ISSUE 01 | 2015
+ LOCATION TRENDS Recreating the World on your Doorstep
+ SPOTLIGHT ON TWO INNOVATIVE STUDIOS Unique Business Models give them the Edge
+ SOUTH AFRICAN CREW The Backbone of the Industry
CONTENTS | 01
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02. Die Windpomp Selected for US Film Festival
04. A Chat with Prof Martin Mhando, Organiser of ZIFF
06. Mandela IFF: Launching a Brave New World of Film
08. In Production 10. Spotlight on Two South African Studios
14. Crew: The Backbone of the Film Industry
16. SA Locations: Recreating the World on your Doorstep
19. AFRIFF 2014 Review 20. A Chat with Janet Van Eeden 21. Photo Hire & Sales: 10 Years and Still on Top
MANDELA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL LAUNCHES
IN PRODUCTION: JANUARY 2015
We attended the launch of what is touted to be “the greatest film festival in the world”. See page 6 for the details.
See page 8 for a detailed overview of the films and TV series that are being shot on our beautiful shores in January.
22. Opportunities 24. A Chat with Derek Antonio Serra 28. Minuscule – A Tiny Tale of Epic Proportions
29. Golden Globes Predictions: Made-for-TV Movie or Mini-Series
30. A Chat with Pieter Oosthuizen 32. What a Film Set can Teach you about Life
33. Romoss: Freedom to Travel Anytime, Anywhere
34. A Small Change in Thinking – Part Three
36. Ghana: An Amalgamation of Architecture, History and Culture
LOCATION TRENDS IN SA
SPOTLIGHT ON GHANA
Kim Muller cosies up to the experts to bring you the latest trends in film and TV locations.
An amalgamation of architecture, history, and culture; Ghana is an ideal film location.
38. Events 40. Directory
02 | NEWS
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Die Windpomp Selected for US Film Festival
T
he much loved and highly successful Afrikaans fantasy love story Die Windpomp, has been selected into the Sonoma International Film Festival in California, the heart of the wine country. Sonoma marks Die Windpomp’s US premiere. “We’re very excited at showing our film to a US audience. Die Windpomp has been gathering quite a bit of momentum ahead of its US release at overseas film markets like AFM (American Film Market)” says producer Chris Roland, who is an American himself. “We’re pleasantly surprised at the
interest of an Afrikaans language film by the Americans, everyone we pitched the story to loved it, story is still key.” Says fellow ZenHQ owner and producer of Die Windpomp Lee-Ann Cotton. The prestigious annual festival runs from March 25 – 29, and in addition to supporting indie films and world cinema, Sonoma honors young and first-film directors. Written and directed by Etienne Fourie, Die Windpomp revolves around a summer romance between Hendri and Margot, two young people living in a retirement village, with a very unexpected twist, and stars Leandie Du
Randt, Armand Greyling, Ian Roberts, Marga Van Rooy and Grethe Fox. Die Windpomp recently stole the spotlight and walked away with five awards at the Kyknet SilwerSkermFees: Best Film, Best Director (Etienne Fourie), Best Screenplay (Etienne Fourie), Best Original music (Johnny de Ridder) and Best Supporting Actress (Marga van Rooy). Die Windpomp has been released on DVD and VOD in South Africa and is selling out at Musica, TopCD, Look&Listen and Checkers, and VOD downloads and streaming on Box Office and VIDI have reached huge numbers.
U2’s latest music video
Bryan Little directs This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now © Filipa Domingues
S
outh African Bryan Little directed the music video for U2’s This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now, which premiered on Paper Magazine. The music video features Cape Townbased, China-born street artist DALeast, who’s made his name internationally by creating animals that feel like they’re in motion and are about to leave the walls they’re painted on – something that actually happens in This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now. “His animals have this three-dimensional character; they’re born to be made into 3D animations,” says Bryan, who met DALeast through his friendship with another street
artist, Faith 47. “I’ve always wanted to bring his creatures to life in film, so that was my first thought when he contacted me to direct a music video about his work, especially as I’d just seen this guy running in Hout Bay with a huge pack of dogs without leashes.” Bryan got the call confirming the job on his birthday in August and was on a plane to New York two days later with DALeast and Fly on the Wall producer Filipa Domingues. Ironically, Bryan isn’t a big fan of music videos: he usually directs commercials. “I don’t normally like directing music videos, because you’re limited to the song itself, so you can’t add dialogue or location sound or a soundscape, so that always freaks me out,” he admits. This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now was particularly stressful in this regard, because Bryan only heard the song an hour before he started shooting. “Thankfully, the song has that typical U2 scale and emotion, so it works really well with the visuals.” Bryan wasn’t allowed to keep a copy of the song though. “I had to write down how long
each section was and what the mood was; we only got the song to cut to three days before our delivery date.” To animate DALeast’s artwork, Bryan roped in Iwan Zwarts, a fellow South African who’s now based in New York as a visual effects supervisor on spots like Playstation’s Greatness Awaits or Axe’s multi-awardwinning Susan Glenn. Iwan put together an amazing post-production team from around the world, including Tom Bussell, Charlotte Arnold, Danny Morris, Alexandre Allain, Sauce Vilas, Jimmy Gass, Mikey Rossiter and Manuel Riedl. “They made it look better than I ever imagined,” says Bryan. “The level of detail was insane.” Bryan hasn’t met Bono and the band yet, but was told they loved it. “I like to picture Bono taking his sunglasses off to watch It; that was my goal,” says Bryan. See the video at: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=eA3s3gtRoVM. See more of Bryan’s work at www.flyonthewall.co.za/bryanlittle/. See more of DALeast’s work at www.daleast.com/.
04 | NEWS
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A Chat with
Prof Martin Mhando: Organiser of ZIFF
© Peter Bennett
© Peter Bennett
Filmmaker, Mira Nair at ZIFF
Exterior view of the venue
The Callsheet: Tell us about the ZIFF 2015 theme, Waves and Visions. What are you hoping the theme will inspire in the applicants this year? Prof Martin Mhando: To those of us who live by the sea and oceans, the waves mean more that simply curling waters. They denote sounds of a permanent presence, of expected arrivals and anticipated departures. Waves welcome visions of a depth terrifying and a lightness beckoning but more still they propose hope in its glorious and abject abstraction. To filmmakers this imagery is an embrace of their creativity as those sounds, designs, images and movements are the bedrock upon which their art is formed. The 2015 theme is a call to deeper introspection, to collaboration with those with whom we hear the call and to that enchanting space-Zanzibar. Let’s go forth and be creative.
last year and most of the journalists were satisfied. We had an air-conditioned Media Centre with desktops provided and this meant the journos were well catered for. We had over 20 journalists attending the festival for the whole nine days, with others coming in and out during the festival period. Zanzibar Leo and Mwananchi and Citizen provided carpet coverage for the festival from day one to the end and both had editorials about the festival. The CNN African story report was the icing on the festival cake! We managed to employ over 85 Tanzanian music artists, 15 Regional Artists, over 80 young Tanzanians working directly in ZIFF, 30 vendors, five hotel partners, two transport companies, two partner airlines and over 20 Tanzanian media personnel.
The Callsheet: What successes of last year’s ZIFF would you like to meet and better this year? Prof Martin Mhando: Beating the success of 2013 was going to be hard but I believe ZIFF 2014 was even more successful. We hosted more guests than last year and they took part in more activities than films and film workshops. We had better attended press conferences and had more media houses and journalists attending the festival. Our media exposure was probably twice the amount we received
The Callsheet: ZIFF 2015 is only a few months from the opening night, what does that mean to you as the organiser? What has been the response been thus far? Prof Martin Mhando: This year we have moved to online submission of films to enable faster selection of films and management. We have also begun our sponsorship drive aiming to grow our corporate financing by 25% over 2014. We have already identified the opening film which promises to highlight ZIFF’s and Zanzibar’s unique capacity to bring the world
closer. The music program will bring four Old and New African stars to Tanzania and promising to engulf Zanzibar with sounds from West and South Africa and the abounding local talent. Applications for films have already hit the 2014 mark of 200+ films and we have also sourced some world-class films to enchant our audiences. With the new grant from the Danish Cultural Organisation CKU, ZIFF will expand its outreach program to reach new heights through showing films to more villages and showing better films sourced from around Africa and Europe. The Callsheet: Does ZIFF have industry support? If so, is the support sufficient? How could ZIFF increase industry support? Prof Martin Mhando: ZIFF is the only festival in Africa with a 10 year $100,000-per-annum corporate sponsorship with ZUKU, the Cable company from Kenya. However ZIFF needs greater industry support in terms of building its distribution, sales and film market potential. We look forward to greater participation of industry partners to network and engage with the producers who bring their films to ZIFF. ZIFF is the largest film festival in the East and Central African region and the growth of Swahili film and TV industry makes ZIFF the place to be for film and TV products and engagements. We also welcome location hunters to come to Zanzibar and Tanzania in general to find amongst the best film locations in the world. While the country lacks the industry infrastructure, the stability of the country, its economic growth of over 7% per annum for the last five years and its fastgrowing financial centre status should interest the new investors in the industry to the country. ZIFF is the hub for conversations and planning and where policymakers and industry leaders meet and plan for the next big adventures into the industry. Tanzania is the eventual centre of the East and Central African cinema and TV industry and this is the time for the industry to get settled in. South Africa’s film industry leadership in the continent finds at ZIFF and in Tanzania its next big story!
