The Callsheet Issue 7 by Film & Event Media

ISSUE 07 | 2015

Cine Photo Tools is an OďŹ&#x192;cial RED Digital Cinema Partner in South Africa.

+ CANNES SA PARTY Inside the Hottest Party at Cannes Lions

+ TECHNOLOGY TRENDS SUPER FEATURE What's Current in New Media, Animation, and Studios + Ayanda SPOTLIGHT ON DIFF AND DFM to Open the 36th Staging of the Fest

CONTENTS | 01

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

02. The Actor Whisperer on Master Classes, Movies and Moments

04. Cannes Film Festival 2015: The Winners

05. Animation SA Set to Shine at Annecy

06. Shadow of Justice to Film in KwaZulu-Natal

08. Short&Sweet Launch SA’s First Teen Film Fest

10. Cannes Lions South Africa Party 12. DFM and DIFF offer up a Feast of Film and Business

13. A Chat with Toni Monty on Durban FilmMart

14. Technology in the Filmmaking Space in 2015

24. Samsung NX30: A Beginner’s Dream

CANNES SA PARTY

TECH EXTRAVAGANZA

Philippa Dresner goes behind the scenes at

Kim Muller delves deep into the world where technology and media converge. See page 14.

the hottest beach party in Cannes.

26. In Production - July 28. Encounters Keeps Audiences Rapt

29. A Chat with Documentary Filmmaker, François Verster

30. A Chat with the WGSA’s Theoline Maphutha

32. Jurassic World: Welcome to the Land of Predictability

36. A Chat with SA Actor, Langley Kirkwood

IN PRODUCTION: JULY

JURASSIC WORLD

It may be Winter, but there is plenty film work going on in SA. See page 26

Three writers take on the epic task of rating Jurassic World, with surprising results.

37. Indies and Shorts Review 38. Kenya: Thriving, and Driving Film 40. Events to Diarise 42. Industry Associations 44. Directory of Advertisers

02 | SPOTLIGHT

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DAVID MORIN: The Actor Whisperer on Master Classes, Movies and Moments by Katie Reynolds Bill Paxton and D. David Morin

avid Morin certainly puts the character in Character Actor. From his booming Southern Californian twang, to his high-energy persona; he certainly knows how to command an audience. When I met him in an upscale beachfront restaurant, our quick chat turned into a three hour soliloquy on the evolution of an actor’s career, the exhilarating highs and quiet frustrations, and the constant need to move forward. His expansive high-rise apartment in Strand with wraparound sea views is not enough to motivate the actor. “I need energy and people. Unfortunately, Strand (a sleepy beach suburb 45 minutes from Cape Town) just doesn’t have the vibe. I’ve gotta move back to the city”, David says. David surely holds the record for the most commercial screen time. He was once dubbed the ‘King of Commercials’, with over 200 national network spots in the US alone. Far from being a one-trick-pony; peruse his IMDB credits and you’ll find guest spots on hit shows such as The Mentalist, CSI Miami, Dexter, Chuck, Touched by an Angel, Melrose Place and Las Vegas, as well as roles

in feature films like Hero, For the Boys and Cold Play. David’s most recent acting gig was as an Alabama judge in the Daniel Radcliffe film Game Changer, in which Radcliffe plays the inventor of the smash-hit game Grand Theft Auto, who is hounded by an activist played by Bill Paxton. It’s not all work though. “I worked with Jennifer Aniston on a show called Muddling Through, this was just before Friends”, he laments, “and we just had fantastic chemistry. I thought we were definitely close to dating.” Thankfully his romantic luck improved with a certain Geena Davis. “I walked into the make up trailer and she locked eyes with me in the mirror. By the time I got to wardrobe the dresser told me she was interested in me! So I ended up dating her for about 10 days”, he says with an impish grin. Did I mention he also took Rita Wilson to the prom? Despite enviable commercial success, David decided he needed a change of scene, so he packed up his stuff and headed for Africa, where he spent a few years writing, producing and directing in Kenya. But he

calls South Africa his home now, and spends his Saturdays teaching acting classes to aspiring silver-screen stars. “It’s all about the moments,” he says, “you’ve got to give the film editor lots of moments to work with”. At this point, he demonstrates a range of diverse emotions in a few brief flashes. It’s pretty impressive. His students range from school kids to professional models, and he teaches them acting techniques in a live setting, complete with a rolling camera to capture their evolving skills. “Some of these kids are just natural actors” he says as he shows me a reel of his students’ recent work. And there are some additional perks to the job. “I just had a wealthy father fly me to Mpumalanga to host an acting workshop for his daughter and her friends”, he chuckles. So what’s next for the veteran actor? “Well, my master classes are great fun, but my passion lies in directing. I have some meetings lined up with high-profile producers, so I’m excited to see the projects that emerge from those”. Sign up for David’s Hollywood Acting Master Class at www.register.hollywoodclass. co.za

Hollywood Acting Master Class offers the best training in all of Africa to work in TV & Film. It’s a Hollywood Boot Camp on “what to do & how to do it” from castings to working on a hot set. Based in Cape Town, SA. D. David Morin is an award-winning filmmaker, actor & director, with over 30 years in the trenches of L.A. & New York. (credits: www.imdb.com/name/nm0605514/)

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04 | NEWS

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South African Indies SA Documentary Film Talent Global

SA Documentary Film Talent Goes Global

ast month saw South African Indies, in conjunction with partners the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTi) Export Marketing Investment Assistance (EMIA), focusing on documentary films as they travel with South African delegations to two major documentary film events. Following on from their most recent trip to the Cannes Film Festival, where SA Indies took twenty South African film producers to participate in the Marche du Film, the organisation recently travelled along with fourteen filmmakers to the Sheffield Documentary Film Festival in the United Kingdom. South African Indies partnered with Radio

Film’s Andy Jones to mentor the filmmakers in the lead-up to and at the market. At the event, the delegation held the first ever South African Symposium. This 90 minute round table discussion included guests from the BBC, Al Jazeera, Discovery Channel, Borderline Media, Motto Pictures and the Irish Film Board who meet with the South African delegates in person to introduce them to the range of projects being developed. From June 22nd to 25th the SA Indies delegation, with the support of the Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) and thre National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), travelled to the Sunny Side of the Doc in La Rochelle France. The delegation will partner with matchmaker Audrey Kamga of Arte to mentor the sixteen

filmmakers leading up to and during the market. Under the label “Sunny Side Goes Wild”, the 26th edition of the market is designed to strengthen partnerships between international producers, along with global buyers and distributors whilst focusing on wildlife and nature documentaries. With few black filmmakers in South Africa currently producing these kinds of films, wildlife and nature documentaries are an area of fimmaking that present substantial opportunities for emerging producers and directors. The South African filmmakers who attended this year’s event had the opportunity to learn about various aspects within this sector and develop the networks and relationships required for future sales opportunities.

CannesFilm FilmFestival Festival Cannes The 2015 Winners

2015: The Winners The Jury of the 68th Festival de Cannes, presided by Joel and Ethan Coen, revealed the names of the 2015 prize-winners during the Awards Ceremony. The closing film La Glace et le Ciel (Ice and the Sky) by Luc Jacquet was screened at the end of the Ceremony.

Feature Films - Competition • Palme d’or: Dheepan by Jacques Audiard • Grand Prix: Saul Fia (Son of Saul) by László Nemes • Best Director Award: Hou Hsiao-Hsien for Nietinniang (The Assassin)

Jury Prize: The Lobster by Yorgos Lanthimos • Best Actress Award: Rooney Mara in Carol by Todd Haynes, Emmanuelle Bercot in Mon Roi by MaÏwenn • Best Actor Award: Vincent Lindon in La Loi Du Marché (The Measure of a Man) by Stéphane Brizé • Best Screenplay Award: Michel Franco for Chronic Un Certain Regard • Un Certain Regard Award: Hrútar (Rams) by Grímur Hákonarson •

Jury Prize: Zvizdan (The High Sun) by Dalibor Matanić • Best Director Prize: Kiyoshi Kurosawa for Kishibe No Tabi (Journey to the Shore) • Un Certain Talent Prize : Comoara (Treasure) by Corneliu Porumboiu • Joint Promising Future Prize: Masaan (Fly Away Solo) by Neeraj Ghaywan, Nahid by Ida Panahandeh • Caméra D’Or: La Tierra La Sombra (Land and Shade) by César Augusto Acevedo presented during La Semaine de la Critique Cinéfondation • First Prize: Share by Pippa Bianco, AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, USA • Second Prize: Locas Perdidas (Lost Queens) by Ignacio Juricic Merillán, Carrera de Cine y TV Universidad de Chile, Chile • Joint Third Prize: The Return of Erkin by Maria Guskova, High Courses for Scriptwriters and Film Directors, Russia • Joint Third Prize: Victor XX by Ian Garrido López, Escac, Spain • The Jury of the CST awarded the Vulcan Award of the Technical Artist to: Tamas Zanyi, sound engineer, for the outstanding contribution of sound to the narration of Saul Fia (Son of Saul) by László Nemes. •

NEWS | 05

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Animation SA Shines at Annecy

nimation South Africa, with the financial assistance from the Department of Trade and Industry (dti), Gauteng Film Commission (GFC), Wesgro and the NFVF (National Film and Video Foundation) took an impressive 40-strong delegation of local animators, producers, writers and directors to the Annecy International Animation Festival this month. One of the biggest events on the global animation industry calendar, Annecy provides an excellent opportunity for Animation SA to promote the local industry and network directly with international counterparts. This year SA has every reason to show face: two local projects have been selected through the prestigious MIFA International Call for Projects to be pitched to an open room at the festival’s market. One is a 2D

series titled Anansi; a project about kids with secret ties to African deities developed by Isaac Mogajane (Diprente Films). The other is The Crash, a 3D feature developed by Julia Smuts Louw (Sparks Flew Development Studio) about a de-horned rhino who sets out alone to find his missing daughter in a park fraught with poachers. Following on the heels of Golden Planes’ Hillbrow and Triggerfish’s Sea Monster, this is the third year in a row in which a South African feature concept has been accepted into the international pitch sessions. This year also marks the launch of a new category in the MIFA Pitch Sessions, Animation du Monde, which has a special South-African focus session. Off the back of this event, one South African director will see his or her project come to life through a six-

month residency in France, working with top French studios as well as our own Triggerfish Animation in Cape Town. “This special opportunity is the result of our ongoing dialogue with IFAS, the French Institute of South Africa, who have shown consistent dedication towards creating platforms for our two countries to collaborate,” says Triggerfish partner and Animation SA board member Anthony Silverston. “MIFA’s South African pitch session is in large part the result of their efforts.” This year’s competing projects are Waterloo and Trafalgar by Matthew Torode (Tincup), Muzi & Kuku by Tim and Candice Argall (Bugbox Animation) and Kariba by Daniel Clarke (Blue Forest Collective). Monica Rorvik, manager for Film and Media promotion at Wesgro, the Tourism Trade and Investment Promotion agency for the Cape, was pleased to join the delegation along with representatives from the dti, the IDC and the NFVF. “MIFA is a seminal event for marketing the industry which has and will continue to pay dividends for the growth of South African animation,” she said. “This is a watershed moment for South African Animation, and not just because of our reception at Annecy,” said recently-elected Animation South Africa chair, Nick Cloete. “We are reaching critical mass as producers of original I.P and content. We’ve outgrown our beginnings as a commercials-driven service industry and we’re showing the world that we’re ready to tell our own stories.”

