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| IN THIS ISSUE
36 THE SABC AND COSMOLIGHT BRING INTERNATIONAL CRICKET TO SA’S TV SCREENS
14 BEHIND THE SCENES OF VIRTUAL REALITY FILM, AZIBUYE – THE OCCUPATION
24
28
WARNERMEDIA’S ARIANE SUVEG ON AFRICAN ANIMATION
IN CONVERSATION WITH AWARD-WINNING FEMALE DOP, GAOPIE KABE
NEWS |
FILM |
INDUSTRY REVIEW |
New York Film Academy welcomes three MultiChoice Talent Factory alumni.................................... 4
Behind the scenes of virtual reality film, Azibuye – The Occupation.................... 14
The New Breed of African Film Activists................................... 26
Indigenous Film Distribution announces local film releases to look forward to this year.............................. 6
ADVERTORIAL
ACA launches Effie Awards South Africa.............................. 8 MadSho Library: a collection of Africa’s beauty on one platform............. 8
The Three Wells of Screenwriting........... 16
Behind the news – an inside look into ENCA’s massive in-studio screen............................ 18
ADVERTORIAL SAFTAs 14 Nominees................................. 20
ADCETERA |
ANIMATION & EFFECTS |
The game-changers of the next decade...................................... 10
WarnerMedia’s Ariane Suveg on Cartoon Network Africa’s Creative Lab and African animation........ 24
Inside the making of Nike’s Birthplace of Dreams.................... 12
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STUDIOS AND PRODUCTION FACILITIES | Challenges and opportunities for production studios................................ 34
CINEMATOGRAPHY | In conversation with award-winning female DoP, Gaopie Kabe.......................... 28
BROADCAST TECHNOLOGY | Newsroom automation in 2020: Do more with less....................................... 30
LIGHTING EQUIPMENT | The SABC and Cosmolight bring International Cricket to SA’s TV screens....................................... 36
TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGY | Using lighting to stream data.................... 38
STUDIO TECHNOLOGY | Studio tech rising up................................... 32
REGULARS | Social............................................................... 39 Marketplace................................................... 40 Upcoming Events......................................... 40
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FROM THE EDITOR
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It’s been an eventful start for the year for MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) alumni, Mainala Silondwa (Zambia) and Hillary Lanogwa (Kenya), who headed to the Big Apple in January for an 8-week filmmaking workshop at the prestigious film school – the New York Film Academy (NYFA). MTF students, Silondwa and Hillary as well as Gilbert Bassey – who will also be heading to NYFA later this year – are attending the academy on scholarship after being named top of their respective classes. The once-in-alifetime opportunity is part of MTF’s mission to empower emerging filmmakers through training, skills and creative development. Read all about it in our news section this month. In our Adcetra section, Louise Marsland cites the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement and the consumption habits of Generation Z as the two most important “game-changers” of the next decade. Get to know more in her annual advertising and marketing trends report on pages 10-11, this year titled ‘The game-changers of the next decade’. Also in Adcetra this month, go behind the scenes on the making of Nike’s Birthplace of Dreams campaign on pages 12-13. Made up of numerous unscripted short films, the campaign features today’s most celebrated sport’s stars from across the globe, including South African recordbreaking Olympic athlete, Caster Semenya. Nike SA worked with Johannesburg-based design agency, Futura, and award-winning production company, Arcade Content, on Semenya’s inspiring short film. We speak to representatives from both agency and production to find out what went into making this heart-warming spot. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Dylan Valley talks about his virtual reality film Azibuye – The Occupation in this month’s Film section. The film deals with the highly contentious issue of land redistribution in post-Apartheid South Africa through the stories of two homeless people who illegally take up residence in an empty house. Read all about Valley’s creative process as well as the inspiration behind this Sundance 2020-selected film on pages 14-15. Writer, director and script editor Matthew Kalil recently published the book The Three Wells of Screenwriting. David Cornwell spoke to Kalil about what readers can expect from the book. An enjoyable read – on pages 16-17 – for anyone wanting to write for Film and TV. Other interesting reads in the issue include an interview with award-winning female cinematographer Gaopie Kabe; a thought leadership piece by Grass Valley’s technical product manager, Jon Reddick, on newsroom automation in 2020; and an informative read from Ian Dormer on studio technology in 2020 and ahead. Until next month! – Chanelle Ellaya
SCREENAFRICA SCREEN AFRICA PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR: Simon Robinson: publisher@screenafrica.com EDITOR: Chanelle Ellaya: editor@screenafrica.com JOURNALISTS: Gezzy S Sibisi: news@screenafrica.com DESIGN: Trevor Ou Tim: design@suncirclegroup.com
THE TEAM
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EDITOR Chanelle Ellaya is a writer and a journalist. She completed her BA Journalism degree at the University of Johannesburg in 2011. While writing is her passion, she has a keen interest in the media in various capacities. Chanelle is an avid social networker and a firm believer in the power of social and online networking. Between writing and tweeting, she finds time to feed her love for live music.
SUB-EDITOR & FEATURES WRITER David Cornwell writes fiction, films and features for a variety of publications. His debut novel, Like It Matters (Umuzi, 2016), was long-listed for the 2017 Sunday Times Fiction Award and the 9mobile Prize for Best African Debut.
JOURNALISTS
Lara Utian-Preston is a passionately committed marketer and strategist with a focus in promoting African content and events. Two decades of working across Africa have provided her with insights and experience that she puts to work for the projects she manages. In 2006, Lara founded, and still personally manages, Red Flag Content Relations, a full service below-the-line agency that also focuses on African entertainment and lifestyle brand marketing, strategy, and publicity.
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Louise Burgers is a veteran editor and journalist with over 20 years experience in the advertising, media, marketing and communications industries. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, she worked as the editor of AdVantage magazine, as well as Bizcommunity. com. She is currently publishing editor of TRENDAFRiCA.co.za.
Ian Dormer was born in Zimbabwe and has been in the TV business since the 1980s, having served in various positions at the SABC, M-Net and SuperSport. Ian currently works and resides in New Zealand.
Gezzy S Sibisi is a journalist and photographer with experience in print, broadcast and digital media. Her portfolio of work includes working as a lifestyle reporter as well as contributing business and education articles to The Times, Sowetan and Daily Despatch publications. As a freelancer she has worked on content development for corporate newsletters, community newspapers, blogs and educational websites.
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Postal address: PO Box 559, Fourways North, 2086 Editorial Disclaimer The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of Screen Africa or any employee thereof. Sun Circle Publishers makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Sun Circle Publishers reserves the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner it sees fit comments that it, in its sole discretion, deems to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, or is otherwise unacceptable. All contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, in any form whatsoever, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publisher. FEBRUARY 2020
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NEWS
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Jim Miller (NYFA VP of strategic initiatives), Mainala Silondwa, Hillary Lanogwa and Blake Babbitt (NYFA associate director of recruitment)
NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY WELCOMES THREE MULTICHOICE TALENT FACTORY ALUMNI Renowned film school, the New York Film Academy (NYFA), has opened its doors to MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) alumni Mainala Silondwa (Zambia), Gilbert Bassey (Nigeria) and Hillary Lanogwa (Kenya).
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he alumni – one from each of MTF’s three campuses in West, East and Southern Africa – are attending the academy on scholarship after they were selected as top of their classes and, as a result, received the prestigious full-tuition award. Director and screenwriter Silondwa co-wrote the screenplay for final-year MTF student film, The Painting; cinematographer Lanogwa was the camera operator for MTF student films Ensulo and Promises; and producer, director and editor Bassey was the assistant director on MTF student film Dreamchaser, which he also composed the music for. As part of the inaugural MTF cohort, Silondwa and Lanogwa travelled to the US on 4 January to participate in the New York Film Academy’s eight-week filmmaking workshop. Bassey will start the programme at a later date. “Before hearing about MTF, I had wanted to go to NYFA. I was looking at the website and fees and didn’t know how I was going to make it there or afford it. And then MTF happened, which was
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really exciting. This time last year, our academy director Berry Lwando mentioned that one of the students is going to be selected for an NYFA internship. And later, I found it was me! I feel having a good attitude really helped me get selected. There are a lot of talented people at MTF but one thing that is super important is consistency. And having a good attitude helps you be consistent, especially when the extra hard work is required. And I think that is what helped in my favour,” comments Silondwa. “I cried tears of joy when I was awarded this scholarship. I feel like I’m living my dream. I major in cinematography, so I want to find out more about the cinematography in Hollywood, as well as wider film practices in the US. We’ve heard so many stories about big production in US, so I am excited to be experiencing it hands-on, networking with students, and bringing all that I learn back home, so that I can share it with colleagues and friends in Africa,” says Lanogwa. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
expands MTF’s mission to empower emerging filmmakers through training, skills and creative development. “All of us at the New York Film Academy are extremely proud to have MultiChoice Talent Factory Academy’s special award alumni Mainala Silondwa, Hillary Lanogwa and Gilbert Bassey join us for the eight-week filmmaking workshops at New York Film Academy’s New York City campus. These astonishingly talented filmmakers – who each have the passion and commitment to become creative professionals – will certainly excel in our programmes, which will immerse them in the academy’s philosophy of hands-on intensive learning. On behalf of the New York Film Academy I want to welcome Mainala, Hillary and Gilbert to follow your passion and join us here at the New York Film Academy,” says Jim Miller, NYFA vice president. As the MultiChoice Africa’s flagship Corporate Social Value (CSV) initiative, MTF Academy’s 12-month training programme is distinctly designed to train the next generation of African film and TV creatives in partnership with stakeholders across the continent and the globe. One such international partner is the New York Film Academy. “Through strategic partnerships with widely acclaimed institutions such as the New York Film Academy, Africa’s creative industries are enriched through skills-sharing and exposure to global best practice. We’re
excited for our alumni and we hope that this opportunity will empower them to tell authentic African stories to a global audience,” says Reatile Tekateka, executive head of corporate affairs, MultiChoice Africa. Divided between hands-on instruction in class and production, the eight-week filmmaking workshop at the New York Film Academy is designed for creatives who wish to study the craft of filmmaking in an intensive environment, and challenges students to produce five films over a period of two months. During the last four weeks of the programme, each student writes, directs and edits a final film of up to ten minutes. These films will be showcased at a screening in New York, and students who successfully complete the workshop receive a NYFA certificate and a digital master copy of all their projects. A critical platform for film and TV creatives, the New York Film Academy has lent support to African content creators by hosting workshops across the continent, and names African film and TV stars such as Banky Wellington, Kemi Adesoye and Natasha Thahane among its star-studded list of African alumni. Continuing its efforts to fortify film development internationally, as well as its on-going partnership with MultiChoice Africa, the New York Film Academy will soon add three more rising entertainment creatives to their alumni network.
Recording Formats See recording formats, resolution and frame rate.
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NEWS
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INDIGENOUS FILM DISTRIBUTION ANNOUNCES LOCAL FILM RELEASES TO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS YEAR Indigenous Film Distribution is putting out an impressive slate of must-see local films this year. From groundbreaking indies to more commercial fare, there’s something in store for all film-lovers.
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pening on 28 February is the much-anticipated Knuckle City. Directed by Mdantsane-born filmmaker Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, the film is already making waves internationally after screening at various film festivals to much acclaim. The gritty crime-drama tells the story of an aging, womanising, professional boxer from the Eastern Cape and his career-criminal brother who take one last shot at success and get more than they’ve bargained for. Knuckle City was the opening night film at the 40th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) in 2019 and received a standing ovation from the audience. Bongile Mantsai won best actor at the festival for his role as the boxer. The film
had its world premiere in the Contemporary World Cinema programme at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2019. Knuckle City also stars Siv Ngesi, Faniswa Yisa, Awethu Hleli, Nomhle Nkonyeni, Zolisa Xaluva, Owen Sejake and Angela Sithole. The film was co-produced by Qubeka and Layla Swart of Yellowbone Entertainment, along with Mzansi Magic, and was funded by the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Empowerment Fund (NEF), the Eastern Cape Development Corporation and the National Film & Video Foundations (NFVF). Next up, the 27th of March will see the
Fulu Mugovhani, the star of Seriously Single
Flatland
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release of Griekwastad from awardwinning director and producer Jozua Malherbe. The film tells a story of the search to find the truth behind the murders that shocked and divided a community. Written by Tertius Kapp, Griekwastad is based on the bestselling true-crime novel by Jacques Steenkamp. The film stars Arnold Vosloo as Colonel Dick De Waal, the meticulous investigating officer of the strange and sinister murder case. The film also stars Daniah de Villiers, Rolanda Marais, Sisanda Henna, Crystal-Donna Roberts, Gérard Rudolf, Neels van Jaarsveld, Tim Theron, Tshamano Sebe and Alex van Dyk. It is executive produced by KykNET in collaboration with SCENE23, the production hub that produced the hit series Trackers. Flatland, directed by Jenna Bass and starring Faith Baloyi, Nicole Fortuin and Izel Bezuidenhout, opens in cinemas on 10 April. The indie feature took home the Best African Film award at the 2019 Joburg Film Festival. The unique, contemporary drama, which opened Berlin Film Festival’s Panorama section at the beginning of 2019, is a journey of self-discovery for three different but equally trapped women – a pregnant teenager, a young bride and a middleaged cop – played out against the backdrop of the Karoo. The film had its North American premiere in the Contemporary World Cinema selection Knuckle City
“2019 was a hugely successful year for local film, and the 2020 looks set to continue the trend,” says Helen Kuun, MD of Indigenous Film Production. “The industry has continued to grow and to experiment with different genres. Local audiences are making it clear that they enjoy seeing movies about themselves.
