ISSUE 08 | 2014
+ DURBAN FILMMART 2014 The Callsheet Takes Over Durban
+ TV VERSUS FILM Film Fights Back Against the Golden Age of Television
+ NEW FUND ANNOUNCED FOR BLACK FILMMAKERS DTI, IDC and NFVF Will Offer Complete Financing
YOUR IMAGINATION OUR LOCATION
CONTENTS | 01
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2. Actors Play It Forward as Contract Negotiations Proceed
4. Discovery Airs First Scripted Drama ‘Klondike’
6. What Makes a Good Ad? 8. Cape Town Locations Workshop 10. Hats off to Costume Designers 13. Durban FilmMart a Resounding Success
16. The African Pitch: Official Fiction Project Pitch
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Klondike
Costume Design
Discovery Channel launches its first scripted drama, and it features an impressive cast.
Discover why shoes are the key to a successful costume designer!
17. Callsheet Cocktail Party 18. New Film Industry Fund 19. Feedback from the Filmmakers 22. Cold Harbour – Cape Town’s Underbelly Steals the Show
24. Goodbye Film, Hello TV – The New Prospector’s Paradise
29. Tanzania: Idyllic, Resourceful & Brimming with Creativity
32. All You Need to Know About Music Licensing
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The Callsheet at Durban FilmMart
Cold Harbour
We were there for every deal, big break and a-ha
The Callsheet team grills the cast and crew
moment. Our DFM coverage starts on page 13.
of Cape Town’s gritty crime thriller.
34. In Production 36. Associations 38. Events 40. Directory
02 | NEWS
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ACTORS PLAY IT FORWARD
as Contract Negotiations Proceed
by Adrian Galley
I
f the fruits of our labour stay ripe for a long time, there’s no reason to go hungry. This is the reasoning behind the notion of “repeat fees” for actors. The South African Guild of Actors is in the process of negotiating with various stakeholders on a number of contractual matters, including those governing the further commercial exploitation of the work of performers in the broadcast media. When performing in live-theatre, an actor will continue to receive their negotiated fee for as long as the show continues to draw audiences and the producers are convinced of its ongoing financial viability. But what happens when a performance is filmed or recorded for broadcast in perpetuity? The out-of-work actor looks on while their creative contribution and their ‘likeness’ continues to generate income for others, whether they be broadcasters, distributors or sellers of popcorn. What’s more, an actor who becomes known for a particular role may battle to find subsequent work, being indelibly associated with a character that lives on to haunt them. Unlike a DOP or a grip, the actor’s work places their ‘likeness’ in the spotlight and their market-value fluctuates according to how this is treated. Surely, then, it is vital for any actor in a principal role to secure some kind of stake in the future exploitation of their work.
The Legislative Environment and Current Realities Internationally, actors have enjoyed the protection of the Rome Convention since 1961, but it’s no secret that in South Africa there has been little attention given to residual rights. With the more recent advent of the internet and the development of sophisticated digital technologies, the scope for copying and digital manipulation of performances has increased vastly and the
standardised schedule of minimum rates which, it is proposed, will be re-negotiated every three years. While negotiations on a new contract proceed, it has emerged that certain producers commissioned by the broadcaster to create programmes have been unilaterally amending provisions contained in the existing document. In response, SAGA insists that the SABC actively enforce the contractual terms throughout the commissioning chain. The Independent Producers Organisation (IPO) is currently reviewing the Guild’s proposals and a response is expected shortly.
eTV Ventures into in Unchartered Waters Ebby from Pace models ©Matt Geeling
industry has become truly global. The World Intellectual Property Organisation’s ‘Beijing Treaty’ of 2012 addressed this reality, but South Africa’s signature is notably absent from that document. We weren’t excluded; a South African delegation took part in the talks on Audiovisual Performance rights, but chose not to be a signatory. Without speculating on the reasons for this stance, it must be acknowledged that our local IP legislation is outdated and out-of-step with the rest of the world. Given the current legislative environment, it is vital that actors secure for themselves the necessary rights through the particulars of the contracts they are willing to accept.
The SABC Gets its Act Together The standard SABC contract is currently being updated in consultation with SAGA, with the broadcaster agreeing to a transparent process for calculating actors’ compensation where programs are sold to other territories. Also on the table is a
On another front, eTV’s free satellite offering has seen a slow uptake of decoders, with the ‘Openview’ platform not yet sustainable through advertising revenue. Nevertheless, the broadcaster is obliged to continue to create content, although it is understandably anxious to limit its financial exposure. A recent production attempted to omit entirely the contractual provision for commercial exploitation and repeat broadcasts but, together with the PMA and actors’ agents, SAGA stood firm. The broadcaster offered a counter proposal and, in the interests of stimulating local production, the Guild has agreed to consider a ‘window period’ which closes when an agreed number of decoders has been sold. Once that threshold is reached, principal actors are automatically eligible for recurring payments each time the production is aired. The South African Guild of Actors has been receiving valuable legal advice from its union partner UASA, and is heartened by the willingness of both broadcasters to commit to open channels of communication. SAGA continues these discussions secure in the knowledge that it enjoys the support of a growing and active membership.
04 | NEWS
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DISCOVERY CHANNEL Airs Its First Scripted Drama 'Klondike' Images Courtesy of Discovery Networks
D
iscovery Channel recently announced that it was airing its first ever scripted series from June 30th. Produced by renowned Hollywood director Ridley Scott (‘Gladiator’, ‘Robin Hood’), ‘Klondike’ is an adaptation of Charlotte Grey’s novel Gold Diggers: Striking It Rich. The epic, six-part series has a starstudded line-up including ‘Game of Thrones’ Richard Madden, Chris Cooper from ‘The Bourne Identity’, Tim Roth of ‘Reservoir Dogs’ fame, Abbie Cornish (‘Limitless’) and Sam Sheppard (‘Black Hawk Down’). The series tells the story of six strangers and their collective fight for survival and wealth in a small frontier town in a remote region of Klondike, Alaska. Viewers will journey through a land of immense wealth and hardship, the tale unfolding through the eyes of the main hero, Bill Haskell (Richard Madden). Rife with stories of greedy businessmen, seductive courtesans, desperate miners and native tribes, Bill and his childhood best friend Epstein join thousands of others flocking to the gold rush capital in the untamed Yukon Territory. “We are incredibly excited to launch ‘Klondike’ on Discovery Channel in South Africa” says Lee Hobbs, VP of Channels, Emerging Business, Discovery Networks CEEMEA. “Scripted content is a new direction for us and fills a gap in the market for viewers who seek high-quality storytelling based on actual events. ‘Klondike’, with its
Richard Madden stars as Bill Haskell, an aspiring gold miner trying to strike it rich in Klondike, Canada.
Tim Roth plays the ruthless antagonist trying to put an end to Bill Haskell’s dreams of wealth and success.
Hollywood cast and captivating story, is guaranteed to get our local viewers talking and will look stunning on the Discovery HD simulcast channel also launching on June 30th to DStv HD premium subscribers.” Discovery isn’t the only television network reaching into scripted content as a way to present real life stories in a fresh way. The History Channel launched its first scripted series ‘Vikings’ about two years ago, Lifetime created scripted reality show ‘Un-Real’ in February this year, and E! made a regal entry into scripted programming in March with ‘The Royals’, starring Elizabeth Hurley.
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VISUAL IMPACT, SOUTH AFRICA | 05
VISUAL IMPACT STUDIO and Digital Services, South Africa
V
isual Impact South Africa’s studio is located in the creative district of Gardens, Cape Town. The facility provides a complete studio solution from professional infrastructure and equipment hire to specialist technical support. The 120 square metre soundproof studio is designed to facilitate anything from broadcast projects, commercials and still shoots. The studio is built to BBC design standards which include 100% sound proofing, infinity curves, green or blue screens, sound attenuated air conditioning and three-phase power with distribution boxes. Surrounding the studio envelope is a full bathroom with shower, kitchen and dressing-room facility. A competitive lower-priced package for castings is on offer and it has been very
successful with bigger projects involving larger numbers of cast members to be selected. If need be, the package can include a camera, audio and lighting. Our qualified personnel assist with camera and lighting setup and resolve any problems that may arise. The catering on offer can vary from simply craft to full set menus including breakfast, lunch and dinner. The catering is very competitively priced, and when combined with studio and equipment hire, the overall package becomes attractive. A substantial draw card to the studio is Visual Impact’s equipment-rentals facility on site. The nett result is that the studio client has support personnel and a wide range of lighting and broadcast equipment available should some unexpected need arise. The studio
by Marius Van Straaten
package can also include a Signiant highspeed upload link to either get footage from or to a different location or communicate with a client during the shoot. On site, the client has a number of post-production services on offer, from editing systems to do an offline to FTP uploads, data recovery, encoding, RAW transcoding, tape to tape transfers and digital to tape transfers. Visual Impact offers specialist broadcast sales varying from hard drives to large multicamera systems. With all these specialised services under one roof, Visual Impact is more than capable of providing a one-stop facility. For our complete information pack please contact nurahn@visuals.tv. “There Is No Substitute For Experience”
06 | POINT OF VIEW
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WHAT MAKES A GOOD AD? by Stephen Nagel
‘T
here are plenty of really great ads out there; however because of the sheer size of the advertising industry, there are also many very bad ones.’ - Captain Obvious Yes, that’s not a real quote, but you may have thought it was initially. With that in mind, beyond what appears to make a good ad: the awards and flashy stuff, how do you make an ad that stands out, drives results and is remembered for years to come?
A conversation. Not a lecture
Talk with your audience, not at them. A campaign may run for a set period of time; however a brand lives on beyond that. It’s important to gain insights from current and previous campaigns and feed that into
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Having the opportunity to be a part of Format vs. Relevance Let’s face it: some ads are annoying! I something that is bigger than us, sharing an personally hate any ad I have to wait 5 experience or participating in a collective activity seconds to skip. We all have our pet peeves. Your ad may be presented in the most is the ultimate high. sophisticated manner, but that’s only one
your overall strategy moving forward. For this, we have to use a skill that many have not mastered: listening. When people have conversations, they listen, and then respond.