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06 | NEWS

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An Eye for an Eye will make the world blind

Pilot feature for a 13 part series will provide opportunities for KwaZulu-Natal-based cast and crew. The Callsheet: What is the synopsis of the project? Marlow de Mardt: The Shadow of Justice (Masinga - Izithunzi) is a feature length pilot for a 13 episode TV series based on the crimes perpetrated and investigated in KwaZulu-Natal by a renegade police officer, who battles not only the organized crime syndicates operating from the sanctuary of Maputo, but corruption within his own team. The Callsheet: How did DO Productions become involved?

de Mardt: I have known the series creator, Mark Engels, for many years, so when I became aware of this series, he and I discussed the merits of our working together. I liked the idea of producing a pilot feature film as a forerunner to a series that is set in KwaZulu-Natal – as coincidently we are both originally from KwaZulu-Natal. We both have strong desire to support the growth of the industry and both believe there are important stories to tell.

The Callsheet: Who are your partners? Are you working in conjunction with any film commission? de Mardt: Yes, we were selected to receive a development fund from the KZN Film Commission and have worked closely with their team to bring the pilot’s concept to life. We will soon apply to their production fund as a logical step, before going out for financing. We are currently in discussions with a local broadcaster, and hope to screen the pilot as a stand-alone cinema and television release to ‘break’ the actors before the series is greenlit. We are exploring various international funding opportunities. Our aim is to use the pilot as a calling card that will pique interest in the series. If we can accomplish buy in, it will be a first for South African television, and a major step for production in KwaZulu-Natal. The Callsheet: What is the timeline for the project? de Mardt: We have delivered the first draft of the pilot’s screenplay - written by Sean Drummond and Mark Engels and are looking towards the new year for the start of production. The Callsheet: This is a great opportunity for cast and crew based in KZN. What are you looking for and how can interested people get in touch? de Mardt: Indeed, our aim is to utilise as many KwaZulu-Natal based cast and crew talent as possible. Once we are greenlit we will put out a press release, to solicit the KwaZulu-Natal talent and crew base and production support services required. Our mandate is to spend in excess of 50% of the production funding we raise in KwaZulu-Natal and thus offer skills transfer and on-set film training and experience to worthy candidates. We also look forward to support from the IDC and possibly even the Department of Economic Development to assist the production’s aim to be the flagship for the growth of indigenous film in KwaZulu-Natal. We will be attending DIFF and can be reached on marlow@doproductions and arkangeltv@gmail.com for Mark Engels.

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08 | NEWS

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Short&Sweet Launch

SA’s First Teen Film Fest

hort&Sweet recently announced the launch of South Africa’s first interschools film competition: the Teen Short Film Fest, taking place on 23 September. Short&Sweet have partnered with Springfield Convent High School to host an annual film competition that is open to all high school students. The event aims to inspire the filmmakers of tomorrow by encouraging creative thought now, according to Julia Stephenson, Founding Director and Curator at Short&Sweet. The film festival was created to promote an understanding and appreciation of film and filmmaking in schools across the nation, and aims to support students by providing information on filmmaking for beginners. It is also designed to offer an insight into the film industry and its many career opportunities. The launch evening took place on 24 June, and short film entries close on 2 September 2015. The shortlist will be announced on 15 September, with an

exciting awards evening taking place just a week later on the 23rd. The SA Teen Film Fest started when Grade 10s of Springfield Convent were asked to produce a short film using a poem as the script in 2010. Since then, the quality of films has continued to improve and the school’s annual ‘Oscar’ award ceremony has become a highlight for pupils. To promote this talent, the school’s English department approached Short&Sweet about giving this kind of opportunity to learners across South Africa. The Short&Sweet movement began with Stephenson in London in 2006. It now has hubs in eight cities around the world and continues to grow. Last year saw the launch of Short & Sweet’s Music Video Awards, while Summer-time saw huge success in their Drive-In Cinema Experiences and Open-Air Screenings. The organisation currently runs The World’s Cinema every Tuesday through winter at the Mondiall Bar and Kitchen in Cape Town.

Stephenson explains her passion for short films on her website: “Short film combines all kinds of media, making it the most creative art form out there. There is a fine art to a well-crafted short film, which makes this medium a must for young filmmakers: short film allows directors to experiment with techniques, gain confidence, and get recognised. It is a great training ground for feature films. What I love about short films is that unlike a feature film there’s no room for distractions. Good short film scripts are lean, focused and visually stimulating. Short films, when done well, have an incredible ability to connect with our emotions. Sometimes we like the feeling, sometimes we don’t – but connecting with a film that has been made from someone living on the opposite side of the universe, proves that we are all one.” For more information on the SA Teen Film Fest, visit www.teenfilmfest.co.za or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.

10 | CANNES LIONS SA PARTY

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CANNES LIONS SOUTH AFRICA PARTY The SA Party was the best place to be at Cannes Lions. Congratulations to all sponsors on a fantastic event. All images courtesy of Callsheet correspondent Philippa Dresner.

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CANNES LIONS SA PARTY | 11 All images courtesy of Philippa Dresner

12 | SPOTLIGHT

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All images courtesy of DIFF

Fulu Mugovhani and OC Ukeje in Ayanda - the opening film at DIFF, and a DFM project in 2013

DURBAN FILMMART And Durban International Film Festival Offer up a Feast of Film and Business

he 36th edition of the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) takes place from 16 to 26 July this year and has a host of exciting films in store for attendees. The highly anticipated Terry Pheto film Ayanda, directed by Sara Bletcher (Otelo Burning), produced by Real Eyes in association with Leading Lady Productions, and a Durban FilmMart project in 2013, was recently announced as the opening night film of the festival. Set In the vibrant Afropolitan community of Joburg’s Yeoville, Ayanda is a coming-of-age story of a 21-yer-old hipster who ends up having to fight to save her father’s legacy – a motor repair shop. “We are pleased that this feel-good film will open this year’s festival,” says Pedro Pimenta, Festival Director. “The opening film of this, the most prestigious international film event in SA, needs to reflect a clear priority established by the festival to reach and develop local audiences. The recently published NFVF report on audiences in this country is very informative and revealing in that while the industry has been successfully structured and supported from all quarters to allow a regular flow of SA content, much still needs to be done for this content to

reach local audiences. By once again opening the DIFF with a strong SA film, we endorse this objective.” The Durban FilmMart (DFM), which runs in conjunction with DIFF from 17 to 20 July 2015, will see the usual Finance Forum, Master Classes and Africa in Focus as the main programme. Leading experts like Angus Finney, Stefano Tealdi, Sari Turgeman and Dominique Welinski will take to the stage to advise delegates on various areas of the international film sector. This year’s Master Class in Film Packaging and Finance is entitled ‘New Film-Making Strategies: from South Africa to Pan-Africa and towards the Global Market’. It will be led by creative industry expert and published writer Angus Finney. Stefano Tealdi will head up the ‘Pitching Your Way into the International Film Business’ forum. He tutors film development and production, as well as film pitching for organisations like the Biennale Cinema College, Cannes Film Market and Media Film Factory, among others. Sari Turgeman will dig into ‘Story Development: My Character and I’. The French-born consultant has over 15 years’ experience in consulting and analysing scenarios and has developed her own

method of writing and editing which she teaches in professional courses in Israel, while Welinski, also a consultant with decades of experience in the industry, will speak on ‘Co-Production Strategies and Networks’. Delegates will also have the opportunity to attend Africa in Focus, where a range of seminars and panel discussions featuring local and international filmmakers and industry experts with a special focus on African issues and initiatives will be discussed. Partners and supporters of this year’s DFM include IFFR CineMart, the IDFA and the IDFA Bertha Fund, the Berlinale Film Festival as well as Dubai Film Connection, Hot Docs and others. Delegates seeking co-production partners or wishing to network can interact through scheduled sessions throughout the festival. DIFF also includes the Wavescape Surf Film Festival as well as important industry initiatives including the 8th Talents Durban in cooperation with the Berlinale Talents, and is a hub of the local industry. One of the continent’s biggest film events, Durban International Film Festival is sure to have something exciting in store for cinephiles and business-minded attendees alike.

SPOTLIGHT | 13

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A Chat with Toni Monty from

DURBAN FILM OFFICE about DFM 2015, and facilitating solutions to film challenges.

he Durban FilmMart (DFM) is one of the most anticipated events on the African film calendar and aims to bring visibility to African film projects and facilitate collaboration between African and international filmmakers. The Callsheet spoke to Toni Monty from Durban Film Office, for the lowdown on what to expect this year. The Callsheet: What can delegates at DFM expect in 2015? Toni Monty: We have the much anticipated Finance Forum for the 19 selected projects that will be pitched to producers and financiers, and mentored by four visiting experts. Alongside this, there are numerous master classes presented by these and other industry experts. The Africa in Focus programme features a series of seminars and workshops aimed at professional industry level. It

looks at filmmaking in the African context and in the past has been an important section of DFM, creating opportunities for debate and discussion that are particularly unique to the making of film on the continent. The Talents Durban, a programme for 40 young filmmakers from throughout Africa, locks into DFM programme through various networking and industry sessions. DFM has an industry lounge with various ‘exhibits’ or stands enabling filmmakers to meet with reps from the likes of the KZN Film Commission, NFVF, Wesgro, the Nambian Film Commission, the Reunion Film Commission, Broadcast Channel BET, Durban Film Office, ATFT, Afrinolly and others. The Callsheet: What are the challenges facing the industry and does DFM facilitate solutions? Monty: The biggest challenge facing African filmmakers is access to markets. You need to

network in order to grow, and Durban FilmMart provides that opportunity. We have seen this over the past five years with over 90 DFM alumni and how many of these projects have grown, completed and been taken up by the international circuit. The Callsheet: Which films would you recommend to anyone attending DIFF? Monty: You have me on that one – it would be unfair of me to point any particular film out but my recommendations would be to go out of your comfort zone and test the water with some of the unknown filmmakers, or debut filmmakers. Also, look to some of the films that have come out of the FilmMart over the years including Ayanda, the DIFF’s opening night film, Black President, The Boda Boda Thieves, The Shore Break and Dream of Shahrazad.

