ISSUE 05 | 2016
The Ultimate Destination for Filmmaking
CONTENTS / 01
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02. Action Film The Blue Mauritius Set to
06 16 28 32
Shoot in SA
ENCOUNTERS
The South African International Documentary Festival will serve up a smorgasbord of local and international delights.
04. Cannes Film Festival: Sparkling with Hollywood Glitz
06. Introducing the New Look Encounters
08. SA Short Film Roundup
12. Welcome to Sunny
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Producers and filmmakers make the case for South Africa, as if you needed more convincing!
SA’S LEADING SPECIALIST SERVICE PROVIDERS Imogen Campbell interviews SA’s most in-demand production designers, VFX gurus, location agents and editors.
South Africa: Your Ultimate Film Destination on the Continent
28. Spotlight on SA’s Specialist Service Stars
32. The Eden District: A Plethora of Excellent Film Locations
34. ATFT: Help or Hindrance? Part 2
36. Incentives for the South African Film, TV and Commercials Industries
38. Co-production Treaties and FDI in South Africa
40. Events to Diarise
THE EDEN DISTRICT
Showcasing the beauty and infrastructure of South Africa’s newest filming hub.
42. Association News 44. Directory of Advertisers
02 / NEWS
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THE BLUE MAURITIUS SET TO FILM IN SA ACTION FILM
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he Blue Mauritius, an action/adventure film, will begin shooting in South Africa in June 2016. Local stars Pearl Thusi, Deon Lotz and Nicola Breytenbach will join a diverse international cast, including John RhysDavies (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Lord of the Rings trilogy), Thomas Kretschmann (Resident Evil: Apocalypse, The Pianist), and Augustus Prew (Kick Ass 2, Charlie St Cloud) for this action caper, which is being described by one producer as a cross between Ocean’s Eleven and National Treasure. The story centres on a German art dealer and his associates, who intend to steal a rare set of stamps that hold
Deon Lotz will star in The Blue Mauritius.
the key to unlocking a mysterious treasure in Mauritius. D Street Pictures, based in New York, will produce the film, alongside Cape Town’s Kaapland Films (Klein Karoo, Mooirivier). Dexter Davis and the American presenter and rapper Nick Cannon are executive producing. Producer Cobus van den Berg of Kaapland Films says, “It’s very exciting to be able to showcase South African talent alongside well respected and seasoned actors from around the globe. Kaapland Films is dedicated to changing the narrative about South African movies and their so-called inability to travel abroad. We know we have much work to do, but this is a wonderful opportunity to create real change.”
NELSON MANDELA TV SERIES IN PRE-PRODUCTION
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adiba will be a landmark six-part miniseries on the life of Nelson Mandela, starring Laurence Fishburne, David Harewood, and Orlando Jones. Madiba will be based on two Mandela books, Conversations With Myself and Nelson Mandela by Himself. Blue Ice Pictures president Lance Samuels is executive producing alongside Kweku Mandela of Out of Africa, with distribution by BET. The story will centre
on Mandela’s early political career in the 1960’s, leading up to his eventual incarceration. “Nelson Mandela’s journey of political activism and leadership is deeply inspirational and we are proud to have the talented and award-winning actor Laurence Fishburne join Madiba to tell this triumphant story” said Stephen Hill, President of Programming, BET Networks. The series is set to premiere in 2017, and will filmed mostly in South Africa.
Nelson Mandela will be portrayed by Laurence Fishburne.
04 / SPOTLIGHT
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CANNES FILM FESTIVAL The celebrated Cannes Film Festival is set to dazzle and captivate this month. Imogen Campbell explores the prospects.
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ilm lovers the world over are cognisant of the famous Cannes Film Festival, due to its affiliation with Hollywood. Stars such as Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, Marion Cotillard, Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster, Shia LaBeouf and George Clooney are set to grace the red carpet at 2016’s 69th edition. Woody Allen will be opening the festival for the third time with Café Society featuring Kristen Stewart. It will be held once more at the Croisette in Cannes, France from 11 – 22 May amid heightened security to mitigate threats in the region. Its official selection showcases cinematic creation through its different sections. These include the Competition and Un Certain Regard. This year, 49 films were selected from 28 countries, of which 20 will compete for the Palme d’Or which is awarded to the best film in Competition. To be awarded this prestigious C award is a trajectory-changing experience as attested by John M Travolta whose career enjoyed a Y dramatic resurgence when Pulp Fiction won the prize in 1994. CM Tasked with this year’s decision MY is Director George Miller who CY brought his multi-award winning CMY film Mad Max: Fury Road to Cannes last year and will presideK over this year’s proceedings. Significantly, three women directors are in line for the Palme d’Or – UK’s Andrea Arnold, France’s Nicole Garcia and Germany’s Maren Ade. Described as the wackiest entry is the Danish horror film - The
SPOTLIGHT / 05
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Café Society will be opening Cannes Film Festival. © Gravier Productions, Inc., Photographer: Sabrina Lantos
Neon Demon about flesh-eating models in Los Angeles. Unusually there will be no closing film in 2016 – the organisers plan to screen the winning film as an experiment. 14 European directors, four from the USA and Canada and one each from Brazil, South Korea and Philippines are vying for the ultimate prize. There are no
S O U T H
African directors in this line-up. Also included in the programme are Out of Competi tion films, Special Screenings and Midnight Screenings, Cannes Classics and the Cinéfondation selection targeting film schools. This year’s line-up in the Out of Competi tion section also reflects star-studded American
influence and features Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic The BFG, and Jodie Foster thriller Money Monster, starring George Clooney. Masterclasses, tributes and exhibitions also form part of the programme. American director William Friedkin will give the Cinema Masterclass. The Marché du Film promotes interaction between stakeholders in the film industry and has now become the top market for film professionals. Other notable platforms to showcase film and discuss projects are the Producers Network, Short Film Corner and Doc Corner. African countries hosting a pavilion at The Village International in Cannes include Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and South Africa. The Cannes South African Film Factory has chosen four directors; Sheetal Magan, Samantha Nell, Zamo Mkhwanazi and Zee Ntuli to work alongside
internationals to produce a short film. Screenings will form part of the Cannes Directors Fortnight or Quinzaine. Traditionally, Africa has not been well-represented at Cannes Film. Since its inception, few African films have won prizes, and the continent has had scant jury representation. This year, filmmaker and editor Ama Anie Noïa Kouadio from Cote d’Ivoire was selected at the Cannes 2016 Short Film Corner for the work C’est mon papy, c’est mon papa! An Egyptian director, Mohamed Diab (Clash) is featured in the Uncertain Regard section. The 48 Hour Film Project’s international festi val Filmapalooza revealed that the top 15 films will be screened at Cannes Short Film Corner and Kenya’s Kibanda Pictures entry Bait, will be the first 48HFP Nairobi film to be featured at the festi val.
A F R I C A
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SOUTH AFRICA
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06 / SPOTLIGHT
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ENCOUNTERS:
SOUTH AFRICAN INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL Portraits, human stories and activists are all part of the new look Encounters.
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rom the International arms deal to the late great American poet / writer Maya Angelou, this year’s Encounters International Film festival promises to bring local audiences the very best in documentary cinema. The 2016 festival also breaks the traditional view of what documentary is supposed to be. Meaning and relevance are taken to new heights with a number of exciting special festival events. Virtual Encounters, a virtual reality and interactive documentary exhibition, will create a festival platform for interative non-fiction storytelling while celebrated UK electronic music duo, Darkstar, will perform two shows of their new album weaving together audio documentary and their
signature electronica to create a portrait of the frustrations and dreams of disaffected youth. The first films for the 2016 Encounters Film Festival to be screened (from 2 – 12 June at the Labia in Cape Town and the Bioscope in Joburg) are announced as follows.
ACTION KOMMANDANT: THE UNTOLD STORY OF A GUERRILLA
Nadine Cloete’s debut feature explores the story of antiapartheid student activist Ashley Kriel. This is the kind of documentary we need in South Africa; one which makes us confront our past, making the voices and actions of those who fought against apartheid visible to us. Recently, the film has forced the Hawks to reopen the case of Kriel’s murder.
MAYA ANGELOU AND STILL I RISE
The first documentary about the late great American poet, Maya Angelou. With unprecedented access, directors Rita Coburn Whack and Bob Hercules have created an incredible portrait of one of the most influential writers of our time.
SHADOW WORLD
Based upon former ANC MP Andrew Feinstein’s bestselling expose of the global arms trade, director Johan Grimonprez takes us deep into the murky world of illiciti deals, corrupt governments and arms dealers.
WALKING IN MY SHOES
REQUIEM FOR AN AMERICAN DREAM
ALISON
And special events:
Directors Lauren Groenewald and Andy Spitz explore South Africa’s education system with devastating effect. Through the voices of students, parents, teachers and principals, this is a hard-hitting, timely and vital callto-action of what is arguably one of South Africa’s biggest crises.
Alison with Christia Visser as Young Alison
aesthetic, Carlini’s film is a poetic and insightful exploration of trauma and overcoming.
Uga Carlini’s hybrid feature documentary on Alison Botha is a deeply personal and emotional story of triumph and survival. Using a creative and innovative “fairytale”
Said to be his last full-length interview, one of the world’s most important intellectuals, Noam Chomsky give us a definitive and thoughtprovoking account of global inequality and how wealth and power come to rest in the hands of a select few.
VIRTUAL ENCOUNTERS: A VIRTUAL REALITY AND INTERACTIVE DOCUMENTARY EXHIBITION The first dedicated festival
platform for creative multi-platform non-fiction storytelling. Curated by Ingrid Klopp (of Tribeca Film Institute), Encounters will present a selection of new Virtual Reality work, interactive online documentaries, as well as host a live VR event with invited digital artists and filmmakers. The platform seeks to introduce local audiences and filmmakers to the exciting world of interactive and immersive digital documentary storytelling.
DARKSTAR: A LIVE MUSIC EVENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BRITISH COUNCIL
Foam Island, the new album from innovative British electronic music duo Darkstar documents young people’s frustration and dreams in Huddersfield, England and hopes to speak directly to the politics of disaffected South African youth. Use of audiodocumentary and the strong political dimension, makes it perfect addition to the 2016 Encounters line-up. Darkstar, in collaboration with Encounters will transpose the album to a local setting with the band to record audio and visual interviews during its time here and present the work at live shows.
DIGITAL THERAPY / 07
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WEZLEY JOAO FERREIRA OF DIGITAL THERAPY
TALKS DIT
to attend relevant courses and am very active in online blogs about DIT, the technology and various discussions about the job role. A digital imaging technician (DIT) is the only person that understands how the image is captured down to a binary level. I can set a camera in any way to recreate whatever I see, whether it is in my imagination or not. As a DIT I’m entirely responsible for the image quality and I’m on the leading edge of image technology.
