Screen Africa - March 2012

SAFTAS BROADCAST, FILM, COMMERCIALS, NEW MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

www.screenafrica.com

VOL 24 – March 2012 R35.00

introducing

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QUALITY CONTROL

DISTRIBUTION & PACKAGING

DIGITAL ARCHIVING

EDITORIAL & PROMOS

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TECHNOLOGIES

6th Annual South African Film & Television Awards ‘Celebrating South African Talent’

9 & 10 March 2012

BROADCAST, FILM, COMMERCIALS, NEW MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY NEWS

www.screenafrica.com

VOL 24 – March 2012 R35.00

Spotlight on broadcast regulations An Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) conference on 20 and 21 February brought together international guests and local

Nates under new management Randburg-based rentals house Nates Audio Visual is under new management following the resignation of Nathaniel Nel (Nate) at the end of 2011.

Screen Africa can confirm that the original shareholders remain committed to the business and believe that the latest developments are in the best interest of the company as well as those associated with it.

Qualified chartered accountant Martin Smookler has been appointed the company’s managing director. The shareholders maintain that Smookler, with his financial acumen and dynamic, charismatic personality, provides a pillar of strength for the company and a solid foundation on which to build the future direction and strategy.

– to page 43

stakeholders to discuss broadcasting regulations in the digital future.

Submissions were made from local organisations including the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA); the South African Communications Forum (SACF); the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE); the Film and Publication Board (FPB); the Communications Workers Union (CWU); the SOS: Support Public Broadcasting Coalition; South African Screen Federation (SASFED); Media Monitoring Africa (MMA); the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB); and the National Community Radio Forum (NCRF).

The international delegates from Australia, Canada and the Isle of Man also shared their countries’ experiences around the migration to digital terrestrial television (DTT).

ICASA chairperson Dr Stephen Mncube started the proceedings and noted that ICASA had already consulted with NGOs, media houses, training organisations and community broadcasters during an eight-province roadshow.

“We have engaged with industry representatives, heard their views and took them into account,” said Dr Mncube.

“At ICASA we are always trying to benchmark ourselves against international best practice, and this consultation – to page 43

Massive Namibian film development A new eco-friendly film infrastructure and tourism development in Namibia aims to transform it into the ‘most film-friendly country in the world’.

Desert Star Motion Picture Studios and Resorts plans to combine permanent film sets with film studios and production facilities, as well as 7-star resort accommodation, an international airport and a golf course designed by South

Africa’s Ernie Els. They plan to develop 10 sites in Namibia through a 10 year rollout plan, with construction on the first and flagship site, Desert Star South on the banks of the Orange River in south east Namibia, to start in October this year.

CEO of Desert Star Holdings, Rudolf Markgraaff, says he got the idea while on a location recce for a period piece – to page 43

TIME WARP: Shooting Bosbok Ses Films’ Anglo-Boer War drama Verraaiers in Gauteng. See page 12

TopTV’s local content focus New interim CEO of South African satellite pay-TV operator TopTV, Eddie Mbalo, is committed to re-defining how local broadcasters should interact with the independent production sector.

Speaking to Screen Africa at the end of February, Mbalo said that local content was something that he had been fighting for throughout his career, first as an independent producer and more recently as the former CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF).

“It doesn’t matter whether TopTV has a mandated local content quota or not, we should know by now that in South

Africa local content is king. The top 10 programmes in the last 10 years are local. TopTV will have local content and we’ll do everything we can to give audiences good quality,” stated Mbalo.

He declined to give timeframes as the TopTV business is currently under review by the board of On Digital Media (ODM), owner of TopTV. (Mbalo was nominated to the board last year in June and appointed as chairperson on 1 August.)

“Broadcasters can’t keep commissioning local programming and keep 100% of the rights,” continued Mbalo.

“We have to give a slice of the cake to local producers at the back end. So we must look at all options and listen to the independent production sector’s viewpoint.

“It’s very important that the local industry establish itself as a business. The first thing that broadcasters need to do is be open to discussion. We should – to page 44

From the editor

Accolades aplenty By the time you read this, the 6th Annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAS) will have taken place, the industry will have awarded its best and a well deserved few will be the proud possessors of coveted Golden Horn trophies. Hopefully there won’t be too many sore losers because, clichéd though it always sounds, it’s one heck of an achievement just to be nominated for such a prestigous awards event.

Run under the custodianship of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), the SAFTAS exist to inspire industry practitioners to reach the ultimate heights in their productions. The 2012 SAFTAS received a whopping 238 entries, the highest number since the awards were introduced six years ago. This is surely an indication of the industry’s continued support and confidence in the SAFTAS. An ideal situation would see each and every single film and TV show produced over the year entered.

One of our front page stories reports on big growth in the Southern African film industry in the form of a mega film studio development, complete with tourism and green elements, in Namibia. A South African production, Regardt van den Bergh’s The Lamb, is already lined-up to shoot at Desert Star Motion Picture Studios. A number of international productions have reportedly shown interest.

Should Desert Star take off it will boost job creation and develop the local film infrastructure in leaps and bounds.

Another front page story should prove encouraging for South African producers. The interim CEO of satellite pay-TV service TopTV, Eddie Mbalo, aims to put a strong focus on local content in TopTV’s offering. Mbalo is well known to the industry as the former CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and has proved that if anyone is committed to growing local content, he is.

Moving on to more technological matters, the advent of digital has totally revolutionised the way in which film and television is produced. However, it has resulted in gargantuan amounts of digital data that needs to be carefully managed, moved around and stored. Our special feature will provide production companies, post-production facilities and broadcasters with the latest news and information pertaining to asset management and archiving.

In another special feature we take a look at South Africa’s equipment rentals sector, which reports vibrant activity despite the on-going recession and cutting down of budgets.

As you will read, these rentals houses are primed and ready to supply the latest state of the art equipment for any kind of production.

Joanna Sterkowicz

SCREENAFRICA Editor: Joanna Sterkowicz: editor@screenafrica.com

Publisher & Managing Editor: Simon Robinson: publisher@screenafrica.com

In-house Journalist: Linda Loubser: news@screenafrica.com

Advertisement Sales: Marianne Schafer: marianne@screenafrica.com Hermione Ballinger: hermi@screenafrica.com

Contributors: Andy Stead, Karen van Schalkwyk, Martin Chemhere, Ian Dormer, Anton Crone Sub-Editor: Tina Heron Ratings: Enid Venter enid@ihjohannesburg.co.za Head of Design: Trevor Ou Tim: design@screenafrica.com Website & Production Updates: Simba Nyamukachi: online@screenafrica.com Subscriptions: Delight Ngwenya: adminsa@screenafrica.com

Accounts: Marietjie Esterhuizen: accounts@screenafrica.com Front Office: Delight Ngwenya: adminsa@screenafrica.com

Sun Circle Publishers (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 025-3180 Physical address: Block A, Process House Epsom Downs Office Park 13 Sloane Street, Bryanston, Johannesburg PO Box 559 Fourways North 2086

Contents

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20

11

35

SPECIAL FEATURES EQUIPMENT RENTALS Rent-a-lot............................ 20 / 22 Listings................................. 23 / 24 What’s hot in rentals................. 25 ASSET MANAGEMENT & ARCHIVING DAMmed if you do, MAMmed if you don’t................................... 26 Developing an archive standard......................................... 28 Taking content operations to the cloud.................................. 29 Finding a market in South Africa.................................. 30 Plug your media company into the ‘cloud’..................................... 31 Touchvision offers EMC Isilon. 32

36

TELEVISION

NEW MEDIA

So, exactly what is a TV these days?.................................... 10

Broadband, faster than you can say ‘G’day!’..................... 33

FILM

TRAINING

A world view............................... 11 Boer war traitors: an untold story............................................... 12

Mentoring up-and-coming filmmakers..................................... 34

DOCUMENTARY

Animals matter............................ 35

Personal journey into family legacy; Taking a different look at disability.................................... 14

AFRICA

FESTIVAL

INDUSTRY ISSUE

Focus on South Sudan..... 36 / 37 New film exposes appalling crime............................. 37

DIFF boosts Emirati filmmakers; Herzog: ‘I would be in South Africa tomorrow!”...................... 15

AWARDS

NEWS

TRACKING TECHNOLOGY

REGULARS

Spotlight on broadcast regulations; TopTV’s local content focus; Massive Namibian film development; Nates under new management.................................... 1 Business as usual for Kodak SA; Hard-hitting drama targets Cannes; New lab in town............. 5

Multi-display management; Ki Pro and Ki Pro Mini upgrades; Down, up and cross conversion; Open production of 4K content......... 16 LCD video monitors; v4.16 upgrade for mc2 series.............. 17 Displaying web content; New agency for Jasco........................... 18 Cosmolight expands offering; Blackmagic Design’s strategic move.............................................. 19

COMMERCIALS Rugged is the word; Waking up the dead...................... 8

It’s SAFTAS time!......................... 42

Adcetera.................................. 6 / 7 Audience Ratings......................... 45 Vital Stats...................................... 45 Events............................................. 41 Production Updates..... 38 / 39 / .............................................. 40 / 41 Social......................... 46 / 47 / 48

| NEWS

Business as usual for Kodak SA NO PANIC for CHAPTER 11 – David G Webb

Kodak filed for bankruptcy recently in a bid to survive a liquidity crisis after years of falling sales, related to the decline of its namesake film business, as digital cameras took over the market.

Eastman Kodak Co, the photographic film pioneer, which tried to restructure to become a seller of consumer products, said it also obtained a $950m, 18-month credit facility from Citigroup (US

financial services corporation) to keep it going.

This announcement raised concerns over the possible delivery of Kodak motion picture stock to South Africa.

Screen Africa contacted David G Webb, GM: Entertainment Imaging, UK, Ireland, Middle East, Africa, Central & Eastern Europe, for comment.

Webb responded: “Kodak and its US

subsidiaries only voluntarily filed for US Chapter 11 reorganisation last month. For all our operations worldwide it is very much business as usual for our customers.

“In South Africa we continue with normal operations and I look forward to the continuation of our strong and mutually beneficial relationships.”

Hardhitting drama targets Cannes SHOCKED INTO ACTION – Mike Rix

Pethro Themba Mbole in a scene from Accession

Following his mock-horror comedy Mad Cow, South African writer, director and producer Mike Rix of Mirror Mountain Pictures tackles a very serious subject in his new film – the rape of minors resulting from misconceptions about HIV and Aids.

Accession was shot over two weeks in mid-February in and around the Duduza township, east of Johannesburg.

Rix plans to get a work-in-progress submitted to the Cannes International Film Festival and complete postproduction before the event in mid-May. “We are primarily looking for sales to foreign DVD labels. If we find a certain amount of success at festivals like Cannes, we will look at a potential local theatrical art house release in South Africa,” he explains.

Accession centres on Pethro, a promiscuous young man living in a South African township. It soon becomes evident that he may have contracted HIV.

Says Rix: “I have been shocked over the past few years by the number of reported incidences of the HIV/Aids-related rape of minors. As far as I know it’s a topic that’s never been dealt with on film before.

“From a personal perspective I needed to tackle something a little weightier after the frivolousness of Mad Cow. I researched the subject and

wrote the script for Accession. The film has a fairly low budget (figure undisclosed) and is funded by private investors.”

Accession was shot on a Canon 5D. Rix continues: “We used the 5D for some pickups on a shoot last year and found it produced very high quality images. It’s also handy, which is pretty crucial on Accession. There is the added bonus of interchangeable lenses which are pretty easy to access.

“Principal photography on last year’s shoot was on the RED camera and we were able to match the image quality in

post with the 5D footage, while being much lighter on our feet on the shoot.”

To fit in with the almost cinema vertité style of the piece, Rix wrote the script around the location itself.

He utilised performers (and crew to a large extent) from there. Some of these worked on Rix’s township township football drama, The Game of My Life.

As for his cast, Rix quotes the famous line from Robert Altman’s iconic film about Hollywood, The Player: “No stars, just talent!”

New lab in town

THE SCIENCE OF FILM – Derick Olivier, Nico Dumas and Antonio Mendonca

With the huge global move towards digital cinematography threatening the very existence of celluloid, it’s interesting to note that a brand new film laboratory has opened in Cape Town.

Film Lab @ Media Film Service is a new independent front-end motion picture laboratory which caters for commercial and long form film formats.

Says laboratory manager Derick Olivier: “We specialise in all aspects of 16mm and 35mm negative film processing. All the processing is done on a 50ft per minute ECN machine manufactured by Calder. Kodak kit chemicals are used to ensure processing consistency on a day-to-day basis.”

Olivier, together with colleagues Antonio Mendonca and Nico Dumas, have a combined experience of no less than 40 years in the industry, having worked on the biggest productions shot in Cape Town over the past decade.

March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 5

AD cetera

Report on the South African commercials industry by Anton Crone

A bloody bedtime story Cape Town based 7Films director Kofi Zwana has released his latest commercial for Ireland Davenport and The Walking Dead television series.

It follows on from Lourens van Rensburg’s commercials where zombies have become so commonplace that folks are forever on guard, slashing them with bread knives while fixing sandwiches and harping on about enzymes that remove the most common zombie blood stains, bone fragments and entrails from your clothing in washing powder commercials.

Life Goes on. Again is the pay off. The genre is dark yet familiar and Zwana’s challenge was to bring the walking dead right into our South African homes by giving it local context.

Zwana’s desire is to move away from the traditional character clichés in South African commercials. He sets this film in a coloured home where a mother is reading a bedtime story (Three Little Pigs) to her daughter in a mix of colloquial Afrikaans and English. If the horrific story of a manic, piglet eating wolf is the type of yarn that puts a kid to sleep, a zombie attack is but an interlude, and

The Walking Dead

when a zombie disturbs mom’s reading she reduces that paltry nightmare to a bloody pulp by bludgeoning it to death, again, with a cricket bat — a performance that deserves a mention in the annals of Wisden. Then it’s back to reading the bedtime story to the little one in a brain and blood sodden nighty. Humanity 1.

Zombies 0. Sleep tight, little one, sleep

tight.

Documenting a gap year in Brazil was originally Zwana’s catalyst for getting into film and he cites a love for graphic novels, and the darker genres of film as his greatest inspiration. One of his music videos for Crash Car Burns also shows this as a group of pensioners escape from an old age home and go on a booze fuelled

Drive Dry

Driving the ‘dry’ campaign home Fox P2 has launched its latest Drive Dry campaign for Brandhouse, following on from the work that spawned the catchphrase: “Papa wag vir jou.”

6 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

“It’s an evolution of the previous campaign, but still has its own flavour,” says FoxP2 creative director, Justin Gomes. “We know we had something

special in the first ad judging from the public’s reaction, so the challenge was to build on it and try make the follow up as iconic as possible.”

rampage to relive their wayward youth.

Originally from Zimbabwe, Zwana enrolled at Johannesburg ‘s AFDA film school and soon after found himself in Cape Town working under Lourens van Rensburg who recognised his talent and persuaded him to “get a real job” instead of travelling to Japan to teach English.

7Films 1. Japan 0.

Music plays a big role in the new TV campaign whereas the original revolved around dialogue, and where the previous concept inspired potential drink drivers to imagine a jail term with some incredibly unsavoury characters, the agency pushed the concept to focus on the more immediate consequences.

“We want the viewer to realise they are literally two drinks away from the world most of us spend our lives trying to avoid,” says Gomes.

The immediacy comes through as the cops welcome the viewer into the back of their paddy wagon, a tight fit, already full of felons on their way to their umpteenth incarceration. And even if you escape the law, at best it’s a ride home with those grim reapers of highway carnage, the tow truck drivers, who lurk beneath flyovers and prey on driver’s misery as they scan the police frequencies for customers.

Robin Goode of Giant Films directed the TV commercials and also filmed the previous campaign. The gritty visual style carries through to the new edition, as it does to print and outdoor. Other elements that bolster the campaign are radio, digital and activation.

The success of the last campaign meant an important debate was started around drinking and driving. Brandhouse recorded R14m in earned media off a R3m budget and it went on to win accolades on the award circuit. This new campaign’s success is yet to be measured, but it’s an important message that builds on our fears and loathing and is therefore bound to resonate with people.

AD cetera Made for men For all the research and focus groups in the world, the truth is that men are easy to read.

When it comes to selling a macho off roader, marketers often resort to muddy river crossings and rocky mountain mayhem to appeal to the rough and tough outdoorsman. The tactic works, our city pavements are littered with the vehicles, but it’s the true base instinct of men that sports utility vehicle (SUV) advertisers have been overlooking and Toyota employs this in its new commercial for the FJ Cruiser.

Conceptualised by Draftfcb and directed by Jeana Theron of Bouffant films, Made from Awesome is the message behind the commercial, and besides all the boy toys that could fill a man’s imagination when he thinks of awesome, there’s one thing that tops the list: hot babes.

This commercial combines all of that awesome into one as beautiful women

Toyota

usher a production line of manhood to a collection point where it forms a mountain of sports equipment, barbeques, sound systems and drum kits. A funky music track provides the pace and a line of lumberjanes in pigtails and hot pants provide percussion as they chop wood in the background. Man’s favourite movie moment is not ignored either and all of the awesome is blown up by a babe plunging an oversize detonator. The phoenix that rises from this fireball is

none other than the FJ Cruiser and, as if it needs to prove more, it does some fancy 4x4ing by negotiating an articulated ramp, critically observed by a bevy of gorgeous quality inspectors who give it the awesome box tick of approval.

The over the top theme allows for a lot of visual flavour and in true Theron style, the look of the commercial is bold and stylish.

Theron studied a Fine Arts degree before directing and has always had a love

Blowing their own trumpet

Sandoz

If you want to portray the benefits of a product that eases the flow and loosens the mucous in your schnozz, you’ve got to think carefully how you go about visualising it. Publicis took the approach of fantasy for their new Sandoz commercial, and appointed Luma to animate it.

Arguably, there are few better analogies than an elephant with a blocked trunk, and to add fun to the concept, this elephant plays his trunk like a saxophone in a jazz band ensemble.

It becomes a tastefully done, entertaining commercial backed up with bass and base playing baboons and a zebra

barkeep who knows how to administer other medicine besides booze.

One could call it classic character animation, something that Luma is renowned for. They are a company started by animators who have not forgotten the roots of classic animation.

As founding partner and MD Paul

for pictures. ‘I also have a brain and a heart and understand people. I love work that involves performance,’ says Theron.

In the case of the FJ Cruiser commercial, she had a few more people to deal with on set than expected. “Guessing how many unnecessary males would be arriving for lunch proved the most challenging aspect of the shoot. As for the rest of it, kudos to the production team for a very well organised and well prepared shoot.”

Meyer, says: “We’ve modelled ourselves on the core values of Disney, and that still gives us an edge.”

Luma is a full service studio that is involved in everything that interests it such as game development, apps and screenwriting.

“This gives us an alternate view and makes us look at our own core skills. It helps us reinvent the way we do things,” notes Meyer.

The biggest trend he sees is that South African animation is maturing. Local animators are proving themselves and many local studios are doing international work, while local marketers and creators realise the potential we have right here.

“We are just going to see more and more amazing animation coming out of this country in the next five years,” states Meyer.

Luma has worked with clients from Australia to Seattle and many places in between. Last year they created over 80 visual effects shots for the most expensive Bollywood blockbuster ever (Ra 1) and looking at their reel, one sees the influence classic Disney has on their commercial work and how it always resonates.

COMMERCIALS |

Rugged is the word Complex digital imaging was required to create a new tyre commercial.

T

iger Wheel & Tyre turned to Johannesburg-based animation studio Haptics to illustrate its new all-terrain Velocity Raptor Tyres in an entirely 3D computer animated television commercial. This is the fourth spot in the Raptor series created by Haptics.

According to producer and director Don Searll, what sets this ad apart is the fact that the Haptics team designed a cutting edge Tiger Wheel & Tyre off-road vehicle to best demonstrate the durability of the Raptors.

“What’s more, one also gets a sense of the amount of fun that can be had with

Wheeling in with 3D – Tiger Wheel & Tyre Velocity Raptor television commercial

these tyres,” add Searll.

The commercial draws the viewer into the rugged and fiercely unpredictable African terrain. This contrasts perfectly with the previous Tiger Wheel & Tyre Velocity R-Max commercial, which

boasts pure street drifting performance amid a modern city landscape.

Searll continues: “The new commercial comprises 3D computer animated images, ranging from the vehicle to the city to the off road terrain.

A high level of creativity and animation tools was required to create the necessary photo realistic details.”

The lighting, texturing and rendering of the mountains and rocks needed very

Waking up the dead

complex geometry and enormous texture maps, which required up to 24 hours per frame to render. Very careful workflow and animation pipelines had to be put in place and Searll had to leverage a wide set of talents from model building to animation TDs and direction, to make this high definition (HD) commercial come together.

“We had to convey all the materials as realistically as possible to mimic the real world,” notes Searll. “Consequently we copied the sun with its natural transition arc during the course of the day. Particle generators and compositing was done with After Effects that enabled us to control the various layers, which in some cases amounted to 20.”