14 | TECH: INTRO

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TECHNOLOGY

in the Filmmaking Space in 2015

by Kim Muller © Visual Impact

The Blackmagic Ursa Hero in action

onstant innovations in technology have shown us that digital filmmaking is more cost effective, has better scope, the post –production options are almost endless, and with the internet, fresh distribution avenues are growing – not to mention placing storage and archival tech at our fingertips. “Technology’s greatest impact is perhaps felt in new cameras that allow cinematographers to shoot in a higher definition, letting viewers take in more of the amazing work in set design,” Film and Television Director Charles Matthau told Wired readers recently. “Coupled with the new steady cam equipment that film has taken a liking to, the end result is a more intimate shot. Filmmakers also spend less time reshooting the

same scene to get the right angle.” Anu Thomas, who works in Marketing Communications for Sony Professional Solutions MEA, agrees. “While the skill of a filmmaker should not be judged by the technological complexity of the production, it is important to note that the constant evolution of technology empowers a filmmaker by oﬀering a more diverse catalogue of tools and techniques that drive cinematic quality,” she explains. As digital filmmaking becomes the new norm, equipment companies are introducing popular industry standards. Sony’s XAVC range has been around for over two years now and it is the new standard for quality and flexibility, says Thomas. “The new flavours of XAVC include XAVC I, XAVC L, XAVC S, XAVC Proxy; they provide greater compatibility with NLE’s.”

Sony has also released High Dynamic Range for monitors and the MI Shoe – their new range of cameras with ease of operation and audio integration. The pace at which technology is developed is thrilling, but, says Henk Germishuysen of Puma Video Broadcast Equipment Rental, new is not always better. “We have cameras that will kick butt on most of the newer cameras, but it is older technology and everyone wants to use the newer products – which is understandable. It is impossible to keep all the latest arrivals so therefore we need to know our client base… but also deliver the required quality and results,” he says. Some of their popular items include the likes of Sony PWX 160’s and 300’s, today’s work horse. “Then the Sony F55 and FS7 have

TECH: INTRO | 15

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been a revelation, as well as the DSLR’s,” Germishuysen explains, “They have changed the landscape and have resulted in the birth of Ronin, Movi and Helix products as well as plenty of wireless devices like follow focuses, monitoring systems, etc.” Puma Video has also brought in new kit, such as Atomos Shogun, Cartoni Jib and Dracast LED. Another renowned company involved in the broadcast equipment realm is Visual Impact, the first company in SA to rent out Canon XU 81 Hothead cameras. “The cameras oﬀer clients a cost-eﬀective, turnkey, remotely-controllable Pan-Tily-Zoom HD camera system,” Marius Van Straaten, Managing Director at Visual Impact says. “The XU-81 is a versatile indoor or outdoor single-CMOS camera system, featuring a high waterproof and dustproof design.” The system doesn’t require much for set up, and a single operator and assistant can pull off a multi-camera set-up easily. Although the HD-SDI outputs allow up to 100m cable runs, VI offers a fiber workflow where distance is not an issue. “Visual Impact has used the Canon XU-81 over long periods of time in some of the harshest jungle conditions available and often at

distances exceeding 1.1km,” he explains. In other news, GoPro continues to take the world by storm. Nick Woodman, Chief Executive, confirmed in May that quad copter drones will be released in early 2016, and also unveiled a new kit to help filmmakers capture video footage for virtual reality helmets at the Code Conference in California. He also introduced a prototype mount that can hold six Hero4 cameras pointing in diﬀerent directions, creating footage that can be stitched together into 360 degree images for virtual reality helmets. Cine Photo Tools, one of the foremost companies in sales and rentals in SA, is always looking to growing its equipment base. Some of its latest offerings include Kino Flo Celeb LED with energy efficient, colour-accurate lighting, Broncolour FT Systems, an advanced addition to the family of continuous lights and Para products, Small HD 502 monitors, small and light as a smartphone, and Eizo Colouredge CG318-4K and CG248-4K monitors, unmatched in their ability and accuracy with colour. “The CG318 has reached beyond the Ultra HD resolution to support the full Digital Cinema 4K

standard, which requires a resolution of 4 096 by 2 160,” says Pieter Badenhorst, Founder of Cine Photo Tools and Photo Hire. Blackmagic Design is another immense innovator. Patrick Hussey explains: “Earlier this year we unveiled our newly developed 4.6K sensor. Not only are we seeing an increase in resolution, but we are also seeing improved dynamic range – this new 4.6K Super 35 sensor can now deliver 15 stops of dynamic range.” Customers using the nifty upgradable URSA can replace their 4K sensor with the new one. “We’ve also seen a tremendously positive reaction to URSA Mini since it was announced,” Hussey continues. As technology and broadband connections develops Africa, interesting new avenues for distribution will arise. StarTimes is facilitating the digital switchover in several countries, while Afrinolly, iROKO TV, Buni TV and other platforms are looking towards mobile innovations for an entirely new audience. This, in turn, is creating business opportunities in Africa, and will allow us to share cinematic creations with the world at an ever-quickening pace.

16 | TECH: BLACKMAGIC CASE STUDIES

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Avengers: Age of Ultron © Blackmagic

BLACKMAGIC CASE STUDIES Avengers: Age of Ultron Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, helmed by Joss Whedon and lensed by British cinematographer Ben Davis (Guardians of the Galaxy), has grossed more than $900-million in box offices worldwide. Whilst Davis is no stranger to the world of Marvel, this was his first time working with Whedon. He offers a unique glimpse behind the scenes of filming on Avengers: Age of Ultron and tells us why the Blackmagic’s digital film cameras were invaluable on the film’s complex action sequences. The original Avengers film was shot in digital and all of Marvel’s previous work has been a digital workflow, explains Davis. “It seemed the right choice at the time for what we wanted to achieve. I’ve shot a lot of features on film and just as many on digital, and I believe you have to make the decision that is right for the project. In this instance, shooting digitally was right.” Davis goes on to suggest that it is a wonderful time for DPs right now as they have so much choice. “Not only do you have this wonderful sort of palette in terms of texture and color and look but you also have the option of shooting 16mm or 35mm, and some are even shooting 65mm. And just as the different film stocks and film ratios have different feels, so too do the various camera platforms in the digital realm.” Marvel’s highly anticipated follow up to The Avengers features a lot of action sequences, so Davis required a small robust camera package

A Chat with Prominent DOPs

to fill out the main unit and second unit kit requirements. “I was a big fan of the work Anthony Dodd-Mantle had done with smaller cameras on Rush, particularly in mounting them in unusual places. I decided to get one of Blackmagic’s Pocket Cinema Cameras on the suggestion of a DIT friend. We really put it through its paces during testing; I wanted to not only see how good the image was, but also how much information it held in the shadows and highlights. I was really impressed with what I saw, and that was the fundamental thing we were looking for.” “Suddenly I had in my hands a small camera which not only output a 12-bit RAW image, but it also had a latitude that was getting up to and around the level of high-end digital film cinema cameras. What I found it akin to was shooting 35mm and then placing 16mm cameras around to capture all of the action shots. And, not only could we use interchangeable lenses, we also had greater control over the lens focus and aperture.”

There are two major battle sequences during the film, the first is at the beginning and the second features in the third act, and Davis wanted these to be shot as a war correspondent might cover news in a conflict zone. “What we needed was a lightweight camera that we could then distribute around the set during the filming of battle sequences that would give us more than 12 frames of good quality HD material that would match with our main camera package.” “For this we used eight Pocket Cinema Cameras which we then mounted to impact points around the set. Say for example a truck was being blown up and thrown through the air and we wanted to capture that landing on top of a car, we would put one of the Blackmagic cameras in a small metal housing and put it inside the car. They were essentially in the line of fire, though we weren’t that frivolous with them and we never lost one as a result. Personally, I am not a fan of destroying cameras for the sake of a shot.”

Blackmagic’s digital film cameras were invaluable on Avengers: Age of Ultron’s complex action sequences.

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A Tale of Love and Darkness Natalie Portman (Black Swan) has been very successful as an actress, and now it’s clear she has ambitions behind the camera also. Her directorial debut got a special screening at the 68th Cannes Festival. DP Slawomir Idziak and his DIT Lukasz Baka share how they used Blackmagic’s Pocket Cinema Camera during production. A Tale of Love and Darkness is about a writer, journalist, and advocate of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Portman, who stars in the film alongside Shira Haas, Makram Khoury and Neta Riskin, also wrote and adapted the original memoir penned by Amos Oz. It features cinematography by award winning Polish DP Slawomir Idziak (Black Hawk Down, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Gattaca). “It was very important for us to get rich coverage of the scenes in Natalie’s film,” explains Slawomir Idziak. “The compact dimensions of the Blackmagic camera allowed us to set up a shot, and position cameras within said shot that were out of sight, giving us access to unique perspectives and angles.

TECH: BLACKMAGIC CASE STUDIES | 17

There are also several dynamic scenes in the film where the size and weight allowed us to use the camera in a way, which would have otherwise been difficult with traditional cameras.” Idziak believes that utilizing modern storytelling techniques in contemporary filmmaking today is essential, particularly if a DP wants to get the best possible scene coverage, in the fewest possible shots. “Unfortunately, film budgets are shrinking and so we have to maximize every minute that is spent on set during production. It’s in these instances where a small, professional cinema camera, which is easy to conceal, is an excellent tool to have at your disposal. Due to its size, we were able to mount it in places that a large cinema camera would not fit - near the ceiling or hidden on a bookshelf for example.” “I carried out a comparison test of the Pocket Cinema Camera, along with my DIT, against other professional cinema film cameras, and then we showed the footage to a few cinematographer friends as a comparison. No one in the room could distinguish what had been shot with the Blackmagic camera,

and what hadn’t.” “Most professional cameras look good on display monitors, but all that changes when you blow it up on a big screen, it unveils all the shortcomings. The digital cinema package (DCP) we produced from our initial test with the Pocket Cinema Camera looks great. This is where Blackmagic comes into play; grading the RAW rushes on DaVinci Resolve really shows just what this camera is truly capable of,” explains Lukasz Baka, DIT and colourist. “Colour rendering is definitely one of the Pocket Cinema Cameras strengths, particularly when you are working with a DP that takes advantage of colour as a dramaturgy tool. Slawomir’s cinematography has a very distinctive style, in which a vivid color palette determines special visual rules. Creation of these visual worlds required gels on lamps, glass filters in front of the lenses, as well as some creative digital grading steps.” The Pocket Cinema Camera’s RAW recording capabilities are its true strength. Grading the CinemaDNG RAW material shows just what this camera is capable of, according to Lucasz Baka.

18 | TECH: ANIMATION AND NEW MEDIA

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Sea Monster’s animated work for National Association of Child and Youth Care Workers (NACCW).

Lung Animation’s Our Girl composed of a total of 120 shots.

