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| IN THIS ISSUE
11 Sunu and M&C Saatchi Abel collaborate on charming new Bakers’ spot
18
15 DIRECTOR SPEAK: Stephanie Linus
Elements of Cinema: No strings attached
20
26
SA’s local content boom
News
DAWgone that sounds good!
AJA Ki Pro Ultra 4K/UltraHD/2K/HD Recorder
FILM
DISCOP AFRICA REPORT
Urucu Media presents REALNESS
DISCOP Africa advances
Screenwriters Residency...................... 3 SA cinematographer writes
and Player................................................. 8 TASCAM DR-70D linear
A thriller for change........................... 14 Director Speak: Stephanie Linus...... 15
filmmakers’ handbook........................... 3 Post-production sector discusses its challenges at
PCM recorder for DSLR...................... 8 Panasonic battery
Screen Africa roundtable...................... 4 Carthage Film Festival continues
DreamLights tri-colour LED banks... 9
packs and chargers................................ 9
despite terror attacks........................... 6
ADCETERA
The Hubert Bals Fund turns 26......... 6 Nu Metro Cinemas
Under construction: The communications
appoints new GM................................... 7 Miners Shot Down wins
industry in Ethiopia............................. 10 Sunu and M&C Saatchi Abel collaborate on charming
Best Documentary Emmy.................... 7 Horror film wins Best Film at the CT 48HFP.................................... 7 Africa to reach one billion mobile broadband subscriptions by 2020...... 7 Triggerfish named Western
new Bakers’ spot................................. 11 Regional radio thrives in 2015, but digital change is coming............. 12 What is the African Aesthetic?........ 12
pan-African collaboration.................. 29
Bringing fantasy to life........................ 16
Africa making its own news............. 30 DISCOPRO pitching
TELEVISION
competition winners.......................... 31
Feeding reality TV............................... 17 Elements of Cinema:
FESTIVALS & MARKETS
No strings attached............................ 18
TV Connect 2015............................... 32
SA’s local content boom .................. 20
NEW MEDIA Finding your MoJo ............................. 34
FILM & TV MUSIC
APP-titude............................................. 36
The composer’s process – an interview with Zethu Mashika... 21 Music rights demystified.................... 22 Lalela increases release schedule for 2016............................... 24
Regulars Production Updates................37 – 39 Events.............................................. 39 Social...................................................... 40
AUDIO DAWgone that sounds good!.......... 26
Cape Business of the Year.................... 7 Sony PXW-X400 XDCAM shoulder-mount camera....................... 8
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From the editor
The Team Editor
And so a new year begins! We start off 2016 with an issue that offers a fairly mixed bag of subject matter, from a comparison of digital audio workstation (DAW) software, to a look at South African broadcasters’ local content strategies, to a breakdown of the gear and techniques needed for successful mobile journalism. The January edition is traditionally the one that contains our audio feature and this year we asked our regularly contributing technophile Ian Dormer to size up some of the many DAWs available on the market at the moment. He had previously done a similar exercise with grading software, and this had proven very popular among our readers. In this case, the results are a little less conclusive, showing that the choice of DAW is really a matter of personal preference for the audio engineer. Read the story on pages 26-28 and I encourage all you audio experts out there to share your opinions with us – either on social media or by contacting me directly via email. Screen Africa made a concerted effort last year to start creating our own video content. We experimented with a number of methods until acquiring our own mobile journalism (MoJo) kit. This set-up enables us to shoot on the go using an iPad and a number of accoutrements, and for a team that works predominantly in the written word, has made the process of news and interview video creation incredibly user-friendly. On pages 34-35, we go through our kit and some of the other toys available, as well as getting some tips from Visual Impact’s Marius van Straaten on how best to master the art of MoJo – citizen journalism turned professional. One of our main aims during 2016 is to increase our level of interaction with our readers and improve the flow of feedback to and from the industry. We kicked this off at the end of 2015 when we hosted a gathering of postproduction artists and technicians in Johannesburg to discuss the challenges faced by the post sector and how to overcome them. We hope to host several similar events throughout the year, bringing various people and sectors in the industry together for frank discussions on how common problems can be solved and how the industry can be strengthened. Watch Screen Africa’s various platforms for announcements about future discussions and feel free to offer suggestions as to how you can contribute to them or even to recommend a topic that you think desperately needs to be addressed. I hope you enjoy this issue and I wish all of you the very best for the year ahead. – Warren Holden
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Warren Holden is a writer and journalist whose lifelong love of film and television prompted him to study for his BA in Motion Picture Medium at AFDA Johannesburg, specialising in writing and directing. After graduating, he worked for three years in the television industry before following his aptitude for writing into the world of publishing. He then worked for five years as assistant editor on the arts and culture publication Classicfeel, before taking the helm of Screen Africa, where his experiences in the separate streams of motion picture and publishing have finally come together. In addition to his work on Screen Africa, he is also hard at work developing stories for film and television and studying for a second degree in economics and African politics.
Deputy Editor Carly Barnes is a writer, journalist and self-professed documentary geek. Before joining Screen Africa, Carly completed a BA honours degree in Live Performance at AFDA Johannesburg, was named one of Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young South Africans (2011) and wrote and performed a one woman show at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival. She ran a small entertainment and production company for more than six years before she began a professional writing career – as a contributor to Oprah Magazine. When she isn’t blogging, exploring the local festival scene or dreaming about travelling abroad, Carly is connecting with creative leaders and filmmakers who are shaping the future of content creation on the continent.
JOURNALIST Chanelle Ellaya is a writer and a journalist. She completed her BA Journalism degree at the University of Johannesburg in 2011. While writing is her passion, she has a keen interest in the media in various capacities: In 2012 she co-presented the entertainment and lifestyle show Top Entertainment on TopTV and later that year she was handpicked as part of a panel of five dynamic young Africans to interview Winnie MadikizelaMandela on a youth focused television show called MTV Meets. Chanelle is an avid social networker and a firm believer in the power of social and online networking. Between writing and tweeting, she finds time to feed her love for live music.
CONTRIBUTORS Sam Charo is an independent writer, producer and filmmaker based in Nairobi, Kenya. His passion is sharing great stories about the continent with rest of the world.
Claire Diao is a French and Burkinabe cinema journalist. She covers the African film industry for various international media and moderates the Afrikamera Festival in Berlin each year. In 2015, she co-founded Awotele, a digital magazine that focuses on African cinema.
Ian Dormer – Born in Zimbabwe, Ian has been in the TV business since the 1980s, having served in various positions at the SABC, M-Net and SuperSport. Ian currently works and resides in New Zealand.
Louise Marsland is a veteran editor and journalist with over 20 years experience in the advertising, media, marketing and communications industries. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, she worked as the editor of AdVantage magazine, as well as Bizcommunity.com. She is currently publishing editor of TRENDAFRiCA.co.za.
Andy Stead is a broadcast industry professional with over 40 years’ experience in both South Africa and the UK, having worked at a number of leading industry organisations including the BBC and Chroma Television. Now retired, he is based in Cape Town.
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Urucu Media presents REALNESS Screenwriters Residency Under the mentorship of Berlinale Talents, Urucu Media, in partnership with Nirox, Durban FilmMart, Restless Talent Management, The French Institute in South Africa and Institute Français’s Cinémas du Monde, are hosting a screenwriter’s residency called REALNESS – “for a new generation of African cinema.” Urucu Media’s Elias Ribeiro says that the initiative was conceptualised out of the frustration he and his partner, writer/ director John Trengove, were feeling with regards to the lack of funding avenues for story development in the African film industry: “We believe in authors and that creative freedom is one of the most
KEEPING IT REAL: Sweet seclusion – the Nirox Artists Residency important elements for a good story to thrive. As most writers are forced to work multiple jobs in order to support themselves and allow themselves the time to work on their projects, we wanted to offer the time and the space for creatives to produce the best work they possibly can, with the luxury of not having to worry about the other elements of their lives too much.” In February 2015 Ribeiro and Trengove took some time to draw up a strategic plan for the company, “We both made a decision on that day that we would like to be more engaged in fostering new avenues for African cinema, beyond the films we could produce ourselves; this is how the idea for REALNESS was born,” Ribeiro explains. “We took part in most workshops affiliated with the big international film festivals across the
globe… We learnt so much from those experiences and built a rich contact book. We felt we were in a strong position to align the need for more development avenues and the wonderful consultants and supporters of world cinema we met along the way.” The residency will begin on 16 June 2016 with an introductory week at Durban FilmMart where the residents will participate in workshops, attend seminars and present their projects to industry professionals for feedback. Thereafter, residents will spend six week at the Nirox Artists Residency in the Cradle of Humankind, working on their scripts in a peaceful and nurturing living environment. While there, residents will liaise with international script consultants via workshops and one-on-one sessions, after which they will work at their own pace, with support in the form of workgroups with fellow writers, producer-led case discussions with visiting speakers, as well as curated film screenings. After leaving the residency, writers will be invited to submit a new draft of their screenplay by 30 September 2016. The most promising project to emerge from REALNESS will be invited and funded to
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participate in La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde in Cannes in 2017. “…we are on the hunt for the top talent and most promising projects, the ones which have true potential to become outstanding films. REALNESS will have a long life if the projects selected turn into award winning feature films. This is our goal,” says Ribeiro. “In order to achieve that we are partnering with other programmes that assist with the next steps of getting those films made, most importantly, La Fabrique des Cinemas du Monde in Cannes, where the producer and director of the most promising project will be invited to the Cannes Film Festival in 2017 to pitch their film project to co-producers, financiers and festival programmers.” With the support of Restless Talent Management, a stipend of R15 000 will be given to each resident, allowing them to participate in the residency and still take care of their “real life” responsibilities such as their rent and other basic fixed costs. The deadline for participants wanting to take part in the REALNESS residency falls on 31 January 2017. – Chanelle Ellaya
SA cinematographer writes filmmakers’ handbook South African filmmaker, camera operator and sound recordist Lameck Mabonga recently launched a self-published book intended to offer aspirant filmmakers a guide to all aspects of Africa’s film industry, by way of a series of conversations with established industry professionals, from producers to cinematographers, directors, editors and actors. Titled Diary of A Filmmaker – Conversations with African Filmmakers the book was four years in the making and is intended as “a powerful toolkit designed to educate and equip filmmakers in Africa and beyond. This is a conversational journey with real life moments from people who have made a name for themselves in the industry and their work has followed them and inspired many, some of them without attending film school.” Mabonga, whose own career has developed through a combination of
formal education (at AFDA), self-teaching and on-the-job experience, noted early on that there were no decent books available that could introduce newcomers to the specifics of Africa’s film and television industries. “There are a lot of American books and they are all theory,” Mabonga explains. “I envisioned a book that is very practical and simple. If you are passionate about writing, you can go through the chapter on scriptwriting and at the end of that, you should have an idea of how to put a script together. No one can teach you how to write – you either have it or you don’t – but the book offers the essential guidelines on how to go about it” The concept of the book was modeled on the self-help books of Napoleon Hill.
Writing from the 1930s to the 1960s, Hill published several guides to success and wealth creation, drawn from interviews with some of America’s self-made millionaires. Inspired by this concept, Mabonga, spent a number of years interviewing successful film industry personalities to try and find out how they achieved success in their particular fields. Among the interviewees were actor/ writer Jonathan Pienaar, cinematographer David Forbes, director Adze Ugah, producer Harriet Gavshon and actor Jamie Bartlett, to name a few. Among the topics covered by the book are: • Scriptwriting – from concept to screenplay, including the proper industry standard format • Keys to engaging and relevant storytelling
• The skills and challenges involved with selling scripts to broadcasters and investors • The importance of performance • The art of cinematography – the basics of telling a story using light and images • Some survival tips to sustain oneself in the industry • The power of networking on set • Financial management “The most important thing I have learned from the experience of writing the book is that, as a filmmaker, you are always a student of life,” Mabonga concludes. “No matter how much you learn, how much you think you know, always humble yourself and always be prepared to learn something new.” Diary of a Filmmaker can be preordered on the dedicated website, diaryofafilmmaker.com. – Warren Holden
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Post-production sector discusses its challenges at Screen Africa roundtable
CHALLENGES IN COMMON: Among the attendees of the Screen Africa post-production roundtable were: Quentin Haffern (Realtime Pictures), Graham Cooke (G-Vision), Alun Richards (Cut & Paste Generation) and Eileen Sandrock (Sasani Studios)
On 12 November 2015, Screen Africa hosted a roundtable discussion for practitioners in Johannesburg’s post-production sector, to discuss some of the problems facing editors, colourists, final mixers and effects facilities in the country and, by extension, the film and television industry as a whole. The event was very well attended, with around 40 representatives of the sector taking time out of their busy year-end schedules to attend. Over the past year, Screen Africa staff, through their regular interactions with post-production artists and technicians, had picked up on a number of common challenges facing the sector. These could partially be reduced to two major questions: firstly, the rising trend among major advertising agencies to bring post-production work in-house; and secondly, a tendency, observed by many in the post-production sector, for producers to allocate a disproportionately small percentage of a project’s overall budget to post. During the discussion, these were touched and expanded upon, with several other points added. Some of the major points to emerge from the discussion are as follows: • Post-production artists and 4 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
technicians are price takers, ie. they are forced to accept whatever prices are dictated by production budgets, rather than their preferred asking rates. • There is a feeling that the work of post-production is undervalued in the industry at large and postproduction operatives have been inclined not to assert their value, usually as a result of economic necessity – as work gets scarcer and competition gets stiffer. • From the point of view of postproduction people there is a lack of uniformity in standards across the sector. At one end is the ‘lone operator with a laptop’ business model and on the other is the large-scale post house offering the full value chain from offline to final mix and grading. This results in a broad range of differentiating factors in terms of operation costs, skills,
expertise and quality. This differentiation does not seem to translate to the demand side of the market, however, as is shown by post-production’s ‘price taker’ status. To many producers the only differentiator is price, meaning that, to use a car analogy, postproduction services are expected to deliver a Ferrari for the price of a Toyota. • There are concerns about the future and transformation of the industry. Hundreds of graduates come out of training institutions every year. Where do they go? What are they being taught? Are they equipped to fill the industry’s skills demands? Some possible answers raised to these problems are as follows: • The industry is changing and so there is no question of finding ways to restore and maintain the old status quo. New workflows and new business models must be devised. • Some post facilities have found partial solutions to reduced revenue by expanding and diversifying their service offerings. • Quality differentiation needs to be re-asserted. As with any industry, there are product tiers and you get what you pay for. If you are on a limited budget you can get the best
relative to what you are able to pay but you can’t expect the ‘premium offering’. • Post-production and other parts of the industry should interact more closely with the training sector. Training institutions need to know what the labour demands of the industry are and cater to them. • The most pervasive opinion was that collective action is needed – the existence of some sort of body that can facilitate collective bargaining and that actually has teeth. This would require all members to know the value of their work and to assert it, while still understanding the realities of budget limitations in the industry. The problems raised are not easily solved and would require a great deal of further discussion and collective effort but there was a general sense – expressed by many attendees – that the gathering was a useful forum to express ideas, inspire collaboration and come up with solutions. Screen Africa will host a follow-up discussion in the first quarter of 2016 to focus on possible solutions and open up the conversation to other disciplines within the industry. – Warren Holden
Introducing Blackmagic URSA Mini, the lightweight Super 35 4.6K digital film camera with 15 stops of dynamic range! Introducing URSA Mini, a handheld Super 35 digital film camera with an incredible 4.6K image sensor, global shutter and a massive 15 stops of dynamic range! The super compact and lightweight design is perfectly balanced, making it comfortable enough for all day shooting. URSA Mini lets you shoot at up to 60fps, features a 5" foldout viewfinder, dual RAW and ProRes recorders, and more!
Incredible 4.6K Sensor URSA Mini can capture images at a resolution and dynamic range that goes well beyond that of traditional motion picture film so you can shoot your own epic, cinematic masterpiece! You can capture images up to 4608 x 2592, which is larger than 4K DCI, with 15 stops of dynamic range so you get incredibly clean pictures with amazing detail in everything from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights! URSA Mini can record 4.6K at up to 60fps, or 1080 HD at up to 120fps.
Lightweight and Portable URSA Mini’s perfectly balanced body is made out of space aged magnesium alloys so it’s rugged, yet lightweight and comfortable enough to be used all day. You get a super bright 5" fold out touch screen for on-set monitoring, that can also display overlays for timecode, histograms, audio meters, focus peaking and more! URSA Mini features full size, professional connectors, even 12G-SDI, so you don’t need custom cables, plus high quality stereo microphones and a side grip mounted on a standard rosette.
