OF THE D SUNNY SIDE NS CANNES LIO
OC ISSUE 06 | 2015
+ DURBAN FILMMART 2015 SA's Most Anticipated Film Market + SHOOT YOUR COMMERCIAL IN AFRICA The Most Persuasive Argument Yet + LICENSING MUSIC FOR FILMS Donovan Copley Gives His Expert Opinion
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CONTENTS | 01
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
02. How to License Music to International Films
04. DISCOP Africa Expo Floor Sold Out
05. Just Nuisance comes to Life with HopLite Entertainment
06. Sony Goes Beyond Definition at NAB 2015
07.
Visual Impact: The Age of Drones has Arrived
09. A Chat with the NFVF’s Peter Kwele at Cannes Film
10. In Production 12. Durban FilmMart: Africa’s Biggest Content Market
16. Shooting Ads in Africa:
DONOVAN COPLEY ON LICENSING MUSIC TO FILMS
JUST NUISANCE COMES TO LIFE!
The Hot Water frontman gives the inside scoop on the process, based on his Wamkelekile experience.
The world’s most famous enlisted navy dog is getting his very own movie, produced by HopLite Entertainment.
A Comprehensive Guide from Commercial Directors and Tabletop Creatives to Short Form Animation, Post-Production and Locations
36. TableTop Gurus: Simon Barnes and David Rowley of Grinder Films
38. Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity 2015
40. Virunga: Documentary Review 41. Sheffield Doc/Fest 2015: SA Indies in the Spotlight
42. East Africa: Bustling Creativity and Charming Vistas
IN PRODUCTION: JUNE See which films and series are currently shooting on our shores.
44. Events SHOOTING COMMERCIALS IN 45. Opportunities AFRICA 46. Associations Turn to page 16 for our yearly 20-page supplement on why you should bring your 48. Directory ad to Africa.
02 | SPOTLIGHT
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
Courtesy Esteban Martinena Guerrero
Donovan Copley of Hot Water
SA MUSIC
Making Waves in A-List Movies by Donovan Copley of Hot Water
I
love the music business. Not just the music, but the business, too – and neither one at the expense of the other. To me the ‘music’ and the ‘business’ are joined in marriage; one I’ve worked hard to make successful and happy. Although I’ve had numerous songs licensed for international commercials, I recently embraced the challenge of getting my music – South African folk-rock layered with the sounds of traditional African genres – into major feature films. Synchronicity helped make it happen. In November 2013, I received an email from Warner Brothers in Hollywood asking to use my song ‘Wamkelekile’ in Adam Sandler’s blockbuster family film Blended, starring Sandler and Drew Barrymore. It’s a funny, warm tale of two families – one headed by Sandler, the other by Barrymore – ‘blending’ on holiday in South Africa, so the producers needed vibey local music for the soundtrack. In the final cut, ‘Wamkelekile’ ran its full 3:33 in a raucous dance scene, and played out over the end credits – getting a generous amount of screen time. What got my song noticed? The ten years of work and four albums I’d created under my band/brand Hot Water positioned me to be easily found on iTunes when the film’s producers were searching for a song that would connect an international audience to South Africa. Not that it hadn’t been done before –
notably with Paul Simon’s album Graceland and through other legendary South African musicians such as Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Abdullah Ibrahim and Johnny Clegg. But getting more of South African music into contemporary film is largely wide-open ground, waiting to be explored. My vision for my music – and for the South African music industry – is the same for my hope for South Africa in general: the creation of a space where people are more connected, able to share their strengths and experience so that all feel empowered, effective and productive. In this context, with strong convictions about what South Africa has to offer the world musically and in other ways, I personally negotiated the Blended licensing deal with Warner Brothers. The short story goes like this: Blended’s producer found ‘Wamkelekile’ online and pitched it to Sandler and director Frank Coraci, who apparently fell in love with the track. I then received a ‘Letter of Request’ from the film’s music supervisor (giving details of the film, usage, and a provisional offer). Negotiations began between me and Warner Brothers, and we initially struck a deal for usage of ‘Wamkelekile’ only within the film itself; this was followed by negotiations to use the song over the end credits and on a separate soundtrack CD, each with an additional fee. The complete deal took a nail-biting five months
to finalise; the Blended team were in postproduction at the time. I sent the final offer to my awesome entertainment lawyer in Joburg, Marc Friedman, and by June 2014, it was a done deal. Many factors affect your ability to negotiate a deal you’ll be happy with. Here are some of the key elements impacting on a licensing contract: 1. Territory (where the film will be distributed; obviously, worldwide gets you the highest fee) 2. Duration (how long the song can be played as it appears in the film – in perpetuity, i.e. forever, being the highest paid) 3. Usage (in what media does the song appear, i.e film, DVD, CD and so forth) 4. Exclusivity (usually songs used in films are non-exclusive) 5. Your band’s profile (the bigger the band, the higher the fee) 6. Type of usage (featured usage or background usage) 7. How badly the director/producer wants the song (not usually disclosed upfront) 8. How badly you want them to use the song The payoffs of such a deal include but extend beyond the monetary: front-end licensing fee; back-end royalties; general exposure; increased iTunes sales of track (and other songs/albums); increased profile of song and artist; contacts in the music industry; and of course, experience. My general advice to anyone pursuing a licensing deal would be this: own your own rights if possible; research industry norms, for example, regarding level of the film’s production (i.e. major or independent film etc.) and/or level of band’s experience; ask for help from the more experienced; use an entertainment lawyer to look over the deal; assess combined payoffs of deal, e.g. fees plus increased exposure on YouTube, iTunes and so forth. I was really happy with the Blended deal in the end. Recently I received a warm email from Happy Madison Productions, Sandler’s production company, letting me know that ‘Wamkelekile’ was one of the first songs they cut for the film and how happy they were to feature the song. I decided to send through a gift of one of my new range of proudly South African guitars (Sandler is also a guitarist), the ‘African’, so Adam can get into more of the South African vibe whenever the spirit moves. Feel free to contact me on info@hotwater.co.za
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04 | NEWS
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DISCOP Africa Expo Floor Sold Out
© DISCOP
T
rade event organiser Basic Lead has announced a sold out floor plan for the 10th edition of DISCOP Africa. The event, taking place from 2-4 June at the Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, marks the show’s return to two annual editions, aimed at meeting the increasing demand from Africa’s fast-growing television content industry. Over 40 international film, TV programme and adaptation rights distributors and packaged TV channels have signed up and
are already coordinating meetings with over 150 regional buyers attending the three-day market. “At the eve of Africa’s digital switchover deadline, our return to two annual editions of DISCOP Africa not only mirrors the increasing role of Africa in the global content sales business, but also the rapidly increasing importance of regional trade and partnerships for Africa’s booming television sector,” Patrick Zuchowicki, Basic Lead’s CEO said. The 10th DISCOP Africa has been
organised with the support of Ivory Coast’s Minister of Communications, and will honour South Africa as its guest country. The event will also welcome a delegation of public and private-sector representatives who seek to forge co-production and industrial partnerships with the local television sector. Madame Affoussiata Bamba-Lamine at the Ministry of Communications of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, commented, “As more key international players recognise the importance of Africa and its strong potential in the global content distribution industry, we are delighted to play an integral role in welcoming one of DISCOP Africa’s two annual editions to the heart of Francophone Africa, furthering the growth of this important region.” The Following the Stars of DISCOP Africa keynote series will run concurrently with the trade show and will bring eight of Africa’s most innovative, forward-thinking and influential key players together to look at the future of television. The DISCOPRO Academy will also be part of the agenda, alongside one day dedicated to the relationship between TV and cinema in Francophone Africa. For more information, visit www.discopafrica.com.
SA Film Industry
Continues to Attract International Productions
D
eputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mzwandile Masina, said recently that he was encouraged by the interest shown by international investors in South Africa as a film production destination and location. He met with producers during the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival, where he led a delegation of 20 emerging filmmakers. “In all our meetings with investors we did not only market South Africa as a destination
and location of choice, but also stated the need for them to work with South African script writers and producers to develop a South African story that can be successful commercially and internationally,” Masina said in a statement issued on 17 May. “From 2008-2013 the number of South African film productions have increased from 49 projects to 398 projects, of which 256 were South African productions, 77 co-productions and 65 foreign productions. The productions led
to an expenditure of R8-billion,” he added. Since the launch of the South African Emerging Black Filmmakers Incentive scheme last year, the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) has approved 15 projects with an incentive value of R42.7-million with production expenditure of R93.8-million. The 2015 Cannes Film Festival features eight South African films including Africa’s first zombie movie made in South Africa and several directorial debuts.
SPOTLIGHT | 05
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
US Production Company HopLite Entertainment to Produce
JUST NUISANCE
Executive Producer Alistair McKenzie chats to The Callsheet about bringing the legend back to life. The Callsheet: How did you hear about Just Nuisance, and what prompted you to make a film about him? Alistair McKenzie: Sherri Rowe, the screenwriter, contacted HopLite Entertainment as a potential producing partner. When I heard the story I believed it had universal appeal with a delightful twist. When I heard it was true, I knew we had to be part of the film. The Callsheet: Which phase of production are you? McKenzie: Pre-production. I just returned from two weeks in the Cape Town area where our team solidified shooting locations, interviewed local crew and talked financing with South African partners. The Callsheet: Will you be making use of South African film service companies? McKenzie: HopLite has a strong recent history in South Africa, partnering on multiple projects with South African production companies. We intend to continue this relationship for the mutual benefit of all parties involved. The Callsheet: Will you be making use of the Department of Trade and Industry’s rebate scheme?
McKenzie: The short answer is absolutely. But, that’s not the whole story. Incentives in and of themselves are almost never a reason to shoot in a particular location. Just Nuisance is a uniquely South African story. It can’t be told anywhere else. In fact, the production team has turned down full financing twice because the financiers either did not want to shoot in South Africa, or refused to honour commitments we made to the local community; commitments including the Simon’s Town Museum, Izivungavunga and the Sea Cadets. The integrity of the story and
our personal integrity require that we shoot in the beautiful communities of the Cape, and the incentive rebate will help us do just that. The Callsheet: When would you like to start shooting? McKenzie: Our tentative plan has principal photography beginning late August. The story itself takes place around Christmas, but the dog served his sailors for several years. We are blessed to be tied to no specific time of year for shooting purposes.
06 | NEWS
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
Sony Goes Beyond Definition at NAB 2015
A
t this year’s National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show, which took place from 11-16 April in Las Vegas, Sony showcased the latest developments in its expanding theme of Beyond Definition. These included new tech that address professionals’ needs for diverse, 4K content creation and production. The company also demoed a number of practical solutions illustrating the emerging era of 4K broadcasting. “4K was initially used for movie production and digital cinema projection and, it is now advancing into TV shows, documentary films, sports, live concerts, and more,” said
Vivian Saldanha, Business Head, Content Creation Sales and Market Development, Sony Professional Solutions MEA. “Many countries are successfully conducting trial 4K broadcasts and 4K transmission tests, and 4K in the home is rapidly becoming mainstream.” Sony introduced its latest 4K/HD camera systems and IP-network-based transfer technologies, pointing the way to the practical broadcasting of “killer” 4K content like live sports and events. Their cameras include professional cameras like the F65, F55 and F5, as well as the PXW-FS7, NEX-FS700, PXW-Z100 4K camcorders, and newly added 4K option for PXW-X70. Their 4K line-up also
include 4K-ready production switchers, 4K/HD servers and the new PMW-PZ1 4K memory player and BVM-X300, 4K OLED master monitor. Sony held a press conference at NAB on April 12 to showcase some of their latest offerings, and also signed a sales and marketing agreement at NAB with Burst, which will allow broadcast, sports and production organisations to take advantage of user-generated content. This marks the latest step in Sony’s ongoing efforts to develop new managed service solutions for customers in a range of markets and applications.
SPOTLIGHT | 07
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
NAB 2015:
The Age of Drones Has Arrived
by Marius van Straaten, MD at Visual Impact
T
he drone revolution is upon us and this was very evident at NAB. A large area was dedicated to the Aerial Robotics and Drone Pavilion, and a fully enclosed ‘flying cage’ gave visitors a look at flying drones in action. Innovative company MoVI introduced the Freefly Alta, guided by a state-of-the-art Synapse Flight Controller. The biggest innovation is that it allows cinematographers to mount their cameras on the top, although this comes at a price of approximately US$8,495 (R100,961). A more affordable drone and winner of the Best Drone Award was the 3DR’s Solo Smart Drone. This is the first drone made exclusively for GoPro cameras. It features easy-to-use video game-style controls and is very affordably priced at US$999 (R11,872). In my opinion, this drone will sell thousands and interestingly enough, the last two reality TV shows Visual Impact did, all aerials were filmed with drones using GoPro cameras.