A story. Not a sell Quit posting your catalogue and a list of features. Not that these are unimportant, but you want to grab people’s attention in a super-concentrated environment filled with tons of noise. If you want to stand out, you need to be compelling. You can let your audience know what’s in it for them without being boring, I promise.
Include and Engage. Not talk, and talk... and talk. For as long as human beings have existed, we’ve craved inclusion. Having the opportunity to be a part of something that is bigger than us, sharing an experience or participating in a collective activity is the ultimate high. So give your audience a chance to get involved
through as many channels as possible. By creating multiple touch-points for audiences to respond and engage with your brand, you are making your ad bigger than the piece of content it is. This gives audiences a voice to tell their story, and become a part of yours.
Adapt. Don’t force.
‘Good food takes time’, and I guess the same can be said for many other things in life, right? Not always. It helps when there’s enough research backing the campaign that it soars right into the hearts and minds of audiences. And that takes time. Obviously with real-time marketing (cue Oreo’s successful Dunk in the Dark Superbowl campaign) there isn’t always that much time available. Many brands have successfully illustrated that fast work doesn’t necessarily mean bad work. Just make sure that the message you’re relaying is consistent with your brand.
facet of the entire idea of what makes it relevant. That’s why insights are so important: they can only be discovered by listening to (or observing) audiences and developing a realistic image of how they live, what they say, what they do, what they really mean, and how they really feel.
Bringing it all together If you look at the underlying theme here, it’s simple: listen and respond relevantly. Good ads are ones that adapt well and engage audiences; not so good ads are ones that lack the insight to even attempt to. Good ads occur at a beautiful place where analytical thinking meets human understanding. So now I’ll leave you with a real quote, and a really good one that I think everyone in advertising should remember. ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ - Maya Angelou
CAPENATURE | 07
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CapeNature invites you to experience our breath-taking landscapes, including mountains, dams, waterfalls,
Conserve. Explore. Experience.
rivers and in some cases tarred roads leading up magnificent passes.
www.capenature.co.za
YOUR IMAGINATION OUR LOCATION Image Credits: Wolfberg Arch, Cederberg Wilderness Area © Dawid De Bruin | Rockview Road, Kogelberg Nature Reserve | Rockpool, Groot Winterhoek Nature Reserve | Assegaaibosch Homestead, Jonkershoek Nature Reserve
S
outh Africa has been described as a world in one country and the Western Cape is renowned for offering every possible cinematic location for its natural and historical destinations. When searching for the perfect nature location, CapeNature is able to offer you an extensive selection of the most breath-taking landscapes in the world, including mountains, dams, waterfalls, rivers and caves as well as several well-maintained tarred roads. We can grant you access to The Cape Floral Region, an evolutionary treasure chest, which was added to the prestigious list of World Heritage Sites in 2004. We also render services and provide facilities for research and training, and generate income to sustain our value offerings. To this effect all revenue raised by filming is ploughed back into CapeNature’s many
t: +27 21 200 1388
e: locations@permitz.co.za
conservation programmes and activities. All our interventions are informed by sound biodiversity principles in an effort to build a successful Conservation Economy in the Western Cape. CapeNature is a public institution governed by the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board Act. 15 of 1998 and is mandated to promote and ensure biodiversity conservation. We manage various projects and programmes that not only address these conservation objectives, but also have created significant socio-economic development opportunities. Some of our locations have tarred roads complemented by magnificent landscapes making them perfect for vehicle shoots. For almost a decade now, most of the world’s biggest vehicle brands insisted on using these stretch of roads to film their latest model,
often in top secrecy under strict security. As the official conservation agency for the Western Cape, CapeNature aims to provide professional scientific services to support biodiversity conservation programmes. Our Scientific Services Unit (SSU) boasts a world-renowned team of specialists. The Scientific Services Unit supply expert advice on indigenous aquatic systems, plants, invertebrates, freshwater fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals to academic and non-governmental organisations. With prior arrangement via our Marketing department, the Scientific Services Unit is available to assist the broadcasting and filming industry. As per our commitment to stimulate the economy, CapeNature invites all film schools, students and emerging filmmakers to consider our vast range of locations for their projects.
www.permitz.co.za | Trevor Luthango: t: +27 483 0000 e: tluthango@capenature.co.za
08 | NEWS
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CAPE TOWN LOCATIONS WORKSHOP T
he Commercial Producers Association and the South African Association of Stills Producers recently embarked on an ambitious project to get the various role players in the Locations sector in Cape Town in one room. The Locations workshop, hosted by the City of Cape Town at the world class Cape Town Stadium was sponsored by Wesgro. The workshop was well attended by a cross section of our industry including Managing directors, Producers, Researchers, Location managers and Location scouts. The two day programme included extensive representation by the various City of Cape Town line departments including presentations by the new Mayoral Committee member councilor Gareth Bloor. City departments included the Cape Town Film Office, the roads department, City Beaches, City Parks, the various biodiversity areas including Atlantis
Dunes, Disaster management, crane permits, the planning department and the MyCiti bus service. Day two of the workshop mostly concentrated on other government entities such as Cape Nature, Sanparks, Transnet Ports Authority, V& A Waterfront, Department of Defense discussions, Prasa, Provincial Roads and provincial property. In each instance the head of the department or the person directly responsible for issuing permits was asked to present. It was clear from the two days that the thread through each of the presentations was communication or lack thereof. Many challenges where highlighted at this workshop which will now be analyzed and addressed through mutual cooperation and engagement. It was clear that discussion needs to take place at a high level with certain parastatals such as Sanparks and Prasa if we
are going to see any relaxation in their strict policies. The new Zoning Scheme and the proposed amendments was also a burning point but it was also clear that this department is willing to engage with our industry in order to get this policy in line with the City’s overall enabling approach. Both the director of events, Teral Cullen and councilor Bloor indicated their willingness to assist in this process. Cape Nature was one of the stars of the event, it was very refreshing to hear that they are not only welcoming our industry to their various reserves throughout the year but they have actually employed a person to actively identify and market several new locations we can use. This workshop cemented the relationship between Wesgro, our industry and the various entities represented and it was clear that Wesgro is emerging as an enabling partner for our sector.
NEWS | 09
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“Thank you very much for organizing this workshop. And for all your assistance with helping sort out location issues that have and no doubt will arise” Catherine De La Harpe “Although thanks was communicated verbally, I just wanted to put in writing appreciation and thanks as well, especially knowing that this must have been time consuming to put together and to congratulate you on a job well done – sure all attendees would share these sentiments! The locations workshop was informative, well organised and great to meet people who we often only communicate with telephonically, in person.” Julie Lotter – Producer “A big thank you to Rudi and all the presenters of the last two days locations forum: much appreciated and certainly a stark reminder of the sensible and considerate co-operation required amongst us, the stakeholders in this viable industry, as well as the responsibility we have towards our beautiful landscapes, resources, community and the need to be mindful of not jeopardizing any of these for future shooting possibilities. It was great to open the channels of communication as a united industry. Many thanks!” Karen Claren Navigator Films The CPA & SAASP wish to thank the City of Cape Town, Wesgro and all the presenters for the time and effort put into this workshop. The audio minutes of the workshop as well as the presentations are available as a drop box link to anyone who would like to download them. Please contact Rudi Riek from the CPA & SAASP at rudiriek@telkomsa.net for further information.
Feedback from Workshop Attendees “Many thanks for a well organized and worthwhile event. I unfortunately missed the last day due to work commitments that cropped up unexpectedly. The positivity I experienced at the workshop was well worth it.” Graham Anderson - Location Scout “Many thanks, once again, for all the hard work you put into the Locations’ Workshop; it is thanks to you that we are kept updated and have a better understanding of most of the Location Logistics and your providing a platform for us to engage and ask questions
is extremely beneficial; I trust that everyone who did not attend will have an understanding of just how much you have done for OUR benefit.” Ann Woodman “Thanks for a great two days!! Sure that took you months to put together!!! Very informative and well executed!” Ryan Gelderblom - Cape Town Productions “Thank you for the invitation to attend and present. I think it was a very worthwhile workshop for all parties and would hope that similar workshops will be held in future” Jaques Kuyler - Biodiversity coordinator: City of Cape Town “Well done with the locations workshop. I think it was most informative.” Chris McCann Producer Velocity “A HUGE thank you for the workshop. It was very well organised and professional and gave us all much needed information for the work we do.” Laura Tarling - Zen Crew
“I must congratulate you on an extremely well put together workshop! Well done in getting all the industry players together and for working the schedule into just two days. Nice and slick and nice and tight. My appreciation must also extend to your mediation skills, thank you for acting in that capacity and preventing some of the attendees from overwhelming our guest speakers” Stuart Pittorino - Producer ‘Your Girlfriend’ “Thank you for the big effort of arranging the workshop – everyone I spoke to said it was highly beneficial so you are doing a good thing!” Jo Friedrichs - Permitz “I believe I speak for everyone when I say thank you to YOU!!! For all your input, effort and behind the scenes commitment to this industry, and for going to great lengths to put this workshop together. I know this took great effort to get all these role players together and such effort cannot go unnoticed or unthanked!! You truly are an asset to the film community” Chris Zuidema - Eco Services
10 | SPOTLIGHT
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COSTUME DESIGNERS
‘Black Sails’, Zach McGowan (Captain Charles Vane), Courtesy of Starz
Hats off to
by Siyanda Bani
‘Black Sails’, Jessica Parker Kennedy (Max), Courtesy of Starz
uniforms doesn’t need a lot imagination”, you’re wrong. If it is inmates on Prison Break or Shawshank Redemption, they may be wearing the same clothes but the detail to each costume gives it so much character. Their rebellion can be represented by the cut-off sleeve, the highly-polished shoe can be a representation of their obsessive behaviour or the comb in their hair can describe their “cool” demeanour. All this must be achieved within strict budgets and tight schedules, through heaps of expertise and a lot of creativity. Costume designers are ultimately responsible for the creation of
‘Black Sails’, Clara Paget (Anne Bonny), Courtesy of Starz
O
nscreen costumes create living and breathing characters, think: Captain Jack Sparrow flicking his dreadlocks wearing a red leather bandana underneath a tri-corne hat, or Sheldon Cooper who wears vintage t-shirts adorned with superhero logos, or Superman’s trademark blue suit with a big red “S” on his chest, which has become a great symbol of strength and power. A lot of creativity, design, research and skill goes into making that character come to life through their outfit. And if you’re thinking “well a show that has most characters wearing
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IKAYA, HOUSE OF COSTUMES | 11
IKAYA: HOUSE OF COSTUMES Established in 1996, iKaya House of Costumes is an awardwinning and South African based costume hire company, whose primary service offering is the provision of costumes for film, television, commercials and photo shoots. The collection is also open to the public for the hire and caters for almost every conceivable occasion, whether corporate or private. iKaya houses an impressive and ever expanding collection of clothing and accessories that showcases period and modern day costumes, including a culturally diverse and proudly South African collection. The collection can be viewed on-site and the premises offer a large studio, fitting rooms and preproduction space for hire. iKaya will gladly assist you with the on-site collection and help bring your vision to li fe. Business Address: 8, 16th Street, Orange Grove, Johannesburg, 2192, Gauteng, South Africa Postal Address: Tel: +27(0)11 640 5358 Email: ikaya@wol.co.za
facebook.com/ikaya
All images ŠAll-free-download.com
Corporate Profile
12 | FEATURE
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‘Dredd’
‘Restless City’
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The aim of a costume designer is to please: the audience, the client and the actors, which is why extensive research about the characters involved, the plot, and the era that is represented in a scene is needed.
