand for them in the industry. The project will continue for the next three years, and after receiving a disappointing number of 2014 submissions the NFVF is urging female filmmakers to apply and take advantage of the opportunity. As one of the participating filmmakers Nomusa Nkabinde put it, “The experience is validation that I need to tell these stories. I need to write more, network more and do more as a female filmmaker in South Africa.” Another, Zandile Tisani commented, “The great thing about this
project is that it has opened me up to other opportunities, plus it’s such a confidence builder. The idea now is to keep with this momentum.” The filmmakers are: Lara Cunha and Phuthi Nakene for Dear Betty, Lwazi Mvusi for The State, Lindiwe Mkhonza, Nolitha Tshinavha and Beather Baker for The Manuscript, Genevieve Akal for Bougainvillea, Anneke Villet for Last Doorman Standing, Zandile Tisani for Heroes, Jayan Moodley and Bonita Sithebe for The Dance, Rafeeqah Galant and Nthabiseng Mokoena for Lungelwa, Rene van Rooyen for The Forgotten Country, Nomusa Nkabinde and Xolile Tshabalala for Through her Eyes. “We are breaking ground in the film industry, which is very exciting to me – it’s the kind of thing that fills you with butterflies!” said Zama Mkosi, CEO of the NFVF, “We are in the process of our 2020 strategy which can be quite scary, it’s the same way I felt when we put forward the challenge to produce ten woman-made films. We have to dream big for this industry and these films are proof that whatever seems impossible today could happen tomorrow.” – Carly Barnes
Waterfront Film Studios offers a comprehensive range of facilities with the latest in equipment and technology.
www.waterfrontfilmstudios.com
|
info@waterfrontfilmstudios.com
tel: +27 21 409 2000
SP1081_WFS_Screen Africa_QPH.indd 2
3 Sound Stages | Full Post Production Facilities VFX Animation Facilities | Audio Post Production Studios New Media Production | Language Dubbing, LiDAR & Cyber Scanning | Digital Film Restoration & Remastering | Archiving Facilities.
2014/06/18 9:25 AM
September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 3
News
|
M-Net and DStv set their sights on local content Pay-television platform MultiChoice, which runs both DStv and M-Net, held their Local Content Showcase on 4 August 2014, at The Venue in Sandton, Johannesburg. Attended by a select group of journalists and television critics, the local programming upfront was nothing short of a five-star event, with attendees treated to a three-course meal, sneak peeks into upcoming local content across all M-Net and DStv channels, surprise visits from South African celebrities and a chance to have all burning questions regarding local broadcasting answered. Master of ceremonies Tumisho Masha, proved to be a delightful host, introducing and expanding on the upfronts and letting onto ‘surprise’ announcements from the broadcasters. At the end of the programme, South Africa’s television critics and journalists were given the opportunity to pose questions to the CEO of M-Net South Africa, Yolisa Phahle, and the general manager of content for MultiChoice, Aletta Alberts. The biggest and most exciting announcement at the showcase was that M-Net is investing R1 billion each year in locally produced content across their channels. “We will bring new shows to viewers this year… scripted drama, reality shows and sitcoms will be given priority
Hollywood filmmakers attempt to prevent closure of Kodak film plant Kodak’s motion picture film manufacturing plant in Rochester, New York is on the brink of closure, according to the company’s chief executive, Jeff Clarke. Sales of the material that put both the company and the Hollywood movie industry on the map have dropped so low that it is becoming unfeasible to continue producing it. In 2006, Kodak sold 12.4 billion feet of film. By the beginning of 2014 this figure had dropped down to a mere 449.3 million – a decrease 4 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
as these are the most watched,” says Kershnee Govender, Corporate Affairs Director for M-Net. “We will be looking to make sure there is something surprising and delightful for all of our major divisions, the Mzansi Magic channels, kykNET, M-Net and our audiences across the continent.” M-Net, South Africa’s original pay-television channel, and the first to create local versions of international reality formats, is bringing even more excitement into programming this year. Idols SA is currently in its tenth season on M-Net and Mzansi Magic. This year, the Idols Top 10 shows will be broadcast live every Sunday night from 17H00, and in another twist, the results of the previous week’s show will be revealed at the beginning of each live show. Season 3 of MasterChef SA premieres on M-Net on Thursday 21 August at 19H30. A new judge has been added to the mix in the form of award-winning chef Reuben Riffel. Something to look forward to for MasterChef SA lovers, in January 2015 viewers will be treated to MasterChef SA Celebrity, a celebrity version of the popular cooking series, with the contestants taking part to win money for a charity of their choice. The famous faces that will be gracing our screens in their MasterChef aprons are: Patricia Lewis,
of 96%. With digital technology evolving every day and making movie production easier, more accessible and arguably more ‘film-like’ with each new innovation, the demand for 35mm film is dropping to almost zero. Kodak’s major competitor in this field, Fujifilm, has already closed down its operations and now works completely in the digital realm. Kodak also now operates predominantly in digital and the closure of its Rochester film plant could be the final nail in the coffin of the medium that launched the motion picture industry. However a coalition of Hollywood filmmakers are determined to stop this from happening. Quentin Tarantino,
TV DINNER: MasterChef SA season 3 Lerato Moloi, Lorna Maseko, Merwelene van der Merwe, Tol A$$ Mo, Terence Bridgett, Sade Giliberti, Chris Forrest, Lunga Shabalala and Alex Jay. New on Mzansi Magic this year, the new reality show My Perfect Proposal – a spin-off of My Perfect Wedding – where viewers will get to witness people propose to their partners in public. On the local front, FOX Crime is currently screening Season 1 of the new reality show NightGuard, about an armed response unit with over 500 guards specialising in all areas of protection. The
TV show follows the lives and exploits of its namesake security company, taking a behind-the-scenes look at the dangers of armed response and security in South Africa. With a captivating programming schedule and a promising plan for the future, DStv and M-Net ensure that their loyal local content followers and subscribers have much to look forward to in the year to come while at the same time adding just enough ‘spice’ to entice new subscribers. – Chanelle Ellaya
Christopher Nolan, JJ Abrams and Judd Apatow are among the leading directors who have expressed concern at what they see as the death of movies as we know them. During a press conference at Cannes in June, Tarantino said: “As far as I’m concerned, digital projection and DCPs (digital cinema packages) is the death of cinema as we know it. It’s not even about shooting your film on film or shooting your film on digital. The fact that most films now are not presented in 35mm means that the war is lost. Digital projection – that’s just television in public. Apparently the whole world is okay with television in public but what I know as cinema is dead.”
These filmmakers are now putting pressure on Hollywood studios to form an agreement with Kodak that will save 35mm film as both a shooting and exhibition medium. Talks between the parties, which were held in secret until August, seem to be working towards some kind of arrangement whereby production studios will agree to purchase a certain amount of film from Kodak every year. Kodak can then downsize production to suit the agreed demand and still keep the beloved medium alive in a small way. Directors will therefore also still have the option to use 35mm on certain projects if they so desire. While the motivations for the filmmakers’ lifesaving campaign are easy to understand, questions arise as to whether such an arrangement will be feasible and sustainable. Trying to maintain production of a good that is in such low demand makes little economic sense. Manufacturers of film cameras and projectors would surely also have to be coopted into the agreement, bringing their operations and costs into consideration and further complicating matters. Theatre owners will have to weigh in too. Whether the bid to rescue film represents anything more than simple nostalgia on the part of the filmmakers remains to be seen. – Warren Holden
Introducing Blackmagic URSA, the world’s first user upgradeable 4K digital film camera! Blackmagic URSA is the world’s first high end digital film camera designed to revolutionize workflow on set. Built to handle the ergonomics of large film crews as well as single person use, URSA has everything built in, including a massive 10 inch fold out on set monitor, large user upgradeable Super 35 global shutter 4K image sensor, 12G-SDI and internal dual RAW and ProRes recorders. Super 35 Size Sensor URSA is a true professional digital film camera with a 4K sensor, global shutter and an incredible 12 stops of dynamic range. The wide dynamic range blows away regular video cameras or even high end broadcast cameras, so you get dramatically better images that look like true digital film. The extra large Super 35 size allows for creative shallow depth of field shooting plus RAW and ProRes means you get incredible quality! Dual Recorders Blackmagic URSA features dual recorders so you never need to stop recording to change media. That’s critical if you are shooting an historical event, important interview or where you just cannot stop shooting! Simply load an empty CFast card into the second recorder and when the current card is full, the recording will continue onto the second card, allowing you to change out the full card and keep shooting! Lenses and accessories shown are not included
www.blackmagicdesign.com/sa
*All prices subject to VAT, exchange rate fluctuation and import duties.
User Upgradeable Sensor Blackmagic URSA features a modular camera turret that can be removed by unscrewing 4 simple bolts! The camera turret includes the sensor, lens mount and lens control connections and can be upgraded in the future when new types of sensors are developed. This means your next camera will be a fraction of the cost of buying a whole new camera! Choose professional PL mount, popular EF mount and more! Built in On Set Monitoring! Say goodbye to bulky on set monitors because you get a massive fold out 10 inch screen built into Blackmagic URSA, making it the world’s biggest viewfinder! The screen is super bright and features an ultra wide viewing angle. URSA also includes two extra 5” touch screens on both sides of the camera showing settings such as format, frame rate, shutter angle plus scopes for checking levels, audio and focus!
Blackmagic URSA EF
5,995
US$
*
Blackmagic URSA PL
6,495*
US$
News
|
Erratum
Unilever launches academy for Africa’s aspiring filmmakers Multinational consumer goods producer Unilever has announced the launch of its African Filmmakers’ Academy (AAF), an initiative intended to “empower, equip and celebrate African filmmakers. Operating in three countries – South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya – the AAF will give students the opportunity to work on Unilever briefs and also source funding and support for their own projects. This announcement was made in Johannesburg in August at an event hosted by Unilever’s senior vice president for global marketing, Marc Mathieu. “Africa is home to a huge pool of young, talented filmmakers. Through the Academy for African Filmmakers, we’re seeking to enable, develop and promote African filmmaking talent within Africa and for Africa,” Mathieu said. The AAF is part of Unilever’s Foundry,
EMPOWERING AFICAN FILMMAKERS: Hlengiwe Matiwane (Marketing & Communications Manager – KZN Film Commission) and Marc Mathieu (Senior VP Global Marketing – Unilever) a platform which Unilever launched in May to collaborate and experiment with the digital and creative community. Together with British-based contentsourcing agency Mofilm, Unilever will start off the AAF’s activities by hosting intensive, three-day courses in Johannesburg, Nairobi and Lagos in December, touching on several aspects
of filmmaking theory and practice, with a focus on developing the storytelling skills of the attending students. The courses are open to all aspiring filmmakers between the ages of 16 and 30, who reside in any African country. Filmmakers can find out more and register their interest at http://foundry.unilever.com/ filmacademy.
In the August issue of Screen Africa there was an article entitled ‘Filmmaking for Change’- where we incorrectly stated that Sabido Productions owns the local free-to-air channel e.tv and that the channel had bought the rights for a shortened television version of Unearthed. The correct information is that Sabido Productions is a stand-alone operation and e.tv has not confirmed that they have bought the rights to Unearthed. Jolynn Minnaar, along with Dylan Voogt and Saskia Schiel from Stage 5 Films entered a co-production deal with Chris Nicklin and Zanele Mthembu from Sabido Productions, who provided a sizeable portion of the funding for post-production. Further to this, the article stated that the production was crowdfunded, and the correct information pertaining to this aspect of the film is that a portion of the costs which helped director Minaar travel to the US to conduct research was raised through an Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign.
www.aja.com
Transition from tape to file-based workflows quickly and easily.
If you’re making the transition away from tape, Ki Pro Rack delivers the recording and playback capabilities you’re used to in a compact 1RU size that goes beyond a traditional VTR. With support for ALL quality levels of Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD files, built-in up/down/cross conversion and advanced network connectivity, Ki Pro Rack provides the flexibility you need.
Integrates easily With professional connections including; SDI, HDMI, AES, analog and embedded audio support, LTC in and out, RS-422 control, Genlock, LAN networking and more.
Touchvision
Standalone operation
Accelerate your production
Feel at home immediately with Ki Pro Rack’s familiar front panel controls and an intuitive interface that allows stand-alone operation that gets your staff up to speed right away.
No more time-consuming logging and capturing from tape. Record ready-to-edit Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD files directly to rugged, affordable storage media.
Tel: + 27 11 886 8572 • www.touchvision.co.za
6 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
AFRICA'S #1 TV CONTENT AND ADAPTATION RIGHTS MARKET
WE HELP SET-UP MEETINGS BETWEEN QUALIFIED PARTICIPANTS
The most important pan-African TV Formats, TV Series, Documentary and Animation projects pitching competition.
YEARS OF
FR
20
EE
DOM
20
AFRICA
|
MALI | MAURITANIA
Filmmaking is not a ritual Premiered at Cannes where it won the Ecumenical Prize and the François Chalais Award, Timbuktu also received the Best Film Award at the Durban International Film Festival in July this year. The film tells the story of how the simple lives of the inhabitants in and around the historic Malian town of the title, are affected by the occupation of the Islamic fundamentalist group Ansar Dine. Anticipating the North American premiere at Toronto, director Abderrahmane Sissako took the time to talk to Screen Africa.
What was your starting point for Timbuktu? Sissako: My fiction was inspired by the killing of a fisherman by a shepherd. And it all went fast through co-writing with Kessen Tall. It went fast, especially because I needed the funding to shoot this year. Under normal circumstances, I do not write this fast. This is how this film came about. Actually, I did what I like most: writing while shooting. That means, making room for improvisation, trusting characters and actors who never worked in cinema. You believe in someone, then you just go. You trust the person and you take that person along, knowing your own fragility, and the risk you are taking, and you build from there.
8 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
AWARD WINNING FILM: A scene from Sissako’s Timbuktu
Abderrahmane Sissako
Where was it shot? Sissako: The shooting took place in Oualata, Mauritania, a sister city of Timbuktu. Mauritania allowed it and there was security. That was the only country where such a film could be shot. I also shot in Timbuktu, discreetly, during two days. Your actors, mainly unknown, are brilliant. How did you choose them? Sissako: In the script, the couple was Tuareg. During the research, we didn’t find any actors. Not so many movies are shot with Tuaregs but many of them are singers. So I followed what was happening in the music world and my first choice was a great singer but that didn’t work. My casting assistant, who had done a casting in Bamako, sent me a picture of Ahmed Ibrahim aka Pino (who plays Kidane in the movie). I saw his face and
thought: “Yes, he is a musician, so he is flexible, at ease in front of a camera, and he knows the stage.” With Toulou Kiki (who plays Satima), I heard through friends that there was a young Tuareg singer in Montreuil, France. As to Toya (played by actress Layla Walet Mohamed), the little girl, I met her in M’béra Camp in Mauritania where I had been looking for a couple of friends to play in the movie. At that time, I was looking for a three-year-old girl to play the role of Toulou’s daughter but it was not easy. So I started considering that this was a script mistake. And Toya was there, all the time, in front of me. She would not leave us alone. My first AD Demba Diaye told me: “This is incredible. This girl will not go away until you choose her for the part.” Then, Fatoumata Diawara (the singer), I knew she was an involved person, one of the first people to remind people about what was going on in Mali. So I took her on this journey. As for Zabou (the witch) I was looking for someone like that. I was introduced to a girl that illustrator Titouan Lamazou had met while painting portraits of Tuareg in Niger. She was from Gao. As she travelled all the time, I had met her in a camp in Burkina Faso before she disappeared. It was impossible to find her again. This is when I thought about Kettly Noel (a Haitian dancer based in Mali). The Jihadists, portrayed in their intimate complexity, play a leading role in your movie. The different languages they speak shows that they come from different places. Sissako: This land they are occupying is foreign for them. They came from various places. Northern Mali’s occupation was like that: Jihad international. Gao’s police chief comes from Tunisia, the village chief may be from Pakistan, and the guard is Nigerian…
This is important, even though various languages could theoretically be combined in a harmonious way to serve the film in its form. Interrogating Kidane through a Tuareg interpreter is really important. It is important to have a part that cannot be understood – except by those who speak Arabic. This must happen, but before it happens, the other one listens, watches, and thinks: “What are they saying?” But it is coming, afterwards, totally offbeat. It hypnotises the audience, in a way. At the centre of the film is the killing of the cow, which underlines the traditional opposition between the cattle farmer’s world and the fishermen’s one. Sissako: Definitely. This happens quite often, but it will certainly disappear when agriculture or cattle breeding becomes industrialised. All peoples have experienced that. I wanted to turn that into an accident, because it would have been difficult to generate compassion with a premeditated murder. Why had you not directed a film since Bamako in 2006? Sissako: That’s life, that’s all. For me, there is no ritual act about making films, no calculated meetings where one tells oneself: “It is time, it has been two years, three years since…”, Or: “This film is working, people trust me, I have to make another one.” I think that it’s often dangerous. When you have the possibility to direct movies – which means to be part of a privileged group because not everybody has that privilege, including the talented ones – it is not all that simple. I love to be taken by a subject. It has to dominate me, to remind me that it is important. It is at that moment that I feel I have to make it. – Claire Diao
RwandA | Uganda
| AFRICA
Filmmakers from Great Lakes region scoop awards at DFM Among the stand-out projects being pitched at the Durban Film Mart (DFM) earlier this year, two were singled out for particular recognition and showcased the rising film talent to be found in the Great Lakes region in the eastern part of the continent. The first was Caroline Kamya’s In Search of African Duende: The Uganda Flamenco Project, from Uganda, which won the Docubox award consisting of a US$2 500 development grant. The second was what promises to be a hard-hitting piece from the tiny nation of Rwanda, Kayambi Musafiri’s Home Expulsion, which walked away with the €5000 Organisation Internationale de Francophonie (OIF) award. These two films could not be more different in terms of content. Kamya’s documentary explores the African roots of the distinctively Spanish dance style of flamenco, while Musafiri’s examines a little-publicised humanitarian crisis developing on the border between his home country and Tanzania. The idea for In Search of African Duende was born when Kamya’s sister Agnes, a passionate flamenco lover who has practised and researched the dance in its heartland in the Spanish city of Seville for over two years, discovered the link between Africa and flamenco during the course of her studies. “The Spanish kept meticulous records,” Kamya says,
producer, the Netherlands-based Keren Cogan, are busily working up finance for Duende and are searching for coproduction partners in Africa and Europe. Exploring far heavier subject matter, Musafiri has boldly set out to tell the story of the 7 000 ethnic Tutsis who were forcefully ‘repatriated’ from Tanzania to Rwanda in 2013, seemingly as a backlash against the Rwandan government after presidents Kagame and Kikwete had a major disagreement over the handling of peacekeeping missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. One of the many disturbing aspects of this story is that the expelled Tutsis were all bona fide Tanzanian citizens. “In 1959, when the Hutu ethnic group gained
power in Rwanda, many Tutsis fled the country to escape ethnic turmoil. Thousands of these arrived in Tanzania, where in 1961, president Julius Nyerere offered them full citizenship,” Musafiri explains. In 2013, these people, who had lived as Tanzanians for half a century or more, were deprived of citizenship of the country they called home, and forced to leave their loved ones and property behind. Arriving to an ethnic homeland in which they no longer had any connections, they were forced to live in refugee camps under harsh conditions. Musafiri has now offered them the opportunity to tell their stories. Like Kamya, Musafiri is also still on the hunt for funding and co-production opportunities. He is looking to start shooting in January next year and have the film finished by February 2016. Both Kamya and Musafiri say they found the DFM pitching process extremely useful as it exposed them to industry professionals from within Africa and abroad and taught them some valuable lessons about preparing the perfect pitch. These filmmakers appear to be part of rising tide of cinematic talent beginning to emerge from the Great Lakes region, an area that Africa’s film enthusiasts would be wise to watch closely. – Warren Holden
clients. She’s chief advisor at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). She is also the president of Rwanda Film Technicians (RFT) and has directed films like Kezalella and Mayombo. “In these two films my objective was to remind the youth about their point of origin, the land of their birth, because after the genocide Rwandese returnees came back from different nations with different culture, so the youth was so
caught up in outside customs, these two films were to remind them about their Rwandese customs and values,” she enthuses. Mukundente has also set up an NGO that focuses on youth and women empowerment in film production, which she will kick start next year. “I decided to ask the Rwandese government to help me to start a women’s film festival in Africa or for Africans where we will promote, support financially and mentor the women in the film industry, to support themselves and other women in other fields through film advocacy.” The Rwandese government has started to make an effort to recognise the art of film production and has laid out constructive measures to promote the telling of stories that are relevant to the Rwandese people. This is what The Rwanda Film Board has been instrumental in initiating. These things motivate Mukundente to move forward on the road to her dream. “I don’t see myself doing something else that is not film, maybe things that go with helping others. And in 10 years, I think my work will be better than it is today. When I look back I want to be proud that I have left a mark and for future generations to be proud of what I have done. All of us have a story to tell and I have started mine already.” – Sam Charoz
STANDING OUT: Caroline Kamya and Kayambi Musafiri “and Agnes found records of a thriving African population in Seville as early as 1372 when the first black religious brotherhood was founded.” Starting from an exploration of these connections, the film follows the year-long journey of six youngsters from the slums of Kampala – the Ugandan capital – as they learn flamenco. “The individual obstacles that the young Ugandans must overcome – poverty, disenfranchisement, being refugees and orphans, as some of them are – form the context of the documentary,” Kamya explains. “The climax of the film is the first local flamenco dance performance at the National Theatre in Kampala.” At the moment, Kamya and her
Rwandese filmmaker lobbies government to support local film industry When you meet her, there are two things that stand out: an epic extraversion that exudes from her with unyielding quixotic defiance, and a Kathryn Bigelow-ish creative aura that gently mocks your curiosity. 32-year-old Rwandese filmmaker Fiona Mukundente is quite simply a force to be reckoned with in the hilly frontiers of Kigali and beyond. “In 2009, I produced and directed my first movie, and then I started marketing and doing publicity for it. It turned out in the industry and media that I was the first
TOUR DE FORCE: Fiona Mukundente female director known in Rwanda. That inspired more ladies; I have met some young ladies who told me that I have been their role model,” she says. She is an actress, an ingenious producer and founder of a series of initiatives. Back in 2010 she founded the Rwanda International Film Festival (RIFF). She also started OYE Rwanda Films, a production outfit that creates commercials and documentaries for
September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 9
Africa
|
Zambia| Angola| Mozambique |Rwanda | Ethiopia
Southern Africa opens the doors of Locarno
SWISS SUPPORT FOR AFRICAN CINEMA: The winners of the Locarno Open Doors Laboratory awards: Elias Ribeiro and Sibs Shongwe-LaMer (South Africa), Teboho Edkins (South Africa), Pandora da Cunha Telles (Mozambique), Licinio de Azevedo (Mozambique) and Rungano Nyoni (Zambia)
From 9 to 12 August the 67th edition of the Locarno International Film Festival (Switzerland) invited 12 African projects from English and Portuguese speaking African countries to attend its Open Doors Laboratory.
