Film SOUTH AFRICA’S
INDUSTRY
Presented by the South African National Film and Video Foundation
A South African sunset
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam cursus. Morbi ut mi. Nullam enim leo, egestas id, condimentum at, laoreet mattis, massa. Sed eleifend nonummy diam. Praesent mauris ante, elementum et, bibendum at, posuere sit amet, nibh. Duis tincidunt lectus quis dui viverra vestibulum. Suspendisse vulputate aliquam dui. Nulla elementum dui ut augue. Aliquam vehicula mi at mauris. Maecenas placerat, nisl at consequat rhoncus, sem nunc gravida justo, quis eleifend arcu velit quis lacus. Morbi magna magna, tincidunt a, mattis non, imperdiet vitae, tellus. Sed odio est, auctor ac, sollicitudin in, consequat vitae, orci. Fusce id felis. Vivamus sollicitudin metus eget eros. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. In posuere felis nec tortor. Pellentesque faucibus. Ut accumsan ultricies elit. Maecenas at justo id velit placerat molestie. Donec dictum lectus non odio. Cras a ante vitae enim iaculis aliquam. Mauris nunc quam, venenatis nec, euismod sit amet, egestas placerat, est. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus.
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CHAPTER 2 / PAGE 28 Defining the South African film and media industry
Co-productions
CHAPTER 4 / PAGE 38
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CHAPTER 1 / PAGE 12
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CHAPTER 3 / PAGE 36
CREDITS
CONTENTS
South African productions
Comments from actors on location in South Africa
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CHAPTER 5 / PAGE 46
CHAPTER 6 / PAGE 60 Industry Info
DIRECTORY / PAGE 84
Comments from directors/producers on location in South Africa
Directory of film and media industry service providers
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FOREWORD ZAMA MKOSI, CEO OF THE NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO FOUNDATION, SOUTH AFRICA Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam cursus. Morbi ut mi. Nullam enim leo, egestas id, condimentum at, laoreet mattis, massa. Sed eleifend nonummy diam. Praesent mauris ante, elementum et, bibendum at, posuere sit amet, nibh. Duis tincidunt lectus quis dui viverra vestibulum. Suspendisse vulputate aliquam dui. Nulla elementum dui ut augue. Aliquam vehicula mi at mauris. Maecenas placerat, nisl at consequat rhoncus, sem nunc gravida justo, quis eleifend arcu velit quis lacus. Morbi magna magna, tincidunt a, mattis non, imperdiet vitae, tellus. Sed odio est, auctor ac, sollicitudin in, consequat vitae, orci. Fusce id felis. Vivamus sollicitudin metus eget eros.
parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. In iaculis facilisis massa. Etiam eu urna. Sed porta. Suspendisse quam leo, molestie sed, luctus quis, feugiat in, pede. Fusce tellus. Sed metus augue, convallis et, vehicula ut, pulvinar eu, ante. Integer orci tellus, tristique vitae, consequat nec, porta vel, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur tristique mi condimentum orci. Phasellus pellentesque aliquam enim. Proin dui lectus, cursus eu, mattis laoreet, viverra sit amet, quam. Curabitur vel dolor ultrices ipsum dictum tristique. Praesent vitae lacus. Ut velit enim, vestibulum non, fermentum nec, hendrerit quis, leo. Pellentesque rutrum malesuada neque.
Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. In posuere felis nec tortor. Pellentesque faucibus. Ut accumsan ultricies elit. Maecenas at justo id velit placerat molestie. Donec dictum lectus non odio. Cras a ante vitae enim iaculis aliquam. Mauris nunc quam, venenatis nec, euismod sit amet, egestas placerat, est. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Cras id elit. Integer quis urna. Ut ante enim, dapibus malesuada, fringilla eu, condimentum quis, tellus. Aenean porttitor eros vel dolor. Donec convallis pede venenatis nibh. Duis quam. Nam eget lacus. Aliquam erat volutpat. Quisque dignissim congue leo.
Nunc tempus felis vitae urna. Vivamus porttitor, neque at volutpat rutrum, purus nisi eleifend libero, a tempus libero lectus feugiat felis. Morbi diam mauris, viverra in, gravida eu, mattis in, ante. Morbi eget arcu. Morbi porta, libero id ullamcorper nonummy, nibh ligula pulvinar metus, eget consectetuer augue nisi quis lacus. Ut ac mi quis lacus mollis aliquam. Curabitur iaculis tempus eros. Curabitur vel mi sit amet magna malesuada ultrices. Ut nisi erat, fermentum vel, congue id, euismod in, elit. Fusce ultricies, orci ac feugiat suscipit, leo massa sodales velit, et scelerisque mi tortor at ipsum. Proin orci odio, commodo ac, gravida non, tristique vel, tellus. Pellentesque nibh libero, ultricies eu, sagittis non, mollis sed, justo. Praesent metus ipsum, pulvinar pulvinar, porta id, fringilla at, est.
LOREM IPSUM TEXT Mauris vel lacus vitae felis vestibulum volutpat. Etiam est nunc, venenatis in, tristique eu, imperdiet ac, nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis
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Phasellus felis dolor, scelerisque a, tempus eget, lobortis id, libero. Donec scelerisque leo ac risus. Praesent sit amet est. In dictum, dolor eu dictum porttitor, enim felis viverra mi, eget luctus massa purus quis odio. Etiam
FOREWORD
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nulla massa, pharetra facilisis, volutpat in, imperdiet sit amet, sem. Aliquam nec erat at purus cursus interdum. Vestibulum ligula augue, bibendum accumsan, vestibulum ut, commodo a, mi. Morbi ornare gravida elit. Integer congue, augue et malesuada iaculis, ipsum dui aliquet felis, at cursus magna nisl nec elit. Donec iaculis diam a nisi accumsan viverra. Duis sed tellus et tortor vestibulum gravida. Praesent elementum elit at tellus. Curabitur metus ipsum, luctus eu, malesuada ut, tincidunt sed, diam. Donec quis mi sed magna hendrerit accumsan. Suspendisse risus nibh, ultricies eu, volutpat non, condimentum hendrerit, augue. Etiam eleifend, metus vitae adipiscing semper, mauris ipsum iaculis elit, congue gravida elit mi egestas orci. Curabitur pede. Maecenas aliquet velit vel turpis. Mauris neque metus, malesuada nec, ultricies sit amet, porttitor mattis, enim. In massa libero, interdum nec, interdum vel, blandit sed, nulla. In ullamcorper, est eget tempor cursus, neque mi consectetuer mi, a ultricies massa est sed nisl. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos. Proin nulla arcu, nonummy luctus, dictum eget, fermentum et, lorem. Nunc porta convallis pede. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam cursus. Morbi ut mi. Nullam enim leo, egestas id, condimentum at, laoreet mattis, massa. Sed eleifend nonummy diam. Praesent mauris ante, elementum et, bibendum at, posuere sit amet, nibh. Duis tincidunt lectus quis dui viverra vestibulum. Suspendisse vulputate aliquam dui. Nulla elementum dui ut augue. Aliquam vehicula mi at mauris. Maecenas placerat, nisl at consequat rhoncus, sem nunc gravida justo, quis eleifend arcu velit quis lacus. Morbi magna magna, tincidunt a, mattis non, imperdiet vitae, tellus. Sed odio est, auctor ac, sollicitudin in, consequat vitae, orci. Fusce id felis. Vivamus sollicitudin metus eget eros. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. In posuere felis nec tortor. Pellentesque faucibus. Ut accumsan ultricies elit. Maecenas at justo id velit placerat molestie. Donec dictum lectus non odio. Cras a ante vitae enim iaculis aliquam. Mauris nunc quam, venenatis nec, euismod sit amet, egestas placerat, est. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Cras id elit. Integer quis
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urna. Ut ante enim, dapibus malesuada, fringilla eu, condimentum quis, tellus. Aenean porttitor eros vel dolor. Donec convallis pede venenatis nibh. Duis quam. Nam eget lacus. Aliquam erat volutpat. Quisque dignissim congue leo. Nunc tempus felis vitae urna. Vivamus porttitor, neque at volutpat rutrum, purus nisi eleifend libero, a tempus libero lectus feugiat felis. Morbi diam mauris, viverra in, gravida eu, mattis in, ante. Morbi eget arcu. Morbi porta, libero id ullamcorper nonummy, nibh ligula pulvinar metus, eget consectetuer augue nisi quis lacus. Ut ac mi quis lacus mollis aliquam. Curabitur iaculis tempus eros. Curabitur vel mi sit amet magna malesuada ultrices. Ut nisi erat, fermentum vel, congue id, euismod in, elit. Fusce ultricies, orci ac feugiat suscipit, leo massa sodales velit, et scelerisque mi tortor at ipsum. Proin orci odio, commodo ac, gravida non, tristique vel, tellus. Pellentesque nibh libero, ultricies eu, sagittis non, mollis sed, justo. Praesent metus ipsum, pulvinar pulvinar, porta id, fringilla at, est. Maecenas aliquet velit vel turpis. Mauris neque metus, malesuada nec, ultricies sit amet, porttitor mattis, enim. In massa libero, interdum nec, interdum vel, blandit sed, nulla. In ullamcorper, est eget tempor cursus, neque mi consectetuer mi, a ultricies massa est sed nisl. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos. Proin nulla arcu, nonummy luctus, dictum eget, fermentum et, lorem. Nunc porta convallis pede. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam cursus. Morbi ut mi. Nullam enim leo, egestas id, condimentum at, laoreet mattis, massa. Sed eleifend nonummy diam. Praesent mauris ante, elementum et, bibendum at, posuere sit amet, nibh. Duis tincidunt lectus quis dui viverra vestibulum. Suspendisse vulputate aliquam dui. Nulla elementum dui ut augue. Aliquam vehicula mi at mauris. Maecenas placerat, nisl at consequat rhoncus, sem nunc gravida justo, quis eleifend arcu velit quis lacus. Morbi magna magna, tincidunt a, mattis non, imperdiet vitae, tellus. Sed odio est, auctor ac, sollicitudin in, consequat vitae, orci. Fusce id felis. Vivamus sollicitudin metus eget eros. Curabitur vel mi sit amet magna malesuada ultrices. Ut nisi erat, fermentum vel, congue id, euismod in, elit. Fusce ultricies, orci ac feugiat suscipit, leo massa sodales velit, et scelerisque mi tortor at ipsum.
Scene 1
Little Themba walks into a spaza shop and walks Scene Scene 11 up to the lady at the counter. “ How much is a chocolate cone ice cream?” he asks “ R5” the lady answers rudely. Little LittleThemba Thembawalks walksinto intoaaspaza spazashop shopand andwalks walksup uptotothe thelady ladyatatthe thecounter. counter. He only has R5 and“ “How ponders whether he should spend all of it on ice-cream. Howmuch muchisisaa chocolate chocolatecone cone ice icecream?” cream?”he heasks asks “ “R5” R5”the thelady ladyanswers answersrudely. rudely. “How much is the Vanilla?”
He Heonly onlyhas hasR5 R5and andponders ponderswhether whetherhe heshould shouldspend spendall allofofititon onice-cream. ice-cream.
“R3” answers the lady, visibly annoyed. “How “Howmuch muchisisthe theVanilla?” Vanilla?”
“R3” “R3” answers answers the thelady, lady,visibly visibly annoyed. annoyed. Little Themba counts with his tiny fi ngers and buys the R3 ice cream. Little LittleThemba Thembacounts countswith withhis histiny tinyfifi ngers ngersand andbuys buysthe theR3 R3ice icecream. cream.
He walks out with a big smile on his face.
He Hewalks walksout outwith withaabig bigsmile smileon onhis hisface. face.
Soon as he is out ofSoon sight, the unfriendly lady peers into a on plate on her counter. Soonas ashe heisisout outofofsight, sight,the theunfriendly unfriendlylady ladypeers peersinto intoaaplate plateon her hercounter. counter. There There isisaaR2 R2tip tip that thatwasn’t wasn’t there therebefore before the boy boywalked walkedinto intothe theshop. shop. There is a R2 tip that wasn’t there before thethe boy walked into the shop.
The National Film andThe Video Foundation is isproud to arolecritical role in helping South African The National NationalFilm Film and andVideo VideoFoundation Foundation isproud proudtotoplay playa play acritical criticalrole inin helping helpingSouth South African African filmmakers filmmakers develop and and tell telltheir theirstories stories through throughfilm. film. ToTofind findout outmore more visit visitwww.nfvf.co.za www.nfvf.co.za film makers develop and telldevelop their stories through film. To find out more visit www.nfvf.co.za
SOUTH SOUTH AFRICA AFRICA
an anagency agencyofofthe the Department DepartmentOf OfArts ArtsAnd AndCulture Culture
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The principle task of the Foundation will be to distribute funds to screenwriters, filmmakers, training institutions and non-government organizations (NGOs) for film and television projects
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CHAPTER 1
MARKET OVERVIEW
Boasting one of the oldest and established yet underdeveloped film and television industries, the South African film and television market has undergone considerable changes over the past few years in preparing itself as a marketable industry, competitive with its international counterparts. The South African government, now taking an active part in the development of the local industry, has gathered recommendations from international film and television industries on restructuring its own industry with Canada a strong leader in this regard. South Africa has benefited from Canada’s international experience in assisting Department of Arts, Culture, Science & Technology (DACST) with the formation of a National Film & Video Foundation (NFVF). The principle task of the Foundation will be to distribute funds to screenwriters, filmmakers, training institutions and non-government organizations (NGOs) for film and television projects. The Foundation will, like the Canada Council and Telefilm Canada, operate independently of the Government with an aim to build the local industry as a whole and develop an audience receptive to local-content films.
The Canadian government also recognised the potential of the local industry by signing the co-production treaty with South Africa, opening up access to the South African market to both Canadian producers and countries under similar treaties with Canada. The expected increased South African participation in co-productions making use of local producers and production companies will create further employment in these areas, one of the key objectives of the South African government in fostering such co-production agreements with other countries. Another important issue is the promotion of local content both locally and globally. Until recently the majority of films produced in South Africa, with exception, have either not been recognised internationally or because of lack of support from the local industry have not been accepted for exhibition and distribution. This has been the result of inexperience, poor market structure and channels and a limited financial assistance program. Once operational by end-1998, the National Film and Video Foundation, once operational by end-1998 will make funds to various film and television projects available to local producers. Meanwhile, DACST will control and administer the Film Interim Fund established to help with the funding of film projects. The DACST has also supported the local market through promoting events such as the South African Film and TV Market (SAIFTVM - see Promotion Events Calendar). The SAIFTVM, entering its third year, provides a market forum where producers, production companies, global filmmakers, co-producers, broadcasters, distributors and buyers can exhibit, buy, sell and negotiate project ventures. The event has attracted over 1000 international delegates including Canadian companies such as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and was host to the signing of the Canada-South Africa Audiovisual Agreement. The Market holds a number of workshops in co-production, introducing the local pool of producers to international representatives as well as promoting films produced in southern Africa through its own exhibition.
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There are also a number of regional, non-competitive Film Festivals exhibiting international as well as locally produced films to broad audiences throughout South Africa, with one in particular screening films in peri-urban developing areas. These are mostly independent films that would normally not appeal to the majority of South Africans. The majorities are catered for by two large distribution companies who favour commercial product for exhibition. Alternatively, South African television has bridged the gap between the two and schedules a varied selection of productions. These also tend to be international productions, due to the fact that it is more cost effective to purchase a foreign programme than produce one locally. With a new free-to-air television station soon to be aired. However, it is anticipated competition between the existing South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the new station will lower production costs, giving local producers the opportunity to produce quality features by giving them access to production facilities and programming. The private sector, non-government organisations, the Independent Broadcast Authority (IBA) and broadcasters (public and private) have contributed greatly to the structure of the growing television industry creating further opportunities for the local market as well as international. These changes in the film and television industry over the past few years have created better opportunities for local and international producers wanting to utilise the local industry. Although not developed to its full potential, the South African film and television industry is ready to facilitate co-production of international standard and appeal.
SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCTION INDUSTRY South Africa’s film and television production industry boasts some of the most sophisticated post-production facilities and offers a pool of skilled technicians and crew. The industry has invested considerably in keeping the facilities up-to-date with the latest in film and television technology
resulting in more foreign as well as domestic producers choosing to complete productions in South Africa. South African production companies offer full modern range equipment for both production and post-production needs. Sound and stage studios can be hired through several production and broadcast companies at varied rates. Film laboratories for processing stock and video facilities are also for hire in South Africa. The country has a large pool of skilled technicians and crew, available locally for most productions and postproductions. While crew hire costs are increasing in South Africa, they are still low compared to other countries. Alongside technical and crew staff, other service staff such as accountants, lawyers, and doctors can be hired locally. With the increase of foreign productions taking place in South Africa, the local production industry is staying competitive with international production standards by investing in the latest technology, training and development. Facilities catering for the overseas market now offer more services to the local industry in the way of better equipment, production quality and trained staff, increasing overall production values of even low-budget independent productions. There are several directories listing individuals and companies who make their services available to domestic and overseas productions.
HISTORY OVERVIEW A HISTORY OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN FILM INDUSTRY TIMELINE 1895-2003 1895
The Kinetescope (invented by Thomas Edison) was a box in which people could see a moving image. The first Kinetescopes in South Africa were opened to the public on 19 April 1895 in Herwoods Arcade on Pritchard and President Streets in Johannesburg - then a small town only nine years old.
South Africa was certainly one of the first countries in the world to see and hear sound motion pictures. Lingards Waxworks in Durban, who exhibited a number of mechanical novelties of the penny-in-the-slot variety, first showed them in August 1895. One of these was a Kinetophone.
1896
Carl Hertz brought out a projector from England and screened the first production at the Empire Palace of Varieties (in Commissioner Street, Johannesburg) on 11 May 1896. The press was ecstatic. Hertz introduced South Africa to the era of the “Bioscope� through a series of 30-second films.
Edgar Hyman, an entertainer and pioneer filmmaker, accompanied Hertz for six weeks on his tour of the country to study the working
CHAPTER 1
of the Cinematopgraphe machine. Unfortunately biographical details about these early pioneers are very sketchy.