ANIMATION AND NEW MEDIA Big Growth Bubble Ahead

any have hailed this decade as a golden era of television VFX and without a doubt, it most certainly is. Not only are shows like HBO’s Game of Thrones and BBC’s Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell becoming hugely popular and demonstrating to the masses that truly, anything in the CGI realm is possible with a big budget, but South Africans are becoming part of those facilitating more and more international cinema and TV releases. Black Ginger, for example, worked on productions like Mad Max: Fury Road and Avengers: Age of Ultron, while South Africa’s animator’s association, Animation SA, headed to Annecy International Animation Festival (MIFA) this year – with an impressive delegation of 40 local animators, producers, writers and directors. Lung Animation, a company just starting out in the local industry, was recruited to do VFX for the BBC’s Our Girl. Jean Mortlock, Producer at Lung, explains their involvement: “We had to be super flexible and efficient with the way we worked on the project as the

client was UK based. Initially we only had to do twelve shots, by the end of the project we did over 60 FX shots and a total of 120 shots all together. The whole job was done by three people in our current hardware setup. We handled everything from conform to delivering final composited shots directly to London.” Mortlock says that although as a small company they can’t exactly innovate technologically in the way larger companies do, they do try new styles and techniques which are, in their own way, innovative. “Budgets have shrunk and will keep on shrinking so we have to find ways to keep the quality high and deliver something we can be proud of,” she explains. “We have noticed a bigger demand for viral content and in order to deliver on these reactive concepts, one has to be eﬃcient, quick and above all, budget flexible. So for Lung, our innovation is doing what we do best with the budgets that the clients can aﬀord and in order to do so, we need to work closely with the client and guide the project from the start.” She goes on to say that with new

Lung Animation was recruited to do VFX for the BBCs Our Girl.

technology on the market, things get exciting. “We can start by just looking at how much the industry has changed since the Red Camera and other digital cameras have come on the scene. For example, the awesome Blackmagic is now coming out with raw cameras for an absolute bargain. Blackmagic has also released some amazing software tools virtually for free! It’s exciting because it gives small companies like us a chance to compete with the big guys. With the new GPU renderers and faster fluid dynamics, a lot more is now possible in the limited time frames.” Coming at things from an entirely different perspective is Mike Buckland, Producer at Triggerfish Animation Studios. He says that every new production has new and unique demands that require them to constantly be innovative. “We have an internal Software Development team that is constantly developing new tools to streamline the artist’s workflow and increase their efficiency. These tools integrate across the variety of high end software packages we use in the studio. We also continue to develop our own asset and

TECH: ANIMATION AND NEW MEDIA | 19

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“

project management systems to keep track of our projects,” he explains. “On our current production, we refined our approach to modelling characters and other assets. Through the use of digital sculpting tools such as Z Brush, we have decoupled the creative process of conceiving and design from the restrictions and technical issues of topology, which has resulted in faster turnaround and higher quality

“

Blackmagic has also released some amazing software tools virtually for free! With the new GPU renderers and faster ﬂuid dynamics, a lot more is now possible in the limited time frames.

models being developed earlier in the process.” “Obviously any new technology that offers opportunity for new creative exploration or new efficiencies is critical to an animation studio,” Buckland goes on to say. “Because the South African animation industry is comparatively young, we do not have a lot of legacy in terms of our infrastructure and pipelines which means we have a certain amount of flexibility. This makes it much easier to adopt new technologies and explore them for use in ways that might not be considered by more established studios.” Triggerfish and other animation companies usually use existing platforms like 3D modelling and animation software, rendering and render farm management, which they then augment with their own tools and applications. Of course, any development of in-house tools is done by folks with solid coding experience – and preferably by those who’ve also had exposure to the needs of an artist-centric studio.

Companies like Sea Monster and Popsicle TV have been innovating in the new media arena of late. Sea Monster, through their focus on brand building, have created a series of great animated explainers, games and cutting edge augmented reality apps for many of the country’s largest companies. Popsicle TV, on the other hand, champion up-and-coming local bands by using their unique set of skills in content creation and online technology to create high-end video clips for their recently launched online ‘magazine’. When it comes to South Africa’s animation industry, Buckland is enthusiastic about the outlook. “It’s exciting being on the pioneering wave of animation here in the country and it feels like recently there has been a lot of development going on in both the animation, VFX and games industries, which hopefully will continue to stimulate and push the boundaries of technological application in the industry as a whole.” Both he and Mortlock have similar predictions for where the sector is headed. “I think we’re going to see more and more realtime, interactive technology coming to the fore in all aspects of animation production, which is very exciting for us,” Buckland says. “It will allow us to develop and explore ideas faster and better, both from the perspective of working with new mediums for storytelling, and in facilitating the actual process of making animated content.” “As clichéd as it sounds, we believe VR and augmented reality is the next big shift,” says Mortlock, “It’s already here but in the next few years it will be about making it more feasible to the public. I would love to see some VR software that could help us with our craft.”

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20 | TECH: LIVE ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY

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LIVE ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY Creating Experiences like No Other

he phrase ‘entertainment technology’ covers a wide spectrum although generally speaking, this includes lighting and sound, designing sets, engineering sounds and broadcasting signals. Used in the live entertainment arena, however, this technology opens viewers up to a whole new world of experiences – from enhanced mega concerts with holographic tech to electronic audience voting, augmented reality apps and much more. Most recently, Doppler Labs announced investments from Live Nation Entertainment, UMG and WME to further develop their Here Active Listening System. The Here System uses two wireless buds and an app to enable

personalised listening experiences at concerts and live events – which is clearly where the big bucks in the music industry is headed these days. Celebrated by tech and entertainment critics around the world, Here launched on Kickstarter earlier this month and surpassed its original US$250 000, 30-day goal in less than 48 hours. “Support from these music industry leaders helps position the Here Active Listening System to revolutionize live entertainment – especially for concerts and live music,” says Noah Kraft, CEO and Co-Founder of Doppler Labs. “The technology we have created with Here has the potential to make every seat in the house the best seat in the house by

allowing every listener to personalize their live audio environment based on their own specific listening preferences.” The tech can also be used outside of music for suppressing a baby’s cries, for instance, a subway screech, or even to reduce the roar of the crowd at sporting events. Clubbers can now also take the encompassing club experience anywhere with new DJ-designed headphones by Gammatek, one of SA’s leading tech accessories distributors. Designed by world-renowned, heavyweight DJ Tiësto, and Australia-based, award-winning innovator of premium headphones, Audiofly, the range of headphones, Club Life by Tiësto, deliver unprecedented detail, authentic sound quality

TECH: LIVE ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY | 21

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and outstanding frequency response. “It’s like bringing the dance floor to life, that encompassing sound experience of being at a club, right to your ears. These headphones have received fantastic reviews, and we have no doubt that they will be revered by local sound enthusiasts as well,” says Zev Cherniak of Gammatek. Virtual Reality (VR) has also been making waves across the globe, with SA Tourism most recently using it to showcase South African destinations abroad as part of their marketing campaigns. Cirque du Soleil’s latest show, Inside the Box of Kurios, allows the audience to join the cast through VR technology. In the film, the viewer is transported to a steampunk world of clowns, gymnasts and aerial performers from the company’s Kurios – Cabinet of Curiosities show which debuted in 2014. “It’s as if you staged a play for one viewer only,” Jacques Methe, president of Cirque du Soleil’s media division said. “The only decision you do [make] is the direction in which you’re going to watch.” The collaboration is between the show’s director Michel Laprise and Felix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphael, two video artists who have embraced virtual reality as a platform for storytelling. These ‘immersive cinematic experiences’ are becoming increasingly popular in the tech world, and will, no doubt, be introduced as a new norm for entertainment in just a few years. Madeline Berg wrote an article entitled From HDR to Virtual Reality: Inside the Future of Entertainment. In it she explains why VR is considered the ‘next big thing’. “This year, Technicolor hopes to work with creators to produce more ‘Catatonic Content’ than ever: This means that within five to ten years all it will take is a pair of goggles – similar to the ones Samsung already makes and sells – to immerse yourself in the world of your

favourite game or film.” She goes on to say that immersion is just the beginning. New technology will allow content to play on all kinds of devices at the same time to create a “completely sensory experience”. Live streaming and creating incredible live events have grown exponentially in popularity as people realise the experience is often way more exciting than merch. Award-winning conference Meet the Future recently combined holographic projection with 3D scan animation in the world’s first experiment to challenge how delegates perceive the connection between technology and physical events. The results are yet to come in, but they’re sure to be interesting. Live streaming has become such a fascinating phenomenon, that Fortune magazine recently published an article on the future of these applications. “For weeks now, news organizations around the world have focused on how smartphone owners are using live-streaming apps Periscope and Meerkat to illegally broadcast video content, like Game of Thrones episodes and live sports programming,” Dan Reilly wrote. But despite the media companies – as with YouTube and its compadres – removing any illegal content, some have questioned whether their methods are enough to dissuade users from capturing and sharing copyrighted content. “YouTube had this issue for a while. They were reacting quickly, but it got to a point where there were so many notices that it took weeks to get something down,” says Lindy Herman, Senior Associate at IP firm Fish & Tsang LLP. “They implemented a programme where they automatically screened uploads for infringing material. Unfortunately, a lot of legitimate things got stuck in that mess, but it was the technological advance they implemented to address the high volume of

takedown notices they were getting.” Piracy, it would seem, has a way of getting in the way, no matter how profitable we want to become. On a related note, YouTube has also joined the gaming race, Google recently announced. YouTube Gaming, a platform for gamers to find videos, live streams and internet personalities, was launched ahead of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) and is slated to debut in coming months. According to journalist and technology analyst Carmi Levy, YouTube isn’t content with providing basic online services anymore. “It wants to fill those spaces with compelling content that gets consumers to come back for more. There’s a superpower arms race currently underway online for the latest and greatest content and everybody is rushing into the gaming space to deliver the best content and engage the largest audiences,” she told CBC News recently. The Asian Amazon, Alibaba.com, will also launch an online video streaming service in China in a few months, to keep up with the US’s Netflix and HBO. And Technicolor’s new storage idea for films is a mad scientist’s dream come true. One of the company’s most innovative technologies is encoding video into synthetic DNA. Yes, you read that right. With this kind of innovation, the most valuable content can be archived and stored in a compact and adaptable double helix. This is slated to last for the foreseeable future and will be able to contain about 10 million films in a single test tube…which really makes you wonder at what viewing options will reach the market in the next decade or two. Will our eyesight be enhanced with a little VR chip so we can discover all the exciting colours we’re somehow missing in our daily lives? Who knows. For now, let’s stick with the memory sticks we all know and love.

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22 | TECH: STUDIOS

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Courtesy of Sasani Studios

Sasani is home to five of South Africa’s most beloved soapies.