Searll stresses that he and his team really appreciated working with TWT. “They afford us the ability to conceptualise, produce and direct these pieces in their entirety. The final elements of audio, voice over and sound design always play a vital role and at Haptics we pay special attention to these elements.

“The communication with the client was excellent and together we were able to steer the project in the direction that was visually and audibly appealing and aligned with the intended marketing strategy.”

When he needed a music video for his band When Bears Fight Back, Cape Town music producer David van Rensburg decided to direct it himself.

FACELESS EMOTION – Dave van Rensburg with his crew filming the music video for The Dead Wake Up

I

nfluenced by filmmakers like controversial Danish director Lars von Trier (Melancholia) and American Rob Zombie (The Haunted World of El Superbeasto), the aim was to create a visual story which would appear unsettling but still convey the lyrical content of the song.

Says Dave van Rensburg: “The song’s title The Dead Wake Up refers to any hidden emotion, hope or reaction that takes place when awoken by an opposing or influencing action. This could be a buried past, a painful memory, a long lost love or a forgotten dream that has been resurrected.

“In the video the three characters are portrayed as a protagonist (played by Kate 8 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

Tee), an antagonist (Zaan de Villiers) and an anonymous human with a faceless mask. The two female characters represent the light and dark side of the human psyche. These conflicting traits are in reality one and the same but emerge under different circumstances. We see a subtle struggle throughout the song but during the bridge section we see how substance abuse has an effect on how we react to each other.”

He explains that the end sequence comments on how children are influenced by their parents’ behaviour and how they can follow in their path.

Most of the minimal budget was spent on catering during the shoot, which took

place on a Sunday late last year.

Van Rensburg wrote the treatment to fit in with budget constraints and asked friends and colleagues to fill key positions.

Garrreth Bird (DOP) predominantly shot on a Canon 5D Mk2 with Marina Korskowa also on camera. The band sequences were shot on a Canon 550D with natural lighting used predominantly throughout the shoot. This was facilitated by the low light capabilities of the cameras.

As the location was on a small property with little opportunity for long, wide shots, the emphasis was placed on capturing close-ups and tight framing of the actors. A particularly interesting scene

is when the lead character is punched on both sides of his head.

“We only did three takes for obvious reasons,” continues Van Rensburg. “For two first-time actresses, Zaan and Kate were everything I’d imagined and performed their roles perfectly. We started setting up at 6am and had a really good fun-filled day. It wasn’t like any shoot I’ve been on before mainly because of the creative freedom and technical excellence of our small crew.”

Van Rensburg now wants to develop a short film series and also has an idea for a feature.

The Dead Wake Up can be viewed at: http://vimeo.com/34509149.

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TELEVISION |

So, exactly what is a TV these days?

Photo by Mark Hoinkes

This was the question posed by Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) CEO Bashir Patel in an exclusive interview with Screen Africa, on the eve of the recent CTO 7th Annual Digital Broadcasting Switchover Forum in Johannesburg.

“T

CONNECTED – Bashir Patel

10 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

he boundaries between broadcasting and telecommunications are fading away because of convergence.

Consequently, how do you define the machine in your lounge on which you watch television? Is it a TV set or is it a LCD monitor?” said Bashir Patel.

He noted that people with LCD monitors inevitably want home entertainment or home theatre. The personal video recorder (PVR) is making way for the smart set top box (STB) which incorporates a great deal of PC technology because memory is cheap.

“Everything to do with television today is built around convenience,” continued Patel. “A smart STB can programme shows 10 days in advance and allows you to access the Internet and play games. In fact, the future STB will be included in the next generation Xbox. Blu-ray players will also become STBs. Multi-functional devices are the way of the future.

“Mobile phone operators like Vodacom

will become multimedia providers. That’s the ultimate question for South Africa – what are Telkom, MTN, and Vodacom going to offer you? They will offer a data pipe into your home – a pipe with a certain bandwidth and throughput.”

British Telecomms (BT) has made the transition to multimedia operator by offering a video on demand (VOD) service. The company runs a single billing system for its multiple services.

According to Patel, developers are looking to create a box that controls everything in the home, such as switching on the oven from a remote site, in advance. “By 2020 there will be 50 billion connected devices. Most cars will be connected to the Internet and Mercedes has already manufactured its first smart car.

“The information revolution will go on until all rural areas in the world are connected. I’m not sure that the world will reach full connectivity by 2015 as set by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals as it’s probably too

soon. In the meantime Korea and Singapore are very connected – there is even a hotel in Singapore which has voice command in the rooms. The highest broadband connection in the world is to be found in The Bahamas because it is a small island.”

Patel stressed that digital migration will fuel growth in Africa. “The migration from analogue broadcasting to digital terrestrial television (DTT) involves several issues – legal / regulatory, content, spectrum and public campaigning. So it’s best to have regulation all under one roof as in South Africa.

“One thing that the CTO consistently does in commonwealth markets is to offer international best practice and detail the A-Z of migration. We try to give successful models to countries so that they can fill in the gaps to bridging the digital divide.”

Screen Africa’s April issue will feature an in-depth report on the CTO Digital Broadcasting Switchover Forum.

– Joanna Sterkowicz

| FILM Manifesto Films (Ireland) in association with South African Pistoleros Films and Jet Black Entertainment recently finished filming the co-production The Good Man, which was shot in both countries.

A world view

By Karen van Schalkwyk

unobtrusive shots. We wanted to ensure that the audience never gets the chance to sit back too much but rather focuses on the characters and scenes. The two stories subtly echo one another,” comments Harrison.

Zetisky adds that the South African locations they shot in included Gugulethu and KwaZulu-Natal. “The local community was very welcoming and receptive to our filming in the area. We shot on a RED Mx at 24fps for the Irish and South African segments.

“My personal mission was to make the film look like it was made for a lot more than we had and at the same time create opportunities for some of my learners to work on an international feature.”

Training component Roy Zetisky, key grip Eric Lolo and gaffer Ebenezer Munjanja

WHEN IRISH EYES ARE SMILING – Director Phil Harrison discussing a scene with DOP Roy Zetisky

Associate producer Colin Cash, art director Brandon Fam, DOP Roy Zetisky, director Phil Harrison, line producer Vuks Ngcingwana and associate producer Susana Kennedy

Male lead Thabang Sidloyi with DOP Roy Zetisky and South African female lead Lunathi Mampofu

Crew in action

W

ritten and directed by Irish filmmaker Phil Harrison, The Good Man came about when Harrison met South African filmmaker Roy Zetisky in 2009 while in Cape Town researching the script.

Harrison had seen Zetisky’s cinematography on a Vuka! Award winning public service announcement (PSA) and knew that he had found his South African co-production partner and DOP. A huge part of the project included creating a mentorship programme for local filmmakers. The aim was to give young South African filmmakers the opportunity to work on an international feature film.

Harrison explains that the film explores the complicated nature of charity.

“The Good Man is about an Irishman who is wrought with guilt after causing a stranger’s death in a car accident. In an

attempt to appease his guilt he begins to sponsor a teenager in a South African township. However the impact of his misguided generosity is far greater and more tragic than he could have imagined.”

The story was inspired by Harrison’s own experiences as a volunteer worker in a South African orphanage when he was in his mid-twenties.

“I was struck by the problematic nature of ‘charitable’ involvement by westerners like myself, engaging with the ‘problems of Africa’. The problem is over simplification coupled with naiveté and a fundamental failure to engage with or even understand the political nature of people’s lives and struggles,” notes Harrison.

Once back in Ireland Harrison continued his volunteer work with a fresh perspective. “I became increasingly interested in the role of creativity in protest and struggle. How people use photography, poetry, film and music to articulate their ideas of identity, which move away from and subvert those foisted on them. I also met various artists from Africa – Seydou Keita, Djibril Diop Mambety, Lewis Nkosi – who subtly (and occasionally not so subtly) play with notions of identity and authority.

“The idea for my film was simple: to creatively bring together the post-conflict societies I was familiar with and see what could come out of that engagement.”

Strong cast Zetisky elaborates that although the budget was small, “we were able to secure some well established actors to come on board. Actors like Aidan Gillen (Games of Thrones, The Wire), Kelly Campbell (One Hundred Mornings), Jonathan Harden (Small Island, Five Minutes of Heaven), Thabang Sidloi (The Beneficiary) and Thomas Gumede (Otelo Burning).”

Most of the finance for the film was secured by crowd funding and through the UK rebate scheme.

“We are confident in attracting international interest in the film,” continues Harrison. “A few distributors in the UK and Ireland have already expressed interest. We plan to take the film initially to festivals worldwide and build momentum towards a theatrical release later this year.”

Dual locations Shooting in both Ireland and South Africa had its advantages in terms of the style of the film.

“The two sides of the film offer fascinating visual contrasts – a dark, grey Irish winter and a bright South African summer. I was keen to keep the feel loose as much as possible, playing towards a documentary feel and more handheld and

At Pistoleros Pictures Zetisky and his team attempt to take trainee filmmakers to the next level once they have already worked with them. “Their passion for doing the best they can with guidance from our on set mentors facilitates this process.

“Although I was officially the only South African producer on this project, my line producer Vuks Ngcingwana certainly earned and shared title of producer on set with the support of the mentors and associate producers, Susan Kennedy and Colin Cash, who are my new partners in Jet Black Entertainment.”

One of Zetisky’s mentorees, Sakhumzi Mati, worked closely with Harrison as a trainee director. “He was also the culture and language advisor which worked really well. As part of the mentorship, township editor Solly Zilani was mentored by editor Paul Speirs. Some of Seton Bailey’s F.I.L.M programme trainees were also on board.”

Target market Harrison says that he is always skeptical about the phrase ‘target market’. “Good storytelling appeals across the broad range. This film is about connection and disconnection – of electricity, between individuals, between intention and outcome, between capital and people. The specifics of the story are ably brought to life by a superb cast.”

When asked to describe how this film differs from other films on and about South Africa, Harrison responds: “It is a great question. I guess we are trying to do this at two levels. First is the story we are telling, which is not a rosy-hued ‘rainbow nation’ version of South Africa.

“Secondly, we have involved trainee filmmakers in the actual filmmaking process. We built a crew with young, talented filmmakers from Gugulethu and Langa and aimed to help everyone involved step up a level in terms of skills and experience. It was a great experience and I hope that we all reap the rewards of our hard work.”

March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 11

FILM |

Boer war traitors:

an untold story

Anglo-Boer War court drama Verraaiers (Traitors), the latest feature film from Roepman producers Bosbok Ses Films, recently finished production. Linda Loubser visited the set. of not knowing what to expect, but we learnt a lot. This time we’re very fortunate to have partnered with Spier Films, White Heron Pictures and Film Factory,” says De Jager. “It’s a big collaborative effort.

“The film features a massive cast with 38 speaking parts, and they’re almost always in life and death situations. We

NEW LIGHT ON HISTORY – Director Paul Eilers and scenes from Verraaiers (Traitors)

O

n 14 February the cast and crew of new Afrikaans Anglo-Boer war feature film Verraaiers were shooting a wedding scene on location at the Willem Prinsloo Agricultural Museum in Old Bronkhorstpruit near Pretoria, where they had been based since production started on 30 January.

When visitors from Screen Africa, the National Film and Video Foundation and the Gauteng Film Commission arrived, actors and extras were standing around in costume, most women wore long, dark dresses and bonnets and men in demure suits and old fashioned hairstyles.

While the sitting room of a well preserved farm house from the early 1900s served as the setting for the film’s important courtroom scenes, the wedding reception was set up around a long, decked table outside, next to an ox wagon and a wooden horse-drawn cart.

According to producer Themba Sibeko, the ox wagon and cart are the real deal, preserved by farmers in the area.

A team, under the supervision of production designer Waldemar Coetsee, had built and furnished a general dealer, a post office and a prison true to that era to complete the set. The inside of the general dealer boasts authentic period details such as an old cash register, biscuit tins, soap and marbles, and an office with an old-fashioned pen and ink well.

Universal tragedy The film’s executive producer is Piet de Jager and it is produced by Sallas de Jager, Danie Bester and Sibeko and directed by Paul Eilers.

According to producer and scriptwriter

12 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

Sallas de Jager, the film is inspired by the true story of the Theunissen family who fought in the second Anglo-Boer War. He found the story when someone gave him a book called Boere Verraaiers (Boer Traitors) by Albert Blake. He decided to flesh out the story and adapt it to a feature length film.

“It’s the story of a man who has to choose between fighting for the nation they are trying to establish and protecting his family – a classic and universal tragedy of a man trying to do the right thing, and making the wrong choice for the right reasons,” explains De Jager.

While the film is set during the war, it features no battle scenes and is mostly a courtroom melodrama.

“The subject of Boer traitors is still a controversial issue in the Afrikaner community, but it’s an important story to tell. That time period had a massive impact on history and on the South Africa we’re seeing now. It started the cycle of abused children who became abusive parents,” notes De Jager, referring to the Afrikaners moving from being the oppressed to become the oppressor.

Bigger scale He explains that, while also a period piece, the production of Verraaiers is on a bigger scale than Roepman. “Obviously Roepman was a blind experience in terms

needed experienced actors to pull that off and we’re fortunate to have them.”

The film stars well-known Afrikaans actors such as Gys de Villiers (Die Ongelooflike Avonture van Hanna Hoekom); Deon Lotz (Skoonheid), Neels van Jaarsveld (The Bang Bang Club); Rika Sennet (Roepman); Marcel van Heerden (How To Steal 2 Million); Paul Luckoff (Triomf); and Andre Roothman (Wolwedans in die Skemer), as well as Bakgat! star Ivan Botha and Ivan Zimmerman (Platteland).

According to director Paul Eilers they wanted to find some fresh faces for the acting and not only use ‘run of the mill soap actors’. “We used a lot of theatre actors that I know from my acting days and who I know can deliver.”

It is Eilers’ second directing job. “It’s as beautiful an experience as Roepman,” he says. “It’s just a bit bigger. I’m working with the same director of photography (DOP) Tom Marais, and the same crew.

We work like an old married couple.”

Sombre The film was shot on a Sony F3, which Eilers describes as ‘quite amazing’. “It delivers beautiful pictures and it’s versatile – you can do a lot with it.”

In terms of the cinematography, he explains that it is a sombre, dark movie.

“It starts out quite light, but it becomes darker and darker as the film progresses to match the themes,” explains Eilers.

Among the challenges they’ve faced have been the travelling shots and working with horses, oxen and ox wagons.

Eilers thinks people will want to see the film because of the contentiousness of the subject matter. “It’s a story that’s never been told, and people will react very differently to it. Some will be upset, but it will also shed new light on history from an angle that’s been covered up. We’re not trying to shock, but we’re trying to make it as real as possible through wonderful production and set design. We want to show the horrors of that time which still affected people for generations afterwards.”

De Jager says their aim is to go the festival route first, submitting the film to international festivals such as the Toronto International Film Festival before releasing in South Africa in February 2013.

Bosbok Ses Films also has a first look distribution deal with US production and distribution company D Street Media Group, which will distribute Roepman in the US in May this year – the first Afrikaans language film to be shown in North American cinemas. The first look deal means Verraaiers has a good chance to follow the same route.

Production was due to continue until 3 March with delivery scheduled for the end of June.

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DOCUMENTARY |

Reports by Linda Loubser

Personal journey into family legacy Director Khalid Shamis’ documentary Imam and I was the most popular local film at South Africa’s Encounters International Documentary Film Festival 2011, and was screened internationally at the Dubai International Film Festival in the United Arab Emirates and at Africa in the Picture in the Netherlands.

“T

he film is about struggle hero Imam Abdullah Haron – his life, his death and his legacy.

He was quite progressive as an Imam (Muslim religious leader) and as a community leader in Claremont in the Western Cape who stood up against apartheid,” explains documentary filmmaker Khalid Shamis of his grandfather, the subject of his documentary Imam and I. In 1969 Haron was detained and tortured for his opposition to apartheid and later died in prison with the cause of death given as ‘falling down the stairs’.

“My grandfather died before I was born, and I grew up with myths and stories about him and his life. I wanted to uncover the truth, to find out who he really was,” explains Shamis.

The ‘very personal journey’ began in London, where Shamis was trained as a director, when he started developing the film in early 2005. He moved to Cape Town in June of that year to start his research.

“The film took me back to London, as

well as New York and other places in South Africa including Durban, where people who had known him were now living. I wanted to paint a portrait of him through collecting stories of the people who knew him.”

While shooting interviews on a Panasonic DVX 100A and editing the film over the next six years, Shamis also worked as a lecturer at Wits University in Johannesburg and managed to finance about 80% of the documentary himself.

“Funding was one of the obvious challenges. I tried, somewhat naively, to get money from the Muslim community in Cape Town. They supported the film, but not financially.”

Although the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) rejected Shamis twice, for development and production funding, he managed to receive funding for post-production. Some private funders also contributed.

Personal story The personal nature of the story was another major challenge. “It was quite a journey to investigate and interrogate myself and my family. I tried not to be too harsh, but to speak from a place of truth.”

However, he was worried about how his family would react to the film, especially his grandmother.

“They loved it, but they didn’t expect it to be so personal. The documentary created a space where traumatic things they could never talk about before could be discussed. They found it cathartic.”

Shamis was also worried about reactions from the Muslim community. “The Muslims in South Africa generally consider the Imam to represent the Muslim contribution to the struggle, but

he stood alone. Today they revere him as a hero and celebrate his life and work every year, but it’s never been investigated why they didn’t support him.”

However, screenings of the film sold out in the Western Cape and Johannesburg and received positive reactions from across the country.

The film is currently shown at many community screenings and Shamis is looking to sell it to a local broadcaster.

The Western Cape education department is also interested in including Imam and I in the matric curriculum. “That would be the best thing for the film, to be part of the continual rewriting of history by ourselves,” says Shamis.

He is currently working on his next project, a documentary about his father – a Libyan who spent years as an exile in London because of his opposition to Muammar Gaddafi, and who recently went back to Libya for the first time to work closely with the new Libyan prime minister.

Taking a different look at disability tempo of Young-Chan’s life. “I didn’t hurry him. When he was in a bad mood and didn’t want to be filmed, I respected that. I filmed for two years at intervals, sometimes staying with them for two or three days, sometimes shorter. I captured about 120 hours of footage.”

Alternative structure

UNIQUE SENSE – Deaf blind Young-Chan and his wife Soon-Ho in the documentary Planet of Snail

South Korean documentary filmmaker Seungjun Yi won the award for Best Feature Length Documentary at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) in 2011. He spoke to Screen Africa at the recent Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) about making the award winning Planet of Snail.

14 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

D

irector Seungjun Yi initially met the subjects of his documentary, deaf blind Young-Chan and his wife Soon-Ho while making a factual TV programme in 2008.

When he started to plan his second feature documentary, he remembered this remarkable man.

“I wasn’t sure if it would make a good documentary though, because Young-Chan’s life is so simple. Without his wife he can’t even go out of the house, it’s just too dangerous. However, I believe that everyday life is not simple when you observe it in detail,” explained Yi. He realised that Young-Chan has very unique senses and experiences the world differently, and is also a talented writer.

“When he was young, he was very desperate – he couldn’t communicate and therefore he couldn’t know the world around him, but he realised that he could write.”

During filming and editing, Yi focused on capturing the

He stresses that the documentary doesn’t follow the Hollywood structure. “There are lots of TV programmes dealing with disabled people. I didn’t like the way they tell the story of ‘disabled person overcoming obstacles’. I wanted Planet of Snail to be different,” notes Yi. The film is a South Korea, Japan and Finland co-production.

Yi explained that he attended pitches in Korea and abroad and received financing from the Sundance Documentary Fund, a US grant, NHK in Japan, the Finnish Film Foundation, YLE in Finland and NRK in Norway.

The documentary was shot in HD on a Canon A1. “People say the cinematography is very poetic. It’s not easy to recreate the world of the protagonists, so I tried to show it through a surreal look. The sound design – done by a Finnish team – was also very important.”

Yi says he received amazing responses from audiences at IDFA. “They liked the characters very much, and said that they’re very different to disabled people they’ve seen depicted before. It’s also a love story, and the audiences were very moved by Young-Chan’s life. They also liked the excerpts from his essays and poems.”

The film is due for theatrical release in Japan and Korea in spring 2012. Negotiations are ongoing with other distributors and festivals to allow the film to travel further.

Reports by Linda Loubser

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is an important support and networking base for the local Emirati film industry, which is working hard to establish itself. Screen Africa spoke to three up and coming Emirati filmmakers at the recent DIFF 2011 about the challenges and benefits of filmmaking in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

I

n an interview with the DIFF Daily newspaper, artistic director of DIFF, Masoud Amralla Al Ali, emphasised that production in the Emirates has progressed tremendously over the past decade, but the industry is yet to establish itself fully. “We haven’t arrived at a place where we know that the industry can stand on its own two feet. It’s more of a movement than an industry,” he explained.

However, the Muhr Emirati programme for local filmmakers at DIFF 2011 featured 13 films and shorts which testifies to the industry’s growth in productivity and quality.

