Screen Africa July 2014

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Film and TV production – an incentive overview South Africa has made significant progress in the past 10 years in growing the film industry and enhancing its capability to contribute to job creation and the export of tradable services.

Our success in this area is most dramatically evidenced by the increase in the annual numbers of local feature films produced and their steadily improving performance at the box office. The latest available box office report, January to June 2013, shows that 10 local films were screened at cinemas across the country, eight of which received incentives from the dti.

I

n the report, Spud 2: The Madness Continues was the highest grossing local film and on the top 10 chart of South African releases that earned R6,8 million.

Afrikaans language movies have been making great strides at the box office too, most notably the romantic comedy Klein-Karoo and war drama Verraiers. In 2012 Afrikaans language musical film Semi-Soet shook up the South African box office to reach top spot. Local films will do well if afforded a greater theatrical window to acquire more revenue. American productions are still leading South African box office revenues, but we are well ahead of countries such as the United Kingdom, France and India in our market.

The South African Government through the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) introduced its incentive programme in June 2004 to stimulate economic growth and participation in its film and TV production industry. At that time, the focus was on attracting big budget foreign films to use South Africa as a location.

This did bear fruit as productions such as 10 000 BC, Blood Diamond and Hotel Rwanda were shot in South Africa. The incentive comprises the South African Film and TV and Co-Production Incentive and the Foreign Film and TV Production Incentive. The programme was managed until January 2008 following a call for the preceding prescripts of the guideline to be reviewed.

By this time, a total of 49 productions were completed.

Of these, 36% were South African productions, 12% co-productions and 52% foreign. These productions injected a total cash expenditure (QSAPE) of R2,4 billion for local goods and services, with an incentive payout of R370 million.

The success of the industry has been made possible by the collaboration between the private sector and different government institutions. Working with the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the programme was reviewed in 2007 and introduced in 2008.

Innovations introduced included milestone payments to ease financing constraints for local productions and co-productions. The results have been astounding. Since 2008, the dti has assisted 271 productions, as compared

to 49 from 2004 to 2007. Of this, 159 were local productions, 63 co-productions and 49 foreign. the dti is particularly pleased to see an increase in co-productions as these provide an opportunity for South African co-producing partners to minimise the risk inherent in producing films, while at the same time sharing with their foreign counterparts in creative, financial and technical elements of the production. The increase in local production has also meant that the dti has been able to make a contribution to the production of films that tell stories which have historical meaning to the people of South Africa. We are proud to be associated with films such as Invictus and Madiba: Long Walk to Freedom. the dti has adopted an innovative approach to the Foreign Film and TV Production Incentive. The introduction of the incentive initially resulted in a trickle of medium-sized budget productions in the period from 2004 to 2008. This resulted in a noticeable strengthening of the film supply value chain such as the transfer of technology, skill and knowledge to South African practitioners that they would otherwise not have acquired through working on lower budget films. The department sees the film industry as a critical sector in contributing to skills development and employment creation and will continue to support this growing industry.

The construction of the Cape Town Film Studio (CTFS) has assisted in catapulting the film industry to a higher sphere. In 2009, the dti contributed R16 million to the construction of the mega studio and, in 2012, a further R6 million was made available for the construction of a water-tank facility for the production of Black Sail, a TV series aimed at the American market. To date, more than 10 productions, including Safe House, Chronicle, Judge Dredd and The Borrowers, have utilised the studio’s facilities, creating in excess 30 000 job opportunities.

The incentive has also attracted foreign budget films like Fury Road (Mad Max 3), which was filmed in South Africa and Namibia with a local spend of R326 million.

To date, this is the largest feature film to be produced in South Africa by Warner Bros.

Statistical report from February 2008 to December 2013 Category

Number QSAPE Incentive

South African Films

240

R2,9bn

R754m

Co-Productions

75

R1,7bn

R507m

Foreign Films

65

R4bn

R677m

Total

380

R8,6bn

R1,9bn

According to the South African Film Industry Economic Baseline Study-April 2013, film contributes R3,5 billion to South African GDP (both direct and indirect spend), with an economic multiplier of R2.89 for every R1 spent and more than 25 000 fulltime equivalent jobs created.

The Foreign Post-Production Incentive was introduced in April 2012 to attract foreign postproduction and harness and expand the domestic skills base in this segment. It is anticipated that through this provision, more foreign income will flow into the local industry and help support local employment within this segment of the value chain. the dti’s contribution to the development of the industry involves an extensive range of activities, including the support of local producers to market their scripts and screen their products at film festivals through the Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) programme; support for physical infrastructure through the Critical Infrastructure Programe (CIP); support for the financing of local productions and co-productions through the South African Film and TV Production Incentive; attracting big-budget foreign films and conducting postproduction activities through the Foreign Film and TV Productions and Post-Production Incentive.

The incentive is highly regarded for its simplicity and efficiency, and continuous research will be conducted to ensure that it continues to address global change.

FILM REBATE South Africa has made significant progress in the last 10 years in growing the film industry and improving its ability to contribute to job creation.

The Department of Trade and Industry’s (the dti) Film and TV incentive has assisted more than 400 films since its inception in 2004, with over R2.4 billion disbursed to support about 95 000 projected job opportunities in the production sector.

Our success in supporting and growing the industry is evident in the dramatic increase in the number of local feature films produced annually and their steady performances at the box office.

So if you are an existing or aspiring filmmaker, visit the dti website www.thedti.gov.za or call 0861 8433 84 to find out if you qualify for our Film and TV incentive.

Don’t miss out!

,

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6/13/14 1:51 PM

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| IN THIS ISSUE

24 Taking stock

25

11

Changing their spots

Mozambican cinema, tudo bem?

28

33 Regional TV: an integral part of the DTT possibility spectrum

This could drone on for a while!

News

Film

Satellite / DTT

Box Office

Love is a dangerous thing................. 17

Regional TV: an integral part

Top box office flicks fight

of the DTT possibility spectrum..... 33

the forces of evil................................. 41

NFVF announces new council............ 4 Unathi is first African to voice hit Disney series........................................... 5 DRM goes local...................................... 5 iPhone-shot SA film gains international recognition...................... 6 AfriDocs TV channel to partner with DIFF................................................. 8 South Africa’s second IMAX theatre opens in Tshwane.................... 8

Thina Sobabili....................................... 18 SA Film Kalushi honours Apartheid revolutionary.................... 19 ‘Amazing’ cinema................................. 20 TiNT Post and Rechord Audio shine at DIFF........................................ 21 South Africa at Cannes 2014........... 22

Documentary Taking stock.......................................... 24

OTT / IPTV

WEB NEWS

Low-bandwidth mobile streaming app opens up distribution possibilities.. 34

Africa Magic launches VOD platform for Africans living

Fibre Technology

IBC President dies.............................. 42

Fibre maintenance essentials: why testing is not enough................. 35

Post-Production

in the US............................................... 42 Zuma on SA’s broadband policy...... 42 eNCA Africa Editor resigns.............. 42 Vislink enters into

Changing their spots.......................... 25 28 Up: A cross-section of

Ultrawide screens............................... 36

co-operation with ND SatCom...... 42 DRM promotes digital radio

Mozambican cinema, tudo bem?...... 11 Shungu Namutitima film festival to coincide with

contemporary South Africa.............. 26

Training & Education

technology in Africa............................ 42 Al Jazeera releases statement on

Zambia’s golden jubilee...................... 12 Tanzanian filmmaker Amil Shivji to

Puma Video increases

release Samaki Mchangani................. 12

This could drone on for a while!.... 28

Christie Vive Audio............................. 39 Sony SXRD-T423

ADCETERA

Television

One step ‘a-head’ of the

A South African TV

common cold....................................... 14 Hear them roar!.................................. 14

classic reinvented................................ 29 World Cup 2014: a new era

4K/ 3D Projector................................ 39 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 4K Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds

SA Cannes Young Lions Trip 2014... 15

in sports broadcasting........................ 30

A good dash of Jack swagger........... 16 Have you met Africa’s

Radio

Africa Reel women of Nollywood.............. 10

favourite airline?.................................. 16

Cinematography its lighting inventory........................... 27

Riding a new wavelength................... 32

Calling all aspiring filmmakers.......... 38

TRACKING TECHNOLOGY

Digital Camera..................................... 39 MTI Cortex dailies............................. 40 Grass Valley GV Stratus Playout...... 40

journalists’ guilty trial verdict........... 43 Ster-Kinekor upgrades Sandton City cinema with Cine Prestige.............................. 43 Hard to Get opens Durban International Film Festival................. 43

Regulars Production Updates................44 – 47 Events..................................................... 47 Social...................................................... 48

|

From the editor

News

Recovering our independent spirit

NFVF announces new council

The visual storytelling industry is perhaps more democratic and open in nature today than it has ever been – perhaps particularly in Africa and perhaps to a fault. The barriers to entry that once existed in the days when only a select few studios, exhibitors and television channels had the monopoly on who got to make what (and who got to see it), are falling rapidly.

We have technology to thank for that. It’s easier and cheaper to create content than it once was and one doesn’t need state-of-the-art professional equipment to do it. One doesn’t necessarily have to get the backing of government or a major corporate funder. Technology has facilitated independence and continues to do so with every forward step it takes.

New over-the-top media platforms start up all the time. Some will fall, but some will keep going. These offer channels for independent content that is not subject to government agendas or the stipulations that come with corporate backing. The launch of the Tuluntulu app is one example of such low-cost platforms (see page 34). Armed with a DSLR, access to editing software, a strong will and an ability to innovate, a small, independent production crew can create a more than passable product. One country that grabbed this technical independence while it was still in its infancy was Nigeria. And while some may sniff at the quality of work that is produced there, it remains one of the largest, most productive film production industries in the world, with an audience for its product and no problems getting its product to its audience.

South Africa has a lot to learn about that independence and its implications. So many of our filmmakers and fledgling filmmakers still seek funding from organisations with diminishing budgets or from high-end producers and distributors with good reason to guard their capital and consider their investments very carefully. Then they think that all is lost when neither of these potential backers see fit to help realise a cherished dream.

Yet there are those who are going out and making things happen on their own. What led me to muse on this subject and make it the topic of this month’s column was my meeting with producer, writer and director Ernest Nkosi, whose film Thina Sobabili screens at DIFF this month (see the full article on page 18). This filmmaker and his crew are just passionate and crazy enough (and believe me – the latter characteristic is just as essential as the former) to step out and make a feature film on their own time, with their own funds, whatever it takes, regardless of who approves.

There are many examples in this country of this kind of passion for stories and the medium we use to tell them – though nowhere near enough. Also in this issue, we look at a documentary about the plight of South Africa’s leopards, made by the Van Niekerk family through their production company, Perfect Directions (see page 25). Braving wild animals, the elements and bankruptcy, these individuals set out to tell a story they felt absolutely couldn’t go without being told. Last month we covered a short film called There’s Something Wrong with Kelvin, written and directed by Mr B, using family members as cast and crew, in the space of a short holiday.

These are the types of characters who built the great film industries of the world, not people who griped about a lack of funding or support. Twenty years into our democracy, we South Africans are passionate about our freedom but unfortunately, in this industry at least, seem to know little about how to make it work. Thankfully, the cases I have cited serve as only a few examples of the wonderful exceptions out there – and more power to them!

Warren Holden

In early June, a very short time after the swearing in of the new Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Nathi Mthethwa, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) announced the appointment of its new council, which will serve until 30 April 2017.

Just as the new government commenced its term, so the new NFVF Council began its work in promoting and developing a sector that is receiving increasing recognition as a vital contributor to both the culture and economy of the country.

NFVF CEO Zama Mkosi said of the new council: “We are very thrilled with the announcement of our new administration.

The previous three years, under the leadership of Mmabatho Ramagoshi, were very fruitful; their focus among others, being transformation, particularly in the development of youth and female filmmakers, people from disadvantaged background and the disabled. I’m proud to say that we have seen positive results out of their strategy and look forward to the next three years of local film growth and development.”

Ramagoshi returns to serve a second term as chair of the council and has considerable experience in leadership positions of government organisations. She has served as acting CEO of the South African Heritage Resource Agency (SAHRA), as a provincial general manager at the SABC, and also worked for the United Nations Development Programme and Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention.

Also returning for a second term as deputy chairperson is George Leolo, a CA and auditor by profession, who worked in the CFO’s office at the Department of Trade and Industry. He is the former CFO of Sifikile Investment Holdings and the former CEO of Bambiri Technologies. Advocate Roshan Dehal also retains his position.

Among the new appointments are Pamela Mashiane, founder and manager of Segakweng Enterprise and Strategy Consulting, a former marketing manager at ABSA Bank and a board member of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA); Brendyn Meyer, currently a non-executive director of the Mpumalanga Gaming Board,

who worked extensively for the Independent Development Trust (IDT); Leslie Mkhabela, a lawyer by trade, who holds several board positions in various organisations in Limpopo; and Sandile Swana, director and CFO of SABLE Data Works.

While these council members come from political, legal or accounting backgrounds, bringing the necessary management and administrative expertise to the council, the remaining six members are drawn directly from the film and television industry.

Thabiso Lawrence Masudubele is a senior manager in the Industry Support and Development Unit at the Gauteng Film Commission, and has previously held several other positions there. He has also worked for Metro FM as a film coordinator and as a special project coordinator at the Film Resource Unit.

Experienced television producer Desiree Markgraaf is one of the driving forces behind the popular soap opera Isibaya and also produced Zone 14, Jacob’s Cross and Yizo Yizo. She has 30 years’ experience in the local and international entertainment industry.

Phillip Molefe is an independent media consultant and a journalist by trade, who served as acting CEO at the SABC, worked as editor-in-chief for SABC News, and general executive for Current Affairs at the SABC. Aboobaker Moosa is the managing director of independent cinema exhibition and entertainment company, the Avalon Group, which runs cinema multiplexes at Killarney Mall and Mall @ Reds in Gauteng, and at Midlands and Sun Coast in KwaZulu-Natal.

Lorraine Jikijela Ramathesele is a co-executive producer on the perennially popular soap 7de Laan and has also worked extensively for the SABC. Finally, Mfundi Vundla, himself a former chairperson of the NFVF Council, is the creator and executive producer of TV soaps Generations and Backstage, and a respected figure in the television and film industry. He is the executive chair for Morula Pictures and chairman of the Independent Producers Organisation.

SCREENAFRICA Publisher & Managing Editor: Simon Robinson: publisher@screenafrica.com Editor: Warren Holden: editor@screenafrica.com Journalist: Carly Barnes: carly@screenafrica.com Contributors: Ian Dormer, Andy Stead, Claire Diao, Gethsemane Mwizabi, Jakkie Groenewald, Chanelle Ellaya

Sub-Editor: Tina Heron Design: Trevor Ou Tim: design@sun-circle.co.za Website & Production Updates: Carly Barnes: carly@sun-circle.co.za Subscriptions: Tina Tserere: data@sun-circle.co.za Delight Ngwenya: admin@sun-circle.co.za Advertisement Sales: Marianne Schafer: marianne@screenafrica.com Lorna MacLeod: lorna@screenafrica.com

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| News

Unathi is first African to voice hit Disney series In celebration of Youth Day, South African singer, radio presenter and SA Idols judge Unathi Msengana featured in an episode of Doc McStuffins as the voice of Rita the Cheetah, which aired on Disney Junior (DStv, Channel 309) on 16 June.

The songstress was elated at the opportunity to feature on the awardwinning show, in an episode aptly titled No Sweetah Cheetah. “I am thrilled and humbled by this opportunity. Being a mother myself, I love watching Disney Junior with my children,” beamed Msengana, who kept her animation debut a surprise for her three-year-old daughter.

“I hadn’t told her yet, I wanted to surprise her and watch it with her. She loves Doc McStuffins and shows like the Mickey Mouse Club so I couldn’t wait, I

successfully internationally on DRM shortwave. DRM is very receptive and includes SW, MW and long wave, but yes, we have now established the first site in South Africa, dedicated to performing trials and then later for broadcasting.

“Pulpit Media is the only South African broadcaster who owns two MW licenses (Radio Pulpit Gauteng and Cape Pulpit Western Cape) and we are locked into going the DRM route, if we want to be sharing in the ‘digital dividend’. The advantages are high-level sound quality which is even better than FM and since the footprint of MW broadcast is much larger we will be able to cover large rural areas where FM cannot reach. Lastly DRM is green – it is highly cost effective and uses only about 50% of the electricity compared to conventional MW. “We have supplied a fully furnished test site with a 25 KW transmitter, monopole antenna and content server for the trails, fully supported by SENTECH and operated by Broadcom International (our technical partner.). The results will be

used to convince the Regulator to award DRM licenses to MW broadcasters.

Listeners will eventually have to procure a DRM digital receiver like in the case of DAB + or Digital TV. There are also three further MW broadcasters, who have indicated they want to come on board.

DRM is used widely in India and Radio Pulpit is watching closely to what is happening there. “Air, the national radio station, is already migrating to DRM (they have 465 million listeners on MW analogue,” observes Petersen. “We have commissioned and completed a comprehensive research study in which it was confirmed that South Africa has all the capabilities to manufacture DRM receivers, but I am not able to comment on the price of a receiver yet.”

The installation and commissioning has been completed and trials started on 1 July. The latest news is that the chipset will enable digital receivers to accommodate AM, FM, DRM and DAB and offer more than stereo – actually full surround sound. – Andy Stead

ANIMATION DEBUT: Unathi Msengana knew she was going to lose it!”

With three albums under her belt Msengana is no stranger to the studio environment, but when it came to recording her voice for the character of Rita the Cheetah, she admits she was faced with some unfamiliar challenges. “In that situation I had no one to bounce off and no one to see – it’s just you, the microphone, the popper and the actual monitors where you watch the action as you speak. It’s very scientific so you have to be creative and deliver emotion within

DRM goes local The huge innovation that Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) brings to radio broadcasting is that Short Wave (SW) and Medium Wave (MW) broadcasts can now be heard in FM-like sound quality. And reception is excellent anywhere – in cities, in blocks of flats, outdoors and even while driving your car.

It’s an old-fashioned radio broadcast which means that you don’t need an internet connection to tune in, and because of this, it is truly portable and mobile. You can take a DRM radio anywhere and listen to previously impossible quality even in full stereo sound.

Quick to see the advantages of this venture and to become its first southern African user is the Pulpit Media Group, who will transmit the Radio Pulpit broadcasts for trial purposes. Radio Veritas and the soon to be established LM Radio (they have a licence but are still

the character, to a certain time allocation.”

As the first African voice to appear on the show, Msengana joins a list of celebrities who have previously guest starred on Disney Channel programmes including David Beckham, Ben Stiller and Gareth Cliff, who featured on the Emmy Award-winning series Phineas and Ferb; Chris Bosh and Michelle Obama who featured on Jessie; and Molly Shannon who also featured on Doc McStuffins.

“It’s a very South African theme,

without being too literal, and is pertinent to who we are as people, how dynamic and loving we are,” says Msengana of her episode. She continues: “The thing I love the most is that it’s localised content. A lot of huge conglomerates tend to come along and force their content on us and we end up being cultural consumers.”

Christine Service, senior vice president and country manager for The Walt Disney Company Africa shared this sentiment and said the company was thrilled to have brought a local voice to the show. “The series exemplifies Disney’s brand values of celebrating one’s family and appreciating diversity and difference – what better way to share this message than with our very own Rita the Cheetah – and on Youth Day no less,” says Service.

The characters and themes which feature on Doc McStuffins are geared at communicating health, hygiene and medical issues to children in a way that is entertaining and easy to understand. The main character, a young girl who is able to talk to and help the toy patients at her playhouse clinic thanks to a magical stethoscope, is able to ease children’s minds about any anxieties they may have, whether it be a simple doctor’s visit or removing a splinter. – Carly Barnes

A SOUND RECEPTION: A typical DRM receiver building the infrastructure) are also committed to sharing the trials and will broadcast on the second digital channel.

Radio Pulpit’s Doctor Roelf Petersen explains: “The Nigerians have built a station in Abuja and the Nigerian National Radio is broadcasting very

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News

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iPhone-shot SA film gains international recognition Magic Bullet is a short South African film which was shot in July 2013 by Errol Schwartz. But, unlike most films, which require an array of expensive equipment and production gear, not to mention an extensive crew, Magic Bullet was filmed entirely on an iPhone using SLR lenses and adapters – a first for South Africa.

This ingenuity, along with compelling and relevant subject matter, has earned the short a Best Film win at the iPhone Film Festival as well as a spot on the Vodafone Firestarters ‘Top 10 Short Films Shot on an iPhone’ list.

Schwartz remarks: “Traditional methods are expensive for the independent filmmaker. New and less expensive solutions must be sought, and I think one of them is the ongoing improvement of the smartphone’s camera technology. Resolution – getting a high quality image – is important, but not at the expense of your story. Every piece of equipment, cast and crew member are there to serve your story, not the other way around.”

As an actor, Schwartz had grown frustrated with searching for roles which would appeal to him and subsequently decided to create a film that would allow him this opportunity. Not only is it

FILMING SMART: Behind the scenes of Magic Bullet

significantly cheaper to shoot high definition footage on a phone camera, but in South Africa’s competitive film industry, he believed using an iPhone would set him apart.

“After seeing test footage of iPhone short films online, I researched the video capabilities of the phone and was pleasantly surprised. I was convinced that shooting my short film on a smartphone would make it unique,” says Schwartz.

Magic Bullet features a private security contractor who is torn between work obligations, which would see him destroying a potential cure to the AIDS virus, and salvaging a relationship with his ex-fiancé, whom he infected with HIV. The story explores some critical global health issues and uncovers some of the politics surrounding poverty and access to medicine.

Schwartz adds that this form of

filmmaking ties in to the recent emergence of citizen journalism. “For example, the use of smartphones and social media during the Arab Spring.

From a technical standpoint, I think that using innovative ways to tell meaningful stories will help to amplify independent voices all over the world.”

