SACIA Spotlight - Winter 2019

BRINGING YOU THE LATEST COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRIES NEWS

SP

TLIGHT WINTER ISSUE

A look at the trends shaping the future of the broadcast, AV, technical production and content creation markets.

On 22nd-24th October 2019, the South African Communications Industries Association will be hosting its not-to-bemissed, multi-track Conference and Gala Dinner at Gallagher Estate.

COMMTREND is celebrating the Association’s achievements over the past 10 years and bringing its members together in a gathering that aims to deliver relevant insight and real value to the broadcast, AV, technical production and content creation markets.

It will be a comprehensive 3-day programme of curated, educational content, tailored specifically to the industry sectors within SACIA. High level presentations As the recognised professional body for the industry SACIA can attract some of smartest minds available, so members can expect highlevel presentations across a range of pertinent topics. However, it is also an interactive platform giving guests the opportunity to dig deeper into the issues shaping the future of the communications industry. The conference aims to provide content to stimulate strategic thinking to negotiate the extreme rate of change within our sectors, examine the

influences on our industry and assist us with planning for future directions.

Youth development COMMTREND kicks off with the first day being dedicated exclusively to SACIA’s Youth Development programme and pre-conference workshops.

The Youth Development programme will feature presentations focused on career opportunities for young people.

SACIA is already actively working with several Universities active in the communications sector but the youth content at COMMTREND will strongly focus on SACIA's vision for the future of the youth within the Association, exploring how the changing work environment will require new skill sets and instilling a commitment to continuing professional development.

Five content tracks The next two days are aimed at members already active within the industry; starting with a review of the mega-trends shaping our future before drilling down into five breakaway streams to keep discussions industry and individual-specific. There are also bespoke sponsorship packages, across different pricepoints, all of which will include both pre and

post-conference engagement. The objective is to secure sponsors with whom SACIA can build a long-term relationship that benefits the Association, the members and the sponsors in a WIN-WIN-WIN package. •

JOIN US FOR THE INAUGURAL COMMTREND CONFERENCE

SAVE THE DATE 22 - 24 October 2019 Gallagher Estate Johannesburg South Africa

BRINGING STUDENTS ON BOARD The Student Development project launched

by SACIA in 2019 is already bearing fruit.

Mpho Buntse was contracted in early 2019 to manage youth engagement within SACIA, in line with the Association’s vision of addressing the succession and skills shortage issues we experience in the Technical Communications industries.

As the Project Manager for Youth Development; Mpho is the liaison point between higher learning institution stakeholders (students, academics and support units like student affairs), and the Association.

Youth development His role includes all youth engagement aspects of the association, including setting up a Young Professional’s Forum, driving and facilitating networks, community engagement, raising awareness amongst students about the professional designation opportunities available to members and instilling ethical as well as professional conduct amongst youth members.

There are already on-campus Student Chapters at six major Training Institutions around the country, namely: The North West University (Mafikeng Campus), the North West University (Vaal Campus), The Academy of Sound Engineering, AFDA, The University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Johannesburg; with more planned as the platform expands.

The aim is to gain input from these academic institutions and integrate with their offerings to provide the practical components (today

“We are at the centre of the fourth industrial revolution, and we need to demonstrate our commitment to addressing the changing face of our future workforce by investing in the youth.”

Mpho Buntse, Youth Development commonly known as service learning programme) that make for well-rounded, employable industry-entrants.

“Although we only started the process of engaging institutions about 3 months into the 2019 academic year, we have received overwhelming interest from both institutions and students," says Mpho.

A Youth Development Day at Blandford Manor in April, with champions of the initiative and students from partner institutions, set the stage for further engagement.

As well as being the official launch of the Student Council, the day created opportunities for young people driving transformation in the industry to interact, share challenges and make recommendations on how to advance youth engagement.

Work integrated learning SACIA’s student development plan operates in two ways. The Association, through the Student Chapters, facilitates the placement of Broadcast, Live Event, AV, Media, Film and TV student members with relevant industry players for their Work-Integrated Learning/Service Learning

Component while they are still studying, so that the theoretical elements come to fruition on site.

It also provides for engagement with industry, opportunities for mentorship arrangements, internship potential and future preferred employment opportunities. The outcome will be an industry-backed student population, receiving practical support from industry leaders and graduates that are work-ready with access to industry networks. It gives them access to Work-Integrated Learning, Service Learning and Internship opportunities as well as the chance to hone their leadership skills to contribute towards the vision of the industry.

Discounted student fees SACIA has discounted the Student Council membership fee to R100.00 (ex VAT) per annum for Student Members. Already the Academy of Sound Engineering has registered their entire complement of Final Year students as SACIA Student Members, at no cost to the students.

Mr. George Hattingh Junior, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Academy of Sound Engineering (ASE) says “ASE is the largest

training institution for Audio Technicians and Sound Engineers in South Africa and produces technicians in the Television and Screen Arts field. Our impact on the industry is significant and must form part of the professionalisation of the industry, so we welcome the opportunity to engage with SACIA at this level.”

“Although it is still early days, our students have begun talking about the programme and are excited at their prospects. The realisation that they are part of something bigger than just an institution and that the industry’s professional body recognises them and offers the space for growth and support, is invaluable,” he says.

“We are also excited about the possibility for our professional staff to be involved and to gain their professional designations. As SACIA grows

and its relevance and impact in our industry becomes more important, we hope to be a part of that successful growth.”

The Student Council anticipates tremendous growth in youth-oriented membership and the development of a SACIA membership that reflects the demographics of the country as well as the changing face of the sector.

National engagement “By the end of 2019, we anticipate a fully-fledged Student Council and Young Professional’s Forum as strong components of SACIA. We are at the centre of the fourth industrial revolution, and we need to demonstrate our commitment to addressing the changing face of our future workforce by investing in the youth,” says Mpho •

Kevan Jones a Finalist in the ASSOCATION LEADERSHIP AWARDS During the 2018 Africa Association Awards, on 30th October 2018 in Pretoria, SACIA Executive Director, Kevan Jones, was highly commended in the Association Leadership category.

The Awards, now in its second year, recognises excellence and promotes a climate of sharing best practice and successes in the Associations arena. The platform is supported by some of the most respected Associations and Societies across the globe and encompasses a wide range of interest areas.