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credible characters, and that is how they play a big part in contributing to unforgettable cinematic moments. This idea runs deeper than the construct of style, and extends to the psychology of how and why clothing is worn. Any industry that could have you looking after hundreds of extras and superstar characters requires a very strong personality, to say the least. Costume design is not an entry level job, as you need considerable knowledge and a qualification in Fashion design, Textiles, Theatre design, or Performing Arts (production). Wolfgang Enders, founder of Costume Hire, has worked with Academy Award winning actor William Hurt and has been in the industry for 20 years. He says, the first thing he looks at for any possible candidate is their shoes. “They need to wear the right shoes to the interview because this job requires a lot of running around”. But he insists that endurance is the most important character trait required to make it in the industry, alongside knowledge and determination. The aim of a costume designer is to please: the audience, the client and the actors, which is why extensive research about the characters involved, the plot, and the era that is represented in a scene is needed. During pre-production, costume designers break down scripts scene by scene to work out how many characters are involved and what costumes are required. They then develop costume plots for each character. Plots ensure that colours and styles do not mimic each other in the same scene, and highlight the characters’ emotional journeys by varying the intensity and depth of colours.
‘State of Violence’, Harriet Manamela (Mamsy)
This brings us to another important aspect of the trade which is: the budget. After receiving a brief, the designer must be able to estimate how much the cost will be for the characters’ costumes and the different scenes. Whether you’re working with a big or small budget, the aim is to get the best costumes to go with the storyline, and that is why planning is crucial. Like in any industry, there is a hierarchy and each designer has to deliver commendable work to be able to make it and to last in the industry. “There is a hierarchy in film and your position is established by the amount of jobs handled as well as the execution” says Wolfgang. The costume designers’ work is what helps define an overall ‘look’ of TV productions and films, which helps to create believable characters and supports the narrative in a fictional universe. This, in turn, often influences fashion trends by inspiring fashion designers. The impact on pop culture is inestimable.
‘Cold Harbour’: Sizwe Meets Mei at Aquarium, Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Callsheet on: The
DURBAN FILMMART 2014
14 | CALLSHEET AT DURBAN FILMMART
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Durban FilmMart Once Again a
RESOUNDING SUCCESS
A rapturous audience at the Africa in focus discussion An Africa in focus panel discussion
International and local experts made up the panel members.
Two of the programme’s main sections – the Africa in Focus panels and the Masterclasses – were open to all delegates, while a number of workshops like the Transmedia Lab, Project Packaging and Pitch Rehearsals, and Finance Forum Meetings were aimed specifically at filmmakers wanting to break into the industry.
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Delegates flocked to the industry lounge
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CALLSHEET AT DURBAN FILMMART | 15
T
he 5th Durban FilmMart opened this year with a solid schedule that was packed to the max, enabling filmmakers, producers and everyone in between to meet, learn and talk business. Running in conjunction with the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), the FilmMart opened its doors at the Elangeni Hotel on the beachfront to both locals and internationals in the film industry. It was well-attended by an eclectic selection of people from all over the world, with panellists including Keith Shiri, Artistic Director and Programme Advisor of the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Jane Maduegbuna of popular mobile Video on Demand app Afrinolly, and renowned producers like Pedro Pimenta, Tendeka Matatu, Don Edkins, Denis Vaslin and many others. Two of the programme’s main sections – the Africa in Focus panels and the Masterclasses – were open to all delegates, while a number of workshops like the Transmedia Lab, Project Packaging and Pitch Rehearsals, and Finance Forum Meetings were aimed specifically at filmmakers wanting to break into the industry. The workshops guided and prepared them for pitching their stories to producers on the 20th, while the Finance Forum on the 21st provided a meeting place where writers and directors could flesh out and finalise filmmaking deals with interested parties.
Africa in Focus Panels The Africa in Focus panels offered some fascinating information and opinions on a variety of poignant subjects including the National Film and Video Foundation’s engagement with the industry, looking towards the future of film, meeting the dealmakers, global festivals and markets, distribution in Africa, co-production lessons, updates from the provinces, and African initiatives. Perhaps one of the most relevant panels was ‘The Changing Landscape of Distribution in Africa’, with Jane Maduegbuna, Director of Legal and External Networks at Afrinolly, and Marie Lora-Mungai of Buni.tv, a Video on Demand (VoD) platform, hashing out issues that filmmakers on the continent will face with rapidly changing distribution models. Although they had conflicting
The Film&Event Media team at Durban FilmMart
ideas on the African narrative and what the African audience wants, they both believe that VoD is a viable way of presenting new content to the public. “You find that with the internet you can reach more audiences – more than with traditional media and any other means,” Maduegbuna said. Types of content was a hot topic, with the two battling over whether Africans really want African content or if they want international or Western content. “In Africa and around the world, there are very few filmmakers who really know what the audience wants. If you’re not in tune with what audiences want to watch, you’re missing a big opportunity,” said LoraMungai. Audience was a recurring theme at the FilmMart, with Pedro Pimenta saying in a previous panel that it’s no more an issue of genre or format, but, “it’s about finding the right audience for your content and the right platforms,” he said.
Masterclasses Galore Four masterclasses took place over the duration of the FilmMart – one for each day. They covered storytelling, pitching, co-producing with Europe and doc finance. Four industry heavyweights led each session, with Miguel Machalski sharing his experiences and thoughts on telling stories and writing scripts, Stefano Tealdi leading the ‘Pitch or Perish’ workshop, Denis Vaslin taking on the co-producing masterclass and Julia Overton dealing with finance issues in film.
‘We Are The Stories We Tell’ was wellattended with a bold and interactive group of filmmakers, producers and actors. Machalski drew on his vast experience, as well as a multicultural and multilingual background, to lead the class. He is no new hand at screenwriting, having consulted on projects from across the world including Clint Eastwood’s ‘Million Dollar Baby’, Alejandro Amenabar’s ‘The Sea Inside’ and David Cronenberg’s ‘Spider’. According to Machalski, the story truly begins “when an element of conflict is introduced”. He said in the session that for a story to be sustained, there needs to be ‘then, but, then, but, then, but’ sequences. “In films, people are transformed and healed in a very short amount of time, which is often the exact opposite of reality,” he said. Story endings shouldn’t always be happy, he went on to say, unless they are an organic happiness, and often in life, happiness comes at some sort of price. “Think of the story as a minefield, where you give explosions of information to the viewer.” Another interesting class was ‘CoProducing with Europe’, which was led by Denis Vaslin, a Dutch producer who has worked on over thirty documentaries and feature films. Vaslin gave a gem of advice to attendees, saying that many writers and directors make the mistake of looking for a producer at the last minute. “I would suggest you try to find a producer as soon as possible, at a very early stage. For me, I like to be involved in script development from the very idea of the film.”
16 | CALLSHEET AT DURBAN FILMMART
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THE AFRICAN PITCH: Official Fiction Project Pitch
T
he fiction project pitching room at Durban FilmMart was packed way before the session was due to start. Filmmakers, potential stakeholders and spectators crammed into Suite 2 in hopes of catching the pitches in their final, well-rehearsed glory. The panel was made up of Tendeka Matatu (producer), Ingrid Lill Hogtun (Norwegian producer), Chris Nicklin (Sabido Productions) and Bianca Taal (CineMart). The representatives of the fiction projects were given no longer than seven minutes to convince the panel and the audience of the economic and aesthetic viability of their films. The panel and audience then had seven minutes to give feedback and ask questions. First up was Ashleigh Nash pitching her project Cold Stone Jug, which will be an account of the great SA novelist Herman Charles Bosman’s stint in prison in the late 1920’s. Bosman was sentenced to death for the murder of his step-brother, but was granted a reprieve and had his sentence reduced to four years. As recounted in his autobiographical novel, Bosman refers to this time in prison as a love story. He learned to find mental freedom through his incarceration, which led to a tremendous creative output, resulting in the classic stories we know and love. The constructive feedback consisted of questions about the film’s target audience and central plot. There was interest regarding the casting of the film, and whether an actor would be sourced locally. William Collinson will direct the feature, which is seeking an additional US$400 000. Next up was Echo Ledge Productions with Nyanga Sky, which will be a live-action adventure feature aimed at children. The story will centre on Mdu and his friends Thabo and Gadgets. The boys have aspirations to build a remote-controlled plane, but must first overcome bullies, teachers and the struggles of township life. Director Matthew Griffiths said ‘I want to make this film because it’s about hopes and
Producers Ingrid Lill Hogtun and Tandeka Matatu.