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Completely Customizable Blackmagic URSA Mini is completely customizable so you can create a rig that’s built specifically for your production! Add accessories like the Blackmagic URSA Viewfinder and Blackmagic URSA Mini Shoulder Kit, or choose from hundreds of third party accessories. URSA Mini has 9 standard ¼" threaded mounting points on the top and bottom of the camera so you can mount it directly to a tripod as well as add accessories such as rails, matte boxes and more.
Non-Stop Recording You never have to stop recording because URSA Mini features two CFast 2.0 recorders! When one card is full, recording automatically continues onto the next. URSA Mini uses the latest, incredibly fast CFast 2.0 technology for recording speeds up to 350 MB/s. Wide dynamic range images are saved as 12-bit RAW files, which are perfect for high end grading and effects work, or as broadcast quality ProRes, for easy post production workflows with minimum storage requirements!
Blackmagic URSA Mini Models Blackmagic URSA Mini 4K EF US$2,995* Blackmagic URSA Mini 4K PL US$3,495* Blackmagic URSA Mini 4.6K EF US$4,995* Blackmagic URSA Mini 4.6K PL US$5,495* All models include DaVinci Resolve 12 Studio
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FESTIVALS | TUNISIA
Carthage Film Festival continues despite terror attacks Founded by Tahar Cheriaa in 1966, the Carthage Film Festival – since last year – is now an annual event; previously it was a biannual festival. Although the Tunis bus bomb attack happened during the 26th edition of the Carthage Film Festival in November 2015, movie goers at the festival insisted they would not be afraid to attend screenings. Festival director Ibrahim Letaief expressed his gratitude to guests for staying in Tunisia despite the security concerns. Conceived as a bridge between the Middle East, the Maghreb region and sub-Saharan Africa, the Carthage Film Festival took place in 13 Tunisian cities, organised around 1 000 screenings in movie theatres, prisons and universities, and conducted a symposium on ‘Literacy
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FROM BIANNUAL TO ANNUAL: Award winners at the 2015 Carthage International Film Festival and Cinema’. In 2015, Carthage paid tribute to the Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira, the Tunisian director Nouri Bouzid, the Algerian writer and filmmaker Assia Djebar, the Tunisian DOP Habib Masrouki and the Egyptian stars Faten Hamama, Asma El-Bakri, Nabiha Lotfi, Maali Zayed and Mariem Fakhreddine. Two focus sessions about Italian and Argentinean cinema were also organised. FESPACO, Carthage’s biannual twin festival created in 1969 in Burkina Faso, was also one of the key participants. Some of the greatest Golden Stallion winners came to Tunisia, including Haile Gerima (Ethiopia), Gaston Kabore (Burkina Faso) and Souleymane Cissé (Mali). This year, the Carthage Film Festival received 600 entries. Out of the 17 features selected in the main competition Mohamed Mouftakir’s The Blind Orchestra (Morocco) won the Golden
Tanit; Oliver Hermanus’ The Endless River (South Africa) received the Silver Tanit; Leyla Bouzid’s first feature As I Open My Eyes (Tunisia), the Bronze Tanit; and Nabil Ayouch controversial Much Loved (Morocco) received the Jury Prize. As I Open My Eyes (Tunisia) and Sibs Shongwe-La Mer’s Necktie Youth (South Africa) also received the TV5 Monde Award, while the Algerian feature The Well by Lofti Bouchouchi won the Jury Special Mention. Adlane Djemi received the Best Actor Award for Merzak Allouache’s Madame Courage (Algeria) and Maïmouna N’Diaye, the Best Actress Award for Sékou Traoré’s The Eye of the Cyclone (Burkina Faso). Out of the 16 selected documentaries, Hassen Ferhani’s Roundabout in My Head (Algeria) won the Golden Documentary Award as well as the First Feature Award. The six-hour Iraqi documentary Homeland by Abbas Fahdel received the Silver Documentary Award while the
The Hubert Bals Fund turns 26 The film completion grant, the Hubert Bals Fund, will celebrate its 26th anniversary from 27 January to 7 February 2016. Designed to help ‘remarkable or urgent feature films by innovative and talented filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Eastern Europe,’ the Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) was launched in 1989 by the Rotterdam International Film Festival. It is supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Dutch non-governmental development organisation Hivos, the Dioraphte Foundation and the Lions Club L’Esprit du Temps. More than 1 000 independent projects have received support and about 80% were completed. The grants are divided between ‘Script & Project Development Support’ and ‘Post-Production Support’. The maximum contribution is €10 000 per project (for development) and €20 000 per project (for post-production). Other grants focus on European opportunities to produce and distribute content: the ‘European Minority 6 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
Co-Production Support’ with a maximum amount of €55 000 per project and the ‘Europe Distribution Support’ with a maximum of €20 000 per project. In 2011, Congolese filmmaker Djo Tunda wa Munga was awarded funding for the distribution in various southern African countries of his critically acclaimed thriller Viva Riva! An additional grant, the Netherlands Film Fund and the Hubert Bals Fund Plus was launched in 2006 ‘to stimulate Dutch producers to get involved in international co-productions’. An amount of €200 000 is available each year to support Dutch producers with a maximum of €50 000 per project. In 2014, the South African
project The Wound, directed by John Trengove, received this co-production support. The Dutch company OAK Motion Pictures, the French company Sampek and the German company Salzgeber joined this Urucu Media Cape Town-based project. The Hubert Bals Fund supported various African filmmakers, including the famous Abderrahmane Sissako (Mauritania), Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Chad) and Merzak Allouache (Algeria). As the Hubert Bals Fund is based in a European country, it is not surprising to see that most of the selected projects are applying to other European grants such as Locarno’s Open Doors (Rungano Nyoni’s I am Not a Witch – Zambia), Cannes’ Cinéfondation (John Trengove’s The Wound, Teboho Edkins’ Days of Cannibalism – South Africa) and La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde (Hala Elkoussy’s Cactus Flowers – Egypt). Unsurprisingly, it is mostly Englishspeaking filmmakers who apply for this grant. Between 2002 and 2015, no less than 11 South Africans were selected. But northern African filmmakers such as Tariq Teguia (Algeria), Leila Kilani (Morocco) or Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisia) applied and
Syrian feature Queens of Syria, got the Bronze Award. Out of the 13 short films in competition, Diaspora by Alaeddin Abou Taleb (Tunisia) won the Golden Short Film Award; Terremere by Aliou Sow (Senegal) received the Silver Short Film Award; and Lmuja by Omar Belkacemi (Algeria), the Bronze Short Film Award. The second edition of the Takmil post-production workshop gave seven awards this year. The jury was composed of Vincenzo Bugno (Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund, Germany), Hala Khalil (filmmaker, Egypt), Nadia Ben Rachid (editor, France/Tunisia) Monica Rorvik (Wesgro, South Africa) and Hédi Zardi (Luxbox, France/Tunisia). A prize winner in the workshop was: A Besieged Person Like Me by Hala Abdalla (Syria), which received €10 000 from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and €10 000 from the French Cinema Center (CNC). Kaouther Ben Hania’s Zaineb Doesn’t Like Snow (Tunisia) received TND20 000 (Tunisian dinars) from the Star Insurance Company. Mohamed Ben Attia’s Hedi won TND15 000 from the Tunisian Cinema Center (CNCI). Iman Kamel’s Egyptian Jeanne d’Arc received €10 000 from the SANAD Abu Dhabi Film Fund. On the Fence by Nesrine El Zaya (Egypt) received $10 000 from the Arab League Educational Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) while Tounsa by Ridha Tlili (Tunisia) received €9 000 from the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC). – Claire Diao
received support as well. Between 2003 and 2015, 12 North African projects (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Egypt all together) were awarded. The Hubert Bals Fund also supports workshops worldwide. It provided support to the Ugandan project Maisha Film Lab in 2006, 2007 and 2010, and has offered awards at the Durban FilmMart (South Africa) since 2010. Workshops such as Sud Ecriture in Tunisia, Recitel Film Festival in Togo, the Blue Nile Film and TV Academy in Ethiopia, the Imaginations Workshop in DRC, the NAAS Training Workshop in Egypt and the Digital Cinema Workshop series in Morocco has also received support. With the huge competition film festivals face in obtaining world premieres, it is not surprising to see that every festival has a way to support filmmakers at an early stage to get their movies screened in an upcoming edition. When some projects escape to another festival (like Cannes, Venice and Berlin) it is also a great recognition for its early supporters. Meanwhile the Panafrican Filmmaker Federation (FEPACI) struggles to set up a pan-African Fund for filmmakers; European grants like HBF are still an opportunity for southern projects. – Claire Diao
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Nu Metro Cinemas appoints new GM improve the business beyond expectations. Every single staff member should be empowered in their respective roles to deliver on promises but also fulfill our expectations with passion and dedication,” states Matai. Future developments for Nu Metro Cinemas include the expansion of both the Scene Xtreme and Scene VIP footprints to cinemas nationally, as well as the launch of Africa’s first ever 4DX cinema at Nu Metro V&A Waterfront in December 2015.
Image credit: Media Update
On 1 December Nu Metro Cinemas confirmed the appointment of Nitesh Matai as the new general manager (GM) for the national theatre chain. He has held the position of marketing executive since Nu Metro Cinemas was purchased by One Fifty Capital in January 2014. “One of my first tasks as GM is to visit each one of our 19 cinemas across South Africa along with the Exco team; the plan is to get input from everyone in order to
Nitesh Matai
| NEWS
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Africa to reach one billion mobile broadband subscriptions by 2020
Miners Shot Down wins Best Documentary Emmy Miners Shot Down, the South African documentary by Rehad Desai which tells the story of the Marikana massacre in August 2012, has won the International Emmy for Best Documentary. The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the winners of the 43rd International Emmy Awards at a gala event attended by over 1000 international television professionals and hosted by Egyptian Comedian Bassem Youssef, at the New York Hilton on 23 November. According to a report by The Daily Vox, Desai stated at the
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Africa Market Outlook, 2014–20 Jongo poster
The NFVF’s Lala Tuku with Rehad Desai ceremony that the film was difficult to make. “It took me three or four months just to recover from dealing with the footage from the massacre. I was born and raised in exile and it was all very close to me,” he said. Desai hopes that the Emmy win will encourage local broadcasters to screen the film for South African audiences.
Horror film wins Best Film at the CT 48HFP The Book Club, a black-and-white, Hitchcock-style horror film centring on a group of friends at a book club and set in the South African National Library won Best Film at the Cape Town 48-Hour Film Project this year. “On the Friday night the writer and I worked on the concept of the film, then we called in the actors and we said: this is the story. And they created their own characters and their own motivations,” said director Bauke Brouwer. “I think it was only really right at the end when I saw the sound design, that I realised that we had a very classic horror film… and I realised we had done something
quite good.” This year at the Cape Town event, which was organised by Bench Films, 31 films competed for the awards. As well as clinching best film, The Book Club also claimed awards for Best Make-up, Best Costume, Best Original Score, Best Sound Design, Best Ensemble Cast, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Director and the Audience Award.
The number of mobile broadband connections in Africa will reach one billion in 2020, up from 147 million at the end of 2014, according to new forecasts by independent analyst and consultancy firm Ovum. The rapid growth of mobile broadband in Africa over the next few years will be driven by factors such as the on-going rollout of 3G W-CDMA and 4G LTE networks on the continent and the increasing affordability of smartphones and other data devices. As a result, mobile broadband will account for an increasingly substantial share of the overall mobile market in Africa. Mobile broadband accounted for
just 17% of the 884 million total mobile subscriptions in Africa at end-2014, but mobile broadband is forecasted to account for 76% of the total of 1.32 billion mobile subscriptions in Africa at end-2020. The number of total mobile subscriptions in Africa is expected to cross the one billion mark during 2016. Africa’s fixed-broadband market is also set to grow strongly, albeit from a low base, as operators on the continent step up their deployments of wireless and fibre networks for home and business broadband. The number of FTTH/B subscriptions in Africa will rise from about 166 000 at end-2014 to 1.2 million at end-2020, forecasts Ovum.
Triggerfish named Western Cape Business of the Year At the recent Premier’s Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards (PERA), Triggerfish Animation Studios was named the overall winner and Business of the Year. Triggerfish also took home the prize for the Business with Global Reach. Western Cape premier Helen Zille congratulated the pioneering animation company, which celebrates 20 years in 2016. “Criteria for the overall winners included the ability of the business to create jobs and grow its turnover. Triggerfish achieved excellently in both those areas,” she said. “Triggerfish is a world-class enterprise, making a major impact on economic growth in our province. They develop films which are translated into over 27 languages and licensed in over 150 countries. Their films
Triggerfish CEO Stuart Forrest have generated over R1 billion at box offices (and home entertainment) across the world. Employing 85 people, they are also an important source of employment for local residents.” Over 300 businesses entered PERA, which was launched three years ago by the Western Cape Government and is co-sponsored by Absa, Deloitte, Business Partners and Entrepreneurs’ Organisation. The 13 PERA winners shared R1.8 million in prize money, with Triggerfish also receiving an overseas trip as the overall winner. January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 7
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Technology
www.screenafrica.com
AJA Ki Pro Ultra 4K/UltraHD/2K/ HD Recorder and Player Sony PXW-X400 XDCAM shoulder-mount camera
The Ki Pro Ultra is a next generation file-based 4K/UltraHD and 2K/HD video recorder and player with a built-in HD LCD monitor. Ki Pro Ultra is capable of capturing edit-ready 4K (4096 x 2160), UltraHD (3840 x 2160), 2K (2048 x 1080) and HD (1920 x 1080) Apple ProRes files. Ki Pro Ultra also supports a range of video formats and frame rates up to 4K 60p, and offers flexible input and output connectivity – including 3G-SDI, Fibre and HDMI – for powerful and efficient large-raster and high-frame rate workflows.
The latest addition to Sony’s shoulder mount XDCAM range offers stronger network and wireless capabilities, improved weight balance, XAVC 60p recording and pool feed functions to give ENG and field production professionals a versatile and high-performance tool. Among its features are: • An Ethernet interface that enables direct connection to a network when wireless LAN is unstable or unavailable, for file transfer, live streaming and control from a web browser • A near-field communications (NFC) feature providing a one-touch link between the camera and a mobile device. • A Content Browser Mobile application enabling users to preview or remotely control camcorder settings of various menu functions. • Pool feed function (HD/SD SDI) enabling 1.5G HD-SDI external signal recording on SxS card. • ‘ONLINE’ button, which lets users bypass a mobile device or the camera’s menu for direct on/off control over: direct streaming transmission of AV signals from a PXW-X400 to assigned destinations; auto-uploading of proxy files to cloud services and FTP servers; and on/off control over Sony’s PWS-100RX1 network server while in shooting. • 2/3” 3-chip CMOS image sensor • supports several HD and SD formats including XAVC • Lens options include a 20x Manual Focus Lens (PXW-X400KC model) and a 16x Auto Focus Lens (PXW-X400KF model).
• Supports recording and playback of 4K/UHD resolutions up to 4K 60p. • Apple ProRes support, including up to ProRes 4444. • Records 4K/UltraHD and 2K/HD sources directly to reliable and affordable AJA Pak SSD media, at capacities up to 1 Terabyte. • Extremely fast media changes and Rollover recording with twin media drive bays. • Professional connectivity with 3G-SDI, Fibre and HDMI inputs and outputs, AES and analog XLR balanced audio, LTC, RS-422 and LAN. • All outputs are active all the time, for massive output and monitoring capabilities. • ‘Always-on’ high-quality 4K/UHD to HD down-conversion. • Intuitive menu structure and confidence monitoring on a built-in 4.8” 720p LCD display. • Integrated web-based UI for complete control across the LAN on any web-browser. • A rotary selection knob for quick, accurate adjustment of configuration and settings. • RS-422 control for easy integration with supported editing systems and external controllers. • Dual redundant 12V power inputs with locking 4-pin connector (one 12V power supply included). • Standard 2RU high, 1/2 rack width, allows easy side-by-side rackmounting. Included carrying handle also allows easy portability. • AJA three-year international warranty and support included.