“Associations lead and enhance every sector and industry with their initiatives and developments,” says Damian Hutt, Executive

Director of the Association of Association Executives. “The passion and dedication that association leaders put into their work is clear; their talent deserves to be widely recognised, and their achievements and results shared.”

Managing change Kevan’s efforts to promote industry certification were highlighted in his nomination, as was his willingness to embrace conflict as an integral component of managing change. “The formal merger of the TPSA into SACIA was agreed during 2014,” explains Kevan, “but the process of engaging with members and explaining the consequence of the merger has been quite

“Association leadership is a challenging career choice that’s not for everyone, but there are just rewards for those individuals who are prepared to put in the effort.”

Kevan Jones, SACIA

difficult. It’s only now, five years down the road, that industry gets to experience the full value of the decisions that were made.”

“Association leadership is a challenging career choice that’s not for everyone, but there are just rewards for those individuals who are prepared to put in the effort,” says Kevan. “I’m appreciative of the opportunity to engage with other Association leaders within the South African Professional Body Forum who share similar challenges to those I face in leading SACIA and the opportunity to share ideas and solutions is invaluable.” •

SACIA REPRESENTED AT SABA CONFERENCE SABA (Southern African Broadcasters Association) is a SACIA-affiliate body committed to working with other SACIA representatives to promote the adoption of professional standards in the broadcast industry throughout Southern Africa.

The SABA conference in Swakopmund, Namibia between Tuesday 25th - Thursday 27th of June 2019 was attended by a host of Broadcast industry executives from the SADC region, and provided the perfect platform from which to continue the drive to establish SACIA

as a regional body.

The Conference was opened by Benjamin-Stanley Similo, Director-General, Namibia Broadcasting Corporation and included presentations by the Honourable Stanley Simataa, Minister Ministry of ICT, Namibia and Jochen Traut, Chief Operating Officer at Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia.

Ilse Assmann, Tinus Smit and Kevan Jones represented SACIA at the event and led a discussion on Effective Skills Training and Certification to Boost Productivity. •

SOUTHERN AFRICAN BROADCASTING ASSOCIATION

PROACTIVE SAFETY from Nelson Mandela Bay

The Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMBMM)'s, senior disaster management officer, Thomas Cameron, is currently working with SACIA on ways of addressing unsafe practices highlighted at a recent event in Port Elizabeth.

promote safe event practices from the Structural Engineers and Event Organisers. The conference will emphasise the knowledge, qualification and skills an appointed event safety officer needs to have, and the platforms they would use to acquire a relevant qualification.

Thomas is the representative of Disaster Management on the events safety and security planning committees. He, and SACIA’s Kevan Jones, are working on ways of addressing safety

Buy in from SAPS Thomas has received positive feedback from the events office and will now confirm with SAPS. Once buy-in has been obtained, SACIA and the

issues and forming a closer relationship with the event safety authorities to raise standards in the region and feels that the promotion of Nelson Mandela Bay as an event-friendly destination must be balanced by a demonstrated commitment to strong Health and Safety practices.

NMBMM will continue to plot the way forward together.

“Like other provinces we are guided by the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act (SASREA),” says Thomas.

Safe event practices event proposed SACIA’s proposal includes, amongst other things, the hosting of a conference in the region to

Event categorisation “In Nelson Mandela Bay we are particularly focused on safety at events and have an excellent track record. However, we have established an events-planning committee for

low risk events, which allows event organisers to apply for event risk categorisation with SAPS. When the event is categorised as low risk, event organisers present their event safety plan to the events-planning committee, which is chaired by a SAPS official and consists of representatives of Emergency Medical Services, Fire Safety, Disaster Management, Metro Police, Waste Management, Environmental Health, Traffic Services, Tourism, Beach Office and Sports Recreation, Arts & Culture.”

Security planning “For medium and high risk events SAPS appoints an authorised official to direct the event safety and security planning for the event. That official convenes safety and security planning committee meetings. All plans that make up the safety and security plan for the event are handed to SAPS. A venue operation centre is activated for the event with all relevant role players present. That official is also responsible for the execution of the plan at the event.”

Compliance with the laws Each service involved in events has their normal national, provincial and/or local laws relating to their services. At local government level these mandated functions and requirements are written into by-laws. Event organisers must comply with all laws, including by-laws. SANS are national standards and are guidelines for implementation.

Emphasis on safety standards in eventing Some services write these standards into their by-laws to make them enforceable. The many legal safety requirements are wide-spread and most are national requirements that are followed by all provinces and municipalities. It is only the way in which they are administratively enforced that may differ from region to region.

“Since the promulgation of SASREA, event organisers are becoming increasingly aware of safety and security requirements. Most have embraced the need for more safety at events, but there are still organisers who do not understand the importance of complying with safety laws, and this is simply unacceptable,” says Thomas.

"On smaller events, event organisers tend to slip ‘under the radar’ and flout safety issues. The use of security companies and certification of structures seems to be a costly exercise and

are likely to be the areas in which we may find discrepancies,” says Thomas.

“No matter the size of the event, safety laws will apply. I would like to see more government services write event safety standards into their own laws and policies. I would also like to see government departments that organise events, task officials with event organising abilities to

well as execution of plans at major events."

Well done Thomas! Here’s to a municipality that will act decisively together with the Live Event industry to set Health and Safety standards as the cornerstone for eventing in the Nelson Mandela Bay area. •

“Most of them have embraced the need for more safety at events, but there are still organisers who do not understand the importance of complying with safety laws...”

Thomas Cameron, NMBMM

manage the event and place more emphasis on safety. Event Organisers should appoint competent persons to manage event safety.”

“In Nelson Mandela Bay we have been involved in many major events, e.g. 2010 FWC, AFCON CUP, Ironman SA, Splash Festivals, New Year’s Festivals, many major concerts, international sports events and many more. We have many experienced and competent officials in the various government departments who are able to ensure proper safety and security planning, as

Ironman SA brings thousands of locals and tourists to the Nelson Mandela Bay area to attend this massive sporting event. A high-profile event of this size is naturally accompanied by heightened safety and security issues and the many local services involved must prioritise safety concerns in their service delivery.

Welcoming THE NEW TPSA COUNCIL 2019’s TPSA Council elections call for nominations saw an unprecedented 15 nominations put forward to stand for the Technical Production Services Association Council. The nominees came from all spheres and the interest shows a renewed commitment to advancing the industry.