Along with Schultz, who played the role of producer, director and actor, his wife Carrie Schwartz was the executive producer, Humphrey Bande was the co-producer and Arthur O Thomas was an associate producer. Tim Christokat shot the film while Celeste Monteith was responsible for the score and Alex An-los choreographed the fight scenes. The film featured performances by Odelle de Wet (Isidingo, Binnelanders) Sean Cameron Michael (Invictus, Black Sails), Sandra Jorge and Mehboob Bawa.

Schultz concludes: “Don’t hinder your own creativity just because you can’t afford to shoot on a high-res camera.

Grab your smartphone, call a friend or someone who is into photography and knows about lighting, record clean sound and make things happen. Remember, your audience is interested in your story, not in your pixel count.” – Carly Barnes

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News

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AfriDocs TV channel to partner with DIFF AfriDocs, a documentary strand that broadcasts a weekly Tuesday slot on DStv’s ED channel and GOtv are pioneering in African television by partnering with the Durban International Film Festival to broadcast a first ever ‘film festival at home’. Starting 21 July TV audiences will get access to a number of documentary films, including key titles on DIFF’s festival programme, linking the KwaZulu-Natal-based event to viewers all over the country.

The strand is dedicated to broadcasting a diverse array of documentaries produced in Africa – with some airtime also provided for outstanding films produced elsewhere in the world. The strand began broadcasting across 49 countries in April and has proven to be a considerable success. It kicked off with the Emmynominated Have You Heard From Johannesburg, a six-part series about how the world fought against apartheid over more than a 30-year period. It has since shown films covering politics, history and culture, and made by recognised African filmmakers including Mozambique’s Licinio Azaevedo, DRC’s

Djo Munga, and South Africa’s Francois Verster and Khalo Matabane.

AfriDocs is run by Steps, a non-profit organisation that develops communication projects to give a voice to marginalised and disadvantaged communities. Steps launched the strand in partnership with the Bertha Foundation, an international philanthropic society that supports all forms of cultural practice and enterprise that supports the

causes of justice and peace.

The programming set to coincide with DIFF will begin with the powerful Congolese film, Assassination Colonial Style, which documents what it describes as an African tragedy – the murder of Congolese prime minister Patrice Lumumba in 1961, which sent Africa’s largest country from post-independence euphoria to a three-decade long dictatorship and internal strife from which

South Africa’s second IMAX theatre opens in Tshwane In June, a brand new IMAX theatre opened at The Grove mall in the capital city.

This brings the total number of IMAX cinemas in South Africa to two, with the one at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Durban having been running successfully for some time. Previously, a number of IMAX theatres had operated in the country but were all shut down a few years ago.

IMAX’s old business model, back in the days of giant 70mm film projectors, was based around the exhibition of documentaries. With the transition to digital, it became possible to remaster Hollywood blockbusters to the IMAX format, but South Africa’s IMAX cinemas didn’t make that transition, consumer interest waned and that appeared to be that.

Now, with the majority of IMAX’s business coming from the exhibition of Hollywood films and with the brand able to offer a unique cinematic experience that is still out of reach of the home theatre technology that has begun to offer stiff competition to conventional cinemas, the South African market is 8 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE: Inside the new IMAX cinema at The Grove, Pretoria opening up to IMAX again.

According to Andrew Cripps, IMAX’s president for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, who was in the country for the launch of the new cinema, IMAX has experienced massive growth in Russia, China and other Asian territories. “In China, for example, there are a huge number of shopping centres in development. Every shopping centre wants a multiplex and every multiplex wants an IMAX as an anchor,” he says.

Cripps’s role in his territory is to continue the expansion of the IMAX network and also to source content for the theatres. “That involves working with studios and we’ve also started to show a significant number of local language films in these territories. We did our first Russian film, Stalingrad last year. We have also taken a number of French, German and Japanese movies and converted them to the IMAX format. So as the

territory expands, the flexibility you have in terms of content also increases.”

Here in South Africa, negotiations were under way near the end of last year to convert the Nelson Mandela biopic Long Walk To Freedom to IMAX but started too late to be in time for the planned theatrical release of the film. Cripps remains on the lookout for strong, locally made content that can be shown on IMAX screens.

Between Cripps and Ster-Kinekor Theatres, the search for more possible IMAX theatre sites in South Africa continues. During his visit, Cripps visited locations in Cape Town and Johannesburg. “I would hope that as our relationship with Ster-Kinekor evolves, and the theatres continue to be a success, we can expand IMAX’s footprint in the country,” he says.

Outside of South Africa, there are only two other IMAX theatres on the continent

it has yet to recover. Also included in the programme, which amounts to over 30 hours of viewing over the course of week, are Land Rush (Mali), Night Stop (Mozambique), Miners Shot Down (South Africa) and Zanzibar Music Club (Tanzania). In addition to each five hours of programming, one hour will be set aside for live broadcasts of interviews and other coverage from the festival in Durban. – Warren Holden

– one in Casablanca, Morocco and the other in Nairobi, Kenya. Compare this with the UK, which has in the region of 40 IMAX cinemas, or Russia, which has over 30 and counting.

Cripps has received numerous proposals for the opening of new cinemas in other parts of the continent, including Angola, Mozambique, Cameroon, Madagascar, Ghana, Nigeria and Ivory Coast. “I’ve been reading many reports about the burgeoning middle class in Africa and the increase in disposable income and so on. The interest is there. The problem is that the legitimate cinema business in Africa, outside of South Africa, is tiny, but as new shopping malls are constructed, IMAX can begin to play a bigger role there.”

The real appeal of IMAX is that, unlike conventional cinema, it offers an experience that consumers genuinely cannot approximate at home. There is a home cinema option available, Cripps notes, called IMAX Private Cinema (IPC) but at US$2 million per installation it is far outside of the budget of your average middle class movie lover.

“One of the reasons why I joined IMAX was that I always felt that when you put IMAX on a movie poster and it becomes part of the marketing, you elevate it in the consumer’s mind and it becomes a slightly more important film. As consumers’ home entertainment experience gets better and better, exhibition has to transform and give consumers a reason to come to the cinema. We try to create the most immersive possible cinema experience.

The beauty of IMAX is that it can get people off their couches and back in the multiplex,” Cripps concludes.

– Warren Holden

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Africa

|

Nigeria

Reel women of Nollywood

SHOWCASING NIGERIAN FILM: A panel discussion of successful women of Nollywood at NollywoodWeek Film Festival Paris

The second edition of the NollywoodWeek Film Festival Paris, showcasing the cinema of Nigeria to French audiences, was held from 5 to 8 June.

Among the highlights of the festival was a panel discussion featuring five successful women of Nollywood, who discussed the position of women in Africa’s largest film industry.

10 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

T

hey are five outstanding women known for their work either behind or in front of the camera: Mildred Okwo, producer and filmmaker, who won the NollywoodWeek Audience Award for her latest feature, The Meeting; Michelle Bello, producer and filmmaker, who presented her acclaimed film Flower Girl; Tope Oshin-Ogun, producer and filmmaker who came with Journey to Self’s lead actress, Ashionye Michelle Raccah; and Omoni Oboli, actress and director, who screened her first feature, Being Mrs Elliott.

Each commented on when they first became aware of the impact their gender made on their work and the interaction with their industry. Yes, they are women – ‘reel’ women and ‘real’ women. But they taught us that gender does not define a filmmaker.

Omoni Oboli: I discovered I was a woman... maybe before I turned 10?! Is that a good enough answer?

Mildred Okwo: I realised I was a female director when I went back to Nigeria to shoot my first film (30 Days – editor’s note) and a very popular actor that I had cast told me: “I’ve never been directed by a female director before.” And he said that with such disdain. I looked at him – I was a little bit taken aback – I fired him and I

hired another person to take his place.

The guy looked at my script and said: “You think Nigerian women can do this?”

– with reference to the story where I wrote women were killing all the corrupt people. So, he said: “Nigerian women don’t think like this,” and I answered: “Well, I can take creative licence; I want Nigerian women to think like this.” It was the first time I realised how unusual it is to be a female director.

Michelle Bello: While growing up, I was always a tomboy. So I was very adventurous, I played with the boys even from a young age and I think that helps me now in filmmaking because I’m never afraid to break barriers and I’ve never seen a limit because I am a woman. When I shot my first film on the streets of Lagos, under a hot sun – and I’m tiny, you know – I was running all over the set and people thought I was crazy, especially those who came from abroad. But for me, I don’t know, I’ve always been able to push myself as a female and not limit myself because of that.

Tope Oshin-Ogun: I grew up as a tomboy as well. I had sisters but I was always in the company of my brothers, so for a long time, it wasn’t in my consciousness that I was a female or a girl or that I had any limitations or barriers.

Even when I started out on the acting side, I didn’t want to be pretty all the time. I wanted to make things happen.

When people ask me during interviews: “What does it feel like to be a female director?” I answer: “Same thing as being a male director,” because I don’t think I can be defined by gender. I’m just a practitioner, a filmmaker trying to get my voice out there and create my own stuff. I have no such gender barriers, or think about myself as a female doing what a female normally wouldn’t be doing. So, I generally give people that look (looks up archly from under raised eyebrows, editor’s note) when they say ‘Oh! She’s a girl!’ because I am a human being, a filmmaker, like anyone else.

Ashionye Michelle Raccah: Like Michelle and Tope, I was a tomboy.

Actually, I thought I was one of the boys until I hit puberty which came very early. I would say that I realised I was a woman when I was in my teens, starting to discover things about myself and my body. I worked on radio, presenting lots of things from men especially things like: “Females can do that or only this.” But I’ve never seen limitations and never believed in the world’s restrictions. So, yes, I just decided to do something about it and that’s why I got into films.

– Claire Diao

Mozambique

| AFrica

Mozambican cinema, tudo bem?

NECESSARY EVOLUTION: Scenes from the 2014 Maputo African Cinema Week

In southern Africa is a Lusophone country better known for its holiday resorts than its films. Yet Mozambique did build a strong cinema industry in the 1970s, which then disappeared over the years because of lack of interest from the government. Meanwhile, some film professionals are trying to revive their country’s cinematic output.

A

fter Mozambican independence in 1975, President Samora Machel and his party, the Mozambican Liberation Front (FRELIMO), understood the power of the image and its importance for building a socialist nation. Hence, they set up the National Cinema Institute.

In the absence of television, mobile units travelled all around the country to screen newsreels. This was known as Kuxa Kanema (‘birth of cinema’) and was one of the most successful attempts at creating a cinema serving the interests of African people, even though it was also used as a way to broadcast political ideologies.

Nowadays, when you mention this part of history, the old enthusiastic reactions are no longer forthcoming. “When people talk about Kuxa Kanema, it’s good for history but that’s it, it’s gone, it’s finished,” says filmmaker João Ribeiro, general director of Televisao Independente de Moçambique (TIM).

“After the government stopped its support to the cinema industry in 1991,

everything changed. The productions still came out of the National Institute, which was good because it started to be plural, independent, but the conditions were down. For two or three years, there was nothing.”

Many of the post-independence filmmakers have produced mainly documentaries since the 1970s, but some of them have had the chance to direct international co-productions since the turn of the millennium, like Sol de Carvalho’s Another Man’s Garden (2007) or Licinio Azeveido’s Virgin Margarida (premiered at Toronto in 2012).

This is a situation that Dario Mickey Fonseca – one of the most successful Mozambican directors, with his internationally acclaimed short Dina (2010) – didn’t reach. “Dina was made four years ago,” explains Fonseca, who plans to shoot his first feature in 2015, with or without government support.

“Since then, I have shot tons of commercials and music videos but not another short or feature film. It is too hard, especially in this part of the world.”

The first film festival to be held in Mozambique was Dockanema, a documentary film festival launched in 2006. But this event came to an end in 2012. “It would have been necessary to evolve to another level by providing innovative industry opportunities as well as a more comprehensive training platform,” recounts producer Pedro Pimenta, Dockanema’s founder. “The event became limited to a showcase and could not generate a relevant impact on developing a new generation

of filmmakers.”

Inadelso Cossa is one of these new filmmakers. Like his elders Sol de Carvalho and Licinio Azeveido, he has been selected to be part of the next Locarno Film Festival’s Open Doors Program, with his feature project Kula. “It is a positive feedback for my career, as Locarno is an international festival where ‘auteur’ cinema is regarded not only as business but also as art,” explains Cossa.

In 2013, João Ribeiro, Mickey Fonseca and others set up the Maputo African Cinema Week. “We had made the decision to make it three months before and we did it with whatever we had,” recalls Ribeiro. “Taking the Festival to Ilha de Moz, introducing African cinema to the masses (most had never seen a film on a big screen) and getting a great audience and response was worth the hard work,” says Fonseca of the 2014 edition.

Even if legislation on government support of cinema is actually under discussion and Maputo has a 3D multiplex (Lusomundo Cinema), the domestic film industry still needs a push to regenerate itself. What is needed to do this? “A political will to provide more resources towards the development of skills and talent,” assures Pimenta. “The country could take the Kuxa Kanema references and move forward, take the risk,” philosophises Cossa. “Art in general and cinema in particular can tear apart oppression and fight in order for the country to look up towards the future.”

Let’s hope that such a future is in store for Mozambican cinema. – Claire Diao July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 11

Africa

|

ZambIA | Tanzania

Shungu Namutitima film festival to coincide with Zambia’s golden jubilee This year’s edition of the Shungu Namutitima (Smoke That Thunders) International Film Festival of Zambia (SHUNAFFoZ), which runs every year in Livingstone, Zambia’s tourism capital, is set to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Zambia’s independence, which was officially declared in October 1964.

The festival has been themed, ‘Entrenching Women, Girls and Disability Rights -50 Years later’.

As the country reflects and looks at the past and the present, SHUNAFFoZ will explore how women, girls and disability rights have been embraced in all areas of progression in the past and understand the position of women and girls with disabilities for the future.

SHUNAFFoZ, a production of Vilole Images Productions and the brainchild of famed Zambian filmmaker, artiste and human rights activist Catherine Kaseketi, will be held from 26 July to 2 August 2014. Various activities have been lined up including screenings at the theatre and in surrounding partner communities and adjacent villages.

Forums and conferences with themes focusing on the rights of women and people with disabilities will feature at the festival, as well as a critique and appraisal of the current and future state of Zambia’s arts and culture sector. Also scheduled is a workshop on project development and pitching.

To ensure the success of SHUNAFFoZ 2014, the festival organisers have partnered with Kynnyskino Disabled Film Festival Finland, Community Based Rehabilitation Zambia, Livingstone Museum, Chibasa Design Studios, Muumbi ViaMedia, Africa Festival Network (AFRIFESTNET), Arterial Network, Light Bulb Media, American Embassy, Zambezi Paint Ball, Happy Africa Foundation, Livingstone Institute of Business and Engineering Studio (LIBES).

The festival makes use of film as a tool for human rights advocacy through theatrical and community screenings, film skills enhancement, film production,

development in trade in film and television products in Africa, exhibiting Zambian film talent, the hosting of film forums, honouring deserving humanitarians, filmmakers and productions that inspire and contribute

Tanzanian filmmaker Amil Shivji to release Samaki Mchangani Award-winning Tanzanian filmmaker Amil Shivji is working on a short film called Samaki Mchangani (Fish of the Land) to be released soon. Shivji, the proprietor of Kijiweni Productions, based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city says that his film is currently in post-production.

The script of Samaki Mchangani was selected for the Africa First Summit, in New York last year. It was selected as one of the five African scripts to be funded by Focus Features’ Africa First programme. It is a short film, but much more ambitious than Shoeshine, his previous project.

Shivji’s films are social commentaries and are set in Dar es Salaam. Primarily, his films focus on offering a voice to the voiceless and creating honest portrayals of Tanzanian culture on the big screen.

12 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

MAKE IT OUR OWN: Tanzanian filmmaker Amil Shivji “The only way we can challenge the stereotypes that bog down our continent and misrepresent it is to take the medium of cinema and make it our own. We have to tell our stories because we know them best. Cinema is the most radical tool to empower the masses,” Shivji says.

Samaki Mchangani begins with Godfrey Kitinga, entrepreneur and son of a parliamentarian, launches the first Tanzanian-owned cellular company.

Dramatically, on that same day he is involved in a car accident which results in the death of Mama Aisha, a fish seller.

Haunted by his series of choices, our young ambitious entrepreneur reveals more than one face of ‘Africa rising’.

The film addresses the economic development statistics that have been buzzing in the international media’s treatment of African news recently, which seemingly has no place for the human factor. Dar es Salaam is a fast-growing city but what does that mean for Tanzanians when rates of unemployment are increasing and new companies are built on land snatched away from locals? With Samaki, Amil explores the issue of the

towards social change, and promoting Livingstone / Zambia as locations for filming, with inclusion of women and persons with disabilities.

Alongside the exciting festival activities, guests of the festival will have an opportunity to visit Zambia’s beautiful natural sites in Livingstone. The Livingstone museum houses a substantial collection of Dr David Livingstone’s personal effects as well as substantial displays of Zambia’s ethnological and ethnographic heritage. Stone Age men once lived in the Livingstone area and some of their artefacts are stored in the museum.

Thus, SHUNAFFoZ is a fully packaged festival. The package will include sightseeing, boat cruises, walks with lions, rides on elephants, visits to the Victoria Falls, cultural performances, and visits to Mukuni Village and the museum among others. – Gethsemane Mwizabi

corporatisation of Tanzania and the resultant greed and social injustices that spring up from it.

The cast includes Bicco Mathew, Kimela Billa, Betty Kazimbaya, Deborah Dickson and Hassan Kazoa.

The talented Tanzanian filmmaker started his company two years ago and has produced two short films so far. His first, Shoeshine was one of the winners of the Canal France International Haraka grant. The short film, which is was both a social commentary and an artistic depiction of the life, aspirations and perspectives of a working child, was produced in 2013 and did quite well in the festival circuit.

“We picked up a People’s Choice Award at the Zanzibar International Film Festival and were nominated for Best Short Film and Best Director at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards in March earlier this year,” Shivji says. The film has also been screened at Tampere Shorts Film Festival and International Film Festival Rotterdam to mention a few.

Language is another area on which Shivji will not compromise; he is proud of the Kiswahili language and wants his films to reflect that. A graduate of York University in Canada, Shivji believes films offer people the chance to relate to the stories displayed on the screen and to ‘watch’ their lives. As Lenin said ‘of all the arts, cinema is the most important’ because it allows you to powerfully and clearly represent and thus question the mechanics of a society.

– Gethsemane Mwizabi

ADCETERA

| Report on the South African commercials industry

One step ‘a-head’ of the common cold The trees have lost their green petticoats, the morning frost has snuck into gardens, woolly scarves and puffy coats have wrapped themselves over goosepimpled skins and summer cheer has been drowned out by a resounding choir of sneezes and sniffs. Winter is here, bringing with it an army of mutant bugs, designed to make one feel as if one’s brain has been replaced by a vat of cottage cheese.

This feeling is articulated brilliantly in a new commercial which portrays a man, who is suffering from nasal congestion, going about his everyday business with a heavy head. Conceptualised by JWT Cape Town and produced by Platypus Productions, the Sinutab spot hits the nail on the giant head when it comes to showing how people feel when flu has them in its clutches.

Director Ian Chuter immediately liked the quirky concept by JWT, and felt that it was a distinctive and memorable idea.

“What was key for me was that the hero has a heavy head, as opposed to a big head. His head is large and cumbersome, because it is a personification of how the head cold makes him feel; clumsy, distracted, befuddled; it has become difficult to concentrate on simple things.

As it increases in size, so we feel the weight of this more and more. I was keen to be much more obvious about the size of his head, and start the commercial with the head already large enough for the viewer to notice it.”

The ad was shot at the beginning of April at a number of locations in Cape

Behind the scenes on the Sinutab commercial

Town, including a house in Constantia which was used for all the domestic scenes, a bus stop in Thibault Square, a Pharmacy in Tokai and offices in Durbanville. Along with Chuter, DOP Vicci Turpin, art director Sally White, and the team at Searle Street Post who executed the VFX, were responsible for bringing the simple, clever concept to life.

Chuter remarks that even when there is a pivotal post-production effect driving a commercial, he always places focus on the performance aspect first, preferring

to un-complicate the technical side of things as much as possible.

“In this instance I was able to shoot everything live with nothing on chroma key at all. There were no separate close-up shots for the head. This means we had the freedom to focus completely on the actor’s performance and also have perfect continuity,” says Chuter.

The commercial was shot on a Red Dragon camera, which allowed the team to shoot in such high resolution (over 5K), that they were able to zoom into the

heads to enlarge them as much as they wanted, and then connect them back to the body. On set they were able to create still frames in Photoshop to double-check the final size and look of each scene.

Chuter concludes: “In postproduction, over and above the seamless blending of the enlarged head back onto its body, the key thing was to be able to add natural shadows back in, to make it look totally realistic.” – Carly Barnes

means a great deal. It is also so gratifying to win for something that is doing so much good around the world.”

As well as being a finalist in the Grand Prix for Good category, the Street Store campaign also won a Bronze Lion for Media Innovation. MC Saatchi Abel also scored a Bronze Lion in the Press category for their Boxman campaign.

FCB was recognised for their stellar work on Coca Cola’s A Rainbow for the Rainbow Nation campaign with Gold and Silver Lions in the Media Lions category,

and took home an additional Silver Lion in the Outdoor Lions category as well as a Bronze Lion in the Radio category.

TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris also came back from France with some bragging rights after winning Silver Lions in the Radio and Press categories as well as two Bronze Lions in the Promo and Activation category.

Y&R and Joe Public each picked up Bronze Lion in the Radio category while Net#work BBDO won a Bronze Lion in the Film Craft category. – Carly Barnes

Hear them roar!

South African creatives are a force to be reckoned with, and have once again proven they can compete on an international stage by snagging a number of awards at Cannes Lions, an annual awards show and festival which celebrates the world’s creative communications pros.

The top dog representing the country at this year’s event was Ogilvy and Mather SA, which took home South Africa’s first ever Grand Prix award for their Lucozade campaign in the Radio Lions category.

Chris Gotz, chief creative officer of Ogilvy and Mather SA puts the win into perspective: “Winning a Grand Prix at Cannes is as big as it gets. To win the first ever for Ogilvy and Mather SA, to be part of that, for all of us, any of us, means a huge amount. We won the World Cup of advertising. Or one section anyway.”