“I
t is true that, in the recent years and for every film festival, it is difficult to find African movies. This is why we initiated this process of research and support to the African cinema,” explains Carlo Chatrian, artistic director of the Locarno Film Festival. Launched in 2003 with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), part of the Swiss Foreign Ministry, Ateliers European Cinema (ACE), European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE), the Producers Network, Cannes Film Market and the Torino FilmLab, the Open Doors programme highlights a different region of the world each year: “…where independent filmmaking is vulnerable, and is committed to enabling them to find co-production partners for their new projects.” After North Africa in 2005 and Francophone Africa in 2012, Open Doors focused on English and Portuguese speaking African countries this year. Out of 180 projects, 60 were submitted to the selection committee – made up of two Swiss members of the Locarno Film
10 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
Festival and two French film critics – who chose 12 projects. Four came from Portuguese-speaking countries (Angola and Mozambique) and eight from English speaking countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia and South Africa). Among those 12 projects were 10 fiction films and two documentaries. Four were submitted by women: the Ghanaian Sam Kessie, the Ethiopian Alamork Marsha, the Ugandan Caroline Kamya and the Zambian Rungano Nyoni. Three of them were presenting their first features: Sam Kessie’s Unbalanced about a passionate woman who has given up her dreams, settling into the domestic role of housewife; Alamork Marsha’s Fig Tree, the story of a young Ethiopian torn between leaving her war-torn country or staying with her love; and Rungano Nyoni’s I Am Not a Witch, about a child’s dilemma in a makeshift witch refugee camp in Zambia. Three of the young male filmmakers in the group presented their debuts: Mozambican Inadelso Cossa, with documentary Kula: A Memory in Three Acts, about Portuguese police’s torture of
political prisoners during the colonial period; South African Sibs ShongweLaMer’s Territorial Pissings, a portrayal of ‘born frees’ unable to determine what being South African is; and Rwandan Joel Karakezi’s The Mercy of the Jungle about two Rwandan soldiers lost in the forest of the eastern Congo, facing their doubts, weakness and hopes. Other directors were already known in the film environment. Angolan Zézé Gamboa (O Grande Kilapy), Mozambican Sol de Carvalho (Another Man’s Garden) and Brazilian Licinio de Azevedo (Virgin Margarida) presented three interesting projects about four Cape Verdean sailors lost at sea (Gamboa’s Aleluia), a cinema closing down (Carvalho’s Heart and Fire) and a train journey through the Mozambican civil war (Azevedo’s The Train of Salt and Sugar). Likewise Caroline Kamya, who presented Hot Comb, the adventure of an oppressed young Ugandan attending an elitist school at the time of Ugandan independence, had huge success with her first hit Imani. South African Teboho Edkins – pitched his documentary Faraway Friends, set in Lesotho – with his previous Gangster Project. Jahmil XT Qubeka, who achieved renown with Of Good Report, was unfortunately missing, but his producer Michael Auret from Spier Films did pitch his next project, a sci-fi film called First Man. Rungano Nyoni cried her eyes out when she heard that I Am Not a Witch, produced by the French company Clandestine Films, won two awards: the CNC Prize (R99 157) and a part of the
Open Doors grant (R233 502). “I am just a bit in a state of shock. I don’t know why I’m crying because this was a struggle and I really didn’t expect to win. I don’t know if people understood what I was trying to do but obviously they did. I’m really going to work hard, I’m going to use this well and I’m really happy,” she said. Teboho Edkins’Faraway Friends, produced by Don Edkins’ South African NGO Steps, also got a part (R117 138) of the Open Doors’ grant. “It is a real honor because it is perfect to complete the movie and organise a special screening to our protagonists in Lesotho’s mountains,” he said. Licinio de Azevedo, also winner of a CNC Prize (R84 992), won a part of the Open Doors Grant (R233 502) for his feature The Train of Salt of Sugar, produced by the Portuguese company Ukbar Filmes, a “train trip in the past travelling from Nampula to Malawi. The jury was convinced by the visual concept and fascinated by the idea of a rare movie,” said Pierre-Emmanuel Lecerf from the French Cinema Centre (CNC), who awarded the prize with the SDC, the city of Bellinzona, Visions Sud-Est and ARTE. Although the rest of the filmmakers were no doubt disappointed at leaving Locarno empty-handed, they do still carry the distinction of having been involved in this prestigious international film festival, which will surely stand them in good stead as they move ahead with their search for funding. – Claire Diao
Report on the South African commercials industry
| ADCETERA
DDB and Frieze Films showcase the Car-iest Car DDB Johannesburg’s The Car-iest Car Ad for the new Honda Ballade is a parody on the generic car advertisement formula, showcasing all the features of the vehicle in a way that’s sure to bring a smile to the viewer’s face. By poking fun at the traditional formula the ad also benefits from the parody showing that the Honda Ballade can do anything that any other car can, but with a sense of humour. Using operatic singing as narration, the spot touches on all aspects of the traditional car commercial formula, from the moody car intro shot to the closing slow-motion beauty shot, even throwing in a panther for good measure. Director Tony Baggot of Frieze Films comments: “I’ve shot car commercials for everyone from Mercedes to Mazda and DDB gave us the freedom to use that experience; they followed our lead on the metallic colour of the car, which I knew
Screen grab from The Car-iest Car commercial would give us the best lighting results, and let us add touches like the panther, which we felt could only be tongue-incheek in the context of the ad, but still reflected positively on the car and its performance.“ The commercial was shot in a single night in June this year at Ellis Park parkade and Gold Island Studio. DOP Peter Tischauser shot the spot on a Sony F55, which Baggot says allowed them the flexibility of a high frame rate but a small camera body. A 12 x 12 lighting rig
resembling a Fischer light was built in studio and suspended from a gantry. Along with director Tony Baggot, Simon Keeling and Emile Spies of DDB made up the creative team for the spot, with Rachel Andreotti as the agency producer. Saki Bergh edited the ad and Rob Schroeder did the music. “I think DDB and Honda both deserve a lot of credit for taking the risk to create a classic car commercial that sends up classic car commercials. That’s quite a balancing act, but we’ve had a great
response so far. So hopefully audiences will be grinning while admiring a beautiful car,” says Baggot. While the ad’s tone is humorous, the execution is anything but slapstick, attaining Tony and DOP Peter Tischauser a special mention in Ididthatad’s Monthly ereel for July. “The lighting on the Honda spot shows real skill; it’s not a small thing to light a car, let alone a moving car,” says guest judge and Network BBDO executive creative director Jenny Glover. – Chanelle Ellaya
Bringing strategy and creative closer together By Rita Doherty – FCB South Africa Strategic Director
Rita Doherty
Creative directors, copywriters, marketers, brand owners, communication strategists – we are all in the business of making change happen. Getting people to do something new, to stop doing something old, or to carry on doing what they’re doing. We use our craft to change the way people feel, think and ultimately behave. But how do we do it? The truth is it’s not so easy. People are reluctant to change; it’s much easier to just carry on doing what we’ve always been doing. However, breakthroughs in neuroscience and behavioural economics are changing how we understand human nature and how we can influence behaviour more effectively. You see, 80% of what we know about the brain today has only been discovered in the past 20 years. Yet many marketing theories were developed half a century ago and are based on the traditional economic premise that consumers make rational decisions after careful consideration. In this paradigm, the role of marketing is to persuade consumers by providing a compelling reason to believe based on a unique selling point. In contrast, behavioural economics
believes people make decisions intuitively, based on what feels right at the time. The biggest driver of intuitive decision-making is therefore emotional, not rational, and people are moved to choose something, not persuaded. This helps explain why, according to a 2010 Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) effectiveness study, emotional campaigns are 11 times more effective than rational ones. It also helps to bring strategy and creative even closer together. FCB South Africa has embraced behavioural economics to inform its strategies going forward. For example, we pay attention to the things that matter to us, which is what strategy has traditionally focused on, and is contentfocused. But we’re also programmed to pay attention to anything disruptive in the environment. It’s one of the primary roles of the intuitive mind – to scan the environment for changes that could spell danger. This is something creatives have intuitively always known. It’s easy enough to get attention, but it’s harder to keep attention. When it comes to sustaining attention, one of the most powerful strategies is good old storytelling. Once
you’ve set up a good mystery hook, people tend to stay the distance, wanting to know what happened next. The more vivid and personal the stories are, the more sticky they are. A great example is the Google Chrome ‘Dear Sophie’ ad which creates a little story that makes you feel like Google’s at the heart of your life. Another insight from neuroscience which is very important when it comes to behaviour change is that – when we think about ourselves in the future – it’s as if we’re thinking about a stranger. We therefore tend to lack empathy for our future self and try and satisfy our current needs first. Here, the role of marketing changes from persuading people to save or exercise, to helping people save. A great example is an international campaign by Prudential which helps people think about their future more carefully by confronting them with the simple question: ‘How much will you need for your retirement?’ What’s odd about all this ‘new thinking’ is that in some ways a lot of this is ‘old thinking’ that we’ve forgotten or simply never married with marketing theory. At last we have a marketing theory that matches our instincts and brings strategy and creative closer together. September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 11
ADCETERA
|
Johnson’s Baby shoots multinational campaign in CT If you’ve ever watched a Johnson’s Baby commercial before, you are already familiar with their dedicated advertising template: doting mothers and fathers sharing precious moments with their offspring. Cape Town advertising agency 140 BBDO and Johannesburg based Ola! Films recently won the bid to shoot the latest multinational Johnson’s Baby campaign, right here in South Africa. “The creative idea from 140 BBDO secured the job in South Africa. It was then pitched to local directors, and Amy Allais of Ola! Films won the pitch.” comments producer Brenda Wilson. Wilson tells us that the campaign – which was shot from 27 June through to 3 July in Cape Town – was shot three
Director Amy Allais behind the scenes of the new Johnson’s Baby campaign. times, each time with a different cast for a different region. “We cast for three sets of the same cast, one group for Russia and Central and Eastern Europe, another group for Greece, Balkans, Spain, Turkey, and the Middle East and North Africa, and a third and final group were cast for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa,” she explains. “From a creative perspective, we had to balance the looks with the ability to perform…In this kind of situation being a
‘baby-whisperer’ is at least half the job,” adds director Amy Allais. “Normally the upside of vignette ads is that not every single character has to represent ‘the brand’ in the most perfect possible way, so we get to represent a slightly more diverse range of people, which I feel helps with the overall credibility of the ad. In this case, however, all of the individual couples in the big brand ad are the heroes of their own small product ads. I still tried to insert a bit of personality and
Jozi Social Media Week… #DigitalAwesome
Social Media Week US Social Media Week is a collection of events focused on the phenomenon of social media and the technology which has enabled a new age of interaction. The inaugural South African edition takes place from 22 to 26 September in Johannesburg where IT, communications, marketing and media fundis can get their fix of information, trends and best practices in this medium. Through a series of discussions including fireside chats, panels and key 12 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
notes, the event serves as a platform to explore the intersection of business, creativity, culture and technology within the world of social media. Social Media Week has run internationally for six years with New York in the US the first of 22 countries to host the multi-media conference. In 2012 Nigeria was the first African country to participate. Phiona Okumu, head of content for Social Media Week Johannesburg says:
“Technology, and more specifically social media, is happening to us at the speed of light. There is no way of stopping this phenomenon and the best way to approach it is an all-out embrace. Learning and sharing the unique stories of South Africans by South Africans has never been more crucial and social media enables the best possible way to do it. “In Social Media Week we have an opportunity to take ownership of who we are and present it on our terms to the many that are already present at the digital table. We can challenge and add to what is being said about us in a way that has never happened before.” Confirmed speakers include Lee Naik, executive director of technology for technology consulting business Accenture, who will be discussing ideas and strategies on how those living in the city can utilise the medium to improve public service and create opportunities for citizens. Mike Sharman, owner of Retroviral Digital Communications, will look at the social media platform in the context of a business while Hamilton Mphidi, the manager of Research, Innovation and Partnerships at Tshwane University of Technology will share his thoughts on how the digital divide could impact the future of e-governance in South Africa.
idiosyncrasy into the casting,” explains Allais. The campaign was shot with two Red Dragons, and features first-time parents with their little ones in various parentchild scenarios: in the hospital, at bedtime, at bath time, changing diapers and learning to walk. “The traditional long lens, short depth of field approach to shooting babies has many advantages, perhaps the biggest one being that it keeps the camera crew at a bit of a remove. However, in the brief the agency requested that I look at a visual approach that achieves intimacy by being more part of the action than voyeuristic, which entails getting in there with a standard lens,” Allais comments. “We observed intimate moments between new parents and their babies, tapping into the truth that once that tiny creature arrives, your life is never the same again. We tried to keep it simple and honest and allow for obscurity and shadow, and to get in there with a hand held camera where possible,” she concludes. Joining Allais and Wilson were executive producer Olivia Leitch, DOP Werner Maritz, art director Marlene Ming and director’s assistant Amy Molony. – Chanelle Ellaya
Awesomely Luvvie, a super-blogger from the US will also present a master class titled ‘From Blogger to Boss’. Okumi maintains that as a continent Africa may not be at the same level as other territories playing in the social media landscape, but that the potential exists for far greater exploitation. “Across Africa it’s pretty much accepted that fixed broadband will only be accessed by an elite small percentage for the foreseeable future. Until then it’s all about mobile.” Levi’s is one of the sponsors and will be presenting a reboot of the youth trends panel; which will encompass in-depth discussions on cell phone based research about young people’s attitudes towards defining success. Candace Gilowey, marketing manager for Levi Strauss & Co. Africa, Middle East and Pakistan, says: “Social media is the lifeblood and energy flow of the majority of our consumers. Within these various fora, Levi’s finds it easy to become a more integral part of young people’s lives on a daily basis. We make fabulous products inspired by our long heritage rooted in the Wild West pioneering spirit. Our originality is inspired by listening to opinions, insights and ideas that come from absolutely everywhere. “So we see Social Media Week as a celebration not just of the media, but of the opportunities that come from this constantly available freedom to express your originality. A brand like Levi’s has got to support that spirit.” – Carly Barnes
| ADCETERA
Loeries Creative Week puts creativity into ‘affect’ Masters of consumerism, kingpin Ali Ali creatives and the cream of the media crop in Africa and the Middle East will flock to the Mother City from 15 to 21 September for the annual Loeries Creative Week. The week-long programme, which culminates in an awards ceremony for winning brand communications specialists, offers attendees a series of events and engagements designed to inspire and inform. The theme for the 2014 Loeries is ‘Create. Affect.’ with the idea behind the campaign being that if one can create an emotional spark with another person then they are communicating effectively. Andrew Human, CEO of the Loeries
Deepend Post 7th Birthday Final.indd 1
comments: “Good communication brings out emotions – that’s why humour can be such an effective advertising tool.” Over 2 500 entries were received this year with the majority falling under the Television, Film and Video Communication category, which includes TV and cinema, branded content, internet and mobile commercials, and nonbroadcast video and film. Judging will take place during Creative Week with finalists being announced each day. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremonies at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 20 and 21 September.