Wezley Joao Ferreira
Why did you get into the digital imaging industry? My life has always been incredibly visual. My Dad is a fine art dealer and my stepmother was an artist; so I have grown up around art since I can remember. My mom is blind, so I acted as her eyes by explaining what I could see. I was responsible for recreating the world for her. To be my mother’s eyes, I could recreate images from my own imagination, or from reality. I started in the industry when I was 16, in my school holidays I would help my uncle with gear checks and labelling his camera boxes before his next movie. I looked up to him and followed in his footsteps as long as I could remember. After Matric, I studied my N3 Electronic Engineering, A+ IT Basics, Multimedia Graphic Design and had these behind when I was a loader and the Digital Revolution began. I travelled to London to learn from some of the best technicians and worked at rental houses, and finally was invited to become a member of the British Guild of Camera Technicians. I continue
What exactly does a DIT do? DIT is the Master Manipulator of the image and data capture process. Pre Production: the DIT would meet with Producer, DoP and the Editor to discuss the workflow (process from camera to cinema), in this meeting we will discuss and agree on camera settings, data integrity, the look of the film and any other specific services they need us to deliver. Gear Check: The DIT begins with camera settings. This is one of the most important steps as the settings affect everyone around the camera and the entire postproduction pipeline. Then we run some tests on the Camera Sensor and ensure it is 100% perfect. Quality Checking: a DIT’s responsibilities also include knowing exactly what issues to look out for and correct. Sometimes this means having to reshoot. Knowing you need to reshoot something today could save you a lot of money if you had to come back and set it all up after the job is complete. Data Wrangling: this is the backing up and report creating of all the original files/footage from the camera. These days it is done with very complex
software that creates checksums for insurance as proof of copy. Transcoding: syncing of the sound and video files on set, and the changing of a file format from the RAW (uncompressed) file the camera shoots with to a smaller, more compressed file the editor can cut with (offline files) or for the Director and DoP to watch after set (dailies). This process normally includes applying colour correction and adding of a specific look or grade for the offline files. Tech Support: there are often technical questions from camera, production and/ or edit, and we are there to help with advice and technical support around the camera. Other Tasks: Monitor Calibration, iPad Dailies, Live Colour Correcting On Set, High Speed, 3D Stereography, and various other very technical things. Does this mean you are the new film lab? The DIT’s responsibilities are very similar to the FilmLab and Telecine process in the days of 35mm film. Before the advent of digital, a chemical process was used in which celluloid was put through various chemicals in order to remove the silver and to create a positive or negative out of the film, and it was then telecined to the studio, who then telecined the positives and then turned that into digital format, which was then colourgraded and then turned back into celluloid and sent to the cinema. As a DIT we are responsible for the lab processing and checking as well as the telecine process on set in real time, and it’s of great importance that we are aware of the entire pipeline or workflow all the way to the finish.
That sounds incredibly stressful! What’s your turnaround time? We do it on the day. On the day of filming, we will set the camera, download the footage and quality check the footage – we will apply a look like they do in telecining and we would process like they would at the lab and we would then deliver dailies or offline files for the Editor or the Director to watch at the end of the day’s shooting. What is the most common pitfall in the industry? The most important thing producers need to understand is the difference between a DIT and a Data Wrangler. A Data Wrangler is responsible only for data and reports (DarkRoom Loader). A DIT is responsible for everything else, including the management of data (Film Lab and Telecine). A Data Wrangler should never be responsible for the camera settings, colour decisions or asked to deliver transcoded files for the Editor or for postproduction. Data Wranglers are assistants to the DIT on bigger jobs where the DIT needs to Live Grade or be onset for technical camera support. What is the value of your footage? The cost of inexperience can last longer than the joys of the initial saving. *Part 2 of Digital Therapy’s feature will appear in the June edition of the Callsheet , in which Wez introduces you, the reader, to Digital Therapy’s world-class team.
08 / SPOTLIGHT
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SHORT FILM ROUNDUP Each month we explore some of the films and short formats that tickle our fancy. Here’s May’s roundup – a selection of real and abstract stories by Kim Crowie. WAR IN THE VALLEY OF PLENTY
War In The Valley of Plenty is a gripping, intimate look at the Ceasefire Cure Violence programme in Cape Town’s Hanover Park, which has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Presented by AJ+, the documentary follows the community-led initiative through the streets of Hanover Park noting the gunshot marks, drugfuelled drive-bys, and revenge seekers by name. Through snappy interviews with rivals from two warring gangs, The Mongrels and The Americans, one derives that this is a deep, longstanding
generational rift. The application of the programme has seen real change, with ‘violence interrupters’ – mediators of sorts who attempt at avoiding shoot outs in Hanover Park – training new folks who want to leave the gangs in search of a better life for their kids.
THE CATALYST
“Everything we do is infused with the energy with which we do it.” – Marianne Williamson This opening line sets the tone for The Catalyst, an eight minute short that won the PPC Imaginarium Award in the film category. It is a beautifully abstract piece of performance
art that questions our intolerance toward our fellow man. This anger and hate is passed on from one generation to another, placing us in an unending war with one another. Made by Durban-based Lucid Media, the production is a visual feast of desaturated colour, moving contemporary dance, and paint powder as far as the eye can see. But beyond an incredible delivery, I learned some valuable facts about war: • More than 105 million lives have been lost due to acts of violence fuelled by intolerance. • With over 4 200 religions, 196 countries and 7.4-billion
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people in the world, the price of enforcing one’s views onto others is too high. Young and innocent victims are almost always caught in the middle.
Perhaps we need to consider the innocent, the youth who will inevitably take our places in the fight – no matter the side. Perhaps we need to exercise empathy and compassion before we act on compulsions of revenge and hatred. And perhaps, if enough of us choose to do this, we will become the catalyst for change without losing our lives in the process.
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Durban Filmmart Another exciting edition of South Africa’s leading filmmaking event takes place next month
D
urban FilmMart (DFM), Africa’s leading film finance and co-production market, is currently open for registration. Now entering its 7th edition, DFM will take place from 17–20 June at the Durban International Film Festi val (DIFF 16 -26 June 2016). A joint project of the Durban Film Office and the festi val, DFM has over the last seven years, been a key driver in raising the international profile of African cinema, stimulating the local and African film industry, and facilitating collaborations, both between African filmmakers themselves and with producers and financiers from around the world. “We are thrilled with the impact that DFM has had over the years,” said Toni Monty, who heads the Durban Film Office. “With every edition of the market and the festi val, we are seeing an increasing number of
projects and productions from around the continent, with the quality of submitted projects and productions continually improving.” She continued, “DFM provides a vital space for industry professionals to engage with each other, forge partnerships and grow the continent’s film industry. It is very gratifying to see projects that were initiated at Durban continue to develop at other markets around the world, eventually returning to be screened at Africa’s leading festi val.” This year’s edition of DFM will provide delegates with access to prominent film industry experts, financiers, content directors and broadcasters from around Africa and the world, with other industry specialists attending both DFM and DIFF independently in order to connect with the African film industry and develop business
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associations and future projects. DFM’s programme is structured around three core pillars – DFM Master Classes, Finance Forum and Africa in Focus. The latter consists of a series of industry workshops that offer networking opportunities for industry representati ves. The DFM Master Classes are led by well-known industry experts and will explore issues and challenges in concept development, project packaging, co-production development, new media, finance, marketing, distribution, and other related themes, while the Finance Forum offers a rare opportunity for African filmmakers to engage with financiers from around the world. Among the experts attending this year’s edition of DFM are marketing expert, entrepreneur and author GG Alcock, author of Kasinomics, a book which
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unpacks marketing to the vastly untapped and not-understood informal sector in South Africa. Alcock will present a masterclass on the power of culture within the African audience context and the importance of characters, history, language and pictures in ensuring credibility in communicating a story and message in film and commercials. Also up is BritishNigerian script expert Selina Ukwouma, who will share her experience as a development executi ve and screenwriting and pitching educator. Master class, workshop and panel topics to be covered in this year’s DFM include a status on virtual reality in film, Hollywood financing models and an exploration of the complex American independent market, video on demand and how to get content onto relevant to-pay channels, the importance of
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Barbara Hintermeier, their Music and Licensing Consultant, will present a workshop on methods to help find music quickly and easily on their platform. Sørfond Norwegian South Film Fund, another new partner, will provide a new DFM award this year and will be awarding a project the chance to pitch at the Sørfond Pitching Forum in Oslo, which is aimed at films from developing countries. “In addition filmmakers will have an opportunity to discuss their ideas and unpack story-lines with peers in the daily Story Junction sessions, and there are also many opportunities for social networking and catching up with friends within the industry,” says Toni Monty. To register for DFM and to find out more about the delegate registration process, visit the official website at www.durbanfilmmart.co.za. An Early Bird registration discount for the 4-day event is available to delegates who book before 30 May at a cost of R1 485, which includes access to allocated sessions, a daily luncheon, DFM networking events, entrance into festi val screenings (subject to ticket availability), listing in the DFM Industry Manual, and access to Masterclasses and the Africa in Focus programme. After 30 May 2016, the cost is R2 035. Daily passes to the event cost R605. (This does not include tickets to the DIFF screenings or access into the opening and closing events.) For the third year running, DFM will also be hosting an Industry Expo, providing an important promotional space for all aspects of the local industry. To book a stand at this year’s please contact Sharon Ngcobo at sharon. ngcobo@durban.gov.za. For more information about the DFM go to www. durbanfilmmart.co.za or like the Facebook Page. Durban FilmMart SA.
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pre-sales in the context of broadcast, social media and the value of social media in the marketing of independent films. This year’s co-production market will feature ten or so feature titles and roughly the same number of documentary films. The various projects selected for mentorship will be presented to industry experts during the market, followed by sessions with industry experts providing valuable input, with the most promising projects awarded grants for further development. Established partners of DFM include the International Film Festi val Rotterdam’s CineMart, the International Documentary Film Festi val Amsterdam (IDFA), the Sundance Film Festi val, AfriDocs, the Berlinale Film Festi val, HotDocs - Blue Ice Documentary Film Fund, Produire au Sud, Restless Talent Management, the French Embassy South Africa, the National Film and Video Foundation, the KwaZuluNatal Film Commission, the Durban Film Office, VideoVision Entertainment, Goethe Institute and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. Restless Talent Management will for the third year in a row, host its Restless Pitch event at the DFM whereby candidates are randomly selected among the filmmakers willing to pitch, and each have three minutes to present their best idea for a feature film or TV show in front of a panel of experts. The filmmaker with the most promising, interesting and ultimately best idea put forward will win a one-on-one coaching session with Restless Talent Management, potentially leading to a representation deal for his or her project. New additions to the partner roster this year include the German company Sonoton, the largest independent stock music library in the world.
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DFM 2016 DOCUMENTARY
Project Selection
Hatim’s Dream (Uganda) Producer: Nathan Magoola Director: Matt hew Bishanga Lift like a Girl (Egypt) Producers: Mayye Zayed Co-producer: Moritz Helmes Director: Amrosh Badr For Your Precious Love (South Africa) Producer: Stevan Buxt & David Heiter Director: Keith Jones Spirits of the Karoo (South Africa) Producer: Zinzi Nkenene Director: Engelbert Phiri & Zinzi Nkenene Testament (Kenya) Producer: Meena Nanji Director: Meena Nanji & Zippy Kimundu The Dungeon Keepers (South Africa) Produced and Directed by James Walsh The Letter (Kenya) Produced & directed by Maia von Lekow & Chris King Voetsak! Us Brothers? (South Africa) Producer: Trish Urquhart Co-producer: Sean Moloi Director: Andy Spitz Where we Belong (Ghana/South Africa) Producer: Osei Owusu Banahene Director: Ben Johnson Wiz of Zim (South Africa/Zimbabwe) Producers: Lesedi Oluko Moche/Carolyn Carew Director: Samora Sekhukhune
FICTION Abnormal Loads (South Africa) Producer: Elias Ribeiro Director: Neil Coppen Disco Afrika (Madagascar) Producer/director: Razanajaona Ambinintsoa Luck Executive producers: Herizo Rabary & Randriamantsoa Ludovic Down and Dirty (South Africa) Producers: Damir Radonic & Angie Mills Director: Angie Mills Headland (South Africa) Producer: David Horler Director: Elan Gamaker Imprisoned (South Africa) Producer: Suda Sing Director: Jayan Moodley Inge, Inge (Zimbabwe) Producer: Véronique Doumbe Director: Tsitsi Dangarembga People You May Know (South Africa) Producer: Laurence Hamburger Director: Zandile Tisani The Mango Tree that Danced with Sea Breeze (Kenya) Producer: Lungeleni Zondi Director: Philippa Ndsi-Herrmann Un Fils (Tunisia) Producer: Habib Attia Director: Mehdi M. Barsaoui
12 / FEATURE
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Zach McGowan as Captain Charles Vane in Black Sails Season 3 © Starz
WELCOME TO
SUNNY SOUTH AFRICA
Diverse locations, immense talent, world-class crews and an ever-growing film economy are just a few of the reasons why your next film should be shot here, writes Kim Crowie.
