The Callsheet Issue 8 by Film & Event Media

ISSUE 08 | 2017

IES LO E RBAN DUR

+ LOERIES 2017

The Biggest Gathering of the Industry in Africa and the Middle East

+ AFRICA’S CREATIVE COLLECTIVE Inspiration and Insights from Africa’s Stars

BE SEEN IN THE

PREMIER

AFRICAN FILM MARKETING TOOL

2018 Distributed at the biggest ﬁlm festivals and ﬁlm markets in the world.

The Filmmaker’s Guide to Africa 2018.

CONTACT COLEEN TAPSON e. coleen@ﬁlmeventmedia.co.za t. 021 674 0646

Ruth Williams and Seretse Khama are played by Rosamund Pike and David Oyelowo in A United Kingdom © Videovision Entertainment. Image courtesy of UIP South Africa (www.videovision.co.za)

CONTENTS / 01

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02. Charlotte Buys Joins

10 12 18 28

FAST TRACK NETWORKING AT DFM 2017

The Callsheet and FPB’s networking event was headlined by Vlokkie Gordon.

the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

03. Fine Tune Studios

Wins a Cannes Lion

04. Media Film Service:

Expert Rental Focus

06. Insight on the

Loeries from CEO Andrew Human

07. Hugh Bonneville Talks Partition

08. Lambert Wilson

Unpacks The Odyssey

RENTING FILM EQUIPMENT

Three of SA’s leading rental companies share business updates.

09. In Production: He

Who Is Without Sin

10. DFM Fast Track

Networking a Success

12. Equipment Rental in the Spotlight

18. Africa’s Creative Collective

23. The Motion Picture’s Digital Revolution

AFRICA’S CREATIVE COLLECTIVE

Insights and predictions from leading creatives.

24. Vlokkie Gordon

on Why She Loves SA Film (Part 2)

26. The New Universal

Rules for Commercial Production Engagement

28. Telling Real Stories Through Virtual Reality

30. The Middle East:

Fast-Growing Content Creation and Broadcasting Hub

VR IN SA

Telling real stories using virtual reality.

32. Events to Diarise 34. Associations News 36. Directory of Advertisers

02 / NEWS

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CHARLOTTE BUYS JOINS THE

ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURES ARTS & SCIENCE Refinery is incredibly proud of Charlotte Buys’ invitation to join the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences for her work in sound. This is a first in terms of a South African being acknowledged for their work in the field of post-production.

ound is a challenging component of postproduction, and Charlotte’s work has consistently been of a very high standard, placing her amongst the best in the world. To achieve this acknowledgement, each of the Academy’s 17 branches draws up its own list of new members. The candidates must be sponsored by two members of the selected

ﬁeld, in this case sound. The basic requirement of the candidate is to have “demonstrated exceptional achievement in the ﬁeld of theatrical motion pictures”. Charlotte Buys would be one of the few South Africans to receive this honour, the only one in post-production, and one of even fewer women globally. Besides this invitation, Charlotte was nominated

for a SAFTA award in 2017 for Shepherds & Butchers, and Best Sound at the Rapid Lion Awards for Noem my Skollie. Recent notable productions she has worked on include the Madiba TV series for Blue Ice Pictures and The Journey is the Destination for Prospero Pictures. Charlotte operates the feature sound studio Area 5.1, based at Reﬁnery.

CHARLOTTE’S WORK HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN OF A VERY HIGH STANDARD, PLACING HER AMONGST THE BEST IN THE WORLD.

NNEDI OKORAFOR NOVEL OPTIONED BY HBO HBO is developing Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death as a series with Game Of Thrones author George RR Martin as Executive Producer.

I Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

n early July, NigerianAmerican Author Nnedi Okorafor announced that her novel Who Fears Death is now in early development stages for a television series with Home Box Oﬃce (HBO). George RR Martin is att ached as Executive Producer. The novel was ﬁrst optioned in 2010 by Kisha Cameron-Dingle,

with Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu was att ached to direct a feature-length film at the time. On 10 July, Okorafor took to Facebook to explain. “I’m finally free to announce this: My World Fantasy Award-winning novel Who Fears Death has been optioned by HBO and is now in early development as a TV series with George R. R. Martin as

Executive Producer. Note: This did not happen overnight. It’s been nearly four years coming,” she said, adding later, “I am very involved. I also know George well (we met in 2014 and stayed in touch); he’s been a sort of mentor to me through all this. And all those involved know what this story is; Onyesonwu is in good, good hands.”

6MM

WINS A CANNES AWARD

The annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Awards ceremony was held in June this year. This prestigious event is said to be attended by advertising and creative communications agencies worldwide. The Radio Lions category of awards puts the spotlight on radio advertising; focusing on creating brand awareness and showcasing technical and creative excellence in audio productions. Fine Tune Studios in collaboration with Grey Africa scooped the coveted Gold award for their Duracell campaign. The campaign focused on Duracell Quantum batteries and their 10 year shelf life. The creative minds at Grey Africa used an ironic wit and sad piano tune to take a nostalgic journey to 2007, using examples of trends, politics, celebrities and technology to emphasise

how much things change in ten years; the one constant being the Duracell Quantum battery. Fine Tune Studios’ excellent use of the latest technology in studio helped create the right atmosphere to put this award-winning radio advert together. Music selection, the recording and direction of the voice-over, mixing and the mastering of the final radio spot were all part and parcel of Fine Tune Studios’ offering to the campaign. Their professional engineering skill set and drive for being the best at what they do helped create a polished audio worthy of the respect it was awarded at the Cannes Lions Festival. Fine Tune Studios prides itself on delivering top notch creative audio in a relaxed and efficient clentcentric atmosphere. Here’s to many more award-winning collaborations like this one!

MEET THE TEAM: Left to Right: Robert Mitchley (Sound Engineer), Geoff Kock (Sound Engineer), Val Naidoo (Owner/ Managing Director) and Steve Gounaris (Sound Engineer)

MEET THE MAN BEHIND THE VICTORY: Steve Gounaris - Sound Engineer at Finetune Studios

OUR SERVICES • Audio Final Mix • Sound Design • ADR (Automatic Dialogue Replacement) • Voice casting • Voice record & edit • Source Connect Link Ups • Radio commercial production & mix • TV commercial sound design & mix stereo • Theatrical spot design & mix 5.1 surround

• Track laying & Audio Cleaning • Feature sound packages • Jingle/Music Production • Audio for multimedia & presentations • Audio stripes to all formats • Language service & script writing in all 11 languages • Translations • Management of voice talent • Material delivery worldwide

CONTACT FINETUNE STUDIOS NOW FOR YOUR NEXT TV OR RADIO PRODUCTION! LET US EXCEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS!

www.finetunestudios.com | 011 799 7979 Fine Tune Studios is a Level 1 BEE contributor

04 / MEDIA FILM SERVICE

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EXPERT RENTAL FOCUS:

MEDIA FILM SERVICE

We speak to some of the key players on the ground in Media Film Service’s Cape Town rentals department to find out some of the lessons they’ve learned on the job, and what they love about local film and TV.

Elias Tsoko

Rochelle Joy Malgarte

Carrissa Magerman

– no matter their budget. Her favourite local ﬁlm is Tess and she simply cannot live without sour worms. Her advice to youngsters starting in the rentals game is to be respectful of those before you. “In the beginning, you’re basically Jon Snow: you know nothing, so Guinivea Swanepoel fmg ad_generic_complete_03.pdf 1 2017/03/31 02:54:08 PM be willing to learn a lot more than what you think you already know.”

ZULPHA SOEKER RENTALS LIAISON: CAMERA AND GRIPS Shaun Reid

Zulpha Soeker

edia Film Service is one of the leading suppliers of equipment to the ﬁlm, television and commercial sectors in South Africa. Their team of technicians and experts work behind the scenes to secure the latest equipment for productions, and ensure the technical process is as smooth as possible. We chat with their Cape Town rentals team to ﬁnd out what they enjoy about their line of work, what motivates them, and how to maintain the culture of excellence Media Film Service is known for.

ELIAS TSOKO RENTALS MANAGER

As the Rentals Manager at Media Film Service, Elias enjoys the company’s uniqueness, and working with diﬀerent personalities every day. His best experience on a production to date was meeting real Khoisan people while working as a loader. Elias says the biggest lesson he’s

Jason Watts

Cader Khan

learned on the job is to never over promise to a production about the availability of gear. “If a piece of gear is unavailable, let your client know. Making promises you can’t keep regarding gear is a complete no-no.”

Zulpha is all about family, and according to this rentals liaison, she loves coming to work because of its homey environment. “The saying, ‘if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life’ is so true,” she says. “It’s all about having a love for the gear, building relationships with your clients as well as your colleagues, and it’s really important to have an open and constant communication with the guys on the ﬂoor in order to deliver the best service.”

lights, cameras, grips SHAUN REID RENTALS LIAISON: CAMERA AND GRIPS “Learning to provide the best CARRISSA MAGERMAN service you can, whether it’s a RENTALS LIAISON: LIGHTING C

student or one of our top clients” is what keeps Shaun passionate. He says it’s of utmost importance to believe in the product and brand of service you’re providing, and his biggest lesson to date is “to know your gear, and verify your information before sharing it with anyone, especially your client.”

According to Carissa, the longrunning jobs always tend to be the craziest – and the most fun. “There are so many logistics, locations and a lot of gear that is always needed. Trying to keep on top of it can be diﬃcult but by staying after everyone has left the oﬃce, I can strategise my work.”

ROCHELLE JOY MALGARTE RENTALS LIAISON: LIGHTING

JASON WATTS RENTALS LIAISON: LIGHTING

CMY

Rochelle Joy is a passionate Jason enjoys being able to work lighting liaison who believes in with both crew and production www.mediafilmservice.com treating every client the same at Media Film Service. “It’s great

to build relationships on both sides of the coin, working to provide solutions for the DOPs and gaﬀers and also giving the production companies the best service imaginable,” he says. He advises staying on top of technology trends, the equipment market and new products.

GUINIVEA SWANEPOEL FEATURE AND LONG FORM PROJECT LIAISON

Guinivea is extremely passionate and positive about her job. “Imagine how miserable you’d be doing something you don’t enjoy every single day. Maintaining a culture of excellence is all about having fun…if you are having fun, your best comes naturally.” She says the hardest and busiest production she’s worked on to date is Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. And how did she rise to this incredible challenge? “Why I used an ST50 of course!”

and studios

CADER KHAN FEATURE AND LONG FORM PROJECT LIAISON

As someone who enjoys Media Film Service’s “free trapeze lessons”, Cader is all about having fun – but loves the job, too. “Passion is everything. I thrive on the passion in this industry.” His favourite blockbuster is The Matrix and he simply cannot live without second pencils. “They’re the lifeblood of the rentals game.”

06 / LOERIES AFRICA MIDDLE EAST

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LOERIES 2017

Key highlights and unmissable events at this year’s celebration of creativity.

