ISSUE 10 | 2018
F CTIFM M MIPCO
AFM
+ CELEBRATING INDUSTRY HEROES
Creating Change in Local Film, TV and Commercials
+ TRANSFORMATION IN FILM
Making Inclusivity a Key Driver for Growth
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CONTENTS / 01
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02. Production Hub
Launched in Bree Street
10 16 26 34
04. NFVF Announces
Approved Projects for Cycle 2
SA’S FILM HEROES
Here are some of the most generous people to work in film, TV and commercials.
05. ARRAY Acquires Vaya 06. AFM Unites the World in Santa Monica
07. Afro-Fire Incarnate in Rhea Blek’s Ka Mzolo
08. The Extraordinary Life
LOCAL VS INTERNATIONAL
We look at recent projects to find out what kind of content is in demand.
of a Fixer
10. Celebrating SA’s Film Heroes
16. Local Production vs
International Service
18. Trends in Camera Equipment
22. Industry Snapshot
TRANSFORMING FILM Kim Crowie explores the issues the sector currently faces in bringing inclusivity.
26. The Long Road Ahead for Transformation
30. Diversifying in a
Changing Economy
33. The Tokoloshe Screens at Comic Con Africa
34. CTIFMF Focused on
CTIFMF FOCUSED ON INDUSTRY GROWTH
An exciting market programme and incredible cinema in store for attendees.
Industry Growth
36. Events to Diarise 38. Associations News 40. Directory of Advertisers
02 / NEWS
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PRODUCTION HUB
LAUNCHED IN BREE STREET
129 Bree Street in Cape Town is now home to a one-stop-shop content hub that includes Marche Media, Madoc, Skript, After Dark, Gravity and Stitch.
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he 129 Bree Street Hub was launched on Thursday, 6 September, to introduce clients and suppliers alike to the new space, and to encourage future collaborators to get in touch. About 140 people were present and were given a tour of the facility. A few months ago, Marche Media moved into their new premises on 129 Bree Street, with the hope of creating a onestop media content hub with likeminded industry professionals. At the moment, they share the space with post-production and production services
companies Madoc, Skript, After Dark, Gravity and Stitch. “The idea is to create a hub where creatives can come to us with ideas, generate the content and develop it into a concept, get it pitch-ready, and then get assistance in terms of funding procedures to make that idea a reality,” explains CEO Jaco Smit. “Marche Media then offers full pre-production and production facilitation, and we have experienced high-end post production supervisors, graders, editors and sound designers at our disposal. To give you an idea, we currently have many
The Bree Street Production Hub launch. All images courtesy of Marche Media
short-form advertisements, two reality TV shows, two Afrikaans drama series, two documentaries and two feature films in various stages of production running from this address.” Marche Media is a production company created a year ago with the merge of Lion’s Head Pictures and Human Capital Films. They are responsible for award-winning feature titles such as Johnny Is Nie Dood Nie (Christiaan Olwagen), Nobody’s Died Laughing (with Pieter-Dirk Uys, Charlize Theron and Sophia Loren) and upcoming film Kanarie, with Schalk Bezuidenhout in the
lead role. On local television, Marche Media is responsible for the Showmax / kykNET production Waterfront, as well as the hit reality TV show Boer soek ’n Vrou and Mooimaak met Clare Wiese-Wentzel. Stitch and Skript focus on short-form content generation while Madoc takes care of all post-production needs, including a full sound studio for ADR and sound design purposes. After Dark Post also offers full post-production services, and specialises in high-end 4K DI colour grading and online editing.
/ THE BEST NATURAL LIGHT IN THE WORLD. Cape Town is the premier destination for your next production, providing excellent natural light, diverse locations, highly skilled people and great value for money. Film the world in one city. For more information on our locations, crews, studios and more visit: www.filmcapetown.com.
04 / NEWS
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Fiona Ramsay in Table Manners
High Fantasy © Gabriella Achadinha
NFVF ANNOUNCES APPROVED PROJECTS FOR CYCLE 2
The National Film and Video Foundation has announced approved projects for funding for cycle 2 of the financial year of 2018/19.
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he NFVF has announced cycle 2 funding approvals for cycle 2 for the financial year of 2018/19. These include seven projects for Marketing and Distribution, while funding for 19 documentary projects in development, production and post stages, as well as 13 fiction and two TV projects were approved for development funding. Ten production projects, three of which are feature length, were given funding. Below is a list of the major approved projects. For the full list, visit www.nfvf.co.za. Marketing And Distribution • Die Stropers (Harvesters)| Lwazi Manzi, Mercurial Pictures • Baby Mamas | Salamina Mosese, Sorele Media • Table Manners | Nkuli Sibeko – Botman, Table Manners • The Adventures of Supermama | Rory Downing, Supermama Films • The Tokoloshe | Dumi
Gumbi, Alone Films • Whispering Truth to Power | Shameela Seedat, Undercurrent Film and Television • High Fantasy | Steven Markovitz, Big World Cinema
• •
| Beverley Mitchell, Kalahari Film and Media Mining & Mayhem | Laurence Dworkin Last Night A Haircut Saved My Life | Roxanne Dalton, Alive Productions Mother City | Pearl Georgina Joubert, Plexus Films When Shadows Move | Aliki Saragas, Elafos Productions Murder in Paris – Pourquoi / Why, Dulcie September? | Enver Samuel, EMS Productions
Festival Hosting • 48 Hour Film Project | Hisham Samie, Bench Films • Shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival | Sean Drummond, Be Phat Motel • Kwasukasukela Film Festival | Sibongiseni Mabuyakhulu, Absolute Gumba Entertainment • Northern Cape Film Week | Motheo Seleke, Bushcoffee Tradeworx • Cherry Film And TV Festival | Lebogang Motaung, Immortal Media • Limpopo International Film Festival | Victor Phiri, Zwivhuya Multimedia Productions
•
NON-FICTION PROJECTS
Post Production – Documentaries • By All Means Necessary
Development – Documentaries • Imprint of the Ancestors
• •
Production – Documentaries • Seven Steps - A Documentary Portrait of Taliep Petersen | Dominique Jossie, Screendance Africa • Still: A Story of Lauretta Ngcobo | Kethiwe Ngcobo, Fuzebox Entertainment • Womxn: Working | Tiny Mungwe, CTRL ALT Shift
| Ramadan Suleman, Natives At Large
FICTION PROJECTS
Development – Feature Length • Susters van Eva | Saskia Schiel, Advantage Entertainment • Get Happy | Carolyn Carew, Free Women Films • Republic of Africa | Sechaba Morojele, Provoke Entertainment • Ronald | Nicki Priem, Mad Little Badger Development – TV Format • The Judas Goat | Daniel Bester, The Film Factory South Africa • Ringa Mzansi | Lwazi Msipha, Old Fashion Youngin Production – Feature Length • Coltan | Sisanda Henna, Formula Movie • African America | Phumelele Mthembu, MVP Productions • Displace | Reyjeane Haroun, Film Production & Host of The 48
NEWS / 05
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ARRAY ACQUIRES VAYA
On 28 August ARRAY Releasing announced Akin Omotoso’s Vaya as its nineteenth feature film acquisition.
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film that chronicles the innocence lost by three young South African who journey away from their rural homes on a train bound for Johannesburg, Vaya is ARRAY Releasing’s latest addition to their arsenal. The collective has acquired distribution rights for the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand territories. Vaya will debut on 1 November 2018 with a US screening tour and simultaneous release on Netflix, according to ARRAY
aerial shots with fast-paced images in Johannesburg to intertwine the stories of strangers struggling to survive. “Through Vaya, actor turned director Akin Omotoso centres The Open Window (Pty) Ltd (company registration 1973/015860/07) is registered on South diverse as a Private Higher Education Institution by theAfrica’s Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) with Registration Certificate Number: 2000/HE07/016.The communities to explore the Open Window (Pty) Ltd courses are accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)to under universal experiences related the Higher Education Act, 1997. The Open Window (Pty) Ltd is a SETA provider accredited with MICTSETA: Accreditation Number: ACC/2016/07/0012. coming of age,” says Tilane Jones, Akin Omotoso’s Vaya has been acquired by ARRAY (image courtesy of ARRAY) Vice President at ARRAY. “We’re excited to add this vibrant work to founder Ava DuVernay. real accounts. Omotoso’s ARRAY’s catalogue and we look Stirring and suspenseful, collaboration with first-time forward to sharing its message Vaya culminates in an feature cinematographer of hope in the face of adversity explosive moment based on Kabelo Thathe pairs stunning with an international audience.”
ACCREDITED
BACHELOR DEGREES IN: V I S U A L C O M M U N I C AT I O N C R E AT I V E T E C H N O LO G I E S FILM ARTS ACCREDITED
CERTIFICATES IN: 3 D A N I M AT I O N & V F X FILM & TV PRODUCTION P H OTO G R A P H Y DESIGN TECHNIQUES O P E N W I N D O W. C O. Z A
012 648 9200
The Open Window (Pty) Ltd (company registration 1973/015860/07) is registered as a Private Higher Education Institution by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) with Registration Certificate Number: 2000/HE07/016.The Open Window (Pty) Ltd courses are accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) under the Higher Education Act, 1997. The Open Window (Pty) Ltd is a SETA provider accredited with MICTSETA: Accreditation Number: ACC/2016/07/0012.
06 / SPOTLIGHT
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AFM UNITES THE WORLD IN SANTA MONICA
American Film Market takes place from 31 October to 7 November in Hollywood’s backyard.
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AFM BY THE NUMBERS
7 000+ INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
2 000+ NEW FILMS & PROJECTS
1 000+ PRODUCTION COMPANIES
500+ SCREENINGS
400+ DISTRIBUTORS
100+ SPEAKERS
US $1B DEALS CLOSED
ALL ON ONE BEACHFRONT CAMPUS
decentralised transactions, the Finance Conference where everything from script to screen is covered, as well as a Production Conference, and a Distribution Conference where the Future of VoD will be discussed. Other sessions of note include the newly introduced writers workshops, roundtables discussing everything from IP and opportunities to documentary production and
Scenes from the American Film Market
boosting a micro-budget. The exhibition brings 1 600 buyers together, while over 400 feature film screenings take place – including 250 market premieres and 100+ world premieres. AFM also offers attendees business matchmaking options as a complementary pre-show tool for accredited buyers and sales companies to create valuable connections.
For those interested in production incentives and locations, American Film Market also offers a LocationEXPO which was launched last year. It brings over 100 film commissions to one spot and billions of dollars’ worth of rebates from a range of global locations. In 2017 AFM saw an 18% increase in exhibitor participation, with 2018 forecasted to be even better.
Illustrations, designed by Freepik.com
merican Film Market is one of the biggest events to take place in the Northern Hemisphere annually. The market attracts over 7 000 decision makers from more than 80 countries where attendees buy, sell and license, as well as attend screenings, conferences and network. More than US$1-billion in motion picture and distribution deals are closed at AFM annually for films in every stage of development. In addition, more than 90% of the world’s films films are financed, produced and distributed by attendees to AFM. The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) will be leading a delegation of twelve black-owned companies across the film and TV value chain to AFM this year. “The intention of the mission is to provide market access opportunities to South African companies, present investment opportunities and to showcase South African capability and capacity to the American Market,” says Thembakazi Kwinana, Assistant Director: Service Based Industries and Investment Promotion at Invest SA. This year, AFM Conferences cover a range of topics from industry decision makers and thought leaders. Some of these include the Pitching Conference which covers everything from essentials to the two-minute pitch, the Blockchain Conference where stakeholders discuss production finance and distribution opportunities through
NEWS / 07
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AFRO-FIRE INCARNATE IN
RHEA BLEK’S KA MZOLO Arcade Content’s Zandi Tisani directed Ka Mzolo, the new Ford Figo music video with Rhea Blek.
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p-and-coming director Zandi Tisani has once again made waves with her fantastical music video for Rhea Blek. It is a strange and wonderful journey through the streets and fashion of Diepkloof, exploring the incredible and unique talent that’s found within our borders. “I wanted to make something that was fun and bold and left a sweet taste in the mouth,” says Zandi. She worked with GTB Africa to find and celebrate South African talent who encapsulated what it means to #GoMakeWaves and #GoFurther. “GTB tasked us with finding talent that wasn’t from the same pool of usual suspects and to shoot a music video that would allow everyone from musician to make-up to shine.” Adam Bentel from Krewkut shot the music video. It was produced by Julia Schnurr, art directed by Keenan McAdam, and edited by Joe de Ornelas at Left, with a final mix by Audio Militia. As Ford South Africa’s YouTube
THE STARS OF KA MZOLO • • • • • • •
Durban singer Rhea Blek Furniture designer Siyanda Mbele Fashion designer Jacques Bam Hair stylist Nikiwe Dlova Make-up artist Orli Meiri Photographer Obakeng Molepe Ka Mzolo also stars BMX Maniacs, Bambanani Brass Band and Yo Coco dairy-free ice cream.