Starting with the big boys, RED introduced its new RED Weapon brain. Starting at a pricey US$49,500 (R588,300) for the 6K carbon fibre version, and for an optional US$10,000 (R118,848) upgrade fee, you can get an 8K Vista Vision (full frame) version of the camera. The new flagship 8K RED Weapon will retail for nearly $70,000 (R831,939) for the brain only – so it’s probably not affordable for the indie filmmaker. NAB stood out for me this year with its offering of production cameras for every day, Cinéma Vérité-style shooting. In other words, cameras that sit easy on the shoulder; are lightweight and record sound easily. We are very much moving in to the age of one camera to rule all possible applications. The Sony FS7, Black Magic Ursa Mini and Canon C300ii stood out for me this year. The side handle on these cameras were remarkably like the Aaton film camera hand grip, but obviously with assignable buttons and more
functions built in. If the 4.6K sensor camera is any good, and with a price tag of about US$5,000 (R59,424), we have a very competitive package at a very good price. It is clear that Black Magic is starting to earn its stripes and is no longer a newbie in the camera market. An interesting feature is that up to 60 frames per second the camera has a global shutter, and beyond that it changes to a rolling shutter. The Sony FS7 is a remarkable tool, although higher priced. Sony will justify the price tag by doing what they do best, superior sensor design. The FS7 has the Sony F55 full frame 35mm sensor built in to a very ergonomical body and if accessorised by Vocas, Shape or Wooden Camera, is a great tool to work with. I really like the fact that it has an e-mount Sony lens system, but you can put other lenses on with a Metabones lens adaptor. The camera has huge potential considering future firmware updates and Sony’s sensor technology behind it.
08 | NEWS
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
Encounters
Documentary Film Festival Announces 2015 Selection
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ncounters Documentary Film Festival, Africa’s top doccie fest, announced its full line-up in midMay this year. The festival will take place from 4-14 June in Cape Town and Johannesburg, with Laura Poitras’ Oscarwinning documentary Citizenfour opening the 17th edition. Poitras won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for her role in helping whistleblower Edward Snowden expose the widespread abuse of America’s National Security Administration. The film is a fly-on-the-wall account of breaking this world-renowned story. Other international festival winners and favourites that are screening at Encounters include Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, which was hailed as the best film at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival by Entertainment Weekly, while Salt of the Earth is an exquisite
visual ode to Brazilian doccie photographer Sebastião Salgado. The Look of Silence is Joshua Oppenheimer’s companion piece to his Oscar-nominated The Act of Killing. Steve Kwena Mokwena’s Jazz Heart will have its world premiere at Encounters and is slated to be a festival favourite, while Oscar and BAFTA nominee Virunga, will also be screened. Other late additions to the line-up include Tribeca winner Democrats, an inside look at politics in Zimbabwe, That Sugar Film, sure to start some vigorous dietary debates, and biopics on SA architect Norman Eaton, Rivonia Trialist Andrew Mlangeni and Ethiopian diva Asnaketch Worku. Local documentaries on the bill include The Dream of Shahrazad, the latest from Emmy winner Francois Verster, which looks at the recent Egyptian and Turkish revolts through the lens of The 1001 Nights. The
Shore Break will have its co-premiere at Encounters and Durban International Film Festival later this year. Directed by SAFTA winner Ryley Grunenwald, it is a story of eco-tourism versus mining, and of the South African government versus the Pondo king and queen. Beats of the Antonov, which won the 2014 TIFF People’s Choice Award, is a testament to the power of music to hold a community together, while Nicky Newman’s Brett Bailey – Caught in the Act is a touching portrait of the South African artist and his theatre group. Encounters will host the world premiere of Wild Dog and Mrs Heart, Riaan Hendriks’ new film about two inspectors from Animal Welfare Helderberg who dare to care despite having to euthanize healthy dogs and cats every day. More information on the documentaries is available on www.encounters.co.za
SPOTLIGHT | 09
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
PETER KWELE
of The NFVF Chats to The Callsheet's Cannes Film Correspondent Phillipa: Peter, what are your key objectives at Cannes Film and how are you working to achieve them. Peter: One of our key objectives being here is to promote South African films, not only in South Africa but also internationally, so we brought a lot of filmmakers here, almost 120 filmmakers who have brought their films to find distribution deals, to find sales deals, so that they can sell their films into different territories. Phillipa: What has the South African presence been during the actual festival? Peter: We started off with a showcase where we packaged different films, followed by two screenings of Ayanda, and then we showcased a screening of Stone Cold Jane Austen, which is a very interesting film by Jon Savage. We’ve brought the South African pavilion to life. So we’ve hosted with our partners, the KwaZulu-
Natal Film Commission, the Durban Film Office, various cocktail and networking sessions. Phillipa: And between all the socials and screenings, have you had a lot of successful actual meetings as well? Peter: Yes, we have. We do encourage the filmmakers to take us when they are pitching, to their pitching sessions, and into their discussions with territories. We are meeting with India, New Zealand and Algeria, and the idea is also to focus on the continent of Africa and form partnerships through treaties. Let’s not forget the BRICS nations; so Brazil, Russia, India and China, as well. Phillipa: So it’s been a successful festival? Peter: Very successful. However, we have been saying to ourselves, as the NFVF, we have to have a methodology to measure success. What
is success? Is success realised at the end of Cannes Film Festival or is it realised in the next two years? So we have to have tools that will enable us to measure success. Because you may come here and meet with a distributor or meet with a financier, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is successful. Phillipa: Doesn’t turn into money? Peter: Yes, it has to turn into money. We want to start measuring the return on investment. One of the things we want to do is have a bigger presence at Cannes. To grow the Pavilion, maybe more suitable to what we want to achieve and also maybe start moving into the Palais itself, where we can push content and have a different stand, so those are some of the ideas we are looking at, and we will review and decide what we do next and differently next year.
10 | IN PRODUCTION
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
IN PRODUCTION June 2015 Thanks to ever-present confidentiality clauses, no one is ever allowed to officially talk about what’s in production in Africa, but here are some of the projects to look forward to:
Apocalypse Slough The story takes place in the last few days of mankind’s existence, as a comet makes its way towards an inevitable meeting with Earth. Rob Lowe, Jenna Fischer, Megan Mullally, Mathew Baynton and Pauline Quirke will star. Be sure to expect madcap comedy, explosions and the requisite amount of romance in this apocalyptic comedy.
Detour Written and directed by Christopher Smith, indie thriller Detour will begin shooting in South Africa in the coming months. Tye
Sheridan, currently the darling of the indie scene and a rising star in young Hollywood, will star as Harper, a student who plots the murder of a deceitful relative. Sheridan has previously worked alongside Matthew McConaughey and Nicholas Cage.
Grand Theft Auto The film will be based on the creation of the smash-hit game, and has begun filming in South Africa. It stars Harry Potter alum Daniel Radcliffe as Sam Houser, a British developer who co-founded Rockstar Games, and Bill Paxton as Jack Thompson, an activist
who is hell-bent on banning the game due to its perceived ‘murderous’ influences.
Journey is the Destination According to Screen Daily, Ben Schnetzer is to play a tragic Reuters photojournalist who was stoned to death in Mogadishu in 1993. Schnetzer will play Dan Eldon in Journey Is The Destination, a $6-million feature produced by Don Ranvaud. The cast will also include Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice) and Ella Purnell (Maleficent). By Geoffrey Macnab. The film is now due to shoot in July in South Africa.
IN PRODUCTION | 11
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
Just Nuisance It’s taken decades, but the story of the Navy’s first and only enlisted dog is coming to our screens. Currently in pre-production, the tale of Just Nuisance is sure to soften even the hardest of hearts. The wily hound had a knack for riding the Cape Town railways on his own, and became a vital member of Royal Navy during the Second World War. Dumb Dog Productions and HopLite Productions are the teams behind the film.
Last Broken Darkness Local actors Sean Cameron Michael (Black Sails) and Brandon Auret (Elysium) are attached to star in this post-apocalyptic action drama, directed by Christopher Lee Dos Santos and produced by DS Films and The Karoo Film Company. A meteor shower has left the face of the Earth scarred and uninhabitable, and two friends are further tested by a new and terrifying threat.
Mat Joubert According to Out of Africa’s website, this
adaptation of Deon Meyer’s crime novel Dead Before Dying went into production in December as a co-production with Germany company All-In Production. It follows the story of a world-weary police detective who tries to piece his life together after the death of this wife. A serial killer might be the one to force Mat to face the world again.
where Nair set up the Maisha Film Lab.
Mandela’s Gun
The Siege of Jadotville
Produced and directed by John Irvin (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Mandela’s Gun is a biopic that will chronicle the great statesman’s time as a guerilla fighter. It stars Tumesho Masha and Nick Boraine and is currently in the postproduction phase.
Queen of Katwe Shadow & Act reports that Mira Nair is lined up to direct an adaptation of Tim Crothers book, Queen of Katwe, about a Ugandan chess prodigy. Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave) is set to star, with Disney producing. It’s expected to film in Uganda,
Shepherds and Butchers English actor Steve Coogan will star in this Apartheid-era court-room drama, set to start shooting in June. Coogan will play a lawyer who takes on a seemingly unwinnable homicide case. The film is based on the book by Chris Marnewick.
According to Deadline, 50 Shades of Grey and The Fall star Jamie Dornan will be in South Africa in 2015 to film The Siege of Jadotville, the feature film debut of commercials and music video director Richie Smyth.
The Whale Caller This hotly-anticipated adaption by Zola Maseko of the Zakes Mda classic “tells the story of a love triangle between the titular Whale Caller, his beloved whale Sharisha, and Saluni, the village drunk who teaches him to open his heart to people again”, according to the film’s Indiegogo page.
12 | SPOTLIGHT
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
DURBAN FILMMART SA's Leading Filmmaking Event Announces Official Selection
D
urban FilmMart (DFM), Africa’s premier film finance and coproduction forum has opened its doors for delegate registration. Now in its 6th edition, DFM will take place from 17 to 20 July in conjunction with the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) at the Tsogo Sun Elangeni. The event is a joint project of Durban Film Office, the City’s industry development unit, and DIFF as an endeavour to raise the visibility of African cinema, stimulate production on the continent, and facilitate project collaboration between African filmmakers. “The overall objective of the FilmMart is to support, facilitate and develop the growth of African film content and create viable opportunities for business within the sector to flourish,” says Durban Film Office’s Toni Monty. “The Mart promises delegates access to influential experts, broadcasters and financiers in the film industry and creates a space for industry professionals to forge strategic relationships.” The festival also recently announced its project selection at the South African Pavilion at the Cannes International Film Festival. Selected from 120 submissions, DFM welcomes a diverse range of projects from countries like Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and of course, South Africa. “Over the last five years we have seen many projects go on to be awarded further opportunities to
develop at various other markets, and eventually be screened in cinemas and festivals around the globe,” Monty explains. These are the selected projects for the 2015 edition: • After Marikana – The End of Democracy (Documentary, South Africa), Producer Anita Khanna, Director Rehad Desai • Amal (Documentary, Egypt) Producer Sara Bökemeyer, Director Mohamed Siam • Life and Times of John C (Documentary, South Africa) Producer Neil Brandt, Director Francois Verster • Truck Mama (Documentary, Kenya) Producer Zipporah Nyaruri, Director Zipporah Nyaruri, Co-director Peggy Mbiyu • Not in My Neighbourhood (Documentary, South Africa) Producer and Director Kurt Orderson • Project Delight (Documentary, South Africa) Producer and Director Karin Slater • Terre Jaune (Documentary, Togo) Producers Sitou Ayite and Madje Ayite with Elisabeth Guthmann, Director Bouna Cherif Fofana and Sitou Ayite • The Other Half of the African Sky (Documentary, Zimbabwe) Producer and Director Tapiwa Chipfupa • The Rainbow: Jazz for the Struggle, and the Struggle for Jazz (Documentary, South Africa) Producer Antoinette Engel, Director
Niren Tolsi Cactus Flower (Fiction, Egypt) Producer Hossam Elouan, Director Hala Elkoussy • Inkabi (The Hitman) (Fiction, South Africa) Producer Anco Henning, Director Norman Maake • Laughter is the Best Colour (Fiction, Nigeria) Producer Mohammed Musulumi, Director Chike Ibekwe • On the Way to Paradise (Fiction, South Africa) Producer Imraan Jeeva, Director Sara Blecher • One More Night in Lagos (Fiction, Cote d’Ivoire) Producer Tosin Coker, Director Marina Niava • Riot Waif (Fiction, South Africa) Producer Jean Meeran, Director Zinaid Meeran • Selma and Charlize (Fiction, South Africa) Producer Junaid Ahmed/Helena Spring, Director Robyn Aronstam • Sunflowers Behind a Dirty Fence (Fiction, Uganda) Producer Nathan Magoola, Director Simon Mukali • The Tall Assassin (Fiction, South Africa) Producer Carolyn Carew, Director Roy Zetisky • Unbalance (Fiction, Ghana) Producer Akousa Adoma Owusu, Director P. Sam Kessie Registration is now open and early bird rates apply until 27 June 2015. For more information, visit www.durbanfilmmart.com. •
DURBAN FILMMART EXPERTS
Angus Finney
Dominique Welinski
Angus Finney
Angus Finney is a leading international film and creative industry specialist. His work includes MBA-level teaching at The Judge Business School, Cambridge University and Cass Business School, City University, London, and he is the manager of Europe’s only Production Finance Market, hosted by Film London annually. He has recently spent three years working as a risk manager and media advisor for Octopus Media, part of Octopus Investments and he has been appointed Course Director for the Exeter University/London Film School MA in International Film Business. His UK training includes working with Creative Skillset, Creative England, Film Agency Wales, Film London and the Film Distributors Association; and his professional development work extends to South Africa, Ireland, UAE, Canada and New Zealand in the past five years. Finney’s fourth and most recent book is: The International Film Business – A Market Guide Beyond Hollywood (Routledge) was published in May 2010. Finney has personally trained more than 1 000 film producers/ writers and directors, company executives and students since 2005, and delivered master classes and lectures at Judge/Cambridge, Cass/City, Grenoble, London University, and Copenhagen Business School over the past five years. Finney also has considerable practical entrepreneurial and management experience: He was appointed joint Managing Director of Renaissance Films, a UK-based development, production, financing and sales company in July 1999, taking over sole MD responsibilities in 2002 before the company ceased trading in July 2005. Finney has a PhD in Business Strategy (Film Value Chain and Project Management) from Cass Business School, City University, London. He has an MA in Film and Journalism from New York University, a post-graduate Diploma from City University and a BA from Sussex University in International Relations.