“I think television is very strong in South Africa,” says Human, “but it is not necessarily indicative of the rest of the region. Outdoor is particularly strong in the rest of the continent.” Creative Week highlights not to be missed events taking place during Loeries Creative Week include the Google Pop-up Restaurant, an exclusive event taking place on 17 September for the judging chairs and creative leaders attending the Loeries. The highly anticipated DStv Seminar of Creativity on 19 September offers insights by a line-up of international branding heavy-weights. The rare opportunity hosts, under one roof, Facebook’s Rob Newlan, Unilever’s Yaw Nsarkoh, McCann Sydney’s executive creative director, Patrick Baron; chief creative officer of Lukas Lindemann Rosinski, Arno Lindemann; CEO and co-founder of Pereira and O’Dell in San Francisco, PJ Pereira; creative director of Doyle Partners in New York City, Stephen Doyle, and Cannes 2014 award winning film director Ali Ali from Egypt. Ali, whose talent, charisma, humour and imagination will be shared at both the seminar and as one of the regional awards judges, says he is amped to be part of the Loeries’ creative energy. “Not only is Cape Town my favourite city, but South African creativity has always been
an inspiration to us here in Cairo,” says Ali. “I look forward to judging the work and, given what I recently saw from South Africa at Cannes, I’m expecting to see great things. I look forward to meeting new people, to saying ‘howzit’, to drinking Franschhoek Chenin Blanc and more importantly to absorbing everything there is to learn from this prestigious awards show.” Fledgling brand stars will feature at the Adams and Adams Student Portfolio Day on 20 September, an event designed to initiate conversations and opportunities for emerging talent as they spread their wings and prepare to enter the industry as professionals.
Flying wild A celebration of all things communiqué would be incomplete without a few industry razzles and this year features the Egg Films Judges Wrap on 18 September, the YFM Chairman’s Party on 19 September and following the awards on 20 September, Saturday Night on Long. This includes the Wolf of Long Street party, Loeries VIP lounge, and many other exclusive ‘by-invitation’ industry events. The awards will culminate on 21 September with the Channel O Party, hosted at Shimmy Beach Club. – Carly Barnes
2014/08/25 17:11
September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 13
ADCETERA
|
Get with the programme The way in which people consume content has diversified massively over the past few years, and although buzzwords like ‘programmatic’, ‘dynamic’ and ‘targeted’ are commonly hurled around the digital space, it’s only a matter of time before they can be applied to TV viewing as well.
T
oday programmatic advertising on TV is an idea that most people will automatically reject, the same way they rejected the idea of handheld tablet computers, multiple TV channels and compost fuel when they appeared as fantastic inventions in the 1989 classic film Back to the Future. It’s true that in South Africa there is long a way to go in developing and integrating connected TVs and IP delivered content, but as complicated as the current landscape may seem, international markets are already tapping into targeted advertising for television.
Bulls-eye buying Targeted advertising online is a successful and widely used concept. Information about a particular user and his or her online behaviour is gathered by internet cookies and stored in a user’s web browser. This data is then used as a tool to serve a specific user with adverts that relate to their interests, needs and browsing history. This means, for example, that if your Facebook profile is serving you ads on engagement rings and bridesmaid dresses, it has cleverly picked up on the fact that you are at an age where marriage is of interest to you and that you’ve probably been browsing websites of that nature. This makes brands happy because they are able to speak straight to their target consumers, and it similarly suits consumers because they are being marketed products which are relevant 14 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
and appealing to them. But as Marius Greeff, channel director at Habari Media points out, even though television audiences are measurable to some extent, the wealth of user information available online doesn’t quite translate to TV viewers. “With programmatically placed digital ads we have a very accurate way of measuring which platforms are the most effective, and can therefore narrow down inventory to sites that are the most effective. With TV ad placement, though we may not have the same data available, there are sometimes other ways of measuring a viewing audience. For example, with infomercials we are able to see how many people are watching by looking at the number of calls received while airing a certain ad. We can then look at the information and re-evaluate when the best times are to air certain adverts.”
Progressive thinking When it comes to mobile devices, tablets and smart TVs most video content is viewed in an app or non-browser environment which means detailed user data capturing is thrown out of the marketing toolbox. But in the US there are a number of digital marketing companies looking at ways around this obstacle. One such company is multiscreen video advertising company YuMe, which is working towards delivering highly targeted brand advertising on connected TVs. In an interview with Video Ad News, Jayant Kadambi, CEO of YuMe, explains that their cookie-less targeting model is based on the idea that a user’s TV
viewing behaviour can be correlated with their online behaviour. This, combined with publishing data and information captured from their own surveys, produces a good gauge of scale, reach and frequency in a video brand environment. Andre Steenekamp, CEO of digital consultancy 25AM, adds: “There is a major television network in Europe that is currently building out a programmatic buying platform for its channels and territories. A year ago they said they would never consider it and now they have a launch date of less than 12 months from now. I believe it’s only a matter of time before all major networks will offer this as a standard media service.” Abroad there are also movements afoot to embed smart TVs with video fingerprinting technology so as to accurately capture information about households, but at present South Africa seems to be far from this level of development. Jay Dayaljee, group head of sales at e.tv, says the potential for programmatic advertising on TV to become a reality in South Africa is directly proportional to the rate at which broadband costs are reduced and new technologies adapted. “I don’t think we’ll have the opportunity to target ads directly to households at this stage. It will take a long time to get there. You’d probably need a box hardwired to each home to tell you what people are browsing and watching.” Steenekamp adds: “I believe there is interest but, as is typical, SA broadcasters will adopt a wait-and-see attitude until the platform is proven, or until a global platform approaches them for inventory.”
Not ‘if’ but ‘when’ Chanel McKay, Digital Media director at Acceleration Media says: “We are living in exciting times where media and the way we plan and buy evolves at a rapid pace. Cost efficiencies in the way we buy become a necessity for effective audience reach; this means that buying methodologies need to change too.” When targeted TV ads do breach the technological threshold, the rewards and return on investment for all players in the brand marketing value chain will be plentiful. Wayne Bischoff, managing director at Habari Media, puts it plainly: “The more levels of granularity that you are able to provide advertisers, the smaller and smaller that audience is and the more brands are going to pay for that audience.” Similarly for broadcasters like e.tv, the possibility of offering advertisers very specific reach is exciting. “Should we want to target specific ads to specific households we would be able serve certain groups one ad and others a different ad, so yes if that were possible it would increase revenue,” adds Dayaljee. With these kind of targeting capabilities agencies and brands will be able to marry products and services to the people who really care about them. In addition, advertising plays an important role in subsidising content and making it available to audiences. Therefore the more engaging ads are to a TV-viewing consumer, the more broadcasters will be able to acquire quality content to deliver to them. – Carly Barnes
ANIMATION
|
The rise of African animation While many animated movies set in Africa (The Lion King, Madagascar, Kirikou) have met with international success, African animation filmmakers are struggling to break through international box offices. Screen Africa scouted talent from around the continent that is following in the footsteps of Mustapha Alassane (Niger), Jean-Michel Kibushi (DRC), Zouheir Mahjoub (Tunisia) and other pioneers.
Mali
Morocco
Algeria
Tunisia
DRC
Mozambique
Mauritius
Cape Verde
Senegal
Ivory Coast
Nigeria
16 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
| ANIMATION Algeria In 2010, the Dynamic Art Vision production company launched Papa Nzenu’s Tales of Africa a 54 thirteenminute-episode animated TV series of African fairy tales. Six episodes were shot, each one directed either by a Senegalese, a Beninese, a Congolese, a Cameroonian, a Burkinabe or a Malian director. Supported by Media Consulting Group (MCG), they are now looking for broadcasters. http://dynamic-art-vision. com/projets/papa-nzenu
Kenya
In 2010, the self-educated director Mohammed Nassib launched the character of Bouzebal on Facebook. Bouzebal is an uneducated Moroccan who criticises society with humor and audacity. The result? More than 48 milllion views on YouTube. http://www. youtube.com/user/NassibMohammed
Founded in 2009 by Gatumia Gatumia, RECON-Digital is an animation production company, which produced the short The Greedy of the Jungle (selected at the Durban Film Festival). After winning the Chase Bank Enablis ILO Business Launchpad competition in 2012, the company developed a comedy TV series, Domestic Disturbance, about a family dealing with contemporary urban issues. http://www.recon-digital.com
After the Association tunisienne des Dessins Animés (founded in 1990) and the Association Tunisienne du Cinéma d’Animation (2010) the post-Revolution Association Touensa (2011) created a TV series, Lahlouba. The series deals with topics relating to elections and citizenship and is to be broadcast on Al Watania 1 and Hannibal Tunisian channels. http://www.lahlouba.tn
Egypt
Uganda
Egypt is a member of the International Animated Film Association (ASIFA). Since 2012, director Ahmed Abaza and Deadline Studio have been working on a 30 twenty-minute-episode series about superheroes – Project Hero. The first episode is completed but still waiting to be aired. https://www.facebook.com/ DeadlineStudios.eg
Senegal
Kenya
Tanzania
Launched in 1998 by the filmmaker Pierre Awoulbe Sauvalle, Studio Pictoon was the first African production company to produce an animated TV series, Kabongo le Griot, entirely made in Africa and broadcast by Canal France International. For the past six years, they have been working on a feature, Invincible Lions, supported by the Ivorian soccer player Didier Drogba. http://www.qwestmedia.fr/detfilm. php?cat=6&idfilm=40&lang=
Ivory Coast
Madagascar
In 2008, the caricaturist Hailan Pakulu created a 2D animated humoristic TV series Bana Boul about two mischievous children. Through its huge online success (2 million views on YouTube), a second season produced by Alphabet Studios was launched in 2013 on Congolese channel B-One TV. http://www.alphabetboys.com/ index.html
Morocco
Tunisia
Egypt
DRC
In 2005, Lassane Zohoré an Ivorian caricaturist and founder of the satirical newspaper Gbich! launched Afrika Toon, a production company specialising in animation. Along with many commercials, they produced a feature film about an Ashanti princess, Pokou in 2013 and are completing their second feature about the famous Mandingo king, Soundiata Keïta, The Lion Waking. http://www.afrikatoon.com
Madagascar Founded in 2006, the Rencontres du Film Court (RFC) is the main hub for short-films produced in Madagascar. After setting up the festival and a three-month course for the winning Animation directors, RFC created a film grant (Serasary Fund) and are now distributing movies through their online catalog. http://rfc.shasama.com/fr/ catalogue-de-film.html
Mozambique Launched in 2004, FX is an animation and post-production company specialising in audiovisual production and project studies. In addition to their work on commercials, founder Nildo Essa, together with Mahla Filmes, recently produced The Brats and The Toy Thief, the first Mozambican 3-D movie. http://www.fxlda.com/ publicidade--comercials.html
Cabo-Verde Born in Cabo-Verde but with Portuguese nationality, Daniel Sousa is definitely a filmmaker to follow. He directed five internationally acclaimed shorts produced in the US: Minautor (1998), Fable (2005), The Windmill (2007), Drift (2009) and Feral, nominated at the 2014 Oscars and awarded three times at Annecy 2013. http://danielsousa.com
Mauritius The Mauritius book edition company Vizavi, founded by French Pascale Siew in 1993, achieved in 2008 its first animated movie: Tikoulou in the Beddy-Byes Country. Adapted from its Mauritius phenomenal children book Tikoulou, this short film pilot was completed in 2013. http://www.tikoulou.com/ le-dessin-anime/
Mali Out of the famous Kadiatou Konate’s The Awful Child, MaliToon is a young production company set up in 2009. It develops many projects from a 20-episode TV series about Malian History (2010) to the HIV prevention film, Binta (2011), the hip-hop artist Ramses’ video clip and a feature, Soundiata Keïta, Son of Mande still in development despite the Ivoirian singer Tiken Jah Fakoly’s participation. Http://www.malitoon.com
Nigeria Founded in 2007, EVCL is an animation company, which produces contents for global audience from TV commercials to educational programmes. Adamu Waziri’s most famous production, Bino & Fino, is a preschool educational 26 eleven-minute episodes TV programme. Broadcast in the UK and South Africa, the 2014 version of Bino & Fino has been purchased in 13 countries. http://evcl.tv/
Uganda Born and raised in Uganda then educated in US universities, Solomon W Jagwe is an independent film director and a 3D/visual effects artist. In 2012, he started an animated children’s TV series project Nkoza & Nankya, featuring the adventures of two Ugandan children. Supported by the Ugandan free-to-air WBS TV, he is currently developing a 12-episode series. http://www.nkozaandnankya.com/
Tanzania In 2013, the Thai-American socialentrepreneur Nisha Ligon founded Ubongo Media, an enterprise producing educational content for learners. Since 2014, their 13 fifteen-minute-episode TV series Ubongo Kids has been broadcast on Tanzanian public channel TBC1. Thanks to a successful Kickstarter Campaign (125% funded), those episodes will be translated from Kiswahili to English for the benefit of children in other parts of Africa and worldwide. http://www.ubongokids.com/ Note: Because of restrictions, our focus is mainly on TV series and feature films. Hence many amazing independent animators are not mentioned. – Claire Diao
September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 17
ANIMATION
|
The state of animation
From its earliest incarnation as simple drawings photographed in sequence to evoke a sense of movement, to the sophisticated rendering capabilities of today’s computer generated imagery, animation has undergone significant progression and advancement fuelled by both artistic and technical innovations. While the outlook is good in the sector, competition from Asia may well cause trouble for the traditional role players when it comes to outsourcing.
18 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
T
he size of the global animation industry is estimated to have achieved a seven percent year-onyear growth in 2014. The major animation markets in the US, Canada, Japan, China, France, Britain and Germany all show impressive growth in the industry which is largely being influenced by the major multinational studios and TV broadcast companies and cable channel companies, as well as a surprising number of small boutique and Indie type studios. The top producing countries are Spain, Japan, France, South Korea, Iceland, China, India and New Zealand among others including the UK, Singapore and Australia. Both traditional animation and gaming are top employers in Madrid with some 40 studios pumping out quality production. In the VFX sector New Zealand, India, Australia and the UK top the scale. Many of the big money studios are sending more and more production jobs overseas to low-cost (but still good quality) production studios in the developing world, particularly to Asia. This market is increasingly being tapped by North American film and television programme producers and the major factor behind this shift of computer animation production to the Asia/Pacific region continues to be the availability of low cost, powerful computer animation platforms and much lower labour rates in the Asian and Pacific Rim countries compared to North America and Europe. South Africa, it seems, is in a good place with regards to this. The weak Rand contributes to South Africa being an outsource destination. Additionally, regional film commissions and national bodies like the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Film and Video Foundation are engaging the animation sector, helping many local animation productions see the light of day. The global economic climate has not helped the animation and VFX industries of late and has particularly hit the US market hard. Last year, Rhythm & Hues, the company responsible for the incredible visual effects work in Life of Pi,
filed for bankruptcy just weeks before the film took home multiple Academy Awards, including best visual effects. Animation also saw some impact with DreamWorks forming a new production studio in Shanghai, China threatening a number of US jobs. Despite the uncertainty in larger markets, cheap technology has made computer animation available to the masses creating boutique industries and hence, the animation business has become one of the fastest growing and most competitive crafts in the world. The demand for animated entertainment has expanded with the increase in broadcasting hours by cable and satellite TV along with the growing popularity of the internet and additional screens for on-demand viewing. In the past, animation series were aimed mostly at children. In recent years however, TV stations have been producing animation series for teenagers, adults and the whole family. Animation series like The Simpsons and King of the Hill have been hugely successful on prime-time TV and, basking in the success of their blockbuster animated movie Frozen, Disney is producing a TV series for ABC Television, has already released the games on all platforms and a multitude of apps for tablets and phones. With the growing popularity of innovative online gaming such as multiplayer and role playing games, there is a new outlook for the gaming industry. According to Newzoo’s 2013 Global Games Market Report, the $70 billion video game market is growing at over six per cent a year. Contributing to this is the emerging indie sector with crowd sourced publishing. Crowd sourced games are developed with the input of fans and independent designers through platforms like Kickstarter, Indiegogo and up-and-comer ManaCrowd. Highlighted at this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival, held in June, was the fact that the animation world has a whole new marketplace evolving through second and third screens in the home. Attended by some 7 000 animators from around the globe,
including South Africa, the Annecy conference sessions revealed some interesting statistics overall, highlighting the fact that animation is actually in a good state. Sessions on animating with a smart phone through to the field of stop-motion animation utilising new innovations such as 3D printers to do the modelling were well attended and generated much debate among attendees. Disney thrilled delegates with a six-minute short with the understated titled of Feast, which made its world premiere at the Festival. The title may refer to the fact that each shot centres around food, but this exquisite short is a feast for the eyes and imagination as well, just one more way in which Disney is proving to the world that its animation department — which spent the past 20 years in Pixar’s shadow — is as vital and creative as ever. In the finance arena, funding flows for co-productions, from Hollywood to other countries and vice versa, are very common. Co-production has emerged as a popular strategy for studios in many countries with today’s multinational studios leveraging various forms of partnership and joint ventures with global partners, engaging in activities from preproduction to distribution, as well as new sources of revenue such as DVD sales and intellectual property licensing. The animation market is huge and can be segmented into subcategories within e-learning, web design, and entertainment including movies, visual effects (VFX), TV and broadcast, and direct-to-DVD. Movies are further divided into 2D animation and 3D animation. Gaming takes PC games, mobile games, console games and online games into consideration. According to MarketandMarkets, the Global Animation and Gaming Market was represented at $122 billion back in 2010 and is expected to jump to $243 billion by 2016. The state of animation is in a good place. – Ian Dormer
ANIMATION
|
At the controls of the Flying Circus From its founding in late 2012, the Primediaowned Johannesburgbased animation studio The Flying Circus aimed to generate new entertainment content rather than acting solely as a service provider to other production companies and advertising agencies. It also took a very particular approach to animation through the decision to place motion capture at the heart of its work.