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of the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Questioning issues of race, class and gender, Flatland is a portrait of femininity set against the backdrop of a hostile frontier land that interrogates what it means to be a woman today – both in South Africa and the world at large. What are the hurdles faced by single black women navigating the world of romance? That’s the question at the heart of quirky comedy film Seriously Single, produced by Burnt Onion and set to be released on 1 May. The latest project to come out of the Emerging Black Filmmakers Transformation Fund (EBFTF), Seriously Single tells the story of Dineo, who is the definition of serial monogamist. She dates to fall in love. She falls in love to get married. But she never gets married. She always ends up dumped. When she meets Lunga, he seems to be the man she’s waited her whole life for, a man who shares her values when it comes to love and relationships. Or so she thinks… After a messy breakup with Lunga, Dineo’s commitment-phobic bestie Noni helps her face what she dreads most: life as a single woman. Seriously Single stars Fulu Mugovhani, well-known to local audiences for her leading role in director Sara Blecher’s 2015 film Ayanda (2015) – a performance that earned her numerous awards and nominations from the Africa Movie Academy Awards, the South African Film and Television Awards and the Africa International Film Festival. Seriously Single also stars comedian, author and producer Tumi Morake, Bohang Moeko and Yonda Thomas. Directed by Louw Venter, The Tree, opening on 28 August, tells the story of Grace, a homeless refugee who is kidnapped on the streets of Cape Town after she sets out to earn some money to buy medicine for her child. The child, now lost, wanders the city streets alone. A policeman and his girlfriend drift apart. A nurse yearns for motherhood. The film looks at how five wildly disparate lives begin to intersect in painful and surprising ways. The Tree is produced by Elias Ribeiro and Cait Pansegrouw of Urucu Media, whose previous feature, Inxeba (The Wound), was an international success. Also releasing in the month of August is The Fragile King, produced by creative duo Cati Weinek and Dumi Gumbi’s Ergo Company – a studio that focuses on commercial genre-driven local feature films. On 2 October, the much-anticipated sequel to Material, the hilarious, heart-warming hit film about a dutiful young Muslim man who moonlights as a stand-up comedian, opens. In New Material, Cassim Kaif (Riaad Moosa) navigates the bumpy road of balancing his chosen career as a stand-up comedian with his faith, his community and his family.
FEBRUARY 2020
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NEWS
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ACA LAUNCHES EFFIE AWARDS SOUTH AFRICA The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), the official representative body for the communications and advertising profession in South Africa, has partnered with Effie Worldwide to launch the annual Effie Awards programme in South Africa.
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ffie Awards South Africa replaces the highly respected APEX awards, held annually in South Africa, providing an opportunity to local agencies to be part of this leading awards programme. Brands and their agency partners will now have the ability to receive global recognition for their most effective marketing and communications campaigns, with the awarding of an Effie viewed by media agencies, marketers and advertisers worldwide as a respected symbol of achievement.
“Effie’s mission is to lead, inspire and champion the practice and practitioners of marketing effectiveness and we take great pride in hosting the first globally recognised marketing effectiveness awards programme in South Africa in 2020. The ACA has championed effectiveness in marketing and communications and the incredible work executed in our market. It is with great excitement that we officially launch the 2020 season of Effie South Africa, and look forward to catapulting our local
profession into the global arena,” comments Mathe Okaba, CEO of the ACA. Launched in 1968, Effie celebrates effectiveness worldwide with over 50 global, regional and national programmes across Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and North America. Effie South Africa joins the Effie network as the 49th national programme celebrating and Awarding Ideas That Work. “The opportunity now exists to benchmark against the most effective work from all over the world. We invite all agencies and marketers to enter the programme in order to expose and celebrate their work that worked. There is no strict definition of effectiveness within the Effie programme. Effie recognises all forms of effectiveness—awareness, sales, behaviour, etc. The determining criteria for measuring effectiveness will be considering how challenging the
objectives were, and the significance of the results achieved against those objectives,” concludes Okaba. “Effie is proud to partner with the ACA to launch Effie South Africa,” said Traci Alford, president and CEO, Effie Worldwide. “As a global forum, Effie provides a platform for marketers to celebrate the most effective marketing around the world, while establishing benchmarks that will drive our industry forward. We welcome South Africa to the global Effie network, leading the way as our first national program in Africa, and look forward to showcasing and learning from this year’s winners and finalists.” Effie South African finalists and winners will receive points towards the Global Effie Index, which ranks the most effective marketers, brands, holding companies, agency networks, agency offices and independent agencies globally. The Effie Index will also determine the local rankings.
MADSHO LIBRARY: A COLLECTION OF AFRICA’S BEAUTY ON ONE PLATFORM “Africa is gorgeous and it is
An online stock footage platform that allows filmmakers and content creators to license proudly African footage, MadSho Library is giving creatives easy access to premium quality visuals that would be otherwise difficult to find.
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he recently-launched online platform is a division of MadSho, a rental company that lets out film and television equipment to the South African media industry. “At MadSho we are firm believers that storytellers change the world, and our goal is to supply these game-changers with the necessary tools to achieve this. MadSho Library is one of those tools that we have created that content creators can employ to bring greater value to their productions,” comments MadSho founder and managing director, Manqoba Shongwe.
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The web-based library grants users access to footage that, until now, has been notoriously difficult to find. The footage provided is Africa-focused and includes both past and present, people, places, spaces and activities. “Whatever you need, we’ve got it. We are the answer to all your Africa footage sourcing – from getting the shots to hosting accessible and relevant content in our library for all your production needs,” says Shongwe. With a content library that’s set to grow as the platform gains more contributors, MadSho Library will continue to make content creation easier, enhancing productions across the scale. “Africa is gorgeous and it is often
difficult to access beautiful footage of the continent and the day-to-day activities synonymous with Africa. Rather than having to shoot it yourself, it’s sometimes simpler, and much cheaper, to go to a stock image library and license the shot that you need for your edit. Finding quality images of Africa is often almost impossible, and so with MadSho Library, we are hoping to provide a platform where such images will be easy to access. We are starting with video and our expansion plans include into stills, photos and sound,” concludes Shongwe. Access the MadSho Library video archive on www. madsholibrary.co.za
often difficult to access beautiful footage of the continent and the day-to-day activities synonymous with Africa. Rather than having to shoot it yourself, it’s sometimes simpler, and much cheaper, to go to a stock image library and license the shot that you need for your edit. Finding quality images of Africa is often almost impossible, and so with MadSho Library, we are hoping to provide a platform where such images will be easy to access. – Manqoba Shongwe
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ADCETERA
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THE GAME-CHANGERS OF THE NEXT DECADE
PHOTOS SOURCE: PEXELS.COM
Standing at the beginning of a new year in a new decade is exciting. This new decade, in particular, will herald in an important time for our continent, as countries scramble to meet the global United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, as well as to start the real work of implementing the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
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fCFTA is a real game-changer for Africa, as it will create the largest trading block in the world once trade barriers fall, boosting internal trade on the continent, which will lead to economic prosperity in many regions and an infrastructure boom and job creation – sorely needed for the continent with the youngest population in the world. What this means for every industry, including the creative industries, is that opportunities to do business within Africa will increase because investment will increase. It won’t be easy or without major challenges, but to anyone launching or growing a business in South Africa’s depressed economy, Africa presents another opportunity for growth – particularly since, in 2018, seven of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world were in Africa! South Africa and Nigeria, incidentally, weren’t on that list – everyone is still waiting for us to grow into our potential. I believe this decade will signal that it is Africa’s time and an ‘Africa Rising’ presents unique opportunity beyond our borders for every industry. The impact of AfCFTA and its potential should feature in all long-term business plans of all industries in South Africa going forward. That is my most 10 | SCREENAFRICA | FEBRUARY 2020
important trend for this decade and this year. The other massive game-changer, globally, for this coming decade, is Generation Z. Apart from the fact that we can finally stop talking about Millennials, this next generation of youth have the onerous task of saving our planet. They will also, like the generation that heralded in massive social change in the 1960s across the world, have one of the biggest impacts on our consumption patterns. They are also going to be the most vocal in calling out everyone – from politicians to companies to brands – if they are corrupt in anyway and do not behave in a transparent and authentic way.
THINK GEN Z, THINK GRETA Looking forward into industry specific trends for the creative industries, Generation Z and their consumption habits will probably be one of the biggest game-changers, since social media revolutionised the last decade which was dominated by the focus on Millennials. Generation Z is a surprising generation and their poster child is Greta Thunberg. Also called the iGen or Centennials, this generation of youngsters was born between 1996 and 2010, following on from the Millennials. They have been
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immersed in our digital society, growing up with the internet and on social media. The oldest of them are now just finishing their tertiary education and entering the workforce. This generation will very much likely have as much impact as the 60s generation, whose marches were for peace at the beginning of the Cold War. Except their platform is climate change and they will have to save our planet from mass extinction. So how will brands, marketers and advertising creatives market to this generation? What can you sell a generation that is starting to reject conspicuous consumption and anything that raises their carbon footprint? Global thinktank McKinsey says the one characteristic that defines this generation is “truth.” Generation Z avoid labels, preferring to express themselves individually. They believe in standing up for causes they believe in; and believe dialogue and negotiation is the way to resolve conflicts, not war. “They make decisions and relate to institutions in a highly analytical and pragmatic way,” reports McKinsey, calling them the “True Gen.” This is in contrast to the Millennials, called the “Me” generation, which focused more on itself. Remember, it was this generation that invented the ubiquitous selfie! McKinsey advises brands and business to think about how they deliver value to this consumer and make sure they practice what they preach when addressing marketing challenges, work ethics, environmental issues and impact on the planet. Time is not on your side: within just five
years, this generation will be leaving school and becoming students that will agitate for change or they will be joining their peers in the workplace and creating change – from within or as consumers. This quote from McKinsey is striking: “Companies should be attuned to three implications for this generation: consumption as access rather than possession, consumption as an expression of individual identity and consumption as a matter of ethical concern. Coupled with technological advances, this generational shift is transforming the consumer landscape in a way that cuts across all socio-economic brackets and extends beyond Gen Z, permeating the whole demographic pyramid.” Don’t think for one moment that we are immune down here in Africa, either: Africa, including South Africa, has the single biggest youth demographic in the world. This decade to come is one of the most important in history – change is coming, there is no doubt, for our way of work and how brands are consumed. In fact, the entire marketing eco-system will be impacted. Personally, I have hope for Generation Z, that they can save us from our worst excesses. They are searching for authenticity and embrace greater freedom of expression, while they are more tolerant and accepting. There are three types of consumer behaviour that Gen Z display that will profoundly affect brands:
1.