Sari Turgeman
Sari was born in France, in Cannes. After finishing her BA in Arts at the Tel Aviv University, she began her career in consulting with the film director Amos Gitai and other well-known Israeli authors. She has an experience of more than fifteen years in consulting and analyzing scenarios. As a prime lector and developer at Israeli Film Fund and for Israeli TV channels, she founded a few years ago her own company of consulting and editing scripts, in intention to guide novice and professional filmmakers and allow a creative dialogue at every stage of the writing. In the past two years, Sari has developed her own method of writing and editing which she teaches in professional courses in different colleges in Israel. Her screen-writing book The Script Journey in 84 days will be published in November 2015. In the past year, she has been a script consultant in the Professional workshop Produire Au Sud which held in Nantes (France) and in Sderot (Israel).
Sari Turgeman
Stefano Tealdi
Dominique Welinski
Dominique Welinski joined Haut & Court Distribution in 1991 where she was responsible for releasing over 20 films and organized many distribution collections. In 1998 Welinski joined MK2 as Head of Distribution and Acquisition until 2002. As freelance distributor, Dominique has released Lullaby to my Father by Amos Gitai and Once I Entered a Garden by Avi Mograbi at Epicentre. She has also been in charge of the Jacques Tati catalogue for Les Films de Mon Oncle where she supervised the restoration and release of Play Time in 2003 as well as release of the Oscarized English Version of My Uncle. In February 2012, after more than 20 years in the distribution field, she founded DW, a consulting and producing company. In 2013, she developed and set up the concept of the “Factory” to pair promising filmmakers in order to co-direct short films. The first edition was Taipei Factory set in Taiwan. The second round was Nordic Factory set in Denmark in 2014. All 8 films opened in Director’s Fortnight of Cannes International Film Festival. The Factory travels to Chile and South Africa in 2015. Since 2012, she’s been working as a consultant for international strategy and development process for production companies all around the world. She is also an expert and coach for Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde (French Institute, Cannes), Marché du Film (Cannes Market since 2001), and MEDIA Talent Award Cannes (since 2004). Welinski is currently producing her first feature film, Oblivion Verses, at House on Fire productions. She is also associate producer for Burning Birds and Peacock Lamenting by Sanjeewa Pushkakumara (Sri Lanka) with Néon Prod. Additionally, she’s in charge of the international promotion for Sapir College in Sderot (Israel) .
Stefano Tealdi
Born in Johannesburg (South Africa) in 1955, I studied Architecture in Torino - Italy. After graduating, I worked on film and TV at the Politecnico di Torino becoming Head of Production. In 1985 I founded, with others, Stefilm where I run the company and work as a director and producer. We produce one-off documentaries and documentary series. Since 2008, I directed A World of Pasta, Doctor Ice (Science Film Festival - Milano 2009), Coffee Please and Tea for All and the series Food Markets - In the Belly of the City (10x52). Recent works we produced: Mostar United (IDFA 2009), Vinylmania (IFF Rotterdam 2012), Char, no man’s island (Berlinale Forum 2013), and The Queen of Silence (IDFA 2014) In 1992, I graduated at the MEDIA training course ‘EAVE - European Session’. I directed all 17 editions of the annual Italian workshop Documentary in Europe, chaired EDN (European Documentary Network) and am national coordinator for INPUT, Television in the Public Interest. I tutor film development and production at universities and master courses, and film pitching for organisations, such as Biennale Cinema College, Cannes Film Market, Films de 3 Continents – Produire au Sud, Media Business School, Med Film Factory, Scuola Holden, TFL-Torino Film Lab, Cinema do Brasil, ZELIG Film School.
The Durban FilmMart (DFM) is a co-production initiative co-founded by the Durban Film Office (DFO) and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), and will take place from 17 - 20 July 2015. Over the years DFM has maintained key partnerships internationally which include Arte France, Hot Docs-Blue Ice Film Fund, IDFA Bertha Fund, IDFA, Rotterdam Cinemart, New Cinema Network Rome, Goethe, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and Produire au Sud. The annual event aims to bring visibility to African film projects and facilitate collaboration between African and international filmmakers; introduce new film projects to potential investors and partners, and provide delegates with the opportunity to network with experienced film professionals as well as established local, continental and international industry associates through a series of workshops, master-classes and interactive forums. An official selection of 19 African projects in development, both fiction and documentary, will be afforded the opportunity to present to a panel of potential co-producers, sales agents, broadcasters and film funds at a Public Pitching Forum followed by a series of finance forum meetings. Although project submissions to the Durban FilmMart are officially closed, delegate registration is open to all film professionals and the greater public who wish to attend. www.durbanfilmmart.com/ DelegateRegistration/Welcome.aspx
© AFS PRoductions
© The Shooting Gallery
©Farm Africa
©Farm Film
© Red Petal
SHOOTING COMMERCIALS IN AFRICA | 17
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
SHOOTING COMMERCIALS IN AFRICA by Kim Crowie
T
he commercials industry has grown in leaps and bounds in the last decade across the continent, and in no place is this more evident than in South Africa. The country has positioned itself as a strong competitor on the world stage, with commercial directors and production companies bring home a slew of awards to add to our collective curriculum vitae. But it just so happens that a number of outside factors are working in our favour. One example is the temperate weather and diversity of locations on offer – so much so that South Africa has doubled for just about every continent under the sun including American and Middle Eastern settings. Another tick in our favour is the arguable blessing of a weak currency, which easily makes our rates more competitive than our international counterparts. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons so many productions flock to South Africa is because of the generous government rebates. The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) offers two main incentives: the Foreign Film and Television Production and Post-Production Incentive and the South African Film and Television Production and Co-Production Incentive. The former offers rebates between 20% and 25% of Qualifying South African Production Expenditure (QSAPE) and
Qualifying South African Post-Production Expenditure (QSAPPE), while the latter’s rebate is calculated as 35% of the first R6-million of QSAPE and 25% of the QSAPE on amounts above R6-million. The dti has also launched the South African Emerging Black Filmmakers Incentive, which offers rebates of up to 50% for the first R6-million and 25% thereafter. Despite being one of the only countries on the continent offering rebates, they are geared at long-form productions rather than TV spots and shorter formats. Thanks to southern Africa’s growing expertise and range of highquality equipment and technicians, though, it hasn’t deterred creative directors the world over from bringing their concepts to Africa. “I think our wealth of experience, firstworld infrastructure and experienced teams make us hugely appealing,” Toni Marais, Executive Producer at Red Petal says, “However, with our ever-weakening SA rand, we’re becoming hard to beat for value for money.” Beccy Kellond, Marketing Manager at Moonlighting agrees, saying that the main reasons drawing international to Africa remain the same as previous years – but it’s definitely helped by the exchange rate. “We are in the middle of a ten shoot-day project from the USA where the bulk of the shoot is in studio and
it is much more cost-effective to come here than stay in the US,” Kellond says, although the industry still has its problems to deal with. “Despite the exchange rate and considerable production value that we can provide here, budgets get tighter and tighter. We make them work and the international clients can pull off the most amazing productions that they could not do in Europe or the US for the price.” 2015 has been a busy season for the commercials industry, with Moonlighting shooting a Hollywood Blockbuster-type ad for Audi with Resident Evil Director, Paul WS Anderson. They had to close down the entire M1 around Johannesburg for two days with 114 traffic cops each day as well as secure permissions for low-flying helicopters. Pyranha Stunts were involved in the SWAT-esque endeavour. Moonlighting also shot a project for Toyota for Spoon, Inc, Japan, their first Japanese project to date. According to Marais, Red Petal has had a varied production year. “The past commercials year we were blessed with wonderful people and uncomplicated jobs which made for a memorable and magic season,” she says. AFS Productions’ Executive Producer Brin Kushner says that they’ve had some incredible projects in the last season. These include Microsoft Earth Day which they shot at Kuzikus
18 | SHOOTING COMMERCIALS IN AFRICA
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
© AFS PRoductions
© Red Petal
Red Petal’s Nivea rig
AFS Productions on location in 2015 © Red Petal
Red Petal shooting in Elgin in 2015 © The Shooting Gallery
The Shooting Gallery’s commercial for Iveco
Wildlife Reserve in Namibia. “It was extremely challenging to film the very fast flying drone air to air, but our guys managed it. It is always very hot and dusty when working in these environments and we go through a lot of water each day to ensure the crew are all properly hydrated,” he says. “The most challenging part is actually finding the Rhinos as the reserve is massive and by using very skilled Bushmen trackers and the drones, we were able to track and locate the animals and get the necessary footage.” AFS was also involved in the launch of the Apple Watch, shooting at Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Namibia has been seeing a steady rise in productions to the country, especially as it realises the industry’s potential. Gwen Swart,
Chief Operating Officer of Namib Films, says that the nation’s unique desertscapes appeal to a variety of shooting needs. Most recently was box office hit Mad Max: Fury Road, and there’s also been a definite increase in mobile video commercials. Because viewers are more distracted by their phones when watching TV, for instance, advertisers have realised that they need to find other ways in which to reach their target audiences. In other news, The Shooting Gallery has opened an office in Mauritius recently and shot three TV spots there – one with Hollywood Director Rawson Thurber (We’re the Millers, Dodgeball). “The spot hasn’t aired yet,” says Claire Richards, Owner and Executive Producer, but it was a blast to shoot – in the water, on
the island and in the air with great acting talent from London, Johannesburg and Cape Town.” She goes on to say that another highlight for the company was managing a large part of an innovative new campaign for UK grocery store Lidl where they shot on location and in Cape Town, as well as a month of shooting tabletop. Juice Film has also had a very successful 2014-2015 film season, according to Martin Jacobson and Carmen Amos, Directors at Juice Film. “We have shot great and memorable campaigns, with great directors, production companies and creatives, and are proud to note that we shot with three of the top 20 directors according to the 2014 Gunn Report. We were also fortunate to add a second Oscarnominated director into the mix of directors we work with,” they explain. “The season provided a mix of big, medium and small productions, with budgets in general remaining tight,” they continue, “It is apparent that the best approach to budgeting is one that applies intelligence with experience; and a keen understanding of the balance between ensuring our clients have the financial tools to meet the creative requirements of the job, and its budgetary constraints. The balance can be tricky, and is critical to ensuring that there is happiness all around.” A phenomenon taking over the commercials industry in 2015 is that of the branded film. Gavin McJannet, Producer at Farm Africa, a South African company well-versed in servicing the greater African region, says that corporatebased productions are definitely on the rise and are done with reduced crew to cut costs. “The world of TV is desperate for content as more and more channels open up, with the rise of ‘reality’ based programming showing the largest growth worldwide,” McJannet says. “Local product placement companies are starting to surface again. Africa remains one of the last true TV advertising regions, as
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
SHOOTING COMMERCIALS IN AFRICA | 19
©Farm Film
Farm Africa’s commercial work with Mercedes-Benz
the rest of the developed world moves more towards viral and targeted campaigns, mainly due to the rise in worldwide sales of personal communications devices, smart phones and tablets. This also means that advertising is not restricted to commercials but can stretch to longer programming to reach viral content customers.” He goes on to say that although filming in Africa is not easy or cheap and requires a great deal of patience, Farm Africa has been training local people up with the view of eventually cutting down on bringing
crew members in from Cape Town or Joburg. “Namibia, Nigeria and Ghana do have great support crews and a number of other regions like Uganda are also growing this base. Kenya does lead on regularly employed crew, with a fully functioning film industry, great infrastructure and a good number of service production companies. Farm Africa is also working in the MENA regions with director based work,” he explains. When asked what kind of part South Africa has to play on the continent in terms
of facilitating interest, The Shooting Gallery’s Claire Richards says our role is huge. “We have the infrastructure and skilled professionals who are already known and trusted by a lot of key players internationally. We are in a position to take everything we have learned here and extend it to the rest of Africa,” she explains. Toni Marais of Red Petal agrees, saying that there’s nothing stopping us from being the top service destination. “It is also important that the local talent and work increases and continues to creatively challenge on an international level, growing in strength and repertoire each year. This will continue to focus the world’s eyes on South Africa, as not only an ideal service destination but also as a dynamic and valued creative hub.” “We face many challenges but are more than confident that Africa will become a top commercial and film destination. Many features are being shot in South Africa and a number are starting up in neighbouring countries, with the Indian Ocean Islands featuring more and more as commercial destinations, both from local and foreign clients,” McJannet concludes.
