ISSUE 02 | 2014
+ STORAGE SOLUTIONS Welcome to the Future
+ world-class skills South Africa's Film Industry
+ GHANA The Land of Sunshine
CONTENTS | 01
www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
2. Oscar Nominees Include African Contenders
4. African Films Win at Golden Globes
5. Sundance 2014 Opens with Multiple African Films on the Agenda
6. BAFTA 2014 nominations released 7. Third Annual Jozi Film Festival 8. Pan African Film Festival to Present Black Films from Around the Diaspora
9. Oprah Winfrey Acquires Mandela Film
10. Bengali Film Spurs Interest in South Africa
11. Digital Distribution Changes 120 Years of Filmmaking
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20
Storage Solutions
World-Class Skills
Tips for choosing storage solutions, and what to know when storing your data in the cloud.
South Africa’s first-class film industry keeps its reputation as “Hollywood’s hottest back lot”.
12. South Africa’s Still Industry 14. Got your Head in the Cloud? Welcome to the Future in Storage Solutions
20. South Africa: World-Class Skills 24. Gauteng: A First-Rate Film Location
26. A Chat with Moses Serugo – Uganda’s Film Industry
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28
Gauteng
Ghana
A guide to the province’s film industry infrastructure, recognised expertise and wide range of locations.
Everything you need to know about filming in Africa’s “Land of Sunshine”.
28. Ghana: The Land of Sunshine 30. In Production 32. Industry Moves 34. Events 36. Opportunities 38. Associations 40. Directory
02 | NEWS
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OSCAR NOMINEES Include African Contenders
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he list of Oscar nominees traditionally consists of largely American artists. This year is the same, but there were some nominations for artists from other countries, including African actors. Continuing their winning streak, Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o of ’12 Years a Slave’ and Somali-American actor Barkhad Abdi of Somali pirate film ‘Captain Phillips’ were nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Both were nominated for the Golden Globe equivalents earlier this year, though they didn’t win the awards. Nyong’o was also nominated for two BAFTA awards – the EE Rising Star and Best Supporting Actress. In 2013 she was nominated for and won multiple film critic awards for her role as Patsey in ’12 Years a Slave’. ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’ has also received an Oscar nod. Ordinary Love has been nominated for Best Original Song. The track is composed and written by Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen. The song won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song – Motion Picture. ‘The Square’, a documentary centred on the protests in Tahrir Square that lead to the Egyptian revolution, is a newcomer amongst the nominees. It was screened last year as a work-in-progress at the Sundance Film Festival, winning the Audience Award. The same thing happened when it was shown in Toronto. It is directed by Jehane Noujaim, an Egyptian-American filmmaker and director of ‘Control Room’ and ‘Startup. com’. Noujaim and her producer, Karim Amer, have been nominated for Best Documentary feature. For the full list of nominees, visit the Oscars official website: www.oscar.go.com
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Continuing their winning streak, Lupita Nyong’o of ’12 Years A Slave’ and Barkhad Abdi of Somali pirate film, ‘Captain Phillips’, were nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
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04 | NEWS
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AFRICAN FILMS WIN at Golden Globes
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12 Years a Slave” won the coveted award for Best Drama at the Golden Globes on Sunday, 12 January and “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” scooped up an award for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture. Kenya’s Lupita Nyong’o of “12 Years a Slave” was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. The winning track from the Mandela film, called ‘Ordinary Love’, was written and composed by Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Junior and Brian Burton. The film was also among the nominees for two other awards. Idris Elba, the actor who played Mandela, was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor, while composer Alex Heffes was nominated for Best Original Score. These films weren’t the only African
contenders at the Golden Globes this year. Somali-American actor Barkhad Abdi received the male equivalent of this nomination for his part in “Captain Phillips”. “Blue Is the Warmest Colour”, by Tunisian-French director Abdellatif Kechiche, was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler returned to co-host the award show again this year. According to an article by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, they, “lived up to expectations with an intro that mixed selfdeprecating humour and good-natured ribbing of the celebrities that filled the ballroom”. The Golden Globes have a reputation of being one of the most relaxed award shows and by all reports, did not disappoint. To view the full list of winners, visit their website: www.goldenglobes.com
London Critics’ Circle Film Awards Nominations
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12 Years a Slave’, starring Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o, topped London Critics’ Circle members’ ballots with 9 nominations. The London Critics’ Circle Film Awards are voted for by the UK’s longest standing and most prestigious critical organisation. The organisation’s 140 members see every film released in the UK each year. The Circle’s Film Section Chair, Jason Solomons comments: “The London critics have yet again voted for a brilliant mix of films that reflects London’s position as a hub of world cinema culture, both
in production and appreciation. “All the nominated films and performances have found champions and crucial support from London critics as they journey around the world, from their debuts at festivals including Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Berlin, Sundance, London and Edinburgh, where our critics show that their taste, knowledge, passion and influence remain vital and highly respected aspects of film culture. More than 200 different films were nominated on the ballots.” ‘12 Years a Slave’ leads the pack with
nominations in the following categories: Film of the Year, Best Actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Best Director (Steve McQueen), Supporting Actor (Michael Fassbender), Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong’o), Screenwriter (John Ridley), British Actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender) and Technical Achievement (Sean Bobbitt, Cinematography). Somali-American actor Barkhad Abdi of Somali pirate film, ‘Captain Phillips’, was nominated for the Supporting Actor of the Year award.
NEWS | 05
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Sundance 2014 Multiple African Films
in the Spotlight
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s The Callsheet went to print, Sundance 2014 was underway in Salt Lake City, Utah. One of the largest independent film festivals in the United States, Sundance Film Festival screened nine African films in five different categories with two – ‘Afronauts’ and ‘Finding Fela’ – making their debut. 118 feature-length films were selected, representing 37 countries and 54 first-time filmmakers, including 34 in competition. These films were selected from 12,218 including 4,057 feature-length films and 8,161 short films. Of the feature film submissions, 2,014 were from the U.S. and 2,043 were international. Ninety-seven feature films at the Festival will be world premieres. The nine African films screening at the festival include: • ‘Afronauts’ – Shorts Competition • ‘Concerning Violence’ – World Cinema Documentary Competition
Afronauts was selected for screening at Sundance 2014
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‘Difret’ – World Cinema Dramatic Competition ‘Fishing Without Nets’ – US Dramatic Competition ‘Finding Fela’ – Documentary Premieres ‘Godka Cirka’ – Shorts Competition ‘The End of Eating Everything’ – Shorts
Sundance Launches Global
Short Film Challenge
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he Sundance Institute, with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has announced a new project to harness the power of independent film. The Short Film Challenge is designed to create “a global conversation about extreme hunger and poverty”, according to an official press release. It will spur the production of documentary and narrative films through an international open call for submissions. All three to eight minute entries should embody the imaginative solutions that real people are creating to overcome the challenges of extreme hunger and poverty. The Institute is working with Tongal.com to manage the online call for entries. Winning films will receive a $10,000 grant (R108,512) and will premiere at a private event at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. According to the brief, all short film submissions can be narrative fiction or documentary,
imaginative, unorthodox, daring or simple — the style and structure is completely up to the entrant. The only specification is that it touches on economic inequalities. Five new films made with production grants premiered at a private screening at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Two of these had African or related themes – ‘Am I going Too Fast’ is an experimental documentary that weaves a web of connection and possibility in contemporary Nairobi, while ‘Vezo’ is a 9-year-old girl’s tale about how her family and village came back from near starvation after their fishing village adopted sustainable fishing practices. ‘Vezo’ director Tod Lending is an Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning producer, director and cinematographer. The Executive Director of Sundance Institute, Keri Putnam, said, “With the support of the Gates Foundation, we are proud to launch this
Competition ‘We Come as Friends’ – World Cinema Documentary Competition • ‘White Shadow’ – World Cinema Dramatic Competition’ Visit our website www.filmmakerafrica.co.za for the latest on Sundance 2014. •
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The Short Film Challenge is designed to create ‘a global conversation about extreme hunger and poverty’, according to an official press release.
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short film challenge and support filmmakers around the world in telling stories that inform and engage audiences in ways that are as innovative and imaginative as the solutions people are putting into action every day. ” The competition ends on 1 July 2014 and is open to both filmmakers and storytellers. Five unique stories will be awarded $1,000 and one will be brought to life by a renowned Sundance Filmmaker. For more information or to enter the competition visit http://tongal. com/sundance
06 | NEWS
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BAFTA 2014
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he BAFTA has announced this year’s nominees for the 67th annual award ceremony, which will take place on Sunday, 16 February. Among these are a number of African contenders including promising Kenyan starlet, Lupita Nyong’o. Somali-American actor Barkhad Abdi is among the nominees for Supporting Actor in 2014 for his performance alongside Tom Hanks in ‘Captain Phillips’. The film is based on a true story about Somalian pirates. Tunisian-French director Abdellatif Kechiche was nominated for his Cannes award-winning drama, ‘Blue Is The Warmest Colour’. ‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom’ continues on its path to glory as it rakes up yet another nomination – this time for Outstanding British Film in 2014. Director Justin Chadwick along with screenwriter
nominations released William Nicholson and producers Anant Singh and David M. Thompson have been nominated for the award. Along with her EE Rising Star nomination, Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o has also been nominated for Best Supporting Actress in ’12 Years A Slave’. She’s up against some fierce competition – Jennifer Lawrence for her role in ‘American Hustle’, Julia Roberts in ‘August: Osage County’, and Sally Hawkins and Oprah Winfrey for their roles in ‘Blue Jasmine’ and ‘The Butler’ respectively. The Rising Star Award is the only BAFTA award category with a public voting system where individuals can vote for their favourite up-and-coming star. The five nominees are Dane Dehaan, Lupita Nyong’o, George Mackay, Will Poulter and Léa Seydoux. Information on each actor is provided on their official website.
Angelina Jolie
Attaches Her Name to ‘Difret’
A
ngelina Jolie joined Ethiopian film, ‘Difret’, just days before its world premiere at Sundance. The Oscarwinning actress will be taking an executive producer and presentation credit in the film. Ethiopian filmmaker Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s directorial debut tells the story of a 14-year-old girl who is attached and abducted on her way home from school. She grabs a rifle and tries to escape, but ends up shooting her would-be husband during ‘telefa’, the practice of abduction in marriage – one of Ethiopia’s oldest traditions. She is charged with murder and kept in prison without bail until a female lawyer named Meaza Ashenafi hears about the case and decides to represent her. The film is “a strong moment for art in Ethiopia” Jolie said in an official statement. “It is inspiring to see such an important story so beautifully illustrated with such creative talent,” she said. “It draws out the richness of Ethiopian culture and shows
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The Oscar-winning actress will be taking an executive producer and presentation credit in the film.