Rhea Blek’s music video Ka Mzolo was directed by Zandi Tisani. (Image Courtesy of Arcade Content)
introduction puts it, “Drive. You either have it or you don’t. And you (yes, you) clearly have it. This music video was made for, and by, some of South Africa’s brightest young talents who know what it takes to push beyond the boundaries. They’re making waves. The new Ford Figo is for those in the hustle and this music video is a celebration of
what can be achieved when you decide to go further.” Released initially as a vertical video on Instagram Stories, Ka Mzolo is Zandi’s second music video after Zaki Ibrahim’s Go Widdit in 2012. It is part of a larger campaign for Ford SA which includes a choose-your-ownending Twitter series, 360-degree videos for shop floors, a traditional
TV commercial and more. Her first campaign with Arcade, for Standard Bank, was MarkLives‘ Ad of the Week, while her Superbalist fashion film topped a million views on YouTube. Her upcoming web series, People You May Know, screened in competition at Series Mania in Paris and won the OneX Pitch Deal at the New York Television Festival.
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08 / SPOTLIGHT
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THE EXTRAORDINARY
LIFE OF A FIXER
We chat with Margie McMahon, Line Producer and Fixer, exploring the ins and outs of her daily life.
M
argie McMahon is a woman with a wealth of experience in the film industry dating back to the 90s. Her work is predominantly in the commercial sector right now, but she has built a reputation as one of SA’s top line producers through a range of projects from reality TV to music videos. From the initial enquiry to quoting a job and executing it, Margie is involved at all levels. The Callsheet caught her between jet setting moments to find out more about her busy lifestyle and why she’s passionate about this industry. What is the life of a film fixer? There is no typical day in the life of a film fixer/line producer in Africa. Every job comes with its own challenges as each country you work in and requests are all different. You might be asked to find a remote location that’s able to do 360 degrees without seeing any sign of life for filming with the gorillas. You get people asking to film in national parks with the Big 5 and they think they can walk around and not worry, that the animals are trained. It takes a while sometimes for people to realise that Africa is a very diverse place and that filming in Africa is very challenging. Often we find that our clients are not prepared for how basic certain parts of Africa can be. We have just come off a shoot where we had 4 hours of travelling each day – two hours to and two hours
from the location on rudimentary roads through conservancy areas where animals roam freely, from lions to elephants to wildebeest and zebra. It pays to be connected in every country your work – and have partnerships with fixers locally on the ground that can help you. Each country is different and has different requirements, and the network of people that I have in all the countries I work in are completely invaluable to me. I treasure those relationships.
Who contacts you and what do they ask for? Is every client different? Every client is completely different. The last couple of jobs have been great in Cameroon, Uganda, Mauritius and Kenya – that is where I have been over the last year – and they have been amazing commercials that we have shot. Most of them for local clients, and some are for international clients. You get a lot of calls from
Margie McMahon
Left and right: An MTN Business commercial Margie facilitated. Production Company: Goodcop, Director: Daniel Levi
international documentary people who just want you to put them in touch with the right people on the ground so that they can go off and do their own thing. I am always very reluctant to do that, because sometimes they don’t treat your people right, and then the job becomes a bit of a disaster which is then blamed on you. So more often than not, I prefer to be able to go off and do the jobs as opposed to just putting people in touch with my connections on the ground.
IT PAYS TO BE CONNECTED IN EVERY COUNTRY YOUR WORK – AND HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH FIXERS LOCALLY ON THE GROUND THAT CAN HELP YOU. EACH COUNTRY IS DIFFERENT AND HAS DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS, AND THE NETWORK OF PEOPLE THAT I HAVE IN ALL THE COUNTRIES I WORK IN ARE COMPLETELY INVALUABLE TO ME. I TREASURE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
SPOTLIGHT / 09
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Where do you work? Are you in the office or in the field more? I am very lucky in that I fix in Africa. I line produce in Africa and I work as a line producer mainly for the service industry in Cape Town. I would love to be able to spend more time fixing work in African countries – if I could go off every two months and do a job, I would be a very happy person. Slowly but surely it is getting there, but it takes a while for people to recognise that a female can go off into some of these countries and pull off what I do! What are some of the craziest requests you’ve received? I think one was to go into Somalia about seven years ago and interview the pirates. This was one I turned down – I don’t believe in putting people’s lives in danger. Then we had a request to send two unseasoned travellers on a river trip to explore the
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wildlife, scenes and tribal life, from Kisangani to the Atlantic Ocean, via Bumba, Mbandaka to Banana Point. Some of those areas were at the time really not cool - so we also turned that down. When I talk about “we”, I have a friend who is from Rwanda who travels with me on a lot of my trips - he speak fluent French and many other languages and is a great help. What are the challenges of working in this industry? The biggest challenge for me is ignorant clients who believe they can exploit areas and people just because they have money. The local industry has been in an interesting place this year. How has business been for you? I am a very lucky person and I thank my stars every day that I have people who believe in me and who trust me. I have been able to work fairly consistently
and I hope to continue to do so for as long as I can. Any wise words for someone hoping to work as a fixer? Be flexible and be prepared
QUICK-FIRE ROUND 1. Bacon or Chocolate? Bacon 2. Red pill or blue pill? Neither 3. Favourite quote? This too shall pass 4. Favourite celebrity? Someone I always admired growing up was Marilyn Munroe. 5. Name someone you admire in the local film industry. Wow that is difficult! There are so many strong women and a few men – that I respect for what they have done – so no, there is not one particular person… 6. If I wasn’t a fixer, I would be… There is no answer to that - I would be doing what I still do: line produce and fix. 7. Describe the local film industry in one word. Unpredictable 8. All-time favourite movie(s)? Two of my older favourite movies are Pulp Fiction and
to share your knowledge with everyone. Be generous to those that work with you on the ground – and you will find that they will always have your back and go out of their way to help you.
Apocalypse Now. In later years I have been watching a lot of TV series and like most people I love Games of Thrones and now I am watching The Handmaid’s Tale – great series. 9. If you were stranded on a desert island, who or what would you bring? That is a terrible question to ask me! I am not a great camper and cannot do without hot water in the morning to shower, so a solar shower and some books to read. 10. If you were president for a day, what’s the 1st thing you would do? Make everyone do an honest day’s work and get paid according to what they do. I think the unemployment is so high and if people could only work and get paid a decent wage, we would not have as much crime in this country, but that is just me.
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10 / FEATURE
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CELEBRATING
SA’S FILM HEROES
The people who are making a real difference often go unnoticed…but not today! We round up the unsung heroes bringing change to South Africa’s film landscape as nominated by you, our valued readers.
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t’s not often that people who do good get praise, but we at the Callsheet believe that those working for change and making a difference in the lives of individuals are not only significant, but worthy of mention. In late August we put out a call to the industry to share their heroes with us, and you responded – telling us why these people are vital to the growth and development of film, television, commercials and animation. Here are your heroes.
THANDI BREWER Thandi lives and breathes entertainment, and has been called the Shonda Rimes of South Africa. She is a writer, director, producer, showrunner and mentor to many, and has produced over 300 hours in screentime. Born into a theatrical family, she grew up performing and working as crew in theatres and on film sets. She made an impact on SA television with early series like Dynamite Diepkloof Dudes and 37 Honey Street. In recent years she has created ground-breaking series like End Game, Usindiso and Keeping Score. Feature scripts include Story Of An African Farm and The Chemo Club, which she also directed. With multiple nominations from the industry, Thandi Brewer has made a serious impact on people’s lives. She is passionate about African writers and has trained over
Thandi Brewer with her daughter
Paul Raleigh
500 people through her work as a screenwriting mentor in the NFVF’s screenwriting programme Spark, M-Net’s East African skills transfer programme in Kenya, and in many other initiatives. “A force of nature, Thandi not only changed the film and TV landscape of this country, she empowered an entire generation to embrace moving pictures and tell their stories,” says Marina Bekker. According to Julia Smuts Louw of Sparks Flew Development Studio, she “has been a mother hen to many new writers, and also inspires in her personal battle with cancer.” The Writers Guild of South Africa also nominated her for her work with the organisation. “Thandi was the inaugural Chair of the Writers Guild of South Africa and the visionary behind Moon Valley Studios. She is our film hero because she not only
leads and inspires with her own exceptional talent but because she has done so very much for so very many in this industry.” “God knows why I’m passionate about this industry! I was born into it and I love it and I believe that we can change the world,” Thandi says.
PAUL RALEIGH Paul Raleigh is a force to be reckoned with in the film industry. Although he currently works with Hollard Film Guarantors, Paul has been instrumental in the development of local filmmakers. He has mentored many during the 40 years he’s been working in the sector, and according to Lauren van Rensburg of Refinery, “he has tirelessly and passionately taken so many young producers under his wings – and often to
his own personal detriment. He has remained passionate and dedicated to giving every young person he encounters as much as he possibly can to equip them for the job ahead. And of course he has a next level sense of humour!” Refinery MD, Tracey Williams, echoes her comments, saying he has supported and advised many filmmakers over the years. “His advice to them is way beyond that as a film bonder. Prior to that he was the producer of Tsosti and many more films…He really is one of those people who is considerate and can really be relied upon.” As the Founder and Managing Director of Moviworld Paul oversaw, produced and co-produced dozens of feature films and television series, on productions as diverse as the thriller Stander (starring Thomas Jane); the horror pics The Hangman’s Daughter and Texas Blood Money (Quentin Tarantino Series of films for Miramax) and the second highest grossing film in South African cinema history (after Titanic), Mr. Bones. Paul has also been the Director of Southern Africa for Film Finances, a global leader in completion bond guarantees, and in 2011 Paul Joined Etana/Hollard and formed the first local company to provide completion guarantees. To date Hollard has Bonded 120 films with budgets exceeding R 1 billion.
FEATURE / 11
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QUINTON FREDERICKS Quinton Fredericks, also known as Bertram, fell in love with films at an early age. After working on SA-Canadian co-production Charlie Jade in 2004, he lobbied some of the top production companies to start a training programme called F.I.L.M – now known as the SA FILM Academy. Since 2015 he has managed the CSI programme for Kalahari Film and Media, the Young Filmmakers Programme, which teaches film and television production skills to learners in schools most impacted by gang and drug violence. This, he says, is a way of facilitating access for them to the industry, given that they may never afford to attend film school. “Quinton Bertram Fredericks started a programme called Kwela, which I started on – he’s the reason I am working in this industry… Bertram has always been passionate about skills development and training youth of colour to access the industry,” says Lisa Mini, Film and Media Promotion Officer at Wesgro. “Irfaan [Fredericks] and Bertram are still running skills development programmes in areas like Parkwood and Manenberg on the Cape Flats.” “There is no greater reward that seeing an idea that just existed on paper coming alive on screen and grabbing people’s attention, making them think, talk, argue and generally reflect on what they have just seen… Being able to influence, comment and reflect on the world
Quinton Fredericks
Bobby Heaney
we live in through the medium of film and television is a privilege second to none,” says Bertram.
and assistance in accelerating my career in television as a scriptwriter,” says Neo Sibiya. “He gave me the opportunity to write my very first script for television
BOBBY HEANEY A prolific local filmmaker, Bobby Heaney has won a dozen theatre and over two dozen television awards for Best Director and Best Production. His credits include the likes of Jerry Springer’s Saturday Night, Rockville, The Wild, Erfsondes, and The Gareth Cliff Show. But his most moving work is arguably the M-Net Magic in Motion Academy. Several former students have nominated Bobby for his work with the programme he designed and has run since 2014. The Academy now boasts over 50 intern graduates employed across the industry, who have all been personally mentored by him. “Bobby imparted amazing knowledge, guidance
IN MEMORIAM: GERHARD SMITH Gerhard Smith is an animation stalwart who passed a few years ago, but still remains relevant to local animators. He did storyboarding for the original Duck Tales and could animate anything given to him. “He was the best 2D animator I’ve ever met from South Africa, and had a wealth of experience,” says Mike Scott, who worked with
Production Music for Professionals representing over 60 international labels and African Planit, a South African Music Library. Service is our first Priority.
and helped 19 of us produce our first professional made-for-TV film. Bobby introduced us to key industry players, placed us the top film and TV sets in the country and gave us 10 years of experience in one year.” “His tireless passion to building our industry and his drive to express South African story to the best of his ability have not only made him an industry legend, but a game changer,” adds Lerato Molahlehi. Xolani Nhlapo is another testament to Bobby’s ability to mentor: “I’m now a coowner of Eccentric Circus alongside two of the Academy’s graduates,” he says, “We are working very close with Mzansi Magic. Bobby Heaney opened doors that I couldn’t have opened on my own.”
him in his early years of animation. “He worked on an original 2D light box. I remember seeing a TV ident he’d done of a lady walking towards camera. I had never seen anything like it – so much subtlety, a real OG animator. I remember seeing his name mentioned in the book Animation Writing and Development: From Script Development to Pitch in the section on South Africa’s animation history.”