Amira and Awafa Tajdin pitching ‘Hawa Hawaii’.
dreams, and will show a positive, optimistic view of townships’. The filmmakers are seeking R8-million. The feedback from Tendeka Matatu was that he feels they will raise the money easily. The filmmakers were visibly buoyed by such an enthusiastic comment. Hawa Hawaii was next, and was pitched competently by sisters Amira Tajdin and Awafa Tajdin. The film will be set in Mombasa, Kenya, and will centre on the struggles of a drag queen living in an increasingly militantly religious community. It’s a story of loss, loneliness and love songs, focusing on a man and his mother,
and the tribulations they are faced with. The filmmakers also intend to make the film a cultural archive in terms of the film’s music, which they fear may be deleted from their cultural identity. The feedback from the panel was overwhelmingly positive, with Ingrid Lill Hogtun stating that European investors will almost certainly be interested in cofinancing. Sadly, Film & Event Media could not stay for the remainder of the session, but the calibre of the pitches left us in no doubt that these talented young filmmakers will find the investment they need to realise their dreams.
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CALLSHEET AT DURBAN FILMMART | 17
CALLSHEET COCKTAIL PARTY More than 200 movers and shakers descended on the Cargo Hold at uShaka Marine World for a cocktail party hosted by Film & Event Media. The partygoers, who were in KZN for the 5th annual Durban FilmMart, converged in style for an evening of networking and celebration. Film & Event Media would like to thanks the team at Durban Film Mart, WildTalk Africa and the Film & Publication Board for sponsoring a fantastic event, and we look forward to many years of successful partnerships.
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NEW FUND
Will Provide Complete Financing for Black-Owned Films
O
n the last day of Durban FilmMart, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) announced a new initiative targeting local filmmakers and producers. The Emerging Black Filmmakers Fund (EBFF) will provide financial and other support to emerging black filmmakers. The EBFF will strengthen the local film industry, ensuring that filmmakers and producers create compelling content for South African consumption. “We have identified a growing need to support the production of South African films and documentaries, particularly by black filmmakers and producers,” says Basil Ford, IDC’s head of Media and Motion Pictures.
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Key features:
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EBFF will support filmmakers to create feature films that are directed and produced by black South Africans Funding will be limited to six qualifying and viable feature films per annum over three years The fund amount per film is R4.5 million for development and production, and R500 000 for marketing Legal structure and agreements will be standardised and templates will be made available to the filmmaker Support structures will be put in place to ensure script is ready for production Production supervision and mentoring will be available where applicable Assistance will be available in the distribution and marketing phases
NFVF chief executive Zama Nkosi says this partnership addresses one of NFVF’s key objectives of ensuring that the past imbalances in the film industry are addressed. “Creating this opportunity will benefit our industry immensely as content is key in elevating our industry, and as we take the sector to another level of attracting new
We have identified a growing need to support the production of South African films and documentaries, particularly by black filmmakers and producers.
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markets and investments.” The Callsheet will be following the fund’s progress closely, so check in regularly for updates. For more information about the fund, contact: Naomi Mokhele (Manager: Communications) on 011 483 0880 or naomim@nfvf.co.za
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CALLSHEET AT DURBAN FILMMART | 19
Albie Sachs and Abby Ginzberg unpack
‘SOFT VENGEANCE’
I
t’s been twenty years since South Africans were granted their democracy, and a number of films around this theme have been coming out of the woodwork. One of them is ‘Soft Vengeance: Albie Sachs and the New South Africa’. For those who need some schooling, Albie is an iconic anti-apartheid hero who was part of the freedom struggle for many years. He was exiled after a brief time of imprisonment in the 80’s and lived first in England, then Mozambique. In 1994 he was appointed to the Constitutional Court by Nelson Mandela, and in 2005 gained international attention in a case where he overthrew South Africa’s statute defining marriage. He’s still a very busy man today and has written a number of award-winning
autobiographical books. Ginzberg says she met Sachs in the 1970’s while she was still in law school. She was part of the anti-apartheid movement at the time and when she found out that he was visiting San Francisco, she thought it would be a real connection to the movement in South Africa. Fast forward to 2009 and Ginzberg was in South Africa for a month. She wanted to do a film around HIV/AIDS, but says that “a big lightbulb went off” when she saw Sachs before she left. “I thought, forget HIV, you need to be on the ground to do that kind of story; be here day in and day out. But Albie’s story is historical, if I can find the footage, if I can get his cooperation and find the right people to interview, I’ve got a film.” Set against a turbulent historical backdrop, ‘Soft Vengeance’ explores Albie’s life story from a unique, artistic angle. When asked how involved he was in the making of the film, he says, “I was more than involved. We were fighting the whole way!” A man with a sense of humour, he goes on to say, “Abbie thinks she knows a bit about law and I have a conceit that I know a little bit about movies.” The film really came to life almost two years later, when Ginzberg managed to raise just enough funds for a shoot in South Africa. She struggled to find funds to complete the film, but says, “Through a completely serendipitous thing that happened, Abby was at an event in Kenya sitting next to somebody from the Ford Foundation. He would tell anybody who asked, ‘Someone’s making a film about me’ and this guy said, ‘Have her come see me.’” From there things snowballed to become the finished product that’s currently screening at Durban International Film Festival. When asked about the 1988 car bombing incident in Mozambique where Sachs lost his arm and the sight in one eye, he said, “Something I didn’t say in the film is, ‘if I were to die tomorrow, will anyone cry?’ It’s an existential thing for anybody. But people thought I was dead and they cried and it
moved me very much. So I never have to ask that question, which is kind of strange.” Ginzberg says that ‘Soft Vengeance’ is really important for South Africa because the country is similar to the US in certain ways. “Young people do not know their own history here, just as people in the United States don’t know their own history. I was at the Durban University of Technology talking to a class of probably sixty kids. I asked the class, ‘How many of you have heard of Albie Sachs?’ No answer. And that is always the case.” She says that she worked hard to collapse a large portion of South African history. “You could criticise the film because of my effort to tell South African history. But part of my goal was to say, ‘Give me 80 minutes of your time and you can learn pretty much all you need to know about the struggle.’ So in that way, I think it fills a niche – a need – to help particularly young people.” When asked to explain for younger people what it felt like having to live through apartheid, Sachs, says, “I shock people by saying, ‘Apartheid produced only one good thing: anti-apartheid.’ It brought us together. So why should Albie Sachs, a white lawyer from a pretty comfortable background in Cape Town link up with Nelson Mandela who grew up in a rural family in the Transkei and ended up in Johannesburg? We would never have met if it hadn’t been for the anti-apartheid struggle. It created tremendous bonds between people who were united by the theme of seeking justice.” “I remember it as an extremely rich and invigorating period. I happened to spend time in jail in solitary confinement – it was awful. I happened to be blown up and lose an arm and the sight of an eye. But somehow these are moments along the journey that ended triumphantly in a sense that we came back, we got rid of apartheid and created a marvellous constitution and then we had the Court working to defend human dignity. So for me it’s been a very exceptional life.”
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ZEE NTULI
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
on the Trials and Triumphs of 'Hard To Get'
‘Hard to Get’, Pallance, Courtesy of DIFF
Zee Ntuli, Director of ‘Hard to Get’, Courtesy of DIFF
Z
ee Ntuli’s directorial debut has been a resounding success so far, with a great reception on the opening night of Durban International Film Festival. Although this is his first feature film, Zee has garnered wisdom beyond his experience in the film industry. ‘Hard To Get’ is a love story set against a criminal backdrop, and was brought to completion with the help of producers Junaid Ahmed and Helena Spring, both of whom were old friends of Zee well before he entered the film industry. He first began the project about three years ago, developing the script with the producers and the National Film and Video Foundation. “We developed it with them over the years,” he says, “with the NFVF’s input as well. They were insistent on getting the script right and that process went on for a while. We went through about fifteen drafts which I’m really glad we did.” Zee goes on to say that although receiving feedback is quite intimidating in the beginning, “you soon come to realise that everyone involved in the process has the same goal. As soon as you realise that, you put your own issues aside and take criticism. Criticism up front is always better than coming and telling me afterwards that the film is horrible because of this.” When it comes to telling an authentic African narrative with quality and style, Zee
has a positive outlook for the local industry. “What a lot of people don’t realise is that any film industry around the world makes a certain number of films. Let’s say America makes a thousand films a year. We only get to see the cream of the crop. All we see is the tip of the iceberg and even some of those aren’t fantastic. So we’re judging the ratio of good to bad films in South Africa based on seeing everything because we’re in South Africa. But the films we see that come out of Europe, South America, the US, are just the cream of the crop. So right now, proportionately, I think South Africans are making fantastic films. I think our proportions are better than a lot of other industries.” He goes on to say that it’s so easy for a film to fall apart because even with an incredibly talented team, all it takes is just one link in the chain to go wrong and everything could disintegrate. Some of the major challenges on ‘Hard to Get’ were deciding what of the script had to stay, the long shooting hours (“we shot six-day weeks, twelve-hour days, we were driving to and from Brazzaville, a township on the outskirts in Pretoria”) and two weeks of intermittent rain during the exterior shoots. When asked to share some of the experiences on the shoot, Zee hesitates. “There are various explicit ones,” he says with a laugh...But eventually he concedes.
‘Hard to Get’, Thishiwe, Courtesy of DIFF
“There’s a montage in the film where the two young lovers are getting to know each other and they’re getting up to all sorts of mischief. They’re getting drunk and stealing a trolley and running down a road and pouring alcohol in a pattern in a field and they light it. Well, basically they light this large diagram of a flaming penis – because that’s the kind of cats they are. They’re troubled, having fun, not taking life too seriously. So on set we had to have a debate as to how we depict this crude, graffiti, flaming penis. All the heads of departments had to stand around in this field and discuss the proportions as well as the placement of this diagram. That was one of the more uncommon experiences of my filmmaking career.” ‘Hard to Get’ will be released nationwide on August 29th.