TASCAM DR-70D linear PCM recorder for DSLR Attaching to most DSLR models, the DR-70D offers a complete field audio recording solution for filmmakers. Main features: • 4 XLR/ TRS combo jacks • Two built-in omnidirectional microphones • Built-in 4-in/2-out mixer enables 4-channel and stereo recording • Compact, rugged design can be attached above or below the camera • Camera out jack for audio recording on both the DR-70D and camera • Slate tone generator makes alignment with video files easy • 3.5mm stereo mini jack input accepts video camera mics • Camera in jack for monitoring and playback • Supports mics requiring plug-in power, and mics with high output (1-2) • Operates on (4) AA batteries, with an optional AC adapter (TASCAM PS-P515U) or USB cable provided with the unit (USB bus power). • Limiter function can automatically adjust excessive input levels (stereo-linking possible for 1/L and 2/R). 8 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
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Panasonic battery packs and chargers
AG-VBR118G
AG-VBR89G
AG-VBR59
AG-BRD50 Panasonic will be marketing its new range of batteries and chargers for cameras and field recorders in early 2016. The batteries are marketed as being able to offer twice the capacity of existing models and enable quick charging of about 1/3 of the time of older variants. The new 7.28V batteries come in three sizes: • AG-VBR118G – 11800mAh, approximately five hours of operational time • AG-VBR89G – 8850mAh, approximately four hours of operational time • AG-VBR59 – 5900mAh, approximately 2.5 hours of operational time
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Technology
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DreamLights tri-colour LED banks To easily meet the needs of filming units who require lights for both tungsten and daylight conditions, Johannesburg-based lighting manufacturer DreamLights has developed two tri-colour LED light banks, available in 3ft4 and 2ft4 sizes. The 3ft4 bank has almost the power of a traditional 4ft4 bank fluorescent, with the advantage of not needing to change fluorescent globes to film in daylight and tungsten situations. This new range of 3ft4 and 2ft4 banks are tri-colour and are variable between 2900 and 6500 degrees Kelvin. They can be powered by both mains power and V-Lock batteries. Moreover, when the tungsten and daylight LEDs are turned to maximum, the 4400 degree Kelvin mixed light output is 90% more powerful than either the tungsten or daylight setting. With random power shedding a distinct reality, the powerful LEDs will work on small generators, inverters running off car batteries and V-Lock batteries. These lights are available from the Magic Lightbox Company for dry hire and purchase, along with additional accessories such as V-Lock batteries, smaller generators and inverters.
January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 9
ADCETERA
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OPINION
Under construction:
The communications industry in Ethiopia By Graham Cruickshanks, director Africa Operations, TBWA\Africa
As a frequent visitor to many African cities, I am often tempted to use the descriptor ‘under construction’. The economic growth of the continent is well documented and the most tangible evidence of this is its city skylines of scaffolding, construction cranes and buildings in various stages of completion.
A
s a first-time visitor on a recent trip to Addis Ababa, I found this description to be somewhat of a euphemism. The city is quite literally a building site, with a state of development so remarkable that even the locals find it overwhelming. Following several conversations with Addis agency leaders, I gained a deeper insight into how they view Ethiopia’s economy as well as the machinations of the communications industry. Ethiopian GDP growth was reported at 10.3% in 2014 and the country is aiming for a growth rate of 11% per annum between 2015 and 2020 as part of its Growth and Transformation plan. If it succeeds, Ethiopia will be one of the fastest growing economies in Africa and globally. The country’s swift state of development is in evidence everywhere and almost every conversation refers to the apparent, highly orchestrated government plan to establish Ethiopia as a dominant player amongst other African economic powerhouses. This is a lofty ambition, given that the country is 85% dependent on agriculture, has no natural resources and was a closed economy under communist rule until 1991. The country’s growth is being driven by the industrial, agricultural and service sectors. Within this milieu, the communications sector could also be described as an industry ‘under construction’ with mostly global FMCG companies such as Coke, P&G and Unilever driving agency business. The alcohol giants are also significant contributors. Heineken invested US$320 million in building the world’s second largest brewery in Addis last year. The operation is already at capacity, brewing
10 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
five million hectolitres annually for the Ethiopian market alone and the brewery’s capacity is expected to be the biggest globally within the next two years. In support of this, Heineken has started spending heavily on communications and, according to one industry professional, has changed the dynamic of the local FMCG industry. In his view, Heineken’s intensified communication initiatives have been the catalyst for other global FMCG entities to further acknowledge the potential of the Ethiopian consumer. This has seen an escalation of marketing efforts across the board – a move which only seems likely to build as the market develops. The media landscape in Ethiopia is largely state controlled and comprises one national television station and four regional affiliates, nine radio stations and four weekly newspapers. There are, however, about 12 radio stations owned by private media companies. For many years, local industries have been serviced by a handful of agencies – with one or two featuring repeatedly on many global agency credentials presentations. Local agencies generally conduct non-exclusive deals to handle international business from global networks, but stop short of full affiliations, leaving themselves open to handle business from competing networks. External agencies can do deals with Ethiopian agencies, but cannot own shares in these local businesses. The Ethiopian government does not feel the country is ready to open up in industries such as finance, telecommunications, media and communications as it believes they would be overwhelmed by international competitors. The idea is to first strengthen local industries, make them
Graham Cruikshanks competitive and then allow foreign competition. For many agencies, client demand outstrips supply and some battle to manage the quantity of business they get. Notably, agencies have integrated vertically to offer quality production services and the majority offer media buying and planning. It is almost a risk to attempt any form of specialisation due to the strong client demand and resultant likelihood of having to turn down business. Even if agencies start out specialising in PR, post-production, events or media strategy, clients tend to pressure them to deliver other parts of the communications spectrum, because they enjoy working with them. This leads to them making the decision to diversify. Regardless of a protectionism versus free-market view, it is clear that Ethiopia is producing some quality agencies and doing so quickly. Regional practitioners will attest to almost half the number of quality agency offerings as little as five
years ago. What is also clear is that the pace of marketing industry expansion will only spur development even further. All of which points to a palpable sense of an industry on the cusp of significant expansion. And this is probably a microcosm of the broader Ethiopian economy. With the current growth trajectory, the seemingly highly organised developmental agenda and the sheer size of the population, one cannot help but feel that when the economy truly ‘opens up’, the fallout will be akin to an urban gold rush. This is something that global and local organisations are viewing with equal measures of excitement and trepidation. What is unanimous, however, is that as this becomes an approaching reality, everyone wants to be out of the starting blocks and well established with on-the-ground knowledge, local partners and experience in order to navigate what promises to be a tidal wave of opportunity.
| ADCETERA
Sunu and M&C Saatchi Abel collaborate on charming new Bakers’ spot Mowbray Town Hall in Cape Town. “I wanted to do as much in camera as possible and the town hall gave us so much naturally.” Production art directors Wendy Fredriksson and Michael Linders from Wigwag built all the ginormous biscuits and sets, with Sunu working closely with Sinister post-production house to finish bringing the factory to life in post with the necessary enhancements, duplications and extensions. Rory O’Grady shot the commercial, using a Red Epic Dragon and a Phantom. “The big technical challenge was to move seamlessly from the high-speed micro details, like flour falling at 1 000 frames per second, out to the cast and the macro scale,” says Sunu, who’d had similar challenges on Freshpak. “I also had to think in terms of emotions and narrative, so it wasn’t just about capturing flour falling beautifully, but about finding the
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Agency of the Year at the recent Adfocus Awards, as he loves working with agency producer Kathy Scharrer, executive creative director Nick Liatos and art director Nicole Binikos. “They really trust you as the director and allow you to bring your experience and passion to it, which makes you go out of your way to give them something special. They challenge you, but they don’t dominate and Kathy fights for you as a director. It’s as close to pure collaboration as it comes,” adds Sunu.
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emotion in that, and being edit conscious about how the different shots would fit together.” Riot Post-Production’s Gordon Midgely edited the spot, which is held together by Rob Roy’s updated version of the original Bakers Man melody. “We talked about redoing the song, but you have so much equity in that melody. People recognise it right away,” says Sunu. “When we started editing with the original song, it just worked.” Sunu says that he wasn’t surprised when M&C Saatchi Abel was named
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After a successful creative collaboration on Freshpak Rooibos earlier in 2015, Sunu says that he couldn’t resist the opportunity to work with the 2015 Adfocus Agency of the Year again. “The brief was to update this iconic South African brand for a new generation,” says Sunu. “They wanted something fresh that kept that distinctive sense of magical wonder.” The new spot takes viewers on a 45-second tour of the fantasy Bakers biscuit factory. Sunu loves directing children, but he says that working with this kiddie cast was particularly special as M&C Saatchi Abel selected Sunu’s son, Joshua Gonera, from more than 100 auditions, to play his first lead role in the spot. “Working with my boy was a dream come true. He was an absolute professional and he even called me Mr Director,” laughs Sunu. “I’m ticking this one off the bucket list.” Sunu shot the commercial at the
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linkedin screenafrica January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 11
ADCETERA | OPINION
Regional radio thrives in 2015, but digital change is coming By Cindy Diamond,
group sales director at Mediamark
Looking back on 2015, radio has continued to hold its own with advertisers and listeners, even as consumers turn to social media and their mobile phones for information, conversation and entertainment. We are also seeing digital technology change the market rapidly, and radio stations need to be fast on their feet if they want to keep up. Here are a few of the trends that shaped the media landscape in 2015 and are likely to remain relevant in 2016.
Community and regional radio prospers
how they can leverage digital platforms in their mix.
Radio has been resilient in the face of the growth of digital media and advertising. Community and regional radio are performing well because they create a sense of community, offer an affordable entry point for brands of all sizes, and build a personal connection with listeners.
Converged media strategies pay off
New competition Radio stations face growing competition from new digital players, with big names like Barney Simon, Darren Scott and Gareth Cliff entering the online radio and podcasting space over the past few years. Moreover, music streaming services are also a competitive reality.
From radio stations to content platforms We have seen a slight dip in radio listenership numbers across stations and programmes, but it is not statistically significant. However, the most worrying declines are among young people who are turning to online streaming and social media for their music and news fix. This is one reason radio stations are looking at 12 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
Brands today need to think about customers rather than channels as they build campaigns and try to reach consumers with short attention spans. The question isn’t just how to get the best reach and frequency (although this remains important), but how to use a combination of touch points to engage with consumers effectively. This means combining platforms and assets to effectively interact with consumers in a fragmented and cluttered media landscape. Such multichannel campaigns are effective in amplifying a message, increasing its impact, and extending its reach, all helping an advertiser to maximise return on investment and meet its business objectives. We have seen big brands such as Gumtree and Old Mutual score major successes with converged campaigns in 2015. The key to their success is that they are conceptualised, executed and measured in an integrated and coordinated manner. Cindy Diamond
OPINION
What is the African Aesthetic? On a recent shoot which took me to Ghana, having already filmed in several countries on the continent before, I found myself fixated by the vibrant colours of the country – from bright green palm trees bearing coconuts, multi-coloured high-rise apartment buildings, lush green forests, breathtaking mountain ranges, valleys and the unashamedly textured traditional apparel contemporised by the people wearing it. I asked myself: what makes up the African aesthetic? On our continent we have a lot of depth and layers created through the density of the living dynamics; our abodes, businesses and office structures all contain elements of the old and modern, built in close proximity and at times amalgamated, creating a beautiful visual juxtaposition. The continent has an abundance of history still evident in its architectural structures that date back centuries to the African colonial era and pre-historic days.
These structures give a frame to both a periodic texture as well as a contemporary look and feel. There are specific aesthetical motivations that influence this, like the quality of light and the general colour spectrum that inform the environment. But what is an African grade? Does it exist? I don’t believe it’s a supersaturated blown out picture, neither do I believe it is a completely de-saturated or washed out image. As a filmmaker one understands how scripts – whether commercial or long form – require a specific treatment that complements the overall tone of the material. I believe, however, that we need to maintain an African aesthetic in our films that contains colour. I think grades applied to African films that extract the colour completely bring films for today’s audiences into the fictitious realm. Filmmakers can motivate these choices either for metaphorical or tonal amplification. Therefore there is no wrong grade
| ADCETERA
By Zwelethu Radebe, director at Velocity Afrika
choice and removing colour doesn’t necessarily make the film less African. That said I strongly feel that colour is an African trademark, which allows our films to have their own identity. With narratives that are within the world of realism or borrow realistic conventions one should consider the ingredients of the African aesthetic and exploit them. Great commercials that have been able to do this are Guinness ‘Sapeurs’, which was filmed in South Africa; Puma’s ‘Journey of Football’ which was shot in Ghana; ‘Orange Babies’, also filmed in South Africa; and feature films such as Timbuktu (Mali) and Beasts of No Nation (Ghana). It’s important that audiences domestically and internationally engage in the world of the story. Colour is embedded in the anatomy of African culture and its identity, this shouldn’t be lost in the way we colour our commercials and films.
Zwelethu Radebe
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January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 13
FILM
|
Kenya
thriller change
A for
Integrated pan-African studio Restless Global – launched in 2015 by Marie Lora-Mungai and Tendeka Matatu – is producing the screen adaptation of author and journalist Michela Wrong’s 2009 bestseller It’s Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower, under the name State of Betrayal. The book and the film recount the courageous true-life tale of former journalist and anti-corruption activist John Githongo.
All the right elements After Kenya’s 2002 elections, which saw the end of president Daniel arap Moi’s 24-year monopoly on power in the country, Githongo was handpicked by the new government to head up the country’s anti-corruption department. After some time working in government, Githongo made the shocking discovery that the country’s senior officials and the new president himself – Mwai Kibaki – were at the centre of a massive corruption scandal. Despite the consequences to his career and his own safety, Githongo decided to ‘blow the whistle’ on his own government, pushing forward with his investigation to uncover their misdeeds. Fearing for his life, Githongo fled to the UK, taking with him secret recordings that would later incriminate the upper echelons of the Kenyan government. He later sat down with the BBC, revealing the extent of the scandal in a historic tell-all televised interview – exposing a £500 million corruption scandal that implicated Kibaki and numerous senior politicians. Producer Lora-Mungai explains that upon first reading Wrong’s book, she knew it would translate well on screen. That, coupled with a strong personal connection to the story led her to pursue the project: “I bought Michela Wrong’s book It’s Our Turn to Eat immediately 14 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
after it came out in 2009, and from the very first pages it was clear to me that it was meant to be a movie. The story had all the right elements: a complex and conflicted hero, a multi-million dollar corruption scandal, shady and dangerous characters, and a strong universal theme in the opposition between moral values and loyalty to one’s community.” “I also felt a deep personal connection to the story. I had just arrived in Kenya as a budding 24-year-old reporter when John Githongo went on the BBC from his UK exile to make his shocking revelations in February 2006,” she says. “It was obvious to all those in Kenya at the time that we were witnessing a historic event and the entire country, including myself, became fascinated with Githongo and his journey.”
Optioning the rights In 2011, after spending nine months convincing Wrong and her representatives – who had received a number of requests from other producers wanting to option the rights – that she was the right person to produce the screen adaptation of the book, LoraMungai received the go ahead. “Michela’s book had a bombshell effect when it came out, and several other producers were interested in optioning the rights… Michela and I connected on our shared experience as
journalists and foreign correspondents. She also knew I was deeply familiar with Kenyan politics and controversy…” she explains. “In the end I believe she trusted that I would be committed to protecting the authenticity and truthfulness of the story while giving it another life as a thrilling piece of entertainment.”
Packaging The State of Betrayal screenplay was penned by Nadeem Rajwani, a young Kenyan screenwriter trained in the UK and Canada. Wrong (the book’s author) has been closely following the development of the screenplay, but has not been involved in the actual screenwriting. The film is still being packaged; a director and cast have not yet been selected. Lora-Mungai says that the film is likely to be financed through a mix of international co-productions and institutional funding, and efforts will be made to have it at least partially shot in Kenya.
Resonance “Despite all the progress achieved by many African countries in recent years,
corruption remains a major issue across the continent. Corruption, graft and nepotism are slowing down reforms, economic growth and social change,” Lora-Mungai says. “But, in opposition to that, we’re also seeing a strengthening of the civil society discourse in many countries with citizens taking to the streets to protest MPs’ high salaries in Kenya or in South Africa with the ‘Fees Must Fall’ movement. “I believe African audiences will be very interested in, and hopefully inspired by, the personal journey of one individual who is fighting for change in a particularly dramatic way.” State of Betrayal is set to be a complex political thriller that promises to keep viewers across the globe engaged. Githongo’s battle between his morals and personal belief in justice, as well as his unwavering loyalty to his family and community are universal themes which Lora-Mungai likens to classic films such as The Godfather – a theme that will connect with audiences worldwide, whether they are familiar with Kenya and Africa or not. – Chanelle Ellaya
NIGERIA
| Film
Director Speak anie Steph Linus
STORIES TO TELL: Stephanie Linus
What was your most memorable moment on the set of Dry?