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how important legal advances can be made while respecting local culture. It is a story that gives hope for Ethiopia’s future, and for other countries where countless girls grow up without the protection of laws that shield them and their bodies, and shows how the courage of brave individuals can awaken the conscience of a society.” Zeresenay Berhane Mehari is a writer/ director with more than a decade of experience making films. He was born and raised in Ethiopia, but later moved to the U.S. to attend film school. He founded Haile Addis Pictures to produce ‘Difret’, his first narrative feature film. Jolie’s announcement will likely help raise the profile of ‘Difret’, as well as that of Ethiopia and its film industry.
Dare© ZeresenayBerhaneMehari
Dare© ZeresenayBerhaneMehari
NEWS | 07
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THIRD ANNUAL JOZI FILM FESTIVAL N “ “ ow the first festival on the yearly South African film festival calendar, the Jozi Film Festival is an annual event that showcases the latest films made by South African and international filmmakers in one of Africa’s most vibrant cities - Johannesburg. The Third Annual Jozi Film Festival, taking place 21-23 February 2014, highlights the very best in filmmaking, presenting a multi-genre slate of films from emerging and established filmmakers, exploring a broad range of topics that affect South African communities and stir hearts and minds. An exciting line up of South African and international films will be screened over a three-day period at several venues throughout the city, including The Bioscope Independent Cinema in the heart of Johannesburg. The opening night film of the festival will be ‘iNumber Number’, an action movie directed by Donovan Marsh and produced by Quizzical Pictures. It was selected as the opening night film for its appeal to Jozi audiences, cinematography and storyline. ‘iNumber Number’ tells the story of an honest undercover cop who, when cheated out of a reward by his corrupt superiors, joins a cash-in-transit heist gang for a once off score. S’dumo Mtshali (winner of the TV Talent show, ‘Class Act’) plays Chili Ngcobo and his by-the-book partner, Sello ‘Shoes’ Moshoeshoe (lead actor of the Oscar-winning film ‘Tsotsi’) is played by Presley Chweneyagae. Universal Pictures has optioned the remake rights to ‘iNumber Number’ after it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2013. The festival will also offer Q&A sessions with the filmmakers in attendance, as well as workshops and networking events. Wrapping up the festival will be the Awards Ceremony on 23 February 2014.
The opening night film of the festival will be ‘iNumber Number’, an action movie directed by Donovan Marsh and produced by Quizzical Pictures.
iNumber Number has been selected to open the festival
The film stars S’dumo Mtsholi and Presley Chweneyagae
08 | NEWS
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PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL to Present Black Films from Around the Diaspora
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he Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), America’s largest and most prestigious Black film festival, is preparing to give movie goers in Los Angeles, California, a 12-day marathon of offerings from around the globe. PAFF is celebrating its 22nd anniversary from 6-17 February by showing some of the year’s most talked-about films, including ‘Of Good Report’ which was initially banned in South Africa. PAFF is hosting the Los Angeles premiere of the South African film noir ‘Of Good Report’, directed by Jahmil X.T. Qubeka. In what organisers are calling ‘a bold move’, the festival will showcase the third feature by Qubeka, which deals with the taboo subject of an obsessive teacher-pupil affair. Festivities kick off with a star-studded Opening Night Gala at the new Rave Cinemas Baldwin Hills. This year, PAFF selected a total of 172 films, representing 46 countries, including: 37 documentaries, 23 short documentaries, 55 narrative features, and 57 narrative shorts as well as 11 webseries in the new category of new media. The festival will hand out prizes for Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short, Best Narrative Short, Best Narrative Feature, Best First Feature Film, and Best Web Series as well as audience favourite awards at the close of the festival. The movies shown by PAFF are from around the world including such countries as Argentina, Brazil, Bahamas, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and of course, the United States. PAFF says it, “hopes these films with global appeal will open the minds of its audiences, and transport them to lands far away and back home again … without ever packing a suitcase.”
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The movies shown by PAFF are from around the world including such countries as Argentina, Brazil, Bahamas, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and of course, the United States.
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Here are some descriptions from PAFF of the festival’s main screenings: Opening Night Los Angeles Premiere ‘Of Good Report’ (South Africa) – directed by Jahmil X.T. Qubeka. Parker, a shy and mysterious high school teacher, arrives at his new assignment in a rural school. While he is earnest in his passion for teaching, his extra-curricular attentions are drawn to a gorgeous young girl. When he realizes she is a student at his very school — and forbidden fruit — he grows increasingly obsessed with her. When the girl goes missing, a female detective comes snooping around, fueling Parker’s unstable, even dangerous, behavior. It’s a modern-day classic, a film noir that will in time prove to be a milestone in Pan African films. Mothusi Magano (Parker) and Petronella Tshum (Nolitha) co-star along
with Thobi Mkhwanazi , Nomhlé Nkyonyeni , Tshamano Sebe. Centerpiece Presentation World Premiere ‘About Last Night’ (U.S.) – directed by Steve Pink. A very hip re-imagining of the classic sophisticated romantic comedy, this contemporary version closely follows new love for two couples as they journey from the bar to the bedroom, and are eventually put to the test in the real world. The cast includes Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Regina Hall, Joy Bryant, Christopher McDonald and Paula Patton. Closing Night World Premiere ‘Blackbird’ (U.S.) — directed by PatrickIan Polk. Based on the novel by Larry Duplechan, this film is a powerful comingof-age story about 17-year-old Randy Rousseau. A devout high school choir boy, Randy is struggling to come to terms with his sexuality in a small, religiouslyconservative Mississippi town he calls home. Randy juggles his role as star of the church choir while facing the everyday trials of life as a high-school misfit. Complicating matters, his little sister has gone missing and his parents have subsequently split up, leaving him to care for his heartbroken mother, Claire. When Claire discovers the shocking secret her son has been hiding, she blames him for the disappearance of his sister. Randy’s father, Lance, who has been keeping a watchful eye on his broken family, steps in to give his son a hand as he struggles to make the difficult transition into manhood. The cast includes Oscar-winner Mo’Nique (‘Precious’) and veteran actor Isaiah Washington, fresh off his criticallyacclaimed and Gotham Award-nominated performance in ‘Blue Caprice.’
NEWS | 09
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Oprah Winfrey Acquires Mandela Film
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he Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) has announced that it has secured the network television rights to ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’, the critically acclaimed film from The Weinstein Company (TWC) starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris. OWN has licensed the first broadcast window behind pay television beginning in 2017. “We couldn’t be more honored to showcase this powerful film to the OWN viewers,” said Erik Logan, president, OWN. “Nelson Mandela was Oprah’s hero, and ultimately, the inspiration behind Oprah’s school in South Africa. His story of forgiveness and redemption is a gift not only to the people he touched, but to the world.” TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein says, “We’re delighted that this film has landed a television home at Oprah Winfrey’s OWN
network. Partnering with them ensures the picture will continue to honor the memory of Nelson Mandela for years to come.” The Oprah Winfrey Network is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery Communications. It debuted on 1 January, 2011 and is available in 85 million homes. It is named for, and inspired by the U.S. television personality Oprah Winfrey. The network aims to build a global community of likeminded viewers and to lead that community to connect on social media. The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular franchises as Scream, Spy Kids and Scary Movie.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
South Africa’s Tannie Evita Returns to the Small Screen
A Courtesy of Grant Flynn
Courtesy of Pieter Dirk Uys.
fter a 20 year hiatus, South Africa’s Tannie Evita will be making a return to the small screen in the first half of 2014 with Evita’s Cooksisters. This satirical talk show, produced by Okuhle Media, will see the enigmatic Evita Bezuidenhout hosting a bevy of South African political leaders from her “divinely decadent Perron” in Darling. The dress code is ‘politically correct’. The menu for the evening is custom-designed in response to a special request from the guest, served up by Evita’s own, personally trained, private chef. The guests are all strong-minded, opinionated and well-known. All of them are women. Each episode is meant to present the uncensored opinions of South African female political leaders. According to the show’s producers, “Evita believes that politics is always less about the politics and
more about the people.” With this in mind, the subject of the upcoming elections in April 2014 is one that is naturally close to her heart - as is the role of women in the future of South Africa. Louise van Hoff (McClelland) Executive Director of Production and Development said, “Okuhle Media is proud to be associated with Pieter-Dirk Uys and the everilluminating Evita Bezuidenhout. Our vision is to create a talk show that speaks candidly into the place where we as South Africans find ourselves and serves to build our nation as we move forward towards the national elections next year.” Okuhle says Evita’s Cooksisters aims to not only provide insight into the personal feelings of the female minds that populate the South African political landscape, but more importantly, to stir and stimulate a healthy debate and involvement amongst South Africans around the issues that face the nation.
10 | NEWS
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Bengali Film
Spurs Interest in South Africa
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Chander Pahar’ (Mountain of the Moon), a Bengali blockbuster has generated interest in South Africa among tourists from Western Bengal. The film, which was filmed on location over 45 days, showed South Africa’s beauty, highlighting locales like the Kruger National Park, the jungles of Mpumalanga, Elands River Valley, Blyde River Canyon and the Drakensberg Mountain Range. “It will definitely generate an interest among tourists from this part of the country. Figures show that Kolkata and Bengal already have a big interest in South Africa. ‘Chander Pahar’ should fuel this interest even further,” Hanneli Slabber, Country
Manager of South Africa Tourism said in an interview with the Times of India. “We have been receiving hundreds of queries over e-mail from this part of the country,” Slabber said. “These are people who have seen the film and are excited. We expect the film to lead to an even greater interest in South Africa in other parts of India as well. It shows a country so beautifully that it is bound to have an impact. It would be nice to see how far that translates into tourist visits.” More than 70,000 Indian tourists visit South Africa every year, with 76,116 visiting between January and August in 2013 – an 8.4% rise vis-à-vis the same period in 2012.
And with a number of new tours focused around Mandela’s heritage, we may know as early as June how much impact ‘Chander Pahar’ has had.