06 | NEWS
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Š Anele Papu
Festival Ambassador Terry Pheto and Patron iNkosi Zwelivelile Mandela
Launching a Brave New World of Film
T
he Mandela International Film Festival launched with a bang in Port Elizabeth on the 3rd of December. The 10 day extravaganza will take place from the 3rd to the 13th of December 2015 and will embrace a brave new world of film in South Africa. The theme of the festival is Hope and Reconciliation, and will encompass four key elements.
Festival Programme The core of the festival will be screenings of around 400 films that encapsulate the theme, including local and international documentaries, films and TV series. There
will also be workshops that impart crucial skills to local filmmakers. The second pillar of the festival is accredited events such as golf days and music events. These events will raise awareness and drum up support and hype for the event. The third pillar focuses on digital migration. Workshops will be held that will assist local filmmakers to position themselves for digital migration. The final pillar is the stimulation of the gaming industry by film. Many films have spawned online, Xbox and Playstation games, and this is a vital industry to tap into.
Patron of the Festival As Patron of the festival, His Royal Highness iNkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela was present at the launch. “The Mandela Film Festival inaugural year will honour the film, entertainment and media legends that made a continuous effort to keep South Africa top of mind during the apartheid era as South Africa celebrates 20 years of freedom and independence. This film festival will also enable Africans to tell their stories in film and enjoy a platform to engage the film industry in using the latest technology applications that are key to the industry� His Royal Highness said.
NEWS | 07
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© Anele Papu
Vision
“
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The Mandela International Film Festival emphasises the need to work with film makers who are demonstrating bravery.
Touted to become one of the world’s most important film festivals, the Mandela International Film Festival emphasises the need to work with film makers who are demonstrating bravery in the manner they make their films, and such bravery is in line with the legacy of Nelson Mandela and his comrades. Dedicated to improving both the craft and business of film, the Festival is not limited to local efforts but has adopted a totally inclusive stance, developing and welcoming contributions from grassroots level to international players. An extensive development plan has been developed and under implementation to ensure there will be meaningful participation of local film makers. This development is delivered through the South African Digital Content Organisation (SADICO) a non-profit organisation dedicated to the development of digital content industry in South Africa. “Our icon, Nelson Mandela, was inclusive in everything he did and treated everyone with respect,” His Royal Highness said. “The festival which bears his name carries the same ethos and will play a
major role in infusing our nation with those elements and characteristics which make South Africa unique. “In line with this philosophy, the Festival reaches out to all film makers and will assist developing candidates with workshops in the months leading up to the festival, ensuring that there is a platform for all contributors. Although the aim is to have meaningful South African and African participation, the festival also encourages co-productions and international film makers from around the world.” “The Mandela International Film Festival has already elicited excitement and support among industry insiders and it is also going to be a platform to showcase digital content for Digital Terrestrial Television as well as showcasing the video gaming industry that has become integral to the film industry. In addition, the festival will also showcase
Pan African talent within creative industries such as music, craft & arts, exhibitions and sports. The unique combination of these elements makes the Mandela International Film Festival an event like no other.” said Linda Khumalo, Festival Director of the Mandela International Film Festival and Chairman of SADICO
Festival Ambassador Actress, Model and Producer Terry Pheto is the first official brand ambassador for the festival, and will promote the initiative over the next year. The event has, amongst others, the Eastern Cape Provincial and Local governments, the Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism, South African Airways and Thebe Investment Corporation as festival partners and local celebrities who have joined the initiative as Friends of the Festival.
08 | IN PRODUCTION
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IN PRODUCTION January 2015 Despite some visa challenges and losing at least one film to an illogical fear of Ebola, 2014 was the busiest year yet for South Africa’s long-form service industry. At least 21 major projects shot here: TV series Black Sails, BlueStone42, Book of Negroes, Dominion, Homeland, The Unexplained Files, Wallander and The Wrong Mans, as well as the films Avengers: Age of Ultron, Back to School Mom, Children of the Gun, Curse of Hendon/Grimsby, Detour, Eye in the Sky, Karsten og Petra, The Last Face, Lord Jones Is Dead, Momentum, Prisoner of War, Tiger House, and Tremors. Thanks to ever-present confidentiality clauses, no one is ever allowed to officially talk about what’s in production in Africa, so there were probably a few more we missed or couldn’t confirm (like Emma Watson in Colonia), particularly if you think of all the Bollywood films being made here that fly under the radar. Variety says Morocco had an even better year, with 33 foreign film and TV productions, including Mission Impossible 5, Werner Herzog’s Queen of the Desert, Tom Twyker’s A Hologram for the King, and Spectre, Sam Mendes’ new Bond film. Kenya, in contrast, is in a slump, with Voice of America reporting at the end of October that the East African country hasn’t hosted an international film since 2011. Apparently Kenyan producers have resigned themselves to even Angelina Jolie’s Kenyan-set Africa film coming to South Africa this year, unless the government can create competitive incentives quickly. 2015 looks like it could be even busier, thanks largely to the repeat business that is the TV industry. Black Sails and Dominion are both confirmed to return, while Clare Danes’ recent Golden Globe nomination bodes well for another season of Homeland. Here are some of the projects to look forward to in 2015 across the continent:
Alison Towerkop Creations’ Uga Carlini is writing and directing this adaptation of the remarkable life story of Alison Botha, who survived being raped, stabbed 37 times, and disemboweled, not to mention having her throat slashed 17 times. Christia Visser (Hollywood in My Huis) stars as the young Alison, with Amy Nelson producing.
Black Sails The pirates are back at Cape Town Film Studios filming season three of Black Sails, which premieres on Starz on 24 January 2015, according to Deadline. The first season of the Treasure Island
prequel set a viewership record of a Starz original series and won two Emmy Awards. Film Afrika is producing.
Dominion Season one of Syfy’s Dominion had mixed reviews, with a 70% rating on IMDB, a 47% metascore on Metacritic, and a brutal review in The Hollywood Reporter, where Tim Goodman called the angels versus humans drama “one of the dumbest, worst-acted, most poorly written series I’ve seen in ages.” So the South African industry will be relieved to know that it still screened to
over two million total viewers in June, according to Deadline, and has been renewed for a 13-episode second season, expected to start filming this month. Film Afrika is producing.
Last Broken Darkness Local actors Sean Cameron Michael (Black Sails) and Brandon Auret (Elysium) are attached to star in this post-apocalyptic action drama, directed by Christopher Lee Dos Santos and produced by DS Films and The Karoo Film Company. Let’s hope it’s a dramatic improvement on Christopher’s first
IN PRODUCTION | 09
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film, vampire thriller Eternity, which Munyaradzi Vomo memorably wrote made him feel like he was “trapped in a year-long eclipse.”
According to Out of Africa’s website, this adaptation of Deon Meyer’s crime novel Dead Before Dying went into production in December as a co-production with Germany company All-In Production.
of Jadotville, the feature film debut of commercials and music video director Richie Smyth. Set in the Congo just after the murder of Patrice Lumumba, Dornan will play Commandant Pat Quinlan, an Irishman who led a UN battalion of 150 Irish troops that held out against a force of 3 000 local troops led by French and Belgian mercenaries working for the mining companies.
Mohenjo Daro
Spectre
Variety says Ashutosh Gowariker (the Oscar-nominated crossover hit Lagaan) is directing Mohenjo Daro, an epic period adventure and love story set during the Indus Valley Civilization. Disney Studios India is producing, while Hrithik Roshan and Miss India Universe 2010 runner-up Pooja Hegde will co-star. Digital Spy says the film will start shooting in January after a six-week delay caused by Roshan injuring his shoulder at gym.
According to Variety, Sam Mendes’ new James Bond film started filming in December in Morocco and will return in June for a 10-day shoot in Tangier and the desert. Other upcoming projects expected to shoot in Morocco include six-part series King Tut: The Book of Dead, the Weinstein Company’s Egyptian detective series; and Killing Jesus, starring Dominic West.
Mat Joubert
Queen of Katwe Shadow & Act reports that Mira Nair is lined up to direct an adaptation of Tim Crothers book, Queen of Katwe, about a Ugandan chess prodigy. Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave) is set to star, with Disney producing. It’s expected to film in Uganda, where Nair set up the Maisha Film Lab.
The Seige of Jadotville
The Big Shoe and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter were both scheduled to shoot in South Africa in 2014, but were pushed back after scheduling problems and Milla Jovovich’s pregnancy, respectively. Both may resurface in 2015. Sand Castle was also expected to shoot in 2014, but has gone quiet and is currently listed as ‘in development’ on IMDB. Other international projects in development that may come to South Africa are Tau Tona, set at the world’s deepest gold mine, and Africa, Angelina Jolie’s Richard Leakey biopic.
Image © Elysium
According to Deadline, 50 Shades of Grey and The Fall star Jamie Dornan will be in South Africa in 2015 to film The Siege
Upcoming
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© Island Studios
The MasterChef South Africa promo was shot in Cape Island Studio
Spotlight on
TWO SOUTH AFRICAN STUDIOS W
hen it comes to locations, South Africa has it all – in fact, much of the continent can be replicated thanks to the diversity of its natural beauty and inhabitants. But it has only been in the last ten years or so that studios have truly been making their mark in the country, and this encompasses the film, stills, commercials and service industries. This month, The Callsheet has decided to place a spotlight on two studios that have rather unique business models.