Nigerian actress Stephanie Linus has featured in several movies and TV productions and has grown into a director, writer and producer. Her latest film Dry, which highlights Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) conditions and underage marriages in Africa, screened at the Africa in Motion Film Festival and has earned 12 nominations for the Best of Nollywood Awards 2015.
Why did you decide to become a director? I got to a point in my career where I wanted to do more than just acting. I had, and still have, a number of stories to tell; stories that inspire me, stories that I feel need to be told. I wanted to be more versatile, have more control of the creative process and to show that we can really do quality movies in Nollywood despite all the challenges. Also, there are not many female directors in our industry so it is a way of encouraging women not to be afraid to go behind the cameras and tell their stories.
There are so many of them, really. It’s hard to pick one. I think it’s when I had the real women who are victims of fistula volunteering to be part of my cast. It was heart-warming to see the smiles on their faces, hearing that the movie is about the condition which they are going through and that we wanted to help create more awareness about it.
What are your top three African produced films and why? • Living in Bondage – for kick starting what we know now as ‘Nollywood’ • Tsotsi – for winning an Oscar • The Gods Must Be Crazy – I watched it while growing up and I don’t mind watching it over and over again
job creation, cultural development, tourism, information and much more. It will also help foster unity among various African countries. We just need to be sincere and collaborate more with one another; and work towards a unified goal and not just for personal gratification. We are on the right path to a positive change. Although there are a lot of challenges like piracy, distribution, funding, training and unenforced copyright policies, but there are great opportunities with African cinema. There is an abundance of incredible stories and filmmaking from the continent. We also have an abundance of talent and I am truly thrilled to be part of it.
What is the hardest lesson you have had to learn in your profession? Failures are lessons that should help us to do better in the future. Never regret anything that has happened in your life; it cannot be changed, undone or forgotten. Take it all as lessons learned and move on with grace.
What inspires you? God! Real people, real stories. Everyday mysteries.
What film would you make if you had an unlimited budget?
Which character from a film/show you have made has impacted you the most?
I would love to do an action movie.
The characters of Dr Zara and Halima in Dry; and in my reality show Make me Fabulous, it’s really impactful to see people’s marriages and lives transformed just by a little kindness.
If your life had a soundtrack, what songs would be on it?
Do you feel film has the power to catalyse social change?
What are you working on at the moment?
Oh yes, definitely. Films should always strive to ignite and open up social dialogue and that is exactly what I did with Dry on the issue of VVF and child marriage. The medium is powerful and can travel – cutting across barriers of caste, religion and generation. Just one social film can create a huge difference and we as storytellers have a lot of power and responsibility. With the amplifying nature of media, we filmmakers have a big tool in our hands.
Dry has screened at festivals across the world such as the Bentonville Film Festival, USA; Africa In Motion Film Festival, Scotland; St Louis International Film Festival, USA; Montreal International Black Film Festival, Canada; and a screening at Lancaster University, UK; which has kept me and my team busy. Next year, we would be proceeding on a tour of some African countries with the movie. We are also taking the message of Dry beyond the screens and are carrying out some free repair surgeries on women with VVF in partnership with some corporate organisations. We just signed a distribution deal and Dry has just been released in the USA.
What does the future of film and TV in Africa look like to you? It is promising because it’s one of the key sectors that contribute to Africa’s economic development through
It would be a song by Matthew West titled ‘Grace Wins’.
Compiled by Carly Barnes January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 15
FILM | KENYA
Bringing
fantasy to life
PLAGUED BY SOCIAL ISSUES: On the set of Tamed
Mwendwa Mutua is living his fantasy. A graduate of Kenyatta University, where he studied film and theatre, he made his dreams reality last year when he won an award at the Kalasha Film and Television Awards in Nairobi, Kenya.
T
he soft spoken director‘s debut feature film, Tamed is themed on the social issues that plague human existence. ‘My film is about family drama; it tackles the daily challenges that most families go through. The things that we face as people of today, ranging from infidelity in relationships, financial insecurity and security in the family, and the quest for love just to mention a few,” he explains. Mutua, a curious and adventurous individual, was on a personal quest to fulfill his dream of making his first movie. He decided to write his own script from scratch, based on his daily experiences with the people he understands best – his peers. ‘I was looking for a story that would cut across the board in the sense that every person would relate to it: youth, old men and women in relationships, fathers and
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Mwendwa Mutua accepts his award at the Kalasha Film Festival mothers who have financial security issues. So Tamed happened to be the perfect story at that time because it had what I was looking for and was also easy to execute because it was a story about humanity’s way of life, bombarded with the challenges and concerns of everyday life, and it was also financially feasible,” he says. Mutua invested his personal savings in the film and also asked personal friend Eunice Pohlmann to contribute. She gladly accepted and became a coproducer on the film. But few other parts of the process would come so easily. Among the challenges he faced, possibly the biggest was distribution. Kenya’s film industry is marred by piracy. Artists don’t get paid for their work because intellectual property thieves are out there ready to feast on the fruits of someone else’s labour. But he managed to find a team
that was able to make things smooth for him. “I finally have an agent in charge of all my distribution on the networks or on DVDs,” he says. “Though I must admit that distribution has been the greatest challenge that we face in the industry, Mwaniki Mageria from Balozi Production has done a tremendous job.” He believes his film being among the winners at the recently concluded Kalasha Film and Television Awards edges him closer to the global stage, although he knows this is only a first small step. “I strongly believe that the buck stops with me. The quality of my work will take me out there. They say you are as good as your last film so I am working on doing a better one, which will definitely take us across Africa come next year,” he enthuses. The Kenyan government has been on
the frontline in promoting local film. Mutua believes that it should do more by connecting Kenyan filmmakers with established brands like Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollywood. He’s part of the group that is working with Kenya Film Commission (KFC) to set out sound policies on intellectual property, distribution and film funding. “I truly believe that the Kenyan Film Commission is trying its best in connecting us with other established brands that have been in film for many years, and it could be really great if we had other directors work with us and offer their input in filmmaking because film is a collaborative process that requires teamwork. The industry could improve dramatically through working with other non-Kenyan directors who have years of experience.” – Sam Charo
Feeding reality TV
| Television
COOKING WITH FIRE: Ultimate Braai Master crew with Justin Bonello (centre)
Cooking shows have been on trend and among the hottest shows on television in recent years and a big trend for next year is fire and traditional, open-air cooking methods, says local TV reality star and cook Justin Bonello of Cooked in Africa films.
“F
ire interests me. I always try to take on something for me too – two years ago I did the Karoo, this time it is fire, Bonello told Screen Africa. “Fire is such a primal thing to me; I’m interested in what drove us as a culture of using fire. We used it as protection, warmth. “Whether you are in South America, India or South Africa… it’s hot wired into our DNA. But what is it that makes us all
gather around it when nights are long and friends are few? We all use it. I want to turn back the clock a few hundred years to when everything was cooked on fire. I want to go back there for a bit.” Reality TV shows are gaining ground in South Africa and our content is being noticed by the world, with a series of recent successes charted by Cooked in Africa, which is celebrating selling the rights to its Ultimate Braai Master to global format rights giant, All3Media.
Cook-out Cooked in Africa films is led by executive producer, former Ogilvy adman and founder, Peter Gird and Justin Bonello, creative director, TV celebrity cook and founder of the ‘Cooked’ series. They have produced Ultimate Braai Master for four seasons now, premiering currently on e.tv, with the fourth series firing up a weekly TV audience of 1.7 million viewers (4.4 AR) on Sundays. The Saturday repeat brings in another 500 000 viewers. All3Media has secured options for the replication of the franchise in other braai-loving locations such as America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and even Poland and Sweden. Of course in some regions it is called a barbeque. ‘Ultimate Barbie Master’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it though. Ultimate Braai Master, the local version, has also gained international fans after it was broadcast on international food
channels, and Bonello says it is airing on Discovery Channel soon too. UK-based distribution agency TVF has also recently sold the first two seasons’ broadcast rights to Latin America. It will start airing in 2016. Gird said the strategy to move the show to a weekend off-shoulder slot locally had paid off, with a massive increase in viewers from the average 600 000 prime-time viewers SABC3 brought in on the first two seasons. Cooked was Bonello’s road to reality fame and entry into the television production industry and after a successful 10 years, Bonello is launching Cooked: The Reunion with his original pack of friends and travellers, on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion. The format is a two month road trip across the island with his friends – who, like Bonello, have ‘grown up’ and married, had families, built careers – joining the production for a week or two at a time. “We’re still the same people, the same group of friends. I’m fortunate. But how we live now is different. We own homes, have debt, kids… It will be special… a trip down memory lane.”
Grilled not fried In the decade since he conceptualised, starred in and produced Cooked on a limited budget with this same group of friends as extras and helpers, Bonello admits he has learnt a lot about movie-
making and production and the reality of reality show budgeting. “I love reality. There is something so amazing about it, you have to construct stories around it, but reality allows you to have a construct where you can get people as they are. Reality TV is exploding, it is phenomenal. But no matter what genre you are in, you have to produce good stuff.” Bonello’s new show Fire is still in pre-production and feeds into the current cooking trend: ‘fire’ will see him exploring how cooking has evolved through the ages from when man learned to cook with fire, to how people currently cook with fire all over the world, latest fire recipes, traditions and culture. His love for this ‘umami taste’ will take him from Argentina spit fires to American barbeque culture, Asian street fires, Mediterranean tastes, and of course the Australian ‘barbie’. Apart from looking at the various cooking methods, with Fire, Bonello will also be looking at the ritual of fire, the origins of cooking with fire and modern man’s advancement with fire. It is that storytelling that Cooked in Africa is so good at portraying and a key reason why their productions are so successful. “There’s a point in our history where we were all hunter gatherers, but fire enabled us to manipulate our environment and we strolled out the jungle. For me, no fire is the same. I want to tell this story,” Bonello adds. – Louise Marsland January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 17
TELEVISION
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Elements of Cinema: No strings attached Puppet Nation ZA is an Emmy-nominated South African satirical puppet show produced by Both Worlds. The show requires a hard working crew which works at lightning speed to produce well-researched, believable, side-splitting characters. The team discusses the work involved in making this skit ‘Game of Cronies’ – a spoof of the popular TV series Game of Thrones – come alive. Karen Jeynes on writing: I think Puppet Nation resonates so well with audiences because it allows us to laugh at things that might otherwise seem taboo, or make us angry or sad. By satirising politicians, we give people a way to laugh at them – but also to imagine that things could be different. The fact that our characters are puppets allows for an extra layer of safety – you’re not really laughing at the president himself – or Vladimir Putin – you’re laughing at a representation of them. Each puppet is unique; some talk slower so their dialogue needs to be shorter or punchier. Our voice artists are remarkably talented, and you learn which actors will relish in a certain kind of dialogue, and which characters are better singers or better at delivering one liners – it’s a wonderful challenge.
Alex Fynn on directing: In our latex world, created in our tiny studio with our small crew, attention to detail in all departments is key to allow for complete suspension of disbelief. Timing in all aspects is vital. Between one and five puppeteers per character are needed for manipulation on set, depending on their size and the complexity of their performance. About 90 percent of what we do is on green screen, so I have to take into consideration how the choices I make will heavily affect the rest of my team while still ensuring the original intent of the satire comes through. In this scene I focussed on ensuring that the correct, zombie-like performance was achieved with all characters in all of the plates so that they could be composited together to create the effect of hundreds of zombies walking in the snow. I referenced a shot from Game of Thrones which gave the team a good indication of what the final picture should look like.
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San-Mari Calaca on wardrobe design: With a show like this all clothes bought have to be tailored to fit the puppet’s body correctly and sometimes need to be made specifically. I always have to be aware of current trends, hairstyles and the personal style every character possesses. Politicians’ and celebrities’ styles change in real life all the time, so current references of all characters are very important to keep the show current. For this scene I had to research the Game of Thrones wardrobe thoroughly to recreate the exact style needed. I then personalised Helen Zille so she is highlighted and still true to her blue DA colours.
Adriaan Hellenberg on sound design: Keeping the sound design as realistic as possible is key to making the Puppet Nation world a believable one. Subtlety, detail and timing are important but because we are working with these amazing puppets, I can get cheeky and playful with the sound design at times. Sometimes when I’m working on a news interview scene I will spontaneously add small bursts of music for comedic effect, so in this regard the medium does allow me to be a bit more off the wall at times. All the voice recordings are done in studio before going on set. Tassyn Munro directs the voice artists in studio and I chime in here and there. The only voice artist who does not come into studio is Ben Campbell who sends his clips via internet from America. Once I have all the voice clips, I compile the scenes together while following the script. Once checked and approved by Alex, the sound is played on a speaker on set and the crew shoot the scenes syncing mouth movements with the sound.
Tonga Isango on cinematography and lighting: My aim is to keep evocative compositions while framing out the mechanical aspects of the show and guaranteeing a certain level of comfortable posture for the performers. To spare the puppeteers from physical strain I design the lighting and mark the blocking points with similar size ‘dummies’ prior to the shoot. While it is commonplace to use soft flattering light on human subjects I use relatively directional light to have the puppets’ features and texture ‘pop’ because a substantial part of the comedy lies there. To convey its sombre tone and the overall low key lighting of this scene, I placed a full CTB and ND filter on a 1k Tungsten as low level cold key light and back light with a double CTB converted 1K Tungsten with no diffusion for shape defining, subject rimming light. I placed an additional 650W CTB converted tungsten 180 degrees left pointed at the foreground to backlight the Styrofoam snow. The same light was then bounced back at the subjects as a fill light. I shot this scene with a Canon DSLR 5D MkIII coupled with assorted 24-105mm and 85mm 1.4 Zeiss lenses. Out of my gear options this kit allowed the right balance between maximum mobility (just a day to complete the entire sequence) and a slightly higher technical image quality.
| TELEVISION
Nikolai Groudev on VFX:
Aurora Drummer on editing:
LAUGHING AT TABOO: A scene from ‘Game of Cronies’
Due to the fast turnaround of Puppet Nation, all of our edits need to be locked down before they go to VFX for compositing. The majority of our footage is shot on green screen and so in a particularly complex skit like ‘Game of Cronies’, one needs to use a fair amount of imagination to determine the feasibility of a cut. One needs to imagine how a scene will look once it has been composited and had effects added, and pace the edit accordingly. One also needs to pay special attention to how believable the puppets are from certain angles, and cut the scenes to make the puppets seem realistic. Occasionally puppeteers will be visible on screen or the puppets’ necks will pop out of their bodies, so we need to edit around this. Usually we shoot each scene with a multi-camera set-up and so this is usually possible. However, I usually discuss these mistakes with the director and the VFX artist to determine the best course of action.
The biggest challenge in working on a show like this is speed – I have four days to complete a 25-minute show which is shot entirely on green screen. How much is practical and how much is fake depends from shot to shot. There have been some shots that are nearly all practical and shots that are entirely a puppet surrounded by green screen fakery. My goal in each shot is to blend them together in such a way that the viewer might suspect it’s a green screen but be unable to tell at what point the practical set ends and the CG set begins. In this particular skit, making the shot come alive involves layering multiple plates of individual puppet performances shot on green screen in order to create the illusion of an endless horde. Adding elements like the snowflakes and subtle gusts of wind as well as depth of field, motion blur and chromatic aberration is what makes the shot look less clinical and fake as well as the addition of a slow camera move in post which also helps to add depth to the crowd as well as make it less obvious that they are standing in front of a static green screen. Compiled by Carly Barnes
January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 19
Television
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SA’s local content boom SOUTH AFRICAN REALITIES: e.tv’s Matatiele
In the past year South Africa’s major broadcasters have diversified their local content offering and have delivered some progressively engaging narratives and quality productions to audiences. With content choice driven more and more by the viewer and a local content quota review that is currently underway, commissioning strategies are adjusting to what the market demands: stories that are culturally rich; that present in different genres; and that are reflective of South African realities.
