The Callsheet Issue 11 by Film & Event Media

ISSUE 11 | 2014

+ AFRICAN TALENT SHINES

We've Got What it Takes

+ DISCOP AFRICA 2014

The Future of Television

+ WRITING FOR THE SCREEN

You Get What You Pay For

CONTENTS | 01

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02. Prime Circle’s New Music Video Blasts Off

05. One Night at Aquila 06. A Chat with Robert Payton of WeShootFood

08. A Chat with City of Violence Director Jerome Salle

10. DISCOP Africa 2014 – The Future of Television

14. African Talent Shines and the World Wants More

18. MIPCOM 2014 – A Decided GameChanger for Africa

20. Screenwriting: You Get What You Pay For

23. Film & Publication Board Roundtable Discussion

24. Photo & Film Expo 2014 – Something Exciting for Everyone

Gearing Up for DISCOP 2014

Talent By The Bucket-load

The Callsheet will be there for all the deals, events and parties (of course). Read our preview on page 10.

Kim Muller dishes the dirt on South Africa’s actors, models and more. Find out why the world wants more of our homegrown talent.

26. In Production 30. A Small Change in Thinking: Part 1 34. Film Summit: Africa set for September 2015

35. City of Violence – Not for the Faint Hearted

36. The Short and the shnit of it 37. Leading Lady: Hollywood meets SA on Local Soil

38. North Africa – A Juxtaposition of City and Culture

Screenwriting Fees

In Production – November

Ever wondered if screenwriting in South Africa is a lucrative endeavour? Kevin Kriedemann begs for change.

Find out which films and TV series are being shot in our country in November.

40. Events 42. Associations 44. Directory

02 | NEWS

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On the set of Prime Circle’s latest music video. © Ryan Kruger

Ryan Kruger & Enigma Ace Films blasts off © Ryan Kruger

rime Circle chose one of South Africa’s most innovative music video directors, Ryan Kruger, to conceptualize the visuals for their latest single Doors. This is the second music video Ryan has made for the band and has raised the bar significantly after the explosive storyline of Time Kills Us All. Ryan says he loved working with Prime Circle, “They give me free rein when it came to concepts and I wanted to make this one even more cinematic than the previous one.” The video includes a string of South Africa’s most respected actors (Brandon Auret from District 9, Sean Cameron Michael of Black Sails, Robin Smith from The Fall, Joe Vaz of Dredd and Graham Clarke from Stander) and the huge scope of the narrative and striking visuals is something Ryan wanted to do for a long time. “The concept is based on one of my favourite 70s films, Capricorn One. I like to incorporate local

stories into international concepts, like with the previous music video, and this time the narrative follows the first three South Africans on their mission to Mars.” But all is not what it seems as the astronauts are pulled from the shuttle seconds before the launch due to technical problems. Fearing the disappointment of a nation, the head of the space programme decides to fake the Mars landing. Ryan says he wanted to create a mini-movie and he spent quite some time finding the perfect locations. “We didn’t have a movie’s budget, so finding the right costumes, locations and props were pivotal for creating a convincing story.” “I feel honoured that the band has shown faith in my concepts and are willing to try something different. I also feel incredibly humbled that all these fantastic actors wanted to work with me and believed in my vision.”

04 | BICKERS ACTION SA

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FREEDOM ARM

The will set your creativity free!

FOR MORE INFO EMAIL ACTION@BICKERS.CO.ZA

SOUTH AFRICA

by Gustav Marais

ther big news in the local industry is the release of the long awaited Freedom Arm. The Freedom Arm which is South African designed and manufactured sets out to demonstrate the level of expertise available in the South African film and specialist manufacturing industries. The Freedom Arm follows on from the international variants of the popular gyrostabilized remote camera crane but seeks to modernize the equipment with a fully digital control system and adds functionality by incorporating a telescopic function to the boom not found in this concept before. The holding company of the Freedom Arm 20 registered as FFT (PTY) Ltd identified a need in the market for a local cost effective solution over the expense of bringing in internationally based equipment from Europe and America for film and commercial projects shot in South Africa. The Freedom Arm utilizes manufacturing processes and compounds that other companies have not been able to successfully apply to this camera crane concept demonstrating again the expertise available in the local industry. For example a key factor to the success of the Freedom Arm is in its light-weight Carbon Fiber structure. In order to add the weight of components required for a telescopic boom, weight had to be saved elsewhere to avoid a camera crane system too heavy to be used safely mounted on the roof of a high speed camera car. The Freedom Arm achieves this with its Carbon Fiber booms that are extremely light-weight. In fact the Freedom Arm’s 10m (30 feet) long worth of boom sections weigh a mere 29kg added together when disassembled; and are incredibly strong with a 4x times stronger than steel rating. Another noteworthy function of the Freedom Arm is Auto Arc Compensation for the 20 foot telescopic boom. Auto Arc Compensation eliminates the arc that a pan move induces by automatically extending or retracting the telescopic boom synchronized to the pan speed whilst shooting. This function can be switched off by the user if required. Incredibly this means

THE FREEDOM ARM 20 FT TELESCOPIC that with Auto Arc Compensation enabled the Freedom Arm can shoot a linear line of 9 meters long with a single pan move. Furthermore in this mode the arm can be told to pan and telescope automatically at a user defined speed to allow for precision repeat moves, and it will even follow the line of a 90 degree corner! The Freedom Arm pioneers Auto Balancing a first in the world for this class of camera crane. The rear counter-weight bucket is independent from the telescopic front booms so using the gyros for levelling will balance itself at a push of a button by positioning the weight bucket to the optimum position. Useful for instance after a large lens or camera has been swung. Auto Balancing reduces down time where counterweights would otherwise have to be removed or added, the Freedom Arm automatically re-balances itself and is ready to shoot in literally seconds. A camera crane of this level of technical

ability also requires a very advanced Remote Head and the Freedom Arm is packaged with The Edge 3-axis stabilized remote camera head weighing in at a mere 23.5kg and capable of stabilizing a 500mm lens. The Edge is widely regarded as the best remote head in the world and suited for Land, Air and Sea work. The Edge is also available for stand-alone rental in South Africa at a market related rental cost. The aptly named holding company of The Freedom Arm called Freedom Film Technologies (PTY) Ltd, or FFT for short, interestingly shares its abbreviation with Fast Fourier Transform, an algorithm to compute the discrete Fourier Transform and its inverse. FFT’s are widely used for many applications in engineering, science, and mathematics. FFT has been described as “the most important numerical algorithm of our lifetime” and a suitable connotation for an emerging specialist stabilized camera systems manufacturer.

FRESH OPINION | 05

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One Night At

AQUILA by Katie Reynolds

quila Private Game Reserve has been a valued client of The Callsheet’s for many years, and I leaped at the chance to see the reserve in all its wild and untamed glory. Situated a mere one and a half hours from Cape Town, Aquila is the most accessible venue for local and international tourists seeking a walk on the wild side. I was greeted with a glass of delicious sparkling wine on arrival, and was encouraged by the reception staff to relax by the pool until lunch. As I set about the arduous task of lazing on a pool lounger next to a shimmering 35-metre salt water pool, I had to further endure the torture of quaffing a bottle of ice-cold Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc. Lunch was served buffet-style, and guests could choose from an array of meats, curries, pastas, salads, desserts, and whatever else they fancied. After several platefuls, I nearly didn’t have enough space to finish my wine (but I persevered!). Aquila Private Game Reserve is set on 7500 hectares, which provides ample roaming space for all species. Despite the huge area, the venue itself is intimate and exclusive, and guests can choose between premier, family, and standard luxury suites. From personal experience, I can recommend premier suite number 10. The open-air shower carved into the rocks provided me with the most enjoyable and memorable bathing experience of my life. But it’s not just me who’s impressed with Aquila’s offering. The venue was awarded the prestigious Lilizela Imvelo Award, the ultimate recognition for achievers in South Africa’s tourism industry, for Best Economic Impact by a large tourism establishment in South Africa. Mouth-watering smells soon tempted me from the sumptuousness of my bed, and I returned to the restaurant once again to feast on the culinary delights conjured by the Aquila team. It is easy to see why local and international celebrities keep coming back to Aquila. The venue has played host to the likes of Rihanna, Katie Holmes and MC Hammer, no doubt drawn to the exclusivity and privacy afforded to all guests.

A Filming Paradise While catching the last rays of sun at the Lounge Bar, and watching an elephant couple amble past, I was struck by the abundant opportunities for filmmakers. “Filmmaker’s love shooting here and we’ve had a number of different film productions here in the last six months” says Michelle Marais, Marketing Manager at Aquila, “Mad Max: Fury Road shot a few scenes here, and Sasha Baron Cohen also filmed portions of his latest film at Aquila”. Aquila is also popular with local productions and commercials, as the venue, and of course the landscape and animals, offer a rich palette for filmmakers. As a location, Aquila is versatile and adaptable. However, Michelle made it very clear that there can be no animal-actor interaction. “Our animals are not tame; and we are very firm about filming with the animals. The animals can be used in the background of the shots, but the crew is kept at a safe distance at all times”.