20 | COMMERCIALS: PRODUCTION COMPANIES
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
PRODUCTION COMPANIES Serving SA's Commercials Industry COMPANY NAME
DESCRIPTION
NOTABLE PROJECTS / CLIENTS / BRANDS
WEBSITE / CONTACTS
0307 Films
A company with 20 years of commercials experience working with great brands and some of the world’s top creative people
Prudential, Santam, Nando’s, DStv, Oude Meester, Virgin Active
www.0307.co
9MM Films
Accomplished company with wide experience from concept to post, offering quality, boutique production
Vodacom, Sanex, SANBS
www.9mmfilms.com
Abacus Productions cc
A production company specialising in corporates, commercials, online multimedia and music videos
Guinness, Windhoek, Drum Magazine, 7Up, M-Net, Old Mutual
www.abacusproductions.co.za
Africade Productions
Production house specialising in stills, commercials and reality TV shoots
Amazing Race, Britain’s Next Top Model
www.africadeproductions.com
AFS Productions
A family run service production company that takes pride in meticulous detail, dedication, and the highest level of professionalism
Microsoft, Apple, Ikea, Hersheys, Kraft, Warchild, Purina, Axe, Samsung, Living Social
www.afsproductions.com
Amazing Spaces
A company dedicated to marketing locations to the film, stills, events and accommodation industries
Appalacia Productions
Freelance producer of local and international commercials
Arcade Content
A division of Egg Films that produces content that falls outside the realm of traditional TV commercials
Soweto Marathon, Khuli Chana, Get Me to 21, Tumi, Sanlam One Rand Man, Johnnie Walker, Skrillex
www.arcadecontent.tv
Atomik Pictures
A boutique service production company working with partners across the globe
Duo Films, TPF, Slim, Bang Bang Films, Big Company, LimeLite Studios, Boot Polissh, EdCommercials, Connected Pictures, Cobblestone
www.atomikpictures.com
Axis International
Local and international film and commercials production
BBDO Turkey, Guinness, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Unilever and others among notable clients
www.axisinternational.co.za
Bang Bang Films
A boutique film service and production company in Cape Town with a dynamic and flexible approach
Eye to Eye, BRW Filmland, Coca-Cola, Kiri, Swatch, ProNutro
www.bangbangfilms.com
Beatroute Productions
Specialising in promotional and commercial films, as well as long-form in the genre of contemporary arts and culture
Li-Lets, FCB, Buy Smart
www.beatroute.co.za
Bioscope Films
Film production house specialising in commercials with Hylton Tannenbaum, Simon Cracknell, Fausto Becatti, Daniel Kaplan and Clive Stewart
Toyota, Musica, Wonga, MiWay, Drostdy Hof, Capfin, Edgars, Kia
www.bioscopefilms.co.za
Bird Film
South African and Irish production house with focus on commercials, stills, TV and feature films.
Coca-Cola, Vivil, ILFT, Seat
www.birdfilm.com
BlackGinger
A multi-award-winning, talent-driven animation and visual effects studio based in Cape Town
Cripello, Lunchbar, Nedgroup, Johnnie Walker, Stimrol, 1st for Women, Hunters, Nedbank, Clover, Standard Bank, Heinz, Nestle, Ribena, Vodacom, 8ta
www.blackginger.tv
Boomtown Films
Full service production company facilitating international commercials since 1998
Bioharmony, Gosser, Milo, Mars, Saudi Oger, Twix, Cerelac, Nescafe, Gain Plus
www.boomtownfilms.co.za
bouffant
One of the leading production companies in SA, headed by Erik Van Wyk, Dean Blumberg, Marc Sidelsky and Andre Liebenberg
Coca-Cola, Ikea, BP, Volkswagen, KFC, Honda, Southwest
www.bouffant.tv
Cab Films
A full service company as well as home to directors Bruce Paynter and Mike Hoyte with an extensive roster of internationals
Absa, Adidas, Bell's, Coca-Cola, Ford, Guinness, Heineken, Honda, Ikea, KFC, T Mobile, McDonalds, Mercedes-Benz, MTN, Nike, Old Mutual, Orange
www.cabfilms.com
Can-Can
A flexible production company that serves the South African, East and Central African regions, as well as the Indian Ocean Islands
Cape Direct
Cannes Grand Prix winner, with a variety of international productions and 20 years' experience
Alex Meyer & Associates, Brave Film Company, Dog Productions, Twin Films, Miller, Timotei, Renault, Fox Sports, M&S
www.capedirect.com
Cape Prod Africa cc
20 year old boutique production company with experience producing editorial, catalogue and advertising photo shoots
Louis Vuitton, Biotherm, Dior, Marie Claire, Amnesty International
www.capeprod.co.za
Carbon Films
Cape Town-based production house started by long-term collaborators and friends, Bruno Bossi and Kirsten Clarence
Power Play, Savanna, CTrack, Mercedes-Banz, Hunters
www.carbonfilms.co.za
Catapult Commercials
Award-winning local and international commercials producers of relevant, fresh and memorable content
M-Net Tag 10, Friskies, Cadbury, DStv
www.catapult.tv
Cinergy
Established in 1991 the company specialises in video and photography for commercials
Coldplay, Claushaler Beer, Glasfit, ING Bank, Mitsubishi, Opel Corsa
www.cinergy.tv
Conduit Productions
A design driven production company specialising in visual narratives
Hunters, Minute Maid, Nokia, Coca-Cola, Locknville, SAB Miller, SARS
www.conduit.co.za
Cool Banana Production Company
Efficient, friendly production management with thorough pre-production and comprehensive post production
Nikon, Vanity Fair, Conde Naste Traveller, Adidas, BMW, Castle Lite, Cosmopolitan, Barclays, British Airways
www.coolbanana.co.za
Creative Vision
Multi-functional production company specialising in 3D animation visual effects and commercial production
Tsogo Sun, Jelly Tots, Hertz, Nando's
www.creative-vision.co.za
Cyclone Films
Production facilities for international companies wishing to produce TV commercials, corporate films and music videos
BMW, MTV, Nestle, McDonalds, Medicins Sans Frontiers
www.cyclonefilms.co.za
www.amazingspaces.co.za mcmahon@icon.co.za
www.can-canfilms.co.za
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
COMMERCIALS: PRODUCTION COMPANIES | 21
COMPANY NAME
DESCRIPTION
NOTABLE PROJECTS / CLIENTS / BRANDS
WEBSITE / CONTACTS
Darling
A newly launched production company headed up by Lorraine Smit and Melina McDonald, currently comprised of 7 directors
DStv, Zebra & Giraffe, Sprite, Grants Whiskey, Vuzu AMP, Nescafe, Transnet, Hard To Get Trailer
www.heydarling.tv
Delicious Films
Productions mainly for commercials shooting in South Africa
McDonalds, Tiger, LaCoste, OMO, Magnum, Energizer
www.deliciousfilms.tv
Direction Films
A director-driven commercial production company with a modern approach
Egg Films
A leading production company in South Africa, picking up a slew of local and international accolades along the way. Home of Arcade Content
Mazda, Skrillex, FNB, Die Antwoord, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Wimpy, SA Tourism, Chicken Licken
www.eggfilms.tv
Episode Media Productions
A full service production company based in Cape Town, South Africa and in Barcelona, Spain who specializes in TVC and photography productions
C&A Clockhouse, Rut & Circle, Birkenstock, H&M, Skiny, Artemis, Straumann
www.episode.co.za
Farm Film / Farm Africa
The Farm is a hands-on production service company with experience shooting in over 15 countries in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. Home of WeShootFood and Farm Africa
Universal Channel, Black Mirror Series, Sky Anytime+
www.farmfilm.tv www.farmfilm.tv/farm-africa
FeelGoodFilms
Commercial film production with flagship director Jeremy Goodall
Liberty life, Ceitel, Garnier, Radox
www.feelgoodfilms.tv
Freelink
Arranges all aspects of advertising, catalogue and editorial shoots in southern Africa
Proximity BBDO, Vodafone, Vivendi, C&A Switzerland, Live & Breathe, Peacocks, Boots
www.freelink.co.za
Fresh Eye Film Productions
Award-winning work that is relevant and unexpected
White Star, Cell C, Toyota, Childline, Oreo, Ruby Box, Kalahari, Nando's
www.fresheye.co.za
Frieze Films
Production company representing commercials directors Tony Baggott, Malo 8, Ian Mason and Jonty Fine. Facilitators of international productions within SA and into Africa
Primus, Fosters, Carling, Honda, ACE, DStv, Coca-Cola, Cell C, Mweb, Bakers, Naked Ape, Samsung, Nando’s
www.friezefilms.com
Gatehouse Commercials
A focused, highly professional boutique for commercial facilitation
Walgreens, Kelloggs, Citroen, TK Maxx, Smuggler, Jameson, Johnny Walker
www.gatehouse.tv
Gavin Schneider Productions cc
Film and stills production company offering assistance in commercials, documentaries, catalogues, editorials, photo libraries and ad campaigns
Allianz, Anglo Gold, Audi, Centrepoint, Chevy Cruze, Davidoff, Ellesse, Eucerin
www.gsproductions.co.za
Giant Films
Director based and facilitation production company for features, documentaries and commercials
Representing Ian Gabriel and Robin Goode
www.giantfilms.tv
Ginger Pictures
A production company with partners and clients from around the world
Tigo Bombass, Orabank, Bic, Orange, Vodacom
www.gingerpictures.tv
Glo Films
A full service TV and film production company with work from around SA
Hallmark, Liberty Life, Garnier, Nivea, Radox
www.glofilms.tv
Grinder Films
Studio and stage technology for a tabletop studio work
Amarula Gold, McDonalds, Robertsons
www.griderfilms.com
Groundglass
A production company with an innovative and collaborative approach to doing business
Johnnie Walker, Glenfiddich, Dentyne, Kauai, Toyota, Discovery, Kasabian
www.groundglass.co.za
www.directionfilms.tv
22 | COMMERCIALS: PRODUCTION COMPANIES
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
COMPANY NAME
DESCRIPTION
NOTABLE PROJECTS / CLIENTS / BRANDS
WEBSITE / CONTACTS
Hive Content / Pollen
A company that delivers creative and innovative content solutions across platforms from drama, factual and advertising, to brand solution animation and AFPs. Headed up by Rebecca Fuller-Campbell
Soweto, Fledglings, Luminati, Fishpaste, First Weeks Out, Safari Njema, Enterprise Elevator, The Livingstone Legacy, The Unaccounted, Out of the Wild
www.hivecontent.com
Hungry Films
Film production company based in Cape Town and Joburg
SARS, Purity
www.hungryfilms.co.za
Island Studios
Professional film and television studios servicing the commercials and other sectors in London, Cape Town and Johannesburg
Juice Film
Extensive experience translating into solid production in a positive environment
Guinness, Nestle, Lee Jeans, Renault, Nissan
www.juicefilm.tv
Jump
Specialist in the production of TV commercials, local and international
First for Women, MTN, 8ta, Exclusive Books
www.jumpsa.net
Kwazi Mojo / Cut & Paste Generation
SA’s premier Dolby Digital certified audio post production and sound design studios servicing the feature film, documentary, television, commercials, online and gaming industries
Cell C, KFC, Virgin Mobile, Iwyze, Steers, Nando’s, Mazda, MTN, Eskom
www.kwazimojo.com www.cutandpastegeneration.tv
Lemon Reel
Suppliers of feature, commercial, music video and documentary equipment and professionals in Namibia
Libra Vision
Service production house, producing and directing world-class video and film productions for nearly three decades
Link-Africa Film Productions cc
Producer and facilitator of TVCs and stills photographers
Lion Fish Productions
A boutique production company specialising in commercials, corporate videos and documentaries
Axe, The Sound of Masks, Tiger
www.lionfishproductions.co.za
Lucky Bean Media
Award-winning production company with expertise in commercials and television
Vuzu, SABC 2, Vitamin Water, MasterChef, Converse, AngloAmerican
www.luckybeanmedia.com
Lucky Fish Productions
Producer of commercials, feature films, corporates and documentaries in SA and Africa
Visa Vie, The Last Resort, Cape of Good Voices, Goodyear, Audi, Investec
www.luckyfishproductions.co.za
Lucky Rabbit
Cape Town based production service company, facilitating projects throughout Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands
BBVA, Coca-Cola, Impulse, McCain, Cheerios, Cornetto
www.luckyrabbit.co.za
Magic Mountain Productions
Full service photographic production company
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
Masters & Savant
Africa's leading animated commercial production house
MetroFM, Carte Blanche, Windswept, Kia, MTN, Absa, SABC 2
www.mastersandsavant.com
McKenzie Rudolphe Film Services
International film production services
Garnier, B&Q, Nike, Bridgestone, Boxer, ESPN
www.mcrud.com
Metal Tiger Productions
A streamlined production company offering huge experience without the expensive frills
1/33 Productions, British Sky Productions, BBD, Quad Productions, Shining Pictures, Oursin Film
www.metaltigerproductions.co.za
Mo Production
A sophisticated, dynamic production company working on shoots with a variety of international clients from London to Moscow
Audi Germany, Chloe, Corbis, Decathlon, Getty, Marie Claire UK, Reebok, Pedigree, SA Tourism Board Paris
www.moprod.co.za
Monkey Films
Production company working with a talented crew. Clare van Zyl is the Owner, while Phillip Killingbeck is Head of Production
Guinness, Dulux, Halford’s, HSBC, Goodyear
www.monkeyfilms.co.za
Moonlighting Film Production Services
One of the premier production companies in southern Africa for production services, co-productions and structured financing with over 20 years’ experience in all areas of the film industry including commercials
Homeland Season 4, Livingstone, 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
www.moonlighting.co.za
Namib Film