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I AM AN ARDENT SUPPORTER OF LOCAL FILM, AND BELIEVE THAT NURTURING OUR LOCAL STORYTELLERS IS ESSENTIAL TO DEVELOPING A SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY. Value Film Fleet and unit gear
Value Film Fleet on the set of Knuckle City
MARGIE WELCH As the head of Value Logistics’ Film Fleet, Margie is always catering to the local industry’s needs. She’s worked with Value since 2006, and despite the praises from clients and peers, she remains humble. “I have had many mentors from the industry who have contributed to the divisions growth,” Margie explains, “It gives me great pleasure to see our local productions and filmmakers thriving and getting the recognition that they so deserve.” Bianca Isaac from Figjam Entertainment has worked with Margie for the last six years on films like The Jakes Are Missing, The Wound (Inxeba), Umlilo, and Swartwater. “Margie knows how to take care of her clients, she knows and understands budgets, and she makes sure that her clients get what they need,” she says. “I can honestly say that if was not for Margie, I would not have made through
some projects. Love working with her and always will.” Michael Auret echoes her sentiments: “Spier Films is grateful for the great service provided by Margie Welch, in making Value Truck Rental one of our most reliable and cost-effective suppliers.” “It is very rare in the film industry to find individuals working within the supplier chain who take the time to nurture and support young, local filmmakers,” says Layla Swart of Yellowbone Entertainment. “Margie is a hero to the local industry and the work she does behind the scenes contributes in so many ways to the success of our films.” “Margie has never let me down, no matter how abysmally low my budget is... She has been the kind of anchor that I need to ensure that my transport woes are kept the absolute minimum. This nomination is 150% deserved,” Nolitha Mkulisi of Brown Flamingo Productions adds.
Jack Devnarain
Sean Drummond
WILLOW HOWELL
on behalf of performers. In September he submitted a presentation on the Performers Protection Amendment Bill. He is also committed to creating partnerships and collaboration in the industry, and most recently signed an MOU with the PMA.
Willow Howell heads up props and set-dressing rental company The Propfather, and has been instrumental in uniting Cape Town’s prop houses in finding ways of making the commercial industry more sustainable. “We hope that by taking a stand we will set an example that others will follow,” he told producers recently after offering a number of solutions to assist the commercial sector in bidding for jobs in coming months. He has also been working to form an association of prop houses, which will bring about a standardised system of operating.
JACK DEVNARAIN A prolific actor in his own right, Jack Devnarain has made a lasting impact on the South African film and television landscape, most notably for his role on Isidingo. But arguably his most important work to date is as Chair of the SA Guild of Actors, lobbying Parliament
SEAN DRUMMOND “Sean Drummond is our very own South African film hero for exploding our local storytelling and short film makers into the eyes, hearts and minds of the overseas market,” says Callsheet Head of Design Sheree Steenkamp. His debut feature Five Fingers For Marseilles continues to wow audiences, and as the founding manager of the Cape Town chapter of shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival, he has pushed artistic collaboration and exchange between filmmakers from around the world. For the last two years he’s served as international coordinator for shnit.
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I HATE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE LITTLE TO NO CINEMAS IN THE TOWNSHIPS. SO I DECIDED TO START MY OWN SCREENINGS. Buhle Sithela
Layla Swart
“As a writer and filmmaker I’m most passionate about telling great South African stories that play out on grand scale and about taking them to the world. I’m also passionate about finding local voices, particularly through short film and our work at shnit,” Sean says, “It’s one of the most exciting times to be making films in SA that I can think of in my 12-odd years in the industry.”
BUHLE NICHOLAS SITHELA A young man with bright ideas, Buhle has found innovating ways in which
to create an audience for film in his neighbourhood of Khayelitsha. As part of a university assignment he began cleaning bins in his community in 2015, which has now become a business that funds Vuma, his pop-up cinema. “Film has always been one of my biggest passions, but I hate the fact that there are little to no cinemas in the townships. So I decided to start my own screenings. Ekasi Pop-up Cinema is a concept of bringing cinemas to the township… By hosting these screenings we create a safe
space in the community and we can have discussions after the film,” he told Red Bull’s Rofhiwa Maneta recently. He hopes to take his bin cleaning business to government facilities and supermarkets, and wants to take his cinema on a roadshow to different communities in the near future.
LAYLA SWART One of the most exciting female producers in SA at the moment, Layla Swart is inspiring young women in the
industry. She has produced three films - acclaimed Xhosa Sci-Fi Stillborn, the epic Sew The Winter To My Skin, and township boxing film Knuckle City, which recently wrapped. She is passionate about developing the film sector in regions like the Eastern Cape, and has made partnerships that will ensure a sustainable film future for the region. “I am an ardent supporter of local film, and believe that nurturing our local storytellers is essential to developing a sustainable industry in this country,” she says.
TO BOLDLY GO WHERE
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hen it comes to filming, we wouldn’t presume to tell you the best angle from which to shoot, make suggestions regarding lighting or the best camera to use. But when it comes to getting your finances straight we certainly know what we’re talking about. We also know how important it is for film and production companies to be to be up-to-speed with your accounts and financial planning.
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the founder of the Initiative for Motion Pictures within the African Continent (IMPAC). According to Francis Ottah, Oluwatoyin Oyekanmi has worked “behind and on screen in the popular Nollywood for more than 10 years contributing to the transformation of the sector”. As a PhD candidate in Film and TV at UJ, his focus lies on the social reengineering of African youth using film to assist in addressing pertinent issues. Leonora De Souza-Zilwa
Danie Bester
VANESSA ANN SINDEN
major events, and is currently working actively to reduce red tape for the film sector. “Our country, her beautiful people, and our endless possibilities inspire me,” she says.
school students from the Cape Flats and in Gauteng. The company also has an on-thejob mentorship programme and when funds allow, offers grants and mentorship for short films.
JOE ALBLAS
DANIE BESTER
Still photographer Joe Alblas has been capturing alluring images on movie sets for years and continues to make a valuable contribution to our film industry’s media with his strong visual content. “African Photo Productions, the company he heads up, frequently showcases South Africa as a preferred film destination in numerous editorials. He also mentors young graduates to become accomplished professionals in the industry,” says Sheree Steenkamp of the Callsheet.
Danie has produced 25 feature films in the last ten years and is best known for his work in the Afrikaans film arena. He’s worked on films like Bakgat!, Verraaiers, Hear Me Move, Jou Romeo, Sy Klink Soos Lente, Vuil Wasgoed, Vir Altyd, Ballade vir ‘n Enkeling, Pad na jou Hart, Vir die Voëls and Stroomop among many others, and has gradually been shifting his focus to the development of local productions that can be released internationally. According to Tracey Williams of Refinery, he is “always humble in his contribution, but probably our most prolific producer. He has given so much to the legacy of Afrikaans films in SA.”
As producer at Triggerfish, Vanessa is working on a slate of independent African projects currently in development and preproduction. She launched Story Lab with Anthony Silverston, an initiative that has seen resounding success since 2015. During her 18 years in the business she has produced six films, two animated shorts, and over 30 commercials. “One of my favourite things to do when I am not producing is to support young creators and producers wanting to break into animation and to find their feet in this fledgling industry,” Vanessa says. According to CTIAF Director Dianne Makings, she champions women in animation and spends lots of time working with young creatives. “She always volunteers at CTIAF and speaks at Isivivana Centre inspiring the youth to consider animation as a career, and always makes herself available when people want guidance.”
LEONORA DE SOUZA-ZILWA Although she has not been in the film industry for long, Leonora, who manages Events and Film at the City of Cape Town offices, is all for making Cape Town even more of a film-friendly destination. She is experienced in strategy development, management and operations of
IRFAAN FREDERICKS Perhaps best known for his work on Dredd, Lord of War, and The Fall, Irfaan Fredericks has a passion for film – but also a passion to see the industry transformed. He started as a runner on Winter Is July, according to Valentia Fisher, and is currently Producer and Co-Owner of Kalahari Film and Media. Through their CSI project, the Young Filmmakers Programme, he oversees after school programmes for high
HONOURABLE MENTIONS Pluto Pannousis, who is head of academics at the Open Window Institute, has been instrumental in exposing aspiring young filmmakers to the storytelling medium, says Arti Director, Editor and Producer Fidel Tshivhasa. Pluto is also
Pragna Parsotam-Kok and Noel Kok have been nominated for their ground-breaking development of the NEWF Congress. “They’ve devoted themselves to finding the next generation of young African Filmmakers in the wildlife space<” says filmmaker Fidel Tshivhasa. The organisation has already opened doors for over 11 film projects, and they have attracted both filmmakers and conservationists alike to their cause. Known better for his work as Executive Producer at Juice Film, Martin Jacobsen has been an influential force working behind the scenes of the commercial industry. He was involved in forming the recent industry Sustainability Forum together to unite the sector and find create solutions to the current decline in commercial production. Team Tick – Tina and Nick Dearlove – started Press Play Films SA in 2009. They built the company up from nothing, and in 2015 produced the SAMAs’ first live stream from the red carpet. A couple in love with each other and the medium they work in, Team Tick treat their staff like family, says Production Manager Tammy Sonderup. “Their best attribute is that they are passionate about the people they work with.”
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Team Tick of Press Play Films SA
Andre Scholtz has consistently produced 3-5 films a year including many of Leon Schuster’s hits. His more recent films include Paw Paw vir my Darling, Meerkat Maantuig, and Frank and Fearless (2018), and he spent a year as Head of Film at AFDA in Port Elizabeth. “He has supported many of our directors and producers in making their project happen,” says Tracey Williams of Refinery, “He is always helpful and such a gentleman. Really an unsung hero.” Film Afrika’s Belinda Johnson has worked in the industry for years and in the last few has “taken it upon herself to ensure the productions she becomes involved with nurture the concept of equality and skills development in a meaningful way,” says Refiloe Chakela-Gava, “instead of ‘window-dressing’
Local Excellence Global Appeal
Tristan Schäfer
productions.” most recently she’s helped develop a film and media platform to boost Cape Town’s dwindling film business. Andy Wood is an animation stalwart, and was pivotal in Mike Scott’s animation career. Wood, Scott and the late Gerhard Smith worked from Andy’s house making Jozi Zoo for eTV. “Andy had some great advice nuggets I still keep in mind today – ‘consistency is so important, no good doing something amazing today and something bad tomorrow, rather be consistent’ and ‘don’t neglect your tools’.” Tristan Schäfer is a filmmaker quickly making his mark on the industry. He has worked on projects like the Image of Hope initiative, and ranked as one of the top 3 in Africa at the Digital Lab
Africa VR pitch. “We are in the age of democratised accessibility in all aspects from online distribution to affordable high quality equipment. What we have here in Africa is story and substance, and now is our time to bring that to life.” As CEO and Founder of Old Soul Films, he is inspiring as someone so young successfully running his own business. Seton Bailey, who currently heads up the SA FILM Academy (formerly F.I.L.M.) has been instrumental in the transformation of the long form industry. They placed 200 interns and trainees a year placed on various productions in 2018 alone. A number of the interns have gone on to head up departments and start their own companies in the film industry,” explains Belinda Johnson of Film Afrika.
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Lisa Mini has a wealth of experience in the film industry across productions and festivals, but her most important role to date has been in promoting Cape Town and the Western Cape’s creative industries through Wesgro’s Film and Media division. She is always willing to assist filmmakers with their needs in order to facilitate the growth of the local sector. Lebogang Rasethaba has long been making waves in the type of content he creates both for clients and for himself. “He’s made various documentaries that have shaped SA culture in a big way, including People Versus the Rainbow Nation and People Versus The Patriarchy.” says Arcade Content Producer Will Nicholson.
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LOCAL PRODUCTION VS INTERNATIONAL SERVICE The Callsheet examines the various projects in production or completed this year to find out what kind of international and local service work has been in demand.
A
lthough it was a much quieter 2017 than usual for service production houses, the industry has kept busy with some local work as well as some big international jobs. This year, although still quite tame, has seen more local
productions being greenlit, which is promising for the future. According to Rehad Desai, Chairperson of the Independent Producers Organisation (IPO), the shrunken economy was a major influence in the film and television sector’s lack of growth.