Sharing economy: Gen Z does not believe in ownership. For them, consumption means access to products and services, not necessarily ownership. They value services that connect them, as services they use, rather than products that they own (like car-riding services, video streaming and subscriptions). McKinsey advises that companies need to rethink their valuecreation models and look at leveraging “more direct relationships” with consumers, as well as alternative and new distribution channels. 2. The cult of the individual: This generation want more personalised products; they do not want to look like everyone else. And here is where they will pay for it. Interestingly, they also don’t want brands which classify them by gender, as male or female. So, dump the pink and blue, male vs female thinking. For some brands this will be a stretch. The other significant consumption trend is that this generation sees no “line” between online and offline shopping. They want to be able to access products they want to buy or use 24/7, anywhere. Purpose-driven marketing: More than any other generation before them, this generation expects marketers to believe in something and “take a stand” with their brands. It makes sense, too. Brands have worked so hard in the past two decades to
appear ‘human’ to consumers – with human characteristics and emotions – that they now have a generation of consumer that does not make a distinction between individual causes and corporate causes and corporate ethics. Ownership, ethical behaviour, giving back to the community, taking a stance on causes that matter, having an articulated purpose – these are all things expected of brands and organisations, as well as anyone Gen Z connects with. How’s this for a scary stat: 80 percent of Generation Z surveyed by McKinsey indicated that they refuse to buy goods from companies involved in scandals.
I love this generation; I think they will make the world a better place. And we could sure use some of that after these past few difficult years in our own country’s history as well as the shenanigans going on elsewhere in the world. They bring as hope. And that is what we want trends to do: provide hope for the future so we can take that next step, launch that new business, plan for a future. Happy 2020! – Louise Burgers
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ADCETERA
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INSIDE THE MAKING OF NIKE’S BIRTHPLACE OF DREAMS Titled The Birthplace of Dreams, Nike’s inspiring new campaign pays homage to some of the world’s most celebrated athletes.
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“Birthplace of Dreams is not an ad. There are no scripts and no actors. It is a fun, intimate, raw and very real story told in the athlete’s voice.”
TECH CHECK EQUIPMENT • Camera: Arri Alexa Mini
– Gustav Greffrath
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he campaign, made up of numerous unscripted short films, features Dutch footballer, Virgil van Dijk; Spanish tennis legend, Rafael Nadal; Australian soccer player, Samantha Kerr; American football running back, Saquon Barkley; basketball player brothers, Pau and Marc Gasol; and, of course, South Africa’s very own recordbreaking Olympic athlete, Caster Semenya. To produce Semenya’s film, Nike SA worked with Johannesburg-based design agency, Futura, and award-wining production company, Arcade Content. “Birthplace of Dreams is not an ad. There are no scripts and no actors. It is a fun, intimate, raw and very real story told in the athlete’s voice,” comments Gustav Greffrath, executive creative director at Futura. “To our client and to us, the authentic voice of the athlete was the most important aspect of the film. We knew Caster had an inspiring story to tell, the type of story that would inspire future generations of athletes. Our shared vision was thus to create a piece of work that
shares Caster’s story, in her voice.” The campaign celebrates the humble beginnings of these now world-renowned sports stars. As a result, Greffrath and the Arcade team headed to Limpopo province – the birthplace of Semenya. The dusty streets of Ga-Masehlong are where it all began for the star, who started out in football, before becoming an Olympic medal-winning 800m running champion. Always wanting to give back and share her success, in 2018, Semenya – together with her wife Violet and close friend, Koketso Mogapi – founded two development clubs, in Pretoria and Soweto, to nurture the next generation of athletes. “Through sport, Caster is moving the world forward. This is the story of a girl from Limpopo, who rises above all obstacles placed in her way, turning them into opportunities and leading future athletes in the pursuit of their dreams,” says Greffrath. “For this story we wanted to show the world where Caster came from and how she used what she was taught at a very young age to pursue her
dreams. There are too many stories of things that could have prevented her from being who she is today. Our focus was not so much on the barriers (which are well-publicised), but rather on the character and the catalyst that is Caster.” The three-minute short film is produced by Julia Schnurr, directed by Lebogang Rasethaba and shot by Thomas Pretorius. “We used an ARRI Alexa Mini with the old trusty Zeiss Super Speeds; a light build as I was on the shoulder for all of it, pulling my own focus, nimble and ready to roll at any time,” comments Pretorius on the shoot. “Lebo doubled up on the Sony A7S2 getting different angles and it translated beautifully.” It took the team four days to shoot the film, with most days dedicated to Semenya’s hometown in Limpopo and a day in Soweto to capture Semenya as a coach at her development club. The production team relied on natural light for the shoot, which meant careful pre-planning for locations and ensuring that the shoot ran according to schedule. “We were purely going on an absolutely real look and feel, with no sugar-coating. I knew I wanted a shallow depth of field and I wanted it to be natural and flary and pretty with lots of textures to place the viewer exactly where we were, feeling exactly what we were feeling by being with her,” explains Pretorius. “It was an incredibly inspirational experience working with Caster. She is truly a mind-blowing person to be around… Our crew also had a great time watching me chase after Caster on the track doing a handheld jib maneuver - a meme of it is busy going viral!” laughs Pretorius. Post-production duties were handled by William Kalmer from Post Modern Studios. During post, Kalmer was asked to combine sounds from location, done by Nokufika Mdanda, with music composed just for the film by Simphiwe Dana and M83. The final work was a product that both Semenya and South Africa can be proud of: “It is authentic. It is proud. And it is showing the world what we are made of,” says Greffrath. “Thank you to everyone who helped bring this to life. Without their talent and Nike’s vision, we would never have been able to tell such an important and proud story,” he adds in conclusion.
“We used an ARRI Alexa Mini with the old trusty Zeiss Super Speeds; a light build as I was on the shoulder for all of it, pulling my own focus, nimble and ready to roll at any time. Lebo doubled up on the Sony A7S2 getting different angles and it translated beautifully.” – Thomas Pretorius, DoP
KEY CREW
Director: Lebogang Rasethaba Producer: Julia Schnurr Director of Photography: Thomas Pretorius Sound: Nokufika Mdanda Editor: William Kalmer
– Gezzy S Sibisi FEBRUARY 2020
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FILM
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Behind the scenes of virtu
Azibuye – The Oc It’s not a secret that the issue of land redistribution remains a contentious and highly emotional subject in post-Apartheid South Africa.
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ccording to South Africa’s land audit of 2017, black South Africans – who constitute 79 percent of the country’s population – own just one percent of the country’s rural land and seven percent of urban property. This is while white South Africans make up only nine percent of the population, but own more than 23.6 percent of the country’s rural land and 11.4 percent of the land in urban areas. As a result, thousands of homeless South African people of colour are illegally occupying empty privatelyowned homes and developments. The virtual reality (VR) film Azibuye – The Occupation follows the journey of two homeless people, Masello and Evan, in 360° view, as they take up residence in a vacant home in an affluent area in Johannesburg. As luck would have it, the pair discovers a crumbling mansion that has been vacant for nearly 20 years. They settle into their new home and proclaim their illegal occupation to be an artistic and political act in retaliation to the ongoing land redistribution issue. The themes explored in the film include colonialism, dispossession, decolonisation and the role that art plays in addressing these issues. Award-winning documentary filmmaker, Dylan Valley, expands: “I know Masello and Evan socially, through friends. The film is very much about the journey of this particular occupation, how they made this abandoned house livable, and the dilemma they face when they meet the owner of the house.” The virtual reality film also delves into the backstories of the two occupants,
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revealing Masello as a well-known actress and Evan as a trade unionist. “To me, they represent the long history of activism and self-organisation in South Africa, as well as protest art – as they also view their occupation as an installation of sorts. It’s hard to mention the underlying issues in the film without getting into spoilers, but I hope the film challenges viewers’ assumptions about the issues and the characters,” says Valley. Valley is an associate lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, an editorial board member at Africa is a Country and an Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity 2019. He has been a commissioning editor for the South Africa Broadcasting Company (SABC) and has directed several pieces for Al Jazeera. Valley’s documentary style is a mix of music, art and performance that tells compelling stories about real people with a social justice focus. “Trying to correct some sense of social injustice or misunderstood story very much informs the subjects I choose. My work tends to slant towards a racial equity lens, so the subjects I cover fall very much underneath this banner,” he explains.
USING VR TECHNOLOGY TO TELL IMMERSIVE STORIES It was only in 2017, while watching VR films at the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival, that Valley imagined the extensive immersive possibilities that VR could add to his own documentary filmmaking career. “VR is still new here, and that’s a good thing. There aren’t many ‘experts’ and it’s a great time for experimentation and
play. I am particularly interested in the possibilities that these emerging technologies can offer to black filmmakers,” he shares. The search for more immersive experiences led Valley to Electric South, a Pan-African immersive media production studio. The Cape Town-based studio provides mentorship, production services, funding and exhibitions for a network of artists across Africa to explore their subject-matter through immersive, interactive stories including virtual and augmented reality. A sponsorship agreement between Electric South and Facebook/Oculus saw Valley and other participants receive headsets and guidance in order to undertake their VR/AR projects. Cultural producer at Electric South, Kirstin Erasmus comments: “Immersive storytelling on the continent is climbing at a steady pace. Globally it is still in its infancy but, as knowledge about the industry grows, equipment and resources become more readily available and the opportunities present themselves. Those in the know are really excited about the possibilities of immersive storytelling, as it gives us as Africans the rare opportunity to curate and own our own stories.” Azibuye was shot in April 2019 on the Insta360 Pro camera, which films well in 8K and 3D; Zoom recorders were used for sound. Valley says that, according to Masello and Evan, the house is estimated to have been standing empty for 20 years. “I wanted the viewer to feel like they were participants in the occupation. I was going for a very naturalistic documentary
feeling and static 360 shots,” informs Valley. “I wanted to create a contemplative and reflective mood as the characters are talking about some complex socio-historical issues such as colonialism, laws of dispossession, Apartheid, etc. – and so the long, static takes in time-ravaged spaces helped with that.” “Because we were in one location, the shoot was smooth sailing. In terms of the storytelling, we wanted to interview the owner of the house, which was challenging for a number of reasons – but we managed to get the interview in the end!” exclaims Valley. The film was produced by Caitlin Robinson under the direction of Valley, with editing done by Stephen Abbott. Post-production duties were handled by Yoav Dagan and Samukelo Mahlalela.
REPRESENTING SOUTH AFRICA AT SUNDANCE Since its completion, Azibuye has garnered much international interest and became the first South African film to be selected for the prestigious Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier section. “It’s a huge honour and I’m incredibly humbled by being included in Sundance 2020,” says Valley. “Making films is incredibly hard (as any filmmaker reading this will attest to), and so these kinds of acknowledgements are great affirmations that help to keep us going,” he concludes. – Gezzy S Sibisi
ual reality film,
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ccupation
FILM
TECH CHECK EQUIPMENT • Camera: Insta360 Pro
Azibuye was shot on the Insta360 Pro camera which films well in 8K and 3D; Zoom recorders were used for sound.
KEY CREW Executive Producers: Ingrid Kopp and Steven Markovitz Producer: Caitlin Robinson Director: Dylan Valley Editor: Stephen Abbott
“Trying to correct some sense of social injustice or misunderstood story very much informs the subjects I choose. My work tends to slant towards a racial equity lens, so the subjects I cover fall very much underneath this banner.
”
– Dylan Valley
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FILM
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The Three Wells of Matthew Kalil is a writer, director and script editor who has recently published The Three Wells of Screenwriting, a book hailed by Christopher Vogler (author of The Writer’s Journey) as a “breakthrough in the craft.” Screen Africa caught up with Kalil to learn more about his background and what readers (and students of screenwriting) can expect from the book.