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Culture is the cornerstone Free-to-air commercial broadcaster e.tv has made huge gains in its local content offering with newly launched shows like Gold Diggers, Umlilo and Matatiele earning quick audience favour. This, according to group head of channels Monde Twala, is a reaction to the market. “People are looking for African sentiment. ‘I want content in my language, I want content that reflects who I am and where I come from.’ South Africa is dynamic – we have nine different provinces with different cultures, sub-cultures, languages and traditional backgrounds. It’s a rich source of content and ideas.” Over 20 new shows for M-Net’s local entertainment channels were commissioned in 2015 and Nkateko Mabaso, channel director of Mzansi channels at M-Net, also believes success is driven by authenticity. “Local audiences react to big ideas told simplistically while the unscripted formats are driven by reflecting local audiences’ current reality, whether it is weddings, dating or solving family and societal issues,” he explains. The launch of shows such as Uzalo, which premiered on SABC 1 in February 2015 and attracted five million viewers, has contributed to audience growth for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago adds that positioning has played a significant role in achieving positive audience reception: “The implementation of a network scheduling strategy has been key in the three channels offering relevant content to viewers as and when they want to see it.” Some are of the opinion that there is still a great deal of transformative work to be done in serving local audiences a plurality and diversity of views. Sekoetlane Jacob Phamodi, a coordinator at the SOS: Support Public Broadcasting coalition, says that while commercial operators are providing local content which speaks to the realities of the black majority of South Africa, there is far more to be done, especially on the part of the national broadcaster:
“It is the SABC that should be innovating in this way, and defining the direction South African content goes by commissioning more content, across multiple genres (particularly factual content and dramas), experimenting more and pushing the envelope.” In addition, Phamodi believes the recent MultiChoice deal, which granted the pay TV operator exclusive access to SABC archives, goes against creating a truly competitive content production and distribution sector. “Having taken control of SABC’s archives, MultiChoice Africa has locked out all future broadcasters from accessing the single largest local content catalogue in the country,” he explains. “The net effect of this is that there are only two real centres of power that control the nature of the content produced for the market, who produces it, and at what cost.”
Budget balancing act Broadcasters have stated that production quality sits high on their priority list – but, with local content budgets remaining consistent, how does this marry to the increasing demand for more shows and more content? For e.tv, which relies solely on advertising revenue, it’s a constant managing of risk and investing in partnerships which has allowed them to produce shows of high production value. “By engaging more with the production sector, we are getting the benefits in terms of value versus cost, and sustainability in terms of quality. We also take a few calculated risks, working with new producers who want to do business with us and who are putting value on the table.” Karen Meiring, director of M-Net’s Afrikaans-language channel kykNET, says that the channels’ budget has consistently grown with audiences over the past five years, but adds: “We have to always operate on the principle of taking affordability and viability into account, while still giving our viewers the value proposition that they expect from us as a pay TV operator.” The SABC recently announced a R600 million budget set aside for local content,
which is just below the previous years’ R621 million allocation. M-Net’s local content budget has also ‘remained stable’, according to Gideon Khobane, channel director of M-Net-branded channels, who adds: “For M-Net 101, quality takes priority over quantity.” In the past year M-Net 101 commissioned a new season of Idols SA and Carte Blanche, as well as the first season of Power Couple SA and documentary offering My Story.
Up the ante The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is reviewing local content quotas as the country moves towards a multichannel digital environment. Currently the quotas are set at 55% content for the national broadcaster, 35% content for FTA commercial broadcasters and 10% of acquisitions for satellite subscription broadcasters. Concerns have been raised by broadcasters over their financial capacity to meet these requirements in a DTT environment. Should these quotas increase, FTA broadcasters will be placed under additional financial pressure. “There is no relationship between having more local content and more advertising revenue – those will never go hand in hand,” comments Twala. “I think we need to look at what the impact of that would be so that we create a sustainable industry across the board. The intent is fantastic and probably welcome because that’s what the market demands, but it needs careful financial analysis.” But Phamodi says that content quotas are crucial in ensuring support and investment in South Africa’s cultural production and in some cases, need to be increased. He remarks: “The use of our airwaves, which are a public utility, need to principally benefit us, and only after that can profit-making be considered. Instead, we’re being flooded with international content from the global north that has little to no resonance or impact on the lives of the South African people.” – Carly Barnes
| FILM & TV MUSIC
The composer’s process – an interview with Zethu Mashika
allow me to play various cinematic percussions in order to add a human touch to the drums. Sometimes software sequencing can be too precise, removing the natural, real, off-beat elements of live music. You could create 16 channels of drums and draw the drum pattern out, but it’s better to play the drum pattern yourself 16 times which will have a better effect of building the sound as though 16 people were playing.
SAFTA nominated Zethu Mashika is an award winning film score composer. Mashika refers to himself as “an engineer of emotions.”
M
ashika has scored a number of features films including, Zama Zama (2012), Skyf (2011), Hear Me Move (2014) and Last Ones Out (2015). Additionally, he has produced music for a string of commercials for brands such as MTN Zambia, Vodacom, KFC, White Star, IEC and SANBS as well as title sequences for various television shows. On his website (www.zethumashika. com), Mashika explains what he does in his own words: “I create, modify and influence the way the audience responds to the picture. Through music, I also create the world of the narrative.”
How did you come to be the composer for Hear Me Move? Cheryl Eatock, the line producer for Hear Me Move, sent me an email, asking me to come and meet the director and discuss the possibility of scoring the film. It was a short meeting, mostly discussing the synopsis and my availability. I then went on to read the script which helped me to pin point the key beats of the narrative, and then created some music sketches based on those moments. It was the sketches that won the director, which also lead him to giving me the creative freedom over the entire score. The sketches also indicated that we were on the same page with regards to engineering the emotional nuances of the film.
What was the brief from the director to you? The keywords were, African, global, urban and heart-wrenching, in that order. He wanted to amplify the drama in the narrative, showcase the identity of African aesthetics, while keeping the film globally appealing. We had hours of in-depth discussions about the characters, their backgrounds, as well as the sound of modern day South Africa. Hear Me Move is not just a dance film, but a story about rivalry between two brothers and the pressure that comes with their father’s great demise. The challenge was musically blending this drama and placing the audience in that emotional space, while emphasising the magnitude of their issues.
Did you have to stick to this strictly or were you allowed some creative freedom?
The director insisted that I express my true musical perception of the story after he learnt the connection I share with the main character regarding his challenges in his art form. He was enthusiastic about hearing what I would come up with especially being so close to the story. Editors usually cut the film to reference music and some composers are okay with listening to the reference. It is important for me to watch the film without any reference music first, so I can explore the newest and most creative way to enhance the film. Reference music doesn’t give you much space to create something different, especially when the director starts to fall in love with that specific piece of music.
Where do you draw inspiration from while working on a composition?
CREATE, MODIFY, INFLUENCE: Zethu Mashika
these choices? I use various sample libraries that closely mimic an orchestra, and a digital audio workstation (DAW) that can handle the huge libraries. In Hear Me Move, I had to call in some vocalists that would be able to perform some of the pieces. Most of the male vocals were performed by me. Every instrument has its purpose in the score, it’s more than just about what sounds great. I bought a drum machine that would
How do you make sure that your score complements the themes in the narrative? What devices do you use to emphasise or highlight certain moods or create tension? For me, film scoring is a self-taught skill that I’ve developed over time. The only place I go to for inspiration is... feeling. I feel my way through the scenes and through the composing of the music. Every film and every scene demands its own way of expressing itself musically so there are particular tools used for particular emotions. It all depends on the film’s musical identity and the various ways to express the same emotion. Compiled by Chanelle Ellaya
I draw inspiration from simply reminding myself that the character’s journey is my own. It’s a matter of tapping into those experiences I faced and zoning into what I felt at the time. Expressing my feelings musically has become second nature to me so I basically re-live the experiences.
After being briefed, what is your creative process in composing a score? What are the steps you take from the start of production to the final product? Usually when I start watching the first cut of the film, ideas start presenting themselves in my mind. Some scenes will spark an instant idea that I cannot put on hold. I immediately start scoring the scene and build onto it until I’m close to satisfied. So I start with the scenes that grab my attention and work backwards from there. It’s very rare that I work in chronological order. Sometimes I’ll immediately test the musical sketches I’ve composed prior to seeing the first cut. I have not yet had an instance where the musical sketches didn’t make it into the final film. Now and then, the director will come in to listen to the music that has been applied to picture and it’s at this point that detailed ideas are discussed if the music is different to what the director is looking for.
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What equipment and software did you use in the composing process for Hear Me Move? Was there any particular reason for January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 21
FILM & TV MUSIC
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Music rights demystified Written by Mpumi Phillips,
creative manager of Sheer Publishing
During the early days of film, when there was no dialogue, there was music. Imagine a Charlie Chaplin film with no music! Music is a fundamental part of filmmaking which most filmmakers make the dire mistake of leaving to the last minute. This is when filmmakers discover that the music they want (or have already used in the film) turns out to be more expensive than anticipated or there are delays in clearing the music which would push back production schedules. So the sooner you know what music you can use and how much it will cost, the better off you will be.
C
learing music for a film can be a very daunting task even for the most experienced filmmaker. Locating copyright holders can be a lot of work; music clearance is a highly specialised field that requires persistence and patience. So you may want to use a music supervisor or a licensing company. A music supervisor’s role consists of negotiating with rights holders for the film’s music. They will prepare budgets, source music, prepare contracts and keep the filmmaker informed and updated about any changes in allocated budgets. Because of their close working relationships with rights owners, music supervisors can also highlight any possible issues with song usages. If you
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go it on your own you are likely to end up in the dark dungeon of a music industry executive’s desk where requests disappear when the request doesn’t actually contain all the necessary information to license a piece of music. Also, there are long standing relationships in this rather small music licensing community and connections always help. When you start the negotiation process with the various rights holders, you’ll need to be prepared to provide a lot of information (in writing) including: • The composition title, author(s), publisher, source of the recorded track. • Specific intended use, including
length (eg. 30 seconds of background music or two minutes playing under the credits). • A brief synopsis of the film. • A film budget and music budget. • Distribution plans (eg. student film contest, indie film festival). • The rights that you request, including territory • Information on other music that may be used in the film. Music has two rights to be cleared: Master Rights and Publishing Rights. When you negotiate the rights to music in your film, make sure you are getting both. The Master Rights are the rights associated with using the actual sound recording of a piece of music, which can be obtained from the record company. The Publishing Rights are the rights associated with the intellectual property of a composition (music and lyrics). Also, depending on the number of composers involved, there could be multiple publishers who each control a percentage of the composition. Even if you plan to re-record the song yourself, using it on a karaoke scene or have the actors sing the song as part of the script you still need to clear the publishing. In fact, you always need to clear the publishing unless the composition falls within the ‘public domain’, and in that case you still must make sure the ‘arrangement’ of that public domain composition does not need to be licensed. The phrase ‘public domain’ refers to the loss or expiration of the copyright holders rights in and/or to a work. When a work is in the public domain, it is available to the public for copying, distribution, publication, display or other use. You must be absolutely certain that a work is
in the public domain before using the work without a licence. Also note that a new arrangement of a song that is in the public domain can constitute a new copyright. Uses of the new arrangement must be approved by the copyright owner. Copyright law stipulates that songs are placed in the public domain 50 years after the death of the composer. When it comes to clearing church or traditional music, research is very important. You may find a particular gospel song is under public domain but the arrangement is registered to an individual church. The same would go for traditional works which normally lie with the traditional councils. An alternative to using a composer (scorer) or licensing existing music is the use of library music. Music libraries have a huge number of pre-cleared tracks typically offering a broad range of musical styles and genres that would cost a lot less than any commercial track. Music libraries work of a set of fees set by the mechanical rights collection society, CAPASSO (Composers, Authors and Publishers Association). The rate card can be found on their website. Library music being used for television programming in South Africa is covered under the blanket licence agreement between the collection societies and broadcasters and would be considered ‘free to use’. The composers and the library house earn their income through music cue sheets. Without cue sheets, it would be almost impossible for such composers and publishers to be compensated for their work. Though complex, choosing music for your film can also be very exciting. Remember there is always help around the corner!
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FILM & TV MUSIC
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ADVERTORIAL
increases release schedule for 2016 Lalela
STRONG AUTHENTIC FLAVOUR: Mr Joburg and Sam Magic
In the wake of two US Mark Awards nominations, Lalela Music is ramping up its release schedule in 2016, with four release dates, instead of the biannual schedule it has followed in the past.
24 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
“O
ur new releases reflect the strong ‘Kasification’ of local content. Our South African television executives, producers, directors and editors are asking for music with a strong and authentic local flavour, and we are giving it to them,” says Tanya Douman, Lalela’s Executive Manager. Volume 14 hits the streets in early February. It features strong local kwai-hop and house content from the likes of Gemini Major, Pontsho Moono and Sean Pages, as well as the haunting mbira and vocal meditations of Joshua Maponga in Mbira Magic, Themba Mkhize’s upbeat Mbaqanga cues and custom-designed Afro Drama underscore cues from Papi Moshodi and Lalela CEO, Alan Lazar. There are also Seduction,
Joshua Maponga
Edgy Trailers and African Kids albums on the slate. Volume 15 will be released in April, and in addition to more kwai-hop and house, Tebogo Motlhabi, Geshom Gazi, Thabo Malefane (Mr Joburg) and Sabelo Mtebeni provide upbeat Afropop and Kasi vocal tracks. Themba Mkhize and Joshua Maponga will return with haunting isicathamiya and other unique African vocal tracks. Intense Suspense is also included in the volume, as well as an upbeat selection of Pop Vocal tunes from Randall Jean-Pierre, Adrian Kusambiza and Justin Perrow. Finishing out the volume, Standard Bank Artist of the Year for Jazz, Nduduzo Makhathini provides a unique Afro-Jazz selection. “Lalela loves getting input from its clients,” says Lazar. “So we encourage all
of our users to email us anytime with suggestions for new composers, or future content. We want our world-class production music library to meet the needs of our users.” Lalela continues to receive solid play from its network of international distributors in 40 countries. “It’s so exciting to receive our statements from our sub-publishers twice a year, and see the thousands of performances our composers are getting on TV networks across the world. Once a net importer of production music, South Africa is on its way to becoming a net exporter,” says Douman. Volume 14 will be live on www.lalela.com on 1 February 2016.
Studio Monitors Turbo 4
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ACTIVE, NEAR FIELD, STUDIO MONITOR Woofer: 6 1/2” magnetically shielded polypropylene / ceramic membrane Tweeter: 1” silk dome tweeter Frequency Response: 50Hz – 30kHz HF – Amplifier Power: 60W LF – Amplifier Power: 30W Inputs: XLR/TRS – Neutrik combo-jack , RCA input, S/PDIF – RCA input for digital signal Outputs: S/PDIF – RCA jack for digital signal thru Analogue or Digital Available Colours: Red or Black Net Weight: 7,6 kg Net Dimensions (LxWxD): 260 x 229 x 328mm
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ACTIVE, NEAR FIELD, STUDIO MONITOR Woofer: 8” magnetically shielded polypropylene / ceramic membrane Tweeter: 1” silk dome tweeter Frequency Response: 45Hz – 30kHz HF – Amplifier Power: 80W LF – Amplifier Power: 30W Inputs: XLR/TRS – Neutrik combo-jack , RCA input, S/PDIF – RCA input for digital signal Outputs: S/PDIF – RCA jack for digital signal thru Analogue or Digital Available Colours: Red or Black Net Weight: 12,2 kg Net Dimensions (LxWxD): 308 x 272 x 390mm
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ACTIVE SUBWOOFER Woofer: Frequency Response: Power per channel: Inputs:
Outputs:
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AUDIO
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DAWgone that sounds good!
Whether editing audio, recording bands, composing soundtracks, or mixing 50 tracks of an episodic television series, the audio professional has a wide range of digital tools at her/his disposal.
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et, with the vast number of Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) available, one needs to choose the proper fit to be the most efficient and creative as possible. While each DAW consists of fairly similar features and functions, there are many varying opinions on which DAW is the ’best‘ and it tends to be a fairly subjective choice. Commercial digital recording was pioneered in Japan by NHK and Nippon Columbia, under the brand name Denon, way back in the 1960s. In 1971 the BBC developed a two-track digital recorder and a few years later 3M released their digital multitrack recorder which was based on the BBC’s technology. The 1980s saw rapid technology
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advances with the development of the Compact Disc (CD) and the first hard drive recorder and the release of Digidesign’s Sound Tools and Sound Designer. It wasn’t until the ‘90s that the first workstations saw the light of day. At this time, all DAWs were Apple Mac based (eg. Pro Tools, Studer Dyaxis, Sonic Solutions). Around 1992, the first Windows based DAWs started to emerge from companies such as IQS Innovative Quality Software (SAWStudio), Soundscape Digital Technology, SADiE, Echo Digital Audio and Spectral Synthesis. All the systems at this point used dedicated hardware for their audio processing. The 2000s saw technology leap
forward and computing power allowed the development of ‘software only’ DAWs and sessions that could only previously be mixed in a studio environment, could now be knocked out in garages and homes. Globally, there are two ‘standard’ DAWs in the film and television postproduction industries that keep topping the list of ‘the top 10 best’. Avid Pro Tools and Steinberg Nuendo have enjoyed the market share for many a year, but that’s not to say that there are not any others to compete with. Some DAWs have a leaning to the post environment and some toward music creation and publishing and some a good blend of the two. Whichever way, most DAWs can all do similar things and it is most often found that ‘final mix’ environments encompass audio editing as well as music production because the two fit so closely together. The DAWs mentioned here are more diverse samplings of what is available as opposed to a review-based ‘Top 10’. While a post-production environment may require certain hardware devices to operate, we are only looking at the software behind DAW’s features.