A Big 5 Extravaganza I was up with the sparrows on Saturday morning, ready to experience a game drive Aquila-style. After guzzling a pint of tea and several buttermilk rusks (for insulation against the brisk morning air), we set off in search of some wildlife. The truck bounced and heaved along the dirt track, and I was grateful for the padding on the seat, as well as the wisdom of Mike the game ranger and driver. We didn’t have to wait long, as Mike pulled up alongside a pair of giraffe, three tubby

hippos, a herd of springbok and a pride of sleepy lions who woke up briefly to acquiesce to my requests for a photo. Finally, we drew up next to four magnificent White Rhino. The splendour of these animals never fails to take my breath away, and I was reminded of the ongoing fight to save the species from extinction. Searl Derman, founder of Aquila, is instrumental in this fight, as Saving Private Rhino is his brainchild. Mr Derman spearheaded this initiative after three rhino at Aquila were targeted for poaching in 2011. One was killed outright, one was brought back from the brink, and the third finally succumbed to his horrendous injuries five days after having his horn hacked off. Compassion and rehabilitation run in the veins of Aquila. This became apparent when we were treated to a visit to ARC, the Animal Rescue Centre. ARC currently houses two lions that were rescued from the horror of a canned hunting farm, as well as a leopard that was saved from a 2x3 metre enclosure. “These animals can live out the remainder of their days in peace” says Michelle. ARC is also temporarily housing a pair of cheetah in the hopes that they will breed and increase the cheetah population. I was sad to leave my new-found friends at Aquila, especially the very flirtatious peacock who dazzled me with a display of his plumage. But I look forward to visiting again, and I will have no doubt that filmmakers will continue to use this remarkable destination for many years to come.

06 | PRO-SPECTIVE

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A Chat with Food and Performance Director

Rob Payton, Cape Town based Food and Performance Director working with Jamie Oliver

ROBERT PAYTON

The Callsheet: How did you find your calling in food? Rob Payton: I have had an interest in food and the kitchen for as long as I can remember, choosing cookery over woodwork in school, for example. As a young child I was determined to be a chef. Then in my early teens, the film bug bit hard. There was a gap of 20 years whilst I shot and directed travel and celebrity films for the BBC. Fate intervened and opportunities presented themselves for me to indulge my passions for food and filmmaking through TV adverts. The Callsheet: Why has food intrigued you so much as a director and filmmaker? Payton: As a director and cinematographer, food filmmaking is fascinating. You are trying to evoke the senses of taste and smell, both of which are the most strongly linked to emotions and memories and neither can be shared through a TV or computer screen. So a tough starting point. For me it’s all about using sound vision and human interaction to try to recreate those highly visceral emotions and memories – food and the kitchen provide great subject material for shooting. We all love to eat and my 10 years in South Africa has shown me that people here can be as passionate about their food as the Parisians or Italians. The Callsheet: Please explain the concept of WeShootFood.

All images © WeShootFood and Rob Payton

ob Payton is a Cape Town based Food and Performance Director who has teamed up with Farm Film for a new and exciting venture called WeShootFood. Payton has had many years of international experience in shooting food, working with celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and many others. The Callsheet sat down with him to find out what attracted him to this niche and what yummy foodie footage we can expect.

Payton: WeShootFood came about ironically over a meal with Skip and Pete from Farm Film. We all realized that advertising and marketing in the film and broadcasting industry is going through huge changes. Burgeoning social media, TV channels dedicated exclusively to food, and a decoupling of the traditional agency, client, stills and video roles make for challenging and exciting times. We wanted to demystify the dark art of table top, or demo, which have always seemed strange and inappropriate words to me. Pete came up with the name, and it was a no brainer – we do what it says on the sign above the shop! Between us our aim is to take a completely fresh approach to budgeting and executing great imagery, whether for commercials, web or stills. I am currently working on a concept for food video walls for high-end hotel restaurants in the Far East. The Callsheet: What is it like behind the scenes on a food shoot? Payton: After all the planning and the preproduction that goes into a shoot, getting on set is really very energizing. I love the creativity and the collaboration of a working set. Food stylists, model makers, camera technicians – it’s a very special environment – I never tire

of it. I especially enjoy working with actors, and in vision chefs, seamlessly integrating performance and product shots. In the same way that your leading lady might need a little ‘extra help’ from the make up or lighting department, so too, some dishes are a little harder to make beautiful than others. Curries are notoriously difficult, so it becomes about the accompaniments, and the garnish. Also some liquids appear to behave very differently when filmed in slow motion – you have to keep an eye on that. The Callsheet: Any anecdotes that have stuck with you during your years of shooting the culinary arts? Payton: It strikes me how much chefs have in common with us filmmakers. They have creativity, an attention to detail, and the good ones [have] a real passion to please their audience… Oh! And of course we both seem to work crazy, anti-social hours. I cannot resist trying to pick up a tip when I work with top chefs: Aldo Zilli taught me a great technique for tenderizing pork with milk, and Jamie how to avoid chopping my fingers off with a paring knife. Ramsay taught me a few words not to use in front of my mother.

08 | PRO-SPECTIVE

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Orlando Bloom as 'Brian Epkeen' © Universal Pictures

Jérôme Salle, City of Violence Director

Orlando Bloom and Forest Whitaker in City of Violence

A Chat with

Director

JEROME SALLE I

n preparation for City of Violence’s release on 10 October, The Callsheet caught director Jérôme Salle on his whirlwind trip to South Africa to promote the film. This is his fifth feature production after films like The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch and Anthony Zimmer. City of Violence is a French and South African co-production starring Forest Whittaker and Orlando Bloom as Capetonian cops chasing an elusive drug ring cum pharmaceutical experiment from the Apartheid era. The Callsheet: What struck us was that the film is so intrinsically South African. How did you manage to balance that with international stars and global attention? Jérôme Salle: We were lucky to have these two great stars, but what’s really important to me was to keep the movie South African. I didn’t want to make a Hollywood movie –

I’m not interested in that. I think the story is strong because you have two main characters, and we have a third one who is South African, so it was very important to stick to the country, to the city, to the reality, and that was a big challenge for me because I’m not Capetonian. So what I’ve done is surround myself with a South African cast and crew. 95% of the crew was South African and I was the only one with my operator and my assistant who were French, but otherwise it was all South African. Except for the two leads, only South African people were cast – and some of them are non-professional actors. The Callsheet: There was a point a few years ago when it was rumoured that Djimon Hounsou would be in the lead. Why did that change? Salle: That’s a long story. In fact, I wanted to

work with Djimon because he’s an African actor and I thought it was important that at least the actual lead would be African, even if he was not South African. So I spoke to him and the official reason is that we had a schedule issue – and there was a schedule issue, but I’m not sure we were talking about the same movie at the time, Djimon and I. But there was a schedule issue so I decided to keep my schedule and recast. I think we were also not exactly on the same page. It happens! The Callsheet: Are there any crazy stories or experiences you had while shooting the film? Salle: It’s always difficult to answer this kind of question because shooting a movie is quite a crazy experience. It’s a crazy ride so to pick something out is difficult. This is a very special movie for me because I have spent nearly one year here, trying

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PRO-SPECTIVE | 09

I’ve been lucky enough to go everywhere and talk to everybody and, from a human point of view, that was really a wonderful experience.

“

to understand this country and going everywhere. Most of the people that live here in Cape Town don’t know all the areas of Cape Town – you know what I mean: people living in Camps Bay don’t go to the Cape Flats. So I’ve been lucky enough to go everywhere and talk to everybody and, from a human point of view, that was really a wonderful experience. But I think even in Paris I haven’t done that because it’s my own city. And it’s the same for people here, so when you make this kind of movie, it’s not only the making of the movie, it’s also a really thrilling experience. The Callsheet: Please explain how you adapted Caryl Ferey’s novel Zulu for the film. What scenes do you choose and which do you scrap? Salle: Well, the way it works is you read the

book – I read it once or twice – and my coauthor wrote a kind of structure to see how the story is built. Afterwards we close the book and we write the script. And we don’t reopen the book because at some point you have to forget the material of the novel and write the script. In this case I really loved the book, I met the author of the book, Caryl – great guy – so I was very comfortable. I told him, ‘I love what you’ve done so I’m not going to betray you’. But it’s a long process. I would say it took one year to write it. The Callsheet: Any plans for the future yet? Salle: I have a few projects, but I’m not sure yet which one will be the next one. I’ve spent quite a bit of time on a Jacques Cousteau biopic. He’s an interesting character. So for the biopic I’m supposed to come back here to shoot part of the movie.

Orlando Bloom and Jérôme Salle

Jérôme Salle

I want to come back here – it’s just a good excuse to do so. The Callsheet: Where do you see South Africa’s film industry in the next two to 10 years? Salle: From what I heard, I guess people who are writing, directing and producing movies here are struggling to finance their movies, and you know that making movies is all about getting the money. I know that there are incentives for films here, so I hope that if they manage that well, they have the talent, the actors, the crew, the people to make good movies. I think what we’ve done very well in France – and perhaps they should do this here – is to have a tax on every cinema ticket sold in the country. I don’t know how much it is, but this money then goes back to the local industry. That’s why they are still making 150 movies a year in France. I think if you manage that and find the right way to finance, you have all the human tools to make great movies.

10 | SPOTLIGHT

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DISCOP AFRICA 2014 The Future of Television

frica has reached a stage where its television production, distribution and export sectors have sustained remarkably high growth rates in recent years. And on the back of this, the annual DISCOP Africa market has become one of the most important events for the panAfrican industry. The ninth edition is set

to take place from 5-7 November 2014 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg and promises to be the largest and most significant gathering for those seeking opportunities in content, film, TV programming, adaptation rights and packaged channels. Over 2,000 delegates from 70 countries are expected to attend, including over 250

exhibitors from Africa and overseas, and over 750 key acquisitions, commissioning and programming executives representing the continent. With so many key players in one place, DISCOP Africa is guaranteed to see hundreds of millions of dollars in deals being made, as well as a showcase of emerging and independent producers and distributors.