Six African Directors
Invited to International Film Festivals
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he International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and its sister event, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, have extended invitations to six African directing talents. The directors have been asked to present their African Metropolis short film project in a European and a U.S. premiere. The compilation of six short fiction films shows the face of a modern and cosmopolitan continent. The films are meant to challenge clichés.
“Big city films from African big cities are just what we have been waiting for. It is about time we move on from pre-colonial nostalgia. The best would be if this project could work as a model for the future,” Gertjan Zuilhof, International Programmer and Peter van Hoof, Head of the Short Film Programme at IFFR said in a statement. The films are set in Lagos, Abijan, Dakar, Johannesburg, Cairo and Nairobi and feature the work of directors Folasakin Iwajomo, Philippe Lacôte, Marie KA, Vincent
Moloi, Ahmed Ghoneimy and Jim Chuchu, respectively. South African filmmaker Vincent Moloi said of the opportunity, “There is anxious excitement about the screening at Rotterdam. My first international film festival experience was Rotterdam few years back. It’s a good feeling to back this time to show a film. It’s like coming of age.” The films were screened at the IFFR in January and will be screened at the Santa Barbara festival in February.
NEWS | 11
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DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION Changes 120 Years of Filmmaking
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The Wolf of Wall Street’, is the first movie in wide release to be distributed entirely in digital format.
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n a move that is arguably inevitable, Paramount Pictures has reportedly adopted a completely digital model for distributing films to theatres. Although the studio has not officially commented on the decision, the LA Times reported that its Oscar-nominated film, ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, is the first movie in wide release to be distributed entirely in digital format. “It’s of huge significance. For 120 years, film and 35 mm has been the format of choice for theatrical presentations,” JanChrisopher Horak, director of the UCLA Film & Television Archive said in a recent interview with the Times. “Now we’re seeing the end of that. I’m not shocked that it’s happened, but how quickly it has happened.” The decision is likely to encourage other studios to follow suit, with 20th Century Fox and Disney both issuing warnings to theatre operators that they would stop distributing film within the next few years. This comes as no surprise to the industry, which is constantly adapting to new and better technology.
According to the Times, Paramount’s move comes nearly a decade after studios began working with exhibitors in order to replace film projectors with digital systems. This substantially reduces the cost of delivering movie prints to theatres. But that’s not all. Theatres are taking things one step further and instead of relying simply of digital hard drives, they are installing satellite systems to digitally beam films into cinemas. This will undoubtedly cut costs even further, from as much as R22,000 to less than R1,100. As a result, large cinema chains have been quick to switch from analogue to digital, with 92% of over 40,000 screens in the USA embracing the technology. This is destined to usher in a new age in film, with better quality of presentation and more flexibility in programming, in 3D and in alternative content. Television broadcasters have already begun changing from analogue to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), with most African nations having already made the
This is destined to usher in a new age in film, with better quality of presentation and more flexibility in programming, in 3D and in alternative content.
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move, or in the throes of doing so. FOXFAST, the new completely digital distribution process developed by Fox Television, is projected to save over R1 billion by avoiding rising manufacturing and shipping costs. The BBC’s iPlayer, which has been in operation for nearly nine years, is a similar distribution medium, while Lions Gate Entertainment has moved a chunk of its operating systems to the cloud since 2010. Of course this poses a problem for independent operators. Some small-town community theatres have been struggling to finance the purchase of digital projectors, which usually cost around R760,000 each. Film print costs have also been rising rapidly due to the scale-backs in production and the dwindling number of film screenings released on 35mm. Technicolor, a French-owned film processing and postproduction company, is reportedly feeling the pinch. Last month it closed a film lab in the United States and last year it closed its Pinewood film lab in Britain. Although Paramount’s digital changeover in the US will no doubt continue, the studio is expected to ship film prints to Latin America and other foreign markets where theatres still show movies on film.
12 | SPOTLIGHT
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‘Mankind’ © Nutopia/Joe Alblas
SOUTH AFRICA’S STILLS INDUSTRY “ Award-Winning Experience By Kevin Kreidemann
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Over the last two decades, South Africa has grown to become one of the most popular and dynamic stills production destinations on the planet,” says The South African Association of Stills Producers. “Currently, the industry turns over around 109 000 shoot days per annum and generates more than R700m for the local economy.” In 2013, South Africa hosted advertising shoots for many of the world’s biggest brands, including Avon, BMW, Davidoff, Dell, H&M, Jockey, Louis Vutton Homme, Lufthansa, and Marks & Spencer. The country also hosted editorial shoots for the likes of Conde Nast Traveler, Harper’s Bazaar, i-D Magazine and Vanity Fair, as well as catalogue shoots for the likes of Pierre Cardin and Polo. This service industry is centered around Cape Town, which has one of the most advanced stills infrastructures in the world. Experienced production companies, crew,
gear rental companies, and post-production facilities complement its diverse locations and stunning models. However, Africa is not just a service destination – it has produced many of the world’s best photographers: • At the International Centre of Photography’s Infinity Awards in 2013, documentary photographer David Goldblatt won the Cornell Capa Lifetime Achievement Award • At the International Photography Awards, South African-raised Nadav Kander’s Smoke Free campaign won the Advertising category • At the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards, South African Greg du Toit was the grand title winner • At the World Press Photo Awards, South African-based Thomas Peschak came third in the Nature category
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In 2013, South Africa hosted advertising shoots for many of the world’s biggest brands, including Avon, BMW, Davidoff, Dell, H&M, Jockey, Louis Vutton Homme, Lufthansa, and Marks & Spencer.
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•Namibian Paul van Schalkwyk is currently a finalist at The Hasselblad Masters Awards • Zanele Muholi won the Fine Prize for an emerging artist at the Carnegie International, a Prince Claus Fund Award; and the Index on Censorship - Freedom of Expression Award. South African film set stills photographers like Joe Alblas and Keith Bernstein have made a name for themselves internationally shooting stills for some of the biggest films and TV series of the last few years.
SUNSHINE CO. | 13
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Top Gear
(and a lot Friendlier than Clarkson) By Sunshine Co.
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upplying the world’s leading camera and lighting equipment has been SunshineCo’s core focus since opening for business 16 years ago. When Adrian Nakic arrived in South Africa as a professional photographer in 1998, he was frustrated by not being able to get the same equipment he was accustomed to using back home in Paris. That was the motivation behind launching the Sunshine Company, and nothing has changed since then - except the mind-boggling array of gear currently available. Adrian’s lifelong friend and co-director, Joerg Steffens, who heads up SunshineCo’s Digital division, is a published photographer in his own right, an international pioneer of the digital domain, and an up-to-the-minute authority in his field.
True to SunshineCo’s commitment to supplying the latest and the greatest, they are now proud to offer technological delights like Canon’s C300 Video Camera, and Swedish Chameleon’s “Newton” - a compact 3-axis gyro and accelerometer stabilized hand held gimbal (pictured). From top of the line Hasselblads to the latest Apple devices, everything is conveniently located under one roof in Gardens, Cape Town…and available wherever you are, whenever you want it (by arrangement). But all the best equipment in the world wouldn’t be enough if they didn’t have the people, the skills, and the experience to advise, support and even repair their gear in-house. SunshineCo’s friendly, helpful and knowledgeable team of seventeen dedicated staffers – divided into six specialist divisions - are
not only on top of their game, but they’re on top of your game too. As photography professionals themselves, they know exactly how best to do what you want to do, in the most affordable and effortless way possible. Whether you’re after stills or video cameras, lighting systems, or even a fully kitted 8-crew Mercedes production vehicle (with on-board espresso machine) you won’t find better selected, maintained, or supported gear on the continent.
14 | FEATURE
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GOT YOUR HEAD IN THE CLOUD? Welcome to the Future of Storage Solutions
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hese days “the cloud” gets mentioned quite a bit. We’ve all heard of Dropbox. Apple has an iCloud. Microsoft has SkyDrive and Google has its own equivalent. If you have a Gmail or Facebook account, like it or not, you’ve been using the cloud. So why do we know so little about “the cloud”? According to studies by Wakefield Research in 2012, only 16% of Americans “think of it as a network to store, access and share data from internet-connected devices” and 51% believed the weather can affect cloud computing. In some ways cloud storage really is a thing of the future. It’s this generation’s Wild West. And in this Wild West is a myriad of opportunities just waiting to be discovered – by the person who can navigate it, of course.
“Storage is quite an interesting thing. No matter how much space is available, you always fill it,” says Ryan Martyn, director at Syntech, an IT hardware distributor. “So simply looking at getting the most amount of storage isn’t everything. People also need to consider whether they are choosing the right storage for their application.” Data security, accessibility, privacy and reliability are important points to remember when choosing storage solutions, especially when entrusting your data to a third party as with the cloud. This is equally true for the film industry, where camera footage is saved, first of all, to a memory card. The next step is putting
it into a card reader and creating multiple copies on portable storage devices. “G-tech drives are popular to store it [footage] on – they’re quite reliable – and then they might make a LTO [Linear Tape-Open] copy. Typically this is in RAW format. It’s the best possible quality that they can record and save at so they’ll be able to re-edit it into whatever codec is relevant at the time,” says Ryan. Data can be insured against loss from this stage already, says Denise Hattingh of KEU Underwriting Managers. “The production company must follow standard protocol for the insurance to be effective. They have to download and view the footage and then download onto two separate
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FEATURE | 15
At the end of the day, the customer is only really interested in the final product, so it makes sense to consider the cloud for distributing content for review and final product. Your content can be online and it can be accessed from anywhere.