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country that has grown each year in its ability to service the film, television and commercial industries, South Africa has positioned itself as a leader on the continent. Not only does the country offer some of the best incentives to internationals and locals alike, but it also offers a myriad of awe-inspiring locations, mirroring countless regions across the world, and some of the best crew in Africa – not to mention feeding into the international talent pool, too. Although SA’s motion picture history dates back to 1895 as one of the first countries to see and hear sound in films, the industry
in its current state first began to blossom in the mid to late 80’s. After apartheid was abolished in 1994, the film industry flourished and today there are hundreds of production companies working in service, independent, coproduction, and other arenas.
WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT
One of the main reasons South Africa attracts so much foreign interest and investment is its lucrative film incentive. Qualifying South African Production Expenditure (QSAPE) and Post-Production Expenditure (QSAPPE) can earn up to 22.5% or 25% in returns for productions spending R1.5-million or
R3-million and above respectively. Another reason is its reliable crew and experienced production heads located in the epicentres of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. Companies like Cape Town Film Studios, Film Afrika, Moonlighting, Media Film Service and Refinery are just a few of the top-notch experts the country holds within its borders. Finally, South Africa’s economic climate is well-suited for international service work. The US Dollar to the Rand sits at R14.30 as of April 2016, with the Euro at a comfortable R16.20. As Producer Vlokkie Gordon aptly explains, “As film forms part of the export industry, we, like the
other exporters, are excited by the weaker Rand. I believe with the quality of the South African work being put out there and now several productions getting creative recognition for it, we will be overrun with requests for projects to be shot here.” Refinery’s MD Tracey Williams, agrees. “There is an excitement in our industry relating to the exchange rate. There is anticipation that it will open the flood gates of productions coming to SA,” she says, “It is however a double-edge sword for our post facilities, VFX studio and camera-rental companies’ point of view, in that the purchase of new equipment and our software
FEATURE / 13
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FAST FACTS • 64 FILMS PER YEAR:
Since 2008 the number of film productions shot in South Africa increased from 49 projects to 450 projects, an average of 64 films per year. (dti, EPIC Q1 2015 Report)
• US$1.2-BILLION: SA’s revenue from motion picture, film, video and TV production is expected to grow by 3.3% from US$977million to US$1.2billion in 2018. (NFVF)
• CAPE TOWN RANKS FOURTH out of 16 global
Eye In The Sky © Bleecker Street, Photographer: Keith Bernstein
cities for both quality and cost. It is the single cheapest destination in terms of production, set, site, utilities and labour costs. (FDI Intelligence, 2015)
• 35 786 JOBS were
created during 2013/14 from the R1.952-billion in dti film incentive qualifying expenditure.
(Wesgro, EPIC Q1 2015 Report)
• R3.5-BILLION: Clarens, South Africa © SA Tourism
licenses are all foreign exchange rate based… So our wish would be that the flood gates will open on the amount of productions coming to SA and they can afford the small increases we will have had to implement.”
SA’S CURRICULUM VITAE
South Africa raises the bar for exceptional content with each year that passes. Since winning the Foreign Language Oscar for Tsotsi a decade ago, the nation’s film industry has climbed to new heights. It is now globally prominent with its quality of having ‘the world in one place’, while its variety of locations, world-class crews and studio
infrastructure are sought after. The Cape Town Film Studios has been rated as one of the top ten film studios internationally and in the last few years has been host to many international productions, such as Black Sails Seasons 1-4, Eye in the Sky and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, says Wesgro’s Head of Film and Media Promotion, Monica Rorvik. “There is a quality of life that is attractive to visitors, with top restaurants, worldclass hotels and great financial and IT services. Sean Penn and Charlize Theron’s The Last Face is showing in competition at Cannes, which was mostly shot in Cape Town and Western Cape.”
I BELIEVE WITH THE QUALITY OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN WORK BEING PUT OUT THERE AND NOW SEVERAL PRODUCTIONS GETTING CREATIVE RECOGNITION FOR IT, WE WILL BE OVERRUN WITH REQUESTS FOR PROJECTS TO BE SHOT HERE.
The film industry contributed R3.5-billion to the national GDP in 2012, and is growing at an average annual rate of 14%. (Wesgro,
EPIC Q1 2015 Report)
• R2.2-BILLION:
South Africa received investments worth R2.2billion into its film sector from 2003 to 2014. (Wesgro, EPIC Q1 2015 Report)
• 40% CHEAPER: SA’s
favourable exchange rate makes it up to 40% cheaper to make a movie here than Europe or the US, and 20% cheaper than Australia.
(South Africa Info, 2013)
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THE SOUTH AFRICAN
SUCCESS STORY SA’s accomplishments have been most evident in the last few years of film production. Harriet Meier, Chair of the South African Screen Federation, takes us through the nation’s recent triumphs.
T
Happiness is a Four-Letter Word , produced by Junaid Ahmed, Bongiwe Selane and Helena Spring
Vir Altyd - Image courtesy of The Film Factory South Africa, 17 Filmstreet Media, kykNET and The DTI
he local production industry has come into its own over the last twelve months, with local audiences finally coming out in support of our own projects. 22 local films were released last year, which grossed nearly R70-million at the Box Office. While these figures only represent a 6% chunk of the total South African box office, they are growing all the time. This year, the romantic adventure film Vir Altyd, for example, set a new record at the South African Box Office, earning R13.4-million after only a month on circuit, and the romantic drama Happiness is a Four-Letter Word has catapulted to earnings over R8-million. South African productions have also done extremely well at festivals. Local Afrikaans film Die Windpomp (The Windmill) won the Audience Award for Best Foreign Film at the 2015 Long Beach International Film Festival in New York, Thina Sobabili (The Two of Us) won the coveted Audience Choice Award at the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) 2015 in Los Angeles, and Necktie Youth, another local drama, won both the Best South African Feature Award and the International Jury Award for Best Director Sibs Shongwe-La Mer at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF). The television market has done similarly well, despite limited financial support from local broadcasters. The documentary Miners Shot Down
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FAST FACTS • 750 CINEMA SCREENS: There are 750 cinema screens in over 70 complexes across the country. (NFVF)
• 25 000 FULL-TIME JOBS: The industry
creates over 25 000 full-time jobs, with additional employment opportunities at the 2 500 direct service providers to the industry. (NFVF)
• R1.89 IS GENERATED:
SA’s film industry achieves an economic multiplier of 2.89, that is, for every Rand spent in the industry, R1.89 is generated within the local economy. (Deloitte, 2012)
won Best Documentary at the International Emmy Awards and continues to garner international recognition. Local drama series continue to command high ratings, often beating out high budget international productions. It is also very exciting to see local producers adapt existing genres into productions that are fresh and exciting, and should appeal to a world-wide market. Keeping Score, a local telenovela which is presently in development with the public broadcaster,
• FILM AND TELEVISION ADDS R5-BILLION:
Film and television adds about R5-billion to Cape Town’s economy and is a city of choice for local and foreign filmmakers. (SouthAfrica.info)
• JOHANNESBURG has
been the backdrop of hit films such as District 9, Chappie, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Jerusalema, and Fanie Fourie’s Lobola. (SouthAfrica.info)
• R33-MILLION: During
the first half of 2014, more than a dozen local films accounted for R33million of the R382-million total box office gross. These films covered diverse genres and fortunes: action, drama,
falls under this category. Further, South African company AudioDescribe International (ADI) produced the first local television series with audio description in isiZulu in 2015. To introduce the concept to the viewers, the drama series Sticks and Stones was broadcast by SABC with audio description on an open channel, which was a first for the country and the African continent. It has since opened the door for more accessible media projects, including a
comedy, documentary and art house. (NFVF)
• RECENT SUCCESSFUL LOCAL FILMS include Anant Singh’s Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, the Spud trilogy, and Ayanda. (SouthAfrica.info)
• SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS: Oliver
Schmitz’ Shepherds and Butchers won third place in the Panorama Audience Award category at this year’s Berlinale – a first for a South African film.
• 192 410 JOBS: SA’s
cultural and creative industries have created between 162 809 and 192 410 jobs. This includes advertising, architecture, books, newspapers and
new format show called AD Safari, which will be produced in co-production with Canada. It has to be mentioned here that South African creators, writers and producers are brimming with new ideas and stories that originate out of the heart of the African continent. Not the same old, same old, but fresh ideas that are bound to connect with audiences across the world. With the right budgets and financial backing, South Africa has the potential to become a new Hollywood.
magazines, gaming and films, music, performing arts, radio, television and visual arts. (The Conversation)
• MAD MAX: FURY ROAD: South African
born film editor Margaret Sixel won Best Editing in a Feature Film at the Oscars in February for Mad Max: Fury Road, a film which was also shot partially in SA.
• PROMINENT DIRECTORS to come out of South Africa include Donovan Marsh (iNumber Number, Dollars and White Pipes, Spud), Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Chappie), Gavin Hood (Tsotsi, Wolverine, Ender’s Game), and Jann Turner (TV’s Castle, Teen Wolf).
THIS YEAR, THE ROMANTIC ADVENTURE FILM VIR ALTYD HAS SET A NEW RECORD AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN BOX OFFICE, EARNING R13.4 MILLION AFTER ONLY A MONTH ON CIRCUIT.
info@refinery.co.za | www.refinery.co.za | +27 11 799 7800 VFX . Animation/Motion graphics . Colour Grading . Sound Post Production Digital Dailies . Editing Rooms . Deliveries & Mastering . DCP theatrical Lab Image courtesy Saints&Strangers – Sony Pictures
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LOCATION,
LOCATION, LOCATION South Africa’s incredibly diverse selection of locations places it at the forefront of international and regional film shoots.
Lothian House © Amazing Spaces, Photographer: Keith Quixley
© Location Gallery
S
outh Africa has doubled as a number of locations to date, from the Caribbean in Black Sails to the gritty backdrop in Homeland Season 4. In fact, the country has portrayed 57 different parts of the world, including Sierra Leone, the Middle East and Afghanistan. The nation, with its sunny, temperate climate, can easily mirror all sorts of African locations, too, from desert scapes and idyllic beaches to islands getaways and tropical forests. The country has a strong network of reputable location scouts, nine diverse provinces to choose from, and three major film centres: • The Western Cape is a commercial and film service hub, with a Mediterranean climate, highly skilled crew in all areas of the pre-, production and post process. It offers breathtaking locations – from Table Mountain and the Winelands to the sleepy whale-watching town of Hermanus and further afield to Knysna, George and Oudtshoorn. • Gauteng, home to
Johannesburg, the City of Gold, is the business epicentre of the country. It is a broadcast hub, with a number of large studio spaces and sought-after urban cityscapes, from the gritty to the sophisticated. • KwaZulu-Natal, located on the Eastern coast of South Africa, is a tourist paradise with incredible natural locations, historical battlefields, and golden beaches. It has a warm, inviting climate, captivating wildlife, and its capital Durban is home to the annual Durban International Film Festival.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
As the very first locations agency in the country, Amazing Spaces has set the bar for creating a professional platform for the renting of private spaces for shoots. Says Julia Finnis-Bedford, Managing Director: “We have seen this industry grow over the past 16 years, and particularly over the past 4-5 years (since Cape Town Film Studios opened), we have experienced busier winters with international longform productions coming to our shores to experience not
Casa Verde © Amazing Spaces
THANKS FOR A WELL-RUN, SMOOTHLY ACTIVATED, WORRY-FREE, FUN-FILLED SHOOT. I HAVE DISCOVERED THE A TEAM IN CAPE TOWN.
WE WILL BE BACK. THE SHOOT CAME IN ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET, WHICH NEVER HAPPENS ON THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS.