•

Andrew Human © Gallo Images

DSTV SEMINAR OF CREATIVITY

Now in its ﬁ ft h year, the seminar is a highlight of Loeries Creati ve Week for everyone across the industry. “This is the only opportunity of its kind for our local creati ve community to be directly exposed to such international thought leaders. We’re thrilled to continue to host some of the world’s leading creati ve minds at our seminar,” says Andrew Human, CEO of Loeries Africa Middle East. “There is no other seminar in our region that hosts seven world-class speakers of this calibre all on one day.”

•

THIS YEAR’S SPEAKER LINE-UP INCLUDES:

• Götz Ulmer, Chief Creati ve Oﬃcer, Jung Von Matt , Hamburg, Germany. His clients include Vodafone, MINI, eBay, Audi and Mercedes and international judging includes Cannes, OneShow, DA&D, and Clio. • Keith Cartwright, Executi ve Creati ve Director, BSSP,

•

California, USA. Keith was responsible for the genderbusting #keepbuilding Lego campaign, the most viewed commercial in Lego’s history, and the “Become Legendary” campaign which helped Jordan reach US$ 1-billion in sales for the first time in its history. Luc-Olivier ‘Luco’ Marquet, CEO, Unilever South Africa joined Unilever from the L’Oreal group with 23 years of FMCG experience, having worked in brand building and brand development, customer development and travel retail. He has worked in Europe, the Americas and, most recently in West Africa’s developing and emerging markets for Unilever. Markus Maczey, Chief Creati ve Officer, Plan.Net Group, Munich, Germany, was one of the first creati ve brand communicators in the digital sphere and now takes his place as a leading digital thinker on an international level. Pum Lefebure, Co-Founder and Chief Creati ve Officer, Design Army, Washington DC; Board Director, The One Club, New York, USA. Named in Adweek’s Creati ve100 in 2016, Graphic Design USA’s Top 50 People to Watch, and as a Rising Star by the Washington Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business. Tea Uglow, Creati ve Director of Google’s Creati ve Lab based in Sydney, has been with Google since 2006, pioneering its Creati ve Labs in Europe and Asia Pacific. Her work centres

on enabling artists, writers and performers to experiment with new ways of using digital technology to augment traditional methods. She speaks on innovation and digital futures around the world; her 2015 TEDx talk has 1.5M+ views. • Weera Saad, Head of Creati ve Shop, Facebook: MEA, inspires and drives innovati ve ideas to help unlock the creati ve power of Facebook on her quest to scale up the platform and deliver powerful stories from the region. Her award-winning 20-year advertising background culminated in Executi ve Director Strategic Planning at DDB and BBDO across the MEA region.

COME OUT AND PLAY DURING LOERIES CREATIVE WEEK LOERIES FRINGE FESTIVAL FROM 14-21 AUGUST

Businesses, organisations and individuals from the Durban area and KwaZulu-Natal are invited to host events that showcase their creati vity as part of the Loeries Fringe Festi val. Whether your talent lies in music, dance, food and drink, craft s, fashion, comedy, street theatre, or art, inspire everyone by sharing it at the festi val. Everyone is invited to enjoy the Fringe Festi val during Loeries Creati ve Week. A new portal developed by Between 10and5 makes it really easy to plan your entertainment during the week. The portal

is a central hub that connects and updates events across the Fringe Festi val. It includes a gig guide, reviews on live events, and a local supplier directory.

I HEART LOERIES MARKET ON SUNDAY 20 AUGUST

This special edition of the I Heart Market, which moves to the beachfront for the occasion, is part of the Loeries oﬃcial events, and takes place on Sunday 20 August from 9am to 2.30pm at Bay Lawns on the Beach Promenade. Only local craft speople from KwaZulu-Natal are on display at this unique market, and visitors can expect products that are unique and innovati ve, something out of the ordinary.

ANDREW HUMAN, CEO OF THE LOERIES ON LOERIES CREATIVE WEEK... “Loeries Creative Week is a real celebration of innovation and creativity. We want everyone involved in, or with a passion for, the creative arts to get involved which is why events like the Dstv Seminar of Creativity, our MasterClasses, the Fringe Festival and I Heart Loeries Market are open to everyone. I encourage anyone wanting to revel in the creativity that Loeries Africa Middle East brings to Durban to get involved.”

SPOTLIGHT / 07

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HUGH BONNEVILLE TALKS THE 1947 PARTITION

British Actor Hugh Bonneville shares his experience working with prolific Director Gurinder Chadha on her historical drama Viceroy’s House.

man known for his role on Downton Abbey, Notting Hill, and The Monuments Men, Hugh Bonneville’s latest role is a unique take on the history, relationships, and political movements around the 1947 Partition, where the controversial division of British India formed two independent states: India and Pakistan. Viceroy’s House was filmed in India with a fully local crew and was the first time since he was 18 that Hugh returned to its richness of texture, colour and noise. “The Indian crew was truly remarkable with their passion for making movies. It’s a wonderful chaotic atmosphere in some respects, but I really enjoyed the pleasure of working with such a diverse crew,” he told the Callsheet. Bonneville plays the part of Lord Mountbatten, whose turbulent rule as the last Viceroy of India left an estimated 14 million people fleeing the ‘wrong’ areas of the Partition. The film tells the tale of the transition, with Gillian Anderson starring

Hugh Bonneville and Gillian Anderson star in Viceroy’s House

ULTIMATELY, IT’S A FILM ABOUT ROMANCE AT THE HEART OF IT, SO WHILE IT’S GOT A POLITICAL CRUNCH, IT’S ACTUALLY A VERY ENGAGING STORY ABOUT THE BREAKDOWN OF RELATIONSHIPS AND THE BUILDING AND THE REKINDLING OF THEM. alongside Hugh. “If there’s one thing I’ve really learnt, it’s that there’s no such thing an objective history. Everyone has their own

perspective on the events that happened. Be it someone walking down the street, be it the division of a kingdom. No side is covered

in glory. What’s remarkable is that there is still so much strength and hope grown out of it…Pakistan and India have forged their new identity, and it’s fascinating as it goes back 70 years to the seeds that were sown and not sown with great forethought. I certainly have a lot more sympathy for those in authority now in trying to deal with delicate, diplomatic situations.” And why should South Africans see Viceroy’s House? “For a country that itself has had tensions and new growth, this film does actually end with a sense of hope, and I think where there strife and contention between cultures, there is a synthesis; there is a way forward. If a film like this could perhaps show you how not to do it, or the risk of doing it this way – I think that’s a good lesson to have taken away. Ultimately, it’s a film about romance at the heart of it, so while it’s got a political crunch, it’s actually a very engaging story about the breakdown of relationships and the building and the rekindling of them.”

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08 / SPOTLIGHT

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A large portion of The Odyssey was filmed in South Africa.

Lambert Wilson stars as Jacques Cousteau.

LAMBERT WILSON EMBARKS ON THE ODYSSEY

With a large chunk of the biopic of Jacques Cousteau filmed along South Africa’s pristine shoreline, Kim Crowie chats with Lambert Wilson to find out what it’s like playing such an iconic character, and how he found filming on location in Cape Town, Croatia, the Bahamas and Antarctica.

hose with a fair grasp of history will recall the famous researcher, scientist, inventor, and filmmaker Jacques-Yves Cousteau. His great love of the ocean and charismatic nature made him a leader whose greatest achievement was encouraging curiosity for the sea and its magnificent inhabitants. The Odyssey is the story of his life from 1949 to 1979, following his highs and lows and leaving Cousteau mid-79 when his favourite son Philippe dies in a crash of the plane he is piloting. Cousteau is played by internationally-renowned, award-winning French actor Lambert Wilson (The Matrix

Reloaded, Of Gods and Men) and the film is directed by Jerome Salle who shot City of Violence (Zulu) in SA in 2012. Two thirds of The Odyssey was filmed on location in Cape Town, with some diving and water scenes shot in Croatia, and Antarctica scenes shot on location at the polar cap – a true rarity for a feature film. Speaking of the significance of portraying Cousteau, Wilson says he is honoured as it’s the second time in his career he’s had the opportunity to play a pivotal character in French history. “I grew up watching Cousteau and he was very prominent on French TV all my life, and it happens

to be one of those beautiful adventures of filmmaking. I was so excited that I took a camera and filmed everyday life – like a log book, in a way – as seen from my point of view as one of the protagonists in the film. So I’ve made a one-hour long documentary and there is a special issue of the DVD that includes it. “All this is to say that the travelling, going to Antarctica, weathering storms, doing the diving, and even the makeup crew were extraordinary. Sometimes I had to sit for up to two hours a day for oldage makeup. And South Africa was the cherry on the cake! I absolutely adored it, and it

features prominently in the film because we shot many scenes in Cape Town including the New York scene, the port where the ship is being repaired. About two thirds of the film is shot in South Africa.” Because the story is focused on much of Cousteau’s life on the water, Cape Town provided an ideal and competitive place to shoot thanks to its crew and equipment capabilities. The film was shot mainly at sea on a ship held in port, which was tugged out to deeper waters for each shoot. Working with Jerome Salles as director and Audrey Tatou as Cousteau’s ever-faithful companion and support was like a dream.

IN PRODUCTION / 09

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IN PRODUCTION:

HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN Principal photography has begun on He Who Is Without Sin a new film by Jafta Mamabolo co- directed by Ralph Ziman (Jerusalema).

et in contemporary Johannesburg, against the backdrop of the #FEESMUSTFALL movement, He Who Is Without Sin is inspired Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment. The film provides a stark insight into the paradoxical notion of “freedom” that faces the modern day, born-free South African youth. He Who Is Without Sin follows the journey of Freedom, a disillusioned and desperate university student, clinging to an impossible existence in innercity Johannesburg. Burdened by the weight of expectation and pretense, Freedom pawns his coveted text books to an amoral loan-shark, Alina, in order to find money to write his exams whilst at the same time taking care of his rural family. But Freedom has a change of mind and returns to Alina to buy back his beloved books. When she shortchanges Freedom, an argument ensues and he accidentally murders her. When he searches Alina’s flat for his books, Freedom discovers

KEY CAST AND CREW

and steals a stash money. Tormented by guilt and conflict, Freedom starts to lose his sanity as he roams the city streets and bars in an attempt to find absolution. Hope comes in the form of Sonia, a former student friend recently turned prostitute. In Freedom’s disjointed mind, if he can save Sonia from a life of hardship he will inevitably redeem himself. But Johannesburg is a city that does not let you go so easily, life is a vicious cycle, and despite his noble efforts and unattainable love for Sonia, Freedom’s fate is destined to a tragic ending. Written by actor Jafta Mamabolo (Jerusalema/Ayanda/

Otello Burning), the project is a return to his collaboration with director Ralph Ziman (Jersualema, The Zookeeper). Ziman and Mamabolo will co-direct the film and Mamabolo will also play the lead role of Freedom. Other notable lead cast include Samkelo Ndlovu (Rhythm City), two-time SAFTA award winner Mandla Gaduka (District 9, Generations) and Kenneth Nkosi (White Wedding, District 9, Jerusalema). The film is produced by Tendeka Matatu (Ten10 Films) in partnership with Dumi Gumbi and Catharina Weinek (The Ergo Company) - Ronnie Apteker (Material, Jerusalema, Purpose) will executive produce.