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Spoek Mathambo, Courtesy of Black Major ©Kent Andreasen
CALLSHEET AT DURBAN FILMMART | 21
Lebogang - Future Sounds of Mzansi, Courtesy of Black Major
SPOEK MATHAMBO
E
ver heard of Spoek? If you’re South African and under 30, the answer is probably yes. For those who are less musically-inclined, Spoek Mathambo, nee Nthato Mokgata, is the beginning of a revolution in local music. His titles include artist, singer, songwriter and rapper, but now he adds the director’s feather to his cap. ‘Future Sounds of Mzansi’ is his upcoming documentary with filmmaker Lebogang Rasethaba, both of whom spent two years looking at South Africa’s “cultural landscape” and delving into its electronic music scene. The result was an eclectic collaboration with artists like Ruffest, Okmalumkoolkat, Zaki Ibrahim, John Wizards, Black Coffee and Christian Tiger School to name a few. ‘Future Sounds of Mzansi’ premiered at Durban International Film Festival this year, and The Callsheet sat down with Spoek and Lebogang to discuss the local music scene. Briefly explain how the concept for ‘Future Sounds of Mzansi’ came about and how artists were chosen to be part of the production. Spoek: I have had the idea for the film since 2007. The film is pretty much my love letter to a variety of exciting SA music scenes. The common thread is that they all deal in various forms of electronic music. Lebogang: Nthato called me one day and asked me if I wanted to make a film with him about electronic music in South Africa. I was still living abroad at the time. I was drawn to the opportunity of documenting the bright and bustling energy of the various music scenes in SA.
How did you meet and come to collaborate on the film? S: I’ve been friends and a collaborator of Lebo’s for a long time. We’ve made music videos and other projects together, so it was natural to work with him on this project. L: We met in college almost 10 years ago and we’ve worked on a bunch of different projects over the years so now we work well together as a result. There is very little ego in our interactions, it’s a very important aspect in collaborations. What do you hope to achieve through this production? S: I’m keen on expanding people’s ideas as to what South Africa is in 2014. L: It’s important to show people a positive image of themselves. South Africans need to easily identify the innate beauty in our existence – too long has it been marred with shame and insecurity. We have a lot to celebrate. Are the ‘Future Sounds of Mzansi’ mixtapes connected with the film in any way? S: Ja, in mixform, I express certain ideas explored in the film. L: On one level the film is about celebrating the musicians we feature. Nthato making these mixes is an extension of that idea. What are some of the things that need to change for unique and creative local artists to really make an impact in South Africa? S: The point of the film is that any musician can be an industry unto themselves if their work is distinctive enough. The internet allows that
Lebogang Rasethaba, South African filmmaker, Courtesy of Black Major
Celebrates Mzansi
DIY story to be successful. The only thing that needs to keep developing is for SA people to continue to support and spread SA music. The music will do the rest. L: This film is highly collaborative; it’s based on a bunch of different people working within different artistic mediums working together. If more people worked on small projects together, those projects would invariably become big projects. The success of this film is testament to that idea. How long did it take to complete the film and were there any challenges to overcome? S: It took two years and was indeed challenging. L: Carrying the scale of such a huge project with a very small production team is rough. For those who don’t know about you and think, “Na, I think I’ll pass”, what would you say to persuade them to check the film out? S: Stik uit. L: Don’t be that guy Where do you see afro-centric electronic music in the next five years or so? Will it become an intrinsic part of South African culture or will it die away? S: The reality is that various forms of electronic music have been a part of everyone’s lives for the past 30-plus years, and this has only grown with time. I don’t see such a deeply entrenched music culture going anywhere, especially with the rapid proliferation of producers, labels, genres and subgenres. So no, so long as Eskom doesn’t cut off the power, I don’t see it dying away.
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C
Carey McKenzie, Director of ‘Cold Harbour’
Courtesy of ‘Cold Harbour’
McKenzie was gracious enough to allow me an interview and explain these issues, saying that time and budget constraints were some of the challenges she had to work with. “The believability of that scene [Deon Lotz’ death] was always a challenge, in part because we shot day for night, which is a technical thing that’s quite complicated to do. But we did that because if we’d shot night for night, we’d have been in boats and you wouldn’t have had any background. We might as well have done it in a swimming pool!” But when it comes to portraying the city as a unique film location, ‘Cold Harbour’ does exceptionally well. From the slums of Khayelitsha to Marina Da Gama’s elegance, the film doesn’t shy away from the poverty divide, jumping right into Cape Town’s back alleys and well-kept gardens. Its bold approach to the ongoing racism in South Africa’s ‘free’ society is also commendable. Nowhere else have I seen such a vivid and authentic depiction of SA’s ingrained segregation – the use of African dialects to speak about an Afrikaaner behind his back, the strong local accents and the references to various Cape cultural norms come to mind. Carey McKenzie has no doubt done her homework on background research and it’s such a pleasure seeing Cape Town – and by extension South Africa – shown in such an original light. Although the general consensus is that ‘Cold Harbour’ has been weighed, measured and found wanting, it’s definitely worth a watch for South Africans wanting to see a purely local blockbuster. Although the film falls short in overall quality and plot strength, it’s admirable that Universal has picked it up and it giving it a royal welcome into the international family. Seeing more of this kind of support for the local industry would be great.
Courtesy of ‘Cold Harbour’
arey McKenzie’s noir thriller ‘Cold Harbour’ ticks all the right boxes. It has a gritty, realistic feel that showcases the underbelly of South Africa perfectly. It represents police corruption and brutality with a dynamic cast of local actors, and it’s based on crime dealings that no doubt take place in the Mother City every day. The story follows township cop Sizwe Miya, played by Tony Kgoroge – fresh off ‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom’ – who wants an opportunity to prove himself and earn the promotion of detective. His mentor (Deon Lotz) gives Sizwe a break, but assigns a rookie cop (Thomas Gumede) to keep an eye on him. As he delves into the case of a mutilated Chinese man washed up on a Cape Town beach, he discovers the homicide is linked to a Triad abalone smuggling ring. After Chinese shipping executive Soong Mei (Yu Nan) tries to seduce him into giving her information on the case, Sizwe seeks advice from former comrade and local crime boss, Specialist (Fana Mokoena), leading him on a trail of police corruption that ultimately ends in a fight for his integrity. The plot itself is a brilliant, simplistic and a realistic depiction of criminal dealings in South Africa – although there are some mighty holes to speak of. At one point I actually burst out laughing at the silliness of throwing a body over a boat in an enclosed ‘lake’ area with multiple witnesses. Not to mention the way in which poor Deon Lotz was murdered. Deliciously ridiculous. Believability is an iffy factor in certain parts of the storyline, which arguably makes for a weaker reception as the film is released in theatres. Clichés are also another weakness, like the use of Cape Town’s infamous incomplete flyover as a murder spot and the mysterious, cloudy ‘tablecloth’ over Table Mountain.
Cape Town's Underbelly Steals the Show by Kim Muller
Courtesy of ‘Cold Harbour’
COLD HARBOUR:
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CALLSHEET AT DURBAN FILMMART | 23
GRITTY NOIR THRILLER ‘COLD HARBOUR’
brings Cape Town's Murky Depths to the Surface
F
ilm & Event Media sat down with director Carey McKenzie, producer Tendeka Matatu and lead actor Tony Kgoroge at Durban FilmMart for a quick discussion about their film Cold Harbour, which was released nationwide on the 25th of July. Katie Reynolds: You mentioned in the press conference that Deon Lotz’s character wasn’t originally meant to be a white Afrikaner. How did the character evolve to become Venske? Carey McKenzie: It’s interesting how projects develop a life of their own, and there is an evolution. You just have to trust the flow of that. Yes, you are making choices along the way, but for me it’s about being open enough and mindful enough to properly consider every possibility for a character. Katie Reynolds: I thought Specialist’s involvement in illegal dog-fighting was so effective in setting him up as ‘the bad guy’; as dog-fighting is such a massive problem in Cape Town. Was this an idea you had from the beginning? Carey: Yes, it was always part of Fana Mokoena’s character. We never discussed with Fana how he felt about dogs, but he just
befriended Diesel. The dog actor’s name is Machiavelli in real life. Anytime the dog was on set, Fana was bonding with it. We did a scene with Tony and Fana, and for that we used an animal shelter in Cape Town. They were amazingly generous. The schedule called for us to be in that area at a crazy time, and they just made it possible for us to shoot there. There’s a dog called Bones who is a bit of a scene stealer! We also put a call out for people in the neighbourhood to bring their pit-bulls, and it was kind of intense because it was 3am and there were half a dozen pit-bulls converging on our set. Katie Reynolds: Tony, did you do all your own stunts in Cold Harbour? The scene where you fight Quentin Chong in the apartment in Maitland was amazing. Tony Kgoroge: Yes, I did. Carey: But it was scary! We bought a plastic cleaver, and it just looked like a plastic cleaver when we shot it. [laughs] So we got a real cleaver and blunted the blade, but the force with which Quentin was moving that thing around was terrifying. Tendeka Matatu: Tony had the ‘pleasure’ of training with Quentin for about three weeks before we filmed it. I remember seeing Tony after his first session with Quentin and he
just said “I’m sore”. Tony: My whole body ached! Katie Reynolds: Tony, do you like to watch your previous work? Tony: I do. I always try to critique myself, and sometimes I go “Argh, I could have done that differently”. I also like to watch my performances to see where I can improve. It’s great for reflecting and look at what I did that didn’t get me to where I wanted to go in the scene. It’s important to re-evaluate. Katie Reynolds: What’s next for each of you? Tony: I’m doing a TV series. I’ll be creative director for a series on SABC One. I also have two scripts that I’m considering. Tendeka: I’m doing numerous things, but still producing films. I’m working with the director of Jerusalema on a film based on the Paul O’Sullivan/Jackie Selebi story. I’m also developing a Pan-African television series based on the West African drug trade called ‘The Trade’. Carey: I have a feature script in what I hope is its financing draft called ‘Cash’, which is a thriller about white-collar crime and human-trafficking, and Tendeka and I are in very early development of a project about Miriam Makeba.