The Forgiven starsForest Whitaker,
Yellowbones Entertainment has been busy, working on Sew The Winter To My Skin
Some of the international productions that came to SA in the last 12 to 18 months include Bloodshot starring Vin Diesel, The Forgiven starring Eric Bana and Forest Whitaker, Warrior and Tomb Raider, which were both shot at Cape Town Film Studios earlier this year, as well as The Crown, Madiba, The Scorpion King, The Maze, Origin and Maze Runner: The Death Cure. Valhalla will go into principal photography in October, while Tyler Perry’s The Year of the Great Storm is currently in production locally. In terms of local productions, Yellowbones Entertainment has been busy, working on Sew The Winter To My Skin, as well as Knuckle City, the latter of which wrapped in September. Sara Blecher’s Mayfair has also been completed and is now on the festival circuit, while films like Supermama, Five Fingers For
Marseilles, Nommer 37 and Table Manners have all been completed and either have been released or are expected to have a theatrical release in the near future. Post production houses have had enough to keep them busy in 2018, with films like Meerkat Maantuig and Stroomop. Refinery did all the post and VFX work on international film Lake Placid Legacy, which included creating a monster crocodile. Stage 5 Films, which was also involved in the production of Five Fingers, recently wrapped on co-production Liberty, the post of which was also completed in SA. The post for Singleholic, a US romcom directed by Bryan Barber, was done locally as well – proving SA’s ever-growing capabilities in this field. Large production companies like Moonlighting and Film Afrika have had steady work throughout
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the slow months, with Film Afrika completing Troy: Fall of a City for BBC and Outlander for Starz. They also worked on The Looming Tower in 2017. Johannesburg served as the production base, and doubled as Nairobi, Tanzania, England, Albania, and Las Vegas. Scenes were also shot in Cape Town.
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE SETBACKS
The industry recently gathered to discuss the lack of productions coming to the country over the last couple of years. A number of reasons have contributed to this, including but not limited to SA’s economic status and stability, as well as the drought in the Cape and cheaper destinations like Eastern Europe vying for a piece of the production pie. The film service sector, as such, has had to find new ways of cohesively marketing the region as an attractive, cost-effective destination without undercutting service providers in terms of cost. One such initiative is F/LM Cape Town, which is committed to promoting the city as even more film friendly than it already is. The commercial service industry has also suffered, particularly as client budgets decline and many look at new ways of using the content they shoot – in electronic media outlets, for instance, as opposed to television commercials. This issue is not just one SA is facing, but rather the international commercial industry as a whole. Another problem plaguing
production houses is the trend of agencies moving production work in-house, which effectively cuts producers out of the picture altogether. The Commercial Producers Association (CPA) is working to find ways in which to creatively solve these and other issues that have arisen. Service providers, too, are working towards finding solutions, and one such company which has had the ability and capacity to diversify is Moonlighting, who launched MoonSport. This new division is already reaping the benefits, having won Young Agency of the Year at the 2018 Sports Industry Awards in August. Out of Africa has been kept busy with international productions like Doctor Who, Good Omens, Leprechaun Returns, The Red Sea Diving Resort, and The Kissing Booth among others.
LOCAL INDUSTRY SETBACKS
As always, budget remains an issue when it comes to local film production. That said, the industry is slowly picking up steam. An example of this is Cape Town International Film Market and Festival’s WIP programme, which initially was meant to workshop only six films, but because of the quality of submissions, accepted ten instead. One of the biggest problems facing television production companies is the stability of the SABC. In August this year, 64 companies received a letter saying they would not be paid
The Looming Tower © Unit Stills Photography by Casey Crafford | African Photo Productions
for the month – resulting in some of the shows, uZalo for instance, being shut down temporarily. September bills have been staggered repeatedly. “It is clear that the SABC is in meltdown mode, and without state-guaranteed grants, they’re going to have a very difficult time,” says Desai. Although this issue has been resolved for the time being, the SABC is still close to R700-million in debt. It continues to impact local production companies that rely on the SABC to pay for their programming in order to stay afloat. “It affects particularly small filmmakers who depend on this work, and times are tough. There have also been no new commissions from eTV.” That said, eTV did launch some new programmes, one of which has seen some success. Imbewu: The Seed is filmed on location in KZN and is meant to be a driver for growth in the
region’s film and TV sector. “We are hoping that government does see the importance of bailing out the SABC. They’ve got some credible executives now; they’ve got a credible board. I’m told now that the turnaround strategy is a thorough document. Let’s just hope that the SABC can get out of this mess so that we can get to talking about the medium to long-term future, where we can put good plans in place, because we know that by far this is the largest stake in quality local content production,” Desai explains. “We’re going to need real partnerships going forward because quality costs money. Serious thinking needs to happen around intellectual property, so that we can partner far more with the SABC by using third party sources of finance. These are critical parts of the value chain that we need in order to see a revived TV and film industry.”
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TRENDS IN CAMERA EQUIPMENT Media Film Service and Canon share their latest updates in the camera equipment department.
RED, ARRI, SONY AND PANASONIC IN DEMAND In the last season, Media Film Service has seen a huge increase in demand for the RED Weapon. It offers higher processing power over its predecessor, the RED Epic body, and allows users to get the most out of sensors, whether it be a 6K Dragon sensor or a 8K Helium. According to Martin Neethling, there has also been a lot of interest in RED’s new Monstro 8K Full Frame sensor. Likewise, ARRI’s new Alexa LF camera has also been creating quite a stir. “We were fortunate to help facilitate the first shoot in Africa using the LF, and it did not disappoint,” Neethling explains, “We have to wonder whether this sensor will make its way into the little ARRI workhorse, the Alexa Mini. These larger sensor’s really open up a new world of
creative possibilities, especially in terms of cinematic depth of field and image composition.” Another exciting new advance in sensor technology is dual native ISO sensors like those found in the Panasonic Varicam, Sony Venice and RED’s new Gemini sensor. Panasonic also released the EVA-1 a few months ago. It is the first low-cost camera to offer a dual native ISO, affording filmmakers the ability to shoot in extremely low-light situations and still get beautiful, clear images. Smaller DSLR cameras still find their way onto professional film sets, says Neethling. “Sony’s mirrorless a7S II still takes the lead and was requested for a few jobs. For smaller productions looking for good value with a professional product, we saw a steady stream of work on the Sony FS7 and ARRI Amira.”
Canon, EF600mm f4L IS II USM Front Slant RTI 830. Image courtesy of Canon
Michelle McCabe, a DP at Nun Creative, LLC, uses the FS7
EXTRAORDINARY OPTICS When it comes to optics, there are so many requests for something a little out of the ordinary. “Perhaps instead of looking to vintage glass, the next summer might see DPs exploring some of the newer offerings from Zeiss, ARRI and a few others. Angenieux’s EZ zooms, for example, and Sigma’s Cine Primes are slowly picking up steam.” In the world of anamorphic lenses there are also more contenders than ever before, with the Cooke Anamorphic lenses leading the pack in popularity, and the addition of a close-focus 65mm to these offerings. “I would venture that the most popular choices were Leica and Cooke, with Masterprimes following a
few steps behind,” he explains. ARRI’s new 4x5 matte box gained a lot of ground, and also popular as ever was their range of lens control systems. From the mechanical FF3 Follow Focus to the extremely complex WCU4. “The WCU-4 or wireless lens control system integrates directly with the Alexa Mini, hence its popularity, but works equally well with other cameras. ARRI also present us with a huge range of professional camera support systems for other camera manufacturers. There is a lot of competition here: Wooden Camera, Movcam and Tilta to name but a few.” Tilta have also released a lens control system that’s proved its worth in the past season – plus, it’s available at a much more reasonable
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EF-M 32mm f1.4 STM Side RTI 807. Image courtesy of Canon
ARRI Alexa SXT. Image courtesy of ARRI
price than the WCU-4. Canon has broken new ground in lens design recently, with the world’s lightest 400mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4 lenses and a pioneering 32mm mirrorless lens. The EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and the EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM are the world’s lightest 400mm f/2.8ii and 600mm f/4
lenses iii, making them ideal for action and wildlife photography. Thanks to five-stop Image Stabilizer (IS) technology, their game-changing weight and the portable design, both lenses allow photographers to achieve professional performance with the confidence to shoot handheld. The EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM is
Sony PXW-FS7 II
a premium EF-M lens designed to be fast, discreet and capable of delivering exceptional detail and clarity, making it perfect for elegant portraits, candid photography or natural-looking compositions. A remarkable mix of premium craft , ergonomic design and weighing only 235g, it is easy to carry on the move.
“It will be interesting to see what the effect of larger sensors, and the large format lenses required to make them work, has on the year ahead. Will it be a slow transition to a new norm, or a niche product att ached to an equally ‘large format’ shooting budget? It’s an exciting time to be a creative,” he concludes.
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View of the city of Cape Town and surrounding ocean. © Shutterstock
CAPE TOWN AND THE WESTERN CAPE INTRODUCING
TO THE FILMMAKING WORLD
With strategic marketing efforts by Wesgro’s Film and Media Promotion unit.
OPEN INVITATION: CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL FILM MARKET AND FESTIVAL AND AFRICA HALAL WEEK COLLABORATION
The inaugural Africa Halal Week will take place from 15-18 October and intersect with the CTIFMF industry programme and Film Market taking place 10-13 October. To capitalise on this opportunity, Wesgro’s Film and Media Promotion Unit has collaborated with the Cape Town International Film Market and Festival (CTIFMF) to bring four
delegates from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to participate in a combined Africa Halal Week and CTIFMF programme. This programme will be focused around joint discussions as to how Cape Town and the Western Cape can better position itself as a Halal film and media destination. Wesgro will be hosting panel discussions with local and international industry leaders and invites those in the industry wishing to work more with the Halal market and audiences to
attend. For more information visit www.capehalal.com. Wesgro Film and Media Promotion is also sponsoring another two international guests to attend CTIFMF from South Africa’s largest target markets to further co-production with the local industry.
DTI OUTBOUND MISSION TO AFM
A group of South African filmmakers will participate in an outward film investment mission to the American Film
Market (AFM) in Los Angeles, organised by the dti, at the end of October. The aims of this mission are to promote local South African content and the local service industry, as well as to foster international co-productions with the USA and attract more international productions to the country.
AFRICA GAMES WEEK / DRAKENSTEIN MUNICIPALITY Cape Town will play host to Africa Games Week this year for the first time. The event,
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The beautiful Llandudno beach ©Jess Novotna
taking place at the end of November at the Castle of Good Hope, intends to shine the spotlight on game development from the African continent and will feature talks and workshops focused around game development and provide the opportunity to meet prominent international publishers and investors. Cape Town has proven itself to be at the forefront of game development on the continent and Africa Games Week will showcase this to delegates from across the globe. Wesgro Film and Media has signed an agreement with Drakenstein, tasking it with promoting film and media opportunities in the municipality, and with a sector focus on gaming. As part of this project, Wesgro will be collaborating with Africa Games Week to host a masterclass for interested youth in the region and provide them with the opportunity to then attend Africa Games Week. The intention being that these young people will become ambassadors for the gaming industry in their communities, and are able to continue upskilling themselves and others Film banner strip 2017.indd 2
Lisa Mini, Film and Media Promotion Officer, and Monica Rorvik, Head of Film and Media Promotion, represent Wesgro at TIFF.
THE WAVESCAPE FILM FESTIVAL HAS GROWN TO BECOME A TRUE CATALYST FOR POSITIVE CHANGE LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.
with a local off shoot of the Make Games Meetup. The intention is to drive gaming opportunities within local communities and develop the game development industry beyond Cape Town and throughout the province. For more information visit www.gamesweek.africa.
WAVESCAPE FILM FESTIVAL
Taking place in Cape Town and Durban each year, Wavescape was born of a love for surfing. Now in its 15th year, the festi val began as a way to capture the exhilaration of surfing through stories of exotic destinations and secret waves but has morphed beyond surf culture to the fight for a greener earth and bluer oceans. Wesgro is proud to endorse the Wavescape Film Festi val, which has grown to become a true catalyst for positi ve change locally and internationally.
DISCOP 2018
Wesgro’s Film and Media Promotion Unit will once again be attending the upcoming edition of the DISCOP film, television, digital and video gaming market and coproduction forum, which is taking place from 14–16 November at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. This revamped edition is specifically tailored to meet the demand of a rapidly changing audiovisual landscape under the influence of a marked preference for region-specific shows, the emergence of local talents, viewers’ migration to on-demand streaming and mobile screens, increased mobility and faster internet. 1 500+ to 2 000+ delegates from 90 countries are expected a great place to create to attend Africa’s number one destination to trade content and adaptation rights.
FILM CAPE TOWN
From feature films, documentaries and commercials to gaming and animation, Cape Town is a centre of creati vity and cultural diversity. With a can-do attitude, we make it happen. A resilient city where no challenge is insurmountable and any production can be turned into something spectacular. With the start of summer, Cape Town is the perfect destination for your next production, providing excellent natural light, diverse locations, highly skilled people and great value for money. Film the world in one city. For more information on our locations, crews, studios and more visit: www.filmcapetown.com.