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alil, who holds a masters in screenwriting from the University of Leeds and has nearly 20 years’ experience of teaching and mentoring his own screenwriting students, says that his passion for screenwriting stems from his childhood, when he remembers how his “father used to get really passionate about watching movies.” Since then, he has written and co-written over 40 produced episodes of TV and has received various grants, development funding and awards, with productions screened and broadcast in Canada, Denmark, Morocco, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, the United States and the United Kingdom. He has also, through the process of developing workshops and academic courses over the years, found a unique approach to screenwriting that helps both beginners and established screenwriters get in touch with their creative cores. His new book, The Three Wells of Screenwriting, is – in many respects – a distillation of this life experience. As he explains, “I wrote a book for an online screenwriting course, but while I was writing it I kept feeling like I was missing from the content. What was missing, specifically, was this notion of the ‘wells’ of screenwriting that I had developed over the course of my teaching experience. I knew these were important, sometimes definitive sessions
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FILM
Screenwriting – and I wanted to encapsulate the power of those classes into a book. I actually went to LA on a screenwriting trip and met Christopher Vogler; after I told him my idea for the book, he told me I simply had to write it. So I came home, then did a ten-day silent retreat to let my ideas about the book and the craft of screenwriting percolate – and finally found that I was ready to do it.” Kalil describes the purpose of the book as helping writers “create scenes that are memorable and different”, while its main focus is “exploring where we get our ideas from without over-analysing them.” “I define the three wells as the moment when we sit down and we’re faced by a blank page or a flashing cursor. In that moment, we can write anything – we can create anything. We can draw from any kind of source of inspiration. The idea I explore in the book is that there are three main sources we can draw from – the
external sources well, which describes other films we have seen or texts we have appreciated; the imagination well; and the memory well. These are interconnected,” Kalil continues, “with a reserve of ‘ground water’ beneath. The book attempts to clearly define these three sources of inspiration and then investigate how we can dig them deeper.” With an attractively practical component, Kalil trusts that the book will be beneficial to writers of all skill and experience levels. “There are 29 exercises in the book, which you can use to practice digging deeper into these wells. These exercises range from watching and consciously analysing movies with similar themes to your own; to imaginative exercises based around acting principles to free up spontaneity; to deep memory recollections to tap into past emotions, mining personal experiences for nuggets
to put into your script. What I like most about the book is that when you’re in ‘the writing groove’ – of course – these process should flow together naturally; but, if you get stuck, these exercises can help shift something and move the project forward. In fact, the tagline of the book is Never be stuck again…” These sentiments are echoed by South African filmmaker and Oscar Winner, Gavin Hood, who comments about The Three Wells of Screenwriting: “I am often asked, ‘How can I learn to write?’ Matthew Kalil tackles this difficult question by gently reminding us that, when fearfully facing the blank page, there are multiple wells, both external and internal, from which to drink deeply when searching for something truly original and moving to say.” In terms of his own filmmaking, Kalil counts “David Lynch, Kubrick and Scorsese” as his chief sources of
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inspiration. “We can see these filmmakers in their movies,” he reflects. “Lynch, especially, draws extensively from dreams and what – in my book – I’d call the imagination well.” In a turn that he, himself, describes as “amazing synchronicity”, Kalil has recently relocated to Fairfield, Iowa, to teach on the MFA Programme in Screenwriting at the David Lynch Graduate School of Cinematic Arts. A unique course that foregrounds transcendental meditation in the creative process, Kalil says that “after wrestling with the decision about leaving home and getting out of my comfort zone, I decided I had to go for it. As one of Lynch’s characters says in Lost Highway, ‘there’s no such thing as a bad coincidence.’” – David Cornwell For more information or to order your copy of the book, visit www.thethreewells.com
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BEHIND THE NEWS – AN INSIDE LOOK INTO eNCA’s MASSIVE IN-STUDIO SCREEN In a world that is fast-paced and ever-evolving, remaining the same is not an option.
Massive 12x3m HD Studio Video Wall This is the biggest video wall in news broadcasting on the African continent. The video wall will ensure that the eNCA viewer receives voice, pictures, text, and videos at an enhanced sensory level.
The studio set also has a feature that allows for the use of the Vision Control room as a backdrop for specific news bulletins. The backdrop additionally acts as a noise-cancelling glass separator. 18 | SCREENAFRICA | FEBRUARY 2020
The revamped studio follows an unconventional semi-circular shape, which will allow for an increase in camera angles.
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his seems to be the mantra that South Africa’s number one news channel for local and international news eNCA is embracing with vigour. Twelve years into the business of news broadcasting, it is no coincidence that the channel has unveiled an impeccably designed 12x3 metre curved LED videowall as the effortless focal point of its refreshed high tech news studio. One could even argue that there exists a correlation between the two twelves; it does, after all, add up to 24, and in eNCA’s world, 24-hour news delivery is an unquestionable labour of love. The videowall is an enhanced feature for the channel now being in HD and was no small feat to assemble. Construction began in late November 2019 and quickly became dubbed “The LEGO project,” when the Pallas manufactured screen arrived at the channel’s Hyde Park Office building in the form of 22 pallets, weighing in at an astonishing 2.9 tons. The impressively innovative in-studio video wall is the biggest in African news broadcasting and has a resolution of 10000X2532 pixels and a pixel pitch of 1.25mm. It is seamlessly driven by Viz Multiplay, which
will ensure that the eNCA viewer receives voice, pictures, text, and videos at an enhanced sensory level. What is also evident in the revamped studio, is that the set shape follows an unconventional semi-circular shape. The change in set shape will allow for an increase in camera angles, compared to the previous U-shaped set design. Integrated by UK based digital company Elport Digital, who are no strangers to e.tv, the company ensured that the cameras on the studio floor have fibre optic cables for interconnection. They reduced the platform in front of the video wall to allow the cameras an ability to creep as close to the screen as possible, and the reduction overcomes a challenge that eNCA had with the previous set design, where the platform was limiting the camera movement on the floor. “We increasingly aim to be on the pulse of news broadcasting, and in a world driven by extensive technology and the importance of progressive infrastructure, we are proud to note that we proactively contribute to the conversation. Our use of technologically advanced equipment in the new HD studio is exceptional, and as a result, we
have been providing a refreshed feel to all our flagship programs since we launched on 13th January,” comments Group Technical GM, Rose Rogers. Six Panasonic HD cameras will capture the in-studio scene, five Cameras are on robotics while the sixth is on a jib. The high number of cameras will ensure that the different angles and locations of the sets continue to be captured while telling brilliant news stories. In addition to the large number of cameras that are in the studio, the set has a feature that allows the use of the Vision Control room as a backdrop for specific news bulletins. Installed at a seven-degree angle to minimise reflections and with the backdrop usage in mind, the news channel needed to keep the noise levels from the control room at an absolute minimum, and thus had to fit an impenetrable glass separator from floor to ceiling. Producing an exceptional amount of heat is almost a given when taking into consideration the sheer size of the video wall, and it is for this reason that Elport Digital, together with e.tv’s engineering team, made provision for the heat. In-studio cooling has been optimised to ensure that damage to the screen by
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operating it at high temperatures does not occur. For this, the teams have contained the cooling directly to the studio floor. Also, the return air duct has been placed above the screen to ensure that the studio is as cool as possible. “Our lighting is state of the art, and that affects the simple complexities of alterations to our wardrobe and make-up departments. Although these elements may be considered minuscule, they are a great part of what adds to the overall viewer experience. The high number of cameras will captivate audiences via different angles and locations of the sets and will play out magnificently on the 1080i/50 uncompressed HD video format. It took dedication and patience from our team to ensure that the new studios are a perfect fit for the upgraded broadcast quality. We have greatly invested in the value of the studio and look forward to a tangible return on investment,” concluded Rogers. When tuning in to DStv Channel 403, eNCA viewers can look forward to a refreshed look and feel and continue to have news breaking in HD, by some of the country’s most informed anchors and reporters, respectively.
The brand new, high-tech, multipurpose eNCA studio video wall has an unmatched resolution of 10 000 x 2532 pixels and a pixel pitch of 1.25mm. The technology will assist in enhanced storytelling. FEBRUARY 2020
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SAFTAS 14
| NOMINEES
THE 14TH ANNUAL SOUTH AFRICAN FILM AND TELEVISION AWARDS NOMINEES LIST After a two-year stint at Sun City in the North-West Province, the annual South
This year’s nominees reflect the best films and television shows to have graced our
African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) – managed by the National Film &
screens in 2019, including Poppie Nongena, Fiela se Kind, and Die Verhaal van
Video Foundation – will be returning to Johannesburg for its 14th edition, taking
Racheltjie de Beer. Congratulations to all the nominees, who will compete for the
place on 27 and 28 March at the Sandton Convention Centre.
coveted Golden Horn Trophy.
Over a two-day extravaganza, the industry will gather to celebrate and reward the best of the best of local film and television talent both behind and in front of the camera, as decided by a panel of over 200 judges. The primary objective of the SAFTAs is to honour, celebrate and promote the creativity, quality and excellence of the South African film and television industries, and to encourage entrepreneurship and the development of new talent.
FEATURE FILM Practitioner Jahmil X.T. Qubeka Christiaan Olwagen Brett Michael Innes
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – FEATURE FILM Film Title Fiela se Kind Knuckle City Poppie Nongena
Practitioner Brett Michael Innes Jahmil X.T. Qubeka Christiaan Olwagen & Susara Botha
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – FEATURE FILM Film Title Knuckle City Die Verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer Poppie Nongena Fiela se Kind Skemerson (Sun, Cry, Moon)
Practitioner Willie Nel Willie Nel Victoria Turpin Thomas Ignatius Marais William Collinson
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING – FEATURE FILM Film Title Knuckle City Die Verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer Cut-Out Girls Back of the Moon Fiela se Kind
Practitioner Layla Swart Warwick Allan Brett Rayner Sibongeleni Mabuyakhulu & Megan Gill Cornelius Abraham Van Aswegen
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/ SCORE – FEATURE FILM Film Title Die Verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer Skemerson (Sun, Cry, Moon) Back of the Moon 3 Days To Go Fiela se Kind
Practitioner Chris Letcher Richard Lätti Philip Miller Benjamin Willem Kyle Shepherd
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND DESIGN – FEATURE FILM Film Title Die Verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer Fiela se Kind Knuckle City Skemerson (Sun, Cry, Moon) Ander Mens
Follow the SAFTAs on Twitter (@saftas1) and Instagram (@saftassa) for regular updates. Follow Screen Africa on Twitter (@screenafrica) for live announcements from the awards ceremony taking place on 28 March.
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN – FEATURE FILM
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – FEATURE FILM Film Title Knuckle City Poppie Nongena Fiela se Kind
As always, the main awards ceremony (28 March) will be broadcast live on SABC 2 starting with the red carpet at 19h00 and the main awards event at 20h00.
Practitioner Jan Petrak Charlotte Buys Guy Steer Paul Vermaak Timothy Bruce Pringle
Film Title Zulu Wedding Poppie Nongena An Act of Defiance Back of the Moon
Practitioner Shirley Masondo Sylvia van Heerden Susan Alet Dreyer Trudi Mantzios
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING – FEATURE FILM Film Title Knuckle City Zulu Wedding Fiela se Kind An Act of Defiance Poppie Nongena
Practitioner Carol Babalwa Mtshiselwa Bongi Mlotshwa Maritsa Maritz Julia Rubinstein Gale Shepherd
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN – FEATURE FILM Film Title Back of the Moon Knuckle City Die Verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer Fiela se Kind
Practitioner Dylan Lloyd TK Khampepe & Justice Nhlapo Chantel Carter Chantel Carter
BEST ACTOR – FEATURE FILM Real Name Character Name Bongile Mantsai Dudu Nyakama Johannes Stephanus Bam Herman de Beer Albert Bakker Pretorius Konstant
Film Title Knuckle City Die Verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer Die Seemeeu
BEST ACTRESS – FEATURE FILM Real Name Clementine Zitha Sandra Prinsloo Zenobia Kloppers
Character Name Poppie Nongena Irene Fiela Komoetie
Film Title Poppie Nongena Die Seemeeu Fiela se Kind
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – FEATURE FILM Real Name Patrick Ndlovu Thembekile Komani Wayne van Rooyen
Character Name Bra Pat Duke Nyakama Selling Komoetie
Film Title Knuckle City Knuckle City Fiela se Kind
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – FEATURE FILM Real Name Character Name Film Title Anna Martha van der Merwe Antoinette Swanepoel Poppie Nongena Elize Dunster Lidie Skemerson (Sun, Cry, Moon) Cintaine Schutte Masha Die Seemeeu
BEST FEATURE FILM
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Film Title Fiela se Kind Poppie Nongena Die Verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer
Production House Nostalgia Productions Poppie Productions Brittle Star Entertainment (Pty) Ltd
NOMINEES
TELEVISION
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SAFTAS 14
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING – TELENOVELA
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TELENOVELA Progamme Title
Practitioner
The River Isibaya Isithembiso Arendsvlei
Ferry Jele, Catharine Cooke, Zolani Phakade & Johnny Barbuzano Yamakela Phiwokuhle Mkhanzi, Lehlogonolo Moropane & Sthembiso Mathenjwa Zeno Petersen, Itumeleng Mohlabane & Lufuno Nekhabambe Denny Miller, Roxanne Blaise, Mandilakhe Yengo & Darryl Fuchs
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TV DRAMA Programme Title
Practitioner
The Republic Lockdown S4 Dwaalster
Johnny Barbuzano & Rea Rangaka Mandla Ngcongwane Jaco Bouwer
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – TV SOAP Programme Title
Practitioner
Scandal! Rhythm City Binnelanders
Chris Beasley, Sanele Zulu, Tsakani Mongwe & Sphamandla Nqcobo Eric Mogale Danie Joubert
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – TELENOVELA Programme Title
Practitioner
The River Giyani – Land of Blood Arendsvlei The Queen
Gwydion Beynon & Phathutshedzo Makwarela Gwydion Beynon & Phathutshedzo Makwarela Ilse Oppelt, Roberta Durrant, Wilmien Rossouw, Ricardo Arendse, Retief Scholtz, Henry Cloete, Margaret Goldsmid, J ohann Davis, Quanita Adams & Theltom Masimila Gwydion Beynon & Phathutshedzo Makwarela
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – TV DRAMA Programme Title
Practitioner
The Republic Lockdown S4 The Girl From St Agnes
Phathutshedzo Makwarela & Gwydion Beynon Byron Abrahams, Merendran Reddy, Dominique Masson, Tiffany Barbuzano, Lwazi Mvusi, Tsepo Desando & Mandla Ngcongwane Gillian Breslin, Sean Steinberg & Zoe Laband
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – TV SOAP Programme Title
Practitioner
Rhythm City Getroud Met Rugby Scandal!