1898 The Empire Palace of Varieties in Commissioner Street JHB adopted film as a permanent part of its programme. Taken by Hyman, the films were purchased from the Warwick Trading Company. They consisted mostly of views of Johannesburg taken from the front of a tram. Another of Hyman’s films showed the President of the Transvaal Republic, Paul Kruger, leaving his house for the Raadzaal. As Kruger climbs into his carriage, the carriage tilts dangerously, because of Kruger’s bulk! The film was included in the Warwick Trading Company’s catalogue, and was shown all over the world.
1899
The first Mutoscope, a peep show containing flick-over books of photographs taken from Biograph films, was installed at 67 Pritchard Street in Johannesburg. The first Biograph show was given on 24 May at the Wanderers Hall. On 14 October, three days after the declaration of South African (Anglo-Boer) War, W.K.L. Dickson (who had perfected the motion picture camera and had worked for Edison) set out for South Africa to record the war on film. The use of film, as a new medium for propaganda, was discovered and exploited during that war.
1903 Moving pictures had been showing for several years before the production of dramatic films were undertaken. By 1903 it was possible to distinguish between various types of films such as “topical,” “humorous,” and “dramatic”.
1906
The first film on sport was screened at the Tivoli Music Hall in Cape Town. It was of the England versus South Africa cricket match at Newlands, apparently shot by an amateur cameraman.
1907
By 1907 dramatic films were firmly entrenched in every film show. By 1908 the topical film was the most popular. Trick and comic film popularity shifted to dramatic films.
1909
The Electric Theatre in Durban was the first permanent theatre to be established in South Africa on 29 July 1909.
1910
On 11 December 1910 the first “Electric Theatre” for “Coloured People Only” was opened on the corner of Grey and Alice Streets in Durban. The first programmes showed scenes outside the mosque in Grey Street.
The Great Kimberly Diamond Robbery was released. It was the first South African full-length feature drama film produced entirely in the country.
The Cape Town Pageant was filmed and screened extensively all over the country to celebrate the Act of Union.
1912 Edgar Hyman established the Empire Theatres Company (South Africa) Ltd; this was a year after Africa’s Amalgamated Theatres was established in 1911. The first permanent bio-cafes opened in Johannesburg.
1913
1915
1921
Isidore W Schlesinger bought both Empire Theatres and Africa’s Amalgamated Theatres and several other companies and thereby formed the African Theatres Trust Ltd on 10 April 1913. He also formed African Films Trust, a film importing and distributing agency.
Africa’s first sound films - Joseph Albrecht’s Sarie Marais and Moedertjie - were screened.
Afrikaans nationalism was emerging as a force, and Sarie Marais portrayed the English/British cultural and economic imperialism negatively (the desire to spread the British language, culture and influence even where they were unwelcome).
Schlesinger established African Film Productions Ltd; Africa’s first motion picture studio in the Johannesburg suburb of Killarney. One of its earliest productions was De Voortrekkers (1916). Between 1916 and 1922 African Film Productions made forty-three films.
Schlesinger merged his interests with that of Kinemas, which led to the establishment of African Consolidated Films and theatres under the AFP (African Film Productions) banner.
The National Censorship Act of 1931 was passed by Parliament, followed by the Entertainment Act, which demanded that all cinematic material be cleared before exhibition.
Sam Wood’s Under the Lash, starring Gloria Swanson, was the first anti-South African film to be screened.
African Film Productions made the first sound advertisement films in South Africa for Joko Tea and Pegasus products.
On 5 May 1913 South Africa’s first newsreel, African Mirror, was screened.
1923
H. de Vere Stacpoole’s The Blue Lagoon was produced and distributed by AFP.
The first film society was formed in Cape Town.
The first trailers (advertisements for forthcoming screenings) started to appear.
1934
The first tourist film, a serial cinema magazine, Our Land, was made by African film productions.
1930
In August 1930 the first sound film of Black traditional life, In the Land of the Zulus was screened. It was produced by African Film Productions.
1936
The South African Censor Board came into being.
1938
William Boxer founded Alexander Films, South Africa’s first cinema advertising firm.
1931
The Capitol Theatre in Pretoria opened. At the gala opening South
Joseph Albrecht’s celebration of the centenary of the Great Trek, They Built a Nation/Die Bou van ‘n Nasie was released.
1949
Pierre de Wet’s Kom Saam Vanaand, South Africa’s first musical film was released, and became a huge box-office success. It stared Al Debbo and Fredrick Burger, who had a very deep bass voice.
1939
The African Mirror (started in 1913) got sound in July 1939. On August 31 the Germans invaded Poland and World War II broke out.
Isadore W. Schlesinger died and left the company to his son, John, who continued to expand and build upon the work of his father.
The first South African film with an all-Black cast, Donald Swanson’s Jim comes to Jo’burg /African Jim was released.
1950
“Nkosi Sikelel iAfrica” was first performed by a choir on film in Zonk.
1951
Jamie Uys Daar Doer in die Bosveld, South Africa’s first colour film, was released, as was Zoltan Korda’s adaptation of Cry The Beloved Country, based on the book by Alan Paton and starring Canada Lee and Sydney Poitier. Dr Lionel Ngakane was assistant director.
1954
The South African Society of Cinematographers (SASC) was founded.
The war accelerated Afrikaner nationalism and motivated the movement to produce culturally specific films. RARO, the Reddingsdaadbond Amateur Rolprent Organisasie, was established in 1940.
1940 was a decade when Afrikaans nationalism reached new levels of intensity, and found expression in a number of Afrikaanslanguage films.
1942
RARO released its first two full-length features. The following year the Cilliers/Haarhoff/Mushett Commission’s report recommended the establishment of a South African National Film Board.
1947
The church-funded CARFO/KARFO film company was established.
1948
Cecil Kellaway became the first South African actor to be nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor in Henry Koster’s The Luck of the Irish, but lost to Walter Huston in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
1955 Film Production Facilities Africa, later to be renamed Irene Film Laboratories, was established and the Schlesinger Organization celebrated its fiftieth birthday. 20th Century Fox came on board as a major stockholder.
Lionel Rogosin (South African born, but lived and died in the USA) released his film Come Back, Africa. It was a docu-drama about Sophiatown, featured a young Miriam Makeba, and was the first SA film to be made covertly.
1956
South Africa also suffered its first film industry scandal this year, when a film producer named Roger Bray pleaded for funds (mostly from churches) to make a film on the life of Paul Kruger and then, without shooting a frame of film, disappeared with the investors’ money!
A regulated subsidy system, that rewarded box office success, was introduced. A specific amount of box office income qualified for a refund as a percentage of the production costs. The subsidy system helped several filmmakers to become rich overnight. Government and big business collaborated to keep SA cinema a cinema for whites only; of the glut (60 films!) made between 1956 and 1962 most were in Afrikaans - four were bilingual and the remaining 13 were in English. Some of these films were absurdly bad screen translations of Springbok radio programmes - Taxi, The Men from the Ministry, Flying Squad, Gold Squad - but they were enjoyed by lower middle class white South African audiences. They were often screened in drive-in cinemas, whose popularity soared in the 1960s. (Springbok radio was the English language commercial radio channel - or ‘station’ as it was then called - of the SABC. This, remember, was in the days before television.)
1957
Inrybelange (Edms) Bpk was established and was later renamed Ster Films.
1959
African Film Productions was bought out by 20th Century Fox and renamed South African Screen Productions.
Satanskoraal, directed by Elmo de Witt, was the first film to be filmed underwater.
1961 The South African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO) was established.
South Africa’s first western genre film, Ken Annakin’s The Hellions, was released. This was also the first co-production between South Africa, Britain (Annakin was a British director) and the USA. Jamie Uys co-starred and was also producer on the film.
Talking Point: Why did so few Black South Africans made films before the 1990s?
1963
The Publications Control Board (Censorship Board) was established.
Truida Pohl’s Die Man in die donker (the first local film directed by a woman) was released.
1964
Cy Endfield’s Zulu was a worldwide success, but was banned for screening to black people in South Africa.
Elmo de Witt’s Debbie ran into trouble with the censors. Based on a rather innocuous book called Groen Koring about a farm girl who gets pregnant in the city, the rather puritanical censors objected to the portrayal of an Afrikaans girl getting pregnant out of wedlock ... today it has no age restriction
All the Way to Paris, directed by Jamie Uys, was the first South African film to be filmed overseas.
1967
The ‘no smoking in cinemas’ era began in South Africa.
1968
Jans Rautenbach and Emil Nofal’s Wild Season was released. It was a milestone work dealing with the generation gap between a forbidding fisherman and his bookish son
Die Kandidaat by Nofal and Rautenbach was released. It was South Africa’s first political thriller, and questioned the boundaries of Afrikaans identity.
1970 in this decade a further fragmentation in the industry occurred when the so-called Bantu film industry was created: the black films were of poor quality, made in ethnic languages, and were screened in churches, schools and beer halls. Black and white audiences were treated differently; audiences were separated, watching different films in vastly differing surroundings.
Majuba, about the battle of Majuba, was directed and produced by Cape Town born David Millin, one of South Africa’s most talented filmmakers, and a director who insisted on accurate detail in his historical films.
1969 The Kinekor organization was formed. Since 1962 Afrikaner capital had been a significant factor in the industry: the insurance company SANLAM acquired a major interest in Ster-Films and by 1969, Satbel (Suid Afrikaanse Teaterbelange Beperk) was formed, and the financing and distribution for films in South Africa were in the hands of one large company - except for a few cinemas owned by CIC-Warner.
This year also saw the successful release of Katrina (produced by Emil Nofal, who died in 1986, and directed by Jans Rautenbach). Rautenbach took on the issues of race at a time when it was not easy to do so, given his terribly conservative constituency. Katrina is about love across the colour line, and tells the story of a coloured doctor and white woman who fall in love. Filmed in Paarl and Cape Town, Katrina also features the invisible people of Apartheid South Africa (blacks and coloureds) in the background, the sixties slum neighbourhoods tidied up and sanitized for the sake of the film.
1970
Dirkie, which Jamie Uys produced, directed and acted in, was also released.
David Millin made Shangani Patrol, an historical film about an incident, which happened in 1893, in what was then Southern Rhodesia.
1972 Brigadiers Film Productions made Kaptein Caprivi. This infamous, and with hindsight somewhat laughable film, features the late State President CR Swart exhorting (white) citizens to make the supreme sacrifice for South Africa, and hostage farmers held by Chinese terrorists - who just happen to speak fluent Afrikaans. Kaptein Caprivi was the first of many film recruitment drives for the South African Armed Forces. Others included Terrorist and Aanslag op Kariba.
The same year saw the successful local and international release of Emil Nofal’s The Winners. It was one of the first local films to do well overseas. The Winners is a drama about a man forced and driven to win at all costs.
David Millin was admitted to ranks of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). He was one of only two South Africans (so
far) to be admitted to this organization. The other was Johannesburg born Vincent Cox who was the Director of Photography (DOP) on Wild Season, Die Kandidaat and Katrina.
The Metro Group of cinemas was established.
SABC commenced test transmissions in July.
Killarney Film Studios - the buildings of the AFP - were demolished to make way for shopping malls.
1976
1973
Boesman en Lena, directed by Ross Deverish, was the first feature film to portray the poverty and enforced removals of people classified as “black”. It won a gold and silver medal at the 6th Atlanta Film Festival in the United States.
The first television transmission was made on 5 January 1976, and a new industry was born. Filmmakers rushed into television. SABC became the hub of production. Many dramas and documentaries were produced, some of which are still being rebroadcast in English on SABC Africa and in Afrikaans on M-Net’s Kyknet.
1977
The Guest, directed by Ross Devenish, won the Locarno Film Festival, becoming one of the most acclaimed South African films. The film, based on a play, concerns the last days of one of South Africa’s most unique minds - the writer Eugene N. Marais. Marais was addicted to morphine, and the film describes his anguish, addiction and eventual suicide. Directed by Ross Devenish, it stars Athol Fugard and Marius Weyers, and is also known as Die Besoeker.
1979
Marigolds in August, also directed by Ross Devenish, was released. The film was based on an Athol Fugard play, and starred Fugard himself as well as John Kani. It won a special award at the 1980 Film Festival in Uzbek, Russia, as well as two awards at the Berlin Film festival. It also won a Rapport Oscar for the best local film of the year. Devenish left the country soon after making the film, and spent the next 23 years in England, returning to South Africa only in 2002.
A new subsidy scheme was introduced, stipulating that a film had to earn a minimum of R100 000 at the box office within two years after release to qualify for subsidy.
1974
Simon M Sabela’s U’Deliwe was the first locally produced film directed by a black person. It starred Sabela himself and also featured a very slim and young Joe Mafela. Sabela died c. 1999. How Long made in 1975 was the 2nd feature to be directed by a black male playwright Gibson Kente - but he reportedly got arrested on the last day of filming and the film was never released.
The Publications Appeal Board was established.
1975
Andre Pieterse’s e’Lolipop, directed by Ashley Lazarus, was successfully released overseas. It won several international awards, as well as the rapport Oscar for the best film in South Africa.
Jamie Uys’ Beautiful People - which supposedly recorded the natural behavior of wild animals, but was later dogged by accusations that some scenes had been staged - won a Golden Globe for Best Documentary Feature and was the first local feature to win an overseas award.
Afrikaans Films English Films R200 000 70% 60% R300 000 60% 50% R400 000 50% 40%
A maximum of R300 000 could be earned through subsidies. From 1957 the subsidy scheme was revised 10 times.
1980 The industry was further fragmented in the 80s: on the one hand there was a blossoming of independent cinema, much of it highly critical of apartheid. Films of this sort include The Road To Mecca, Die Storie van Klara Viljee, Manie van Rensburg’s The Fourth Reich, and the Darrell Roodt trilogy: Place Of Weeping, The Stick and Jobman.
On the other hand, substantial tax concessions made investing in film an attractive option and a boom occurred in the commercials industry. Several hundred films were made, mostly inferior imitations of American films. The tax scheme collapsed by the end of the 80s. The anti-Apartheid independent films such as Place of Weeping, Mapantsula and, Windprints, were seen by only a few South Africans. Even if they were not banned, the big distribution companies (SterKinekor and Nu Metro) would not touch them. Instead, they were distributed through a sprinkling of independent venues. In fact, these films were more widely screened overseas than they were in the country of their origin. Since the 1980s Ster-Kinekor, Nu Metro and United International Pictures have owned the majority of cinemas in SA. This meant that these companies controlled the distribution of films here. They almost exclusively showed films made in Hollywood (or in
Europe) because films made overseas were generally accompanied by slick and well funded marketing campaigns that got bums onto cinema seats and ensured a good profit for the cinema-chain. As a consequence most South African cinemagoers were only exposed to foreign films, and rarely got to see serious South African (or African) films.
1980
Jamie Uys’ The Gods Must be Crazy and Ivan Hall’s Kill & Kill Again were successfully released. According to the Film Resources Unit, none of the Khoisan people who appeared in The Gods Must be Crazy ever received royalties from the film. A product of his time and context, Uys’ work effectively utilized the film medium, but his treatment of people (and animals in Beautiful People) can be seen as both demeaning and exploitative.
1981
Video cassette recorders caused a revolution in the industry, spurring on film rentals for home viewing, and giving birth to the retail industry. This was followed by the launch of the black television services TV2/3 by the SABC.
1984
Tax concessions for the export of films were introduced. The more spent on export, the greater the amount written off against tax.
Saturday Night at the Palace received critical acclaim in international circles. Based on the play by Paul Slabolepsky, it is about three characters that meet at a roadhouse one night (two are white, the other is black) and during the course of the film the bubbling pot of racial hatred explodes, leaving one character dead. The film was directed by Robert Davies and stars Paul Slabolepsky, Bill Flynn and John Kani.
Place of Weeping, directed by Darrel Roodt and produced by Anant Singh became a landmark film both for the anti-apartheid movement, and for alternative cinema in South Africa. Singh personally financed the film, and it was the first anti-apartheid motion picture to be made entirely in South Africa. Receiving worldwide acclaim, it was released theatrically in the United States and most global territories. It was also the only South African film to play on US TV channel HBO (Home Box Office).
Film Resource Unit was established. Over these years what started as a small video resource library has grown into a major distributor and promoter of quality, homegrown South African and African film.
1987
The NuMetro Cinema Group was established.
The first gay-themed film, Quest For Love, directed by Helena Noguiera and produced by Shan Moodley was released.
1985
The production of black feature films (made by white producers with black actors for black audiences) reached an all time high. So called B-scheme films could qualify for a government subsidy that paid out a maximum of R70 000.00, based on the number of tickets sold for 18 cents or less.
Dalene Mathee’s pivotal novel, Fiela se Kind, was made into a film. It was directed by actress Katinka Heyns, and was Heyns’ first try behind the camera. Starring Sharleen Surtie-Richards and Annie Malan, it tells the story of a woman of colour who raises a white child as her own.
Many of these vernacular films were not films at all, but bits of footage slapped together to benefit from the subsidy. There were many subsidy scandals involving unscrupulous individuals and companies who produced ‘visual diarrhea’ in order to benefit financially from the scheme.
The Mirror International newsreel ceased to exist after 72 years.
The SABC introduced a fourth service, TV 4.
Mapantsula, directed by Oliver Schmitz, was the first anti-apartheid feature film for and about Black South Africans. It was the winner of seven South African Film Awards but was originally banned here. It starred Thomas Mogotlane, a talented actor, who died prematurely in 1993. At the height of the struggle period, a carefree thug (Panic, played by Mogotlane) is arrested and jailed along with political prisoners. He is alternatively ‘befriended’ and tortured by his jailors until he is forced to take a stand that threatens his life. Film
1986
M-Net, South Africa’s first pay-TV service took to the air.
Resource Unit reports that Mapantsula has proved very popular in the rest of Africa, and has sold 60 000 units on video.
Grey Hofmeyer’s Jock of the Bushveld was a success, but was banned in Zimbabwe due to its South African origins.
Anant Singh and Darell Roodt released the introspective war movie The Stick. Banned for many years, this film argued that being at war for something you do not believe in is madness itself.
Talking Point: Why have so many major South African films featured non South- Africans in the starring roles?
1989 A new subsidy scheme was announced by the Minister of Broadcasting, Information and Film. It included a C-scheme for non-commercial or art films. By December 1989 the government acknowledged that there were insufficient funds to finance films in production.