AUDIO AND VISUAL ADVANCES In South African Studios

lthough The Callsheet has brought some intriguing subjects, including studio, sound and broadcast developments, to the fore in southern Africa, there are always new things happening and exciting stories to tell. Not least of these is the story of Sound and Motion, a 12 year old sound studio that handles sound design, foley and music recording among other things. Richard West, who heads up the Joburg branch, says that the local industry is doing well. “I would say it’s definitely healthy, in the sense that it is growing and we are becoming more and more competitive internationally. I think that is a good indicator of our industry’s health,” he explains. “Budgets for the audio and music components on productions are also growing, and this is really helping push us all forward.”

The company just recently invested in top-of-the-range Dolby accredited studios, has a partnership and new scoring stage in Cape Town with the South African Film Orchestra, and is also involved in broadcast work in West Africa. Sound and Motion is the first company in Africa with a Dolby Atmos Surround dubbing stage/cinema, and their foley stage was designed and built by the intrepid Michael Broomberg. They offer a fully comprehensive set of audio engineering services – something fairly unusual in South Africa. Having said that, post-production guru Refinery is another company offering a unique range of capabilities to clients – including sound mixing, editing and ADR recording, with Charlotte Buys (Dias Santana, Felix, White Lion, Otelo Burning) at the helm in that department. Refinery has

a vast range of experience, from hosting 7de Laan for many years to completing all the post and deliveries on SAF3 last year. Radio Broadcast Facilities (RBF), part of SABC Technology, has also recently upgraded their offerings. “RBF has its own Broadcast IT department that looks after the comprehensive play-out system the SABC uses,”says Peter Jaquire, National Marketing Manager at RBF. “This enables radio stations in the nine different regions to load contributions or audio news clips in their specific region, but it can be accessed by all 19 radio stations. The system is about to be upgraded to the latest in world standards.” Another studio that’s been innovating and growing its offerings in the last year or so has been Sasani. The company offers professional broadcast facilities with the latest technology in HD, post-production

TECH: STUDIOS | 23

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Courtesy of Sasani Studios

“

On set at Sasani Studios.

Engineers working on a foley recording at Sound Surfers.

“

Africa as a whole is on the road to taking advantage of technology developments and the increased interest in content from Africa. It’s a good place to be right now.

and broadcast deliverables – all on one site. “We have twelve studios in total, ranging between 64sqm and over 1000sqm; two of which are currently in construction and due for completion mid-year,” CEO Eileen Sandrock told us earlier in 2015. Sasani Studios has been facilitating all of M-Net’s broadcasts for about three years, as well as shows like Hot Hits, Telegames, Revue Plus and live broadcasts for BBC UK’s BBC Talk Time. Sasani is also home to five of South Africa’s most beloved soap operas: Scandal, Rhythm City, Isidingo, Skeem Saam, and 7de Laan. “The latest exciting news at Sasani Studios is that we are expecting our two newly built broadcast sound proofed studios, soon to be completed and ready

to facilitate their first productions,” says Sandrock. The new studios, Stage 1 and Stage 4, located in Highlands North, will be interlinked and have between 595m2 and 885m2 of space, as well as a 590m2 set and props storage area and 890m2 of office space and support infrastructure. They will also have full generator backup, will include HD digital post editing and final mix in a turnkey solution, while the recently built Stage 8 offers 905m2 of space, among other things. “From a post-production perspective, what is clear to us is that professional videotape is nearing ‘end-of-life’, Sandrock explains. “Sasani Studios is excited about this, and now offers a complete tapeless workflow solution in a shared environment. The efficiency is remarkable in that the

source material is instantaneously available in post-production, and multiple users have simultaneous access to content from various locations. Sasani also has the capacity for multi-format ingest, primarily DNXHD120 CODEC is used…We have also extended this tapeless work-flow to final delivery, which is becoming more popular, as it eliminates all requirements for tapes or drives. The broadcasters are encouraging this digital delivery, as it is more efficient, cost-effective and user-friendly.” “Africa as a whole is on the road to taking advantage of technology developments and the increased interest in content from Africa,” Baxter De Jager, MD at Sasani, concludes. “It’s a good place to be right now.”

24 | PRODUCT REVIEW

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A Beginner's Dream

n the last week since I received this fun camera, I’ve played a lot with its settings. If I say nothing else good about the Samsung NX30, I will say this: It’s extremely user friendly and with its heaps of fun applications – like sharing images straight to Facebook or changing settings so that it only picks up red hues in the viewfinder – have made me fall back in love with photography. Just like I was back in the old days, when my dad got me my first point-and-shoot. Not that the NX30 is a silly point-and-shoot. Its key features include the following: • 20.3 MP CMOS sensor with support for on-chip phase detection AF • Hybrid AF system with 105 phase deect points and 247 contrast-detect points • Tilting DRIMeIV image processor and an XGA electronic viewfinder that pulls away from the camera and tilts upward by

• • • • • • •

•

by Kim Muller

80 degrees Improved fully-articulating 3-inch Super AMOLED display More customizable buttons, plus dedicated drive mode dial 9 fps burst mode 1080/60p video recording with ‘dual IS’, mic input, and audio level adjustment Uncompressed HDMI output at 30 fps Wi-Fi with NFC ‘Smart Camera 3.0’ features include improved remote shooting, ‘Group Share’, and baby monitor Includes Adobe Lightroom 5

The camera has an SLR-style body and a fully articulating display with a rotatable touch screen that’s rather nifty. The body’s also incredibly comfortable to use and not at all heavy like my

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regular Canon EOS. The video features on the NX30 are competitive with higher-end, mirrorless cameras in the same category, and it can record at 1080/60p with stereo sound and dual image stabilisation. It also has mic input, manual audio level adjustment and can output uncompressed video over HDMI at 30p. Because it’s so simple to navigate, I think Samsung’s ‘smart camera’ is ideal for anyone with a camera phone who’s interested in furthering their photographic skills but isn’t sure what to get. The manual settings are a glide through the park compared to the many other times I’ve struggled trying to get these right on new cameras. And, of course, the filters available as you’re snapping (and the editing available afterwards) are also a beginner’s bonus. Yay for real photography entering the mobile phone world!

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26 | IN PRODUCTION

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IN PRODUCTION July 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.

A Willing Patriot Liam Neeson is teaming up with Open Road Films again (their previous collaboration was The Grey) to make A Willing Patriot. Open Road Films said the focus of the film would be an “elaborate cat-and-mouse game” between the CIA agent and the “sinister terrorist”.

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.

Game Changer The made-for-TV film is based on the creation of the smash-hit game Grand Theft Auto, and has wrapped 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.

Just Nuisance It has 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.

IN PRODUCTION | 27

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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.

Mandela’s Gun 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, where Nair set up the Maisha Film Lab.

Shepherds and Butchers English actor Steve Coogan will star in this Apartheid-era court-room drama, which is shooting now. Coogan will play a lawyer who takes on a seemingly unwinnable homicide case. The film is based on the book by Chris Marnewick.

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.

John Ottway played by Liam Neeson in The Grey © Kimberley French, The Grey Film Holdings LLC

Mat Joubert

28 | DOCUMENTARY REVIEW

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ENCOUNTERS Documentary Film Festival Keeps Audiences Rapt Salt of the Earth

ncounters Documentary Film Festival, Africa’s top doccie fest, announced its full line-up in mid-May this year. The festival took place from 4-14 June in Cape Town and Johannesburg, with Laura Poitras’ Oscar-winning 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. Citizenfour

The Shore Break © Virunga Movie The Dream of Shahrazad

Virunga

Other international festival winners and favourites at Encounters included 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. Winner of 16 international awards, including in Venice and SXSW, this follow-up on post-genocide Indonesia trails an optometrist who confronts his brother’s murderers in a country that never had a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and where the murderers remain in power. Steve Kwena

Mokwena’s Jazz Heart had its world premiere at Encounters and was a festival favourite, while Oscar and BAFTA nominee Virunga was also screened. Other late additions to the line-up included 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 included The Dream of Shahrazad, the latest from Emmy winner Francois Vertser, 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 also hosted 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. Encounters is supported by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and HCI Foundation. More information on the documentaries is available on www.encounters.co.za.

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A Chat with Documentary Filmmaker

FRANCOIS VERSTER R

enowned documentary filmmaker François Verster began his career as a documentary director/producer with Pavement Aristocrats: The Bergies of Cape Town – a funny and incredibly empathetic look at the city’s homeless. He is not simply a filmmaker, however, but builds up a relationship with his protagonists, allowing his audience to share in their intimacies. Most recently, his widely acclaimed and award-winning feature, The Dream of Shaharazad, locates political expression before, during and after the Egyptian revolution, as well as following recent events in Turkey and Lebanon through storytelling and music. The film looks at the legacy of the famous 1001 (Arabian) Nights and uses the metaphor of Shahrazad to explore the ways in which creativity and political articulation coincide in response to oppression. The Dream of Shahrazad screened at Encounters Documentary Film Festival in June and The Callsheet caught up with François to find out what inspired him to take on this fascinating theme. The Callsheet: Tell us a bit about The Dream of Shahrazad and what inspired you to tell this particular story? François Verster: It’s a film that’s very much designed as a cinema experience rather than a TV experience. The visual and sound design is meant for cinema, and the film has screened at the Luxor African Film Festival, the London Human Rights Watch Film Festival, Moscow’s Esperanza International Film Festival, and was selected for the IDFA Masters Section. The film is

being distributed as far as we can. It screened on AfriDocs in Febrary and also had a private launch in February at the Cinema Nouveau. It’s also screened at the Sydney Film Festival. How the film began is a very long story. Originally, it came from two impulses: I’ve done music specifically in other films and I wanted to find out what happens when you take a piece of classical music and give it a political connotation. The other idea was Islamphobia and how we look at the Arab world. We started on the film in 2006, and in 2011 there were a lot of negative feelings about this. The stories of The 1001 Nights were my early inspiration. It seemed like the logical way to bring this together. The Callsheet: How does your storytelling style differ in this film from others you’ve made? Verster: The film follows a much less narrative form and uses two things for structure: the classical musical piece – four musical movements – and it also takes the structure of The 1001 Nights’ interlocking stories that create a collection. Rather than following a few characters on a quest to the other side, it looks at a lot of different characters. As an outsider coming into the country it worked [for me]. The single narrative is a tyranny, and it shouldn’t be about art and politics, but how these elements interact. The Callsheet: What are your views on SA’s doccie industry? Verster: SA doccies are always going through ups and downs, but it’s definitely gotten better. There

are options for funding from the NFVF, the SABC is still commissioning, film schools are paying attention. There’s also a lot of DIY filmmaking [taking place]. SA doccies went through a dip and now suddenly there are many new things happening. I do think that doccies should be supported more. There’s a service industry, the dti incentives are great, but in SA we need to start finding ways to get private money into film. There’s a lot of increase in southern initiatives and training across Africa and a renewed interest in Africa from the inside. I think SA needs to develop a film culture. TV audiences for doccies are fairly big. What Encounters are doing is approaching it as an exciting event. If that kind of awareness can be spread more, filmmakers will get more opportunities. It’s not just about information, but about art and entertainment, too. The Callsheet: What kind of challenges did you face in getting The Dream of Shahrazad from preproduction to distribution? Verster: It was an extremely difficult film to make, there were funding problem and it was largely my wife and I doing the work. The film took a very long time to get filmed and with the editing, the music was much more difficult. We filmed before Arab Spring and after – it was a huge privileged to be part of it, an intimate experience. Amazing music, people, places. It made an impression [on me] understanding people’s emotional response, especially after 1990 [in South Africa], when you felt everything is possible.