Introducing the new council SACIA Council Members work on a voluntary basis, giving of their time and sharing their knowledge to advise on and improve the activities underway at the Association. SACIA would like to welcome the newly elected TPSA Council members Sharif Baker, Nolene Martin, Cristo Hattingh, Dave Tudor and Wandile Mgcodo, and to thank outgoing members Mark Malherbe, Robyn D’Alessandro, Bruce Schwartz and David Leverington for their contributions over the past two years.

Renewed commitment We asked Sharif Baker, Production Manager at SBE, SACIA Board member and an active role-

Nolene Martin

Cristo Hattingh

player on the TPSA Council, to shed some light on the purpose of the TPSA Council and its future.

"I believe that the interest stems from wanting to make a difference in how our industry is perceived and managed under the umbrella of a Professional Association,” he says.

“All our separate special interest groups evolved out of a need for unity and growth, and particularly out of a necessity for regulation in the South African situation. Our councils are run on principles rather than laws, but all initiatives are underpinned by a rigorous code of Ethics. Our groups work towards ensuring awareness, education and recognition within

“It is the goal of both the TPSA and the board of SACIA to create awareness and drive transformation with the most powerful tool available… education!”

Sharif Baker, SBE

Dave Tudor

Wandile Mgcodo

their sectors. With the speed of advancement in both technical and workflow areas, safety is, by necessity, at the forefront of everything we do.”

“The improvements have been slow but apparent, with the biggest improvement being the designation facility and what it can and has done for all in the industry.”

“My personal wish is to drive transformation within the Association at both a TPSA and SACIA level."

“It is not easy to change the perceptions out there around the Association," says Sharif.

"It is apparent that the TPSA still carries the perception of being a ‘white boys club’ but if you take the time to investigate what the TPSA has accomplished in securing the rights of all in our industry, it is clear that colour is most definitely not a factor. We have attempted to engage across all groups in respecting and acknowledging our craft and will continue to invite participation and contribution from all in the industry.” It is the goal of both the TPSA and the board of SACIA to create awareness and drive transformation with the most powerful tool available… education! •

FOCUS AREAS OF THE TPSA COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT 2 YEARS GROW THE “SAFETY FIRST” MINDSET

TPSA will partner with the Safety Council to create joint ventures in ensuring best practice and compliance with the law and relevant regulations.

WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE

We need to be holding hands with DAC on all aspects of the Live Events industry, creating education opportunities and allowing our industry to reap the rewards thereof.

ACT AS OMBUDSMAN

Whilst SACIA cannot play the role of policeman, we need to create a system to resolve infractions on all levels. Our sectors are beset by shortcuts, risk-taking and plain complacency, which need to be eradicated.

GAIN GOVERNMENT RECOGNITION (NATIONALLY)

We will work towards ensuring that every event has contracted a supplier company with proper credentials - and preferably also a member of our Professional body - especially when engaged with tenders and events of a sensitive nature.

DRIVE TRANSFORMATION

Drive genuine transformation to encourage full inclusion on an operational level. Engage with individuals rather than predominantly corporates. Improve our communications and bring all the players together in an understanding that we are African, first and foremost!

Aldred Dreyer elected BIG CHAIR

WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN SACIA? AS A CORPORATE MEMBER

AS AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBER

Many times I’m asked by our corporate members what they get for their money? Why should they pay membership fees? Why should they maintain membership of SACIA and participate in our special interest groups?

The answer is simple. The broad communications industry is largely unregulated, and the standards and practices that we apply, exist primarily because we’ve developed them ourselves. We set our own best practice and whilst these practices are generally aligned with international norms, they’re also flexible enough to allow us to meet the needs of clients without impacting on our commitment to a safe working environment.

A strong industry Association allows companies to share in the pursuit of common objectives that benefit all. We’re able to engage with government and regulatory bodies, share industry perspectives, contribute to the development of standards, and hold companies that behave in an unethical and/or unprofessional fashion to account.

SACIA provides our industry an opportunity to speak with a credible voice.

The way to build a strong industry sector is to create a platform through which all stakeholders can work together in the pursuit of common interests. SACIA is that common platform, and corporate members should join simply because it makes sense to ensure we have an industry Association that unites our industry in the pursuit of professional standards and ethical business practices. •

Individual membership in SACIA isn’t something to be taken lightly. Individual members hold themselves to a higher standard of professional practice and are willing to have their claim of professional competence put to the test.

SACIA professional designations are designed to separate those competent and professional individuals working in our industry from the flyby-night operators who claim a competence they don’t have.

As a SAQA-recognised professional body, SACIA has a specific responsibility to develop and award professional designations that recognise the skill, competence and expertise of individuals working in the communications sector. We also have a mandate to encourage continuing professional development, to protect the public interest and to work with quality councils and training providers to ensure that their curricula are aligned with international standards and the needs of industry.

Individual members holding a professional designation can prove their competence based on an independent and impartial assessment of their qualifications, work experience and work ethic. They assert their willingness not only to abide by a code of professional conduct, but to be held accountable to that code. What’s more, they affirm their commitment to a programme of lifelong learning that keeps them up to date with the trends and technologies shaping the future of the communications industry. An individual designation reflects an individual’s standing in industry. •

Following elections by members of SACIA’s broadcast industry council Aldred Dreyer has been elected as chair of the SACIA BIG Council.

At the first meeting of the newly elected Council, Mngani Mkkeze (Kwese) and George Durandt (Red Pepper) were co-opted onto the Council, joining Tinus Smit, Paul Divall, Ilse Assmann, Kim Smith, Angus Clarke and Aldred Dreyer as elected members. In addition to these eight, Roman Magis holds an ex-officio role in his capacity as chair of the SACIA Certification Council.

Aldred holds SACIA’s Certified BCT Professional designation for proven knowledge in broadcast and communications technology.

He currently serves as Executive Director of the Digital Migration office within the Dept. of Communications & Digital Technologies.

Prior to this appointment he was instrumental in the successful implementation of digital television migration in Namibia when he was the CTO at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation.

Aldred has also worked at Sentech and the SABC where his contributions led the recommendations to adopt DVB-T as the standard for digital terrestrial television in South Africa. Aldred's work at SABC also resulted in MHEG-5 being adopted as a middleware standard for DTT decoders in South Africa.

With his vast network across the SADC region, Aldred aims to promote and grow SACIA’s membership to broadcasters and individual practitioners and professionals in the region.