Writer: Jafta Mamabolo Co-directors: Jafta Mamabolo, Ralph Ziman Producers: Tendeka Matatu, Dumi Gumbi, Catharina Weinek Executive Producer: Ronnie Apteker Director of Photography: Nic Hofmeyr Production Designer: Chantel Carter Music: Alan Ari Lazar Wardrobe: Sheli Masondo Lead Cast: Jafta Mamabolo (Freedom) Nicole Mathope (Sonia) Jeffery Sekele (Goodman) Mahlatse Letoka (Thato) Mary Twala (Alina) Kenneth Nkosi (Zechariah) Kofi Boateng (Chris) Mandla Gaduka (Thabang) Samkelo Ndlovu (Prudence)

10 / SPOTLIGHT

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Filmmakers, producers and stakeholders could connect and engage.

View of the floor at the Callsheet ’s fast-track networking function.

DFM FAST TRACK NETWORKING

A SUCCESS

The Callsheet and Film and Publication Board’s fast-track networking event, which took place on 17 July 2017 at Durban FilmMart, provided a meaningful platform to connect.

he Callsheet’s fast-track networking event, sponsored by the Film & Publication Board, took place on 17 July 2017 at Durban FilmMart. Legendary producer Vlokkie Gordon gave the keynote speech to a rapt audience of over 40 filmmakers and industry stakeholders. Vlokkie spoke about the importance of growing the local film industry’s capacity for production through international productions. We bring you some of the highlights from Vlokkie’s speech.

ON PRODUCING LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS

“Our projects are like our babies. Needless to say, it takes many

hours, sometimes many years to choose the right dating partner to raise this infant with you! “I have had the privilege of producing both South African and international projects; working with a budget spend ranging from R3.8-million ($300 000) to R842-million ($65-million). One thing I can assure you, that there is never enough money, it does not matter how big or small your project. And that is all good as each film has its own dynamics, its own space, and its own niche market. Each film has its own tribe. “I’m a strong believer in the saying ‘build it and they will come’ also that the international industry has the opportunity to

create assets and infrastructure for the South African industry.”

USING FILM ASSETS TO GROW THE INDUSTRY

“Why do I feel so positive about infrastructure in relation to growth? It’s because I’ve seen it; at the back-lot sets created at Cape Town Film Studios, Kontemanskloof, Thembalethu and Oude Molen in Stellenbosch. “To use Cape Town Film Studios specifically as an example – we started with the French village of Carcassonne on a lonely hill on the back lot, that became the Historical Village of Young Leonardo circa 1416 and from that it got turned into Nassau Island, 1717, with the highly successful show Black Sails and

now almost five years later it will most probably be changed into another TV series set.” “Another important factor is to diversify our location in order to attract new markets and a prime example of this is the sets build for Of Kings and Prophets at Kontermanskloof and Thembalethu. These sets attracted Troy, another TV series, creating jobs and enabling skills transfer. The Biblical assets built up between these two shows had put us in a very strong position competing against Tunisia and Morocco for Biblical period projects.”

SKILLS TRANSFER

“Looking back at the start of our TV Industry, the late 70’s

SPOTLIGHT / 11

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Vlokkie Gordon interacts with network event attendees.

and early 80’s, and analysing what gave the industry the opportunity to learn the craft and grow, I accredit it to a strong Public Broadcaster, developing and producing high-quality TV. I believe it is very hard for an industry to grow, sustain itself and strive to get better if there is not a strong TV base. And what’s happening is that the international market is filling that vacuum. “The difference between a feature film and a TV series regarding skills transfer is that a movie will employ between 35 and 260 crew, depending on what the budget and demands of the film are. Because of the relatively short period the film

One of the network tables hard at work.

gets made in, only the essential crew gets employed. A TV series will employ between 35 and 690 crew, especially on the bigger period projects. These productions have to set up full manufacture chains, welders, steel workshops, costume workshops, pattern cutters, seamstresses, dyers, agers, shoe makers, hat makers, carpenters, leather manufacturers, ship builders, rope experts, sail makers etc. “Why do I not see the two industries as stand-alone industries? Why do we need each other? Because we’re one industry, we feed on each other, we learn from each other and we’re proud together when a South African executed/produced

project gets recognition. “International projects are the ideal place for skills transfer, creating a culture of excellence and growing middle management and HOD talent pools. Most of the international TV projects, certainly the ones I’ve been

involved with, only bring their producers and directors; the rest of the crew and HODs are all South African.” For more information on the Callsheet networking events, contact us today on +27 (0) 21 674 0646.

I BELIEVE IT IS VERY HARD FOR AN INDUSTRY TO GROW, SUSTAIN ITSELF AND STRIVE TO GET BETTER IF THERE IS NOT A STRONG TV BASE. AND WHAT’S HAPPENING IS THAT THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET IS FILLING THAT VACUUM.

BRENDA WILSON +27 82 923 5762 www.firstpencil.tv

12 / FEATURE

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EQUIPMENT RENTAL IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The equipment rental industry is one of the driving forces behind South Africa’s success in shooting local and international films. Three top suppliers share their expertise and latest trends with Susan Reynard.

FEATURE / 13

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ilm equipment ideally should never be in the warehouse but always on site. Managing stock, maintenance, supply and demand is all in a day’s work for the likes of Panavision and Panalux, Media Film Service and Visual Impact.

STOCK COUNT Panavision and Panalux’s regional director based in Johannesburg, James Barth, says, “Generally,

we see demand in our glass and the latest equipment to hit the market. Our classic Panavision glass, specifically anamorphic and large format optics, is in demand on long-form features and TV series. In addition, our Panavision DXL camera and 70mm range of glass are high in demand. Panavision is working hard to get as many sets of the new equipment out to each territory as quickly as possible; in South Africa, we Panavision DXL camera

hope to have the DXL and 70mm range based here very soon.” Due to the seasonality of productions, they are able to accommodate their clients’ equipment needs by shuttling equipment from a global network of Panavision offices across four continents. This ability to react and respond quickly relieves local pressures and helps ensure they can deliver for their clients. “What with developments with sensor size, resolution, and other advancements in digital capture technology, cameras are constantly evolving so life span on equipment varies for each piece of gear. Since 2010, I would imagine more than 20 camera body changes in various makes. It’s difficult to say which gear will be in high demand each season; looks change, shooting styles change – things are constantly evolving. As a whole, I would say a variety of camera bodies, lenses and accessories are in constant demand and necessitate a sufficient level of inventory.

The lighting industry is moving even quicker, he adds. “Equipment is getting cheaper and developments are happening faster and faster. While this gives gaffers and DOPs more control than ever before, it also means we are constantly evaluating and supplementing our inventory.” Visual Impact director Marius van Straaten says audio and grip equipment are some of the kit with a longer lifespan, often well over 15 years. “On other fronts, the kit doesn’t last long. Anything with a sensor or electronics is guaranteed to age quickly, but we have managed to consistently pick products that last,” he notes. “Our in-house expertise allows us to provide solutions, not just kit. Some of our kit requires a high level of competency such as VR, LED RGBW lighting and multi-camera solutions. We have successfully managed to service some of the largest multi-camera reality projects in the world,” he adds.

PANAVISION IS WORKING HARD TO GET AS MANY SETS OF THE NEW EQUIPMENT OUT TO EACH TERRITORY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE; IN SOUTH AFRICA, WE HOPE TO HAVE THE DXL AND 70MM RANGE BASED HERE VERY SOON.

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Cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau, ASC tests the low light capabilities of DXL in downtown Los Angeles using the Ultra Panatar 1.25x anamorphic lenses.. Courtesy of Panavision / Panalux © 2016 Light Iron, Aaron Kroger

Media Film Service reports, “With most clients telling us that their budgets are under threat, we find that we need to explore new ways to offer our clients the services they’re accustomed to at prices that fit their budgets. With the continual changes in technology this makes having to stay abreast with the trends crucial to not only our clients but the reputation of the industry. This would include having our representatives attending the various global trade shows to not only see and experience the trends, but forge vital relationships with suppliers. “With the technology constantly changing, we find that the lifespan and redundancy periods of gear are also shorter, keeping pricing realistic and in line with these changes is not only a local concern but a global one. We have forged incredible relationships with global suppliers to service an industry during

its manic peak season and are able to bring in any piece of gear at a moment’s notice, no matter what it is. The change in all this technology has also allowed us to diversify and given Media Film Service the opportunity to expand into the outside broadcasting world.”

MUST-HAVE GEAR Media Film Service’s Martin Neethling says, “ARRI offers us a new sibling in their Alexa range with the release of the SXT W, where W stands for wireless. It has integrated low-latency secure wireless video transmission up to 600m, built in wireless lens control and Wi-Fi. They claim that the camera is both smaller and lighter and should it prove to be effective in helping eliminate interference between wireless systems will definitely build on their reputation

of rugged dependability; a reputation being celebrated in this their centennial year. “Other notable news in the world of wireless cinematography belongs to Terradek now offering the ‘Serv’ that will allow you to view live high-quality video streamed directly to multiple IOS devices. While we are just starting to get comfortable with RED’s 8K Helium sensor on the high-end camera front, the Internet goes abuzz with a very different offering from the American camera giant. Preorders are open for the Hydrogen One, a new kind of holographic smart phone set to be released by RED early on in 2018. “On the DSLR front, Sony are certainly taking on Canon and Nikon with their recently released a9 (alpha9) mirrorless camera which boasts extremely high frame rates and packs a stacked sensor. While it does shoot 4K UHD video, it is

predominantly aimed at stills photographers, but it could be a sign of what’s to come if one considers the impact the a7S and a7R have made on filmmaking. “Gimbals are still getting a lot of attention and we see new offerings from DJI, Tilta and Freefly. It’s possibly the Freefly Movi XL that has us all sitting up and taking note. Redesigned and with extended capacity it looks set to cause a stir as the camera packages used on gimbals increase in size and scope. While the line between stabilised remote head and gimbal has already started to blur, the impact on steadicam technology is just starting to be felt.” Media Film Service’s Jason Watts notes, “The SkyPanels have impressed crew so much so that we are seeing all jobs, big or small, working their budgets to accommodate having at least one or two of them. The intensity is incredible with a great fall