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hard drives before cover is implemented.” Footage can also be insured if the camera is damaged whilst filming. From here, the raw data goes into postproduction. This is usually where most of the available storage facilities come into play. If the filmmaker is shooting in high resolution like 4K, the amount of stored information increases along with the amount of processing power that’s needed to edit. “The post-production facility will typically have a storage array. This is made up of a whole lot of hard drives capable of storing lots of information, but because all of these hard drives work together, they have more reliable content. The combined bandwidth of all the hard drives makes it much faster than a single drive,” says Ryan. These storage arrays are often referred to as a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks). Editors can then work from the storage array, taking multiple clips and streams, splicing them together, adding audio layers and LO grading. There are several main types of RAID storage. With Direct-Attached Storage (DAS), only one computer has access to the array, but with Network-Attached Storage (NAS), multiple hard drives are connected to a switch and multiple users can access the array at
the same time. Unfortunately, unless it’s running on a 10G Ethernet infrastructure, the network will not support editing directly off the storage. A Storage-Attached Network (SAN) will allow users to work off the storage directly and editors will typically work off of fibre channels linked directly to their machines. Storage arrays are traditionally found within a company’s data centre, however with more businesses moving towards cloud computing, they are becoming available as services rather than actual products. Various types of cloud storage service providers like Amazon Web Services are already used by filmmakers, VFX artists and distribution companies. For security and total control, some opt for private cloud storage where they host their own cloud internally. Some opt for the more cost-effective, public storage route where data is stored with a third party in the cloud. Still others go for a mixture of both – better known as hybrid cloud storage. Cloud storage can be great option for archiving, but more commonly in the film industry, data is stored on long-lasting, digital tapes for extended periods of time. This cuts infrastructure costs and because the data is not accessed regularly, it isn’t affected by
other cloud storage requirements such as bandwidth and connectivity. Digital Depot data storage specialist Ashleigh Martyn says the choice between cloud and server storage comes in once a filmmaker’s work is taken off external drives. “It needs to be ingested into a centralised storage for RAID protection,” she says. “Digital Depot loves server storage because the user has complete control over his or her data and does not need to rely on someone on the other side of the world (or city) managing their data. This is handy for confidential data too. It’s also good if you don’t have super high-speed internet.” But she doesn’t think this is the only way data should be stored. “Each solution has its pros and cons and should be tailored specifically to the user’s needs. In some cases cloud storage will work better than others, but in terms of budget requirements we have found that it’s cost effective to use server storage, or a hybrid of both.” Many storage providers like Digital Depot now offer solutions built according to the very specific needs of their clients. Ashleigh says a large amount of small- to medium-sized businesses are using servers to store their data while in use and then archiving the data to Linear Tape-Open (LTO) once they are finished editing. It has a life span of up to 25 years so users can easily archive to LTO and re-use the space on their servers.
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When it comes to working in real time, things get a bit more complicated – especially for the African film industry. Although many American and European markets (e.g. BBC iPlayer, Lionsgate, Warner and Fox) are migrating to the cloud, Africa has been slow on the uptake. Despite the West Africa Cable System linking fibre channels from London to Cape Town, broadband connections are still relatively new and expensive compared with Western prices. According to the Ookla index, South Africa ranks 65th in cost per MBps. This is, however, starting to change, as is evident with the increase in personal internet
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connectivity and types of data packages available through telecommunications companies. Nigeria and Kenya have both begun to embrace big data, with the former planning to complete all broadband projects by the end of 2014 according to Omobola Johnson, the Minister of Communications Technology. In Botswana, certain fibre networks have lowered their tariffs by approximately 20-25%. Ryan thinks this growth in connectivity will eventually revolutionise filmmaking. “In the future I’d imagine it [the footage] will be loaded onto the cloud and people would work off a proxy, which is basically a really scaled down version of the same content. It’s almost like working on a toy model – whatever you do on the toy model will automatically be done on the bigger version.” For now, though, he says there are things that can still change the face of the industry. “Now that Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 products have been released, you can connect Thunderbolt to fibre channels and have Mac Pros, iMacs, everyone connecting to the same device, allowing direct editing between both.” Apple has also recently announced that all future Mac computers will be made with Thunderbolt compatibility, with its latest Mac Pro is leading this technological advance. “It looks like a little dustbin and
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Storage is quite an interesting thing. No matter how much space is available, you always fill it. So simply looking at getting the most amount of storage isn’t everything. People also need to consider whether they are choosing the right storage for their application.
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has six Thunderbolt 2 ports on it,” says Ryan, “This means that that little computer – which is literally ten inches tall – has more processing power than the big towers had in the past. Thunderbolt now can allow two computers to just talk to each other by plugging a Thunderbolt port into each.
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“ Because it’s so small and portable, it means is that the editing and the process can start happening on locations.” Ryan says that editing in real time is not the only thing filmmakers can look forward to in the future. “At the end of the day, the customer is only really interested in the final product, so it makes sense to consider the cloud for distributing content for review and final product. Your content can be online and it can be accessed from anywhere.” He goes on to say that the cloud has particular potential in South Africa as more and
more freelancers take on the market. “We’ll probably see an increase in the number of individuals working on the DAS, who are able to work with chunks of information, process bits by themselves and maybe work collaboratively with other professionals.” We’ve already seen this happening with actor and director Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s open production company, hitRECord, where musicians, editors, artists and filmmakers collaborate on projects posted on the website. WeVideo also hosts video editing facilities and instant sharing
Each solution has its pros and cons and should be tailored specifically to the user’s needs. In some cases cloud storage will work better than others, but in terms of budget requirements we have found that it’s cost effective to use server storage, or a hybrid of both.
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SHOPPING TIPS FOR CLOUD STORAGE 1. 2.
3.
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5. capabilities across social media platforms, while Youtube are developing basic editing applications for their users. Companies like Lasernet have already begun offering cloudbased solutions to the continent. As we move into the future at ever-
increasing bandwidth speeds, we will begin to see more and more cloud-based apps emerge. We may not cut the filmmaking process in half, but it looks as though it’s destined to become a much shorter procedure as cloud computing takes over.
Getting the most amount of storage isn’t everything. There are some relatively costeffective storage systems which are great for archiving content that no longer needs to be accessed. Understanding the application of what you need the storage for is very important. Sheer volume isn’t really worth much if it’s not reliable. Understanding the reliability of storage, theft, loss, data corruption and damage is important. Make sure there’s RAID protection if you are using local storage.
Images courtesy of G-Technology, LaCie, Black Magic Design and SanDisk
www.facebook.com/thecallsheetsa www.twitter.com/filmmakerafrica email: renier@filmeventmedia.co.za www.filmmakerafrica.co.za
SYNTECH | 19
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G-TECHNOLOGY
Up to 1TB, 1 x Thunderbolt, 1 x USB 3.0, 7200RPM, Up to 136MB/S
Provides a New Range of Thunderbolt Drives By G-Technology
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ortable drives just got a whole lot more powerful! The G-Drive mobile with thunderbolt is here and it packs a serious punch. The stylish aluminium drive features ultrafast Thunderbolt and USB3.0 interfaces. It’s the only Thunderbolt enabled 1TB 7200rpm portable hard drive and is capable of speeds up to 136MB/s. This makes it an ideal drive for recording, editing and capturing content on the go - an excellent companion on any shoot. If you are looking for more capacity, consider one of the three desktop drives available in the range. The G-Drive with thunderbolt is available in capacities up to 4TB, equipped with a USB3.0 and Thunderbolt and can transfer at speeds of up to 165MB/s.
With up to 8TB of capacity, the G-RAID with thunderbolt has two thunderbolt ports and can daisy chain with other thunderbolt devices. Editing with this drive is a pleasure with transfer speeds of R327MB/s. If it’s real performance that you are after then the G-Drive Pro is the external drive that you have been waiting for. With mind blowing performance and speeds up to 480MB/s and dual Thunderbolt connections, this drive has raised the bar for any external hard drive. The G-Drive Pro, set to be available in March, will perform 300% faster than any other 7200rpm single hard disk on the market. We simply don’t know how they are doing it but love the magic behind G-Technology. G-Technology is distributed by Syntech www.syntech.co.za
Up to 4TB, 1 x Thunderbolt, 1 x USB 3.0, 7200RPM, Up to 165MB/S
Up to 8TB, 2 x Thunderbolt, 7200RPM, Up to 327MB/S
Up to 4TB, 2 x Thunderbolt, 7200RPM, Up to 480MB/S
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The Starz pirate series ‘Black Sails’ is currently shooting in Cape Town
SOUTH AFRICA’S World-Class Skills
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‘Black Sails’ has taken over all four stages at Cape Town Film Studios.
n 2014, South Africa celebrates 20 years of democracy, made even more poignant by the passing of the country’s iconic, first democratically-elected president Nelson Mandela at the end of 2013. In many ways, this is also an anniversary for South Africa’s booming film industry. South Africa has one of the oldest film industries in the world, dating back over 100 years, but the sector entered a new phase with the lifting of the cultural embargoes against Apartheid. This is “Hollywood’s hottest back lot” where the world comes to tell their stories in a first-class setting using a reliable film industry. 2013 was South Africa’s busiest service year yet, with an unending stream of Hollywood stars slipping into the country. The year kicked off with ‘Black Sails’ taking over all four stages at Cape Town Film Studios. Executive
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South Africa has one of the oldest film industries in the world, dating back over 100 years, but the sector entered a new phase with the lifting of the cultural embargoes against Apartheid.
‘Strike Back’, an Emmy-nominated production, is also filming on SA soil.