At the beginning of the 90s there were several co-productions: Darell Roodt’s Cry, the Beloved Country, Elaine Proctor’s Friends, Jump The Gun (produced by Jeremy Nathan and directed by Britisher Les Blair), and Shyam
Benegal’s The Making of Mahatma. Approximately 944 features were made in South Africa from 1971 to 1991, as well as nearly 998 documentaries and several hundred short films and videos.
1990
The new subsidy system determined that SA made films could qualify for subsidy of 70% of internal box office income provided they had earned a minimum of R200 000.00 locally. The total was limited to + R50 million. A subsidy depended on the content being certified by the Publication Control Board. The B Scheme was phased out.
1992
Darell James Roodt directed Sarafina! (producer was Anant Singh), starring Leleti Khumalo, Miriam Makeba and Whoopi Goldberg,. The film tells the story of the 1976 Soweto uprisings. Shot on location in Soweto, the film was based on the stage production by actor-musician Mbongeni Ngema. The film grossed (earned) $8 million (Rand 19,2 million) in the United States. Leleti Khumalo subsequently married Mbongeni Ngema, and after participating in another Singh film, Cry The Beloved Country has not appeared again on the silver screen
1995
M-Net introduced the first digital satellite pay-TV service in Africa - DSTV. This service was second in the world by only six weeks.
1996 Panic Mechanic starring slapstick comedienne Leon Schuster became the highest grossing film South Africa had ever made (R16 million). M-Net launched its New Directions initiative to help novice directors and screenwriters to get real production experience. The initiative has not deflected criticism from M-Net for consistently refusing to screen African films, but 30 short films, and two features have been made to date by the project. Many promising young directors - like Barry Berk (Angel; Yizo Yizo); Jeremy Hendler (Husk); Dumisani Phakathi (Waiting for Valdez), Zola Maseko (A Drink in the Passage) and Catherine Stewart (Transit Cafe) received their first SA exposure via New Directions.
1997 South Africa, and particularly Cape Town, became an increasingly popular destination for foreign film commercials.
Sithengi (isiZulu for ‘we buy’) the first South African film market to attract international interest, was staged in Cape Town in November.
1998
Paljas, directed by actor/director Katinka Heyns, was South Africa’s official entry to the Oscars, in the category of s Best Foreign Language Film - a first for a South African feature film. Paljas is about the relationship between a circus clown and a young boy, and the miraculous way in which this relationship manages to heal the lives of a troubled family. Anant Singh was the producer on Paljas, and the film marked the first collaboration between Heyns and himself. The film is a truly South African one, shot by local crew and cast, in an indigenous language.
The first free-to-air commercial television service, e-TV, commenced operations. The service later became embroiled in controversy around its supposed failure to live up to local content commissioning commitments. (This means that local broadcasters - like e-TV, MNET and SABC, are required by government to “buy South African” - that is, to purchase a certain amount of the programmes they show from local producers and directors, and thus support the South African film industry. They are required to do this even though foreign programmes - especially those of the ‘junk TV’ sort - are often cheaper.
When e-TV abandoned it’s screening of local documentaries, many filmmakers believed they’d been ditched. The channel has to some extent neglected the nurturing of young South African filmmakers, preferring cheap US shows that make economic, if not any other kind of sense. It has however commissioned popular local soapy Backstage, a number of sitcoms, and some innovative documentaries. E-TV has done well commercially, wrestling market away share from the SABC and M-Net.
1999 In October, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) was launched at Sithengi, the SA International Film Market in Cape Town. While many foreign filmmakers come to South Africa to make their films (which are not about South Africa), films with specifically South African stories and with South African actors and South African stories are few and far between. Those that are made rarely sell well overseas, and often lose money. The NFVF hopes to change all this, by facilitating the making of profitable films which reflect South African culture and language, and exporting these all over the world.
The NFVF aims to do this by lobbying government to change the laws regarding film finance and film taxation; by persuading government to make more funds available to grow the local film industry; and by working with big South African companies (the private sector).
The NFVF also wants to grow South African support for local films. Most South Africans know - and care - more about American movies than they do about South African ones. Often this is because the American films are supported by massive marketing budgets, and effective marketing campaigns, whereas the SA marketing budgets are small, and the campaigns are often unfocussed and unimaginative.
2002 Mr. Bones, starring Leon Schuster, and produced by Anant Singh, became the highest grossing SA movie ever. It cost R35 million to make (Shuster put a good deal of his own money into the film) and did very well in SA. It was also distributed in Germany and Spain. Up to May 2002 it had earned R32 million, second only to the US Titanic (R 39 million) and beating Lord of the Rings I and Harry Potter.
The production of commercials, and the occasional feature film, continued to grow, especially in the Cape.
Film Resources Unit (FRU), a Johannesburg NGO, continued to develop alternative distribution models. Started in the eighties to distribute socially relevant African film and video, FRU signed deals with South Africa’s most successful producer Anant Singh (Video Vision), with broadcasters M Net and the SABC, Ster Kinekor (the release of Lumumba) and worked with government to encourage young business people to get involved in film distribution.
2003 M Net puts out a movie of the month brief, commissions eight movies, and commits to investing 11 million in the project.
Many of the older films (up to 1980) mentioned on this site can be viewed by the public, provided they are booked in advance. They are housed in the National Film Archive in Pretoria at 698 Church Street East.
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CHAPTER 2
INTRODUCTION
The Co-production analysis is an annual survey carried by the National Film and Video Foundation intended to analyse developments in official Co-productions that were assessed and /or certified by the NFVF. International co-production treaties is another avenue through which the South African film producers can tap into international financing and talent to produce both films and television programmes that will find audience in both the co-producing countries. South Africa currently has six co-production treaties with the following countries, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Australia and France. The Australian and French Treaties were signed in 2010 as part of the South African government initiatives to foster and promote the South African Culture and exposing local talent to the rest of the world. While the SA/Australian treaty has not been ratified, the SA/French treaty was ratified late in 2010. Treaty co-productions are treated as local content for quota purposes are entitled to financial incentives designed to support local content production in the participating countries. Co-productions entail financial and creative commitments and the pooling of technical expertise as laid out in the official co-production agreement between the participating countries. There are a number of challenges that have been observed with regards to co-productions. The distribution of co-produced projects remains the biggest challenge, especially in the South African context. A majority of these projects are not exhibited to the South African audience and when exhibited locally, they are poorly marketed.
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CHAPTER 2
SOUTH AFRICAN FILM AND TELEVISION COPRODUCTION OPPORTUNITIES SOUTH AFRICA FILM AND TELEVISION CO-PRODUCTION OPPORTUNITIES By many accounts in the South African press, the signing of the CanadaSouth Africa Audio-visual Co-production Agreement in the late 1997 was hailed as the pinnacle of the Southern African International Film and Television Market in Cape Town. The event both illustrated the South African government’s firm intent to support the development and growth of the local film and television industry, as well as Canada’s commitment to seeing new opportunities for its own filmmakers. Both countries signalled their desire to strengthen bilateral linkages through the tandem promotion of their cultural industries. With the treaty framework now in place, there are growing demands for information from Canadians hoping to work with South African coproduction partners. With the support of the Arts and Culture Industries Promotion Division at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Canadian Trade Office in Johannesburg undertook the preparation of this market opportunity guide to address questions concerning the current state of the South African film and television production industry,
finance and market access considerations and the identification of potential buyers and partners. The objective of the study is to provide an indication of the opportunities for Canadians and offer useful references in each area. International co-productions are a key component of the Canadian film and television industry, facilitating the penetration of new markets and the access to project financing. The co-production agreement between Canada and South Africa allows producers from both countries to pool their creative and financial resources to improve distribution and marketing, opening doors to each other’s theatrical and television networks. Under the authorities of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Arts, Culture, Science & Technology, the key principles governing the coproduction agreement are that all forms and formats of “audio-visual” coproductions are considered national productions by each of the two countries; that the creative and technical contribution be in proportion to the financial participation of each co-producer and/or some minimum manning level; that the minimum budget of each country be between 20% and 80% of the total; that both producers retain revenues from their own national market while revenues from the rest of the world are normally shared in proportion to the partner’s investments; and that participation of a third country be permitted. It is expected that over time all creative, technical and financial contributions will be balanced. While bringing mutual benefit to both parties, the co-production agreement offers a competitive advantage to Canadians seeking to work with South African partners. Canada is the first country with which South Africa has a co-production agreement - making Canadian partners the more attractive international choice. Under the agreement, co-productions are recognised as national productions in both countries, and so would qualify as Canadian content for purposes of broadcast. The same applies to South Africa, where local content quotas must also be met for television broadcast. Both countries benefit from increased market access.
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A Canadian producer can benefit from a local partner’s knowledge of the South African exhibition and distribution market, gaining an understanding of the attributes demanded by a South African audience. The success of one co-production film in one partners market can open access for the distribution of other producers. Another benefit of an official co-production agreement is the pooling of financial incentives and subsidies for both parties. In Canada, coproductions are eligible for financial assistance under various support mechanisms such as Telefilm Canada and provincial government funding, while Canadian private investors are eligible for tax incentives. The new coproduction agreement now also offers access to South Africa’s film funds, both public and private sector. Besides the obvious financial advantages of gaining access to an international market, co-productions can result in major savings in the production budget, while at the same time enhancing production values. Not only can Canadian producers take advantage of the favourable currency exchange rate, but with the South African industry relatively new to the international market, productions costs are still at a local scale. The hire of a local production facility, its staff and services will undoubtedly be more cost effective than the hire of an equivalent post-production facility in Europe or North America. Lower production costs make it easier to find investors for the films. Both countries can anticipate learning and training opportunities. With the advantages of greater experience in the creative, technical and business aspects of programme development, post-production and distribution, Canada offers the South African industry experienced producers and technicians, attuned to development programmes with attributes that appeal to an international audience. South Africa has always been a desired foreign location, with its wide variety of terrain, ideal climates, scenic landscapes to its skyscraper cities to traditional African villages. Under the treaty, Canadians have a greater access to shoot productions in South Africa.
A critical competitive advantage Canadians bring to project development is the bridge to “third party” participation. As Canada is currently the only country with which South Africa has a co-production agreement, Canadian partners are the keys to securing another country’s formal participation, and the subsequent access to financial assistance and distribution within the third co-producer’s market. Considering the advantages for Canadians to participate in official coproductions, it is easy to see why more producers are choosing official coproductions as a method for developing film projects. The opportunities that exist for Canadian producers in a new market such as South Africa are limitless. With the financial support from both country governments to develop a sustainable beneficial film and television co-production market, it would appear to be the best long-term strategy in achieving this.
CANADA-SOUTH AFRICA AUDIOVISUAL AGREEMENT The Canada-South Africa Audiovisual Co-production Agreement was signed November 5 1997 by South African Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology Lionel Mtshali and Canadian High Commissioner Arthur Perron, as the highlight of the South African International Film & Television Market (SaiFTM) in Cape Town. At the heart of the agreement negotiated between the South African Department Arts, Culture, Science & Technology and the Department of Canada Heritage is the understanding that co-productions would contribute towards the mutual development of the respective film and television industries and that establishing a framework for co-production would contribute to the enhancement of relations between the two countries. The treaty is a first for South Africa, where as Canadian producers may undertake co-productions with 33 countries which it has similar co-treaties. The co-production agreement or treaty outlines the terms and regulations that must be met for considered as an ‘official’ co-production. This includes
the media used, the minimum financial and creative investment by each party, the terms of a ‘third’ party participation, and the distribution of the production thereafter. The objective of the agreement is to allow South African and Canadian producers to leverage finance from broadcasters and other available sources of film and television funding in order to undertake joint projects and to take advantage of all the benefits currently available to the film and television industries in each of the two countries, giving producers access to new sources of funding and to facilitate access to foreign markets. This enables Canadian and South African producers to pool their creative, artistic, technical and financial resources in order to co-produce films and television programmes. An official co-production has the status of a national production in each of the producing countries and is therefore eligible for the privileges granted to this type of production in both countries. In Canada, they qualify as Canadian content for quota purposes (Canadian TV broadcasters are required to schedule at least 50% Canadian content) and are eligible for federal and provincial tax credit programmes and for financial assistance from Telefilm Canada and other public and private bodies, while Canadian investors are eligible for tax incentives. The same applies to South Africans through similar programmes offered by their government. The minimum financial commitment from either country must be twenty percent of the overall budget. Parties may vary their contribution from 20% to 80% of the budget for each co-production. Each producer shall be required to contribute technical and creative input proportional to his or her investment. Participation of a third party is permitted, if at least one co-production partner has a treaty with that third country. Canada has existing treaties with over 30 countries and may undertake a multi-party production with the consent from the competent authorities of the countries involved. The minimum contribution of the third party must also be 20% of the production’s budget and an effective technical and creative contribution must also be met in proportion to the investment.
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South Africa and Canada may introduce one of the following countries into the co-production agreement considering that Canada has existing treaties with them; Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Commonwealth of Independent States (Former USSR), Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic and Slovak Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, the Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Venezuela. The agreement also allows for twinning, which is a special production package that pairs two distinct projects, one of which may be from a creative standpoint be fully Canadian and the other entirely South African. Either producer is required to have an equity interest and profit participation in both productions but this financial participation may be its only contribution to the other project. A twinning project may be undertaken under the auspices of a treaty, and hence be considered as an official co-production. The sharing of foreign revenues is based on the percentage of the respective contributions of the co-producers, subject to negotiations
34
between the co-producers and approval by the appropriate authorities in both countries. A Joint Commission will be set up to administer the Agreement and will convene every two years to review the operation of the co-production Agreement and address any imbalances or issues that may arise. The finer points of the treaty including shooting, soundtrack, and print copies are covered in the agreement in detail. Along with the above articles, and those in the agreement not described here, are terms and conditions to be signed by the competent authorities, rules of procedure and the actual contract itself.
POINT SYSTEM A point system is used to stipulate the minimum requirements with regards to key personnel positions. The following is a likely breakdown of the minimum points, based on the following key categories qualifying as South African or Canadian. Producers do not score points because by definition there must be a producer from each contributing country.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kurira Films (See SA Production Industry) DRAMA PRODUCTION Writer 2 points Director 2 points Director of Photography 1 point Composer 1 point Editor 1 point Production Designer 1 point Each of the major cast roles 1 point Total 9 points DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION Director 2 points Researcher/Writer 2 points Director of Photography 1 point Sound Recordist 1 point Film or off-line Editor 1 point On-screen presenter 1 point Total 8 points CANADIAN-SOUTH AFRICAN CO-PRODUCTIONS TO DATE During 1996, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) co-produced a thirteen-hour television drama series, Molo Fish, known as Ekhaya in Canada. Produced by Kurira Films International of South Africa and Innercity Films Inc of Canada, Molo Fish was completed before the signing of the Co-production Agreement and was therefore given an advance ruling qualifying it as an official co-production. The made-for-TV drama is set in the 70’s and 80’s in South Africa and also in locations worldwide, including Canada. The majority of the crew is South African. Molo Fish is presently being distributed by the SABC in Africa and by CBC throughout Europe and North America.
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) (See SA Broadcasting Industry) Innercity Films Inc. 70 Esplanade, Ste.307, Toronto, Ontario M5E 1R2 Tel: (416) 368 3339 Fax: (416) 368 5234 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) (see Key Contacts) To date, the biggest television series production in the Western Cape, South Africa is The Adventures of Sinbad. Produced by Atlantis Films of Toronto with Cape Town’s Riverstone Productions as local facilitator, and distributed by All-American of Los Angeles, Network Candless Gobal and Atlantis Releasing. With an initial budget of US$30million, the series was shot in a warehouse sound stage in Cape Town, at Club Mykonos, on the Cape west coast and the coastal towns of Simon’s Town and Gordon’s Bay, while post-production is in Canada where most of the digital animation is added to live action. Canadian animation company Calibre Digital Designs of Toronto helped set up an animation facility in Cape Town to assist production with local Digital Directions of Johannesburg. Atlantis Films 65 Heward Ave., Toronto Ontario M4m 2T5 Tel: (416) 462 0246 Fax: (416) 462 0254 Riverstone Productions (see SA Production Industry)
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SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCTIONS CHAPTER 3
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nam cursus. Morbi ut mi. Nullam enim leo, egestas id, condimentum at, laoreet mattis, massa. Sed eleifend nonummy diam. Praesent mauris ante, elementum et, bibendum at, posuere sit amet, nibh. Duis tincidunt lectus quis dui viverra vestibulum. Suspendisse vulputate aliquam dui. Nulla elementum dui ut augue. Aliquam vehicula mi at mauris. Maecenas placerat, nisl at consequat rhoncus, sem nunc gravida justo, quis eleifend arcu velit quis lacus. Morbi magna magna, tincidunt a, mattis non, imperdiet vitae, tellus. Sed odio est, auctor ac, sollicitudin in, consequat vitae, orci. Fusce id felis. Vivamus sollicitudin metus eget eros. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. In posuere felis nec tortor. Pellentesque faucibus. Ut accumsan ultricies elit. Maecenas at justo id velit placerat molestie. Donec dictum lectus non odio. Cras a ante vitae enim iaculis aliquam. Mauris nunc quam, venenatis nec, euismod sit amet, egestas placerat, est. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Cras id elit. Integer quis urna. Ut ante enim, dapibus malesuada, fringilla eu, condimentum quis, tellus. Aenean porttitor eros vel dolor. Donec convallis pede venenatis nibh. Duis quam. Nam eget lacus. Aliquam erat volutpat. Quisque dignissim congue leo. Vivamus sollicitudin metus eget eros.
LOREM IPSUM TEXT Mauris vel lacus vitae felis vestibulum volutpat. Etiam est nunc, venenatis in, tristique eu, imperdiet ac, nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. In iaculis facilisis massa. Etiam eu urna. Sed porta. Suspendisse quam leo, molestie sed, luctus quis, feugiat in, pede. Fusce tellus. Sed metus augue, convallis et, vehicula ut, pulvinar eu, ante. Integer orci tellus, tristique vitae, consequat nec, porta vel, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur tristique mi condimentum orci. Phasellus pellentesque aliquam enim. Proin dui lectus, cursus eu, mattis laoreet, viverra sit amet, quam. Curabitur vel dolor ultrices ipsum dictum tristique. Praesent vitae lacus. Ut velit enim, vestibulum non, fermentum nec, hendrerit quis, leo. Pellentesque rutrum malesuada neque. Nunc tempus felis vitae urna. Vivamus porttitor, neque at volutpat rutrum, purus nisi eleifend libero, a tempus libero lectus feugiat felis. Morbi . LOREM IPSUM TEXT Mauris vel lacus vitae felis vestibulum volutpat. Etiam est nunc, venenatis in, tristique eu, imperdiet ac, nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. In iaculis facilisis massa.