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Visual Impact’s director Marius van Straaten advising a client on food lighting options. Courtesy of Visual Impact

off when used from above as ambient light, whilst at the same time being a soft source as ARRI’s slogan suggests. The versatility of the SkyPanels are lifesavers when crew are shooting at a rapid pace, offering endless options with all the programmable gels and now the effects modes released with Software V3.0. Along with all the accessory options that you have for the SkyPanels and the fact that you can now shoot high speed, they are no doubt the number one piece of equipment in a lighting package at the moment.” “Visual Impact is excited about, among others, innovative LED technology such as ARRI’s SkyPanels and Digital Sputnik’s DS lights, which use up to onetenth the power of traditional tungsten lamps. The low power consumption allows for battery operated lamps creating immense lighting mobility. Virtual reality is another technology

we are gaining significant expertise in,” says Marius. “With bigger projects we have the ability to increase capacity as we are part of an international group and often source additional equipment if need be. Visual Impact offers equipment finance to clients via our finance page on the website,” he adds. Marius says he can see from their analytics that this page is popular. James says the recently released Panavision Millennium DXL digital camera features an 8K sensor, new colour science and optimised workflows. “Having taken input from filmmakers in its design, the DXL essentially allows DOPs the ability to capture a quality of image that is incomparable. It’s a really great camera,” he adds. “For lenses, the Primo 70 series is one of our most popular large format lenses. With tuneable focus, minimal breathing, and a natural

Digital Sputnik’s DS6 lamp with full WiFi RGBW control. Courtesy of Visual Impact

sharpness among its many positive characteristics, the Primo 70s capture a beautiful image. Our brand-new lens system is called the Primo Artiste. At a T/1.8, they are the fastest optics available for large format cinematography and contain inbuilt motors and offer metadata compatibility. It combines the look of our vintage optics with the modernity and ease of use of our digital lenses,” James explains. He notes the exciting developments in LED tech from Panalux. “Keeping the client in mind, we have the LED Flex Light which, as its name states, is flexible to fit in cramped spaces which could not hold a traditional light and power source. We also have the Spring Ball. This bi-coloured LED light removes the constraints, is multi-purpose and can be battery-powered, which eliminates the need for unnecessary cables,” James says.

COMPETITIVE EDGE Stefan Nell, head of digital at Visual Impact, is currently testing VR solutions as this is a rapidly growing market. “At the moment we are testing two really good VR products to clarify workflow complexity, pricing and structure before making it available to the market,” Marius reports. “We are lucky that South Africa has become a sought-after location to shoot features and TV series and, as a Panavision company, we are equipped to deal with many projects simultaneously. At the end of the day it is the positive relationships we foster that matter the most as they are at the heart of every good production. We pride ourselves on our dedication to our clients and our coverage of service. This is proven in our ability to keep the crews, new and old, coming back,” James notes.

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In addition, their studios have recently been refurbished to open up more space. “We rent out our studios as well as office space for the production, which allows for a fully integrated service and, with our Panavision and Panalux offices so nearby, we are there to help at a moment’s notice,” says James. “Our integrated office plan between Panavision and Panalux also allows for a more comprehensive understanding of what each company offers and so lets us better serve our clients. The more integrated our staff’s knowledge, the better they will understand what a shoot needs to achieve a DOP’s or gaffer’s vision and allows us to become a knowledgeable asset to these clients.” Media Film Service is looking at being a one-stop solution whereby clients hire everything under one roof at competitive rates. They have also diversified with the launch of Media Outside Broadcast (MOB), a new division of Media Film Service, offering a turnkey facilitation to outside broadcast events, as well as supplying technical support and expertise, dry-hire of equipment, rental of an OB, rental of fly-away kits and full broadcast production services. MOB CREW is a new crew agency which focuses only on the broadcast industry. It has a database of crew from around South Africa including riggers, cameramen, sound technicians, engineers, vision controllers and EVS operators. MOB has notched up an impressive array of full outside broadcast productions including RedBull X-Fighters held at the Union Buildings; RedBull World Run 2015, 2016 and 2017; Miss South Africa Competition 2016 and 2017; Idols Live Show 2016; Idols Auditions; and Theatre Week 2017.

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INDUSTRY CHALLENGES

Alexa Classic, Courtesy of Media Film Service

THE MORE INTEGRATED OUR STAFF’S KNOWLEDGE, THE BETTER THEY WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT A SHOOT NEEDS TO ACHIEVE A DOP’S OR GAFFER’S VISION AND ALLOWS US TO BECOME A KNOWLEDGEABLE ASSET TO THESE CLIENTS.

Limited budgets and currency fluctuations as a result of the current economic situation remain challenges. “As trends change we will often experience an inordinate amount of requests on specific gear of which there is limited stock globally, but we do our best to accommodate all our clients’ needs,” says James. With companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon setting parameters for their production formats, it can put a strain on how much equipment is available. He says the trend in creating personal content through platforms like YouTube is also changing the game, in that people at an enthusiast level of experience have access to professional filming equipment. “An increase in plug-andplay type equipment has lowered the barrier to entry to film production, with a natural by-product being an increase in damages and less equipment care from inexperienced crew. We manage this risk with equipment insurance and require clients to do a gear check and ensure that crew are 100% familiar with the kit. Our training unit, the Visual Impact Academy, also produces outstanding technicians,” he adds. At Panalux and Panavision, James says they have been working on a programme for a couple of years to train runners on the premises. With all the stock and technicians on hand, they want to offer proper training in equipment handling and enhance the skills set of entry level runners. James says if they can regularly add to the pool of people trained in operating their equipment, they will add to much needed job creation in industry and minimise potential damage in less experienced hands. Media Film Service adds, “Remaining a competitive player in a global market is another challenge, with rumours at Cannes Lions that South Africa is pricing itself out of the market.”

Industry leading lighting services for the world of film, television, commercial and media production. www.panalux.biz

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AFRICA’S CREATIVE COLLECTIVE Kim Crowie speaks to some of the continent’s stars in the television, film and brand communication spaces to find out where they’ve seen authentic creativity shine, and what they see for the future of these industries.

GRAHAM LANG, CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER, Y&R SOUTH AFRICA AND AFRICA ON AFRICA’S UNIQUE VOICE

The idea of Africa “ﬁnding its own voice” is not only patronising, but entirely untrue. I think that Africa has always been a hotbed of creati vity and artistic expression. Over the past few years, we have seen many brands tapping into the insight of a United Africa. The spark for this as a trend, ironically, came out of AMV BBDO, a Londonbased agency with their work for Guinness and the awardwinning ﬁlm called Made of Black. We have seen many echoes of this idea accompanied with a similar, powerful, music video treatment that showcases the contrasting visual dynamics of Africa and her people.

Sunu, Director at Egg Films

We are starting to see some really good online ﬁlms surface in South Africa. As more eyeballs are att racted to web-based video platforms, we will hopefully see brands and advertisers taking advantage of being able to tell powerful and disrupti ve stories with ideas and scripts designed for online viewing.

ON THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

I think that the commercial industry is healthy from a barrier to entry point of view. Technology has made it easier for young directors to create ﬁlms, and the internet has created an instant audience. On the ﬂip side, it’s become really hard to stand out due to the sheer amount of content and competition out Graham Lang, Chief Creative Officer, Y&R South Africa and Africa

there. My advice to young aspiring filmmakers would be to just go and make stuff. Back in the early days of film, it was really hard from a cost and technical perspective to shoot a personal piece of work or a spec job for your reel. Nowadays, mobile phones shoot 4k and editing soft ware is really accessible. Just go find a great story and make it. And then move onto the next one.

SUNU, DIRECTOR AT EGG FILMS ON WHETHER AFRICA HAS FOUND ITS OWN AUTHENTIC VOICE YET

We are in the process. It takes time to let go of old habits that denied us the ability to express our own voices fully. The message was

always diluted by outside agendas that didn’t fully understand or appreciate the nuance and diversity of our incredible continent. Africa is not a country! Now, many of us are passionate about expressing our own DNA and showing our Africa to the world through our own eyes rather than an outsider’s perspective.

JABU NADIA NEWMAN, CREATOR AND DIRECTOR OF THE FOXY FIVE WEBSERIES ON INTRINSICALLY AFRICAN CREATIVITY

Africa has always had a unique voice – in fact multiple unique voices varying from country to city to suburb. There are so many diﬀerent stories being told and others that haven’t even

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been explored yet. In cinema speciﬁcally, there’s always been a unique African voice and now more than ever Nollywood and African mythology is coming to the forefront. Regarding South Africa, there are a few new voices that are telling interesting stories. Films like The Wound, Four Corners, Noem My Skollie, Love the One You Love and more.

Jabu Nadia Newman, Creator and Director of The Foxy Five webseries

I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO THE YOUTH AND TRUST THEIR IDEAS BECAUSE THE YOUTH ARE THE ONES CONSTANTLY ENGAGING AND DECONSTRUCTING MEDIA AND ADVERTISING. ON BRANDED CONTENT AND THE INDUSTRY

A major trend that I see coming to SA is how advertising is changing and more stories are being told through branded content. Audiences are getting smarter and newer and more authentic ways of advertising are emerging to speak to this internet age and generation. The future of branded content is becoming more personalized and focused. Brands are tapping into smaller but more loyal audiences and consumers. People want to connect to the brand because of its stories and values now more than ever. I think it’s important to listen

to the youth and trust their ideas because the youth are the ones constantly engaging and deconstructing media and advertising.

Ed O’Reilly, Co-Founder of digital studio NONA Creative

ED O’REILLY, CO-FOUNDER OF DIGITAL STUDIO NONA CREATIVE ON THE HEALTH OF THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY

The local creative industry is healthier than it’s ever been. The rise of design thinking globally is repositioning creatives at the forefront of strategic decision making, in businesses large and small.

This trend is set to continue, it is less prone to automation takeover than most other industries and careers, and the demand for quality creatives has been outstripping the supply for years. We have seen salaries, respect and opportunities growing each year for the past ﬁve years or more, and don’t expect this to stop anytime soon. This is deﬁnitely the time of the creative!

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latest Disney film, or the newest hip-hop track. The result is that more and more brands are partnering with artists and culture creators to make content rather than ads. This, I believe, is the future of both marketing and entertainment, around the world and in Africa too.

Jason Xenopoulos, CEO and Chief Creative Officer at Native VML South Africa

JASON XENOPOULOS, CEO AND CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER AT NATIVE VML SOUTH AFRICA ON THE FUTURE OF BRANDED CONTENT

The line between advertising and entertainment is blurring. Twenty years ago, linear mass media channels like television made it very easy to separate advertising from the entertainment content surrounding it. Ads were neatly packaged into standard formats like the 30-second TVC or the single page print ad. But the Internet changed all that. Linear mass media channels became non-linear and personalised, changing the way audiences consume entertainment and disrupting traditional ad formats. Today, brands have to compete with an almost endless stream of premium entertainment in order to be heard… and to do that, they must become part of popular culture. For marketers, this means packaging brand and product messages in ways that are just as compelling as the latest Netflix series, the

JESSIE ZINN, AWARDWINNING WRITER/DIRECTOR OF INTO US AND OURS AND CAN I PLEASE GO TO THE BATHROOM? ON THE DIVERSITY OF CREATIVITY ON THE CONTINENT

Africa is a large, diverse continent. I don’t believe that Africa has, or needs to have, a ‘unique voice’ – I think it has many diverse, unique voices and perspectives, as it should. There is a tendency to try to box in or brand Africa as a monolithic vessel of creative output which is absurd to me. We have real originality and creativity shining through from all different levels on the creative landscape – different types of storytellers from different backgrounds and perspectives engaging with different modes of telling stories. In South Africa, specifically in the filmmaking landscape, there has been this recent surge or wave of young filmmakers coming into their own and making content that has been positively received worldwide. Young female filmmakers are particularly inspiring to me at the moment – filmmakers like Jenna Bass (Love the One You Love), Jabu Newman (The Foxy Five) and Coloured

Jessie Zinn, Award-winning Writer/Director of Into Us and Ours and Can I Please Go to the Bathroom?