Co-Executive creative directors Mariana O’Kelly and Neo Mashigo along with managing director Julian Ribeiro and the Lucozade liberation team: Candice Shortt, Peter Little, Molefi Thulo, Stefan 14 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

Siedentopf, David Krueger, Tammy Retter, Brett David, Alison Ross and Lauren Mallet-Veale; were key players involved in the winning campaign.

The Grand Prix is just the icing on the cake for Ogilvy and Mather, who also took home an additional Gold Lion, two Silver Lions and six Bronze Lions across a number of different categories.

“We have creativity in our DNA. It’s been our bread and butter since we landed our first client. In every single thing we do, we are always looking for ways for creativity to act as the great multiplier on our brands – asking how we can make our stuff stand out ten times, 20 times more than the opposition. It’s an obsession,” remarks Gotz.

MC Saatchi Abel’s Gold Design Lion win for their Haven Night Shelter Street Store campaign was another noteworthy achievement for team SA. Account director Faheem Chaudhry exclaims: “The feeling is a mixture between absolute jubilation and disbelief. Being recognised by a world class jury for work that has a special place in the agency

| ADCETERA

SA Cannes Young Lions Trip 2014

Sonia Dearling and Marina Andreoli of Joe Public

Joe Public’s Sonia Dearling and Marina Andreoli, winners of the 2014 Cinemark Young Lions Competition, share their favourite moments from the world’s premiere creative communications event, Cannes Lions.

Sir John Hegarty spoke on behalf of today’s audience when he said: “It’s probably the most exciting time to be in the industry, but I’m confused by the fact that I’m not seeing more and more great work. With all this technology we should be getting better but we seem to be getting worse.”

This is a hard truth. It is also a theme that ran throughout the talks at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity this year. How do we get people to like us again?

Not only that, how do we get us to like us again? There is a great emphasis on mobilising the communication troops to work towards a cause greater than our own. Bono said it well when he said: “there is something about pulling punches for a voice that is not your own.”

Not only would you be safer if the world held retrenchments based on what you have done for it, but you’d also find greater joy in your daily output.

Each speaker shared their thoughts.

Common trends were emotive

storytelling versus story doing, communicating without advertising and being a solution-driven brand.

As young women, we are also happy to say that another big theme was gender equality, specifically concerning women in senior positions. We attended a refreshing seminar by SheSays, which discussed the need for women to become better at being sisters, because after all “there is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”

It’s difficult to pinpoint just one highlight from the festival. It was a kaleidoscope of experiences. Focus on one spot; there are a million others in your periphery.

A fantastic element of the festival was being able to feel completely submersed, and yet also having a bird’s-eye view of what this industry is capable of.

There are so many ways to get involved: press, film, direct marketing, activation and innovation. Pick up a pencil and draw, pick up a pen and write. You’re an engineer? Great! Let’s invent. Are you

a quick thinker with know-how on finance? We need you! Bono and Johnny Ive opened up their conversation to the audience in the spirit of just this. They recognise that obstacles are overcome when you draw in people from different areas of expertise. The result was great ideas on tap, much like the rosé served all over the festival.

Throughout the festival we found many of the smaller seminars more creative, intimate and much more rewarding. We enjoyed talks by Tim Wagner on the lifeline of a great idea and by Keith Reinhard on passion. Another session that stood out was The Naked Truth. Tim Leake flawlessly crafted his presentation around achieving successful client/agency relationships through nudity, which certainly kept everyone’s attention (#GetNakedAtCannes).

At the festival brands triumphantly demonstrated what it is to create an experience and connection with a customer. The Google Creative Sandbox was a perfect example of a successfully

implemented brand culture. Design your own T-shirt on the spot, code your own free cocktail, try out Google Glasses, attend a Lego workshop and watch a live talk from the comfort of a beanbag on the beach.

Together with a crew of intrepid adventurers from Joe Public, we danced all night with many other South African representatives at the notorious Egg Films SA party. Along with some great names from the SA creative industry, other international players in attendance at the festival were: David Droga, Sheryl Sandberg, Marissa Mayer, Marcello Serpa, Scott Belsky, Yves Behar, PJ Pereira, Sir Patrick Stewart, Sarah Jessica Parker, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Ralph Fiennes, Kayne West, Spyke Jones, Courtney Love, Dynamo and Jared Leto… to name a few.

Simply said, Cannes equips you with drive, instills passion and proves the power of a good idea. This mix inspires one to dive full force into their next brief. We are so oiled to get working.

July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 15

ADCETERA

|

Opinion

A good dash of Jack swagger The first ever Jack Daniel’s television advert to be shot outside of the US uses Jack’s life story as a metaphor to inspire South Africans to achieve success on their own terms. The commercial delivers the thought-provoking message: “What’s your story? Make it worth telling.”

In an interactive creative process between Brown-Forman Global, the wine and spirits company which represents Jack Daniel’s, and Cape Town based creative agency Bletchley Park, Jack Daniel’s powerful story is told in a way that is locally relevant and engaging.

Kelly Putter, creative director at Bletchley Park explains: “Jack’s story is a real one about a real man who achieved by living life on his own terms. We feel real-life stories are the best way to motivate people, especially stories as authentic and inspiring as Jack’s.”

Giant Films produced the spot which was filmed at Casa Labia in Muizenburg, Union House, Buchannan Square parking lot and the Milestone Recording Studio in Cape Town on 15 and 16 April.

“We were looking for a very specific

Jack Daniel’s marketing manager Dino D’Araujo and Brown-Forman’s Nomfundo Makhanya

look and feel in the locations – the right mix of grit and style – and Cape Town has a variety of fantastic locations to choose from,” remarks Putter.

The key crew included art director Elmi Badenhorst, first assistant director Craig Brorson, gaffer Gilles Bousaiq, grip Allan

Gray and DOP Jamie Ramsay, who shot the ad using a Red Epic camera.

Giant Films producer Laura Sampson said their biggest challenge was finding actors who had the right look, pitch of voice and that quintessential Jack Daniel’s confidence. She comments: “We did

extensive studio casting in Cape Town, Jo’burg and Durban. Jack’s protagonists are real men. They are all their own islands in style and character. They are a breed unto themselves.”

In addition to the commercial, Jack Daniel’s ran a digital campaign on Facebook based on the mysterious Jack Daniel’s Old No.7, encouraging fans to interact with the brand by hiding the number seven in various forms throughout the commercial.

“This year Jack Daniel’s took over the headline sponsorship of BOOMTOWN, the biggest socialite event on the South African calendar, which takes place at the Vodacom Durban July. We used the hidden 7s campaign partly to drive viewership of the new commercial, but also to reward Jack enthusiasts with a chance to win tickets to BOOMTOWN. Consumers who accurately identified the hidden 7s in the ad were entered into a draw to win VIP tickets to the event,” says Putter.

Sampson believes the ad will resonate with South African audiences because: “It’s an international story that lands here in South Africa and proves that if you believe in yourself, your ‘story’ will take you far.”

Currently the ad is only running in South Africa, however Putter remarks that they are looking at airing it in several other African countries as well.

– Carly Barnes

Have you met Africa’s favourite airline?

Behind the scenes of SAA’s Meet Africa’s Favourite Airline commercial

Let’s be honest, the whole world is in love with Africa – the Motherland they call us!

South Africa in particular has come into its own in recent times, 20 years into democracy and we’ve got plenty to be proud of. The latest South African Airways (SAA) commercial is aimed at highlighting all the reasons why South Africa is so loved.

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As the national carrier, SAA is subject to much scrutiny but with this latest commercial the airline focuses on its more positive attributes by showcasing those of the nation as a whole.

The brief given to advertising agency Havas Worldwide Johannesburg was to develop a commercial designed to recapture the hearts and minds of the

South African market and to position SAA as the world-class airline that it is.

“We felt it was important to change the conversation and focus on the great things that SAA does for the country and its people. In essence, we wanted to reintroduce the airline to the country,” comments Kerryn Clayton, a representative of Havas. “The basic message we are portraying is that SAA is the catalyst for South Africa to meet Africa, and vice versa,” she adds.

‘Meet Africa’s Favourite Airline,’ the main tagline of the commercial, is not just clever copy as SAA is the most awarded airline on the continent, having won the Skytrax Award for Best Airline in Africa for 11 consecutive years.

Saskia Finlayson, of production house Velocity Films, produced the advert which features an eclectic mix of Africans, of all shapes and sizes, young and old, from different walks of life.

Finlayson comments: “We tried to look for interesting, characterful people, though still people that were not ‘too out of the box’ thereby alienating the audience.”

Filmed over six days in January this year, the commercial features a voiceover playing over a montage of footage shot in Johannesburg, Madagascar and Senegal.

The montage highlights the uniqueness of African people while at the same time depicting a sense of ‘ubuntu’ by drawing on inspiring moments shared by the nation.

According to Finlayson, the director, Tristyn Von Berg, felt it was important to achieve a feel of seamlessness between the contrasting images: “It was vital that one picture flowed into the next without jarring the mind or eye,” she says.

Finlayson adds that, although there was a basic outline and a budget given by the agency, the actual brief was very open. “What’s great is that the copy could be adjusted to match the visuals; this gave us a certain amount of creative freedom.”

Accompanying Finlayson and Von Berg, was DOP Peter Tishauser who shot the majority of the spot on an Arri Alexa, with additional shots being done on a RED. Time-lapse technician Greg Culey used a Canon 5D Mk III for the stop frame shots and Visual Air provided the remote aerial helicopter system.

The remainder of the production team included production manager Dianne Mare, art director Julie Bonnet and Izolina De Vasconcelos for wardrobe. Willie Saayman of Tessa Ford Post Production edited the ad. – Chanelle Ellaya

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Love is a dangerous thing

DANGEROUS RIDE: Pallance Dladla and Thishiwe Ziqubu in Hard to Get

Selected to open the Durban International Film Festival, taking place this month, romance/ thriller Hard to Get is the feature film debut of writerdirector Zee Ntuli, who made the film thanks to the support of producers Helena Spring and Junaid Ahmed.

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ords like ‘slick’ and ‘stylish’ may be terribly overused by film critics, but in the case of Hard to Get, they are certainly appropriate.

The film, according to its director, Zee Ntuli, whose star appears unquestionably to be in the ascendant, “tells the story of TK, a handsome young womaniser from a small township in the middle of nowhere, who falls for a sexy, thrill-seeking thief named Skiets. Before long, TK finds himself thrust into Joburg’s criminal underworld and has to hang on for dear life as Skiets takes him on a dangerous ride.”

From concept to final draft The film began life as a concept called Prints, which Ntuli and his co-writer Thuso Sibisi brought to Helena Spring to get her backing for the production. Ntuli recalls: “That was the first kernel of Hard to Get. The core concept was to create a love story set against Joburg’s criminal underworld. However Prints was entirely different in every other way. We then started to get creative input from both Helena and Junaid and it was clear there was a good deal of work to do on the

story. So while the initial idea was ours, the story and script were then developed with Helena and Junaid. They were incredible, hugely hands-on, but always in a constructive fashion, never stifling our vision.”

The film was then workshopped and developed by Ntuli, Sibisi, Spring and Ahmed, with the guidance and feedback of numerous others. Since Ntuli and Sibisi have both worked extensively writing scripts for television series, they had no problem with being part of such a writing collective. As the writing progressed, the emphasis shifted from the action and thriller elements of the story towards the love story that develops between its two leads.

“The original concept was almost a revenge thriller-cross-love story. However we found that the complicated nature of thriller plots conflicted with the core of what we wanted the film to be – a love story. We spent a good deal of time developing a plot that intertwined with the love story in a symbiotic fashion,” Ntuli says.

Finding dynamic actors To cast the film – particularly to find just the right performers for the two central

characters, Spring and Ahmed brought seasoned casting director Moonyeen Lee onto the project. Together, she and Ntuli set about finding their two leads. “We knew that without two dynamic young actors the film was dead in the water,” Ntuli says. “I had seen Pallance Dladla in an episode of Intersexions and had high hopes for his audition. Sure enough, he delivered. He is so dedicated to his craft, constantly trying to improve his performance, explore the scene and strive for perfection. This was evident in his first audition.

“Casting Skiets wasn’t as simple. We auditioned a host of superb actresses, all with their own unique qualities. However, we knew we needed a very specific spirit to capture Skiets. We needed an actress with flare, mystery, vulnerability and most of all, an edge – a sharp, sharp edge.

Thishiwe Ziqubu was the last actress to audition and she captivated me. I saw a depth to the character that wasn’t on the page. We then put her and Pallance in a room together and the rest, as they say, is history.”

Pulling it off Although Ntuli had done plenty of short-form work before getting started on Hard to Get, nothing could prepare him for the immense undertaking of directing a feature film. “I’m still marveling at the enormity of the task.

That said, I have enjoyed every moment of making this film. The producers assembled the most incredible team of fantastic people who happen to be fantastic artists as well. The entire team was supportive, constantly sharing their experience and knowledge with me.”

Ntuli also took on a host of new technical challenges as he worked on the

film. “The majority of my previous work was entirely drama driven,” he says.

“Hard to Get has a good deal of action in the form of fight scenes, car stunts and gunfights. I tried to tackle this in the pre-production phase, absorbing as much knowledge as possible. It was important for me that the film’s action was dynamic and visually interesting.

Luckily for me, the rest of the team had a good deal of experience. Stunt coordinator Wayne Smith, DOP Tom Marais, production designer Chantel Carter and editor Nick Costaras all supported me through the process.”

For the look and feel, Ntuli, Marais and Carter looked at several disparate references for various facets of the film.

“Everything from referencing the camera movement in Slumdog Millionaire to looking at Revolutionary Road for performances. We focused on films that had a raw, visceral style to them. But with all that, we have done our best to make a film that has its own style, its own attitude and its own voice.”

Peter Machen, DIFF festival manager, says: “I am very excited about Hard to Get. It’s a beautifully made film that works on every level and will satisfy commercial and arthouse audiences alike. I also think that it’s going to make instant stars of its two leads Thishiwe Ziqubu and Pallance Dladla, who are both electrifying, as well as director Zee Ntuli, who is virtually guaranteed a bright future on the global filmmaking stage on the basis of this first feature.”

Ntuli concludes: “I think viewers can expect to see something quite different from what they’ve come to expect from local cinema. This is a film with a young spirit, a beating heart and a little grit and grime.” – Warren Holden July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 17

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Thina Sobabili Due to screen at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) this month and with more festival prospects internationally, Thina Sobabili is a fiercely independent production and an intense family drama that takes an unflinching yet compassionate look at township life.

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et in Alexandra, east of Johannesburg, Thina Sobabili revolves around two siblings – Thulas and his younger sister Zanele. The two live alone with no-one to rely on but each other. As Zanele attends school, Thulas does what he has to do to keep them fed and housed, driven by his obsessive need to protect his sister. This is a tough neighbourhood where people with bleak future prospects can do little but dream of their escape. Zanele fosters these dreams, which lead her to pursue a relationship with a much older, wellheeled man. This enrages Thulas, leading to tragedy.

The film’s story and delivery style is multifaceted. On one hand it comes across as social realism at its most unembellished. On the other, there is a strong feel of carefully constructed, self-reflective melodrama in the narrative and performances that make one think that this is the kind of film that Rainer Werner Fassbinder, enfant terrible of the New German Cinema of the 1960s and 1970s, might have made had he been born and raised in eKasi.

Beginnings At the centre of the project is its director, co-producer and co-writer Ernest Nkosi, a graduate of the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance (AFDA), where he is currently working towards his Masters degree, and a maverick filmmaker who is almost militantly independent in his efforts to tell his stories. While this is his 18 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

Busisiwe Mtshali as Zanele in a scene from Thina Sobabili

“BIG ISSUES” FILMMAKER: Director Ernest Nkosi first feature film, he is already a seasoned operative in the corporate and advertising spheres and has created several short films in his journey towards long form.

The movie, which Nkosi co-wrote with producer Mosibudi Pheeha, was woven together from a number of inspirational threads. Firstly, the world of the story is based on the environment in which Nkosi himself grew up. Secondly, the film’s climactic moment (no spoilers here) came from an event that he himself witnessed.

Thirdly, at the time the story began to take shape, the news media was full of stories about the sexual abuse of young children around the country. Finally, hanging around in Melville, as all good students at AFDA Johannesburg do, Nkosi noticed that there were quite a number of very young women walking around with men many years older. While this bothered him, no one else seemed to bat an eyelid.

of its producers and made on their own time – and that’s exactly how they like it.

Thina Sobabili was produced through The Monarchy Group, a creative agency that Nkosi founded with Pheeha and comedian Mpho Modikoane. “It’s been a long journey,” Nkosi says. “I decided that, if I really believe in this, I’m going to put my money where my mouth is, so that’s what we all did.” Nkosi and his coproducers saved up a large part of their earnings for the best part of those four years in order to be able to make the film, making this a 100 per cent independent production.

Monarchy’s independent approach extends all the way to the distribution process. For his Masters thesis, Nkosi is currently researching and developing an experimental distribution model that uses a combination of traditional methods and new ones. The model, which he is not ready to discuss fully until the thesis has been completed, was tested on Monarchy’s previous release, a comedy film called Triple O. The sales of the film were enough to sustain the company’s partners and full-time employees as they saved up for Thina Sobabili.

Nkosi is more than willing to share with other young filmmakers the knowledge he has acquired in trying to get his projects made. He is the chairman of the Young Producers’ Forum, an NGO that assists fledgling filmmakers in their efforts. “We help them navigate all the bullshit – we don’t take a cut or anything.

We’ve walked that road, we’ve been burned a thousand times. Having learned all of that, we are willing to share the necessary information.” Thina Sobabili is the first feature film to emerge from collective of the Young Producers’ Forum.

A proudly independent production

A ‘big issues’ filmmaker

Although it has been about four and half years since the story was first conceived, it took only three months from the time the decision was made to go ahead with production to completion of the edit. The shoot took place in a record seven days. It was funded completely from the pockets

Nkosi’s desire to become a filmmaker stemmed from his first experience of South African cinema – Darrell Roodt’s Sarafina. “I was so blown away. I had watched movies before, but this was the first time I saw people that looked like me and spoke like me in an environment that

looked like mine. That experience changed my life and since then, I have never wanted to be anything other than this.”

Nkosi is a “big issues” filmmaker who is not afraid to tackle weighty social subjects in his work and feels that cinema is, by its nature, confrontational. “There’s a school of thought now that South Africans are tired of hearing about certain subjects. After 20 years, we shouldn’t be tired of talking about anything. If anything, people aren’t talking enough about certain things. Because it’s uncomfortable we think it’s okay to just look away. ‘Let’s make a musical, let’s make a happy comedy about an interracial couple.’ I’ve got no time for singing and dancing while the world is on fire. This is what’s happening. Some filmmakers are just happy to play it safe, to make a movie because it’s marketable, not because of a burning desire to tell a story, to hold a mirror up to society and say, ‘are you okay with this? Because this is you, this is how you’re living,’” he says.

“I wear the label of an independent filmmaker proudly, I keep all my rejection letters and regard them as a badge of honour. I can say what I want, however I want to say it. One of the major themes in Thina Sobabili is this place where people have no escape and they dream of getting out. Well I came from there too and here I am with a film of which I own every frame. It’s been a long road – and I’m not finished yet – but it has been worth it,” he concludes.

The key crew on Thina Sobabili includes co-producer and art director Enos Nhlane Mantata, cinematographer Motheo Moeng, composer and sound designer Mpho Nthangeni and production designer Sarah Payne. The edit was done by Warwick Allan of Mushroom Media. The lead roles of Thulas and Zanele were played by Emmanuele Nkosinathi Gweva and Busisiwe Mtshali, with supporting roles by Richard Lukunku, Zikhona Sodlaka, Thato Dhladla and Mpho Modikoane. The film can be seen during DIFF at Suncoast on Saturday 19 July – Warren Holden

| Film

Solomon Mhlangu is a freedom fighter who, after being falsely accused of murder and terrorism in 1977, was executed under the apartheid regime.

Almost 40 years later, filmmaker Mandla Walter Dube invited Screen Africa on-set in Johannesburg, where Mhlangu’s legacy is being captured in a gritty historical biopic.

Photo by Nicoletta Olivieri

SA Film Kalushi honours Apartheid revolutionary

COMPELLING HERITAGE STORY: Mandla Dube on the set of Kalushi

Reawakening South Africa’s youth “There’s a saying that goes: ‘Until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter’,” says Dube, whose passion for South African heritage incandesces under a calm wisdom he offers in between takes on the set of Kalushi – The Solomon Mhlangu Story.

Trained as a cinematographer, Dube worked between the US and South Africa up until 2005 when he returned home to lecture at Wits and embarked on a second Master’s degree in heritage management.

During his studies Dube wanted to explore how, in convergence with technology, South African heritage could translate into compelling film content, and in many ways this film is a product of that. But he explains that his motivations for making the film go far beyond historical interest. “When I was teaching at Wits I saw such apathy in my students in relation to South Africa’s history, and when I picked up Mhlangu’s story I felt there was such a need for them to understand it. I thought, if we can honour this guy, we’ll be honouring the best in ourselves.”

Kalushi translates to ‘shepherd’ in Sotho and is part of the story theme, Dube says, “The way we’ve written the

story is with an underlying theme of Solomon being a shepherd to others while failing to be a shepherd to himself.”

Collecting a dream team The concept for Kalushi has been many years in the making and has been translated by Dube into a number of art forms – from featuring at the Pretoria State Theatre as a stage play, to being scripted as a four-part drama series, to being displayed as a photographic exhibition with Michelle Obama in attendance and finally, as Dube has always envisioned, produced as a feature film. Along the way, he has managed to garner a crew of seasoned pros, a dream cast, expert mentorship and, after failing to find a willing director who resonated with the film the way he did, a feature directorial debut.

Notable crew members include Leon Otto, who co-wrote the film with Dube, Walter Ayres (Diana) who is co-producing, costume designer Ruy Filipe (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) production designer Chantel L. Carter and Tommy Maddox Upshaw (Iron Man 2) who studied cinematography with Dube at the American Film Institute.