12 | SPOTLIGHT

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All Images © DISCOP Africa 2013

5 Things to look forward to at DISCOP Africa 2014 1.

The 2014 event has also seen some strategic partnerships being made with South African bodies like the Department of Arts and Culture, the National Film & Video Foundation (NFVF), the Gauteng Film Commission and the SABC. “The NFVF recognises distribution as one of the most critical elements in the development of South Africa’s film and content production industries. DISCOP Africa presents a unique opportunity for the advancement of our distribution goals,” Zama Mkosi, CEO of the NFVF said of the partnership. Desmond Thembu, Projects Manager at the GFC agreed, saying that “DISCOP Africa is a platform that aligns with our development goals.” But perhaps the most exciting thing about DISCOP Africa is not the many opportunities available or the partnerships formed, but the actual programme itself. The guest country for 2014 will be Ivory Coast, an up and coming country that’s set to play a key role in the development of television content production and distribution across Africa. The Cote d’Ivoire celebrations are organised in partnership with RTI, the nation’s public broadcaster,

ONACI, the leading film and television funding institution and the Ministries of Culture, Communications and the Ivory Coast government. A two-day conference is also planned, with its topic, ’20 Years of Television in South Africa: What’s Next’, examining the challenges of developing a sustainable, homegrown digital television ecosystem as the digital switchover begins to take place. Then, in honour of the spirit, drive and creativity of half a century of African American television pop culture, the Black Legacy Gala Evening will host an award ceremony to salute the achievements of a yet unannounced media entrepreneur who’s made outstanding creative contributions to the global entertainment business. DISCOPRO’s annual Pitching, Mentoring and Networking Programme is in full swing again this year. Initially launched in 2012, the three-day event is specifically tailored for both established and up and coming TV content producers seeking assistance to bring their projects to fruition. The programme will assist in “navigating the contours of independent TV content development, co-production and distribution

From YouTube to the Big Screen: This two-part series will pay tribute to creators behind highly acclaimed TV shows that got their start on YouTube. Digital Migration Panel Discussion: This discussion brings together some of Africa’s established and emerging Pay-TV platforms, who will examine the obstacles behind the full digital switchover – to be completed by 17 June 2015. Mobile Loves TV: This panel will look at reasons to encourage partnerships between content producers and mobile operators as the demand for VOD services increases. French-Speaking Africa Rising: French-speaking Africa is on course to play a key role in television content production on the continent. This session allows internationals involved in Africa to express their views on the growing number of opportunities in the region. Close-up On Nigeria: This presentation will draw a clear picture of where Africa’s most populous country stands on digital migration and what lessons can be learned from the process.

across Africa,” according to a recent release. It includes mentoring workshops, pitching competitions, and access to the marketplace, where producers will be able to meet with organisations in a dedicated area. A truly eclectic range of speakers are on the menu for DISCOP Africa 2014. These include Justin Bonello from Cooked in Africa / Ultimate Braai Master, Viacom International’s Head

“ of Comedy Central Africa, Evert Van der Veer, Aletta Alberts of MultiChoice, Fireworx Media’s Bridget Pickering, Stuart Forrest and Anthony Silverston from Triggerfish Animation Studios, Ryan Grim of Vice Media, Jason Njoku of iROKO Partners, Hans-Christian Mahnke, Africaavenir’s Chairperson of the Board and Terrence Khumalo from the NFVF.

SPOTLIGHT | 13

Over 2,000 delegates from 70 countries are expected to attend, including over 250 exhibitors and over 750 key acquisitions. With so many key players in one place, DISCOP Africa is guaranteed to see hundreds of millions of dollars in deals being made.

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14 | FEATURE

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Images Courtesy of Pace Models

Mathew Moolman aka Mathew Gold

Monique Calitz

Ebby Weyime © Derek Serra, Central Casting

FEATURE | 15

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AFRICAN TALENT SHINES And the World Wants More by Kim Muller

t’s already well-established that African talent is beautiful, cosmopolitan and constantly in demand. This is never more evident than in the fashion arena where top models hold renowned brands in the palm of their hands. Tanzanian-born Herieth Paul, South African bombshell Candice Swanepoel or Kenyan beauty Malaika Firth, who became the first black woman since Naomi Campbell in 1994 to clinch a Prada campaign, all come to mind. But African talent is far broader and multi-faceted than that. “The film industry refers to anyone who finds themselves in front of a camera as ‘talent’, which can be misleading,” says Adrian Galley, Vice Chair and Media Liaison at the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA). “It is a term that encompasses trained and skilled sectors, toned and groomed models and all shapes and sizes of ‘characters’ who have taken time off their day jobs to appear in commercials or work as extras.” Not only are more and more local actors and actresses beginning to make a name for themselves internationally, but the demand from locals has increased, too. South Africa’s ‘Hartiwood’ films, which feature middle-class, Afrikaans stories and are shot around Hartbeestport Dam, tend to be made for about R3-million and often double or triple their profits at the box office. Similarly, Nollywood, Riverwood and other locally-produced films tend to bring otherwise unheard of talent to the fore, while films such as Cold Harbour, Hard to Get, and Impunity nurture that talent and export it. “The demand for actors in commercials is 70% African, reflecting the country’s demographics. Also, it is very important that actors create their own work, write their own stories and get their own funding,” says Brumilda van Rensburg, an award-winning actress, most recently starring in Leading Lady and Founder and Director of Brumilda’s Acting Academy. Bjorn Steinbach, who stars in Impunity, recently went along with director Jyoti Mystery to present the film at Toronto

South Africa’s Rising Stars There is so much wonderful up and coming talent in this country that it’s almost unfair to mention some and not all. But here they are – the cream of South Africa’s rising stars. Mathew Moolman aka Mathew Gold is an established musician and an artist with great performance. “An absolute natural!” says Hilary Pace. Tracey Lewis is an actress, model, voice-over artist and dancer. She currently presents Pasella and is continually working at developing the skills to improve her craft. Samantha Setlaelo has a voice of an angel. She is a trained actress and works behind the camera in production and in front of the camera as an artist. Ebby Weyime was born in Kenya and is making her mark in theatre, on the big screen and in commercials across Africa. Monique Calitz and Stephan Potgieter are curving out a lovely niche market for themselves in the model side of the industry. Presley Chweneyagae played the lead role in the Oscar-winning film

Tsotsi. “He is to be seen on stage at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town in Aubrey Sekhabi’s Silent Voice, which has just returned from the Edinburgh Fringe,” says Adrian Galley. Roxanne Prentice most recently had a small role in Jerome Salle’s City of Violence. “I recall watching Roxanne Prentice’s extremely moving performance on the monitor as her character was being questioned by Ali Sokhela (Forest Whitaker),” says Galley. “After her scene was over I congratulated her on a well-modulated emotional performance, to which she responded, “It wasn’t me, it was him”. Forest Whitaker, from off camera, had been feeding her with an appropriately emotional performance, and all she was doing was responding.” Barileng Malebye starred in SA theatre production Emotional Creature and POW (Power of War). Leandie De Rand was in several series such as Getroud met Rugby and Die Windpomp. News anchors like Anina Peens and Zewande Bhengu were seen in Mzansi, Love 3, Even Bit and small featured roles, which all afforded them opportunities to grow their talent.

16 | FEATURE

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Courtesy of Pace Models

International Film Festival. He was overwhelmed by the star quality and the sheer size of the festival, something that’s rarely seen in South Africa. “When we arrived at the entrance we realised it was our film they were waiting to see,” he says of a long queue they passed on the way to the screening. “We were told that our film was the first to sell out in the Contemporary World Cinema category and that we had been moved from our original theatre to a bigger theatre that had also sold out!” This kind of international hunger for original, African stories has only begun to surface in the last year or two as the world – and Africa – begins to tire of the stereotypical starving picture that has plagued the continent for decades. And as they search for uniquely African stories, their appetite for African talent is expected to grow, too. That said, there are many challenges local talent still has to overcome. “The film industry has a voracious appetite for eye-candy,” Galley explains, “Many brighteyed hopefuls are readily gobbled up, only to be spat out when they reach their sell-by date. Those who are committed to their craft as actors realise that what works for them in their early twenties may not be able to guarantee them work into their forties and beyond. That is when real skills

are required, true ‘talent’, if you will.” This fickle environment is the first challenge anyone entering the industry has to face, and not everyone makes it. Then there’s job sustainability. Are there enough jobs in South Africa to sustain the hundreds of young acting hopefuls? Galley says yes, but probably only in broadcasting. “Currently, those actors who concentrate purely on film are more likely to sustain a career outside of the country as Charlize Theron and Arnold Vosloo have done. But most of the better actors in South Africa will always find some way to sustain their careers, although not always in the film side of the entertainment business. They appear to be constantly working; moving from one theatre festival to the next and occasionally even performing abroad. As I speak, a number of young actors from Magnet Theatre are performing at the Kinder Festival in Hamburg, some are at the Afrovibes Festival in the UK, while others have just returned from the Amsterdam Fringe. At home we have the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown each year, together with the Klein Karoo Nationale Kunstefees in Oudtshoorn, Aardklop in Potchefstroom and many other smaller festivals, like the Voorkamerfees in Darling, the Zabalaza Festival and the Ntlandlolo Cultural Festival eCumakala. So, in short, there

are enough opportunities in the industry, but not if you only develop a taste for the lowhanging fruit!” Derek Serra has been working with local talent in the South African industry for 23 years. His well-established agency, Central Casting, has serviced a number of local and international film productions with ‘bulk extras’, where productions need large numbers of extras for shoots. He says that although the industry is doing well on a general scale, there is little standardisation of fees, with many agencies battling for market share in this sector. “From the nineties it started, and then obviously since 2001 and 2002, it’s really mushroomed. It went through a boom period up to about two years ago, and three years ago was really amazing. But there’s a world recession on [now] so it’s been a very fluctuating scenario. With recession comes the need for people to cut their costs and so the rates for extras hasn’t really increased for more than five years, and the small increases we’ve made haven’t really covered the cost of living or inflation. So people are actually earning less money now in real terms than they were five years ago.” Hilary Pace of Pace Models says that other challenges include not being represented by a good, established agency, and the fact that technology is developing at