He will also be coaching and mentoring young professionals to grow the pipeline of talent in our industry.

Aldred takes over as BIG Council chair from Tinus Smit who looks back on his two years at the helm of the BIG Council with a sense of achievement. “When I took over from Nic Bonthuys as BIG Council chair we had some interesting plans that were cut short by Nic’s untimely passing, leaving a heartfelt void within BIG, SACIA, and indeed the industry,” says Tinus. “I stepped into some big shoes but with the support of Council members we’ve been able to achieve many of our objectives. One of the highlights has been our collaboration agreement with SABA that’s seen us expand our footprint throughout the SADC region. We’ve also taken the lead in developing the new SACIA student council, and have presented several new training programmes to industry. Nearly 400 people have attended SACIA’s broadcast training programmes over the last two years and we have even greater plans going forward.” •

DIGITAL/ IMAGING DESIGNATIONS IN THE MAKING SACIA’s Content Creation Council is currently in consultation with the Camera Guild to put together a set of professional Designations for Digital/Imaging Technicians.

President of the South African Society of Cinematographers (SASC), Uwe Beckmann’s role in the Content Creation team is to work with other interested organisations that have a role to play in this sector.

“Ours is a very fragmented sector, in which organisations tend to look after their own interests and whose members are generally unmotivated when it comes to working together for the common good,” says Uwe, “We have, however, had great support from SACIA in finding a way forward to represent our sector.

The Content Creation Council has run workshops and engaged with service suppliers and training institutions. We also engaged

with the youth in the workshops that SACIA has facilitated. Now the next step for us is to create a set of Professional Designations to accommodate those in our industry that are not covered by the current set of designations,” he says.

Continual learning The move will be driven by SACIA and endorsed by the organisations who are the experts and therefore in a position to make judgments of competencies. As with most of the sectors in the Communications and Creative industries, many technical people in the Digital and Imaging sectors have been working in the industry for years without any formal designation. A platform will be created to enable them to participate in an official programme of ongoing learning to assist them in reaching the designation level they aspire to.

“A recognised designation would go a long way towards reassuring Producers about the competency levels of any crew member they might be considering for employment.”

Uwe Beckmann, SASC

It will also give new entrants to the industry a pathway to achieve the ultimate designation in their required field.

Compentency reassured “A problem in our sector is that newcomers come into the industry with a training institution degree but no experience, and this poses a risk to any production,” explains Uwe. “A recognised designation would go a long way towards reassuring Producers about the competency levels of any crew member they might be considering for employment, says Uwe. “Professional Designations could be used to encourage Producers to only use Crew that hold the required SAQA-approved designations, to increase the use of competent Crews.”

The new designations will be a three-tier set like the South African Society of Cinematographers designations already in existence; the SASC Designation, the Practitioner Designation and the Associate Designation for Cinematography.

These will be complemented by the Guild Designations that cover crew not catered for in the existing designations but whose contribution is nonetheless crucial to the content creation sector.

A body that represents everyone “The Creation Council is proud to be part of a

body that represents everyone in the sector without it having a vested interest in the sector or competing in the production of content.

SACIA, as the professional Body for the sector has enabled its members to communicate with Government, SARS, Dept. Labour, DTI, DAC

and Broadcasters, with one voice. It has also assisted the industry with securing Medical Aid, Insurance cover, to implement effective Health and Safety legislation and by supplying Legal assistance for Freelance Crews issues such as non-payment of salaries by producers,” says

PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION for Freelancers available SACIA’s SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority) recognised Professional Designations were developed in consultation with experts in their fields to formally recognise competencies in the broadcast, film, sound, AV and live events sectors.

For working professionals, this is an opportunity to recognise and verify the skills they have developed over years of experience in the industry. Applications for a professional designation include the submission of a portfolio of evidence supporting the entrant’s claim of competence and/or the successful completion of one of SACIA’s tests.

2019 presented a valuable opportunity for freelancers. MICTSETA put forward funding for 300 freelancers across the relevant fields, working in Gauteng, to earn themselves a Professional Designation through SACIA. 240 individuals put themselves forward to participate.

Benefits of a professional designation?

Jurie Kruger, the CEO of Cool Music Productions (CMP), recently earned the Cert LTE Prof designation. He explained why he felt the need to lay claim to a professional designation this far down the line.

“After 21 years in the industry, I felt the need to test my knowledge and to prove that what I, and my company, offer our clients is of real value to them,” he says. “Every ‘fly-by-night’ operator with a speaker and a console claims to be an audio professional and I have come across so many instances where the client has been given completely incorrect advice - to the detriment of both the event and the industry - that I feel it’s time to validate what we do.”

Jurie, like many Technical Service Provider experts, did not have formal training in Sound Engineering and instead learned “on-the-job”, developing an already “naturally good ear for sound” as a classical trombonist with the

National Youth Symphony Orchestra and then in training with Johan van Rensburg (Noot vir Noot), where he was able to cultivate a life-long habit of “doing sound the way it should be done.”

"I'm very proud of this designation and my only regret is that I have I waited so long to do it. I was a little concerned that I would find the theoretical side of things difficult after all these years, but Sound is my field of expertise, so although the online tests are very comprehensive, they were not too taxing. The fields tested include a broad range of knowledge, but I believe that you cannot call yourself an AV industry professional

Uwe. “Our hope is that SACIA will become the industry representative body that can look after the interest of all of the associations we have in our sector. It would standardise and keep the level of competencies where they should be.” •

“They are proud to be part of a recognised professional company, so, soon, we will have a lot more staff/crew with a practitioner designation.

It is proof that our recommendations and involvement in a project have the backup and support of a professional body like SACIA and TPSA.” Commitment to standards SACIA’s initiative to have all practitioners certified as competent in their fields can only uplift the industry. It aims to educate clients to support professionals rather than to make decisions based only on the bottom line.

Possessing demonstrated proof of knowledge of the technologies used in an industry as well as their application across various sectors is a competitive advantage in the tough climate we

“Every ‘fly-by-night’ operator with a speaker and a console claims to be an audio professional and I have come across so many instances where the client has been given completely incorrect advice." - Jurie Kruger, Cool Music Productions without possessing a wider understanding of all aspects of Theatre and live Events as well.”