- Scott Craig, Biscuit Filmworks Producer, on AFS Productions’ service work
- Mary Ann Hughes, Disney Producer, on Avengers: Age of Ultron shoot in Johannesburg
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IN OUR INDUSTRY WHERE TIMELINESS AND PROFESSIONALISM MATTERS, AMAZING SPACES BRINGS THESE QUALITIES TO THE FORE, GRASPING SOME OF OUR MOST COMPLEX BRIEFS AND ALWAYS WILLING TO GO THE EXTRA MILE TO FIND THE IDEAL LOCATION. THIS SUPPORT IS CARRIED THROUGH WITH HANDS-ON LOCATION MANAGEMENT, PROVING AMAZING SPACES REALLY IS AMAZING TO WORK WITH. NAVIGATOR LOVES WORKING WITH THEM! - Karen Claren, Navigator Films Assistant Producer and Researcher, on Amazing Spaces work
only the excellent diversity of locations, but crew, pre and post production, and services.” She explains that the climate is one of the strong pulling factors in addition to the sheer amount of locations available. “Our summers are unsurpassed with gorgeous long days of sunshine, but the weather can be amazing in the winter too. Our clientele, although facilitated by local
service companies, are coming predominantly from the US and Europe, as we have this incredible diversity of locations that can double as Scandinavian, German, English or American style homes, as well as commercial buildings doubling as international airports or embassies, vineyards and homes that could be in the middle of France, or even streets in Woodstock that were used
for street scenes of Syria.” The stills and film industries in Cape Town particularly continue to grow each year, according to Romy Anderson, Managing Director at Location Gallery. “Teams from all over the world regularly visit South Africa, whereby productions are more economical, paired with the variety of locations available. It’s hard not to
expect their return each season with such a great value-formoney experience! A rise in new homeowners interested to join the industry has certainly assisted with our versatile offering. Literally every country on this planet can be imitated if looking for family homes, beach houses, contemporary or modern locations. You will find it all in South Africa.”
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SA’S DIVERSE TALENT South Africa’s talent pool has grown immensely in recent years. Here are some of the highlights.
W SA Presenter and Actress Pearl Thusi landed a major role in The Blue Mauritius . Image courtesy of Rachelle Crous Publicity
hen one thinks of South African actors, the likes of Charlize Theron and Arnold Vosloo come to mind. But in recent years, a number of locals have taken their places alongside international celebrities – Fana Mokoena (Zulu), Sharlto Copley (District 9, Chappie), Carl Beukes (Dominion), Jamie Bartlett (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom), Trevor Noah (The Daily Show), Francis Chouler (Dredd, Eye in the Sky) and Alex McGregor (Spud, Impunity) to name just a few. This in turn has raised the profile of local stars across the board. As the ‘rainbow nation’, South Africa is a melting pot of ethnicities, offering internationals an incredibly diverse selection of talent from its pool of creati ves. This is one of the reasons for its thriving commercial and service sectors. Television host, writer and producer Nicky Greenwall says there’s been a definite growth in the number of high-profile celebs coming out of the country. “I have worked in the South African film and television industry for 15 years, both as an entertainment reporter and as a producer. One of the most positi ve developments I’ve seen over the
course of my career, has been the steady growth of ‘bankable stars’ in the local industry.” She has been part of documenting these rising celebrities through The Close Up and is now releasing a book of portraits with photographer Robin Fryer called I’m Famous In South Africa. Most recently, two locals are hitting the big time after landing major roles in upcoming international heist tale The Blue Mauritius. Starring former supermodel Nicola Breytenbach as leading lady alongside Pearl Thusi and veteran Deon Lotz in supporting roles, the film will be produced by D Street Pictures and Kaapland Films. “I believe South Africa is rife with opportunity on an international scale. We’re not going to just talk about SA being a viable film industry, we want to be ground breaking in our efforts to help it grow. With our American sensibility, access to Hollywood and good development skills, paired with South African talent, the multitude of diverse stories coming from this beautiful country and Africa as a whole, I believe it’s a winwin for everyone,” Executi ve Producer Dexter Davis said.
I BELIEVE SOUTH AFRICA IS RIFE WITH OPPORTUNITY ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE. WE’RE NOT GOING TO JUST TALK ABOUT SA BEING A VIABLE FILM INDUSTRY, WE WANT TO BE GROUND BREAKING IN OUR EFFORTS TO HELP IT GROW. Nicky Greenwall, personality and author of I’m Famous In South Africa © Greenwall Productions. Image by Marnus Meyer
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USEFUL CONTACTS
South Africa has a number of governmental organisations and industry associations providing a support structure to the film sector.
National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) Location: Johannesburg, but services the country Chief Executive Officer: Zama Mkosi Tel: +27 (0) 11 483 0880 Email: info@nfvf.co.za Website: www.nfvf.co.za The Department of Trade and Industry Director of Film and Incentives: Nelly Molokoane Location: Nationwide Tel: +27 (0) 12 394 1425 Email: NMolokoane@thedti.gov.za Website: www.thedti.gov.za Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA) Chair: Nadine Cloete Tel: +27 (11) 888 4349 Email: info@docfilmsa.com Website: www.docfilmsa.com South African Association of Stills Producers (SAASP) Chair: Rudi Riek Tel: +27 (0) 28 423 3595 Email: rudi@saasp.co.za, rudiriek@telkomsa.net Website: www.saasp.co.za
Wesgro Film Promotion Head: Film and Media Promotion: Monica Rorvik Location: Cape Town and the Western Cape Tel: +27 (0) 21 487 4868 Email: info@wesgro.co.za Website: www.wesgro.co.za Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) Chief Executive Officer: Andile Mbeki Location: Johannesburg and Gauteng Tel: +27 (0) 11 833 0409 Email: info@gautengfilm.org.za Website: www.gautengfilm.org.za Association for Transformation in Film and Television (ATFT) Director of International Relations: Mayenzeke Baza Tel: (+27) 0860 722 7173 Email: info@ filmandtvtransformation.org Website: www.atft.co.za
KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission (KZNFC) Chief Executive Officer: Carol Coetzee Location: KwaZulu Natal Tel: +27 (0) 31 325 0200 Email: info@kwazulunatalfilm.co.za Website: www. kwazulunatalfilm.co.za Durban Film Office (DFO) Head: Toni Monty Location: Durban Tel: +27 (0) 31 311 4243 Email: valerie.mthembu@ durban.gov.za Website: www.durbanfilmoffice.co.za The South Africa Screen Federation Chair: Harriet Meier Tel: +27 (0)83 901 2000 (no SMS’s) Email: info@sasfed.org Website: www.sasfed.org Animation South Africa (ASA) National Chair: Nick Cloete Vice Chair: Anthony Silverston Email: chair@animationsa.org, info@animationsa.org Website: www.animationsa.org
Independent Producers Organisation (IPO) Tel: +27 (0)11 799 2200 Email: communications@ipo.org.za Website: www.ipo.org.za Commercial Producers Association of South Africa (CPASA) Executive Officer: Bobby Amm Tel: +27 (0) 11 673 6809 Email: bobby@cpasa.tv Website: www.cpasa.tv The Official South African Casting Association (OSCASA) Chair: Pene Saunders Tel: +27 (0) 21 556 4289 Email: info@oscasa.com Website: www.oscasa.com South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) Chair: Jack Devnarain Email: admin@saguildofactors.co.za Website: www.saguildofactors.co.za South African Guild of Editors (SAGE) Chair: Marina du Toit Tel: +27 (0) 82 255 8077 Email: info@editorsguildsa.org Website: www.editorsguildsa.org
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Writers’ Guild of South Africa (WGSA) Chair: Sihle Hlophe Tel: +27 (0) 11 888 4349 Email: admin@writersguildsa.org Website: www.writersguildsa.org
WESTERN CAPE: 13 Prestwich Street, Cape Town, 8001. Tel: +27 21 425-2170 Cell: +27 (0)83 252 1151 GAUTENG : 311 Surrey Avenue, Randburg, Gauteng, 2194 Tel: +27 11 326 4684 Cell: +27 (0)82 825 1299 E-Mail: info@proevents-sa.co.za Website: www.proevents-sa.co.za
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Howard Carter (Max Irons), Lord Carnarvon (Sam Neill) and Evelyn (Amy Wren) in Tutankhamun, set in 1922 © ITV; Film Afrika (Pty) Limited, Unit and Special Stills Photography by Joe Alblas | African Photo Productions
SA’S FILM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
South Africa has long been lauded as a location of quality, but its capabilities in the service realm attract international attention.
S
A’s reputation for excellence in film has fast extended beyond locations to include quality production crews and heads of departments. Most recently, ABC Executive Producer Chris Brancato said, “I have worked on film sets all over the world, and can honestly say that this is one of the best crews I have ever worked with.” Local crews are known for their attention to detail, their depth of creative talent, and their ethnic diversity – something rarely found in the international industry. The country offers an
assorted pool of local directors, directors of photography and stills photographers, as well as a number of DGA accredited ADs. The majority have local and international experience, with a great depth of skilled, hardworking, dedicated professional and technical crews. Film Afrika is one of the leaders in film production, with one of the largest shows being made worldwide – Black Sails – becoming a success story for the company in terms of long-term, sustainable job creation and transformation. “This has paved the way for
other series such as two seasons of Dominion and a number of mini-series such as Roots, Saints & Strangers and Tutankhamun,” David Wicht explains. “Whilst feature films have gone through a quiet cycle for a few years, we are beginning to see a revival in independent films wanting to shoot in South Africa. Our next film is a major US thriller set in Cape Town which enables us to show our city in all its spectacular glory. The declining Rand has helped keep the country competitive though the currency volatility is a challenge for long-term budget planning.”
Collaborations and coproductions are also on the rise as the country realises its own creative potential. Mannequin Pictures Delon Bakker says the Joburg-based company recently attached American casting legend Bonnie Timmermann (Dirty Dancing, Black Hawk Down) to their award-winning screenplay Victoria Falls. “We’re very excited to have someone of Bonnie’s calibre attached to the project and it is a testament to the quality of film the company is committed to producing.” Bakker adds.
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Film gear and equipment, too, is easily obtainable in South Africa. As with any other established film production centre, a number of companies offer an extensive range of standard and specialised cameras, lighting and grip equipment. Internationals can expect to find Motion Control, Phantom, RED, Black Magic, the Freedom Arm, and many other gear options. One such company, Visual Impact, is extremely positive about their role in the industry. “We have matured to facilitate some of the most demanding and largest Reality TV projects imaginable. We are proud to have participated in shows like I am a Celebrity and Fear Factor,” says Marius van Straaten. In terms of studio space, Cape Town Film Studios offers incredible options, while a number of other spaces such as Atlantic Studios, Waterfront Film Studios, Sasani Studios, are no strangers to long-form productions. Last but not least, South Africa’s post-production industry has been growing in leaps and bounds. Last year, Refinery had a 20% growth in long-form revenue over the previous year, attributed to more internationals doing more post-production work in the country. “This is a positive trend for us, which I anticipate will continue. In the past year we have worked on VFX for Sony Pictures – Saints & Strangers and ABC/Disney on
Of Kings and Prophets. Currently in production we have The Journey is the Destination with Prospero Pictures and Out of Africa for Voltage Pictures. Refinery is completing all aspects of the post-production to final deliveries.” In addition, Refinery is also attached to Madiba for Blue Ice Pictures and BET, and TV show Gogglebox, taking 150 hours of footage each week and turning it into an hour-long programme. “I think the positive trend is the quality and variety of shows we are getting the opportunity to work on,” Williams concludes. Another example of exceptional production and post skills is BBC’s Jamillah and Aladdin, which Searle Street Post worked on with Out of Africa and Kindle Entertainment. “South Africa really has become the engine room for content creation across the globe,” says Lauren van Rensburg, GM and Post Supervisor at Searle Street Post. “It is a tough, pressurised industry. But therein lays the beauty of it. It demands and attracts passionate people. To me, every film, series or show made is a small miracle that is only achieved through a dedicated team. I’m very proud of how far South Africa has come. I have interns and staff that are on productions today, using skills that they did not have three months ago! So the growth is rapid and it is real! To me, it changes lives, what could be more exciting than that?”