Zelipa Zulu Deon Opperman, Frederick Johannes Botha, Igna Botha & Monique Nortje Daryn Katz, Bafana Khumalo, Kelly Robinson, Mark Graham Wilson, Nonhlanhla Simelane, Omphile Molusi, Rosalind Anne Freimond, Stephen Simm, Tereska Rene Muishond, Simon Themba Mahlangu & Thomas Hall
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – TELENOVELA Programme Title
Practitioner
The River Isithembiso Isibaya
Trevor Brown Sevetian Su Ong Maslamoney & Sipho Thoka Ryan Lotter, Wesley Johnston & Lekau Mamabolo
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY – TV DRAMA Programme Title
Practitioner
The Republic Lockdown S4 Spreeus
Ntobeko Dlamini Gaopie Kabe Jorrie van der Walt
Programme Title
Practitioner
The River Isibaya Isipho The Gift Isithembiso
Matodzi Nemungadi, Bongi Malefo & Ula Oelsen Nqobizwe Ndlangamandla, Sibongeleni Mabuyakhulu, Veronica Dumezweni, James Kgatsoetsoe, Motlatsi Molefe, Martin Mosala & Limpho Mothopeng Hlumi Tlale, Jeanette Mokobane, Nonhlanhla Nxumalo, Susan Thabethe & Tumelo Mmatladi Tshepo Kgatsoetsoe, Kirsten de Magalhaes, Jeremy Briers, Motlatsi Molefe, Martin Mosala, Brett Anolik, Sphiwe Nhlumayo & Llewellyn Rice
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING – TV DRAMA Programme Title
Practitioner
The Republic Spreeus Ehostela
Ula Oelsen & Kabi Modiko Leon Visser Johnny Nkgapele
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/ SCORE – TELENOVELA Programme Title
Practitioner
Isibaya The River Arendsvlei Giyani – Land of Blood
Philip Miller Brendan Jury Murray Anderson Brendan Jury
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC/ SCORE – TV DRAMA Programme Title
Practitioner
Spreeus Alles Malan Lockdown S4 The Girl From St Agnes
Pierre-Henri Wicomb David de Jager & Herman Kleinhans Kurt Slabbert, Jamela Vuma & Mandla Ngcongwane Brendan Jury
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND – TV DRAMA Programme Title
Practitioner
Spreeus Dwaalster The Republic Alles Malan
Tim Pringle Tim Pringle Ben Oelsen & Juli Vanden Berg Daniel Eppel & Alex Smillie
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND – TV SOAP/TELENOVELA Programme Title
Practitioner
Binnelanders Getroud met Rugby The River Isithembiso Isipho The Gift
Eric McKechnie & Barry Gillot Leon Ecroignard & Batana Sandile Dlamini Ben Oelsen & Juli Vanden Berg Mark Phillips, Vaughan Phillips & Zikhethile Charles Sijaji Janno Muller, Jonty Everton, Thapelo Makhubo & Jeanrè Greyling
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION – TV SOAP/TELENOVELA Programme Title
Practitioner
The River Arendsvlei Isibaya
Amanda Scholtz Beatrix van Zyl Henrietta Moutinho
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION – TV DRAMA Programme Title
Practitioner
The Docket Shadow Lockdown S4
Nazo Maloyi, Richard Rehbock & Ilze Van Den Berg Christelle van Graan Luarnae Roos
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIR – TV SOAP/TELENOVELA Programme Title
Practitioner
The River Isibaya Imbewu S2
Bongi Mlotshwa Sheila Petlele & Sebenzile Madondo Aphilia Kunene
FEBRUARY 2019
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SCREENAFRICA
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SAFTAS 14
| NOMINEES
TELEVISION (continued)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – TV DRAMA
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING – TV DRAMA
Real Name
Character Name
Lorcia Cooper Brenda Ngxoli Pamela Nomvete
Tyson Lockdown S4 Nomonde iThemba Deborah Lockdown S4
Programme Title
Practitioner
Alles Malan Ifalakhe The Herd S2
Mary-Sue Morris Ronwyn Jarrett Keitumetsi Sefotlhelo
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – TV SOAP
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN WARDROBE – TV SOAP/TELENOVELA Programme Title
Practitioner
The River Arendsvlei The Throne
Alice Mataboge Cassandra Rowland Thembelihle Buthelezi
Programme Title
Practitioner
Ifalakhe The Docket The Herd S2 Lockdown S4
Monique Lamprecht & Nerine Pienaar Mncedisi Mbombo Phindile Mlambo & Trudi Mantzios Gesillah McLoed
BEST ACTOR – TELENOVELA Real Name
Character Name
Programme Title
Hamilton Dhlamini Presley Chweneyagae Roberto Kyle Meyer
Banzi Motaung Cobra Leeroy Foster
Isithembiso The River Arendsvlei
BEST ACTOR – TV DRAMA Character Name
Wiseman Mncube Jama Robert Hobbs Gary Warren Masemola Thabang
Real Name
Character Name
Kgomotso Christopher Xolile Tshabalala Petronella Tshuma
Yvonne Langa Scandal! Senamile Maseko Muvhango Pearl Rhythm City
Programme Title
BEST TV SOAP
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN WARDROBE – TV DRAMA
Real Name
Programme Title
Programme Title
Ehostela The Girl From St Agnes The Republic
BEST ACTOR – TV SOAP Real Name
Character Name
Programme Title
Jamie Bartlett Bongile Mantsai Nathaniel Ramabulana
David Genaro Rhythm City Mthunzi Mayiza Scandal! Tenda Mudau Muvhango
BEST ACTRESS-TELENOVELA Real Name
Character Name
Programme Title
Sindi Dlathu Leleti Khanyile Crystal Donna Roberts
Lindiwe Nokubonga Janice Cupido
The River Imbewu Arendsvlei
Real Name
Character Name
Programme Title
Florence Masebe Zola Nombona Dawn King
Lufuno Monde MaZet
The Republic Lockdown S4 Lockdown S4
Real Name
Character Name
Programme Title
Baby Maloko Cele Denise Newman Mapula Mafole
Gabisile Uzalo Bridgette Jacobs Suidooster Mapula Rhythm City
Programme Title
Production House
Rhythm City Suidooster Scandal!
Quizzical Pictures Suidooster Films Ochre Moving Pictures
BEST TELENOVELA Programme Title
Production House
The River Isibaya Arendsvlei
Tshedza Pictures CC The Bomb Shelter Penguin & Paw Paw Films
BEST TV DRAMA Programme Title
Production House
The Republic Spreeus Lockdown S4
Tshedza Pictures CC Marche Media Black Brain Pictures
VARIETY BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME Programme Title
Production House
Live Amp Emo 30 Jaar In Musiek Noot Vir Noot S44
Urban Brew Studios All Star Productions Stemmburg Television
BEST INTERNATIONAL FORMAT SHOW Programme Title
Production House
Survivor SA: Island of Secrets Celebrity Game Night S1 Yo! MTV Raps (SA): S1
Afrokaans Film & Television Rapid Blue The Visual Content Gang
BEST YOUTH PROGRAMME Programme Title
BEST ACTRESS – TV DRAMA
BEST ACTRESS – TV SOAP
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – TELENOVELA Real Name
Character Name
Programme Title
Lawrence Maleka Aubrey Poo Loyiso MacDonald
Zolani The River Fenyang Isibaya Kagiso The Queen
BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMME Programme Title
Production House
Dying for Diamonds Work Hazards Carte Blanche – TX 14 July 2019
eNCA Checkpoint eNCA Checkpoint Combined Artists
BEST FACTUAL & EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME Programme Title
Production House
Op Seer Se Spoor Ep3 Made in Africa: The Ties That Bind Us Yobe S2
Gambit Films Full Circle Productions Nalumi Pictures
BEST CHILDREN’S PROGRAMME Programme Title
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – TV DRAMA Real Name
Character Name
Programme Title
Seputla Sebogodi Deon Lotz Hlomla Dandala
Moses Albertus “Smiley” Kriel Vice President
The Republic Die Byl S2 The Republic
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – TV SOAP
Production House
Teenagers On A Mission – Game Ranging I Love That Productions MTV Shuga: Down South S2 – In Real Life TIA Productions MTV Shuga Down South S2 Quizzical Pictures (Pty) Ltd
Production House
Hectic on 3 Okuhle Media Words and Numbers S9 Johan Stemmet Entertainment Enterprises Disney Cookabout Penguin & Paw Paw Films Jabu’s Jungle – Meerkats Pixcomm
Real Name
Character Name
Programme Title
BEST LIFESTYLE PROGRAMME
Mncedisi Shabangu Ben Kruger Ivan Abrahams
Khulekani Ngobese Okkie Ferreira Pastor Ronald
Rhythm City Binnelanders Suidooster
Programme Title
Production House
Klankbord S1 Dit Proe Soos Huis Elders: Japan
Whippet Films Afrokaans Film & Television Bonanza Films
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – TELENOVELA Real Name
Character Name
Programme Title
BEST VARIETY SHOW
Lerato Mvelase Linda Sebezo Mary-Anne Barlow
Samkelo Lillian Nyandeni Gail
Isibaya Isibaya The River
Programme Title
Production House
Mooi Gospel Classics Die Ware Naarheid
Afrokaans Film & Television ATTV Nouvanaand Films
22 | SCREENAFRICA | FEBRUARY 2020
NOMINEES DOCUMENTARY
|
SAFTAS 14
MADE FOR TV MOVIE
BEST NATURAL HISTORY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME
BEST MADE FOR TV MOVIE
Documentary Title
Practitioner
Film Title
Practitioner
STROOP – Journey into the Rhino Horn War Okavango: River of Dreams – Chapter 1, Paradise Cave Crocs of Gabon
Scott & de Bod Films Earth Touch
Droomman Stillenag Tiro
Deon Opperman Produksies Deon Opperman Produksies Exit Media
Wildlife Films
SHORT FILM
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING Documentary Title
Practitioner
Buddha in Africa Dying For Gold The Fun’s Not Over – The James Phillips Story
Nicole Schafer Catherine Meyburgh & Richard Pakleppa Michael Cross
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY Documentary Title
Practitioner
Dying For Gold Womanhood The Sound of Masks Buddha in Africa
Richard Pakleppa Deon van Zyl Sara Cristina Ferreira de Gouveia Nicole Schafer
BEST SHORT FILM Programme Title
Production House
The Letter Reader Die Begrafnis Joko Ya Hao
The Ergo Company Idea Candy Blanket Entertainment (Pty) Ltd
STUDENT BEST STUDENT FILM Programme Title
Institution
Moya Anthem Tidal
University of Witwatersrand University Of Cape Town University of Cape Town
PUBLIC VOTE
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING Documentary Title
Practitioner
The Fun’s Not Over – The James Phillips Story Womanhood Dying For Gold The Sound of Masks
Michael Cross Daniel Mitchell Catherine Meyburgh Khalid Shamis
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND Documentary Title
Practitioner
Dying For Gold A Fool’s Paradise (TV length English version) Huisgenoot: Ware Lewensdramas 20 Years of Loxion Kulca
Catherine Meyburgh, Guy Steer & Mapula Lehong Sibusiso Zulu Mark Saunders Neo Rathebe
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Documentary Title
Practitioner
Buddha in Africa Dying For Gold The Fun’s Not Over – The James Phillips Story Sound of Masks
Thinking Strings Media Breathe Films Rogue Productions Lionfish Productions
REALITY BEST STRUCTURED OR DOCU-REALITY SHOW Programme Title
Production House
Living the Dream With Somizi S4 The Big Secret S2 Durban Beach Rescue S2
Barleader TV Weldun Media (Pty) Ltd Ruby Rocket Media
BEST TV PRESENTER Presenter Christopher Jaftha Masechaba Ndlovu Emo Adams Anele Mdoda Sthembiso Dliwayo Waldimar Pelser Entle Bizane Tembisa Mdoda Graeme Richards
Programme Title The Longest Date The Big Secret S2 Noot Vir Noot S44 Celebrity Game Night S1 Mi Kasi Su Kasi kykNET Verslag In Gesprek Hectic On 3 2 Families and a Wedding Dress Expresso Morning Show
MOST POPULAR TV SOAP/TELENOVELA Programme Title Arendsvlei Binnelanders Getroud Met Rugby Giyan – Land of Blood Imbewu Isibaya Isipho The Gift Isithembiso Rhythm City Muvhango Scandal! Suidooster The River The Throne The Queen Uzalo
Production House Penguin & Paw Paw Films Stark Films Overberg Produksies Tshedza Pictures CC Grapevine Productions (Pty) Ltd The Bomb Shelter Herbvision Multimedia The Bomb Shelter Quizzical Pictures (Pty) Ltd Word Of Mouth Pictures Ochre Moving Pictures Suidooster Films Tshedza Pictures CC Ferguson Films Ferguson Films Stained Glass Productions
BEST COMPETITION REALITY SHOW Programme Title
Production House
Ultimate Braai Master Kokkedoor Ultimate House Vibe Nedbank Ke Yona Team Search 2019
Okuhle Media Homebrew Films Burnt Onion Productions Barleader TV
FEBRUARY 2020
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SCREENAFRICA
| 23
ANIMATION & EFFECTS
|
WarnerMedia’s Ariane Suveg on Cartoon Network Africa’s Creative Lab and African animation A year after announcing Cartoon Network Africa’s Creative Lab winners, WarnerMedia revealed the winning shorts at DISCOP Johannesburg 2019. The initiative, which started in June 2018 as a pan-African call for a pitch competition, not only had the ambition to find African talents and bring to life local story gems through animation, but also unearth talent from a range of backgrounds. Creators, writers, graphic artists and animators all rose to the occasion to take a chance at bringing innovative content aligned with Cartoon Network’s brief to showcase humour, craziness, randomness and absurdity – and, most importantly, to make African kids laugh out loud.