Karien Cherry, Director at Giant Films

Mark Middlewick, Writer/Director at Gentlemen Films

Mentality. What is so inspiring about this new wave of creative filmmakers is that most of us have come from guerrilla filmmaking practices – shooting content on no budgets with minimal resources. We have a severe lack of financing and funding resources on the independent filmmaking landscape in South Africa, yet there is still this incredible group of young creatives making meaningful, impactful and creative films, TV shows and episodes.

feature, The Wound, opened DIFF and is a really brave film that’s doing a lot to open up people’s expectations of an ‘African story’. I’ve always been a fan of the way Jenna Bass’ mind works and can’t wait to see her new feature Flatland. Across other sectors of the arts I’m really enjoying the work being done by Nonkululeko Mlangeni (The Ninevites), Laduma Ngxokolo, and Nakhane Toure. There’s so much more! But those are top of mind.

KARIEN CHERRY, DIRECTOR AT GIANT FILMS

ON THE FUTURE OF BRANDED CONTENT

ON EXPRESSING OURSELVES AS AFRICANS

I think the real issue is creating viable opportunities for us to express our voice as Africans. We’re beginning to look more inward to define our identity and the global market is slowly catching up as people are more interested in the unique, creative expression that exists in Africa. But it’s really up to us to support each other, hone our unique perspectives, and figure out ways for that expression to be sustainable. I think Native VML gets this and has really given a platform to local expression through their Absolut campaign. In the film sector, the Realness Screenwriter’s Residency (brought to life by the efforts of Elias Ribeiro and Cait Pansegrouw from Urucu Media) has taken the initiative to do this in the film sector and is leading the way for the new wave of African storytellers. John Trengrove’s

There is a merging of entertainment and advertising. Essentially audiences want to be entertained, and not just targeted for marketing. That’s a demand brands have to meet in order to keep consumers engaged. Great branded content goes beyond a piece of entertainment that has your logo at the end. The content must be emotionally resonate and affect, whilst seamlessly reflecting the integral values of the brand. It’s an art.

MARK MIDDLEWICK, WRITER/DIRECTOR AT GENTLEMEN FILMS ON DEFINING AFRICA’S VOICE

I don’t think you can define what an African voice is, or should be. It’s important that multiple voices come out of Africa. Often the world likes to see our continent as one hegemonic whole, and it is our duty, as honest artists, to create work that represents our own little corner of Africa, and

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Branded content is about creating distinctive content where the story and creative’s voice is at the forefront. If we commit to making real branded content, then we can give platforms for artists to create work they wouldn’t ordinarily be able to make, and allow brands to be associated with unique, original, cutting edge content.

what that specific experience may look like. We should resist the compulsion to make work we think the world wants to see, and trust our own personal stories. These will inherently be African.

ON BRANDED CONTENT IN AFRICA

I feel like we need to clearly define what ‘branded content’ is. It seems like people throw this term around and use it as an excuse to make a slightly unconventional commercial, or give the creatives zero budget.

ON THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

Thabo Rametsi, Award-winning Actor in Kalushi, Fanie Fourie’s Lobola and The Giver

There are plenty avenues and opportunities to get your work out there, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to earn a steady living. As much as it’s up to creatives to keep producing work, I believe that agencies and brands have an obligation to expand their artistic range. To start looking at new talent that they haven’t necessarily seen before, and find ways of involving some wild cards that offer a fresh approach. Unless we do this we’re only going to keep imitating content we’ve all seen before, instead of making

work that is truly representative of us as a creative nation.

THABO RAMETSI, AWARDWINNING ACTOR IN KALUSHI, FANIE FOURIE’S LOBOLA AND THE GIVER ON AFRICAN CREATIVITY:

I have been privileged enough to attend about seven or eight film festivals around the world in the past year alone. The best films I’ve seen in that year have been by African filmmakers.

The best documentary I’ve seen was Nadine Cloete’s Action Kommandant (South Africa) and the best film for me was Kati Kati, a Kenyan masterpiece by newcomer Mbithi Masya. These films regardless of any international collaboration have African themes and narratives. They are distinct voices and considering the incredible films I’ve seen from Tunisia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa, I think cinema needs Africa now more than ever.

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ON RECENT TRENDS IN THE INDUSTRY

Actors becoming directors, writers and producers. This is critical. To be blunt, the most creative and innovative artists in our film industry are the actors. I tend to think the actors need to do more challenging work and their talent simply is matched in other departments. We have actors who can go toe to toe with best the world has to offer reciting unimaginative writing, safe directing and unimaginative casting. They are now taking their careers in the own hands.

WHAT’S THE FUTURE OF CONTENT CREATION?

Truthful and uncensored content that reflects our actual realities as opposed to the preachy nonsense our ‘elders’ think we need to see. Screw the moral preaching base that has killed imagination. I think the kids need to start making films now so they actually have say in their narrative instead of being told how they should behave. I am currently working with filmmakers who haven’t had the machine dictate their art for them; who haven’t had unqualified content producers telling them how to make their art. There will soon be a black market of films and shows coming out of this generation. The works will be far more revealing and truthful. Darker, edgier, and more entertaining. I have seen it. These Kwaito-Trap kids are going to save art. We just need to watch their work.

are so many talented people in this country but somehow they never manage to seem to access the kind of opportunities that could really help them develop. I try as much as possible to source young and interesting talent and, more importantly, support that talent because this industry can be ruthless.

WIM STEYTLER, AWARD-WINNING WRITER/ DIRECTOR AT STAR FILMS Zandile Tisani, Brand Film Director at Arcade Content

of becoming an astronaut, and executed in a way that shows an understanding that most brands fail to demonstrate when making ads for South Africa’s mass market: that a lack of disposable income does not equate to a lack of imagination and understanding of conceptual work.

ZANDILE TISANI, BRAND FILM DIRECTOR AT ARCADE CONTENT ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVE IN THE INDUSTRY

As someone quite green in the industry, from where I’m standing the industry is slow and reluctant to change. It’s a finite industry that seems resistant to welcoming new blood and looking at new ways of doing things. A small group of people working with the same people over and over – not exactly the recipe for a dynamic and exciting industry. There

ON AFRICANS FINDING THEIR VOICES

I think the main issue is that we as Africans have for too long felt insecure about who we are and allowed ourselves to be intimated by Western popular culture. That is changing now and we are slowly becoming brave enough to own our demons and embrace our victories. Thanks to the internet we are growing in confidence that we have access to endless sources of unturned stones, which has become very scarce in the West. We are the new frontier of creativity and we better use our own voices to harness this resource.

ON TRENDS AND THE FUTURE OF STORYTELLING

I think there is a great desire for authenticity in advertising now more than ever. Clients are becoming braver in celebrating the unpolished and gritty side of the world in order to connect with customers that have grown

THIBEDI MESO AND ILZE SOBIECH, SENIOR CREATIVES AT BLACKRIVER FC ON WHERE THEY’VE SEEN AFRICAN CREATIVITY SHINE

As far as authentic African work goes, we love Chicken Licken’s Afronaut. It’s not politically charged or rooted in an elusive ‘deep’ local insight discussed so often when talking about the ’Authentic African Voice’. Instead, the ad simply represents a market that lives in a time where a young black child can dream

Thibedi Meso, Senior Creative at Blackriver FC

Ilze Sobiech, Senior Creative at Blackriver FC Both images © Erik Forster Photography

Wim Steytler, Award-winning Writer/Director at Star Films

cynical of being lied to. I think my film that won at Cannes YDA played in this ‘true to life’ space and because it touched on timely issues of xenophobia, it got some recognition. Bandwidth is slowly improving and more Africans are engaging with social media every day. In the online space we are not limited to the 30 or 60 seconds commercials so there is great scope for longer pieces where innovative narrative techniques can be explored. In the same breath, very short content like Instagram videos are also becoming a great platform to tell stories. I find it very exciting that brands are also becoming more open to use short films as a medium to position their products.

ON OPPORTUNITIES IN THE INDUSTRY

I think the traditional ways of entering the industry is a thing of the past. Young people can now use social media to build a following and become their own brands. It is not rare these days that kids who find success on social media get picked up by prominent production companies or do work directly with agencies. It’s still very tough out there, but I believe one has to adapt or die and seize the endless opportunities that are out there. It takes initiative and an independent spirit to make it.

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THE MOTION PICTURE’S

DIGITAL REVOLUTION Glen Bosman, executive producer at Catapult Commercials explores the evolution from film to digital, and how it impacts the commercial production industry.

oday, filmmaking has little to do with film. Digital technology has advanced so much that we can shoot quality video on our phones and share it on social media in seconds. Cameras the size of our hands can capture night scenes with almost eyesight clarity; technology that’s decreased our dependence on analogue processes, but dramatically increased our data usage and necessitated the adoption of complex and often laborious data management systems. Here we’ll explore how the digital evolution has changed the way production companies manage footage, the procedures they should adopt to keep data secure, and where this new era of data management is taking the industry.

EVOLVING FROM FILM TO DIGITAL

The progression from film to digital has changed, among other things, the way production companies approach, cost, and finish a shoot. Previously, when shooting on film, they’d choose the appropriate stock and send it to the lab for processing. But when shooting digitally, the decision of stock is largely covered by the choice of camera and its settings, like resolution, aspect ratio, bit depth, bit ratio and compression. Digital technology also changes the workflow. With faster turnaround times, production can save time and money by delivering part of the post-production on set, like the offline edit, and even

part of the grade. This means that high volumes of data are being loaded directly onto the camera’s SD cards; a process that necessitates stringent data management procedures just to secure the raw footage.

DATA MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY

Throughout production, a strict process must be followed to ensure that data is safe and insurable. To encourage industry industry-wide commercialproduction protocol in this area, the Commercial Producers Association’s Executive Committee member, Glen Bosman, compiled a Digital Production Manual on the Association’s behalf, to cover data management workflow in detail. In the Manual, he lists a comprehensive methodology that covers everything from setup and gear testing, to shooting, safety protocols, the return of data to the workstation, and transcoding. It’s a rich and invaluable guide in this relatively new and complex space. Despite its scope, Glen emphasises that the booklet is ‘a guideline and should be used as such’. At the rate that the digital world is changing, the role of production companies and professionals is changing all the time - into an environment that requires constant skill development and the habit of keeping one’s ear to the ground.