Rawia Abdullah, who graduated in Mass Communication from UAE

| FESTIVAL

DIFF boosts Emirati filmmakers University in 2009, screened her film Al Lawn Al Mafkoud (The Missing Colour) at the DIFF. The film deals with issues of abuse and follows an eight-year-old girl who seeks out the missing colour in her life.

According to Abdullah, the biggest challenge in the UAE is to make real cinema and to create a big industry, not only in the UAE but in the whole Gulf region.

While it’s not easy to secure financing, she said scripts are a bigger problem. “We have only two or three scriptwriters in the UAE – directors often have to write their own scripts.”

There is also a shortage of editors, cinematographers and producers.

She said the industry is growing, with five to 10 films made each year.

“Audiences participate in growing the industry,” noted Abdullah. “They support local films.”

Producer, animator and composer Mohammad Fikree screened his animated 2D short film Children at the festival. The film, the only animated film that competed in the Muhr Emirati section of the festival, sees a mother and her children plan a desperate escape from a scary, hungry beast.

According to Fikree it is a dark fairy tale, inspired by his admiration for shadow puppet-like animation.

Fikree is still a student and created the animation on his own during six months in mid-2011. “There is a lack of support

GROWING INDUSTRY – Mohammad Fikree

in the industry here, but it was worth the work in the end,” he noted.

He plans to open his own studio, secure sponsors and start work on a feature film soon.

Double standard Sarah Alagroobi, a student in Visual Communications at the American University of Sharjah, screened The Forbidden Fruit at the festival.

She explained that her film is inspired by the people living in the UAE and the double standard that exists for protecting culture and tradition, while also embracing change and pop culture.

It follows the lives of two young Emirati adults who regularly step out of their traditional homes to enjoy Dubai’s westernised side, unaware that they will soon meet

Rawia Abdullah

for a potential arranged marriage.

“The film addresses some very controversial issues that people don’t like talking about. It’s a non-sugar coated edition of life in the UAE,” explained Alagroobi.

Although controversial, she didn’t face major hurdles in making the movie which she produced, wrote and edited.

“Making a film is not difficult.

Choosing the right topic and the right tone of voice is the difficult part. Once you have a strong story, the challenge is to start a discourse.”

Alagroobi was one of three women in competition and emphasised that Emirati women are ‘very empowered and have a strong voice’. “So far I’ve been really blessed; I’ve received lots of support from DIFF.”

Herzog: ‘I would be in South Africa tomorrow’ Award-winning German feature and documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog received a lifetime achievement award at the recent Dubai International Film Festival in the United Arab Emirates. He spoke to Screen Africa.

“I

DREAMS OF OWN CULTURE – Werner Herzog

know South Africa has very good film infrastructure, all sorts of people and all sorts of landscapes, and I know many filmmakers go there because of this. But I’ve never had a story to tell there. I’m in Arabia at the moment because I have a film I want to make here on the life of Gertrude Bell, but if I had any story for South Africa, I would be there tomorrow.

It’s a very fascinating country,” Herzog said when asked if he had ever considered shooting a film in South Africa.

The director, known for feature films such as Fitzcarraldo and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans and documentaries such as Grizzly Man, Cave of Forgotten Dreams and Into the Abyss, is considered an important figure of New German Cinema (along with Volker Schlöndorff and Wim Wenders), and has won acclaim at major European film festivals such as Cannes, Venice and Berlin.

He also found The Rogue Film School, where he teaches his eccentric brand of

filmmaking ‘not for the faint hearted’.

During a press conference, Herzog had advice for young filmmakers, especially those not from an American background.

“My advice to up and coming directors is always to have your own vision and stick to it. Don’t dream the dreams of Hollywood, dream the dreams of your own cultural identity and do not be afraid to struggle for it,” said Herzog.

“I have done a film in New Orleans with Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes, but it is still not a Hollywood film, it is a German film, or more precisely a Bavarian film. Even filming Fitzcarraldo in Latin America, the film was still a Bavarian dream. Planning a film in the Arab world does not mean I pretend to be an Arab, although I see the world with great fascination and great sympathy.

There has to be a meeting of cultures.”

Simple medium Herzog said he believes that filmmaking — as complicated as it may look — is

actually very simple. “You’ve got cameras, you’ve got sound, and you’ve got actors.

You don’t need to go to film school for four years, you can learn the technical things in a few weeks and then you can make a film. I try to teach young filmmakers to be self-reliant. I worked in a steel factory to fund my early filmmaking. Today you can make a feature film for less than $20 000 and we’ve seen a few very good ones.”

Herzog said he is not too worried about projects he planned but wasn’t able to make. “In essence I’ve made every single film I’ve wanted to, with one or two exceptions. I rather go on and make something different than have sleepless nights and spend 10 years looking for funding for projects not meant to happen.”

Herzog is next taking on an acting role, starring as a villain opposite Tom Cruise in Christopher McQuarrie’s One Shot, and promoting his latest documentary, Into the Abyss, about death row and the ramifications of a senseless crime.

March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 15

TRACKINGTECHNOLOGY |

Managing multi-display

Harris Corporation has raised the bar in multi-display technology for live production, outside broadcast (OB) and other video/audio processing needs by introducing HView™ SX Pro, the industry’s most scalable, highest-density multi-display management system.

Its advanced design is smaller, sharper and smarter than competitive solutions — reducing space, power and complexity while offering superior picture quality and intelligent, flexible control options. A high-density design accommodates more sources and outputs in fewer rack units to reduce system and installation costs.

The HView SX Pro can be used as a standalone solution or integrated within Harris Platinum routers. Harris pioneered the tighter integration of routing systems with multiviewers, audio processing (mux/demux), frame synchronisation and advanced input/output options in a single frame to simplify deployments, reduce space and lower operating costs.

The HView SX Pro offers low-latency processing and enhances image quality through Harris MicroFine scaling technology. Versatile, built-in control features maximise display options, from single-surface video wall configurations to multi-unit or multi-room systems. These and other advanced options push HView SX Pro beyond the traditional multiviewer function to a true multi-display management solution.

Down, up and cross conversion covered From Decimator Design (previously RedByte) comes the new Decimator 2 down converter and the MDDUCC down up cross converter, which both feature an HDMI output. The units auto detect the input,

whether 3G, HD or SD (26 formats in total), and can handle switching of synchronous sources. They do simultaneous scaling on both HDMI and composite.

Both units feature: HDMI output with optional full scaling and aspect ratio conversion; down converted composite output; ARC (Aspect Ratio Conversion); full 10-bit data path and multipoint interpolation; full 16-channel audio metering displayed on the HDMI output; adjustable graticules generator displayed on the HDMI output with separate enables for safe action, safe title and centre cross; and text overlays displayed on the HDMI. In addition the above MD-DUCC offers true down-up cross conversion, allowing the

conversion between any of the 26 supported formats.

Two other Decimator distribution tools are the low cost miniature MD-Quad (3G/ HD/SD)-SDI 4 to 1 Quad Split or 4 to 1 input multiplexer and the MD-RDA 1 into 6 distribution amplifier. The MD-Quad is packed with features that include selectable output format in Quad-Split mode; linked (3G/HD/SD)-SDI and HDMI outputs and 16 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

Offering greater flexibility

AJA Video Systems has launched v3.0 firmware for its Ki Pro and Ki Pro Mini 10-bit 4:2:2 flash disk recorders. Packed with features that give users greater flexibility and capability for filmmaking, broadcasting and everything in between, v3.0 firmware is available as a no-cost download for current Ki Pro and Ki Pro Mini customers.

“This is a major release that really expands the industry-leading feature set for Ki Pro and Ki Pro Mini,” said AJA President Nick Rashby. “We’ve added some brand new features to support camera recording based on users’ requests, and for those using the devices more as post-production tools, we’ve added unique new features like transferring files over Ethernet and FireWire, and super out timecode window burn.”

Ki Pro can now be configured for data transfer to FireWire 800-equipped Apple computers, for situations where the unit is not easily accessible for physical data removal.

Data can be transferred via LAN connection, allowing transfer of files through standard Ethernet networking for Ki Pro and Ki Pro Mini.

Other features include: Super Out (Ki Pro and Ki Pro Mini can now burn timecode and transport state into the video signal, providing at-a-glance status to users monitoring output, without having to check the device itself); playlist creation (a new feature for the web UI adds flexibility in selecting clip playback order); FireWire 400 (1394a) port enabled (provides Ki Pro support for camera start / stop commands as well as timecode values); HDMI timecode support in Ki Pro Mini for Sony NEX-FS100; and other Sony NXCAM cameras.

Open production of 4K content The Hollywood production community continues to adopt Sony’s SRMASTER format, an open platform technology for high quality motion picture content.

This is the recording format of Sony’s CineAlta digital motion picture camera F65 system, the industry’s highest quality 8K CMOS sensor camera and SRMemory recorder unit.

New members of the SRMASTER alliance include a range of post-production companies and manufacturers of content production solutions including on-set dailies, non-linear editing and colour grading technology.

Sony offers the SRMASTER licensing programme to provide technical specifications and software development kits to manufacturers of movie content production solutions. Sony’s goal is to help SRMASTER format to support companies achieve improved production efficiency, seamless file-based 4K movie content production workflows and the highest level of image quality.

In January 2012, Sony began worldwide deliveries of the F65 CineAlta digital motion picture camera to meet the incredibly high demand from production professionals. About 400 units were pre-ordered, and several high-profile productions are now shooting features with the F65.

ASSIMILATE, Blackmagic Design, Colorfront, FilmLight, MTI and YoYotta have released product versions capable of SRMASTER format processing.

“Sony’s open IT platform can provide seamless file-based workflow solutions for 4K motion picture production – from shooting to editing to finishing,” says Alec Shapiro, SVP at Sony Electronics. “We will continue our efforts to revitalise the entertainment market and enhance the consumer’s experience to enjoy movie entertainment through a broad range of professional solutions.”

8-channel audio metering for each quadrant.

All products come with power supply, HDMI cable, USB cable and mounting bracket.

Decimator products are represented in South Africa by Puma Video.

| TRACKINGTECHNOLOGY

Monitoring new LCDs Panasonic Europe has announced the release of two new LCD video monitors for broadcasting and production use: the BT-L2150 (full HD, 54.6 cm / 21.5 inches) and the BT-L1500 (WXGA, 39.1 cm / 15.4 inches). Both support two HD SDI inputs and employ LED backlighting.

There are two HD/SD switchable SDI inputs (BNC × 2) in the standard configuration of the BT series, allowing the display to be switched between two camera inputs.

HDMI, analogue component (Y/PB/PR, BNC × 3), PC (D-SUB 15P) and analogue composite (BNC × 1) video inputs are provided. HD/SD multi-format support and worldwide 59.94 Hz / 50 Hz system frequency compatibility mean that a variety of input signals can be used. In addition to a single two-channel analogue audio (pin jacks × 2) input, embedded audio via the SDI and HDMI inputs are also supported. Audio can be monitored by using the built-in stereo speakers or stereo headphones. The HD SDI inputs support 1080/24PsF and make these monitors suitable for digital cinema production environments. Additional functions demanded by professionals include tally lamps, markers, blue-only display, various colour adjustments (colour temp, sharpness, RGB white balance) and GPI remote control terminal.

Available panel sizes include 54.6 cm (21.5 inches) for full HD (1920 × 1080 pixels) model and 39.1 cm (15.4 inches) for the WXGA (1280 × 800 pixels) model.

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Upgrade for more channels

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In February Lawo published the Version 4.16 release for the mc² series mixing consoles.

One highlight of this software update is the doubling of the available DSP channel count. After the v4.16 software installation, the current DSP boards offer 96 channels instead of the 48 channels users have been accustomed to. By upgrading their mc² console to v4.16, customers boost the overall DSP performance of their Lawo desk to up to 888 channels.

With this new SW release, Lawo responds to the constantly changing requirements in the broadcast sector, in this case to the call for more advanced DSP performance to offer greater quality to TV viewers.

Specifically in this release, Lawo developed Broadcast Channels that offer a feature set adapted specially for broadcast applications, using a simplified signal flow while maintaining Lawo’s legendary sound quality. Depending on the requirements of the production, sound engineers can select either the 48 classic or the 96 Broadcast Channels for the DSP boards – switchable on the fly.

The release also supports the new Lawo DALLIS mic card. This card offers very high dynamics at minimal distortion and has extremely low latency, offering a sensational cost to performance ratio.

The v4.16 software update is available for Lawo customers via the Lawo Download Centre.

technologies making content valuable

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Supplying broadcast video, audio, lighting and everything in between for 25 years...

A traditional close-knit Italian Family

The Redhead Mama RC-80FE (800W) The Blonde Daughter RC-200/POF (2000W)

TRACKINGTECHNOLOGY |

The Baby RC-1650V (300W/650W)

The Big in Control Pappa Control Desk

Displaying web content

VidiGo Toolbox is the answer to the increasing need to display any PC or web content in a live TV production. Anyone can easily select and grab any content part – from still to motion graphics and from YouTube, Skype, PowerPoint to Google Earth – and take this to air in just one click.

With key, fill and the possibility to reposition, resize, zoom and synchronise the audio, VidiGo allows YouTube clips or any other video file to go live.

VidiGo Toolbox makes on-air, real-time Skype interviews on TV, display of websites or any other still graphic on TV all possible.

The system is a software-only Flash-based graphics engine which can be installed on standard PCs. VidiGo software enables customers to use Adobe Flash technology for creating interactive impressive graphics and overlays and display them in high quality.

Adobe Flash is one of the most commonly used technologies for graphics creation which makes it possible to personalise the VidiGo Flash application for client specific needs, at the lowest cost. VidiGo has developed several optional applications like the proven Stadium app with which you can display standard advertisement Flash banners on big screens in arenas.

On-Air Systems is the exclusive agent for VidiGo in South Africa.

New agency for Jasco

Service: We take care of you like family… …or we can take care of things for you

Our family is growing all the time, so look out for new family members

www.pro-sales.co.za OFFICE. (0027) 11 462 0000 FACSIMILE (0027) 11 462 0005 EMAIL. INFO@PRO-SALES.CO.ZA ADDRESS. 34 ELGIN ROAD, BRYANSTON, SOUTH AFRICA, 2023

Broadcast Solutions, a division of Jasco Carrier Networks, recently concluded a partnership agreement to represent world-renowned Front Porch Digital product offerings as a reseller in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, including southern and eastern Africa, as well as Mauritius and the Seychelles.

Front Porch Digital is the global leader in content storage management (CSM) and in migration and preservation of videotape to digital files. The company delivers end-toend solutions for cost-effective digitising, accessing and preserving media and accelerating the migration of videotape to optimised and secure digital storage.

The Front Porch Digital range consists of DIVASolutions, three product categories that can be integrated to migrate, manage and market media content securely and efficiently. DIVASolutions SAMMA products are the first of their kind to automate digitisation of videotape, moving content into secure, accessible and searchable digital storage.

DIVArchive and DIVAdirector are trusted solutions for scalable and reliable CSM that enable digital file-based workflows to operate seamlessly across multiple sites.

Award-winning DIVApublish is a unique, cloud-based service that combines automated creation of frame-level metadata with online distribution.

| TRACKINGTECHNOLOGY

Casting its light further

Cosmolight, a company specialising in the design, manufacture and distribution of professional lighting and suspension systems for television, cinema, theatre and architecture, has acquired the historic Italian market leader brands IFF and QUARTZCOLOR. Francesco Rocchi, founder of Cosmolight, state: “This acquisition will allow us to expand further because of the increased product range we will now be able to offer our customers. Our own products are highly compatible with those of IFF and QUARTZCOLOR. We are now able to complete our geographic presence in the international market.

“Cosmolight’s wish is to revive the QUARTZCOLOR and IFF brands. The former boasts more than 50 years and is famous for the creation of products which have become ubiquitous in the lighting industry, such as the as Red Head, the Blond and the Bambino.”

Over the course of their history the two brands have gained a reputation worldwide for professional lighting and Cosmolight aims to bring passion and quality back to the production of innovative lighting and suspension in the domestic and international market.

“I am especially gratified,” continues Rocchi, “by the symbolic value which the return of the historic names QUARTZCOLOR and IFF under the control of an Italian company represents. Our product expertise, presence in the market for over 35 years and our industrial structure is perfectly suited to relaunch these brands.”

Pro Sales is the Cosmolight distributor in South Africa.

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Capturing London Fashion Week

Production house Brightonart Ltd built a comprehensive AV control solution around Blackmagic Design’s ATEM 1 M/E production switcher to capture runway looks from Vauxhall Fashion Scout, the largest independent showcase of the Fall 2012 London Fashion Week.

Brightonart was tasked to produce catwalk videos that would be uploaded to Vimeo.

The ATEM was used to cut live footage from HD-SDI video feeds shot by two Sony EX-1 cameras. Programme output was then captured on two SSD recorders; a Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Studio recording uncompressed 10-bit as a rolling backup and the other using DNxHD or ProRes as the master working file. Signal distribution was handled by Blackmagic’s Multibridge Pro, which took care of the audio embed. The ATEM 1 M/E was also used for static or animated graphic loops that the designers wanted projected on the back wall of the runway, which were run out of an auxiliary port on the switcher and managed on a PC using Resolume Avenue VJ Software.

For remote work away from the main catwalk within Freemasons‘ Hall, Brightonart used Blackmagic Design’s ATEM Television Studio, which filled the need for a compact and portable AV solution in the secondary control room.

Brightonart shot and cut more than 30 catwalk shows during the week. Thanks to the Blackmagic 1080/50i workflow, only minimal post-production was required, ensuring that every show was online in HD within two hours of its completion.

technologies making content valuable

EQUIPMENTRENTALS |

Rent-a-lot BIG FORMAT CAMERAS – Sony F-3, provided

by Puma Video, on location with DOP Jon Kovel and director Gerrit Schoonhoven ALL HANDS ON SET – On set of a production serviced by Visual Impact

Equipment rentals is a tricky business as obsolescence is a major factor and, with the reduction of costs of some previously unaffordable equipment, many production companies buy their own equipment, reports Andy Stead.

20 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

“Our hottest rental items were the Panasonic P2 cameras, Canon 5D DSLR, Sony PMW F-3 (s-35 imager) and camera accessories. Clearly the world loves big-format cameras, so we are looking into that and various new items to add value to our existing offering.”

Puma Video recently serviced Hartland, Miss South Africa, Diamond in the Rough, Pop Stars and The Big Break Legacy.

Post 2010 hype

3D PRODUCTION – The Live Parlotones 3D Concert serviced by Visual Impact

Marius van Straaten of Visual Impact reports a change of focus in the rentals market. “The latter part of 2011 was good for us as we consolidated and rationalised our business. We stopped post-production finishing at the HDHub and sold the Baselight.

“Our focus now is to provide systems to post-production facilities and production clients from our new business unit, Visual Impact Digital Labs. This incorporates the HDHub services under the leadership of Stefan Nell, our amazing head of digital imaging.

“2012 kicked off with Master Chef South Africa; we are responsible for the cameras, technical support and postproduction data management and

workflow. We also have a number of international projects starting in early May.” Popular items are the Phantom high speed camera, the onboard camera sound device Pix 240, which records 10-bit uncompressed, solid state drives and cameras, and the Go Pro HD. Visual Impact serviced the Live Parlotones 3D concert, the Bankie 3D music video, the Kanye West music video and the Mercedes 3D commercial.

Promising year Henk Germishuysen of Puma Video is optimistic about 2012. “It looks quite positive after a challenging 2011.

Cam-A-Lot’s Glen Theron describes 2011 as a slow year compared to the hype of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, the second half of 2011 ended very well.

Says Theron: “We are looking forward to the year ahead after a fairly good start and some exciting projects, including our new branch in Lynwood, Pretoria.

“Our new arrival, the Panasonic HPX 250, has been a real winner. The ever popular Sony Z5 and Z7 cameras are always busy.

“We introduced some new LED lighting products to our shop and entered into the Canon DSLR market. Cam-ALot will introduce the latest fly-away multi-camera kits with a choice of the Sony EX3 or the new Panasonic HPX250 cameras. We have ordered a second unit of our popular Mini-Jib.” Cam-A-Lot recently supplied eight Sony Z7 cameras for the kykNET series Proesstraat.

– to page 22

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EQUIPMENTRENTALS |

IN SAFE HANDS – SA Tourism crew on location in Clarens, along Ash River, with equipment provided by Timeframe

from page 20

New jobs Vanessa Yelseth of Timeframe, who was honoured with an Emmy in recognition of her contribution to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, agrees that 2011 was a challenging year.

“However we were lucky enough to get some great productions and the year turned out well.

We have kicked off 2012 with some exiting new jobs.

“The Panasonic HDX900 HD Camcorder is a hot item right now, and we considering acquiring Carl Zeiss prime lenses. We are also increasing our production wing, which I will head up,” notes Yelseth.

Some recent productions include Expedition Impossible with Mark Burnett, Bondi Vet for WTFN Entertainment, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls for Look-alike Productions and SA Tourism for Rapid Blue.