Avid Pro Tools is virtually a household name, it is often referred to as the ‘biro’ of the professional recording world and over the years has become something of an industry standard. With v12 recently released perhaps the most exciting feature is the new set of Cloud Collaboration tools. These tools enable artists to compose, record, edit and mix sessions working with other Pro Tools users in the cloud, as if they are all together in the same studio. They simply invite other artists to collaborate on a session using built-in text/video chat, or find new collaborators through the new Avid Marketplace Artist Community. If the person they want to work with doesn’t already have Pro Tools, then they can simply download the new free Pro Tools | First to start working together immediately. Avid has also realised that the subscription model for software does work and offers several options as well as a perpetual licence. Steinberg Nuendo has a familiar design and basic workflow to anyone who uses Cubase and is designed primarily as a
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AUDIO
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tool for post-production audio for picture: sound design, dialogue and mixing for movies and TV. Pro Tools had this market completely sown up a few years ago (some would argue it still does), but Nuendo is one of the only alternatives to have made much of an impact – many top post-production studios and technicians now base their core systems around Nuendo instead. Why? Simply that it’s at least as good as the ‘industry standard’. Nuendo 7 covers every aspect of audio-to-picture work, be it in game audio, TV or film post-production. Functions include direct connection to the Audiokinetic Wise middleware, in-built reconforming solution for audio-to-picture alignment, VCA fader support, advanced project collaboration tools, as well as rendering options for handling large amounts of audio files. The software also comes with an updated user interface offering improved window handling and a customisable workspace for an intuitive workflow. Additional effect plug-ins and an enhanced overall programme performance round out the feature set. Adobe Audition – With Audition CS6, Adobe busied itself adding back features that were available to Windows users in Audition 3. The result was a very fine audio editor aimed at sound designers, radio producers, audio and video editors and podcasters. Now with Audition CC 2015, Adobe has largely finished feature restoration and instead focuses on adding new audio restoration and manipulation tools, and tweaking the interface to make the application easier to use. It’s now a better audio editor; however, its target audience may look at alternatives solely because of Adobe’s subscription-only model. Ableton Live – First appearing in 2001 but really becoming a contender as a serious production solution in the competitive audio software market in the
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past seven or eight years, Live revolutionised our conception of what we could consider a DAW to be. Blurring the line between studio production tool and live/DJ performance tool, it has caught the more-established DAW manufacturers on the hop – in recent years they’ve mostly caught up again, introducing their own versions of many of Live’s best-loved features, including fast, auto-time-stretching and arrangement workflows that mean we can finally make whole tracks on the fly by jamming with elements in real time. First time users may get frustrated with the layout but once you get the hang of it Ableton Live competes quite nicely with Pro Tools and Nuendo. Bitwig Studio – The new(ish) kid on the block, Bitwig Studio’s arrival has been causing quite a stir – it’s not often that a completely new DAW enters the fray. Bitwig seems to be a logical progression from the leaps made by Live over the past few years – indeed; it was created by former Ableton developers. While not sharing any actual code DNA with Live, the layout features integrated Clip and Arrange windows that hint at an effort to bridge between Live’s innovative functionality and more traditional sequencing. Try it – you might be surprised! Image-Line FL Studio – A firm favourite among aspiring electronic producers, FL Studio has developed hugely from fairly humble origins (the step sequencing Fruity Loops) into a fantastic, fully-featured DAW. Version 11 saw huge interface improvements and a host of new plug-in effects and instruments (Image-Line’s stand-alone plug-ins are always worth checking out). More geared towards the music producer FL Studio has great potential for the novice wanting to enhance their production work for a reasonable price.
Apple Logic Pro X – Another of the longest-serving DAWs available, Logic has been developed beyond recognition from its pure MIDI roots. With X, Logic finally underwent some overdue cosmetic and functionality overhaul, consolidating what it has always been good at and adding a ton of new plug-ins, MIDI effects and feature enhancements. A natural step-up from Garageband for developing producers, but also so much more than that – a truly professional solution with great features for in-house final mix production work. Steinberg Cubase – Another of the original DAWs, Cubase has been many a muso’s tool as an introduction to music production. Like Logic Pro, it’s done a good job of keeping up with the younger competitors, and has more than a few genuine innovations lurking among its huge feature set. Cubase Pro 8 provides many features to get excited about. Steinberg didn’t give this recording studio software a total facelift – instead it improved upon an already upstanding programme. Steinberg added the necessary pieces to create a better workflow and to help you save time processing your audio so you can stay in the mind-set of producing, recording and mixing. Sonar Platinum – is a totally revamped version of the previously popular Cakewalk DAW. Its new layout and clean and organised design is an impressive feature and that whether you are working on a single-monitor laptop or a dualmonitor setup, all of the work windows – mixer, file browser and pro-channel – can float or be docked. Sonar is also compatible with a number of different plug-in formats including VST3, VSTI and DXi formats, which means you can expand your plug-in library without running into compatibility issues. The Sonar redesign and interface make this programme ultra-usable and desirable. It
is a shame that this programme is only available on PC platforms; otherwise this programme would be ever more sought after. Sonar Platinum is also available on a monthly or an annual basis, much like Adobe Audition Creative Cloud. If you pay for a year of Sonar, you will receive updates and downloads for the year. Don’t mistake this for a subscription – subscriptions run out. If you pay in full and don’t want to renew your yearly payment, you will still have access to Sonar, it just won’t update. Propellerhead – Reason users are fairly evangelical about their chosen DAW: after all, it does everything, and in a fun and stylish way. Reason 8 has made some great improvements from previous versions of the software – lack of third-party plug-in support and inability to record audio – have now been resolved, making it basically impossible to find significant fault with Reason at all. An entire virtual studio (it even includes the virtual patch cables for hooking everything together) in a single software package: very enticing. It has great virtual instruments and a large loop library, but the plug-ins are only expandable through the Propellerhead rack extension format. Reason is unique among DAWs in look and feel, but this software makes it well worth stepping outside the box.
Conclusion The sound purists will argue with me and say there are only two proper final mix DAWs available – in fact most will say only one is a true final mix tool. Software and hardware development have created fierce competition in this environment and it all comes down, not to what can be done but how it can be done. A US$99 piece of software has all the potential to compete with a US$20 000 audio suite; it just depends on how it is used and by whom. – Ian Dormer
REPORT
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Africa
DISCOP Africa advances pan-African collaboration
GIVING MORE PRESENCE: Cameroon delegates: Victorine Mfendun (Radio TV Balafon); Christelle Biica (Radio TV Balafon); Yolande Bodiong (Maraboo TV Cameroon); and Aime Wafo (Wak Africa Pictures)
An ongoing initiative at DISCOP Africa has been to foster an environment where producers from across the continent can meet and enhance their network of potential collaborators.
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his year’s market featured a Country Zone where industry representatives from Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, The Caribbean Islands, Ghana and Cameroon were hosted. According to event director Patrick Zuchowicki, the aim of this was to give participants more of a presence in the industry, to encourage engagement with each other and for producers from those
countries to attend and have a base at DISCOP Africa. Collaboration between South Africa and Kenya was brought to the fore at the content market, as delegations from the two countries further cemented plans for an official partnership in the future. Following on a Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed in 2013 between the Kenya Film Commission
(KFC) and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), KFC film industry development manager Timothy Owase hopes the countries will have an official co-production treaty in place by the end of 2016. “When you look at what Kenya and South Africa have to offer, and you combine the two, the benefits are greater than if each country continues to work individually,” he commented. According to Owase the Kenyan government has in the last financial year approved a number of film incentives, which will make the country an attractive filming destination for South African producers. On the other hand, he adds that Kenyan filmmakers could benefit from the experience which South African producers have to offer. “When you look at developed countries, there are quite a number of co-production treaties signed.
When we look at Africa, there is no single country which has signed a co-production treaty with another. When we join hands we are able to deliver more and achieve more than if we remain working in our own silos as countries,” says Owase. Okey Nwosu, CEO of Nigeria-based Key Media, attended DISCOP Africa as part of the Nigerian delegation and stated that the country is also working towards having an agreement and a treaty in place with South Africa. Nwosu added that DISCOP Africa had provided a number of promising opportunities to collaborate with other African producers: “I had a meeting with a South African producer yesterday, and we have planned to continue our discussions around the possibility of a co-production between my company and his.” – Carly Barnes January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 29
Africa
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REPORT
Africa making its own news On the second day of DISCOP Africa Johannesburg, GoTel Communications managing director and CEO, John Chiahemen, delivered a keynote presentation titled ‘Africa making its own news – telling a different story to the world’.
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ver the past two decades, and even before, a key challenge facing African news broadcasting organisations has been the struggle to tell the continent’s diverse stories to a global audience. For the longest time, the tale of news in Africa has been that of war, famine and poverty, but that is slowly changing. African news organisations are setting out to tell their own stories to the world, stories that reflect the numerous different African realities that often go unheard. Chiahemen approached the topic by examining trends and changes that have occurred over the past few decades, resulting in a transformation in the way we consume and share news – and fundamentally impacting the practice of news gathering.
Traditional media versus social media For hundreds of years, traditional media channels were the only source of news for the public. Chiahemen referred to the Great Depression of 1929, explaining that when the depression occurred, newspapers and radio were the main sources of information for people who wished to keep abreast of developments taking place at the time. The rise of social media over the past decade has vastly diversified sources of information, causing the integrity and quality of news to suffer. Referring to the financial crash of 2008, Chiahemen explained that when global financial services firm Lehman Brothers went bankrupt, images of staff leaving their offices appeared on social media within a 30 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
DIVERSITY CHALLENGE: John Chiahemen matter of minutes. Social media platforms are now used in almost every corner of the globe, allowing any individual, with an internet connection or a smartphone to disseminate and share information. “The difference between 1929 and 2008 is that the media in 1929 was the traditional media as we know it,” Chiahemen said. “You knew who the editor of the newspaper was, you knew where the newsroom was and you could hold people accountable for what they published or broadcast, but that has changed now. You can’t always know the source of information, it’s so fragmented, sources are unclear and blurred, and verification is very difficult.”
The top three social media players that have contributed to this change are: • Facebook, with 1.01 billion daily users and over 50 million subscribers in Africa alone. The average Facebook subscriber has about 130 friends. • Twitter, with 100 million daily users, 320 million regular users, and about 1 billion registered users. Chiahemen noted that 77% of Twitter accounts are registered to users outside the United States. • YouTube, which was founded in 2005, has over 1 billion viewers today.
Perhaps the most noteworthy trend that has developed as a result of these social media giants is that the way in which we
consume news has changed; we no longer just receive news, there is a conversation that now goes on among the consumers of information resulting in traffic between the broadcasters and the audience, and among the audience themselves. “This is a growing trend that has a serious impact on the way news is broadcast and diluted,” said Chiahemen.
they represent what this continent aspires to be: to be at the centre of the global economy. This is a continent that is raring to go, the youth of this continent is excelling in all spheres whether it’s music from Nigeria, or cinema from South Africa, Nigeria and the Francophone countries, the continent is truly on the move.”
Faces of news
Key challenges
Another significant change that has taken place over the past few decades – particularly in Africa – is that the faces of news have changed. “The people we have associated with news in Africa… over the past two decades have changed,” he said. For years on end, the faces the world associated with African news were individuals who were known for immoral and unscrupulous doings rather than good, these include Idi Amin, former Ugandan president; Mobutu Sese Seko, former dictator of Zaire; Jean-Bédel Bokassa, the self-crowned emperor of the Central African Republic (CAR) until he was ousted in 1979; Charles Taylor, former Liberian president and warlord who played a major role in the Sierra Leone conflict; and Muammar Gaddafi, former leader of Libya. The faces of news in Africa are altering to reflect the positive movements that the continent is making: “Now we are more likely to recognise the likes of Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, from Nigeria; Lupita Nyong’o, Oscar winning actress from Kenya; and Patrice Motsepe, South African mining magnate… These are now the faces of news in Africa and
The African continent is still to a large extent underdeveloped, meaning that the key resources required to efficiently run a news network are often unavailable. Resources such as satellite and broadband infrastructure, power supply, studio infrastructure and workforce training are exceptionally sparse in some countries in Africa. Chiahemen says that if we can overcome the challenges that running a network in Africa entails, then we can tell our own story, from our continent, to the rest of the world.
Telling our own stories This is the background from which African news organisations are emerging, but the future looks promising, says Chiahemen, adding that African news networks need to “tell the story that has not been told” – a story about the cultural diversity and splendour of our continent. “One of the challenges of producing news that the world cares about is that you need to be there,” says Chiahemen “…and that is our advantage.” – Chanelle Ellaya
REPORT
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pitching competition winners
Africa
DISCOPRO
LIFE’S A PITCH: Documentary pitching competition participants are: Charlotte Mbali; Jolynn Minaar; Moosa Molumba; Michael Lee; Lisa Wickham
Part of the DISCOP Africa content market is an annual pitching competition, which runs under the DISCOPRO workshop programme and offers producers an opportunity to pitch their projects to an audience and a panel of potential industry buyers.
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t DISCOP Africa this year for the first time there were six pitching categories for the following content genres: TV series (two), formats, documentaries, animation, and a combined category of comedy and web series. Only five competition entries were selected to pitch in each category, and each producer was given only a few minutes to present their project idea to the audience. The judges then selected three final nominees, who were awarded another eight minutes to present a more detailed idea, after which a winner and runner up were announced. During their pitches, some key points which were put to participants by the judges were surrounding target audience, the use of archive footage, narrative structure and the level of experience encompassed by the production team. Winners and runners up received market badges for DISCOP Africa Abidjan and DISCOP Africa Johannesburg 2016, as well as consultations with professional filmmakers on developing their projects.
Winners were each awarded US$2 000 and received commitments from selected African broadcasters to air produced content in accordance with their channel requirements and licensing agreements, while runners up received US$1 000.
DISCOPRO 2015 winners: • Animation WINNER: Abel N’guessan Koume Project title: Roi Keita Country: Côte d’Ivoire RUNNER UP: Khanyisa Mfeka Project title: Modern Madness Country: South Africa • TV Series WINNER: Skay Mandosela Project title: Team Stacy Country: South Africa RUNNER UP: Angela Aquereburu Project title: The Blood of Nigeria Country: Togo • Documentary WINNER: Lisa Wickham Project title: Hero: The Life and Time
of Ulric Cross Country: Trinidad and Tobago RUNNER UP: Michael Lee Project title: Vigilante Road Trip Country: South Africa • Formats WINNER: Jason Corder Project title: Yolo Polo Country: Kenya RUNNER UP: Patrick Walton Project title: Cheese Culture Country: South Africa • TV Series 2 WINNER: Anna Ballo Project title: Ablaha Pokou Country: Côte d’Ivoire RUNNER UP: Gugulethu Maqetuka Project title: Ithwasa – The Rookie Country: South Africa • Comedy and web series WINNER: Kaizer Mokgobo Project title: TV Lovers Country: South Africa RUNNER UP: Gregory Sheppard Project title: The Geek and The Freak Country: South Africa. – Carly Barnes January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 31
FESTIVALS & MARKETS
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TV Connect 2015 TARGETING SUPPLIERS: Delegates at TV Connect
AfricaCom is said to be Africa’s largest communication conference and exhibition and is now in its 18th year. The event took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 17 to 19 of November this year. The conference programme covered the most strategic issues affecting companies in Africa’s digital market – services, efficiency, profitability, customer experience, partnerships, policy and more – and featured four co-located events: VSAT Africa, TV Connect Africa, LTE Africa and Apps World Africa.