NEW EXPERTISE REQUIREMENTS

Processes aren’t the only thing that have changed. Since the onset

of the digital revolution, two key professionals have emerged: Data Wranglers (DWs) and Digital Imaging Technicians (DITs). While there may be some overlap in these roles, their responsibilities are quite different. DWs, for instance, have detailed knowledge of how footage is stored, coded, and processed, and they’re responsible for collecting, duplicating, and managing the data between cameras, SD cards, and hard drives. A DIT on the other hand, is a DW who understands how the data, camera, and footage work together, which is specialised expertise that also supports the camera crew in capturing the most effective shots. On big productions, a DIT may also supervise and be responsible for several DWs. As cameras become more automated, the services needed from these specialists continue to change. The traditional DIT role is evolving away from button pushing and exposure checking to luxury quality control. The responsibilities of DWs on the other hand, are increasing as the demand for storage increases. Who knows what their roles will be five years from now?

THE FUTURE OF DATA MANAGEMENT

A single day on set can easily generate four to eight terabytes of footage between two cameras. But the ability to move this data is limited by existing technologies and their affordability. Anyone

who’s worked in a production space knows how much time is consumed by managing storage devices, transferring data, and rendering footage. Soon, we’ll be managing volumes higher than this, and the costs and pressures will increase with it. Already we’re seeing, on reality shows and studio productions, how teams of DWs work in 24-hour cycles, swapping out and picking up where others have left off. This mirrors through to commercial sets, where the available technology can’t process the material fast enough. Manpower, electricity and security is required nonstop, either through mobile data labs, or by securely transporting footage to off-set facilities. DITs and gear houses managing big data like this supply equipment costing well over US$2 000/day; a factor that is spurring new business models, skill requirements, and technological advancements to the industry.

A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING INDUSTRY

Motion picture production has come a long way in the last decade and it’s not stopping or even slowing down. Roles are changing, technology is developing, and new skills are needed every day. That’s why, sometimes, it’s important to take a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come… And look with excitement at just how far we’re yet to go.

24 / PRO-SPECTIVE

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VLOKKIE GORDON ON

WHY SHE LOVES SA FILM

Producer extraordinaire with some of the biggest international productions in SA under her belt, Vlokkie Gordon is surprisingly down-to-earth and extremely passionate about the development of the local film industry. Kim Crowie sits down with her in this tell-all interview. Part 2 of 2. Vlokkie Gordon

lokkie Gordon is a key player in SA’s film industry, and has had a pivotal hand in attracting international film and television productions to the country, in training new talent, and investing in local film infrastructure. Her credits include the recent biblical epic Samson, which wrapped principal photography in May, as well as Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom starring Idris Elba, BBC’s Jamillah and Aladdin, Black Sails Season 1, and A United Kingdom. We caught up for a chat over coffee in Stellenbosch near the setting of Pure Flix’s upcoming film Samson. What was your journey into the film industry? How did you start? In 1984 I went to film school. They only took 30 entrants a year so you had to be interviewed and selected. They were very strict and standards were extremely high. That was also the era of the SABC

commissioning many TV dramas, and it was a vibrant industry. I did a certificate, and then was offered a job at IFC – Independent Film Centre – at the end of my first year. They were one of the only top English producing companies for TV series. I was so fortunate because they also developed their own scripts so you had everything in-house from to finally driving the content and handing over

the ﬁnal tape. It was fantastic. People came in and you could learn the whole project stream. I started as an Assistant Editor. Then I worked in the sound bay, and from there moved into sound mixing. After that, I moved to Cape Town, had my ﬁrst son and opened a crew agency. I joined forces with Nautilus, then I went into production accounting, and then production where I am now.

Ruth Williams and Seretse Khama are played by Rosamund Pike and David Oyelowo in A United Kingdom © Videovision Entertainment

What’s your favourite production been to date? That’s a very big question! There are three projects actually that stood out for me. The one was a Warner Bros film directed by Carol Ballard, the Oscar winner for Black Stallion. It was called Duma. On that film we shot for 84 days and travelled 13 000km! The lead actors in the film were a cheetah and a little boy, travelling from Johannesburg to Botswana, to release the cheetah. We could not go into Botswana because you cannot cross borders with cheetahs. So we had to train the same number in Botswana for continuity. That’s what beautiful about South Africa – it really is the world in one country, so we found Botswana looking places. My other favourite was definitely The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency. We did the same thing in Botswana as what we did here with Of Kings and Prophets: we had 130 trainees and 65 stayed

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THE THING TO ME THAT WAS MOST REWARDING: WHEN WE SHOWED MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM TO PEOPLE AND THROUGH THE PREMIERES, THE AGE GROUP IT STRUCK THE MOST WERE BETWEEN 16 AND 27 YEARS. REGARDLESS OF COLOUR, THEY WERE IN TEARS. I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. of that gives you a better sense of identity as a South African. That was the thing to me that was most rewarding: when we showed it to people and through the premieres, the age group it struck the most were between 16 and 27 years. Regardless of colour, they were in tears. I couldn’t believe it. When you watch the film, you get into their lives and you see how they grew apart, taking different stances, decisions made and consequences, etc. I think it’s quite sad, but if I had my way, I would wish Long Walk to be a compulsory watch for any Grade 10 upwards. One of the reasons we shot the film on 35mm was for archive purposes. We really don’t know what will happen to digital in the archives, but we know that film will remain. Those three are my absolute highlights in my 30 years of production.

Naomie Harris as Winnie Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom . © Keith Bernstein

on when we shot the series. Jill Scott was awesome, she’s an amazing woman. They were all incredible, and it was the ﬁrst time I worked with Idris Elba as well. He looks you straight in the eye and it doesn’t matter who you are, your heart just goes crazy. And then another one of course that really stood out for me was Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. It was the fourth Mandela ﬁlm I’ve been involved

with! We spent months in negotiations for Goodbye Bafana to shoot on Robben Island versus the negotiations on Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. This was interesting to see. We ﬁlmed on the island, even stayed over on the island. It was an amazing experience. We had such amazing people on this projects and the research we gave to each of the main actors was a CD on their character. The preparation for this ﬁlm and

delving into the story was great. Not to take credit away from Mandela, but I was struck by what Winnie had been through; the previous ﬁlms did not deal with Winnie that much. Also seeing that they were a mother and a father, that they had children and relationships. We put them on that pedestal and think their lives were incredible. In the ﬁlm we also see they had support from so many, and being exposed to all

What are your plans next? It’s the first time in my life I can say I don’t have anything specifically planned. I want to take off a month or two – I’ve never been able to do that – and just spend time with the kids and take a fresh look at things. But as with all producers, what is that line? “I’ve got various projects in different stages of development.”

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NEW UNIVERSAL RULES

THE FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION ENGAGEMENT

The international call for transparency in an inescapably biased system. By Bobby Amm, Chief Executive of the Commercial Producers Association

t the end of 2016, after many allegations of advertising agency bid-rigging, the US Department of Justice began investigating the claims. In these cases, multiple advertising agencies with inhouse production companies were accused of configuring bids to their own tenders using the content obtained from the bids of specialised production houses. But bid-rigging isn’t just an American concern; it’s an international issue that impacts on the South African production industry too. Without fair and transparent systems in place, the entire industry’s ability to hire and grow new talent, while offering competitive services, is impacted.

FUNDAMENTALLY INESCAPABLE BIAS

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) has asked agencies not to use

the intellectual property shared with them by production companies to improve their own bids. But SA’s Commercial Producers Association (CPA) and other similar international bodies don’t believe this is possible in practice – even with the most conscientious intentions. The content presented in a bid holds hard-earned creative ideas and planning; material that can’t be unknown after reading it. Expenses are also revealed, so an agency would need to consciously charge more than opponents for a project to be awarded to them; an unlikely deed in such a competitive setting. While many agencies assert that the people who receive bids aren’t connected to the people who create bids, the risk for bias is too compelling. A system is needed to make sure an impartial and competitive bidding process is executed; one that protects everyone involved.

THE CONTENT PRESENTED IN A BID HOLDS HARDEARNED CREATIVE IDEAS AND PLANNING; MATERIAL THAT CAN’T BE UNKNOWN AFTER READING IT. EXPENSES ARE ALSO REVEALED, SO AN AGENCY WOULD NEED TO CONSCIOUSLY CHARGE MORE THAN OPPONENTS FOR A PROJECT TO BE AWARDED TO THEM; AN UNLIKELY DEED IN SUCH A COMPETITIVE SETTING.

UNIVERSAL RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

To protect the honour of the industry, and tackle the call for transparency, the members of the CPA have agreed that, from February 2017, they’d refuse to pitch against in-house production companies. This movement has also been assumed in North America and Europe. The CPA has implemented the commercial industry’s Universal Rules of Engagement: “To keep focused on [their] core areas [namely, improving the creative product, finding efficient solutions and keeping the talent pool fresh and strong], business issues should be as standardised and predictable as possible... The topics discussed [in these principles of contracting a production company to produce a commercial] ensure that advertisers and agencies receive the highest quality product possible, and that production companies are treated fairly in the execution of each project.” The Rules also state that: “There should be a maximum of three production companies invited to bid for a commercial project. These entities should be advised of others they are bidding against, as it helps shape the expectation of the desired outcome. In situations where there are more than three bidding companies on

the same project, all participants should be notified in advance (or as this situation arises) so that companies can better assess whether they would like to participate in the bidding pool.”

THE IMPACT ON ADVERTISING AGENCIES

While these adjustments are potentially disruptive to the way agencies have worked until now, we believe that they promote impartiality and, ultimately, a prosperous production industry for everyone. Agencies can therefore expect CPA members to: 1. Ask for an upfront statement of whether an in-house production company will be participating in the pitch, or if there is a chance of them doing so during the process; 2. Include a declaration in their pitches that they are submitting their bid with the understanding that no party in the bidding pool, directly or indirectly, is a parent or subsidiary of, connected to, or is any holding company of the agency requesting the bids 3. Ask for a list of the houses they’re pitching against, so they can organise resources and determine if they’re effectively positioned to respond to the brief. Ultimately, agencies will have two choices when it comes to commercial work: to produce their own work, or to outsource. Not both. Seem reasonable?

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DURBAN FILMMART HIGHLIGHTS The 8th Durban FilmMart was another resounding success, with a programme that dug into pertinent industry trends, and allowed for plenty of meaningful engagements and interactions.

he 8th edition of the Durban FilmMart (DFM) took place from 14-17 July 2017 at the Tsogo Sun Elangeni along the city’s beautiful beachfront. Over 500 people participated in over 30 panel discussions, workshops and masterclasses. This year’s event also saw a strong focus on women in the film industry on the continent, and placed a spotlight on co-productions with Canada, Germany and Kenya.