Taking ownership of professionalism “This is something I am going to extend to all my staff as well. On the events we have delivered since receiving my professional designation, I have noticed how my permanent staff have taken ownership of our professionalism and really upped their game and performance as well,” he says.

are currently experiencing.

“Our role players need to act to embed a commitment to standards into our industry and invest in a plan that can bring change.

Professional Designations give SACIA members designation ‘muscle’ and proof of competence.

It provides a benchmark against which to measure standards and separates the certified industry service providers from the no-socompetent providers that plague our industry,” he concludes. •

SACIA HAS YOU COVERED Schemes for Crew and Companies

SACIA’s insurance programmes will be two years old in July. Launched at Mediatech 2017, these are insurance schemes, developed by high-risk insurance experts to cater to the very specific needs of Production Crew/Companies in South Africa.

The insurance is managed through the Carroll Insurance Group Ltd in the UK via Precision Broking and facilitated locally by Andrews

Insurance Brokers, an authorised financial services provider, based in Johannesburg.

The insurance idea came about after SACIA's Kevan Jones had met and spoken with Andy Lenthall of the Production Services Association (PSA) in the UK. The rapid growth of membership of the PSA after implementation earned them a place at the table with the Government,

CREW COVER SOUTH AFRICA This Insurance Policy does exactly what the name implies, covering freelance Technicians, Riggers, Production Managers and Stage Managers working throughout Africa and especially on the touring circuit. If your main line of work is rigging, AV, lighting, sound, power, pyro, structure, or motion control, it couldn’t be easier to make sure you are covered.

All cover quotations and policy purchases can be done electronically from the website at www.crewcover.co.za within a few minutes.

Public Liability Insurance to R8.5 million Worldwide cover For freelancers, working with extremely valuable equipment daily means that if you damage the equipment, you could be liable for replacement or repair costs running into tens of thousands. And, if you inadvertently injure someone else in the process, you could be liable for defence costs and damages as well.

Crew Cover’s Public Liability covers you for all claims, including the equipment you might be working with, as well as any gear under your control while you operate forklifts or telehandlers. You are covered anywhere in the world and at whatever height you might be working. Crew Cover liability also covers defence costs for Local Authority prosecutions.

Personal Accident / Personal Sickness Should an accident in the work place or an unforeseen illness leave you unable to work - either temporarily or permanently, the Personal Accident/Personal Sickness insurance cover will pay out, either on a weekly basis for a maximum of 52 weeks or, in the event of a more serious accident, pay out a lump sum.

Travel Insurance This is still in the pipeline due to certain regulations, but once implemented, will cover the risks associated with local touring and international travel, making sure that costs incurred through the loss/theft of your personal items, portable computer equipment, medical expenses, travel delay and cancellations are reclaimable.

Although litigation locally is not very common, the expectation is that as the country continues to become a preferred destination for international events and more attractive to the TV and film sectors, it is likely that venues and equipment companies will increasingly ask for this type of cover.

www.crewcover.co.za www.andrewsbrokers.co.za

Regulators and allowed them to generally improve member services. Kevan approached Precision Broking and Andrews Insurance to see if something like this facility could be extended or duplicated in South Africa.

There are two main insurance areas, CREW COVER SOUTH AFRICA, which covers production crew and LIVE COVER, which caters to professional companies in the sector. • LIVE COVER Live offers Public and Employers' Liability cover and is aimed at professional organisations working in the Production Sector/Media. Live Cover insurance can be purchased directly from Andrews Insurance. The company has been providing specific insurance cover to the leaders in the industry for over 25 years, earning a specialist reputation in the industry.

Equipment Insurance Unlike most insurances that will only cover equipment at a specific location, SACIA’s Live Cover insures your equipment not only in your warehouse, but also in transit and wherever it is being used onsite, whether locally or abroad.

“International contractors require everyone they deal with to hold a Public Liability Policy. So just to work on these events will require crew to hold these policies,” says Murray Torrible from Precision Broking. “Secondly, to work outside of South Africa on tours or on location, will require that crewmember hold liability policies.

Any European, Middle Eastern or US company requires their crew to have PL.”

During the Mediatech show running at the Ticketpro Dome from 17-19 July 2019 SACIA will be hosting several workshops that add value to visitors. All workshops are hosted in Hospitality Suite 4 and are free of charge to show visitors.

17 JULY

11am SACIA’S BROADCAST INDUSTRY GROUP:

Neil Garner

18 JULY

Overcoming the challenge of radical technological transformation A 2-hour workshop that explores the impact of AI and machine learning in the broadcast industry and shares some ideas on how broadcasters can evolve their operations and workflow to take advantage of these new technologies.

Presented by Neil Garner.

9am GOVERNMENT AV FORUM Government AV breakfast is aimed at government departments and employees who use audio-visual technology in the service of national, provincial and local government objectives.

19 JULY

Tom Marais

9am SASC BREAKFAST During 2017 SACIA and the SASC committed to a partnership that has seen the SASC designation listed on the National Qualifications Framework. We’re now expanding this partnership to include the Guild of Camera Technicians. Join us for a discussion about formal recognition of competence for camera operators and cinematographers.

Hosted by Tom Marais.

2pm MEET THE NEW TPSA COUNCIL The new TPSA Council was elected from amongst the membership earlier this month. This is your opportunity to meet the new Council members and hear what they’ve got planned for the next two years. It’s also your opportunity to provide your input. We’re an organization run by the members – for the members. What activities do you want the new Council to pursue?

1pm BROADCAST INDUSTRY CTO LUNCH AND AWARDS Discussion with Aldred Dreyer, newly elected chair of SACIA’s Broadcast Industry Council. Meet members of the BIG Council and learn more about Aldred’s vision for SACIA activities in relation to standards, training and skills development

1pm LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 48 HOUR FILM FESTIVAL The 48 Hour short film competition is open to film enthusiasts, both professional and amateur. View the entry that made it to Cannes Short Film Corner 2019 and learn how you can participate in this exciting event.

2pm THE COPYRIGHT BILL AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE BROADCASTERS Discussion on the impact of the new copyright bill and its implications for the broadcast and production industry in South Africa. Panelists include Ilse Assmann, Lara Kantor, Denise Nicholson and Jack Devnarain

2pm SACIA STUDENT COUNCIL The SACIA student council is made up of students engaged in formal study across all sectors of the communications industry. During this 2-hour workshop we’ll touch on several topics that are specifically relevant to students and young professionals entering the communications industry.