Island Studios Developed to help facilitate work for local and incoming production teams, Panalux – formerly AFM Lighting – set up shop in Cape Town in the late 90s to meet a growing demand for lighting on commercials being shot in South Africa. “This led to the establishment of the current Panalux facilities in Milnerton,” Michele St Arnaud, Operations Director at Panalux, explains. “From there, we saw an opportunity to replicate our London set up by making stages available to production companies in
South Africa through Island Studios.” The company owns five studios in all, two in South Africa – Cape and Gold Island Studios, in Cape Town and Midrand, Johannesburg respectively – and three others in the United Kingdom. The South African studios offer lighting, stills, grip and camera facilities all under one roof, minimising coordination hindrances for production teams. “Clients appreciate working with Gold Island Studio and Cape Island Studio because of our ability to offer a range of facilities and services,” St Arnaud says. They are used predominantly for commercial shoots, although television shoots are also done at Gold Island Studio. “It’s been an especially busy 2013 and 2014 for us,” St Arnaud says. “Moonlighting Films’ Hoover and the MasterChef South Africa promo were both shot in Cape Island Studio. To name a few projects done at Gold Island Studio: The Fort ‘Danny K’ music video and Fresheye Films ‘McDonald’s iStories’ commercial. Projects for 2015 have begun rolling in for what looks like a bumper start to the New Year.”
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Island Studio Specs STUDIO NAME
SIZE
FACILITIES
Cape Island Studios Stage 1
25.9m x 18m, 6.2m height
LOCATION Sanlam Business Park
(6.2m to lighting grid) Cape Island Studios Stage 2
Cape Island Studios Stage 3
16.5m x 19.5m, 6.2m height
Flexible work space
Koeberg Rd
(6.2m to lighting grid)
Drive-in access
Milnerton
Cycs and on-site lighting, camera
Cape Town
27.5m x 19.5m, 6.2m height (6.2m to lighting grid)
and grip facilities
Gold Island Studios Stage 1
20.6m x 29m, 8.1m height
79 Reedbuck Crescent,
Gold Island Studios Stage 2
14.5m x 29m, 7m height
Corporate Park, Old Pretoria Rd
(7m to lighting grid)
Midrand
Other Panalux studios are located in the United Kingdom, with Black & Dukes Island Studios in London and one in Manchester (Manchester Island Studio).
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It’s been an especially busy 2013 and 2014 for us. Moonlighting Films’ Hoover and the MasterChef South Africa promo were both shot in Cape Island Studio.
Although business is booming, Michele says that there is still a definite need for studios in South Africa. “Admittedly, a large part of the attraction of shooting in Africa is and always will be access to fabulous locations; however, the fact that we are, in addition, able to provide studios for tricky interiors, pack shots and green screen means that filmmakers have the ability
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©Foghound Studios
Foghound Studios
Foghound Studios Known as a “one-stop solution, turnkey and production facility with multiple in-house edit and audio suites as well as studio facilities”, Foghound prides itself of the fact that it is able to provide clients with everything under one roof. The studio section has been used for a host of functions such as television commercials, adverstising agency shoots and of course production work with Foghound’s own clients. The studios also cover camera equipment and lighting needs, and can also be hired out upon request. Foghound Studios offers solutions particularly in television and radio commercials, corporate videos, events, content, and facility usage. “The majority of studio jobs are for TV commercials and corporate videos – although a handful of film shoots have been done at our studios. The Sprada at Nutrition Coffee House is unique at our facilities,” Judy Goddard, Head of Marketing, says of Foghound. The coffee house is a great meeting spot for clients, and with a scrumptious menu, it provides the perfect breakaway during shoots. Goddard goes on to explain that the main reason for their success is the way in which they strive for excellence. “Our motto is to ‘Do whatever it takes’, so whatever the client’s requirements, we ensure that we meet and exceed expectations to ensure happy client experiences,” she says. They look forward to a busy 2015, with a number of exciting TV series formats on the line-up in the next few months. That said, there are
still a number of challenges that they face, not least of these being the electrical load shedding that plagued the country over the festive season. Foghound has overcome this issue through a back-up generator – at times an expensive, but necessary endeavour. “We are passionate about delivering quality and value, both on deadline and within budget,” says Goddard, “The 360 degree service that we are able to offer our clients comprises of the following key areas: Creative Concept Development, TV Commercial Production, Radio Commercial Production, Corporate Video Production, Producing Web based Videos, Producing Mobile Based Videos, Equipment Hire, Stills Photography, Graphic Design, Animation, Post Production and Edit Facilities, Set Building, Studio Hire, Audio Studio Facilities. “ She emphasizes that Foghound’s objective is to ensure that clients’ needs are “met and exceeded at every opportunity where quality, value and reliability are prerequisites you can always be assured of.”
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We are passionate about delivering quality and value, both on deadline and within budget.
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to shoot the entirety of a job with us in South Africa rather than flying in to shoot the location and flying straight out again afterwards,” St Arnaud explains, “An added benefit is physical proximity of the sets to the location, which affords filmmakers incredible flexibility in their shooting schedules.” She goes on to say that because Island Studios have a long history of helping clients achieve success, their stage facilities are used for a number of exceptional sets at any given time of the year. “One such example was a waterfall set built in our studio for Orange C&A that had to be reconstructed at the last minute after their initial location was suddenly and unfortunately caught ablaze from a runaway forest fire.” She says that aside from daily challenges, the country’s film industry faces a number of issues – not least of these is that the level of work in South Africa is affected by the fluctuation in the exchange rate. “At the same time, South Africa’s ability to provide top notch facilities and crews with a deep experience and background in filmmaking in addition to our wonderful locations means that the appeal of shooting in South Africa remains strong.” St Arnaud says that one of the main reasons why Island Studios have done so well in the industry is their focus on clients. “The end-to-end client experience is exceptionally important, not only to Gold Island Studio and Cape Island Studio but to the entire film industry in South Africa,” she says, “It is important that we strive to deliver friendly, professional service – look after your clients and your clients will look after you.” Panalux plans to refurbish Gold Island Studio in 2015, which will provide clients with better kitchen, wardrobe and makeup facilities. As Michele so aptly puts it: “Because our industry tends to be extremely fast-moving and dynamic, our end goal is to ensure a successful outcome for our clients’ shoots, and to ensure that they benefit fully from our broad, accumulated industry experience and unique knowledge of the local market.” As Operations Director, St Arnaud’s role now includes overall responsibility of the Island Studio complexes. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with local and international filmmakers in South Africa,” she says.
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Foghound Studios Specs STUDIO NAME
SIZE
FACILITIES
Studio 1
18m x 11.6m
Fully air-conditioned Sound proofed Infinity curve on three sides 5.8m high lighting grid with raisers 4m wide x 4.5m high access door Green room Make-up room Men’s and Ladies’ including showers
Studio 2
7m x 5.7m
Infinity curve on one side 4.7 high lighting grid with raisers Well-ventilated with high-powered extractor fans 2.9m wide x 3.1m high access door
Extras available for both studios
n/a
Metered electricity usage Phone calls, studio paint and labour quoted separately Painter Studio hand (10 hrs/day) Studio hand overtime Studio paint (White/Black) Chromakey Paint Backup Generator
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CREW: The Backbone of the Industry by Kim Muller
W
e all know about the people working on the ground behind the scenes, the ones who really make a production happen. Although actors, directors and producers are usually in the limelight, it truly is the crew that pain-stakingly creates every perfect scene. Film crew positions have evolved over the years thanks to rapid changes in technology – although many jobs date from the early 20th century and are common knowledge. Perhaps one of the most significant differences between crew is the various phases of a production they’re involved in – pre-production, principal photography and post-production. These days in South Africa, there has been a trend towards more last-minute, lower budget jobs with fewer crew, says Jan Bowden, CEO and Part Owner of Call A Crew – the largest listing of freelance crew in Southern Africa; a business that has been in the industry for over 30 years. “Financial organizations, alcohol, cars, cell phone companies and big-name soft drinks account for the bulk of big-budget commercials, followed by fast-food outlets,
stores and household products with medium budgets. International service jobs tend to have bigger budgets than local commercials and usually shoot for more days with more crew,” Bowden continues, “the big attraction being the fact that the Rand is progressively on the down trend, and that our crew and locations are world-class.” Although it has always been an industry with low entry barriers, one of the main challenges at the moment is the high crew versus job ratio, coupled with the fact that the industry is unable to offer adequate support to freelance crew. “My concern is the newcomers in the industry,” Bowden laments, “students who have put their time and energy into studying to get into the industry and who are unable to find work. There is a huge need for the production companies to support a programme of post-study internship and on-set training to develop and grow new talent. I haven’t come across any programme which offers government support for crew. As productions don’t have budget for extra people on set, it would be a huge incentive if government,
skills levy or some form of funding was offered to encourage trainees to be on set.” Just across the border in Namibia, the film crew scene has begun to blossom in recent years. Anke Stier of Namibia Crew Hub says that in 2014 the company ran two successful workshops during Film Week, while two Amazing Race episodes were also shot in the country. “In the past, foreign production would almost bring along all their crew,” she says, “however our crew is more and more exposed and therefore gain more experience, which means foreign productions bring mostly head of departments now.” The country’s talent pool consists of mainly drivers and technical crew together with art departments. Stier goes on to say that there is still very little government support for film crew, although there is talk that they would benefit more in the future. As usual, there are the day-to-day challenges that the industry faces, from miscommunication to ensuring contracts are in place. “I try and solve those problems by being as diplomatic as possible and getting all the facts together beforehand,” she says.