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such a pace that people are often replaced with cartoon characters, inflatable extras and VFX in print and on television. Despite this, Pace believes that local talent is doing well. “We hold our own in comparison to the rest of the world, when it comes to our talent in this country. However, everybody wants to be a model or a presenter but there is a divide between the real talented up-and-coming stars compared to the ‘wannabes’ who don’t realise that the top talent in this country have worked and continue to work very hard to develop their craft.” Monique Murray is Casting Director at Kayos. She believes that not only is South

Africa holding its own in the talent industry, but it’s also attracting internationals to the country. “There is a wide range of talent available and also talent with a wide range of skillsets. We can find people of almost any ethnicity or look in SA. Some might not be a big pool, but it is seldom that we cannot supply required talent, from a range of Caucasian-looking people through to PanAfrican, Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean. As for skills, we can access a range of athletes including swimmers, divers, soccer players, basketball players, volleyball players, fencers and so much more.” Murray says that there has also been a trend toward bearded men and women with a girl-next-door kind of look. Although the talent industry may seem flooded from one perspective and challenging from another, Pace believes that a hefty helping of passion is needed to overcome the odds. “To become and remain established…requires a passion for the industry, developing of your skills, tenacity, perseverance, hard work and a natural talent,” she explains. “The artists that do not have a combination of all of these fall by the way side and give up. One cannot give up and must have a hunger for the industry in season and out of season.” Craig Freimond, a seasoned scriptwriter and filmmaker most recently known for his theatre show Death of a Colonialist, agrees with Pace. “Honing your craft and getting noticed, they go hand in hand. You need to work to get better and you need to get noticed to get work. How do you get noticed? Do something. Make a show, perform a play, make a short film, do anything – don’t wait for the phone to ring. And get a good agent,” he adds.

Meanwhile Brumilda says that talent is a mixture of natural gift, training and the X factor. “But talent also needs to understand how the industry works – and most importantly, have a disciplined work ethic,” she explains. “Directors and production houses do not have the time for ‘unskilled performers’. Work permits, passports, portfolios, CVs, taxes, contracts, invoices and all the necessary paperwork need to be in order as they are all key issues when it comes to working across borders.” Serra says that etiquette on set is something that Central Casting has had to develop over the years, especially since so many extras are either found through street castings or other avenues. Because of this, many do not understand the industry very well when they begin. “When you go onto set, everyone’s got their own approach. Some people are very professional and they do it as their sole source of income...Then you get people that are bored and lonely and when they get on set they’re like busy bodies. They’re in and out of everyone’s business, they like to spread rumours, and it can be quite damaging for the industry when you get that kind of spitefulness. So I think that if you’re going to work as a professional extra or even as a model, do the work that you’re required to do and don’t cause trouble because it only takes a few people to poison the atmosphere on a production. It’s like anywhere else in life.” On the flip side, Murray believes that because so many South Africans are exposed to the industry, things can only get better in the future. “The talent pool is continuing to grow,” she says, “We often joke that just about everyone in Cape Town has been on set at least once in their life!”

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MIPCOM 2014 – T

A Decided Game-Changer for African Content Creators ©MIP Markets

he internet was in a flurry over 13-16 October, as most major international broadcasters, content producers and film industry bigwigs attended the 2014 edition of MIPCOM in Cannes, France. Social media and news outlets reported deal after deal, shared reviews of screened content and explored many other facets of the event. But perhaps the most important question on most African content providers’ minds is, how well did we really do? This is an especially important question as the world looks toward Africa as the next potential cash cow in television and film content. There has certainly been a rise in internationals wooing African broadcasters with their content, but whether the continent has been just as successful remains to be seen.

Deals, Deals and More Deals

Yoni Bloch, CEO & Co-founder of digital media company Interlude ©MIP Markets

Avi Nir, CEO, Keshet Media Group

Disney Media Distribution confirmed that ABC Studios’ drama, How to Get Away with Murder, has been licensed to broadcasters in 158 territories worldwide, including all of Africa. Shonda Rhimes, producer of Scandal and other shows, said of the deal: “As long as audiences, at home and internationally, want us to, we’ll keep putting our hearts into creating unique new stories and characters for these groundbreaking series.” FremantleMedia International and pan-Arab media conglomerate MBC Group will see three more seasons of Arab Idol and Arabs Got Talent, while The X Factor and Project Runway have also been commissioned for an additional three seasons, with MBC taking format rights for the pan-Arab territories for each. The BBC announced at MIPCOM that it had made its “most ambitious and wideranging commitment” to natural history programming with a host of blue-chip shows and the launch of an online UK home for the content. Although Discovery and BBC ended their long-standing coproduction partnership last year – which saw collaborations on shows like Frozen Planet, Blue Planet and Wonders of the Solar System – the corporation’s commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, will step in as the new major co-production partner for the BBC Natural History Unit and will distribute all new programming. The QYOU, an international pay-TV

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©MIP Markets

©Jim Marks Photography Ynon Kreiz, Executive Chairman of Maker Studios

Farmed and Dangerous - Chipotle and Piro Original Online Series ©MIP Markets

service which provides a compilation of quality short-form Internet videos 24 hours a day, also launched their commercial-free channel on StarTimes pay-TV platforms in Africa this month. Said Scott Ehrlich, CEO of The QYOU, “Online creators are establishing a new art form in much the same way music videos fuelled the popularity and growth of MTV. The QYOU is committed to doing the same for this engaging and entertaining cultural phenomenon, while also generating meaningful royalties for an entirely new generation of Web creative icons, filmmakers and talent.”

SA Indies and Nigerian Content Shine South Africa’s official delegation of filmmakers and producers, led by the Association for Transformation in Film and Television (ATFT) reported that there was an immense amount of interest shown in their exhibitor stand. Producer Mark Schwinges (Underdog) said, “Our stand, which stretched across 25 square metres on the lower level of the Palais des Festivals, looked very professional and every person who came for a meeting was impressed. Whether they were part of the official delegation or not, I think that every South African who participated at MIPCOM left saying that it was an excellent event. The great thing was that the South Africans all worked together as a team and there were a lot of cross-referrals and introductions to internationals.” Shelley Barry of Two Spinning Wheels

Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson and Omari Hardwick at MIPCOM Screenings

Productions and part of the ATFT SA Indies delegation said that she wanted to attend the tradeshow because of its global stature. “MIPCOM was an incredible experience,” she said, “daunting to say the least, but I now have a clearer sense of the global context in which I am producing work.” The Nigerian Pavilion was also prominently featured at the event, with the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Emeka Mba, saying in an interview with This Day in Cannes, “Digital broadcasting is all about quality content and Nigeria has to get it right through the creation of local television production content that will attract both local and foreign investors, especially now that Nigeria is preparing for a national digital switchover by 2015.” He

went on to say that Nigeria would consider planning a global exhibition like MIPCOM in the country on an annual basis in order to drive and domesticate local content and to “further showcase the Nigerian broadcasting content”. Ebony Life TV Executive Chair and CEO Mo Abudu sat on the panel at the third annual Women in Global Entertainment networking event at MIPCOM. Abudu said she had been influenced to launch the first pan-African channel after a conversation with Hilary Clinton. The former First Lady told her that she would need to create a platform if she wanted the stereotype of Africa to change. Ebony Life TV is currently developing a local version of Desperate Housewives, along with news and other original programming.

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Wired © Death to the Stock Photo

SCREENWRITING You get what you pay for by Kevin Kriedemann

veryone in the film industry theoretically agrees that the key to a good film is a strong screenplay. But like anything else, in screenwriting you get what you pay for. Writer-director Carey McKenzie (Cold Harbour) says, “It’s my guess that local features writers and directors are among the lowest paid professionals, by annual aggregate, in the industry.” I chatted to about 30 screenwriters to find out if that was true.

What's a screenplay worth internationally? The Writers Guild of America (WGA) 2014 Schedule of Minimums spells out minimum rates clearly, with separate minimums for low and high budget films.

Description

Low

High

Original screenplay, including treatment

$67,804

$127,295

Non-original screenplay, including treatment

$59,331

$110,337

Original screenplay, excluding treatment

$45,556

$93,257

Non-original screenplay, excluding treatment

$37,073

$76,298

It’s all neatly broken down into installments: delivery of the treatment, delivery of the first draft, and delivery of the final draft. They even have a breakdown of the individual elements, like rewrites and polishes. Of course, the WGA considers $5-million the dividing line between low-budget and high-

budget, so they’re obviously not talking about the average South African film, which is closer to R4-million these days.

What's a screenplay worth in South Africa? South Africa doesn’t have anything as clear-cut as the WGA’s Schedule of Minimums. For now, as entertainment lawyer Emma Kingdon says, it’s about whatever a willing buyer and a willing seller agree to. Kelsey Egan is the winner of the Writers Guild of South Africa’s (WGSA) 2013 Muse Award for Best Spec Script. She says, “For a qualified, experienced screenwriter, the WGSA advises that for a feature the writer be paid a fee that is equivalent to 6-8% of the total production budget or a minimum of R150,000, whichever is the greatest. As to the actual

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The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) says the number of locally produced films has increased from 19 in 2012 to 25 in 2013, so there’s not enough work to go round even just for the 30 screenwriters I spoke to for this article. So how are South African writers paying for 2.5 children and a white picket fence? Many aren’t. One writer I spoke to says he has a supportive mother and lives like a hermit. “I haven’t had a chick in years,” he says. “I read and I work; that’s all I can afford to do.” It’s one approach, but not necessarily helpful in generating the broad life experience that’s part of being a writer. Perhaps the most common solution is to become what Variety call a hyphenate: normally a writer-director but also occasionally writer-actors and writerproducers. Hyphenates are generally people

“

So you want to be a writer...and pay your bills

Wired © Death to the Stock Photo

average price writers receive in South Africa, I imagine it is much lower.” The figures I heard were wildly varied. The highest was R400,000, with seven others over R200,000, but I also heard of two R60,000 adaptations and four R20,000 sales, among other figures. The lowest was R15,000, ironically for the first screenplay from one of South Africa’s most successful screenwriters. I also heard of fees deferred on films that will never recoup, and of fees deferred until a first day of production that has never come. How writers feel about these figures will be shaped by how many co-writers they have and how long they take per screenplay. There is no standard: I heard of first drafts written in a few days, but I also heard of research alone taking three to six months and screenplays taking three years on and off, or eleven. Of course, the business isn’t just about selling screenplays: there’s potential income from options too. Once again, the figures I heard varied vastly. There’s a widely held misconception that it’s a legal requirement that you are “paid” for an option, so I heard of a number of R1 deals. However, Kingdon says this isn’t a legal requirement in terms of South African law. Most screenplay options seem to be for between R5,000 to R50,000 per year, or 10% of the purchase price if you have an international agent, with a larger rights payment usually due by principal photography if the film gets made.