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f particular interest was the TV Connect Africa 2015, which is in reality a conference within a conference, and offers exhibition space to targeted suppliers as well as a programme of speakers, discussion groups and workshops. Conference manager for the TV Connect Global Events, Georgina C Wilczek explains: “It’s a series of international events bringing together the television industry around the world, run by the conference and information group Informa, based in London. I have worked as a conference producer within Informa’s Telecoms and Media division since 2006, and before that, I worked at the BBC in London as a Radio Producer for BBC Radios three and four.” “This was the fourth TV Connect Africa conference, and it has always taken place in the CTICC. The intention is to bring
32 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
together the television industry from within Africa for three days of case studies, discussions and debates, bringing together content providers, OTTs, IPTV operators, mobile TV operators, broadcasters, regulators, media analysts and app developers” Topics of interest on the first day included: • ‘Understanding the inhibitors to digital switchover in Africa’; • ‘Lessons learnt and strategies for digital switchover’; • ‘Journey to the digital era: Cost effective routes for Broadcasters in Africa’; and • ‘Strengthening your pay TV proposition to the consumer by improving the quality of your content.’ Each session was followed by a vigorous discussion and Q and A from the
floor. Of particular interest was the ‘Understanding the inhibitors to digital switchover’ discussion, where Christoph Limmer, vice president of video at Eutelsat pointed out that at the beginning of 2015 the population of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) was about 900 million, and that the number of households will be 161 million by the end of 2015 which shows a 7% growth in three years. “Africa’s population of consumers with disposable income is booming,” said Limmer, “and is growing from 35% in 2000 to 52% in 2020 (McKinsey). Africa’s population is heavily dispersed still and not concentrated – despite massive urbanisation”. Limmer believes that by 2040 SSA will have a population of 1.4 billion with only 240 million in cities. With 1.16 billion people classed as rural, this will create an environment more favourable to satellite distribution. Today there are about 37 million digital TV homes in SSA. The number of digital homes is expected to grow to 69 million by 2020, assuming a smooth roll-out of digital migration across the region. Satellite and terrestrial television are the two infrastructures driving digital migration, and cable and IP based television does not play a major role in Africa. Aldred Dryer, chief technology officer at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, pointed out during a panel discussion, the success of Namibia’s switchover. He stated that digital terrestrial television (DTT) launched in Namibia in October 2013. Analogue TV switched off in Windhoek on the 31 January 2015. Decoders are now available for sale to the public at selected retail outlets. There are 16 services on air which cover 67% of the population. A call centre has been established and a consumer campaign is continuously being implemented. Unfortunately the rest of
SSA and indeed the southern African region are far behind schedule. Overall, the show attracted well over 10 000 attendees and this represents a growth of at least 10% on last year. Also TV Connect Africa had at least 300 exhibitors at the event on the main show floor, plus extra exhibitors in the Ericsson A-Hub upstairs and extra companies who took meeting room spaces (overall about 350 companies). This was a record for the show this year – nevertheless the market is still expanding and it is anticipated that this figure will continue to grow in the future. “TV Connect Africa is a part of the TV Connect Global Events series, which also includes TV Connect Asia, TV Connect MENA and TV Connect London (the annual global event),” adds Wilczek. “The TV Connect London event is a large-scale free-standing event which takes place every April in ExCel, London, attracting well over 7 000 attendees. Many of those who speak and exhibit at TV Connect Africa are also present at our London event.” “It was great to hear about new content launches across Africa (such as ipiditv in Kenya and OnTapTV.com by PCCW Global in South Africa),” concludes Wilczek, “and to hear about plans for digital switchovers across the continent. The Country Roundtables on the afternoon of day two were also a fascinating insight into the different stages of development in TV operations in a wide range of African markets – the Nigerian case studies attracting a huge level of interest. “And there was a very interesting debate as to what kind of content African audiences want – Hollywood content works in the main, but there is a large appetite for locally-driven content too. Nollywood content in particular is really taking off.” – Andy Stead
NEW MEDIA
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MoJo
Finding your
Mobile technology is changing the way journalists gather news. Screen Africa’s Carly Barnes recently spent time mastering our newly acquired mobile journalism (MoJo) kit and spoke to Visual Impact’s Marius van Straaten about this growing practice, learning some of the tricks and testing the latest gear.
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’ll admit it: I’m old school when it comes to most things. I have a boxy TV, a phone that makes most of my peers cringe and a severely neglected Twitter feed. But there are some things, some technological advances, which can really conjure up the kid in me. As a journalist I’ve always considered my essential tools to be a pen, a notepad and a curious mind; but in recent years the news reporting space has become so dynamic and innovative that keeping up with the latest storytelling tech is not just a professional bragging right, but a crucial instrument in captivating today’s content consumer. People now get their news on different devices and from so many different places that it has fundamentally changed the way in which journalism is produced. Media is adapting to produce news in formats that work best for these gadgets and for the attention deficit audiences they serve. Short-form video in particular is being used more and more as a means of communicating stories in a visual, time efficient (not to mention cost efficient) way. Therefore the global explosion of Mobile Journalism (MoJo) – and an array of gear – transforms journos like me into video content producing machines.
Smart ass-ets While there are so many DSLRs on the market that provide great on-the-go capabilities for reporters, the most convenient, quick and intimate solution is usually already in your bag or back pocket. Marius van Straaten, director at Visual Impact, online content creator and film lecturer, has been hot on this trend since it first emerged, and explains: “Device cameras are so small and unassuming; people are generally more comfortable around them compared to traditional video cameras or DSLRs. With smaller kit you end up getting better performances or more revealing content than you would otherwise get with a more expensive camera.” So what does a good MoJo starter kit look like for a phone or tablet? The first thing you’ll need is a phone holder or ‘cage’ that you can mount on a tripod. 34 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
Van Straaten likes ALM’s MoJo starter kit for the iPhone 6, which includes a phone holder with points to attach lightweight LED lamps and microphones to, a wide angle/macro combo lens, a Rode handheld microphone and an adaptor cable for microphone compatibility. Screen Africa is using a cage from iOgrapher, which holds iPads and iPad Minis.
In addition to the cage, you’ll also need: • An additional power pack, as a camera phone uses lots of power. • A lightweight tripod with an adjustable head. • An LED lamp with extra batteries and (if you’re looking for that little extra touch) a five-in-one reflector. • An attachable telephoto lens – most phones and devices come with a wide angle lens. • Microphones – rifle, handheld and lapel – surprisingly and conveniently, in most cases all you need to do is plug these babies in using an XLR adapter and you’re good to go. Explains van Straaten: “I like having all three in my kit, but if budget is an issue I prefer a handheld. The rifle is good for on the camera if I am moving around and shooting content, but not for interviews. Lapel mics are great for single interviewees and handheld is great for more than one interviewee because they can pass the microphone around.”
Interviewing tips While setting up (which takes only a few minutes), there are a couple of things you need to consider from a technical, creative and professional point of view. Film is an artistic endeavour in any environment and so different techniques can instil different emotions and perceptions in a viewer. Set your tripod up so that the device is close to you and at eye line with your subject. It’s good to change the eye line angle (left to right or
ADAPTING MEDIA FOR NEWS: Set-up for Screen Africa’s interview with Kenya Film Commission’s Timothy Owase right to left) in different videos to create visual diversity for your viewers. Leave three fingers headroom (maybe more if your subject is particularly animated) and enough looking room from the eyes to the edge of the frame. Higher or lower camera angles can give a subject more or less authority. It’s also about making sure your subject is at ease and relaxed – you don’t want to intimidate by speaking down to them. Shooting on devices means close ups and mid shots are ideal. Think pectorals upwards, because your viewer won’t be able to see as much detail as they would on a big screen. And remember to capture a few cutaways to give your interview context and increased engagement.
Finishing and distribution As with most things, the best approach to MoJo post is to keep it simple, by using amateur-friendly apps like iMovie which is free for Apple users. Says van Straaten:
“The new version of iMovie is something else. It is a huge leap over what Apple had before and moves them to the front of the pack for editing on a mobile platform, though we still think highly of Pinnacle Studio and Touch Edit for high end mobile alternatives.” Getting your content out there also requires some time and thought – you do after all want your videos to be easily accessed and sharable, and metadata plays a big role in this. Give your video a concise description and make sure you include links to all your relevant online platforms. Supply sufficient keywords and allocate a language and a location. You can even further your audience reach by applying YouTube’s translation tool. Once your video is loaded you need to get it out to the rest of the world and Van Straaten, who also creates content for an online TV channel, advises: “Post the video link on open and interested Facebook pages; advertise the video in your twitter feed; or use paid Facebook advertising to promote the video link.”
| NEW MEDIA
Van Straaten’s gear guide: Tripods Smartphone starter kit
Shoulderpod S1 This clamps the smartphone and provides handles and tripod attachment options.
ALM MoJo Reporter Pro Pack Made for the iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus. Includes: mCAMLITE, RODE Reporter Handheld Microphone, 4’ XLR adapter with an audio output.
Joby micro tripod
Power packs
Good for working on tabletops.
Sony’s Cycle Energy CP B20 pack
Manfrotto Compact Light Red Tripod
Chargeable through USB.
Manfrotto makes a number of good options.
xtorm Solar Charger Can be charged using the sun or USB. Good for run-and-gun type shoots away from power.
Audio Rode smartLav lapel microphone
Lighting
Made for smartphones.
Joby Gorillatorch flare Versatile with six light settings.
Rode Reporter handheld microphone Manfrotto Lumimuse Series 8 Led light and accessories Mounts eight bright LEDs with high colour rendition.
Omnidirectional and designed for handheld interviews.
Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun Microphone Compact and versatile.
Impact 5-in-1 Collapsible Circular Reflector Disc White, silver, gold and silver/ gold colours.
IK Multimedia iRig PRE iRig is useful to connect any type of mic to an iOS Apple device.
January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 35
NEW MEDIA
|
APP-titude
We take a look at the apps which are simplifying workflows in pre-, post- and production.
Teleprompter Pro Publisher: Matt Cowlin Compatible devices: iOS, Android Price: Free (Teleprompter Lite); $6.99 (Teleprompter Pro)
How it works: Teleprompter Pro is an app designed for filmmakers, journalists and video bloggers. The app essentially turns your device into a teleprompter, which can be remotely controlled with a Bluetooth keyboard or remote or directly with your speech. Scripts can be imported from a device in .txt format and users can also apply mirror mode to use with any iPad-ready teleprompter rig. Teleprompter Pro Lite is the free version of the app, which offers fewer features and capabilities. Why this is awesome: Presenters use teleprompters to interact in a more direct way with their audience, as it enables them to read their dialogue or script while looking at a camera. The major benefit of having an app like this is that it can be loaded on various devices which you may already own, saving on production costs. Traditional teleprompters can be a difficult to setup and are very expensive.
Artemis Director’s Viewfinder Publisher: Chemical Wedding Compatible devices: iOS, Android Price: $29.99
How it works: Using a device’s camera, the Artemis Director’s Viewfinder app reproduces various lens and camera combinations. The app can be used on set in place of a traditional director’s viewfinder optic to frame shots or capture stills which can be used to create a storyboard. Users only need to select one of the many film and digital formats supported, aspect ratio and lens type, before checking out a shot. Why this is awesome: Directors use viewfinders as a way of framing a particular shot. Usually a small optic is used so that they don’t have to operate the entire camera rig (which is heavy and expensive) to allow them to view a shot with the precise film size, focal length and aspect. The Artemis Director’s Viewfinder, which is notably cheaper than a traditional director’s viewfinder, offers a more convenient solution that presents precise and adjustable features.
Using a filmmaking app you think we should know about? Tell us why you think it’s awesome by emailing: carly@screenafrica.com.
36 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
PROD U CTION
UPDATES
FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT www.screenafrica.com
Those productions in red are newly listed this month Production Updates Order of Information
Carte Blanche shorts TIA productions Prod / Dir: Tarryn Lee Crossman News
FRENZY Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Morena Sefatsa Variety
1. Title
CLAASENS DESIGNS MARKETING VIDEOS Panache Video Productions Prod/Dir: Liesel Eiselen Marketing videos
GENERATIONS Morula Pictures Prod: Mfundi Vundla Series
2. Production Company 3. Director 4. Genre
IN PRODUCTION
CLASH OF THE CHOIRS Endemol South Africa Prod: Josh Feldman Talent / Reality
3 TALK Urban Brew Talk Show
COOL CATS Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Cecil Berry Children’s Show
20 and Free X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Documentary
CORTEX MINING FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video
50/50 Clive Morris Productions Current Affairs
COME DINE WITH ME SOUTH AFRICA Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine Reality
53 EXTRA M-Net Inhouse Productions Dir: Navan Chetty Magazine A BROTHER’S LOVE 1300 Pictures (Pty) Ltd Dir: Elvis Nkosi Feature A CALENDAR OF EVENTS – MEDUPI & KUSILE Betta Beta Communications Prod: Tommy Doig Documentary A MAN OF HIS OWN PRINCIPALS Sekgopha Productions Prod: Buhle Mofulatsi / Thapelo Hlagala TV movie AQUELLE’ MIDMAR MILE 2015 Media Ventures Prod/Dir: Chris Moolman Documentary AFRICA 360 eNews News Head: Patrick Conroy Current affairs AFRO CAFÉ SEASON 7 Bonngoe Productions Prod: Pepsi Pokane Music ArtsCulturex Talent 1000 Championships Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni Series Auditor General Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Brad Montgomery/Natalie Varoy Corporate BACKBONE PROJECT Global Access Creative Agency Prod: GA Creative Agency Documentary BIG BROTHER MZANSI Endemol South Africa Prod: Terja Beney, Liza Kleitman Reality BINNELAND Stark Films Prod/Dir: Friedrich / Elsje Stark Series BRAVO! Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Magazine BONISANANI Grounded Media Talk Show Bugatti Together Lucky Fish Productions Dir: Raphaël Crombez Commercial CAINE’S LEGACY Media Navigation Prod/Dir: Dan Akinlolu Short Film CARTE BLANCHE (inserts) Modern Times Prod: Sophia Phirippides News
CUTTING EDGE SABC News Current Affairs Debra Deel Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott, Wynand Dreyer Series DIAMOND BROKER OF CONGO Bendimir Productions PTY LTD Prod: Dede Tshibangu Documentary DIMENSION DATA Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Natalie Varoy Corporate DINNER DIVAS 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Series DISHONEST Inhlakanipho Films Dir: Vusi Nhlapo Feature Film Ditokelo tsa Medupi LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature
GOOD MORNING AFRICA Planet Image Productions SA Prod/Dir: Wale Akinlabi Magazine GOSPEL GOLD Engage Entertainment Prod: Sthembile Mhlongu Music Got It Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Guy Sclanders Corporate GROEN Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Wildlife HEAT WAVE Ruby Rocket Media Dir: Eddie Edwards TV Series HECTIC 99 Okuhle Media Prod: Wilna van Schalkwyk Magazine HITACHI POWER AFRICA MEDUPI AND KUSILE Betta Beta Communications Prod/Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary HOUSE CALL Izwe Multimedia / Urban Brew Prod: Annalie Potgieter Talk Show IGNITE Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Reality IHAWU LE SISWE Provoke Entertainment Dir: Sechaba Morojele TV Series iParent training clips Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Guy Sclanders Corporate
DIY MET RIAAN Prod: Riaan Venter-Garforth Magazine
IMIZWILILI Ukhamba Productions Prod: Alfred Mpofu Music
EARTH BEAT Tekweni TV Productions Prod: Sandra Herrington Series
INKABA Urban Brew Studios Prod: John Kani Telenovela
EASTERN MOSAIC Red Carpet Productions Prod: Saira Essa / Mark Corlett Magazine
In search of our own Open Window school of film arts Prod: Adriaan De la Rey Documentary
END GAME Fireworx Media/ Tunc Productions Prod: Bridget Pickering Dir: Akin Omotoso/ Thandie Brewer/ Thabang Moleya Feature
ISIDINGO Endemol South Africa Prod: Pumla Hoppa, Leo Phiri Soap
EXPRESSO (Season 2) Cardova Prod: Paul van Deventer Series FACE OF GEMINI Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Series Facility Management Lectures (A4FM) Panache Video Productions Dir/ Prod: Liesel Eiselen Educational Faith Today Impact Christian Media Prod: Carl Schultz TV Series FOX NEWS CHANNEL Betta Beta Communications Prod/Dir: Tommy Doig News Free State Toursim Indaba Our Time Productions Dir: Jaun de Meillon Corporate
JOBURG TAXI Xcut Studios Prod: Dave Kaminer Documentary JOU SHOW Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Talkshow comedy KOKKEDOOR 2 Homebrew films Prod: Jaco Loubser and Paul Venter Cooking reality series KOLLIG Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Magazine KONA The Directors Team (Pty) Ltd Prod/Dir: Laurence Lurie / Cathy Sykes Series KOOLCON CORPORATE VIDEO FiX Post Production/ Marketing AV Marketing Video LATE NITE NEWS ON E.TV Diprente Productions Prod: Tamsin Andersson Series
1464 Vragboot Steet Cnr Vooraadskip Streets Laserpark, Honeydew
PRO DU C T I O N
U PD ATES Light Girls South African Unit White Heron Pictures Prod: Themba Sibeko Documentary LIVE Urban Brew Music LIVE LOTTO SHOW Urban Brew Game Show Mandela’s Gun DV8 films Dir: John Irvin Feature Marang Estate: Mixed Used Development Nov/ Dec Our Time Productions Dir: Jaun de Meillon Documentary
STUDY MATE Educational Improvement and Study Help (EISH) Exec Prod: Lisa Blakeway Educational
RHYTHM CITY Quizzical Pictures Prod: Yula Quinn Soapie RHYTHM CITY INTERACTIVE Quizzical Pictures / e.tv Prod: Viva Liles-Wilkin Interactive Platform Media
MassTalk Global Access Creative Agency Prod: Brad Montgomery Corporate
ROOTS Ukhamba Communications Prod: Alfred Mpofu Music
MATRICS UPLOADED Educational Improvement and Study Help (EISH) Prod: Lisa Blakeway Educational
SAINT AND FREEDOM FIGHTER Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Documentary SA Top Model for a Day Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni TV Series
MCA Training Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Guy Sclanders Corporate
SAKEGESPREK MET THEO VORSTER SEASON 5 Dirk Mostert Camera Production Prod/ Dir: Dirk Mostert Series
M-NET SHORT FILMS Current Affairs Films Prod/ Dir: Jane Thandi Lipman Film
SAUBA IMAGOFILM Prod: Tam de Vries Reality TV Series
MURDER OF A FORMER FIRST LADY Sabido Productions Dir/Prod: Catherine Rice Documentary
Shreds and Dreams Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Series
MZANSI INSIDER Bonngoe Productions Prod: Pepsi Pokane Magazine NEILL ANTHONY – THE PRIVATE CHEF Okuhle Media Prod: Grant Flynn Cooking Show
SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine Global TV Commercial SA’S GOT TALENT Rapid Blue Prod/Dir: Kee-Leen Irvine Talent show SCANDAL Ochre Moving Pictures Prod: Romano Gorlei Soapie SCHOEMAN BOERDERY – MOOSRIVIER Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott / Wynand Dreyer Documentary SELIMATHUNZI Sikhoyana Productions Prod: Baby Joe Correira Variety
NET1 – SASSA Betta Beta Communications Prod: Tommy Doig Corporate
SHIZ NIZ Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Allen Makhubele Variety
NEWS NIGHT eNews Prod: Nikiwe Bikitsha Current Affairs
SHIFT Urban Brew Talk show
Oscar Pistorius Documentary Inserts TIA Productions Dir/ Prod: Tarryn Crossman Documentary PASELLA Tswelopele Productions Dir: Liani Maasdorp / Werner Hefer Magazine PAWN STARS SOUTH AFRICA Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine, Ed Worster, Johan Naude and Kat Weatherall Reality PHUNDEKA READING PROGRAMME SummerTime Productions Exec Prod: Phundeka (NGO) Documentary Unit C5 RobeRtville Mini FaCtoRies 255 nadine stReet RobeRtville RoodepooRt 1709
Rands with Sense 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myersin Education
ROLLING WITH KELLY KHUMALO Red Pepper Prod: Cecil Barry Reality
My name is Funeka Sabido Productions Dir/Prod: Catherine Rice Documentary
Visit avisvanrental.co.za or call 011 312 6206 / 021 927 3456
SPRINGBOK STORIES Angel Music Studio Productions Dir: Chrissie Rossouw TV Series
MASHELENG 2 LMOL Production Dir: Jonny Muteba Feature
MY GENERATION Current Affairs Films Dir: Jane Lipman TV Series
Van Rental fleet offers a total transport solution to the film industry.