U
sing this technology they currently have one 26-episode series in production, and one in development for both national and international markets. Having been captivated by the potential of the motion capture work done on the likes of Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin, The Flying Circus got started by installing the motion capture system only to find that as CEO Ronald Henry describes it: “it’s basically this really powerful tool, and that’s all. It was up to us to figure out exactly how we were going to build a production process around it.” The Flying Circus team thus found themselves in a predicament, albeit a rather luxurious one in an industry driven by tight production schedules: intrepidly and with a strong sense of selfdeprecating humour, they set about mastering the possibilities of motion capture by: “just getting on with it. As a tool, it’s extremely complicated,” Henry says. “We had to work out where everything fits in and what to do when. It has been all about building this reliable production pipeline. When it comes to technology we have this philosophy about failing as quickly as we can; we figure out why its not working, and then move on quickly.” One of the most significant actions that
20 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
CAPTIVATED!: Actors at work in Flying Circus’ motion capture studio Henry, producer Andre van der Merwe and the rest of The Flying Circus crew took in the course of this exploratory period, during which their first series, Silly Seasons, began to take shape, was to recruit theatrical actors for the motion capture work. These experienced stage actors would act out entire scenes continuously, unfettered by the shot-based approach that would be familiar to actors trained in screen performance. The result of this was that a single, continuous scene, complete with both physical and vocal performances, could be captured. Shots and angles could then be worked out at a later stage. This is in contrast to the standard practice of storyboarding and shot designing at an early point in production, which can tend to impose limits on physical performance; this, in turn, restricts vocal performance as well. “There is no handbook for doing it this way, but tapping into the very talented local theatrical acting pool was probably one of the smartest things we did,” van der Merwe says. “Seeing the live performances breathe life into our characters has been a vindicating experience.”
Mastering the technology is only half the battle, as Henry explains: “Just because you have a good piece of motion capture data, that does not mean that you have a good performance. It has to be a 50/50 hybrid of technology and creativity.” Once The Flying Circus team had the motion capture system in hand, they focused their energies on conceptualising and scripting. Finally, once the process got more streamlined and the ideas started to come together, Silly Seasons was born. Aimed initially at an audience made up of six-to nine-year-old girls, Silly Seasons is described by Henry as ‘a sitcom for kids in CG’. Since it was first created, it has undergone numerous visual and conceptual changes both before and after Henry and Van der Merwe took the show to various international markets such as MIPCOM and Kidscreen. This proved to be a steep learning curve, especially since very few local studios have managed to make the leap to international sales. However, the feedback at these markets was predominantly positive, and despite some buyers feeling that the show
needed more work others expressed very keen interest. Ultimately, all the feedback was incorporated into the final product, which is now in production for an international broadcaster. A second series called Inside Job is currently in development and is set to begin production in the third quarter of 2015. As the small team works on these two productions and with more waiting in the wings, they continue to work towards streamlining their workflow towards their main production goal – the ability to turn out one 24-minute episode in the space of two weeks – a task that, with conventional techniques, requires the collective efforts of around 200 personnel. With motion capture, however, Henry and Van der Merwe are convinced that they can hit the mark with an expert, highly motivated team of around 70. Henry concludes: “We really believe now more than ever that the local animation industry has the chops to move into the big leagues; I mean, if other small southern hemisphere countries with a strong tradition of farming can do this, why can’t we?” Find out more at www.flyingcircus.tv.
ANIMATION
|
The ‘other side’ of Darkside A relative newcomer to the industry, Darkside Studios brings together a number of disciplines under one roof. The two partners in the firm, Dean Konidaris and Alastair Orr, collectively bring directing, writing, editing, producing and sound design skills to the mix. But a vital aspect of the company’s current business comes through the combined efforts of three of their colleagues – Ariye Mahdeb, Sean Braam and Ryan van den Berg. Together these three make up the company’s industrious animation and VFX department. Covering 2D, 3D, character design, modelling and all other aspects of animation and effects, this part of the Darkside team is in the process of establishing itself as a broad-based, one-stop shop for this increasingly important part of the production and post-production process. Among the jobs they have handled since setting up shop are AVs for live events such as the Discovery Leadership Summit and Comic’s Choice Awards, titling sequences for shows like Nightguard (on Fox Crime, DStv Channel 126) and Dineo’s Diary (on Vuzu, DStv Channel 116), among others. In keeping with the ethos of the company as a whole, the animation
department prides itself on being able to work within any budget. “It’s always quality over quantity,” Konidaris says, “and I know that’s what everybody says but really, these guys will not take on any project to which they cannot give 100 per cent. Everything that is going out of the department is the best they can do – whether it’s a title sequence, an AV, visual effects for a film.” While the team puts in any number of hours necessary to complete projects for clients, they use their down time to develop their own ideas, stories and characters and perfect their grasp of the software. Recently the entire crew pulled together to create a six-minute teaser for their next feature film project – written and directed by Orr. Titled Forces, the short was created on virtually zero budget, with the Darkside team and all of their collaborators giving of their time to produce it. With Braam taking the lead on the VFX shots for the project, the team modelled and animated several floating, flying knives and also did some compositing work on the eyes of the main character. “It doesn’t sound like anything intense but just modelling those knives, to get them looking right, getting them lit right, making them blend seamlessly
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY: The Darkside animation team: Ryan van den Berg, Ariye Mahdeb and Sean Braam into the shots, took a lot of time,” Konidaris says. “That kind of project is a great way for us to explore the kind of work we can do,” Braam adds. “It’s not just a showcase for Alastair’s film, to get it made, it’s a showcase of what we as an animation department can do. With most projects though, we realise that the work is not our vision and I think a lot of companies forget that. We work to bring our clients’
vision to life. They come to us for our knowledge and expertise and how we can use those to realise their vision.” Although the three of them are strong operators in their own right, the tired old adage that three heads are better than one really holds true here. Mahdeb says: “Whatever we do here, we constantly check with one another. By the time the work goes out we have something that all three of us can be proud of.”
3D FILM DE S I GN H D E DI T I NG ANI MAT I O N CO L O UR GR ADI NG S O UND DE S I GN AND FI NAL MI X P O S T P R O DUCT I O N SP E CI ALI STS
i nfo @ t d s p o s t . c o m
22 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
16 Wessel Road, Rivonia, 2191 JHB
Dean 072 791 6198
w w w.t dspost . com
‘Gamifying’ the art of storytelling According to Glenn Gillis, managing director of Cape Town-based animation and game development studio, Sea Monster Entertainment, the art of storytelling has undergone a revolutionary change since the emergence of social media. The ways in which the public consumes entertainment, educational and advertising content has shifted from a passive intake of information to an ever-rising trend towards interactivity. Content creators, Gillis believes, need to find interesting ways to adapt to this trend if they wish to increase and maintain demand for their products. One way of doing this is through ‘gamification’. Gamification is the application of gaming elements to non-game related contexts. The key to gamification, as far as advertisers and content creators are concerned, is that it heightens user engagement and interactivity. This has changed the media experience from a one-sided delivery of content to a conversation with feedback in both directions.
| ANIMATION Audiences also had no need to engage their own imaginations in this process and broadcasters had the final decision over what their audiences could see or hear. Gillis refers to the overall Nielsen rating figures in American television since the 1950s, which show a steady decline marked with occasional spikes. At the start of the millennium, when MORE THAN JUST A GAME: A screen grab from Sea average Nielsen ratings were at Monster’s educational game, Houzz-It their lowest, there was a sudden To explain how the art of storytelling increase in television viewership has led to the rise of gamification, Gillis that coincided with the arrival of reality looks back to the earliest form of TV. As shows like American Idol started to storytelling, which took place around the take off, people returned to their campfires of primitive communities. The television sets, drawn by the words of the storyteller evoked images, opportunities for interactivity and sounds and ideas in the minds of the feedback. These shows, by enabling listeners and, most importantly, the people to vote for their favourite storyteller could instantly gauge the contestants, opened up the way to success of his story by watching the greater interactivity. The content of the reactions of his audience. A two-way line shows, being competitions, also brought of communication was established. a strong gaming element to television. The advent of writing, Gillis explains, This was just the start of the changed everything because now the gamification trend. Nowadays, as storyteller and the audience were technology advances and ‘third screen’ physically removed from one another. audience behavior becomes ever more This one-sided process was extended prevalent, content makers, such as Sea and reinforced by the coming of radio Monster Entertainment work to make and television. Audiences sitting at home gaming elements ever more integral to consumed the content they were given their work. The four main characteristics and there was nothing to facilitate direct of games are: a goal, a set of rules, a feedback from audience to storyteller. feedback system and provision for the
voluntary participation of the audience. Creatives focus on including varying combinations of these into their products. Among Sea Monster’s work in this regard is its recently developed educational game Houzz-it!, which uses gaming principles to teach people financial literacy. Wrapping the message in a Monopoly-like game, the developers found a way to engage users in the learning process as they try to help the game’s characters save towards life-goals by making the right moves through a series of familiar and tangible financial decisions. Through projects such as this, Sea Monster used animation and game development principles to build brands and promote customer engagement. In the heyday of television, content creators and ultimately broadcasters had complete control over what audiences saw and heard in their entertainment and educational content. Increasing interactivity involves the relinquishing of a certain part of this control on the part of broadcasters, advertisers and content developers. As broadcasters and content creators relinquish this control, so the way is opened to greater participation from the audience, which can only work in the favour of broadcasters, content creators and those who seek to carve out a place for their brands on the world’s increasingly integrated media platforms.
September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 23
“Education is the most powerful weapon w
Developing skills for www.facebook.com/eAcademyZA
www.eAcad Sabido eAcademy (Pty) Ltd -
which you can use to change the world.� Nelson Mandela
the media industry
demy.co.za an accredited training provider
Twitter: @eAcademyZA
ANIMATION
|
The Animation School opens in Joburg Fourteen years ago, Nuno Martins and Peter den Hartogh took the bold step of establishing a tertiary education institution specialising in the teaching of animation. Martins first saw this gap in the market when he entered the industry after acquiring his diploma, only to find that he was not adequately prepared to work as an animator. Martins recalls: “Most of the curriculum back then was all desktop publishing and various bits of software that don’t exist anymore. I went into the industry, diploma in hand, only to find that I had no production experience whatsoever. I knew the products but I had no idea how I fit into a particular production – would I be doing modelling, would I be texturing or what? “As I trained myself up and then entered the education field, I researched animation courses overseas and found that there were institutions that were offering full five-year degree courses in animation. Over there it was a serious, respected career choice. Here it was just a carrot that was dangled in front of students: ‘do two years of graphic design and then you can do a little bit of animation right at the end of your final year’. I realised that all this would do was flood the market with semi-skilled
enterprise is driven by the passion that the two founders and their staff have for the art of animation. “We’re fanatical about it,” Martins says. “We have built the school around our career. For us our work is almost like a hobby which is not always good business practice but is always very good for the students.” In 2011, TAS won its first international award when it accepted a gold medal at the New York Festival for the animated short In Sickness. The school has gone on to win numerous awards every year since then and Martins now has his sights set on an Oscar. Well established in Cape Town, Martins
and Den Hartogh decided to set up a second operation in Rosebank, Johannesburg. The decision was driven largely by industry factors – with animation houses in Johannesburg now having a keen interest in TAS graduates, who, on the whole, tend to stay in Cape Town having finished their studies there. Another consideration was the large number of potential students from Johannesburg who could not afford to make the move to the mother city for the duration of the course. Aside from these factors, the two cities have very different cultures and this difference offers some exciting possibilities. “There’s an interesting market here. I think we’re just going to get a different quality of work, a different energy. I’m very excited about it,” Martins says. All aspiring animators wishing to enroll at TAS must have a good portfolio of either hand-drawn or digitally generated art. For more information visit: www.theanimationschool.co.za or call the Cape Town branch on 0861 8222 33 (+27 21 461 0822 for callers outside South Africa) or the Johannesburg branch on 0861 8222 44 (+27 11 447 7720 for callers outside of South Africa).
sign a major book deal for a series of superficial ‘Chick Lit’ books, she finds a bougainvillea poking in through her dining room window. The more she tries to cut back and block out the plant, the more it grows out of control until it takes over her carefully cultivated space. “The animation is extremely well executed. The film is visually beautiful but it also has a disturbing quality about it, drawing the audience into Lola’s headspace, and we experience her anxieties through the very clever use of the bougainvillea animation,” says Paulene Abrey of Deepend. Bosch’s work on Bougainvillea is just one project among many in what has
been a busy year for Sphere Animation, since they moved to their new offices. According to Bosch, he and his team have been fortunate enough to have work flowing in since the year began, much of it involving the creation of animated characters for instantly recognisable television advertising campaigns for brands such as Knorr, Windhoek and Sunlight washing powder. Advertising forms the core of Sphere’s business, with the occasional bit of film work offering a change of flow. Established in 2001, Sphere Animation Studio operates in Bryanston Johannesburg. For more information, visit www.sphere-animation.com.
IN CONSTANT ANIMATION: Students and lecturers at work at The Animation School’s Cape Town branch individuals who were passionate about animation but only had partial knowledge of it and had not been properly prepared for the industry.” Martins and Den Hartogh accordingly set up The Animation School (TAS) in the Cape Town suburb of Woodstock, offering full-time and part-time diploma courses aimed at producing “animators versus just software operators”. At the core of the curriculum are the 12 principles of animation devised by Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas and it teaches students, not just the mechanics of animation but the art of storytelling and how to bring it to life. The
Sphere Animation puts finishing touches on innovative short film DIVINE ANIMATION: A scene from Bougainvillea Among the short films screened as part of the National Film and Video Foundation’s (NFVF) Women in Film festival in mid-August was Genevieve Akal’s Bougainvillea, an inventive and visually stunning exploration of the consequences of repressing one’s true self. The film’s concept involved the intrusion of a bougainvillea vine into the orderly, well-kept but ultimately inauthentic world of the film’s protagonist. The creation of the vine involved generating intricate animation and VFX work. Deepend Post, the company contracted to carry out post-production on five of the featured short films, called upon Ettiene Bosch of Sphere Animation to create the plants. The success of the film as a whole 26 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
depended upon Bosch’s work, since the vine was central to the story’s concept and narrative. “The challenge was to create a living, breathing plant that grew naturally as plants do, but at a much faster pace – so it’s not a time lapse effect – it had to look like natural growth – just very sped up. In some shots I had to create the plants from scratch. In others there were already props of plants in the shots and I had to match the animated plants seamlessly with the ‘real’ ones,” says Bosch. The film tells the story of Lola, a talented writer who has suppressed her artistic voice in favour of a career in fashion blogging. On the day she is set to
FILM
|
Love the One You Love
even smaller camera – even a DSLR was too clunky. At the relatively last minute, I went with the Canon EOS-M, a mirrorless compact camera, with a 22mm lens. It’s tiny, but with full manual controls, and I think the camera’s size helped me get the freedom of movement I wanted, and helped in making the performances a lot less inhibited…I also made some small use of a Sony miniDV handycam.”
The making of Love the One You Love by South African director Jenna Cato Bass, was, in her own words, ‘dictated by necessity’. Finding it impossible to finance her projects Bass grew tired of waiting and decided to take a leap of faith, investing her all in a lowbudget project centred on one thing we all know too well – love.
D
escribing her first feature as a film about the way we cling to ideals in the face of uncertainty, Bass says: “This is most obviously the case with love and romance, which is so sentimentalised that there’s no way our reality of it can live up to expectation. As a result, we dream of something that doesn’t exist, but which we are told does. And it leads to a lot of unhappiness.”
Taking the leap Love the One You Love was produced, directed and shot by Bass. Taking guerilla filmmaking to a whole new level, Bass developed the film for actors/actresses she already knew, and began shooting without any script whatsoever – a completely improvised feature length film about love as a conspiracy. “I got to a point where it seemed impossible to finance my larger-budget projects, partly due to the fact that I hadn’t yet directed a feature. So I felt that I needed to make a feature-length project on my own, somehow, so I could actually have a chance in this business,” explains Bass. “This of course meant I was talking about a low to no-budget project, and so I would have to come up with something that could be made within that 28 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
Improvised dialogue
framework. I decided to write a film for actors I knew, admired, or in some cases was already friends with, and work out a story around them. I’d also been dealing with a lot of personal and ideological disillusionment, and had this idea for a film in which it turned out that love – the supposedly purest of all emotions – was actually a conspiracy.”
Guerilla filmmaking With Bass producing, directing as well as heading up other departments such as cinematography and production design, pre-production on Love the One You Love began in April 2013. Fast forward two months, with a brief treatment describing the film’s look and feel in place, and a detailed scene outline in hand, shooting commenced in June last year with Chi Mhende, Andile Nebulane, Mogamat Dayaan Salie and Louw Venter playing the lead roles. “The treatment was actually more experimental in some ways than the film ended up being, using a lot of DIY special effects like miniatures and data-mashing. One important thing was I wanted to use small cameras to achieve the fluidity and intimacy in a visual way which I imagined
would do justice to the performance style. But most importantly, I made most creative decisions around the ethos that this would be a nano-budget, guerrillastyle film made with what was available to me, and that was the guiding principal – I would never try make the film something it wasn’t, believing strongly that it could look beautiful without having all the bells and whistles which cost money.” The message of the film is told through two stories – Terri and Sandile’s story and Eugene’s story – both requiring a very different look and feel. To achieve this, the majority of the film was shot on two different cameras, one for each story: The Canon 600D and the Canon EOS-M. “We shot Eugene’s story first on the Canon 600D. I only wanted to use one lens throughout, mainly because I’m no cinematographer and I wasn’t going to have a focus puller so I wanted to make life as simple for myself as possible. We used a 28mm Canon lens, though we switched to a 50mm for the phone-sex scenes because I wanted those to feel especially uncomfortable. I used this equipment because my art director just happened to have them, and was kind enough to let me use them. But I wanted to shoot Terri and Sandile’s story on an
With one or two minor exceptions, Love the One You Love was completely improvised, stemming from Bass’ admiration for director Mike Leigh’s work. While Leigh does not use improvisation in the actual shooting of his films, it plays an important part in informing his dialogue and style through rehearsal. In the end time constraints, as well as Bass’ love for Leigh’s films, inspired her to apply improvisation as a style to the film. “It was quite a crazy thing to do, especially considering the film doesn’t have a rambling, abstract narrative, but actually has to be very tight – it’s a mystery storyline after all, even in a weird way, and you can’t mess about too much with that…Let me also say that I had no background whatsoever in improvisation, or even in theatre, so I didn’t know what I was letting myself in for,” says Bass. “But it also occurred to me that this process would force me to deal more directly with my actors, which is an area of directing I’d always felt very weak in. And I wanted this film above all to be a challenge that would force me to find some new ways of working. And it certainly succeeded in that respect,” she concludes.