Production and location services in Namibia with a dedicated commercial division which includes features, commercials, music videos and stills
CNN, Endemol, ITV, 2DF, 20th Century Fox, BBC, Cinergy, Big Banana, Farm, Gatehouse, Moonlighting, Film Afrika, Mo Productions
www.namibfilms.com
Neil Roberts Productions
A production company based in Joburg and operating throughout South Africa and the African Continent
Hyundai, 5FM, Absa, Airtel, American Express, Audi, Aviva, Castle Lager, Bells, FedEx
www.neilroberts.tv
Ola! Films cc
Production Company specialising in commercials. Home of director Amy Allais and executive producer Olivia Leitch
Vodacom, Nando's, Kelloggs, Debonairs, Legit, Boardmans, Absa, Virgin Mobile, Knorr
www.olafilms.tv
One Step Beyond
A service production company with experience in commercials, film and television
BBC London, The Entertainment Group (Netherlands)
www.onestepbeyond.co.za
Orange Films
Commercial film production service facilitating work in southern Africa with an extensive network of production partnerships across the globe
Infiniti, Samsung UHD, Mercedes, Citroen, Samsonite, Royal Mail, HP, Vauxhall, Fiat, Direct Line, EA Sports
www.orangefilms.co.za
Passing Trains Film & Television
Specialising in the production of local and international commercials, with award-winning director Etienne De Villiers
Spur, ProNutro, Build It, Isuzu, Big Korn Bites, Klipdrift
www.passingtrains.co.za
Plank Film Productions
Film production company headed by directors Peter Pohorsky and Norman Maake
Wrigley's, Chicken Licken, Hollard, Nando's, Splinter
www.plank.co.za
Platypus Productions
A combination of skilled creative individuals obsessed with filmmaking, from commercials to branded entertainment
Woolworths, Musica, Old Mutual, Clorets, Bio Oil, Femina, Pampers, Lux, Revlon, FNB, Sanlam, Incredible India
www.platypus.co.za
Prinz Productions
Professional film & photographic services for southern Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, Portugal and Mexico
Aigle, Breuninger, Knife, karstadt, Mamas & Papas, Panache, Vogue, Westlife, Oxfam
www.prinzproductions.com
Pulp Films
A Joburg-based production company with vast experience in corporate, commercial, broadcast and documentary film production
FNB, Sasol, Thingz, Big Jim, Discovery
www.pulpfilms.co.za
www.islandstudios.net
www.lemonreel.com Clicks, Snickers, Capitec, Sanex, Pilsner
www.libravision.co.za www.geoffsharphoto.com
www.magicmountainprod.com
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
COMMERCIALS: PRODUCTION COMPANIES | 23
COMPANY NAME
DESCRIPTION
NOTABLE PROJECTS / CLIENTS / BRANDS
WEBSITE / CONTACTS
Red Cherry Media
SA’s leading media production company with complete BEE status
Maynards, FNB, Beacon, Nedbank, Fidelity, OMO, Energade,
www.redcherry.co.za
Red Hot Ops
Creative and photography agency with turnkey solutions for stills productions, art buying, casting and creative project management
Clover, Virgin Mobile, Coca-Cola, Axe, VEET, Lifebuoy, Pantene, MTN, Nike
www.rho.co.za
Red Petal Productions
A locl production company with international standards
Nivea, Jever, Coca-Cola, Opel Corsa
www.redpetal.co.za
Refinery Post Production
A Johannesburg-based post-production facility servicing the moving picture industry across the continent
8ta, Axe, Coke, IEC, Incredible Connection, Lotto, M-Net, Maynards, Nikon, Nivea, Samsung, Tata, Toyota
www.refinery.co.za
Rocket Films Africa
Exclusive production company with an eye for detail, specialising in servicing international commercials, television and film
Sony Computer Entertainment, Britvic, International Olympic Committee, Ecobank, Coca-Cola
www.rocketfilmsafrica.com
Rolling Pictures Company
Commercials producer with 20 years’ experience shooting in SA, Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania and Mauritius
Volkswagen, Orange, Richmond Ham, Schwartz
www.rollingpictures.co.za
Searle Street Post Production
Award-winning Cape Town post-production company.
Why Poverty, Four Corners, Khumba, The Giver, Ogilvy Johannesburg’s Unwrap The Story
www.sspp.co.za
ShootAway Production
Facilitating productions anywhere in SA to international standards
Silver Lining Pictures
Production of high-end live action and stills photography advertising campaigns
Coca-Cola, Ponds, TAB, Tomtom Fitness, Sprite, Artify
www.silverliningpictures.tv
Spitfire Films
A SA production company focused on commercials
Chery, SADD, Vodacom, FOX Crime, Gumtree, MPesa, Man on Ground
www.spitfirefilms.tv
Star Productions
Commercials, music videos, corporate communication, animations and design
Tusker, ANC, Vodacom, T Mobile, Locknville, Bidvest, MTN
www.starproductions.co.za
StillKing Films
15 years experience in the commercials industry with a head office in Prague and numerous international offices
Axe, Old Spice, Coors Light, Child 44
www.stillking.com
Sweet Spot Content
A director-driven production company. “We do wonderful”
Wellington's, BASF, Koo, Vodacom, Engen, Carling
www.ssc.tv
The Big Picture Company
A production company comprising three experienced women: Kirsten Bowman, Nicola Corte and Di Davis
Kelloggs, Valio, Sapporo, Homeland Promo, Dell, Halls, Cadbury
www.thebigpicture.co.za
The Front Film Productions
Producing some of SA's most memorable commercials and campaigns, with Di and Ian Wilson as executive producer and director
Coca-Cola, Colgate, Danone SA, Jet, Lexus, Seat Carts, Unilever, Toyota, Vodacom, Yellow Pages
www.thefront.co.za
The Shooting Gallery
Producers of commercials, music clips and TV shows
Lucozade, Bon Prix Fashion Twins, Coke Zero, Duracell, DKV, Vodafoe, Sprite
www.theshootinggallery.co.za
The Video Lounge
Production house for commercials, television series, documentaries and reality shows among others working across Africa
Vodafone, UBA Corporate, Orange, MTN, Konga.com
www.thevideolounge.co.za
TVC
One of SA's most lauded production companies
Turbo King, Castle Milk Stout, Grolsch, Fisheagle, MTN
www.tvcsa.com
TwinFilm
International production company with offices in Cape Town, Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Munich, specialising in local and international commercials
Kraft Foods, Guaraná Antarctica Black, Procter & Gamble, eBay, Unilever
www.twinfilm.co.za
Velocity Films / Velocity Afrika
South African-based commercial production company with offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town
DialDirect, Cadbury, Coca-Cola, Bells
www.velocityfilms.com www.velocityafrika.co.za
We Shoot Food
A division of Farm Film headed by Rob Payton, a Cape town-based Food with Performance director
Knorr, Bertolli, Sandora, Cappy, McGraths, Bisto, Nestle, Sainsburys, Hellmanns, Asda, Maggi, Dr Oetker, OXO, Goodfellas, Kelloggs, Morrisons
www.farmfilm.tv/weshootfood
Wicked Pixels
Award-winning production company offering highly creative visual solutions to advertising, broadcast and gaming industries
Brand South Africa, Mweb, Design Indaba 2014, PPC Cement, Kia, SuperSport, FNB, Telkom
www.wickedpixels.com
Wink Films
An independent team within the nucleus of Velocity. A unique film production service company
Shy'M, Samsung, Outsurance, Nescafe, Heinx
www.winkfilms.tv
Wishbones Commercials
Wishbones is focused on the finest grade of commercial work possible, from film and animation to visual effects and performance
Shoprite, Glo, Spur
www.wishbones.co.za
www.shootawayproduction.com
DISCLAIMER: Please note that although there are countless production companies operating in the commercials industry in Southern 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.
24 | COMMERCIALS: DIRECTORS
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
ROB SMITH
Award-Winning Director on Branded Film vs Commercials
Courtesy of Arcade Content
One Rand Man
The Callsheet: Please share a bit about the concept behind One Rand Man. This kind of branded film format is becoming a trend – but why is it so important? Rob Smith: One Rand Man is a five-part online documentary series about a South African man, who lives beyond his means, who gets his salary paid to him in one rand coins for one month to give himself and South Africa a new perspective on spending and saving. What made this series so effective were two things. Firstly, the idea itself was novel and bold; it wasn’t an ad, and for Sanlam to come on board, even though their attachment to it was never in your face, was a very brave and forward-thinking angle for the brand to take on, and clearly it paid off. If you look at the reach this series got, even now being in some schools as an educational video, it’s plain to see how effective branded
entertainment can be in capturing a very large audience and tying it together with a brand ethos. We’re going to see a lot more of this in the years to come. Secondly, our team, Arcade Content and King James, were a very tight unit. There was no “Hoo-Hah,” no massive catering tent outside his house, no extravagant camera gear or lighting. We were light on our feet, allowing us to capture much more real moments. This style, combined with the receptive and charismatic nature of our One Rand Man himself, was an ideal concoction to create a series that was thought-provoking yet often quite funny too. The fact that we managed to make finance entertaining was most certainly a focused team effort, and something we’re all proud of. The Callsheet: What has your favourite experience in creating branded films been so far? Smith: I recently completed an exciting series for Johnnie Walker, The Gentleman’s Wager, where I got to meet and direct one of my childhood heroes, the two-times F1 World Champion, Mika Hakkinen. Chatting with him, as well as capturing all the extreme action, was incredible (but admittedly quite stressful too). The Callsheet: What are the main differences between working on a branded film versus a commercial?
Smith: The main difference for me as a director is that I think there’s more creativity in branded content. You have more freedom to do what works best, as opposed to having to stick to a specific script. Having initially worked in research, one thing I disliked about commercials was the extent to which everything, from the music style to the clothing and shooting style, is borrowed from another commercial or film. Research is very valuable and we do use it to some degree on branded content, but nowhere near to the extent that commercials do, and this allows us to focus more on telling stories – as ultimately, that is what people engage with.
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This style, combined with the receptive and charismatic nature of our One Rand Man, was an ideal concoction to create a series that was thought-provoking yet often funny too.
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A
rcade Content’s Rob Smith recently created the hugely successful One Rand Man, an online series for Sanlam, which went on to win the African Leadership Grand Prix at the 2014 Africa Cristal Festival and five Golds at the Midas Awards. The Callsheet spoke to director Rob Smith to find out exactly what went into making the series and why branded films are taking off in the commercials industry.
COMMERCIALS: DIRECTORS | 25
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
DIRECTORS TO WATCH
© Velocity Films
reach their audiences. As always, Velocity Films and Egg Films dominated last year’s Loerie Awards, with Velocity taking home the most awards in the Advertising category and Egg taking the trump card as the most awarded production company overall. Terence Neale, who directed Skrillex’s Ragga Bomb music video (which consequently received a whopping 51 million views on YouTube – and counting), won three gold Loeries and a Bronze Clio. Velocity’s Keith Rose won Bronze at Cannes for Kevin, which was also named Creative Circle Ad of the Year. Surprisingly, Your Girlfriend beat both Velocity and Egg, winning the only Gold in TV and Cinema Commercials for Trevor Clarence’s hilarious Chicken Licken ad. Gentleman Films’ Greg Rom also picked up a bronze at the Clios for Music: Short Form for the Sigur Ros score on his Mandela Lives spot on National Geographic.
© Velocity Films
S
outh Africa has been a regular feature in international awards like Cannes Lions, but 2014 was a bit quiet for the country internationally, with only one win in the Cannes television commercials category – Topsy Foundation’s Kevin. Despite the slight dip, directors have continued to push the envelope into 2015, with Sanlam’s One Rand Man by Arcade Content’s Rob Smith taking home six Midas Awards as well as other accolades. Branded films like these have become more popular as the television sector fundamentally changes its approach to programming with the imminent digital switchover. This has given rise to the launch of a number of high-profile companies: Egg Films’ Arcade Content, Kim Geldenhuys’ 0307, Lorraine Smit and Melina McDonald’s Darling and Bruno Bossi’s Carbon Films. No doubt we’ll see a slew of commercial directors follow suit to become even more creative in the way they
in 2015
Velocity’s Keith Rose won Bronze at Cannes for Kevin.
26 | COMMERCIALS: SHORT FORM ANIMATION
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
© Mike Scott
Mike Scott’s 8-bit short Moosebox
SHORT FORM ANIMATION A “
Indispensable to SA's Commercial Sector Short form allows for quite a bit of experimentation – using a distinct style, combining mediums, really pushing the envelope in creative ways that longer-form animations may be wary to commit to.