RECENT INTERNATIONAL FILM AND TV SHOOTS IN SOUTH AFRICA • Avengers: Age of Ultron filmed action sequences in parts of Johannesburg’s urban districts • The Giver, featuring Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep and Katie Holmes was filmed in Cape Town • Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom out-grossed multiple Oscar-winning biopics in its takings • Safe House, starring Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington was filmed in Cape Town • Dredd was the first project to be filmed at the Cape Town Film Studios • Shot in SA, American sci-fi film Chronicle grossed over $126-million at the box office • Homeland Season 4 was shot in Cape Town in 2014, starring Claire Danes • Blended, starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, was shot on location at Sun City • SA director Neill Blomkamp’s
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Chappie features local actor Sharlto Copley (District 9) The Book of Negroes is an award-winning CanadianSouth African co-production SA director Gavin Hood’s Eye in the Sky stars Helen Mirren and was shot on location in SA SA-France co-production Zulu starred Orlando Bloom and Forest Whitaker alongside local actors Parts of Carcassonne, France were recreated for Labyrinth at Cape Town Film Studios Mad Max: Fury Road was hailed by many critics and publications as one of the greatest action films of all time Disney’s upcoming Queen of Katwe is about a chess prodigy and was filmed in SA and Uganda Upcoming sci-fi actionhorror Resident Evil: The Final Chapter began shooting in mid-2015 in SA Danish western The Salvation starring Mads Mikkelsen was shot in Johannesburg Tiger House was filmed in Surrey and Cape Town
IT IS A TOUGH, PRESSURISED INDUSTRY. BUT THEREIN LAYS THE BEAUTY OF IT. IT DEMANDS AND ATTRACTS PASSIONATE PEOPLE.
StudioNoir CREATIVE SPACE
The Hills Building, Buchanan Square, 160 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock, Cape Town, South Africa info@studionoir.co.za +27 82 884 6210
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FILM PRODUCTION AND SERVICE COMPANIES COMPANY NAME
DESCRIPTION
NOTABLE PROJECTS / CLIENTS
WEBSITE / CONTACTS
Coal Stove Pictures
Film and television producti on company headed by an award-winning director, a seasoned actor and a well-known fi lmmaker
Hear Me Move, Tooth and Nails, KeJive, Call Centre, Remix
www.coalstove.co.za
Controversi Films
Cutti ng edge, controversial documentaries which capture the gut-wrenching reality of life.
Cape of Rape, CultureClash!, Women Speak Out, Love Fools, Working Class
www.controversifilms.co.za
Creative Film Management
Producers of fi lm, television content, with a focus on conceptual ideas and facilitati on.
The Pinotage Story, TyreLok, Formula Run, Western Reining in South Africa
www.cfm-za.com
Dancing Light Productions
Commercial, television and fi lm producti on services, as well as creators of fi lm and TV fi cti on content
Let’s Fixit, High Season, Shooti ng Stars, Unicity
www.dancinglight.co.za
Do Productions
DO have been involved in creati vely and fi nancially producing and coproducing local and internati onal fi lm, TV and documentary producti ons
Themba - A Boy Called Hope, Lost City Raiders, 100 Ways To Go To School, My Sister’s Kids in Africa (Denmark), Where the Road Runs Out (Netherlands), 419 (USA)
www.doproductions.com
Dv8 Films
Filmed content across the producti on spectrum from cinema and television to mobile and internet distributi on platf orms
How to Steal Two Million, State of Violence, In a Time of Violence (The Line), Africa Dreaming, Short and Curlies
www.dv8.co.za
Enigma Pictures
Co-producer and producti on service provider of choice in southern Africa
Folly, Coiled, Instance, Back to School Mom, Kite, Life Above All, Holby City
www.enigmapictures.co.za
Figure One Films
A Cape Town-based producti on company that specialises in narrati ve fi lm, commercials, music videos and documentaries with an in-house, Loerie Award-winning director
The Windmill (Die Windpomp), Sony Music, Ster-Kinekor, Wrestlerish
www.figureonefilms.com
Film Afrika
One of Africa’s premier producti on companies and SA’s most prolifi c producer and co-producer of fi lms for the internati onal market
Black Sails, Dominion, Labyrinth, Chronicle, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Saints and Strangers
www.filmafrika.com
FineLine Productions
Internati onal, award-winning independent producti on company specialising in documentaries, features, commercials and corporate image videos. Producer Junaid Ahmed at the helm.
Channel 4, Discovery Channel, Iqakamba - Hard Ball, Lucky, More Than Just A Game
lisa@fineline.co.za
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COMPANY NAME
DESCRIPTION
NOTABLE PROJECTS / CLIENTS
WEBSITE / CONTACTS
Giant Films
Director based and facilitati on producti on company for features, documentaries and commercials.
Representi ng Ian Gabriel and Robin Goode
www.giantfilms.tv
Green Shoot Films
A green producti on company off ering full local and internati onal producti on services
PSA Commercials, Oil on Water, AIDS Orphans, PawPrint Africa Project
www.greenshootfilms.com
Greenwall Productions
Founded by entertainment journalist and television producer Nicky Greenwall in 2009, the company has since produced a number of television shows for the SA market
The Showbiz Report, The Style Report, The Close Up, Screenti me With Nicky Greenwall
www.greenwallproductions.com
iKind Media
Video producti on for commercials, feature fi lms, music videos, documentaries and corporates
Kabamba, City Bowl Mizers, My Roommate is a Tokoloshe, Pixie Bennett
www.ikindmedia.com
Imageworks
An award-winning video and multi media producti on company
BBC, Nati onal Geographic, M-Net, Animal Planet and Discovery Channel content
www.imageworks.co.za
Kalahari Film & Media
One of Africa's leading producti on companies with global blockbusters, Oscar-nominated fi lms and Emmy Award-winning series and servicing hundreds of commercials
SAF3, Dredd, District 9, The Triangle, The Librarian, 13 Hours, Donkerwoud, One Horse Down, Misdirected
www.kalaharipictures.com
KwaZulu Films
Producti on service providers with experienced crew, technicians and large talent pool
Tamara Drewe, Elite Squad, Desti nati on Antarti ca, Phillip Morris, Space Chimps, Shox
www.kzf.co.za
Premier Post Production Facilities
CAPE TOWN
Front End
Editorial
Full DI Post
Deliveries
Cinema
www.sspp.co.za
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COMPANY NAME
DESCRIPTION
NOTABLE PROJECTS / CLIENTS
WEBSITE / CONTACTS
Let It Rain Films
A collective passionate about commercials, feature films, television content and documentaries
Survivor 2, Amazing Race, Voices, BBC, Jack Up Your Shack
www.letitrainfilms.com
Lobster Tree
Established in 2009, the company services international feature films, commercials and stills
Zulu (City of Violence), Safari, Le Dernier Gang, Hitman, Soeur Sourire
www.lobstertree.com
Majority Entertainment
Feature film, television programme production company established in LA and operating in Joburg
Screaming Night II, Walking with the Lion
www.majorityco.com
Mannequin Pictures & Film Group
First choice for international production companies looking for highest standards of film in SA
Orange, Singam 2, To Tokyo, Clarissa's Secret, Romeo
www.mannequinfilms.co.za
Maxi-D Productions
Film and television content production
Skeem Saam
dmaxbrown@mweb.co.za
Moonlighting Film Production Services
One of the premier production companies in southern Africa for production services, coproductions and structured financing with over 20 years’ experience
Homeland Season 4, Livingstone, www.moonlighting.co.za Locked up Abroad, How We Invented the World, The Challenger, Mary and Martha, Restless, The Borrowers, Flight of the Storks, Infested, Mister Bob, Pirate Island, Hitchcock, I Shouldn’t be Alive 4, The Dark Tower
Morula Pictures
Award-winning, BEE compliant TV production house with credentials including primetime drama, serial drama, feature films and children’s television
Magic Cellar, Generations, How to Steal 2 Million, Winnie the Opera, HANI, JOZI H, Backstage
www.morula.co.za
Navigator Films
Production company with over 40 years of combined industry experience in commercial, long form and locations.
Don’t Talk With Your Mouth Full, Ukusela Ekapa
www.navigatorfilms.co.za
Off The Fence South Africa
International company producing and distributing documentaries, factual features and TV shows
Britain’s Broken Families, Confessions of an Alien Abductee, Freaks of Nature, Stan Lee’s Superhumans Season 3, Wildest Indochina, Wildest Middle East, World's Wildest City: Manaus
www.offthefence.com
One Step Beyond
A service production company with experience in commercials, film and television
BBC London, The Entertainment Group (Netherlands)
www.onestepbeyond.co.za
Open Sky Film Studios
A company meeting all production requirements including location, gear hire, arts and props, set design and construction, wardrobe and make up
The Journey is the Destination
www.opensky.sa.com
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COMPANY NAME
DESCRIPTION
NOTABLE PROJECTS / CLIENTS
WEBSITE / CONTACTS
Out of Africa Entertainment
Production company with an experienced team able to provide a “hand-on” approach to both television and film productions
Wild at Heart, The Prisoner, Strike Back, Generation Kill, The Royal, The Bang Bang Club, Bluestone 42, The Book of Negroes
www.outofafrica.info
Penguin Films
Renowned for outstanding television production in drama, comedy, reality TV and game shows.
Felix, Skilpoppe, Saints & Sinners, Traffic!, You Deserve It, Montana
www.penguinfilms.co.za
Philo Films
Production company involved in development, production and servicing of commercials, features, and TV series
Platteland, Winnie, A Million Colours, La Talpa 3 - The Mole, ER (Emergency Room), Platinum
www.philofilms.co.za
Red Pepper
Production company facilitation film and broadcast, as well as offering facilities
Refinery
Post-production facility that services the film industry in SA and across the continent, handling all aspects of picture management from script to screen.
Renegade Pictures
Experienced full service production company combining technical knowledge and creativity.
RP Productions
SA production company with staff in Ghana, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Tanzania, Rwanda, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Namibia
WWF/De Kast, The San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert, Frankie, Hero of the People, Entre Nou Deux...Beyrouth
www.rpproductions.co.za
Searle Street Post
An award-winning post production company combining the latest technology; integrated, tapeless workflows; and experienced talent
Momentum, Four Corners, Breathe – Umphefumlo, Why Poverty?, Adventures in Zambezia, Khumba, Die Wonderwerker, Jamillah & Aladdin
www.sspp.co.za
South African Great Movies Production
An independent SA film, television and commercial production company with partners in Nigeria, Ghana, DRC, Rwanda, Kenya, Canada and USA
Sunny-side, True Dream, The Fate
www.sagmp.co.za
Spier Films
Spier Films is an award winning production and finance company with offices in Cape Town, London, and Reykjavik.
The Salvation, The Price of Sugar, Veraaier, Of Good Report, Trend Beacons, Indigenous Encounters, Highway Vultures
www.spierfilms.com
www.redpepper.tv
Jamillah & Aladdin, Momentum, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Shark Killer, Dias Santana, Seal Team 8: Behind Enemy Lines, Die Windpomp, iNumber Number, The Forgotten Kingdom
www.refinery.co.za
www.renegadepictures.co.za
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COMPANY NAME
DESCRIPTION
NOTABLE PROJECTS / CLIENTS
WEBSITE / CONTACTS
The Bridge
Production house for film, television and media
Vallei van Sluiers, Medua – Queen of the Climb, The Story of an African Farm
www.thebridgesa.co.za
Triggerfish Studios
Animation studios and full service production studios for animated features, commercials and shorts.