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MATT DAMON INTERVIEW BY SARA WAYLAND
Matt Damon has been honored for his work on both sides of the camera, including an Academy Award for Best Screenplay and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. In his latest project Invictus, he’s taking on real-life sports hero Francois Pienaar, the captain of South Africa’s rugby team, who helped unite the country by leading the underdogs to victory in the 1995 World Cup Championship match. While at the film’s press day, the actor talked about the challenges of playing rugby, portraying a real-life hero, working with Clint Eastwood and the importance of doing things of social value. Check out what he had to say after the jump: Question: What are the challenges of playing a real-life sports hero? Matt Damon: The first thing I did when I read the script was call Clint and say, “I can’t believe this happened. I can’t believe this is true.” And, he said, “I couldn’t either, but this is true.” So, I went immediately and looked up Francois Pienaar online and I said, “Clint, this guy is huge. We’ve never met but I’m 5’10.” He started laughing and said, “Oh, hell, don’t worry
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about that. You go worry about everything else.” And, I said, “All right, I’ll worry about everything else. You worry about the fact that I need to grow six inches to play this guy.” I had about six months to get ready. I worked hard on the accent and on training physically to build myself up, to try to pull off the illusion of being the captain of a South African rugby team. Ultimately, I just tried to look at every possible pitfall, and then I start thinking about ways to solve those problems before I really get into it. So, I made my little checklist of things I had to do, and just planned it out. And then, I got to South Africa. The very first day, Francois invited me over to his house for a gourmet dinner that he was cooking, so that I could meet his wife and two boys. Morgan and I went. I just remember ringing the doorbell, and he opened the door and I looked up at him, and the first thing I ever said to Francois Pienaar in my life was, “I look much bigger on film.” He laughed and laughed and he gave me a big hug, and then took me into his house and that was it. We were off and running. And, he was just an invaluable resource for me, the whole time. I was constantly asking him questions about everything from what color his mouth piece is to what his philosophy is on the captaincy and on leading a team, and life in general. He just was incredibly available and a very articulate guy, and he was incredibly helpful to me. How hard did you have to work on the South African accent? Matt: Francois’ accent has changed quite a bit because he went and played in England for so many years, and listening to any existing interviews from that day, you can hear how it’s changed. But, there was a good key to that. The dialect coach and I talked a lot about how, when a lot of people do a South African accent, they really overdo it and end up making somebody sound like Frankenstein. It’s actually a quite beautiful accent. We talked about smoothing it out because Francois speaks quite smoothly, and trying to make it subtle, so that it’s not so over the top where you’re just like, “Wait a minute, that’s a little big.” Once you became friends with Francois, what did you pay attention to and incorporate into your performance from your observations of him?
Matt: There are the more obvious physical things that I had to do, to try to pull off that magic trick. If you look at the structure of the script, it’s the greatest world leader of our time appealing to this other type of leader, and forging a bond with him. He basically said, “I need to use you to do this,” and the guy said, “I understand exactly why.” This team was asked to exceed their expectations. It’s a metaphor for what the country needed to do because everybody was expecting them to not be able to heal. It was Francois’s integrity and leadership that I needed to get across with the role. The obvious physical things were taken care of by lifting weights and stuff. What do you remember about Nelson Mandela coming to Boston in 1990? Matt: I was 19 and in college. I remember the Boston visit. I remember the whole world tour. I remember he just went all over the place. In fact, in my high school, we had the Free Nelson Mandela ribbons. Kids were wearing those black ribbons with the writing before they knew who he was. In fact, I have an old scrapbook that I was looking through, that my mother put together for me to go to college, with pictures from my whole childhood that progressed. And, the Free Nelson Mandela ribbon was in there from 1988, when I graduated high school. It was very big. It was my freshman year at Harvard, in the Fall of ’88, and I remember the Divest Now marches, and everything that was going on. College campuses are usually the places where a lot of that stuff is cooking, and people are talking about that stuff. The Boston visit and that whole coming out tour that he did was a very, very big deal. If you had to compare the rugby scenes in Invictus to the fight scene in The Bourne Ultimatum, which were you in better condition for? Matt: Oh, I was in better shape for this movie. I was in the gym every day, and Francois came with me to the gym a few times. This is his life. I didn’t want to embarrass him. If Jason Bourne looks a little flabby, that’s on me. This is the fictionalization of somebody’s actual life. I didn’t want to let him down. It wasn’t going to be for any lack of effort, which really was what that team
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This is the fictionalization of somebody’s actual life. I didn’t want to let him down. It wasn’t going to be for any lack of effort, which really was what that team was actually famous for. They were known for going the extra mile and for knowing themselves well enough to say, “Okay, we might not be the most talented team, but we’re going to be the fittest.” Francois talked me through their training regimen. It was just unbelievable what all those guys did, every single guy. That’s the thing about a great team. When every single person commits to something and sublimates their own personality for the greater good of the whole team, that’s basically the metaphor for that whole country.
was actually famous for. They were known for going the extra mile and for knowing themselves well enough to say, “Okay, we might not be the most talented team, but we’re going to be the fittest.” Francois talked me through their training regimen. It was just unbelievable what all those guys did, every single guy. That’s the thing about a great team. When every single person commits to something and sublimates their own personality for the greater good of the whole team, that’s basically the metaphor for that whole country. Have you played rugby since you finished filming? Matt: Hell no! Did you film this before or after The Informant?
Matt: After. So, I had a good time putting the weight on, and then a tough time reshaping the weight. How much did you know about the sport of rugby, and do you still know the rules? Matt: I knew a little bit about rugby, but very, very little. I do think it helps, in terms of an American audience, that the game is enough like football, in the sense that it’s a battle for field position, and you score by running into what looks like an end zone and putting the ball down. In terms of the nuance of the game, obviously Americans won’t get that stuff, but in terms of the peanut butter and jelly version of what you need to know, I think it’s pretty clear.
What is the experience of working on a Clint Eastwood film? Matt: It’s incredible. Between us, we’ve probably been on 100 different film sets, and it doesn’t get any better than the way that he runs it. Clint says, “Look, I hire the best people I can and I put them in a position to do their best work, and I get out of the way and take credit for all their stuff.” He’s got this crew that just is the top flight crew, with every key and every person working under that key, for every department. You walk on some movie sets and it’s like walking into an emergency room, and you’re like “We’re just making a movie here.” And, that tension bleeds into the performances and the film itself. Clint just runs an incredibly tight ship. It’s very laid back. Because we all have experience working on other movie sets, everyone is aware that they’ve been given enough
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space to do everything they need to do. If you need something, it’s given to you. If the key of a department says “I need this,” or the camera department says, “I’d like this,” it shows up. It’s just very easy. We’ve been entrusted to do our jobs. And then, he’ll occasionally come over and give a little bit of direction, but it’s not a lot of chatter. It’s just a little suggestion here, or a little suggestion there. After you do a take, Clint’s favorite saying is, “Well, let’s move on and not fuck this up by thinking about it too much.” Why is this an important film? Matt: I’d say the film is telling a story that is a wonderful thing to remind everybody of, in South Africa and all over the world. If we listen to the better angels of our nature, there are creative and good solutions to serious problems. It’s just an incredibly uplifting movie and, from the moment I read it, I was excited about just being a part of the ensemble that told this story. I think it’s a good thing to put out there, particularly now. There’s not a lot of good news, so this is a nice thing to put out for the holidays. You have done a number of films that have a social consciousness to them, and you also have The People Speak on TV. Can you talk about doing films that have some kind of social value and what that means to you? Matt: As actors, we react to the material that’s out there, and I probably just react more strongly to things that I feel will have some social value. I think this movie is a great example. This is a really wonderful message to put out. It’s a completely non-partisan message, incidentally. This is about healing and coming together, and it’s an incredibly uplifting story. That’s why it appealed to me. It wasn’t that I went and said, “I want to make a movie that’s about this.” It’s that I read this terrific script and it was about the greatest world leader of the past 50 years, and he was being played by Morgan Freeman, and Clint Eastwood was directing. It was a pretty easy decision for me.
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What was your involvement with The People Speak? Matt: I’m really proud of The People Speak. It came out really well. It’s going to air on the History Channel on December 13th. We just stumbled on a way to tell history that I think is great because it’s factual. It’s just the actual documents. It’s all these great speeches, diaries and journal entries. There are these great, inspirational speeches, and we hope to have a website where teachers are going to be able to access them. If you’re teaching about Frederick Douglass and you can bring a reading by Morgan Freeman into your classroom, I have a feeling high school kids are going to be much more interested and be able to connect to these voices. There’s just something very powerful about it.
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I read this terrific script and it was about the greatest world leader of the past 50 years, and he was being played by Morgan Freeman , and Clint Eastwood was directing . It was a pretty easy decision for me
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SAMUEL L JACKSON TO SHOOT FILM IN SA ‘ZEST AND ENTHUSIASM’
Speaking about his involvement with the project, Jackson said: “The zest and enthusiasm David Ellis had for this project led to my commitment to do it. The same commitment to David leads met to fulfil my obligation to see his dedication fulfilled.” LOREM IPSUM TEXT Mauris vel lacus vitae felis vestibulum volutpat. Etiam est nunc, venenatis in, tristique eu, imperdiet ac, nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. In iaculis facilisis massa. Etiam eu urna. Sed porta. Suspendisse quam leo, molestie sed, luctus quis, feugiat in, pede. Fusce tellus. Sed metus augue, convallis et, vehicula ut, pulvinar eu, ante. Integer orci tellus, tristique vitae, consequat nec, porta vel, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur tristique mi condimentum orci. Phasellus pellentesque aliquam enim. Proin dui lectus, cursus eu, mattis laoreet, viverra sit amet, quam. Curabitur vel dolor ultrices ipsum dictum tristique. Praesent vitae lacus. Ut velit enim, vestibulum non, fermentum nec, hendrerit quis, leo. Pellentesque rutrum malesuada neque. el, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur. Praesent vitae lacus. Ut velit enim, vestibulum non, fermentum nec, hendrerit quis, leo. Pellentesque rutrum malesuada neque. el, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur.
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Nunc tempus felis vitae urna. Vivamus porttitor, neque at volutpat rutrum, purus nisi eleifend libero, a tempus libero lectus feugiat felis. Morbi diam mauris, viverra in, gravida eu, mattis in, ante. Morbi eget arcu. Morbi porta, libero id ullamcorper nonummy, nibh ligula pulvinar metus, eget consectetuer augue nisi quis lacus. Ut ac mi quis lacus mollis aliquam. Curabitur iaculis tempus eros. Curabitur vel mi sit amet magna malesuada Mauris vel lacus vitae felis vestibulum volutpat. Etiam est nunc, venenatis in, tristique eu, imperdiet ac, nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. In iaculis facilisis massa. Etiam eu urna. Sed porta. Suspendisse quam leo, molestie sed, luctus quis, feugiat in, pede. Fusce tellus. Sed metus augue, convallis et, vehicula ut, pulvinar eu, ante. Integer orci tellus, tristique vitae, consequat nec, porta vel, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur tristique mi condimentum orci. Pellentesque rutrum malesuada neque. el, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur.
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The zest and enthusiasm David Ellis had for this project led to my commitment to do it. That same commitment to David leads me to fulfil my obligation to see his dedication fulfilled.
SAM JACKSON HEADS TO JOBURG FOR KITE
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BY DSTV ONLINE | MON, 04 FEB 2013
Anant Singh announced today that production of the live action adaptation of Yasuomi Umetsu’s hit Japanese anime movie, Kite, will be shot on location in Johannesburg with Samuel L Jackson and India Eisley as the leads. The Australian sensation Callan McAuliffe will also star in the film. Singh and LA-based Distant Horizon’s Brian Cox will produce the film. Johannesburgborn Ralph Ziman will be directing Kite after the sudden tragic death of its previous director, David Ellis. The pre-production has already begun in Johannesburg and the film will commence principal photography in February. Casting is currently underway with the producers looking for local South African actors to fill a majority of the numerous, vivid roles in the picture. Sam Jackson was quoted as saying, “The zest and enthusiasm David Ellis had for this project led to my commitment to do it. That same commitment to David leads me to fulfil my obligation to see his dedication fulfilled.” “Sam has been a friend for over 25 years and we served on the board of Artists for a Free South Africa together,” said Anant Singh. “I am delighted to finally be working with him, especially in South Africa.
India is extremely talented and perfect for the role and we are also pleased to be shooting Kite in Johannesburg which offers locations that are ideal for the film.” Kite is a character-driven action film that charts the story of Sawa, portrayed by India Eisley, a young woman living in a failed state, post-financial collapse, where the corrupt security force profits on the trafficking of young women. When her father, a cop, is killed, Sawa vows to track the murderer down with the help of her father’s ex-partner, Karl Aker as played by Samuel L Jackson. Samuel L Jackson, who holds the record for the biggest box-office grosses worldwide, has received stellar acclaim for his role in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and won the NAACP Image Award recently for Best Supporting Actor. Virtually unrecognizable, Jackson portrays the controversial house slave, Stephen, a role not to be forgotten.
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INVICTUS: INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR CLINT EASTWOOD
Clint Eastwood is the director of “Invictus,” which stars Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. The film is being released December 11 by Warner Bros. IMPORTANT TIME IN SOUTH AFRICAN HISTORY Eastwood notes, “This story takes place at a critical point in Mandela’s presidency. I think he demonstrated great wisdom in incorporating sport to reconcile his country. He knows he needs to pull everybody together, to find a way to appeal to their national pride–one thing, perhaps the only thing, they have in common at that time. He knows the white population and the black population will ultimately have to work together as a team or the country will not succeed, so he shows a lot of creativity using a sports team as a means to an end.” As the host country of that year’s World Cup, South Africa is automatically qualified to compete. But the Springboks were unarguable underdogs, largely because of their lack of experience on the world stage. Eastwood explains, “Because of apartheid, South Africa had been banned from participating in international sporting events for years. So no one thinks the Springboks have much chance of winning, including them. But they open themselves up to the possibility.”
WORKING WITH MORGAN FREEMAN Morgan Freeman sent the screenplay to Eastwood, who says he immediately responded to the material. “The story caught my imagination. I thought it was a natural for a movie, and I really liked the way the script was written.”? “Morgan is great,” Eastwood affirms. “I could not imagine anyone else in the role of Mandela. They have the same stature and same kind of charismatic nature. Morgan also has a similar vocal quality, and he worked very hard to capture Mandela’s inflections. I think he did it quite well.”
ON MATT DAMON “Matt may not be the same height as Francois, but he has the same tenacity and power,” Eastwood remarks. “He also worked out very hard and got himself in terrific shape for the film. And,” the director adds, “by structuring set-ups and camera angles, you can make a person look the way you need them to look.”
so we also had a nice ensemble of Americans and South Africans working together behind the scenes and their crew could not have been better.”? A majority of the filming took place in and around the coastal city of Cape Town. One of the key scenes shot there was Nelson Mandela’s visit to the Springbok training camp, filmed in an area called Tokai. When the company arrived that morning they discovered some unusual spectators had beaten them to the site: a group of baboons. Eastwood recounts, “We had to wait until the baboons exited, but as soon as the players got out there, they would stay on the sidelines or up in the trees. They looked at us like they were wondering, ‘What kind of crazy people are these?’” the director laughs. Eastwood reflects, “When we went to Robben Island, everybody was struck by how tiny the space was. And to spend 27 years there–maybe the best years of your life–and then come out and still not be bitter is quite a feat.”
Damon got his chance to play rugby as he and the other actors spent time on the practice field. Eastwood notes, “When you’re an amateur depicting a professional, you have a lot of practicing to do to appear as skilled as these men were. All of the actors who hadn’t played rugby before had a lot of catching up to do. At the same time, we didn’t want our cast to get hurt out there playing with the pros, so we were kind of crossing our fingers the whole time.”