Panavision SA MD Tony Eddy says that in general 2011 was a marked improvement on 2010, mainly due to the expansion of their digital division.

“Early indicators suggest that 2012 should see more international productions filming in South Africa,” says Eddy. “New equipment on offer includes the RED Epic 5K, the Arri Alexa/Plus available with Anamorphic Panavision lenses and accessories and a Sony F3S upgrade.”

Timeframe’s recent productions include Safe House, The Borrowers and The Girl.

Good start “2011 started with a bang which was pretty unusual for January and February, but then slowed down in March,” says Camera Facilities’ Roddy Barker.

“It’s quite evident that business for the rentals sector was dreadful overall last year. Music videos have always been popular in our studio but there

was a decline in shoots throughout the year.

“Our current hottest rental items are the Sony PMW- EX3 XDCAM HD and the Panasonic HPX-500 DVCPRO 50 HD. Support accessories are extremely popular. I think the 4K market is going to be the way of the future,” comments Barker.

Diverse year “Digitalfilm had a very successful 2011, supplying Canon 5D and 7D cameras and RED cameras to four local feature films, numerous commercials, documentaries and TV series,” says Frank Meyburgh.

Sony XDCam HD 700 cameras were used on a variety of local and international sporting events.

The hottest rental item is the Sony PMW-F3 camera kit.

“Digitalfilm is waiting for its RED Scarlet camera with PL and EOS lens mounts and our second set of RED T1.8 prime lenses. We’ve just taken delivery of 10 AC and battery powered LS AV500 and LS AV1000 LED dimmable panel lights and stands,” concludes Meyburgh.

| EQUIPMENTRENTALS Cam-A-Lot Rentals

Physical Address: 6 Grove st, Ferndale,

Randburg, 2194 Contact Person: Glen Theron Tel No: 011 787 6234 Email: info@camalot.co.za Website: www.camalot.co.za

Camera Facilities

Physical Address: Studio 9, 9 Nerina Street,

Kensington – B. Randburg

Johannesburg 2197 Contact Person: Roddy Barker Tel No: +27 (0)11 886-9016 082-802-5794 Email: facility@global.co.za Website: www.camerafacilities.co.za

Equipment Details: Rental of cameras: • Sony EX3 • Z7 • Z5 • DSR 450 • P2 • Canon 7D A Selection of Lighting & Sound gear, Dollies, Jibs & Grips, Studio rentals.

Equipment Details: Sony XDCAM HD formats, Panasonic DVCPRO P2 HD, Panasonic DVCPRO 25/50, Sony HDV & Sony AVCHD formats.

Supported with Lighting kits, Audio Kits, Matte Box & Filter selections, Follow focus units, Monitors (SD & HDSDI), Dolly & Tracks, Jib arms, Multicam Video Mixing Units complete with Comms systems, Tally Lights, Monitors & various format VTR units.

Crew supported with Crew & equipment production vehicles.

Digitalfilm

Physical Address: 340 Main Road, Bryanston Contact Person: Isaac / Frank Tel No: 011 463 7584

082 378 4084 Email: isaac@digitalfilm.co.za frank@digitalfilm.co.za Website: www.digitalfilm.biz Equipment Details: Camcorders: Canon 5D / 7D,GroPro, Panasonic AF101, Sony PDW-700 XDCAM HD 422, Sony PMW-F3 HD, Sony PMW EX-3 XDCAM HD, Sony HVR – Z7 / Z5, Sony HXR MC1P. Lenses: Canon, Nikon, Fujinon,Zeiss T series and CP2.

In PL, EOS, Sony two thirds, Nikon, Zeiss to AF101 micro four thirds mounts.

Lens Accessories, Matte Boxes, Filters, Tripods / Grips, Lighting, Monitors, Edit Decks, Audio Equipment, Transfers & Standard conversions, HDCAM up & down conversions.

Sony SP, SX, IMX, Digi Beta, HDCAM edit recorders/ players for hire.

Multi format transfers in PAL & NTSC.

EQUIPMENTRENTALS | Panavision (SA) (Pty) Ltd

Physical Address: 79 Reedbuck Crescent

Corporate Park South

Midrand 1685 Contact Person: James Barth Tel No: 011 314 1748 Email:

james.barth@panavision.za.com Website: www.panavision.za.com Equipment Details: 35mm & 16mm cameras: Panavision, Arriflex, Movicam, Photosonics 35mm & 16mm Lenses: Angenieux, Cooke, Canon, Primo, Zeiss (spherical & anamorphic lenses) HD: Genesis, Sony F35, PMW-F3, F900R, RED-MX, Panasonic HD27EF, HDX400EX, Canon 5D Grips: Geared & Fluid Heads, Tripods, Remote Heads Dollies: Chapman, Fisher Cranes: Giraffe, SuperTechno 15’, 30’ & 50’

Puma Video

Physical Address: 401 Jan Smuts Ave,

Blairgowrie, Randburg Contact Person: Chantell Fegen

Henk Germishuysen Tel No: 011-886-1122/3/4 Email: info@pumavideo.co.za chantell@pumavideo.co.za Website: www.pumavideo.co.za

Timeframe Productions

Physical Address: 89 – 3rd Avenue, Linden, Johannesburg Contact Person: Vanessa Yelseth Tel No: +27 (0)11 782 1152 Email: Vanessa@timeframetv.com Website: www.timeframetv.com

Equipment Details: Standard Definition Cameras: DVCam, Digital Betacam Equipment Details: High Definition, HDV and DVCAM High Definition Cameras: cameras, a wide range of lenses, Zeiss Primes, filters, New! Sony F-3 super-35, camera accessories and lighting.

New! Panasonic AF-101 4/3” Other: Canon 5D & 7D DSLR cameras, DVCPro HD, Lectrosonic duel channel diversity radio mics and top of P2 HD, XDCam EX HD, HDV. the range audio mixers.

Accessories: HD Lenses: long & W/A for 2/3”, lenses & all adapters for new Panasonic AF-101 & Sony F-3 We also offer expert facilitation and award cameras, matte boxes, DSLR rigs, Follow focus units, winning crew.

HD 7”, 8”, 9”, 17”monitors, Nexto Storage devices, nanoFlash recorders, Zoom recorders.

Grips: tall & short legs, Sachtler & O’Connor heads, dollies & tracks.

Lighting equipment: Kino Flo, LED lighting, Dado kits, Peppers, Redhead kits, Blondes, Chimeras, Black-out, lighting grips.

PVSA_SCAF_MARCH_QPA_proof copy.pdf 1 2012/02/14 4:08 PM

efficiency global logistics and inventory

expertise

in association with

• High speed cinematography

comprehensive knowledge base

• Stereoscopic solutions • Camera Support on all formats

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• Digital Lab services

creativity pro-active solutions

• Data Storage and LTO archiving

panavision south africa

• Avid and FCP rentals services • Post Production workflow solutions johannesburg CPT | 1 Glynnville Terrace, Gardens | 021 468 6000 JHB | 60 Cradock Avenue, Dunkeld | 011 788 9879 digilabs@visuals.tv www.visuals.tv

24 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

+27 (0) 11 314 1748 robert.russell@panavision.za.com james.barth@panavision.za.com in association with

cape town

+27 (0) 21 555 1780 nicholas.doble@panavision.za.com michael.wilson@panavision.za.com

| EQUIPMENTRENTALS Visual Impact

EQUIPMENT RENTALS A – Z Company Website

Physical Address: 60 Cradock Avenue,

Dunkeld, Johannesburg

1Glynville Terrace,

Gardens, Cape Town, 8001 Contact Person: Marius or Goran Tel No: +27 (0)11 788 9879

+27 21 468 6000 Email: Goran@visuals.tv Marius@visuals.tv Website: www.visuals.tv

www.blondproductions.co.za

CAM-A-LOT

www.camalot.co.za

CAMERA FACILITIES

www.camerafacilities.co.za

DIGITAL FILM

www.digitalfilm.co.za

DT VIDEO

www.dtstudios.co.za

EVENT POWER

www.eventech.co.za

GEARHOUSE

www.gearhouse.co.za

HD FACTORY

www.3Drigs.co.za

KINETIC

www.go-kinetic.com

MEDIA FILM SERVICE

www.mediafilmservice.co.za

MJ EVENT GEAR

www.eventgear.co.za

NATES AUDIO VISUAL

www.nates.co.za

PANACAM

www.panalux.biz

PHOTO HIRE

www.photohire.co.za

PUMA VIDEO

www.pumavideo.co.za

SOUTHERN LIGHTING

www.southernlighting.co.za

TAKE 2 FILM SERVICES

www.take2films.co.za

THE CAMERA MAN

www.cameraman.co.za

THE NOIZE DEPARTMENT

www.noize.co.za

TIME FRAME PRODUCTIONS

www.timeframe.co.za

TURBOLITE

www.turbolite.co.za

VISUAL IMPACT

www.visuals.tv

STRATOSPHERE

www.stratosphere.co.za

THE FORT

www.thefort.co.za

DVD

News

Broadcast

New Media

TELEVISION

DISPLAYS & MONITORING

Digital Media Delivery Video Streaming MOBILE TV

Forum

Editorial

Equipment Suppliers

FILM EQUIPMENT BREAKING NEWS OB & ENG

Services

RADIO

POST-PRODUCTION Guide to Filming in South Africa

Corporate Video

Directory Contacts Film Festivals

Adcetera

Social

TRAINING

Mediatech FESTIVALS

Audience Ratings Golf Day

PRESS RELEASES

Special Focus

LATEST NEWS BUSINESS

Editor’s Comment SATELLITE & TRANSMISSION

COMPUTERS

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News

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3D TECHNOLOGY

Vital Statistics

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Twitter

CAMERAS & Accessories

Technology

Magazine • Website • Directory • Newsletter ANIMATION & GRAPHICS Facebook Tracking Technology Website

COMPANY NEWS Production Updates

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Film

Facilities & Rentals

Industry Directory

Production Companies TV & VIDEO PRODUCTION

AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

Film Festivals

International Expos Organisations

Studios Documentaries

AFRICA

Corporate & Events

Equipment Details: HD cameras and accessories. Full service department Phantom HD Gold Sony PMW F3, Sony PMW EX3 XDCAM, Panasonic AG AF 101, Sony HDW 750 HDCam Packages Panasonic AJ HDC27FE VARICAM Sony PMW EX3 XDCAM CAMCORDER Sony PDW 700 XDCAM HD Canon 5Dii, Canon 7Dii Digital Audio equipment Digital, analogue, solid state decks Apple Mac and Final Cut pro Recorders: Convergent Design Nano Flash, Convergent Design Gemini 4:4:4, Aja Ki-Pro and Ki-Pro Mini, Sound Devices PIX 240 Contact us for tailored rental packages.

BLOND PRODUCTIONS

Awards

Events

Organisers Expos

w w w. s c r e e n a f r i c a . c o m Email: publisher@screenafrica.com Te l e p h o n e : + 2 7 ( 0 ) 1 1 0 2 5 3 1 8 0

March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 25

ASSETMANAGEMENT&ARCHIVING |

DAMmed if you do, MAMmed if you don’t…

By Andy Stead

Mike Smit

Digital Asset Management (DAM) is defined as the management, organisation and distribution of digital assets from a central repository. DAM systems include computer software and hardware systems that aid in the process of digital asset management. It also refers to the protocol for downloading, renaming, backing up, rating, grouping, archiving, optimising, maintaining, thinning, and exporting files.

26 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

Kim Smith

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edia Asset management (MAM) – a sub-category of DAM – addresses audio, video and other media content. Generally the ‘asset’ that is managed is collected and stored in a digital format.

The ‘asset’ is detailed by its metadata, which is the description of the asset and the description depth can vary depending on the needs of the system, designer or user. Metadata also describes asset content; the means of encoding or decoding; history; ownership; and rights of access; as well as many other items of information.

Any facility, production house, broadcaster, archiver and other holder of large volumes of digital and other material will inevitably require asset management. It is a hot topic with several solutions on offer.

Distribution of digital assets is critical to ensure consistency across all marketing and communication channels. A good DAM system ensures that users can easily locate digital assets and retrieve them for further use.

Mike Smit, founder of Media Host over 10 years ago, pioneered the concept of digital file delivery (telestreaming) in South Africa. He has now licensed Adstream for sub-Saharan Africa.

“Adstream,” he says, “provides online applications to agencies, broadcasters, post facilities and production companies to streamline the creation, production, distribution and storage of advertising through a simple set of web-based tools that enables the management of production, versioning and distribution of advertising content.”

This is the first locally hosted enterprise MAM solution specifically developed for the advertising industry to

Steve Lauter

Rob Dormer

streamline advertising workflows in radio, print, TV and online.

is more complex and demanding,” says Steve Lauter, sales manager, Broadcast Solutions. “The major factor impacting media users and managers is the ability to retrieve assets for re-use and re-purposing.

Without a reasonable MAM system this task would be almost impossible. To get the most bang for buck out of your archive solution, a good MAM system must form part of the archive solution.”

Lauter agrees that there is no end to tape based storage. “I see a decline but I don’t see an end within a timeframe that will have any material impact on the broadcast industry,” he says.

Muzaffar Barday, GM: Group IT at e. tv uses Dalet, Xendata and Qualstar (Tape Library – LTO4) and in addition has a Final Cut server and Tandberg (Tape Library – LTO5) for productions.

“As the media is ingested,” he says, “the software puts controls in place to ensure that metadata is inserted. Only once this is completed can the user move to the next step in the workflow.

“As the number of digital (Internet) users increases globally the race is on for companies to get their content online to commercialise their product offerings.”

Huge volumes Top facility house Sasani Studios, which hosts several daily soaps and accumulates masses of material weekly, is keenly aware of archive and media storage needs.

“We have had an archival system for some time,” says Sasani’s Kim Smith. “It’s not an asset management system and is something that came out of the IT industry as opposed to the broadcast industry.

“Sasani does not own content but offers a back-up and archive service to Linear Tape Open (LTO) systems. We use standard IT hardware, software and a robotic library. I honestly don’t see tape-based storage ending in the near future as the capacity of data tape increases, which means the cost of storage per gigabyte decreases.

“We offer tape to file transfers and vice versa from and to various formats. There is a distinct difference between back-ups and archiving. Depending on the production I don’t think some areas of the industry are prepared to pay for archiving as it incurs an ongoing cost as opposed to back-up, which is a once-off cost.”

Large order Broadcast solutions provider and systems integrator Jasco offers several solutions for MAM which include Avid, Object Matrix and Front Porch Digital, and has just signed a large order with SuperSport to supply equipment that includes Avid Interplay MAM. “As digital assets accumulate in volume and size, the storage criteria for archiving

Specific market CatDV-SA is the South African agents for CatDV, a MAM software solution aimed at small to medium production companies.

“Their systems include media analysis tools and automatic scene detection to extract the metadata inherent in most media files, together with support for importing and exporting edit decision lists and other videooriented file formats,” says CatDVSA’s Rob Dormer.

SCALABILITY PERFORMANCE CAPACITY SIMPLICITY

www.touchvision.co.za

The Buzz on Big Data is real. What is it, how it will impact manageability and can you keep up? Our new generation of EMC Isilon scale-out NAS hardware and software is the answer to the Big Data storage question.

To learn more, visit www.emc.com/isilon or email leigh@touchvision.co.za

Johannesburg Tel : 011 886 8572 email: chris@touchvision.co.za

Cape Town Tel: 021 421 5501 email: leigh@touchvision.co.za

ASSETMANAGEMENT&ARCHIVING |

Developing an archive standard

By Ian Dormer

The development of new digital storage media is ever increasing and the breadth of these offerings is widening. Historically, archive systems have been proprietary and these circumstances have led to a lack of interchange of stored archives and lack of interoperability of archive systems. A group of industry protagonists have set out to convince the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) for the need to standardise.

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hanks to technology, we’ve now got more ways than ever to communicate with each other through audio, video and the printed word. However, the same proliferation of technology that creates so much opportunity also has resulted in a plethora of formats and systems for storing digital media – from small to extremely large.

Sadly, often all these formats and systems are not all compatible with each another – one was created on PC, the other on Mac. But we are not talking about interoperability of the media files themselves, rather the actual operating system, file system, storage technology and devices used to capture, store and protect these valuable media assets.

This diversity and potential long term incompatibility makes reliable and guaranteed access to these assets complicated, expensive and sometimes downright impossible.

Solving the problem means establishing a common format for digital media storage that works not only with any existing system, but also with systems that have yet to evolve – an open standard for the long term storage and preservation of media assets.

28 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

AXF Development is well on its way with the Archive eXchange Format (AXF), which is intended to serve as a common language in the archiving industry. AXF is a file and storage media agnostic encapsulation approach which abstracts the underlying file system, operating system and storage technology making the format truly open and nonproprietary.

The AXF object contains any type, any number and any size of files as part of its payload accompanied by any amount and type of structured or unstructured metadata, checksum and provenance information, full indexing structures and more; all in a single, fully self described, encapsulated package.

As the AXF object itself contains a complete file system, all of the complexities and limitations of the underlying storage is avoided and the same AXF object can exist on data tape, spinning disk, flash, optical media, or other storage technology now and into the future.

Key features of the AFX include scalability, where AXF objects can scale to any size, encapsulate any number of component files of any size or any type

and can span across any number of storage medium devices or technologies. It offers resilience with in-built features such as media cataloguing and fast index recovery, fully self-described objects as well as per file and structure checksums assistance to ensure long term accessibility and resilience.

Openness AXF is totally open, it offers support for all storage media types (hard drive, optical, flash) without reliance on modern data tape features such as LTFS partitioning, so there is no need to upgrade existing storage infrastructures.

In addition community tools will soon be available to allow for generic and direct access to AXF formatted media and AXF objects without relying on the applications that created them.

Designed to support all media and file types regardless of operating system (file system or platform) and based on an IT-centric implementation, which supports any type of file encapsulation (database files, documents, image files); it is therefore not limited to only media assets.

AXF was developed to meet a broad spectrum of user needs – anyone who

works with any type of file based content and needs to store, transfer, protect, preserve or access their content across various technologies can benefit from AXF. Applications range from people and companies that work within the entertainment and media industry that access petabytes of data in a high-performance environment down to the person who needs to transfer or store a few files.

As we head further down the widening road of the digital highway, the development of the Archive eXchange Format will no doubt save our assets from getting lost in a mountain of aged, incompatible hard drives and DVDs. The bottom line is that AXF has the ability to support interoperability among systems, help ensure long-term accessibility to valued assets and keep up with evolving storage technologies.

It offers profound present and future benefits for any enterprise that uses media – from broadcasters, to museums and libraries, to simple IT-based operations and family home movies – it is well on its way to being the longawaited worldwide open standard for file-based archiving, preservation and exchange.

| ASSETMANAGEMENT&ARCHIVING

Taking content operations to the cloud CLEAR

By Andy Stead

Digital Media Supply Chain Package Delivery Processing Edit

EDGE

PRODUCTION HOUSE

MOVIES

PLAYOUT PLAYOUT READY

RUSHES

WEB EDGE

DISTRIBUTOR

EDITS SHOWS LIVE FEED

DATA ON THE MOVE – Neels Bester and Ivan Bridgens

South African company LaserNet has negotiated selective partnerships with leading industry vendors with a single common goal – to deliver transformational solutions that alleviate the internal and external pressures that media organisations face every day.

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aserNet comprises a team of seasoned professionals from the across the media and IT industry, including founder Ivan Bridgens, Alan Otto, Grant Randal and Warren Clarke.

“We are now connected to all the major players,” says Bridgens, who founded the company seven years ago. “LaserNet has enabled them to move content all around South Africa and internationally. Our network is quite mature and connected to every local broadcaster, the main post-production houses, ad agencies and many others. LaserNet has become the de-facto way of moving digital content around.”

Cape Town Film Studios was recently connected to the network.

Bridgens continues: “We are now moving filmatic material around for them. In fact we facilitate most of the movies that come in and out of South Africa and we work between South Africa and the US as well as Europe. For e.tv we coordinate all of the incoming news content from stringers and international feeds, manage it and get it into their network.”

Digital asset management When Bridgens started LaserNet his five-year plan was to get into archiving and digital asset management. “I have been investigating this for a number of years and when Neels Bester joined three years ago we were able to workshop the basis. The breakthrough came last year.

“We bought a lot of the components required for our archiving system, and while we were at IBC in Amsterdam last year we came across a company called

Prime Focus Technologies (PFT). They provide a global digital content services platform to organisations that deal with content and are keen to exploit it across platforms. CLEAR, PFT’s unique ‘hybrid cloud’ multi-platform content operations solution, provides a secure way to produce, process, manage and deliver content for revenue-generating multiplatform opportunities.

PFT CEO Ramki Sankarnarayanan says that globally content is getting digitised with workflows going from tape to tapeless. “With the large volumes of content created by the media and entertainment industry, the need to digitise enterprise processes has become important.”

CLEAR helps the media and entertainment (M&E) industry put content in the centre and enable concurrent workflow. This aids creative enablement, better monetisation of content and drives efficiencies. It also empowers the organisation to establish a digital media supply chain, concurrent subtitling and database decision making.