I have never used a script editor and never will. If a screenwriter can’t edit his own work he -Greg Latter should be in another job.

who don’t believe they can survive solely as screenwriters, so have diversified. Unfortunately, this often becomes a selffulfilling prophesy when wearing multiple hats on a single project: generally, hyphenates told me that they were paid as directors or producers, but that their script payments were “deferred,” “mitigated” or “non-existent” – the latter particularly in the case of independent writer-director-producers. Many writers who started out wanting to write features move instead into the more regular flow of TV work. “These days it feels like if you’re not on a soap, you’re on the street,” one writer told me.

Here the problem is not a shortage of work, but whether you can churn it out quickly enough at R750 a minute for the SABC, bearing in mind that this is the overall development fee proportionately split between writers, script editors, and producers, so writers are likely to be paid between R6,000 to R14,000 per half hour episode and up to R20,000 for an hour script. For those intent on making money off feature-film screenplays, The NFVF is the main source of development funding locally. The NFVF awarded between R110,000 - R200,000 each to 23 feature film projects in 2012 and 22 in 2013. They’ve now increased their development budgets

for animation to R250,000, which includes a visual development fee. However, the NFVF will only approve one application per organisation, individual or company per financial year. I was also warned: “Because they have so many projects in development, the turnaround time for feedback can be really slow, which means that you can't get paid an installment of the money (or move onto the next stage of story development) until you get sign off. This means that what can seem like a lot of money at first trickles in over a long period of time.” All NFVF funding includes a mandatory script editor fee of between R40,000 to R65,000. The NFVF assigns script editors to every development project they fund, so this has become another option for screenwriters to supplement their incomes. Script editors are controversial: an American producer I know laughs at them as a South African quirk, while Greg Latter, arguably South Africa’s most successful screenwriter, says, “I have never used a script editor and never will. If a screenwriter can’t edit his own work he should be in another job.” Rewriting other people’s scripts is another potential revenue stream. In researching this article, I heard of figures from R12,500 to R85,000. However, a number of writers warned that this can be as much work, if not more, as writing from scratch. “Really, if you are rewriting you are starting again,” I was told. “Often rewriting is harder then starting again; you can’t polish a turd...” I’ve also started noticing a rise in in-house writers, especially at animation companies like Triggerfish or Sunrise. As Sunrise producer Matthew Brown says, “I employ a full time

writer so he has more security and I get cheaper scripts.” Certainly it makes sense to invest in a person rather than a single product: why pay for the fruit when you can buy the tree? I also spoke to nine South African writers with international agents, so working internationally is possible. One South African writer with an international agent now averages $70,000 per screenplay and writes three a year.

Do full-time screenwriters exist? There are full-time feature-film screenwriters who are making it work, although a producer I spoke to guessed there were under five, which is probably accurate if you discount novelist-screenwriters. Ironically, one of the most successful has yet to see one of his screenplays made into a film. “I started writing my first screenplay in April 2006 with one key piece of business knowledge courtesy of Blake Snyder – that, long before his movies had hit the screen, he was already making a sustainable living writing screenplays in the spec market,” says Paul Johnson. “I simply proceeded on the basis that the business required one to either sell your work or impress people enough with it to get commissions. I personally don’t share the view that there’s no market for South African screenwriters. It’s not been my experience. If you write a good spec, you can get a good start.” So is there a business model for being a screenwriter in South Africa? I heard 10 resounding no’s, from some lavishly talented people who have a better chance than most

“

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Because they have so many projects in development, the turnaround time for feedback can be really slow, which means that you can't get paid an installment of the money until you get sign off.

“

22 | FEATURE

of finding it. Roger Hawkins said he’ll let me know when he cracks it. A number of people said yes, but only if you can make it in the international market, which is a big if. Marc Bloom was my only resounding yes. Deon Meyer said, “The best (and only) business model is to write stuff that will sell.” And Craig Freimond said: “I think there are more people writing and there is a sense that the industry is growing but in reality it’s still pretty much impossible to make a good living just from that. But hey, the economics still beats being a novelist.”

Want to option a novel? For South African novels published locally, the ballpark option is R10,000 to R40,000, with rights selling for R70,000 to R250,000, with R150,000 the most likely. For South African novels translated and published abroad, options go for between R75,000 to R150,000, with the rights sold for between R800,000 and R1.4-million, plus a profit-share. But I heard of a good South African novel adapted into a screenplay by its author, where the option agreement was R1 for the first year, and R5,000 for a six-month extension, with the fees split equally between the screenplay adaptation and the book rights. I also heard of a South African novel that was successful overseas but optioned for R50,000 per year, plus 2% of the budget (with a floor and ceiling price built in) plus 2.5% of the producer’s net profit.

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FILM &PUBLICATION BOARD: Roundtable Discussion

Left to right: Themba Wakashe and Monica Rorvick

ilm & Publication Board recently hosted a roundtable discussion with Film & Event Media, along with various South African film producers, distributors and sales agents. The discussion centred on the theme “Classification vs. Censorship”, and a lively debate followed. Representatives from the FPB began the discussion by outlining their mandate, and highlighting key updates to their governance and legislation. Some attendees brought up alleged inconsistencies in terms of the classification ratings given to films, after which Themba Wakashe, CEO of the Film & Publication Board, had this to say. “We have to agree that classification is not going to be an exact science, and it will never be, hence I want to stress the importance of

Left to right: Keyan Tomaselli, Lance Gibbons and Toni Monty

dialogue, because this for me is vital. Yes, we are trying to professionalise classification, not only for South Africa, but the way classification is an issue for the whole continent. Classification is an economic activity that comes with a lot of risk, and we appreciate that. Where we can cushion that risk as the Film & Publication Board, we must. I have been CEO since December 2013, and prior to that I was with the Department of Arts and Culture, and I have come to understand that there is a gap between the Film and Publication Board and the industry. To be honest, some think that people who work at the FPB do not know aesthetics, let alone how to spell the word aesthetics, and that censorship is what we do. This needs to change. Yes, I am aware of the inconsistencies in terms of ratings. I, for one, find the FPB

quite conservative; it is ethically driven not aesthetically driven. The balance is not there in the legislation, and that is something we going to have to work on.” He concluded by saying, “We appreciate the value of this industry. I have worked very hard as the CEO to make sure that you have got a viable film industry, and I do appreciate it. And again I just want to appeal to each and every one of you; let’s engage on the fundamentals. I have never been a censor and I will never be a censor, I refuse to be one.” Film & Event Media would like to extend sincere thanks to the FPB as well as all other attendees, and we will continue to encourage and facilitate constructive dialogue, for the betterment and growth of the film sector in South Africa.

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PHOTO & FILM EXPO 2014 – Something Exciting for Everyone to see and do; so it’s good to plan ahead and set time aside. A full fashion studio setup, a wedding area, and numerous other demo areas to try different equipment to get familiar with the various cameras will be available. The Photo & Film Expo will be taking place from the 30th of October until the 2nd of November 2014. All images © Photo & Film Expo

he Photo & Film Expo has experienced exponential growth since its inception in 2009. Now back for the sixth time at the Coca Cola Dome in Johannesburg; it promises to be even better. The Dome will be filled to the brim with creatives from different industries checking out the latest trends, film releases and gadgets. With over 400 exhibitors and over 20 000 visitors from more than 30 countries, this is the reason why the Photo & Film Expo has been called the biggest show in Africa of this nature. You can expect to see the widest range of what’s new on the market under one roof, from cameras, equipment, safari trips, bags, cell phones and other services and accessories.

The expo also hosts free workshops with industry thought-leaders sharing their knowledge and experiences. Also something to look forward to will be the giveaways, worth more than one million rand in prizes. Panel speakers will discuss a range of topics, from wedding photography to the challenges of shooting wildlife, studio setups, fashion, boudoir, and much more. Filmmakers’ rights and copyrights for photographic images are also going to form part of the topic of discussions. International speakers will be sitting on the panel, such as Pierre Poulain (Israel), Bruce Smith (UK), and Andrew Appleton (UK) and many more. The average amount of time spent at the expo is five hours simply because there is so much

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IN PRODUCTION November 2014 Thanks to ever-present confidentiality clauses, no one is ever allowed to officially talk about what’s in production in Africa, so this monthly section is an unofficial overview of the industry’s worst-kept secrets. Sara Blecher’s Ayanda and the Mechanic and Joe Miale’s Prisoner of War apparently wrapped in October, while a number of the bigger service jobs like Eye In The Sky and Homeland are expected to finish this month. But with Starz bringing Black Sails back for a third season and the BBC bringing Wallander’s fourth season to Cape Town, there’s still plenty of work to go round.

Eye In The Sky

Black Sails The pirates are coming back to Cape Town Film Studios for season three of Black Sails, which premieres on Starz on 24 January 2015, according to Deadline. The first season of the Treasure Island prequel set a viewership record of a Starz original series and won two Emmy Awards. Film Afrika is producing.