SHOOTING IN SOUTH AFRICA “I would not have filmed this movie any other place but South Africa,” Eastwood declares. “You have to be there–you need the people, you need the places. We wanted that authenticity. The majority of our cast and all of our extras were South African. They also have a viable cinema group in South Africa,
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Neill Blomkamp
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DISTRICT 9
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INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR NEILL BLOMKAMP BY TASHA ROBINSON AUGUST 12, 2009
First-time director Neill Blomkamp acknowledges that he’s a lucky guy: After a few years as a visualeffects artist, and a director working in commercials and music videos, he caught the eye of Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson, who offered him the directorial debut of a lifetime: the big-screen, bigbudget adaptation of Halo. When that project fell through, Jackson offered to fund a more personal debut instead, in the form of Blomkamp’s first feature, District 9. The film hits theaters this Friday, following a clever ad campaign that teased potential viewers with iconic but unrevealing poster images, and initial trailers comprised largely of footage that doesn’t appear in the film. The story, in which insectoid aliens become stranded on Earth and wind up as third-class citizens sealed in a decaying slum in Blomkamp’s native
Johannesburg, South Africa, mimics the apartheid Blomkamp grew up with, but expands into a remarkably assured, personal story about a bureaucratic functionary (first-time actor Sharlto Copley) trying to cope with a plan for resettlement of the aliens in a new camp. With respect for the secrecy of the ad campaign—and the way the story unfolds far more effectively for those who don’t know anything about it going in—The A.V. Club recently sat down with Blomkamp for a mostly spoiler-free discussion of how the film developed, why his ambitious first project was such a breeze, and why he didn’t want it to be “a Hollywood spoon-feeding festival.” A few spoilery questions about the film’s backstory and seeming plot holes appear at the very end. The A.V. Club: The ad campaign for District 9 has been unusually secretive in terms of not giving away the plot or the real tone of the movie. Were you involved in that choice? Neill Blomkamp: Yeah. I mean, the whole marketing campaign is very much Sony’s creative baby, but the one thing I kept asking was that we don’t give everything away. Marc Weinstock and the guys at Sony have done an awesome job, so I’m super-happy with it. But I do think that it’s always okay to show too little. People will still be interested. So why show too much? AVC: How did you initially get involved with Peter Jackson? Was that through theHalo project? NB: Yeah. In 2006, I wanted to really get into feature films, and I felt like I was ready to start doing films—I was doing commercials before that. And my agent sent all of my stuff to Mary Parent, who was at Universal, putting together Halo. Peter was already the producer—Guillermo del Toro was going to do it, and then he went to go do Hellboy II. So they needed a director, and Peter liked my stuff, and I flew down to New Zealand to meet him. After I met him, he signed off on me, and we started making Halo. AVC: What happened with that project? NB: We spent four or five months working on it, and I was developing the story and the script, and designing unbelievable amounts of everything in the movie,
because there’s such a volume of stuff to do with Weta Workshop. And then Fox and Universal were fighting—I mean, a lot of this happened behind closed doors, but basically, the politics between Fox and Universal crashed the movie. Fox wanted more control of the film, I think, and Universal was in the driver’s seat. And they were just going at one another, and finally the whole thing fractured. AVC: By the time that happened, did you already know you wanted to expand your short “Alive In Joburg” into a feature? NB: When I did the short film, it never even occurred to me that it could be a feature. The short was just a piece of experimentation, just creative messing around, really. And then just before Halo came up, when I got the agent and I felt like I wanted to get into films, then I thought, “Oh, actually, this would be a good film. I could make a film out of this.” Then I got hired for Halo and I forgot about it. And then Halo collapsed, and Peter and Fran [Walsh, Jackson’s wife and writingproducing partner] said, “We’re really sorry this has happened, and we can help you get another film. We can help you get it green-lit, and it can be independently financed, and it can be much more like your baby thanHalo would have been. You can make it your own.” It happened so quickly, it was like a day or two, literally, between the one collapsing and then them saying that. AVC: Did anything you developed or were thinking about for Halo— ideas, themes, or visuals—end up going into District 9? NB: No. I think not at all. I mean, maybe on a subconscious level, but consciously, not at all. And I actively wanted to do that, because I felt that District 9 is a very different kind of film. In Halo, I was most interested in the human society—humans 500 years from now, with different planets, and hardware, and the U.S. involvement, and how the Marines have been established in this colonial force, and the industrial military complex that gave birth to Master Chief. And District 9 needed to be completely different. I decided it wasn’t going to be anything like Halo. I mean, the
setting’s South Africa, and the focus is the aliens, and it’s set in the present. It’s meant to be different. AVC: What was it like working with Peter Jackson? Did he have any involvement in this film besides saying, “Go do it,” and putting money into it? NB: I think if I had to summarize the biggest effect he’s had on the movie, it’s the fact that it exists at all. There’s no way I could have gotten this film made as what I wanted to make, without his involvement. So it’s much more than just saying, “Go and do what you want.” It’s “Can I put a guy in the movie who’s never acted before, but I think he can carry the lead role?” There’s no way that would have happened if he wasn’t producing it. So he said “Yes.” And then, “Can they keep South African accents? And they’re thick accents.” “Yes.” So that is probably the single biggest thing, is just the fact that he allowed it to happen. And then on a day-to-day basis, when we were writing the script, Terri and I would have meetings with him and Fran, and Philippa [Boyens, Lord Of The Rings co-writer], honing the script, and they were giving us input, and helping us really shape that. And then when I was editing the film, he was really instrumental. I’d get him into the editing bay, or he’d drop in and watch the cut if he hadn’t seen it for a while, and tell me where he was confused, and how I could streamline it, or where things could be made more clear. A lot of it was to do with clarity and refining things. So I feel now, at the end of the process, almost more grateful, I think, than actually in the beginning. It’s like, now I really realize how lucky I’ve been as a first-time filmmaker. Because it could be a completely different scenario, you could do some studio film that could just trounce you, and not an ounce of yourself is on the screen. So I’m pretty fortunate, I think. AVC: You were born in Johannesburg, and left for Canada at some point in your life. How old were you then? NB: I was almost 18. So I left in 1997. AVC: What about Johannesburg made you want to use it as a setting for this film? What did it bring to the story?
NB: In my opinion, the film doesn’t exist without Joburg. It’s not like I had a story, and then I was trying to pick a city. It’s totally the other way around. It’s that when I got to Canada, in my 20s, I started to get more and more and more interested in Johannesburg, which must have been because I grew up there, but separate to that, it became this insane sociopolitical interest of mine. I actually think Johannesburg represents the future. My version of what I think the world is going to become looks like Johannesburg. Every time I’m there, it feels like I’m in the future, so I was just very, very interested in the city. And then when “Alive In Joburg” happened, I thought, “What about if I just put science fiction into this? I’d love to see what that is.” So the whole film grew out of a love-hate relationship with Johannesburg, really. And then once I put the science fiction in there, which happened to be aliens arriving to Earth, which is a totally clichéd, normal piece of sci-fi that’s been around for a hundred years, all of these other much more serious topics that I was aware of consciously and subconsciously started to work their way into the film. So all the segregation and racism and everything else just kind of became evident, because you can’t get around that if you set a film there. AVC: Why did you leave Johannesburg for Canada? NB: Well, my family immigrated there. And I was at the point where I would have gone to university or art college or something, probably in the U.S., so I think I would have left anyway. But it just so happened that my family immigrated to Vancouver, and I’ve got a younger brother and sisters, and South Africa was pretty dodgy in the late ’90s, so—actually, it’s dodgy now. It’ll just be continuously dodgy, but we moved so that they could not be in a state of violence all the time. AVC: What was it like shooting there? NB: It was really grueling, but that was because the environment we were in was so abrasive. The actual area we were in, the people were very impoverished, but they’re very warm. That often happens in Johannesburg—people are super-warm, even though it’s a high-crime
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area. So when we got to the set, I was okay, but the thing that was psychologically having a go at me was that the big crime in Joburg is hijacking. Carjacking is the number-one thing. And this convoy of us going into this part of Soweto called Chiawelo was like an hour’s drive, each way, every single day… You don’t get a convoy of vehicles like that coming into impoverished areas. It just doesn’t happen, right? We were this moving target the whole time. And my driver one night dropped me off at my hotel, and after he left, he got hijacked. And they had a
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9mm to his head, and they tried to take his girlfriend, and the car did get taken, so he had another rental car the next day. So my fear was the transport, not our location. Though Chiawelo, that area—like I said, the people are warm, but the environment is so caustic and unbelievably disgusting to be in. The crew were realizing that people live like this every day, while we were battling just to be there for two months. Every single thing is difficult. There’s broken glass everywhere, there’s rusted barbed wire everywhere, the level of pollution is insane. And then in that
environment, you’re trying to be creative as well. But of course, that gave birth to the creativity, so it kind of goes both ways.
AVC: Is it true that the production budget for District 9 was only about $30 million?
AVC: And you say that’s the future of the world? Why?
NB: Yeah.
NB: Well, in my opinion, you have out-of-control population growth, and you have fewer and fewer—we are heading for the biggest train wreck our civilization has ever come across ever. Ever. And I think that within 40 or 50 years, we’ll be there. If your population curve is on an exponential growth, and the resources are on an exponential decline, what happens first is you get increases in wealth discrepancy, which means that you get rich pockets of gated communities with security guards outside them, and you get more and more poverty outside that area. And the resources go down, and people start having resource wars over water and food and agriculture and arable land, and then you have Joburg in 2050. And you can see signs of it everywhere. It’s just overpopulation and lack of resources. We just aren’t in control of our destiny.
AVC: Did you feel the constraints of that? Were you able to do everything you wanted with the film?
AVC: So District 9 is a warning about a lot more than apartheid. NB: Yeah, but again it’s subconscious, it’s not like I’m consciously trying to do any of that. It’s my interest in Johannesburg made me set it there. AVC: You seem to have a dim view of humanity. The people in District 9 are almost exclusively violent, selfish, barbaric, and consciously sadistic. Is there hope for the species? NB: Yeah, I think so. I mean, I think that what’s going to happen is that you’re going to have something like Ray Kurzweil’s singularity happen within 50 or 60 years. And there will be a massive redefining of what it means to be human when we start merging with technology, but that’s going to be like this phoenix that rises out of the ashes of billions of starving people. So I think it’s both. On one hand, I think people are destined for something incredible if we don’t wipe ourselves out, but I think we’re going to wipe 90 percent of ourselves out.
NB: Yeah, totally. I think that I’d say $25 to $45 million is kind of where I want to be. I don’t really want to make movies that cost much more. If you’re James Cameron or Peter Jackson, then you can. Because then they’ll give you that much more, and you can do what you want. But if you’re not them, then you’re not going to get to do what you want if they give you $150 million. You’re going to do what they want, which I’m just not interested in. AVC: You worked with four different production houses just to do the CGI in this film alone. How did you coordinate between them and select who did what, and make sure things came out looking cohesive? NB: Well, Pete owns Weta, which is world-famous. And so when the film was conceived, I just assumed Weta would do all of it, because they were huge. But I hadn’t factored in that James Cameron would bring Avatar there and basically consume all of Wellington, and New Zealand as a whole. So Weta was not able to do most of the film, but they ended up doing the mothership. So when I figured out that they would not be doing it—I have a background in visual effects, I used to be a visual-effects artist, and I’m from Vancouver, so I thought, “I’m going to develop relationships with Vancouver visual-effects companies.” So I looked into the companies I wanted to use in Vancouver, and I have a track record with The Embassy, who did the exo-suit. But Image Engine, I hadn’t ever worked with. And they’re the ones that actually carried the entire film, because the aliens are all done by Image Engine. So I had a bunch of meetings, they flew down to New Zealand, and then we had a whole lot of discussions about how
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we were going to go about pulling off digital creatures, and we just kind of figured out a process and then stuck to it. AVC: The aliens are seemingly meant to be repulsive. They’re being victimized, but it’s difficult to empathize with them. Did you want viewers to have that gut-level reaction of revulsion toward them initially? NB: Yeah, exactly. I thought with the aliens, you’d think, “I don’t want to sit next to that on the bus, they look insane, they look barbaric.” And then by the end of the film, you’ve done a 180 on your perception of them. And that’s why their design reflects that. They are gross. They are insect-like, which represents this sort of hive-structure society that they come from, and then they have a human sort of geometry to their face and eyes, so that at some point in the film, you can feel that there’s a sentient creature behind those eyes. So they have to have both of those two things, which is a bit of a balancing act. AVC: The relationship between the humans and aliens is essentially the relationship between whites and blacks in South Africa under apartheid. Were you concerned within that metaphor about making the victims of apartheid too inhuman, too much at fault for what happens to them? NB: No. Obviously I don’t want to make a film that offends people, but the whole world is so politically correct—I’m not going to not do something because it may be politically incorrect. At some point, the metaphors and allegories break down. They disappear, and you just have science fiction. So maybe that’s where this film is a little dodgy. If you just stick to metaphors and allegories, then you can address them. But if at some point it becomes just an interest in sci-fi, and, for example, the aliens being this termite hive that have lost their queen, then maybe you’re on shaky ground. But I like the idea that they’re from this society that’s lost their queen and their leadership, and they need to reestablish that.
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AVC: That point about the queen never comes out explicitly in the film. There’s a lot left to the imagination, and a lot the audience has to figure out on its own. NB: Yeah, I think so. I really wanted the film to feel as real as possible, but I think if you spoon-feed people every piece of detail, it makes it less real. It just feels like a Hollywood spoon-feeding festival, as opposed to if you throw the audience into the middle of it, so they’re kind of trying to figure out what’s going on. I was okay with how much wasn’t explained. AVC: Is that why you use so much documentary-style handheld and “found” footage, to create that reality effect? NB: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. That’s the only reason. AVC: Working with so many different visual styles, what was easiest, or hardest to get right, in terms of what you wanted it to look like? NB: Well, I think the hardest—actually executing it, none of it was hard. But what is hard for me was the conceptualization of—I knew the documentary stuff would work, the news footage and the handheld camera stuff, when the actors are aware of the camera, as in a documentary crew is following them. I knew that would work. What I thought I was on shakier ground with was when it becomes all cinematic, and you’re in a traditional filmmaking world. Even though it is handheld, it’s still pure cinema. And I didn’t know how those two would mesh together. I thought that the audience might be kind of pissed-off that we’d go from something that feels more real to cinematic and then back, hopping between them. So none of them were hard to pull off, but I was worried that the clash between them would be evident. AVC: What was it like working with actors? Coming out of visual effects, you presumably didn’t have much chance to direct performers. NB: Well, visual effects certainly won’t give you any experience with actors, but I had done enough commercials and shorts to feel at least like I had a jumping-
off point. But I don’t think anything can prepare you for—I mean, if you’re a theater director, you’re not going to be prepared for the technical side. And if you’re a technical director, you’re not going to be prepared for the acting side. The only thing you can do is go through the meat grinder of your first film. That’s it. So if I was unprepared, it would have been within the realm of dealing with actors. But I had done enough that I was fine. I just really needed to hone it, and by the end I was much better, I think, than at the beginning. We were also dealing with lots of improv. Like Sharlto’s character doesn’t say one
word that was written. That’s all improvised. So there was a different structure to how it was done as well, it wasn’t a normal movie that way. AVC: Was it mostly cast locally? NB: Yeah, they were all South African. AVC: What about the crew?
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NB: Well, the actual hands-on production guys were South African, but they were mostly from Cape Town, because Cape Town services a lot of European commercials. So they have—their crew was very good, but the very closeknit group around me was people like Trent Opaloch, who’s my DP. I know him from commercials and music videos, so I have a total shorthand with him. The heads of production were—some of them were New Zealanders from Pete’s camp, and then there were South Africans. AVC: How did you get involved in visual effects in the first place? NB: Well, when I was living in South Africa, by the time I was 10 or 11, I knew I wanted to be in movies, but I didn’t really know in what capacity, or what kind of films I wanted to be in. But I’ve always been a very, very visual person. Everything is always about artwork and visuals and imagery. So I thought I wanted to be in special effects, like model-making and prosthetic effects, and I thought that until I was about 15. And then computers started getting cheap enough and powerful enough that you could mess around with 3D graphics, so from the time I was 15 onward, I thought I’d be in visual effects and computer-generated effects. And then by the time I was 18, I was in Canada, and then I went to Vancouver Film School for, like, a year. And then I went into work as a visual-effects artist at a Canadian post-production company. And then by the time I was 20, that’s when I knew I wanted to be a director. So I probably only worked as an effects guy for about two years, and then I moved into directing low-budget music videos, and then commercials, and then high-budget commercials. AVC: Did that background give you everything you needed in terms of directing the visual effects for a feature? Was there a learning curve? NB: No. No no no no. I was totally prepared for the effects part of this. For sure. Because at some point it turns into—you know, the technology is being refined, but I’m not connected to the technology, and the fundamental foundation is exactly the same. You’re either talking about motion, texturing, and model-making, or lighting. And the foundations are the same, so the language is the same. And then you’re fine.
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AVC: You sound so confident about every part of the experience. Was there anything about your first feature that threw you, or surprised you? NB: Yeah. Yeah, totally. The process as a whole. The shoot was incredibly grueling. The shoot was tough as hell. What I was completely unprepared for is, if you talk about the two-and-a-half-year timeline of this film, and a shoot being a hundred times longer than you’re used to, all of the plotting where you are on that curve. So on day 37, you’re shooting a scene that occurs in the first five minutes of the film. It’s like you have to have this mental map in your head of this extremely long timeline, and every component is scaled up. I think that is what I was most unprepared for: “Holy shit, this is a massive undertaking.” So you’ve got to go through it to come out on the other side. AVC: District 9 doesn’t exactly set up a sequel, but there’s certainly room for one. Do you have any interest in that? NB: Well, the film was so creatively rewarding to work on, it’s got all my favorite ingredients, that if the movie’s successful, and people want a sequel, I would happily make one. Because I would love to go back to the world of aliens in Johannesburg. Creatively, it’s awesome. But going forward from where the movie ends, I don’t actually know what happens. I mean, I’d have to go and seriously think about that. AVC: That aside, what’s next for you? NB: Well, I’ve got another sci-fi film that I’m going to start writing when I get back to Vancouver, which I think is my next film. Just another kind of idea. AVC: Will the next one also take two and a half years? NB: It’d probably be closer to two, I think. Because I’ve learned more, and I understand the process a bit better now. I can try to see how long I want to take in each aspect of the filmmaking process, and then arrive at around the two-year end mark.
AVC: I only came out of District 9 with one plot question, and it involves a major spoiler, so it’s going at the very end of this interview. How was Christopher able to get the mothership started so quickly and easily, given that none of the other aliens were able to when they were originally stranded? Why was he able to just punch a button and get it started after 20 years? NB: The idea is that—this gets really geeky and insane, but going back to their hive-structure thing—their queen has died, and the elite population of their society has died, which are really the decision-makers. You’re left with a bunch of drones that aren’t directed on their own goal-setting basis. I like the idea that after 20 or 30 years, that their ESP kind of hive-mind will begin to almost elect members of its population to start—their fundamental brain architecture could actually change, and they start forming leadership roles. So I think when they’re on their ship, and they’re all destitute, when you see them at the beginning of the film starving, it’s that there is no one thinking on that level. They simply take orders. So it’s taken 20 years for that hive to start realigning itself. And so as Christopher has gone through these years, his mind has started to be honed into forming a plan. So that’s where it came from. And this nano-fluid that he had to collect, which he would have had access to on the ship back then, it’s just simply that the drive didn’t exist. The hive is just trying to restart itself. AVC: If you did do a second movie, do you see yourself getting into more of those details, about how the aliens work, and who they are, the kind of thing you don’t see much in this film? NB: Yeah. Yeah, totally. Though not because I want to explain things to the audience. It’s not because I feel like they didn’t get things explained to them in the first one. It would be more that whichever particular road you pick within this particular alternate universe, there can be really interesting stuff, depending on which way you go. If that’s one of the directions it were to go in, it’d be an interesting one. But I literally have not thought yet about which way it would go.
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HOW STUART FORREST BUILT ONE OF AFRICA’S TOP ANIMATION STUDIOS INTERVIEW WITH STUART FORREST OWNER OF TRIGGERFISH ANIMATION STUDIOS
Stuart Forrest, owner of Triggerfish Animation Studios, is a finalist for South Africa’s 2012 Sanlam/ Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year award, a testament to the recent strides made by his company in the African animation industry. STUART FORREST In 1996 the company started with producing animation for the Takalani Sesame Street series, the South African version of the American children’s television show Sesame Street. Today Triggerfish has just completed its first feature film, Adventures in Zambezia, and it’s second, Khumba, is set to be released soon. How we made it in Africa’s Kate Douglas asks Forrest about how he built one of the continent’s leading animation studios. In the beginning, where did Triggerfish Animation Studios’ funding come from?