LEAD SPEAKERS AT DFM

One of this year’s highlights was a conversation with Tilane Jones,

Executive Director of ARRAY, a film distribution collaborative focused on filmmakers of colour and women, as part of the Women Led Film at DFM. Also in this stream was a panel discussion with Karen Harley, Brazilian filmmaker and co-director of award-winning Waste Land. Another speaker of note was Mila Aung-Thwin, Co-founder of EyeSteelFilm and producer of over 25 documentaries including Up the Yangtze, Forest of the Dancing Spirits and the Emmy-winning Last Train Home. He shared his insights on making socially impactful documentaries as part of a panel

discussion, while Jacquie Jones, Peabody-winning writer, director and producer, spoke about seeing documentaries differently. The Callsheet and the FPB also hosted a successful FastTrack Networking Event at DFM this year, on Monday, 17 July.

PROJECTS AND AWARDS

Durban FilmMart had an official selection of 22 African projects in development and six African projects from their partners, Realness – Urucu Media’s screenwriter residency launched last year – and Hot Docs Blue Ice Fellows. Filmmakers were afforded

the opportunity to present their projects to potential co-producers, sales agents, broadcasters and film funders. This year’s awards/grants went to the following projects: • Lobola: A Bride’s True Price (SA) • Uasi (Kenya) • Miles from Nowhere (SA) • The Dabulaphu (The Short Cut) • Womxn: Working (SA) • Richard Was Here (SA) • Mamba Kazi – African Warrior Queens (SA) Inxeba (The Wound) scooped Best Director for John Trengrove and Best Actor for Nakhane Touré at the Durban International Film Festival.

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TELLING REAL STORIES USING VIRTUAL REALITY

Virtual reality and related immersive mediums open up a multitude of opportunities for entertainment, education, introspection and exploration. Susan Reynard reports.

Encounters Documentary Festival hosted Virtual Encounters, a VR showcase, for the second time this year.

llowing audiences to experience new ways of storytelling through immersion is the simple description of virtual reality (VR). Ingrid Kopp, co-director at Electric South, says she tends to call anything that involves putting on a headset VR but notes people define it differently. Electric South is a non-profit organisation that funds, supports and mentors digital visual storytellers in Africa. Their New Dimensions collaboration with the Goethe-Institut provides funding support to “African storytellers and artists in the development and production of their own VR ideas and introducing African and international audiences to African-produced VR,” explains Ingrid and co-director and founder Steven Markovitz. At the Durban FilmMart at the Durban International Film Festival in July, Electric South and GoetheInstitut showcased a selection of VR productions from Kenya, Senegal and Ghana. Spirit Robot by Jonathan Dotse, Ghanaian science

ﬁction author and founder of the Afrocyberpunk website, takes a VR exploration of the Chale Wote Street Art Festival in Accra. Ng’endo Mukii, a photographer from Kenya, produced VR piece Nairobi Berries which includes a poetic city symphony on Nairobi with her voice-over alongside surreal, layered images of the city. Senegalese fashion designer Selly Raby Kane presented a 360o piece in which a little girl discovers the invisible Dakar. And The Nest Collective from Kenya created an interactive piece set in the future in which a group of Africans have left Earth to create a colony on a distant planet. Although VR is not entirely new, technology has now caught up and can meet the inspiration and experimentation of storytellers. “I really want to see more prototyping for what VR will be in Africa and globally. Whatever VR becomes will be is dictated by the people working in it now. I want the African creative to be part of deciding what it can be.”

Virtual Encounters was held for the second time alongside the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival in June in Cape Town and Johannesburg. This exhibition of creative multi-platform, documentary storytelling was curated by Ingrid Kopp and showcased the best in VR, interactive and documentary video games, including the premiere of the New Dimensions project. Festival director Darryl Els explains, “We wanted to start a platform for VR and interactive documentary work because there are so many diﬀerent ways that non-ﬁction stories can be imagined by documentary practitioners. It’s been great to be able to present this innovative work to local audiences.” Darryl believes it is important to take an innovative approach to festivals and see audience development in a broad sense, ensuring there is access to VR and interactive work. “There is still a feeling of experimentation and openness with the stories you see, a real feeling of freedom

as people take aesthetic and creative risks with the work they produce,” he says. Shmerah Passchier is an experienced film and television writer, director and producer, currently reading for a PhD in VR at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her research into how the digital revolution of personal computers and the Internet has been a catalyst for the Fourth Industrial Revolution of “exponential technology” reveals challenges for Africa as it lags behind the developed world in terms of industrialisation. She says, “We urgently need a new generation of techentrepreneurs geared up to face the future head on.” As a lecturer at AFDA School of Business Innovation and Technology, she says their course in VR 360 motion picture medium emphasises how to monetise VR creative products through online applications. “The VR filmmakers of the 21st Century embody the convergence of media technology in one centralised nexus point – the cyborg filmmaker – who is

Pick n Pay Super Animals 2 is an AR companion app to the collectible cards distributed by Pick n Pay.

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simultaneously a nexus point for the convergence of filmmaking skills in one centralised creative being. Exponential increases in computing power equate to the need for exponential skills acquisition, personified in the futurist filmmaker who is engaged with the project of becoming future proof.” Tyrone Rubin from SenseVirtual and EventsVirtual was an early adopter of VR and has found new and interesting ways to monetise the medium. SenseVirtual is the studio that creates VR experiences and 360-degree videos specific to a brand and EventsVirtual is the division that provides high-end VR hardware to show at events, functions, exhibitions and activations. “While exploring VR over the past few years we kept seeing how companies overseas where adopting virtual reality for training and educational purposes. Using VR to train employees on complex machinery or immerse students into any world imaginable results in extremely high levels of retention for the user. This is due to virtual reality’s power of immersion and interactivity. We have continued to achieve extraordinary results from our latest training and educational VR experiences and look forward to rolling them out to a much wider audience that wants to learn in a truly engaging manner,” he explains. “Virtual and augmented reality have one thing in common: they both alter our perception of our surroundings or world,” says Glenn

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Gillis, CEO of Sea Monster, which specialises in digital content and experiences using animation and games. “Where they differ is that VR essentially takes the user to a whole new (virtual) world. AR, however, works through your smart device camera and overlays a digital layer of interactive content over your real-world view. AR can be used to enhance posters, adverts, business cards and sales brochures, and create a vital and measurable link between traditional print collateral and the digital world.” He furthers, “With Super Animals this was our challenge: partner with a global loyalty specialist to deliver a compelling multimedia solution to reward loyal Pick n Pay customers. Pick n Pay Super Animals 2 is an AR companion app to the collectible cards distributed by Pick n Pay. Every collectible animal card received at Pick n Pay tills can be scanned into the app for more interactive content about the animal. Specifics about the app include 108 different animals to scan and tap for sound, the animal quiz as well as earning badges and trophies for collecting cards. “The app proved to be massively popular – just three weeks after launch we had 82 200 users, 290 000 sessions and an average session duration of nine minutes. But for us the other big success was that with the gamified learning approach, the app promoted education through an app that could be used recreationally,” he adds.

FOUR TOP TRENDS IN VR Ulrico Grech-Cumbo, CEO of Deep VR, shares his top four trends in VR:

1. TVC SPIN-OFFS

A very important trend is spin-oﬀ content. Marketers and agencies spend a lot of money producing six or seven-ﬁgure TV commercials and are now making their budgets work harder by creating a TVC for wide traditional broadcast, as well as producing a VR experience say, putting a viewer in the lead character’s footsteps. This is achieved by doubling up on the same actors, sets, props and locations for the VR content scheduled into the TVC shoot.

2. FOCUSED FIELD OF VIEW

A common mistake made by first-time VR directors is to want to fill the whole field of view with action, where this isn’t actually how we experience life. It’s far too overwhelming and may lead to an unpleasant experience. The trend is actually less a trend and more a return to the logic that the field of view is there to support tricking the brain into believing it’s physically

present elsewhere, and focusing the action into a “forward” quadrant of the ﬁeld of view.

3. INCREASED PRODUCTION VALUE

Most 360 content has been ﬁlmed from a static point of view. There’s a growing trend to more motion which would usually involve a track dolley, cable dolley or drone with a gimbal. We’ve invested a lot of money into special equipment customised for 360 video and VR that enables both arty movement shots as well as replication of movement, for example walking into a room.

4. SPATIAL AUDIO

Spatial audio is now just about the benchmark standard for audio in VR. Spatial audio recreates lifelike audio in a scene that can be used to direct a viewer’s attention to a certain part of the scene. While surround sound creates a static placement of audio, spatial audio does the same thing dynamically, panning sounds in the 360 degree ﬁeld of view so they sound like they’re originating from the right place, irrespective of where a person is looking at that moment.

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At the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt © Roxanne Desgagnes

THE MIDDLE EAST A transcontinental region spanning across Western Asia and Northern Africa, the Middle East is a fast-growing content creation and broadcasting hub.

omprising 17 countries stretching across Western Asia and beyond, the Middle East is a vast network of media production. It is often grouped together as the MENA region – the Middle East and North Africa. Morocco and Tunisia offer much in the way of locations and film sets, while Egypt is a hub of Arabian content creation. Qatar remains on the pulse of international news and new media, while United Arab Emirates – Dubai in particular – is a popular base for many international and local advertising and creative agencies.

BOOMING COMMUNICATIONS SECTOR The United Arab Emirates is by far the largest hub for brand communication and advertising

in the region, with most international agencies setting up offices in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Dubai in particular has come into its own as one of the Middle East’s key centres for print, broadcast and digital media. Dubai Media City has attracted global media brands such as Reuters, The Economist, and CNN, while production companies like Sony and Showtime are also based here. Major advertising brands the likes of DDB, Impact BBDO and Dentsu Aegis also operate in the tax-free zone of Dubai Media City. According to the Middle East Communications Network, many leading advertising, marketing, PR and media agencies in the Middle East offer through-the-line

advertising, creative services, digital, social, and more. Over 75 agency offices across 14 countries and 16 cities operate within this network, producing a wide spectrum of work. The sector is constantly working to improve itself, with the International Advertising Association UAE Chapter launching a film and video production forum in May this year. The IAA UAE Production Forum is made up of IAA UAE members who are producers, location managers, production managers and aerial professionals. The forum’s initial steering committee is Karen Koetzee, Owner and Producer at Central Films; Shane Martin, Owner and Executive Producer at Boomtown Productions; Lyall Gardiner, Owner and Location

Manager at FStop Locations; and Ali Azarmi, Managing Partner at Joy Films. According to Coetzee, “The IAA UAE Production Forum is a first in the UAE and a perfect fit and launch pad for the film and television community to speak with one voice.”