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lthough South Africa’s animation and visual effects industry is rather small in comparison with many countries in other parts of the world, the sector still manages to hold its own and create stunning content for the advertising and film industry alike. It has become a key growth sector for the nation in recent years, especially with two successful feature films under its belt (Khumba and Adventures in Zambezia by Triggerfish) and interestingly enough, this has spurred other animation and vfx companies to create their own unique shorts in a bid to showcase their fascinating capabilities. Black Ginger, a company well-versed in post-production, visual effects and animation, is one of the better known moguls in the commercials sector. They have a wealth of experience in creating visually stunning and memorable TVCs, but more recently have been working on majorleague productions like Mad Max: Fury Road and Avengers: Age of Ultron. They also have a few personal projects in the pipeline. In other news, award-winning creatives Shy The Sun made waves on YouTube in January this year with The Curse of the Sad Mummy for Riot Games’ League of Legends.
Working together with talented illustrator Jean de Wet, the company also recently completed a unique animated Christmas card that was projected in a store window in London, littered with little animation loops. Lung Animation, on the animation/ motion graphics/print/vfx scene and who’ve worked with Audi, eBucks, New Balance and The Parlotones among others, recently began working in conjunction with the BBC,
doing vfx on a series called Our Girl. 8-bit animation artist extraordinaire Mike Scott, who last year was selected in competition by Nickelodeon to create his own animated series, Moosebox, says that short form animation is particularly popular in Africa because it’s more accessible than long term productions. “Short form allows for quite a bit of experimentation – using a distinct style, combining mediums, really pushing the envelope in creative ways that longer-form animations may be wary to commit to. So I suppose the shorter format allows for pushing boundaries,” he explains. Scott goes on to say that even though South Africa has improved in many ways, animators need to be motivated and take initiative in order to land those much-needed dollar bills. “There are loads of opportunities with international clients looking for work,” he concludes, “even though I’d love to make a local animation series with local humour about South African characters.” Overall, the industry is growing steadily, with Animation SA announcing new board members recently and partnerships being forged with Annecy International Animated Film Festival (MIFA).
28 | COMMERCIALS: TABLETOP CREATIVES
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
All images © WeShootFood and Rob Payton
SA TABLETOP STUDIOS Create Mouthwatering Content
W
hen we think about food, we rarely pair them up with cinematography, unless it’s the delicious Juliette Binoche in Chocolat. But the fact of the matter is that edibles have always been an important part of the commercials industry. From mouth-watering close-ups of drizzled goodness to moveable feasts laid out before us between our favourite TV shows, the tabletop industry is anything but boring. According to a recent article on SourceEcreative, Anthony Vagoni says that the growth of food culture and constant variety keeps the genre fresh. Food culture is one of the biggest markets in the world and food as entertainment “has become a global trend”. The market services every niche and pocket of society, large and small, and as a result, the need to promote the constant flow of new products quickly, efficiently and memorably is more intense in the food and restaurant category than anywhere else in the advertising world. Tabletop cinematographers also need to constantly anticipate trends and developments. One of the major shifts in recent years has been the move from
agencies expecting tabletop work to be filmed with 35mm cameras to commercial directors using digital cameras and workflows like the Phantom to capture both live action and food in TV spots. Grinder Films is the only company in South Africa dedicated to foodie productions, with no other production house with expertise in food, beverages, cosmetics, packs and product commercials at their level. The company’s studio, based in Cape Town, has a total floor space on 315 square metres, with a 36 square metre infinity curve and a fully equipped Home Economist Kitchen including a Gemini Gourmet Multi-Function Oven, an Anvil 6 Ring Industrial Hobb, a 10m running foodprep work surface, industrial extraction, colour correcting lighting and much more. In addition to this, they offer the latest in production technology, like instant playback of high-speed cinematography in 2K and 4K, as well as the latest Phantom HD Flex technology, Arri Alexa and RED Epic, Photosonic cinematography, advanced Brescope and Periscope lens systems, and access to the latest fibre-optic lighting systems – not to mention the 15MB/s
internet connection. Farm Film recently launched WeShootFood, headed up by Rob Payton, who’s racked up an incredible number of credits in culinary production including work with celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver, Gino D’Campo and Gordon Ramsay. “Food advertising offers so much potential, its one area of the market which is relatively immune to economic trends - everybody has to eat!” he says jovially. “You only have to look at the number of TV shows, and amount of web content dedicated to food to see that. I am very excited that we are moving into the area of branded content and food apps too. Restaurants, shopping malls and supermarkets are all using moving displays and video images to entice the hungry food shopper. There is an increased appetite for footage, but only a finite budget to produce this extra content. The challenge is to work creatively with the lower budgets that seem to be here to stay. Making use of new technology available in mid-range cameras and desktop editing are going to play an increasingly big role for us.”
30 | COMMERCIALS: POST-PRODUCTION
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
POST-PRODUCTION: Commercial Trends Roundup © Pollen / Hive Content
Pollen / Hive Content’s Nissan Ad © Pollen / Hive Content
More post-production wizardry by Pollen / Hive Content
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s a result of the our digital era demystifying the role of postproduction in the film, commercials and television industry, a need has arisen to constantly perfect and raise the quality of each new creative project. This, in turn, has spawned a rise in collaboration in South Africa’s post-production industry – a sector that’s constantly in flux and always evolving. According to Refinery, one of the leading animation and VFX companies in South Africa, collaboration between the client and the post-production company has grown. “Clients are wanting more involvement in the production process, so consulting more and supervising shoots. Clients [are also] looking more to towards animation/after effects for creative solutions,” says Ancilla Berry, Head of Production at Refinery. This has meant they’ve had to find new ways and techniques to service clients, Berry goes on to say. “VFX and animation are useful tools to achieve results that are still impressive to clients. We try to stay up to date with technology and stay in forefront of changing times.” Refinery has also become more involved in the production process, facilitating shoots and on-set supervision. The company was recently involved in the MasterChef promos and title © Refinery
Refinery’s Stuur Groete aan Mannetjies Roux
COMMERCIALS: POST-PRODUCTION | 31
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higher processing power, data transfer, and storage capacity.” Refinery have begun to upgrade their infrastructure to accommodate these projects, with the aim of bypassing the conform and render stage and keeping the project in its RAW format for as long as possible down the line – sometimes right up until final delivery. “What is exciting about this process (once you’ve burrowed through the technicality of it) is that as a shot moves through each department, although it’s being worked on and going through multiple versions, the original remains untouched right
up until the final stage – freeing up a lot of space, a lot of speed… and ultimately, a lot of creativity,” says Olsen. Ultimately, however, the main industry trend is towards more content. And above that, more content in less time with less money, at higher quality. But despite this, and despite the high-pressure and ever-changing expectations of the industry, some things never change. “…In the end, it’s all about the team,” Olsen concludes. “Efficient engineers, creative artists, and personal producers who get the job done!” © Pollen / Hive Content
sequence and they also do visual effects for feature films. But there are still issues that the industry faces, such as the usual trend of lowering budgets, shorter deadlines and higher expectations, says Eugen Olsen, Refinery’s Creative Director. “This has required a number of innovations to make production faster and more efficient, all the while producing high quality results,” he explains. “For example, the standard retail stuff for cell phones used to be a run-of-the-mill motion-graphics spot, using a production photograph of the product with only high-end commercials using 3D renders of the phones or even a full-scale turntable shoot with all the required clean-up and compositing – the difference being a large budget and lots of time. Now, the demand is high-quality 3D renders (often incorporating various VFX elements) all in a day’s turnaround, on a small budget – something that used to be unheard of a couple years ago has become run of the mill here.” Olsen goes on to say that because production is beginning to use higher resolution cameras, this puts a massive strain on infrastructure and workflow. “A single frame of raw footage is approaching 75MB, which means a feature will run into terrabytes of data,” he explains “The exponentially higher amounts of data also means exponentially
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A single frame of raw footage is approaching 75MB, which means a feature will run into terrabytes of data. The exponentially higher amounts of data also means exponentially higher processing power, data transfer, and storage capacity of creativity,” says Olsen.
Post-production on Pollen / Hive Content’s Cell C Ad
32 | COMMERCIALS: LOCATIONS
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
Courtesy of Lion Park
Head Animal Wrangler Alex Larenty gets up close and personal with predators at the Lion Park.
One One of of Amazing Amazing Spaces’ Spaces’ archtectural archtectural masterpieces, masterpieces, Nero. Nero.
LOCATIONS to Match Every Creative Style
T
he African continent has an unlimited wealth of extraordinary, breath-taking locations. Thousands of kilometres of untouched nature reserves are juxtaposed by sprawling urban settings and idyllic desert panoramas. South Africa in particular is at an advantage in this arena, with
locations as diverse as the people groups that make up this vibrant country. Not only is South Africa able to offer expert crews, equipment and commercial services, but it has also doubled as a variety of African countries in recent years. “In terms of private spaces or homes, South Africa has this wonderful diversity
in architecture,” says Julia Finnis-Bedford, Managing Director at Amazing Spaces, one of the leading companies marketing locations to the film and stills industries, among others. “Provencal in the vineyards; ultra-modern overlooking the ocean; classic English in the country; New York style apartments; inner city streets and ‘grunge’; and quintessential Martha’s Vineyard-style clapboard beach houses right on the beach… and so much more. This means clients can emulate almost any country, all in one.” Places like Aquila Private Game Reserve offers a dramatic backdrop of mountains and an incredible selection of wildlife, and is a location of choice for advertising agencies, photographers and filmmakers alike. Cape Nature offer pristine landscapes with hues of deep green, orange and blue, impressive rock facades, dams and waterfalls, while KwaZuluNatal and the Zulu Coast is home to hill after rolling hill, lush forests and fascinating oceanscapes.
COMMERCIALS: LOCATIONS | 33
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Courtesy of Lion Park
© Amazing Spaces Other wildlife like these gorgeous giraffe can also be spotted at the Lion Park.
The Lion Park is an established leader in the commercial wildlife-filming industry and, according to Manager Andre La Cock, can provide any type of predator shot required, from lion and spotted hyena to cheetah and many others. “With a large array of animals to choose from, including the famous white lions and our-well known tame giraffe, the Lion Park and its sister property ‘Kingdom of the White Lion’ are spectacular filming playgrounds that are particularly suitable for advertisements, documentaries and specialised feature-film requirements,” he explains. Acclaimed film The White Lion was shot here. Head Animal Wrangler Alex Larenty has a team that not only has an enormous love
for wildlife, but is also dedicated to this type of work. Filming usually involves three areas of interest: commercials, feature films (which involve human actors as well) and documentaries about the animals themselves. When it comes to bringing in acting double, Alex and the team are familiar with the animals and the environment. The park also has access to a stunning range of diverse and magnificent locations including rivers, valleys and vast tracts of unspoiled wilderness. Johannesburg, by contrast, is a preferred destination for edgy, urban settings, while places like the V&A Waterfront, the Expo Centre and the Cape Town International Convention Centre have doubled as sleek, modern locations
for city, airport and similar shoots. Amazing Spaces has a range of fabulous locations in their books. “We are very proud of our locations and have some award-winning architectural masterpieces such as Nero. We are equally proud of our new website which has a very sophisticated and dynamic search function allowing clients to do very detailed searches of what they are looking for,” Julia says. And although the actual locales may not change much, shoot location trends certainly do. “This season, there was a very clear demand for typical American homes as well as English homes,” she says. “Modern is always in – the non-fussy, clean lines that create the perfect backdrop for directors to create their magic.”
34 | COMMERCIALS: NOTABLE ADS
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
Courtesy of bouffant © Ster-Kinekor
bouffant took home a Gold Loerie for Effective Creativity for Ster-Kinekor’s TV campaign, Great Moments at their Greatest.
AD COMPANIES THAT SCOOPED AWARDS
in 2014 and 2015
S
outh Africa has long had the competitive edge on the continent in terms of creating truly stellar, awardwinning advertising. It is one of the few African countries that bring home international awards on a regular basis. Here’s a roundup of some of SA and Africa’s wins and exciting creative concepts. • D&AD’s 2015 Award Ceremony took place on 21 May and SA took home 1 Yellow Pencil, 4 Graphite Pencils and 13 Wood Pencils. These were in a range of mediums from direct mail and digital to innovative media, ambient, illustration, radio and other campaigns. • RED Epic Last year, BBDO East Africa took home a Bronze Loeries Award in TV, Film and Video Communication for their hugely popular Tuskers Twende Kazi campaign, with Joburg-based Lucky Bean Media as the production company behind the scenes. • Wicked Pixels was the animation company behind another 2014 Bronze Loeries winner: the SuperSport Absa Currie Cup Promo by Thackwell and Whittaker, who received the award in the Broadcast Design and Motion Graphics category.