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Initially I borrowed money from banks, credit card, family and friends – anyone I could convince – and I brought in a business partner who matched the money I could raise. When that ran out, I recruited three more partners who were willing to get behind the business to make it work. Without these partners, the company would not be what it is today. Their strengths complement all my weaknesses. What is the most significant thing you have done to grow your business? After bringing in the right partners, is has to be raising money. Without money, you only have an idea, but the money makes it a reality. We are constantly in discussions with potential strategic and investment partners.
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What does the animation industry in Southern Africa look like today? We’re growing rapidly. The quality of animation is world class, as most animation professionals have learnt their craft in the demanding commercials industry. Recently the size of the industry has grown into something that has been possible to scale into long form feature film production. Describe the barriers to entry into the animation industry? In order to get funders to entrust you with millions of dollars in order to make a feature film, you need to have proven your abilities. Triggerfish had been operating for 13 years before we got our first feature film funded. We spent 10 years working on kids animation for US pre-school giant Sesame Street and we completed two 12-minute shorts and one half hour short for
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various other clients. During this time we perfected our film technique and pipeline development as well as our confidence. Tell us a bit about your animated feature film, Adventures in Zambezia It has been sold in 40 territories around the world, most notably to Sony Pictures for English language distribution. We’ve just released in Israel and we are going into our fifth week on circuit as of today. We are thrilled at the ticket sales so far. Most territories will release over the next six months, so we’ve got an exciting time ahead. We are getting some great reviews. The film won Best South African Feature Film at the recent Durban International Film Festival and was selected for screening at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
How did you finance the film? We got seed funding for our first feature film from a San Francisco-based company, Wonderful Works. It was their idea to make a feature film in South Africa. With that money in place we raised further funds from the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Film and Video Foundation, 120dB Film Finances in Los Angeles, and Cinema Management Group based in Beverly Hills. Some of these same partners also funded the second film. Where would you like to see Triggerfish in 10 years time?
In 10 years time we want to be a world-leading media and entertainment company producing original content with a unique creative voice from the heart of Africa. We are well on our way to this goal with the experience of two feature films and our recently launched digital products department. We are completing our first eBook and are negotiating a music publishing deal for the soundtrack of the movie. We want to produce creative content and entertainment based on our stories and films on all the major platforms. We are also establishing an animation training facility which will add to our talent pool and help raise the bar for animation skills and world-class storytelling. We want to staff our development and creative team with the best writing talent available.
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MORE AWARDS FOR SA FILM OTELO BURNING INTERVIW WITH STUART FORREST OWNER OF TRIGGERFISH ANIMATION STUDIOS
South African film Otelo Burning added to a long list of accolades over the weekend, picking up a hat-trick of awards at Australia’s Byron Bay International Film Festival - the first film ever to claim the honour. The film is about a group of youngsters from the Lamontville township in KwaZulu-Natal who discover a love of surfing. It was shot in Durban, is in Zulu with English subtitles and stars Jafta Mamabolo, Thomas Gumede and Tshepang Mohlomi. It is set in 1989 in the midst brewing conflict between two political groups in Lamontville, according to the filmmakers. Surfing allows the characters Otelo Buthelezi, his younger brother Ntwe and friend New Year an escape from the violence of where they live. What follows is a story of human foibles at an explosive time in South Africa’s history. “Set against the backdrop of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, it looks at the enormous potential for change at the time of apartheid’s downfall - all seen through the eyes of a child,” said director Sarah Blecher.
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Its clean sweep at the Byron Bay Festival was an important international win for the film. It won the Owners Club at Linnaeus Best Film Award, the Byron Bay Coffee Company Best Dramatic Feature Award and the Tavarus Best Surf Film Award. Festival director J’aimee Skippon-Volk described the film as “exceptional” and as having “a lot of heart”. Thomas Gumede, who plays the role of New Year in the movie, accepted the awards via video link. “It is such an honour to be part of a project that comes from such a small town like Lamontville to be shown among an international audience.” Otelo Burning was in development for seven years and came out of an extensive workshop process held with a group of children in the township. “It’s not just a story that someone sat in a room and made up. It’s a Lamontville story, told by the people of Lamontville,” Blecher said.
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It was taken to the No Borders IFP (Independent Filmmaker Project) in New York City in 2009 and was selected for the IFP Independent Film Narratice Labs in 2011; it was funded by South African investors through the Department of Trade and Industry’s film incentive rebate. The film gained international recognition and a slew of awards following its release in 2012. These include official selection at London’s BFI Film Festival, France’s Lille Film Festival, India’s Chennai Film Festival and the Seattle Film Festival, as well as a nomination for the Golden Needle Award at the Seattle Film Festival. It won best cinematography and best child actor at the 2012 Africa Movie Academy Awards in Lagos and best film at the Cape Wine Lands Festival. Blecher was also awarded the IFP Adrienne Shelly Director’s Grant in New York. More recent awards also included best lighting designer, make-up artist and best movie at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards, also hosted over the weekend.
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CHAPTER 6
SA A LIVELY PLAYER IN DIGITAL ANIMATION
SOUTH Africa is starting to make its mark in the world of digital animation and will this year release its second full-length animated feature, Khumba, created by Cape Town’s Triggerfish studios. This follows the local industry’s first animated film, Triggerfish’s Adventures of Zambezia, which proved to be the most successful African film export since The Gods Must Be Crazy, released more than 30 years ago. It is also the first African film to have received two nominations for the Annie Awards, the animation industry’s Oscars. Triggerfish chief financial officer Jean-Michel Koenig said studios and production companies based in Africa were better positioned to tell authentic African stories and could do so at a lower cost than the big players such as the US and New Zealand. “We have seen the global success of franchises like DreamWorks’ Madagascar franchise and the box-office success of Disney’s Lion King. We should be taking the initiative in bringing our own stories to the world,” said Mr Koenig. “Also, South Africa is able to make films cheaper and is sometimes more resourceful than Hollywood, which has a very traditional approach to
animation. This has certainly been our experience at Triggerfish, where our budget constraints meant we had to look at every problem with a fresh eye. It forced us to be resourceful and inventive.” In the US, animation films are produced on budgets of $50m-$200m and account for more than 15% of the US gross box office, which was above $10bn last year. New Zealand also has an established special-effects industry, primarily through a company called Weta, which benefited from Peter Jackson’s successes, including hits such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy and James Cameron’s Avatar. But, despite this, New Zealand has yet to produce its own original animation feature film, something that South Africa has accomplished. The local digital animation industry is pegged at close to R3bn a year and employs about 3,000 people, according to Luma, a sizeable player in this small, but growing sector.
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Luma director Paul Meyer said generous tax incentives paired with goodquality animation skills had seen the local animation industry grow significantly in recent years. “Luma has grown at about 10% a year since we opened our doors in 2001.” In line with South African tax regulations, companies are allowed to produce an animation or film anywhere in the world and still claim tax breaks of 25%30% if they spend R3.5m or more in South Africa. “This makes the country extremely attractive when it comes to doing some animation work here,” said Mr Meyer.
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Triggerfish’s Mr Koenig agreed that government support had bolstered the local industry. “We would not be where we are today without the support of the Industrial Development Corporation, the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Film and Video Foundation. “In South Africa we have a fantastic service industry doing world-class work for the major studios, but no one is really investing in original storytelling to the extent that we can build a sustainable industry. This needs to change
and, until we see the private sector playing its role in allocating capital to the creative industries, the government has a role to play,” said Mr Koenig. Mr Meyer said the digital animation landscape was evolving from being UScentric to one in which much work is done in other, cheaper jurisdictions. “While the US is still perceived as being the best, it is very expensive to do animations there.” He said animation skills in South Africa were good and getting better by the day, with between 100 and 200 people graduating in the field every year. “There is a lot to be excited about in the local industry and when you look at the international market there really is an infinite amount of work,” said Mr Meyer, who assisted with India’s first major sci-fi movie, Ra.One. Mr Koenig said Africa would continue to “self-actualise” over the next 10 years or more. Filmmakers and animators have a role to play in the process. “We have some amazing talent in South Africa. As we become more confident in our abilities, the world will sit up and take notice.” * This article was first published in Sunday Times: Business Times
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In line with South African tax regulations, companies are allowed to produce an animation or film anywhere in the world and still claim tax breaks of 25%-30% if they spend R3.5m or more in South Africa. “This makes the country extremely attractive when it comes to doing some animation work here,” said Mr Meyer.
HOME TO THE STARS Cape Town is fast becoming home to the stars, with the latest being actor Robert De Niro set to bring his famous Tribeca Film Festival to the Mother City. The Cape Film Commission, along with espAfrika– the organisers of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival – have reportedly signed a five-year contract to host the Cape Town edition of theTribeca Film Festival, starting 2012. espAfrika CEO Rashid Lombard told th: “The opportunity this creates for the local and African film industry is very important, as the festival will create a much-needed international platform for our local filmmakers and industry.” SA follows in the steps of Qatar, which recently hosted the Doha Tribeca Film Festival for the third year running.
THE TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL Robert De Niro established the festival in 2002, after the 9/11 attacks, in an attempt to revitalise the Tribeca neighbourhood in Lower Manhattan, New York. The festival forms part of Tribeca Enterprises, a diversified global media company, started by the Oscar-winning actor and his partners Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2003. The aim of the business, which also includes the Tribeca Film Festival International, is to provide artists with unique platforms to showcase their work and to make independent film available to a broader audience. Lomard said he was approached by the directors of Tribeca after they attended the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in 2011. Clearly they were impressed with how well the annual event is organised and attended. The Cape Town International Jazz Festival was named the 4th best jazz festival worldwide by Melodytrip Independent Survey in 2007.
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FINANCING FILM The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) has doubled the cap on its two rebates to R20 million. The Foreign Film and Television Production Incentive is available to foreign productions with qualifying South African spend of R12 million. This provides a 15% rebate of the qualifying spend. The South African Film and Television Production and Co-Production Incentive refunds 35% for the first R6 million and 25% for the remainder of the spend for local productions and official treaty co-productions with qualifying South African spend of R2.5 million. To qualify, 50% of principal photography must take place in South Africa. The rebates allow for benchmark payments and are available for television films and series, as well as features, documentaries and animation. The initial Film and Television Production Incentive committed R370m between June 2004 and January 2008 to 49 approved projects, generating R2 445m in qualifying South African spend. This was replaced by The Foreign Film and Television Production Incentive and The South African Film and Television Production and Co-Production Incentive, which have committed R630m and approved 139 projects, generating R3 279m in qualifying local spend. Apart from the dti, the other main source of financing is The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), a self-financing, state-owned national development finance institution, which caps its investment at 49% of the overall budget.
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The National Film and Video Foundation is another source of funding. On documentaries, they fund development up to R50 000 and production up to R100 000. On feature films, they fund development up to R150 000 and production up to R1 million. Interim Film Fund In South Africa, the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (DACST) created an Interim Film Fund, in November 1996. The DACST, acting as an advisory body, allocated R10 million towards the development of the local film industry. To date, the Interim Film Fund has provided funding for 96 projects including feature films, shorts, video, documentaries, television, training programmes, and post production. Until the NFVF is fully functional in September 1998, DACST will continue to administer the funding of film projects. National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) Established through the National Film and Video Foundation Act, the new National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), will continue with the direct funding of the local film industry through two funds known as the (1) Film and Video Initiative; and the (2) Film Development Fund. The purpose of the Film and Video Initiative is to provide funding for feature films and video projects. The Film Development Fund will provide funds for entry levelproducers and first time directors; bursaries for study in filmmaking; short and specialised film and video productions; and script development. South African Film Finance Corporation (SAFFCO)
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SAFFCO was incorporated in South Africa in 1997 and officially launched at the Cape Town International Film Market. SAFFCO offers Production Financing for the purpose of supporting projects worldwide, with an emphasis on those to be produced wholly or in part in South Africa. SAFFCO’s Banker Shortfall Guarantee is a relatively straightforward and simple instrument through which bank financing for a specific production is guaranteed against loss, so if at any time during or after loan replacement period there is insufficient revenues from exploitation to satisfy the loan, SAFFCO’s underwriter(s) will remit the shortfall, thereby absorbing the loss. At no time are the lending bank or Producer at risk. Priority is given to viable projects intended for production either wholly or in part in Southern Africa. However, other projects produced outside Southern Africa will be considered and selected based on merit. SAFFCO places high priority on project co-produced between South African and Foreign Producers.
The Anglo Cape Film Foundation
Arts & Culture Trust of the President
Box 53357 Kenilworth, Cape Town 7745
Box 51037, Musgrave Road, Durban 4062
Contact: David Wicht
Contact: Ms Nicky du Plessis
Tel: (+27 21) 762 0220
Tel (cell): 082 901 0735
Fax: (+27 21) 762 0221 E-mail: film.afrika@iafrica.com Business Arts South Africa (BASA)
Department of Arts, Culture, Science &
Box 784481, Sandton City, JHB 2146
Technology (DACST)
Contact: Nicola Dandy
(see Key Contacts)
Tel: (+27 11) 784 9994/5 Fax: (+27 11) 784 9996 Film Finance Group, Inc SA
South African Film Investments(SAFIN)
Arts & Culture Trust of the President
P.O.Box 411735, Craighall, JHB 2024
Box 344, Rondebosch, Cape Town
Contact: Jan Markowitz Griesel
Contact: Abdurehim Essack
In the private sector, the Arts & Culture Trust of the President (ACT) makes funds available from contributions from its core founding partners. ACT funds creativity, infrastructure and distribution in all the arts including film. There is a criteria which must be met before an application will be considered for funding.
Tel: (+27 11) 325 5321
Tel: (+27 21) 461 7144
Fax: (+27 11) 325 5324
Fax: (+27 21) 461 7145
South African Film Finance Corporation
Toron Screen Corporation
(SAFFCO)
Contact: Judy Norwood
Business and Arts South Africa (BASA)
Contact: Mr. Codrin
No.1, Castle Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
Tel: (021) 439 7841
8005
The recently formed Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) aim is to promote and encourage sustainable partnerships between the private sector and the arts, making funds and grants accessible.
Fax: (021) 439 3390
Other Organizations There are a few private companies and organizations listed here who do finance film production however, the type and amount of investment is dependent on the individual production.
E-mail: saffco@netactive.co.za VideoVision Enterprises
Primedia House
Box 3253 Durban 4000
135 Rivonia Rd, Sandown, JHB 2196
Contact: Sanjeev Singh
Tel: (+27 11) 784 3466
Tel: (+27 31) 224 000
Fax: (+27 11) 883 1707
Fax: (+27 31) 422 444
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SOUTH AFRICA AS A MOVIE LOCATION TOP INTERNATIONAL FILMS SHOT IN SOUTH AFRICA
Hollywood has been quick to latch onto South Africa’s potential as a location While many people are making films about South Africa, South Africa’s ideal climate and extraordinarily varied scenery mean that it is an ideal location for a huge range of movies. Increasingly South Africa is also being used as a stand-in for other countries, from Afghanistan to Sierra Leone and even comic fantasies.
1. HOTEL RWANDA In 2004, Johannesburg and the surrounding Gauteng countryside stood in for Rwanda in the harrowing true life story of hotel manager, Paul Rusesabagina, who protected over a thousand Tutsi refugees from the Hutu militia during the massacres. Directed by Terry George, and starring Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo and Joaquin Phoenix, the film collected three Oscar nominations amidst many other awards.
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2. BLOOD DIAMOND
stars Olivier Martinez and Ralph Brown. The film has been shot in Cape Town and in the seas around the Cape Peninsula.
South Africa stood in for Sierra Leona’s brutal civil war in gritty 2006 thriller, Blood Diamond, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as South African mercenary turned smuggler, Danny Archer, and Jennifer Connelly. Directed by Edward Zwick and written by Charles Leavitt, not only was it a crackingly good thriller, but it did much to publicise the role that blood diamonds have played in conflicts across Africa. It collected many awards including 5 Oscar nominations. With much of the filming in and around Cape Town, other African locations included Kwazulu Natal, Port Edward and Mozambique.
3. DARK TIDE
4. LORD OF WAR A sweeping international thriller, this 2005 epic follows the chase as Interpol tracks down global arms dealer, Nicholas Cage. He reflects back over his life with Cape Town and its surrounds standing in as locations for everywhere that wasn’t the US or Europe - a staggering 57 different locations from Afghanistan to the Middle East, Sierra Leone and Bolivia. Directed and written by Andrew Niccol, the film also stars Ethan Hawke and Jared Leto.
Also filming in 2010 for release in 2011, Dark Tide stars Hollywood sweetheart Halle Berry as a diving instructor daring to head back into the water after close encounter with a great white shark. Jaws for a new generation? Directed by John Stockwell and written by Ronnie Christensen and Amie Sorlie, it also
5. DREDD Into the future and fantasy, Danny Boyle’s DNA Films spent 2010 filming in Cape Town andJohannesburg. The cities are standing in for Mega-City One
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in the latest incarnation of 2000 AD’s darkly violent Judge Dredd comic strip, in which the police act as judge, jury and executioner. Directed by Pete Travis and written by Alex Garland, the film stars Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby and Jason Cope and is due for release at the end of 2011. It’s said to be far closer to the dark gritty reality of the comics than the earlier Sylvester Stallone movie. We’ll have to wait and see.
6. SAFE HOUSE The original script called for the film to be set in Rio de Janeiro but riots in the flavelas at the time of pre-production meant the insurance companies felt it was too risky to stage it there. The script was re-written to switch the locations to Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the production team found that the country more than fulfilled their wishes. Denzel agreed it was a good move: “You get a real texture and feeling when you shoot in the townships, and that’s one of the beautiful things about Cape Town. It’s so diverse, from downtown and the townships to the ocean and the mountains.”