The cast includes Thabo Rametsi (Wild at Heart) who plays Mahlangu, Thabo Malema (The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency), Louw Venter (Semi-Soet), Marcel

van Heerden (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom), Welile Nzuza (Vehicle 19), Shika Budhoo and Pearl Thusi.

Dube has been particularly impressed with the ability of his lead actor and remarks: “Today the scene we are doing with Thabo involves him accepting his destiny and telling his family he’s accepted death, and it’s time they accept it too. During the casting process I had actually cast someone else but there was just something about him and I called him back. He has so much light in his eyes and a lovable face, not to mention a striking resemblance to the real Mhlangu and an immense amount of talent.”

A visual journey Maddox is shooting the film with an ARRI Alexa Plus 16:9 HD 2K, using both Panavision Primo lenses, and Pentax large format lenses and explains that great stylistic consideration is used to visually portray and enhance the narrative.

Maddox explains: “The beginning of the film is warm as Mhlangu is comfortable and in his home country but when he goes to Mozambique it becomes cold in tone and we used more natural light to represent his move away from what is familiar. When he is in Angola, we use cyan to represent a shift and his state of transformation. When he has the realisation that he is a

revolutionary we apply a clean palate and tone. When he evolves into a leader, all hell breaks loose and we give these scenes a more aggressive look with high contrast and lens flares. During the trial period when he has accepted his fate, we represent his closure with a pristine and clean look.”

In addition, Maddox says different lookup tables (LUTs) and lenses were used to further enhance both the progression of time and of Mhlangu’s character. “We use different diffusion filters for different time periods and with each country we change LUT and diffusion on the lense. At the end of the movie we take it one step further by using an intentional in-camera palette shift to symbolise what Mhlangu is going through.”

Dube adds: “We pay homage to certain films like Midnight Cowboy, City of God, Munich, Apocalypse Now and Dead Man Walking, which was like a filmic Bible. We also drew inspiration from Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky, who influenced our visual language a great deal.”

Kalushi is currently being filmed on locations in and around Pretoria and Johannesburg over six weeks and is expected to release in 2015.

– Carly Barnes July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 19

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‘Amazing’ cinema The National Arts Festival (NAF) takes place this month in Grahamstown. While its film programme is only a small part of its vast offering, it always provides a fascinating mix of content, thanks to the encyclopedic cinema knowledge and eclectic tastes of its curators Trevor Taylor and Cedric Sundström. Topping the programme this year is one of South Africa’s most talked-about filmmakers, Jahmil XT Qubeka.

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iven out annually in several categories since the early 1980s, the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards, according to the financial institution’s website “recognise established South African artists of a relatively young age who have demonstrated exceptional ability in their chosen fields but who have British science-fiction author JG Ballard, whose work forms not yet achieved national the basis of one of the NAF Film Festival’s themed sections. exposure or acclaim.”

The original set of awards covered drama, music and visual art. In South African filmmakers – Jans 1991, the award was given out in the film Rautenbach, Andrew Worsdale and Claire category for the first time – to Darrell Angelique to name a few – whose work is James Roodt. Since then, it has been truly original.” awarded far more sporadically than other In addition to Qubeka’s two features, a categories but has nevertheless number of his short projects will be recognised a number of South Africa’s screened, including the documentary foremost film artists, including Akin Qula Kwedini and the experimental A Omotoso and Claire Angelique. This year, Night at the Summit, a foretaste of the Jahmil XT Qubeka became the latest to filmmaker’s upcoming feature. join this select group and therefore features prominently in the 2014 NAF The Atrocity Exhibition Film programme.

Taylor has a strong affinity for maverick, A South African original intellectual film that questions the norms of both commercial cinema and society as Trevor Taylor, director of the NAF Film a whole. This always shows strongly in his Festival, says of Qubeka: “My attention programming; in previous years, he has was drawn to Jahmil’s film A Small Town themed sections of the film festival Called Descent by my colleague Cedric around – among other subjects – Sundström. He had been thoroughly cinematic expressions of the ideas of the amazed by the film, which had crept onto Marquis de Sade and the virulently DVD with barely a whisper. I too was anti-establishment work of British taken aback. Here was a young South filmmaker Peter Watkins.

African filmmaker with a sophisticated On the programme this year is a cinematic aesthetic and a suitably acerbic, selection of films and a symposium world weary take on the intricacies of exploring the dystopian vision of corruption, xenophobia, golf-playing renowned English author JG Ballard, corporate vermin and the cesspool of whose science-fiction imaginings, Taylor local politics. feels, seem to be alarmingly consistent “I then watched his short films and a with the realities of today. rough cut of Of Good Report before it set “Besides Ballard being one of the off censorial fireworks at DIFF. Cedric greatest British writers of the last century, likens the film stylistically to the Roman his work is also remarkably prescient. He Polanski of Repulsion (1965) and modelled a future which was not full of Cul-de-sac (1966). Jahmil is a film literate, aliens and spaceships but one full of trained in the cinemas of East London on decay, ruins and moral turpitude – much a diet of Italian westerns, Citizen Kane and like the present. His landscape is one of Rosselini. Besides that though, he has a parking garages, shopping malls and natural affinity for film language and the super highways. There is no real freedom moving image and a lack of sympathy to be had and the globalised, tick-boxed with political affiliations, schmoozing and lifestyle is stifling. Sex has to be perverse shape-shifting. He joins a small group of to be stimulating and the noose of

20 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

Photos by Jonathan Andrews

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TOPPING THE FESTIVAL: Cedric Sundström presents Jahmil XT Qubeka with the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Film.

conformity allows for violence, sexual deviation and xenophobia to let off steam. Ballard speaks for the present as we are all packed into small apartments in housing estates and live lives bounded by highways, shopping malls and sexual liaisons equated with fast cars,” Taylor says.

The best-known film in this symposium is David Cronenberg’s Crash, adapted from Ballard’s novel of the same name, which tells of a group of people whose sexuality is disturbingly linked to the horrors of traffic accidents. “Crash is the most familiar film,” Taylor says, “but the beautiful Low Flying Aircraft, in which a husband and his pregnant wife try to avoid the eyes of Big Brother; the super-disturbing The Atrocity Exhibition, from Ballard’s ‘unfilmable’ collection of vignettes; and the very personal search of JG Ballard: The Oracle of Shepperton, are all musts. In London Orbital, Ballard’s M25 motorway strangles the lifeblood out of London and in High Rise – The Movie, a Ballard expert plots the architecture of a film not yet made.”

Another portion of the festival programme, titled simply ‘Blaxploitation’, extends the meaning of the word beyond the famous movie genre that arose from the US in the late 1960s and early 1970s, to a gathering of films that explore, in Taylor’s words: “the exploitation of ethnic and gender-specific groups by capital – governmental and corporate.”

This includes Shola Lynch’s Free Angela Davis and all Political Prisoners; Australian documentary maker John Pilger’s Utopia, an intense examination of Australia’s genocide and continued exploitation of its aboriginal population; and Aryan Kaganof’s Night Is Coming: Threnody for the Victims of Marikana. This film, which premieres at the festival, explores the Marikana massacre as: “a ritual murder, of which it is a simulacrum, a form of sacrifice heralding ominous change.”

The return of ‘serious’ Afrikaans cinema Another theme on the programme explores what Taylor sees as a return of serious Afrikaans cinema. “Even in the

apartheid years, Afrikaans cinema was streets ahead of its English counterparts. Some of the titles I can mention are Jans Rautenbach’s Jannie Totsiens, Dirk de Villiers’ My Broer se Bril and Manie van Rensburg’s Die Perdesmous.

In those years, Afrikaans cinema was a protected filmic environment – better subsidies, more financial incentive. But of course with that, came a stranglehold of political control. In the 20 years since apartheid dropped off its perch, we have seen an amazing growth in Afrikaans art, theatre, music, literature and film.”

Although Taylor feels that a lot of the cinematic output, being geared towards commercial, inoffensive, family fare, has been execrable, he has noticed an appreciable increase in Afrikaans films that treat serious subject matter with a high level of cinematic artistry. As examples of this trend, the festival will screen Verraaiers, Die Wonderwerker, Faan se Trein and Die Ballade van Robbie de Wee.

‘Amazing’ A section of the festival simply titled ‘Amazing’ includes a mix of films from around the world with no particular unifying theme but which Taylor has found worthy of showcasing. “The word ‘amazing’ is the clarion call of the National Arts Festival as a whole,” he explains. “This section includes recent films which I consider worthy of being labelled as such. Within the selection I would draw particular attention to James Franco’s gothic adaptation of William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, the Austrian film The Strange Case of Wilhelm Reich, Richard Stanley’s mythical The Other World, the Reza de Wet adaptation African Gothic and from Mozambique, the harrowing Virgin Margarida.

While its offerings are fairly wide ranging, the NAF’s film programme is not for everyone, but it is ideal for film lovers who crave challenging cinema with big ideas. – Warren Holden

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TiNT Post and Rechord Audio shine at DIFF

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Directed by Leli Maki, Freedom Mix Tape is a documentary that covers 20 years of democracy though music and depicts how music paints a beautiful picture of our social landscape.

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MAKING THE GRADE: Mandela: The Myth and Me is an unflinching exploration of Nelson Mandela’s legacy. It can be seen at DIFF.

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iNT was founded in 2006 by Yoav Dagan and Rechord Audio, owned

by Guy Steer. The 2007 combined facility offers offline and online editing, colour grading, subtitles, graphics, sound design, a fully-equipped audio recording studio and final mix (stereo and Dolby Surround).

Although it does take on short form work and is well-equipped to do so, the majority of its clients work in feature films, full-length documentaries and television series. Long and short form projects each require different skill sets and TiNT has honed and perfected its operations towards the former.

TiNT boasts a good number of films that are to be showcased at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) this

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month. Among these is Cold Harbour CY directed by Carey MacKenzie and CMY produced by Tendeka Matatu of 10tenfilms. Originally known as Black K South Easter, the ‘noir-esque’ crime thriller was shot by the Los Angelesbased British cinematographer Shane Daly.

Dagan notes that grading the footage on the RED Epic was an absolute pleasure as each shot was perfectly designed and beautiful. As this is a colour film, giving it the noir aesthetic that the director wanted was tricky but the staff at TiNT feel that the collaboration of director, DOP and colourist allowed them to execute it perfectly.

Rehad Desai’s explosive documentary Miners Shot Down, also due to be

VISUAL SERVICES AUDIO SERVICES

Colour Grading Online & Offline Editing Visual Effects Subtitles Graphics Multi-Language Reversioning International Spec Deliverables DCP and Multi language DCP

Final Mix Sound Design 5.1 Surround Sound Music Composition ADR Recording Dubbing and re-versioning Voice Over International Transcription

TiNT: +27 11 4862700 Angela +27 84 44 44 127 angela@tintpost.com RECHORD: Guy +27 741 991 997 info@rechord.co.za tintpost.com rechord.co.za

July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 21

FILM

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South Africa at Cannes 2014 In the wake of the Cannes Film Festival, Screen Africa got three different perspectives on the event – one from the point of view of a national government agency, one from a provincial government level and one from a commercial point of view.

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he Cannes Film Festival, which took place in May, is generally associated with the glitz and glamour of international stars and the coveted Palme d’Or, but the majority of activity that takes place off the red carpet is all about the business and diplomacy of the movie business. For our industry, this is where the success of the festival should really be measured.

Numerous South African representatives go to Cannes to pursue various agendas. They range from national government to provincial government to major corporate entities, to small, independent production companies. The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) always has a major presence there at its South African Pavilion, which it uses to showcase the country’s latest films and to facilitate the negotiation of distribution and coproduction deals. The recently launched KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission was there this year to promote the province as a filming location. Exhibition and distribution giant Ster-Kinekor theatres also attends regularly to assess the lay of the land in terms of content and technological trends.

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VARYING PERSPECTIVES: The Promenade de la Croisette in Cannes

‘Conquering the world’ For the NFVF, trends at the South African Pavilion seemed to indicate a high interest in South Africa as a host for festivals and shooting locations, as well as a co-production partner. “South Africa is in demand. Producers in search of co-production treaties are eager to work with our filmmakers. This says a lot about our storytelling, our incentive schemes and other film resources that are available in the country,” says NFVF communications manager Naomi Mokhele.

The NFVF deemed the trip to Cannes a success overall, declaring that it managed to achieve its objectives.

“Filmmakers negotiated deals which will bear fruits in the future; one of them, David Kau, concluded a distribution and co-production deal. In line with our mandate we also focused on emerging filmmakers, a new generation of creative talent eager to conquer the world through their storytelling and collaborations with other countries.

Among the filmmakers, there were five who were identified to be part of the Creative Minds programme, which took them through intensive producers’ programmes and networking opportunities. The team was also introduced to ways of conducting business and navigating the international market. There is an increased interest, not only in South Africa as a location, but in our stories as well. South Africa is conquering the world,” Mokhele concludes.

‘Concrete business’ Although approaching the festival with a provincial, rather than national agenda, the KZN Film Commission concurs with the NFVF’s assessment. “The presence of a new commission from South Africa attracted a lot of interest and we noted the growth in the South African presence at the festival, the concrete business being discussed by the delegation and the new partnerships that the country seems to be forging,” says the commission’s chief operations officer, Jackie Motsepe.

The commission’s first Cannes Festival

appears to have been a very busy, but very successful one. “We had over 50 meetings, which were very valuable,” Motsepe continues. “We achieved our objectives of meeting sales agents, producers and festivals, among others.

We had a strong presence in the trade publications that were on the newsstands, with good media coverage, both local and international. We were also able to have good one-on-one meetings with the South African delegation of filmmakers that were there from the different provinces, and this allowed us to inform them of the existence of the commission, its programme, locations, incentives and the imminent launch of our film fund. As a result, we look forward to seeing films from international producers shooting in the province and we also hope to see South African producers in the various provinces choosing KwaZulu-Natal as their location.”

Cinema is alive and well Ster-Kinekor’s objectives in attending Cannes and other, similar industry gatherings are of course very different to those of government agencies. Whereas the NFVF and the KZN Film Commission work to promote South Africa’s output of films, Ster-Kinekor is working on the acquisition of international product that can be exhibited in South Africa.

“It’s always good to attend these festivals to see what’s hip, what’s happening,” says Ster-Kinekor marketing executive Doug Place. “A common thought a few years ago was that cinema was dying. Is there still room for cinema when people can watch movies on an iPad? It’s ridiculous, it’s the wrong question. It’s like saying that restaurants are threatened because supermarket chains offer pre-cooked meals.” The developments that Ster-Kinekor staff have seen at international festivals and trade shows indicate that cinema still remains as the flagship visual media format and that home cinema, television and secondscreen developments still tend to follow cinema trends.

According to Place, Cannes differs substantially from other trade shows he attended this year, such as CinemaCon, held in Las Vegas. These shows are

dominated by major studios and large-scale technological and commercial trends. “Cannes, on the other hand, is a buyer’s market. Yes, major studios do have a presence there but there is also a massive contingent of independent producers. The reason Ster-Kinekor goes to Cannes is for content acquisition mainly. With Cinema Nouveau we have one of the largest dedicated art house circuits in the world, so we buy a lot of the content at Cannes, be it opera or foreign language films, or English-language independent product. We did have a few meetings with some of the big distributors like 20th Century Fox and Warner but the main reason we go to Cannes is to acquire select content,” Place says.

“Trends at Cannes are harder to pinpoint than at other international festivals but very definitely one thing that emerged is that it’s become easier for foreign language films to play in English-speaking territories because, in digital formats, subtitling is easier and cheaper than before. French films in particular are now finding large-scale international audiences for their product.

If you look at something like Intouchables and the audience that it found in South Africa last year, you can see that trend in action. South African audiences seem to be growing in terms of their tastes and repertoire because they just have a greater access to a broader range of films. Ten or 15 years ago, that film would not have done as well commercially. So that’s something we take into account now with our content acquisition.”

Although focusing on its aim of content acquisition, the Ster-Kinekor delegation also made sure to check in on developments at the South African Pavilion and to help present ‘a united South Africa’. Place’s observations of events there seem to echo those of Mokhele and Motsepe. “We are definitely seeing a move toward more films being shot in South Africa – and not just big event, major action films. That works well from our point of view as an exhibitor, because it offers a marketing opportunity on those particular films when they are released,” Place concludes.

If the experiences of these three delegations is an accurate reflection of the state of affairs on the ground, then it certainly seems that international festivals and other industry gatherings indicate a considerable degree of growth in South Africa’s status as a film producing country, as a shooting location and as a target market for foreign cinematic product.

These are all vital roles to play in the global industry. What is less clear, and which would be an essential matter to clarify, is which of these three areas is seeing the most growth. Are we increasing our presence as producers of original content, are we still predominantly a service provider for foreign film crews, or is the largest part of our role in the international motion picture industry still that of a consumer?

– Warren Holden

| Film

Director Speak and always find their way into my work.

Visually, I have found that I draw upon the elements in my work. Fire, water, wind and earth have become essential tools used to code my work. I think we all have such primal reactions to the elements that using them on film can have powerful effects.

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If you were offered a blank cheque to make whatever film you wanted, what would it be?

I would make an over-the-top South African superhero film, a fun action-comedy romp, with Hollywoodesque spectacle, all on local turf. I think that would be great fun. Imagine Israel Makoe as GwinyaMan, the deadbeat single father of troublesome kids, who gains superpowers from his gogo’s magwinyas (vetkoek), then has to save South Africa from certain doom. Haha!

The young director behind Hard to Get, the opening film at this year’s Durban International Film Festival, (and his debut feature film), Zee Ntuli has already received significant acclaim with his short-form work, including music videos for Wrestlerish and Crash Car Burn, and Ster-Kinekor’s ‘Grandfather’ cinema advert. His short film Bomlambo (Those of the Water) won Best Film at the New York International Film Festival. He also writes for several ongoing television series’ including Intersexions, Soul City and Mshika Shika.

When did you first realise that you wanted to make a career as a filmmaker?

In high school a group of students and I were assigned a project that involved making a short film. We shot a mockumentary about the different social circles in our high school, using the conventions of a wildlife doccie. I enjoyed the filmmaking process so much that I knew pretty much there and then that I needed to pursue it as a career.

Is there anyone whom you would describe as your mentor?

I’ve been fortunate enough to have a few people who have mentored me since the beginning of my career. The producers of Hard To Get, Helena Spring and Junaid Ahmed, have mentored me since the beginning of the project years ago and continue to do so. They have both shared a wealth of experience, wisdom and passion, carefully guiding me through the process of making my first feature film. They have both gone far above and beyond the role of producer while making Hard To Get, nurturing both the project and my growth as a filmmaker.

FIRST FILM: Zee Ntuli on the set of Hard To Get

What are your top three films of all time and why?

That’s a very tough one!

Fight Club – for me this film masterfully combines mainstream and alternative filmmaking, creating a film with a loud, bold and unique voice. The film’s fearless nature is what makes it for me – no punches were pulled in this film.

Pan’s Labyrinth – you can feel the love and detail woven into every frame of Pan’s Labyrinth. The film tells an epic, mythical tale in such an incredibly sensitive and nuanced fashion.

Slumdog Millionaire – this is a film with such heart and vibrancy. It has such an incredible kinetic energy to it.

Danny Boyle so carefully balances the joy of youth with a hard to swallow, tragic reality.

As a storyteller and a visual creator, what are the ideas, issues and images that matter most to you and continue to arise in your work?

I have always grappled with the concepts of identity, belonging and coming of age. I think post-apartheid South Africa is such an incredibly unique society, both beautiful and gruesome at the same time. The melting pot of cultures and complex history naturally lends itself to confusion regarding identity and belonging. We are a nation with an identity crisis, and quite understandably so. I was born in the UK, where my father was in exile. I grew up in London, then relocated to South Africa in 1994. I’m part Ndebele, part English, part Zulu, part something else and so on… South African with a British passport. I feel like we all know that South Africa is home, we just haven’t all figured out where to put our furniture.

These themes resonate on an incredibly personal level,

What projects are you busy with now and what do you have planned for the near future?

GwinyaMan! Haha. I am still working on Hard To Get, my first feature. We are putting the finishing touches on the film. I am also working with James Ngcobo and T.T. Sibisi (my Hard To Get co-writer) on a new music-driven film also spearheaded by Helena Spring and Junaid Ahmed.

How would you describe your approach to performance directing?

I think that I am a hands-on performance director. I feel that the rehearsal process is vital to any project’s success.

I like to get the cast into a room and experiment, explore and discover more than what’s on the page. I try to use a mixture of a technique-based approach and a looser, more impulse-driven approach to work with actors. I try to be as involved as possible in crafting the performances, but also careful to give the actors the space and freedom to own their characters.

What are you most comfortable with – directing action sequences or directing moments of intense performance?

I am most comfortable with directing moments of intense performance. However, I am working on my action skills for GwinyaMan! What advice can you offer aspiring writers and directors?

Filmmaking is as tough as it is rewarding. In my limited experience, I feel that the less you think you know, the better off you are. Filmmaking is an enormous craft, with an endless number of facets and elements. It is a beast of an art/business form, constantly growing and changing. I feel it is key to ensure that you are constantly growing, and stay thirsty for experience and knowledge.

Compiled by Warren Holden July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 23

Documentary

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profundity in the commonplace: Director Ben Stillerman (second from right) talks to his father Clive (far right) as his crew sets up a shot

Taking stock Born and raised in Johannesburg, Ben Stillerman is a fledgling filmmaker now completing his studies at the University of Southern California (USC). For his Masters project, Stillerman decided to turn to a central feature of his childhood to create an intensely personal documentary that examines the intersections of business with family, community and country.

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s Ben Stillerman grew up, many of the events in his young life revolved around the family business run by his father, Clive. The business in question was Benoni Discount Stores, a general store that has served the community in the East Rand town since the 1940s, with Clive representing the second generation of Stillermans to own and run it.

For the younger Stillerman, who went on to study literature and philosophy at the University of Cape Town before beginning his film studies, his relationship with his father, as well as his father’s outlook on the community and country in which he lived, all seemed to be integrally connected with the shop. For this reason, when the time came to come up with a concept for his Master of Fine Arts project, he decided to head home and shoot a documentary based around the running of the store and the complex character of the man who runs it.