Passion as a driving force It goes to show just how far passion and talent can take you, with the film winning multiple awards at Durban International Film Festival, namely – Best South African Film, Best Direction in a South African Film and Best Actress for Chi Mendhe. Due to be released in cinemas in 2015, Love the One You Love is sure to resonate with South African audiences. Described as a modern-day true-to-life vision of Cape Town, the film’s honest portrayal of love’s highs and lows, and its inherent complications, is something to which we can all relate. – Chanelle Ellaya
| Film
A shot at the big time The Jameson First Shot competition is a platform which offers talented emerging filmmakers the opportunity to have their short film produced by an award-winning Hollywood production company, Trigger Street Productions. For any writer/director trying to crack it in the industry, winning the competition is essentially a filmmaking golden ticket, and there’s no holds barred on the perks: collaboration and guidance from top producers Dana Brunetti, who has produced a number of notable films including The Social Network; House of Cards star Kevin Spacey; and A-list actress Uma Thurman, who features as the lead role in the selected short films. “I never thought that just five years after I started writing scripts, one of my films would star Uma Thurman,” says South Africa’s 2014 winner Henco J, still basking in the aftermath of his once-in-alifetime Hollywood experience. His film The Mundane Goddess earned him an authentic directorial experience in Tinsel Town. It was never in Henco’s plans to land a spot in the director’s chair, and for many years he positioned himself in front of the camera, not behind it. After studying
BASKING IN THE AFTERMATH: Henco J (second from the left) at the US premiere of the 2014 Jameson First Shot films drama at Tshwane University of Technology and completing a Masters degree at the University of Pretoria he spent a long time as a struggling actor, playing in small roles and performing in children’s theatre productions. Wanting to enhance his show reel, he began to write and direct short films with some of his friends in the industry and discovered he had a knack and a passion for filmmaking. One can only imagine the difficulty Henco must have had in keeping secret the fact that he was expecting a call from none other than Uma Thurman, but as the competition was still undergoing a
selection process, Henco had to treat correspondence as confidential or risk being disqualified. “I knew she was going to call,” he remembers, “but that in itself was stressful. I thought as an actor I could do my relaxation exercises and I’d be fine but the moment she said ‘Hi Henco’ all the panic and stress rushed back. Nobody even knew about the call until after I won.” Henco was given three weeks in June to shoot and edit his film in LA, including two 12-hour days to complete filming. What made this production a little easier than the guerrilla filmmaking he was used to in South Africa were a seasoned
Hollywood crew and cast. The casting process was cross-continental and Henco had selected actors which naturally fit the roles he had written before arriving in LA. Despite having only had one readthrough rehearsal before shooting, he was confident walking onto set; in fact he claims the experience was surreal. “Seeing all the crew, equipment and everyone setting up to make things happen for me…I’m not used to that. I’m used to doing it all on my own, so it was mind-blowing to have everyone working towards my vision. It was a good feeling,” he says. Spacey made it clear to Henco that he believes the South African film industry is not getting what it needs and added that if people invested more in local films, a lot of quality productions and great stories with international appeal could materialise. As for Henco, he is under no illusion about the opportunity he has been given. He comments: “I think this experience will change things for me here but it depends what I do with it – it’s a first shot, it’s not going to automatically shoot me to stardom. I’ve learnt, grown, gained contacts and worked with respected people so I know I will be taken more seriously as a filmmaker. I can use all of those things but now it’s up to me to work. If I sit back this opportunity will just pass me by so I’ve got to keep the ball, and the camera, rolling.” – Carly Barnes
Q-Gear
TM
Te l e p r o m p t e r S y s t e m s
IBC is over... So what now?
We have the answers and exciting new solutions... So call us! www.pro-sales.co.za Broadcast Video, Audio & Lighting
75 fleet street, Ferndale, Randburg Tel: +27 (0)11 462 0000 E-Mail: info@pro-sales.co.za Arne Sack 082 576 1366 / Jason Sproat 082 576 1367 / Jonathan Sack 083 695 9656
September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 29
FILM
|
South African productions shine at the 5th annual Durban FilmMart The 5th annual Durban FilmMart (DFM) took place from 18 to 21 July at the Tsogo Sun Elangeni Hotel in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The ‘who’s who’ of the African film scene and some new faces flocked to Durban’s ’Golden Mile’ to network, participate in industry workshops and celebrate some fresh cinematic talent.
P
hillip Sithole, head of Durban Tourism, comments: “The City is honoured to be associated with the Durban FilmMart, as it is a strategic platform to market the destination as an ideal film location to potential film directors and producers, which will significantly help boost the tourism industry. Durban is a diverse and culturally rich city with strong African, Eastern and Western influences. Through the vast potential of the film industry, we would like to use the Durban FilmMart to market the destination on a global level and this also aligns well to our strategy of ‘Taking Durban to the World’.” DFM, a joint initiative of Durban Film Office (DFO) and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), provides a platform and finance market aiming to target key players and rising stars in the film industry, both locally and across the continent. Since its inception, the main objective of DFM has been to facilitate opportunities for African filmmakers to access various means of funding, to stimulate co-production, and to allow rising stars in the film industry to showcase their work. This year over 450 delegates from 32 countries attended DFM. Producers, buyers, broadcasters and film financiers met one-on-one with potential coproducers from around Africa, to discuss and award a selection of film projects which were chosen prior to the four-day market. On the final day, the market wrapped with an award ceremony, which saw seven South African productions receive special recognition and financial contributions to their production budgets.
Hawa Hawaii The Kenyan/South African co-production Hawa Hawaii won two awards – the CineMart award and the award sponsored by Produire au Sud of Festival des 3. Producer Junaid Ahmed comments: 30 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
“The Cinemart Award was presented to our Kenyan producing partner Wafa Tajdin. Wafa has been given the opportunity to attend the highly respected Rotterdam Film Lab and interact with other producers from around the world. Cinemart will afford a great opportunity for exposure and networking for the Hawa Hawaii project.” “The Produire au Sud award gives our director Amirah Tajdin and co-producer Wafa Tajdin the opportunity to attend the Produire au Sud in November in Nantes which is held at the Three Continents Film Festival. Here there are intensive Producer and Director workshops geared towards fostering the working relationship between the two and training in the finer details of directing, writing and producing,” Ahmed concludes. The film, which is currently seeking script development funding, is to be directed by Amirah Tajdin and produced by Wafa Mohamed Tajdin, Bongiwe Selane, Helena Spring and Junaid Ahmed.
The Sound of Masks Sponsored by the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), the award for the Most Promising Documentary Pitch was won by the South African production The Sound of Masks. The award will provide the film’s director Kofi Zwana and producer Sara Gouveia with an invitation and travel support to attend the IDFA Forum.
Alex on Seventh The New Cinema Network award was awarded to Alex on Seventh. The award gives director Engelbert Phiri and producer Guy Bragge, the opportunity to attend and present their work to active companies of the International Film Industry at the ninth edition New Cinema Network, taking place this October in Rome. “This is an incredible opportunity to
SUCCESS!: Filmmaker Philani Ndaba (centre) receives the Restless Pitch Award from Sharon Ngcobo, head of marketing for the Durban Film Office (left) and Tendeka Matatu of Restless Talent Management.
meet co-producers, funders and distributors, not only for this project, but also for other projects in the future. I know that Engelbert has dreamed about this for a long time and for him it’s a dream come true. It means that his vision as a director and storyteller is being acknowledged and that we have a really good chance of finishing this project and it getting an audience. As a storyteller and filmmaker the satisfaction of having an audience is immeasurable,” says producer Guy Bragge. Alex on Seventh is a purely South African project, and is currently in production.
Shattered Writer and director Philani Ndaba won The Restless Pitch Award for his film Shattered. The award provides Ndaba with a one-year representation deal for the project by Restless Talent Management. The representation deal encompasses services such as imagebuilding, positioning, project packaging, public relations, and advice on the sale, distribution and promotion of the film. “The reception to the project at the Film Mart was overwhelming,” says Ndaba. “I had several producers interested in producing the film and I settled on Dv8 Films (Jeremy Nathan and Moroba Nkawe). Dv8 is perfect for this film and I couldn’t have made a better decision; we have a great working relationship and they have been super
amazing since the start. We also have a broadcaster very interested in the film…The plan is to begin principal photography in March 2015.”
The Wound South African production The Wound, to be directed by John Trengove and produced by Elias Ribeiro, won the ARTE France International Prize. The award provides Trengove and Ribeiro with €6 000 for their project.
Nyanga Sky To be directed by Matthew Griffiths and produced by Rafeeqah Galant, Nyanga Sky won the Videovision Entertainment ‘Best South African Film Project’ prize. The prize, which is valued at R75 000, guarantees the film a release once the project is completed. This includes marketing and distribution support from Videovision Entertainment. Galant comments: “Nyanga Sky had a great reception at the Mart as it held something really unique as a Family Adventure Comedy centred on three boys trying to build and fly an RC plane in Nyanga… The award gives the project recognition as something promising and, coming from Videovision, also a project that is commercially viable. It will definitely help convince financiers of the projects worth and lend weight towards getting it made.” – Chanelle Ellaya
FILM
|
Director Speak
What has been the highlight of your career as a director to date? The premiere of Love the One You Love at the Durban International Film Festival in July. Up until that point making this film, upon which I was pinning most (if not all) of my hopes, had been a massive slog of uncertainty. And then, just the fact that people ‘got’ the film, that it moved them, some people even having physical reactions like laughing or crying – which to be honest, I thought I’d achieve much later in life – that was pretty incredible.
Jenna Bass Cato
THE MAGIC OF FILM: Jenna Cato Bass about that time I remember taking a walk through a forest near my house, and coming across a movie set, where the art department had constructed a fairground among the trees. I realised that a job existed where I could create the worlds I imagined in my head, but in the real world, and share them with other people.
Director, magician, writer and photographer, at only 27 years of age Jenna Cato Bass is truly an artistic inspiration… Having first studied to become a magician, how did you come to find yourself working in film? Looking back, it actually seems like a very obvious career move: the arts of cinema and magic have a lot in common, practically, and also in what they set out to do. On a very basic level, you want to entertain people, but of course it’s more than that – you’re inviting ordinary people to step through a door that leads to the extraordinary , in whatever way that ends up manifesting – which leaves the real world looking different long after the lights have gone up. How has your background as a magician shaped you as a director? Hugely. I studied for several years at Cape Town’s truly unique College of Magic, where, most importantly, I regained a lot of confidence. It was a really supportive, wonderful environment to be in as a teenager. The teachers gave us complete responsibility to innovate, design our own acts, construct storylines and characters, and build our own props – essentially, to create something that was more than just a passive audience experience. It taught me independence, but also the value of connecting with the people you’re trying to speak to, and respecting them as just as important a part of your work as the things you do yourself. When did you realise you wanted to become a director? Describe the moment if there is one that stands out? I didn’t really think much of films when I was younger, but I made a friend in high school who was a passionate cinephile, especially of the Golden Hollywood era, she essentially introduced me to cinema. Other than that, at 32 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
You are also the editor and cofounder of Jungle Jim, a bi-monthly African pulp fiction magazine. What led you to start the magazine? I was sharing an office with my friend Hannes Bernard, who’s a designer. At the time we were both very frustrated with the bureaucracy and restrictions of our work – I was at the time waiting for financing for a film, and both of us felt the desperate need to do something that was totally our own. One of us said ‘Let’s start a magazine’ and the other one agreed. We lusted after a time when popular fiction was truly ‘popular’: accessible, cheap and actually fun – and frequently also very good. We felt there was a niche for this in Africa particularly, ironically, the continent that had been so totally exoticised and stereotyped in a lot of adventure-style pulp. We knew it would probably upset some people, but at the time we thought that was all for the better. And here we are, 24 issues later – we’re sadly not bi-monthly any more, but we’re still going against all expectations.
Why pulp fiction? Does this draw from your experience as a director? Yes, it does, very much. It came from thinking a lot about my own films, and how I was going to communicate what I felt to be important ideas and questions, but to a large audience of people – not just in South Africa, but hopefully to the world at large. It seemed to me that there are a number of lessons to be learnt from pulp and genre fiction; firstly, on a simple level, the importance of narrative and how it can elevate a basic story to something gripping, but secondly, the way we can use genre as a form of communication, a way to tell audiences what your film is about, to ‘sell’ it to them (as gross as that sounds), by providing a familiar structure – but within which you can go completely crazy with themes, ideas, new contexts, and innovation. I thought this was something I should consider applying to my films, and I have, but it gave me a deeper respect for genre, and the desire to read more, and practice it myself.
What do you think are some of the defining characteristics of the South African creative industry now? Cinema is probably a good litmus test for our creative industries as a whole – certainly, things are growing, and more people have access to opportunities to make careers out of creative work. But I don’t think we’re nearly at a point where this is representative. There is also, as I see it, a major disconnect between the art itself, the processes of creating and distributing it and the realities of this country. At a time when we should be risking more and experimenting more, we’re far too safe, in my opinion. It’s a really, really exciting and terrifying thing to be a South African right now, and until that’s properly reflected in our work, in a way which can actually be accessed by the average citizen, I think we will have a long way to go. What are your top three favourite films and why? I have a list of maybe 20 that rotates according to the seasons and other various factors. So I will choose three from there in no particular order: The Kid (Charlie Chaplin), because despite having almost none of the filmmaking advantages we have today, let alone sound, Chaplin showed me how little we’ve really added to what’s truly important; Gummo (Harmony Korine) because it showed me how far we could still go if we dared to; and above all – I know it’s not a film but – Twin Peaks, simply because it’s probably my favourite man-made creation in all history – and if I’m not allowed to use it, I’ll go for Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Who is your favourite international director? Why? I’m afraid there really is no way I can make a choice, so I’ll instead use the space to mention some of my favourite filmmakers working today: Hirokazu Kore-eda, Joel and Ethan Coen, Mike Leigh, Werner Herzog, Xavier Dolan, Richard Linklater, PT Anderson, David Cronenberg, Tsai Ming-Liang, Wong Kar Wai, Michael Hanneke, Lars Von Trier, Claire Denis and probably a whole lot more that have slipped my mind at this moment. What has been your greatest challenge as a director to date? There have been many, but none stand out. I would just say the daily struggle to keep going, to believe in the relevance and feasibility of what I want to do, and make a living from it. Of course, things like dropping audience numbers, lack of distribution channels, people’s attention spans, those and other things challenge me and freak me out. But I’ll have to adapt, and luckily that’s quite a common human ability that I can only assume I possess. Compiled by Chanelle Ellaya
| Television
21 Icons series captures the spirit of Ubuntu
EXTRAORDINARY SOUTH AFRICANS: Behind the scenes on the Albie Sachs shoot
After the unprecedented success of the first 21 Icons series, a collection of short films based on extraordinary South Africans, a second season is airing on SABC3 each Sunday as of 3 August. Each of the 21 episodes features an iconic subject who has not only contributed to and embraced the country’s transformation, but has positively impacted and influenced their community.
W
hat began as a series of portrait posters has flourished into a cross-media narrative about South African history and culture, as well as a social initiative aimed at creating conversation, participation and further cohesion in the Rainbow Nation. “A robust society is one which understands itself,” says Adrian Steirn, an Australian photographer who moved to South Africa in 2008 after falling in love with the country and its people after a number of visits. “Nelson Mandela’s legacy is community, and embracing the person next to you is a celebration of his life. You don’t laugh, cry, live or taste alone – you experience things as a community. There is no better way of understanding the fundamentals of
humanity than by having these conversations.” Yongama Magida, network marketing and on-air manager for SABC TV says the series is a reflection of what the channel aims to drive. “21 Icons is a celebration of ordinary people who have extraordinary stories to tell. It offers a strong moral take-out and can inform, educate and empower South Africans, which is something that strongly aligns with the SABC3 mandate.” Season Two’s icons include Imtiaz Solomon, founder of the Gift of the Givers foundation; Francois Pienaar, former Springbok rugby captain; Frene Ginwala, the first female speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa; Herman Mashaba, a longstanding South African entrepreneur; and Albie Sachs
who was appointed as judge of the Constitutional Court by Mandela in 1994. Sachs humourously comments: “Initially I thought – Eikhona to icons! I’ve spent my life trying to get rid of the idea of icons and stereotypes. Yet I can see Adrian is using technology and the media to tell very important stories. If I am helping, in a fun way, to explore and promote that diversity, then for me, that’s the strength of doing this project. “This series embodies the idea that I am a person because you are a person,” he adds, “It’s Ubuntu.” Steirn claims he was surprised at the uptake of 21 Icons overseas. After shooting the first series of portraits he travelled abroad and gave a number of media outlets, including the London Times and Wall Street Journal, free access to the material on the condition that they treat it with respect and showcase it in its entirety. As a result 21 Icons has been exposed to over 130 million people internationally. For the second season Steirn says he is building on this approach: “We are working with mobile and digital platforms like MXit, and in-taxi digital TV to ensure everyone has opportunity to see the series. You don’t have to have a flat screen TV to get involved.” 21 Icons Season Two is sponsored by Mercedes Benz South Africa, Momentum Asset Management, Nikon, Deloitte and the Department of Arts and Culture. “The
project struck a chord with us,” says Mayur Bhana, divisional manager of corporate affairs for Mercedes Benz South Africa, “it represents a culture of inspiration which resonates with us. It shares the message that regardless of who you are, where you come from or what your teacher told you, your destiny lies with you.” Roll-out of the second season incorporates a number of awareness campaigns encouraging important dialogue around these stories, including a new interactive workshop for children. The 21 Icons exhibition is hosted at the Museum of African Design in Johannesburg’s Maboneng Precinct, which has invited a selection of schools to experience the exhibition at no charge. Later this year, Season One’s portraits will be auctioned off and the proceeds will be given to charities selected by each of the respective icons which participated. For Steirn this is an especially important part of the project as it creates a perpetuating and lasting societal contribution and positive impact on the country. “Here in South Africa we don’t have a problem with happiness, we have a problem with inequality. It’s an important distinction. Perhaps instead of aspiring to be a first world democracy we should rather aspire to be ourselves,” remarks Stein. – Carly Barnes September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 33
New Media
|
A new age of immersed storytelling Players in the content value chain are no longer considering transmedia as a mere buzzword, but a means for connectivity, interaction, hype and ultimately, revenue.