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AFRICA’S STARRING ROLE KARL URBAN AS COMIC-BOOK HERO DREDD. THE 3-D ACTION PICTURE IS THE FIRST MOVIE TO BE MADE AT THE CAPE TOWN FILM STUDIOS
The creators of the british comic strip Judge Dredd imagined Mega-City One as a colossal metropolis in the postapocalyptic near future stretching from Boston to Washington, home to 400 million people living in 200-story blocks. Baden Powell Drive is a highway linking South Africa’s historic wine country and the tinshack township of Khayelitsha outside Cape Town, with wide verges favored by prostitutes and goats. Yet here, in four giant hangars by the roadside, a crew and a cast of hundreds are makingDredd, which they hope will be one of next year’s biggest action movies. Why here? “There are only a few places in the world that can handle this kind of movie,” says Dredd’s British co-producer Andrew MacDonald, whose credits include Trainspotting, The Beach and The Last King of Scotland. “South Africa is comparable to any of them.”
of a Fool (2008) with Daniel Craig? That Malibu beachfront is Cape Town’s Atlantic coast. HBO’s Iraq-war series Generation Kill (2008)? That desert is South Africa’s northwest. South Africa has also doubled for the Urals in 10,000 B.C.(2008); 17th, 18th and 19th century America in the Discovery Channel opus America: The Story of Us; and much of the rest of the planet in 2009’s globetrotting Amelia, which starred Hilary Swank.
You’ve likely seen a lot of South Africa in the past few years, much of it unknowingly. Clint Eastwood’s Invictus (2009), with Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman, was set in South Africa and, naturally, shot there, as was much of Blood Diamond (2006), with Leonardo DiCaprio. But Lord of War (2005), with Nicolas Cage as a gunrunner? Those West African war zones and shots of Lebanon and Colombia are actually sets in South Africa. Flashbacks
Versatility and convenience of location — all those landscapes are within a few hours’ drive of Cape Town — are keys to South Africa’s moviemaking appeal. So is cost. By making Dredd in South Africa, where a nonunion cast and crew is cheaper than it would be in Europe and the U.S. and the government rebates up to 25% of production costs, MacDonald says he can make “something that will look like $100 million” for less than half that
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figure. Dredd co-producer Michael Murphy concurs. “South Africa is in the business of making movies that cost half as much as they look,” he says. But if South Africa were just another example of win-lose outsourcing in which production is offshored to cheaper parts of world, Hollywood’s love affair with Cape Town would last about as long as it takes for the next lowcost location to emerge. There is reason, however, to hope the spotlight will linger longer on South Africa: skills. The surprise hit of 2009, the aliens movie District 9, was made by a South African cast and crew and demonstrated hitherto unnoticed talent in the nation’s 25,000-strong, $1 billion-a-year film industry. The film was, says MacDonald, a “game changer. A lot of people began paying attention to South Africa after that.” Dredd should only enhance that reputation. It is the first movie to be made at the new Cape Town Film Studios, a 17,000-sq-m complex of four soundstages, offices, set-production warehouses and a cinema on Baden Powell Drive. To give an indication of how up-to-date those facilities are, Dredd will be a rare example of a 3-D action movie, as opposed to the much more common 3-D animation film. MacDonald says that though he imported 40 foreigners, the bulk of the crew were Cape Town’s own. Building on that name for quality, Nico Dekker, CEO of Cape Town Film Studios, plans an academy for young African filmmakers and a technical academy on his lot, while across the highway in Khayelitsha, a new animation academy endorsed by the British creators of Wallace and Gromit enrolled its first 120 students this year. South Africa’s new role as Hollywood’s hottest back lot reflects how perceptions of the country and the continent are changing. That new image is even finding its way onscreen. March saw Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington wrap another action movie in Cape Town, Safe House. The film, originally slated to be set in Brazil and merely shot in South Africa, was rewritten so Cape Town could finally stop serving as a double and, for once, be cast as itself. Denis Lillie, CEO of the Cape Film Commission, says he expects more of that in the future. Like Los Angeles or New York, Cape Town is a naturally cinematic city, he says. “You have Table Mountain, the sea, the city, the townships. And it’s a very soulful place. A lot of the stars get off the plane, touch the soil of Africa and discover a real connection.” Sounds a lot like movie magic.
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STUDIOS IN GAUTENG LOREM IPSUM TEXT Mauris vel lacus vitae felis vestibulum volutpat. Etiam est nunc, venenatis in, tristique eu, imperdiet ac, nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. In iaculis facilisis massa. Etiam eu urna. Sed porta. Suspendisse quam leo, molestie sed, luctus quis, feugiat in, pede. Fusce tellus. Sed metus augue, convallis et, vehicula ut, pulvinar eu, ante. Integer orci tellus, tristique vitae, consequat nec, porta vel, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur tristique mi condimentum orci. Phasellus pellentesque aliquam enim. Proin dui lectus, cursus eu, mattis laoreet, viverra sit amet, quam. Curabitur vel dolor ultrices ipsum dictum tristique. Praesent vitae lacus. Ut velit enim, vestibulum non, fermentum nec, hendrerit quis, leo. Pellentesque rutrum malesuada neque. el, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur. Nunc tempus felis vitae urna. Vivamus porttitor, neque at volutpat rutrum, purus nisi eleifend libero, a tempus libero lectus feugiat felis. Morbi diam mauris, viverra in, gravida eu, mattis in, ante. Morbi eget arcu. Morbi porta, libero id ullamcorper nonummy, nibh ligula pulvinar metus, eget consectetuer augue nisi quis lacus. Ut ac mi quis lacus mollis aliquam. Curabitur iaculis tempus eros. Curabitur vel mi sit amet magna malesuada
Mauris vel lacus vitae felis vestibulum volutpat. Etiam est nunc, venenatis in, tristique eu, imperdiet ac, nisl. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. In iaculis facilisis massa. Etiam eu urna. Sed porta. Suspendisse quam leo, molestie sed, luctus quis, feugiat in, pede. Fusce tellus. Sed metus augue, convallis et, vehicula ut, pulvinar eu, ante. Integer orci tellus, tristique vitae, consequat nec, porta vel, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur tristique mi condimentum orci. Phasellus pellentesque aliquam enim. Proin dui lectus, cursus eu, mattis laoreet, viverra sit amet, quam. Curabitur vel dolor ultrices ipsum dictum tristique. Praesent vitae lacus. Ut velit enim, vestibulum non, fermentum nec, hendrerit quis, leo. Pellentesque rutrum malesuada neque. Nunc tempus felis vitae urna. Vivamus porttitor, neque at volutpat rutrum, purus nisi eleifend libero, a tempus libero lectus feugiat felis. Morbi diam mauris, viverra in, gravida eu, mattis in, ante. Morbi eget arcu. Morbi porta, libero id ullamcorper nonummy, nibh ligula pulvinar metus. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur tristique mi condimentum orci. Phasellus pellentesque aliquam enim. Proin dui lectus, cursus eu, mattis laoreet, viverra sit amet, quam. Curabitur vel dolor ultrices ipsum dictum tristique. Praesent vitae lacus. Ut velit enim, vestibulum non, fermentum nec, hendrerit quis, leo. Pellentesque rutrum malesuada neque. el, lectus. Nulla sit amet diam. Duis non nunc. Nulla rhoncus dictum metus. Curabitur.
www.gautengfilm.co.org
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DIRECTORY DIRECTORY OF SOUTH AFRICAN TELEVISION & PRODUCTION COMPANIES WEBSITES 344 Studios Audio Final Mix facility www.344.co.za A Gallery Productions High Quality Video & Film Productions for corporate companies. Advertisments, Broadcasting, and Films. 3D Animation & Multimedia. www.galleryproductions.co.za Airtime TV outside broadcast & production facilities. www.airtime.co.za Atlas Studios Just a stone’s throw from Joburg’s SABC, an iconic old bakery has been transformed into a hi-tech, stylish and ultra-convenient one-stop TV and film production venue. www.atlasstudios.co.za B & S Studios A cutting edge recording studio in Cape Town, South Africa. www.bandsstudios.co.za Ballistic Pictures Ballistic Pictures is a film, TV and commercial production house based in Cape Town, South Africa. www.ballistic.co.za Big World Cinema Film Production Company. www.bigworld.co.za
Bikini Films South Africa Dedicated to excellence commercial film production. Located in Gauteng. www.bikinifilms.co.za Bioskope Pictures Independant film makers who recently completed the horror feature film Pure Blood. www.icon.co.za/~bioskope Black Earth Communications BEC is a proudly South African multimedia production and consultancy company, specialising in broadcast documentaries. www.blackearthcomm.com Boomtown Film Production We have been facilitating International commercials for the last 5 years. www.boomtownfilms.co.za Call a Crew The main supplier of film & television crew in Southern Africa for over 20 years. Our highly qualified crew have extensive experience in all mediums. www.callacrew.co.za Camera Facilities A hiring company that specialises in supplying professional broadcast equipment. www.camerafacilities.co.za
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Camera13 Professional Video Production and Service. Services both to professionals and multimedia users. We have extensive experience in video productions, both locally and internationally. www.camera13.com Cameraman Broadcast Services A video equipment rental company owned and run by Brian Green and Gavin McCulla. www.camerarentals.co.za CamHouse Productions Video Productions www.camhouse.co.za Cats Eye We rearrange the 26 letters of the alphabet to create scripts for videos, multimedia presentations, television commercials that inform and inspire. www.catseye.co.za Channel 5 Television & Film Productions Prodcuers of tv commercials , films, programmes and stills photography. www.channel5africa.com Chop Productions Produces commercials and feature films, and facilitates foreign productions. CHOP is willing to break the mould in order to deliver cost effective creative solutions. www.chopproductions.co.za
Cinema Corporate Creations Corporate and functions videography. www.corporatevideos.co.za Cinergy Superb South African TV commercial production since 1991, production service since 1997. www.cinergy.tv Clive Morris Productions South African post production company. www.cmproductions.co.za Corporate TV, Video and Audio Visual Production Company We Offer: tv production, video production, corporate video and video production company www.turnkeytv.co.za Creative Vision A multi talented production house specialising in 3D animation and commercial production. www.creative-vision.co.za Crocodile Farm South Africa is the ideal location for shooting professional commercials, music videos and full feature movies. www.crocodilefarm.biz Curious Pictures Specialists in television producers, film production, television company, production facility, digital film editing, video production. www.curious.co.za
DIRECTORY D.C.Productions Video Productions for Corporate Training, Television Advertising, Cinema Commercials, Tourism Videos and Educational Videos. www.hixnet.co.za Digistream Produces broadcast documentary, has skilled television crew and cameras and sells digital stock footage. www.digistream.co.za Digital Garden Business services in SA. www.digitalgarden.co.za Eagle Films Feature, commercial and documentary production service company. We’re taking production service in Southern Africa to new heights. www.eaglefilms.co.za Episode Media Productions Experts in in co-ordination and facilitation of the stills production & location sourcing. www.episode.co.za eProduction Photographic production done online. www.eproduction.net Film Afrika Produces and services motion pictures and television programmes internationally and locally. www.filmafrika.com Film Production Services South Africa Kalahari Pictures - Film and Commercials Kalahari Pictures, a film and commercial facilitation company specialise in film production services in South Africa including film location scouting www.kalaharipictures.co.za Film Studio Rentals Accommodation Mini Studio Units Rentals www.cpi-property.com/FilmStudio. aspx?id=45
Fingerprint Productions Video and Internet Production www.fingerprint.co.za
ICON Post Production Broadcast Television Online Edit Facility. www.ipp.co.za
Lem & Ade Productions Video Production and Multimedia Presentation Co. www.icon.co.za/~spleef/
First Productions Photographic and film production company, specializing in stills productions and TV commercials. www.firstproductions.co.za
Imagelab Compelling and engaging video production and web design. www.imagelab.co.za
Frameline Film & Television Producers of quality documentary and corporate programming for television and video. www.frameline.co.za
Imagio Productions Television and video production company. www.imagio.co.za
Life Moments Motion Picture Co Video production and corporate video, weddings, dvd, documentaries, television adverts and so much more www.lifemoments.org
Frontier DVD DVD and CD replication and manufacturing. www.frontierdvd.co.za Furious Fisheye Productions Film production company offering steadicam, camera, grips, photography and productions design services to the film and tv broadcast industry. www.furiousfisheye.com Gaynor Boats for the Film Industry Sourcing and supplying all kinds of boats for the film industry. www.gaynor.co.za Glamlight Productions Our primary functions as a modelling and drama school, presenting professional training in ramp and photographic modelling. www.glamlight.co.za Honeywood Digital Video Multimedia development studio incorporating video, web design, speaker support and interactive CD production. www.honeywood.co.za Hooper Productions (Pty) Ltd TV and corporate video production, CD and website design. www.hooper.co.za Hypnotic Films Is a full service, professional HD video production company. we produce superb picture quality & production value. HD DVD creation. www.hypnoticfilms.co.za
Inroads advertising agency, offering branding, marketing, Corporate Identity Your Professional creative agency partner - above and below the line agency www.inroads.co.za iPROPS - The Props Rental Company An on-line props rental directory for the film, television and photographic industry in South Africa. www.iprops.co.za Karen Brooks Services offered to international productions companies planning to shoot documentaries, wildlife films or TV programmes in Southern Africa. welcome.to/facilitation-sa KOKI Involved in broadcast and newmedia, including 2D and 3D animation, ident-creation, editing, web design and development, emailers, digital presentations. www.koki.co.za Kwekwezi Productions Television and media production company producing top quality corporate, training and commercial videos. Full video and sound edit facilities. www.kwekwezi.co.za LCP Liebenburg and Cook productions - takes your organisation to new heights of communication. www.lcp.co.za
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Location One On-Line We are a location scouting company that specilise in the international film industry. www.location-one.com Luminate Creating pictures to tell your story through the line advertising, marketing solutions, long form film and television broadcast programming. www.luminate.co.za M1 Production Studio’s Fully equipped professional recording/ broadcasting. www.m1studios.co.za Ma-Afrika Films The South African film production and distribution company founded by Andre Pieterse. www.ma-afrika.co.za Marketing Media - Cape Town Cape Town HDV marketing movie production company. www.marketingmedia.co.za MCC Logical Designs The vision of MCC / Logical Designs is to be the supplier of first choice, offering our customers the desired equipment in the most professional and cost effective manner. www.moviecamera.co.za MediaStream A comprehensive media production and consultancy service for all types of communications. www.mediastream.co.za
Melon Videos Information on high quality video productions in South Africa where we handle all your filiming and video needs. www.melonvideos.co.za Michael Gill Designs The leading design company for television and stage production, corporate launches, and exhibitions in South Africa. www.michaelgilldesigns.com Modern Times South Africa’s premier television, film, corporate, commercial, corporate, video, multi media production company. www.modern.co.za Moonlighting Film Makers Commercial Film Production Company. www.moonlighting.co.za Multimedia Worx We do animations, video conversions, multimedia, video duplication and production, wedding videos and DVD authoring, DVD, CD, VCD. www.multimediaworx.co.za NeuroNet TV and video production, web design, interactive CD-ROM development. www.neuronet.co.za Ochre Media Creates and designs integrated, media neutral communication solutions. www.ochre.co.za OuTLooK Productions A vibey new production studio for all your sound requirements at reasonable pricing. We specialise in recordings & backtracks. www.geocities.com/outlookproductions/ welcome.htm Penguin Film and Television Production. www.icon.co.za/~penguin
Peninsula Permits Your one stop shop for filming and photographic permits for numerous locations. www.peninsulapermits.co.za
Rogue Productions An independent South African production company offering a variety of production services. www.rogueproductions.co.za
PJ Sound Cape Town’s affordable recording studio offering high quality studio receording and productions. We can also produce your music with email sample. www.pjsound.co.za
Rotator Productions Design motion photography. www.rotatorproductions.co.za
Plank Film Productions The focus of Plank Film Productions is intensely South African - Local is Lekker! www.plank.co.za Plum Productions Film, broadcast, television and corporate video production facility. www.plumproductions.co.za Power and Glory Films Film and TV production company. www.powerandgloryfilms.com