T
he three winning Cartoon Network Creative Lab shorts premiered on Cartoon Network on 11 January 2020 as part of a special stunt gathering together innovative, breakthrough animated shorts specially curated for Cartoon Network. Screen Africa sat down with Ariane Suveg, head of Programming and Acquisitions, WarnerMedia Kids Africa, to talk about Cartoon Network Africa’s Creative Lab success and the role of local creators in African animation.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE WINNERS OF CARTOON NETWORK AFRICA’S CREATIVE LAB COMPETITION? The shorts officially aired on 11 January at 17h15, DStv channel 301 and GOtv channel 67 (Ghana 158/Uganda 356). This initiative has brought talented African creators together, and it has been an 24 | SCREENAFRICA | FEBRUARY 2020
exciting process. In 2020, we are willing to strengthen our collaboration with the winning, and very talented, creatives, and are currently exploring how we can enter a development process for a short series. AFTER THE SUCCESS OF CN LAB, WILL THERE BE ANOTHER ROLLOUT OF THE COMPETITION? We have not planned to run another edition of CN Lab in 2020, but are seriously on the lookout to find and produce African animation projects. We are partnering with various festivals and professional organisations to ensure we get new pitches in and are identified by
talents. The success of the Creative Lab has confirmed our conviction that great animated stories can be found and developed from the African continent. WHAT ARE SOME PROJECTS CARTOON NETWORK IS DEVELOPING TO FURTHER EMPOWER AFRICAN CREATORS? We are in discussion with some of our partners to further develop and invest in African animation, and this is an ambition for the year to come. We’re also interested in initiatives that help animation skills to grow across the continent and federate various talents.
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ANIMATION & EFFECTS
DO YOU THINK THAT THE CURRENT PLAYERS WHO CREATED THE WINNING SHORTS HAVE POTENTIAL TO PLAY WITH BIGGER PLAYERS IN THE INDUSTRY? The ambition of CN Lab was to select the best creative ideas and ensure high-class production standards are met to potentially open doors for these local productions to travel. As an international company, and one of the biggest players on the global media market today, we have an opportunity to facilitate international collaborations, giving the talent the opportunity to interact with international production experts. We think that very local African stories, as they are unique and driven by strong values and catchy ingredients, could resonate globally as well. WHEN WILL CARTOON NETWORK AND BOOMERANG START INVESTING IN MAKING LOCAL PRODUCTIONS (I.E. A FULL SHOW) FOR, AND BY, AFRICAN VIEWERS? Our channels need to be representative of our audience and making local productions is part of this objective. On Cartoon Network, we have created local content productions such as Pop Up Party, a series celebrating having fun and getting together through dance and music, that will now come back for a third season on the channel, and on Boomerang we have WOOALA!, an interactive magic show filmed on the streets of Cape Town, to give a few examples. Animation is now the genre we want to commit to, and it’s a fantastic project as there is a strong demand for more African animated content. We’re currently working on how to start developing projects. HOW HAS THE ROLLOUT OF VOD AFFECTED THE WAY YOU NOW CREATE CONTENT AND SHARE IT FOR CONSUMPTION? Whether it is for linear or non-linear consumption, we’re always looking for unique stories and characters, in line with the tone, promise and targets of our brands. VOD opens a door for more diversity and freedom in the formats we’re working on, but the fundamentals remain the same. The level of mobile equipment in Africa, the youngness of the population and the diversity of local languages are also guiding the way we need to think about new type of content.
ONE OF THE THEMES AT DISCOP JOHANNESBURG 2019 WAS MUSIC AS A CROSS-BORDER ACCELERATOR; HOW HAVE YOU AT CARTOON NETWORK AND BOOMERANG FOUND THIS TO BE TRUE? Music is an important part of our work, and we agree that music has a special way to connect people across cultural borders. This is something we had in mind for our local production, Pop Up Party, which celebrates African culture and kids coming together to have fun and connect through music and dance. Additionally, we also initiated a musical campaign on Boomerang, where we created a series of ten original songs, produced in Africa, called The Boomerang Tunes. The title song, “We Laugh All Day”, is sung by South African/ Ugandan young talent, Mila Smith.
WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE OF ANIMATORS THAT WARNERMEDIA AFRICA IS LOOKING INTO IMPROVING? The animation industry is not yet well structured in many African territories, compared to other parts of the world. At the same time, African talents, who are often self-taught, have an incomparable energy and so many creative ideas to propose. The challenge is to facilitate and build collaborations between local and international partners to share expertise and make productions that enhance and stay faithful to the very original ideas of the creators. WHAT IS SOME ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE UPCOMING CONTENT CREATORS TO MONETISE ON THEIR CONTENT IN AFRICA? African creatives make the most of online video services. This is not the ultimate monetisation guarantee, but it’s an amazing publicity tool to spread and communicate creative work which has the opportunity to be seen by production or content providers. At the same time,
putting too much content on AVOD is a barrier for selling it to networks. There is a balance to find in between, working also on various formats, from shorts to long-form content. WHAT ARE SOME KEY AREAS IN THE AFRICAN ANIMATION INDUSTRY THAT YOU ARE KEEN ON BRANCHING INTO? It’s only the beginning of the journey, as there are many areas to explore on the continent. The success of comic books in Nigeria is a source of inspiration: we see a potential for African animated superheroes and super-heroines. WHAT ARE SOME EXCITING PROJECTS THAT CARTOON NETWORK WILL BE ROLLING OUT THAT AFRICAN CONTENT CREATORS CAN LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2020? Beside animation, Cartoon Network is also planning to produce live action shorts. Pop Up Party season three is also in the making!
WE KNOW WARNERMEDIA PARTNERED WITH YES TV IN ISRAEL AND CARTOONS WILL BE DUBBED – WHY DO YOU THINK DUBBED CONTENT IS IMPORTANT IN LOCAL MARKETS? We believe that dubbed content can create a stronger relationship with our viewers as it’s a way to celebrate the diversity of African culture and languages. Cultural subtleties can be grasped in a different way through language, and humor is, for example, something that is hard to translate unless you are making references that a local audience can relate to.
FEBRUARY 2020
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SCREENAFRICA
| 25
INDUSTRY REVIEW
|
The New Breed of African Film Activists
Rafiki
Whis
per
ruth ing T
to Po
wer
While activist – or issue-driven – filmmaking was once relegated to the “donor film” category of endless, pedantic and often patronising documentaries that were an insult to both the filmmaker’s and audience’s intelligence, these days, African filmmakers are finding new and innovative ways to address important social and political issues.
26 | SCREENAFRICA | FEBRUARY 2020
F
rom documentary to feature films, African filmmakers are not shying away from issue-driven stories and themes, but are finding new ways to educate and inspire that make a case for the important role of film activism. I wrote about the important role that documentaries play in the African film space two years ago, and since then I have become more convinced that African documentary film is coming into its own. While African documentaries have long touched on issues such as poverty, HIV, gender-based violence, war, etc., many of these topics and agendas were being set by foreign donors or producers. The stories often lacked a depth or an African perspective. Too often in the past, African documentaries focused on the largescale, often seemingly insurmountable issues facing the continent, as opposed to many of the smaller, yet equally important day-to-day challenges that people deal with in their lives.
The new generation of activist films – be they documentaries or features – go beyond these headline-grabbing issues to often dig into personal stories of activism and approach these stories with a maturity and sensitivity not previously seen. From documentaries with an investigative journalistic slant to feature films that, through personal stories, ignite movements, African films can be powerful catalysts for change. The South African activist film space has seen a run of powerful investigative documentary films of late, including Shameela Seedat’s Whispering Truth to Power, Rehad Desai’s Everything Must Fall, Stroop: Journey Into the Rhino Horn War from Susan Scott, Someone To Blame: The Ahmed Timol Inquest from Enver Samuel and Jozi Gold by Sylvia Vollenhoven and Fredrik Gertten, amongst others. From across the continent, documentary filmmakers are shining the light on a diversity of issues that are often
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INDUSTRY REVIEW
Stroop
Everything
overlooked or painfully misrepresented. Many filmmakers within the documentary space are taking advantage of new streaming technologies and the increased competition for eyeballs amongst broadcasters. Many African activist documentaries have now found a home on various platforms including AfriDocs, Showmax and Netflix, inspiring a new generation of documentary filmmakers with a cause to share. Ruona Meyer is a Nigerian reporter who pitched a concept to the BBC through their Africa Eye division and the result is the Emmy-nominated documentary Sweet Sweet Codeine, a film that looks at the opioid epidemic in Nigeria and the government’s response. After the release of the documentary, Nigeria’s upper house of parliament voted in favour of a total ban on the drug, saying that the cough syrup trade profited the insurgency of Islamist extremist group Boko Haram in the country’s northeast. Colours of the Alphabet was a really innovative film project promoting the use of indigenous languages. The film from Alastair Cole can be viewed in multiple languages, including Akan, Amharic, Bemba, Ewe, Fula, French, Hausa, Igbo, Kikuyu,
Must Fall
“Both documentary and feature filmmakers are now choosing to make films that inspire and educate on key issues, but from an African perspective. Many of these filmmakers are breaking taboos and smashing through barriers, bringing an exciting breath of fresh air into the film space.
”
Kinyarwanda, Lingala, Lozi, Luganda, Luo, Malagasy, Moore, Nyanja, Oshiwambo, Portuguese, Shona, Soli, Swahili, Tigrinya, Tsonga, Tswana, Wolof, Xhosa, Yoruba and Zulu. The project started out as a doctoral thesis and the documentary was eventually screened across Africa in schools and via the AfriDocs platform. While film activism is mostly in the realm of the documentary, it is also clear, however, that feature films have an essential role to play in social, political and civic activism. Feature films are often even more subversive in their ability to inspire and engage audiences to action in the guise of an action adventure or romantic comedy or drama.