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Courtesy of U2’s music video This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now, © Filipa Domingues
Films Shot in SA with Local Crew in 2014 • • • • • • • • • • • •
Momentum ft. Olga Kurylenko The Avengers with Moonlighting Black Sails Season 3 with Film Afrika Dominion with Film Afrika Tiger House ft. Dougray Scott Dias Santana with Zen Q Eye in the Sky with Moonlighting Homeland Season 4 with Moonlighting The Last Face with Moonlighting The Gunman ft. Sean Penn, Javier Barden Tremors 5 with Moonlighting Bachelor Australia with Triosphere
• • • • •
Wallender Final Season with Out of Africa The Wrong Mans (Series) with Out of Africa Prisoner of War with MacDuff, ft. Lee Pace Curse of Hendon, the Sasha Baron Cohen movie Bluestone 42 (Series) ft. Kelly Adams, Oliver Chris
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Who’s Who on a Movie Crew? Most filmmakers and broadcasters know what key crew is needed in order to make any production a success. But did you know that there’s a distinct difference between a Best Boy and a Key Grip? And what about all those other unheard-of movie credits? Here are a few of the fascinating unknowns. Scenic Artist The scenic artist is in charge of designing and treating all set surfaces, including painting, colouring, texturing, plastering or applying any other elements to set surfaces to create a specific look. Data Handler/Wrangler A fairly new job position that was created on the back of frequent use of high-end digital video formats, the data wrangler is responsible for organising, labelling, downloading, duplicating and reformatting the digital storage disks for use on set and in the editing suite. Digital Image Technician Another fairly new position, the DIT uses
various image manipulation methods to achieve the highest possible image quality during the production. They also manage transferring and storage of image data. Dolly Grip The camera dolly is a small, rolling cart with a mechanical elevating boom arm for the camera to be mounted to. Dolly shots provide the smoothest possible movements for filming. The dolly grip sets up the track, levels it and builds the dolly on the track. They create stop marks and operate the boom arm during the shoot. Best Boy The best boy is the lead electrician on set and is in charge of all other electricians – similar to how the key grip is responsible for all grips. The best boy operates, adjusts and balances the electrical load on the generator where required, as well as properly distributing cables required for lighting. Pyrotechnics or Firearms Also known as the armorer, the pyrotechnician is primarily responsible for handling, maintaining and caring for all firearms, weapons, and pyrotechnics used on set. This also includes live-action explosives and battle scenes. Gang Boss The gang boss or transportation coordinator organises and provides a variety of vehicles and transportation for all crew, equipment and actors to and from locations.
16 | FEATURE
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SOUTH AFRICAN LOCATIONS: Recreating the World on your Doorstep by Kim Muller
All images @ Amazing Spaces
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inding the perfect setting to really bring out your film and actors’ character can be a daunting task, especially if it’s an epic story like the Lord of the Rings trilogy or a quaint, fantastical drama like Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus. This is when a location scout or a location manager steps in. These are your ‘reel’ estate brokers, who drive around, make phone calls and trawl the internet to find the perfect backdrop to every scene. In South Africa, the locations industry is booming, with a range of blockbusters and international productions like Marvel’s latest Avengers feature, Eye in the Sky, The Last Face and Homeland Season 4 visiting our sunny shores. All sorts of places can be used as locations, and Amazing Spaces is testament to that. The company has, since its inception in 1999, created one of the most diverse portfolios of locations across the country, featuring the top tier of Southern Africa’s private establishments in films, stills and commercials. Although 60% of their income was generated through stills in previous years, Managing Director Julia Finnis-Bedford says that this has now begun to change as the local film industry
develops. “This season so far (since October) has been 65% film and 35% stills,” she explains. “We have seen a big surge in features coming to Cape Town and our figures are also thanks to TV series such as Homeland, which we have been very involved with over the past few months.” Robert Bentley, a renowned Locations Manager who’s worked on multiple features shot in South Africa, agrees that there has been a huge shift away from the service industry, with many more international films attracted to the country. One of the biggest changes he’s seen in 2014 has been
the need for intrinsically South African locations. “We are playing South Africa as herself,” he says, “More and more scripts seem to include scenes set in South Africa – great for marketing the country!” Added to this is the fact that we are able to replicate locations on the continent. “We are able to match so many other countries in Africa in South Africa, so often it is not necessary for the production to move around the continent. Many clients have had great experiences in South Africa and look to their South African facilitators to assist them elsewhere on the continent and the
FEATURE | 17
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This season so far (since October) has been 65% film and 35% stills. We have seen a big surge in features coming to Cape Town and our figures are also thanks to TV series such as Homeland, which we have been very involved with over the past few months.
islands,” Bentley explains. The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) is one such replicator. Because of its unique yet cleancut design, it has doubled as an airport, an airport hangar, train stations, and even an exhibition overlooking the city, according to Adele De Wet, the CTICC’s Business Development Manager. But, she says, there are regulations that filmmakers need to be aware of when shooting in this highprofile venue. “All film and photo shoots are treated as events when booked at the CTICC venues. The Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act of 2010, along with all bylaws, needs to be adhered to when booking venues at the CTICC. All venues booked at the CTICC will be contracted.” She goes on to say that if directors are planning on shooting on the Convention Square, and other sectors of the premises, Road Traffic needs to be involved, and if
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All images @ Amazing Spaces
the streets surrounding the property are used, local businesses and hotels need to be notified. “As the industry has begun to ‘grow up’, so we have had to conform to various Health and Safety, Roads and Civil Aviation acts to name a few,” Bentley says. “Some
people have become disillusioned with the red tape; however it is a sign that we are being taken more seriously as an industry. This does lead to longer pre-production times, but if done correctly, can get fantastic results for clients.” Finnis-Bedford says that aside from
18 | FEATURE
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All images @ Amazing Spaces
All images @ Amazing Spaces
government regulations, producers need to be aware of a few other things before settling on a location. “We can work with most budgets, we have many categories of locations available to them, they need to have insurance on set, and we also do location searches and presentations or packages for free.” She goes on to say that playing middleman between location owners and clients can be challenging, but it’s also rewarding “having them both feel delighted and acknowledged and that they’ve been treated fairly.” Although red tape is one challenge to
All images @ Amazing Spaces
overcome, there are many other issues that scouts face on a daily basis. According to Robert May, a Location Scout and Unit Manager based in Johannesburg, there has been a definite trend toward using informal settlements, low cost housing and RDP housing for both international and local shoots. “Requests for big, opulent homes are down by 50 to 60%,” he says. With this rise in requests for informal settlements comes a myriad of other issues, such as safety precautions, as well as certain council or political setbacks. For this reason, it’s better shooting during the week in these
Bev Emmerson - 083 449 1199 tel: 021 797 6670 bev@exposurelocations.co.za
fax: 086 649 8223 www.exposurelocations.co.za
areas rather than on weekends. Another arguably worrying trend is the fact that commercial budgets are half – if not less – of what they were about four years ago, although this is offset by the rise in film and television productions visiting South Africa. Finnis Bedford says they’ve had some great clients in 2014, such as Moonlighting, Film Afrika, Orange Films & Navigator, who have been very busy. They’ve also worked on a nice, long booking of Siba’s Table, a local cooking show. Egg Films are also doing a lot of work, both with local and international clients – most recently closing half of Johannesburg CBD, according to Robert May. Nigeria is beginning to open its doors as a viable location, although it’s still quite hard to work there, which is why these types of locations are being recreated in South Africa rather than shooting them abroad. Bentley says location scouts nowadays spend more time in the office than they did five or 10 years ago – although stress levels and turn-around times have increased. Despite this, he’s optimistic about the industry. “When CGI first arrived on the scene, we were told that within five years we would be replaced by graphics – but we are still here!” he says enthusiastically.
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AFRIFF
Review
C All images © Anuel Modebe Photography
alabar, in the Cross River State of Nigeria, hosted the glitzy and glamorous event that was the 4th African International Film Festival in November last year. The week-long festival deployed culture and glamour of local and internationals alike, showcasing an array of Africa’s finest feature, short, animation, and student films, as well as a category for documentaries. Actors and actresses, entertainers, and guests of honour including the Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke and his wife, Obioma Liyel Imoke graced the Cultural Centre in Calabar for the main event and highlight of the week, the prestigious Festival Awards Gala. A magical night presented awards to stunning attendees and applicants from across the continent who enjoyed amazing dance performances, mesmerizing magic tricks and an assortment of speeches from key industry players.