For further enquiries please email: film@wesgro.co.za 2017/03/07 10:56 AM
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INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT We dig into the hot topics in film production, commercials and animation.
COMMERCIAL SERVICE SA AND EGYPT BAG CLIO AWARDS
The Clio Awards announced the 2018 winners in early September, with South Africa receiving eight awards and Egypt one. 0307 Films (Bronze), TBWA\ Hunt Lascaris (Gold, Silver and Bronze), Net#work BBDO (shortlist) and Ogilvy Cape Town (shortlisted x 3) won for work done for Nedbank CIB (Bird’s Eye View), Joburg Ballet (Breaking Ballet), Mercedes-Benz (Return to Chapman’s Peak) and Carling Black Label (Soccer Song for Change). Egypt’s FP7/CAI (shortlist) was awarded for Orange (Now or Never). For the full list of African winners, visit www.marklives.com.
film to the country for production. Producer Autumn Bailey visited Cape Town in August to scout for locations, meet the crew that will work on the film, and to celebrate Biehl’s legacy on the 25th anniversary of her death, according to Channel24. The Year of the Great Storm tells the story of American Fulbright scholar and Anti-Apartheid activist Amy Biehl’s brutal stabbing by an angry mob in Cape Town in 1993. The film “will paint a vivid picture of a country nearing civil war as it struggled with its national destiny in a desperate fight to end
SINGLEHOLIC POST DONE IN SA
Mayfair Director Sara Blecher © Lousie Gubb
Tyler Perry © Jamie McCarthy
decades of systematic racism,” Deadline reports. Karzan Kader is attached as director, with Perry, Ozzie Areu, Matt Moore, Russ Stratton and Johanna Baldwin producing. Baldwin will also be writing the script.
US romcom Singleholic, directed by Bryan Barber, was shot in Mauritius in May of this year. The film stars Erica Ash (Scary movie 5), Rotimi (Divergent), Stephen Bishop (Moneyball) and Adrian Martinez (Never Lose Focus). The film tells the story of a woman
FILM PRODUCTION VIN DIESEL’S BLOODSHOT IN PRODUCTION
Sony’s Bloodshot starring Vin Diesel was in principal photography at the time of going to print. The film shoot began on 6 August at Cape Town Film Studios at the same stage location as Mad Max: Fury Road and Dredd. Bloodshot’s cast also includes Toby Kebbell, Eiza Gonzalez, and Sam Heughan. The film is slated for release in February 2020 and in 2015 was announced as the first in a five-year deal. Dave Wilson is attached as director of this Valiant Comics adaptation.
TYLER PERRY SHOOTS IN SA
A few years ago the news broke that Tyler Perry would produce a South African drama set in the Apartheid era. That day has finally arrived, with Perry bringing his
Ilse Klink and Ronak Patani star in Mayfair
who decides she wants to settle down and get married. She goes on a series of hilarious dating encounters only to realise the most important thing is for her to be comfortable in her own skin. Singleholic is currently in post-production in South Africa, with local editor Richard Starkey, SAGE, attached. “I’m working with a director that I had never met before the show. He’s a legend in the music video industry in LA and has come to Cape Town to do director’s cut on this film,” Starkey explains. “I pride myself on being organised and fast. I spend a lot of time setting up my project
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and organising my dailies so that when I work with a director and we’re on a creative roll, we don’t need to slow down to find takes or try things. The unique (and meticulous) way I set up projects has helped me to not only meet the director’s expectations, but to exceed them.”
FEMI ODUGBEMI JOINS OSCARS VOTING ACADEMY
Nigerian producer and filmmaker Femi Odugbemi has been formally invited into the voting membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the United States of America. Odugbemi is known for his work on Tinsel, the acclaimed soap opera on local television. Other film credits include, Gidi Blues, Maroko and Bariga Boy. Odugbemi, who studied Film and Television at The Montana State University, is currently the Executive Producer of the Africa Magic’s hit TV show, Battleground. He was recently also appointed Director for
MultiChoice Talent Factory, an organisation that aims to develop young talents in the African film and television industry.
VALHALLA GOES INTO PRODUCTION
Donovan Marsh (Spud, iNumber Number) will direct crime thriller Valhalla for Nthibah Pictures. The film is currently in pre-production and will be shot in two locations in SA. It is set to begin principal photography in late October. “We are in the final stages of selecting what will be an all-star cast of leading South African actors,” says Wayne Fitzjohn, CEO of Nthibah. Jozua Malherbe, Jarrod de Jong and Lucia MeyerMarais are attached as producers.
FESTIVAL AND EVENT FOCUS SARA BLECHER’S MAYFAIR TO SCREEN IN UK
Mayfair, the new film by awardwinning director Sara Blecher (Ayanda, Dis Ek Anna, Otelo Burning)
and writer Neil McCarthy, has been selected for the 62nd BFI London Film Festival, taking place from 10-21 October. It will be screened in the ‘Films in Thrill’ section of the festival. Mayfair will also be screened at this year’s Africa in Motion (AiM), an annual African film festival taking place in Scotland, from 26 October to 4 November. It follows an estranged son who must break the rules to save his family, and their criminal empire, when his overbearing father falters. Due for release in South Africa on 26 October, it is described as ‘nerve-shredders that’ll get your adrenaline pumping and keep you on the edge of your seat’. “We are delighted that Mayfair has been selected to screen at these two important global film festivals,” says Blecher. “The BFI London Film Festival is the UK’s most prestigious, representing one of the first opportunities for audiences to see the very best new films from around the globe. Mayfair will be one of nine international premieres at the festival…AiM, meanwhile, is one of the leading African film platforms and caters to a varied and diverse audience from all over Scotland, the UK and further afield.”
THE FORGIVEN HITS SA CINEMAS
The Forgiven, a film based on Michael Ashton’s play The Archbishop and the Antichrist, is in local cinemas nationwide from 5 October. It is a fictionalised account of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s efforts as the head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to confront the atrocities of Apartheid in an attempt to heal and unite South Africa. The drama follows Archbishop Desmond Tutu, masterfully portrayed by Forest Whitaker, and his struggle – morally and intellectually – with brutal murderer
The Forgiven
and member of a former Apartheid-era hit squad, Piet Blomfeld (Eric Bana), over redemption and forgiveness. “This is probably the most intimidating character I’ve ever played,” Bana admits. “The key to the character, for me, was just throwing myself into South African history. There was so much that I needed to know, before I could stand any chance of understanding where Blomfeld’s warped sense of entitlement came from.”
SA WELL-REPRESENTED AT ANNECY
The prestigious Annecy Animation Festival which took place in June this year saw more South Africans in attendance than ever before – 95 according to Wesgro. Kerrin Kokot, who was part of the Animation SA delegation for the first time, says she learned several things on her trip: • Annecy is overwhelming: “While Annecy has been known as the intimate darling of animation festivals because of its focus on the art of animation, the business side of it has grown enormously,” Kokot says. • We’re fairly popular: “At all our meetings this year we didn’t once have to introduce South Africa as a country – Execs had already met with others, or had seen work or had been recommended by other companies to meet with us,” says CTIAF Festival Director Dianne Makings. • Diverse content is king: “Black Panther proved that African stories CAN sell, so don’t shy away from sharing your unique perspective with the world – just keep the themes universal,” Kokot explains. To find out more about Annecy or Animation SA’s involvement, visit www.animationsa.org
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NV STUDIOS
GROWS GLOBAL FOOTPRINT Understanding what global audiences want to watch keeps NV Studios ahead of the curve.
O
ne thing the team at NV Studios has never done is stand still. They have forged the reputation of the brand as an innovative producer of the highest-quality unscripted series on the back of hits like Keeping Up with the Kruger, Rumble & Hum, The Celebrity Plastic Surgeons of Beverly Hills and Night Guard, which are available on some of the world’s most prominent broadcast networks and streaming services. Now, CEO Damien Brown, COO Graeme Swanepoel and their team are now making major inroads into the scripted space too, supported by a growing production presence in South Africa, on both coasts of the USA and in the United Kingdom. Recent developments have seen high-octane crime fighting show Night Guard find a global home on hulu for the North American market, marking the
Rumble & Hum
company as one of the only South African TV producers to have a presence across the major international streaming and broadcast services and to have shows airing in North America, while the signing of an output deal with an Emmy Award-winning global distribution powerhouse is set to put a selection of NV Studios’ shows in front of millions of viewers on broadcasters, across platforms and around the world. The deal will initially see four NV Studios productions making the leap onto the global stage: Green Warrior, a realitybased show which investigates, exposes, educates and ultimately creates a new ‘green’ wave of environmental consciousness; Xtreme Modelling, which pits glamorous fashion models against the clock and extreme outdoor elements as they fight their way to a central meeting point – with
the first to arrive, securing the photo shoot opportunity of a lifetime; Generation Gap, a reality competition game show where 12 mature contestants compete for a grand cash prize by testing themselves in a series of unusual challenges to see if they can bridge the divide to the younger generation and Volunteer South
Africa, which gives an adventurous group of global millennials the chance to spend a month in the African bush as volunteers – and party animals, by night. Anchoring aesthetic surgery in the improvement of people’s lives, medical drama Outpatients made a successful debut on FoxLife on DStv and has been picked up
Keeping Up with the Kruger
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OUR SHOWS HAVE FOUND HOMES IN MORE THAN 200 TERRITORIES - AND COUNTING. WE’VE WORKED HARD TO DELIVER SHOWS THAT CAN HOLD THEIR OWN ON THE GLOBAL STAGE, AND THE SUCCESS WE’VE HAD IN REACHING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ON INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST AND STREAMING SERVICES IS TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT GLOBAL MARKETS WANT.
CEO Damien Brown
COO Graeme Swanepoel
by an international distributor as well, making it the first proudly South African show on a local doctor – Dr. Cathy Davies - to be circulated internationally. Central to the company’s success in the unscripted space has been the team’s ability to tell high-quality global stories. “Our shows have found homes in
more than 200 territories - and counting,” says Brown. “We’ve worked hard to deliver shows that can hold their own on the global stage, and the success we’ve had in reaching millions of people on international broadcast and streaming services is testament to the fact that we understand what global markets want.”.
More than just a production company, NV Studios’ sales and acquisitions team handles deals from offices in Los Angeles (the Americas), Cape Town (EMEA) and London, catering for the Americas, EMEA and AsiaPacific, respectively. The sales force comprises specialists in all aspects of co-production and programme, digital and format sales. Managing multiple rights windows is a specialty, with a focus on extending the life cycle of a series to guarantee visibility and success. “Our team has significant market expertise, strong buyer relationships, a deep understanding of the opportunities across platforms, and an established level of trust with clients around the globe, that lend genuine weight to the recommendations we make when we put a deal in front of a buyer,” says Brown. Backing the sales and acquisition team is a skilled marketing and branding team, which is responsible for all elements of our programme launches, as well as NV Studios representatives’ attendance at the major international markets. According to Brown, the marketing team’s responsibility is to tailor all the marketing material required to take a show to market, no matter what the region or platform, and in consultation with talent and rights owners. Talent is at the heart of the business, and NV Studios is a leader in putting both new and existing talent in front of the right people at marketplace opportunities like Content London, Scripted Summit and MIPCOM and MIPTV.
CONTACT NV STUDIOS For more on NV Studios, visit www.nvstudios.tv or follow them on social media @nvstudiostv on Twitter, @ nvstudios.tv on Instagram and facebook.com/NVStudios1.
Outpatients © Kevin Mark Pass
While production continues apace on the company’s plethora of unscripted shows, they have at least three exciting scripted projects on the boil, which are also on the verge of being green-lit in association with bighitting international production and distribution partners. While developing NV Studios’ original shows remains a passion for Brown, he’s keen to open the door to collaborating with other local and international producers. “We’ve worked hard to build our international networks and develop strong relationships with like-minded funders over a long period now,” he says. “We want to produce quality shows for global consumption and know there are lots of great ideas out there, but they don’t always come with the know-how that we’ve built up over the years. If we can bring our experience and expertise to bear in association with partners in the industry, we can leverage those relationships and help build an internationallycompetitive film and television production industry”.
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Madiba, facilitated by Out of Afrika, assisted in placements for SA FILM Academy trainees © Marcos Cruz
LONG ROAD AHEAD FOR TRANSFORMATION It was once an industry that people of colour and even women could only dream of working in. Now film, television, animation and commercials are more inclusive than ever – or are they? Kim Crowie explores the triumphs and pitfalls of transformation.