produced by Michael Bay, with Jon Steinberg as the showrunner, this ‘Treasure Island’ prequel is set 20 years earlier than Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel. IGN recently billed it as “Pirates, ‘Deadwood’-style.” The first season only premieres on Starz in January 2014, but the show is already filming season two in Cape Town. Other high-profile TV series shot in South Africa include ‘Strike Back,’ an Emmy-nominated collaboration between Sky and Cinemax HBO; BAFTA nominee ‘Mad Dogs;’ and ‘SAF3,’ a heroic new series from the creator of ‘Baywatch,’ starring Dolph Lundgren, Texas Battle and JR Martinez. Interestingly, ‘SAF3’ not only doubles Cape Town as Malibu, but also gives the city its own multi-episode arc, building on a trend started by ‘Safe House’ changing its location to Cape Town and topping the international box office in 2012. ‘Bluestone42’ and Germany’s latest season of ‘The Bachelor’ also shot here, among other series. Tellingly, the two biggest films of the year in South Africa were shot by directors who have worked here before. Neill Blomkamp burst onto the scene with his Oscarnominated, South African science fiction blockbuster ‘District 9.’ He’s currently back the country filming ‘Chappie,’ the story of a robot with artificial intelligence who is stolen by gangsters. Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver and Dev Patel star alongside South African actors Sharlto Copley and Brandon
Auret, with Die Antwoord’s Ninja and Yolandi Vi$$er making their feature film debuts. Similarly, Phillip Noyce shot both ‘Catch a Fire’ and ‘Mary & Martha’ in South Africa before bringing ‘The Giver’ here. Oscarwinners Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges star alongside Alexander Skarsgard, Katie Holmes and Taylor Swift in an adaptation of Lois Lowry’s Newbery-winning dystopian children’s book. Similarly, the Dutch period drama ‘The Price of Sugar’ was directed by Jean van de Velde, who shot the award-winning ‘The Silent Army’ here. South Africa acts as Suriname in ‘The Price of Sugar,’ which opened this year’s Netherlands Film Festival. South Africa has had a peaceful transition to democracy, has the largest economy in Africa, and has a film industry that is consistently creating happy endings at both the box office and awards shows the world over. The country has an impressive showreel of local and international films, TV series, documentaries and commercials. Highlights include: • Box-office topping films like ’10,000 B.C.’, ‘Chronicle,’ and ‘Safe House,’ as well as upcoming blockbusters like ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ • Oscar-winners like ‘The Ghost and the Darkness,’ ‘Searching for Sugarman,’ ‘Taxi To The Dark Side’ and ‘Tsotsi’ • Cannes Lions Grand Prix winners for Fox Sports and Gold winners for BMW,
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ISM, Levi’s, Playstation, Reach For a Dream, and Topsy, among others Emmy winners like ‘Amandla!’, ‘America: The Story of Us,’ ‘Eye of the Leopard,’ ‘Generation Kill,’ ‘Gettysburg,’ ‘A Lion’s Trail,’ ‘Swamp of the Baboons,’ and ‘The Triangle’ Oscar nominees like ‘Ali,’ ‘Asad,’ ‘Blood Diamond,’ ‘The Death of Kevin Carter,’ ‘District 9,’ ‘Hotel Rwanda,’ ‘Invictus,’ ‘Inja,’ ‘Mandela,’ and ‘Yesterday’ Golden Globe nominees like ’24: Redemption,’ ‘Ali,’ ‘Blood Diamond,’ ‘Endgame,’ ‘The Girl,’ ‘Hotel Rwanda,’ ‘Invictus,’ ‘Machine Gun Preacher,’ ‘Mandela & De Klerk’ and ‘Tsotsi’ Emmy nominees like ‘24: Redemption,’ ‘Endgame,’ ‘Into The Dragon’s Lair,’ ‘The Librarian: Return To King Solomon’s Mines,’ ‘Mandela & De Klerk,’ ‘No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency,’ ‘Orphans of Nkandla,’ ‘The Prisoner,’ ‘Scout’s Safari,’ ‘Yesterday,’ and ‘Strike Back’
Crew South Africa is now a mature destination entering its prime, with award-winning, English-speaking crew, the latest equipment, world-class studios and a sophisticated tourism infrastructure to complement its natural beauty, great weather and diverse locations within close proximity of each other. It reaped the benefits with a bumper 2013. Highlights include:
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South Africa provides a simple way to film Africa in Africa. For example, it acted as Somalia for the Oscar-nominated short film ‘Asad.’ But South Africa also acts a gateway to Africa, serving as a base for crew and gear for shoots elsewhere on the continent.
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Hosting major international film shoots like ‘Blended,’ with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore; ‘Chappie,’ with Hugh Jackman, Sharlto Copley, Sigourney Weaver and Dev Patel; and ‘The Giver,’ with Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges, Alexander Skarsgard, Taylor Swift, and Katie Holmes Hosting major international TV series like ‘Black Sails,’ executive produced by Michael Bay Hosting three of Shots’ 12 Ads of the Year nominees: Guinness ‘Cloud,’ Samsung ‘King of TV’ and Virgin ‘Flying in the Face’ Hosting ‘Zulu,’ the closing night film at Cannes Film Festival ’Why Poverty?’ won a Peabody after having its eight feature documentaries and 30 short films produced from Cape Town Africa’s economic boom continues, with
the IMF predicting over 6% growth for SubSaharan Africa in 2014. With widespread interest in the last relatively untapped market of over a billion people, South Africa is perfectly poised to capitalise. South Africa provides a simple way to film Africa in Africa. For example, it acted as Somalia for the Oscar-nominated short film ‘Asad.’ But South Africa also acts a gateway to Africa, serving as a base for crew and gear for shoots elsewhere on the continent. For example, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ shot in both South Africa and Namibia; ‘A Good Lie’ shot in both South Africa and Kenya; ‘No. 1 Ladies Detective’ shot in Botswana using South African crew and gear; and ‘Blood Diamond’ shot in South Africa and Mozambique. South African companies are now even servicing internationally: for example, Juice Film helped the Oscar and Golden Globe nominated ‘Kon Tiki’ shoot in the Maldives.
SAF3 TV series © Kalahari Pictures, Image by Jasyn Howes
MAJOR PROJECTS IN 2013 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
’Black Sails’ ’Blended’ ’Bluestone 42’ ’Chappie’ ’The Giver’ ’A Good Lie’ ’Hector and the Search For Happiness’ ’Kite’ ’Mad Dogs’ ’Mandela’s Gun’ ’Northmen: A Viking Saga’ ’One’ ’Outpost 37’ ’The Price of Sugar’ ’Prophet Muhammad’ ’SAF3’ ’Salvation’ ‘Seal Team 8’ ’Strike Back’ ’Striving for Freedom’ ’Unfriend’ ’Young Ones’
LION PARK | 23
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THE KING of the Wildlife Film Industry
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he Lion Park is an established leader in the commercial wildlife-filming industry and can provide any type of predator shot you may require: lion, spotted hyena, cheetah, leopard and many others. With a large array of animals to choose from, including the famous white lions and our well-known tame giraffe and zebra, the Lion Park and its sister property ‘Kingdom of the White Lion’ are spectacular filming playgrounds that are particularly suitable for advertisements, documentaries and specialised feature-film requirements. The team at the Lion Park has a deep understanding of predators, and a cast of eighty lions, including the famous white lions that starred in The White Lion feature film which was produced at the Lion Park and ‘The Kingdom of the White Lion’ property.
By Lion Park
Head Animal Wrangler Alex Larenty has a team that not only has an enormous love of wildlife, but is also dedicated to this type of work. The filming involves three areas of interest: commercials, feature films (which involve human actors as well), and documentaries about the animals themselves. When it comes to bringing in human actors, Alex, Shandor and Nadien get involved, doubling for the actors who are not familiar with the animals and the environment. They also have access to a stunning range of diverse and magnificent locations that include rivers, valleys and vast tracts of unspoilt wilderness. The team is also highly experienced in green-screen shooting. Clients include: Animal Planet, BBC, Talking Picture Company, Isuzu & Delta Motor Corporation, Jeep Cherokee, Mr
Bones (feature film), Discovery Channel, Frieze Films, Velocity Films, National History New Zealand, Canal Satellite TV, Wild at Heart, Cell C, Toyota, Pepsi Maxi, National Geographic, SABC, Louis Vuitton, Samsung, Fish Eagle Brandy, Lion Girl and many more.
24 | REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT
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GAUTENG A First-Rate Film Location
Cityscape © Jess Novotna
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auteng may be a small province, but it is the commercial heart of South Africa. It covers only 1.4% of the nation’s land area, but is home to over 12.3 million people. This vibrant, energetic province is known for its film industry infrastructure, recognised expertise and wide range of locations. This powerhouse of a province offers a range of creative production activities including film, television and documentary production, as well as commercials, stills photography and multimedia. Blockbusters like ‘District 9’,
‘Invictus’, ‘Hotel Rwanda’, ‘Dredd’ and ‘Tsosti’, have all been filmed on location in Gauteng. With an annual contribution of R2.5billion and direct employment of over 8,500 workers, the film industry plays a significant role in the provincial economy. 80% of the over 150 registered producers in South Africa are based in Gauteng, and 70% of all South African TV productions are Gauteng-based. It also has several universities, technical training and private tertiary institutions offering courses in film, drama and related media, creating a readily available pool of labour at any stage
of production. The province also commands 46.5% of the commercials production market and recent research has shown that this makes a substantial contribution to the tourism and hospitality industries. The Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) helps facilitate film permits with certain government departments and agencies. It offers support and development of the industry through communications, lobbying, statistics gathering and troubleshooting. The GFC has also funded South African projects up to R400k.
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REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT | 25
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80% of the over 150 registered producers in South Africa are based in Gauteng, and 70% of all South African TV productions are Gauteng-based.
Urban Centres and Townscapes
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From city skyscrapers filling the horizon and classic Edwardian architecture to historic mining towns and lively townships, Gauteng has a host of shooting locations for filmmakers. Some of the most popular are Soweto, Sandton, Braamfontein, Tshwane and the Central Business District of Johannesburg. The province also offers a plethora of visual icons, natural locations and heavy industrial settings like Vereeniging.
The Cradle of Humankind A World Heritage Site of outstanding universal value, The Cradle of Humankind is the world’s richest early hominin site. The area encompasses 16 caves containing a “superbly preserved record of the stages in evolution”, with views that would leave any filmmaker or photographer breathless.
Gauteng Weather Gauteng is beautiful and warm from spring to autumn (September to May) with hot summer days that usually bring brief thundershowers in the early evenings. Winter days are mild with very cold mornings and evenings. Temperatures reach a maximum of 19 degrees Celsius in winter, while midsummer temperatures hover around 28 degrees Celsius.
SA Tourism © Great Stock Images
Maropeng
26 | “PRO” SPECTIVE
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Uganda © Shutterstock
A CHAT WITH MOSES SERUGO on Uganda's Film Industry
F
raught with violence and civil war for much of the 20th century, Uganda has, in recent decades, stabilised and begun to open its borders to international business and trade. The country brims with fascinating locations – traditional villages, rural areas, estates and colonial houses, lakes, waterfalls, rivers, forests and the bustling commercial centre of Kampala – all of which attract filmmakers and photographers alike. ‘The African Queen’, the 1950’s Hollywood classic that won Humphrey Bogart his only Oscar, was shot on the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda. The nation’s film industry is still in its early stages, with Ugawood productions shot and edited in a fortnight. Upmarket filmmakers have the film aesthetic, but with limited funds they usually depend on the competitive scramble for donor cash. That said, with the recent explosion of events like the Pearl International Film Festival and with films like ‘The Last King of Scotland’ and ‘Casino Royale’ drawing the country into the international spotlight, there is potential for the industry. Since 1993, Uganda has also been a pioneer in the liberalisation of the media in Africa. Kampala is home to
dozens of private radio and TV stations, which cover national news in English and vernacular languages. Filmmaker Africa spoke to one of Uganda’s leading arts journalists, Moses Serugo, to find out what the state the film industry is in and if change is afoot.