Award Winners Include: • • • • • • • • • • •
Best Feature Film: October 1 (Kunle Afolayan) - Nigeria Best Nigerian Film: Ojuju (C.J. Obasi) - Nigeria Best Director: Andrew Dosunmu (Mother of George) - Nigeria Best Screenplay: October 1 (Tunde Babalola) - Nigeria Best Actor: Sadiq Daba (October 1) Nigeria Best Actress: Thishiwe Ziqubu (Hard to Get) - South Africa Best Short Film: Stiff (Samantha Nell) Best Documentary: The Supreme Price (Joana Lipper) Best Student Short: Aissa’s Story (Iquo Essien) Audience Choice: Gone Too Far (Destiny Ekaragha) Outstanding Jury Award: Om Amira (Naji Ismail)
20 | PRO-SPECTIVE
A Chat with
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JANET VAN EEDEN
Janet van Eeden; filmmaker, screenwriter and scriptwriter
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It took another five years for White Lion to reach the big screen but at last I had my ‘Screenplay By’ credit.
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filmmaker, screenwriter and scriptwriting lecturer at AFDA Durban, Janet van Eeden brings over 18 years of experience to the industry. Still making an impact today, she continues telling stories on film and most recently was invited to the London Screenwriters Festival (LSF) in 2013. There she pitched her feature film A Shot at the Big Time to the Meet the Experts panel. The short promo for the film won Best Cinematography at the eThekwini Film Awards in 2013 and was also chosen to be screened at Cannes Film Festival in 2014. This year she returned to LSF with her latest project, The Hyena in Petticoats. But Janet’s life hasn’t always been easy and she has faced many uphill battles in her screenwriting career. “I’d always wanted to write, even since I was eight years old and wrote a poem about a Tiger. The fact that none of my family believed I’d written it didn’t stop me,” she says of her earlier years. After receiving a bursary to study journalism at Rhodes University – which she leapt at – she realised this was not the career path for her. “Far from making me more creative as a writer, it was constrictive and purely focused on politics and it just didn’t suit
my need for artistic expression. So I changed majors and decided to focus on Drama, English and Psychology instead. I fell madly in love with Drama. Finding myself on the stage in the Rhodes theatre was like coming home. I was too shy to act of course, but I soaked up every moment I could during those years.” It was during these years that Janet’s life took an unexpected turn. Her older brother was killed on the border and a year later her father passed on. To add to her heartbreak, her beloved younger brother was also killed in a freak motorbike accident a few years later. “I’d more or less lost the will to live but met a good man who loved me enough to put up with my confusion and had two boys who brought meaning back into my life,” she explains. “Before the advent of democracy we moved to the UK, where my daughter was born. Her birth unlocked a well of creativity in me I’d never known before and I suddenly realised I had to write or I’d be one of those people who said on their death bed, ‘You know, I should’ve been a writer.’” Since then she’s never looked back, beginning to write plays, columns and articles
for newspapers and magazines and even winning the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Award in 2011 for her columns in the Sunday Independent. She also began pitching her film scripts through the South African Scriptwriting Association (SASWA), now the Writers’ Guild of SA, and had written about five feature film scripts since the early 2000. Sadly, none of these made it to the screen. “Finally, in 2005, I decided that if I didn’t have any success that year with writing for film, I would give it up,” Janet says. “After all, I’d been writing for nine solid years and nothing had happened.” It was around this time that a call for treatments for the project White Lion came through SASWA, where she found her breakthrough. “When I had a phone conference with the producers who asked why I should be given the project and not anyone else, I answered: ‘Because I love lions.’ It took another five years for White Lion to reach the big screen but at last I had my ‘Screenplay By’ credit.” This year saw her visiting LSF representing AFDA Durban, where she also pitched her new feature project The Hyena in Petticoats. “I secured a slot at the Pitch-Fest, which is like speed-dating for pitching. I was pitching Hyena to a producer I’d met last year who’d also taken Shot the short to watch. She remembered me. When I told her about the story of Hyena, which deals with the oppression of one woman two hundred years ago and parallels it with the same thing happening today, she began to cry. I was distressed and offered her tissues but she said the subject is very close to her heart and she was deeply moved. Hyena probably has more resonance around the world right now more than any other film I’ve pitched before.” When asked what she thinks of SA’s scriptwriting industry, she says there is a great need for grass-roots training in the art form. “The craft of scriptwriting needs to be given much more attention and then our stories will improve and we will make better films. Maybe then our audiences will choose South African films over the standard Hollywood fare,” she ponders. That said, Janet still sees some brilliant talent walk through her doors as a lecturer at AFDA and can’t wait for the country to experience the filmmakers who will graduate from their first intake next year.
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PHOTO HIRE & SALES: 10 Years and Still on Top
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recognised leader in South Africa’s rental market since its inception in 2004, Photo Hire & Sales specialises in both photographic and cinematic equipment, catering to stills and HDSL video needs. The company recently celebrated its tenth anniversary with a party to remember headlined by SA music super star Jack Parow. Photographers, DOPs and key industry players were all invited to enjoy an evening of revelry to commemorate the hard work, dedication and passion Photo Hire has shown over the last decade. Their business has shifted immensely in the last few years, although it still holds true to its core values of hiring, selling and repairing some of the biggest names in photography and film. Most recently, Photo Hire has, through its sister company and sales division Cine Photo Tools, become South Africa’s Kino Flo dealer. These award winning lighting systems have long been considered a film industry staple. They are also dealers for a host of other renowned brands like Schneider Optics – high-end movie lenses designed for the likes of Reds and Arri Alexas – and various broncolor products available through sales and rental, including the new Siros in 2015. Pieter Badenhorst, Founder of Photo Hire, says it’s a very popular and innovative product. They also represent Eizo monitors, which cover an extensive range from highend retouching and medical monitors, to marine and gaming. “Eizo now has the new
Jack Parow
4K monitors. 4K is the new buzzword that everybody’s using so this would be a perfect colour grading monitor.” In the sales department, one of their best sellers is Savage Paper. “Savage Paper does all the paper backdrop rolls, and it’s the oldest paper backdrop manufacturer in the world,” he says. Lauren Badenhorst, Pieter’s wife and Co-Founder of the company, says that another popular item in sales is DJI’s Phantom aerial camera range. “This is really popular in the industry,” she says, “and they’ve just now launched their new Inspire 1, which is a 4K camera in the sky. We will be receiving from the first batch of stock that comes into South Africa.” Other unique products include Leica S, Phase One, and Ronin. With a spotlight on all these new, exciting items, it’s easy to forget that Photo Hire & Sales is one of the biggest stockists of DSLR and video equipment in the Western Cape. Pieter says that one of the main reasons they stay on top is by having inquisitive minds. “I like to know what the latest things are. We attend all the major international expos like
Photo Hire recently celebrated their tenth anniversary
IBC, NAB and Photokina, but we also do a lot of research right here, searching the internet, discovering products, talking to clients, finding out where and what the need is.” In this way, the company is able to combine a more global vision with local market insight. Another reason they’ve stayed on top of their game is through excellent customer service, says Lauren. “When you walk in here as a client, there’s a warm environment, there are people passionate about what they’re doing, who have knowledge about what they’re selling or renting to you.” When asked what lies ahead for Photo Hire & Sales and for Cine Photo Tools, both agree that there’s no knowing what future technological advances in the industry will come, but they will definitely continue to “move with the times.”
22 | OPPORTUNITIES
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Hot Docs Forum 2015 Submissions Open
By Paul Galipeau © Hot Docs
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egarded as the most effective international documentary market in North America, the Hot Docs Forum is a dynamic pitching event that stimulates international co-production financing for projects at various levels of completion. This year’s Forum takes place on the 29th and 30th of April, during the Hot Docs Festival (23 April to 3 May 2015). How to apply: • Fully read the guidelines and FAQs on website • Complete the online form • Pay the submission fee • Receive a confirmation from our offices within three weeks of submission Final Deadline: January 12, 2015 Visit www.hotdocs.ca for more information.
Africa Movie Academy Awards Call for 2015 Entries
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he Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), a celebration of the best movies and professionals in the African film industry, invites filmmakers to submit their feature, short or documentary for the 11th edition which takes place in 2015. The deadline for submissions is 30 January 2015 and only films produced and/or released between 1 December 2013 and 30 December 2014 are eligible for consideration. Non-English films will need to be subtitled in English.
Tony Anih, Director of Administration says, “We have given four months window to enable entries to come from all parts of Africa and from the diaspora filmmakers to give room for logistics of sending to our regional offices in Cape Town and our Lagos Office.” Anih adds, “We are proud of the work we have done with filmmakers across Africa in the last 10 years; and moving into another 10 years starting from the 11th edition next year, we are sure the future of AMAA and business of filmmaking in the continent is very bright.”
How To Apply: Submissions must be entered online at the AMAA website and each completed entry form must be accompanied by all relevant supporting materials. Visit www.ama-awards.com for more info.
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KEY REMINDERS FOR 2015 Camera: • • • • • • • • • •
Alexa 4x3 XT & Raw Alexa 4x3 Alexa 16 x9 Alexa M Phantom Flex 4k Epic Dragon Epic X Amira Sony F55 & Raw Sony F3s
Grips: • •
Chapman dollys Fisher dollys
• • •
Techno Cranes, T15ft , T30ft & T50ft Moviebird 44ft Panagator positioning vehicle
Lenses: • • • • • • • •
Panavision Primo primes & Zooms Panavision anamorphic & Zooms Cooke Xtal anamorphic & Zooms Lecia Summilux C Primes Leica Summicron C Primes Master Primes Cooke S4 Primes Ultra Primes
• • • • • •
Full range of Optima Zooms Full range of Alura Zooms Zeiss Flare primes Canon K 35 primes Cooke panchro / 2000 series Zeiss std T1.3 primes
Underwater & splash: • • • •
Alexa Hydroflex deep water (34m) Epic Hydroflex Deep water (34m) Alexa & Epic Scubacam bag (2m) Alexa & Epic Hydroflex splash bags (primes, Zooms & hand held)
Panavision Wishes You a Great Year!