The digital pipeline is the most important infrastructure of the system.

Says Bridgens: “PFT’s main base is in Mumbai, India, as well as London and New York. As their development and roll out was very similar to our vision we entered into a partnership agreement to bring the platform to South Africa. We will be hosting and selling the services in conjunction with several other offerings.

“It’s a match made in heaven which combines their technology with our knowledge of the local market and our network. We purchased a building in Sunninghill Office Park to house our data

VOD

Unified content operations hub

COMMERCIALS

MOBILE LIVE STREAM

SYNDICATION

EDGE

BRAND / AGENCY

End-to-end Automation / Concurrent Workflows Multi-Platform Distribution

centre. Redundant power supplies, generators, UPS, air conditioning and the required infrastructural connectivity will be installed. We will have a node in Cape Town in about five months time.”

Bester points out that archiving constitutes about 20% of the service with the rest being the ability to leverage the content. “We create the cloud, mix it with a real demand cloud and integrate other services. This includes the ability to take content and display it on many and varied mediums.”

Essential system Clients include broadcasters, postproduction facilities, agencies and any company that either manages or generates content in the media industry. They all face the same challenge – how to archive, how to find content, and how to ensure that the brand is uniform throughout?

Bester says that the only way to do this is to ingest all the assets and make them accessible to anybody authorised to view them. “The conditional access of the content is dependent on the metadata.

When a company that uploads media for an agency logs in, they will have access to all their data based on that specific field, even if it is uploaded by three or four different houses. The system is relation based.”

A good example is the Indian Cricket Board which has digitised its entire library – some 15 000 hours – all of which was on tape. The two main essentials are the metadata and the life cycle management.

“This is where we took our big step,” continues Bester, “providing archiving to ensure that people can upload, search and

find what they are looking for.”

LaserNet visited Satellite Television Asian Region (STAR), an Asian live on-air TV service in India, which outsources all their content management to PFT. “There was not a single tape in sight,” says Bester. “PFT connect Star TV in India with 32 production companies that deliver content to them digitally. They have a server and log into a web page, upload what is required, and all material is trafficked and scheduled. It comes in, is QC mastered and any problems are sorted. Everything is logged with errors corrected before air.

“Security is managed to the nth degree and everything that Star TV staff is required to do is accessible via iPads,” explains Bester.

PFT COO Ganesh Sankaran maintains that CLEAR is what the M&E industry is looking for. Clients like Star TV, Eros, Sony Music, Viacom 18, Sony MSM, BCCI, IPL, HUL, Associated Press, A & E TV Network, Vijay TV, Netflix, Schawk!, WPP clearly agree.

Bridgens feels that together with PFT LaserNet will be able to do bulk digitising, QC, cataloguing and provide all related services as well as a bureau service in conjunction with file processing. LaserNet plans to target very specific clients such as tourism, national archives and content owners.

“Our vision going forward is basically mimicking in southern Africa what PFT have already done,” says Bridgens. “LaserNet will also be able to supply to a smaller user through a multiple client platform.”

March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 29

ASSETMANAGEMENT&ARCHIVING |

Finding a market in South Africa A THE NEW ‘LIBRARIAN’ – Rob Dormer

scalable, cross-platform media asset management solution from UK-based software company, Square Box Systems Ltd, CatDV can handle a wide range of file types with enhanced support for video content.

The system includes media analysis tools and automatic scene detection to extract the metadata inherent in most media files, together with support for importing and exporting edit decision lists and other video-oriented file formats.

Says Rob Dormer of South African agent CatDV-SA: “We’ve seen a lot of interest in the product from the local market. A system was recently installed at well known wildlife production company Aquavision, which has thousands of hours of footage in its library.

“Although CatDV is aimed at the small to

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medium production companies it is also adopted worldwide by huge organisations such as NASCAR, BBC Wildlife and BBC Sport.

“The software operates on Mac and Windows platforms and is designed to work as a librarian; logging and improving workflow for non-linear editing systems. It also provides a searchable catalogue for the large number of multimedia file types that exist, with log notes and thumbnails available, using either online or offline lower resolution proxy videos.”

CatDV’s offline file browsing facility enables re-use in multiple projects, especially when network connectivity or bandwidth issues apply.

“The system can be used as a standalone regular desktop application or for network operation via the optional CatDV server,” concludes Dormer.

| ASSETMANAGEMENT&ARCHIVING

Plug your media company into the ‘cloud’

By Ian Dormer

Johannesburgbased MediaCloud Networks, through an exclusive deal with Vodacom, is an innovative new business solution that provides a single intelligent broadband network with the aim of creating a national cloud based service, linking all media entities into a value added service that allows users to stream, send and store data.

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etwork speeds are currently scalable up to 1Gbps and in due course will also be available up to 10 Gbps.

This burstable service aims to provide any media producer, for a fixed monthly fee, with unlimited access to all on the MediaCloud VPN (Virtual Private Network), whether it is a broadcaster, production house, advertising agency or visual effects company.

Vodacom’s Metro E fibre is a fibre optic network which connects several nodes in metropolitan areas, providing a city wide and nation wide high speed broadband connection. MediaCloud Networks and Vodacom are also linking city Metro networks to Vodacom’s national data centre network, which will provide hosted services to users and ultimately through access to Vodafone’s international data centres, will also allow digital delivery to and from overseas destinations.

MediaCloud Networks CEO Cecil Barry states: “Fibre is being deployed to broadcasters SABC, e.tv and MultiChoice and various production

houses including Clearwater, Urban Brew and Red Pepper, as well as content delivery network GlobeCast. There are many others looking at joining the network. What we are trying to build is a turn-key solution that is an industry standard for the cloud – a cloud that represents all the players in the broadcast / media industry.”

Services Content delivery is one of the core services offered by MediaCloud. This includes a wide range of options for clients such as delivering a long form documentary or commercial to a broadcaster; a movie to a cinema; content to digital signage services and linking live with the latest IP (Internet Protocol) or ASI (Asynchronous Serial Interface) based broadcast technology.

“Thanks to intelligent and robust network technology, quality of service is guaranteed with no dropped frames or fluctuating bandwidth,” notes Barry.

MediaCloud also offers hosted services like storage and archiving.

Barry continues: “We are working aggressively at providing users with the best storage solutions available. We are also exploring a model of unlimited storage at no charge.”

Transcoding of media through drop box services will become a standard offering, while VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) and telepresence solutions as well as mobile and Internet packages can be negotiated. Services including virtual office applications and secure cloud software packages are also in the offering.

“If you are looking, for example, at media asset management software, the cloud based model reduces the cost of installing, integrating and maintaining software, making expenditure operational rather than capital,” explains Barry. “The principal of being able to employ technology at a fraction of the price is what is driving MediaCloud.”

Fundamental shift In addition to the cloud based solutions, MediasCloud is also able to provide users with hardware requirements to augment their businesses.

“Over the next few years we are going to see a huge fundamental shift in the way media is produced. Through our cloud solution creatives will be able to work from home or the nearest coffee shop on tablets and mobile devices.”

Richard van Wyk, New Business development manager for MediaCloud Networks concludes: “We are living in the most exciting media age in history – an era that has produced the empowered viewer and with social networking demands we have all become media facilitators.

“MediaCloud Networks will be ‘all things to everybody’ as we collaboratively steer towards a digital economy. We will evolve with technology and provide users with the best there is to offer at all times.”

March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 31

ASSETMANAGEMENT&ARCHIVING |

Speedy access at a touch TOTAL DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT – EMC Isilon 108 NL

T

ouchvision Digital Media Solutions is proud to offer EMC Isilon’s innovative, fifth-generation storage solutions that speed access to critical business information, offering an efficient, easy-to-manage storage infrastructure that reduces operational expenditure and allows seamless growth of storage.

According to Touchvision’s Leigh Pearson, EMC Corporation recently announced that Associated Press (AP) has deployed EMC Isilon scale-out NAS, to support the big data demands of its high definition (HD) video production and archive workflows.

By implementing a single Isilon system

and software, AP has boosted the performance of copy and transfer rates, streamlined storage management, improved reliability, and lowered its video archive storage costs, without compromising on any of these dimensions. Although Isilon was initially deployed specifically for AP’s video editing workflow, the news organisation soon began using Isilon to archive content as well, with significant cost savings.

As newsgathering organisations continued transitioning to HD video in 2011, AP needed to upgrade its standard definition (SD) video content offerings.

However, the tape-based video archival system AP had deployed for SD was not

up to the task of handling more performance-intensive HD content. The tape system had a high per-terabyte cost, sluggish access and transfer rates, and failed 10% to 15% of the time. In addition, every few years due to tape technology changes, organisations had to convert existing tapes to make them compatible with the latest standards.

Having implemented Isilon for its video editing workflow, AP expanded its use into video archiving as part of a complete video infrastructure revamp to support the HD video upgrade, from camcorders to servers to storage.

AP deployed Isilon NL-Series and X-Series platform nodes in its New Jersey

and London data centres to support it’s video production and archival system.

The Isilon OneFS operating system, and SmartPools and SmartConnect software enable AP to aggregate all storage assets into one pool, assign appropriate levels of service to individual users, and easily perform other storage management tasks.

“This is great news,” says Pearson, “and it is apparent that South African media companies are tracking their European and American counterparts very closely as they too need to make the transition from tape based archives and workflows to totally digital environments.”

SCREENAFRICA Follow us on

32 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

| NEWMEDIA

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Last year Australia launched the National Digital Economy Strategy, a bold government initiative that aims for Australia to be the world’s leading digital economy by 2020.

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ithin this plan is the implementation of the National Broadband Network – a one gigabyte per second (Gb/s) open-access data network, paid for by the tax-payer. This network will revolutionise health, education, television broadcasts and the economy of the country.

In just eight months, the building phase of the new network, that will require A$35.9bn (approximately R287.2bn) expenditure over the next eight years, has been realised and will be the single largest nation building infrastructure project in Australia’s history.

Imagine the task of providing a country the size of Australia with a reliable fast broadband service covering an area of 7 617 930 km2 (in comparison South Africa is approximately 1 200 000 km2), with a population of almost 23 million people. The ambitious project rollout began in April 2011 and the plan is to reach 93% of the population via fibre to the premises (FTTP) with the remaining 7% serviced by fixed long term evolution wireless networks (4G network) and extreme remote areas will be covered by two 80 Gb/s satellites scheduled to launch in 2015.

33 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

than you can

The National Digital Economy Strategy plan, announced by the Minister of Broadband, Senator Stephen Conroy (yes, Minister of Broadband!), is to provide 100% of all homes, education facilities and businesses with super fast, unrestricted, always on, digital connectivity. As such the digital economy is part of the shift from the past industrial period to the new digital information period.

Among the many tools to be available after the implementation of the National Broadband Network (NBN) will be interactive smart-grid energy systems in each home to manage overall energy consumption and demand. Sensor networks and applications will allow farming and agriculture better access to information such as soil moisture and weather conditions.

There will be high-quality, high definition (HD) video conferencing to reduce the need for long distance travel as collaboration can occur online, rather than in person. The Telehealth tools will allow sick people to stay in their homes for longer by facilitating home-based monitoring by healthcare professionals and allow specialists to assist local health professionals in emergency situations through high-definition video conferencing.

eLearning In education, eLearning is the focus. The use of online and digital media to support open and distance learning with synchronous virtual classrooms is a huge factor considering the vastness of Australia. It will allow the population to use huge central object / content

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G ‘ er m r y sa Do

repositories and shared resources like eBooks and virtual and 3D simulations.

Schools in rural and regional Australia with small numbers will be able to join with other schools to ensure students are exposed to differing views, cultures and experience.

By using services and applications that operate on the NBN, Australian businesses – regardless of their size or location – have the opportunity to reduce costs, increase efficiency and grow by reducing the need for a physical presence. It also offers more flexible work practices through greater scope for teleworking, allowing businesses more choice in their location, including rural and regional Australia.

Worried broadcasters But it is the broadcasters that probably face the biggest challenge. If traditional media in Australia weren’t already worried, then they will be now.

Most admit that they haven’t positioned themselves well for a digital future. Radio has avoided the issue and delayed a digital launch. Television is reluctantly launching half-hearted digital stations this year.

South Africa’s Broadband Quality Score is only 21 – much lower than the international average of 31 from the other 66 countries included in a study conducted by the University of Oxford and the University of Oviedo’s Department of Applied Economics.

Australia’s new service will boost it into number one spot over current leader South Korea, 57 places above South Africa.

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By I

Definitions Maybe our service providers can learn a lesson from the Australian project.

It is interesting to know what the Australian definitions of broadband are: • Broadband is not narrowband, anything under 1Mbs is narrowband.

• Broadband is neither fixed nor mobile – it is both and refers to the quality of the access environment and the possibilities this allows.

• Broadband is not a ‘scarce’ service – it is not priced per minute or megabyte to be used for some finite amount of time per day.

• Broadband is an ‘always on’ service without highly constraining limitations on use.

So what will super fast broadband really do for the Aussies? Well the NBN marketing advertisement puts it into perspective stating that a 10Gb movie which would currently take 24 hours 49 minutes to download will take 13 minutes two seconds under the new scheme – quite impressive indeed!

Very high speed broadband of the kind the Australian government promises will completely change the expectations for the Internet. It’s not simply that pages will load faster, it’s all the new things that will also be possible…

March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 33

TRAINING |

Mentoring up-and-coming filmmakers

By Karen van Schalkwyk

LONG TRAIN TO FILMING – DOP Michael Buckley and art director Tom Hannam mentoring F.I.L.M. trainees

GETTING TO GRIPS IN THE FIELD – A scene from Chronicle

The Film Industry Learner Mentorship programme (F.I.LM.), which has placed trainees on major international productions shot in South Africa such as Safe House, Invictus, Dark Tide and Chronicle, has received a formal pat on the back from parliament for training and empowerment.

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section 21 non-profit skills and development facilitator, F.I.L.M. provides previously disadvantaged people with skills and employment in the film, electronic and digital media industries. In addition F.I.L.M was recognised at last year’s ITV Conference in Geneva for mobile content generation in a non-for-profit digital innovation competition.

The initiative was created in 2008 by David Wicht of Film Afrika and Quentin Fredericks of Pitch Black.

F.I.LM. project director Seton Bailey explains the objectives: “We aim to provide disadvantaged people (but not exclusively) with unit standard-aligned skills development and mentorship. This comprises hands-on experimental learning, employment, career advancement and social enterprise opportunities in the film industry.”

The programme has a database of over 250 people F.I.L.M. has partnered with 34 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

leading production companies like Moonlighting Filmmakers, DO Productions, Two Oceans Production and Film Afrika, to name a few, under mentors on local and international film and TV series.

Bailey continues: “We aim to assist trainees to overcome traditional barriers to entry into the industry and create learning and earning content generation hubs and micro-enterprises. At the same time young people are trained to tell and sell South African stories locally and abroad.”

Recruitment He says that the programme operates by advertising for trainees in trade publications, newspapers and online. “We recruit trainees widely in this way and, although we have done virtually no marketing until recently, word of mouth is without a doubt the most powerful

TRIUMPHANT – F.I.L.M. winners Patrick Vrieslaar and Steven Samson

trainee recruitment tool.

“On local and international productions mentors are selected based on the head of department (HOD) in the skills set in which trainees are required (and most likely) to benefit from the experience.”

In the past some of the mentors included industry icons such as Santiago Quinones – location manager Safe House; Eamon Fitzpatrick – international line producer; Antonio Paladino – international commercials director; Oliver Hermanus – director and producer; Cliff Bestall – Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker; David Wicht – director and producer; Vlokkie Gordon – line producer; Michael Buckley – DOP; Tom Hannan – art director; Brigid Olën – producer; and Sello Twala – director and producer.

Funding Bailey explains how the programme operates and is funded: “Despite the fact that it is not yet a Department of Trade &

Industry rebate requirement for long form production companies to achieve Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) level 5, F.I.L.M. assists parent companies and special purpose vehicles (SPVs) and is remunerated through a skills development fringe on each SPV production. The major portion of this goes to the trainee remuneration on the production and a small percentage goes to F.I.L.M. for admin and running costs.

“We are also a skills development facilitator for dozens of long form and commercial companies and suppliers to the industry for which we are remunerated. F.I.L.M receives admin fees from discretionary grants it receives from the Sector Education Training Authorities (Setas); we also train people for which we are remunerated.”

Bailey maintains that the programme has gone a long way in terms of addressing the skills shortage and much needed transformation in the industry.

“Many of our trainees are now full-time crew in the marketplace and produce their own productions. We don’t focus on Oscar winners or on awards, we just want people to follow their talent, be gainfully employed, achieve career fulfillment and hopefully develop their own production companies.”

Tough industry A big challenge for F.I.L.M is that the industry is hard to break into. Bailey elaborates: “It is quite a closed sector with a traditionally fairly wealthy freelance industry. But we are little by little contributing in our own small way to the broader transformation of the industry in providing a vital bridge for opportunity in a supportive environment. We are also getting more and more ADFA, UCT, CPUT and other tertiary institution graduates coming onto the programme to gain hands-on experience.”

One of the most successful trainees to come onto the programme is Patrick Vrieslaar who has worked on Chronicle and Safe House, which were both shot in Cape Town.

“Patrick worked as grip assistant on Safe House and spark trainee on Chronicle and is an incredibly hard worker,” explains Bailey. “This industry is tough and one has to be self-disciplined and be on stand-by for hours on end. Patrick does all that with no complaint. He just loves the industry and is currently working on Mad Dogs 3 with his mentor, John McKay.” Bailey has long been committed to the industry and started out in the mid-1980s working in marketing and communications.

“I decided early on in 2000 to dedicate my time to social development in the film industry because it was increasingly apparent to me that unless we did something about transformation and creating a sustainable industry, it would not happen on its own. So I got involved in the programme and am fundamentally responsible for strategic planning, operational implementation and development and maintaining relationships with film partners.”

| INDUSTRYISSUE

Animalsmatter

By Karen van Schalkwyk It was recently reported that on the HBO Dustin Hoffman drama series about horse racing, Luck, two horses were put down due to severe injuries they received on set. Animal rights activist group PETA said that if the producers had followed correct protocols and safety measures this tragedy would have been averted.

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hat are South Africa’s safety and regulatory measures in terms of animals on film sets?

In South Africa there are two main organisations that provide animal monitoring on set – Animal Issues Matter (AIM) and the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL).

AIM’s Dee Terblanche says that local regulations pertaining to animals in entertainment are contained in the Animals Protection Act No 71 of 1962 (APA) incorporating the Performing Animals Protection Act No 24 of 1935 (PAPA).

She elaborates that at present the film industry voluntarily secures the services of an inspector when they need to ensure their media can be aired in the client’s country. “As there is no legal requirement, this is a self-regulating process which only happens if a welfare report is required by the client. If not, the production tends to by-pass an inspector and only employs a wrangler. This means that three quarters of animal shoots are not monitored.”

Inspectors Animal Welfare inspectors also have the right under the APA to visit any film set that use animals to ensure a PAPA licensed wrangler is present and that the animals are being handled correctly.

According to Terblanche not all film shoots hire inspectors and they are rarely employed on stills shoots.

An inspector has the responsibility of inspecting pre-production training and checking veterinary certificates where necessary.

Terblanche continues: “This protects the company, agency, client and wrangler

A MOOOOVING PICTURE – A cow being used in a milk commercial

from any criticism that may arise from animal interest groups and potentially compromises the flighting of the commercials and the client’s reputation.

The PAPA makes it a legal requirement that no animal may be used on set without being handled by a magisterially registered animal wrangler with a valid certificate. But without an inspector, there is no one to monitor this.”

Experience essential Luke Cornell of Union Pictures gives his view: “Currently the regulations require any animal used on set be accompanied by a licensed handler, under the Performing Animals Act. However this is somewhat of an issue, as seemingly some people obtain them without any experience, simply by applying to a magistrate.

“Any exotic or wild animal has to be transported on a valid permit from the conservation authorities of that province.

The American Humane Association (AHA) has a set of guidelines that I use and at one stage the AACL here had a vague document regarding film that was never really passed along to owners or animal trainers. The bottom line is that if you don’t have a happy animal they don’t

really work.”

Tereblanche explains that Animal Welfare charges film companies a nominal fee plus fuel expenses to monitor and provide a report. “This charge can equate to 1% of the cost to production compared to the wranglers and animals alone. Therefore budgetary excuses for not employing an inspector are considered null and void.”

She notes some of the key elements that productions maintain to protect animals: freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from pain injury or disease; freedom to express normal behavior; freedom from discomfort; and freedom from fear or distress.

Cornell, who has trained and supplied animals to film sets for the past 24 years, has invested his life savings in a farm where the animals can live in suitable conditions. He has built a studio on the farm to avoid travelling animals unnecessarily.

“I am a member of the Animal Keepers Association of Africa as well as the Pan Africa Zoo Association, the Animal Interest Alliance and I hold a Performing Animals Licence,” says Cornell.

The animal’s voice He stresses that as animals cannot speak, the handler is their voice and their control mechanism and therefore is responsible for their welfare.