Everyday philosophy Looking back on the birth of this concept, Stillerman says: “I wanted to do something really personal, something that only I could do – something that was clearly South African but that also had some kind of universal appeal. I have always been interested in the relationship between something as commonplace as business and the larger issues we all wonder about. I feel that there is a lot of interesting philosophy in something as commonplace as the day-to-day running of a shop.

“The specifics of the concept came from the fact that the shop has been a constant in my life since I was born. Also, my Dad is a very interesting character; he thinks of himself as a shopkeeper, nothing more and yet there are a lot of universal lessons to be learned from his life and his way of running his business.”

A multilayered story The film, which was in production during the month of June and will soon begin post-production back in the US with the aim of being ready for release in mid-2015, is called Taking Stock. Its premise is simple but its implications, if communicated effectively in the final product, will be multilayered. Stillerman’s intention is to build the story around the central character of his father, while the main event narrative will consist of the movement of a month’s worth of stock in and out of the store. Through these, keeping in mind Stillerman’s belief that wisdom and profundity can be found in the commonplace, he aims to interrogate the complex relationships that he believes exist between business and family, business and community, business and country.

“On the family level,” Stillerman says, “what I’m trying to do is get to the heart of what it means to run a business and have a family and what kind of values you are able to transfer from one to the other – what works and what doesn’t work in that transference. When I was growing up I saw the overlaps everywhere from my Dad’s mood when he came home at the end of the day, to what kind of holidays we were able to go on, to what we gave and received as birthday presents (because they all came from the store).

This level is naturally the most immediate for me and probably the most difficult one emotionally.

“The community level relates to issues around my father’s religion, being Jewish, as well as larger issues like Benoni itself and how it has changed over time.

Looking at the country, that’s an ever-present reflection in the film. The business has been in existence since 1947 and my father has held it for about the last 32 years. He’s seen apartheid rise and fall, he’s sold blankets and essentials to the poor community in the area, and he’s

also sold supplies to panicking white Afrikaners who thought the apocalypse was coming in the early 1990s.”

Inner conflicts The events and changes of the years have created a number of inner conflicts within Clive and it is these that his son has sought to bring out and dissect in the film. “He’s a 59-year-old man so he has built up a world of contradictions within himself, like anyone would at that age. He regrets some of his decisions and he’s very proud of some others. The most important thing for me, as a son looking at his father, is to give him a forum to talk, to discuss some of these conflicts and hopefully to reach some conclusions and to offer him some sort of catharsis,” Stillerman says.

Aside from Stillerman, the crew consisted of Czech sound designer Jan Bezouska, American cinematographer Dave Dorsey and producer Arun Narayanan, and local production assistant, driver, assistant cameraman and general problem shooter Moses Banda.

The crew’s ‘A’ camera was a Canon C-300 with L-series lenses, while the ‘B’ camera was a 5D Mk III. Two-camera set-ups were used for the interviews and a GoPro was deployed in two different ways, being both placed in a ‘security camera’ position in the shop and also used in car scenes to film interviews with Clive while he was driving.

After Stillerman has submitted the film for his Masters assessment, he will look for distribution through the usual channels – film festivals such as Tribeca, Sundance, Toronto, Durban and Encounters. He will also explore video-on-demand platforms. “Our main concern now is making the best film we can and then once we’ve made something good, I hope we’ll find a home for it, be that PBS, SABC 2 or Encounters.” – Warren Holden

Changing their spots A true labour of love, a trilogy of documentaries highlighting the plight of leopards in South Africa will shortly see the light of day after five years in the making.

Independently produced by family-owned production company Perfect Directions, this project made innovative use of technology to capture and convey the story of these widely misunderstood cats.

| Documentary to film in the barren Namibian deserts, the forests of KwaZulu-Natal and every harsh and demanding environment southern Africa could throw at it,” says Anton.

By the time the first documentary was finished, new technology was available and Canon loaned the company a 5D MkIII and C300 to film the last two documentaries. The improved low light / low noise filming ability meant that the dusk, night and dawn scenes – when leopards are most active – could be filmed with greater image quality.

Patching the XLR line of the NTG3 feed straight into the C300, without the need of going through a phantom power supply, also made the gear more mobile and quicker to set up. The project also gained the support of Samson products, in the form of accurate monitor speakers and headphones, vital tools in monitoring sound both on set and in postproduction.

Steep learning curve SHOOTING FAMILY STYLE: The Perfect Directions crew: Darryl, Deena and Anton van Niekerk

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he leopard is a mysterious animal that evokes a sense of majesty within many of us. Yet a little known fact is that this magnificent animal faces great persecution from a wide range of sources, despite being a protected species.

Much like rhino poaching, the persecution of leopards has led to their numbers dropping very low in South Africa. Leopards are also elusive and have very large territories and therefore their numbers are often overestimated.

In 2009, when the owners of the production company Perfect Directions, Deena, Anton and Darryl van Niekerk, learned of the persecution that leopards in South Africa face, they decided that the best way they could make a positive difference in their own particular way was through a documentary.

They each have many years’ experience in the industry and have worked on award-winning projects. Yet, despite this experience, they had never produced anything of this nature under their own name and realised that broadcasters would not readily fund the project. A decision was taken to fund and produce the project themselves.

This was of course easier said than done. They researched the subject and soon realised that the story was bigger and more involved than they initially thought and decided that three full-length documentaries would be needed to give adequate insight into the issues.

Naivety and a (perhaps slightly overzealous) drive to make a difference meant that, by the time they had filmed for three months, they had exhausted all their funds and needed external support in order to make the projects possible.

They approached a number of possible supporters and although there were many dead ends, several companies and individuals recognised the positive impact their support would provide and stepped in to help.

“Making these films has been a steep learning curve as the animal conservation world does not always agree on the best solutions to deal with persecution problems. Yet the direction that organisations like the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and Panthera have taken works, and is supported by many. It was difficult to try and put our own emotions aside and not judge the people

persecuting these magnificent animals and to realise that they are merely ignorant, it is up to us to help them to understand the animals and find a better way of doing things,” Anton says.

“The process of making the films has been exceptionally difficult. It demanded much of us physically, like climbing the steep ravines to follow the leopards in their home ranges, walking kilometres through sickle bush and some of the roughest Acacia patches, high temperatures in the desert, cold nights waiting for the leopards, close encounters with snakes, lions and the ever present ticks. One night, Darryl came close to being attacked by a very large male leopard, whom we thought had been properly sedated but turned out to be only slightly groggy. These were the risks we were prepared to take to tell this very important story.

“In the end we learned far more than we expected. There are incredible people out there doing incredible work for nature conservation. Yes, there are also terrible people doing terrible things and there is a fine line being danced right now where a number of species are concerned. It was for this reason that we chose to take the reckless risk and self-finance three full length documentaries. They are almost complete and we look forward to sharing the story of these enigmatic animals, and what we can do to conserve them, with the world,” Anton concludes.

Skye – one of the leopards filmed

Shifting to DSLRs The first change they needed was a more compact camera system that had a higher dynamic range and better low light capabilities than the heavy broadcast cameras they had been using. Stills were also important and thus the DSLR route was decided on. They ran comparative tests between the Canon 5D Mk II and the 7D (remember, this was 2009) and decided that the 7D was the best choice as it had better low light capabilities and a faster shutter speed, which would be perfect when being used to take stills.

Canon and Digital Experience in Fourways helped them to make this possible with a 7D and 15-85mm IS kit.

After building up more capital the crew bought another 7D and a 70-200mm L MK2 f2.8 lens. The transition from broadcast cameras to DSLRs was very difficult, especially as the nuances had to be learned in the field with live action.

Sound gear They had the filming gear, now for sound.

Rode had recently launched their NTG3 and realised the project would be perfect to demonstrate the purposefully robust build of this excellent microphone. A Videomic, which attached to the hot plate of the DSLR (later upgraded to a Videomic Pro and Stereo Videomic Pro), was also supplied to support the audio collected by the NTG3. “The NTG3 proved itself time and again as we used it

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Documentary

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28 Up: A cross-section of contemporary South Africa

UP-CLOSE AND PERSONAL: Angus Gibson and the team who filmed 28 Up

Acclaimed South African filmmaker Angus Gibson shares revealing South African stories in 28 Up, which featured recently at the Encounters International Documentary Film Festival.

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ive me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man”. This is the Jesuit saying which inspired the very first Up series commissioned by Granada Television, a British television channel, as part of its 1964 World in Action current affairs series.

What was a once-off special has since grown into an internationally renowned documentary series, following the lives of a culturally diverse group of seven-yearolds from different economic backgrounds, as they traverse through life’s hard knocks, triumphs and truths.

The original British Up series recently concluded with 56 Up, the final instalment of a seven-yearly project, but the format has also made it to the US, Russia, Japan, Germany and South Africa,

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where director Angus Gibson has completed his revealing rendezvous with a group of South Africans who are now 28 years old.

Gibson says each series has been a struggle to make in that, despite the provocative and compelling subject matter, the battle to find financial backing has been never-ending. It was only through a chance meeting with current affairs channel Al Jazeera, which agreed to fund the project, that the 28 Up chapter was made possible. “As long as we can get the support to keep making these films, I’ll keep making them,” says Gibson, “Even with a BAFTA nomination I’m still not convinced we’ll be able to make 35 Up.”

Mixing it Up When the series began in 1992, Gibson and his team embarked on a search for the 20 subjects which would feature in South Africa’s Up series. They travelled the country visiting schools and interviewing every attending seven-yearold, in the search for an assortment of children from different economic, social and cultural backgrounds, who would be comfortable talking to a camera.

“We put together a wish list of subjects who would be able to represent what felt like different experiences of living in South Africa and the forces which have made our contemporary society,” remembers Gibson, who had the gruelling task of choosing the final subjects after much arguing and debate.

He admits: “It was very difficult

to choose.”

“I think they are an astonishing cross-section of people and I think it’s a great privilege that I can have this conversation with them over the years. It’s a pity it’s only a bit of them that you get to see in the films,” Gibson adds, saying he found it very difficult to cut the footage down for each film.

three South African people had died and at 28 Up we lost the fourth. Three people decided not to continue with the show, including an Indian child, who was quite fabulous in the films. I was sorry to lose her as now it feels as though the Indian community is not represented. She has gone to live in England, but we would have gone to film her there,” says Gibson.

The Uptake

A close-Up of South Africa

Of his experience in filming each different stage, Gibson remarks: “7 Up is an extraordinary film. In 14 Up I was dealing with adolescents who were much more introverted. I was taken aback by the interviews we did in in 1999. At 14 a lot of the subjects – black, coloured, all of them – were depressed and said they wanted to leave the country. Filming 21 Up was different, and 28 Up was different again.”

From the delightful insight offered by their seven-year old selves to heartbreaking realisations discovered at age 21, the Up series participants’ stories stir up questions as to whether poverty is a self-fulfilling prophecy, whether a person can lead an ordinary life in a country which is so extraordinarily complex and the role to which education plays in breaking cultural, political and economic moulds. 28 Up takes audiences on an honest and emotional journey of revelations, one which they were not all able to complete.

“The tragedy of the South African series is that four people have died, whereas elsewhere nobody has died – In Britain they got to the age of 56. By 21 Up

“When I watched the final cut of 28 Up, I wept. I felt like on one hand as a country we are so beautiful and on the other hand we are so kind of messed up, and that was so tragic to me. It’s so clear in the film how tragic it is. I called the Al Jazeera producer and asked if she’d watched it and she said it had an agonising effect on her and that she too had wept all day. It seems to move people all over the world,” remarks Gibson.

Though the film demonstrates how colourful and wonderful South Africans are, it also reveals the diversity of experiences which exist. “We are so privileged and without privilege. I think this film makes this clear and also makes clear the impact that AIDS has on our country. It’s devastating to watch them all, to watch those kids with whom you formed a relationship die. In a way it’s unnecessary that they died. I feel that there are a number of people that should still be with us. It’s evident that if you don’t have a decent education it’s very hard to transform your life,” concludes Gibson. – Carly Barnes

| Cinematography

Puma Video increases its lighting inventory In response to client demand, Randburgbased gear rental facility Puma Video recently added a selection of high-end lights to its inventory.

According to Henk Germishuysen, owner of Puma Video, the facility had received numerous requests from clients, both new and regular, for new HMI lights.

He was keen to comply with these requests as it would further establish his business as a comprehensive one-stop shop for Gauteng’s film crews.

Germishuysen decided on a compromise in terms of brand concentration while still maintaining high quality in his light inventory. He purchased a total of eight new HMIs, including three Arri M series lamps (2 M8s and 1 M18), as well as five Dynacore lights (3 x 575 HMI and 2 x 1.2K HMI’s).

Arri’s M series consists of several lenseless HMIs distinguished by their use of MAX technology, Arri’s special reflector design that unifies the advantages of Fresnel and PAR fixtures.

The M8 is the smallest in the series at an output of 800W, but with the MAX technology and the open face design, this little lamp can equal a 1200W lensed PAR or Fresnel in brightness. The M18 is as small as a 1200W PAR but is capable of a light output that is 70 per cent higher.

Dynacore’s DTD-575W is a daylight Fresnel with a 575W power output. It is lightweight and rugged, making it suitable for fast set-up and breakdown on all kinds of locations.

The Dynacore 1.2kW lights are popular on sets because of their output to weight (and price) ratio as well as their ease of use, including the ability to be run on house power – a quality they share with the Arri Ms. These lights have just entered Puma’s inventory and are now available for rental. Call 011 886 1122/3/4 to find out more about the lights and their rates.

Arri M8

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF RENTALS: Dynacore DTD-575W

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Cinematography

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This could drone on for a while!

In April this year the SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) executed an immediate prohibition on the use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) or camera drones in South Africa. Film shoots intending to use this type of production equipment (now deemed illegal) will no longer be able to obtain film permits.

This announcement has caused considerable controversy in the industry, in which the use of these devices to capture unusual or breathtaking footage is becoming more and more widespread.

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SIGHT WITH FLIGHT: A helipcopter and a drone in action

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ccording to the SACAA the ban on UASs is due to a lack of regulation guiding the use of such devices, as they are relatively new technology.

The organisation states that it, like its peers around the world, is in the process of understanding, outlining and incorporating UASs into the civil aviation sector.

A further statement indicates that SACAA will have conclusive guidelines and legislation for the use of unmanned aircraft systems, or so-called drones, in South Africa by March 2015. According to the regulator it: “..would not put profits ahead of public or aviation safety,” by rushing the process, which is already a contentious issue globally.

Confusion The situation is confusing to say the least, as there are already rules in place for model aircraft, under which most drones/ model helicopters fall, and it has been suggested that SACAA simply apply these rules and thereby appease the industry which is making more and more use of drones as a platform for GoPro cameras or similar.

The international rules applicable in this case include: • Flying under only 120m.

• No flying within 4.2 nautical miles of an airport.

• Flying only in line of sight of the operator (500m).

• No auto pilot flying or night flying.

• No flying over public property and roads without permission.

Also confusing is what distinction the ban makes between a ‘drone’ and a model helicopter. From a practical point of view a drone is only able to carry a lightweight camera such as a GoPro (although more recently multi-rotor drones can carry in excess of nine kilograms) whereas a helicopter can carry larger loads such as a RED camera.

Nothing new?

Stephen Verheul of Visual Air Productions comments: “This ruling from the SACAA has definitely caused panic in the industry. However, as much as it is potentially damaging for the industry at present, rules and regulations are needed and this has been a long time coming.

“Although the SACAA is in the process of putting together an interim guidance document, which should be ready by the end of March 2015. It does however, raise the questions of under which governance we operate in the meantime and into which category RC helicopters being used in the commercial industry fall.”

“This is not some ‘new ruling’ or ban,” says Duran de Villiers of Knysna-based manufacturer SteadiDrone. “According to the SACAA its technically always been ‘illegal’ but they’ve simply not bothered anyone until now, and are just stating fact because, let’s face it, stupid people are doing stupid things with this new technology.

“I don’t think the SACAA is too concerned about the experienced operators offering safe and valuable aerial services, many of whom are full-scale pilots themselves and understand the safety aspect. It is more worried about public safety and what certain people think they can do with these machines, which must be regulated.

“Recent comments about how strange it is for the SACAA to ‘ban’ drones is somewhat shortsighted, because if some incompetent operator takes down a jet with their family members on board (which is just about what any small drone is capable of doing), then they will see what the SACAA is trying to do here. We all need to work together. I agree that the SACAA has had years in which they’ve

been very well aware of these systems and the potential safety issues and should have already put things in place. For them suddenly to announce a ban is not responsible and they should have seen this coming.”

Experience versus technology Rob Smith of Big Bird Aerial Cinematography in Cape Town adds: “The problem is that multi-rotors (octocopters, hexacopters, quadcopters) have become increasingly common, you can buy them at your local toyshop.

These are much easier to operate than your regular model helicopter because they come with a lot of systems that help fly them (GPS, Waypoints, Autopilot, the ability to fly out of line of sight, etc.) It is these systems that complicate the regulation of drones and that our model aircraft do not rely on. We rely on safe, well-tested rigs, and our pilot experience and expertise.

“Our pilot has over 15 years of model aircraft experience, and in this time the fundamental flight systems of model helicopters has not changed, and has proven to be incredibly safe and reliable in the right hands. That’s not to say that UASs aren’t safe, just that the technology within them is so new and dynamic it is hard to regulate, because everybody has a slightly different flight system and the technology is changing and evolving so quickly.”

At the time of writing – to further confuse the issue – the SACAA issued a statement saying that the ban that is causing so much controversy does not actually exist. “SACAA has never issued any specific notice or regulation banning the use of unmanned aircraft systems.

The current Civil Aviation Regulations prescribe specific requirements for operating an aircraft in the South African airspace. To date, no UAS has been able to comply with these requirements,” says SACAA spokesperson Kabelo Ledwaba.

With all the diverse opinion and speculation it would seem that this matter will drone on for quite some time.

– Andy Stead

| Television

A new TV series Pandjieswinkelstories, from the pen of Afrikaans dramatist PG du Plessis and directed by veteran Koos Roets, will be broadcast on kykNET from 15 July.

The 13-episode series is mostly comedy orientated but a few of the episodes will also ensure that tissues need to be kept handy.

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andjieswinkelstories focuses on the everyday lives of three characters, portrayed by Elize Cawood, Frank Opperman and Deon Lotz, who sit on the stoep of a pawn shop and discuss or get involved in the doings of the people living in a small town.

Fans of another series by Du Plessis, Koöperasiestories, which was broadcast in the 1980s, might feel inclined to draw similarities between the two series, but producer André Scholtz said that the plots, characters, etc, are in fact very different.

A new take on an old format kykNET requested that the same filmic gimmicks be used as with Koöperasiestories: a mixture of storytelling and dramatisation; a character telling the story directly into the camera; plots dissimilar to one another and each having a beginning, middle and end, like a short film; and a group of continuous, binding characters. Du Plessis adhered to the request.

Events and customs inherent to South Africa, especially the Afrikaans community, were incorporated into the plots. Some of the comical incidents, to name but a few, depict a rugby fan going overboard at a Cheetahs match, the tendency of small town folk to skinder and their malice, the use of dagga to get rid of bees, diamond diggers trying to make a living near Ventersdorp, love between middle-aged people, the employee at a retirement home who sells old people’s hearing aids and false teeth as second hand ware and a preacher who goes to Hillbrow where he lands up in a brothel and the madam shows

Photos by Eunice Bauermeester

A South African TV classic reinvented

SHOP TALK: Jakkie Groenewald, Frank Opperman and Jonathan Pienaar in a scene from Pandjieswinkelstories him compassion.

Due to the diversity of the characters making their appearance in the various episodes, apart from the three leads, no less than 85 actors were contracted to portray the various roles.

During the course of shooting, the cast and crew had to travel extensively between locations. Most of the filming was done in Heidelberg, Randfontein, Bloemfontein, Hartbeespoort (Pretville) and Johannesburg. It took only 29 weeks to finally wrap up the production – five weeks of pre-production, and twelve weeks of filming and post respectively.

According to Scholtz the biggest challenge was to stay within a limited budget and to give credence to the script when so many actors were contracted and many locations were used.

One element that really stood out for Scholtz was the synergy between the actors and the script. “When we added one and one together, we got more than two.”

A director with a vision What impressed the actors the most, especially those who worked with Roets for the first time, was the fact that there were no ‘hurry up and wait’ periods on this set. It was quite clear that Roets, a director who started off his career in films as a cinematographer and has received numerous awards, knew from the outset what he wanted before filming began each day. He had plotted the scenes beforehand and when the crew and actors arrived on set, shooting started within a short period of time.

Deon Lotz, the actor who worked with Roets on the critically acclaimed Faan se Trein, says that Roets took a totally

Director Koos Roets with Yolanda Vermaak (continuity) on the set of Pandjieswinkelstories

different approach to the direction of Pandjieswinkelstories.

“With Faan se Trein his focus was mostly on the acting and the development of the characters. With Pandjieswinkelstories his direction was more dialogue driven. The actors were given more free reign on how we approached our characters.”

Hand-picked cast The actors in the series were mostly hand-picked and only in a few instances were auditions held. An eight-year-old little girl, Zonika de Vries from Heidelberg, auditioned for a role and actors and crew alike were in full accord that she is a star of the future. At the recent Beyond 2002 National Performing Arts Championships held in Rustenburg, she was awarded the trophy for Overall Junior Champion for children 5 to 12 years in various categories.

In some instances locals were used as

extras in scenes, especially in Randfontein where filming was done in an old, dilapidated hotel. The extras consisted of men living in the hotel. Due to the hotel’s bar being occupied by the locals during the evenings, filming could only take place during the day and sometimes when the crew arrived for filming the following day, continuity was a bit of a problem because some of the extras had a few cuts and bruises on their faces due to a bar brawl the previous evening!

The crew for the production consisted of Chris van Latum (1st assistant director), Pieter du Plessis (2nd assistant director – grandson of PG du Plessis), Johan Lategan and Morné du Toit (editing); Dirk Mostert (cinematography), Jolandi Pienaar (costumes), Theola Booyens (makeup and hair styling) and Nik Sakellarides (original music score.)