24 | ONE TO WATCH
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A Chat with
DEREK ANTONIO SERRA
An eye behind the stills and motion camera for over 20 years.
© Derek Antonio Serra
© Derek Antonio Serra
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The Callsheet: Briefly explain the road to becoming the renowned photographer and brand of Derek Antonio Serra; who is Derek Serra? Derek Antonio Serra: I bought my first 35mm camera at the age of 17 after packing bags at OK Bazaars for six months to save the R100 it cost to buy second hand. My parents bought me the book Master Photography, and I taught myself the basics. I started shooting events and weddings as a student, gradually upgraded to Nikon gear, and eventually I moved onto shooting model portfolios for the big modelling agencies. I first broke into published work when Maureen Pithey, then fashion editor of The Argus, started accepting my fashion editorial shoots for publication on a weekly basis. I must have shot over 100 editorials for The Argus and Weekend Argus over a period of four years. That led to commissioned work with various fashion clients including a massive campaign for Ronald Sassoon Jeans in the late 80’s. I have continued to shoot fashion on and off over the years, but from 1991 – 2001 I put a lot of energy into shooting documentaries through my production company Controversi Films. I produced and usually directed around 12 documentaries during that period, several short films and a couple of music videos, and got very involved in training and development projects with young filmmakers through the New Filmmakers Forum and the Independent Digital Video Forum in the golden years of Sithengi, the Southern African Film Market.
The Callsheet: What do you shoot with? What accessories do you use? And how does that combination eventually become the art that you produce? Serra: Since turning professional I have always shot on Nikon. I started with a Nikon FM, went on to a F3, later onto the digital D70, D80, D200, D300, D700 and now I have the amazing D800. I have the Nikon 50 f1.4, 80 f1.5, 105 f2.8, 135 f 2, 11-35 f4 and 24-70 f2.8, as well as the Tamron 400 f4 and 150-600 zoom. I use Elinchrom flash heads for studio. I think the combination of pro Nikon gear has allowed me to produce the kind of high quality results which I pride myself on. I like punchy, high contrast colours which the Nikon pro glass helps achieve. Check out www.derekantonioserra.com. The Callsheet: How do you stay inspired and keep your work fresh and current? Serra: It’s actually quite difficult to do that and stay independent as a photographer. I tend to generate a lot of my own projects – in the past three years I’ve been to shoot in Namibia four times, often taking with a selection of garments and swimsuits from paying clients to help cover the cost of the trip. I’ve shot up to 15 Namibian model portfolios per trip on the last two trips, including the entry pics for Miss Namibia 2013. I took seven photographers to Namibia on a photo expedition to Kolmanskop and Sossusvlei in 2013, and I have just launched www.photoexpeditions-africa.com which will offer these trips each year to photographers keen to shoot models in the stunning Namibian landscape. I like to work with both top couturiers as well as young designers, as that keeps you inspired. The Callsheet: Central Castings is one of the top casting agencies in South Africa. How do manage this together with your photography career? Serra: I tend to focus on the casting division during summer, and the photography division during winter to make life a bit easier. Central Castings ( www.centralcastings. co.za) has been around for 23 years, and
part of its success has been its staff. Bernie Adams has been with us for almost 20 years, successfully managing the business as its head booker for almost 15 years. Kay Vister has been with us for 13 years and handles our feature film/TV series division. We pioneered the concept of “full service” on crowd jobs, supplying not only hundreds of extras, but also co-ordinating them, catering for them and transporting them to set. We have been doing this for so long now that it’s almost effortless, and on these big jobs I always go to set myself and oversee the logistics personally. We recently supplied 1 000 extras on a night on The Last Face, and many of the extras mentioned how they appreciated seeing the owner amongst the crowd, eating the same food and dealing with queries first-hand. The Callsheet: What would you consider to be your best shoot? Serra: I think one of my best shoots was probably the Ronald Sassoon campaign simply because I was given so much creative control on the campaign in terms of model selection, concepts and locations. I shot the campaign, did the layouts and even handled the advert placements in six magazines through a media broker. In recent times, having exclusive access to shoot in Dead Vlei with three beautiful models for two hours was a dream come true. You travel for a day on gravel roads and through 5km of thick sand to get there, then trek another 2km over sand dunes, so to be able to shoot exactly what you’d like to shoot without interruption is indeed a great privilege.
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The combination of pro Nikon gear has allowed me to produce the kind of high quality results which I pride myself on. I like punchy, high contrast colours which the Nikon pro glass helps achieve.
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We even shot the promos for Sithengi in its final two years of operation. Those were exciting years for the SA film industry. Of course, since 1991 I have also been running Central Castings, which has established itself as the oldest casting agency in South Africa.
26 | FILM REVIEW
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All Images © Futurikon
MINUSCULE A Tiny Tale of Epic Proportions
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hen anyone thinks about bugs and animation, Disney’s hugely popular A Bug’s Life or the adult version Ants come to mind. These may be great family films, but they have nothing on Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants. Produced by Futurikon, this captivating story begins like every other bug film – around an abandoned picnic spot with insects raiding the leftovers. And, just like every other bug film, the ants are in search of food for their queen. But that’s where the similarities end. Not only do directors and writers Hélène Giraud and Thomas Szabo use vivid characters, each with their own unique way of communicating sans dialogue, but they also manage to incorporate a hefty amount of character and story development along with some unbelievable CGI and animation. Originally released in 2013, Minuscule has made the rounds over the last year at a number of film festivals including Annecy (MIFA) and most recently Kunjanimation, all the while raking up an award and three nominations. These are well-deserved; although I’m surprised it hasn’t received more attention in the film world. Not only does it blend incredible, real world scenery of snowy peaks and fern-covered valleys with cutting-edge animation, but there are
by Kim Muller certain sections where one is forced to ask the question, was that real, or was that animated? This blurring of the lines between reality and the surreal is most visible when the cameras pan out to give viewers a taste of the bigger picture. The changes in perspective are stunning, from the pitter-patter of every raindrop on a group of toadstools while quiet snails stare on, to a highspeed chase between the brave little ladybug protagonist and some nasty, bullying flies. I can only imagine the kind of man power and slog that went into making this film the work of art that it is. The story itself is of cut from the same cloth as Lord of the Rings, with two fearsome ant tribes warring over a box of sugar cubes. The weaponry in the battle scenes are pure genius, from the use of human litter – bug spray, shot put balls and slingshots – to the wizen old hoarder-ant that reminds one of a pyromancer of sorts. The tongue-in-cheek humour is also fantastic, while each bug that plays a part in the story unexpectedly becomes a cherished character. I can hardly find fault with this beautiful, 89 minute picture, except that it is perhaps too short! That’s how wonderful and fascinating and exciting it is. Both adults and children alike are bound to fall in love with it, over and over again.
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GOLDEN GLOBES PREDICTIONS – Made-for-TV Movie or Mini-Series by Katie Reynolds
Fargo
Olive Kitteridge
The Normal Heart
True Detective
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confess, I haven’t seen The Missing, so I’ll conveniently ignore its inclusion in this powerhouse of a category. I have, however, seen and adored Fargo, The Normal Heart, Olive Kitteridge and True Detective, and they were some of my favourite hours spent on the couch in 2014. Fargo (FX Productions & MGM Television) Please excuse this awful turn of phrase, but Billy Bob Thornton was born to play the role of Lorne Malvo. The manipulative and psychopathic hitman enters the life of small town loser and wife-killer Lester Nygaard (Martin Freeman, also fantastic) and almost immediately perpetuates a cycle of violence of a level seldom seen in primetime television. Attempt a body count and you’ll soon run out of fingers and frostbitten toes (Minnesota has brutal winters, and the ‘shoot-out in a blizzard’ scene gave me goosebumps in more ways than one). The supporting actors are sublimely cast, and the quality of the writing had me shaking my head in awe and envy. The Normal Heart (HBO Films, Plan B
Entertainment, Blumhouse and Ryan Murphy Productions) This is no-holds-barred television. Keep the tissues handy because you will leak from the tear ducts almost the entire way through this unflinching and utterly brilliant film. Mark Ruffalo is a revelation in the role of Ned Weeks, a gay activist who devotes his life to opening the public’s eyes to the ravages of the AIDS virus, an extraordinarily arduous task give the nation’s sexual politics in the early 80’s. Matt Bomer is his lover and partner, and I’m thrilled that he has been nominated for this moving performance. Taylor Kitsch, Alfred Molina and Julia Roberts round out this superb cast. Olive Kitteridge (HBO, HBO Miniseries in association with Playtone) I had only seen the first episode at the time of going to print, but first impressions seldom lie. Olive Kitteridge (Frances McDormand) is a math’s teacher in Maine, and a hard woman, turned harder by her pharmacist husband’s affection and slavering devotion to his new assistant following the tragic death of her
beloved husband. So much is said sans words, but watch out particularly for Olive’s reaction to a car accident at the end of the first episode. It is a portrayal of profound grief that is haunting and affecting. True Detective (HBO) The McConaissance has been a great time for US film and television. Matthew McConaughey meteoric rebirth probably started with his camp but oddly affecting turn as a Hollywood agent in the absurdly genius Tropic Thunder. But it was his role as Rust Cohle in the darker-than-noir series True Detective that cemented him as the greatest actor of his generation, at least for me. True Detective brought nihilism to the South through decade-long entropy, seedy affairs, drugs and alcohol, child abuse, and yes, even snuff films. Man is the cruelest animal indeed. This is depression TV for the Millennial age, and I can’t wait for season two. Editor’s Prediction: Fargo by a nose. The Golden Globes take place on the 11th of January 2015.