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A Chat with WGSA's

WGSA’s newly appointed Chairperson, Theoline

he Writers’ Guild of South Africa has been rather busy over the last year or so. The number of exciting workshops for their members and the rest of the film industry have increased and last year saw the successful launch of the WGSA Muse Awards. The Callsheet had a chat with the WGSA’s newly appointed Chairperson, Theoline Maphutha, to find out what she’s doing at the moment and where the organisation is headed in 2015. The Callsheet: What does your role at the WGSA entail? Theoline Maphutha: I’m still brand new, finding my feet and learning about this wonderful industry. I have huge shoes to fill after Harriet Meier and Thandi Brewer. I’m learning on the job, but I have the support of these two women, our executive officer, council, and members. What I know for sure, is the hardship of a writer trying to make it in the film and television industry. At WGSA, we aim to protect performance writers. Through our legal programme, for example, we assist our members with contracts. We also have standard minimum rates for scriptwriters that the industry has yet to adopt but are a great reference for any writer. The WGSA aims to develop writers. If performance writers want to know more about scriptwriting, we have the Professional Development Programme (PDP) through which we host workshops once a month in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. We hosted a story-lining workshop in Johannesburg and had close to 60 people in attendance! We aim to empower our members. Last year, through the dti, we applied for our organisation to attend international film markets, markets where writers can pitch to producers, filmmakers and prominent

THEOLINE MAPHUTHA members of the industry. We sent our first batch of 16 writers to NATPE (National Association of Television Production Executives) Miami in January. We learned about how our international counterparts buy and/or sell content. There’s a growing demand of Video on Demand (VOD) content and formats. Often, when writers hear the word, format, they think script and not television format. The market exposure has led to some writers taking advantage of TV format opportunities. We took 20 writers to the European leg of NATPE in Prague in June. Twenty more writers will be in LA, in September, for Story Expo where they will meet prominent screenwriting geniuses, pitch their projects, and attend master classes. In addition, we’re working on collaborating with local festival organisers namely DIFF, International Mzansi Short Film Festival, and the Mandela International Film Festival. We’re collaborating with M-Net Magic in Motion Expos in August. We also hope to take some of our members to DISCOP in November. Our executive officer and I will be representing the guild in Tel Aviv at the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds meeting, in October. The Callsheet: What kind of issues do you see surrounding South Africa’s creatives and how do we rise above these challenges, especially in the scriptwriting sector? Maphutha: Part of the frustration is that performance writers are so desperate to make a living that they sign away their livelihoods. When writers are earning money, they fail to see the value of a guild, or any organised industry. Only after a misunderstanding, unfair dismissal, or the likes, do writers seek the guild’s assistance and by that time, it’s often too late. Because of our desperation, we’ve created

an environment where most producers see us as replaceable. They don’t see the value of employing skilled writers on their teams. The truth of the matter is that without writers nothing happens. Writers are the beginning of the process. The WGSA is simply saying, writers, value your craft! If you know what you’re worth, others will too. The Callsheet: Tell us about this year’s Muse Awards – what were the highlights for you personally? Maphutha: Many writers don’t know where to take their scripts. What I love about the Muse Awards is that as long as you’re a member, you’re eligible to enter. You can rest assured that at least three judges will read your work. As one of the judges this year, I had firsthand experience of the standard of work our writers have to offer. The judges’ comments and results informed some of our PDP workshop topics. This led me to realise that we’re actually helping people through the Muse Awards. On a very personal level, it was the first time I presented at an awards ceremony and talked to people about their writing. It was both a daunting and exhilarating experience. The Callsheet: What would you like to see happen in the South African scriptwriting sector in 2015/2016? What kind of legacy would you like to leave with the WGSA? Maphutha: I would love it if all performance writers realised that they have a home in the WGSA. The more we are, the more power we have to make a difference. As for leaving a legacy, I think it’s a bit early to say. What I can commit to, and what I’ve achieved in the past, is to create effective and efficient ways of doing things. It’s only been three months but I’ve noticed ways in which we can improve. I guess you can say I’m on a fact-finding mission!

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JURASSIC WORLD

*Spoiler Alert*

Our writers take a closer look at the dinosaur extravanganza that reached $1-billion in 13 days. Review by Kim Muller Before we go any further, I have a confession to make. My name is Kim and I have a problem. I’m a major Jurassic Park fan. Hell, I’m a dinosaur fan from the original 90’s craze! I had dino magazines, books, and toys growing up as a kid, I watched The Land Before Time and Barney religiously, and of course, I was terrified beyond my years when T-Rex made his debut on the big screen. Michael Crichton has become one of my favourite action authors as a result. So it’s sufficed to say that I was waiting for Jurassic World to come out for EVER. I’m also a Parks and Recreation fan, and Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza are by far my favourite characters on the show. Dinosaurs and the most adorable man alive together in cinema? Sign me up! And was I amazed. The CGI was incredible! The film’s budget was clearly thrown in that direction, and boy, was it worth it. From aerial shots of the island with pterodactyls wreaking havoc from above to the genetically modified Indominus Rex – a mix between our favourite Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptors (among other things), I was wowed over and over again. The plot, however, left much to be desired. The holes were as big as that of the ozone layer, and the dialogue was absolutely laughable at points. Not to mention Bryce Dallas Howard’s awful ability to run away from T-Rex in stunning nude heels and Chris Pratt’s phenomenal range of facial expressions!

I was impressed with how Director Colin Trevorrow pointed towards Jurassic Park’s legacy throughout the film, though. It was woven into the story beautifully, especially with Kings of Summer’s heartthrob Nick Robinson taking the leads at points, and will no doubt create an entirely new generation of dinosaur fans the world over. Review by Imogen Campbell This genetically-modified, man-made disaster adventure is a romp in family entertainment with an age rating of 10 – 12 years. We are introduced to the workaholic Executive, Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), who is consumed with the numbers: the costs of running the park, profit margins and future growth prospects. The arrivals at the park are tapering off. To bolster the numbers and catapult the park into the media spotlight, the park needs a new attraction. The management have instructed geneticists to create a new dinosaur, the Indominus Rex: a bigger, better, more incredible “asset” to draw the crowds. The only problem is that their “asset” escapes its enclosure where it has been confined and is involved in a killing rampage threatening the 20 000 tourists in the park. Unfortunately, Claire’s two nephews, Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray (Ty Simpkins), visiting the park that weekend have the misfortune of being embroiled in the action after being stuck on a ride after the park is closed. They have near

death encounters with the rampant “asset”. Guilt-stricken Claire, on a mission to save the boys, joins forces with pragmatic Owen (Chris Pratt) the trainer of the Raptor dinosaurs; Blue, Charlie, Delta and Echo. He is summoned to assist with the containment of the “asset” and by a twist of fate the Raptors are used to track it. After much bloodshed and panic, the plot thickens when they encounter their nemesis. To find out more you have to watch. For survival! Review by Katie Reynolds Disclaimer: The writer’s love of cinema began with Jurassic Park, and thus every HollywoodBlockbuster-Epic-CGI-fest is defined and viewed through the prism that the original Jurassic Park is the single greatest movie of its genre. Ever. So, it’s been 20 years since the park opened, and unsurprisingly, the kiddies are bored with dinosaurs. They want bigger, scarier, with more teeth. The park itself is basically a big fancy SeaWorld, with giant creatures gone mad in small enclosures. And when the geneticists create the toothier dino to scare and wow the jaded visitors, it flips the bird to its profit-hungry jailers and goes on a killing spree, targeting tasty people and fellow dinos alike. A bored hybrid dinosaur is not picky with its choice of playthings. “It’s killing for sport”, says Chris Pratt, pulling one of only two faces he makes in the whole movie. Cue the hero T-Rex to save the day, which is exactly what happened in Jurassic

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“

Perhaps some of that colossal CGI spend could have been redirected to a writing team that understands respecting the gravitas of a situation, instead of painting neon blue racing stripes on the freaking raptor?

“

Park One and Three. Sigh. I get that the filmmakers want to inspire nostalgia with Jurassic World. You want to take us back to a time when night-vision goggles were the coolest thing ever. But did you have to throw in so many references? Here’s a few that I spotted: The egg cracking open, Mr DNA the animated squiggly thing, dicey helicopter moments, the white pantsuit, children trapped in tour vehicle, Henry Freaking Wu (how has this man not aged?). Where are the new memorable elements? Are we ever going to feel nostalgic for Jurassic World? No, because it doesn’t let up from reminding us how iconic Jurassic Park is. And what is with the heinous dialogue? Jurassic World might have some of the cringiest dialogue ever cobbled together; composed of semi-witty cool-guy one liners, and redundant, smack-you-in-the-head realisations. The dinosaur has escaped, has it!? Has it really!? Perhaps some of that colossal CGI spend could have been redirected to a writing team that understands respecting the gravitas of a situation, instead of painting neon blue racing stripes on the freaking raptor? Oh no, here come the raptor word vomit. So we’re training raptors with clickers now? The original alpha raptor goddess from Jurassic Park would eat that clicker with Chris Pratt’s chiselled forearm still attached to it, and then

disembowel his lovely torso for the audacity of thinking that a raptor could be given instructions from a lowly human. Raptors don’t take direction from anybody, get it? Another thing lacking from Jurassic World is characters that we care about. Would I shed a tear if Bryce Dallas Howard tripped over her kitten heels and fell in the Mosasaur tank? Nope, and it’s not just because her gorgeous straight hair transforms into seductively tousled curls when she encounters danger (I wish this happened in real life). We loved John Hammond because, as misguided as his passion was, he was driven by the will to entertain and delight. Miss Howard is driven by profits and the will to increase them, and no amount of flirting or fleeing could make me like her. Another huge writing clunker: She doesn’t want kids right now, so this reinforces her icequeen persona? Please wake me up when we’re

back in 2015. Where is the suspense? Where is the dread? In Jurassic Park, when darling Dr Ellie Satler is running for her life through the forest, while the stern English game wrangler is being eaten alive behind her, and she crashes into the supposed safety of the electricity compound, only to be greeted by Samuel L Jackson’s severed arm and another raptor intent on flaying her? The horror! How we shrieked! In Jurassic World, the minute a situation becomes intense, Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard start to make cow-eyes at each other or we get distracted by another throwback reference. Hey look! A flare! So yes, Jurassic World succeeds in making me nostalgic, for a simpler time when dinosaurs were cool without motorbike gangs and racing stripes, and Jeff Goldblum was a sexy maths god. Excuse me; I’m going home to PVR Jurassic Park.