PROJECT MV Zen Crew Prod: Laura Tarling Music
RIVONINGO Asi-B Films Prod: Asivhanzi ‘Asi’ Mathaba Children’s Show
MUVHANGO Word of Mouth Prod: Pieter Grobbelaar Feature
With dedicated film offices in both Cape Town and Joburg, the Avis
SODA AND Mayoral Awards Global Access Creative Agency Guy Sclanders Corporate
MASHELENG1 LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature
MOTSWAKO Carol Bouwer Productions Prod: Grant Paul Roy Talk Show
Lights; ignition; action.
POWER COMBAT ZONE Mixed Motion Entertainment Dir: Dieter Gottert Sport
SISTERHOOD Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Andy Leze Variety SIYAKHOLWA – WE BELIEVE X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Edutainment Slender Wonder Doctors Conference Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Slender Wonder Corporate Video Slender Wonder Patient Testimonial Videos Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Corporate Videos SOCCER ZONE SABC Sports Head: Sizwe Nzimande Magazine
SUPERSWIMMER Media Ventures Prod/Dir: Chris Moolman TV Series THE CHAT ROOM Eclipse Prod: Thokozani Nkosi Talk Show THE COMMUNIST REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA Jam TV, Creative South Africa, Nkhanyeti Production Prod: Barthelemy Ngwessam Documentary THE JUSTICE FACTOR eNews Prod: Debbie Meyer Current Affairs THE REAL GOBOZA 7 Urban Brew Entertainment The Revolution Betrayed Shadow Films Prod/Dir: David Forbes Documentary THE RUDIMENTALS Periphery Films Prod: Simon Taylor Feature THE TECH REPORT Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Technology Magazine TOP BILLING Tswelopele Productions Prod: Patience Stevens Magazine TOP TRAVEL (Season 3) Cardova Prod: Bradley van den Berg Series Transnet Financial Results Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Brad Montgomery Corporate Troopship Tragedy (working title) Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Marion Edmunds Documentary TSHIPE BORWA MANGANESE MINE Betta Beta Communications Prod / Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary Vaseline Experience Xcut Studios Dir: Lee Anne Theron 4D AV production VELDKINDERS Kilroy Was Here! Productions Prod: Gideon Breytenbach Documentary Series VILLA ROSA Spectro Productions Dir: Luhann Jansen / Andries van der Merwe/ Leroux Botha/ Isabel Smit Series Volkspele South Africa Grey Cloud Productions Dir:Jacques Brand Prod: Bertie Brink Documentary WARD 22 TIA Productions Prod/Dir: Tarryn Crossman Documentary WEEKEND AM LIVE SABC News Current Affairs WIZARD OF ZIM Away From Keyboard Dir: Samora Sekhukhune Documentary YILENGELO LAKHO Prod: Nndanganeni Mudau Current Affairs ZOOM IN Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Talk show
PROD U CTION IN POST-PRODUCTION A BUSHMAN ODYSSEY Onetime Films Prod: Richard Wicksteed Documentary
FORMIDABELE VROUE: CISSY GOOL Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott/ Wynand Dreyer Documentary HAD BETTER DAYS Uniquely Novel Productions Prod/Dir: Deon VD Merwe Feature Film
A DIFFERENT COUNTRY Sabido Productions Dir: Lisa Henry Documentary series A FATAL ENCOUNTER – THE MARLEEN KONINGS STORY Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Johann Abrahams Documentary A Love Letter to Luxor Shadow Films Prod/Dir: David Forbes Short Film
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARIES: KIMBERLEY: SOUTH AFRICA Spike Productions Prod/Dir: Steve Muller Documentary THE HOCKEY STICK KILLER Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Melanie Rice Documentary HOPE NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary
A MOTHER’S MADNESS Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Ayesha Ismail Documentary A STOLEN LIFE – THE SASHA LEIGH CROOK STORY Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Catherine Rice Documentary AFROX CO2 PLANT FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AFROX FINANCIAL RESULTS FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AFROX RAU INSIGHT FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video ALL FOR NOTHING – THE LIFE AND DEATH OF BRUNO BRONN Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Barbara Friedman Documentary BEAUTY CONTEST Phoenix TV Productions Prod/Dir: Koketso Sefanyetso Short Film CAESAREAN COMPLICATIONS SummerTime Productions Exec Prod: Professor Eckhart Buchmann Documentary Challenge SOS 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Reality Collide Media Village Productions Prod: Ardeen Munnik TV Series
HOUSE OF ENCOURAGEMENT Panache Video Productions Dir/Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate I AM…CRAIG Away From Keyboard Dir: Samora Sekhukhune Documentary IQILI Impucuzeko Prod: Sharon Kakora Feature Joyous 18 RM Recording Prod: Lindelani Mkhize Other JULIUS HAS A DREAM Creative South Africa, Nkanyethi Productions,Jam TV Prod: Bathelemy Ngwessam Documentary KADARA Media Navigation Prod: Dan Akinlolu/ Biola Karonwi TV Drama Kerels wat Kook Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant Reality TV Series KNYSNA West Five Films Prod/ Dir: Maynard Kraak; Andre Velts Feature Film LINCOLN CLAN Total Recall Media Ltd Dir: Adebanjo Oluseyi TV Series THE MIME ARTIST Phoenix TV Productions Prod: Koketso Sefanyetso Short Film
CROSSBOW KILLER Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Barbara Friedman Documentary DEBRA DEEL Khaki Productions Prod: Christelle Parrott TV Series DIE WASGOEDLYN Kilroy Was Here! Productions Prod: Gideon Breytenbach TV Series FASHION GURU SA Pro Media & Spider – Co Productions Prod/Dir: Dee Vanzyl Reality
NIGHT OF THE MASSACRE Tshepo Lesedi Projects, Mathope & Izibuko Films Dir: Charles Khuele Documentary
UPDATES
|
UPCOMING EVENTS
NIGHTCLUB KILLER Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Nobathembu Stefane Documentary
JANUARY
NORTH WEST KILLER Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Ayesha Ismail Documentary
Canada www.tiff.net/festivals/ctt15
8 – 17
CANADA’S TOP TEN FILM FESTIVAL
21 – 31 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
Nyaope Gangsters LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature
Utah www.sundance.org
27 – 7 FEB International Film Festival Rotterdam
PERFECT SHISHEBO Quizzical Pictures Prod: Nthabiseng Mokoena Series
Rotterdam www.iffr.com
PLAY MORE GOLF FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Commercials
FEBRUARY
Pushi- Passion LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Series
11 – 19 EUROPEAN FILM MARKET
Berlin www.efm-berlinale.de
THE QUIET BOY Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Charlene Stanley Corporate ROSA 3 Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke & Bertha Spieker TV Feature SAFE BET Sukuma Media Producer: Nokuthula Sakhile Mguni / Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature Film SAMURAI KILLER Sabido Productions Dir: Catherine Rice Corporate
TELKOM: BUSINESS INSIGHTS WEBSERIES UZI Films Prod/Dir: Steven Hall Corporate TESSA BEETGE – A Life Interrupted Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Meggan Raubenheimer Documentary The calling LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature
SECRET PAIN #1 Makoya Entertainment Prod/Dir: Prayer Ndlovu TV Drama SHALLOW GRAVE Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Meggan Raubenheimer Documentary SLENDER WONDER FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video SLENDER WONDER MJ LABS FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video
TROOPSHIP TRAGEDY Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Marion Edmunds Documentary Traffic Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Series UNDER THE MOUNTAIN Plexus Films Prod: Miki Redelinghuys,/ Lauren Groenewald Short film
THE CODE BREAKER NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary
UNSOLVED – THE STORY OF THE CAPE RIPPER Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Johann Abrahams Documentary
THE FAMILY PUZZLE Site et Sons media productions Prod/Dir : Zamo Missie Feature
VKB LANDBOU BEPERK FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video
THE LAST GREAT TUSKERS NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary
When I Was Water Shadow Films Dir: David Forbes Documentary
The Message Reel Edge Studios Dir: David Golden TV Drama Series
XJ-1 Eternal Film Productions Prod: Marius Swanepoel/ Dana Pretorius Feature
MURDER ON MILLIONAIRE’S MILE Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Barbara Friedman Documentary
SWARTWATER Quizzical Pictures Prod: Bianca Isaac Dir: John Trengove/ Jozua Malherbe/ Denny Y Miller Series
MY SIGHT FOR SORE EYES Enigma Ace Films Prod/Dir: Ryan Kruger Feature Film
SUPERDAD Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke & Bertha Spieker TV Feature
THE STORY OF LITTLE FOOT Paul Myburgh Film Prod: Paul Myburgh Documentary THE TRANSPORTERS Sukuma Media/ Reality Motion Pictures Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Documentary
NEW LAND Plexus Films/ Four Corners Media Dir: Kyle O’ Donoghue TV Series
SURVIVOR Endemol South Africa Prod: Anton Burggraaf, Josh Feldman Reality
TOWNSHIP TERROR Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Melanie Rice Documentary
Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Game Show Screen Africa relies on the accuracy of information received and cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions which may occur. E-mail production updates to: online@screenafrica.com
Custom Music, Licensing & Sound Design for Film • TV • Documentary • Online • Gaming
STUDIOS
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF AWARD WINNING MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN
SOUTH AFRICA’S PREMIER DOLBY DIGITAL CERTIFIED AUDIO POST PRODUCTION & SOUND DESIGN STUDIO
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+27 (0) 11 361 3020
January 2016 | SCREENAFRICA | 39
Social and Behind the Scenes
|
DISCOPRO pitching competition awards ceremony
Angela Aquereburu, Patrick Zuchowicki, Bella Swakamisa
Khanyisa Mfeka, Abel N’guessan Koume and Patrick Zuchowicki
Frances-Anne Solomon and Patrick Zuchowicki
Patrick Walton
Gugulethu Maqetukea, Michelle Wheatley
Discovery Networks Upfront
Lee Hobbs (Discovery Networks), Kasia Kieli (Discovery Networks), Carol Tshabalala (TV Personality), Troy (Discovery Channel), David Mbeha (TLC Next Great Presenter winner), Whitney Thore (TLC Entertainment), Andi Rive (Animal Planet), Star Khulu (TLC Next Great Presenter finalist), Mpiwa Bagwasi (TLC Next Great Presenter finalist) and Debbie Brady (Discovery Networks)
David Mbeha announced as Africa’s first TLC Entertainment Next Great Presenter
TLC Entertainment Next Great Presenter top three finalists Mpiwa Bagwasi, David Mbeha and Star Khulu
Aletta Alberts (MultiChoice), Lee Hobbs (Discovery Networks), Debbie Brady (Discovery Networks), James Gibbons (Discovery Networks) Carol Tshabalala (TV Personality) and Kasia Kieli (Discovery Networks)
Troy (Discovery Channel), Whitney Thore (TLC Entertainment), David Mbeha (TLC Next Great Presenter winner) and Andi Rive (Animal Planet)
Screen Africa Post-production Round Table at Deepend Post-production
Nick Gishan (Deepend Post-production), Schalk van der Merwe (Visual Frequency) and Jade Bowyer (Deepend Post-production)
Louise Traill (The House Post-production) and Melanie Golden (Deepend Post) 40 | SCREENAFRICA | January 2016
Jacqui Pearson (Left Post-production), Tracey Williams (The Refinery), Lorens Persson (Sterling Sound) and Joe Erasmus (Upstairs Ludus)
Andrew Traill (The House Post-production) and Michele Wilson (The Ludus)
Graham Smith (Orchestra Blue) and Lorens Persson Quentin Haffern (Realtime Pictures), Graham Cooke (G-Vision), Alun Richards (Cut & Paste Generation) and Eileen Sandrock (Sasani Studios) (Sterling Sound)
G O L F
D A Y
2 0 1 6
The Annual Screen Africa Golf Day will take place on Thursday 12 May 2016 at CMR Golf Club in Maraisburg, Roodepoort.
A cocktail party and prize-giving is held at the CMR Clubhouse following the competition, which provides great networking opportunities. Secure your sponsorship and 4-ball by 12 April 2016. Date:
Thursday 12 May 2016
Venue:
CMR Golf Course
Sponsorship:
Hole 1 – R7 500.00 (ex vat)
Halfway House:
All other holes – R5 750.00 (ex vat) For your own account
Green Fees:
R300.00 per player (inc vat), cocktail snacks and prize giving
Start:
Shotgun Start @ 11:45am
Contact: Ellen Oosthuizen Cell: +27 (0)83 268 6868 Fax: +27 (0)86 670 6809 e-mail: ellen.oosthuizen@pixie.co.za
AK-UC3000 4K Studio Handy Camera
AK-HC5000 HD Studio Handy Camera
Studio Handy Camera lineup featuring B4 mount 4K model and 1080p high-speed model
www.pansolutions.co.za Contact: Sean Loeve Cell: 083 677 4917 Tel: 011 313 1622