S
ince 1994 South Africa has had a freer, more inclusive film and television industry. Companies that once would never have been
able to exist now create content for the public broadcaster, for DStv, eTV, and many internationals. Government, too, has been proactive in fostering
transformation initiatives; the most recent of which was the launch of the Emerging Black Filmmakers’ Transformation Fund a few years ago. But although
it seems like rainbows and butterflies on the surface, there’s a world just below that tells a different tale. Thanks to historical disadvantages, finance has been
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a huge barrier to entry for people of colour, while women have suffered quietly until very recently, dealing with issues like sexual harassment, rape, and unforgiving working environments for mothers. According to a study conducted by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) in 2017, despite the progress the industry has made, one of the most recurring themes post-2000 is the lack of transformation. “This lack of transformation is in the areas of ownership, production, and the representation of previously disadvantaged groups (black people, women and people with disabilities),” says NFVF Acting CEO, Shadrack Bokaba. “White males were viewed as still dominating the film industry. Therefore, like most industries in SA, the film industry has been slow in the transformation agenda.” About a year and a half ago, Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT) did ground-breaking research looking at sexual harassment and related issues in the industry. The findings were horrific, says SWIFT Chair Sara Blecher. “One of the big takeaways was that almost 70% of women who did our survey did not feel safe in the work place. What quickly became apparent is that we definitely need transformation in the industry. Obviously we need more women represented, more women being able to tell stories, and we need the ways stories are being told to be different to what they have been.” “Mainstream productions (commercials) are very slow when it comes to transformation,” says Tracey Rollino, who heads up the T3 Training initiative. “Most companies are single or two-man operations and as such there is no need or want to expand with black
partnerships. Cape Town particularly is still very ‘white’. Johannesburg is way ahead, with a number of production companies and suppliers being black owned.” Rollino adds that working with overseas clients in the service industry means that transformation has never been an issue for many, however the feature film sector is “casting a shadow” over the commercial production sector – and rightly so. “The DTI is making rebates available based on the company (SPV) as well as the mother company being level 2-4 BEE. This, in turn, means companies that previously only serviced commercials and who now want to move into feature film production need to meet the requirements set out by the DTI in order to enjoy the rebate system.”
HANDS-ON EDUCATION IS KEY
A number of things are being done to close the gap between gender and race. Not only are some companies taking on black shareholders, but there are several invaluable training initiatives that have been working behind the scenes to transform the industry for the better, many of which offer hands-on learning, skills transfer and mentorship in the sector. These include the M-Net Magic In Motion Academy headed up by Bobby Heaney, the MultiChoice Talent Factory, the Young Filmmakers Programme, run by Bertram Fredericks, and even government-led training like the NFVF’s workshops and initiatives. “The transformation agenda begins at student level,” says Bokaba, “The bursary programme is designed to provide access to the film industry to talented students who do not have the financial means to complete their studies. The three tier funding approach enables the NFVF to dedicate a substantial percentage of funds to the development of tier three filmmakers who are emerging.”
The NFVF also has a Young Filmmakers Project dedicated to providing recent graduates of film schools – particularly those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds – with an opportunity to make their first fictional film in collaboration with a mentor or producer. Another highly successful programme is the SA Film Academy, formerly known as F.I.L.M., which has been fundamental in giving people from disadvantaged backgrounds opportunities for hands-on training in the film service industry. Since 2007, in excess of 2 000 trainees and interns have been placed in over 200 local and international productions under mentorship. Some of these trainees have gone on to work full time in the sector, have opened their own businesses, and have filled management positions. In 2018 alone, the Academy placed over 200 trainees and interns on over 20 productions, with a significant number in crew and emerging management. “There is no doubt that over the last decade – in which the SA FILM Academy has been most active with in-service training on local and international productions, and in production companies in the film and electronic media industries – there is a significant increase in the sheer number or volume of people of colour entering and participating in the industry and graduating from trainee to crew status,” says Seton Bailey, who heads up the Academy. “However, the area where transformation has been largely incremental, is in emerging management and achieving Head of Department status,” he adds. “The people of colour who entered the industry over a decade ago through SA FILM Academy in-service training on local and international film and TV productions – who are passionate and committed to a career in these industries – have now steadily progressed into positions of emerging
management, management and Head of Department status. Others, in turn, are emerging or established independent film and television producers.” A great educational initiative in the commercial sector is the T3 training programme, which Tracey Rollino has run regularly for the last five years. In this time, 60 students have been trained in Cape Town, and 31 in Johannesburg. Of the 60 in the Cape, 32 are consistently working, however in Joburg only five survived thanks to the lack of support from the industry for trainees. “Of all students across both provinces, 98% were of colour and the majority were from a disadvantaged background. The 2016 students should be moving into assistant positions now and the 2017 students are still production assistants. The 2017 group had very little support from commercial production companies in Cape Town,” Rollino says, adding that managerial positions will only be filled with more experience. In animation there is a much larger barrier to entry thanks to the technicalities and training needed. According to Triggerfish Animation Studios CEO Stuart Forrest, the demographics of the industry are a mirror of what is found in reputable animation schools. “Until there’s transformation happening with people choosing to study animation, it’s going to be hard to see significant improvement in transformation at industry level,” he says. Their company is actively working to create opportunities in animation for African filmmakers. Examples of this are projects developed through their Story Lab initiative, which has attracted international partners. The programme also allows them to engage with black writers and designers to develop their work further.
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“We provided two bursaries for animation training this year to disadvantaged black students,” Forrest adds, “We’ve created webinars and workshops to try to stimulate animation through the Triggerfish Foundation, working with NBCUniversal, Disney, Toonboom and DSTV. We’re currently running a competition to stimulate animation at school level (academy.triggerfish.com). We’re also designing material to train animators and are raising money to initiate this training at schools around the country.”
IS B-BBEE ENOUGH?
One often wonders if legislation like Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) and initiatives like the Emerging Black Filmmaker’s Transformation Fund (EBFTF) are doing any good to transform the country’s historic imbalances. The short answer is yes. “The importance of the recent revisions to the Emerging Black Filmmaker’s Fund, both in terms of the minimum QSAPE being reduced to R500 000 for qualifying productions and the once-off purchase of equipment to a maximum of R2 million cannot be underestimated in terms of transformation,” Bailey says, “The SA FILM Academy is already in development with a number of emerging filmmakers to maximise the potential of these truly awesome incentives. We anticipate significant transformation within the next 5 years and substantial transformation over the next decade.” Although training is important, says Rollino, a buyin from the whole industry is required to truly bring about transformation. “A lot of lip service is paid, but the age old excuses of ‘not enough money to cater for a trainee’ or ‘insuring a trainee is expensive’ are no longer valid reasons not to take at least one trainee onto each and every shoot,” she says. “For years I have been ringing the alarm bell about the lack of transformation and training in
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general of crew. There is very little collaboration…and whilst this is a generalisation, it is more the norm than the unusual… It’s going to take a concerted effort from the old guard to hand down knowledge, and commitment to the industry if we are going to get back to where we were a couple of years ago.” The NFVF’s Bokaba echoes her sentiments, saying that initiatives like the EBFTF cannot be solely responsible for transforming the whole industry. “Transformation is not merely about participation, but also about ownerships and control of infrastructure. There needs to be concerted effort and funds channelled to changing the faces and gender of those who own the infrastructure,” he says, adding that the NFVF will be embarking on an infrastructure project dedicated to creating film centres in underserviced provinces like the Eastern Cape and the North West. According to the Independent Producers Organisation Chair Rehad Desai, BEE legislation, the rebate, and initiatives like the EBFTF are important for people of colour as they lower the barriers of entry into film. “The challenge is getting more to use the rebate,” Desai says, adding that they are working towards a goal of 200 applications a year. Working together on transformation is also critical for the industry, he says. “Producers need to put in place a landscape conducive to diverse backgrounds,” and although change is happening, more can be done. To that end, the IPO is working on a new initiative that will pair young black producers with mentors. This they hope to launch next year. One company that has been working to be more inclusive in the commercial space for a number of years is Egg Films. According to Colin Howard, Executive Producer at Egg Films and Arcade Content, it’s easier to bring about transformation in a creative field like his. “Only
Behind the scenes of Out of Africa’s Madiba shoot - Out of Afrika © Marcos Cruz
two of our seven directors are white, and the top-ranked director last year, Sunu, is black. If companies have not transformed, the chances are they have not made the effort to seek out talent and grow them, as they are out there.” He adds that because of the lack of a management structure in production companies, it’s more tricky to ensure management transformation. “Luckily we have more and more talent coming through, and the cost of entry to running a prodco comes down with technological advancements, so we are seeing more and more black EPs and blackowned prodcos, like Arcade.” Although the commercial service industry has remained very white-owned in the last 15 years, if part of the industry moves more to Johannesburg over time, Howard thinks new entrants are likely to come naturally. “At this stage it’s not even on the radar for most of the local service industry,” he adds.
CHALLENGES IN THE WORKPLACE
According to Blecher, the challenge with transformation from a female perspective is not just that more women are
needed in the film industry – this is a given. It’s that the industry must first be made safer for women. In light of the recent international #MeToo movement, and the #ThatsNotOK campaign spearheaded by SWIFT in SA, there’s no better time than the present to do this. “If you look particularly at gender transformation, you have to deal with all the complexities of the issue. A lot of the time and energy at SWIFT over the last year has been spent trying to systematically change the industry to make it more friendly and safer for women,” she explains. “When you start to unpack that, there are quite a number of layers. The problems are, on the one hand, sexual harassment and violence, but it’s more prevalent because there is no labour law protection. The people who work in this industry are freelance so they are not covered by labour best practices. We’ve been trying to get a Code of Conduct adopted across the industry – but it’s also issues of women in the beginning of their career (pre babies) and women who rejoin the industry after their children leave home. The way the industry is structured is that it’s almost impossible for you in this industry if you’ve got
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children. It’s the most absurd conditions, and it is impossible to work in the sector if you’re the primary caregiver.” Next year SWIFT will be working towards the improvement of labour conditions, and they are currently working on getting a safety officer on every film set so that women can report issues immediately, and feel safer when working on a production. For now, their ground-breaking research has assisted in making a mental the shift in how women work and how they are perceived in the industry. “There’s a very acute awareness of why you need more women involved in this industry; why we need to change the representation of women that people see in popular media.” The NFVF is also dedicated to making a safer space for women in film, and to that end, have been reviewing their policies to include SWIFT’s Code of Conduct in the sign off for funding projects they approve. In addition, they also have a programmed called the Women Filmmakers Slate, which offers women from previously disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to produce a film in collaboration with other
female writers and directors. “The female filmmaker project is targeted at emerging filmmakers who aspire to be great directors/ writers and who have not had the opportunity to make a commercial film either for TV or cinema,” says Bokaba.
CULTIVATING AND CURATING It is clear that if we are to see transformation in South Africa’s film, television and commercial landscape, it needs to be a multipronged approach, and everyone needs to be on board. The Cape Town International Animation Festival is a perfect example of how this kind of inclusivity can work. “CTIAF tries to create a platform that includes all voices,” says Festival Director Dianne Makings. “We encourage people to keep us updated on their projects or getting touch if they’d like to form part of the conversation.” The festival also runs a sister programme in the Khayelitsha township at the Isivivana Centre. “This is a small step to try and help expose as many people to the business and art of animation. Our thinking is that with access in Cape Town often being a massive barrier to people attending events, we hope to continue to grow
the scope of this aspect of the festival. Our next step is to try and create an online channel of all our talks for those that can’t travel to the venue.” An industry stalwart working to create a platform for African voices in film is Kevin Kriedemann, who co-founded Africa.film. Here people can stream videos selected by Africa’s best filmmakers. “So we’ve created collections of every African film to win at Sundance, Berlin, Cannes and the Oscars, for example, and also asked top African creatives to pick their favourites across a range of genres, from animation to brand films, documentaries to movies, music videos to nature films, series to shorts, talks to travel videos,” he explains. “There are lots of earnest reasons I can give on why African filmmakers should watch African films, but the truth is that Bryan Little and myself were largely motivated by the fact that so many of the best things we saw came from Africa, but were always so hard to track down. It’s an exciting time for African filmmakers, but the distribution channels largely haven’t caught up with this yet.” He says films shouldn’t just be watched because they’re made locally. “At this stage of our
industry’s development, we need to encourage people to watch African films because they’re good, not because they’re African. Supporting bad films just erodes audience trust and damages the ‘African film’ brand.” Building an audience that watches its own country’s films is vital to growth and vital in bringing about transformation, and this is where curation plays an important role. “For the African film industry, building a culture that appreciates African film is particularly important. Firstly, because if we don’t develop and monetise the African audience, our industry is doomed to stay dependent on government hand-outs. And secondly, because if we don’t watch our own films, how will we know what resources we have at our disposal?” Bokaba perhaps says it best: “Collectively as South Africans we all need redress challenges from the past… The whole industry has to be dedicated and committed to transformation in order to diversify the stories being told and to share the economic benefits.”
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Shesha staff hard at work (Image courtesy of Shesha).