FILM INDUSTRY IN BRIEF

Qatar has a bustling media industry and the Doha Film Institute, a non-profit organisation, supports, develops and promotes local Qatari filmmakers. Al Jazeera is based in Qatar, and has fast become one of the world’s foremost news broadcasters with 80 bureaux around the world. The documentaries the organisation commissions and produces are often insightful,

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bringing unique and fresh angles to underexplored topics. Egypt is a formidable producer of content, and has a flourishing film industry based in its capital. Its history is steeped in motion pictures and dates back to the late 19 th century. The Cairo International Film Festival takes place annually, while another is held in Alexandria. Of more than 4 000 short and feature-length films produced in Arab countries since 1908, over three quarters were of Egyptian origin. One of the most riveting documentary productions to come out of the country was The Square in 2013. Directed by Jehane Noujaim, it explored the Arab Spring in detail and raked in a slew of international awards. Saudi Arabia, by contrast, still has a rather small media industry. Haifaa al Mansour made waves in 2012 as the country’s first female feature film director. Her debut feature Wadjda had an all-Saudi cast, and was longlisted for a Foreign Language Oscar. Barakah Meets Barakah, a 2016 Saudi Arabian drama-comedy film directed and written by Mahmoud Sabbagh, premiered at Berlinale last year to positive reviews.

The United Arab Emirates has a vibrant, growing film industry and is a popular location for South Asian films and television. The region attracts India’s Bollywood productions and its Pakistani equivalent, Lollywood. The UAE holds annual film festivals in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and has an extensive studio space called Dubai Studio City. It has the largest sound stages in the region and includes backlots, sets, water tanks, production offices, and recording studios. in5 Media is part of an incubator platform based at the studio, and aims to provide a home and support base to more than 100 start-ups in the media sector. Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria are areas of slow development for the industry, with varying degrees of success. Waltz with Bashir is an award-winning animated film from 2008 that Israeli filmmaker Ari Folman wrote, directed and stars in. Paradise Now is another award-winner by Dutch/Palestinian film director Hany Abu-Assad, while Under the Shadow is an unusual thriller/horror – also awardwinning – directed by Iranian filmmaker Babak Anvari in 2016.

CLIMATE The Middle East is a hot, dry place with mild winters, long summers, and little rain. The region sees rainfall between March and November, with occasional flooding between March and May. Coastal areas are humid with steady breezes.

ACCESS The Arab Gulf has four major airports, although international airports can be found in each of the 17 countries in the Middle East. Dubai International and Abu Dhabi International are popular destinations in the UAE, while Hamad International in Qatar and King Abdulaziz International in Saudi Arabia also provide considerable service the region.

POPULATION 411 million (World Population Review, 2017 est.)

CONTACT Dubai Studio City Tel: +971 4 391 4664 Email: info@studiocity.ae Web: www.dubaistudiocity.ae Dubai Media City Tel: +971 4 391 4555 Email: info@dmc.ae Web: www.dmc.ae

32 / EVENTS TO DIARISE

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AUGUST SAN ANTONION FILM FESTIVAL 1–6 San Antonio, USA LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL 2 – 12 Locarno, Switzerland

THE ADVENTURE TRAVEL FILM FESTIVAL LONDON 11 – 13 London, United Kingdom

MZANSI WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL 3–6 Johannesburg, South Africa

POPCORN FRIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL 11 – 17 South Florida, USA

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 3 – 20 Melbourne, Australia

SARAJEVO FILM FESTIVAL 11 – 18 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

SEPTEMBER TELLURIDE FILM FESTIVAL 1–4 Telluride, USA

MONTREAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL 25 – 5 Sept Montreal, Canada

NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 6 – 20 Masterton, New Zealand

SOUND ON SCREEN FILM FESTIVAL 25 – 27 Cape Town, South Africa

CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL 7 – 14 California, USA

HOLLYWOOD DREAMS 17 – 27 Las Vegas, USA

ZIMBABWE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 26 – 2 Sept Harare, Zimbabwe

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 7 – 17 Toronto, Canada

RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 8 – 13 Rhode Island, USA

UBUNTU YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL 18 Cape Town, South Africa

ODENSE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 28 – 3 Sept Odense, Denmark

CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL 7 – 14 Bay Area, California, USA

CHICESTER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 10 – 27 Chichester, United Kingdom

ATLANTA UNDERGROUND FILM FESTICAL 18 – 20 Atlanta, USA

PORTLAND FILM FESTIVAL 2 – 5 Sept Portland, USA

ATLANTA DOCUFEST 8 – 10 Atlanta, USA

FINGAL FILM FESTIVAL 11 – 12 Fingal, Ireland

SILWERSKERMFEES 23 – 26 Cape Town, South Africa

VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 30 – 9 Sept Venice, Italy

CAMDEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 14 – 17 Camden, USA

OCEANSIDE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 6 – 13 San Diego, California

LOERIES CREATIVE WEEK 14 – 20 Durban, South Africa

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OCTOBER

MARBELLA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 4–8 Malaga, Spain LONDON SCREENWRITERS FESTIVAL 15 – 17 London, United Kingdom

BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 4 – 15 London, United Kingdom

PYONGYANG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 16 – 23 Pyongyang, DPR Korea

JOZI FILM FESTIVAL 21 – 24 Johannesburg, South Africa

OUT AT THE MOVIES INTERNATIONAL LGBT FILM FEST 5–8 Winston Salem, Carolina

MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 28 – 8 Oct New York, USA

HAMPTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS 5–9 East Hampton, New York

ZURICH FILM FESTIVAL 28 – 8 Oct Zurich, Switzerland

IRIS PRIZE FILM FESTIVAL 10 – 15 Cardiﬀ, Wales

REYKJAVIK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 28 – 8 Oct Reykjavik, Iceland

NEW ORLEANS FILM FESTIVAL 11 – 19 New Orleans, USA

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 28 – 13 Oct Vancouver, Canada

CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL FILM MARKET & FESTIVAL 12 – 21 V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

SAN SEBASTIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 16 – 24 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain GLOBAL PEACE FILM FESTIVAL 18 – 24 Orlando, USA OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL 20 – 24 Ott awa, Canada RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 20 – 1 Oct London, United Kingdom

CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 12 – 26 Chicago, USA CARMEL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 18 – 22 Sunset Centre, California SHNIT WORLDWIDE SHORTFILMFESTIVAL 18 – 29 8 Cities Internationally MOSTRA SAO PAULO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 20 – 2 Nov Sao Paulo, Brazil TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 25 – 3 Nov Tokyo, Japan SOUTH AFRICAN HORRORFEST 26 – 3 Nov Cape Town, South Africa AFRICA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 29 – 4 Nov Lagos, Nigeria

SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 4–8 SanDiego, USA

34 / ASSOCIATIONS NEWS

NFVF TAKES LOCAL FILMS TO NATIONAL ARTS FEST

WGSA UNDERGOES MAJOR CHANGES

The National Film and Video Foundation hosted the film component of the Grahamstown National Arts Festival this year from 29 June to 9 July. The National Arts Festival is an important event in the South African cultural calendar, and the biggest annual celebration of the arts in the African continent. The inclusion of the film screenings to the festival programme is pivotal in advancing the NFVF’s objective of increasing audience access to South African content. The NFVF hosted nine screenings during the festival, and enabled producers from each film to attend. These films were: • Noem My Skollie • The Hangman • Kalushi • Necktie Youth • Uprize! • Tess • Hatchet hour • Dora’s Peace • Shepherds and Butchers

The Writers’ Guild of South Africa recently announced a new Executive Officer, an allnew council, and a dedicated council member working on transformation and rebranding of the organisation. Khobi Ledwaba was announced as WGSA Chairperson. Ledwaba is wrote her first screenplay Between Friends in 2014, which was released commercially in cinemas across the country. She is currently Head Writer and Executive Producer within her company, Branded Soul Productions. She is Head Writer for Matatiele, a 26-part rural drama series, and Heist, an award-winning action drama for eTv. After a lengthy recruitment drive, The WGSA has appointed Executive Officer for the WGSA: Dr Nonkosi Slatsha. Dr Slatsha’s primary areas of expertise include Programme Design and Implementation, Project Management, Grants Management, cross-sector Partnerships, Research, Capacity Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Results-based Management. Dr Slatsha is also a published writer and public speaker. Trish Malone, writer of

“In our efforts to grow the number of South Africans who consume South African content, we are proud to once again partner with the Grahamstown National Arts Festival. The festival allows the community, which does not have access to a traditional cinema, an opportunity to watch ﬁlms.” says NFVF CEO Zama Mkosi.

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Ayanda and Thula’s Vine, is the new WGSA Vice Chair, while Performance Media Writer Onthatile Matshidiso takes on the mantle of Treasurer. Writer and Photographer Lukhanyo Sikwebu will handle Professional Development Programmes, and DO Productions CoOwner Brigid Olen will assist with International Relations. Sechaba Morojele is taking on the new portfolio at WGSA: transformation. Support members on subcommittees include: • Harriet Meier: Advocacy • Sivan Raphaely: Advocacy • Richard Nosworthy: Legal team • Peter Goldsmid: Legal team • Clea Mallinson: Professional Development • Lesego Madisa: Professional Development • Siphiwe Mbata: Professional Development • Yolanda Mogatus: Professional Development, Capacity Building • Helga Barkhuizen: Capacity Building

ASSOCIATIONS NEWS / 35

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The Southern African Freelancers’ Association (SAFREA) has extended its support to lobbying efforts from the Academic and Non-Fiction Authors in South Africa (ANFASA) and the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) regarding concerns about the new Copyright Amendment Bill, submitted to parliament on 30 June 2017. “The effects of the bill on freelancers and all professionals seeking copyright freedoms are immeasurable at this point, but are concerning to say the least,” says SAFREA Chair Laura Rawden. SAFREA has appealed to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Trade and Industry to consider the unsatisfactory aspects of this bill. Speciﬁcally, the use of unauthorised copies and lack of royalties delivered

to authors from the sale and licensing of their books. This has a direct and negative impact on writers, journalists, editors, newspapers, filmmakers, news writers and scholarly authors. For actors, concerns are centred on an individual’s right to their own image. “The lack of this protection in South Africa underpins many of the exploitative practices currently driving our local television and film industry,” says SAGA Vice Chair Adrian Galley. Senior members Geof Kirby and Gareth Griffiths engaged with the bill on behalf of SAFREA when issues pertaining to members’ rights and best interests were initially raised in 2015. Kirby remains involved regarding photographerspecific copyright issues.

SABC8 AND SOS COALITION HOLD TRIBUTE SERVICE On 6 July 2017 the SABC8 and SOS Coalition held a tribute service to remember and celebrate Suna Venter. Venter joined the SABC as part of RSG’s Current Affairs team eight years ago. She made headlines last year when, alongside seven other colleagues, she fought against editorial interference in the newsrooms. They would later become known as the SABC8, and their inﬂuence would change the South African media landscape. Venter died late June after being diagnosed with a cardiac condition believed to be brought on by trauma and prolonged stress. She was 32 years old at the time of her death. Over the course of the past year, Venter endured death threats, intimidation, and numerous assaults. Despite this, she refused to give in to the victimization and continued in her ﬁght for press freedom and editorial independence.

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