Although the series is predominantly comedy oriented, some episodes also require that you keep your tissues handy.

– Jakkie Groenewald July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 29

Television

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World Cup 2014: a new era in sports broadcasting

PUSHING THE LIMIT: Sony 4K camera all set for soccer action

The 1970 Soccer World Cup in Mexico was the start of a special relationship between new technology in television and the game of soccer. The 1970 games were the first to be broadcast in colour. In Germany 2006 the World Cup matches were the first to be broadcast in HD. South Africa 2010 saw the first internet streamed World Cup content as well as 3D content for some of the matches.

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echnology has changed dramatically over the past four years, from television manufacturers to broadcasters; the viewing experience has been transformed for this year’s World Cup consumer. The new technology for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was Sony and FIFA’s collaboration with 4K production and broadcast as well as the much-awaited goal line technology (GLT).

As far as production challenges go, this was a big one. Over 3.5 billion viewers tuned in to watch the World Cup, and as always expected nothing short of first class coverage – whether on TV, mobiles, tablets or desktops. Producing the World Cup from Brazil has been far tougher than for most major world events, and that’s largely down to the sheer size of the

country. Brazil’s 12 host cities (up from 10 in South Africa) are spread across its 8.5 million square kilometres, putting a huge strain on the production operation.

Driving crews and OB trucks between them, in most cases, was simply not an option, so dozens of specially chartered aircraft and ships, helped move kit and production staff across the globe and between the host cities to produce the coverage.

HBS and Sony Since 2002 coverage of the World Cup has been overseen by Swiss-based Host Broadcast Services (HBS). They are appointed by FIFA as the host broadcaster responsible for providing neutral, high quality coverage to each of

Sony HD camera and live broadcast unit capturing a game

the tournament’s 230 rights holding broadcasters around the world. To do this, HBS designed, built and installed an International Broadcast Centre (IBC) on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. The studio building of 55 000 square metres (the size of eight football pitches) was home to the 83 broadcasters who took studio space, from where they hosted their coverage of the tournament.

HBS appointed Sony as its delivery partner for the World Cup. Sony was responsible for kitting out each of the 12 venues with cameras and production tools for each match. Sony, in turn, appointed seven sub-contractors to create a full HD live production workflow for all 64 matches.

The sub-contractors, provided everything from camera installations to audio and video equipment racks, air conditioning and crews. 280 technical staff worked on the production across the 12 venues. This was the first time that Sony had worked as the technical partner on such a big event, and built on its experience of shooting the 2010 World Cup in 3D for HBS. Instead of using OB trucks, Sony purpose-built 12 studio containers, one for each of the venues, to house the technical facilities for the tournament. Each container (the size of three OB trucks) was constructed in Munich, before being shipped to Brazil to each stadium. All of the 12 production facilities had the same set-up allowing production crews to walk into any one of the facilities at the 12 venues and quickly feel at home.

Each match had 37 cameras filming (up from 32 in 2010), including a cable system, aerial helicopter cameras and two Ultramotion cameras. The main match cameras were Sony HDC-1500 and HDC-2500s. Two hundred and twentyfour had been booked out in total, as well as 64 super-slow motion camera chains.

Goal line technology In addition to the amazing new television technology, another technology important for the actual games was introduced this year – goal line technology (GLT). FIFA stated: “The aim is to use GLT in order to support the match officials and to install a system in all stadia, pending the successful installation, and pre-match referee tests.”

The official goal line technology chosen by FIFA is GoalControl GmbH, manufactured by a German company.

GoalControl uses real-time image analysis. Their camera-based vision systems can detect, identify, and track moving objects in complex situations.

GoalControl states that: “With GoalControl-4D we present a system that meets all FIFA criteria for goal line technology and that can assist the referees substantially with the decision ‘goal or no-goal’.” GoalControl ensures accurate results by the 14 cameras mounted around the stadium. The cameras are able to capture a three dimensional position of the ball. When the ball crosses the goal line, the referees receive a vibration and signal on their watches that a team scored. This signal is received in less than one second of the ball passing the goal line. This innovation signals the dawning of a new era in the broadcasting of sport.

4K Ultra Meanwhile, three of the matches – including the final – were chosen to be

shot in 4K Ultra HD as part of a bid to promote the growth of 4K content. Sony teamed up with Brazilian OB outfit Globosat to provide the on-the-ground technical facilities for the 4K broadcast, while the UK’s Telegenic provided technical expertise and experience. The PMW-F55 was the chosen 4K camera.

The BBC tested broadcast technicalities on 4K UHD, but only at select BBC Research and Development locations back in the UK. If all the tests went well, it could lead the way for the advanced technology to be used in the future. The 4K games marked one of the first times that UHD content was streamed on the European continent.

The BBC’s director of sport, Barbara Slater, says that the coverage: “is our most ambitious, most comprehensive ever.” With live matches shown on BBC1, the BBC Sport website, BBC3 and the red button, she says that coverage across the channels adds up to 160 hours of TV – over 50% more than from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Before the start of the tournament, Soichi Kawachi, VP in charge of FIFA Partnership at Sony says: “We are very excited to offer an entirely new viewing experience at the greatest sport event in the world, the FIFA World Cup. By leveraging our cutting-edge 4K technology and our premier products and solutions through our partnership with FIFA, we will deliver a unique and totally compelling entertainment experience conveying the excitement of the matches in Brazil with the depth and vividness that the ultra-high definition that 4K delivers.”

“FIFA has a proud track record in embracing innovation at our flagship competition, to make sure that football fans around the world receive the very best in match coverage and experience,” says FIFA Director of TV Niclas Ericson.

“We are excited by the prospect of working with Sony to incorporate 4K technology in our production plans. 4K will propel fans around the globe into a whole new viewing dimension and it marks the dawning of a new era in the broadcasting of sport.”

Indeed truer words were never spoken and it’s clear that Brazil 2014 has been the biggest and most flamboyant, truly digital World Cup ever! – Ian Dormer

Radio

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Riding a new wavelength We look at some of the players capitalising on South Africa’s growing online radio listenership.

RADIOHEADS: Gareth Cliff

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o many, the online radio landscape in South Africa may appear to be a less-than-favourable alternative to traditional and more easily accessible broadcast platforms, but in international markets the medium has succeeded trend status and is now widely recognised as the new norm.

This is largely due to cheaper and more accessible broadband, a service which is still perceived to be a luxury for the majority of South Africans. However, with smartphone and internet technology advancing at a fierce rate in Africa, data prices will inevitably plunge as supply grows to meet demand, paving the path to success for those already pioneering the power of digital.

The Revolutionary – CliffCentral On 1 May 2014 Gareth Cliff, 5FM’s provocative and hugely popular morning show host, left the mainstream station to launch his own ‘unradio’ platform, CliffCentral, and while the online portal may still be in its infancy stage, Cliff says listenership is looking very healthy. “We had almost 70 000 people sign up at CliffCentral.com before we had even launched,” he remarks.

Cliff is positive about the future of online radio in South Africa and says: “It’s opening up. Data costs will come down, people will hunt for exactly the content they want and it will all become very democratised. At the moment, media owners control the content and the advertising.”

CliffCentral makes use of standard broadcast equipment while onsite servers are administered by AntFarm. As is the case with many South African online radio operators, Cliff states that learning about streams, concurrents and transfer rates is still a challenge and adds: “Some people don’t like change, others don’t know how to change or are fearful that they will encounter costs.”

Tune in to CliffCentral at www.cliffcentral.com.

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Seth Rotherham

The Vibe – 2oceansvibe

Darren Scott

The Niche – Ballz Visual Radio “We target all sport- and fun-loving human beings across the world with our programming by focusing on sport news, interviews, entertainment and lifestyle.

We expected to have a largely male listenership; however our social media community stats indicate that we have an even male/female split,” says Ballz Visual Radio founder Darren Scott, who is excited to be part of a growing and rapidly expanding medium.

Ballz Visual Radio was started at the beginning of 2012 and had its first live broadcast on 2 April 2012. Scott believes that the medium will grow and change over time and that South Africans are ready to embrace a wider range of choice which the internet can offer.

“Some South African listeners have expressed the need for greater listening variety than their terrestrial stations can offer and online radio satisfies a listener’s need to find a listening experience of their choice,” comments Scott.

Tune in to Ballz Visual Radio at www.ballz.co.za.

Seth Rotherham has been running 2oceansvibe for three years and says it adds significant value to the news website, 2oceansvibe.com, which experiences half a million unique readers a month, and has 30 000 Twitter followers.

With 10 000 to 15 000 qualified sessions a month and 9 000 followers on Twitter, 2oceansvibe has garnered a strong following through its variety of shows, ranging from business and comedy, to tech and street culture.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the interest and excitement over the past three years. The constant stream of bands, companies and brands requesting live interviews and features on our shows is testament to this country’s obsession with all things radio,” says Rotherham.

2oceansvibe has “a completely rad studio” in the Woodstock Exchange in Cape Town which is kitted out with gear supplied by Marshall Music and Digicape.

“We’ve got a few computers, a mixing desk, Beats by Dre sponsored headphones and five or six AKG microphones,” says Rotherham who adds: “We use Jazler as the actual radio station software – that’s what takes care of the playlist and schedules the ads and stings, with logs, etc, and Triton (tritondigital.com) handles our stream.”

Download the 2oceansvibe Apple or Android app, or tune in by visiting: www.2oceansviberadio.com.

Erin McLuckie

The Newbie – Luckie Radio Luckie Radio forms part of Luckie Entertainment, an online media hub founded by Erin McLuckie which launched on 17 February 2014.

According to McLuckie the site has gathered 13 000 monthly visitors, which speaks to South Africa’s growing interest in the online radio space. Luckie Radio targets a younger generation of listeners with shows ranging from sports, technology, lifestyle and business to more taboo subjects, and is presented by hosts, new and familiar to the radio scene.

“I wanted to offer people who weren’t yet established in traditional media, the opportunity to launch themselves on this new and exciting media platform. A lot of people don’t yet understand the value of online radio and are resistant, but South Africa is catching up to the rest of the world where this medium is massive. No one listens to frequency radio overseas anymore,” says McLuckie.

The Luckie Radio studio is equipped with a Behringer sound desk, Shure and Behringer microphones, Sennheiser headphones and Shure splitters and controllers. SAM broadcaster software is used for broadcasting while SrsBsns is the host server for in-studio streaming and Afrihost is utilised for live outside broadcasts.

Tune in to Luckie Radio by visiting: www.luckieentertainment.com.

| Satellite / DTT

Regional TV: an integral part of the DTT possibility spectrum Monde Twala, Head of Channel at eTV and Rodney Benn, vice president of Eutelsat Africa, weigh in on the prospects, practicality and potential profitability of regionalised television, one of the many developments which could arise from the migration to digital terrestrial television (DTT).

S

outh Africa’s digital migration and the possible broadcast business models which could emerge from this transition formed the subject of a round table discussion at the 2014 SatCom Africa exhibition and conference.

Among the countless possibilities mentioned, one which was particularly exciting was the potential and viability of regionalised television.

A gateway of opportunity As set by South Africa’s broadcasting regulator, ICASA, two multiplexes will feature on the spectrum allocation for DTT. 85 per cent of the first multiplex has been allocated to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), theoretically allowing them to broadcast 17 channels, with the remaining 15 per cent allocated to existing community television channels. e.tv will take 55 per cent and a possible 11 channels, while M-Net will take 45 per cent and a possible nine channels of the second multiplex. There is also a possibility of creating a third DTT multiplex to cater for new players that may enter the broadcast field. This offers many avenues of content possibility, across the board.

According to Rodney Benn, the mechanics of DTT will not only make it possible for broadcasters to have regional or market-specific channels in their bouquet on an allocated multiplex, but with the use of a digital gateway,

hardware and software which exists in the architecture of the system, they will be able to seamlessly shift from one form of broadcast to another.

He explains: “If one were to decide that certain content on a region-specific channel would be relevant to broadcast nationally, it is possible with the DTT gateway software to queue streams into a schedule and coordinate it in such a way that it’s smooth and unnoticeable to viewing audiences. The process is possible on analogue, but is very difficult and complicated.”

Archiving SA culture in the digital age With South Africa’s move to DTT, broadcasters will be able to expand their reach and capacity, allowing them to distribute more content that specifically caters to niche markets as well as language and cultural specific communities. It is clear that there is already a growing demand for more specialised programming with community stations popping up in different regions of the country, such as Alex TV in Johannesburg, and ASTV in Rustenburg.

Monde Twala believes that regionalised content will create the opportunity to preserve culture and promote diversity.

“This excites me because it’s another avenue, especially from a culture

perspective. We are a diverse country, filled with different language groups.

How do we keep that alive? Technology is an enabler for us to contain and showcase our cultures equally. It’s part of the story of our democracy. We are this rainbow nation; wouldn’t it be amazing to see every little shade on TV and in the spotlight?”

Expanding revenue potential There are a number of options in terms of possible revenue models for regional TV: the traditional private investment model, an advertising driven model, or a community driven model, which would be dependent on affluent contributors or donors within the community. But Twala points out that regulation needs to ensure it protects the ‘smaller guys’ so they are able to function and compete for a portion of the pie.

He adds that there is lots of uncertainty and anxiety with an advertising model, as one would have to drive uptake in terms of viewership in order to sell numbers to advertisers and achieve objectives, but putting these risks aside it is one which could expand a broadcaster’s revenue portfolio.

“There is an ad model for regional TV that allows advertisers to be focused with messaging and drive products to a specific target audience. It also provides an avenue for small businesses to use the

medium. Big players have expensive rates due to huge audiences but regional TV is more focused and provides an opportunity for the guy who owns the corner shop to advertise his products to the right people,” says Twala.

Benn adds that different business models also exist in relation to broadcasters’ channels within the allocated DTT multiplex. “You could have these channels, regional or otherwise, as a subscription-based service or free-toair. For example you could ask viewers to buy a smart card to access channels or you could split it with some channels being charged for and some free.”

Inspiring locally produced content It makes sense that the content which would broadcast on regional channels be created by filmmakers within these areas or cultures. In addition, local content creates understanding and encourages entrepreneurial spirit.

“The spin-offs are immense,” remarks Twala, “You are training people and creating jobs. If you’re a filmmaker in Mpumalanga, why should you come to Johannesburg to pursue a career?

Adding to that, it makes our industry more competitive, which means the quality of programming is driven up.

Local content aligns to broader political and nation building objectives.”

– Carly Barnes July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 33

OTT / IPTV

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Low-bandwidth mobile streaming app opens up distribution possibilities “If content is king, then distribution is queen,” says Pierre van der Hoven, founder and CEO of Tuluntulu, the recently launched low-bandwidth mobile streaming platform.

One of the main obstacles faced by the creators of content in South Africa is the difficulty they face in getting their content onto a public platform. Television and cinema distribution provide limited options. One of the secrets to the success of the Nigerian film industry, for example, is that it has few or no barriers to content distribution. It has several options in this regard, from straight-to-DVD business models to those that rely on the country’s myriad television platforms, to the growing use of over-the-top streaming.

South Africans have far fewer options.

Developing online media could offer a solution but South Africa’s ongoing broadband shortage makes this difficult too. Traditional solutions to this problem consist of various proposals to increase broadband infrastructure – “build bigger highways”. While this is essential, it is also the more expensive and time-consuming

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option. Content distribution platforms can be more quickly expanded, Van der Hoven says, extending the highways metaphor, by using the infrastructure already in place and just building smaller cars. South Africa may not have an efficient high-bandwidth network just yet but it has fairly abundant coverage of low-bandwidth mobile networks such as EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution).

Tuluntulu, the system developed by Van der Hoven and his team, makes use of this infrastructure to provide new channels of content distribution in South Africa and the rest of the continent.

The Tuluntulu app, which was launched in June, was developed as an answer to the question of how to distribute content on a congested, low-bandwidth network.

At the cost of video and audio quality – not significant considerations on a mobile platform anyway, and certainly not when content is the main consideration – Tuluntulu will provide a place for content creators to broadcast their material to a receptive audience.

As it currently stands, the app costs the end user nothing except for the data used when downloading on a mobile network – on a WiFi network, even this does not apply. The nature of the app and the codec used for the streaming of content means that it uses a minimum of data, making it very cost effective for consumers. In this way, the plan is to build up the number of users to the extent that the platform becomes a viable attraction for advertisers.

The app launched with 10 mobile TV channels, including Al Jazeera, ANN7, and MindSet Learn, as well as several new channels devised by the Tuluntulu team, some offering an Africa focus, others dedicated to niche concerns such as

fashion, hunting and adventure sports.

Other channels offer comedy and music.

The bouquet of channels attached to the app is set to grow.

Van der Hoven says that one of the main benefits of the app, both for consumers and creatives, is that it goes some way towards breaking down barriers to content. Affordable to people on both ends of the spectrum, it offers something like the mobile equivalent to public access television. The channels developed by Tuluntulu will need a flow of new content to feed them and this will open up opportunities for content developers who have not been able to make use of traditional broadcasting methods. – Warren Holden

| Fibre Technology

Fibre maintenance essentials: why testing is not enough

INPECTOR GADGET: JDSU’s HP3-60 fibre testing and inspection kit

Currently, the only tool that is considered necessary in the maintenance of fibre is an optical power meter (OPM), which tests the signal strength in the fibre to determine if it is sufficient for the desired application. However, optical power testing on its own is no longer enough.

The experience of fibre technicians has shown that the main cause of poor performance in fibre networks is not low power capacity but physical contamination of the fibre. Inspection of fibre end faces prior to connection is thus coming to be accepted as a vital practice in connecting and maintaining highperformance fibre networks.

According to a white paper released by JDSU, a leading developer of optical products and test and measurement solutions, a single, microscopic particle on a fibre end face can become embedded in the fibre core during mating. Once this happens, this particle will cause significant back reflection and insertion loss – two primary causes of poor network performance. An OPM cannot detect contamination, so the only way to prevent it is by a proactive, visual inspection prior to connection.

JDSU’s test and inspection device, the HP3-60, facilitates this inspection. The white paper explains: “Combining an optical power meter with a probe microscope, and patch cord microscope, the HP3-60 integrates the testing and inspecting procedures, thus driving and enabling best practice fibre handling. The

addition of two high-performance handheld microscopes for inspecting both female (bulkhead) and male (patch cord) connectors (as well as other optical devices) creates a real workflow advantage while ensuring inspection and cleaning both sides of the fibre before they are connected, which is the only way to ensure the fibre will be free of contamination and defects and perform optimally within the network.”

The microscopes are compatible with a set of interchangeable stainless steel fibre inspection tips. If no contamination is found, the male and female connectors can be joined. If, on the other hand, contamination is present, the microscopes will show them up clearly and the end faces can then be cleaned using specially designed cleaning tools which are now also on the market.

The white paper concludes by saying that the use of only an OPM in testing is now obsolete, as fibre continues to increase its penetration in communications and broadcasting networks and the negative potentialities of undetected contaminations are considerable. A proactive inspection device should therefore become a standard tool in any fibre technician’s kit, along with an OPM. JDSU’s HP3-60, by bringing these two tools together, offers a handy combined solution.

JDSU products are distributed and supported in South Africa by Concilium Technologies.

Post-Production

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Ultrawide screens

UPSIZED IMAGE: An AOC Q2963PM screen with 21:9 aspect ratio

When you’re multitasking like mad, a standard-aspect-ratio monitor can’t provide enough real estate to display every open window without many of them overlapping and obscuring one another. For this reason alone, any editor, grader, animator or audio engineer will have at least two monitors on their desktop. As monitor technology evolves, mostly with thanks to In-plane Switching technology, new wider monitoring devices are on the horizon.

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U

sing multiple displays isn’t a cure-all to the need for space. First, you need a graphics card that can meet the demands you may have for two or three displays. Second, multiple video and power cables add clutter to your work environment. Third – and most important – a gap between the displays is inevitable, no matter how carefully you arrange them. Even the narrowest bezel creates a blind spot as your mouse pointer crosses from screen to screen.

Four years ago Ostendo brought out a curved wide monitor branded as an Alienware 43 inch. The resolution of the Ostendo CRVD was 2880 by 900 pixels (32:10 aspect ratio) which was not perfect, although it did offer an amazingly good response time of 2ms. While it was a great looking monitor, it was pricey (at around US$6 800), really heavy and required the user to be directly in the centre of the screen to reduce the effects of vertical lines in the projections.

With the advent of In-plane Switching (IPS) screen technology, numerous tech companies have worked hard in developing thinner and more flexible and subsequently longer LCD displays. The technology allows IPS panels to display consistent, accurate colour from all viewing angles and without having any blur. Unlike older LCDs, IPS panels do not lighten or show tailing when touched, which is important for touch-screen devices. The panels can process high-speed signals without data loss by using copper wiring with low resistance values giving clearer images and stable response times.

While we would all love massive

monitors on our desk we are still limited in size and it seems that most techresearch has concluded that 29 inches diagonally is a comfortable size to deal with. Great examples would be the Dell UltraSharp U2913WM, the Admiral Overseas Company AOC Q2963PM, the NEC MultiSync EA294WMi, and the ASUS MX299Q Ultra-wide IPS Monitor. Each display measures 29 inches diagonally but what makes them unique is the aspect ratio of 21:9 vs the standard 16:9 monitor.

Generally, ultrawide monitors sport a 2560 x 1080 resolution but what makes them special is the ability to support screen split functionality, 100 percent sRGB colour space expression, a 178/178 wide viewing angle and 2ms Grey-toGrey response times.

Dual Link interfaces allow for two external devices to connect simultaneously to the monitors with a regular serving of connectivity including DVI-D dual, HDMI (inclusive of a MHL port), USB 3.0 ports, Display Port, PC audio in, as well as headphone audio jack.

Each of these models delivers a very wide range of acceptable off-axis viewing angles (an especially important feature when you’re dealing with an ultrawide display). And each screen uses environmentally friendly LED backlighting, which shortens warm-up time, lowers energy costs, and reduces the quantity of damaging chemicals that eventually find their way into landfills at the end of a product’s useful life.