Digital Therapy’s Nicholas Warner and Werner Grobbelaar onset of BMW Campaign Cape Town Summer 2017.
DIVERSIFYING IN A CHANGING ECONOMY This year was abysmal for many film industry suppliers thanks to the huge drop in service work for both the commercial and film sectors. We speak to two companies to find out how they’re sustaining themselves.
SHESHA: A BLEAK OUTLOOK ON THE SECTOR
A company that’s made a name for themselves feeding film crews for 12 years, Shesha Film and Event Caterers is a robust business with more than 150 in their national client base. They have served upwards of 5 500 meals a day across stills, commercials and long form productions, with a staff compliment of 350 employees in Cape Town and Johannesburg. These days, however, work is scarce and, says Founder Byron De Carvalho. There is even the possibility that Shesha will have to close its doors for good should the industry not return to its usual vigour.
“When Cape Town got quiet I set up a branch in Joburg because we weren’t getting enough work in the summer season to sustain ourselves. when I opened that branch, I managed to get a lot of the local winter work. In Cape Town we predominantly service international commercial or feature work,” he explains. “About 3 years ago there was a huge jump in local work and the industry just exploded so we set up shop in Joburg and it was great. Then the local work died down heavily last year and we had to close the Joburg branch – it was just not sustainable anymore. And that was just based on people thinking, ‘why
should we spend R2-million on a commercial when we can have social media targets?’.” He says they hit a very strange season in Cape Town this year when they went from an average of 40 shoots a month to 4 in the summer season. “We were lucky enough to hedge that with some feature work that ran through the winter and kept us going. But we found this year in winter, that we suffered a huge knock and we’ve had to look at other avenues of making money.” An example of this has been in events, where Shesha does popup work for restaurants. “One of our clients – a big wine farm – set up a kitchen and needed a caterer to run the kitchen for
winter. This was a great project for us because it kept us afloat.” Now, however, this side of the business is suffering, too. Thanks to the current state of the economy, corporates and marketers are refusing to splash out on events and entertainment. Byron says that despite diversifying, he remains bleak about the film sector. Realistically speaking, if things don’t pick up within the next six months, Shesha will be forced to close. This issue is not endemic to his company, but many of the smaller film catering businesses in the industry have closed their doors. Another option is relocating his business to another country. This is something he has
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Just a few of the many supplies available for rental and sale at Digital Therapy
WEZ HAS BIG IDEAS FOR THE LOCAL SECTOR. ONE OF THESE IS GIVING EQUIPMENT, A GOOD QUALITY CAMERA, FOR EXAMPLE, TO A PROMISING YOUNG FILMMAKER IN ORDER TO LOWER THEIR BUDGET AND THE BARRIERS TO ENTERING THE INDUSTRY. Byron De Carvalho, Founder of Shesha Film and Event Catering, at an event in Plett (Image courtesy of Shesha).
already seriously considered, but he remains hesitant because of the difficulty of starting over in a new place – new business practices, lingo, and of course competitors.
DIGITAL THERAPY: OPEN TO OPPORTUNITIES ELSEWHERE
Digital Therapy is a renowned local company that’s worked on the likes of international productions like Maze Runner, Resident Evil, and Sense 8, as well as in local film and television like Mandela’s Gun, Nothing for Mahala, Skeem Saam and Generations. Despite his love and passion for the industry, Founder, CEO and Workflow Supervisor Wezly Joao Ferreira is in two minds about its survival after 2018’s
dismal service season. “Digital Therapy has doubled its turnover for the last four years, and the industry hasn’t been getting better in the last two,” he says, adding that they maintain and double turnover by being innovative; by providing better quality equipment that works well. “We mix our business with not just rentals but also sales and services. So we’re not sitting there waiting for someone to call us for a DIT or a Video Playback Operator.” He says another way in which they’re keeping afloat is by selling more affordable technology storage solutions that offer the same quality as more expensive brands. “Even the other DITs are buying supplies from us to use for their clients. We’ve also been selling quite well
on takealot.com, and they’re quite popular with gamers.” That said, he is in two minds about staying in South Africa should the local industry not pick up soon. “I’ve had two offers while I was in London recently asking me to put all of my equipment in a container and take it to London permanently with shares in an existing UK company. They offered me partnership, and it’s something I’m thinking about seriously if the industry is not going to be sustainable – and by sustainable I don’t mean how much can we discount. What is sustainable is growing the local industry. What I’ve seen are a lot of people making South African movies, and if that continues to happen, I will stay. I don’t want to leave. I would much rather
stay and be successful here because I love the people, I love the place, and we have everything we need here.” Wez has big ideas for the local sector. One of these is giving equipment, a good quality camera, for example, to a promising young filmmaker in order to lower their budget and the barriers to entering the industry. They would still need to hire lighting, grips, etc. but at least one of the biggest budget items would be covered, he says. He has also gone into partnership with Takatso Madini who owns a company called Dreamlights. Their ultimate hope is to one day executive produce local films – but this remains to be seen and is hinged on the sector’s success in the near future.
32 / STUDIOS, SERVICES AND SUPPLIERS
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ATLAS STUDIOS
AQUILA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE
DIRECTION FILMS
Office Space to Rent at Atlas Studios Small production offices available specifically catering to the Film and TV industry | Various sizes from 10m²-80m² | Centrally located in Milpark, Johannesburg | Furnished or unfurnished | Daily/weekly or monthly hire | Wi-Fi enabled | Parking and 24-hour security
Aquila Private Game Reserve lies in a valley between the Langeberg and Outeniqua Mountains, where the 10 000 hectare conservancy is home to the Big 5 and wild game. Dramatic Karoo landscapes make the reserve a vision of red hues, hills, pans, rock formations and desert-scapes, reminiscent of the ‘Wild West’.
T: +27 11 482 7111 E: info@atlasstudios.co.za W: www.atlasstudios.co.za
R46, Touws River T: +27 21 430 7260 E: res@aquilasafari.com W: Aquilasafari.com
A new, fresh Direction Films! We are three years young! We work hard to achieve the shared goal with the client, with attention to detail, no matter the size of the job. Based in Cape Town, we have filmed locally, in Switzerland and the USA. We know no boundaries. We service and produce online and TV content. Director Willem Grobler brings his creative vision to life with a strong storytelling ability.
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Mama Dance is a one-stop-shop for all your music needs. LIBRARIES: Our website has 150 000 high-quality South African, African and International production music tracks ready for download and we offer free searches! COMPOSITION: Send us a brief and our talented team will create it. SUPERVISION: Searches, Costings & Clearances.
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R356, Sutherland Road, Ceres T: +27 21 422 0013 E: info@inverdoorn.com W: www.inverdoorn.com
4 Dorman Street, Gardens, Cape Town T: 021 424 0314 E: Dale@mamadance.com W. www.mamadance.com
Producer: Anco Henning T: +27 83 235 6720 E: anco@directionfilms.tv W: www.directionfilms.tv Cape Town, South Africa
T: +27 11 882 8822 / +27 83 268 3194 E: action@setsnonstop.co.za W: www.setsnonstop.co.za
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SHESHA FILM & TV CATERERS
CHRIS VERMAAK | STEADIPRO
WIZARDZ PRINT
After 12 years of feeding film crews, Shesha continues to push the boundaries of innovative, fresh and super cool on-set food!
Chris Vermaak SASC is a world-class cinematographer and Steadicam operator based in Cape Town. His wealth of experience spans multiple genres, making him a first choice for award-winning filmmakers. Chris’s contribution towards a fresh visual narrative in local content is showcased in the ground-breaking film Kanarie, winner of Best Picture at the 2018 kykNET Silverskermfees.
Digital Printing Callsheets, booklets, brochures, business cards, etc.
Byron de Carvalho - Director T: +27 82 699 4868 E: byron@shesha.tv W: www.shesha.tv
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Large Format Posters, banners, vinyl, forex and corex … and so much more! Specialists in urgent last-minute printing. Gardens Centre: +27 21 461 9334 V&A Waterfront: +27 21 419 7153 E: sales@wizardz.co.za W: www.wizardz.co.za
Mobile: 083 259 6288 | Email: steadipro@mweb.co.za www.chrisvermaak.com
THE TOKOLOSHE
SCREENS AT COMIC CON AFRICA Paranormal thriller The Tokoloshe screened at the event and is set for release in early November.
S The Tokoloshe - Image Courtesy of Indigenous Film Distribution
upernatural thriller The Tokoloshe, directed by Jerome Pikwane and starring Petronella Tshuma, was screened at Comic Con Africa, at the Kyalami Convention Centre which took place from 14 – 16 September. The threeday event showcased comic books, as well as science fiction and fantasy films and television – and all things supernatural.
The film tells the tale of a terrifying predator that seems to be behind the mysterious disappearances of children at a local hospital. “The film has generated a great deal of interest at various fantasy and horror festivals globally,” says Pikwane, who recently returned from a screening of The Tokoloshe at Frightfest in London. “Audiences have responded positively both
in the UK and at the world premiere in South Korea... The film deals with a young woman who fights back against an evil that has pursued her all her life.” It has already seen several international sales, and was funded by the NFVF and M-Net Movies. It will be released by Indigenous Film Distribution. The Tokoloshe releases on 2 November at cinemas in South Africa.
34 / SPOTLIGHT
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CTIFMF FOCUSED ON INDUSTRY GROWTH From 9-19 October, the Cape Town International Film Market and Festival will see locals and internationals converge at the V&A Waterfront.
T
he second edition of the Cape Town International Film Market and Festival is set to be bigger and better than ever. The event will screen 80 features, 20 documentaries, and 66 shorts at a variety of venues at the V&A Waterfront from 9-19 October 2018. The opening night film, Sew The Winter To My Skin, will be screened at the Artscape Theatre on the 9 th. This latest production from director Jahmil XT Qubeka is an existential adventure film that wowed audiences at Cannes L’Atelier last year. It was also awarded the Berlinale World Cinema Fund 2017 and has garnered incredible responses at screenplay level alone. The film had its world premiere at TIFF in September. “It is my intention with
Still from Sew The Winter To My Skin
projects like this to explore and to dissect the impact of the Apartheid experience on the psychology of self,” Qubeka explains. “The very roots of external struggles such as land redistribution are inherently embedded in an internal meditation or yearning. Dignity seems to be the pursued pot of gold at the end of this rainbow. I wanted to offer some insight into what I believe to be mankind’s inherent need to feed into mythologies that conveniently suit the order of the day. In its purest essence, this film is a motion picture driven by sensory and emotional experience. With this film, I am endeavouring to create a visual experience that crosses the boundaries and limitations of spoken language.” “Sew the Winter to my Skin is
an epic ballad to the art of visual storytelling and is a benchmark film in the tapestry of South African cinema,” says Producer Layla Swart. “Despite having one of the oldest histories of film making, South Africa’s post-apartheid film industry is only beginning to take flight. I believe that films like Sew The Winter To My Skin not only contribute to a universally accessible understanding of African storytelling, but raise the benchmark for the young South African directors who are emerging with a burning desire to canonise their experience, their heroes, their legacy.”
CREATE, COLLABORATE, CELEBRATE
CTIFMF’s theme for 2018 is “Create, Collaborate, Celebrate.”
Marketing Director Jehad Kasu (left) at CTIFMF 2017
It sees the launch of a range of programmes designed to maximise opportunities, particularly for emerging talent. The Market and Industry programme will run from 10-13 October, with the WIPs and Engage programmes finishing on the 16th. This year features an expanded, content-focused market with Market Director Elias Ribeiro at its head. Works In Progress (WIPs) aims to elevate the bar for African content, both in terms of quality and innovation. Ten WIPs have been selected to showcase to international experts, followed by a screening of a segment of the same works to a wider audience of invited industry stakeholders including festival programmers, sales and distributors, and post-production financiers. The
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programme will then give finishing awards (grading, final sound mix, VFX, online editing, subtitling and DCPs) to the most promising projects. Engage places a special focus on audience design and development. A selection of marketing and industry professionals will be selected for a three-day workshop with the guidance of Producer Valeria Richter to equip them in finding target markets and core followings for films. At the end of the workshop, each participant will be assigned a project from the WIP programme in order to deliver an Audience Design Strategy for them, with a cash prize awarded to the two best strategies. The Adapt programme brings creatives, producers and rights holders together to explore possibilities of cinematic book adaptations, as well as to develop an economic model around this which is best suited to African realities. All delegates are invited to attend the programme, with several sessions and workshops led by Script Consultant Selina Ukwuoma, who has worked closely with Realness and Talents Durban for the last 3 years. Other elements to the market programme include Work Cafes, a forum where
policy makers can present and discuss best practices in the funding systems cross global territories, and a programme of panel discussions, pitches, keynote speeches and workshops covering topics such as capacity building and skills development, virtual reality, festival strategies, curatorship, financing, performance, production design, and blockchain and cryptocurrency.