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Kevin Spacey in ‘House of Cards’, Courtesy of Netflix
GOODBYE FILM, HELLO TV – The New Prospector's Paradise
I
hate television. I hate it as much as peanuts. But I just can’t stop eating peanuts.” These words come from Orson Welles, the great American actor, director, writer and producer. And it certainly seems as though the world has caught the TV bug. Once upon a time, Hollywood bustled with hundreds of starlets, each hoping to get their big break in the movies. These days, things have drastically changed. Television has given up its tired, washedout image in favour of a more stylish role – one that the glitz and glamour of film can hardly withstand. Broadcasters have opened their arms to some fantastic scripts, with celebrities flocking to land their next television role. Bigger studios and film conglomerates are simply not bringing in the dollar bills they used to, while smaller studios and online production companies have begun creating compelling series including the likes of ‘Game of Thrones’ by Home Box Office (HBO), Netflix’s hugely popular ‘Orange is the New Black’ and
‘House of Cards’, and many others. Samora Mangesi, Hectic Nine-9 Presenter on SABC says that one of the reasons for television’s success is its accessibility. “Going to the cinema has become a chore in today’s society,” he says, “so people prefer to sit at home and watch TV instead. The content being produced for TV nowadays has also been of better quality, thus attracting a lot more people to their screens. This is amazing because the more people take an interest in it, the more money will be pumped into it, which will result in a higher production value.” The TV series phenomenon has exploded in the African space as well, albeit less dramatically than its international counterparts. Part of the reason for this is that the continent is still in the throes of switching from analogue to digital programming – although the mobile market is ripe and Video on Demand (VoD) is becoming a hot favourite. There are already over 70 VoD apps operating on the
by Kim Muller
continent, with most of these targeting East and West Africa. Pontsho Makhetha, General Manager for TV Content at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) agrees that there has been a shift from linear television to VoD, as well as from hardhitting documentaries to reality formats. “People have a lot more choice at their fingertips to watch both on television and the internet and are not so happy with having to watch a programme when they are told to,” she says. “This is obviously bad for us here at the SABC as we are a linear broadcaster but I believe in time – a long time – there will only be VoD and the SABC will need to adapt and deliver on a product similar to the BBC iPlayer.” “I think viewers are looking for more honesty and reality in their programming,” Makhetha continues. “They want to watch something that they can relate to and don’t want to feel that this is being produced just for television. They want to feel or believe
FEATURE | 25
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
that it is really happening in real life. This is a good thing as it means that if we produce the shows that the viewers are looking for then TV as a medium becomes more respected.” According to recent DStv statistics, Mzansi Magic was one of the best performing channels for the month of June. Some of the shows with the best ratings were ‘Isibaya’, ‘Our Perfect Wedding’ and ‘Clash of the Choirs SA’. This simply shows how viewership has changed in the last decade, with reality TV making some major strides in the industry. Pam Pillay, who works in Strategy and Research at DStv Media Sales, says that part of Mzansi Magic’s popularity is its relevance to the target market. “Local vernacular language is a driver for the channel’s success, and the success of ‘Isibaya’, I believe, is once again the language and the local soapie format. The show’s key themes centre on topics
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Broadcasters have opened their arms to some fantastic scripts, with celebrities flocking to land their next television role.
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Orange is the New Black, Courtesy of Netflix
that the audience can relate to as these are circumstances that they are faced with in their daily lives.” It’s not only DStv that’s training its eyes on its respective audiences. Kevin Spacey spoke at the Edinburgh International Television Festival in 2013, where he shared their initial struggle to pitch ‘House of Cards’
Courtesy of Samora Mangesi
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‘Isibaya’ Courtesy of DStv Media Sales
going, it’s much easier to produce something of quality,” says Tashinga Mutakwa, AFDA film student and CEO of Greenback Media Group. “As an investor you want to look at investing in something that you know will turn over a profit. With movies it’s a risk – as much as you may have a good concept, South Africa is still risky for return of investment. So one of the reasons people are moving towards TV is that you kind of know where the money is coming from.” He goes on to say that soon, web series will rule the world. “Definitely web series are going to take over – the internet is already taking over. People sit down at their computers everyday and that’s all they do. Most of the TV series I watch are either online or actual web series. Even TV series that have been there for a while are starting to engage on an online level somehow. I watch ‘Suits’ and they’re always posting things online like behind the scenes videos, etc.” Mutakwa witnessed the wonders of the web series first hand when his company began a monthly event called Mother City Live (MCL) earlier this year. The event often features up-and-coming local artists, whose performances are then recorded live and featured in the web series. This online method of production and distribution is not a new concept, with Netflix making the move from renting and streaming content to actually creating original programming a few years ago. Their business plan of releasing their series in bulk is testament to the sheer demand of television online. As to how fast it will take South Africa
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‘Isibaya’ Courtesy of DStv Media Sales
As an investor you want to look at investing in something that you know will turn over a profit. With movies it’s a risk – as much as you may have a good concept, South Africa is still risky for return of investment.
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to major US networks without doing a pilot. “Netflix was the only network that said, ‘We believe in you. We’ve run our data and it tells us that our audience would watch the series. We don’t need you to do a pilot.’ By comparison, last year 113 pilots were made. 35 of those were chosen to go to air, 13 of those were renewed, but most of those are gone now. “Clearly the success of the Netflix model releasing the entire season of ‘House of Cards’ at once proved one thing: the audience wants the control,” Spacey continued, “They want the freedom. If they want to binge as they have been doing with ‘House of Cards’ and lots of other shows, then we should let them binge. I mean, I cannot tell you how many people have stopped me on the street and said, ‘Thanks, you sucked three days out of my life.’ And through this new form of distribution we have demonstrated that we have learned the lesson that the music industry didn’t learn – give people what they want, when they want it, in the form they want it in, at a reasonable price and they’ll more likely pay for it rather than steal it. Well, some will still steal it, but I think we can take a bite out of piracy.” Although audience plays a large role in television’s progress, technology is a factor that simply cannot be ignored. Not only has digital technology affected the way in which we distribute content, but it also affects the way in which we create it. Cameras are cheaper, smaller and easier to operate, while software and online tutorials mean that virtually anyone can become a filmmaker. “The lovely thing about today’s world is that it’s very easy for one to shoot something and put it online. A lot of things have been picked up and put into TV format from amateur productions,” says Hectic Nine-9’s Mangesi. There’s no better example of this than Africa itself. Nollywood, Riverwood, Ghollywood and Hillywood all operate simple, rough yet extremely profitable productions. The turnaround time for most of the films and series is less than two weeks, although in terms of quality, locally distributed content has a way to go. The Nigerian government recently added Nollywood to the country’s official GDP count and has since begun offering grants and training for upcoming filmmakers in order to combat this issue. “In general, with the way technology’s
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28 | FEATURE
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Behind the scenes at ‘Rockville’, Courtesy of DStv Media Sales
‘Zabalaza’, Courtesy of DStv Media Sales
and the wider continent to reach a point where our online demands outstrip traditional broadcasting and cinematic experiences, we can only guess. But we do know that it is inevitable. The digital switchover will take place across Africa, and when it does, so will the need for better broadband infrastructure – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “South African and African programming has to realise that it does not exist in a vacuum,” SABC’s Pontsho Makhetha reiterates. “All programming is global in the age of the Internet. Africans must begin to see the world as their audience and play to their strengths. I see a future where Africans
can produce programming for the world, and not just Africa. Those producers that embrace this distribution paradigm shift will succeed, those that remain stuck in a now defunct production and distribution paradigm will disappear.” Let’s close with a poignant quote from Kevin Spacey’s talk at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, which perfectly sums up the direction in which the industry is headed: “I predict that in the next decade or two, any differentiation between these platforms will fall away. Is thirteen hours watched as a whole really any different than a film? Do we define film as being something that’s two hours or less?
Surely it goes deeper than that. If you’re watching a film on your television, is it no longer a film because you’re not watching it in a cinema? If you watch a TV show on your iPad is it no longer a TV show? “The device and the length are irrelevant. The labels are useless – except perhaps to agents and managers and lawyers who use these labels to conduct business deals. But for kids growing up now, there’s no difference. Watching ‘Avatar’ on an iPad or watching YouTube on a TV or watching ‘Game of Thrones’ on the computer is all content. It’s just story. And the audience has spoken. They want stories. They’re dying for them. They’re rooting for us to give them the right thing. And they will talk about it, binge on it, carry it with them on the bus and to the hairdresser, force it on their friends, tweet, blog, Facebook, make fan pages, silly gifs and God knows what else about it. Engage with it with a passion and an intimacy that a blockbuster movie can only dream of. And all we have to do is give it to them. The prize fruit is right there, shinier and juicier than it’s ever been before. So it will be all the more shame on each and every one of us if we don’t reach out and seize it.”
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TANZANIA: T
Idyllic, Resourceful and Brimming with Creativity by Siyanda Bani
anzania is home to the Serengeti National Park, with the magnificent sight of animal migration, it offers the absolute classic African safari setting. Some of the best beaches on earth can be found in the Zanzibar archipelago, and Mafia Island is equally idyllic. For some action, you can hike up Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Because there is so much choice in natural wonders, choosing a location to shoot in Tanzania will be the easy part. More than the beautiful landscapes, the country has to offer production companies, locations services, film equipment rental and camera rental companies, post production companies, film crew, and many more production services for your TV or film production. In Tanzania, including Dar Es Salaam, the supply of efficient services are readily available for any production big or small. And with more than 25 airpstrips around the country, moving from place to place for your shoot is hassle free.