Hosted by Mpho Buntse.

TRAINING ON INTERNET PROTOCOLS within the broadcast industry As part of the Association’s drive for Continuous Professional Development, SACIA contracted Mike Dhonau of Training for TV Ltd (UK) to provide training on the use of Internet Protocols in the broadcast environment for its members.

The programme has been adapted from a 3-day theoretical course, run in 2018, to a more comprehensive 4-day course which includes practical components.

Known as Practical IP for Broadcast Engineers, the course focuses on Broadcast Engineers and Technicians who need to deal with new IP based systems and covers the basics of IP networking – with plenty of hands-on practice using switches and routers.

The aims of the course are: • To give broadcast engineers confidence when working on IP based systems.

• To improve communication when working with IP network specialists.

• To provide a fundamental awareness of the issues around cybersecurity.

• To increase understanding of new broadcast/ production IP standards and systems.

It is unlikely that anyone planning a new broadcast or production system will not use IP for all, or at least most of it. This means that broadcast engineers need to update their IP networking skills, as well as learning about the new broadcast IP standards and make cybersecurity a central part of their thinking and working. They will need to work closely with IP network specialists when planning

"As we move more signals to IP, the opportunities to make more use of virtualisation and the cloud, both on and off premises is growing." - Mike Dhonau, Training for TV Ltd (UK) and designing the broadcast and production centres of the future.

The training allows delegates to create an IP network with VLANs and resilience, generate and receive multicast audio and video streams, and examine the system using network monitoring tools. It goes on to look at the new broadcast standards such as SMPTE 2022, SMPTE 2110 and AES67, as well as IEEE1588 PTP and considers the design of networks to carry high bit rate streams.

“Internet protocols have been a vital element in the broadcast and production chain for years, even decades - initially in office functions and databases, then in broadcast control. Finally, real-time audio and video began to be carried over IP, but this was mainly for contribution and distribution and usually used compression to reduce the data rate. Meanwhile, telecoms backbones were also moving to IP,” explains Mike.

“In the last 2 years, new standards, such as SMPTE 2110, have emerged to replace traditional broadcast signals such as SDI and AES3 with real-time IP audio and video within studio and broadcast centres. This is usually uncompressed and has a high bit rate, requiring at least 10GB Ethernet, and in many cases, up to 100GB. At the same time, audio and video timing is moving away from traditional Black & Burst and moving to IEEE1588 PTP (Precision Time Protocol). Moving to IP creates great opportunities for flexibility in hardware design and workflows, making systems less dependent on location.”

“Since the new standards are media format

agnostic, we will be able to upgrade to new formats and to mix formats – from SD SDR to Ultra HD HDR without changing the underlying infrastructure. And as we move more signals to IP, the opportunities to make more use of virtualisation and the cloud, both on and off premises is growing. Of course, with the increasing use of IP comes the increasing need to think about cybersecurity in all its forms,” he adds. •

Four training programmes will take place in the months of August and September (Aug 13th, Aug 20th, Oct 8th and Oct 14th) in Gauteng.

THE PROGRAMME IS RUN OVER 3 LEVELS • INTRODUCTION TO IP IN BROADCAST AND MEDIA 1 day theory • IP FOR BROADCAST OPERATIONS 2 days theory • PRACTICAL IP FOR BROADCAST ENGINEERS 4 days with practical

PRO-AUDIO COUNCIL IMMINENT SACIA’s Pro-Audio Sub-Committee is in the process of setting up a Pro-Audio Council to assist them in taking the sector forward.

The sub-committee is a temporary body which is focused on establishing the Pro-Audio Council, identifying potential stakeholders and inviting nominations.

The Committee has approached the Audio Engineering Society (AES) to work with the council on the promotion of professional standards within the local Pro-Audio field. The AES is a 503c3 non-profit corporation, registered in New York City, New York, USA and the only professional society dedicated exclusively to

audio technology.

Founded in 1948, the Society unites audio engineers, creative artists, scientists and students worldwide by promoting advances in audio and disseminating new knowledge and research. As such they will be a valuable partner for the Pro-Audio Council. •

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING signed with the Tshwane University of Technology The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) took steps towards reducing the unemployment rate amongst graduates with the establishment of “Step into the New Era” in 2018. The initiative is aimed at assisting graduates in the South African labour market. It promotes engagement with stakeholders for mentoring opportunities and equips graduates with leadership skills.

SACIA has been engaged in similar development programmes over past years and TUT is a feeder institution for several sectors within the Communications Industries. It made sense to formalise an agreement to strengthen the ties between SACIA and TUT through academic collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Aligning communication industry needs “One of our obligations as a Professional Body is to engage with Quality Councils and Training Providers to align their curriculum with both international standards and the needs of industry.” says SACIA CEO, Kevan Jones. “The TPSA has had a long-standing relationship with TUT’s Entertainment Technology programme and we felt it was necessary to expand the relationship to include the University’s film and multimedia programmes as well.”

TUT will develop and deliver a series of short courses aligned to areas of core competencies identified within the SACIA professional designations. This will expand the range of training programmes available to SACIA

members and encourage collaboration between the University and industry.

As part of the knowledge exchange, SACIA is participating in the development of curricula relevant to the fast-changing needs of the Creative Sector and assisting with the generation of educational material and special courses.

Mentorship programme Part of SACIA’s mandate is to help place relevant TUT students with competent employers as part of their Work Integrated Learning programme. The Association assists with organising interviews and where possible, secures employment for graduates with SACIA member-companies – specifically related to Work Integrated Learning.

WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING Certified SACIA members are encouraged to enrol in CPO training programmes delivered through the University’s Centre for Creative Industries. Professionals active in the market can also make themselves available for guest and/or part-time lectures at TUT. Kennedy Chinyowa, Research Professor in the Department of Drama and Film Studies and Director at the Centre for Creative Industries in the new Faculty of Arts and Design says, “Our partnership with SACIA comes at the most opportune moment when the Faculty has already begun to roll out the new HEQSF aligned curriculum with specific focus on work integrated learning (WIL)”. •

ARTSCAPE EMBRACES PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS

A recent deal brokered by SACIA’s Kevan Jones and Prosound’s Mark Malherbe with Artscape, Cape Town’s multi-purpose centre for performing arts, sees the theatre committing to the active promotion of professional standards within their environment.

The agreement enables Artscape technicians to participate in internal training to empower themselves on their career paths within the complex.