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It’s no surprise that bouffant took home a Gold Loerie for Effective Creativity last year for their part in Ster-Kinekor’s TV campaign, Great Moments at their Greatest. We at The Callsheet were blown away by their creativity when we first saw the spots – not to mention the epic conclusion, which could only be seen in cinema. Egg Films’ Terence Neale was the most awarded director, while Rozanne RochaGray was the highest ranked producer at the 2014 Loerie Awards. Lion Fish Productions’ Kofi Zwana won a Cannes Bronze Lion Award for Promo And Activation last year with The Tiger Alphabet. The company’s short piece, Look to the Stars, was shortlisted in the World MoFilm Competition. Keith Rose of Velocity Films and Ogilvy Johannesburg were awarded a Bronze Cannes Lions 2014 for their Topsy Foundation (now Witkoppen) commercial, Kevin. The ad also won the Creative Circle TV Award of the Year 2014. Oude Meester, directed by Kim Geldenhuys, received five Loeries Craft Certificates for Editing, Direction,
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Cinematography, Production Design and Writing. The company, 0307 Films, was involved in DStv’s Feel Every Moment campaign, which won Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg a PromaxBDA Africa Gold for Best Television Image. Velocity Films was the production company behind Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg’s Kevin for the Topsy Foundation, which received a Bronze Lion in the Film category last year in Cannes. Wim Steytler won the Young Director (Silver) Award at Cannes Lions 2014 for his work on Haezer’s Minted music video. The video features the subject of xenophobia, a subject that’s rather pertinent to our society today. Net#Work BBDO won a Film Craft Lion for their emotive television commercial Doctor for Coronation Fund Managers. The April winner of the Creative Circle awards in Television, Video and Cinema went to Net#work BBDO for their Chicken Licken ad, The Loop, while King James Group took second place with Sanlam’s Genius and Lowe Cape Town bagged third with Prudential Investment Managers’ The Fisherman.
36 | COMMERCIALS: TABLETOP CREATIVES
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
Interview with
SIMON BARNES AND DAVID ROWLEY Creative Director Simon Barnes and Producer David Rowley of Grinder Films, school the Callsheet on who does the bread-and-butter work in SA.
The Callsheet: Can you give me an overview of Grinder, David? David: Grinder is the only African specialist food and beverage production company. We set up the facility about six years ago to specifically produce food and beverage advertising. Tabletop is mix of art and as well as being technically specific high-speed work, and as we love doing both, we created the Grinder studio in Cape Town. We now have two studios in Cape Town for filming and stills and last year we opened our European branch office and studio in Warsaw.
The Callsheet: What sort of equipment are you using at the moment? Simon: Well, we use a lot of different equipment but as we predominantly shoot at high frame-rates, cameras such as the Phantom Flex are pretty standard for us. The latest camera at the moment is the Phantom Flex 4K which allows us to shoot at 2 000 frames per second at 2K resolution, or 4K at 1 000 frames per second. So technology is advancing all the time and we are able to get faster cameras with bigger sensors with lots more information. Thats what you are
looking for: less noise, high resolution and high speeds. We also need to do highspeed camera moves and for this we use high-speed motion-control technology. This technology is extremely expensive to sustain and operate and we have the latest Venom Motion-Control available at our Grinder Warsaw studio to cater for the European markets. The Callsheet: Does food and beverage tabletop work feature at Cannes Lions? David: Cannes Lions is specifically about awards and tabletop traditionally doesn’t
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The radical advancements in film-equipment technology that allow us to shoot and move at high-speeds is making tabletop fashionable and at the same time allows the product to be the focus of attention. The other exciting stuff we are doing is making liquid perform, making flour perform and making the butter the star of the show.
really feature. If you look at the history of commercials in general, people love the ads with big car chases, the performance ads and humour, and these are the ads that grab all the attention at Cannes. That said, this is changing as traditional tabletop has changed in a big way. The radical advancements in film-equipment technology that allow us to shoot and move at highspeeds is making tabletop fashionable and at the same time allows the product to be the focus of attention. Generally most of the work we do is highly technical speciality tabletop work although we do shoot performance-based commercials as well for clients such as Iglo Frozen Foods. The other exciting stuff we are doing is making liquid perform, making flour perform, and making the butter the star of the show; in general making the product the centre of attention. This is all having a bigger influence in commercials these days. Tabletop isn’t
always the biggest element in commercials but it certainly is becoming more exciting and more popular and this is why we are constantly exploring new visual avenues. For us it’s about finding new ways of looking at things that people haven’t seen before. The Callsheet: Do you think tabletop work gets the recognition it deserves? David: The work shown at Cannes is generally the mainstream high-flying stuff and food and beverage tabletop is what we call “the bread and butter” work - we are the ones doing the ‘real work’, you know. The fact that we got this award at the Norwegian festival is completely out of context and bizarre and it’s really the first time I have ever seen something like that. I think it was because of the sum of the creative input that was put in, the camera moves, the visual concept that Simon came up with and the cutting-edge technical equipment that
we used, and all of this drove people to be transfixed. Cannes Lions for us is a trip where we see our clients and meet people and everybody is in one space at the same time. It’s a perfect opportunity to connect and network and typically we do not go to enter the awards. I think very few people have any idea or concept of the attention to detail and exact science that we have to bring to every production in order to produce our work. It’s a mix of technology and art. But we love our work and then there are all the exciting technical toys we get to play with. We have a rig downstairs which we have developed and built which we call “The Slingshot” and its our baby – the visuals we have created with it are just stunning. It really is visual art. See more of Simon and David’s work at vimeo.com/grinderfilms and grinderfilms.com
38 | SPOTLIGHT
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Images Courtesy of Cannes Lions
CANNES LIONS Festival of Creativity 2015 Colourful entertainers strike a pose
The AOL Seminar at Cannes Lions 2013
T
he 62nd instalment of the Cannes Lions will be held from 21 – 27 June 2015. Set in the scenic French Riviera, the annual celebration of creativity within the sphere of advertising is a seven-day bonanza of networking, inspiration and training. Organisers reveal that their awards are a benchmark in the industry; it describes what creativity looks like. 12 000 delegates from 90 countries converge in Cannes to mingle with the very best creatives worldwide. This interaction thrusts them to the forefront of the industry, galvanising reputation and increasing sales. Awards are adjudicated across 16 categories, including traditional print, technology and product design. Annually, the organisers received 37 000 entries with only 3% going on to win a Lion. However, people are present for the awards. John O’Keaffe, Worldwide creative director, WPP, sums it up like this. “Cannes Lion is the main event. Everyone wants to win. Anyone who says different is a liar, mad or destined for sainthood. 15 Grand Prix are awarded. The Juries will award Gold, Silver and Bronze Lions in each category to entries judged to be deserving of this honour. After an initial shortlist is decided by a first round of voting, the Grand Prix is selected from all the entries that have won a Gold Lion.
South Africans have been judges at previous years’ festivals and this year eight locals have been included in the judging panel. • Pepe Marais, Chief Creative Officer at Joe Public Group, judging the Promo category • Joanina Pastoll, Executive Creative Director at Lowe Johannesburg, judging the Design category • Andy Rice, Board Director and Chairman of Yellowwood Brand Architects, judging the Creative Effectiveness category The inaugural Glass Lion award was initiated to recognise work that breaks through the unconscious gender bias and defies the stereotypical norm. The spectacular contingent of women journalists are led by one of its most decorated in the world, Christiane Amanpour, chief international correspondent for CNN. Also included is Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan and broadly recognised for journalistic leadership. The confirmed diverse line-up includes 250 speakers across various creative fields. The stellar, international celebrities are spearheaded by Pharrell Williams, the multiple Grammy Award winner and ubiquitous Kim Kardashian, the doyenne of reality television and now tech entrepreneur (due to her app launched in 2014).
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This interaction thrusts them to the forefront of the industry, galvanising reputation and increasing sales.
The technology and social media companies are represented by Tinder’s Sean Rad, Google’s senior vice president, Dave Drummond speaking on standing up for free expression while combating the worst among us with specific mention to the topical phenomenon of ISIS. Facebook’s Chris Cox, leader of their Product Management, Design and Marketing functions will be speaking about the mobile industry as well. Lastly, a unique speaker that was only birthed in December 2014. This Android, Matsuko-roid was created by A-Lab, under the supervision of Professor Ishiguro of Osaka University. They have used cuttingedge technology to create artificial skin and muscles. Matsuko-roid hosts a weekly TV programme on Japan’s No.1 network, NTV. Another first at this year’s festival is making available a full-week official Festival ‘Networking Pass’. They are available on a limited basis. They are only obtained online through the main Cannes Lions website. The learning experience does not just include the expertise of these international icons, but the training provided there are from trainers with first-hand experience. According to the organisers, “Every programme at Cannes Lions is designed to pull in the hottest ideas and speakers from the main programme.” With a spectacular line-up as revealed, delegates are in for a bumper week.
KWAZI MOJO STUDIOS | 39
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KWAZI MOJO STUDIOS W
e do music. We do sound. We win awards. We’ve been doing it for over 20 years. Kwazi Mojo Media (KMM) is the leading South African multi award-winning postproduction sound facility group, incorporating Kwazi Mojo Studios (Sound Post) and Cut & Paste Generation (Music Composition). The studios operate one of the only Dolby labs accredited Dolby Digital feature format mixing, mastering and encoding stages in South Africa. KMM runs operations based together with sister companies Bladeworks Post Production (Film Production and Post) in Johannesburg and Waterfront Film Studios (Sound Stages and Post) in Cape Town. To date, we have scored music and sound mixed over 8 000 commercials, won numerous Cannes Lions, DnAD, LIAA, Clio, among others including a plethora of Loerie awards. We have worked with many high profile clients from both the advertising and filmmaking industries since
opening its doors in 1995. The company founder, multi award winner Alun Richards, placed in the top 10 worldwide in October 2014 for an anonymous entry music score competition, held by the Vienna Symphony Library and the Hollywood Music Workshop. Our extremely talented and experienced team at KMM and Cut & Paste Generation work passionately with sound, carefully constructing soundtracks that live and breathe, crafting mixes creatively and to the highest technical levels. We track sound effects with detailed regard to the music score, and vice versa, creating uncluttered soundscapes that heighten the emotion and enhance the concept. KMM offers complete audio post solutions, for any and all size budgets, for feature film, television, documentary, commercials, online and gaming. Services: • DTI Film Post Production rebate scheme
facilitation Dolby Digital Accredited Multi studio facilities Tracking, edit and mix suites Foley: Two custom Foley stages ADR: Custom 50 square metre stage Dialogue edit Sound design Source Connect Voice casting, translation and recording Film sound transfers: 35mm, 16mm [Digital, Optical, Magnetic] • Data facilities: Storage, Archive, Transfer, Delivery • Bespoke music composition • Music supervision, search and licensing • Post sound supervision For more information or bookings, please don’t hesitate to call our ‘kick ass’ production department on: Tel: +27 11 361 3020 Email: production@kwazimojo.tv Web: www.kwazimojo.tv
• • • • • • • • • •
40 | DOCUMENTARY REVIEW
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© Virunga Movie
VIRUNGA:
Documentary Taps Into Global Awakening by Kim Muller
“You have to justify why you are on this earth” – Andre Bauma, Virunga National Park Ranger
I
’ve been following the destructive path of oil companies for the last two years – since watching Michael Ruppert’s acclaimed doomsday documentary Collapse – and in the same way that oil and water do not mix well together, neither do oil and human beings. After visiting the Investec offices in Cape Town to watch a screening of Virunga, I’m even more incensed at the terrible havoc our species has wreaked on the earth and on each other. Let me paint you a picture. Virunga National Park is a natural paradise, with flourishing wildlife and lush, green forests covering 7 800 square kilometres that stretches from the Virunga Mountains in the south to the Rwenzori Mountains in the north. One of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet, it is home to the last of the endangered Mountain Gorillas – of which there are only around 800 worldwide. But there’s a catch. A large portion of this enchanting, wild environment lies on the site of a major oil reserve, and although drilling there is illegal, British energy firm SOCO has been granted a concession by the government to go ahead with exploration anyway. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s decades-long
internal conflict, Orlando von Einsiedel’s film follows four people working in various areas of Virunga National Park to ensure that its future remains secure. We meet Andre Bauma, who cares for orphaned mountain gorillas at the Senkwekwe Centre, Melanie Gouby, a young French photojournalist who together with park warden Rodrigue Katembo Mugaruka and covertly gathers evidence for their case against SOCO, and Emmanuel de Merode, the park director, who was shot in an assassination attempt the day before the film’s debut. Perhaps what I found most striking about Virunga is not that it was yet another beautiful wildlife documentary, but rather, it dealt with the problem from a number of different viewpoints and showed the knock-on effect that civil war has on a country’s everyday functionality. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I heard how Rodrigue began his life as a child soldier, when I saw villagers running for their lives as their homes were invaded by M23 militia, when I saw the effect that this conflict has had on the precious few remaining gorillas. The story is captivating, with unparalelled landscapes that switch from smouldering craters of lava to soldiers cocking their rifles in an instant. Smattered between
these juxtapositions are heart-breaking images of elephants poached for their tusks and baby gorillas hugging their surrogate ‘mother’ at Senkwekwe as gunshots grow louder by the minute. The most profound thing about Virunga, however, is not the way in which the story is told, or the suffering creatures and children caught in this instability, but the fact that this is not a single story. We hear time and again of oil exploration going wrong, of locals being exploited and being bought over because they have no other options for survival. Miners Shot Down was a prime example of this mess we’ve allowed to continue and Virunga brings this point home with vigour. It made me realise that unless we as a collective decide to change our current situation, we will lose much more in the long term than a few thousand acres of tropical forest and a few hundred precious mountain gorillas. Virunga will be screened at Encounters Documentary Festival in June, and will present its African broadcast premiere in association with AfriDocs, Steps and the Bertha Foundation on DStv ED satellite Channel 190 and terrestrially on GOtv 65.