28 | SPOTLIGHT
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A Chat with
PIETER OOSTHUIZEN MadRobot ushers in a new dawn of Brand Integration. Film Posters courtesy of www.madrobot.co.za
The Callsheet: How did you become involved in this industry? Pieter Oosthuizen: Well, my business partner Justin Wiggins and I both come from a film industry background. I studied film with a scriptwriting major, also working on film crews and he worked as a designer and
creative mind before we met. We both worked at a company that did product placement, but we weren’t happy with the way things were going and we saw an opportunity and seized it. We had a great work synergy and both brought a unique set of skills to the table and so MadRobot was born‌
The Callsheet: Product placement garnered a bit of a bad reputation in the past. How have you revolutionised the concept through brand integration? Oosthuizen: We think the biggest factor contributing to the bad reputation was that in the past product placement was done
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Brand integration allows us to guard the integrity of the film while offering brands invaluable exposure at the same time.
by people with no real film knowledge or training, which caused a lot of promises being made, but no delivery on those promises. The perception put out there was that because of audiences’ waning interest in TV and radio adverts interrupting their shows - and technology like PVR, product placement is the perfect solution - and the more visible your brand the better. This is of course the opposite of the truth. Yes, it is the perfect solution, but the most effective placements are the least visible on screen. What we at MadRobot understand, is that audiences in South Africa are becoming more and more film literate, which is great, but that means that filmmakers can by no means afford to compromise the integrity of their stories. Especially not by diluting it with a catalogue of brands and turning it into one long advert that viewers are already trying to avoid and thereby damaging the film and the brand being advertised. Brand integration allows us to guard the integrity of the film while offering brands invaluable exposure at the same time. The Callsheet: What exactly is brand integration? Please give some recent examples. Oosthuizen: Brand integration shifts the primary focus off the onscreen presence to focusing it more on the right of association and co-promotion. By minimalizing the onscreen placements you can create more intelligent ways of advertising to the public. And you can either do it prominently like Heineken did with Skyfall, or more sophisticated like the US Marines did with their Man of Steel campaign. Our best prominent local reference must be Vecto Petroleum in Pad Na Jou Hart recently, and the best subtle placement was A2Z Radio Communications in Hard To Get and Leading Lady.
The Callsheet: What are the benefits? Oosthuizen: As I mentioned previously, with audiences’ waning interest TV and radio ads, brand integration is the perfect solution. It’s much more affordable than traditional advertising methods. It’s a broad spectrum medium covering above –and below-the-line advertising as well as social media marketing co-promotions and product activations, depending on the brand’s needs, creating excellent brand awareness. It’s a perceived endorsement, allowing you to associate with a beloved movie character instead of only a celebrity as an individual. Longevity – movies are timeless, so as long as the movie and the brand are around you’ll forever have that exposure at only the cost of the initial deal. It’s also cross continental distributing to expat countries and utilises all visual broadcast platforms from cinema to TV to DVD and Blu Ray rentals and sales. Brand integration also creates a certain sense of realism within films by integrating real-life products instead of creating fictitious brands no one can relate to. And the best benefit of all is probably that you have a captive audience who cannot forward past your segment in the film and in today’s day and age enjoy clever social media activations. The Callsheet: Which projects are you currently working on? Oosthuizen: Almost too much to mention! With the confidentiality clauses in place we actually cannot mention all of them yet due to media release schedules and negotiations with everyone involved, but projects we have been involved with are Pad Na Jou Hart, Shucks: Your Country Needs You, Hard To Get, Leading Lady, French Toast and Ballade vir ‘n Enkeling releasing 20 March 2015. Our website, madrobot.co.za is always up to date
Pieter Oosthuizen, Co-founder of MadRobot
with the projects we are allowed to show to the public. The Callsheet: What other services does MadRobot offer? Oosthuizen: Apart from Brand Integration we also offer Merchandising and Corporate Branding Services in conjunction with the films; Website Design; Script Editing and we have an Background Extras service we provide to films who need high-end extras. The Callsheet: How has the market responded to your product offering? Oosthuizen: Absolutely brilliant of course! The projects we are involved with are all the box office leaders and most of them have been record-breaking films. Our brands have received very valuable exposure and the feedback all of them give is that their consumers reacted very positively and in most cases with much excitement.
30 | SPOTLIGHT
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WHAT A FILM SET Can Teach You About Life by Peri van Papendorp – Giant Films
Ex Hosa - Mali Yonke
Peri and his camera team get their rig ready.
Sharing notes with Assistant Director, Mike Hoyt.
O
ne of the things that still continues to blow my mind each time I step on a set is the efficiency of a film crew. I often find myself taken aback at the speed and work rate in-between each set up. Film crews are indeed the best rendition of an ant colony I’ve ever seen in humans and I dream that one day I’ll place a film crew in a large glass formicarium in my home and marvel at this phenomenon whenever I choose. Really, the work ethic is phenomenal. I’m not sure whether it’s because these are all highly skilled people who have had to tirelessly climb their way up through a classist pecking order to have this job, or if it’s because they earn a lot so their conscience fuels their pace, or if the consequences of a shoot that goes into overtime or loses light has been drummed into them so often by red-faced, fidgety
producers and sweating directors that they can literally feel an inferno under their butts. Some of the characters you see on set look like it’s either here or jail time for them, so they just seem to really need to make the most of it. Whatever the reason, I am truly inspired by it. Lazy work or half-ass efforts is something we see so often that, in some cases, it’s become normalised (avoiding the impulse to make a joke about our public servants here). But being on a film set will very quickly kick that norm in the ass with a pair of steel-toe boots for grips. It’s inspiring in many ways, and the fullthrottle team effort that goes into moving art department, swinging a lens or breaking down a set can often sweep you up into a ‘I-wanna-work-as-hard-as-everyone-elsejust-so-I-don’t-look-like-a-slacker’ mode of operation. Everyone is under a magnifying glass, and the general vibe is that one screw
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Seeing a group of people who commit so fully to their job and who self regulate within their own industry has got to offer some lessons about how to conduct a working environment.
up, a lapse in concentration or even a bit of perceived lack in enthusiasm could cost you that next job. Nothing like a healthy dose of fear to make one perform at their optimum. Film sets should be used as a live sample to be studied by behavioral psychologists who deal with pesky work aversion employees. Seeing a group of people who commit so fully to their job and who self regulate within their own industry has got to offer some lessons about how to conduct a working environment. They should allow corporate team building events on film sets and have school groups visit, exposing them to how the work environment they’ll one day be entering should bloody well operate. Yes, there is a lot that a film set can teach you. Teamwork, vision, endurance, skill, organization, troubleshooting and good ol’ fashioned hard work. And so I keep watching closely, with stars in my eyes and a fire under my ass.
PRODUCT REVIEW | 31
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ROMOSS Freedom to travel anytime, anywhere by Kim Muller All images © Romoss
I
n this fast-paced and incessantly interconnected world, it can be difficult to keep up with you laptop or phone battery levels. The last thing you want to do is get stuck in the middle of a film shoot with no way to contact anyone for help. Enter Romoss. The company has created a range of unique products suited to various digital devices – smartphones, iPhones, laptops and tablets, among others. The Romoss Sailing 5, which I had the privilege of playing with, is a high-performance external battery with a simple but muchneeded function: to charge your device to full capacity while you’re on the run. The Sailing 5 came to me at a particularly good time. My husband was leaving on a trip to Johannesburg and needed a charger he could use anywhere. So I packed the sleek, white Sailing in for him. Let’s just say he was pretty impressed with it. Not only is the charger an ideal size for popping in your handbag or carry-on, but its intelligent sleep mode eliminates the need for cumbersome buttons and helps reduce power consumption. Another great thing is its convenient size and shape. It is roughly the same as a high-end smartphone (with a few extra ounces), and has a single micro USB input port and two USB ports which also double as an internal charger.
When it comes to functionality, the Sailing 5 packs some serious punch. Armed with an original Samsung cell that guarantees longevity, its rapid charging function reduces the charge time of any given rating by 50%, which essentially doubles the portable power supply’s efficiency. To break things down, I managed to charge my phone, my husband’s phone and our portable wireless router at least three times before the battery gave out. And this was in the space of a couple of days while the Sailing wasn’t even at full capacity. It also incorporates IR adaptive charging technology, which means that the power supply is compatible with most digital devices with a 5V DC input.
On top of all this, the device offers protection from a range of everyday electrical problems we simply cannot control. These include over-discharge, overcharge, over-power, over-current, overvoltage and short circuit protection, ensuring everything you plug into the ports will be super safe all the time. Plus, with such a wide range of Romoss chargers available in SA through companies like Syntech, it’s not at all difficult to get your hands on one. And the final verdict is… If you’re a regular traveller with multiple film shoots, business meetings and location scouting to do, the Rosmoss Sailing 5 is definitely a gadget worth investing in.