Local film The Tanzanian film industry has been embarking on an exciting and innovative project; engaging the vibrant and growing Tanzanian film industry to co-produce feature films that embrace entertainment and education. The production process focuses on capacity building of local Swahiliwood filmmakers, and their entertainment/ education theme reaches wide audiences via Swahiliwood’s vast distribution network. The Swahiliwood Project was born out of the realization of the enormous potential for locally produced and distributed films to act as a platform for messaging around public health issues. There are over 25,000 video shops renting out DVDs, and over 10,000 video vendors that publicly screen films. At least 10 films are produced each week, or roughly 500 films are produced per year, and despite poor sound, shoddy lighting, and undertrained filmmakers, bongo films are becoming increasingly popular in Tanzania and among the Tanzanian diaspora.
Filming in Tanzania
Manta Resort, Pemba Island, Tanzania - Courtesy of Jesper Anhede
A filming permit is required before you can film in Tanzania. Permits can take up to 30 days to process, so leave plenty of time. The application is done with the High Commission at a standard fee or you can fast track your application by paying a premium amount.
30 | COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT
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Tanzania is situated close to the Equator and has a hot and humid tropical climate with daylight hours generally between 6am and 6pm. Getting to Tanzania by Air Tanzania has nine airlines operating throughout the country between 25 airports. The Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) operates all the airports except for Kilimanjaro International. Julius Nyerere International is the largest airport in the country and has flights to various destinations in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It was formerly known as Dar Es Salaam International Airport before being renamed in 2006 in honour of Julius Nyerere, the nation’s first president. It is located about 12 kilometres southwest of the city.
Climate Light clothing is worn throughout the year, but in the cooler season, from June to September, jackets and sweaters may be needed, especially in the evenings. It’s good to pack clothing appropriate to temperatures below zero on the higher slopes of Kilimanjaro and Meru. Tanzania is situated close to the Equator and has a hot and humid tropical climate with daylight hours generally between 6am and 6pm. Temperatures in most parts of the country range from 20 degrees to 31 degrees except for the highlands where temperatures range from 10 - 20 degrees. Rain can happen any time of year but is heaviest from November to January and March to May.
Population 47.78 million (World Bank 2012)
What’s happening now?
Manta Resort, Pemba Island, Tanzania - Courtesy of Jesper Anhede
You need to know about Electrical system is 220 / 240 Volts AC at 50Hz. Power outlets are British type 3 pin “Type G”. The local currency is the Tanzanian shilling (Tsh). Credit cards are not widely accepted in Tanzania so you will need to pay in cash, but you can change travellers cheques at most banks.
The Zanzibar International Film Festival is the longest-running film festival in the east African region. This festival has a long tradition of promoting and developing local, regional and Pan-African filmmakers. After a hugely successful nine days of ZIFF 2014 with nearly 40 filmmakers from over 12 countries in attendance, Festival Director Martin Mhando has announced the dates and themes for ZIFF 2015. ZIFF 2015 will take place from the 18th – 26th of July 2015 with the theme: waves and visions of hope.
32 | FEATURE
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All You Need to Know About
E
veryone remembers at least one beautiful, epic scene in a film – the one that has you shedding tears no matter what. Chances are that an equally beautiful piece of music accompanied it. “Music in the movies is an essential tool of the filmmaking process,” says Mpumi Phillips, Creative Manager for Commercial Music at Sheer Publishing. “It is one of the main factors that help to determine box office success or failure. The most successful motion pictures use hit songs to create a period flavour, establish a mood, give an actor a chance to sing, make people laugh, make people cry, or elicit emotions.” But the process behind it is something that often falls between the cracks, especially in Africa where blockbusters are more often shot but not produced. The main reason? Copyright is a rather complicated affair. South African works are regulated by the Copyright Act, No 98 of 1978, which is designed to protect any intellectual property created by musicians,
artists, filmmakers, broadcasters, authors and others. Generally a copyright lasts for 50 years from the date of publication of the work or the death of the creator – whichever is later. A common misconception is that copyright implies the right to copy. Au contraire! It actually provides the right to prevent work from being copied without permission. In film, obtaining music licenses for copyrighted works begins with the script. According to Dale Blignaut, General Manager at Mama Dance, the director needs to allocate the scenes that need music first. “Once that’s done, it’s split into what sort of music is needed. The process largely depends on the producer and director and then there‘s the budget and scale of the movie. For smaller ones, the guys do it themselves and we’d only get involved on two songs or so.” From here, the director needs to decide whether the music will be on camera, if someone is performing it, whether there will be composers for the score and if the film
will be using the latest commercial releases or local bands. “Once they’ve finalised what music they want, we identify who owns that piece of music,” says Blignaut. “The composers are normally looked after by publishers and the recordings are looked after by the record labels. Those are normally the two people involved. Often they are owned by completely different companies, so Universal Publishing is different from Universal Records. Universal Publishing might own the song, but Universal Records or Gallo or Sony will own the recording.” Mpumi says that the next step is determining the scope of rights required, “The scope of a license specifies all the variables, like term, territory and media. The term is how long the agreement will last. The territory identifies where you will be exploiting your film and media specifies the exact distribution channels you are getting permission for, like internet streaming, DVD, TV, theatrical, etc. As you begin the negotiation process you
© ForDesign.com
MUSIC LICENSING
FEATURE | 33
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Everyone remembers at least one beautiful, epic scene in a film – the one that has you shedding tears no matter what. Chances are that an equally beautiful piece of music accompanied it.
Blignaut. Piracy of musical works is an ongoing issue because they are significantly smaller than films and much harder to track. On the upside, there have been advances in tackling piracy. “We publish some production music as well and with album sales obviously we’ve been affected because of piracy. But with film it’s actually worked in the other way because it is very hard to get away with stealing. In South Africa there’s a composer’s forum and everyone knows each other and each other’s music so if you watch a film and you think, ‘oh, that sounds like so-and-so’s style,’ you’ll contact him and he will see that his music is being used – which actually happens quite often. Sometimes it’s unintentional because
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should be aware of a common practice known as MFN – Most Favoured Nations. A Most Favoured Nations’ clause will require you to pay every right holder the same, usually higher fee quoted.” She goes on to say that filmmakers should not wait until the end of production to start the process of clearing music rights. “Most times they have limited time for clearances and have also exhausted budgets, making it challenging to clear the songs they want at the budget they have.” Donovan Copley of local band Hot Water says the process is difficult but necessary. “In the case of Wamkelekile in ‘Blended’ it was relatively simple because I am the sole songwriter. It can, however, be a tricky process and it is really important to have clear written agreements with everyone that works on a song or music project. Having copyright clarity also means that your work is easier to license because music supervisors and producers require the entire copyright to be cleared.” After determining the scope of rights, contracts are drawn up for all parties involved. The internet has played a large role in both hindering and helping music licensing, says
it’s such a complicated process, but it’s harder to get away with it because you can actually see the infringement of copyright on film.” Nowadays, digital companies like TuneSat and SoundMouse are helping publishers track their music. “Publishers send their music to these people and they’ll process it onto their database and almost analyse the algorithm so that when it’s broadcast, they’ll monitor the airwaves and online,” says Blignaut. “Every time they pick up the individual sound wave or wave form, it will generate a report. It’s brilliant for us because often our music library gets used and it’s very hard for us to tell when people download it and haven’t paid their license fees.”
34 | IN PRODUCTION
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IN PRODUCTION August 2014
‘Back To School Mom’
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin, Germany (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto, Getty Images for Laurel) © 2014 Getty Images
Indiewire reports that ‘Back To School Mom’ is currently shooting in South Africa. Starring Kimberly Elise (‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman’) and Emmy-winner Loretta Devine (‘Grey’s Anatomy’), the film is the story of “a 41-year-old woman who goes back to college to finish her last year of school. While there, she becomes good friends with a classmate, who turns out to be the son she gave up 20 years earlier.” Christopher Erksin (‘Johnson Family Vacation’) directs.
‘The Big Shoe’ Steven Shainberg, director of ‘Secretary’ and ‘Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus,’ is expected to shoot his next film, ‘The Big Shoe,’ in Cape Town. IMDB says Kristen Stewart, Jim Sturgess and Elizabeth Banks will star in this story of an overbearing mom who hires a therapist to work with her shoedesigning son. According to IMDB, Anton Ernst will be the South African producer.
‘The Curse of Hendon’ / ‘Grimsby’ Moonlighting is rumoured to be the South African production company on the latest film from ‘Borat’ star Sacha Baron Cohen. It’s called ‘Grimsby’ or ‘The Curse of Hendon,’ depending on who you talk to. The Hollywood Reporter says the Sony film “centers on a James Bond type, played by Mark Strong, who is forced to go hide in his hometown and team up with his English football hooligan brother, played by Baron Cohen.” They also link Penelope Cruz, Rebel Wilson, Ian McShane, Gabourey Sidibe and Annabelle Wallis to ‘Grimsby,’ which is also shooting in the UK.
‘Dias Santana’
‘Homeland’
ZenHQ Films is in production on the action cop drama Dias Santana, which will shoot in Cape Town and Luanda. According to the ZenHQ Facebook page, “The only thing top cop Dias Santana and his brother Matias have in common is avenging the murder of their parents that ripped the Santana family apart thirty years ago. With their own lives on the edge, Dias and Matias learn that blood is thicker than water, and revenge is easier said than done.”
Moonlighting is also the South African production company on the Golden Globe and Emmy-winning series ‘Homeland,’ which has relocated to Cape Town for its fourth season. Despite some visa hiccups, the shoot started mid-June and will run until November 2014. For season four, there’s no Damien Lewis, with the plot instead revolving around Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) returning to the Middle East as chief of station, according to Deadline. ‘House of Cards’’ Corey Stoll and ‘Life of Pi’’s Suraj Sharma are new additions to the cast.
‘Eye In The Sky’ Moonlighting is rumoured to be the South African production company 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’). IMDB’s updated cast includes Oscar winners Colin Firth and Helen Mirren, as well as ‘Breaking Bad’’s Aaron Paul and ‘Captain Phillips’’ Barkhad Abdi. The shoot’s expected to start in September and end at the start of November.