Sesalos Media production company. www.sesalos.com Setscapes A new concept in full-service art direction and set building. Centrally located in Cape Town and housed under one roof. www.setscapes.co.za Shoot A resource for filmmakers. www.shoot.co.za
Prodigy Productions TV production, video filming, photography, jib hire www.prodigyproductions.co.za
Showtime Locations Agents for filming, movie and photographic locations in Cape Town, Durban and scenic rural backdrops in South Africa. www.showtimelocations.co.za
Propstars Event and film decor and props. www.propstars.co.za
South African Guild of Editors Film, video and sound editor’s guild. www.editorsguild.co.za
Prothesis We have been making videos for the past 12 years and it started off with marketing and yearbook videos for a school. www.prothesis.co.za
Southern African Film & Video Services Film, television and video production services. www.safvs.co.za
Reel Africa Film and Production Company A film/TV production resource company that specializes in facilitating international commercials, documentaries and features. www.reelafrica.co.za Riccardo Pugliese Art Director and set decorator based in Cape Town, South Africa. Local and international feature films, commercials, documentaries. www.riccardo.co.za
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SP Studios Post-Production and Multimedia Facilities Human beings with 35 years experience in professional media. Your one stop post-production and design of communication material from web to broadcast. www.spstudios.co.za Stock Options Film, stock footage and footage research. www.stockoptions.co.za
The Bomb Shelter An established South African production company working with international partners to create film that is energised by local talent, yet relevant to the world. www.thebomb.co.za The Cast Casting and promotions agency, Durban, KZN. www.thecast.co.za The Directors Team For high quality directing and producing. www.production.co.za The Finishing Post Television, video, audio, graphics and DVD finishing / post production facility. www.fpost.co.za The Netstar Newscopter Africa’s only electronic news gathering helicopter. www.newscopter.co.za The Network Productions International A film production service company based in Cape Town, South Africa. We are here for you whatever the project involving the moving image. www.ntwk.co.za The TV Production Company Film and TV production company. www.tvpc.co.za The Videosmith A digital post production facility based in Sandton offering On & Offline on an Avid Media Composer 1000 with audio mixing on Protools. www.videosmith.co.za The Wave Factory Facilities Television and Video Post Production Facility. www.factory.co.za Themartist A full service animation and design studio, focussing on flash animation for broadcast, games, interactive and mobile content. www.themartist.com
Tim Wells - Voice Over Artist Voice overs and voice recording by voice artist Tim Wells for TV and radio commercials, corporate videos and multimedia presentations. www.wells.co.za Troubadour Productions Costume hire and artists’ agency specialising in casting for the film, TV and theatre industry. All allied requirements catered for. Based in Durban, South Africa. www.troubadour.co.za Underground Productions Productions company for under 18 raves. home.mweb.co.za/fi/figs/index.html Unital Films International film and television production company - Production, movies, documentary, videos, films, motion pictures. www.unitalfilms.com Video Makers Amatuer video club. homepages.acenet.co.za/abrits/video/index.html Video Productions Video Recording,Video Projector hire, Betacam/ Broadcast www.icon.co.za/~satish Visual Impact Spplier of professional broadcast equipment, based in London and South Africa. www.visuals.co.uk Wayne World Digital Video Television & Video Digital Post Production www.icon.co.za/~waynes/facilities.html Wildlife Documantery Production Award winning wildlife production company with over 2000 hours of magnificent wildlife & African stock footage. www.talkingpics.com Wizzard Films A company that specialises in corporate video production and media conversion. www.wizzard.co.za
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KEY CONTACTS SOUTH AFRICA:
Cultural Industries Development Fund (CIDF) Tel: 1-888-INFO-BDC (1-888-463-6232) 15 Eddy St.,4th Floor, Rm150 Contact: Robert Soucy Tel: (819) 997 6861 Fax: (819) 997 6892
Department of Canadian Heritage Les Terrasses de la Chaudiere
National Film Board of Canada Head Office - Constitution Square 360 Albert Street, Ste. 1560 Ottawa, ON K1A 0M9 Tel: (613) 992 3615 Web Site: http://www.nfb.ca
Canadian Trade Office PO.Box 1394, Parklands, Johannesburg 2121 Contact: Larissa Pergat Trade Commissioner Tel: (27 11) 442 3130 Fax: (27 11) 442 3325 e-mail: larissa.pergat@pret01.x400.gc.ca Internet: http://www.canada.co.za
Consultative Commitee (Division of Dept. Of Home Affairs) PO Box 1428, Roosevelt Park, Johannesburg 2129 Tel: (+27 11) 678 7176 Fax: (+27 11) 476 7068
Department of Arts, Culture, Science & Technology (DACST) Private Bag X894, Pretoria 0001, S. Africa Contact: Neville Sing (Head of Film) Tel: (27 12) 314 6389 Fax: (27 12) 323 3670 e-mail: kl33@acts1.pwv.gov.za Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Private Bag X31, Johannesburg 2121 Contact: Peter Linden Tel: (+27 11) 4476180 Fax: (+27 11) 447 6187/9 e-mail: ipo@sprintlink.co.za
Department of Home Affairs Contact: The Deputy Director, Work Permits Private Bag X114, Pretoria 0001 Tel: (+27 12) 314 8120 Fax: (+27 12) 324 26 87
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Arts and Cultural Industries Promotional Division 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A OG2 Contact: Michele Wiwchar Tel: (613) 992 5104 Fax: (613) 992 5965 Internet: http://www.dfalt-maeci.gc.ca
Independent Producers of South Africa (IPO) 2631 Saxonwold, Johannesburg 2132 Contact: Carola Koblitz Tel: (+27 11) 714 3213 Fax: (+27 11) 714 2017
Telefilm Canada Tour de la Banque Nationale, 600, de la Gauchetiere Street West, 14th Floor Montreal, Quebec H3B 4L8 Contact: Deborah Drisdell or Johanne St-Arnauld Tel: (514) 283 6363 / 1-800-567-0890 Fax: (514) 283 8212 e-mail: copro@telefilm.gc.ca
CANADA:
10 SOUTH AFRICAN TRADE ASSOCIATIONS
The Canada Council for the Arts The Canadian Film and Television Production 350 Albert Street, PO 1047 Association (CFTPA) Ottawa, ON K1P 5V8 175 Bloor St. East, North Tower, Suite 806, Tel: (613) 566 4365 / 566 4366 Toronto, Ontario M4W 3R8 or 1-800-263-5588 ext. 4138 or 4075 Contact: Ray Stringer Tel: (416) 927-8942 / 1-800-267-8208 Fax: (416) 922-4038 e-mail: toronto@cfta.ca
African Film & Television Collective (AFTC) Box 39394, Booysens, JHB, 2016 Contact: Clarence Hamilton (Producer of MoloFish/Ekhaya) Tel: (+27 11) 945 1096 Fax: (+27 11) 296 811
African Promoters Organisation Box 31089 Braamfontein, JHB 2017 Tel: (+27 11) 482 3667 Fax: (+27 11) 482 2489
Afrikaanse Taal & Kultuur Vereeniging (ATKV) Box 4585 Johannesburg 2000 Tel: (+27 11) 886 7887 Fax: (+27 11) 886 8939
Art Department Guild Box 4586 Randburg, JHB 2125 Tel: (+27 11) 684 2270 Fax: (+27 11) 684 2270
Association of Model Agencies (AMA) 88 Langcaster Av., Craighall Park, JHB 2196 Tel: (+27 11) 442 8876 Fax: (+27 11) 447 3974
Association of South African Music Industry Box 367, Randburg, Johannesburg 2194 Tel: (+27 11) 886 1342 Fax: (+27 11) 886 4169
The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office Tel: (819) 997 6861 Fax: (819) 997 6892
The Canadian Television & Cable Production Fund Tel: 1-800-975-4941 Fax: (416) 975 2680
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Black Filmmakers Association Box 846, Newtown, Johannesburg 2113 Contact: Jerry Mofokeng Tel: (+27 11) 331 1813 Fax: (+27 11) 331 1805 Broadcast Interest Group (BIG) Box 1872, Joubert park, Johannesburg 2044 Tel: (+27 11) 320 0820 Fax: (+27 11) 320 0803
Broadcast Development Group Box 982, Northlands, Johannesburg Tel: (+27 11) 880 5909 Fax: (+27 11) 880 6008
Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Private Bag X31, Parklands, Johannesburg 2196 Tel: (+27 11) 447 6180/7 Fax: (+27 11) 447 6186/9
Independent Broadcast Committee (IBC) Box 2874, Randburg, Johannesburg 2125 Tel: (+27 11) 789 8200 Fax: (+27 11) 789 8201 E-mail: factory@solpipex.co.za
Broadcasting Association of S.Africa (BASA) Box 1586, Alberton, Johannesburg 1450 Tel: (+27 11) 434 3681 Fax: (+27 11) 788 7933
Musicians Union of South Africa Box 35, Newtown, Johannesburg 2113 Tel: (+27 11) 836 0041 Fax: (+27 11) 836 0043
Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA Box 47221, Parklands, Johannesburg 2121 Tel: (+27 11) 788 7910 Fax: (+27 11) 788 7933
Broadcasting Industry Liaison Committee Box 1338, Johannesburg 2000 Tel: (+27 11) 833 6033
Independent Producers Organisation of SA (IPO) Box 2631, Saxonwood, Johannesburg 2132 Tel: (+27 11) 714 3213 Fax: (+27 11) 714 2017 E-mail: ipo@sprintlink.co.za
Camera Guild (TCG) Private Bag X4, Bedfordview, Johannesburg 2008 Tel: (+27 11) 614 5153 Fax: (+27 11) 614 5153
Cape Independent Filmmakers Forum Box 51151, Waterfront, Cape Town 8000 Tel: (+27 21) 24 0731 Fax: (+27 21) 23 6448
Cape Film and Video Foundation Commercial Producers Association Box 16597, Vlaeberg, Cape Town 8018 Box 678, Parklands, Johannesburg Contact: Jacqui Cullis Tel (+27 11) 886 4300 Tel: (+27 21) 480 3158 Fax: (+27 11) 886 4551 Fax: (+27 21) 480 3205 E-mail: cpa@global.co.za Web Site: http://www.cpasa.co.za Congress of South African Writers (COSAW) Box 421007, Fordsburg, Johannesburg 2033 Tel: (+27 11) 833 2530 Fax: (+27 11) 833 2532
Drama Artist and Literary Rights Organisation Box 31627, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2001 Tel: (+27 11) 403 6635 Fax: (+27 11) 403 1934
Employers Association of the Entertainment Industry Box 6694, Johannesburg 2000 Tel: (+27 11) 331 4944 Fax: (+27 11) 331 4944
Entertainment Catering and Allied Workers Union Box 7480, Johannesburg 2000 Tel: (+27 11) 337 5725
Federated Union of Black Arts Box 4202 Johannesburg 2000 Tel: (+27 11) 834 7125 Fax: (+27 11) 834 7127
Film and Television Institute (SAFTI) Box 89271, Lyndhurst, Johannesburg 2106 Tel: (+27 11) 786 2360 Fax: (+27 11) 887 2975
Film & Television Federation (FTF) Box 16939, Doornfontein, Johannesburg 2028 Tel: (+27 11) 838 6275 Fax: (+27 11) 838 5114
Film Makers Association of South Africa Box 70372, Bryanston, Johannesburg 2021 Tel: (+27 11) 886 5966 Fax: (+27 11) 886 5955
National Association of Broadcasters National Television & Video Forum (NTVF) Box 412363, Craighall, Johannesburg 2024 Box 16140 Vlaeberg, Cape Town 8018 Tel: (+27 11) 788 7910 Tel: (+27 21) 24 7575 Fax: (+27 11) 788 7933 Fax: (+27 21) 24 7580 E-mail: ntva@iafrica.com New Film Makers Forum 17 Dorp Street, Cape Town 8001 Contact: J.P.Bowles Tel: (+27 21) 261 665
Performing Arts Workers Equity (PAWE) Box 34, Newtown, Johannesburg 2113 Tel: (+27 11) 836 4425 Fax: (+27 11) 836 4501
Professional Photographers of SA (PPSA) Box 47044, Parklands, Johannesburg Tel: (+27 11) 880 9110 Fax: (+27 11) 880 1648
South African Communications Services Contact: E.Rossman Tel: (+27 12) 314 2297 Fax: (+27 12) 3233831
South African Guild of Editors (SAGE) Box 66105, Broadway, Kensington 2020 Tel: (+27 11) 614 7596 Fax: (+27 11) 614 75 96
South African Marketing Research Association Box 91879, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006 Tel: (+27 11) 482 1419 Fax: (+27 11) 482 4609
South African Roadies Association Box 192 Johannesburg 2000 Tel: (+27 11) 834 4134 Fax: (+27 11) 834 4134
South African Script Writers Association Box 91937, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006 Tel: (+27 11) 314 2080 Fax: (+27 11) 314 2080
South African Society of Cinematographers Box 32317, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2000 Tel: (+27 11) 788 0802 Fax: (+27 11) 788 0802
Women in Film & Television Box 2765, Pinegowrie, Johannesburg 2123 Contact: Juli Lotter Tel: (+27 11) 789 1500 Fax: (+27 11) 789 1519
11 TRADE PUBLICATIONS Africa Film & TV Tel: (09-263) 47 2695/6 Fax: (09-263) 47 25897
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AV Presentation Handbook Tel: (+27 11) 794 1918 Fax: (+27 11) 794 1919
AV Specialist Tel: (+27 11) 794 1918 Fax: (+27 11) 794 1919
PRODUCTION COMPANIES
Broadcasting in South Africa Tel: (+27 21) 99 7551
Market Place Red Box Tel: (+27 11) 889 0600 Tel: (+27 21) 788 3995 Fax: (+27 11) 889 0758 Fax: (+27 21) 7339 SA Public Relations Journal Screen Africa Tel: (+27 11) 706 4978 (Produces a Directory/Newsletter/Magazine Fax: (+27 11) 706 2231 and Actors Directory on the Industry) E-mail: sapj@icon.co.za Tel: (+27 11) 883 9281 Fax: (+27 11) 883 9281 The Limelight & Casting Directory Tel: (+27 11) 793 7231/2 Fax: (+27 11) 793 2679
The Limelight Contacts Tel: (+27 11) 793 7231/2 Fax: (+27 11) 793 2679
The Search Company Models on CD-ROM Tel: (+27 21) 24 4990 Fax: (+27 21) 24 4991
Showdata Web site: http://showdata.org.za E-mail: admin.showdata@iafrica.com
VideoMedia Tel: (+27 11) 789 1743 Fax: (+27 11) 651 5223
Who’s Who of Southern Africa Tel: (+27 11) 880 2406/7 Fax: (+27 11) 880 2366
There are a number of production companies and facilities, far too many to list here, located nationwide offering state-of-the-art equipment and production. Most of these listed have worked on international productions with foreign partners or clients. Each production company can best inform on the range of services which they offer and their interest in supporting co-production. Industry contact directories, such as ‘Screen Africa’ (see Trade Publications) list categories of key production companies ranging from Animation to Video Production in South Africa. Listed here are a few of those companies: Ben Nomoyi Film & Video Production Box 109, Ferndale, Johannesburg 2194 Contact: Ben Nomoyi Tel: (+27 11) 7812556 Fax: (+27 11) 781 2558
Big World Cinema Box 2228, Cape Town 8000 Contact: Steven Markovitz Tel: (+27 21) 448 0608 Fax: (+27 21) 448 1065
Brave Films C-Films Box 95033, Grantpark, Johannesburg 2051 Longkloof Studios, Cape Town 8000 Contact: Brendon Pollecut Contact: Dirk De Villiers Tel: (+27 11) 477 3207 Tel: (+27 21) 221 145 Fax: (+27 11) 483 3009 Fax: (+27 21) 221 168
The Whole Lot Tel: (+27 21) 462 4523 Fax: (+27 21) 461 4282 E-mail: tetra@aztec.co.za Web site: http://www.wholelot.co.za
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Cape Waterfront Television Ltd Contact: Ried Ross Tel: (+27 21) 211 992 Fax: (+27 21) 419 0222 Fax: (+27 11) 487 2386
Catalyst Films Box 53499, Troyeville, Johannesburg 2139 Contact: Jeremy Nathan Tel: (+27 11) 487 2171
Cinergy Box 675, Parklands, Johannesburg 2121 Contact: David Elton Tel: (+27 11) 880 8525 Fax: (+27 11) 880 8497 E-mail: cinergy@lia.infolink.co.za Do Productions Box 1515, Fourways, Johannesburg 2055 Contact: Brigid Olen Tel: (+27 11) 465 1312 Fax: (+27 11) 465 7824 E-mail: do-crew@global.co.za
Consolidated African Film & Video Productions Box 3456, Parklands, Johannesburg 2121 Contact: Warren Bader Tel: (+27 11) 781 0132 Fax: (+27 11) 781 1160 E-mail: consolidated.africa@pixie.co.za
Films To People 208 Times Square, Yeoville, JHB 2198 Contact: Indra de Lanerolle Tel: (+27 21) 487 1858 Fax: (+27 21) 487 2742 E-mail: indra@milkyway.co.za
Franz Marx Films Box 4950, Randburg, Johannesburg 2125 Contact: Burget Muller Tel: (+27 21) 887 6540 Fax: (+27 21) 886 2559
Film Afrika Worldwide Box 53357, Kenilworth, Cape Town 7745 Contact: David Wicht Tel: (+27 21) 782 0220 Fax: (+27 21) 782 0221 E-mail: film.afrika@iafrica.com
PRODUCTION FACILITIES Like production companies, production facilities are also numerous. If one of the companies listed above does not use its own post-production or equipment hire facilities then it would use one of the following. These two companies are recognized as South Africa’s largest and most experienced.
Kurira Films International Box 505, Newtown, Johannesburg 2113 Contact: Clarence Hamilton Tel: (+27 11) 404 2832 Fax: (+27 11) 404 2836
The Line Producers Box 91504, Auckland Park 2006 Contact: Johan van den Berg Tel: (+27 11) 482 3364 Fax: (+27 11) 482 3369
Moonlighting Filmmakers Box 3189, Parklands, Johannesburg 2121 Contact: Phillip Key Tel: (+27 11) 442 6379 Fax: (+27 11) 442 6391 E-mail: infomoonlighting.co.za
Movie Makers International Box 50992, Waterfront, Cape Town 8002 Contact: Mike McCarthy Tel: (+27 21) 419 0560 Fax: (+27 21) 419 0563 E-mail: mmi@cis.co.za
Nu World Services Box 39093 Booysens, Johannesburg 2016 Contact: David Lerner Tel: (+27 11) 494 4311 Fax: (+27 11) 494 1236
Prime Time International Magic Works Associates Box 4950, Randburg, Johannesburg 2125 Contact: Shan Moodley Tel: (+27 11) 789 6387 Fax: (+27 11) 886 2559
Riverstone Productions 18 Gorden St., Cape Town 8001 Contact: Ken McKenzie Tel: (+27 21) 461 8265 Fax: (+27 21) 461 8477 E-mail: rivero@iafrica.com
The Shooting Party Box 651452, Johannesburg 2010 Contact: Desiree Markgraff Tel: (+27 11) 880 7470 Fax: (+27 11) 880 7925 E-mail: tsp@iafrica.com
Six Street Production Box 15711, Vlaeberg, Cape Town 7700 Contact: Cher Eagles Tel: (+27 21) 480 3100 Fax: (+27 21) 480 3101
Toron Screen Corporation 135 Rivonia Road, Sandown, JHB 2196 Contact: Judy Norwood Tel: (+27 11) 7862360 Fax: (+27 11) 440 5132
Underdog Productions Box 78965, Sandton, Johannesburg 2146 Contact: Marc Schwinges Tel: (+27 11) 325 5252 Fax: (+27 11) 325 6252 E-mail: info@underdog.co.za
VideoVision Entertainment Box 3253, Durban 4000 Contact: Sanjeev Singh Tel: (+27 31) 224 000 Fax: (+27 31) 222 444
Equipment Hire: Post-Production: Movie Camera Company Ltd. (MCC) The Video Lab Group (Everything from Cameras to Grip to Lighting) (All aspects of Post-Production made available) Contact: Corrine Van Wyke Contact: Andy Stead Box 1499, Cape Town 8000 Box 1854, Pinegowrie, Johannesburg 2123 Tel: (+27 21) 511 3073 Tel: (+27 11) 886 4141 Fax: (+27 21) 511 2317 Fax: (+27 11) 787 6910
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South Africa, home to the King of the Jungle
South African National Film and Video Foundation Cras a ante vitae enim iaculis aliquam. Mauris nunc quam, venenatis nec, euismod sit amet, egestas placerat, est. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Cras id elit. Integer quis urna. Ut ante enim, dapibus malesuada, fringilla eu, condimentum quis, tellus. Aenean porttitor eros vel dolor. Donec convallis pede venenatis nibh. Duis quam. Nam eget lacus. Aliquam erat volutpat. Quisque dignissim congue leo.