T
ransmedia, which has sometimes been referred to as cross-media, is not a new or abstract term; it’s a concept that has been driving engagement around films and television programming for many years. However, as digital capabilities advance and the virtual space becomes a familiar playing field, the idea of creating multiple access points for a single story has grown from being something that a new generation of viewers want, to one which they expect. Simply put, transmedia engages audiences on multiple media platforms by creating a continuation – a following or an experience around a particular story – and in doing so builds a rich viewing experience as well as a network of interactive users around it. Marc Schwinges is a specialist in digital content strategy, consulting and distribution and is a front runner when it comes to this kind of converging experiential communication in South Africa. He has managed transmedia strategies for a number of productions, including the first three local seasons of Big Brother and recently ran a Transmedia Lab at the Durban FilmMart (DFM). “Transmedia can mean different things to different people,” Schwinges explains, “but it’s a case of strategising. You’re not just a filmmaker you’re an experience builder and you’re not just creating those experiences in an analogue world in cinemas. You have the ability to engage with audiences in various ways to get them excited, motivated and on-board with whatever you want to communicate.”
Transmedia in today’s world Using the example of Miners Shot Down, a documentary by South African filmmaker Rehad Desai which is getting a lot of attention in local and international markets, Schwinges describes how Desai utilises media very effectively and how transmedia can work exceptionally well to drive audiences in a certain direction. “Rehad in essence is creating a basic level transmedia project by creating 34 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
political hype around the film. There is a huge drive to get Miners Shot Down onto public TV through social media and encouraging people to vote for it, because the SABC is refusing to show it. “He is also using all of these media platforms as a means of persuading people that there are unfair labour laws in the mining sector and that these issues need to be resolved, which turns it in to a bigger political campaign. There is an online presence which displays pictures from the film, engages audiences and drives the experience. Essentially those elements become part of the overall experience of watching Miners Shot Down; it’s a movement.”
The DFM Lab At the DFM Transmedia Lab Schwinges, alongside Ingrid Kopp, director of digital initiatives at the Tribeca Film Institute, worked with three projects to produce slick and effective transmedia strategies which addressed each production’s specific needs. One of the projects is Khumbul’ ekhaya, an SABC television programme which reconnects separated loved ones, sought to extend their audience demographic to include a younger generation. The Post Office is a major sponsor of the show due to the number of people who send in letters, and Schwinges saw an opportunity for the producers to use this to their advantage – especially in light of the fact that the Post Office has evolved into a place where people go to access a number of services, which attracts a lot of people of different ages. “Why not create a show kiosk in each Post Office which allows people to tell the story of who they’ve lost on video. These can then be downloaded to central server every night when The Post Office closes and used, instead of having letters, to inform the production team. The kiosk could also display photos of missing people, and this could be regionalised to show missing people relevant to that area,” says Schwinges. He continues: “Then you could have
DIGITAL CONTENT SPECIALIST: Marc Schwinges the option to type in a story via touchpad or scan additional documents and send them. There is also a need for a web presence, which would work on telephone and mobile to allow users to geo-locate. They could submit their location and, using six degrees of separation logic, it could help people find each other.”
The bottom line Marketing spend on films is traditionally only recouped through sales revenue, but by applying transmedia to a particular project, multiple pay-off possibilities are created. Different avenues of communicating content and any resulting merchandise can be monetised to create additional streams of income for a production. Funding is needed to create and apply a transmedia campaign but according to
Schwinges, the current strategies are outdated and no longer make sense. The Department of Trade and Industry excludes what they term ‘marketing’ expenditure, which is classified as money spent after the production is made to promote the film, from their current filmmaking incentives. But Schwinges reiterates that transmedia is able to build an audience for a project while it is still in development and goes beyond being a marketing tool as it serves as part of the story and communication campaign. According to Schwinges the National Film and Video Foundation is changing its thinking around this, and hopes are high that the Department of Trade and Industry will follow suit. “It’s short-sighted,” says Schwinges, “these policies were created in a space that was pre-internet and multichannel entertainment.” – Carly Barnes
We Deliver the Best Experience in the Industry Intelsat connects your content to the largest number of viewers. Intelsat’s exclusive Video Neighborhoods place your content on the most in-demand satellites among top media and telecom providers. And, our next generation satellite platform will combine high-throughput spot beams for content regionalization and targeting, with our wide beam neighborhoods for mass audience coverage – that’s Intelsat EpicNG. Intelligent design developed specifically for your growth and your bottom line – you must agree, is an epic experience.
www.intelsat.com/media
Envision. Connect. Transform.
TRAINING & COURSES
|
Sabido eAcademy opens the doors of learning
CENTRE OF LEARNING: The Sabido eAcademy in Hyde Park, Johannesburg
The recently completed Sabido eAcademy, situated in the Johannesburg suburb of Hyde Park, is a new addition to the Sabido group and to the training and education sector of the television and broadcasting industries. It offers training with a dual focus: to empower the unemployed and to upskill working professionals by way of its formal short and long-term training programmes.
A
lthough it is a new arrival on the industry stage, the Sabido eAcademy has been developing slowly behind the scenes for quite some time. Its principal Natalie Delport has worked in the industry in varying capacities over the years and always harboured a passion for training and education. Since at least 2006, she has initiated the creation of a number of training programmes with a view to improving knowledge and expertise in the industry. Her first television learnership, implemented when she was working at Realtime Pictures in 2006, had an intake of 18 students, about 14 of whom have been working consistently in the industry ever since. Delport’s experience with the first learnership programme led her to the conclusion that there remained a strong need for practical training opportunities in television broadcasting. She opened up her own company, Portal to Learning, through which she facilitated the training needs of various companies in the industry. This brought her to the attention of e.tv. At the time, the free-to-air broadcaster was looking to focus strongly on the development of its internal training staff and on improving the transfer of skills from experienced staff members to their younger and less experienced colleagues. With Portal to Learning contracted to run e.tv’s Technical
36 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
Operations training initiatives, Delport and her assistant, Jeniffer Maako, became familiar faces around the broadcaster’s headquarters. From 2008 they introduced a comprehensive programme that incorporated all aspects of learning, including life skills and team building. After a number of years, Delport was appointed as GM of training for the Sabido group and Maako as the training coordinator. In the two years that followed the plan was to take the training techniques and philosophies formulated and perfected internally to the industry at large. Almost exactly two years later, in line with the group’s business strategy, the Sabido eAcademy is set to make its official opening. Delport stresses that the eAcademy a training institution designed to strengthen the new and existing labour force in the industry and ensure that it is employed optimally. “The academy has two arms,” she explains. “The one consists of formal learning programmes, which are there to assist unemployed people who may or may not have previous experience in the industry but would like to get some kind of certification and more work experience. The other arm is meant to service the industry directly – and this is mostly aimed at companies. We offer master classes and full courses for all
specialisations in the industry. A company can approach us and we will then work with them to develop long-term training plans to suit the needs of their employees from entry level to top management. With this dual approach we can help the unemployed but we can also assist those people working in the industry who wish to improve their skill set or perhaps never got the proper training they should have had in the first place. A major focus for the academy in the future is recognition of prior learning (RPL), whereby individuals can obtain formal recognition for work experience gained over years.” While the courses offered to companies are tailored to suit the staff training needs of the organisations in question, the other aspect of the academy’s offerings consist of a number of standardised programmes offered through the partnership and sponsorship of some of the industry’s major players. At present, four such learning programmes have been set up: the eNCA Interns Bootcamp (12 interns), the Sasani Skills Programme (12 learners), the e.tv Learnership (20 learners) and the eKasi Skills Programme (40 learners). Each of these programmes, Delport says, offers learners a careful balance of theory and practical experience. Part of the course is spent at the academy attending classes, while the rest of the time is spent in both real and simulated work environments.
For Delport and her team, it is this balance that will give Sabido eAcademy graduates the edge that this industry so needs. Interest in the academy has been huge. Applications for the learnership programmes that started in August amounted to around 7000. Hence the entry requirements are stringent and academy staff have to be extremely selective. There is only one way to apply and that is through the online application process set up on the eAcademy website (www.eAcademy.co.za). This site is mobile friendly. No mailed applications will be accepted. Applicants who do not have internet access are invited to visit the campus and use the computers provided in order to submit online, when programmes are open for applications. The door is also open to trainers in the industry who wish to make their services available to the eAcademy on a freelance basis. Interested parties can call the academy and speak to the head of training, Simon Palmer, who will add their details to the database to be retrieved when the need arises. “There are so many people who have been in the industry for many years that have so much knowledge. If they retire or leave the industry for some or other reason, they take that knowledge with them. We are saying, if you’re going to retire, go ahead, but come to us first and help us transfer the skills and knowledge you have,” Delport says. The eAcademy is the realisation of a long-cherished dream for Delport but that is not to say that she feels she has reached the destination just yet. “We do envisage tremendous growth and I believe that in five years’ time we will be twice as big as we are now,” she says.
| TRAINING & COURSES
SAE working creatively to shape our best creative minds ‘World Design Capital’ is robust, alive and kicking in Cape Town and in South Africa in 2014. While creatives, artists and designers have been grappling with the concepts of design and design thinking for many years already, the significance and use of these terms for all people are beginning to take a general hold. In the past, certain terms – such as creativity, right-brained and out-of-thebox thinking – tried to tell us what airy-fairy artists, creators, writers, inventors and designers were busy with. There were many books on how to integrate left- and -right-brained thinking, to work holistically and to look at the big picture (or the forest) and not only count the trees. We learned about innovation and inventions, entrepreneurs, wicked problems and imaginative ideation
THE AGE OF DESIGN AND DESIGN THINKERS: Dr Elsabe Pepler, Academic Head of SAE Institute (idea-generation). Throw the general state of the every-growing population’s social and ecological challenges into the mix, and it is clear that logical and analytical thinking alone will not do the job anymore. The same airy-fairy people, it was understood, could maybe bring something different to solving problems. Creative imagineers and design thinkers were called to brain storm ways of solving these tricky human questions, and increasingly more innovative, intuitive and non-logical solutions were found to solve problems. It’s important to remember that the typical artist, creator, imaginative designer, is also usually the one who is
emphatic, human- and user-focused and is attentive to the stories of the people with the problems. The age of design and design thinkers has arrived. Slowly, people realised that design thinking – which is often the opposite of logical and analytical thinking – could be used in many different ways and areas, and that the ‘d-word’ is a totally valid and even scientific means to ‘design’ our lives, careers, happiness, studies, arts, environment, future, homes and cities on a daily basis. The design cycle of ‘define – research – ideate – prototype – choose – implement and learn’ is now a method accessible to all people to help solve their problems and challenges in new, refreshing, innovative and original ways. So can creativity be taught to and learned by all people, or is it reserved for the right-brained imagineers? One of the biggest triumphs of tertiary education, globally and locally, is that entire private schools and universities now deliberately foster and apply the teaching of design and design thinking through creative and critical thinking. SAE Institute is one of these designcreative media schools for sound production and engineering, film production, and animation and motion design. In the business of communication, we approach all media content (texts) as creative designs in answer to audiences’ needs. All media messages – film,
animation, music, sound, magazines, newspapers, posters and books – are communication that is carefully created and designed for optimal effect. Our sound production and engineering students may work with a music group that needs to get out there in the public eye. So we are then driven by creative questions: how can we design their sound, their genre of music, their identities and produce the very best sound for them that we can? For our students in film production, the process is driven by asking: how can we ‘design’ the best film, considering budget, equipment, time, actors and media channels, to become an awardwinning, profitable screen story? Our animation students likewise follow rigorous steps for drawing and illustration, storyboarding, character development, narrative design and finding actors to design good animation films. Motion design can be used to enhance other messages and platforms, such as websites, films, educational content and music. Design, in education, is one of the most forceful and creative forces that can be used to secure a prosperous life and future for everyone in this country. SAE Institute is on this journey to the new ‘kingdom of design and creativity’, where we just love what we do, every day. – Dr Elsabe Pepler, Academic Head of SAE
STUDY FILM / ANIMATION / SOUND // Degrees // Higher Certificates // Short Courses WORLD CLASS FACILITIES
ANIMATION
FILM
SOUND
INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED
SAE INSTITUTE (CAPE TOWN) Email: capetown@sae.edu Web: www.capetown.sae.edu With campuses across the globe OUR WORLD IS YOUR STAGE
PERSONALISED TUITION
PROUD SUPPORTERS OF: Breathe Sunshine
AFRICAN MUSIC CONFERENCE CAPE TOWN
September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 37
SERVICES
|
MEDIA, CREATIVE AND TECHNOLOGY
There is a new horse in town, and it has stripes all over it
GALLOPING TO NEW HORIZONS: Zebra Worldwide co-owners Nic Franklin and Luke Hammersley
Zebra Worldwide, a global media services group with a stable of businesses supporting media and marketing clients with creative, operational and technology services, recently set up its South African operation in Cape Town, adding to its international operations network, which already includes offices in London and Sydney. Nic Franklin explains the new set-up and its operations within the context of Zebra’s already well-established international networks.
38 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
T
he Zebra Worldwide group consists of the international production company Stripey Horse, postproduction service provider Zebra Post and Zebra Crossing, an international adaptation agency. Stripey Horse delivers creative concepts and development of television commercials and content production in the short form advertising space as well as broadcast production and long form content. Zebra Post is designed to work on bespoke high end visual effects and edits for both short and long form projects and Zebra Crossing specialises in re-versioning master TV assets, working culturally with local markets to deliver centralised production for global clients. The group handles workflows that have been fine-tuned to deliver pre-production shoot planning right the way through to final broadcast delivery around the globe. Zebra Worldwide has now set up their new office in Portswood Road in the V&A Waterfront area.
clients the ability to access the beautiful Cape and of course the world class talent that Cape Town, and South Africa in general, has to offer.
What led to the decision to set up the South African branch? Franklin: We had landed a rather large account that saw us needing to expand our production base so instead of us doing that in London, we decided that, as my heritage is South African, a lower cost base in Cape Town could see me dusting off my old surf board and also delivering a lot of business benefits for that client. It also gave us the opportunity to offer other
Can you introduce your Cape Town staff contingent? Who will head up each department and who are the key creatives? Franklin: Alongside our very talented VFX and edit team we have Kerry Macdonald who is heading up things as a senior producer working across all postproduction endeavours but also on Stripey Horse business shooting both here in Cape Town and with the teams in
What projects will you be starting off with? Will most of your business consist of long or short form? Franklin: From the time we landed back in the Cape it has taken us two months to be fully operational, working with London and Australia. Zebra Crossing has kicked things off and we have already delivered 40-odd TV commercials to the international market. Lasernet have provided us with fantastic support and great connectivity which has made the fact that we are doing this from the bottom of Africa no different from doing this work in London or Australia. For the most part we are producing short form TV ads to market, but as a content media business we don’t restrict ourselves to a particular format.
London. Bernadine Wolfaardt–Franklin heads up all things financial as our CFO and I take the reins as the executive creative director internationally on all strands of ZWW business. Luke Hammersley, my partner in crime, is based in London with a very strategic role as our CEO. We both share the passion for finding exceptional talent and putting them into play at the right time so will be looking at signing some local South African directors to add to our international roster. Are there any specific market needs and opportunities that Zebra has identified in South Africa and how will the company adapt its offerings to the territory? Franklin: I believe the South African market is full of opportunity and there is a lot that we can bring to bear locally for clients who are looking to work differently and who want a great service at a fair price. Our model is simple: good work comes from good relationships. We have our targets set for who we are going to approach, so watch this space. It also doesn’t hurt that we will be able to offer local clients an international passage and enable them to connect with that. Contact: Kerry Macdonald email: kerry@zebra-worldwide.com tel: (021) 409 2014 www.zebra-worldwide.com
Tracking Technology
|
Apple ProRes 4444 XQ codec increases capacity for effects and grading
When it comes to the professional world, Apple is a bit manic. They certainly confuse their loyal followers; first they delayed the release of the anticipated desktop Mac Pro, and then inexplicably killed off their pro photo software Aperture. Then, in the height of all the confusion, they publish a handful of new software updates that appear to show a renewed commitment to the revival of a number of their popular pro video apps. The company recently released a new updated ProRes codec called 4444 XQ, a high data rate compression allowing higher image and colour quality. Good news for sure with the codec being part of the updates to their pro editing apps including Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5, and Compressor 5. Final Cut Pro version 10.1.2 now fully supports ProRes 4444 XQ for editing, compositing, rendering, and exporting. What’s really good is that the new codec, with its higher target data rate of 500 Mb/s, makes it the ideal choice for post-production that requires visual effects processing or extreme colour grading. According to a white paper released by Apple, Apple ProRes 4444 XQ is the highest-quality version of Apple ProRes for 4:4:4:4 image sources (including alpha channels), with a very high data rate to preserve the detail in high-dynamic-range imagery generated by today’s highest-quality digital image sensors. Like standard Apple ProRes 4444, this codec supports up to 12 bits per image channel and up to 16 bits for the alpha channel. Apple ProRes 4444 XQ features a target data rate of approximately 500 Mbps for 4:4:4 sources at 1920 x 1080. ProRes 4444 XQ is ideal for high-end mastering and archiving. The added fidelity from the codec should help with material that’s going through multiple passes, making it ideal in the compositing world. It’s also going to be beneficial as a capture codec, as evidenced by the fact that ARRI is using it in the next update to their ALEXA camera. We will likely see it supported by other devices; rumour has it that Sony is looking into adding it as an option too. In summary, the Apple ProRes 4444 codec can be considered ‘visually lossless’ for encoding the Y’CBCR or RGB pixel values intended for viewing, and also ‘mathematically lossless’ for encoding the alpha values that specify compositing. As a result, the degree of quality or fidelity is never a question for Apple ProRes 4444 alpha channels because the decoded data always matches the original perfectly, making this new, very highquality codec, a dream come true for those doing VFX work. – Ian Dormer
Vidcheck Auto QC and auto correction of file-based video
40 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
AJA Kona 3G facilitates live sync for VFX and animation workflow In a recent case study, US and Canadian-based VFX and animation creators Zoic Studios, responsible for award-winning effects in film, advertising, games and television, showed how AJA’s Kona 3G cards help facilitate live synchronised sessions using Tweak’s RV-SDI playback and review software. “KONA 3G is the backbone of high quality image communication between Zoic Vancouver and Zoic Culver City,” says Mike Romey, Zoic Studios Head of Pipeline. “Using the RV-SDI integration, we queue up media in the projection rooms at each location for synced up dailies sessions where teams of artists can review and annotate shots in real time with supervisors at full resolution.” Zoic’s projection rooms are setup to view HD, 2K and 4K dailies, and are frequently tapped to finalise upwards of 400 VFX shots for each episode. Workflow reliability is thus paramount. During review, files are opened in Tweak Software’s RV image and sequence viewer, using a custom front end to record dailies into Shotgun Software’s web-based production management platform. Since up to 50 artists and supervisors across both locations might be contributing to a project, Zoic’s KONA 3G-powered workflow allows producers to compare and contrast different versions of any given shot to ensure appropriate edits and design choices are implemented during session reviews. Zoic deploys 25 licences of the HIERO software, with most workstations running KONA 3G on display monitors to do live I/O from the conform. Connecting via HDMI and with help from HIERO, the KONA 3G card has even enabled stereo 3D dailies for a recent feature film project. While a majority of Zoic’s deliverables are in HD, the studio’s commercial division is currently working on webisode content in 4K for Intel and Toshiba. Implementing a 4K pipeline proved to be a fairly straightforward task because of Zoic’s existing infrastructure. The studio uses the KONA 3G cards with The Foundry’s HIERO collaborative shot management solution for plate prep, Autodesk® Flame® editorial and colour grading software for final conform and finishing, along with RV-HDSDI for review.