‘The Last Face’ Moonlighting is also the South African production company on ‘The Last Face,’ to be directed by Sean Penn for Lionsgate. South African Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, who’s been linked to Sean romantically, is the lead, opposite fellow Oscar-winner Javier Bardem. The Hollywood Reporter says Charlize will play “the director of an international
IN PRODUCTION | 35
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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.
aid organisation working in Liberia, who embarks on a love affair with a stubborn and impulsive relief-aid doctor, played by Bardem. However, their mutual passion for the value of life is matched by the intensity of their opposing opinions on how best to solve the conflict that surrounds them, creating a seemingly insurmountable rift.” ‘Blue Is The Warmest Colour’s Adele Exarchapoulos also stars, with the shoot expected to start in August 2014.
‘Momentum’ Clint Eastwood’s camera operator Stephen Campanelli is currently in South Africa wrapping up his directorial debut on ‘Momentum.’ According to Variety, the thriller stars ‘Quantum of Solace’ Bond girl Olga Kurylenko as “a wanted bank robber on the run from a death squad.” ‘The Following’’s James Purefoy and ‘Boardwalk Empire’’s Shea Whigham co-star, with Anton Ernst as the South African producer. CityPress reported that local crew “downed tools because they were not being paid” but things had apparently settled at the time of writing.
‘Prisoner of War’ According to Deadline, American Joe Miale’s feature film directorial debut is “the story of humankind’s last stand against a cataclysmic alien invasion, set in a war-ravaged African countryside.” Alex Russell (‘Chronicle’) is in negotiations to star alongside ‘Skyfall’ Bond girl Berenice Marlohe. The film is expected to begin production in September in South Africa.
‘The Riders’ ‘Of Good Report’ director Jahmil Qubeka’s in production on ‘The Riders,’ which he seems to be shooting in Croatia and UK with South African DOP Jonathan Kovel. ScreenDaily says the cast includes Richard E. Grant, ‘Spartacus’’s Liam McIntyre and child star Pixie Davies and that the film,
adapted from a Tim Winton novel, is “the story of an ageing art expert whose world is shattered when he meets a mysterious young woman.”
‘Tremors’ I was still in primary school when the first ‘Tremors’ came out, starring Kevin Bacon and giant worms. Moonlighting is rumoured to the South African production company on the fifth installment of the franchise, with Alan Shearer rumoured to be line producing. Shooting’s expected to start in September.
‘Sand Castle’ ‘Sand Castle’ will star Nicholas Hoult (‘Mad Max: Fury Road’) and Toby Kebbell (‘Wrath of the Titans’) in an Iraq war drama based on the Black List ‘inspired by real events’ script from war veteran Chris Roessner. Mark Gordon (‘Source Code,’ ‘Saving Private Ryan’) is producing for commercials director Seb Edwards, making his feature debut. The film’s expected to shoot in October 2014 in South Africa and Italy.
36 | ASSOCIATIONS
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ASSOCIATIONS | 37
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SAASP, LATA and CPA Welcome Concourt Ruling
APEX Awards a Resounding Success The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), which hosted the 2014 APEX Awards at the Sandton Convention Centre, announced that the gala was a huge success. The prestigious white tie event took place on 10 June, with three key entry categories: Launch, for brands or services that are less than 12 months old with no significant history of advertising, Change, for new campaigns from previously advertised brands that resulted in significant shortterm effects, and Sustain, for campaigns that benefited a business by maintaining or strengthening a brand over a long period. DDB South Africa and First National Bank took home top honours with a Grand Prix for their FNB Switch – beating the [beep] out of [Beep] Bank campaign. FoxP2 and their client Ster-Kinekor received a Gold APEX for their Great Moments at Their Greatest campaign, while M&C Saatchi Abel and The Haven Night Shelter were awarded a Gold Apex for The Haven Street Store campaign. Silver winners included Ogilvy One and Audi South Africa, The Jupiter Drawing Room Johannesburg and Galderma South Africa, Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg and Yum! Restaurants, and Ogilvy & Mather Cape Town and VW South Africa. At the gala event, Nkwenkwe Nkomo, Group Chairman of FCB South Africa, longterm board member of the ACA, AAA School of Advertising, MAC Charter Council and Advertising Standards Authority Chairperson was presented with an APEX as a token of sincere gratitude and deep appreciation for his indomitable commitment to the South African advertising profession. The APEX Awards also gave away no less than 17 bursaries at the gala event,
bringing the total of APEX bursaries to 43 since the launch of the programme in 2010. The programme affords deserving aspirant, talented students from the AAA School of Advertising the opportunity to obtain a tertiary qualification as a springboard to their careers in the advertising profession.
NFVF and Light and Dark Films Host the Emmys The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in association with Light and Dark Films, hosted the semi-final round of judging of the International Emmys on Thursday, 10 July. Jessica Franco, who represented the Academy, highlighted that the International Emmy Awards present a great opportunity for producers’ work to be recognized globally. “The process ran efficiently complemented by the high calibre of the jurors who were selected to judge the session,” she said. South African jurors comprised of credible industry representatives with both television and film expertise. The Drama Series Category and the Kids categories were assessed during the process. Commenting on the importance of hosting the event in South Africa, the NFVF CEO Zama Mkosi said, “The occasion will assist in elevating the profile of our local television and film industries. I’m confident that it will also motivate our filmmakers to take note of this event when they make decisions to submit their projects for international awards.” In addition, Mkosi said that the country would be in a position to utilize the exercise as a learning curve. “The film industry hosts the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) annually, as we commence the call for entries for the ninth SAFTAs, we will implement what has been learnt during this process to ensure that we take our very own awards to the next level. This exercise will indeed extend our footprint as a storytelling nation that is on par with the rest of the global filmmaking community. Mkosi was confirmed as an Emmy member in 2013, a status that ensured that the country is at the top of the Emmy Academy when they select the judging hosting countries.
Elephant Eye © Sias van Schalkwyk
The Licensed Animal Trainers Association (LATA), the Commercial Producers Association of South Africa (CPA) and the South African Association of Stills Producers (SAASP) welcomed the judgement handed down by the Constitutional Court on Thursday, 10 July, which upheld an order of constitutional invalidity in the Performing Animals Protection Act (PAPA). The three associations motivated for the processing of licenses issued to animal handlers to remain with the Magistrate’s Court in order to prevent the NSPCA from involving itself in the process given its well-documented bias against the use of animals in the entertainment and film industries. The judgement found that although it is unconstitutional for magistrates to issue PAPA licenses, the North Gauteng High Court erred in its decision to refer the defect to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries to rectify, rather than to Parliament. The Constitutional Court also found that the High Court’s decision to form an interim committee comprising members of the Department of Agriculture, the NSPCA and the SAVC to assess applications for licenses for animal handlers “do not appear to have been justified or to have had a proper basis”. The Court ruled that the best course of action would be to suspend the declaration of invalidity for a period of 18 months to give Parliament the opportunity to cure the deficiency. Until this is achieved the function of issuing licenses will revert to the magistrate’s court. Says Bobby Amm, Executive Officer of the CPA, “It was clear to us from the very start that this case was not about rectifying a legal defect in the Performing Animals Protection Act, it was about the NSPCA finding a way to take control of the licensing process thereby preventing animal handlers from obtaining permits and making it impossible for them to operate their businesses. This would have had a very detrimental effect on their industry and ours as we would no longer be able to make films or television commercials featuring animals which would be a great pity
and also cause irreparable financial damage to our business.” Rudi Riek, Chairperson of SAASP, says, “We hope that in the following months a workable solution can be found in which the rights of the animal handlers to earn a living as well as the welfare of the animals can be taken into account.”
38 | EVENTS
AUGUST WILD TALK AFRICA 23 - 26 Durban, South Africa 71ST VENICE FILM FESTIVAL 27 August - 06 September Venice, Italy MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 31 August - 17 September Melbourne, Australia
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EVENTS | 39
SEPTEMBER ATLANTIC FILM FESTIVAL (AFF) 11 - 18 Halifax, Canada THE TRI CONTINENTAL FILM FESTIVAL (TCFF): • Johannesburg, Rosebank Nouveau: 13 - 22 • Johannesburg, Maponya Mall: 13 - 20 • Cape Town, V&A Nouveau: 20 - 24 • Pretoria, Brooklyn Nouveau: 20 - 29 LOERIES CREATIVE WEEK 15 - 21 Cape Town, South Africa
GREAT LAKES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 18 - 30 Texas, USA ARUSHA AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL 20 - 27 Arusha, Tanzania
‘Black Mamba’, Kiss of Death, Courtesy of DIFF
SOUTH AFRICA AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL COLOGNE 18 - 28 Germany
40 | DIRECTORY LISTINGS
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ADVERTISERS COMPANY
TELEPHONE
WEBSITE
BOBO Campers
+27 11 395 1020
info@bobocampers.com
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reservation.alert@capenature.co.za.
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DISCOPRO
+ 1 323 782 13 00
info@basiclead.com
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Ikaya
+27 11 640 53 58
ikaya@wn.co.za
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Imperial Truck Rental
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KZN Film Commission
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Mama Dance Studios
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info@mamadance.com
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MovieMart
+27 21 843 2666
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Sheer Music Publishing
+27 11 438 7038
publishing7@sheer.co.za
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Visual Impact
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CONTACT US
Cover Image: Image Courtesy of Cape Nature Publisher: Lance Gibbons lance@filmeventmedia.co.za Editor: Katie Reynolds katie@filmeventmedia.co.za Head of Design: Sheree Steenkamp sheree@filmeventmedia.co.za Writer: Kim Muller kim@filmeventmedia.co.za Editorial Assistant: Siyanda Bani siyanda@filmeventmedia.co.za
Brand Manager: Jennifer Dianez jennifer@filmeventmedia.co.za
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Digital Co-ordinator: Siyasanga Denga siyasanga@filmeventmedia.co.za Production Co-ordinator: Tammi Klein tammi@filmeventmedia.co.za Manager, Special Projects: Taryn Fowler taryn@filmeventmedia.co.za 57 2nd Avenue, Harfield Village, Claremont 7708, Cape Town, South Africa Tel: +27 21 674 0646
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