The very existence of Wanuri Kahui’s Rafiki was an act of activist filmmaking, and her ability to secure cinema screenings for the touching lesbianthemed love story was a groundbreaking political and social milestone in Kenya. This film is, at its heart, a love story with no overtly political message. However, in a country where homosexuality is illegal, making this film, and demanding the right to have it screened, was the epitome of activist filmmaking. Nigeria’s Delivery Boy, from Adekunle Adejuyigbe, was another powerful feature film that did not make too many headlines last year but nonetheless bravely tackled issues including religious extremism,
domestic abuse, institutional decay and paedophilia. Ostensibly a thriller, the film is a somewhat disturbing call to social action. South African film The People vs Patriarchy, which looked at the origins of the #MenAreTrash hashtag and was produced by MTV and directed by Lebogang Rasethaba, is a film that unabashedly explores the scourge of gender-based violence in South Africa through the eyes of victims: young, mainly black women. The quality of filmmaking, storytelling and approach in all of the above films, as well as many other cause-driven titles, bodes well for the film activist space. Film activism in Africa has needed to throw off the shackles of the donor era, where topics, scripts and style were dictated by those from outside the film space. Both documentary and feature filmmakers are now choosing to make films that inspire and educate on key issues, but from an African perspective. Many of these filmmakers are breaking taboos and smashing through barriers, bringing an exciting breath of fresh air into the film space. We should continue to promote and support filmmakers brave enough to tackle these issues, especially in those regions where to do so is still an act that can, and sometimes does, lead to persecution or worse. – Lara Utian-Preston
FEBRUARY 2020
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SCREENAFRICA
| 27
CINEMATOGRAPHY
|
In conversation with award-winning female DoP,
Gaopie Kabe We spoke to award-winning cinematographer Gaopie Kabe about making her way in film, how she continues to thrive as a black female in a male-dominated industry and the process of shooting Lockdown Season 5…
28 | SCREENAFRICA | FEBRUARY 2020
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CINEMATOGRAPHY
“I think cinematography is about collaborating. As the DoP, you need to understand the director’s vision and work closely with the other departments to make that vision come true. – Gaopie Kabe
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GIVE US A SENSE OF YOUR BACKGROUND AS A CINEMATOGRAPHER? I am born and raised in the South Western Township of Johannesburg, Soweto. I went to Boston Media House, where I did a media course and specialised in video broadcasting. I began working in this industry at the end of my second year. I started at the bottom of the chain, as a trainee both in the lighting and camera department on a feature film called Gums and Noses. I worked my way up on different projects over the years, from being a loader, then first assistant camera to camera operator and now an award-winning director of photography. I’m grateful that my film school has been, and still is, the hours learning on set. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF LOCKDOWN? I got involved in the production of Lockdown in its first season. I got an invite from BlackBrain Productions to meet with the director and co-owner, Mandla N, just to chat about the production. Let’s just say, I walked in for a chat and like my agent put it... “That carrot was dangled proper.” The story got me and I couldn’t resist. I was sold. I walked out of there wanting to shoot this series badly! WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT WORKING ON THIS PROJECT? What excites me the most about Lockdown is the story, the characters and the fact that it is a South African original series. Lockdown has the most talented cast and crew – and five seasons later that still gets me, a lot! TELL US ABOUT THE APPROACH YOU TOOK WHEN SHOOTING LOCKDOWN SEASON FIVE AND WHY? When I learned that the show was moving from Mzansi to Showmax, I thought that this was a great opportunity to change things up a little. I decided to change cameras from Arri Amiras to Arri Minis. I also decided to go for glass with higher contrast than the previous seasons, motivated by the storyline getting darker with every season. Lockdown season five was lensed on Panavision Primo Primes. WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF THE SHOOT FOR YOU? The most challenging thing about Lockdown season five was the limited amount of prep and shooting time we had. I am a true believer in fixing it in prep and not in post. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTIONS THAT YOU’VE WORKED ON? In no particular order, my five favourite productions I’ve worked on are Lockdown, Valedictory: The Movie, Inside Man, Kissing Booth and A Measure Of A Woman.
AS A SOUGHT-AFTER, AWARD-WINNING BLACK FEMALE CINEMATOGRAPHER IN SOUTH AFRICA, HOW DO YOU KEEP SUCCEEDING IN A PARTICULARLY MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY? My hard work, determination and hunger to create amazing pictures and tell good narratives are what keep me going and succeeding in this male-dominated industry. Cinematography is my life! I love everything about it. The combination of a great script with a talented director, cast and crew is my absolute best. It keeps my passion in check and wanting to strive more with each project. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY MAKES A GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHER? I think cinematography is about collaborating. As the DoP, you need to understand the director’s vision and work closely with the other departments to make that vision come true. So, a great cine is a leader and a collaborator at the same time. Being a good listener is a cherry on top! WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG FEMALE DOPS WANTING TO SUCCEED IN THIS INDUSTRY? When I first started, it was completely unheard of to be a black female in the camera department and, in fact, I was discouraged by many folks who said I wouldn’t make it far. I guess the nature of the profession is male-dominated and it can be very physical and mentally challenging, but I believe that one’s gender cannot determine one’s talent. So my advice to aspiring female cinematographers is to never give up! Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Also take the time to learn and pay your dues... and most importantly keep those cameras rolling! WHAT NEXT FOR GAOPIE KABE? I’m currently in prep for my first international drama series. I am pretty excited for this one. I can’t talk too much about it, but I am putting my all into it... like with every production I do. WHAT WAS YOUR GEAR LIST FOR LOCKDOWN SEASON FIVE? I think you’d need a double spreadsheet for my gear to fit on a list... But I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the guys at Panavision Johannesburg for coming through for the girl and making all of this season possible!
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BROADCAST TECHNOLOGY
| THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
NEWSROOM AUTOMATION IN 2020: DO MORE WITH LESS Broadcasters and content producers are operating in a fast shifting mediascape. Consumer viewing habits are becoming more fragmented, while growth in the popularity of online video services continues to bring new competition.
Written by Jon Reddick,
Technical Product Manager, Grass Valley
I
n fact, according to Statista, 64 percent of internet users in South Africa consume online videos, and, over-the-top TV and video revenues in Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to explode from just 37 million US dollars in 2016 to around 467 million by 2021. Part of this change in viewing habits is seeing consumers increasingly demand access to news content in a range of formats – from social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter through to streaming live news on over-the-top services. Media organisations have never been under greater pressure to deliver compelling news stories to the viewer anytime, and anywhere. It is critical for media organisations to invest in newsroom technology that enables them to do this cost-effectively and to the highest-quality standards. In a world where viewers are able to access news in almost real-time, news production teams are faced with the challenge of managing unscripted or breaking news effectively. Newsroom automation allows individuals or small teams the ability to execute productions that previously would’ve required dozens of operators at as many workstations, thereby cutting the cost and numbers of manpower needed. Automation is literally the ability to do more with less, and to be able to do it more reliably. It is therefore crucial for broadcasters and
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content owners to work with vendors that understand this and know how to harnesses technologies to make automation a viable reality.
THE GRASS VALLEY IMPACT One of the biggest issues facing broadcasters when it comes to automating news production is complexity. Setting up a new production workflow can be complicated. At Grass Valley, our mission is to overcome the complexity and to enable broadcasters to make these transitions with ease. We are continually evolving our automation solutions; from the Emmy Award-winning Ignite to the new streamlined GV Pace, all created to scale as needed, from full Media Object Portal MOS integration to simple and direct device control. GV Pace, launched in September 2019, is Grass Valley’s automation-assisted manual control system for fast-paced, dynamic, live unscripted production. It gives users a rich, off-the-cuff automation tool that is accessible in a web browser, freeing users from the traditional blockers of PCs and machines in the control room, which provides them with better control of their on-air experience. As viewers expect the latest up-todate news, newsroom automation will become even more critical to delivering news fast and to a high standard. Grass Valley’s Ignite Konnect is a platform of
automated production control (APC) solutions. It is the central point of management for control room devices and the link between the control room and the newsroom. As a result, staff can be reassigned to the field to better serve communities through additional newsgathering, support 24-hour multicast channels and deliver real-time cut-ins It is clear that vendors need to further adapt their solutions to meet changing business models. Forming real partnerships with customers, and understanding their needs and challenges is the only way to keep up with the shifting media landscape and ensure success for both Grass Valley and our clients. Grass Valley’s solutions and the features they offer are very rich and mature, but the core focus to ensure customers can meet consumer demand is by offering tools on new platforms, and also through new commercial models, allowing customers to pay for the solutions they need in the way which best suits their business. As our solutions evolve, Grass Valley will continue to be able to offer systems that scale dynamically and are paid for based on consumption or rental models, rather than traditional capital expenditure.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
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BROADCAST TECHNOLOGY
Grass Valley Ignite
THE 2020 LANDSCAPE Today’s newsrooms are being called upon to generate more content for more distribution streams than ever before; everything from primary outlets and sub-channels to web and mobile, social media content generation and more. The challenge that broadcasters and other content owners face is to stay ahead of
these evolving consumer habits by creating content that meets the many different types of viewers. As consumer viewing habits become more disjointed, news broadcasters have to address a wider range of digital platforms in addition to its traditional linear services. This need to meet consumer demand for more stories anytime, anywhere, on any device is often
expected with no change in resourcing, making it even more crucial for newsrooms to invest in optimal tools and technology. As newsroom tools transition to web-based control platforms, newsroom users, especially in the field, can access production tools from any device in a web browser making them more agile and more able to deliver breaking news faster.
“Media organisations have never been under greater pressure to deliver compelling news stories to the viewer anytime, and anywhere. It is critical for media organisations to invest in newsroom technology that enables them to do this costeffectively and to the highest-quality standards.
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GV Pace
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PHOTOS COURTESY ZERO DENSITY
STUDIO TECHNOLOGY
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Studio tech rising up
TF1 virtual studio
The broadcast and media technology industry sectors are enormous, covering everything from cameras and studios to network technologies, post-production services and live streaming video. Last year we saw incredible advances, with the wider availability of machine learning and Augmented Reality (AR). These developments promise a new wave of automated production processes and the upward rise of virtual studio technology.
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ugmented Reality and virtual studio technology changed the face of broadcast television in 2019, through the creation of virtual objects within a live studio environment. We saw photorealistic representations of football players during a match build up or a journalist standing in digital representations of parliament as voting occurred during an election. This year, thanks also to the rapid development of 5G technology, will see AR being used more in studio setups, especially in the sports broadcast environment with the 2020 Olympics on the horizon. Virtual set solutions, powered by games engines, proved a big draw for the live broadcast as well as the scripted broadcast markets. The fusion of games-engine renders with live broadcast has taken virtual set solutions to another level with photorealistic 3D graphic objects appearing indistinguishable from reality. The technology is not only being used in existing studio set-ups, but is spurning new growth in the studio facility market worldwide. One example is dock10, United Kingdom’s leading television facility housing ten television studios offering a wide range of production services, who
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recently chalked up a new milestone with its latest virtual studio capability. dock10 called in Zero Density, providers of the cutting-edge product Reality Engine, to power the brand-new 4K UHD virtual studio housed in MediaCityUK and used by shows such as BBC Sport’s landmark show Match of the Day (MOTD). The soccer show draws around seven million viewers each weekend and BBC Sport has gone on-air with said virtual studio capability as of August last year. MOTD2, Football Focus and Final Score will also broadcast in the same virtual studio. The studio has five Reality Engines deployed on five cameras (three pedestals, one crane and one railcam). Founded in Istanbul in 2014, Zero Density is an international technology company dedicated to developing creative products for the broadcast, augmented reality, live event and eSports industries. The founders, who shared a common background in broadcast and media, came together on a mission to use their creativity to develop innovative virtual production solutions for live broadcast. The company’s headquarters remain in Turkey, but the company now has an extensive network of clients all over the world. Zero Density offers the
next level of virtual studio production with real-time visual effects. It provides Unreal Engine native platform, Reality Engine, with advanced real-time compositing tools and its proprietary keying technology, Reality Keyer. Reality is the most photorealistic real-time 3D Virtual Studio and Augmented Reality platform in the industry. Another adoptee of Zero Density technology is Sky News Arabia (SNA), who have employed the latest virtual and augmented reality technologies as part of a massive editorial and technical revamp aimed at staying at the forefront of news reporting. Sky News Arabia (SNA), a joint venture between Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation (ADMIC) and Sky Limited, recently completed an editorial overhaul with a fresh line-up of presenters and a special selection of digital-only programming. The revamp saw the launch of one of the most advanced newsrooms in the region, with the addition of a brand-new wing that is now home to Studio B, a 400sqm studio boasting the UAE’s largest chromakey background at 15x11m. The large chroma area gives the broadcaster ample room to use a lighting grid for keying objects in
positions where the presenters are on the VR set. The facility also includes an outdoor landscape set designed for the morning show. In the US market, Zero Density partnered with The Weather Channel Television Network to be a virtual studio technology provider for immersive mixed reality content late last year. The Weather Channel chose the latest technology to create awareness among its audiences with visually-striking disaster scenarios. Zero Density’s hyper-realistic graphic renderings and Hollywood-level visual effects are used to communicate the vital message of the channel to their audiences more effectively. Virtual studio technology doesn’t necessarily mean that studio floor space is no longer required. Media giant Sky announced in December 2019 that is to build huge new film and television studios near the existing Elstree production site just outside London. As the battle between Netflix, Amazon and other streaming services intensifies, the need for more VR and AR studio space has also grown. Sky Studios Elstree will become the European production base for Sky and NBCUniversal, which owns Universal Studios, as both are owned by the US
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STUDIO TECHNOLOGY
dock10
pay-TV giant Comcast. Sky says the studio complex, which it hopes will also become a base for other companies’ projects, will result in £3bn being spent on TV and film productions in its first five years. The company has made the move to develop its own production base as the UK increasingly faces a squeeze on studio space, as TV companies, film studios and the streaming giants pour billions into making new content. Sky Studios Elstree will have 14 stages, the smallest of which will be 1,800 square metres, with enough space to shoot several films and TV shows at the same time. Television broadcast of the Olympic Games has, over the decades, become a showcase for new technologies. Virtual reality (VR) and 5G innovations will add value the Olympics output and are examples of how the event has become not only a fortnight of elite sport, but a test-bed for new technology ideas. To put this into practice, the IOC is leaning on its in-house Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) media arm to incorporate innovation into the Games, and there’s no doubt that virtual studio technology will be in the mix.