“When working on a production we generally request a storyboard and assess the animal’s ability to deliver the required performance,” continues Cornell. “Then we prepare the animals for the task as best we can.

The biggest challenge is informing non-animal people, often producers and directors, that either the animal cannot deliver what they desire or that the animal has had enough and is going home.”

The standard of animal protection in South Africa on sets is world class according to Cornell. “I think we deliver world class animal action and animals. We have had very few instances of injury or newsworthy incidents in all the years I have been on the job.”

Terblanche adds that the South African film industry is successfully self-regulated up to a point but could be improved by following the example of the American Humane Association (AHA) March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 35

AFRICA |

Reports by Martin Chemhere

It’s encouraging to hear about vibrant filmic activity in war ravaged South Sudan. Martin Chemhere reports on a grass roots arts organisation that is building the local industry.

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oyee Film and Theatre Industry has produced over 25 short films and radio dramas, as well as public service announcements (PSAs) during the Voter Education Exercise in the 2010 Elections and the 2011 Referendum. These were distributed to all 10 states of South Sudan and to its radio stations. They also played on state television every day.

“We were the first to produce a 30-minute film dealing with the census in Southern Sudan in 2008 and then produced our first feature film, Jamila, two years later,” explains Woyee’s Daniel Danis.

Woyee has an estimated 150 members who operate from two branches – Torit and the current capital city of Juba.

The organisation was established in South Sudan by people who initially lived in Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp between the 1990s and 2007 and received training from Film Aid International.

After repatriating to South Sudan, these individuals formed Woyee to train other youths in South Sudan.

The organisation owes its humble beginnings to the sole efforts of Chandler Griffin, founding director of Barefoot Workshops in Mississippi, US, who provided advice and support as a former trainer at Kakuma Refugee Camp.

Griffin initially sponsored two of the refugees – Daniel Danis and Simon Lokwang – to attend a film school in Nairobi to learn more about filmmaking.

After completing the course, Lokwang 36 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

100% SOUTH SUDANESE – Daniel Danis camera in hand and directing a scene from Jamilia

and Danis along with colleagues, formed Woyee with the dream of establishing a film industry in South Sudan.

At Woyee’s disposal there is in-house equipment such as a Sony PD camera, a Canon XL1 camera and a Mac iPad computer (editing suite).

Jamila The 140-minute feature film Jamila was entirely shot in Juba between May 2010 and January 2011. It screened at the Nyakuron Cultural Centre in February 2011 with about 500 people

in attendance.

Jamila’s lead actors are Joyce Maker in the title role and Lazarus Lual (as Juma) with 15 other supporting roles.

A two-part movie, it tells the story of an orphaned South Sudanese girl. While still at university she does all she can to complete her studies and get a job to support her younger brother who is still at school. She is introduced to the wealthy Juma, who showers her with gifts and pays her school fees till she graduates.

Juma starts to ask for sexual favors as a pay-back and Jamila is impregnated and jilted.

Produced for about $2 000, Jamila was written, produced and directed by Woyee Film and Theatre Industry members.

Danis stresses that the film is 100% South Sudanese. “There was no consultation with outside film experts.

We wanted to make the film on our own to see what we could come up with.

“Funding was achieved through the money received for the work done for the United National Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Southern Sudan Elections Commission and Southern

| AFRICA

New film exposes appalling crime A new Zimbabwean feature film explores a shocking topic – the rape of males by female gangs.

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ooftop Promotions, the film wing of Creative Native Zimbabwe’s leading theatre and arts management company, completed postproduction on Sinners? in February.

Sinners? boasts an experienced cast; Sarah Mpofu, Eunice Tava, Chipo Bizure, Denzel Burutsa and Teddy Mangava among others.

The film centres on three ladies of the night who have had enough of their trade and decide to venture into a more lucrative business and explore its potential.

Until now they were compelled to endure a way of life that they don’t enjoy.

Their profession has exposed them to all types of customers yet their lives have not improved in any way.

The three women are recruited by a business woman to collect sperm from their male victims.

Says Lesley Zibonele Moyo, media officer at Rooftop Promotions: “Sinners? explores a hot topic in Zimbabwe where women gangs have reportedly trawled the country’s highways to offer transport to men before raping them.

“The three protagonists at first find formal business better than standing in the streets at night, in search of clients and risking danger and possible arrest.”

EXPLICIT SUBJECT – A scene from Sinners?

Sinners? is a screen adaptation from a theatre production of the same name, which premiered last year at the Creative Native-run Theatre in the Park in Harare.

The original play was written by Patrick Chasaya and the screenplay was penned by Blessing Hungwe. It is directed by US-based award-winning director, Patience Gamu Tawengwa, and produced by Daves Guzha.

Moyo notes that the play enjoyed a successful run and proved popular among theatre lovers for its no-holds barred approach towards delicate and explicit

Sudan Referendum Bureau, during the elections and referendum.”

Instead of paying the actors, who are all Woyee members, it was decided to rent a small office and buy an editing suite and camera.

Transport and limited finances were the biggest challenges faced during the shoot.

No cinema culture South Sudan has an underdeveloped film culture with non-existent cinemas, which makes screening home grown films difficult.

“We aim to pioneer the concept of cinemas in a number of areas and we want to convince many people that we can actually have cinemas in South Sudan. It is not impossible to do what Nigerians have done in Nollywood and what has been done in Bollywood.”

Most people rely on the only television station in the country – governmentowned South Sudan Television.

Danis explains that access to television in private homes remains largely a pipe dream as many are too poor to afford TV

Elfatih Majok Atem

sets. “This makes it difficult for locals to buy home grown films on video or DVD and for small film companies like Woyee to support itself.”

Ministry perspective Elfatih Majok Atem, manager of Cinematography and Film Industry Section (Ministry of Culture, Youth and

subject matter.

Guzha comments that he enjoyed this latest production especially after a long break from producing movies.

“My intention this time around is to make full length feature films and end the persistent drought which has dogged our film industry. Zimbabweans have been starved of their own images for too long,” he says.

Sinners? is set to launch this month.

Guzha is yet to strike a distribution deal but plans to distribute the film to movie houses, festivals and on DVD. The film was shot in several locations

– at Rooftop Productions’ own offices in Eastlea, a friend’s house in Ashbrittle, a bar in Hillside, at the University of Zimbabwe and on several streets.

Creative Native’s core business is video and film production, and it offers services that include films (features and shorts), documentaries, talk shows, music videos, corporate videos and event documentation.

One of its most successful productions is Waiters which became the first co-production deal ever in post independent Zimbabwe with national broadcaster ZTV.

Sports) counts Jamila as the eighth film to be made by locals since the referendum.

Others include Salt of the Nation – about the struggle of the people of South Sudan and their dreams and hopes; Lazy Woman – a short film about a woman who ignores house chores and attracts the ire of her husband; Step Out of Violence – about children who abscond from school due to criminal activities; Shamarat (Gossips) and Bad Boys.

“All of these films have been well received by the South Sudanese because they are not used to seeing themselves in films and it was something they have wanted for a long time. Most of the films are aired on South Sudan TV (SSTV) and people are asking for more,” says Atem.

Regarding challenges facing South Sudanese filmmakers, Atem says: “Many local filmmakers have never had any training so they teach themselves on the job. Those who are experts face the challenge of accessing good equipment and tools.”

To counter these difficulties, the ministry is providing equipment and training for those interested in

filmmaking and video production. Other institutions, like the privately run film school Movie and TV Academy in Juba, provide much needed training.

Lack of training means fewer filmmakers with appropriate skills and the influx of films from countries like Nigeria and Ghana. These two countries feed South Sudan with Nollywood style movies that have captivated many people.

The Ministry of Culture is also in touch with other South Sudanese in the diaspora who want to return back to Sudan to impart their knowledge. Atem is in contact with Chol Mangar, a young filmmaker based in Australia, who plans to visit and support the filmmakers of South Sudan.

According to Atem although there is no annual festival yet, locals have mooted the formation of a youth film festival in the future. He also hopes his country will have a Film Commission by 2015.

By August this year Sudan will host the shooting of what Atem terms “a huge film co-production between a local production house in collaboration with Kenya, Uganda and South Africa”. Watch this space.

March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 37

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9/13/11

11:18 AM

Production Updates Order of Information 1. Title 2. Production Company 3. Director 4. Genre

IN DEVELOPMENT 80 MINUTES Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature Drama A LION IN THE BEDROOM Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature AMABHUBESI Inkwasi Television Prod: Bell Curle TV Magazine AMBUSH ALLEY NHU Africa Exec Prod: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary AMKA CORPORATE Panache Video Productions Exec Prod: Haroon Kalla Corporate At The Creek Without A Paddle Zen Crew Exec prod: Laura Tarling Documentary BAD MEDICINE Tin Rage TV Production Dir: Enver Samuel Documentary Bagged Izithulu Productions Exec Prod: Donovan Mulligan / Mike Westcott Short Film BLAST FROM THE PAST Sirius Films Prod: Ian Manly Documentary BODA BODA THIEVES Yes That’s Us Prod: James Tayler Feature BREAD AND WATER Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor / Julia Taal Feature Documentary BREAKDOWN Bollysamo Pictures / Apeiro Productions Prod Man: Carolyn Gregorowski Feature CAPE OF GOOD HOPE Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature CHILDREN OF FAMOUS ACTIVISTS Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature Film CHILLI CHICKS International Radio Pictures, Inc Kit Reynolds TV series COILED DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature CONSERVATION & BEYOND SuitePeople TVP Prod: Bell Curle Documentary

do good design south africa Concept Interaction Producer: Karl Fedderke Educational ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION Gaonakgang Film Productions and Publications Writ: George Phuthiyagae Documentary ESCAPE Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Beata Lipman Feature Film Ex Pats Current Affrairs Films / French Connection Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Drama series FOR THE NEW CITY – DANCE ON FILM SWiTCH / Resonance Bazar Prods: James Tayler / Julia Raynham Film FORSAKEN DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature GENIUS Inhlakanipho Films Dir: Dumisani Vusi Nhlapo Short Film GOUE STERRE Suite People TVP Prod: Bell Curle TV Series GRIZMEK Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature IIQ Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Feature IK1 – TOURISTS IN DANGER Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature Inventing Africa Imageworks Prod: Anthony Irving Documentary KADU’S JOURNEY DO Productions Prods: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature DYINGCRACY Sabstance Productions Producer: Edmund Mhlongo Documentary LEARNER TEACHERS Curious Pictures SABC Comedy Series LION GIRL DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën TV Feature Lonely Plannet Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature NEW BEGINNINGZ Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhanhla Ncube Documentary Nongoloza Current Affairs Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature Palace of the Faithless Production Company: White Heron Pictures Dir: Themba Sibeko Feature

PASSARES (BIRDISH) White Heron Pictures / Casa De Criacao Cinema Prod: Themba Sibeko Feature RACHELTJIE DE BEER Brett Michael Innes Films Producer: Brett Michael Innes Feature Film RAF INDUCTION VIDEO Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate Road Accident Fund Induction Panache Video Productions Dir: Liesel Eiselen Corporate SEBOKENG MPA (Motswako) Dir: Charls Khuele / Zuko Nodada Feature SHARON AND MUGABE’S ELEPHANTS NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary SHORT BUSINESS FEATURE WITH BBC / ABC Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Short Business Features SUPERMAMA GoogelPlex Productions Dir: Karen van Schalkwyk Feature SWANK! International Radio Pictures Prod: D Gillard Musical The Black Blonde Steve Radebe Post Productions Prod:Steve Radebe Feature Film tHE blood kIng and the red dragon Current Affairs Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman / Mtutuzeli Matshoba Feature THE CONSEQUENCE DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Feature THE EDGE International Radio Pictures Kit Reynolds TV Series THE FILM MAKER Elle Bolt Productions Prod: Elle Bolt Reality Series The Scores Are In Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Game Show / Entertainment Series VULTURE KILLING FIELDS SuitePeople TVP Bell Curle Documentary WARD 22 AKA SPECIAL OPS DO Productions Prod: Marlow de Mardt / Brigid Olën Documentary Welcome To The Club Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature ZERO DIET Two Oceans Production Prod: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature ZEBRAS DO Productions Dir: Bruce Beresford Feature

P R O D U C T I O N U P D A T E S PRE-PRODUCTION CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 2011 Esp Afrika (Pty) Ltd Prod: Yana Lombard Documentary Elegy: forsaken in South Africa Market Street Productions Prod: Paul Van Zyl Short film Holidays for Madmen Imageworks Prod: Anthony Irving TV Series IMATU UNION VIDEO FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video Mandela Synergy Films Drama / Documentary MASTERS OF DREAMS Current Affairs Films / Up Front Entertainment / French Connection Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Documentary One Last Look Fireworx Media Pruducer: Dan Jawitz / Philip Roberts Feature PSALTED Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Variety RATE MY PLATE International Radio Pictures Exec Prod: Kit Reynolds Community Project Si-solutions International Radio Pictures Exec Prod: Kit Reynolds Community Project TALK OF THE TOWN SuitePeople TV Productions Bell Curle TV Series The Black Out Dithakeng Projects and Flms Exec Prods: Thabang Nkunyane Short Film TO CARE FOR YOU ALWAYS Noble Pictures Prod: Claudia Noble Short Film TRUE DREAM South African Great Movies Production Dir: John Wani Feature VKB LANDBOU BEPERK FC Hamman Films PM: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video WOLWEDANS IN die Skemer The Film Factory Exec Prod: Danie Bester Feature

IN PRODUCTION 3 Talk Urban Brew Talk Show 3RD DEGREE e.tv Investigative TV series 50 50 Clive Morris Productions Current Affairs 90 PLEIN STREET III Born Free Media Exec Prod: Carolyn Carew TV Series A 400 year old bestseller – The King James Version of the Bible Eugene Botha Productions / It’s a Wrap Productions Prod: Eugene Botha Documentary

ABC AMERICA NEWS SPECIAL ON MANDELA Current Affairs Films Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature News Special Africa Facts Season 3 Lebapi Productions Dir: Daniel Moleabatsi TV Magazine AFRICA 360 eNews News Head: Patrick Conroy Current affairs AFRO CAFÉ SEASON 7 Bonngoe Productions Exec Prod: Pepsi Pokane Music Show AFRO SHOWBIZ NEWS SABC News International Exec Prod: Jody-Layne Surtie TVMagazine AFROX AFRICA INSIGHT EPS 4 FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AFROX YEAREND RESULT FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video Agape Gabaza Productions Prod: Sarah Ngubeni Magazine Alex: A history from below Uhuru Productions Dir: Rehad Desai Documentary ALL ACCESS Homebrew Films Prods: Paul Venter/ Hannes van Wyk / Tammy Anne Fortuin Magazine Show ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary ANGUS BUCHAN’S ORDINARY PEOPLE FC Hamman Films Dir: FC Hamman Feature Awesome Africa Steplite Films Dir: Jacqui Logie Tv Series BARBOUR AND THORNE – 60 YEARS STRONG Our Time Productions Dir. Jaun de Meillon Corporate Video BINNELAND Stark Films Dir: Danie Joubert TV Drama Bonisanani Kagiso TV Talk Show BOPSY BUNNY Firefly Animation Studio Exec Prod: Antony Steel Short Films Carte Blanche (inserts) Modern Times Prods: S Phirippides / J Pienaar Documentary CHEETAH DIARIES 3 NHU Africa Exec Prod: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Child Geniuses Talent Attack TV / Fuel Media Productions Prod: Paul Llewellyn Documentary Series Club Culture Bonngoe Productions Prod: Tumi Rabanye Variety

The Communist Republic of South Africa Jam TV, Creative South Africa, Nkhanyeti Production Prod: Barthelemy Ngwessam Documentary Codesign – commercial spot for furniture designers SWiTCH Dir – James Tayler Commercial Cooking With Siba Prod: Siba Mtongana Variety Cool Cats Red Pepper Exec Prod: Cecil Berry Children’s Show CORTEX MINING FC Hamman Films PM: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video Come Dine with Me South Africa Rapid Blue Prod: Kee-Leen Irvine Reality Cutting Edge SABC News Current Affairs DADDY’S MESS Dzunde Productions Prod: Thandiwe Mashiyane TV Sitcom DRAGON’S FEAST 3D NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary DIY Met Riaan Prods: Riaan Venter-Garforth Magazine EASTERN MOSAIC Red Carpet Productions Magazine Programme FIRESTONE Street Smart Creative DOP: Peter Palmer Commercial FORMIDABELE VROUE: Martie Meiring Khaki Productions Dir: Wynand Dreyer Documentary FORMIDABELE VROUE: Rosa Nepgen Khaki Productions Dir: Wynand Dreyer Documentary FORMIDABELE VROUE: Rykie van Reenen Khaki Productions Dir: Wynand Dreyer Documentary FRENZY Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Palesa Mopeli Variety GENERATIONS Morula Pictures Exec Prod: Mfundi Vundla Soapie GNLD AFRICA CONVENTION FC Hamman Films Prod: FC Hamman Corporate Video Gospel GOLD Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Music Show GROEN Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Wildlife HEAVEN – Africa Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature

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Hectic 99 Okuhle Media Prod: Wilna van Schalkwyk Magazine Show Hello Doctor Prods: Michael Mol Magazine HOUSE CALL Izwe Multimedia / Urban Brew Series Prod: Annalie Potgieter Live Medical Talk Show I Am Woman – Leap of Faith Plexus Films and Lisa Chait Prod: L Groenewald, M Redelinghuys, L Chait Television Series Imizwilili Ukhamba Communications Music INSIDE STORY Curious Pictures / Discovery Channel Dir: Rolie Nikiwe Feature ISIDINGO Endemol South Africa Dirs: Raymond Sargent / Johnny Barbazano Daily TV Drama JOU SHOW MET EMO en Wickus Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Variety Show Jam Alley Red Pepper Prod: Melody Xaba Game Show Judge For You Self eNews Current Affairs Laugh out Loud Exec Prod: Rapulana Seiphemo Comedy Khumbul’ekhaya Urban Brew Prod: Enel Viljoen Reality

www.atlasstudios.co.za

Lepelle Water Safety Induction SummerTime Productions Exec prod: Elaine Tribe Corporate Live Urban Brew Music Show Live Lotto Show Urban Brew Game Show Mad Buddies Keynote Films Exec Prod: Helena Spring Feature Maggs on Media eNews Prod: Jeremy Maggs Current Affairs Million Dollar Race Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature MK Campus Homebrew Films Prods: Jaco Loubser / Ben Heyns Student Show Montana 2 Penguin Films Exec Prods: Roberta Durrant Drama Series MOTSWAKO Carol Bouwer Productions Prod: Vesko Mrdjen Talk Show MUVHANGO Word of Mouth Prod: Pieter Grobbelaar Feature MZANSI INSIDER Bonngoe Productions Exec Prod: Pepsi Pokane TV Magazine Music Moves Me Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Music Show

March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 39

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News Night eNews Prods: Nikiwe Bikitsha Current Affairs Nigcomsat – television commercial series SWiTCH Prod: Sarah Wanjiku Muhoho Commercial Nomzamo Tom Pictures / Authentic Images Comedy ONS MENSE Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Current Affairs OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS Plexus Films Prod: Miki Redelinghuys Corporate Film POPCRU 7TH CONGRESS FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Event PASEKA EASTER ELEPHANT NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary PASELLA Tswelopele Productions Insert Dirs: Liani Maasdorp / Werner Hefer TV Magazine Programme

40 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

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PEACE PARKS NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Series Red Bull Beat Battle Fly on the Wall Prods: Filipa Domingues Corporate REDI ON MZANSI Imani Media Prod: Bruce Townsend TV Series Religion and the ANC Eugene Botha Productions / It’s a Wrap Productions Prod: Eugene Botha Documentary RHYTHM CITY Curious Pictures Prod: Yula Quinn Soapie RHYTHM CITY INTERACTIVE Curious Pictures / e.tv Prod: Viva Liles-Wilkin Interactive Platform Media Rivoningo Asi-B Films Exec Prod: Asivhanzi ‘Asi’ Mathaba Kids ROCKING FUTURE Summertime Productions Prods: Sean Gardiner / Tanya Vandenberg Educational Video

ROER Homebrew Films Prod: Jaco Loubser Cooking Show Roots Ukhamba Communications Music Show SAVING RHINO PHILA NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary SCANDAL Ochre Moving Pictures Series Prod: Romano Gorlei Daily TV Soap SELIMATUNZI Sikhoyana Productions Prod: Baby Joe Correira variety series Sakegesprek Met Theo Vorster Dirk Mostert Camera Production Dir: Dirk Mostert Talk Show Ses’khona Tswelopele Productions Prod: Phuthi Ngwenya Magazine SLENDER WONDER FC Hamman Films DOP/ Dir: FC Hamman Commercial SHIZ NIZ Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Allen Makhubele Variety Shift Urban Brew Talk show Shoprite Showcase SummerTime Productions Exec prod: Janine Truter Corporate SISTERHOOD Red Pepper Pictures Prod: Vuyo Sokupa Variety Siyakholwa – We Believe X CON Films Dir: Munier Parker Edutainment Soccer 411 Engage Entertainment Exec Prod: Vusi Zion (previously Twala) Magazine Soccer zone SABCSports Head: Sizwe Nzimande Magazine Sony Presents Mgongo Sony Variety Spirit Sundae New Wave Productions Prod: Mishkah Roman-Cassiem Spiritual STRANDED NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary STUDIO 53 M-Net Inhouse Productions Insert Dir: Navan Chetty Mag Programme The B-Ball Show SABC Commissioning Ed: Dinah Mahlabegoane Variety The Chat Room Eclipse Prod: Thokozani Nkosi Talk Show The Cypher Spoon Fed Generation Lerato Letebele Talk show The Justice Factor eNews Exec Prod: Debbie Meyer Current Affairs

THE RUDIMENTALS Periphery Films Prod: Simon Taylor Feature Documentary THE STORY OF LITTLE FOOT Paul Myburgh Film Prod: Paul Myburgh Documentary The Tech Report Greenwall Productions Exec Prod: Nicky Greenwall Magazine Transformation stories Media Village Productions Dir: Diane Vermooten Documentary THE TRANSPORTERS Sukuma Media / Reality Motion Pictures Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Documentary THERE ARE NO HEROES AFDA Cape Town Dir: Kyle Stevenson Science Fiction TOP BILLING Tswelopele Productions Prod: Patience Stevens TV Magazine TOP SHAYELA Curious Pictures / Vuzu Prod: Khobi Ledwaba Reality Magazine Series Top 10 at 10 Don’t Look Down Radio /TV Simulcast Turn It Out Fuel Media Dance show TOUCHING THE DRAGON NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Turn It Out Fuel Media Productions Dir: Ben Brewster Dance Reality show Verraaiers (Traitors) White Heron Pictures/Film Factory / Bos Bok Ses Films / Spier Films Dir: Paul Eihlers Drama VKB BRANDING LAUNCH FC Hamman Films Prod: FC Hamman Corporate Video VILLA ROSA Spectro Productions Dirs: Luhann Jansen / Andries van der Merwe/ Leroux Botha / Isabel Smit TV Drama WEEKEND LIVE SABC News Current Affairs When The World Was Here Fuel Media Productions Dir: Mzilikazi Kumalo Documentary Series Why are We so Angry?