Khumba, Adventures in Zambezia, Stickman
www.triggerfishstudios.com
Two Oceans Productions
TOP have produced more than 60 movies for the German speaking market, both TV and features
Superdad, Rosa 2, Stranded in Paradise, Grzimek, Unfriend, The Sinking of the Laconia
www.topproduction.de
Two Seas TV
Film and video production company headed by Helen Atty to assist international crews
Look + Feel, Harf & Soul
www.twoseas.cc
Uhuru Productions
A wholly black-owned film and TV production house based in Johannesburg
Miners Shot Down, Born Into Struggle, Citizen X, The Mating Game, Dilemma, My Land My Life
www.uhuruproductions.co.za
Urban Legends International
Film, television and commercials on-set production services and post production
Black Sails Season 1, Mad Dogs Season 3, Seal Team 8, Heatstroke, Skrillex – Ragga Bomb
www.urbanlegendsinternational.com
VideoVision Entertainment
SA's leading film and television producer, committed to the ideals of independent filmmaking, with over 75 features in the last 30 years
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Sarafina, Cry The Beloved Country, Mr Bones I & II, Mama Jack, Who Wants to be a Millionaire SA, Outrageous, Jozi
www.videovision.co.za
Visual Impact
The authority in both digital and high definition broadcast solutions in South Africa
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, Fear Factor Malaysia, India & America, You Deserve It, Dare to Dance
www.visuals.tv
Waterfront Film Studios
TV Series, Staging, Post Production, Visual Effects
Dominion, The Giver
www.waterfrontfilmstudios.com
Waterston Entertainment
TV and film productions specialising in documentaries, children’s live action, entertainment TV and commercials
Scrapmac and the Sky Raiders, Antartica: Ice World Pioneers, Whispering the Wild, Circle of Ice
www.waterston.tv
Zen HQ Films
Zen HQ Films is a leading film and television production company based in Cape Town, South Africa, with offices in Los Angeles
Die Windpomp, 12, 4 Women, Black Beauty
www.zen-hq.com
DISCLAIMER: Please note that although there are hundreds of film, television, commercials and stills companies operating in South Africa, due to limited space in the Callsheet, we are unable to include them all. We have done our best to cover all major companies in the industry and apologise if your organisation has not been mentioned.
Experience Extraordinary There is a place where the extraordinary happens every day. A place where vision can be transformed into creative reality, where heroes are made, and where the only limitation is your own imagination. A destination, at the tip of the mighty African continent, where breathtaking backdrops, an unbelievable selection of locations, and every facility imaginable combine perfectly to become whatever you need it to be. This place is Cape Town International Convention Centre. And to experience it is to experience extraordinary.
To transform your production into an extraordinary experience contact CTICC: +27 21 410 5000 sales@cticc.co.za www.cticc.co.za
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SPECIALIST SERVICES: MAKING INTERNATIONAL PRODUCERS LIFE EASIER
Imogen Campbell tapped into local expertise garnered from award-winning specialists in the film industry, who continually expand the realms of what is possible.
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ometimes one’s heart is quickened at the realisation that an experience at hand is a never-to-be repeated moment of magnificence. When a cinematic portrayal is the focus of all eyes and hearts - at this juncture there is often a convergence of incandescent vision, prodigious talent infused with discipline and consummate professionalism. The Callsheet tapped into local
expertise garnered from awardwinning specialists in the film industry, who continually expand the realms of what is possible.
MARYKE JOUBERT: EDITOR Maryke Joubert is an Editor, known for her work on Felix. She is currently editing her second cinematic feature film called Krotoa. She is also cutting the third series of
Sokhulu and Partners for SABC that will air in August. Would you kindly tell us about the work you did on Felix? Felix was my first full-length feature and a musical on top of that. Considering that most of the main cast was young children, it was a remarkably easy film to cut. I’ve worked with the director, Roberta Durrant for a very long time,
so that took a lot of the “not knowing” out of the equation. It allowed me to just focus on telling the story rather than second-guessing my abilities. The most difficult part to cut was the jazz concert at the end. It took an entire week to cut the last three scenes. To get all that emotional content across and build it up to the final shot in the space of one song was quite a challenge.
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Simon Hansen is completing VFX work on ITV’s Tutankhamun ,© ITV; Film Afrika (Pty) Limited, Unit and Special Stills Photography by Joe Alblas | African Photo Productions
What has been the highlight of your career thus far? I have been very lucky to be involved in some groundbreaking television over the years, from Home Affairs to Boer Soek ‘n Vrou, but I can honestly say that it is a privilege to be working on Krotoa.
skills level or experience. I will take the time to teach you what you don’t know as long as you are willing to put in the effort to learn. On a practical point – watch a lot of television. If I’m not making television, then I’m watching television. It is the best way to pick up new techniques.
What are the challenges and pitfalls that you have experienced and that a novice should be cognisant of? When you are just starting out, it is your attitude that gets you noticed, not necessarily your
SIMON HANSEN: VISUAL EFFECTS MAESTRO Simon Hansen is a VFX maestro. He is currently completing work on visual effects for Accident, directed by Dan Tondowski and
produced by Ryan Haidarian and Guillaume Benski. He is also completing VFX work on ITV’s Tutankhamun, directed by Peter Webber, where he is producing all the shots for the 4-part TV series which is set in turn of the century Egypt. Simon and his team are also very excited to be producing around 350 shots for A&E’s Roots film series Night 1 directed by Phillip Noyce and produced by Mark Wolper. Roots is a remake of the 1977 landmark series based on the novel by Alex Haley. He says that they predominantly do
more international work but it is encouraging to see more local projects needing high-end VFX. Please tell us about the work done on Gavin Hood’s drone warfare movie Eye in the Sky? We produced all but three shots for Eye in the Sky for Gavin Hood. We created the micro UAV drones, Beetle and Bird, for the film as well as a few large scale full CGI sets and extensions as well as all the screen comps, around which Megan Gill did a great job cutting the challenging project. We delivered around
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400 shots and worked with local companies on all the work. Our production model focuses on growing capacity in the local VFX market and promoting South Africa as a VFX destination for high-end work. Eye in the Sky was our most effective project yet. As an expert in VFX how would you define excellence in the field and how would you advise an aspiring special effects artist? I have always approached VFX as a filmmaker first. With its overuse in the market, VFX can easily become a crutch which ultimately distracts from the story you are trying to tell. For this reason I have tried to focus on creative solutions other than CGI, often pushing VFX shots off the VFX roster back into the Special Effects department to be done in camera. Often these result in interesting combinations of VFX and SFX that otherwise may not have come about if I had simply followed the expected CGI route, which has become routine. If you want to be a successful VFX supervisor or artist you need to think like a filmmaker. Get away from computers as the only place to work. Shoot your own stuff, study screenplay and film directing enough to get the language of film down. Reading scripts and telling stories is the first part of the job - the tech must follow that. What would you regard as the highlight of your career thus far? The highlight of my VFX career would probably be Chronicle. We had limited resources and I had a chance to do things the way I wanted to and in a way that suited the budget and positioning of the film. The project required a great deal of innovation, directing VFX units designing rigs and VFX editing the sequences. On top of that the film did really well and got the recognition it deserved for being a small budget hit.
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AYESHA KHATIEB: WARDROBE SPECIALIST Ayesha Khatieb specialises in Wardrobe. She is currently supervising on a kids show for the BBC called Jamillah & Aladdin with Out Of Africa, followed by a local crime series for kykNET with Moebius Pictures. Well-known for your work on Felix, do you consider it the highlight of your career thus far and why? I’ve been lucky enough to have many highlights in my career and yes, Felix is up there. I enjoyed the project immensely mainly due to the lovely team that Kate Schalk put together. A rare talent that she shares with Shirley Crawford who put together the people from my current highlight: Die Boekklub for kykNET. It was my first Afrikaans job and undoubtedly the most magical bunch of people and experiences I’ve ever had on a job, as well as the script crafted with flawless writing, which was beautiful, seamless and instantly engaging. After I’d read that first one, I couldn’t wait to read the rest to find out what happened. What have been the biggest challenges and rewards in the industry and why would you recommend our wardrobe specialists internationally? When it comes to rewards, it’s definitely all about the amazing people I’ve worked with. Over time I’ve been a part of and headed some incredible teams which would include some incredible costumiers such as Mia Hoffman-Scott, Jodi Bowers, Pippa Heimann, Kristy Little to mention a tiny few. Our crews can be recommended not only because of their innate professionalism and great work ethic; we are also tireless and work hard. We are also problem solvers and fixers. We know almost no limits. My biggest challenges have been working with rude, self-important people.
Douglas Hardy recently worked on Of Kings and Prophets © Disney/ ABC Television Networks 2015, Unit Stills Photography by Trevor Adeline | African Photo Productions
JOHNNY BREEDT: PRODUCTION DESIGNER Johnny Breedt is an awardwinning Production Designer. He has just completed Of Kings And Prophets for ABC and then had a six-week vacation in the United States. He is working on a script for another Afrikaans film that he will direct later in this year or early next year. He said that over the course of his career he had worked on about 95% international work and the rest local. You have recently donned the writer, director and producer hats as well with Die Ontwaking. What has been the most fulfilling aspect of this undertaking and how have audiences received it? The experience as a whole was great for me. I learned a lot about myself as a filmmaker and also other aspects of filmmaking that I don’t often get involved in like music, post-production
effects and editing. That was something quite new to me and I really enjoyed that aspect of the process. The film was received well by audiences, but it only went to 25 cinemas in South Africa. The biggest complaint was that it did not go to many areas and I guess those audiences will have to purchase it online or buy the DVD. The problem is that audiences in South Africa, especially in Afrikaans are still not supporting other genres enough, to warrant them going to more cinemas. We do, however, feel that this has created awareness with both filmmakers and audiences alike, hopefully it produces more genre films in the future. In light of your success on projects like Hotel Rwanda, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Of Kings and Prophets: what would you describe as the most special highlights of your career?
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In your experience, what are the best reasons for foreign production crews to team up with local special effects counterparts? The local SFX crews have local knowledge, gear and skills; most of our gear is heavy and cumbersome to ship, so you really save by sourcing and hiring gear locally. We also have the necessary permits and magazines for explosives if required, and the facilities and resources to build custom rigs and most importantly we are world class, award winning, and willing to go the extra mile.
ROBERT BENTLEY: LOCATION MANAGER
Die Ontwaking, working with legends like Anthony Minghella on No.1 Ladies Detective Agency and Katinka Heyns on Paljas. Long Walk to Freedom was also special to me as I was involved with that project for 15 years. What is your advice to aspirant set and production designers? Work hard and never give up! Youngsters want to start at the top and they need to actually start at the bottom. They also tend to give up too easily. This business is sometimes cruel and one has to persevere to make it successfully. People need to be like a sponge and absorb as much knowledge about their craft, from experienced film makers.
DOUGLAS HARDY: SPECIAL EFFECTS EXPERT Douglas Hardy is a Special Effects expert, and is currently working on a TV commercial for a German money transfer company, facilitated through
a local production company and says 90% of the projects he works on is international. You recently worked on Of Kings and Prophets, would you comment on your experience on the production? Of Kings and Prophets was one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve worked on. It was long and challenging, but at the same time really rewarding. We were given the resources to produce really great effects; the size and scope of the project was huge, the crew and production were superb, it was really rewarding to be a part of. What would you regard as the highlight of your career thus far? The highlight of my career was winning an Emmy for Black Sails Season One in 2013, closely followed by a Screen Actors Guild Award Nomination as part of the Stunt Team, for Homeland Season 4 in 2014.
Robert Bentley is a location manager extraordinaire. He is currently scouting a few possible films, but it is in the really early stages. He has just finished a project for Netflix called Black Mirror that was directed by Joe Wright. It is set in the near future and takes a satirical look at technology in the future. He does mostly International work. I have noticed that you are credited as location manager recently for work on Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice. Would you kindly tell us more about that? I was fortunate enough to be the Location Manager on the South African leg of the project. We shot in Johannesburg for a few days and did some of the media scenes used in the film. What would you consider the highlights of your career and why? Avengers was great! It was a lot of fun, at one stage we had 20 city blocks of Johannesburg CBD locked down with the help of the JMPD! Homeland was also a great experience. On both these jobs I worked with great teams of very dedicated and professional locations people.