What is the film industry like in Uganda? No one has really mapped out the industry here, so there are no cold, hard statistics about how many movies are released or how much the industry is worth. Everyone just goes on and on about the potential – beautiful locations, as many stories as there are people. The cost of labour is cheap, but subject to exploitation because we have no guilds at any level. But the fact that ‘The Last King of Scotland’ was shot here says a lot. It was supposed to have gone to South Africa, but intense lobbying ensured half of it was done here.
What are some of the issues Uganda’s film industry faces? There seems to be a divide between the uptown filmmakers that want to stick to a
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A tenacity to tell stories even with insurmountable odds is a positive. People like Mariam Ndagire are encouraging women to play vital roles beyond just being actors.
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Hollywood aesthetic but lack the funding, and the downtown filmmakers who follow the Nollywood model of churning out sausage machine films; making a quick buck with their cheesy stories. Filmmakers feel the industry needs to be standardised into demand, supply and maybe entrepreneurs to create vital linkages between the market and consumers. Pertinent issues to be addressed include low investment in the sector, standards development, industry representation and the high cost of local productions. Intellectual property rights and opportunities are also a problem.
What are the positives and what progress has been made thus far? A tenacity to tell stories even with insurmountable odds is a positive. People like Mariam Ndagire are encouraging women to play vital roles beyond just being actors. Maisha Film Lab is also a success story of sorts. It was founded in 2004 by acclaimed director Mira Nair and has trained over 500 East African filmmakers – half of whom are Ugandan.
How can Uganda market its film industry to the rest of the world? Locations, cheap labour and stories are Uganda’s strong points, and with a potential market of 160 million consumers in the East African community, it can offer investment opportunities by way of incentives. Anyone setting up a film school would get value for money. It has to start there, really.
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CALLING ALL FILMMAKERS! By MOFILM
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OFILM is a growing global community of filmmakers that brings fresh, breakthrough creativity for forward thinking brands who need content for today’s “alwayson” world. We are dedicated to helping filmmakers get discovered and be celebrated for their talent whilst also providing brands with innovative advertising and video content. Our aim is to inspire filmmakers from all over the world to create videos for big brands such as Coca Cola, Unilever, Guinness, and social causes. We run multiple competition programmes each year, offering filmmakers the opportunity to build their showreels, create content for
major brands, travel the world, and win cash prizes. What’s really appealing to our community is that we offer the application for production grants for their MOFILM projects. Our pool of talented filmmakers has produced great work that has gone on to win awards and be screened during the Superbowl and American X Factor. The winning film of our latest brief for Chevrolet will be shown during the Academy Awards (the Oscars) which reaches 40 million viewers worldwide. One of the exciting competition briefs launched in recent months is Guinness Africa Made of More. The brand is looking for African filmmakers to capture what young Africans are made of today. A MOFILM team travelled to
South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya to meet industry players and is looking forward to further develop our community of talented filmmakers across the African continent. We believe there is a huge pool of talent in Africa and would be thrilled to hear from you. Contact silja.frey@mofilm.com to get started on a MOFILM project. For more information about our competitions, please visit www.mofilm.com.
28 | COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT
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Ghana
Elmina Castle , Ghana © Trevor Kittelty (Shutterstock)
The Land of Sunshine
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ituated along the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, Ghana is often referred to as the ‘Island of Peace’ and the ‘Land of Sunshine’. It is a country of rich cultural variety and fascinating historical heritage, with over 250 languages and dialects spoken nationwide. Popular filming destinations include Elmina and the Cape Coast colonial slave trade castles. Unique to Ghana are its tropical climate, white, sandy beaches and indigenous stilt villages. It also boasts the world’s largest artificial lake and Africa’s largest dam – Lake Volta.
Boats and houses at Elmina harbour in Ghana © Trevor Kittelty (Shutterstock)
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Independence Arch, Accra, Ghana © www.dreamstime.com
European influences in pre-independence Ghana. The film won the Oumarou Ganda Prize at the 1981 Panafrican Film Festival of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, as well as the Jury’s Special Silver Peacock Award at the 8th International Film Festival of India. It also won the UNESCO Film Prize in 1985. His second award-winning film, ‘Heritage Africa’, was released in 1988 and had its first Canadian premiere at the Celebrating African Identity Conference (CELAFI) in Toronto in July 1992. Cynthia Addai-Robinson A Ghanaian-American actress, Cynthia Addai-Robinson has been making waves in the international film sector. She is best known for her role in ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ and previously appeared in acclaimed film ‘Colombiana’ and the STARZ series, ‘Spartacus: Vengeance’.
Ghana in the Filmmaking Spotlight Jean Rouch A French filmmaker and anthropologist, Jean Rouch is often considered to be one of the founders of cinéma-vérité in France. He practiced filmmaking in Africa for over 60 years, creating a new style of ethnofiction which blurred the line between fiction and reality. His 1967 film ‘Jaguar’ was shot on location in Accra and Kumasi. Kwaw Ansah Award-winning Ghanaian filmmaker, Kwaw Ansah, is best known for his first motion picture, ‘Love Brewed in the African Pot’, which was released in 1980. It focuses on the clash between indigenous traditions and
Frances Bodomo Young, breakthrough filmmaker Frances Bodomo’s first short film ‘Boneshaker’, starring Quvenzhane Wallis, premiered at the 2013 Sundance Festival. It then went on to play at more than 20 festivals including SXSW. Bodomo grew up in Ghana, Norway, California and Hong Kong before settling in New York City. Her second film, ‘Afronauts’, will also premiere at this year’s Sundance.
Filming on Location Since the late 1980s a booming video feature film industry known as Gollywood has emerged in Ghana. Production networks and systems of distribution have also evolved since the early 1990s. Despite this, Ghana only has a small pool of local directors, DOPs and stills photographers. The Film & Television Institute also offers local creative talent. The nation is best known for its locations and its favourable exchange rate. Your currency goes far in Ghana – locations, supporting crews and talent are by world’s standards very inexpensive.
Getting to Ghana by Air Nearly thirty cities – especially within the continent – offer non-stop flights to Accra, Ghana. This includes flights from four cities within the country, as well as regional and international airlines. Air Ghana is based at Kotoka International Airport in Accra and offers passenger, cargo and bespoke services to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. About eight Ghanaian carriers also operate within the country, half of which are cargo fleets.
Population 25,199,609 according to the CIA World Factbook (July 2013 estimate)
Climate The climate is tropical, with rainy seasons from April to June and September to November. Dry seasons are from November to March. January and February have the most sun, but are not necessarily the best times for filming as high fog reduces visibility to as low as fifty metres.
You Need to Know About The National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) is one of the only tertiary institutions of its kind in West Africa. Established in 1978 by the Government of Ghana, NAFTI has a campus spread across three studios in a quiet, residential area of Accra. It attracts students from across sub-Saharan and southern Africa and has maintained a high level of performance over the years.
Did you know? When drinking alcohol, it is common practice among Ghanaians to pour the last few drops on the ground as libation for the gods. People who do not drink alcohol may accept an alcoholic drink and raise it to their lips without drinking, then pour it on the ground. In this way, they join in social events without offending those present.
30 | IN PRODUCTION
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IN PRODUCTION February 2014 Thanks to ever-present confidentiality clauses, no one is ever allowed to officially talk about what’s in production in Africa, so this monthly section is an unofficial overview of the industry’s worst-kept secrets. ‘Spinback’ seems to be on hold, while ‘Chappie,’ ‘Lady Grey,’ ‘Mandela’s Gun’ and ‘Unfriend’ were expected to wrap in January, but there’s still a lot of work to go round in February.
‘The Avengers: Age of Ultron’ While most of the film is apparently being shot at Pinewood Studios in the UK, Joss Whedon is shooting in South Africa in February or March on his sequel to the third highest grossing film of all time. Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo and Samuel L Jackson are all expected to return for the sequel, alongside new additions like James Spader (Ultron), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Quicksilver). Don Cheadle and Anthony Mackie have also been linked to the project. Moonlighting is rumoured to be the South African production company.
‘Children of the Gun’
‘Tiger House’
Deadline says award-winning Belgian director Fabrice Du Welz is directing ‘Children of the Gun,’ an action film “set in a desolate near future, where two survivors must unite, using their urban athleticism and a weapon from the past to escape their crumbling world, ruthless pursuers, and their own violent history.” Film Afrika is the South African production company.
The Hollywood Reporter calls this “a thriller starring Kaya Scodelario (‘Wuthering Heights’), Tom Cullen (‘Downton Abbey’) and Dougray Scott (‘My Week with Marilyn)” from “rising theatre director and filmmaker Thomas Daley.” Variety adds that the film ‘is about a troubled teen who fights back against an armed gang, which has kidnapped her boyfriend’s family.” Ten10Films is expected to be the South African production company, with Edwin Angless line producing.
‘Dominion’ After shooting its pilot in Cape Town last year, ‘Dominion’ has a full-season order from Syfy to premiere June 2014. Syfy describes the ‘Legion’ sequel as “an epic supernatural drama” about “an army of lower angels” waging “a war of possession against mankind.” ‘Dominion’ stars Christopher Egan (‘Resident Evil: Extinction’), Tom Wisdom (‘300’), Roxanne McKee (‘Game of Thrones’) and Alan Dale (‘Lost’), among others. Film Afrika is the South African production company.
‘Black Sails’ ‘Black Sails’ is back at Cape Town Film Studios for a second season of the ‘Treasure Island’ prequel, which premiered on Starz in January. Jon Steinberg (‘Jericho,’ ‘Human Target’) is the showrunner, Michael Bay (Transformers) is executive producer, and the cast includes Toby Stephens as Captain Flint, Luke Arnold as John Silver and Hannah New as Eleanor Guthrie. Film Afrika is the South African production company.
More to Come
Black Sails, Courtesy of Starz
Other projects to watch include ‘The Book of Negroes,’ with Clement Virgo directing; ‘The Englishman’, a Sierra Leone-set action film to be directed by John Moore (‘A Good Day To Die Hard’); ‘Momentum,’ which has Morgan Freeman, Vincent Cassel and Olga Kurlyenko attached; Norwegian film ‘Kaspar og Petra;’ and ‘Die Pro,’ an adaptation of Leon de Villiers’ teen novel about a surfer.