With more and more content on more and more channels, leaving quality control (QC) until just before broadcast is too late. The responsibility for QC and getting it right is being pushed back much earlier in the supply chain. QC is now required during production, during post-production and at the interchange points when files are delivered from post-production to distribution, for distribution to the broadcaster and for material coming out of archive. Meanwhile the world of broadcasting is changing to file-based tapeless workflows. File-based video brings significant advantages in handling, distribution and storage, but also presents new challenges in the many different file formats and parameters that all need to be quality checked. Whether it is delivered as XCDAM, IMX, ProRes, DNxHD, AVC wrapped in MOV or MXF the encoding standard, file structure, metadata, bitrate, frame size, GOP structure all have to be correct. This is all in addition to the normal checks of start timecodes, video levels, RGB gamut, audio levels, audio levels and EBU R128 loudness. Automatic Quality Control systems for file-based video have been around for over 10 years but their high price and complexity has limited their use to all but the largest broadcasters. New second generation products like Vidchecker are now available that are easier to use and considerably cheaper. Vidchecker provides not only full auto QC test but also automatic correction of out-of-specification problems like video black levels and chroma levels, colour gamut, audio levels and audio loudness and automatically re-encoding the corrected files. This significantly reduces the time and expense of putting material back through the edit process for manual correction and re-encode. This increase in functionality does not come at increased cost. In fact auto QC software is now cheaper than it has been before, and affordable for the smaller independent producer and post-production house. For example a single Vidchecker licence can process and correct four files simultaneously, and a special low cost version Vidchecker-post is available which, as the name suggests, is especially for smaller post-production houses and broadcasters with fewer files to process each day. For more information contact Vidcheck’s local partner on 011 770 9760 or visit their website at: www.zimele.com.
NewTek Tricaster 8000 The Tricaster 8000 is NewTek’s most extensive, featurerich, fully integrated media-publishing solution. This extremely versatile system enables virtually unlimited scalability, the capacity to configure the system to the user’s needs, social media integration that allows the distribution of content to multiple platforms in one pass – even during live production – a full palette of effects and graphics tools and a simplified set-up and tear-process. Among the Tricaster 8000’s features are: • 8-M/E, router-extensible 24-channel video switching with audio mixer, titles, warping transitions, buffers, DSK and DVE effects. • 8 M/E multi-camera production platform with re-entry for vastly scalable, creative live productions. • Mirroring with remote control of redundant system. • Virtually limitless scalability — up or down — in production breadth, crew size and peripherals. • Awe-inspiring 3D visual effects, holographic virtual sets, graphics and transitions to fit any brand. • Live, multi-platform social media publishing to engage fans and followers instantly. • Extensive automation and breakout control of commands and complex sequences. • Custom, interactive elements and effects sequences triggered by talent. • Built-in live streaming at the touch of a button. • Access to all sources and functions with an included hardware control surface. • Broadcast, stream, publish, project and record — all at the same time.
| Tracking Technology
Belden SMPTE311 HD camera assembly
In addition to producing the best-known SMPTE311 cables in the world, Belden has introduced a new high quality hybrid fiber SMPTE311 HD camera assembly that supports 720p, 1080i and 1080p. HD cameras provide digital transmission using SMPTE311 standard fibre optic cable for connecting to the camera control unit. In addition to their exceptional quality, HD cameras can transmit all digital bi-directional video and audio signals, one control line, power line and prompter line over extremely long distances – up to 4 000 metres with Belden SMPTE311 HD camera assemblies.
September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 41
Box Office
|
Heavy hitters fight the good fight at the local box office this August The biggest local box office earners in August reinforce just how much cinema-goers love a movie with a mission.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Hercules Paramount’s Hercules dropped four spots from the top at the local box office in the final week of August. Starring Dwayne Johnson, and directed by Brett Ratner, the film remodels the Greek myth presented in the classic comic book series. The film brought in R868 019 in its third week at SA cinemas, a whopping 48% decrease since the previous week. Hercules has captured R7 044 751 after three weeks on the local circuit.
Proving everyone loves a band of misfit heroes, Disney’s Guardians of the Galaxy, directed and written by James Gunn, was the top earner at the box office this past month, not only nationally but internationally too. Produced by Marvel Studios, the film which stars firm favourites Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper amongst others, has earned nearly US$500 million globally, cementing its position to become Disney’s top film of the year. The superhero flick brought in R11 276 519 nationally in four weeks since its release.
Sex Tape
The HundredFoot Journey
With a title that leaves little to the imagination, Sex Tape features Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz who play a bored married couple looking to spice things up by making (you guessed it) a sex tape! The R-rated comedy received generally negative reviews internationally but scores nationally in its opening week as the only new release in the top 5. Distributed locally by Ster-Kinekor the film brought in R1 090 700 with 49 prints.
The Expendables 3 In its second week at SA cinemas, The Expendables 3 earned R992 972, a 38% drop on the previous weeks R1 598 922, bringing total local gross earnings to R3 177 780 in two weeks since its release. With a star-studded cast including heavy-weight action heroes Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Snipes, the film garnered a mere US$15.9 million in its opening weekend in the USA, a deadly decline on opening weekend earnings of the previous two films with The Expendables 1 earning US$35 million in its opening weekend in 2010 and The Expendables 2 raking in US$28 million in its debut weekend in 2012. Critics have chopped it down to an online print leak just three weeks before the film’s release.
42 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
Produced by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, this family drama is described by critics as both ‘feel good’ and ‘predictable’. Be that as it may, the heartwarming flick, directed by Lasse Hallstrom of Chocolat, and based on an international best seller, grossed R738 660 locally in its opening weekend with 47 prints.
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For Sin City: A Dame to Kill For disappointed moviegoers in its opening weekend both nationally and internationally. The sequel to the 2005 film brought in US$6.5 million, putting it in eighth place in the USA, and just R560 846 with 70 prints at the South African box office. The movie, starring Jessica Alba and Josh Brolin, served up a fair amount of sinful sauciness but critics continue to slam the flick and global box office statistics seem to concur.
Compiled by Chanelle Ellaya
Photo credit: ABC News
Anant Singh releases a statement on the passing of Richard Attenborough
Lord Richard Attenborough Anant Singh, the chief executive officer of Videovision Entertainment and producer of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom has released a statement on the passing of actor and film director Lord Richard Attenborough. Attenborough, who died on 24 August at the age of 90 after living in a nursing home with his wife in frail health for the last few years, had a career in the film
www.screenafrica.com
A+E Networks UK commissions SA version of Pawn Stars
industry which spanned 60 years. “Attenborough was a huge supporter of South Africa and the liberation movement. His film, Cry Freedom made in 1987, was the first significant antiapartheid film ever made by a Hollywood studio, and told the story of Steve Biko and life in South Africa during the dark days of apartheid,” said Singh. He concluded, “He was a role model and an inspiration to me and many filmmakers around the world. On a personal level, he motivated me to persevere in my career, as he did, and pursue my projects with passion and tenacity, especially having taken over 20 years to make his epic, multi awardwinning film, Gandhi. We will miss him and our sympathies go to Lady Sarah and the greater Attenborough family.”
A+E Networks UK has commissioned a local version of the successful international format: Pawn Stars, which currently features on the History channel (DStv channel 186), as will Pawn Stars South Africa. The show is produced by Rapid Blue with contribution from the History channel in the UK and Leftfield Pictures, an ITV Studios company which produces the original Pawn Stars US and UK series. Set in the Cash Inn pawn shop in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, Pawn Stars South Africa is a reality series featuring a cast of
Documentary explores the West’s fascination with “saving” Africa
SA SFX artist wins an Emmy for Black Sails
Screen grab from Framed statement on www.africasacountry.com saying: “While acknowledging that people’s intentions are to do good on the continent, the film presents questions surrounding privilege, influence and the misrepresentation which comes from the relationship of aid.”
SES delivers direct-to-home TV to French Speaking West Africa Satellite operator SES has announced that from 1 October 2014 it will be delivering direct-to-home (DTH) broadcast television for West African broadcasters, led by Africable and Media Plus, across French-speaking countries in Sub-
Saharan Africa. Roll-out begins across Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Niger and will offer a bouquet of 80 channels, free-to-air and encrypted, allowing member countries to meet the global
On 16 August the 66th Annual Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards took place at the Nokia Theatre in LA and awarded Black Sails, a US drama series, with Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role. Among the winning Photo credit: www.lesafriques.com
Director and producer Cassandra Herrman’s documentary takes a look at Western society’s desire to “save” Africa and the images in the media which portray Africans as objects of pity, moral atrocity or fascination. The film follows Kenyan photojournalist turned activist Boniface Mwangi who breaks these stereotypes. Herrman along with Kathryn Mathers, who also worked on the film, released a
| WEB NEWS
Ismaila Sidibe
Pawn Stars US captivating real-life characters and an assortment of unusual or historically significant objects. Heather Jones, VP of Programming at A+E Networks UK, says: “Pawn Stars South Africa builds on the brand’s global success, with a charismatic team who share their love of history through the fascinating stories behind the intriguing artefacts in each episode.”
production team was South Africans Doug Hardy, who was the special effects lead, and Jeremy Hattingh who was the visual effects on-set lead. The Creative Arts Emmy ceremony aligns with the annual Primetime Emmy awards and celebrates technical and other similar accomplishments in US television. Other members of the Black Sails team include: Erik Henry, senior visual effects supervisor; Paul Graff, visual effects supervisor; George Murphy, visual effects supervisor; Annemarie Griggs, visual effects producer; Mitch Claspy, visual effects coordinator; Nick Hsieh, compositing lead and Steve Messing, matte artist. Black Sails came up against Da Vinci’s Demons, Hawaii Five-0, Mob City, Vikings and The Walking Dead, which were nominated in the same category.
digital migration deadline of June 2015. Ismaila Sidibe, CEO of Africable, said, “Right to TV is our slogan. With over 20 years of experience as a leading wireless cable (MMDS) operator and content provider across Africa, we understand the importance of supporting digital migration on the continent to achieve 100% audience reach.”
Caption
September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 43
PR ODU CT IO N
UPDATES FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT www.screenafrica.com
Those productions in red are newly listed this month
OUR OB FLEET
Production Updates Order of Information 1. Title 2. Production Company 3. Director 4. Genre
IN DEVELOPMENT
You can reach us at: Tel: +27 (0) 11 431 3053 Fax: +27 (0) 86 689 9233 Cell: +27 (0) 83 426 6634 Email: mojapelepe@gmail.com www.mojapeleproductions.co.za
general post editors, animators compositors, digitisers researchers, storyboard supplying the finest artists & illustrators freelance post-production writers, directors & creative crew to the post production film and television industry supervisors, workflow consultants, broadcast designers’ producers location producers cameramen office: 0860 111 553 technical directors after hrs: 076 225 9173 content directors & bookings@generalpost.co.za production managers
www.generalpost.co.za
44 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
69 BODIES/SHARPEVILLE Tamol Media Prod: Thabang Molibeli Feature 80 MINUTES Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature Are Aganeng/Asakhaneni Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni Talk Show A Bank in Krugersdorp (working title) Panda Broadcast Prod: Sam Groenewald Feature Film A LION IN THE BEDROOM Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature AT THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE Zen Crew Prod: Laura Tarling Documentary BREAD AND WATER Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature Documentary BIG FRIEND LITTLE FRIEND Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie Camping Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature CAPE OF GOOD HOPE Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature CHILDREN OF FAMOUS ACTIVISTS Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature CINDERELLA Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature Cybervisions Writer:Tawanda Murimirwa Completed Sci-Fi Screenplay DIE VERHAAL VAN RACHELTJIE DE BEER Nostalgia Productions Prod: Brett Michael Innes Feature Die Vervoerder Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Feature ENTREPRENEURS Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Magazine ESCAPE Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Beata Lipman Feature
EX PATS Current Affrairs Films / French Connection Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Series FISTS OF FURY P.I.M.P Dir/Prod: Daniel P Nxumalo Feature Future Legends Phoenix Entertainment and Productions Prod: Koketso Sefanyetso TV Magazine Izinyembezi Zami Inhlakanipho Films Dir: Vusi Nhlapo Feature Film HEAVEN – AFRICA 2 Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature HHOLA HHOLA Vuleka Productions Prod: Julie Frederikse Feature High School Modeling Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni Feature HOEHLENMENSCH Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie HOTEL SONGOLOLO The Media Workshop Dir: Benito Carelsen Series HOUSE OF ENCOURAGEMENT Panache Video Productions Dir/Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate IN SILENCE & IN TEARS Alternative Cinema Prod: Ikechukwu Omenaihe Feature ISIHLOBO ESIHLE Dogg Bite Entertainment Dir/Prod: Siphiwe Dominic Mpanza Documentary IZINJA ZAMI P.I.M.P Dir/Prod: Daniel P Nxumalo Feature JIVA Tamol Media Prod: Thabang Molibeli Feature KING SEKHUKHUNE / EVERYONE’S LAND Sukuma Media Prod: Leonard Sekhukhune / Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature Film LEKKERKAMPPLEKKE Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Variety MONDAY MAN Tincup.tv Dir/Prod: Matt Torode Mini Series MANCHE, THE AFRICAN SAINT Get the Picture Prod/Dir: Jacky Lourens / Fiona Summers Documentary M/A/N/D/E/L/A P.I.M.P Dir/Prod: Daniel P Nxumalo Feature NIXEN ALARM Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie
NONGOLOZA/ THE BLOOD KING AND THE RED DRAGON Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Mtutuzeli Matshoba Feature On the spot Karabo Shaun Productions Dir: Gugu Mbatha Film Oscar Pistorius Synergy Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Documentary PALACE OF THE FAITHLESS White Heron Pictures Dir: Themba Sibeko Feature PARADISE Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie PASSARES (BIRDISH) White Heron Pictures / Casa De Criacao Cinema Prod: Themba Sibeko Feature Pippie se Towerkombuis Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Variety Ponte Nostalgia Productions/ Black Irish Productions Prod: Jamie Ramsay/Brett Michael Innes Feature PROTECTION ORDER P.I.M.P Dir/Prod: Daniel P Nxumalo Feature Rachel Weeping Nostalgia Productions Prod: Johan Kruger/ Brett Michael Innes Feature Rockville Season 3 Ferguson Films Prod: Bobby Heaney TV Series SARAH GRAHAM: BITTEN 2 Okuhle Media Dir: Chris Lotz Series Sea Monster Triggerfish Animation Studios Dir: Anthony Silverston Animated Feature SEBOKENG MPA (Motswako) Dir: Charls Khuele / Zuko Nodada Feature Sin Bin Diamond Hill / Engage Entertainment / Coco TV Prod: Sisanda Henna / Stephen Lorenzo Documentary SNAP Jujuma Entertainment International Prod: Cyril Dupout Feature SOWETO SINDERELLA P.I.M.P Dir/Prod: Daniel P Nxumalo Feature The Dandelion ShootAway Production Prod: Patrick Walton Drama THE DREADED EVIL EYE FROM PAST TO PRESENT AND ACROSS CULTURES Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Documentary The Exchange Engage Entertainment PROD: Stephen Lorenzo Feature
PRODUCTION THE GIFT Ferguson Films Prod: Shona and Connie Ferguson, Bobby Heaney TV Feature Film THE GREAT KAROO Current Affairs Films/ White Pine Pictures Prod: Jane Lipman Series THE HITCHERS: A GHOST STORY Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Short Film The Mountain of the Night Nostalgia Productions Prod: Herman Mabizela/Brett Michael Innes Feature The Norwegian Brothers (working title) Panda Broadcast Prod: Sam Groenewald Feature Film The Reggies Rush Nostalgia Productions Prod: Brett Michael Innes Feature The Sales Lab Time Frame TV Prod: Vanessa Yelseth, Jasmyn Asvat Series TIENERWERELD Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Variety UMASHONISA P.I.M.P Dir/Prod: Daniel P Nxumalo Feature WAY TWO ROLL Way To Roll Pictures Dir: Freddie Strauss Feature Welcome To Art Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni TV Series Westgate Shopping Mall attack (working title) Media Village Productions Prod: Diane Vermooten Documentary Zakouma Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke/ Bertha Spieker Feature ZEN FILM CREW MANAGEMENT ZEN Film Crew Management Prod / Dir: Laura Tarling Commercial
IN PRE-PRODUCTION ABLAND PROPERTY DEVELOPERS FC Hamman Films Dir: FC Hamman Marketing Video Alex on 7th Xcut Studios Dir: Engelbert Phiri Documentary ATTACHMENT PARENTING Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Insert BIG BROTHER ANGOLA Endemol South Africa Prod: Terja Beney, Llonka Geudes Reality CASE Tamol Media Thabang Molibeli Short Film De Brazzaville a Johannesburg Site et sons media productions Dir: Elvis Nkosi Feature Film Die Laaste Ure: Inconnu French Film Festival Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Producer: Jarrod de Jong Short film
DISHONEST Inhlakanipho Films Dir: Vusi Nhlapo Feature Film Domestic Bliss 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Advertising Funder Project EL ELJON PROJECTS FC Hamman Films Director: FC Hamman Marketing Video ESPAFRIKA PRESENTS THE CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 2014 ESPafrika Prod/Dir: Rashid Lombard / Yana Lombard / John Bright Documentary GENERATION FREE Okuhle Media Dir: Jemima Spring Series GENiAS Khinc Studios Dir: Khalid EL – Jelailati Feature Film GRIZMEK Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV Movie HIDDEN HOLOCAUST IN THE DUNES: GENOCIDE IN NAMIBIA Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Series LOVE MORE: POLYAMORY IN SOUTH AFRICA Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Series MARRY ME IN MZANZI Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Series PHOENIX RISING... THE BUSINESS OF STYLE SEASON 2 Phoenix Entertainment and Production Prod/Dir: Koketso Sefanyetso Reality SEATBELT MEDIC FC Hamman Films Dir: FC Hamman Commercial SLENDER WONDER INFORMATION VIDEO Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Information Video SOCIAL WORKER Tamol Media Thabang Molibeli Short film STICKS+STONES (working title) Fireworx Media/ Tunc Prodcutions Prod: Bridget Pickering Telenovela THE MESSENGER Footprint Media TV Prod: Annalise Van Rensburg Series Unashamedly Ethical Media Village Productions Prod: Diane Vermooten Awards and Gala Evening WHILE YOU WEREN’T LOOKING Out in Africa Dir: Catherine Stewart Feature WHIPLASH Get the Picture Prod/Dir: Jacky Lourens / Meg Rickards Feature WORKERSLIFE NETWORK MARKETING FC Hamman Films Director: FC Hamman Marketing Video
U PDAT ES
IN PRODUCTION A CALENDAR OF EVENTS – MEDUPI & KUSILE Betta Beta Communications Prod: Tommy Doig Documentary A MAN OF HIS OWN PRINCIPALS Sekgopha Productions Prod: Buhle Mofulatsi / Thapelo Hlagala TV movie 3 TALK Urban Brew Talk Show 20 and Free X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Documentary 50/50 Clive Morris Productions Current Affairs 53 EXTRA M-Net Inhouse Productions Dir: Navan Chetty Magazine AFRICA 360 eNews News Head: Patrick Conroy Current affairs AFRO CAFÉ SEASON 7 Bonngoe Productions Prod: Pepsi Pokane Music ArtsCulturex Talent 1000 Championships Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni Series Auditor General Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Brad Montgomery/Natalie Varoy Corporate BIG BROTHER MZANSI Endemol South Africa Prod: Terja Beney, Liza Kleitman Reality BINNELAND Stark Films Prod/Dir: Friedrich / Elsje Stark Series BODA BODA THIEVES Switch Films Prod: James Tayler Feature BRAVO! Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Magazine BONISANANI Grounded Media Talk Show Bugatti Together Lucky Fish Productions Dir: Raphaël Crombez Commercial CARTE BLANCHE (INSERTS) Modern Times Prod: Sophia Phirippides News Carte Blanche shorts TIA productions Prod / Dir: Tarryn Lee Crossman News CLASH OF THE CHOIRS Endemol South Africa Prod: Josh Feldman Talent / Reality COOL CATS Red Pepper Pictures 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
Cnr. Frost avenue & owl street | Milpark | Jo’burg t +27 [11] 482 7111
Debra Deel Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott, Wynand Dreyer Series DINNER DIVAS 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Series Ditokelo tsa Medupi LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature DIY MET RIAAN Prod: Riaan Venter-Garforth Magazine EARTH BEAT Tekweni TV Productions Prod: Sandra Herrington Series
www.atlasstudios.co.za
EASTERN MOSAIC Red Carpet Productions Prod: Saira Essa / Mark Corlett Magazine END GAME Fireworx Media/ Tunc Productions Prod: Bridget Pickering Dir: Akin Omotoso/ Thandie Brewer/ Thabang Moleya Feature EXPRESSO (Season 2) Cardova Prod: Paul van Deventer Series FACE OF GEMINI Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Series Facility Management Lectures (A4FM) Panache Video Productions Dir/ Prod: Liesel Eiselen Educational September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 45
PR ODU CT IO N
UPDATES
Unit 3, Harbour Place, 1061 Schooner Road, Laser Park, Honeydew
howard music SACA ADVERT_bold.pdf
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
SERVICES INCLUDE • FINAL MIX • SOUND DESIGN • COMPOSING & ARRANGING • MUSICAL DIRECTION FOR CORPORATE EVENTS
ADDRESS Ministry Of Illusion, Block A, 4 on Anslow Office Park, Cnr Anslow & Berkley Avenues, Bryanston, JHB 2021.