32 | FRESH OPINION
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Transformation and Professionalism in the South African Motion Picture Industry by John Hill
Clockwise from top © theREALantimaster, Suo-Me, kelcyszetla and Fading Dreams Photography
A SMALL CHANGE IN THINKING – PART 3
FRESH OPINION | 33
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A. Master of Film Arts & Business Administration – MFA/MBA The role of the producer - combining Storytelling and Business – is crucial. Many more professional producers and line producers will be required if this plan is to be successful. The Business of Film Motion picture production must be seen as a business. Right now there isn’t a film school programme in South Africa dealing expressly with the financial, logistic and marketing aspects of media production and distribution. Far too many producers have learned this role by the seat-of-their-pants as it were leading to mixed results in the market place. The NFVF has a fledgling programme for producers, which, while an excellent start, is far too small and limiting in its approach and is, at this stage I believe, not accredited. One goal is to convince a South African university to offer a double MFA/MBA degree for motion picture business professionals.
make such a product financially viable. Most products falling into this category may need a different financial model, funded by a grant from the DAC or other philanthropic sponsor. For financially viable products earning a respectable return on investment, we need to attract a much larger target market. The way to attract this market is to give them what they want - drizzled with a tantalizing, yet subtle (especially at the outset), uniquely South African sauce that, once tasted, creates a demand for more. Then, and only then, can the metaphorical sauce stand as a brand on its own. This strategy was used very effectively in the Australian Film Industry which has been enjoyed much success since the New-Wave of the 1970s. I feel a three-pronged approach is necessary for successful transformation and development of the South African Motion Picture Industry and for the successful marketing of South African products – each prong characterised by its target market: 1.
Allied Masters Programmes Similar post-graduate programme possibilities include Film Music. Trevor Jones, esteemed Capetonian and renowned international composer of film music, was recognised by the NFVF when it supported the establishment of the Trevor Jones Scholarship tenable every two years at the National Film and Television School in the UK. Again, this is an excellent start, but surely this kind of support could be given to music schools attached to local universities such as, for example, the South African College of Music? I believe Trevor Jones has taught at the College, so there is student interest and institutional support. Once again, the Devil is in the Detail.
Infrastructure Development, Funding & Marketing: Branding South African Motion Picture Content An excellent starting point is to copy successful models used elsewhere and to incorporate these into local products rather than focusing on unique local products. While it might be highly desirable to foster the development of products that reflect the unique nature of the many aspects of South African culture, these are likely to attract only a few interested viewers – perhaps too few to
International Products intended for the global market need to have an international flavour about them if they are to appeal to audiences accustomed to the kind of fare currently available. If we South Africans are to increase our share of this market successfully, we must conform to the accepted norms of international storytelling. If this means, for example, the use of American accents for films such as Adventures in Zambezia, then, so be it. On the other hand, where the story itself transcends geographic boundaries, as in District 9, broad South African accents pass unnoticed. Oscar winning films such as Tsotsi also tend to transcend geographic and language barriers, but these films are the exception.
2.
Low budget feature products intended as ‘made for television’ – films-of-the-week or similar. The old adage: Start with what the market knows and wants, and then move towards new products applies here. In short, give the audience what it wants then introduce a new flavour slowly so the audience becomes accustomed to the new flavour and starts to enjoy it.
3.
Local / Community: Products intended only for local consumption should have a local, authentic flavour if they are to appeal to audiences who have, by and large,
been deprived of developing a ‘culture of cinema’. The e-TV programme eKasi our Stories is a good example of this kind of product. While soap-cum-drama programmes such as Isidingo and any form of multi-cam programme – sport is a good example – are considered excellent vehicles for gaining valuable professional experience, most chat-shows should be avoided as these do not present real challenges to emerging professional motion picture practitioners other than the content itself. Local broadcasters, both national and community based, as producers and distributors, should be encouraged to be part of this plan as one of the many stakeholders, which will benefit most of all in the long run in a multitude of ways. Other markets for motion picture products include community based cinemas such as ReaGilè iHs Pty Ltd Cinemas, DVD rentals and sales and so on. To be sure there are other vehicles for gaining professional authentic work-place experience in the motion picture industry. Although not specially mentioned in this comment, these include opportunities in support facilities, equipment suppliers and so forth.
A Five Year Implementation Plan Imagine achieving a transformed motion picture industry, based on sound business principles, in which everybody’s desires are fulfilled, where most people, especially black motion picture practitioners, can see that their future is secure and their goals are attainable; where most established practitioners feel unthreatened by this process, that their effort in the transformation process has been really worthwhile. If we achieve this we will have succeeded in our aim. The philosophy behind this initiative is to create work opportunities in the Western Cape over a five year period designed to double the size of the film industry. The implementation for this plan includes the creation of a great number of FTE jobs and bridges the gap between Film School and the Real World of Professional Filmmaking. The number of jobs created will depend on the amount of work created: the greater the number of products, the greater the amount of work hence the greater the number of jobs created. While the principles outlined here can be applied across the board, I have purposefully limited this plan to Bridging the Gap in the production of Low-Budget Features.
34 | COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT
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GHANA An Amalgamation of Architecture, History and Culture by Carryn Gabriels
Filming in Ghana Ghana has a booming industry coupled with good government support, but 2014 saw a number of losses, including Africa’s most beloved BBC presenter, Ghanaian-born Komla Dumor. Ghana’s largest city and capital, Accra, offers versatile set options with its mixture of modern buildings, shanty
towns, and occasional castles to boot. The West African country is also home to the satirical duo of FOKN Bois, who, through their music and acting, address the truth of what it means to be Ghanaian, often through taboo and satire. The country also boasts award-winning director, Kwaw Ansah, who has contributed significantly to the industry since the early 80’s.
Getting to Ghana by Air Scattered across the sovereign state are four major airbus terminals run by Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL). With three regional and one international, the forerunner, Kotoka International Airport (KIA) is located in the country’s capital, Accra. The country’s premier international airport comprises two terminals; terminal 1 serves predominantly domestic and regional
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Ghana’s largest city and capital, Accra, offers versatile set options with its mixture of modern buildings, shanty towns, and occasional castles to boot.
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L
ying in the west of the African continent, on the throne of the equator, is the Republic of Ghana. This sovereign multinational state is an amalgamation of historic heritage, cultural variety, and charming beaches. Ghana is situated on the Gulf of Guinea, where the Equator and Prime Meridian intersect. Ghana’s history and gradual growth in status on the continent is rooted in the visually stimulating surrounds of modern, colonial, and African architecture.
COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT | 35
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All Images © Shutterstock
Did You Know? Crystal TV, Ghana’s leading commercial broadcaster, and Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) sealed a 10 year contract enabling Crystal TV to benefit from countrywide coverage of Ghana’s digital platform of pay-TV and free-to-air channels, with the capacity connected Eutelsat 16A satellite.
operators, while terminal 2 serves primarily international and long-haul operators. KIA has the capacity to accommodate large airbuses such as the Boeing 747-8. The multinational state requires both a valid passport and a tourist visa upon entry. entering the verdant country.
Climate Owing to the country’s location just north of the equator on the Gulf of Guinea, a warm, tropical climate is experienced throughout the year, with two main seasons: wet and dry. The northern part of Ghana and the southern part experience seasons at different times. On average, the temperatures range between 21 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius in both regions. Northern Ghana, has two rainy seasons. The first; from April through to June and, the second; from September to November. This region also experiences a dry desert wind during the dry season of December to March called the Harmattan, which lowers humidity and causes cool nights and warm days. The southern region of Ghana endures a hot and humid climate, with its wet season approaching later than the northern region.
Population 25,758,108 (CIA World Factbook, June 2014)
36 | EVENTS
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EVENTS | 37
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JANUARY TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING EMMY AWARDS 8 January Las Vegas, Nevada RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 8 - 31 January London, England
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ROTTERDAM 21 January – 1 February Rotterdam, Netherlands SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 22 January - 1 February Park City, Utah SCREEN ACTORS GUILD (SAG) AWARDS 25 January 2015 Los Angeles, California CINEMART 25 - 28 January Rotterdam, Netherlands CLERMONT-FERRAND SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 30 January – 7 February France
FEBRUARY JAIPUR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 1 - 5 February Jaipur, India PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL 5 - 15 February Los Angeles, USA BRITISH ACADEMY FILM AWARDS (BAFTA) 8 February London, England JOZI FILM FESTIVAL 22 - 25 February Johannesburg, South Africa ALUTA FILM FESTIVAL 26 - 28 February Nelspruit, Mpumalanga
Courtesy of U2’s music video This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now, directed by South Africa’s Bryan Little © Filipa Domingues
THE GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS 11 January Beverly Hills, USA
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Cover Image: Courtesy of Amazing Spaces Publisher: Lance Gibbons lance@filmeventmedia.co.za Executive Editor: Katie Reynolds katie@filmeventmedia.co.za Head of Design: Sheree Steenkamp sheree@filmeventmedia.co.za Writer: Kim Muller kim@filmeventmedia.co.za Editorial Assistant: Carryn Gabriels carryn@filmeventmedia.co.za Production Co-ordinator: Tammi Klein tammi@filmeventmedia.co.za
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Š Johan Wilke