32 | INDUSTRY MOVES
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Channels TV wins Best Nigerian
TV Award for the Eighth Time Channels TV, the award-winning independent Nigerian broadcaster, is delighted to announce that The Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Media Merit Award Trust has recently awarded it the prestigious “Best Station of The Year Award” for 2013. The award, which was announced late last year at a gala event night held at the Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort in the Ekiti State of Nigeria, is the eighth time that Channels TV has been recognised by the Nigeria Media Merit Award Trust as the country’s best television station. The Nigeria Media Merit Award Trust is a national platform that aims to build a progressive Nigerian society and serves as the foremost media excellence scheme within the county’s media industry. Channels TV is one of Nigeria’s 13
independent, free-to-air broadcasters and it previously won the award in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004 as well as 2008, 2010, 2012 & 2013. The Executive Chairman of Channels TV, Mr John Momoh, said, “We are absolutely delighted that we have won this award again. Despite having won it many times, the excitement never diminishes. We strive to provide a true, news-led independent voice in Nigeria and we are very happy that this has been recognised again. We are committed to continuing to serve Nigeria and its people with balanced news and entertainment.” With a growing population of over 160 million people, the Nigerian television media market, including the Nigerian Diaspora, has the potential to lead the transformation of
sub-Saharan Africa’s current analogue television industry into a digital content publishing economy worth tens of billions of dollars. As such, in addition to investing in the right technology, the Nigerian media industry is effectively positioned to foster the television industry’s growth across sub-Saharan Africa as the premium market leader in factual and lifestyle television, which enlightens through entertainment. Channels TV, in cooperation with its peers in the Nigerian media industry, will continue to support the long-term growth of a strong and dynamic, commercially lucrative, digital content publishing industry spanning all genres of television including quality news and current affairs programming.
Neo Makhele Appointed Group Strategy Director of Ogilvy & Mather South Africa
Neo Makhele
Neo Makhele, Head of Planning at Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg (O&M JHB) has been promoted to the role of Group Strategy Director of Ogilvy & Mather South Africa (O&M SA). In her new role, Makhele will continue to drive the agency’s Twin Peaks effectiveness philosophy, ensure dissemination of O&M’s Worldwide Planning IP across the group, as well as develop and sustain a culture of thought leadership amongst the company’s planners. Makhele began her career in advertising as a junior planner at Ogilvy & Mather Rightford Searle-Tripp & Makin Johannesburg in 1997, and spent three years with the agency as market analyst and communication strategist. She then moved to Penta Publications as Group Brand Manager, responsible for building its leading brand publications (De Kat, Tribute Weight Less Magazine). Soon after, she was appointed Marketing & Distribution Manager of Penta, a role she fulfilled over the next three years. In 2000, Makhele moved back into advertising, joining a company called Inroads where she worked for three years, before rejoining O&M JHB in 2003 as Senior Strategic Planner. Makhele was appointed to O&M JHB’s Board of Directors in March 2007, and
was promoted to Strategic Planning Director in November of that same year. During Makhele’s tenure, O&M JHB has been constantly ranked the top-performing agency at Apex Awards for Advertising Effectiveness. Abey Mokgwatsane, CEO of O&M SA, commented, “Under Neo’s watch, the planning department’s talent and outstanding quality of thinking has impacted the business in immeasurable ways and I am delighted that she has accepted this new role.” “Ogilvy & Mather has a grand ambition to be both the most creative and most effective agency. I am extremely excited about this opportunity because I highly believe in this ambition. I have a desire to continue to build on our effectiveness expertise, across our growing communications spectrum,” says Makhele, “At the end of the day, and in following our global philosophy, the purpose of doing great work is to produce great business results for our clients.” Makhele will be appointed to the Executive Committee (ExCo) and will retain her seat on the O&M JHB board, as well as on the Advertising & Communication Association (ACA) board, where she represents O&M SA. In addition, she will continue her role as Head of Planning in the Johannesburg office.
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Ben Evans Named Managing Director of OgilvyOne South Africa
Ben Evans
Ben Evans, former head of digital at OgilvyOne Worldwide in London, one of the best performing digital offices in the Ogilvy & Mather network, has been appointed as Managing Director of OgilvyOne South Africa. His role will be to ensure that O&M SA remains successful in the digital field and continues to develop new interactive capabilities within the agency.
With a background in publishing, Evans moved into the agency arena in 1999 working as a technical project manager for Concept, a pure-play digital network owned by WPP, which later merged to form RMG Connect. He worked across a broad range of sectors including financial services, healthcare, FMCG, energy and automotive. In 2007, Evans moved to Tullo Marshall Warren, a leading CRM agency in the UK, responsible for running Nissan’s Pan European CRM business. He was promoted to the Board as Head of Client Services, leading TMW’s full client portfolio with revenue of £24m annually. After joining OgilvyOne London, in 2010, Evans was responsible for managing the GBM leadership of the British Airways Customer Engagement and Creative Technology account, as well as the direct management of the global Land Rover relationship. He has been instrumental in securing a number of strategic new business wins, specifically for the British Airways account as well as the global digital and CRM account for Land Rover — two of
the agency’s flagship clients. “Our ambition to get to the future first, by accelerating the digitisation of our agency, has been given a boost,” said Abey Mokgwatsane, CEO of O&M SA. “I am proud that Ben has accepted this role and joining the OgilvyOne SA team. He will drive the continued digital evolution of our agency so that we can offer clients ongoing breakthrough ideas and executions in customer engagement. I have no doubt that with his experience and skill set, we will accelerate our digital growth plan.” Commenting on his appointment, Evans said, “It’s an exciting opportunity to be taking on the challenge as MD of OgilvyOne South Africa; a country that is seeing rapid growth and enormous potential in the digital space. I’m looking forward to working with the teams and our clients in SA to deliver the most creative, effective and innovative digital work.” Based in the Cape Town office, Evans will report to Mokgwatsane, and will also manage and oversee the Neo@Ogilvy and Strike Media business units.
AFDA Durban Campus Awards ‘South of the West’, a first year student’s Western Film took home Best First Year Film Award at the inaugural Durban AFDA year-end awards on Campus last Friday. The awards ceremony was an intimate celebration of the pioneering group of first year students who enrolled in AFDA’s Durban campus at the beginning of this year. Excellence was acknowledged in the following categories: Best First Year Film, Best First Year Animation, Best Television Production, Best Song, Best Group Document Pitch, CLVA Award (student representative body) and most Dedicated Student. “All the students’ awards were nominated through the marks they received for the projects or individual work for the individual awards. The CLVA award is for the student who is on the CLVA committee who has shown the values of AFDA and voted for by the students in the council”, said AFDA Durban Campus Dean, Franco Human. The keynote speaker at the Awards was AFDA co-founder and CEO, Bata Passchier,
who congratulated the students on their difficult and enjoyable journey as the pioneering group of students at the Campus. He also went on to thank staff members at the campus along with the parents of the students by saying, “The task of an excellent teacher is to stimulate seemingly ordinary minds into unusual effort and guide them to their success, and it is no easy task. After a short journey we all sit here this morning overwhelmed with pride and I would like to congratulate the staff and students for getting this far. A special thanks and congratulations need to be extended to your parents. Without their support none of this would be possible”. In his first year project straight out of the Wild West, Nathan Rice, first time director and writer wanted to pay homage to the great Hollywood Westerns, but with a distinctly South African subtext. Our hero, played by Zwakele Majozi enters what seems to be a “whites only” bar, he asks for Whiskey. Super bad cowboy played by AFDA student Charles Matthews, confronts him and a shoot- out ensues. Our
hero shoots dead the bad cowboy and his two cohorts. He again asks for Whiskey, and Whiskey comes in the door - turns out she’s the local good time girl - and they leave the bar hand in hand, watched by a bemused barman. “The film is slick, well shot, great production design and almost flawless continuity in lighting, shot selection and performance. These disciplines along with the editing, VFX and sound design have set a bench mark for first year films”, said Lecturer Richard Green, Head of the Film School. Other winners on the night were ‘Man In a Box’ for Best Group Pitch, ‘Kryptoheight’ for Best First Year Animation, ‘031 Pulse’ for Best Television Production, ‘Do Not Disturb’ for Best Stage Performance, Lauren Flockhart for Best Song, Anja Schuulst for the CLVA Award and Temara Prem for Most Dedicated Student. Applications and registrations for AFDA’s first year students for 2014 are open. For more information contact Milena on milenag@afda.co.za.
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EVENTS | 35
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FEBRUARY COLOURS OF THE NILE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 05-09 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia PAN-AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL 06-17 Hollywood, U.S.A. BERLIN FILM FESTIVAL 06-16 Berlin, Germany EUROPEAN FILM MARKET 06-16 Berlin, Germany
JOZI FILM FESTIVAL 21-23 Johannesburg, South Africa
MARCH
LUXOR AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL 16-24 Luxor, Egypt AFCI LOCATIONS SHOW 27-29 Los Angeles, U.S.A.
APRIL SAFTAS 05-06 Johannesburg, South Africa MIPTV 07-10 Cannes, France
OSCARS 02 Los Angeles, U.S.A.
AFRICA MOVIE ACADEMY AWARDS (TBC)
ADFEST 06-08 Pattaya, Thailand
TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 16-27 New York, U.S.A.
CAPE TOWN FILMMART 07-09 Cape Town, South Africa
HOT DOCS 24 April – 4 May Toronto, Canada
CAPE WINELANDS FILM FESTIVAL 06-16 Cape Town, South Africa
MID-ATLANTIC BLACK FILM FESTIVAL 25-26 Norfolk, U.S.A.
Fly on the Wall shooting on location for Bryan Little’s MTC “Hugs” campaign © Filipa Domingues
TEXAS BLACK FILM FESTIVAL 19-22 Dallas, U.S.A.
NORTH CAROLINA BLACK FILM FESTIVAL 13-16 Wilmington, U.S.A.
36 | OPPORTUNITIES
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DURBAN FILMMART 2014 Call for Proposals
T
he Durban FilmMart is turning five and would like to celebrate this milestone by inviting African filmmakers to submit their project proposals for selection at this important industry event. Heralded as the continent’s premier co-production film market, the Durban FilmMart – a partnership between the Durban Film Office and the Durban International Film Festival, with principal funding from the city of Durban - is a culmination of skills training, funding and networking opportunities for filmmakers eager to make their projects a reality. The 5th Durban FilmMart takes place in Durban from 18-21 July 2014, alongside the 35th edition of the Durban International Film Festival (17-27 July 2014), and promises to offer a programme that is jam-packed with informative workshops, engaging discussions and exciting interactive opportunities.