ELIAS RIBEIRO: NEW AT THE FILM MARKET Why is the market such a pivotal attraction? The market is such a pivotal part of the festival because it’s a gathering of the makers of films. It’s a place where ideas and people driving them have an opportunity to engage with financiers, gatekeepers, commissioning editors, festival programmers, international producers, all of who can be instrumental to the life of a film or can be vital to the facilitation or the realisation of a film. As market director, what are you most excited about? I spent quite a bit of time in the last few months engaging with our industry stakeholders to try and understand what it is that a new market place
should be offering. And I am excited to see how the local community has become very supportive of this festival and marketplace. I’m also quite honoured with the warm reception with which our invites to the international community was received. We have about 45 international gatekeepers from our world cinema industry and I’m honoured to be hosting them here in Cape Town, and hoping that they will all find what they came here looking for – great talent, amazing stories, beautiful films. And that will hopefully motivate
JEHAD KASU ON CTIFMF 2018 You were recently at the Shanghai Film Festival. Why are collaborations, like those CTIFMF has with China, so important for the industry? My recent working trip to the Shanghai International Film Festival was significant because it was an opportunity for me to lobby the the Chinese government to meaningfully invest in collaborative efforts with the South African film industry that will yield tangible results. A result of this trip is that in 2019 we will take up to five South African films to the Beijing International Film Festival - a significant stride for exporting local content to a US$9bn film economy. What’s different about this year’s festival? This year we have an industry and market programme that is more attuned to the needs of the industry in terms of skills and professional development, audience development, sales and distribution. We also have a film industry expo that is much better located at the North Wharf
A panel discussion at CTIFMF 2017
them to come back year after year and help us develop this market into a dynamic space where the business engine turns. What are your expectations for this year’s market? My expectation is that we connect talent and their producers to important international decision makers who can facilitate the life of their films. Our Works In Progress programme is going to have ten films. We set out to curate a programme of six but we were quite surprised by the great quality of work coming especially from SA and Kenya.
at the V&A Waterfront. At this venue, visitors can access an array of opportunities from academic programmes, locations, equipment, SFX make-up and stunt demonstrations. We made the expo entrance free this year in an effort to create greater access for all interested parties. Why should CTIFMF be a priority on SA filmmakers’ calendars? We are investing in building a compelling business case for the African film industry to converge at this central point annually to accelerate the development, growth and success of their film projects and businesses. Already we have the Chinese and West African partnerships that are geared for collaboration, while we are already working with the Brazilians and the Dutch to join us in 2019. We strongly encourage the public to attend our free public screenings at the V&A Waterfront during the festival. The public is also encouraged to support the films playing in competition at NuMetro and Ster-Kinekor cinemas at the V&A between 10-19 October.
36 / EVENTS TO DIARISE
OCTOBER OUT AT THE MOVIES INTERNATIONAL LGBT FILM FEST 4–7 Winston Salem, USA
MARBELLA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 10 – 14 Malaga, Spain
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PHILADELPHIA FILM FESTIVAL 18 – 28 Philadelphia, USA
BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 10 – 21 London, United Kingdom
MOSTRA SAO PAULO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 19 – 1 November Sao Paulo, Brazil
CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 10 – 21 Chicago, USA
SOUTH AFRICAN HORRORFEST 25 – 2 November Cape Town, South Africa
SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 11 – 14 San Jose, USA
TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 25 – 3 November Tokyo, Japan
IRIS PRIZE FILM FESTIVAL 9 – 14 Cardiff, Wales
CARMEL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 17 – 21 Sunset Centre, California
SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 10 – 14 SanDiego, USA
SANTA FE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL 17 – 21 Santa Fe, USA
VIENNALE (VIENNA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL) 25 – 8 November Vienna, Austria
CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL FILM MARKET & FESTIVAL 9 – 19 Cape Town, South Africa
TALLGRASS FILM FESTIVAL 17 – 21 Kansas, USA
AFRICA IN MOTION 26 – 4 November Glasgow, Scotland
NEW ORLEANS FILM FESTIVAL 17 – 25 New Orleans, USA
SAVANNAH FILM FESTIVAL 27 – 3 November Savannah, USA
SHNIT WORLDWIDE SHORTFILMFESTIVAL 18 – 28 8 Cities Internationally
AMERICAN FILM MARKET & CONFERENCES 31 – 7 November Santa Monica, USA
HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 4–8 East Hampton, USA SITGES FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE CINEMA FANTASTIC DE CATALUNYA 5 – 14 Barcelona, Spain
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL 26 – 1 November Austin, USA
NOVEMBER THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 1 – 11 Thessaloniki, Greece LEEDS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 1 – 15 Leeds, United Kingdom CARTHAGE FILM FESTIVAL 3 – 10 Carthage, Tunisia FORT LAUDERDALE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 5–7 Florida, USA NAPA VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL 7 – 11 Napa, USA LONE STAR FILM FESTIVAL 7 – 11 Fort Worth, USA CUCALORUS FILM FESTIVAL 7 – 11 Wilmington, USA STOCKHOLM FILM FESTIVAL 7 – 18 Stockholm, Sweden DOC NYC 8 – 15 New York, USA
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HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 8 – 18 Hawaii, USA KOLKATA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 10 – 17 Kolkata, India BLACK NIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL 11 – 27 Tallinn, Estonia AFRICA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 11 – 17 Lagos, Nigeria BARCELONA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL 12 – 18 Barcelona, Spain DISCOP JOHANNESBURG 14 – 16 Johannesburg, South Africa INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL AMSTERDAM 14 – 25 Amsterdam, Netherlands INTERFILM FESTIVAL 20 – 25 Berlin, Germany
DECEMBER
JANUARY
DELHI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 20 – 28 New Delhi, India
FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DEL NUEVO CINE LATINO AMERICANO (HAVANA FILM FESTIVAL) 6 – 16 Havana, Cuba
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2 – 15 Palm Springs, USA
CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 20 – 29 Cairo, Egypt
MONACO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 7 – 10 Monte Carlo, Monaco
TORINO FILM FESTIVAL 23 – 1 December Torino, Italy
METRO MANILA FILM FESTIVAL 25 – 7 January Manila, Philippines
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF INDIA 20 – 28 Goa, India
WHISTLER FILM FESTIVAL 28 – 2 December Vancouver, Canada BAHAMAS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 28 – 6 December Harbour Island and Nassau, Bahamas SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 28 – 9 December Singapore FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DU FILM DE MARRAKECH 30 – 8 December Marrakech, Morocco
GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS 8 Beverly Hills, USA NEW YORK JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL 10 – 23 New York, USA DHAKA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 12 – 20 Dhaka, Bangladesh LONDON SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 12 – 21 London, United Kingdom TROMSØ INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 14 – 20 Tromsø, Norway INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF ROTTERDAM 23 – 3 February Rotterdam, The Netherlands SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 24 – 3 February Park City, USA SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 25 – 31 Park City, USA GÖTEBORG FILM FESTIVAL 25 – 4 February Gothenburg, Sweden
Joshua Tree, California, United States | Photo by Sasha Stories on Unsplash
AFI FEST 8 – 15 Los Angeles, USA
38 / ASSOCIATIONS NEWS
PMA AND SAGA PRESENTATION TO PARLIAMENT The Personal Managers’ Association and the South African Guild of Actors made an oral presentation to Parliament in Cape Town on 13 and 14 September 2018 on the Performers Protection Amendment Bill. The PMA has asked government to recognise the moral and economic rights of actors in SA legislation, which will allow for negotiations for equitable residual income from the sale or rental of works such as films and series. “This affects all professional actors and having these rights brings our industry in line with international practices where actors’ contributions are recognised and remunerated fairly so they can enjoy a better quality of life and help eradicate a
life of poverty,” the PMA said in a recent statement. SAGA Chair Jack Devnarain and Adrian Galley were present at Parliament as representation for actors. “We strive to develop meaningful and engaging relationships with industry stakeholders,” SAGA said in late August, “We recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the PMA, the leading artist managers organisation in the country.”
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NFVF AND IDC CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR THE EBFTF The National Film and Video Foundation and the Industrial Development Corporation have invited emerging black filmmakers to submit proposals for consideration under the Emerging Black Filmmakers Transformation Fund (EBFTF). Launched in 2014, the EBFTF provides financial, marketing and other related support to emerging black filmmakers. The fund has been designed for black filmmakers (directors and/or producers) with limited experience but who have developed and produced 1-2 feature films, television fiction or documentaries for theatrical release or television broadcast, or 2-3 short films or 2-3 commercials seeking to venture into feature film
development and production. Budgets are capped at R6 million, including R500 000 in marketing costs. The films should be commercially viable and at the level of theatrical release, with a fully South African cast and crew. For more information on what to submit for consideration, visit www.nfvf.co.za or email all content queries to Yolanda Ncokotwana at yolandan@nfvf.co.za. The deadline for applications is 4 October 2018.
ASSOCIATIONS NEWS / 39
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The Documentary Filmmakers’ Association has elected a new board for the 2018/19 period. The association was established to nurture and develop the interests of doccie filmmakers in SA, and aims to create a unified voice and gain recognition for this genre throughout the country. The following individuals have been voted in as the DFA board: • Chair: Desmond Naidoo, Urban Brew, Johannesburg • Co-Chair: Antoinette Engel, Johannesburg • Treasurer: Izette Mostert, Purple Pear, Cape Town • Co-treasurer: Gavin Potter, Durban • Secretary: Theresa Hill, Cape Town • Fiduciary: Pat van Heerden, Media 24, Johannesburg • Board member: Enver Samuel, Johannesburg
• Board member: Lauren Groenewald, Plexus Films, Cape Town • Board member: Richard Gregory, Good Work Pictures, Cape Town • Board member: Antoinette Engel, Johannesburg • Board member: Sara de Gouveia, Lionfish Productions, Cape Town • Board member: Theresa Hill, Cape Town • Board member: Francis Hweshe, Johannesburg • Board member: Jacqui Setai, Johannesburg • Board member: Obakeng Malope, Johannesburg • Newsletter/PR: Liezel Vermeulen, Cape Town • Administrator: Thea Aboud, Johannesburg
IPO ON STATE OF NFVF The Independent Producers Organisation has noted with concern the allegations regarding the divided NFVF Council, as reported by City Press in early September. “City Press reports various irregularities with regard to foreign trips taken by NFVF Council members many of which were not concerned with operational matters. Besides this, the findings of the Comperio report cite irregular financial approvals and the apparent abuse of position,” the IPO said in a statement. The forensic report into the NFVF has not been released to the industry but it is critical that the appointment of a new CEO is treated as an opportunity to thoroughly overhaul the governance practices of such a vital industry body and represent a return to the letter and spirit of the NFVF Act 1997 and international best practice.
“The IPO is alarmed by the apparent appointment by the NFVF Council of the acting CEO, Shadrack Bokaba without due process… The IPO calls on the NFVF Council to confirm that the shortlisting and interview process for the appointment of the new CEO has been and will continue to be done in a fair and transparent manner according to the existing government and industry standard guidelines and NFVF policy. Additional to this, the IPO insists that a member of the IPO be present in all the deliberations of the CEO recruitment process to further pursue a fair and transparent process without delay.”
Photo by Gabriel Garcia Marengo on Unsplash
DFA ELECTS NEW BOARD
40 / DIRECTORY
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DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS COMPANY
TELEPHONE
WEBSITE
PAGE
Aquila
+27 21 430 7260
res@aquilasafari.com
www.aquilasafari.com
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Atlas Studios
+27 11 482 7111
info@atlasstudios.co.za
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32
Canon South Africa
+27 12 675 4900
contact@canon.co.za
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Inside Back Cover
Cape Nature
+27 21 200 0764
locations@permitz.co.za
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+27 21 843 2400
info@capetownfilmstudios.co.za
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+27 21 417 4035
film.permit@capetown.gov.za
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03
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+27 21 401 5000
sales@cticc.co.za
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15
CTIFMF
+27 21 556 3204
info@filmfest.capetown
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34-35
Direction Films
+27 83 235 6720
anco@directionfilms.tv
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Folio Group
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CONTACT US Cover Image: Outlander Season 3, courtesy of Cape Town Film Studios © 2017 Starz Entertainment, LLC
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IN 5 YEARS 5 FILMS 1 TV SERIES 5 SHORT FILMS AFRICAN CINEMA CLUB 2 FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES 50+ MEDIA CONTENT PIECES ACROSS 11 AFRICAN COUNTRIES FEATURE FILMS DOCUMENTARY TELEVISION ONLINE MEDIA CONTENT
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INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED EXCELLENCE IN AFRICAN FILMMAKING Cannes Film Festival
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Rotterdam
Toronto International Film Festival
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