Dias Santana ZenHQ Films is finishing production on the action cop drama Dias Santana, shooting in Cape Town and Luanda. IMDB lists Maradona Dias Dos Santos as the director and Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Rapulana Seiphemo and Scottish actor David O’Hara as co-stars, while ZenHQ’s Facebook page says Paulo Americano will play the title role. IMDB also says LynneAnne Vosloo is line producing; Paul Speirs is editing; Gillian Castle will be the costume designer; and Barry Coetzer will be the production designer.

Moonlighting is into the final month on Eye In The Sky, a drone warfare thriller written by BAFTA winner Guy Hibbert and directed by South African Gavin Hood (Ender’s Game, Tsotsi). The cast includes Oscar winner Helen Mirren, as well as Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, Captain Phillips’ Barkhad Abdi, Game of Thrones’ Iain Glenn, and Harry Potter’s Alan Rickman. Haris Zambarloukos (Thor, Locke) is the DOP, while South African Johnny Breedt (Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom) is the production designer.

Homeland Moonlighting is into the final month on season four of Homeland. The season premiered at the start of October and initial reviews have been relatively positive, with a 74 on Metacritic, although this is well-below the 91 and 96 ratings for the Emmy and Golden Globe winning first two seasons. Season four follows Carrie in Afghanistan and Pakistan (read Cape Town) and introduces new characters played by House of Cards’ Corey Stoll, Life of Pi’s Suraj Sharma, and Mad Men’s Mark Moses.

The Last Face Moonlighting is expected to wrap soon on Sean Penn’s The Last Face, starring South African Oscar-winner Charlize Theron as the director of an international aid organisation in Liberia. Charlize’s character embarks on a love affair with a relief-aid doctor played by fellow Oscar-winner Javier Bardem. Blue Is The Warmest Colour’s Adele Exarchapoulos and Moroccan actor Jean Reno (The Professional) also star. Barry Ackroyd (The Hurt Locker, Captain Phillips) is the DOP, while Andrew Laws (Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit) is the production designer. South African Diana Cilliers (The Giver, District 9) is the costume designer.

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Mohenjo Daro Variety says Ashutosh Gowariker (the Oscar-nominated crossover hit Lagaan) is directing Mohenjo Daro, an epic period adventure and love story set during the Indus Valley Civilization. Disney Studios India is producing, while Hrithik Roshan and Miss India Universe 2010 runner-up Pooja Hegde will co-star.

Tremors 5

Black Sails, Courtesy of Starz

I was still in primary school when the first Tremors came out, starring Kevin Bacon and giant, man-eating worms. Moonlighting is rumoured to the South African production company on the fifth installment of the franchise, with Alan Shearer line producing. According to Moviehole, Don Michael Paul (Jarhead 2: Field of Fire) is directing for Universal, while at least one of the original stars - Michael Gross â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will return to the franchise, alongside Jamie Kennedy.

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INCOMING: Africa Angelina Jolie has signed on to direct Africa, an anti-poaching film about Richard Leakey, written by Eric Roth (Forrest Gump). The Daily Mail warns there’s a squabble over producing credits that may delay things though. Personally, I’d be more excited if this was called Kenya – that title takes me straight back to writing post-colonial undergraduate essays on simplistic Western representations of Africa.

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The Big Shoe

Sand Castle

The Siege of Jadotville

Steven Shainberg, director of Secretary and Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, was in pre-production in Cape Town in August on The Big Shoe. However, the scheduled September start has apparently been pushed back, probably into the New Year, after South African producer Anton Ernst told Twitter that the film wasn’t likely to happen, or at least not with him, due to problems scheduling leads Jim Sturgess and Kristen Stewart, who’s now apparently off the project.

Sand Castle will star Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Toby Kebbell (Wrath of the Titans) in a coming-of-age Iraq war drama based on the ‘inspired by real events’ Black List script from war veteran Chris Roessner. Mark Gordon (Source Code, Saving Private Ryan) is producing for Cannes Gold-winning commercials director Seb Edwards, making his feature debut. The film was originally slated to shoot in October 2014 in South Africa and Italy, but IMDB still has this listed as ‘in development.’

According to Deadline, 50 Shades of Grey and The Fall star Jamie Dornan will be in South Africa next year to film The Siege of Jadotville, the feature film debut of commercials and music video director Richie Smyth. Set in the Congo just after the murder of Patrice Lumumba, Dornan will play Commandant Pat Quinlan, an Irishman who led a UN battalion of 150 Irish troops that held out against a force of 3000 local troops led by French and Belgian mercenaries working for the mining companies.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

The Hollywood Reporter says Warner Bros is in negotiations on Tau Tona, which “chronicles a dangerous rescue operation at the world’s deepest gold mine in South Africa, that turns into something bigger when an ancient lost city is discovered.” Tau Tona writers William Eubank, Carlyle Eubank and David Frigerio were behind the recent science fiction thriller, The Signal, starring Laurence Fishburne and Brenton Thwaites. William is attached to direct.

Wallander The fourth and final season of Wallander will be shot partly in Cape Town. Based on Henning Mankell’s bestselling novels, the BAFTA-winning TV series stars Kenneth Branagh as the titular detective. The Cape Town episode will be based on the novel, The White Lioness, which is set in South Africa at the time of our transition to democracy.

‘Mistress Eleanor Guthrie’, played by Hannah New in Black Sails, Courtesy of Starz

Milla Jovovich’s pregnancy pushed back the sixth ‘Resident Evil’ film, but its still expected to shoot in South Africa in the second half of 2015, with Milla’s husband, Paul W.S. Anderson, directing. Moonlighting is expected to be the South African production company.

Tau Tona

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A SMALL CHANGE IN THINKING – PART 1

Transformation and Professionalism in the South Africa Motion Picture Industry by John Hill

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hile transformation remains a key challenge, Work Creation and Professionalism need to be prioritized if meaningful and sustainable transformation is to occur.

Work Creation

Professional Development What is professionalism? What does it mean to be professional? Being a professional is far more than merely performing a task a boss needs done and being paid for it. By Professionalism, I mean the slow osmotic acquisition of a really deep understanding of the Art, Business, Craft, and Technical aspects of the Motion Picture Industry of the kind found in traditional trades, professions and crafts originally governed by guilds and professional associations. This kind of professionalism is found in the age-old professions such as Accountancy, Law and Medicine. If professionalism as described here is to be ignored, we are unlikely to see any meaningful and sustainable growth, and transformation in our country.

Towards a Model of Motion Picture Professionalism When one considers the long established professions such as Accountancy, Law and Medicine, a new entrant with a basic degree in any of these professional fields is by no means considered a professional practitioner. Certainly not at the outset: Each has to endure a long established internship process wherein much valuable experience is gained and then write some kind of challenging ‘bar’ examination - designed to

maintain prescribed professional standards - before admittance to the profession. The exam is administered by the professional association. Each candidate is regarded as a protégé and has a mentor. Further, many professions have additional learning roles such as a medical or surgical ‘registrar’ role leading to specialisation, akin, in many ways, to a specialist operator role in the Motion Picture Industry. While many film schools have a semester-long workplace learning component in their curriculum, this does not – indeed it cannot – replace the acquisition of a really deep understanding necessary for any profession. A rather unfortunate aspect of training in some film schools, especially in South Africa, is the tendency for some graduates to see themselves as qualified professionals upon graduation. Nothing is further from the truth. These emerging young filmmakers lack essential experience and need opportunities to gain this before they can be considered true professionals. Film schools also are inclined to offer curricula that only articulate with a preconceived notion about what film is. So, we frequently find film as a component of media studies in Humanities and not, say, in Business - or Technology for that matter. The bigger picture of the professional Motion Picture Industry appears not fully understood and this is very confusing to potential film school students. I feel there is a very real need to focus on the development of professionalism in the industry beyond film school, rather than on training and skills development which solve

By Work Creation, I mean the generation of employment opportunities in the Motion Picture Industry – as a whole. This should be the major thrust: The greater the number of these opportunities, the faster the rate of transformation is likely to be. Put another way: Transformation is less likely to occur if the quantity of motion picture products made remains roughly the same as it has in the past. But, we need to be mindful of what I shall call the Fear ‘n Frustration Syndrome permeating our society right now. The fear of losing one’s job in the interests of transformation on the one hand and the frustration experienced by many previously disadvantaged individuals on the other in not being able to find a job. Why should an experienced professional train a newbie only to be replaced by that newbie in the not-too-distant future? This is a very real threat and one recognised as far back as the American Civil War roughly 150 years ago. Quotes attributed to Abraham Lincoln more than 100 years ago apply equally to South Africa today – especially in the Film Industry which is seen as a growth industry. Concurrently, the frustrations of many newbies, especially those from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, seeking to earn a decent living while simultaneously telling indigenous stories, without going trough the rigours of professionalism, is equally profound. If we are to succeed in our quest for transformation, we simply must initiate more work opportunities at a variety of levels. This will undoubtedly alleviate the Fear ‘n Frustration Syndrome. Key to effective transformation then is the creation of work – not just job creation. Obviously, the creation of work goes hand-in-hand with, and provides a range of career and entrepreneurial opportunities in, the creation of more motion picture products in South Africa for a variety of distribution channels from cinema, broadcast media and the Internet to pointof-sale displays, information presentation systems and, of course, the smart-phone. This will entail the creation of new business

opportunities both directly and indirectly associated with motion picture production and distribution.