“We are very proud to be celebrating DFM’s 5th Birthday in 2014 and we are humbled by the ongoing support we have received in establishing DFM as an important platform for promising African film projects. DFM 2014 will certainly be a time for celebration and we can’t wait to start working with the 2014 submission in February.”, says Durban Film Office Head, Toni Monty. In five years of its existence, the Durban FilmMart has prided itself with having aided the development of film projects from all corners of the African continent, and having witnessed their amazing journey from proposal to completed production. A number of film projects emanating from the Durban FilmMart have received funding and bursaries from global development bodies, screened at film festivals around the world and received international film awards.
Ten fiction projects and ten documentary projects will be selected to attend the fourday event, which will bring together national and international film producers, buyers, financiers, sales agents, funders and other film professionals, who will participate in industry-related workshops, master classes, seminars and networking events. Documentary projects will also be pitched to a panel of commissioning editors and funders in the DOC Circle Pitching Forum. Calls for the Durban FilmMart project submission closes on 18th February 2014 – so hurry to get your entry in before time runs out. Entries are open to all Africans in key creative roles; from writers to directors and producer (all projects must have a producer attached). To find out how to submit your project, please visit www.durbanfilmmart.com. For further enquires contact: info@durbanfilmmart.com or call +27 31 311 4243
Call for Entries Now Open for the
42nd International Emmy Awards
T
he Emmy Awards recognize excellence in television, and honours the special skills and unique talents of the companies and individuals who create, produce, and perform in television programs worldwide. Shows that were originally created for TV and that were aired between the 1st of January and 31st of December 2013 are eligible to enter. The awards honours TV shows that were produced and/or aired in the U.S. and those that were produced and/or aired outside the U.S. The eligibility requirements for shows that
were produced outside the U.S. are as follows: • Have been originally created for television; • Have been predominantly produced by a non-U.S. organization; for programs produced and/or initially aired in the U.S. • Have initially been broadcast outside of the U.S. between the dates of January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013; • Have a non-U.S. organization listed as the entering organization on the online entry form; • Comply with the category requirements
described in Section II – Categories; Not have been submitted in any other Emmy® competition (including any U.S. competition); • Not have had a theatrical release, within or outside of the U.S., before the first television broadcast. To view the complete rules and regulations for the International Emmy Awards as well as to download the 2014 entry form visit: www.iemmys.tv/awards_entry.aspx Deadline for submission is the 17th of February 2014. •
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THE AFRICA MOVIE ACADEMY Requests Entries for its 10th Edition 2014 Categories • • • • • • •
African Diaspora Short African Diaspora Feature African Diaspora Documentary African Short Films African Animations African Documentary Films African Feature Films
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The Process • Read the Submission Rules • Enter your Film • Print Copies of the Submission • Send your Film • Notify us you Sent your Film For more information visit: www.ama-awards.com 1.
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Only films produced and or released for public viewing between May 2012 and December 2013 will be accepted for the 2014 Awards. The actual release date must be indicated on the entry form and the year of copyright must be indicated on the film. The academy will only accept a director’s cut of not more than 120 minutes. Premiere and market copies that are submitted should not be more than 120 minutes long. All entries must be appropriately water marked and it should be done in such a way that it will not impair viewing during the screening process Beyond credits, no film submitted must contain any commercials or materials that have no relevance to the film. Any film found to contain any form of advertorial shall automatically be disqualified The Academy would not accept entries that are inconclusive All films produced in languages other than English must be fully subtitled. These would include aesthetic devices such as songs, proverbs, chants, pidgin/vernacular words and expressions All films in pidgin must be fully subtitled in English
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Filmmakers must ensure that the copy of the film/dvd submitted is of good picture and audio quality. Any film found to be sub-standard in any of these areas would automatically be disqualified. Clarity of picture is of essence If the filmmaker or practitioner entering the film is not the copyright owner, he/she must submit a letter of consent to enter the film from the copyright owner Entries can also be done online by completing the application form at www. ama-awards.com. 55 dvds of the film must reach AMAA together with a signed copy of the online submission form by 15 January 2014. Submissions received after the above deadline will not be considered. In addition, filmmakers submitting entries are advised not to use paper labels on dvds as they sometimes prevent dvds from playing All shipping costs of the submitted materials must be borne by the sender and please note that submitted materials will not be returned to the sender. AMAA reserves the right to transfer submissions to a master hard drive digital library as it is hoping to build a permanent AMAA digital library, however AMAA will not theatrically or otherwise screen for commercial purposes any film without the express written consent of the appropriate right holder(s) AMAA reserves the right to use 3-5 minutes extract of the submitted films for promotional purposes Those submitting entries must ensure that they completely fill out the space provided for synopsis and for such details as cast and crew list, duration of film, country of production, original language of production, date of completion of production and date of release of film (s) etc. The decision of the AMAA College of Screeners as concerns entries and the decision of the jury shall be final AMAA will send an official acceptance
email acknowledging receipt of the entry and will send nomination email prior to the awards advising on further requirements and next steps 17. The nominees for each category will be announced during the AMAA nomination event, which is held prior to the award 18. All those sending in entries must note that: a. as a submitter, he/she has the authority and capacity to submit the film and materials to AMAA b. that AMAA shall not be held liable or responsible in any manner whatsoever for any loss or damage of whatsoever type or nature incurred as a result of the submission of the films and materials 19. However upon acceptance of the entry, AMAA undertakes to take all possible precautions and will securely store all associated copyright materials
38 | ASSOCIATIONS
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CPA, SAASP and IPO meet with City of Cape Town WGSA Announces Annual Muse Awards The Writer’s Guild of South Africa (WGSA) has announced the inaugural Muse Awards, which will take place on 15 March 2014. The awards, which will be presented at an annual event, “aim to recognise and celebrate the integral role played by performance writers in the South African film, television, radio, stage and new media industries”, according to a recent press release. The WGSA received numerous entries for their initial six categories. The nominees and categories are as follows, with no nominations made for documentaries: TV Comedy: • Anneke Villet: Rugby Motors Season 1, Episode 10 • Anneke Villet: Rugby Motors Season 1, Episode 4 • Fidel Namisi: Tooth and Nails TV Drama: • Joshua Rous: Borderline - Episode 101 Quiet Desperation • Joshua Rous: High Rollers – Episode 101 – The Prodigal • Minky Schlesinger: 4Play Sex Tips for Girls – Episode 2 Stage Play: • Gisele Turner: eLimboland Feature Film: • Shirley Johnston: ‘Felix’ • Philip Roberts: ‘One Last Look’ • Jahmil Qubeka: ‘Of Good Report’ Spec Script: • Kelsey Egan: ‘The Chemist’ (Feature Film) • Sean Drummond: ‘Five Fingers for Marseilles’ (Feature Film) • Meg Rickards: ‘Common Purpose’ (Feature Film) For more information or to participate in the gala event, please contact the WGSA office on admin@writersguildsa.org, telephone: 011 888 4349 or mobile: 082 575 6901
Representatives of the CPA, SAASP and the IPO met with Mayor Patricia De Lille and her team on 9 December 2013 to discuss concerns regarding the City’s new zoning by-law and its potential impact on the film industry. The Mayor was reportedly extremely receptive and understanding, however, because amending by-laws is a lengthy process which requires public participation, nothing can be changed before April 2014. Due to the urgency of the situation, it was agreed that the Executive Directors of Planning and Tourism & Events would work on interim solutions over the next few weeks. This will then enable the Mayor to mitigate the unintended consequences of this by-law on the industry. Once solutions have been tabled, the Mayor will make an announcement ensuring that filmmakers can continue the summer season with minimal impact to operations.
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The Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) recently announced its board of directors for 2014. Pam Haynes, of the West Virginia Film Office has been elected to a one year term. Five individuals were elected for a two year term - Walea Constantinau, Honolulu Film Office; Hans Fraikin, Quebec Film & Television Council; Ana Ilic, Serbia Film Commission; Kevin “KJ” Jennings, Film Otago Southland; and Ingrid Rudefors of the Stockholm Mälardalen Film Commission. Continuing their terms are Lucila Bortagaray from the Uruguay Film Commission, Jeanne Corcoran of the Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office, Drew Mayer-Oakes from the San Antonio Film Commission, Mikael Svensson of the Oresund Film Commission and AFCI President, George David from the Royal Film Commission – Jordan. “The success of the AFCI thrives on hands-on involvement of members to set the direction of our organization, provide superior leadership, and exemplify the excellence in service that the AFCI brand signifies,” said George David in an official statement on their website. “We are proud of the diversity of our Board – with representatives from eight countries on five continents – and look forward to continuing our focus on providing unique education, events and services to each member film commission.”
The AFCI recently announced that its attendee registration for the annual Locations Show is now open. The expo, which will take place on 27-29 March 2014, is attended by thousands of filmmakers, executives, entrepreneurs, media and creative professionals. It offers “face-toface access to the most experienced film commissioners and production services around the world” according to the invite. With diverse locations and impressive financial incentives, co-productions and programmes all in one place, it is meant to be nothing short of fabulous. Registered attendees will receive notices of networking opportunities, as well as a special invitation to an exclusive, industryonly event taking place at the AFCI’s new home – the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City, Los Angeles. It is home to many entertainment firms and professionals, just a brief walk from Fox Studios, and a short ride from the Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills and Hollywood. For the exhibition schedule and the full list of speakers at the event, visit www. afcilocationsshow.com.
SAGA: Dirty Laundry in the Land of Soap After a spate of membership applications from the cast of popular TV show ‘Generations’, the South African Guild of Actors realised that trouble was brewing. Sparked by the announcement that Morula Pictures (the show’s producers) had been offered an unprecedented three-year contract, the core team of actors felt they, too, should receive similar tenure. Following discussions, the producers relented but insisted on retaining the standard “write out” clause which grants them freedom to dispense with characters according to storyline demands. In response, the aggrieved cast members staged a walk-out, halting production. CWUSA, the union representing employees of the SABC has defended the actors’ decision, but ‘Generations’ executive producer Mfundi Vundla defended the company’s decision, , saying that the cast is contracted, not employed through Morula Pictures. The issue has yet to be resolved and legal confusion surrounding Employee versus Independent Contractor only serves to delay production.
Real Actions crew, image taken from Bryan Little’s award winning documentary “The African Cypher” © Filipa Domingues
AFCI 2014 Board of Directors Announced
Registration Now Open For 2014 AFCI Locations Show
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