SPOTLIGHT | 41
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SHEFFIELD DOC/FEST SA Indies/ATFT Have Strong Presence
T
he Sheffield Doc/Fest, now in its 22nd year, runs from 5-10 June 2015. One of the top three documentary festivals in the world, it screens films in a variety of venues, now including the screening of a film in the grounds of the Botanical Gardens for the very first time. The estimated 3 200 delegates are invited to enjoy 150 feature and short documentaries from 35 countries. South Africa enjoyed the spotlight as a focus last year, launched by Miners Shot Down, a film about the Marikana massacre. Seventeen South African delegates will be attending in conjunction with Association of Transformation in Film and Television (ATFT) this year. The organisation facilitates delegations to international markets and festivals in order to foster co-production and sales. Director Joseph Oesi’s, Hambrook
Communications, has a project called Mining for Power also with the Marikana theme while Samora Sekhukune’s story, Wizard of Zim, is about a daughter’s desire to make her father’s wish to meet Robert Mugabe a reality. The multi-pronged focus of the festival includes a Digital and Interactive programme in partnership with Crossover Labs. The best in interactive documentaries will be shown, including 16 riveting and immersive technological works using this avenue to communicate the worlds of the storytellers. The digital revolution in broadcasting will be explored at the Crossover Interactive Summit. This year includes an African perspective as attendees discover how to access digital media from the continent. The Crossover Lounge showcases digital projects encompassing festival-specific commissioned work, and
is also where delegates can network. One of the masterclasses will be held with Brett Morgen (Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck), and delegates will also have the opportunity to mingle with ITV presenters Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell, who will share their insights into making some of the most emotionally powerful scenes ever seen on television in Long Lost Family. This year, Sheffield teams up with Site Gallery to co-present a Virtual Reality Arcade. It features nine diverse VR experiences. Croall’s successor will also be announced at this year’s festival. Lastly, the fest will celebrate the life and work of documentary filmmaker, Albert Maysles, who passed away recently. Situated off the beaten track, Sheffield Doc/Fest 2015’s programme and tradition will prove to be as innovative, creative and compelling as ever.
42 | COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT
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© Shutterstock
EAST AFRICA Bustling Creativity Bolstered by Charming Vistas by Imogen Campbell
T
he three East African countries, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda proffer untouched terrain, abundant wildlife intermingled with unforgettable experiences. All three are determined to shake off a harrowing past and are burgeoning with hospitable, talented inhabitants eager to move their region forward to a new, optimistic epoch. The charm of this region is embedded in the potential of these untapped landscapes, sightings, forests and lakes that tantalise the imagination and challenge the lens. Rwanda, known as “The Land of the Thousand Hills”, is redefining itself after the genocide of 1994. This topic has oft been
the theme of movies made or representing this country, and some successful international productions filmed there are Sometimes in April (2005) and Shake Hands with the Devil. (2007). The iconic film, Hotel Rwanda was mostly shot in South Africa with primary scenes in Rwanda only. Joel Kabera, a Rwandanese screenwriter, film producer and director is founder and president of the Rwandan Cinema Centre whose aim is to promote the film industry in the country. The Rwandan Film Festival is nicknamed Hillywood, as tribute to its hills. Re-emerging Rwanda is a growing tourist destination, safe and known to have low corruption levels compared to surrounding
countries. It is home to volcanoes, lakes and rivers, though travellers are often seeking to safely encounter the gorillas and the largest concentration of chimpanzees there. The Republic of Uganda, the ‘Pearl of Africa’s’ main attractions are also for gorilla safaris, chimpanzees, bird watching and trekking. It is also the source of the Nile River and white-water rafting and kayaking on the river is popular. Uganda is accessible and affordable, but its tourism industry is not very established. It hosts a film festival, the Uganda Film Festival, but at this stage, does not have a Film Commission. There are a few film companies in Wakalinga, Uganda, including Godfrey Nabwana’s
COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT | 43
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© Shutterstock
Hotel Rwanda © Blid Alsbirk 2004, United Artists
Ramon Films, which gained notoriety for doing war and real-to-life movies, which he distributes door-to-door. Their film industry seems rampant with men like him driven by passion. The Republic of Burundi on the other hand is best known for one of the deepest lakes in the world, Lake Tanganyika, the historic meeting place of two great explorers in Africa, Livingstone and Stanley. Another fascinating lake is the Dogodogo, a shallow lake that is made up of free floating reed islands, rapidly darting along when a breeze blows. It is also home to the largest untouched natural area in Burundi, the preserved forest land of the Kibira National Park. It has a travelling International Film Festival, of which the 7th edition was held in April this year. Despite recent upheaval in Burundi the government has declared that the country is relatively safe. Several popular airlines fly into Bujumbura International Airport in Burundi, including KLM and Kenya Airways. There are two international airports in Rwanda, Kigali and Kamembe International Airports. They also have major international carriers flying
in from countries like UAE, South Africa and Kenya. Entebbe Airport is the Ugandan travel centre and major airlines flying into Uganda include South African Airways, British Airways, Turkish Airlines and Kenyan Airlines. The currencies of these countries and exchange rates against the major currencies on 20 May 2015 are as follows: East African currency
Major international currencies and exchange rates 1 US dollar ($)
1 Euro (€)
1 GBP (£)
Burundian franc
0.00064
0.00057
0.00041
Rwandan franc
0.00145
0.00130
0.00093
Ugandan Shilling
0.00033
0.00030
0.00022
In Burundi, entry is subject to regulations from country of origin. All permits in Rwanda are issued through the Ministry of Sports and Culture. Uganda requires press accreditation for each visiting crew member and, one needs accreditation from the Ministry of Information. Processing takes a few days once all documentation
has been received. Burundi Tourism National Office (Burundi) Rohero 2. Avenue des Euphorbes Number 2 P.O. Box: 902 Bujumbura, Burundi Email: info@burundi-tourism.com Tel: + (257) 22 22 20 23 Rwanda Rwandan Development Board KN 5 Rd, KG 9 Ave P.O. Box 6239, Kigali, Rwanda Email: info@rdb.rw Website: www.rdb.rw Uganda Ministry of information and Communications Technology Fourth Floor, Social Security House Jinja Road, Kampala, Uganda P.O. Box 7817, Uganda Tel: 256 (414 )236 262 Email: webmaster@ict.go.ug Website: www.ict.go.ug
Y CRE ATIVIT IN V E S T IN li o n s .c o m c an nes
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, r o g I d n a h a n n a H . m a e T e Creativ them d e l l a c u Yo o t m a e t ‘the s a w t a h T . ’ h c t a w . o g a s r a e y r u o f S. T E PA S SE D BUY T HEM
EL EG A
E VE R A S N A H T CH E A P E R
NC E .
OPPORTUNITIES | 45
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Opportunities © Anuel Modebe Photography
AFRIFF 2015 Call for Entries The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) recently called for entries in the following categories: Feature Films, Short Films, Documentary Films and Animation Films. AFRIFF is the continent’s exciting new annual destination for fantastic film experiences and is celebrated in Nigeria each November. The 5th edition of AFRIFF will be taking place from 8-15 November 2014. All films must have been produced after 1 January of the previous year, with preference given to films which have yet to be screened globally or in Africa. The selection committee wil decide on the official festival selection, while the AFRIFF Jury will be appointed from members of the international film community. The entry deadline for submissions is 24 July 2015, while the late deadline is 31 August 2015. For more information or to submit your film, visit www.afriff.com.
AiM Call for Short Films African filmmakers are invited to submit short films of no longer than 30 minutes for Africa in Motion’s prestigious annual Short Film
Competition. The 2015 edition takes place from 23 October to 1 November in Edinburgh, Glasgow. The competition specifically targets young and emerging African film talent and has a substantial cash prize attached. AiM has called for short films on all themes and of all genres including fiction, documentary, animation and experimental work, completed in 2013 or after, by filmmakers who have not yet completed a feature length production. A shortlist from all the entries will be announced in August, with a high-profile jury of local and international film specialises choosing the competition winner, to be announced during the festival. All shortlisted films will be screened at the event, and in addition to the overall winner selected by the jury, there will also be an Audience Choice Award announced at the festival’s closing. The submission deadline is Monday, 29 June 2015. Guidelines and submission documents can be found at www.africa-in-motion.org.uk/ competitions/short-film-competition.
GetSmarter Needs a Videographer/Editor GetSmarter offers a portfolio of short
courses, postgraduate degree programmes and professional accounting programmes presented in partnership with South Africa’s leading universities. The company is looking for a Videographer/Editor to schedule, produce, shoot and edit video lectures for online courses on GetSmarter’s learning platform, as well as marketing videos to be included in promotional material. Requirements: • Excellent verbal and written communication skills • One year minimum location and studio shooting experience (DSLR beneficial) • One year minimum professional editing experience. Final Cut Pro X and Premiere Pro proficient, Motion and Adobe After Effects beneficial • Production experience in studio and on location • A willingness to learn new computer skills • Attention to detail • Skill in organising time and establishing priorities • A high level of confidence and professionalism • Strong interpersonal skills • Good work ethic This is a permanent position based in Cape Town, South Africa. If you do not hear back from GetSmarter within two weeks of applying for this position, please consider your application unsuccessful. Send your CV and cover letter to Danushka Hooper at hr@getsmarter.co.za.
46 | ASSOCIATIONS
SOS Coalition Welcomes Parliament’s Opinion on SABC Board Purging On 26 May 2015, Parliament received and accepted a legal opinion on the pwers to remove Board members of the SABC. The opinion as sought by the Portfolio Committee on Communications’ Chairperson, Joyce Moloi-Moropa, following the SABC Board’s unilateral purging of three directors: Hope Zinde, Rachael Kalidas and Ronnie Lubisi. The Minister of Communications was emphatic that the Board’s decision was lawful and was consistent with the application of the Companies’ Act, which ultimately trumped the scope of application of the Broadcasting Act. SOS Coalition has maintained that there is a clear systemic crisis within the SABC Board in the recent past and present. According to their official statement, if the crisis is to be resolved at all, Parliament must conduct a full-scale inquiry to “identify and root out the cause of the malaise”. Although SOS is happy with this outcome, the association still does not believe that enough is being done to ensure the SABC is a well-functioning public broadcaster. “Parliament must play a far more rigorous role in its oversight function of the SABC,” their statement said. “It is abundantly clear that, even though this ought to be the case in a healthy constitutional democracy in which public representatives are driven by a duty to public service instead of power, it is not enough to accept the reports tabled by the SABC and the Minister at hearings, such as it does.” For more information, contact Sekoetlane Jacob Phamodi, Coordinator of the SOS Coalition on 076 084 8077.
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ASSOCIATIONS | 47
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The Writer’s Guild of South Africa (WGSA) recently announced a series of intermediate workshops and master classes running between 20 May and 14 June in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. The much-anticipated event will bring Tim O’Donnell to the country and is based on last year’s WGSA Muse Awards judges’ feedback. The course, which focuses on writing for sitcoms and comedies, fills a much-needed gap in the industry. “Currently, there are no comedy courses or communities in South Africa. Most comedy writers learn on the job and some comedians from their mentors.. For this reason, a workshop from an international professional will be hugely beneficial.” Tim O’Donnell is a successful writer/ director/producer, best known for his writing episodes on Gloria, Different Strokes, and Growing Pains. He made his directorial debut with TV series Home Free starring Matthew Perry and has since directed episodes of Dave’s World, Clueless, The Amanda Show, Lizzie McGuire, Phil of the Future, Flight 29 Down and web series Woke Up Dead. For more information on the workshops and the course content, visit www.writersguildsa.org.
SAARF Announces 16th PAMRO 2015 The 16th PAMRO meeting and All Africa Media Research Conference will take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 23-26 August, according to a recent announcement by the South African Audience Research Foundation (SAARF). The provisional programme includes registration in the late afternoon on Sunday, 23 August followed by a welcome dinner, with two full days of conferencing on Monday and Tuesday, finishing off with a half-day conferece on Wednesday, 26 August. These will include updates on media audience research activities from around the continent. Presentations will address a range of subjects including television audience research methodologies, as well as the measurement status of radio, print, internet and outdoor media in Africa. Speakers from across the world will be present. For more information, or to register for this year’s event, visit www.saarf.co.za.
The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) released their AGM 2015 Chairman and Legal Reports in May this year. The AGM was held at AFDA in Johannesburg on 11 May and covered a range of issues concerning the talent industry. One concern was the Revised White Paper of 2013 (RWP), which has been met with strong opposition. “Organisations such as SAGA as a member of SASFED stood firmly against this document and we now have an assurance from the DAC that the RWP is officially nullified,” Jack Devnarain wrote in the Chairman’s Report. Another concern is the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa (CCIFSA), which was launched in March 2014. According to a SAMRO press release, “it is the first time in South Africa’s history that a single body will represent the creative sector. CCIFSA will enjoy decision-making and bargaining powers in the issues that affect the cultural and creative industries the most.” The CCIFSA plans to “exert tangible influence over the notoriously fragmented and unregulated sector”, especially on issues like tax, local content, labour and royalties. The organisation was allocated a budget of R5-million, despite questionable practices in its Executive Board appointments. To read the full AGM reports, visit www.saguildofactors.co.za.
Nonhle Mbuthuma © The Shore Break, Durban FilmMart 2015
SAGA Releases AGM 2015 Reports
WGSA Brings Tim O’Donnell to SA for Sitcom Workshops
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