My Muse © diditzulu

immediate problems, but tends to ignore long-term solutions. Over the years attempts have been made by South African Motion Picture and allied professional practitioners to establish self-regulating guilds and professional associations designed to: • Promote professionalism in their chosen field, • Offer some kind of protection for their members, • Provide guidelines for maintaining high standards in the profession to guarantee the quality of workmanship offered, and to be • Curators of their named craft. Autonomous governance has been the norm for the age-old professions for eons. This, however, is seen by many previously disadvantaged South Africans as being a bar to access – and thus transformation – in a free society. With the advent of democracy 20 years ago, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) were established. SAQA, in turn, established various Education and Training Quality Assurors (ETQAs). In addition, a set of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) was established. But, none of these replace the role of Professional Associations. This is no place for a discussion on the merits of this other than to mention

that some highly valued motion picture qualifications are not recognised by SAQA and therefore not listed on the NQF simply because they do not meet SAQA’s prescribed criteria for accessibility and assessment. This is a great pity! These highly coveted qualifications, recognised by the global Motion Picture Industry, are awarded in the age-old way by guilds and associations. Two come to mind: SASC awarded by the South African Society of Cinematographers and MBKS awarded by the British Kinematograph, Sound and Television Society. Similarly, some Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees recognised by SAQA and registered on the NQF are not necessarily recognised by the Motion Picture Industry in South Africa. Both attitudes reflect a lack of a Bigger Picture vision for the future of the Motion Picture Industry in our country which is, again, disappointing. I feel the value of qualifications such as SASC, awarded for excellence by autonomous professional guilds, should not be underestimated. Rather, these should be nurtured as incentives for emerging professionals to strive for and value: professional excellence! Then too, the value of academic qualifications such as MBA in the future of the industry should not be underrated either. Film Industry Guilds and Associations in South Africa currently lack the capacity to perform the role of a professional body and this aspect should be addressed as a matter of urgency by the profession and not

“

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While many film schools have a semester-long workplace learning component in their curriculum, this does not – indeed it cannot – replace the acquisition of a really deep understanding necessary for any profession.

“

32 | FRESH OPINION

left to the SETAs as these are not designed to act on behalf of the profession in any way and should only be regarded as a source of funding for work-place learning. It is with these aspects in mind that I advocate the process outlined here for developing a Model for Professionalism in the Motion Picture Industry in South Africa. My approach as a filmmaker and teacher is a systemic one: I try to see the Bigger Picture. My feeling is various government spokespeople, most motion picture and allied practitioners, and academics look only at those parts of the Bigger Picture concerning them - they don’t seem to look much further. Yet, looking at the Bigger Picture of the Motion Picture Industry is precisely what is required, especially now. To satisfy the need to create work we need to create more products: We need – at least – to double the size of the motion picture industry from ‘Idea Development’ to ‘Distribution’ of viable content in, say, 5 years. Let us implement a professional development programme which can be achieved by creating a sustainable platform bridging the gap from ‘film school graduate’ to ‘highly polished professional’ in the lowbudget feature film market aimed mainly at television release. There are many developmental structures I believe need to be put in place. Two of these are discussed here, in the next edition of The Callsheet. Part 2 will be published in the December edition of The Callsheet.

34 | FILM SUMMIT: AFRICA

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FILM SUMMIT: AFRICA

25, 26, 27 September 2015. Cape Town, South Africa. Africa is HOT! the opportunities of filmmaking in South Africa and Africa. Maximizing on time during the conference we have a diary system ensuring all international delegates secure meetings with the right people, giving international delegates access to the entire range of South African business opportunities. Africa is open for business. For more information, visit www.filmsummit.africa.com

“

ntroducing the greatest business showcase of film expertise and capabilities on the African continent. Film Summit: Africa is the industry’s premier meeting place for International and African role players to discuss opportunities, collaborate and secure business. Tailor-made hosted tours will also give the international delegates an opportunity to discover all that South Africa and Africa have to offer, from post production facilities, locations, hotels, studios, equipment, crew, talent, and all aspects of the production supply chain. Our speaker line up, case studies and round table discussions will further unpack

Our speaker line up, case studies and round table discussions will further unpack the opportunities of filmmaking in South Africa and Africa.

MOVIE REVIEW | 35

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CITY OF VIOLENCE – Not for the Faint Hearted

by Kim Muller

f shock, awe and action are your cup of tea, then Jérôme Salle’s latest film, Zulu, will be right up your alley. The film was released in South Africa on 10 October under the name City of Violence – Salle told the Sandton Chronicle that keeping the original name would have been “a bit weird” for the South African audience to name a movie Zulu when it actually takes place in Cape Town. The story is deliciously gory – from its opening scenes with Forest Whitaker’s character, Ali Sokhela, running away from police dogs in Apartheid-era townships, to his partner Dan Fletcher, played by local actor Conrad Kemp, being sliced to bloody bits with a panga. It manages to perfectly depict what the SAPS is up against on a daily basis, not to mention their sheer brutality and South Africa’s underlying racial tension that still creeps into everyday life today. City of Violence’s story is based on a 2008 crime novel by Caryl Ferey, but although Salle says that he built on the main premise on the book, the film adaptation functions very well as a stand-alone work. There was very little I could find wrong with it (Orlando Bloom’s awful South African accent at points – although there are times when he nails it, too) and even though I’ve not read the book (yet) I’m sure I’ll still be able to enjoy the film over and over again. In The Callsheet’s interview with Jérôme, he states emphatically that this is his best film to date and although I haven’t seen any of the others (The Burma Conspiracy, Largo Winch and Anthony Zimmer), I have to agree. The story itself moves rapidly, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats right to the very last scene. For those who need a small synopsis,

Orlando Bloom as 'Brian Epkeen'

City of Violence follows Ali Sokhela (Forest Whitaker) and Brian Epkeen (Orlando Bloom) as they investigate the slaughter of a young, white girl which apparently took place because of a new drug on the market. Both the film and book are based on South Africa’s chemical and biological weapons programme, Project Coast, during the apartheid regime. Stars in supporting roles include Conrad Kemp as poor, dead Dan Fletcher, while Tinarie van Wyk Loots is his very sick yet equally vivacious and angry widow Claire – both of whom did incredibly well despite their sad characters in the storyline. Four Corners’ gangster dad, Brendon Daniels, makes a small cameo as – you guessed it – a Cape Flats gangster, while other familiar South African faces like Adrian Galley, Roxanne Prentice, Kelsey Egan, Khulu Skenjana, and Dean Slater pepper the screen. It’s especially refreshing that

although the two leads are international, everyone else – cast, crew and post – were locally based. This really brought a truly South African flavour to the story, including cultural references, local lingo and gritty, Capetonian locations. Much can be said about whether it’s a good thing that internationals are playing roles that South Africans could just as well be doing, but I feel that because of the sheer quality and world-class appeal of the film, in this instance it just doesn’t matter as much. Plus, because it’s a French and South African co-production, City of Violence is able to rake in both global and local fans without a hitch – fans that might not have paid attention if the leads were South African ‘unknowns’. If more films like this could be made here on a regular basis, the world would soon see the potential of our industry and its ability to produce starquality work. Lead characters included.

All Images © Universal Pictures

Forest Whitaker as ‘Ali Sokhela’

36 | FILM FINANCES

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Film Finances: Appointment News for SA

ilm Finances South Africa which is a part of the Film Finances Inc. Group – a world leader in completion guarantees – is happy to announce the appointment of Ms. Thandeka Zwana to the position of Business Manager in the Johannesburg office. She joins the group from the 1st October 2014. Thandeka has over 10 years’ experience in the film industry, having started out as a Production Assistant for television drama and working her way up to Line Producer for feature films and long form television drama. Her previous position was as Production and Development Manager for Fiction at the National Film and Video Foundation, a position she held for 3 ½ years. Duties at the National Film and Video Foundation included monitoring and evaluating projects that had been granted funding for either development or production and so she sees her

new position as a natural progression. “I am pleased that I will still be involved in the industry and will get the chance to follow the progress of the many filmmakers that I began interactions with whilst at the NFVF.” She is looking forward to growing the awareness of the function of Film Finances in the local market and providing the high standard of service that the group has become synonymous with. “Many first time or emerging filmmakers are unsure of the role of a completion guarantor, and in keeping with my passion for development in the industry, I intend to make sure that all filmmakers understand and appreciate the need for this and have the access they need to make use of this service as a means of becoming more credible and more reliable filmmakers”. Director Jane Fry has been managing the

South Africa office solo for over 18 months and welcomes the addition to the team. Thandeka acknowledges there is much to learn in this new chapter in her career and is happy that she is joining a team with such experience and with such a solid reputation in the industry. Film Finances welcomes Thandeka to the team and wish her every success in her new role.

Suite 208, The Business Centre, Design Quarter, Nicol Grove Office Park, Leslie Road, Fourways, Tel: 011 513 3563 | www.filmfinances.com

The Short and the by Arial Flynn

shnit of it

virgin shnit ShortFilmFestival goer, I decided to jump deep into the shnit and attend the festival’s curiously titled Peeping shnit, which showcases an array of ‘naughty’ shorts. As the lights dimmed, it felt wickedly illicit to be watching what was rumoured to be erotic short films in public with fellow Labia goers. What followed was a colourful, varied and bizarre smorgasbord of sometimes surprisingly sensual and tender cinematography. Tygris, directed and produced by Jacob Chelkowski, is visually beautiful, humorous and artistic, and features a woman who role plays a languidly seductive feline. The film starts in the soft light of the morning… the woman aka ‘feline’s’ owner pours her milk to drink for breakfast. She starts with lapping the milk on all fours and then lifts the bowl to drain it. The milk spills in slow motion over her milky skin and the liquid forms rivulets that spill from her

Tygris star Michalina Olzanska

collarbone to her navel, and eventually down her legs. The moment is a crème de la crème visual celebration of the beauty of the female form, and is more sensual than sexual. Dephine Herman's Poils is a humorous

animated showcase of people’s attitude to sex; from the man who collects other people’s body hair in his treasured briefcase, to the female office worker who finds the squeak-squeak of the window washers’ squeegee gets more than just the windows wet. Penismouse is a Polish cartoon that was created in the 1950s by director Kristof Babaski, with the lead role portrayed by a stick-drawn mouse with lesser stick drawn (and more bulbous) bits that make his ease of movement dubious. I had no clue what the plot was, but the retro-randomness of the title and comedic visuals was tickling to the funnybone. If your curousity is aroused and you are contemplating revelling in some naughtiness the next time shnit comes to your city, I give Peeping shnit a firm and resounding yes. This is not porn; it is attitude, art, light, intensity, humour, and humanity but mostly, I’d say it’s the shnit!