Sounds great, but then LG crafted something even better: a 34 inch Ultrawide Real 4K monitor featuring an IPS display that renders incredible details

thanks to its 4096 x 2160 screen resolution. Hardware calibration-ready with superb picture quality, the 34MU95 is an unbelievable piece of kit perfect for those working in design, film and other creative industries. LG believes that 21:9 aspect ratio monitors are critical to the commercial success of the growing monitor market. Hyoung-sei Park, Head of the IT Business Division at LG Electronics, explains: “The latest monitor is a remarkably versatile device with exceptional picture quality to bring video and content to life, helping creative professionals work smarter and more efficiently. We are committed to providing a solution that is second-tonone and we are excited to bring the newest model in the line up to the market, allowing users to enjoy stunning colour accuracy and an incredible level of detail for an advanced viewing pleasure.”

The 34UM95 sets a new benchmark in connectivity with its support for Thunderbolt™ 2, a revolutionary cable technology that simultaneously supports high-resolution displays and highperformance data devices through a single, compact port, allowing professionals to create an incredibly efficient work station. With features like their True Colour Pro calibration software, giving it the ability to express 99 percent of the Adobe RGB colour space, it’s leaps ahead of the rest, in fact they’ve widened the gap delivering an unparalleled immersive experience that’s put a smile on every editor’s face and a frown on the brow of the financial director! – Ian Dormer

ANIMATION

FILM

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DIGITAL FILM PRODUCTION

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087 351 0828 3rd Floor, Woodstock Exchange 66 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town Email: capetown@sae.edu Web: www.capetown.sae.edu

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SOUND PRODUCTION

Studio Recording, Music Producing, Live Sound, Music Business, Sound Design for Film, TV & Interactive Media

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Training & Education

|

Calling all aspiring filmmakers Based in Cape Town and representing a well-established international education brand, the SAE Institute South Africa provides a range of film and television courses to school-leavers looking to make a career in this challenging industry. Screen Africa asked SAE’s director and principal, David McLean about the courses on offer.

Screen Africa: What is the underlying philosophy of SAE’s film course curricula and how does it differ from other, similar courses being offered?

David McLean: Our self-imposed mandate is to produce mature, humble and receptive filmmakers that are prepared to pay their dues and evolve steadily over a lifetime. The context of ‘if you don’t earn a living from it, it is nothing more than a hobby’ underpins every aspect of our culture and tuition, and consequently all of our curricula focus as much on the business of filmmaking as the creative and technical aspects.

What sort of track record does SAE have when it comes to producing film, TV and new media professionals?

How long have the courses been in operation?

David McLean: SAE has a significant pedigree across the world with regard to the delivery of our highly credible film qualifications that marry very practical training with high levels of academic rigor.

In South Africa we have been offering our highly regarded one-year Higher Certificate programme in Digital Film Production since 2009, and launched our Bachelor of Arts in Film Production degree in February 2014.

38 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

SAE offers both certificate and degree courses. What is the difference in the content of these two courses that set the two qualifications apart? What should potential students consider when deciding which one to enrol for?

David McLean: The overarching intention of our various film production curricula is the same, with regard to producing graduates that are truly employable, based upon humility and maturity, as much as technical and creative skill. Apart from the obvious difference in duration of the Certificate and Degree programmes (one year and three years respectively), there is a higher level of academic rigor within the degree programme, and based upon the longer duration of study, the degree students are exposed to additional subjects.

The primary influences on whether a student enrolls for the Certificate or Degree are whether they graduated from high school with a university exemption (required for enrolment in the degree programme), and their budget.

In addition, SAE’s one-year programmes are world renowned for producing stellar graduates ‘after only one year’ due to the intensity of the syllabus and the quality of trainers and facilities employed. We never give our degree students preferential treatment or privileges over their certificate peers.

With the growing importance of new media in the industry, how is SAE preparing its students to create and distribute content in the world of IPTV and OTT, for example?

David McLean: The historic barriers of entry into the film industry have significantly lowered in the past decade due to more accessible and affordable equipment, and the internet as a vehicle for distribution and networking. We were early adopters of the reality that new media offers extensive job opportunities, and consequently forms an essential component of a professional’s context and skill set.

The current distribution channels are in flux and so to future-proof our students we focus equally on quality narrative and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Who are the staff involved in teaching the film course at SAE? David McLean: Our Head of Film in Cape Town is Bryce Hepburn who is not only a highly ambitious filmmaker and passionate educator but also an MBA graduate who brings his energised business savvy and entrepreneurial spirit to the film department. Bryce’s teaching team consists of Michael Brennan (http://

SIGNIFICANT PEDIGREE: David McLean, director and principal of the SAE Institute South Africa www.labspace.tv), Grant Birch (http:// www.flyonthewall.co.za), Christopher Bisset, Hein Ungerer (http://kisambo. com/tutors-hein.html), and Vicki Bawcombe (http://www.dogtail.co.za).

Dr Elsabe Pepler is our Head of Academics who partners with Bryce to ensure a powerful marriage of the art, science and business of the film industry (https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ elsabe-pepler/11/401/594).

and television, TVC, PSA and short film.

Another aspect of the SAE culture that supports the production of high calibre show reels is that our film production students collaborate with their peers and the spectacular equipment and studios of the sound production department. The result is superior sound-to-picture quality relative to many film schools that do not have the luxury of dedicated audio engineers and equipment on campus.

How does SAE strike a balance of theory and practical in its courses and what does each component consist of?

David McLean: We strike the challenging balance between the essential practical skills required for employment, and the substantial academic rigor necessary to foster and support a high level of intellectual enquiry in our students, to produce graduates whom are not only talented and skilled professionals, but who are equally valuable to society through their mature citizenship and contribution to the economy.

What are the standards by which student work is graded? Obviously every project will be different, but what are the assessment standards applied to them?

David McLean: The source of every practical or theoretical assignment at SAE must adhere to the following criteria; ‘does it appropriately stretch the mind?’ and; ‘is this directly relevant to an employment pathway?’ The exactitude of grading and standards of delivery increases exponentially as the course progresses, in the same fashion as the workflow and expectations of professionals within high pressure working environments do.

The spirit of our approach to assessment is to compassionately support the initial anxiety and lack of confidence all people experience when embarking on something new and complex, with the standards and work ethic of a commercial environment.

We foster a culture of mentorship and support, not only between the lecturers and students, but equally between senior students and students in new cohorts.

What outcomes are students required to deliver during the course?

David McLean: The variety of assessments that we utilise is diverse.

There is a large portion of practical assignments that assess narrative, creative and technical skills, juxtaposed with numerous academic papers that assess our students’ critical thinking competencies.

Our focus is short form with an emphasis on documentary, music video,

| Tracking Technology

Christie Vive Audio Christie’s Vive Audio is a complete cinema sound solution that combines three products by the company, which is renowned for its projectors and audio systems. Vive Audio Speakers combine with the CDA line of professional amplifiers and the SKA-3D audio/video processor to create a system that is optimised to take full advantage of the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) digital cinema audio format.

This complete audio solution brings an immersive experience to the cinema environment.

Combining the superior audio qualities of ribbon driver technology with the proven high quality performance of a line array speaker design – matched with Class D amplification, Christie Vive Audio is designed for accurate reproduction of all immersive cinema audio formats, including Dolby Atmos, 5.1, 7.1 and Auro 11.1.

The speaker range included in the solution consists of screen channel speakers, offering improved dynamic range and ultra-low distortion for the accurate reproduction of the original source material; subwoofers, employing high-performance components with an advanced design to deliver extremely deep bass output with minimal distortion; and surround speakers, which feature a unique integrated waveguide design to provide enhanced clarity and reduced distortion and also offer ultra-fast transient response..

Ideal for cinema applications, the Christie CDA line of professional amplifiers offer a range of power options to meet a variety of uses. Utilising an advanced high-speed Class D architecture, Christie CDA amplifiers offer high power output and efficiency and are designed for long-term, continuous operation.

Finally, the Christie SKA-3D audio/video processor provides all the processing power needed for digital cinema content – including audio. The Christie SKA-3D is also ideal for alternative content, such as preshow advertising, Blu-ray Disc players, gaming consoles, satellite receivers, computers and multiple 2D/3D sources via a built-in video scaler. This powerful all-in-one audio and video processor decodes the latest high-quality, lossless formats such as Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio® As an additional component of the Christie Vive Audio solution, the Christie IMB-S2 is a DCI compliant, fully-integrated media block that works seamlessly with a digital cinema projector to manage cinematic content efficiently and easily.

Sony SXRD-T423 4K/ 3D Projector

Sony’s new professional 4K projector delivers the highest brightness of any projector the company has so far released – 23 000 centre lumens, and up to 30 000 in high brightness mode.

The new SRX-T423 3D dual projection system is designed for installation flexibility in large-venue commercial applications such as entertainment, auditorium/lecture hall presentations, simulation, theme parks, museums and planetariums.

The 4K resolution (4096 x 2160) projector more than doubles the light efficiency of competitive 3D systems, with 40 000 lumens of 3D brightness in dual projection mode. In addition to its high brightness, it delivers a contrast ratio of 3 000:1.

The new projector was built to offer system integrators and AV professionals ease of use, while reducing maintenance issues. For example, the T423 can be fitted with lenses from other models in the SRX series line, and the unit also offers a vertical tilt angle of +/- 30 degrees, ideal for dome configurations.

The SXRD projector’s 4K resolution is derived from its 4096 by 2160 pixel matrix, providing more than 8.8 million pixels, and allowing it to deliver more than four times the resolution of today’s consumer highdefinition televisions. Sony’s 4K technology is used worldwide for a range of commercial applications such as computer visualisation, planetarium and museum exhibition, command and control, simulation, scientific research, education and defence.

The SRX-T423 projector will be availabe in September.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 4K Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera Panasonic’s new addition to its GH camera line, which features the all-important 4K upgrade, has the following features: • 16.05 Megapixel Digital Live MOS sensor and Venus engine, with vastly improved sensitivity (maximum ISO 25600) • Micro four thirds system and lens mount, large enough for shallow depth of field yet small enough to take advantage of lighter, more compact lenses. Optional adapaters can be added to enable the use of a wide range of lenses, including PL-mount • Dual OLED displays – monitor and live view finder • Magnesium alloy, weather sealed body • Wi-Fi with NFC technology, letting you use the Panasonic Image App for remote photo and video shooting with compatible smartphones or tablets.

• 49-Area AF / Custom Multi AF, allowing greater flexibility when composing shots • High-speed autofocus • Silent mode • In-Camera RAW data development. RAW images can be processed and converted to JPEG in-camera • Picture profiles • Professional 4K video recording • The DMC-GH4 brings the GH-line into the 4K age by offering both 16:9 UHD 4K 3840x2160 video at 23.98p, 24p or 29.97p, and 17:9 DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) 4K 4096x2160 videos at 24p. 4K resolutions can be recorded as MOV or MP4 files in high bitrate 100 Mbps IPB codec. 4K recording modes use a 1:1 pixel map of the sensor.

• Selectable system frequency • VFR (Variable Frame Rate)

July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 39

Tracking Technology

|

Grass Valley GV Stratus Playout

MTI Cortex dailies MTI has launched its onset dailies management system. The software is capable of handling all aspects of dailies processing in virtually any environment, from playing and mixing to transcoding, colouring, audio synching and upscaling.

Playing and mixing: works with all available professional cameras in real time, full control of codecspecific processing, common formats from editorial and finishing, support for DVS and AJA cards for professional monitoring.

Speedy workflow: transcode in the background while you work, faster than realtime GPU accelerated processing, custom keyboard and full range of keyboard shortcuts.

Colouring: set looks using Printer Lights, Lift, Gamma, Gain; ACES transform LUT import for colour management; export stills and metadata for use downstream.

Link multiple systems in a shared environment for simultaneous project collaboration.

Add render-only nodes for extra processing power.

GV Stratus Playout combines the efficiency and flexibility of cloud computing with the performance and reliability of an on-site solid-state playout serve – all on a single card.

This cloud-enabled Software as a Service (SaaS) technology enables facilities to regionalise channel content and begin playout in minutes.

GV Stratus Playout works with Grass Valley’s Densité SSP-3801 solid-state playout card, which enables broadcasters to leverage the immense flexibility of the cloud-enabled playout control system with the security of housing all media content on site. Using high-grade media storage, the module is easily configured and installed. The card sits at the edge of any network where it provides frame accurate playback and displays still and animated logos and high quality pre-rendered graphics.

Stratus makes use of Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform-as-a-service, which is hosted in Microsoft Data Centres, and is vastly superior in terms of performance, resilience and scalability to anything that could be economically viable within a broadcast facility.

All GV Stratus Playout metadata is stored within the local Microsoft Data Centre and automatically synchronised to a geo-redundant data centre – making data supremely redundant and unassailable.

Q-Gear

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| Box Office

Figures supplied by SAFACT

Top box office flicks fight the forces of evil From 20 to 22 June the villains we love to hate cast a dominating shadow on the South African box office. It seems audiences are caught in the crossfire of good vs evil, whether queuing to watch their favourite heroes battle the curveballs of college, the ferocity of a vengeful fairy or the catastrophic effects of cancer…

22 Jump Street Bringing in R3 029 936 locally in its opening weekend and a whopping $57 071 445 in the weekend of its international release, 22 Jump Street seems destined to overtake its 2012 predecessor in a clash of brains vs brawn. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill fuse fratboy funny with outrageous action sequences in this smash hit directed by Phil Lord.

The Fault in Our Stars After two weeks on circuit The Fault in Our Stars, released by Time Media Films, continues to charm SA audiences with sincere performance and cute chemistry. Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley delight with heaps of hope and the age old idea that love conquers all. This heart-warming story, based on the novel by John Green, has earned the film R3 316 065 at the local box office, with 41 prints.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 This detailed, rich and adrenaline-charged animation

by DreamWorks’ animation, of How to Train Your Dragon 2, earned R4 589 996 at the local box office in its opening weekend. Though international earnings are up 15% from the first fiery film, the sequel’s stats fall short of scorching. Jay Baruchel and Gerard Butler are the voices of virtue which go against the enemy, voiced by Djimon Hounsou, in this battle of beasts.

Edge of Tomorrow Warner Bros’ big budget sci-fi movie Edge of Tomorrow may struggle to garner enough gross needed to punch a profit on the $178m it cost to make.

In its second week the film took R4 708 997 nationally, a 55% drop from opening weekend earnings, despite promising reviews. According to critics, it seems that in addition to guarding the world against aliens in this latest offering, Tom Cruise is inevitably fighting fading Hollywood stardom.

A Million Ways to Die in the West Directed by and starring Seth MacFarlane, A Million Ways to Die in the West earned a meagre R2 571 285 locally and grossed only US$40 302 450 in the US after four weeks of release. Universal Pictures has expressed disappointment with worldwide box office earnings for the Western, which stars a gunslinging Liam Neeson as the bad guy and Charlize Theron as the leading lady, though there are hopes that it could pick up among MacFarlane fans in the long run.

Fading Gigolo Paramount’s Fading Gigolo, written by and starring John Turturro with a comedic cast that includes Woody Allen, Sharon Stone and Sofia Vergara, has been met with mixed reviews, earning only R707 421 nationally.

An intersection of comedy and drama, the film’s steamy plot features Turturro as a modern day Don Juan, which comes across as slightly implausible.

Maleficent Who better to play Disney’s dark and devious Maleficent character than the spellbinding Angelina Jolie. With worldwide earnings of $292.8m the film is her biggest live-action movie ever, topping the success of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. In its third week at the local box office Maleficent, released by Ster-Kinekor, has earned R7 643 797 with 100 prints.

The Sleeping Beauty remake directed by Robert Stromberg, which largely appeals to female moviegoers among a spread of man-flicks, has piqued the curiosity of Jolie and Disney fans alike.

– Compiled by Carly Barnes

July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 41

WEB NEWS

|

www.screenafrica.com

Africa Magic launches VOD platform for Africans living in the US

Africa Magic, a channel which offers original African film and television content, has launched a video on demand (VOD) portal, Africa Magic Go (AMGO), catering to African audiences in the US. Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, regional director

at Africa Magic says, “With so many Africans living in the US, there is a great demand for programming for Africans by Africans, one that is now filled by Africa Magic GO. Africa Magic is committed to promoting African talent and creating global platforms that make content accessible to Africans, and those following African culture, across the world.”

For $8 per month the commercial-free service offers users 24 hour access to hundreds of the latest African films and series, including live streams of special events and reality shows as well as top shows from Nollywood (Nigeria) and Ghallywood (Ghana).

Photo Courtesy: www.itnewsafrica.com

On Tuesday 17 June, South African president, Jacob Zuma delivered his second State of the Nation Address 42 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

Chris Maroleng

Photo courtesy: www.satellitemarkets.com

Vislink, a global technology company which provides the broadcast industry with secure video and data communications delivery, has entered into a co-operation with satellite

John Wilson

large measure to Wilson’s skills, contacts and vision.

Zuma on SA’s broadband policy

President Jacob Zuma

Chris Maroleng, eNCA’s Africa editor, has resigned and will leave the broadcaster after six years to pursue opportunities in the corporate sector from 12 July.

Ben Said, group news editor says, “eNCA can confirm that Chris Maroleng has resigned. The good work done by Chris and his team will continue. eNCA remains committed to bringing credible and balanced news from around the African continent. He will be greatly missed for his knowledge and expertise.”

Since joining the team which started eNews Africa, Maroleng and the Africa team have built eNCA into a reliable and well-respected source of Africa news. His show, Africa 360, has built up a loyal viewership on eNCA and he has been actively involved in setting up news bureaus in Nairobi and Lagos.

Vislink enters into co-operation with ND SatCom

IBC President dies John Wilson, longstanding chairman of the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) passed away at the age of 82. Wilson was the driving force behind the transformation of IBC from 1990 onwards, and can be regarded as the architect of the convention as we know it today.

Prior to his work with IBC, Wilson had been a successful member of the business community, finishing his career as sales director at Link Electronics and founding a displays business, Anna Valley.

By 1990 it had become clear that IBC, which had already been running for 23 years, moving from venue to venue as it expanded, had become limited by its Brighton ‘home’, and Wilson recognised that to move it on to the next level it needed a dramatic change in the way that it was run. Many people were involved in this transition, but most involved freely admit that its success was due in very

eNCA Africa Editor resigns

(SONA) which had a focus on the economy, job creation and the country’s broadband policy.

According to the president: “the government will endeavour to modernise, expand and increase affordability of information and communications infrastructure. Included in this will be broadband internet.”

In February 2014 Zuma delivered a SONA speech in which he maintained that a big portion of South Africa’s wealth was being created through the internet and telecommunications industries and stated that the public and private sectors had already laid approximately 37 000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable. To this he added: “this will be significantly expanded upon over the years.”

SKYWAN 5G modem

communication solutions supplier ND SatCom. The agreement will allow each of the companies to access each other’s product portfolios, enabling them to cater to their respective broadcast and surveillance markets with an offering of suitable products.

Ashley Dove, solutions engineering director at Vislink says “This agreement has also opened the door to further joint development down the line, and for Vislink’s technology to be integrated into a wider range of SATCOM equipment overall.”

DRM promotes digital radio technology in Africa Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), an international non-profit group which designs and implements digital audio broadcasting technologies that work over AM broadcasting bands, aims to extend its platform into southern Africa.

Ruxandra Obreja, DRM chairman, says, “The DRM global standard can be used in all radio frequency bands and is ideal for the large countries of southern Africa.

From national networks and regional stations to smaller commercial and community stations, all would be able to broadcast their digital radio programmes with enhanced content and in excellent sound quality to everyone in their respective countries. DRM is an ideal African digital solution and we have high hopes of the activity of the newly created DRM Southern Africa Platform, now open to all those interested.”

The DRM30 and DRM+ configurations

DRM receiver make up the DRM standard. DRM30 is intended for short, medium and long wave broadcasts up to 30MHz and is able to offer large coverage areas and low power consumption. VHF bands above 30MHz are under the DRM+ configuration, which is designed with broadcaster-controlled transmissions for local and regional coverage.

| WEB NEWS Al Jazeera releases statement on journalists’ guilty trial verdict

Ster-Kinekor upgrades Sandton City cinema with Cine Prestige

Screen grab from #FreeAJStaff campaign Ster-Kinekor Cine Prestige Three Al Jazeera journalists; Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed and Peter Greste were arrested in Cairo on 29 December 2013 after being accused of working with the Muslim Brotherhood group.

On 23 June, after spending 177 days in jail, they were put on trial and given guilty verdicts. Greste and Fahmy were sentenced to seven years and Mohamed was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Al Jazeera has maintained that their staff is innocent and English Managing Director Al Anstey has released the following statement: “Today three colleagues and friends

were sentenced, and will continue behind bars for doing a brilliant job of being great journalists. ‘Guilty’ of covering stories with great skill and integrity.

‘Guilty’ of defending people’s right to know what is going on in their world.

“There is only one sensible outcome now. For the verdict to be overturned, and justice to be recognised by Egypt.

We must keep our voice loud to call for an end to their detention.

“We will continue with resolve and determination until Baher, Peter and Mohamed are free and safely reunited with their families.”

The Ster-Kinekor cinema at Sandton City has been upgraded with the cinema chain’s premium cinema experience: Cine Prestige.

Doug Place, marketing executive of Ster-Kinekor Theatres says: “We are very proud of this development at our Sandton site, as we continue to bring the very best in cinema entertainment to our audiences across the country.”

Fitted with 52 automated recliner chairs, each with a built-in snack tray and a refrigerated cup-holder, Cine Prestige exemplifies film-viewing heaven and

pure luxury.

Place adds: “The upgrades to the seats in our new Sandton cinema, including the automated reclining facility and a refrigerated cup-holder, ensure a smooth, sleek and ultra-comfortable cinema experience.”

Smart phone users can download the Ster-Kinekor App on their Nokia, Samsung Android, iPhone or Blackberry to access what’s new, which films are releasing when, and to make a booking.