Rating

Imogen

Kim

Katie

Popcorn Rating (out of 5)

4.5

3.5

2.5

Most amazing scene

The collapsible seating as they were watching the shark- feeding frenzy, allowing them to see under-water activities.

T-Rex versus Indominous Rex versus Velociraptors. Or any Raptor scene, really!

The hamster wheel spinning through the valley surrounded by free-roaming dinos was pretty cool.

CGI rating (out of 5)

Jurassic World or Jurassic Park?

N/A I did not see the first one

Jurassic Park always…but Jurassic World is a close second!

Jurassic Park forever and always.

Favourite Dinosaur?

The Raptors: Blue, Charlie, Delta and Echo

My old Raptor friends, of course.

Trusty T-Rex. Because Cesar Millan-ed raptors are lame.

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RED CINEMA CAMERA C

ine Photo Tools has just become the authorised dealer for RED Digital Cinema in South Africa. Photo Hire, as their rental division, will handle all RED rentals. As one of the largest and most successful rental and sales companies in South Africa, it was only natural for them to take on one of the film industry’s largest players. And with their growing sales company, Cine Photo Tools, they have set their sights on taking the RED brand to new prominence. The RED Cinema Camera Company is synonymous with high definition, high performance digital filmmaking. A behemoth of the digital cinema sphere built into a small package, RED cameras are an unquestionable industry staple. Nowadays, a RED system can be found on sets of big blockbusters, television, adverts, music videos and even low-budget indie films. From Hollywood heavyweights like Peter Jackson and Steven Soderbergh to acclaimed videographers/ cinematographers such as Philip Bloom, the RED has received much praise across the globe from top professionals, including those right here in South Africa. A game-changer when first on the scene, RED systems are still leaders in innovation, design and versatility, with their sharp cinematic quality and superior image capture at high resolution and frame rate. Red cameras are modular systems – you can choose a body, a sensor, and pick a lens mount. You can also customise the camera based on your needs. RED has also designed their systems in a way that you can upgrade parts, such as the sensor, without having to buy a new camera every time there is some new technology advancement. When Paramount announced last year that it will stop releasing major movies on film, it proved once again that the industry is changing at a rapid rate, and this digital giant has definitely managed to stay at the helm every step of the way, competing not only with 35mm film titans but also other established digital cinema companies. RED is a force to be reckoned with. Even photographers are turning to these fantastic cameras with images gracing the

covers of Vogue, Time and Vanity Fair- the quality of the footage captured by the Red sensor is so high you can pull out top-quality stills good enough to go head-to-head with many top stills cameras. This method of using high-res motion capture as a means for pulling crisp still images has become increasingly popular. The RED EPIC is what legends are made of. The amount of projects shot on Epic will go down in history - The Amazing Spiderman, The Hobbit, Star Wars - now RED is revolutionising the industry once again with the RED Weapon Dragon, in 6K/ 8K. This ultra-lightweight carbon fibre camera delivers a new level of intuitive control and ergonomic design, packing the best aspects from EPIC and SCARLET into a smaller ‘BRAIN’ with multiple upgrades and enhancements. With the 8K Vista Vision sensor, you can pull 35MP still images at the touch of a button, now that’s impressive. This exciting new addition will be released later this year. Shoot big or shoot small, a RED can be used in any scenario from outdoor run-andgun to full studio set up. Due to the small size of the body, the RED camera can be configured in several ways and Cine Photo Tools has a perfect fit for every shooting requirement. When they acquire gear it is with this holistic approach in mind. This allows them to provide full set ups for your camera systems from rigs, lighting, stabilisers, jibs and accessories. With expert staff to assist on every level, they can give the best advice on everything needed to make your shoot picture-perfect. Cine Photo Tools has a host of lenses like the Schneider Xenon Primes in PL mount designed for 4K cameras like the RED. Want perfectly smooth and stable footage? They also hold local agency for a number of stabilisation systems and have on offer the new Glidecam Devin Graham Signature Series and the robust, popular DJI Ronin. If you are looking for lights to compliment your RED system, Photo Hire/Cine Photo Tools have Kino Flo lighting, considered the best in the business by movie pros, Zylight LEDs and broncolor, whose HMI and FT systems are of unmatched Swiss quality. They even

assist at post production level, being dealers for Eizo monitors. The new 4K professional monitors are ideal for Editors and Digital Image Technicians. Walking through their shop doors, you are immediately stunned by a large showroom that houses all the latest gear from the top recognised brands they represent, including the above mentioned and others such as Redrock Micro, Small HD on camera monitors, Tether Tools, Metabones adapters and so much more. Upstairs houses three large studios used to also hold workshops and demos, so you are welcome to come in and check out the RED in action to see what set up suites you best. For all RED Cinema Camera enquiries contact sales@cinephototools.com or info@photohire.co.za

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A Chat with

LANGLEY KIRKWOOD The star of Banshee and Dredd talks career highs and the challenges actors face. The Callsheet: What made you want to become an actor? Langley Kirkwood: I’ve had a love of film and theatre from a very early age. It was just something I always knew I would do. From performing in school plays to re-creating Casablanca, Monty Python and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in the back yard with my friends. Seeing Richard Haines as Iago in Janet Suzman’s Othello at the Market Theatre was high up on the inspiration list. The Callsheet: What are you working on this year? Kirkwood: From an acting perspective, I’m working on a most incredible feature film that will be shot in four blocks over a fouryear period. Gilles De Maistre is directing, and Film Afrika is co-producing with Studio Canal and Galatee Films. We’ve recently wrapped block 1 and will pick it up again early next year. I’ve also revisited an American series in which I play a recurring character and will be heading back to the US mid-July. I’m midway through writing a treatment for

another feature, exploring an idea for a series with a writer friend in the states and hoping to co-produce a theatre production here in Cape Town next year.

actors need to be accommodating while also knowing when to stick up for themselves. I think agents need to be more protective of their young actors as well.

The Callsheet: Do you think there are sufficient opportunities for actors based in SA? Kirkwood: Absolutely. But local actors need to maximise those opportunities by receiving proper training and being professional in their approach to the work. And also by staying proactive and looking after their health. An actor’s body and voice are essentially work equipment and need to be cared for.

The Callsheet: What advice do you have for up and coming actors in South Africa? Kirkwood: Try to receive the best training possible, and don’t try to take any short cuts. If you’re doing this for the money, you’re in the wrong profession. But having said that, don’t let anybody push you around. Work hard and persevere.

The Callsheet: What other challenges face South African actors? Kirkwood: The same challenges that face actors and all creative artists; staying alive! It’s always difficult to make one’s mark in an industry where a lot of people want something for nothing, and good work is not easy to come by unless one has proved one’s worth. Exploitation is something that is synonymous with any art form and young

The Callsheet: Which film/TV series are you most proud of, and why? Kirkwood: I was really proud of Dredd from a feature film perspective, I think it was a visual masterpiece, and has fast become something of a cult classic. In terms of my TV work, Banshee stands out as something groundbreaking and unlike anything I’ve ever done, and the character I play couldn’t be further away from who I am, yet it pushed me in ways I’d not been pushed before and was an absolute joy-ride.

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INDIES AND SHORTS A

Courtesy of Encounters

s we leapt towards the 17th edition of Encounters Documentary Film Festival, from 4-14 June, The Callsheet dug into a doccie screened at this year’s event. The fest took place in Johannesburg and Cape Town; more information is available on www.encounters.co.za.

by Kim Muller

Pixadores

A beautiful black and white film, Pixadores begins in Sao Paolo, Brazil, one of the most creative cities in the world. Director Amir Escandari follows Cripta Djan, leader of The Strongest Ones, one of Sao Paolo’s Pixadore Crews – graffiti vandals who free-climb buildings to tag their names from dizzying heights. Djan is the revolutionary, while his crew of William, Biscoito and Ricardo train-surf and graft by day, and paint by night. I’ve always harboured a secret interest in the undercover world of graffiti artists and

Pixadores

jumped at the chance to see this. What struck me is that although much of the production is filmed in South America, it could just have easily been a bunch of ‘Coloured’ kids in Cape Town hopping trains, searching for the best place to tag. I was absolutely captivated by their struggles, their artistic endeavours, and have always believed in underground movements like these that, in their own way,

fight against an oppressive system. It reiterates the fact that beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder and art, no matter the medium, is a powerful thing. Pixadores is a Finish, Danish and Swedish production and was screened at the IDFA First Look Competition and at Göteborg IFF. It screened in Cape Town on Saturday, 6 June, and in Joburg on Friday, 12 June.

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KENYA Thriving and Driving Film by Imogen Campbell

The Constant Gardener © Franco Pecchio

Kenya boasts a veritable phalanx of wildlife. © Francois Duhamel

12 Years a Slave

ystical Kenya, synonymous with the concept of safari, is a bustling East African metropolis. Kenya’s potential and unheralded beauty was introduced internationally with the 1985 hit movie Out of Africa, capitulating it onto the forefront of audiences’ minds and fixing it on the filmmakers’ radar. This year-round sunny, Equatorial location is an idyllic, filming mecca having amongst others, pristine beaches and a veritable phalanx of wildlife. It presents opportunities to observe the migration of the wildebeest to the famous Tanzanian Serengeti plains from a hot air balloon. It’s where lions roar and, paradoxically, where one can witness the feeding of orphaned elephant calves in confinement. This smorgasbord of prospects is enticing for the burgeoning industry. The Kenyan government is privy to this and has embarked on a development campaign to enhance this apparent goldmine. The Kenyan government removed current import duty (25%) and VAT of 16% on television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders, effective from 12 June 2009, aiding the industry. Promoting Kenya as a tourist destination is a key component of Brand Kenya Board, which is mandated to ensure that an integrated national brand is created for the long term. Michael Onyango, a board member of the Kenya Film Commission recently, told CNBC Africa that Kenyan film is growing in terms of increased establishments and is firmly entrenched on the economic agenda. The film industry in Kenya is set to be a key part of the country’s future growth agenda and he said that they hope that the industry will contribute more than 4% in growth to their GDP over five years. It hopes to rope its fairly young population into the endeavour. The Kenyan Film Commission recently launched the Kalasha Awards; the 2015 event is to be held with two other sub-events, the B2B (Business to Business) Eastern Africa Film

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& TV Trade Show as well as an International Film Festival. This arrangement is as per Memorandum of Understanding that they recently signed with Embassy of France, which through its Audiovisual Bureau is mandated to develop the media industry and encourage collaborations between East Africa and French players in the creative fields. The first movie made in Kenya dates back to 1910. Hollywood has paid homage to the scenic vistas there with movies shot from the 1930s. These include Gregory Peck’s The Snows of Kilomanjaro and Mogambo featuring Clark Gable. Other stand-out productions are the 2005 hit The Constant Gardener, Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider, award winning wildlife series and even a season of Survivor. Lupita Nyong’o is the country’s most famous A-list actress. She is well-trained as a thespian having completed a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama. An Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress for her first feature film role, 12 Years a Slave, has galvanised the industry but she is not representative of its industry as a whole. At the moment Kenya is attempting to secure location rights for the Richard Leakey film, Africa, to be directed by Angelina Jolie next year. A huge wildlife-based film: it will document Leakey’s efforts to save the elephant. Kenya had a scourge of poaching in the 1970s and it led to the torching of ivory in the 1980s. They are in competition for this project with four other countries, notably South Africa, who has a seeming advantage because of the government 25% rebate on production costs. Kenya has a rather uncharacteristic film hub called Riverwood Studios, derived from River Road where it is situated. The moniker associates it to Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollywood and it is developing at a blistering pace.