Mark Malherbe, outgoing Chairman of the TPSA has been instrumental in getting the theatre’s management interested in taking their professional development to the next level.

Marius Golding, Director of Operations at Artscape and Alfred Rietman, who runs the internship programmes at Artscape, have decided to incorporate SACIA’s Professional TLE designations into Artscape’s own training programmes. “Not only will the internship now be adapted to incorporate training specific to the designation requirements but Artscape’s own staff members will also work towards achieving their TLE professional designations to ensure that the Arts Council members are also all Certified Professionals,” says Mark.

“Theatre has always been where my passion lies and when the old SAITT was absorbed into the TPSA many years back, theatre dwindled to a minority voice in the membership,” he adds.

“It has been my mission during my term as TPSA Chairman, to ensure that theatre is as fully represented as other Live Events are. Artscape is the first to take this step and hopefully one of many theatres that we hope to see come on board as fullyfledged SACIA members” •

BROADCAST & AUDIO VISUAL

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES ESSENTIALS OF AV TECHNOLOGY

AV CERTIFICATION PREP

IP & NETWORKING FOR BROADCAST PROS

Based on a curriculum developed by AVIXA (formerly InfoComm International), this 3-day course provides in-depth explanations of the science and technology for basic audio, visual and audio-visual systems integration.

It is relevant to AV staff working in broadcast, fixed installations, staging and live events. This course builds the student’s understanding of the fundamentals used daily in the audio-visual industry. It is also great prep for the students wanting to earn the SACIA CertAV Practitioner designation. •

This 3-day course is designed to help prepare candidates as they get ready to write:

The world of broadcast and IT are now intimately linked and almost every aspect of production, creation and delivery is managed and controlled by IT systems. With movement of large files and the need for heavy processing, the requirements of a broadcaster’s IT are somewhat different from those of the average commercial user. Introducing SMPTE ST2022/6 and ST2120 these courses will also explain how the biggest revolution to hit the industry in decades is just starting. This four-day course includes hands-on practical experience for those who will be installing, supporting and maintaining the technology. •

• AVIXA’s Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) examination, OR • SACIA’s Certified AV Professional examination The course provides a forum for people to explore a wide range of topics relevant to the AV industry, and work collaboratively, studying the exam competency areas with the help of facilitators.

The course assumes a broad understanding of core technologies (such as audio, video, IT, display, etc…) and builds on the individual’s knowledge of the industry. Coursework includes practice examinations and industry experiential learning.

All delegates receive a copy of the AVIXA CTS Exam Guide. •

Date: 24-26 July 2019 Duration: 3 days Location: Johannesburg Course cost: R10,000. plus VAT

Date: 31 July – 2 August 2019 Duration: 3 days Location: Johannesburg Course cost: R10,000. plus VAT

Date: 13-16 August 2019 19-22 August 2019 Duration: 4 days Location: Johannesburg Course cost: R32,500. plus VAT

Please bring own laptop for practical

All SACIA courses are validated to provide CPD credits used to maintain a SACIA professional designation. To book, email training@sacia.org.za or call +27825555554

The 48 Hour Film Project is really quite simple. It is a test of a team’s ability to work together and make a movie in just 48 hours - write, produce, cast, design, perform, shoot, edit, score, master, and deliver a complete short film - and then later share your world premiere on the Ster-Kinekor big screen along with cast, crew, fans, family, colleagues and friends!

Here’s reasons why you should register for the upcoming 48 Hour Film Project: Official filming is from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 August 2019 at the Mall of Africa, Midrand, Gauteng.

You have 48-hours to make a movie. Dropoff is on Sunday by 5pm at the Mall of Africa.

There can be any number of crew and cast members on a team. All must be volunteers on this project.

Two of your team members can attend a free “Surviving the 48HFP” workshop on Sunday 4 August which includes writing and producing tips.

There’s a premiere screening at Ster-Kinekor Theatres for all entries, even the late ones.

And, you could win some awesome prizes, trophies, and a chance to attend Filmapalooza 2020 in The Netherlands - and Cannes 2020!

ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE?

48 HOUR FILM PROJECT • In this adrenaline filled competition you have one weekend to make a short film.

• Your film will premiere on the big screen for a live theatre audience and be seen by top judges.

• Winners are invited to Filmapalooza - the international film festival.

• Top films are screened at the Cannes Short Film Corner. www.48hourfilm.com/johannesburg Email: johannesburg@48hourfilm.com

INDUSTRY SUPPORT FOR THOSE IN NEED? When Siyabonga Ngondze, a young rigger working on the Global Citizen Festival at FNB Stadium late last year, tragically fell to his death; the ramifications were felt throughout the Live Events industry, both locally and abroad. Siya’s family and close colleagues were devastated and the industry at large was rocked by the occurrence of such a shocking and needless loss of life in its midst.

Whilst the circumstances surrounding the incident were being investigated by the relevant authorities, funds were quickly established to help provide funding for his immediate family, to assist with his burial and associated expenses.

Associations, companies and individuals alike were moved to assist the family through the various support initiatives put in place by DWR’s SOS support Fund, SACIA/TPSA Council’s BackaBuddy scheme and private company fund-raising endeavours, with many concerned industry members making direct contributions to the family as well.

Condolences We would like to pay our respects to Siyabonga and once again extend our condolences to his family and colleagues as well as take the opportunity to thank every Siyabonga Ngondze

person who contributed or assisted.

It’s a great pity that it takes an incident of this severity to bring about some inward reflection, but we took note of the more positive outcomes of this tragic incident.

• All companies and individual technicians, safety officers and co-workers were forced to examine their own safety practices more comprehensively; to question whether they themselves were fully compliant and taking every precaution to avoid another such event.

• The focus on the tragedy served to highlight the importance of training and technical standards in the practice of our craft. Although Siya was well-trained and accustomed to large-scale live environments, can we be sure that every one of us working in the field is correctly trained and using their knowledge consistently and correctly to safeguard themselves, their colleagues, the performers and their audiences?

It also raised the question as to what should be in place in terms of financial support in times of personal hardship. There are already several funds available to assist industry players in the technical production and live events sector in South Africa. The Theatre Benevolent Fund is a Public Benefit Organisation which provides support to individuals from the entertainment industry and the SOS fund established a few

years ago by DWR Distribution specifically assists technicians working in the Live Events industry, and has supported numerous worthy causes since its inception.