Please comment on your experience as a South African location manager and why we remain a top film location destination? As our industry matures it is becoming harder to film in South Africa, as we used to do it. There is a lot more bureaucracy and red tape. The Film Offices are also trying very hard to assist us. Why are we a top location destination? The people - the dedicated locations professionals who work in the industry in South Africa - these are the people that pull it off!
MARTHA SIBANYONI: ART DIRECTOR / WARDROBE Martha Sibanyoni mostly works as in Art Direction and is a South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA) winner. After studying film for three years at AFDA, she graduated with a BA in Production Design. The latter encompasses art direction, wardrobe, hair and make-up design. These four form the look and style of a film. She usually does wardrobe on some projects and is mainly hired for art direction. What have been the biggest challenges and rewards in the industry and why would you recommend our wardrobe specialists internationally? My biggest challenge was when I was still fresh in the industry and had to learn to marry wardrobe and makeup as one department, because people I worked with were so much older and more experienced. Another challenge is working without a huge budget, that’s when somehow you begin to think even more creatively in order to achieve a look that is briefed to you. An example: IGAZI airing on Mzansi was a relatively lowbudget series, but the brief was around a royal family.
THE EDEN DISTRICT This vibrant district offers a plethora of excellent filming locations, coupled with on-the-ground support services.
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overing an area of 23 331 square kilometres, the Eden District comprises seven local municipalities, namely Mossel Bay, George, Kannaland, Hessequa, Oudtshoorn, Bitou and Knysna.
A GROWING FILM HUB
The Eden District has a burgeoning film, TV and commercial industry, with local and international producers and filmmakers recognising the region for its outstanding aptitude as a filming hub. Patrick Walton, producer of The Bachelor Finland said, “The best thing about shooting in the Eden District is the proximity of locations. We’re coming
back for season two. It’s the best place to be for film. I have never received the kind of support I have received here.” Knysna & Partners chief executive Greg Vogt said, “Having The Bachelor shot in our region again will certainly heighten the publicity we have already from the first production - from actor endorsements of the destination on their social media platforms to media coverage of the event in their local publications and electronic platforms. By identifying human resources, services and nature, we can encourage the film industry to choose the [Eden District] as a chosen destination for making movies”, said Vogt.
ATTRACTIONS
The town of George is recognised as the District’s business hub, while the neighbouring towns are worldfamous destinations for tourists from around the world. Must-see attractions in the area include the majestic Knysna Heads, a
rocky outcrop at the entrance to the bay; the Cango Caves, an ancient and beautiful cave system that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors per year; the Cape St Blaize trail, where remnants of some of the earth’s earliest human settlements remain; as well as
BY IDENTIFYING HUMAN RESOURCES, SERVICES AND NATURE, WE CAN ENCOURAGE THE FILM INDUSTRY TO CHOOSE THE [EDEN DISTRICT] AS A CHOSEN DESTINATION FOR MAKING MOVIES.
golf courses that consistently rank among the most superb in the world. As a result, Eden is one of South Africa’s most visited and renowned parts of the country. For a filmmaker, the options are endless. From dry desert-scapes, to lush vegetation, to skyscraping forests and classic beach scenes, the Eden District offers a variety of natural backdrops all within a few hours of each other. Cast and crew can be accommodated in style at a multitude of hotel options, ranging from 5-star to budget, and can leave off
the pressures of the film set with excursions such as winetasting, horse riding, mountain biking and paragliding.
FILM FESTIVALS
The Plett Food Film Festival is the first event of its kind in South Africa – now in its third year, the festival celebrates cinema, food and wine culture. The festival will take place from the 11th to the 13th of July 2016, in the town of Plettenberg Bay. The Eden Independent Film Festival (EIFF) was developed in conjunction with the Eden
District and its municipalities, with support from the local film industry. The festival included workshops and screenings, and featured discussions around the development of local and international TV programmes and animation.
GETTING TO THE EDEN DISTRICT
Cape Town International Airport is the closest international airport, and is serviced by all major airlines, such as South African Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, KLM, etc. George
Airport is serviced by smaller, inter-country airlines such as SA Airlink and Kulula. Major car rental services operate in most towns in the Eden District.
CONTACT DETAILS
Garden Route & Klein Karoo Tourism Jeanetta Marais Phone: +27 44 803 1427 Email: tourism@edendm.co.za EDM Head Office Phone: +27 44 803 1300 Email: rekords@edendm.co.za Eden Traffic and Parking Phone: +27 44 878 2400
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The SA Indies stand at a recent market © ATFT
ATFT: HELP OR HINDRANCE? We dig into the achievements and industry movements of the Association for Transformation in Film and Television since its inception in 2013. This is part two in a two-part series.
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he Association for Transformation in Film and Television, better known in the industry as the ATFT, has been operational for the last two years, led by Mayenzeke Baza, Sifiso Khanyile, Tshego Molete and Pascal Schmitz. In early 2016, the association announced Schmitz leaving the body to work on other projects. The ATFT went on to announce their new Export Accelerator
Programme based on current governments export initiatives. This will help develop, prepare and fast-track production companies into the international arena. Their market readiness workshops – how to crack Cannes, for instance – have been extremely helpful for emerging black filmmakers. These are held in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban prior to a market with an ATFT presence. This, and
the markets themselves, have helped foster an atmosphere of collaboration and support. “They were told what to do at the market, and then they could hold conversations with experienced Cannes visitors,” say Schmitz, “Now you’ve got black filmmakers helping each other. We’ve created about 30 Whatsapp groups – one for every delegation – that still continue to help each other out on productions.”
Their presence at international events has helped to further promote South Africa as a filming destination. According to Baza, their main goal was to expose locals to the global film industry, but they got more than they bargained for. “When we first went to the American Film Market, all the independent producers there knew were Nollywood films. When we went there they were shocked. They
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didn’t understand that we make high quality work. Out of that, more people are coming out to do co-productions. Of course, not all of the producers were ready for co-productions; some were beginners, so late last year we decided to start the Export Accelerator Programme.”
HOW IT WORKS
Nelly Molokoane, Director of Film and TV Incentives at the Department of Trade and Industry says one of the processes of applying for funding for markets is through their Film unit, although the
ATFT has been supported by the EMIA programme to attend various festivals. According to Bongani Lukhele, also of the dti, the ATFT was assisted through the Sector Specific Assistance Scheme (SSAS) for Emerging Exporters. “The purpose of assistance under SSAS Funding for Emerging Exporters is to compensate the costs in respect of the activities aimed for the development of South African emerging exporters,” he says. The dti invested in the SA Indies brand and the ATFT in the areas of exhibition space rentals, stand design and construction, telephone installations, internet connection installation, furniture and equipment, electrical costs and security fees among other things. “The dti expected ATFT to assist emerging exporters to become export ready by participating in a structured export training programme which is in line with National Export Strategy,” Lukhele says, adding that the dti mandate has been fulfilled. “Some of the film producers are now export ready and able to participate under other EMIA incentive offerings such as Individual Exhibition Participation and Primary Market Research.” He goes on to say that so far, no formal complaints have been logged and all feedback has been positive.
THE FUTURE OF THE ATFT
The first round of the new Export Accelerator Programme is already underway and will address challenges such as
THE AIM IS TO CREATE A POOL OF BLACK INDUSTRIALISTS IN THE FILM AND TELEVISION SECTOR WHO CAN INDEPENDENTLY FINANCE THEIR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION AND CREATE JOBS IN THE PROCESS.
getting local production companies market ready, developing viable business plans, develop content that can potentially be sold at markets, ultimately resulting in sales. The aim is to create a pool of black industrialists in the film and television sector who can independently finance their content development and production and create jobs in the process. Whether the ATFT will succeed in bringing about real transformation in the future remains to be seen. But until the dti stops funding missions like these, they will continue to provide emerging filmmakers with opportunities to forge relationships with internationals. Irfaan Fredericks of Kalahari Film & Media has a very straightforward outlook on the ATFT and where it’s headed.
ATFT ACHIEVEMENTS • 122 filmmakers have visited film and television festivals and markets with an ATFT Delegation since 2013. • ATFT has visited 20 international festivals and markets to date, some on multiple occasions. These are: Rotterdam Film Festival, European Film Market (Berlinale), Rio Content Market, MipTV, Tribeca Film Festival, Marche du Film (Cannes Film Festival), Sheffield Doc/Fest, Sunnyside of the Doc, Toronto International Film Festival, MIPCOM, American Film Market, World Congress of Science and Factual Producers, Dubai Film Market. • ATFT has run over 60 market-ready workshops since its inception.
“It’s all about going back to markets, knowing who we are, what we have and what we can offer and irrespective of how big a company is and what we do, we are still entitled to the dti funding. We still pay our taxes. And it doesn’t mean that the more successful your company becomes you shouldn’t make use of this. It’s the one scheme I think really works, and through the ATFT we’ve managed to access that. There’s a lot in terms of export accelerating that we can do, getting us into a space where we realise before we’re filmmakers, we are business people.” To read part 1 of ATFT: Help or Hindrance? visit www. issuu.com/thefilmmakersguide and click on Issue 4. For more information on the ATFT, visit www.atft.co.za.
• ATFT delegations have seen the greatest success or responses from Cannes, TIFF, MipTV and MIPCOM. • Flights, accommodation, production information in an official booklet, and accreditation are part of each delegate’s ‘package’ when they travel to markets with the ATFT. • With the aid of the Department of Trade and Industry under the SA Indies umbrella brand, the ATFT has brought over $50 million worth of production work, investment and sales revenue to SA through the missions. • Of this $50 million, between $20-30 million are two large service jobs that Kalahari will be working on, while the rest make up smaller service jobs and content acquisitions.
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INCENTIVES FOR THE FILM, TV AND COMMERCIALS INDUSTRIES IN
SOUTH AFRICA
Imogen Campbell spoke to Nelly Molokoane, Director: Film and TV Incentives, Incentives Development and Administration Division at the DTI.
WHICH PRODUCTIONS DID THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY PROVIDE FUNDING TO IN THE PAST YEAR?
For the financial year 2015/16, the Department of Trade and Industry has supported/ approved 115 film productions. These include Foreign, SA and Co-productions and South African Emerging Black Filmmakers.
WHAT WAS YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) IN THE FILM INDUSTRY AND VARIOUS OTHER SOUTH AFRICAN INDUSTRIES?
The Department looks at the spend in SA. From the above supported projects, the projected spend will be R 3.9-billion. This figure will be confirmed by the department after all the reports have been verified by auditors and signed off by the Minister. The spend has a spin-off in various industries such as tourism, equipment rentals, etc.
SOUTH AFRICA’S FILM SECTOR INCENTIVES
The South African Government offers a package of incentives to promote its film production and post-production industry. The incentives consist of the Foreign Film and Television Production and Post-Production incentive to attract foreign-based film
productions to shoot on location in South Africa and conduct post-production activities, and the South African Film and Television Production and Co-Production incentive, which aims to assist local film producers in the production of local content. The South African Emerging Black Filmmakers incentive, a sub-programme of the South African Film and Television Production and Coproduction Incentive, which aims to assist local emerging black filmmakers to nurture and grow them to take up big productions and thus contribute towards employment creation.
INVESTMENT •
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Between January 2003 and June 2015 a total of 2 361 FDI projects were recorded into the global film sector, representing a total capital investment of R579-billion. South Africa received investments worth R2.3billion into its film sector from 2003 to June 2015. The top province attracting FDI projects was Gauteng, attracting seven projects in the audio and video equipment sub-sector, followed by the Western Cape. South African companies initiated seven investment projects into the global film sector worth R198-million from 2003 to June 2015.
INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS BELIEVE THAT THE SOUTH AFRICAN FILM INDUSTRY IS SET TO GROW BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT’S FOCUS ON THE SECTOR, INCREASES IN FUNDING AND INCENTIVES, AS WELL AS INCREASING INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE.
South Africa’s revenue from motion picture, video and TV production is expected to grow by 3.3% from USD977million in 2012 to USD1.2billion in 2018. According to estimates from the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF, 2013), the film industry contributed approximately R3.5-billion to the total Gross Domestic Product (direct and indirect) of South Africa in 2012, growing at an annual average growth rate of 14%. Industry stakeholders believe that the South African film industry is set to grow because of government’s focus on the sector, increases in funding and incentives, as well as increasing international exposure. The 2013 PricewaterhouseCoopers Entertainment and Media Outlook report projected that the film sector will grow a further 4.1% in
2016, while the television production sector is expected to grow by 10.3% over the same period driven by DTi rebates that have been extended until 2017 (WhoOwnsWhom, 2015). According to NVFV (2015), the DTI film incentive resulted in R1.952-billion in Qualifying South Africa Production Expenditure (QSAPE) and this is estimated to have created 35 786 FTE jobs during the financial year ending March 2014. With an economic multiplier of 2.89, QSAPE resulting from the implementation of the DTI Film Incentive resulted in Z AR5.64bn in economic activity during the financial year. The United States was the largest global export market for Western Cape film and television products in 2014, valued at R187-million in 2014.
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DURBAN
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
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outh Africa’s longestrunning film festival, the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) will return for its 37th anniversary to celebrate the beauty and diversity of global cinema. DIFF runs across 10 days from the 16 to the 26 June, presenting more than 200 films from around the world, with a strong focus on South African and African cinema. Screenings take place throughout Durban, including township areas where cinemas are non-existent. The festival also runs extensive seminar and workshop programmes to stimulate industry development. This includes the participation of numerous filmmakers from Africa in Talents Durban, in cooperation with the Berlinale Festival, and the Durban FilmMart, a film financing initiative in partnership with the Durban Film Office. DIFF is organised by the Centre for Creative Arts (CCA), and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). For more information please visit www.durbanfilmfest.co.za
DIFF RUNS ACROSS 10 DAYS FROM THE 16 TO THE 26 JUNE, PRESENTING MORE THAN 200 FILMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
38 / SPOTLIGHT
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CO-PRODUCTION TREATIES AND FDI IN
SOUTH AFRICA C
o-productions are based on the collaboration between two or more producers from different countries for the creation of film and television programmes. Any official co-production is regarded as a national production of each co-producing country, making it eligible for any benefits or programs of assistance available in either country. South Africa has signed co-production treaties with nine countries: Canada, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Netherlands (NFVF, 2016). The Western Cape remains the most preferred location for film shooting in terms of coproduction projects from 2010 to 2014, followed by Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. This indicates the att racti veness of the Western Cape as a prime location for international film producers among South African provinces. When examining the overall production of films among South African provinces, Gauteng and the Western Cape still dominate as the provinces of preference for the film industry, followed by KwaZulu-Natal. Gauteng and the Western Cape together account for over 50% of all film projects in South Africa. Movies filmed in Cape Town include: • The Last Face (2016) • Eye in the Sky (2015) • Endless River (2015) • Resident Evil (2015) In addition, a number of TV series including Homeland S4 (2014), Dominion (20142015), Of Kings and Prophets (2016), Black Sails (2016)
Of Kings And Prophets © Disney / ABC Television Networks 2015, Unit Stills Photography by Trevor Adeline | African Photo Productions
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT Global FDI Between January 2003 and June 2015 a total of 2 361 FDI projects were recorded into the global film sector. These projects represent a total capital investment of R579.57-billion which is an average investment of R246-million per project. During the period, a total of 317 790 jobs were created. FDI acti vity by projects and capex peaked in 2013 with 241 investment projects and capex valued at R71-billion. The top source markets for FDI in the film sector in this period were the United States accounting for 32%, Japan (15%) and the United Kingdom (9%). The United States and Japan were also the top source markets in terms of the value of FDI projects.
The top destination markets for FDI in the film sector in this period were the United States (485 projects), China (209 projects) and the United Kingdom (170 projects). Other top markets were Germany (119 projects), India (96 projects) and UAE (85 projects). South African and Western Cape FDI South Africa received investments worth R2.3billion into its film sector from 2003 to June 2015. The top province att racting FDI projects was Gauteng, att racting seven projects in the audio and video equipment sub-sector, followed by the Western Cape, att racting three projects in this period, both located in Cape Town. South African companies
initiated seven investment projects into the global film sector worth R198-million from 2003 to June 2015. CNBC made the largest investment from South Africa worth R165-million. The African continent was the largest destination region for South Africa’s investments into the film sector.
THE WESTERN CAPE REMAINS THE MOST PREFERRED LOCATION FOR FILM SHOOTING IN TERMS OF COPRODUCTION PROJECTS FROM 2010 TO 2014.
40 / EVENTS TO DIARISE
MAY MARYLAND FILM FESTIVAL 4-8 Baltimore, USA DOCEDGE 4 - 15 Wellington, New Zealand DOK.FEST - MUNICH INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL 5 - 15 Munich, Germany REEL SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL 10 - 16 Alberta, USA CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 11 - 22 Cannes, France EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL SCREENINGS 6 - 15 Cape Town, South Africa DOCEDGE 18 - 29 Auckland, New Zealand GI FILM FESTIVAL 21 - 29 Washington, USA
VIENNA INDEPENDENT SHORTS 13TH FESTIVAL FOR SHORT FILM, ANIMATION & MUSIC VIDEO 25 - 31 Vienna, Austria TRANSYLVANIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 27 - 5 June Transylvania, Romania DISCOP AFRICA ABIDJAN 31 - 2 June Abidjan, Ivory Coast 32nd HAMBURG INTERNAITONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 31 - 6 June Hamburg, Germany
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EVENTS TO DIARISE / 41
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JUNE LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL 1-9 Los Angeles, USA
SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL 8 - 19 Sydney, Australia TAORMINA FILM FEST 10 - 18 Messina, Italy THE BANFF WORLD MEDIA FESTIVAL 12 - 15 Banff, Canada ANNECY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AND MARKET 13 - 18 Annecy, France THE PROVINCETOWN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 15 - 19 Princetown, USA
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 15 - 26 Edinburgh, Scotland DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (DIFF) 16 - 26 Durban, South Africa DURBAN FILM MART 17 - 20 Durban, South Africa CANNES LIONS 18 - 25 Cannes, France NANTUCKET FILM FESTIVAL 22 - 27 Nantucket, USA GRAHAMSTOWN NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL 30 - 10 July Grahamstown, South Africa
Marvel’s Avengers Age of Ultron © Marvel 2015, Photo by Jay Maidme
ENCOUNTERS SOUTH AFRICAN INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL 2 - 12 Cape Town, South Africa
42 / ASSOCIATIONS
NFVF: ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW FUNDING CYCLES AND ONLINE APPLICATION PORTAL The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), who provide film and video-related funding, have previously used four annual cycles for funding. They announced that effective 1 April 2016 the number of cycles for funding has been reduced to three, in broad categories as follows: • • • • •
Education and Training Development Production Marketing Distribution
The change was implemented to allow for more time for evaluations as well as to enable a face to face pitch environment for shortlisted applicants. Individuals, companies and organisations are invited to submit applications to the NFVF in any of the categories but must be cognisant that there are specific conditions applicable to each funding category and advised to be mindful of these before submitting an application. The NFVF has further introduced an online application portal for the industry. All applications can be submitted on the following link: nfvf.praxisgms.co.za/ xaLogin/NFVF/reglogin. aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fdefault. aspx Applicants need to register online. For enquiries or any issues related to the online portal, emails should be sent to feedback@nfvf.co.za.
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SOUTH AFRICAN SCREEN FEDERATION: INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTWRITING WORKSHOP IN SOWETO The Writer’s Guild of South Africa, in collaboration with the Gauteng Film Commission, and the City of Johannesburg Library and Information Services hosted a series of free workshops in Soweto at the Pimville Library in April 2016. The remaining workshop is scheduled for 7 May from 09am to 5pm. Its theme is Story Elements Part II and is touted as an introduction to Character, Backstory, Dialogue and Exposition. The top 20 achievers from this round of workshops will also be in line to receive sponsorship to attend the Peter Russell workshop “Secret Patterns of Writing for Different Genres” scheduled for 14 – 15 May 2016 and valued at more than R3 000 per person.
NEW WGSA CHAIR Sihle Hlophe is the new chair for The Writer’s Guild of South Africa (WGSA). She holds a MA in Communication Studies, a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing and a BA in the Dramatic Arts and has been in the local TV and film industry for eight years. She has worked as a scriptwriter on TV shows like Scandal on eTV, Dreamworld on SABC 1, Mutual Friends on SABC 1 and Vuka Mawulele on Mzansi Magic. Previous experience includes being a Writing and Directing Lecturer at AFDA. Her work has been screened on SABC, DSTV, eTV and YLE in Finland. One of her major achievements includes being one of the winners of the NFVF Short Film Scriptwriting Competition in 2012. To boot, she wrote and directed As I Am, a SiSwati film of cinematic quality, which has been screened in the USA, Switzerland and Tanzania. Her illustrious background and relevant experience especially equips her for the position as chair.
Says Hlophe, “I am excited about the possibilities that this new appointment presents. I am ready and willing to take on this challenge and I look forward to engaging with both emerging and established writers from all over the country. With the support of the new council, I am certain that we can work towards achieving one common goal - to protect, empower and develop performance writers in the local film, television, radio, stage, animation and new media industries. Most importantly, I look forward to working with writers from provinces that are usually underrepresented on our screens and stages”
ASSOCIATIONS / 43
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The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) announced the appointments of four councillors who began their four-year terms on 3 April 2016. The appointees are Ms Botlenyana Mokhele, Mr Paris Mashile, Mr Peter Zimri and Mr Keabetswe Modimeng; thus the number of councillors is currently seven in total. They were appointed after a rigorous process conducted by the Portfolio Committee on Communications that started in February 2014. The Councillors were sworn in by Judge De Villiers on 7 April 2016 at ICASA offices in Sandton.
SASFED: WORKSHOP TITLED ABSOLUTE FILM PRODUCING INTERMEDIATE LEVEL The workshop titled Absolute Film Producing Intermediate Level will be done by Sukuma Media who recently produced Safe Bet. The workshop is intended for aspiring film producers in South Africa. The training will provide the tools required to tell their stories whilst earning a living. They will be exposed to real case studies and relevant and latest information on various funding schemes clarifying preconceived notions about producing. The workshops are scheduled to be held on 21 - 22 May 2016. Costs: The workshop costs R1 995 per delegate. For group discounts please contact Sukuma Media via the online contact form or send an email to info@sukumamedia.co.za.
© Kazuend
ICASA: ANNOUNCES NEW COUNCILLORS
44 / DIRECTORY
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DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS COMPANY
TELEPHONE
WEBSITE
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Avis
+27 21 927 3456
avisfilm@avisbudget.co.za
www.avis.co.za
17
Cannes Lions
+44 203 033 4012
marianb@canneslions.com
www.canneslions.com
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CTICC
+27 21 410 5000
sales@cticc.co.za
www.cticc.co.za
OFC, 27
DIFF
+27 31 260 1145
diff@ukzn.ac.za
www.durbanfilmfest.co.za
OFC, 37
Digital Therapy
+27 74 317 0894
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07
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+27 31 569 5988
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Folio Translation
+27 21 426 2727
pziets@folio-online.co.za
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+27 31 325 0200
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OFC, IBC
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+27 21 511 3300
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+27 21 469 2820
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www.sspp.co.za
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+27 82 884 6210
info@studionoir.co.za
www.studionoir.co.za
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Tempest Car Hire
+27 11 663 4000
film@tempestcarhire.co.za
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IFC
Visual Impact
+27 21 468 6000
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