The Constant Gardener

At Riverwood, movies are low-budget, having benefitted from the digital revolution. Shot in days and edited in a week, marketing is done on posters entering the road and distribution is straight to DVD. The content is Kenyan, using local actors, and people gravitate to these films because they identify with the authentic stories. Other initiatives include having the latest product equipment and some Kenyan companies like Blue Sky Films; have produced quality productions locally and internationally. Nairobi is home to one of Africa’s most dynamic film schools, the internationally funded Kibera Film School.

Visas and permits The government has put in place the necessary institutional mechanisms to make things easier to access filming licences and equipment. Special passes for international filming crew are issued by the Department of Immigration. Application requirements must be sent to the Department by the film agent who is facilitating the international film production. Kenya currently does not offer any incentives. Foreign crew enter Kenya on a tourist visa that can be picked up on arrival. Film licences are issued by the Department of Film Services (DFS) after filling out a form

and paying the requisite fee. To apply for zero rating for film producers, an application form is submitted to the DFS. Kenya Airways is the national carrier with extensive regional and international connections. Kenya has four international airports, but Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi is the primary arrival point for visitors into Kenya. Major airlines that serve NBO are: British Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, Kenya Airways and KLM to mention a few. The currency is the Kenyan Shilling and the exchange rate against major currencies on 12 June 2015 is as follows: Major Currencies

Kenyan shilling

1 ZAR (Rand)

7.82

1 US dollar

97.26

1 GBP

150.78

1 Euro

108.82

Contacts: Kenya Tourism Board – Head Oﬃce Kenya-Re Towers, Ragati Road P.O. BOX 30630 – 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Telephone: +254 20 2711 262 Email: info@ktb.go.ke Website: ktb.go.ke/

40 | EVENTS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

JULY BERLIN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2–6 Berlin, Germany GRAHAMSTOWN NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL 2 – 12 Grahamstown, South Africa LONG ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM EXPO 8 – 16 New York, USA PLETT FOOD FILM FESTIVAL 9 – 11 Plettenberg Bay, South Africa COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL 9 – 12 San Diego, USA

36TH DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 16 – 26 Durban, South Africa FANTASIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 16 July – 4 August Montreal, Canada LONDON FILM & COMIC CON 17 – 19 London, UK DURBAN FILMMART 17 – 20 Durban, South Africa MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 30 July – 16 August Melbourne, Australia

AFRICA DOCUMENTARY WORLD FESTIVAL 1-8 Bellville, South Africa RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 4–9 Rhode Island, USA THE SHORTLIST FILM FESTIVAL 4 – 18 Online LOCARNO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2015 5 - 15 Locarno, Switzerland

THE HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL 13 – 22 Hollywood, USA SARAJEVO FILM FESTIVAL 14 - 22 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina CEBU INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL 15 – 21 Cebu, Philippines BOLGATTY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 22 – 26 Kochi, India

DOKUFEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY AND SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 8 – 16 Prizren, Kosovo

EBS INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL 24 - 30 South Korea

SCHOOL ARTS FESTIVAL 11 - 14 and 17 - 20 Cape Town, South Africa

FILMFESTIVAL KITZBÜHEL 25 – 30 Kitzbuehel, Austria

MEDIATECH AFRICA 15 – 17 Johannesburg, South Africa

AUGUST

42 | ASSOCIATIONS

IAB formally engages Film and Publications Board over online censorship The Interactive Advertising Bureau South Africa (IAB) is: • A non-profit organisation, • Dedicated to the growth of digital business in South Africa, • Representative of 200 online publishers, brands, digital advertising and media agencies, some of them very influential, • Inclusive of prominent members including Google, Vodacom, Woolworths and the 24 Group. The Film and Publications Board (FPB) has recently gazetted the Draft online regulation Policy. The IAB has engaged with the FPB’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in regard to the Draft Policy as tabled for the following reasons: • Possible implications for free speech in South Africa. • It does not address a substantial

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

•

number of operational challenges the FPB will face in attempting to enforce it. A number of commentators have called into question its constitutionality, lawfulness and practicality. The policy requires pre-classification PRIOR to publication of any “film, game or certain publication”. According to the FPB’s guidelines this includes user-generated content distributed via social media platforms. The definitions of “film’ and “certain publication” are very broad, including video as well as news and current affairs content. It also appears that the FPB has granted itself vague, yet extensive powers in regard to content potentially harmful and disturbing to children of certain ages.

The IAB shares the FPB’s concerns in relation to unfettered access of children to harmful and dangerous content on the Internet, but disagrees on its proposals on how to address the issue. It will make formal submissions to the FPB in regard to the Draft Policy before the deadline on 15 July 2015. The IAB has re-iterated its commitment to cooperate with the FPB and any related stakeholder.

ASSOCIATIONS | 43

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

NFVF: Drone Update

•

The latest information released by The South African Civil Aviation Authority, in fulfilling the mandate according to Section 72 of Civil Aviation Act 2009 (Act No 13 of 2009) with regard to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) is as follows: • The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is obliged to put regulation in place for these systems. • The process of drafting the said regulations, have now been completed. • The draft regulations have been submitted to the Minister of

•

Transport for consideration and approval. Once these are approved, SACAA wishes to introduce RPAS workshops nationally. The purpose of these will be to introduce the new rules and regulations to stakeholders. Members of the industry intending to operate remotely-piloted aircraft systems are invited to forward their contact details to: Mr Sibusiso Ketwa on Ketwas@caa.co.za or 011 545 1387. SACAA will then be able to send invitations to the appropriate persons. More details about the workshops will be uploaded on the SACAA website at a later stage.

44 | DIRECTORY LISTINGS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

ADVERTISERS COMPANY

TELEPHONE

WEBSITE

Aquila Private Game Reserve

+27 21 430 7260

res@aquilasafari.com

www.aquilasafari.com

Asi-B Films

+27 11 264 2235

info@asibfilms.co.za

www.asibfilms.co.za

Avis

+27 11 608 3327

avisfilmga@avis.co.za

www.avis.co.za

Blackmagic Design

+00 613 9682 4770

melissa@blackmagicdesign.com

www.blackmagicdesign.com

Cannes Lions

+33 49 339 0101

camillac@canneslions.com

www.canneslions.com

DFM

+27 31 311 4243

filmdurban@durban.gov.za

www.durbanfilmoffice.com

Direction Films

+27 83 235 6720

anco@directionfilms.tv

www.directionsfilms.tv

Film Finances SA

+27 82 411 4088

jane@filmfinances.co.za

www.filmfinances.com

Gauteng Film Commission

+27 11 833 0409

seitisom@gautengfilm.org.za

www.gautengfilm.org.za

KZN Film Commission

+27 31 325 0200

info@kwazulunatalfilm.co.za

www.kwazulunatalfilm.co.za

Media Film Service

+27 21 511 3300

info@mediafilmservice.com

www.mediafilmservice.com

Media Tech

+27 11 025 3180

carly@mediatech.co.za

www.mediatech.co.za

Money Penny

+27 21 425 4213

sphillips@moneypennyservices.co.za

www.moneypenny-group.com

Orms Direct

+27 21 469 1984

sales@orms.co.za

www.ormsdirect.co.za

Out Of Africa

+27 87 742 2250

info@outofafrica.info

www.outofafrica.info

Photo Hire / Cine Photo Tools

+27 21 462 6933

Available on website

www.photohire.com

Pro Events

+27 21 425 2170

info@proevents-sa.co.za

www.proevents-sa.co.za

Pro-Sales

+27 11 462 0000

info@pro-sales.co.za

www.pro-sales.co.za

Puma Video

+27 11 886 1122

info@pumavideo.co.za

www.pumavideo.co.za

SAE Institute

+27 21 469 3600

capetown@sae.edu

www.capetown.sae.edu

Sasani Studios

+27 11 719 4200

info@sasanistudios.co.za

www.sasanistudios.co.za

Sony Professional Solutions MEA

+00 971 4 390 9626

anu.thomas@eu.sony.com

www.sony-psmea.com

Value Logistics

+27 86 010 0046

traceylr@value.co.za

www.value.co.za

Visual Impact

+27 21 468 6000

marius@visuals.tv

www.visuals.tv

Waterfront Film Studios

+27 21 409 2000

info@waterfrontfilmstudios.com

www.waterfrontfilmstudios.com

Wizardz Print & Designs

+27 21 461 9334

sales@wizardz.co.za

www.wizardz.co.za

Cover Image: Courtesy of Cine Photo Tools; an Official RED Digital Cinema Partner in South Africa Publisher: Lance Gibbons lance@filmeventmedia.co.za Executive Editor: Katie Reynolds katie@filmeventmedia.co.za Head of Design: Sheree Steenkamp sheree@filmeventmedia.co.za Writer: Kim Muller kim@filmeventmedia.co.za Assistant Designer: Lauren Smith lauren@filmeventmedia.co.za Editorial Assistant: Imogen Campbell info@filmeventmedia.co.za

Account Executive: Jennifer Dianez jennifer@filmeventmedia.co.za Account Executive: Theo Jacobs theo@filmeventmedia.co.za Group Sales Manager: Lloyd Kirsten lloyd@filmeventmedia.co.za Production and Traffic Manager: Nazeera Hartley Roach nazeera@filmeventmedia.co.za Sales Co-ordinator: Tracey-Anne Arendse tracey-anne@filmeventmedia.co.za 57 2nd Avenue, Harfield Village, Claremont 7708, Cape Town, South Africa Tel: +27 21 674 0646

Join us www.filmmakerafrica.co.za www.filmeventmedia.co.za

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