Fuel Media Productions Dir: Scott Smith, Shaft Moropane Documentary Series Why Poverty?

STEPS International Exec Prod: Don Edkins Documentary Series Wicket to Wicket SABC3 Lefa Afrika Magazine Workers World Series Cape Town Television Prod: Sharon McKinnon TV Series Xihlovo Grace Bible Church Religion Yilengelo Lakho Prod: Nndanganeni Mudau Current Affairs

Zone 14 The Bomb Shelter Prod: Angus Gibson Drama

POST-PRODUCTION A BUSHMAN ODYSSEY Onetime Films Prod: Richard Wicksteed Documentary AFRICA CALLING Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature AFROX CO2 PLANT FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AFROX SHEQ INDUCTION FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Commercial ALL’S FAIR PianoJ Productions Prod: Pia van Rensburg Short Film AMBASSADOR II Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature Angels Of The Sky CDS-Films Exec Prods: Chris Dos Santos, Andrew MacDonald Feature Film Animal Doctor (Working Title) Animal Doctor cc.

Prods: Greg Simpson, Jonty Acton TV Series Bally Cullen Guesthouse Ad Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate Bitter Root Imageworks Dir: Kerry Negara Documentary BLITZ PATROLLIE Diprente Films Prod: Kagiso Lediga Feature BUA NNETE Owami Entertainment Dir: Charles Khuele Short Film Calafornia: Valley Christian School Transformation Media Village Prod: Diane Vermooten Documentary CHAMELEON NHU Africa Exec Prod: Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary CHEETAH DIARIES 2 NHU Africa Exec Prods: Vyv Simson / Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary DANGEROUS TRAILS – ELEPHANTS IN THE MINEFIELDS NHU Africa Exec Prod: Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary DEAR SISTER Media Village Prod: Debbie Matthee Short Film ENDANGERED NHU Africa Exec Prod: Sophie Vartan Wildlife Documentary Series HARTLAND Bottomline Entertainment / Fix Post Production Michael Modena TV Drama Hong Kong Media Village Prod: Diane Vermooten Documentary

P R O D U C T I O N U P D A T E S IQILI Impucuzeko Prod: Sharon Kakora Feature Israel Inside (Working Title) Imagination Productions / Wayne Kopping Films Dir: Wayne Kopping Documentary Kemang? lmol Production Dir: Lizzy Moloto Feature Film JULIUS HAS A DREAM Creative South Africa, Nkanyethi Productions,Jam TV Prod: Bathelemy Ngwessam Documentary Launch of the Academy of Young SA Scientists Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Documentary Lepelle Northern Water SummerTime Productions Prod: Sean Gardiner Corporate LION’S TRACK Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature MARRY – ANN Shadow Films Dir: David Forbes Documentary Melodi Jazz Festival 2011 L. Dukashe Productions Dir: Lumko Dukashe Live Concert DvD National Heritage Council Educational Outreach Programme Panache Video Productions Exec Prod: Amos Mlaudzi Corporate PERFECT SHISHEBO Curious Pictures Prod: Nthabiseng Mokoena AFP – Cooking Show PURPLE TOWN Sukuma Media Dir: Bonginhlanhla Ncube Documentary RESTYLE MY STYLE Curious Pictures Prod: Anita van Hemert Children’s Programming River of Stones Prod: Wiseman Mabusela Documentary SA JUNIOR MASTERS Our Time Productions Dir: Jaun de Meillon Series on SuperSport SCAREDYKAT Dirty Soul Productions Dir: Kyle Lewis Horror Feature Film SCHOOL E-WASTE INITIATIVE/ DESCO/ INCREDIBLE CONNECTION Philip Schedler Productions Prod: Philip Schedler Corporate SEDA – WOMAN IN BUSINESS Our Time Productions Dir. Jaun de Meillon Corporate Video SLENDER WONDER FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video South african Field Band Foundation Championships Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Documentary STETSON HATS Fourth Dimension Films / Creative Photo Services Dir: Neil Hermann Corporate

Stolen Time Prod: Eric Myeni Feature Tanzanian Investment Opportunities Benchmark Productions Dir: Dermod Judge Corporate TASTE OF RAIN Luna Films / On Land Productions Prods: Bridget Pickering / Richard Pakleppa Feature Technology Innovation Agency CEO Address Panache Video Productions Prod: Liesel Eiselen Corporate Technorati Talent Attack TV / Fuel Media Productions Dir: Maxine Nel Technology Magazine Show TREASURE GUARDS Tandem Communications Exec Prod: Jonas Bauer / Rola Bauer Feature Triple O Monarchy Prod: Mosibudi Pheeha Feature True Dream ( Revised Version) South African Great Movies Production Dir: John Wani Feature Film Vallejo Transformation Media Village Prod: Diane Vermooten Corporate Vehicle 19 Forefront Media Group / Picture Tree / The Safran Company Exec Prod: Paul Walker Feature VERITAS Media Village Prod: Debbie Matthee Documentary WALKING IN VICTOR’S SHOES Current Affairs Films SA Prod: Jane Thandi Lipman Feature Documentary WELLBODI BIZNES Plexus Films / Four Corners Media Prod: Miki Redelinghuys Documentary ZAMA ZAMA Kokamoya Productions Prod: Bertus van der Walt Feature ZION Letcosmart Prod: Zibusiso Nkomo Feature

COMPLETE 4PLAY: SEX TIPS FOR GIRLS III Curious Pictures Prod: Stephane Coetzee Drama AFRICA CALLING Two Oceans Production Prods: Giselher Venzke / Bertha Spieker Feature Afri-Infra Overview 2010 Panache Video Productions Dir: Adele de Klerk Corporate AFROX AFRICA INSIGHT EPS 3 FC Hamman Films PM: Odette van Jaarsveld Corporate Video AYESAN – FIGHT TO LOSE SMS Multimedia Inc Dir: Seyi Specialborn Akanbi Feature

AWOYE – RETRIBUTION Sms Multimedia Line Prod: Temitope Akanbi Feature Child On-Line Protection Week Imageworks Dir: Anthony Irving TV ad Dept of Social Development Congress FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Three-day corporate event DUMISANI FILM TOUR Creative Pictures / Genius Productions Dir: Vusi Dumisani Nhlapo Documentary Evocative AfricaVentures of Discovery Clifton Publications / Gerald Cubitt Photography Gerald Cubitt Photographic book publication Food with Friends Studio Republic Prod: Darren Kerr Talk Show Free State Balloon Fiesta Imageworks Prod: Anthony Irving Corporate GLAMOUR – THE REALITY BEHIND DREAMS ZG Films Prod: Javed Jafferji Feature GULUVA BIP Films Dir: BI Phakathi Feature Film IMATU 3 DAY CONGRESS FC Hamman Films Prod Man: Odette van Jaarsveld Three-day Corporate Event JOURNEY TO STATE HOUSE ZG Films Prod: Javed Jafferji Documentary JOURNEY INTO WILDERNESS Tekweni TV Productions Prod: Sandra Herrington Documentary KAN EK SO LEEF Liquid Gate Creative Studios Prod: Kobus Swart Music Video Ke mo fumane StreTalk Productions Bobby Mokhema TV drama KING NAKI Plexus Films Prod: Miki Redelinghuys Documentary Matrix, Klas van 2011 Laurie Botha Entertainment Dir: Laurie Botha Reality Mentalist Martial Arts Panache Video Productions Dir: Ryan Blumenthal Training Mutshenzhe Dzivha Production Exec Prod: Walter Gumbu Feature Film My Perfect family Bunt Onion Productions Prod: Rethabile Ramaphakela Comedy National Heritage Council Educational Outreach Programme Pananche Video Productions Documentary PROGRESS Periphery Films Dir: Simon Taylor Feature Documentary ROCKING FUTURE Summertime Productions Prod: Sean Gardiner / Tanya Vandenberg Educational Video

Events | MARCH 19 Feb – 4 Mar Design Indaba Film Festival

The Labia, Cape Town www.designindaba.com

14 – 24

Cape Winelands Film Festival

Cape Town http://films-for-africa.co.za/

19 – 25

African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival

Milan, Italy

21 – 25

The International Family Film Festival

Hollywood, CA www.iffilmfest.org

23 Mar – 1 Apr BFI London Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

London http://www.bfi.org.uk/llgff/

30 – 31

MIPDOC

Cannes, France www.mipworld.com

30 – 31

MIPFormats

Cannes, France www.mipworld.com

APRIL 23 – 1 April

Out in Africa South African Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

Nu Metro Hyde Park, Johannesburg Nu Metro V&A Waterfront, Cape Town www.oia.co.za

5 – 12

The African Film Festival Australia

Sydney http://www.afroklectic.com/2012/02/african-film-australi/ 10 -15

Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA)

Hollywood, CA www.indianfilmfestival.org

1 – 4

MIPTV

Cannes, France www.mipworld.com

14 – 19

NAB

Las Vegas, USA www.nabshow.com

25 – 30

AfrikaBurn Festival

Northern Cape http://www.afrikaburn.com/

MAY 3 – 6

The Awareness Film & Arts Festival

Los Angeles, CA

16 – 27

Cannes International Film Festival

www.awarenessfestival.org

Cannes, France www.festival-cannes.fr

JUNE 7 – 24

Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival

Cape Town / Johannesburg http://www.encounters.co.za/

17 – 23

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity

Cannes, France www.canneslions.com

JULY 19 – 29

33rd Durban International Film Festival

Durban www.cca.ukzn.ac.za

20 – 23

3rd Durban FilmMart

Durban www.durbanfilmmart.com

20 – 24

5th Talent Campus Durban

Durban www.cca.ukzn.ac.za

OCTOBER 24 – 27

Aluta Film Festival Kimberley

Kimberley www.nfvf.co.za

SWEET SERENITY. Our Time Productions Dir. Jaun de Meillon Corporate Infomercial TIMELAPSE Team GR8 (for 48 HFP) Writers: Carl Roddam / Deon van der Merwe Short Film THE BETRAYAL Shakarny Inovations Prod: James Kingston Feature THE MEDUPI WAY Panache Video Productions Exec Prod: Adele De Klerk Corporate

YOUR LOVE NEVER FAILS – FRED DE MEILLON Our Time Productions Dir. Jaun de Meillon Music Video Supreme Launch Video (Joe Public) Fuel Media Productions Dir: Paul Llewellyn Corporate VISCOUNT DOWN Msasa Enterprises Dir: Harmon Cusack Feature WEC Projects Corporate Video PSP Productions Dir: Philip Schedler Corporate

Screen Africa relies on 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 March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 41

AWARDS |

It’s SAFTAS time!

On 9 and 10 March at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, the finest work in South Africa’s film and television industry will be awarded at the 6th annual SAFTAS.

L

eading the drama genre categories of the 2012 South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAS) with 23 nominations is Intersexions, the popular SABC1 drama series. Its storyline is based on the HIV/AIDS infection chain in society through the interconnectedness of people’s sexual networks.

Another SABC1 drama series that features prominently in the drama genre categories is Sokhulu & Partners with 10 nominations.

In the soap genre categories, Scandal and Rhythm City received seven nominations each while Isidingo and Generations have four and three nominations respectively.

The public gets the opportunity to vote

42 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

for its favourite soap in the Best TV Soap category. This award will see all participating soapies competiting for the SAFTAS Golden Horn Trophy, namely Generations, Isidingo, Rhythm City, Scandal! Muvhango and The Wild. 7 de Laan did not receive a nomination into this category as the soapie was not entered for the SAFTAS. “The SAFTAS are our industry’s

premier accolade platform, awarding the best talent both on and off screen for all genres of film and television programming. This is fundamentally a competition, entry into which is compulsory for consideration by the judges via the judging process. The public vote is part of the SAFTAS judging process, as the public are the judge and jury for the Best TV Soap award.

Therefore, only those programmes that submit entries during the specified period are eligible to compete. 7de Laan did not enter for competition and therefore cannot compete in the public vote.

“Contrary to some media reports, 7de Laan, was not excluded from the SAFTAS,” said Eddie Mbalo, SAFTAS Committee chairperson, at the nominees function held in Johannesburg on 16 February.

The feature film category is led by Black Butterflies with nine nominations.

Skoonheid, Retribution and Roepman have six nominations each. Retribution’s Jeremy Crutchley and Joe Mafela are both nominated for Best Actor, together with Fana Mokoena for State of Violence and Deon Lotz for Skoonheid.

For the Best Actress in a feature

category, there are no nominations. The performance judging panel had this to say: “We regret to announce that there will be no award in the Best Actress in a Feature Film category this year. This is because the 10 films that made it through filtration were predominantly maledriven stories. Only two actresses were listed as Lead Actress, one of whom was not eligible for a SAFTA as she is not South African. These circumstances render an award for Best Actress in a Feature Film meaningless and the judges unanimously decided not make the award this year.

“This is a far from desirable situation, and the panel urges writers and production companies to bear in mind that as an industry we need to tell more stories that provide a platform for the luminous female talent our country has to offer.”

Run under the custodianship of the National Film and Video Foundation, the main objectives of the SAFTAS are to honour, celebrate and promote the creativity, quality and excellence of local film and television talent, and encourage entrepreneurship and development of new talent in the industry.

| Continued from page 1 Spotlight on broadcast regulations process will help to inform our regulatory interaction with Minister of Communications Dina Pule.”

‘Revolutionary ICASA’ Chairperson of the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Communications, Sikhumbuzo Kholwane, noted the importance of putting international input into the proper South African context.

“You can benchmark, but you can’t photocopy,” said Kholwane.

“We’ve got our own unique challenges.”

Among the challenges he mentioned are poverty, inequality and unemployment; he emphasised a lack of transformation in the broadcasting sector.

“We can’t remain stagnant.

We want this sector transformed

– it’s not a matter of choice,” said Kholwane. “There are a lot of barriers to entry, especially to commercial broadcasting – those barriers need to be removed so that the commercial sector can flourish and we can see the competition that is needed.”

Kholwane noted that he wanted the regulator to play a stronger role in leading the sector. “I dream about a revolutionary ICASA,” he said.

He also emphasised the question of local content. “I don’t think we’re taking ourselves as a country, our cultures and our indigenous languages seriously.

The quotas leave much to be desired. If you (ICASA) don’t move quicker to address this, we will have to legislate, but we believe there are enough structures in place to deal with this,” said Kholwane.

“We need to use digital migration as one key area that

Massive Namibian film development called The Lamb in Morocco with South African director Regardt van den Bergh (Faith Like Potatoes).

“We looked around and asked ourselves why we could not shoot our film, which requires desert settings, closer to home.

The idea evolved into the decision to build permanent film sets for our film and other films.

The film industry creates enormous waste and we thought that we could bring about immense savings by building sets that we could re-use.”

According to Andrea Vinassa from Desert Star publicity they want to emulate and improve on a successful project by the Moroccan government which transformed Ouarzazate, a previously insignificant oasis in the Sahara desert, into a film and tourist city with over 80 000 inhabitants.

“Over the past decade Ouarzazate has attracted 42 international film productions and thousands of tourists, generating in excess of $1.2b in foreign income for that country,” explains Vinassa.

They believe combining filmmaking with tourism, extreme sports, resort and residential property development will ensure financial sustainability in the current world economic climate.

Best facilities Vinassa explains that they are aiming to build the ‘best and most comprehensive production

facilities in southern Africa’.

“The permanent film sets, integrated into the landscape, will be complemented by everything a filmmaker would need to produce an international blockbuster movie – from production offices, studios, sound stages, stunt tracks, wardrobe and make-up, back lots and post-production facilities, an animal handling area and nursery. We are building a city, replete with crew accommodation, shopping centre, restaurant, recreational and medical facilities that will eventually house 50 000 residents.”

The number and size of studios is not yet determined.

“The Desert Star South studios will be built in the first phase of development and we plan to start shooting The Lamb at the same time. We will be adding studios and sets as we go along.

Sets will be custom-built depending on the production,” says Vinassa.

An ‘Open Film and Tourism Zone’ is planned to allow for the free flow of film professionals and goods into the basin surrounding Desert Star South.

The development will also be eco-friendly by operating on solar power, and aims to create a blueprint for a greener film industry that can be implemented worldwide.

Vinassa notes that they are using a number of funding mechanisms, including private equity investors, loan finance, the sale of fractional title

can help us transform the broadcasting sector. “ ICASA councillor William Curry described the regulator’s issue paper on broadcast policy and regulation – noting that the previous policy is more than 10 years out of date.

“The objectives of the audit are to examine the relevance and efficacy of the existing broadcast regulatory framework in a digital environment and assess how to balance regulating in the public interest while ensuring effective competition,” said Curry.

“We’re now facing the threat, as well as the opportunity, of digital broadcasting. This is an opportunity for transformation, to build and grow the broadcasting sector.”

He said that the ICASA consultation was published on 8 December and would close for written submissions on 16 March, with public hearings to be held from 26 to 31 March.

Classification Dr Teboho Maitse, acting chairperson of CGE noted that broadcasting regulation needed to support the use of indigenous languages by the public broadcaster and take a stand on pornography.

“Pornography sends a message contrary to what government is trying to achieve in the battle against HIV/Aids,” said Dr Maitse.

FPB acting chief executive officer Mapula Makola noted that what they propose for future broadcasting regulation is a harmonisation of approach to the guidelines for classification of content across all platforms.

“Different labelling systems are applied to similar content on different platforms. This causes confusion and a lack of public confidence in our content classification systems,” said Makola.

MMA also noted the importance of ICASA playing a strong role and being properly resourced, as well as the importance of ICASA’s independence from both government and commercial operators.

Marc Schwinges from SASFED focused on ICASA’s negligence around monitoring of local content.

According to SOS coordinator Kate Skinner they emphasised the importance of policy, legislative and regulatory coherence. “I stressed that ideally it would have been better to wait for the conclusion of the broadcasting policy review because we need a new coherent broadcasting vision.

From there we should have had legislative amendments and then embarked on this review,” said Skinner after the conference.

– Linda Loubser

Nates under new management property and an initial public offering (IPO) which is planned for October 2013.

“We have more than 100 founding investors, ordinary people who believed in our vision, who invested in the start-up phase of the company, and had enough faith in us to get us to the point where we are now marketing the concept in Europe and the US,” she notes.

Hollywood champion Their champion in Los Angeles is Frank Yablans, the former president of Paramount Pictures, who is also attached to produce The Lamb.

“He has a massive network of Hollywood players and has worked tirelessly to create awareness. We are contacting producers and agents through word-of-mouth and one-on-one meetings,” explains Vinassa.

When the time comes, they will also invite South African producers and filmmakers to a launch at Desert Star to introduce them to the facilities.

While they are targeting family movies, including biblical and historical epics, they are open to any film with the budget to shoot at Desert Star. “We welcome all genres from cowboy movies, to documentary to sci-fi to first century epics and middle Eastern war films,” says Vinassa.