SPOTLIGHT | 37

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LEADING LADY Hollywood meets South Africa on local soil

ocal talent, Bok van Blerk and Brümilda van Rensburg, rub shoulders with international stars, Katie McGrath (Dracula, Merlin), and hunky Hollywood veteran, Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal, The Shawshank Redemption). Well-known Irish actress, Katie McGrath, graces South African shores to play the role of Jodi Rutherford who wants to become famous by acting in her renowned boyfriend’s film in Hollywood! Gil Bellows, the Hollywood hunk with over 80 acting credits, plays Jodi’s boyfriend, Daniel Taylor, in this classic romantic comedy that suggests that the only thing better than fame might be Kobus Willemse (Bok van Blerk). On the set of Leading Lady it was the first time that the veteran darling of South African stage and film, Brümilda van Rensburg, could exclaim: “My goodness, I am really star struck!” -- and then blushed in the presence of Gil Bellows.

Henk Pretorius Leading Lady is produced, written and directed by Henk Pretorius, who kick-started his career in 2008 by writing and directing the South African box-office hit, Bakgat! He built on the runaway success of this teencomedy with an even more popular sequel,

Bakgat 2. He continued this success story by producing Bakgat 3. This became South Africa’s first ever film trilogy. Henk developed and partially financed Bakgat, Hoofmeisie, and Wolwedans in die Skemer. He was the executive producer on all three these South African box-office successes. In 2011 Henk took on the international film festival circuit and cowrote and directed Fanie Fourie’s Lobola. To date the film won three awards: it won the audience award at the 2013 Jozi Film Festival, the audience award for best comedy film at the 2013 Sedona Film Festival, and the audience award for the best film at the prestigious 2013 Seattle International Film Festival. Henk was nominated by Mail&Guardian as one of the top 200 most inspirational young South Africans of 2013. He was also nominated as best director and co-writer at the 2014 SAFTA Awards for his work on Fanie Fourie’s Lobola. Henk is the co-founder of Dark Matter Studios, a successful production company based in the United Kingdom and South Africa.

The Story Leading Lady tells the story of an idealistic British drama school teacher, Jodi Rutherford, who persuades an initial reserved

and rather dour South African farmer, Kobus Willemse, to prepare her for the role in a major film as an Afrikaans war heroine. In return, Jodi undertakes to organise and direct the annual concert on the Willemse farm. Jodi’s interaction with the quirky smalltown citizens and stubborn Kobus teaches her that there is more to life than “lights, camera … action!” Or is there …? After Katie McGrath read the script of Leading Lady, she immediately made a commitment to act opposite Bok van Blerk. This proves that the local film industry is beginning to make its voice heard internationally. What makes it even more exciting is that this remarkable actress recently shared the silver screen with Hollywood A-lister Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Dracula. Leading Lady will open in a cinema near you on 28 November 2014!

38 | COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT

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Did you know? Many award winning films have been shot in North Africa including Gladiator, Troy, Lawrence of Arabia, Inception, Babel and many more.

COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT | 39

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international flights coming and out of the airport. Located in Casablanca, this airport is a hub to the nation’s flag carrier airline, Royal Air Moroc, as well as other airlines. Egypt Air is the biggest carrier and is based at the country’s capital town, Cairo. Egypt Air flies to over 72 destinations including Europe, Asia and America. Flying in and out of Algeria is fairly easy there are over 12 international airports located in major cities and 17 national airports available for commercial flights. Built in 1944 and completely funded by France, TunisCarthage Airport is the main hub of Tunisair. This national airline has scheduled flights, to Europe, America as well as different parts of Africa.

Population Algeria - 38,813,722 Egypt - 85,294,388 Morocco - 29,168,848 Tunisia - 10,835,873 (Source: CIA World fact Book, 2014)

NORTH AFRICA:

A Juxtaposition of City and Culture by Siyanda Bani

ne of the greatest architectural achievements in history is a sight to behold in North Africa, the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo. The pyramids have been a tourist attraction for thousands of years and they still haven’t lost their appeal. The northern part of Africa is full of wonderful sights to see and adventures to discover. You can explore the Mediterranean coastline by surfing, snorkel the banks of the great Nile River or hike up the Atlas Mountains; North Africa is filled with endless possibilities and breath-taking beauty. This region has welcomed many film crews to its shores because of its picturesque landscapes and phenomenal shoot locations, what makes it even more pleasurable to shoot in North Africa are the friendly and hospitable people.

Fiery Film Industry Morocco has a booming film industry which has seen over 32 foreign films being shot in the country this year alone, some of the films include Mission Impossible 5 starring Tom Cruise and Queen of the Desert which stars Nicole Kidman. This film boom has made a great impact on the local economy, boosting revenue with a five-fold increase from 2013. Tatooine Desert scenes of the Star Wars series were originally shot in Tunisia for Episode Four and other scenes are currently being filmed in Morocco.

Getting to North Africa by Air Mohamed V International Airport is the busiest in Morocco with domestic and

Climate The most dominant feature in North Africa is the Sahara desert; but that does not mean the whole regions is hot and dry all year. The western sub-region of North Africa, which includes Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, is referred to as Maghrib, Arabic meaning “where the sun sets”. The Mediterranean coastline blows cool breezes during the very hot summer months. The Atlas Mountains stretch between the Marghrib area, snow falls during the winter and temperatures can drop to freezing point, but there are sunny skies during the day time with temperatures going up to 20 degrees Celsius. And the Mashriq region which includes Egypt and is more inland is not entirely dry because of the great Nile River. Temperatures can reach a high of 42 degrees Celsius.

You need to know about You need to apply for a permit to be able to shoot in North Africa and it advisable to apply for one at least a month before the planned trip. Except for Morocco and Egypt, most parts of North Africa do not have enough production houses, film crews or casting agencies to find the right talent as support for shoots, so it is better to source your own when coming to this region.

40 | EVENTS

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NOVEMBER DISCOP AFRICA 5-7 Johannesburg AFI FEST 6 - 13 Los Angeles, USA COPENHAGEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 6 - 16 Copenhagen, Denmark CORK FILM FESTIVAL 7 - 16 Cork, Ireland CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 9 - 18 Cairo, Egypt AFRICA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 10 - 14 Calabar, Nigeria BATH FILM FESTIVAL 13 - 21 Bath, England

GIJON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 21 - 29 Gijon, Spain BROADCAST AND FILM AFRICA 23 - 24 Abuja, Nigeria FESTIVAL DEI POPOLI 28 - 5 December Firenze, Italy

WHISTLER FILM FESTIVAL 3-7 Whistler, Canada COURMAYEUR NOIR IN FESTIVAL 5 - 10 Rome, Italy MARRAKECH FILM FESTIVAL 5 - 13 Marrakech, Morocco ANCHORAGE FILM FESTIVAL 5 - 14 Anchorage, Alaska DUBAI FILM FESTIVAL 10 - 17 Dubai, UAE KERALA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 12 - 19 Kerala, India

BILBAO INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY AND SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 14 - 21 Bilbao, Spain

DECEMBER

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EVENTS | 41

42 | ASSOCIATIONS

The Dream of Shahrazad selected for IDFA

Durban Film Office announced first grantees of its Development Fund and Micro Budget Film Programme On the 1st of October 2014, Durban Film Office announced its very first recipients of the Micro Budget Film and the Development Funding Programmes. This was announced at the SmartXchange in Durban. The Durban Film Office, along with the Deputy Mayor Councillor Nomvuzo Shabalala, were delighted and proud to award the first grantees for these programmes. “I want to congratulate all the beneficiaries of our development programme in terms of the film industry. I’m so glad to see how much the Durban Film Office has achieved,

in terms of making sure our dream of including the development component in the film industry, especially with developing our own people from Durban and from South Africa. The biggest thing is to make sure that we encourage them to do exchange programmes whereby the up-andcoming artists will be able to learn from those who have been a part of the industry for a longer time. I know once these programmes are known by the public sector there will be people who will come on board and also sponsor some of the film productions. So with that, we will be able to succeed, and will be able to tell of these success stories in a few years to come,” says Deputy Mayor Cllr Nomvuzo Shabalala. The Durban Film Office has announced the second phase for these innovative programmes and encourages local filmmakers to take advantage of this exciting opportunity and submit their projects for the chance to be the next grantees. - Courtesy of Durban Film Office

The Dream of Shahrazad, the much anticipated documentary by South African Filmmaker Francois Verster, has been selected for the esteemed Masters programme of the 2014 edition of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). This is a first time a South African documentary has been selected in this section of this prestigious documentary festival. The Dream of Shahrazad is a featurelength documentary film which locates political expression before, during and after the Egyptian revolution – and also within recent times in Turkey and Lebanon – within a broader historical and cultural framework: that of storytelling and music. More particularly, it looks at the legacy of the famous collection of stories known as THE 1001 (or “Arabian”) Nights. Using the metaphor of Shahrazad – the princess in the “Nights” who saves lives by telling stories to the murderous Sultan Shahriyar – and filmed before, during and after the “Arab Spring”, it weaves together a web of music, politics and storytelling to explore the ways in which creativity and political articulation coincide in response to oppression. The film started development in 2006 and shooting occurred between 2010 and 2012. While the film was largely selffunded, further funding contributions came from the South African National Film & Video Foundation, the IDFA/Bertha Fund, the Sundance Documentary Fund, Spier Films, the CBA Worldview Fund, the Netherlands Film Fund and the European Union. - Courtesy of NFVF

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