CONTACT www.howardmusic.co.za +27 (0)72 994 9695 +27 (0)11 463 8538 adam@howardmusic.co.za 46 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
1
9/13/11
11:18 AM
Faith Today Impact Christian Media Prod: Carl Schultz TV Series FOX NEWS CHANNEL Betta Beta Communications Prod/Dir: Tommy Doig News Free State Toursim Indaba Our Time Productions Dir: Jaun de Meillon Corporate FRENZY Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Morena Sefatsa Variety GENERATIONS Morula Pictures Prod: Mfundi Vundla Series GOOD MORNING AFRICA Planet Image Productions SA Prod/Dir: Wale Akinlabi Magazine GOSPEL GOLD Engage Entertainment Prod: Sthembile Mhlongu Music Got It Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Guy Sclanders Corporate GROEN Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Wildlife Had Better Days Uniquely Novel Productions Prod/Dir: Deon VD Merwe Feature Film HECTIC 99 Okuhle Media Prod: Wilna van Schalkwyk Magazine HITACHI POWER AFRICA MEDUPI AND KUSILE Betta Beta Communications Prod/Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary HOUSE CALL Izwe Multimedia / Urban Brew Prod: Annalie Potgieter Talk Show IGNITE Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Reality IHAWU LE SISWE Provoke Entertainment Dir: Sechaba Morojele TV Series iParent training clips Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Guy Sclanders Corporate IMIZWILILI Ukhamba Productions Prod: Alfred Mpofu Music INKABA Urban Brew Studios Prod: John Kani Telenovela In search of our own Open Window school of film arts Prod: Adriaan De la Rey Documentary ISIDINGO Endemol South Africa Prod: Pumla Hoppa, Leo Phiri Soap JOU SHOW Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Talkshow comedy KOKKEDOOR 2 Homebrew films Prod: Jaco Loubser and Paul Venter Cooking reality series KOLLIG Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Magazine KONA The Directors Team (Pty) Ltd Prod/Dir: Laurence Lurie / Cathy Sykes Series
KOOLCON CORPORATE VIDEO FiX Post Production/ Marketing AV Marketing Video KWELA Pieter Cilliers Productions Prod/Dir: Pieter Cilliers Magazine LATE NITE NEWS ON E.TV Diprente Productions Prod: Tamsin Andersson Series Light Girls South African Unit White Heron Pictures Prod: Themba Sibeko Documentary LIVE Urban Brew Music LIVE LOTTO SHOW Urban Brew Game Show Mandela’s Gun DV8 films Dir: John Irvin Feature Marang Estate: Mixed Used Development Nov/ Dec Our Time Productions Dir: Jaun de Meillon Documentary MASHELENG1 LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature MASHELENG 2 LMOL Production Dir: Jonny Muteba Feature MASSMART CSI REPORT SummerTime Productions Prod/Dir: Roxanne Rolando / Sean Gardiner Corporate Video MassTalk Global Access Creative Agency Prod: Brad Montgomery Corporate MATRICS UPLOADED Educational Improvement and Study Help (EISH) Prod: Lisa Blakeway Educational MILLIONAIRES Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature MOTSWAKO Carol Bouwer Productions Prod: Grant Paul Roy Talk Show MCA Training Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Guy Sclanders Corporate MUVHANGO Word of Mouth Prod: Pieter Grobbelaar Feature MY GENERATION Current Affairs Films Dir: Jane Lipman TV Series My name is Funeka Sabido Productions Dir/Prod: Catherine Rice Documentary MZANSI INSIDER Bonngoe Productions Prod: Pepsi Pokane Magazine NET1 – SASSA Betta Beta Communications Prod: Tommy Doig Corporate NEWS NIGHT eNews Prod: Nikiwe Bikitsha Current Affairs Oscar Pistorius Documentary Inserts TIA Productions Dir/ Prod: Tarryn Crossman Documentary PASELLA Tswelopele Productions Dir: Liani Maasdorp / Werner Hefer Magazine
PAWN STARS SOUTH AFRICA Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine, Ed Worster, Johan Naude and Kat Weatherall Reality M-NET SHORT FILMS Current Affairs Films Prod/ Dir: Jane Thandi Lipman Film POWER COMBAT ZONE Mixed Motion Entertainment Dir: Dieter Gottert Sport PROJECT MV Zen Crew Prod: Laura Tarling Music Rands with Sense 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Education RHYTHM CITY Quizzical Pictures Prod: Yula Quinn Soapie RHYTHM CITY INTERACTIVE Quizzical Pictures / e.tv Prod: Viva Liles-Wilkin Interactive Platform Media RIVONINGO Asi-B Films Prod: Asivhanzi ‘Asi’ Mathaba Children’s Show ROCKING FUTURE SummerTime Productions Prod: Sean Gardiner / Tanya Vandenberg Educational Video ROLLING WITH KELLY KHUMALO Red Pepper Prod: Cecil Barry Reality ROOTS Ukhamba Communications Prod: Alfred Mpofu Music SAINT AND FREEDOM FIGHTER Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Documentary SA Top Model for a Day Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni TV Series SAKEGESPREK MET THEO VORSTER SEASON 5 Dirk Mostert Camera Production Prod/ Dir: Dirk Mostert Series Shreds and Dreams Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Series SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine Global TV Commercial SA’S GOT TALENT Rapid Blue Prod/Dir: Kee-Leen Irvine Talent show SCANDAL Ochre Moving Pictures Prod: Romano Gorlei Soapie SCHOEMAN BOERDERY – MOOSRIVIER Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott / Wynand Dreyer Documentary SELIMATHUNZI Sikhoyana Productions Prod: Baby Joe Correira Variety SHIZ NIZ Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Allen Makhubele Variety SHIFT Urban Brew Talk show SISTERHOOD Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Andy Leze Variety
PRODUCTION SIYAKHOLWA – WE BELIEVE X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Edutainment Slender Wonder Doctors Conference Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Slender Wonder Corporate Video Slender Wonder Patient Testimonial Videos Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Corporate Videos SOCCER ZONE SABC Sports Head: Sizwe Nzimande Magazine SODA AND Mayoral Awards Global Access Creative Agency Guy Sclanders Corporate STUDY MATE Educational Improvement and Study Help (EISH) Exec Prod: Lisa Blakeway Educational THE CHAT ROOM Eclipse Prod: Thokozani Nkosi Talk Show THE COMMUNIST REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA Jam TV, Creative South Africa, Nkhanyeti Production Prod: Barthelemy Ngwessam Documentary THE JUSTICE FACTOR eNews Prod: Debbie Meyer Current Affairs THE REAL GOBOZA 7 Urban Brew Entertainment The Revolution Betrayed Shadow Films Prod/Dir: David Forbes Documentary THE RUDIMENTALS Periphery Films Prod: Simon Taylor Feature THE TECH REPORT Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Technology Magazine TOP BILLING Tswelopele Productions Prod: Patience Stevens Magazine TOP TRAVEL (Season 3) Cardova Prod: Bradley van den Berg Series Transnet Financial Results Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Brad Montgomery Corporate Troopship Tragedy (working title) Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Marion Edmunds Documentary TSHIPE BORWA MANGANESE MINE Betta Beta Communications Prod / Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary Vaseline Experience Xcut Studios Dir: Lee Anne Theron 4D AV production VILLA ROSA Spectro Productions Dir: Luhann Jansen / Andries van der Merwe/ Leroux Botha/ Isabel Smit Series Volkspele South Africa Grey Cloud Productions Dir:Jacques Brand Prod: Bertie Brink Documentary WARD 22 TIA Productions Prod/Dir: Tarryn Crossman Documentary WEEKEND AM LIVE SABC News Current Affairs
YILENGELO LAKHO Prod: Nndanganeni Mudau Current Affairs ZOOM IN Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Talk show
IN POST-PRODUCTION A BUSHMAN ODYSSEY Onetime Films Prod: Richard Wicksteed Documentary A DIFFERENT COUNTRY Sabido Productions Dir: Lisa Henry Documentary series A Love Letter to Luxor Shadow Films Prod/Dir: David Forbes Short Film AFROX CO2 PLANT FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AFROX FINANCIAL RESULTS FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AFROX RAU INSIGHT FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AFROX SHEQ INDUCTION FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Commercial Challenge SOS 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Reality Collide Media Village Productions Prod: Ardeen Munnik TV Series DEBRA DEEL Khaki Productions Prod: Christelle Parrott TV Series FORMIDABELE VROUE: CISSY GOOL Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott/ Wynand Dreyer Documentary HOPE NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary IQILI Impucuzeko Prod: Sharon Kakora Feature THE FLAWED GENIUS OF JAN SMUTS Tekweni TV production Prod/Dir: Sandra Herrington / Neville Herrington Documentary Joyous 18 RM Recording Prod: Lindelani Mkhize Other JULIUS HAS A DREAM Creative South Africa, Nkanyethi Productions,Jam TV Prod: Bathelemy Ngwessam Documentary KADARA Media Navigation Prod: Dan Akinlolu/ Biola Karonwi TV Drama Kerels wat Kook Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant Reality TV Series KNYSNA West Five Films Prod/ Dir: Maynard Kraak; Andre Velts Feature Film
NEW LAND Plexus Films/ Four Corners Media Dir: Kyle O’ Donoghue TV Series NORTHMEN Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature Nyaope Gangsters LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature PERFECT SHISHEBO Quizzical Pictures Prod: Nthabiseng Mokoena Series PLAY MORE GOLF FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Commercials Pushi- Passion LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Series SAFE BET Sukuma Media Producer: Nokuthula Sakhile Mguni / Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature Film SLENDER WONDER FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video SLENDER WONDER MJ LABS FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video Solo Flight Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke/ Bertha Spieker Feature Spud 3: Learning to Fly Rogue Star Films Dir: John Barker Feature SWARTWATER Quizzical Pictures Prod: Bianca Isaac Dir: John Trengove/ Jozua Malherbe/ Denny Y Miller Series SURVIVOR Endemol South Africa Prod: Anton Burggraaf, Josh Feldman Reality The calling LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature THE CODE BREAKER NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary THE LAST GREAT TUSKERS NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary The Lighthouse Run SummerTime Productions Dir: Tanya Vandenberg Documentary The Message Reel Edge Studios Dir: David Golden TV Drama Series THE SHORE BREAK Marie -Verite Films and Frank Films Prod: Ryley Grunenwald, Odette Geldenhuys Documentary THE STORY OF LITTLE FOOT Paul Myburgh Film Prod: Paul Myburgh Documentary THE TRANSPORTERS Sukuma Media/ Reality Motion Pictures Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Documentary Traffic Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Series TRAILER-MADE JaC Productions & Innovation Films Dir: Jacobus Kriel Feature
U PDAT ES
UPCOMING EVENTS
|
SEPTEMBER 26 – 6 Oct TriContinental Human Rights Film Festival
Johannesburg and Cape Town South Africa www.3continentsfestival.co.za 15 – 21 Loeries Creative Week
Cape Town www.loeries.com
22 – 26 SOCIAL MEDIA WEEK
Johannesburg www. socialmediaweek.org/johannesburg
23 – 26 Abuja International Film Festival
Abuja, Nigeria www.abujafilmfestival.org
24 – 5 Oct The Raindance Film Festival
London www.raindancefestival.org
26 – 3 Oct The Lusaka International Film and Music Festival
Zambia www.lifmf.com
OCTOBER 8 – 12 Shnit International Short Film Festival
Cape Town www. za.shnit.org
13 – 16 MIPCOM
Cannes, France www.mipcom.com
23 – 28 Udada Film Festival
Nairobi, Kenya www.facebook.com/udadafilmfestival/ 24 Pendoring Advertising Awards
Midrand www. afr.pendoring.co.za
30 – 2 Nov Photo and Film Expo
Johannesburg www.photofilmexpo.com/
NOVEMBER 5 – 7 DISCOP Africa 2014
Johannesburg www. discopafrica.com
9 – 16 Africa International Film Festival
Nigeria www.africafilmfest.org
9 – 18 Cairo International Film Festival
Egypt www.cairofilmfest.org
11 – 13 AfricaCom
Cape Town www. africacast-event.com
14 – 15 AFPRO Connect
Johannesburg www. afproconnect.com
21 Africa PromaxBDA Conference
Johannesburg www.promaxafrica.tv
UNDER THE MOUNTAIN Plexus Films Prod: Miki Redelinghuys,/ Lauren Groenewald Short film Unfriend Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature VKB LANDBOU BEPERK FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video When I Was Water Shadow Films Dir: David Forbes Documentary XJ-1 Eternal Film Productions Prod: Marius Swanepoel/ Dana Pretorius Feature
You Deserve It Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Game Show
Screen Africa relies on the 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
September 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 47
Social
|
NFVF Women’s Day
Lala Tuku and Zanele Mthembu
21 Icons Event
The team from Quizzical Pictures with Thandeka Zwana
Pearl Thusi, David Kau, Neiloe Whitehead, Zanele Mthembu, Thandeka Zwana and Lodi Matsetela
Naomi Mokhele, Milly Moabi, Zandile Tisani and Nomusa Nkabinde
Adrian Steirn and Swati Dlamini
Harriet Pratten and Swati Dlamini
The team from Born Free Media with Zama Mkosi and Mmabatho Ramagosh Mayur Bhana and Lynette Skriker from Mercedes-Benz
The Foundry Cape Town event
Boyo Frederix speaking at the Foundry Cape Town event 48 | SCREENAFRICA | September 2014
Martin Mayer, Boyo Frederix and Ezequiel Sarser
Neo Nthite, Yongama Magida and Doulha Domingo from SABC
www.kwazulunatalfilm.co.za.
35
- Newly Developed 35mm Sensor - 1 fps – 120 fps in 4K - 4K, UHD, HD, Proxy Simultaneous Recording with AVC-Ultra - AVC-Ultra4K, Apple Pro Res 4:4:4 and Codex RAW recording - Modular Design - In Camera Colour Grading
www.pansolutions.co.za Contact: Sean Loeve Cell: 083 677 4917 Tel: 011 313 1622