Besides The Lamb, a $20m production set in first century Jerusalem, a number of other productions are slated to shoot at Desert Star. “Jonah is a $1,6m biblical tale for which the

Says Smookler: “Besides the full complement of gear that we offer, our service delivery, attention to detail and uncanny ability to bend over backwards for clients are the traits that set us apart from our competitors.

“Since inception in 2008 the company has transformed from an audio bias rental house into a one-stop-shop. Nates has experienced some teething problems but flexibility has allowed it to find its true niche.

“I feel we are well on the way to righting the wrongs of the past. It is on this note that I must say a very big and sincere thank you to everyone who has continually supported us on a somewhat rocky road, from our loyal customers to our patient and sensational suppliers. This understanding and compassion has truly inspired me and has been the impetus for surmounting the hurdles we have faced.”

At the moment Nates Audio Visual is supporting two big series in production – Erfsondes (Imani Media) and Numbers (DV8 Films).

Says Bobby Heaney, executive producer of Efrsondes: “We’ve been very happy with Nates’ service so far and hope that the situation is one that will continue to improve, so that we can keep on having great service for our productions.

“We wish the new management success and look forward to a long and happy association with them.”

Smookler notes that he swapped the stereotypical accountant job (crunching numbers behind a computer all day) for “an action packed, never a dull moment, always on standby, jack of all trades kind of a job.

“I’ve always enjoyed the glitz and glamour of Hollywood but never realised what went on behind the scenes (excuse the pun). From the moment I got into the hot seat I had a generator go down on the second day of filming as well as a vehicle break down while it was towing a trailer in the middle of the highway, late at night.

Apparently things like this are the norm and it’s all part of the job.

They don’t teach you about this in ‘Accounting 101’!”.

Nates Audio Visual recently moved into new premises on Main Avenue, Ferndale, Randburg. producers will import a first century ship from the Middle East to Walvis Bay, and transport it down to the banks of the Orange River. Then we have the 3D three-picture franchise, The Lion of War, produced by GiantKiller Productions, as well as Deo Volente, the story of Saul / Pauls’s personal transformation,” adds Vinassa.

According to Markgraaff they have received unprecedented support from the Namibian government, which facilitated all project approvals and final clearance of the environmental scoping report and environmental impact studies, as well as approving access plans and granting the water permit.

– Linda Loubser March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 43

Continued from page 1 |

TopTV’s local content focus look across the board at genres and find creative ways of producing programmes.”

As to whether TopTV has any plans to establish an in-house production unit, Mbalo said: “In our review process we need to create capacity internally. But it would not be our intention to produce a lot of content internally.”

Surprise departure TopTV hit the news recently with the surprise departure of former CEO Vino Govender and the broadcaster’s thwarted plans to launch a bouquet of three adult content channels from Playboy.

“The immediate plan is for me to be interim CEO for between six to seven months only. We are currently looking at potential CEO candidates. It’s essential the new CEO has a solid understanding of broadcasting and pay-TV. The position is not necessarily restricted to local candidates,” explained Mbalo.

Regarding Govender’s departure Mbalo said that Govender was very good at starting up businesses but did not have experience in broadcasting. “During the review of TopTV’s performance since its May 2010 launch, Vino and the board came to a mutual agreement to separate in order to seek for a new CEO to take the

44 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

INTERIM CEO – Eddie Mbalo

business forward. He remains an ODM shareholder.

“TopTV has sold 350 000 decoders into the market but only about 160 000 of those are active all the time. We are looking into why this is the case and need to improve our interaction with subscribers in every area. TopTV has a lot of good content but has not been good at marketing it effectively.

“Our business is based on a prepaid model and we are considering whether this is sustainable or whether we should have a hybrid prepaid / contract model.

As per TopTV’s original projections, we

need to have half a million subscribers by year three, two-thirds of which should be paying consistently, to reach break even point. Another issue is that we have heavily subsidised installations.”

Adult content Mbalo stressed that TopTV does not deal in porn. “We believe Playboy is a legitimate TV broadcaster and it is seen around the world. I’m told the channels are soft, X-rated material. These discussions started a long time ago, soon after TopTV’s launch. We have always

looked at alternative entertainment as do all pay-TV operators. Adult content is broadcast on DStv and e.tv and we are wondering why it is a problem for us to do same.

“We’re still waiting for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to furnish us with reasons why it chose to block the adult content bouquet. For me personally it’s worrying that ICASA, as an institution of state, has given itself the authority to decide what South Africans can or cannot see on the screens in the privacy of their homes. It smacks of the old apartheid style.”

Since inception TopTV has been plagued by the fact that MultiChoice, owner of long time incumbent pay-TV service DStv, has consistently secured exclusive broadcast rights for the major sporting events “If we find that MultiChoise is using its dominance to block development of the alternative subscriber base in South Africa, TopTV will approach ICASA and the Competition Commission. We’re watching developments in Kenya where MultiChoice is being investigated for whether its dominance is responsible for the closure of new and smaller operators,” concluded Mbalo. – Joanna Sterkowicz

December2011

SABC3 Rank Programme 1 Mission Impossible 2 Isidingo – R 3 7de Laan – R 4 Generations – R 5 Mr Bones 2: Back From the Past

Date Genre AR 13/12/2011 Dram 15.3 13/12/2011 Vari 11.4 19/12/2011 Maga 9.2 14/12/2011 Sitc 8.8 05/12/2011 Soap 8.1

Date 12/12/2011 14/12/2011 21/12/2011 14/12/2011 25/12/2011

Genre Dram Soap Soap Soap Movi

AR 6.0 5.9 5.8 5.7 5.5

M-Net Rank Programme 1 The Tourist 2 Carte Blanche 3 Unstoppable 4 Why Did I Get Married Too? 5 The X-Factor USA

Date Genre 11/12/2011 Movi 04/12/2011 Maga 18/12/2011 Movi 04/12/2011 Movi 04/12/2011 Real

e.tv Rank Programme 1 Die Hard II 2 Ekasi: Our Stories the Root of All Evil 3 Rhythm City 4 News 5 Mr & Mrs Smith

Date Genre AR 18/12/2011 Movi 10.5 12/12/2011 Dram 10.2 28/12/2011 Dram 9.8 13/12/2011 News 9.3 04/12/2011 Movi 9.3

AR 1.5 1.4 1.3 0.8 0.8

Channel

Dec 2011 AR

Nov 2011 AR

3 Talk

Talk

15:30 M-F

S5

3

2.3

2.9

3rd Degree

Actu 21:30 Tue

W

e

7.9

5.6

50/50

Docu 19:30 Mon W 2 4.0

3.7

7de Laan

Soap 18:30 M-F S5

Carte Blanche

Day/s

Frequency

SABC2 Rank Programme 1 Muvhango 2 Powerball 3 Motswako The Mix 4 Moferefere Lenyalong 5 7de Laan

Date Genre AR 05/12/2011 Soap 23.2 13/12/2011 Dram 20.7 05/12/2011 Dram 19.5 22/12/2011 Dram 18.4 02/12/2011 Dram 16.4

Start Time

SABC1 Rank Programme 1 Generations 2 Soul City 3 Zone 14 4 Skeem Saam 5 Intersexions

represents about 145 590 viewers.Key to genres: Actu: Actuality, Docu: Documentary, Dram: Drama, Educ: Education, Maga: Magazine, Musi: Music, News: News, Quiz: Game Show, Real: Real life, Reli: Religion, Sitc: Sitcom, Soap: Soap, Spor: Sport, Vari: Variety, Y.Ent: Youth Entertainment,

Genre

The top five programmes

The cream of the local productions

Key: Day/s refers to the day or days of the week the programme is transmitted. Frequency refers to how often it is transmitted – D=Daily, W=Weekly, S (followed by a number) indicates a series of that number of episodes. Television Universe estimated at 5.232 million households. One ratings point of all viewers

Name

This monthly feature selects prominent local productions and ranks them in terms of audience ratings (ARs). Selected foreign programmes are shown only for comparison.

ARs are weighted over the period of transmission and the number of transmissions during the calendar month. Data is supplied by the South African Advertising Research Foundation and processed by Interactive Market Systems (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd.

| Audience Ratings

2

6.7

7.7

Maga 19:00 Sun

W M

1.0

1.2

Fokus

Actu 18:30 Sun

W

4.6

4.4

Generations

Soap 20:00 M-F S5 1 21.0 22.9

Gospel Gold

Musi

Vari

Sun

W

2

4.9

4.4

Isidingo: The Need

Soap

18:30 M-F

S5

3

4.2

4.4

Jam Alley

Vari

18:30 Fri

W

1

6.5

7.0

Live Lotto Draw

Quiz 21.30 W/S S2

2

5.3

6.5

Morning Live

Maga 06:00 M-F S5

2

2.4

3.4

Muvhango

Dram 21:00 M-T S4 2 11.1 10.7

News at Seven

News 19:00 Daily D

e

6.5

7.0

News at Seven on 3

News 19:00 Daily D

3

2.5

3.0

Pasella

Maga 19:30 W W 2 4.6 4.4

Rhythm City

Soap 18:30 M-F S5

Scandal

Dram 19:30 M-T S4 e 7.4

8.5

Selimathunzi

Vari 18:30 Wed W 1 5.7

6.5

Special Assignment

Actu

Top Billing

Maga 19:30 Tue

Yo-TV

Y-Ent Vari Vari D e 2.2 2.1

21:30 Wed W W

2

e

8.9

10.0

3

1.3

1.5

2

2.6

2.9

Top foreign shows Days of Our Lives

Soap 17:10 M-F S5

1

3.8

4.1

WWE Wrestling Smackdown

Spor

W

e

4.9

5.7

The Bold and the Beautiful

Soap 18:00 M-F S5

1

4.3

4.8

The above represents a selection of programmes only, and is calculated on the total calendar month’s weighted average of the total audience over all age groups. If you want a particular programme included please contact Enid Venter on +27 (0)11 339-1051 or email enid@ihjoburg.co.za. The purpose of the schedule is to show the types of programmes South African audiences view, and to what extent.

We feature the top five shows viewed for each of the channels.

VitalStats

brought to you by

The Collective Dream laboratory in Cape Town has made a decision not to release statistics in future. This is due in the main to the fact that a new laboratory called the FILM LAB @ Media Film Service has opened in Cape Town and is now offering a front end service for 16 and 35mm film. We hope that figures will be available in future.

The Johannesburg Film Lab is processing a feature film and commercial processing has increased somewhat. Bulk printing reveals that 41 features have been printed as well as 890 trailers and 1,756 commercials. These figures are somewhat down on the previous period.

Media Move reports 850 transfers of commercials in January and Adstream reports transferring 320 commercials.

We would like to thank the Johannesburg Film Lab, Media Move and Adstream for the information they have supplied to us.

We make no attempt to identify the title of the production, or the production house or any other information as this is often confidential

20:30 W

Statistics for January 2012 Through the labs: Johannesburg Features 1

Shorts Commercials 2 4

Doccies 16mm 35mm 1 3 5

Commercials submitted to broadcasters via: Media Move for January 2012: 850

Adstream for Nov/Dec 2011: 320

information – we supply simply the numbers.

We rely on the co-operation of broadcasters, suppliers of commercial material to broadcasters and local film laboratories for information however at the moment local broadcasters are not forthcoming in providing these vital statistics.

Efforts will continue to be made to build on this statistical database in order to improve the accuracy, and should readers have comments or other ideas in terms of statistic gathering, please send an e-mail to web@screenafrica.com. Your comments would be appreciated.

March 2012 | SCREENAFRICA | 45

10 thScreen Africa Golf Day – 16 February 2012 Golfers

CMR Golf Club, Maraisburg

Aon’s Ludi Koekemoer, Dani Etheridge, Russell Cory and Steve Levitt

Robbie Thorpe, Joey Rasdien, Garnett Kruger and Jonathan Gimpel (Atlas Studios)

Case Connection’s Bez Sangari, Eon Labuschagne, Jason Naude and Kenneth Badenhorst

Chantal Moeller (Stark Film), Jurie Vosloo (Ceyet), Charlene Vorster (Stark Film) and Jan Kuik (Ceyet)

Connecting Africa’s Renier Cronje, Wickus Pretorius, Chris van Coller and Jacques Daniell

Crue’s Charl Jacobs, George Rautenbach, Steven Bishop and Clive Humphries

Dimension Television’s Cobus Burger, Pieter Nieuwoudt, Henk Spangenberg and Charles Lenferna

GlobeCast’s Brent Waller, Kyle Suttie and Phillip de Bruin

Lasernet’s Grant Randall and Alan Otto with Bladeworx’s Duncan Eadie and Steve Harris

Mike Haupt (SABC), Zimele’s Jacques Welthagen and Ken Herold and Brinley Pritchard (SABC)

SuperSport’s Ferris Boyd, Eddie McAlone, Ferdi Kunnete and Mark Boyle

SuperSport’s Tiekie Meyer, Lesh Kaminski, Ian Terbrugge and Wayne Stanton

SuperSport’s Vincent Weller, Tebogo Moses, Jack Kwamongwe and Neil Longstaff

Telemedia’s James Garden, Divesh Maharaj, John Paul Meeser and Ron Haagman

Zimele’s Casper Klopper, Leon Labuschagne, Wikus Venter and David Mathe

Protea’s Jannie van Rensburg, Dennis Herold, Shaun Kerr and Niki Lankesar

SABC’s Eben Jansen, Collette Corthouts (Jasco), Jimi Matthews, Thomas Nestmann (Vizrt) and Carl Naude

SABC’s Jimi Matthews and Eben Jansen

Sheersound’s Jarrod Aston, Dominic Mitchell, Rob Cowling and Bruce Johnson

Stark Film’s Pieter Blignaut, Christiaan Scheepers, FW Stark and Richard Hedges

For all your Post Production and Studio requirements contact: Marisa Meyer (011) 686 6860

Pictures proudly sponsored by Prize Winners

Photos by Trevor Ou Tim

1st Prize Hamper: Russel Jones (B&I)

Joshua Reynders and Harry Nieuwoudt (Dimension TV)

2nd prize Hamper: Jaco Venter (Venter & Assoc) and Neville Reid (Logical Creations) Jacques Daniell (Connecting Africa) Corrie Botha (Bytes Connect)

Claire Badenhorst (receiving on behalf Pieter Blignaut and Christiaan of Kevin Glover of Sound Stylists) and Scheepers (Stark Film) Nick Lyons (The Metalworker)

Niki Lankesar and Jannie van Rensburg (Protea)

Tony Roux (Orion Hotels) and Neil Maritz (Ubumanzi)

Malcolm Cobbett (Protea) and John Stevens (Global Access)

OG Molefe and Guy Hawthorne (ETO)

Coenie Beukes and Jaco Bester

Dawid Naude and Rudi Potgieter (Ingwe)

Jimi Matthews (SABC) and Thomas Nestmann (Vizrt)

David Livesey and Andre Nel (Case Connection)

Ken Herold and Jacques Welthagel (Zimele)

Johan Scheepers and Johan Lategan (Stark Film)

Wessie van der Westhuizen (Unisa) and Freddy Bredenkamp (Protea)

Steven Bishop (Crue)

Ferris Boyd (SuperSport)

Rob Cowling and Dominic Mitchell (Sheersound)

Chantal Moeller and Charlene Vorster (Stark Film)

James Garden and Ron Haagman (Telemedia)

Cobus Burger and Charles Lenferna (Dimension TV)

Lesh Kaminski (SuperSport)

Dieter Esterhuizen and Ben van der Westhuizen

Willie Botha (SuperSport) and S Klopper

Paulo Orfao and Steve Lauter (Jasco)

Jacques Daniell and Chris van Coller (Connecting Africa)

Johan Gous and Adrian Smit (SuperSport)

Tebogo Moses and Jack Kwamongwe (SuperSport)

Hennie Reynders (Dimension Television) and Darryl Senekal

Vincent Weller and Neil Longstaff (SuperSport)

Sean Kerr and Dennis Herold

Mike Haupt and Brinley Pritchard (SABC)

Longest Day on Course: Throshan Naicker (Protea)

Closest to pin Hole 14: Phillip de Bruyn (Brent Wallen)

Longest Drive Hole 18: Lynton Allsopp (SilverCam Broadcast)

Longest Drive: Claude Stephan (Concilium)

Mango Ticket Winner: Michael Gobbett (Protea)

Mango Ticket Winner: Ben van der Westhuizen

Hole Sponsors

John Paul Meeser and Divesh Maharaj (Telemedia)

Hole 2 – Panavision: Avril Reddy

Hole 5 – Harambe Technologies: Lulama Maboyana and Mpho Senosi

Hole 7 – Atlas Studios: Doris Mthombeni

Hole 8 – Concilium: Steve Schafer, Desiree Hefer, Chris Vermaak and Sarel Hlungwani

Hole 3: SuperSport Outside Broadcast

Hole 4: SuperSport Media Solutions

Hole 6 – Protea Electronics: Heinz Gurschl, Val Murphy and Greg Walsh

Hole 9 – GlobeCast Africa: Doug Suttie, Asma Hassan, Jasmin Patel and Martin Brasg

Social | SAFTAS Nominees function, Melrose Arch, Johannesburg

Zizo Beda

SAFTAS project coordinator Carla Dias and guests

Lerato Kganyago and Koyo Bala

Pako and Noxx

NFVF Communications & Public Affairs director Naomi Mokhele (centre) and guests

Roxy Burger

Glamorous guests

NFVF CEO Zama Nkosi with husband Tando

Material première, Montecasino

Darren Simpson, Carishma Basday, Vincent Ebrahim

David Kau, Paul Harris and Kagiso Lediga

Fatima and Imtiaz Patel with Ivan Epstein

Flash presenter Carly with 3rd Degree’s Debora Patta

MCs Jack Devnarain and Thuli Thabethe

Noks Ledwaba and KB

MC and Isidingo actor Jack Devnarain with guests Melusi Yeni, Maggie Beedict and guest

Animation SA Student Awards, Johannesburg

Kevin Fine and Joey Rasdien

Vincent Ebrahim and Paul Slabolepszy

Tshepo Mogale, director Craig Carishma Basday, Riaad Moosa and his wife Freimond and Chris Forrest Farzanha and friends

MC Pippa Tshabalala, Boston Media House’s Mahendra Naidoo and a student

Animation SA Judges Shannan Taylor (Monster Animation), Shaun Froneman (BFX) and guests

The audience

Photos by Andy Stead

Nikon D4 & D800 launch

Jeanelize de Nys (The Animation School) and Animation SA Joburg Chairman David Whitehouse.

Johan Pretorius, Stefan van der Walt (Nikon in South Leonard Rabotapi (Adobe – head of marketing & PR), Nikon in South JK Zorgman, Marike Barkhuizen and Alroy Africa – CEO), Stephen Katzef (Lexar in South Africa’s Marli van Schalkwyk (marketing manager), Chantal Hauptfleisch Willis Africa – head) and Anton de Villiers (brand manager), Samantha Maletsky (marketing co-ordinator) and Surita Prinsloo (KWV – national key account manager)

Armani Quintas, Nico Pretorius (NPS representative for Nikon in South Africa) with Photocomment’s Tristan Hall and Greg Wrench

Advertisers List |

Guests testing the new D4 with a NIKKOR AF-S 200-400mm f/4 VR II lens

Sean Lemmon (Lexar in South Africa), Nicole Krummacher, Louise Donald (Pix Magazine), Romi Frank Krummacher (College of Digital Photography) and Udo Jacobs (Nikon in South Africa – chief Kieslich (College of Digital Photography) brand officer) and Mario Baptista

New Appointment | New CEO for NFVF Zamantungwa (Zama) Mkosi has been appointed CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF).

An admitted high court attorney, Mkosi worked as the senior legal advisor to the media and motion pictures business unit at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). She was seconded by the IDC to train with Entertainment Law Group in Los Angeles.

The Hollywood Reporter listed Mkosi as one of the “most influential young women in the media in Africa”.

She also worked as the executive producer for the award-winning television series Heartlines.

Mkosi has served on various media boards: the Film Resource Unit, AVEA (Audio Visual Training Institution), the Heartlines NGO and on the NFVF council (where she was the deputy chairperson).

48 | SCREENAFRICA | March 2012

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www.pansolutions.co.za Contact: Sean Loeve Cell: 083 677 4917 Tel: 011 313 1622

FU L LY I NT EG R AT ED BR OA D CAST SO L U TI ON S

THE SMART SOLUTION • Over 30 years experience • A one-stop shop – delivering turnkey broadcast solutions from image capture to transmission • Offering specialist skills and integration expertise – support available 24 x 7 • Partner with best-of-breed global brands such as Sony and Avid • Supplied technology, skills and expertise to major national and private broadcasters in Southern Africa.

FU L LY I NT EG RAT ED BR OA D CAST SO L U T I ON S Tel: +27 11 266 1500 Tel: +27 11 266 1500 Technical Support: 080 000 1446 Technical Support: 080 000 1446 E-mail: broadcastsales@spescom.co.za E-mail: broadcastsales@spescom.co.za www.jasco.co.za www.jasco.co.za