Photo courtesy EVS

Hard to Get opens Durban International Film Festival Hard to Get, a feature film directed by Zee Ntuli and produced by Junaid Ahmed and Helena Spring, will open the 35th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), which takes place from 17 to 27 July at the Tsogo Sun hotel on the Durban beachfront.

The film tells the story of a young philanderer from a small community who falls in love with a young and attractive thief. The young man, who soon finds himself in Joburg’s criminal underworld, realises he is out of his depth and needs

to trust the thief.

Peter Machen, DIFF festival manager, says: “I am very excited about Hard to Get. It’s a beautifully made film that works on every level and will satisfy commercial and art-house audiences alike. I also think that it’s going to make instant stars of its two leads Thishiwe Ziqubu and Pallance Dladla, who are both electrifying, as well as director Zee Ntuli, who is virtually guaranteed a bright future on the global filmmaking stage on the basis of this first feature.”

Zee Ntuli

July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 43

PR ODU CT IO N

UPDATES FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT www.screenafrica.com

Those productions in red are newly listed this month Production Updates Order of Information 1. Title 2. Production Company 3. Director 4. Genre

IN DEVELOPMENT 69 BODIES/SHARPEVILLE Tamol Media Prod: Thabang Molibeli Feature 80 MINUTES Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature

Camping Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature CAPE OF GOOD HOPE Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature CHILDREN OF FAMOUS ACTIVISTS Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature CINDERELLA Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature

Are Aganeng/Asakhaneni Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni Talk Show

Cybervisions Writer:Tawanda Murimirwa Completed Sci-Fi Screenplay

A Bank in Krugersdorp (Working Title) Panda Broadcast Prod: Sam Groenewald Feature Film

DIE VERHAAL VAN RACHELTJIE DE BEER Nostalgia Productions Prod: Brett Michael Innes Feature

A LION IN THE BEDROOM Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature

Die Vervoerder Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Feature

AT THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE Zen Crew Prod: Laura Tarling Documentary

ENTREPRENEURS Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Magazine

HEAVEN – AFRICA 2 Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature

PARADISE Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie

The Mountain of the Night Nostalgia Productions Prod: Herman Mabizela/Brett Michael Innes Feature

HHOLA HHOLA Vuleka Productions Prod: Julie Frederikse / Madoda Ncayiyana Feature

PASSARES (BIRDISH) White Heron Pictures / Casa De Criacao Cinema Prod: Themba Sibeko Feature

The Norwegian Brothers (Working Title) Panda Broadcast Prod: Sam Groenewald Feature Film

High School Modeling Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni Feature

Pippie se Towerkombuis Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Variety

The Reggies Rush Nostalgia Productions Prod: Brett Michael Innes Feature

HOEHLENMENSCH Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie

JIVA Tamol Media Prod: Thabang Molibeli Feature

BIG FRIEND LITTLE FRIEND Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie

EX PATS Current Affrairs Films / French Connection Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Series

9/13/11

THE HITCHERS: A GHOST STORY Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Short Film

IIQ Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature

ESCAPE Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Beata Lipman Feature

1

PALACE OF THE FAITHLESS White Heron Pictures Dir: Themba Sibeko Feature

HOTEL SONGOLOLO The Media Workshop Dir: Benito Carelsen Series

BREAD AND WATER Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature Documentary

howard music SACA ADVERT_bold.pdf

FORSAKEN DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature

11:18 AM

KING SEKHUKHUNE Sukuma Media Prod: Leonard Sekhukhune / Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature Film LEKKERKAMPPLEKKE Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Variety MANCHE, THE AFRICAN SAINT Get the Picture Prod/Dir: Jacky Lourens / Fiona Summers Documentary MOM’S CHOICE Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature Film

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C O N TACT w w w. h ow a rd m u s i c . co . z a +27 (0)72 994 9695 +27 (0)11 463 8538 a d a m @ h ow a rd m u s i c . co . z a 44 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

NEW BEGINNINGZ Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhanhla Ncube Documentary NIXEN ALARM Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV movie NONGOLOZA/ THE BLOOD KING AND THE RED DRAGON Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Mtutuzeli Matshoba Feature Oscar Pistorius Synergy Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Documentary

Ponte Nostalgia Productions/ Black Irish Productions Prod: Jamie Ramsay/Brett Michael Innes Feature Rachel Weeping Nostalgia Productions Prod: Johan Kruger/ Brett Michael Innes Feature SARAH GRAHAM: BITTEN 2 Okuhle Media Dir: Chris Lotz Series Sea Monster Triggerfish Animation Studios Dir: Anthony Silverston Animated Feature SEBOKENG MPA (Motswako) Dir: Charls Khuele / Zuko Nodada Feature Sin Bin Diamond Hill / Engage Entertainment / Coco TV Prod: Sisanda Henna / Stephen Lorenzo Documentary The Dandelion ShootAway Production Prod: Patrick Walton Drama THE DREADED EVIL EYE FROM PAST TO PRESENT AND ACROSS CULTURES Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Documentary The Exchange Engage Entertainment PROD: Stephen Lorenzo Feature THE GIFT Ferguson Films Prod: Shona and Connie Ferguson, Bobby Heaney TV Feature Film THE GREAT KAROO Current Affairs Films/ White Pine Pictures Prod: Jane Lipman Series

The Sales Lab Time Frame TV Prod: Vanessa Yelseth, Jasmyn Asvat Series THE SCORES ARE IN Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Game Show TIENERWERELD Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Jarrod de Jong Variety TURN THE TABLES Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Magazine WAY TWO ROLL Way To Roll Pictures Dir: Freddie Strauss Feature Welcome To Art Michics Global Communications Exec Prod: Mishack Motshweni TV Series Westgate Shopping Mall attack (Working Title) Media Village Productions Prod: Diane Vermooten Documentary WHIPLASH Get the Picture Prod/Dir: Jacky Lourens / Meg Rickards Feature Zakouma Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke/ Bertha Spieker Feature ZEN FILM CREW MANAGEMENT ZEN Film Crew Management Prod / Dir: Laura Tarling Commercial

IN PRE-PRODUCTION ABLAND PROPERTY DEVELOPERS FC Hamman Films Dir: FC Hamman Marketing Video Alex on 7th Xcut Studios Dir: Engelbert Phiri Documentary

PRODUCTION ANDOLEX Xcut Studios Prod: Guy Bragge TV commercial

Medical Male Circumcision Meropa Prod: Feizel Mamdoo Documentary

BINNELAND Stark Films Prod/Dir: Friedrich / Elsje Stark Series

ATTACHMENT PARENTING Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Insert

PHOENIX RISING...THE BUSINESS OF STYLE SEASON 2 Phoenix Entertainment and Production Prod/Dir: Koketso Sefanyetso Reality

BODA BODA THIEVES Switch Films Prod: James Tayler Feature

BIG BROTHER ANGOLA Endemol South Africa Prod: Terja Beney, Llonka Geudes Reality CASE Tamol Media Thabang Molibeli Short Film De Brazzaville a Johannesburg Site et sons media productions Dir: Elvis Nkosi Feature Film Die Laaste Ure: Inconnu French Film Festival Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Producer: Jarrod de Jong Short film

SEATBELT MEDIC FC Hamman Films Dir: FC Hamman Commercial SLENDER WONDER INFORMATION VIDEO Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Information Video SOCIAL WORKER Tamol Media Thabang Molibeli Short film STICKS+STONES (Working Title) Fireworx Media/ Tunc Prodcutions Prod: Bridget Pickering Telenovela

Domestic Bliss 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Advertising Funder Project

THE MESSENGER FOOTPRINT MEDIA TV Prod: Annalise Van Rensburg Series

EL ELJON PROJECTS FC Hamman Films Director: FC Hamman Marketing Video

Unashamedly Ethical Media Village Productions Prod: Diane Vermooten Awards and Gala Evening

ESPAFRIKA PRESENTS THE CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 2014 ESPafrika Prod/Dir: Rashid Lombard / Yana Lombard / John Bright Documentary

WORKERSLIFE NETWORK MARKETING FC Hamman Films Director: FC Hamman Marketing Video

GENERATION FREE Okuhle Media Dir: Jemima Spring Series GENiAS Khinc Studios Dir: Khalid EL – Jelailati Feature Film GRIZMEK Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker TV Movie HIDDEN HOLOCAUST IN THE DUNES: GENOCIDE IN NAMIBIA Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Series IHAWU LE SISWE Black Drop Prods Prod/ Dir: Sechaba Morojele TV Series LOVE MORE: POLYAMORY IN SOUTH AFRICA Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Series KNYSNA West Five Films Prod/ Dir: Maynard Kraak; Andre Velts Feature Film MARRY ME IN MZANZI Blue Marble Entertainment Dir: Eugene Botha Series

IN PRODUCTION 3 TALK Urban Brew Talk Show 20 and Free X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Documentary 50/50 Clive Morris Productions Current Affairs 53 EXTRA M-Net Inhouse Productions Dir: Navan Chetty Magazine 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 Brad Montgomery/Natalie Varoy Corporate BIG BROTHER MZANSI Endemol South Africa Prod: Terja Beney, Liza Kleitman Reality

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BRAVO! Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Magazine BONISANANI Grounded Media Talk Show Bugatti Together Lucky Fish Productions Dir: Raphaël Crombez Commercial CARTE BLANCHE (INSERTS) Modern Times Prod: Sophia Phirippides News Carte Blanche shorts TIA productions Prod / Dir: Tarryn Lee Crossman News CLASH OF THE CHOIRS Endemol South Africa Prod: Josh Feldman Talent / Reality COOL CATS Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Cecil Berry Children’s Show

Cnr. Frost avenue & owl street | Milpark | Jo’burg t +27 [11] 482 7111

www.atlasstudios.co.za

CORTEX MINING FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video COME DINE WITH ME SOUTH AFRICA Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine Reality CUTTING EDGE SABC News Current Affairs Debra Deel Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott, Wynand Dreyer Series DINNER DIVAS 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Series Ditokelo tsa Medupi LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature DIY MET RIAAN Prod: Riaan Venter-Garforth Magazine EASTERN MOSAIC Red Carpet Productions Prod: Saira Essa / Mark Corlett Magazine END GAME Fireworx Media/ Tunc Productions Prod: Bridget Pickering Dir: Akin Omotoso/ Thandie Brewer/ Thabang Moleya Feature EXPRESSO (Season 2) Cardova Prod: Paul van Deventer Series

Unit C5 RobeRtville Mini FaCtoRies 255 nadine stReet RobeRtville RoodepooRt 1709

FACE OF GEMINI Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Series

Free State Toursim Indaba Our Time Productions Dir: Jaun de Meillon Corporate

Facility Management Lectures (A4FM) Panache Video Productions Dir/ Prod: Liesel Eiselen Educational

FRENZY Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Morena Sefatsa Variety

Faith Today Impact Christian Media Prod: Carl Schultz TV Series FOX NEWS CHANNEL Betta Beta Communications Prod/Dir: Tommy Doig News

GENERATIONS Morula Pictures Prod: Mfundi Vundla Series GOOD MORNING AFRICA Planet Image Productions SA Prod/Dir: Wale Akinlabi Magazine

July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 45

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UPDATES MASHELENG1 LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature

PROJECT MV Zen Crew Prod: Laura Tarling Music

MASHELENG 2 LMOL Production Dir: Jonny Muteba Feature

Rands with Sense 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Education

MASSMART CSI REPORT SummerTime Productions Prod/Dir: Roxanne Rolando / Sean Gardiner Corporate Video

RHYTHM CITY Quizzical Pictures Prod: Yula Quinn Soapie

MassTalk Global Access Creative Agency Prod: Brad Montgomery Corporate Unit 3, Harbour Place, 1061 Schooner Road, Laser Park, Honeydew

GOSPEL GOLD Engage Entertainment Prod: Sthembile Mhlongu Music

ISIDINGO Endemol South Africa Prod: Pumla Hoppa, Leo Phiri Soap

Got It Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Guy Sclanders Corporate

JOU SHOW Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Talkshow comedy

GROEN Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Wildlife

KOKKEDOOR 2 Homebrew films Prod: Jaco Loubser and Paul Venter Cooking reality series

Had Better Days Uniquely Novel Productions Prod/Dir: Deon VD Merwe Feature Film

KOLLIG Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Magazine

HECTIC 99 Okuhle Media Prod: Wilna van Schalkwyk Magazine

KONA The Directors Team (Pty) Ltd Prod/Dir: Laurence Lurie / Cathy Sykes Series

HITACHI POWER AFRICA MEDUPI AND KUSILE Betta Beta Communications Prod/Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary HOPE NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer 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 IMIZWILILI Ukhamba Productions Prod: Alfred Mpofu Music INKABA Urban Brew Studios Prod: John Kani Telenovela

46 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

KOOLCON CORPORATE VIDEO FiX Post Production/ Marketing AV Marketing Video KWELA Pieter Cilliers Productions Prod/Dir: Pieter Cilliers Magazine LATE NITE NEWS ON E.TV Diprente Productions Prod: Tamsin Andersson Series 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

MATRICS UPLOADED Educational Improvement and Study Help (EISH) Prod: Lisa Blakeway Educational MILLIONAIRES Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature MOTSWAKO Carol Bouwer Productions Prod: Grant Paul Roy Talk Show MCA Training Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Guy Sclanders Corporate MUVHANGO Word of Mouth Prod: Pieter Grobbelaar Feature My name is Funeka Sabido Productions Dir/Prod: Catherine Rice Documentary

RHYTHM CITY INTERACTIVE Quizzical Pictures / e.tv Prod: Viva Liles-Wilkin Interactive Platform Media RIVONINGO Asi-B Films Prod: Asivhanzi ‘Asi’ Mathaba Children’s Show ROCKING FUTURE SummerTime Productions Prod: Sean Gardiner / Tanya Vandenberg Educational Video

Slender Wonder Patient Testimonial Videos Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Corporate Videos SOCCER ZONE SABC Sports Head: Sizwe Nzimande Magazine

STUDY MATE Educational Improvement and Study Help (EISH) Exec 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

Shreds and Dreams Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Series

NEWS NIGHT eNews Prod: Nikiwe Bikitsha Current Affairs

SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine Global TV Commercial

Oscar Pistorius Documentary Inserts TIA Productions Dir/ Prod: Tarryn Crossman Documentary

SA’S GOT TALENT Rapid Blue Prod/Dir: Kee-Leen Irvine Talent show

POWER COMBAT ZONE Mixed Motion Entertainment Dir: Dieter Gottert Sport

Slender Wonder Doctors Conference Grey Cloud Productions Dir: Jacques Brand Prod: Slender Wonder Corporate Video

ROOTS Ukhamba Communications Prod: Alfred Mpofu Music

NET1 – SASSA Betta Beta Communications Prod: Tommy Doig Corporate

PBS EXTENDED NEWS PROGRAMMING Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature

SIYAKHOLWA – WE BELIEVE X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Edutainment

SODA AND Mayoral Awards Global Access Creative Agency Guy Sclanders Corporate

SAKEGESPREK MET THEO VORSTER SEASON 5 Dirk Mostert Camera Production Prod/ Dir: Dirk Mostert Series

PAWN STARS SOUTH AFRICA Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine, Ed Worster, Johan Naude and Kat Weatherall Reality

SISTERHOOD Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Andy Leze Variety

ROLLING WITH KELLY KHUMALO Red Pepper Prod: Cecil Barry Reality

MZANSI INSIDER Bonngoe Productions Prod: Pepsi Pokane Magazine

PASELLA Tswelopele Productions Dir: Liani Maasdorp / Werner Hefer Magazine

SHIFT Urban Brew Talk 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 SHIZ NIZ Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Allen Makhubele Variety

THE CHAT ROOM Eclipse Prod: Thokozani Nkosi Talk Show THE CODE BREAKER NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary 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 LAST GREAT TUSKERS NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary 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

PRODUCTION TOP TRAVEL (Season 3) Cardova Prod: Bradley van den Berg Series

Challenge SOS 2 Blonds and a Redhead Filming Prod: Anne Myers Reality

Transnet Financial Results Global Access Creative Agency Dir: Brad Montgomery Corporate

Collide Media Village Productions Prod: Ardeen Munnik TV Series

Troopship Tragedy (Working Title) Sabido Productions Prod/Dir: Marion Edmunds Documentary

FORMIDABELE VROUE: CISSY GOOL Khaki Productions Prod/Dir: Christelle Parrott/ Wynand Dreyer Documentary

TSHIPE BORWA MANGANESE MINE Betta Beta Communications Prod / Dir: Tommy Doig Documentary Vaseline Experience Xcut Studios Dir: Lee Anne Theron 4D AV production 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

Hear Me Move Coal Stove Pictures / FiX Post Production Dir: Scottnes L.Smith Feature IQILI Impucuzeko Prod: Sharon Kakora Feature THE FLAWED GENIUS OF JAN SMUTS Tekweni TV production Prod/Dir: Sandra Herrington / Neville Herrington Documentary Joyous 18 RM Recording Prod: Lindelani Mkhize Other JULIUS HAS A DREAM Creative South Africa, Nkanyethi Productions,Jam TV Prod: Bathelemy Ngwessam Documentary

YILENGELO LAKHO Prod: Nndanganeni Mudau Current Affairs

KADARA Media Navigation Prod: Dan Akinlolu/ Biola Karonwi TV Drama

ZOOM IN Footprint Media TV Prod: Cheryl Delport Talk show

Kerels wat Kook Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant Reality TV Series

IN POST-PRODUCTION A BUSHMAN ODYSSEY Onetime Films Prod: Richard Wicksteed Documentary A DIFFERENT COUNTRY Sabido Productions Dir: Lisa Henry Documentary series A Love Letter to Luxor Shadow Films Prod/Dir: David Forbes Short Film 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 AFROX SHEQ INDUCTION FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Commercial

NEW LAND Plexus Films/ Four Corners Media Dir: Kyle O’ Donoghue TV Series NORTHMEN Two Oceans Productions Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature Nyaope Gangsters LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature PERFECT SHISHEBO Quizzical Pictures Prod: Nthabiseng Mokoena Series PLAY MORE GOLF FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Commercials Pushi- Passion LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Series Rockville Season 2 Ferguson Films Prod: Shona and Connie Ferguson, Bobby Heaney TV Series

SAFE BET Sukuma Media Producer: Nokuthula Sakhile Mguni / Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature Film SANOFI Xcut Studios Prod: Guy Bragge AV production SIYAYA Francois Odendaal Productions Prod/Dir: Francois Odendaal Series SLENDER WONDER FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video SLENDER WONDER MJ LABS FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video Solo Flight Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke/ Bertha Spieker Feature Spud 3: Learning to Fly Rogue Star Films Dir: John Barker Feature SWARTWATER Quizzical Pictures Prod: Bianca Isaac Dir: John Trengove/ Jozua Malherbe/ Denny Y Miller Series SURVIVOR Endemol South Africa Prod: Anton Burggraaf, Josh Feldman Reality THE CHEETAH DIARIES SERIES 4 NHU Africa Prod: Vyv Simson / Donfrey Meyer Documentary The calling LMOL Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature The Lighthouse Run SummerTime Productions Dir: Tanya Vandenberg Documentary The Message Reel Edge Studios Dir: David Golden TV Drama Series THE SHORE BREAK Marie -Verite Films and Frank Films Prod: Ryley Grunenwald, Odette Geldenhuys Documentary THE STORY OF LITTLE FOOT Paul Myburgh Film Prod: Paul Myburgh Documentary THE TRANSPORTERS Sukuma Media/ Reality Motion Pictures Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Documentary Traffic Penguin Films Prod: Roberta Durrant TV Series

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UPCOMING EVENTS

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JULY 17 – 27 Durban International Film Festival

Durban www.durbanfilmfest.co.za 18 – 21 Durban FilmMart

Durban www.durbanfilmfest.co.za 25 – 3 Aug New Hope Film Festival

Pennsylvania www.withoutabox.com

28 – 2 Aug The Shungu Namutitima

International Film Festival of Zambia

Livingstone, Zambia www.viloleimages.com

AUGUST 29 – 1 Sep Telluride Film Festival

Telluride, Colorado www.telluridefilmfestival.org

SEPTEMBER 11 – 16 The International Broadcasting

Convention

Amsterdam www.ibc.org 12 – 16

Content Everywhere Europe

Amsterdam www.ibc.org

13 African Oscars-NAFCA

Beverly Hills www.africanoscar.com

15 – 21 Loeries Creative Week

Cape Town www.loeries.com

23 – 26 Abuja International Film Festival

Abuja, Nigeria www.abujafilmfestival.org

24 – 5 Oct The Raindance Film Festival

London www.raindancefestival.org

UNDER THE MOUNTAIN Plexus Films Prod: Miki Redelinghuys,/ Lauren Groenewald Short film Unfriend Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke/Bertha Spieker Feature VKB LANDBOU BEPERK FC Hamman Films Prod: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video When I Was Water Shadow Films Dir: David Forbes Documentary XJ-1 Eternal Film Productions Prod: Marius Swanepoel/ Dana Pretorius Feature You Deserve It 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

July 2014 | SCREENAFRICA | 47

Social

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Photos by Carly Barnes

Independent Mzansi Short Film Festival (IMSFF)

Pieter Lourens, Anna Davel, Andre Odendaal and Andre Lotter

Leon Loubscher, Alex Gansallo and Robert Van De Coolwijk

Bonginhlanhla ‘Mr B’ Ncube and John Wani

Opening of IMAX cinema, The Grove

Crucinda Erasmus and Evan Saunders (Fortress of Solitude)

Ruben Delmage (Groot FM) with two of the IMAX morphs

A group of revellers

48 | SCREENAFRICA | July 2014

President of IMAX EMEA, Andrew Cripps and Film Studio Marketing Manager of Ster-Kinekor Theatres, Donna Cooper

Pieter Koen and his sons

Singers, Bobby van Jaarsveld, Annatjie van Jaarsveld and Dewald Wasserfall

Riaan Norval, Bridget St Clair, Sefan Rheeder (Marketing Manager UIP) and Lyle Pascoe (Head of Design Ster-Kinekor)

www.kwazulunatalfilm.co.za.

Sony PXW-X180 and PXW-X160.

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PXW-X180 / PXW-X160

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Sony and Sony logo are trademarks of Sony Corporation.

AVCHD and AVCHD logo are trademarks of Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation.

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