In the UK, the onus falls on the Association. The PSA established a PSA Welfare & Benevolent Fund which provides support to members.

The official objectives of this Fund are to provide financial assistance in cases of need, hardship, distress or emergency relief to its members, including other charitable causes at the discretion of the Trustees. It also makes provision for small scholarships and bursaries for approved vocational training or retraining which may be required because of accident or illness.

Emergency relief fund It begs the question as to what role, if any, the local Associations should play in providing emergency relief to its members in need.

Such a fund would not obviate the need for practitioners to take the necessary precautions in terms of adequate insurance and precaution against losing one’s life/livelihood through an accident or illness in the workplace, but there are many deserving causes across our industry sectors.

Would you agree/ disagree that this is an area in which SACIA should play a more active role?

What would the criteria be to apply for relief and what would the parameters be?

Would it necessitate a dedicated SACIA fund or should it hinge around a crowd-funding platform? SACIA would like to invite comment and suggestions from yourselves around this issue. Please send your comments and suggestions to kevan@sacia.org.za •

FILM • RADIO • TV • THEATRE • DANCE • OPERA • LIVE PERFORMANCE • PERFORMING ARTS • CIRCUS

WE ARE HERE FOR EVERYBODY IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY First things first... The Theatre Benevolent Fund exists for everybody who works or has worked professionally in the entertainment industry.

It’s also the ONLY welfare organisation that exists to look after the needs of our industry.

So yes, the Theatre Benevolent Fund is a big deal.

Secondly – and this is just as important – we rely completely, totally and utterly on donations to keep us going. We get no funding from anywhere or anybody other than the money YOU donate.

The Theatre Benevolent Fund has been helping our fellows since 1962, and it is thanks to you and people like you that we have been able to keep going for this long.

What do we do?

We provide monthly grants for beneficiaries, contribute towards medical and hospital costs and funeral costs, help widows and dependants, and assist with sourcing

wheelchairs, walkers, and ongoing medical supplies such as adult diapers.

We currently have more than 20 monthly grant recipients to whom we pay a monthly stipend, equal to the Older Person’s Grant paid by the State.

We know that you, like all of us, are always being bombarded with appeals for donations. It wouldn’t be fair on our older and weaker fellows’ dignity to put some once-famous faces on our pamphlets to shock you and sadden you. But be assured, there are some very famous people from not so many years ago who have fallen on hard times.

The TBF is managed and administered by a team of entertainment industry professionals, together with a professional financial adviser as treasurer, and – apart from the secretarial position, which carries a small stipend - all work done by the management team and Board is done voluntarily, without any remuneration, as stipulated by the constitution.

SMS "TBF" to 49701 to donate R30

TBF Bank Account Details FNB: Current Account : 6 202 439 8671 Account Holder: Theatre Benevolent Fund (PBO No : 9300 000 322) FNB Branch No: 250 117 ABSA: Savings Account Number: 9305 193 377 Account Holder: Theatre Benevolent FUND (PBO NO : 9300 000 322)

CALL FOR SUGGESTIONS for Pro-AV Educational webinars It has long been a concern for SACIA that there is insufficient engagement between Association members and end-users of the products and services they offer. The ProAV Council has put forward an idea that will educate their clients around the latest technologies and trends in PRO-AV, via a series of interactive webinars.

Wynand Langenhoven, one of the Co-founders of SACIA and Chairman of the Pro-AV Council says, “Our members in the Systems Integration, Control, Pro-AV and Video Conferencing fields are so busy on a day-to-day basis servicing the immediate needs of our clients, that we sometimes neglect the educational aspects of our sector. Our technology is advancing at such a rate that we felt the need to embark on a strategy to keep our clients abreast of the latest developments. It is up to us to help them fully understand how the technologies we offer can impact their businesses and give them the opportunity to have their questions answered in an interactive forum.”

With that in mind, the Pro-AV Council is developing a series of live sessions that will invite industry experts and leaders, from South Africa and abroad, to present on topics which will give their audiences valuable insight into what is available to them.

“We have a wide range of leaders in their fields willing to participate and keen interest from our clients across the Corporate, Governments, Educational, SMME and Residential markets,” explains Wynand.

Promotion education “The webinars will offer clients an opportunity to stay ahead of the technology curve and our members a platform for person-to-person marketing around our sectors’ offerings. Having said that, though, this will definitely not be used as a marketing tool to promote specific products but is purely aimed at education within our market.”

The sessions will include repeat schedules, the live webinars will be recorded and be made available on the SACIA website for future

reference. The Council is looking to recruit content ideas from both SACIA members and end-users, as well as to invite participation from experts and vendors who have an interest in presenting new technologies, tech trends, innovative applications and solution-driven case-studies to the market.

Guided by the needs of the end-user “There are so many topics we could touch on,” says Wynand. "But ultimately, this initiative must be guided by the needs of the end-users as well as those of us at vendor level to make it beneficial to all. We would like to invite comments and suggestions from interested parties ahead of the launch date. We have a huge collection of experienced specialists out there who must have some great ideas for content, so we would like to hear from them as well as from our clients on the technology issues they are experiencing.”

All comments, requests, expressions of interest and suggestions are welcome at kevan@sacia.org.za •

SACIA is a SAQA-recognised professional body that is governed by a Board of Directors elected from amongst the membership. The Board is elected for a two-year period, and is advised by several Councils representing members active across the broadcast, AV, education, technical production and live events sectors. The current board is Chaired by Stephen Motau. Board members include Ilse Assmann, Tinus Smit, Roman Magis, Wynand Langenhoven, Sharif Baker and Abrie du Plooy. Kevan Jones serves as Executive Director.

For more information on SACIA activities please visit the SACIA website at www.sacia.org.za or email info@sacia.org.za

COMMTREND SACIA CONFERENCE 2019

TRENDS & TECHNOLOGIES SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY Gallagher Conference Centre in Midrand 22 - 24 October 2019 The COMMTREND 2019 Conference is a high-profile event aimed at the broadcast, communications, live events, pro-AV and content creation industries throughout Southern Africa it promises an exciting programme of keynote speakers, knowledge cafés, panel discussions, breakaway sessions, as well as workshops/hands-on tutorials.

Contact COMMTREND C: +27 (0)72 159 2461 E: info@commtrend.co.za www.commtrend.co.za