2018 FIFA World Cup coverage, Le Mag
Nascar
– Ian Dormer
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STUDIOS AND PRODUCTION FACILITIES
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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRODUCTION STUDIOS
Screen Africa chats to Charlene Govender of Sasani Studios about how increased investment in local studios could influence the trajectory of the South African production industry.
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STUDIOS AND PRODUCTION FACILITIES
“There is a move for foreign investment into the country, with the intention of using South Africa as the ‘African-base’ (for foreign investors), with purpose-built studios and infrastructure. However, our television and film industry needs to remain relevant on the international stage: for the industry to achieve a high level of content output, the infrastructure needs to be continuously maintained and upgraded to suit the ever-changing technology and what society dictates.
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ccording to PwC’s Insights from the Entertainment and Media Outlook (2019-2023), the South African film and television industry market revenue is expected to reach the R40 billion mark over the next three years. Despite the positive outlook, however, the industry is not without its commercial pitfalls, with the public broadcaster fostering uncertainty by pulling the plug on some of the country’s most popular and longstanding productions. While the SABC ails and simultaneously looks to re-position itself as the key-player in this sphere, the attention now shifts to other players, including independent and privately-owned platforms, to take up the mantle. With an expected increase in the amount of productions that will be carried out over the next few years, it is imperative to understand the role of production facilities in this growth and why it is important to invest and improve the standard of studios across the board.
THE ROLE OF FOREIGN INVESTORS It is not all doom and gloom, however, as the failure of the SABC has opened up the industry to new opportunities and possible participation by organisations with private resources, including those from outside the country. “Overseas investors would be more comfortable to bring in foreign productions, which would enhance creativity in our local market and result in job creation, as well as a high level output of content,” says Sasani Studio’s Charlene Govender. However, attracting those resources to our shores is impacted by a number of factors, some of which are favourable and others not. “The steady decline of South Africa’s currency, albeit detrimental to our economy at large, is an attractive factor for many foreign investors,” Govender says. “Foreign investors, on the basis that the rand has declined, therefore look forward to lower fees for purposebuilt studios, predictable production schedules and conditions that will propel a higher rate of return on investment.” The country’s legislature around the production of international projects is
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seemingly luring more international production houses to explore local studio offerings, as there are highly appealing financial benefits (including tax rebates) for foreign companies that meet the incentive criteria. “There is a move for foreign investment into the country, with the intention of using South Africa as the ‘African-base’ (for foreign investors), with purpose-built studios and infrastructure. However, our television and film industry needs to remain relevant on the international stage: for the industry to achieve a high level of content output, the infrastructure needs to be continuously maintained and upgraded to suit the ever-changing technology and what society dictates.”
REVISITING THE BUSINESS MODEL In Sasani Studio’s case, one of the strategies they aim to implement in order to secure consistent industry penetration is re-working their business model. “We have often considered entering into joint ventures with production companies, with the view that a ‘long term venue’ for soap, drama and ad hoc productions may reduce costs normally paid to external suppliers and convert them to internal funds instead,” she says. Govender believes that favourable business models are central to every effort made to attract private investment for local studios. In order for this to succeed, the South African film and television industry needs to prove that it can remain relevant on the international stage so that it can attract the attention of the necessary organisations. Prudent commercial management of these opportunities, such as being able to guarantee medium to high returns on investment – as well as consistent profit-sharing in joint ventures with production companies (both local and international) – is a key to their success. According to Govender, there are steps that studios can take in order to remain visible to potential investors – one of them being consistency when knocking on international doors. “The consistent highlighting of specific qualities of the production landscape in South Africa will make it more appealing to investors. This includes magnifying the safety and security measures that are in place,
which means low risk for production data and content management, as well underlining the welcoming nature of the environment for big names in the industry.”
LONG-TERM BENEFITS The ultimate goal is for the local production industry to eventually have an immense economic impact with job creation and industry growth being the most obvious objectives. According to Govender, local studios need to continue building on the reputation that the film and television industry has already established over the last decade through housing international productions and leverage the existing credibility as currency for doing business in the future. Inter-country collaborations have also been instrumental in bringing international productions to our shores through collaborations that have awarded local talent the opportunity to be part of projects that transcend our borders. These collaborations have also afforded local studios the opportunity to show that our skills base can match our international counterparts. “It is pivotal to have multi-skilled crew members that can step into higher positions when the need arises,” she enthuses. “For example, studio assistants and various other talents should also have ‘on the job’ training in boom swinging, camera operation, lighting skills, vision control and the like.”
ADJUSTING TO THE TIMES With the current economic climate in the country, production studios are in a position where they need to implement measures that will entice production houses to opt for studio productions as opposed to other – often cheaper – options available to them. “Although the appetite for content is ever-increasing, the platforms for the production and delivery thereof have changed from that of television studios to other options,” says Govender. “Investment of funds would result in securing a non-moveable asset with low risk, ensuring a continued passive income and – in the process – position our film and television industry in the foreign market as a lucrative investment opportunity,” she concludes. – Levi Letsoko
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LIGHTING EQUIPMENT
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The SABC and Cosmolight bring International Cricket to SA’s TV screens Cricket supporters have been at the edge of their seats as the English cricket team, on tour in South Africa between December 2019 and February 2020, play four Tests, three One Day Internationals (ODIs), and three Twenty20 International (T201) matches. Cosmolight Quartzcolor LED lighting fixtures have been the performers of the day at the South African Broadcasting Company (SABC), where commentary and live broadcast of the action is aired from their studios in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.
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Andre Rossouw and Retsepile Botsane
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or the past 35 years, Andre Rossouw has worked at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) as a lighting designer/electrician and head of electrical distribution on outside productions. His role includes the task of streamlining a system that keeps the power on, despite the current instability of the South African power grid. “The studio, working in unison with a state-of-the-art OB Van, operates via a 80kVA UPS, linked to the studio’s backup generators, to make sure we don’t go down during load-shedding,” Rossouw explains. A generator kicks in if needed. “All gear, including the air-conditioned OB Van, runs off 55 amps
per phase. The studio lighting for the Cricket Test Series uses a minimal 12 amps per phase, thanks to the LED technology being used.” The lighting rig consists of 12 Cosmolight Quartzcolor Studio LED X6 Plus fresnels, 4 Cosmolight Quartzcolor Studio LED X5 fresnels, 3 Robe 600 Spots and 22 Longman F4 Up LED parcans, all operated from a grandMA dot2. For the Cricket Test Series, the SABC built a temporary set in Studio 7, one of their seven drama studios in Auckland Park, which is hired out to clients requiring studio space when not in use by the broadcaster. The SABC wanted to create an intimate atmosphere, so the television host and guests are seated on a large couch, while an LED touchscreen
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keeps viewers updated with video clips, stats and data, all streamed in from the director and talented crew pushing the buttons in the OB Van. Rossouw and freelancer Retsepile Botsane were asked to create a ‘warm’ look and feel on the backdrop, but with sufficient lighting on the presenters for optimal television broadcasting. “We created a morning, lunchtime and evening lighting look, and also a cold look to be used on rainy days so that the set mirrored the action on the field,” Rossouw explains. The pair work on a MA dot2 console. “The console provides easy access to fixtures and is user-friendly,” said Botsane, who has worked on the MA platform for the past two years. “I find it interesting working in a studio
environment, understanding the backend of television and helping to bring a picture to the viewers at home. I’ve also learnt so much from Andre while working with him on this production.” According to Rossouw, when LED fixtures first entered the market, he would only use them for set or audience lighting. “Cosmolight has made me confident to not only use LED as keylight but to implement a full LED rig, which I think is what we have achieved in this production. Due to the fact that the LED fixtures consume so little power it was possible to incorporate it onto the UPS system. This is a big plus point for us as we can maintain broadcasting during load shedding. Tungsten is phasing out, it’s gone,” he goes on to say. “And the
STUDIOS AND PRODUCTION FACILITIES
cost-saving implications and reduction in maintenance are phenomenal. A chip costs half the price of a bulb, and you gain a life of 50,000 hours compared to a 400 hour ‘lamp’ life. It’s a major saving.” The SABC first invested in Cosmolight five years ago. “The fixtures are robust and can handle the bumps thrown at it during transportation and rigging for OB productions,” said Rossouw. “The greatest advantage is being able to run at low intensity while maintaining the colour temperature. If we had a 2K running at 30%, the colour temperature would drop. The lights also feel a lot brighter than normal tungsten. They are very reliable, and we’ve not had one go down. I can leave the units burning the entire day, yet the room temperature in the studio
remains cool, which is such a pleasure. Another big plus for us was the noise factor on microphones. We have tested and placed microphones on boom poles right up against the fixture, and still experienced no noise. We could not find any ‘lamp zing’ as we would on the normal tungsten fixtures.” DWR Distribution is the authorised local distributor of Cosmolight lighting technology in South Africa. Kevin Stannett, Cosmolight product representative at DWR says, “In the past, the challenge was to get LED to be as good as tungsten, and I think we are at the point where it is better than tungsten.”
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TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGY
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Using lighting to stream data When is technology development ever going to slow down? Just when you thought that we had high-speed wireless communication all sorted, somebody comes up with an idea that is potentially better – a technology that allows LED lighting to become internet and broadcast data transmitters, creating a new form of high-speed, optical wireless communication that leverages the visible and infrared (IR) light spectrum. This new form of transmission could be of use within the broadcast and media environment.
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ack in 2011, in a world where the space for radio frequencies was already becoming over-saturated, University of Edinburgh research professor of mobile communications, Harald Haas, discovered something amazing – Light Fidelity (Li-Fi). This is a way and means of sending and receiving data using the modulation of light at frequencies that are imperceptible to the human eye, and it emerged that LED lighting was the perfect medium to develop the technology around. Because LEDs are semiconductors, they can turn on and off up to a million times per second, enabling the diodes to send data quickly. In professor Haas’s Li-Fi installation, a digital signal processor integrated (or attached) to an LED driver takes data from a network, server or the
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internet and converts it into a digital signal—basically a sequence of discrete voltage levels. The LED driver in each fixture converts the digital signal into a photonic signal, transmitting it at a very high frequency as an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) signal. OFDM signals are also employed in 4G LTE, 5G and most Wi-Fi technologies because they use many small-bandwidth channels collectively, rather than a single large-bandwidth channel. The decoder on the receiving device—say, a computer or smartphone—then translates the OFDM signals into data for the user. The radio spectrum allotted for wireless communications spans only 300 gigahertz, while the visible light spectrum spans 300 terahertz, from red light at 400
terahertz to violet at 700 terahertz. Thus, light has 1,000 times more frequency available for wireless communications than radio. Li-Fi has the potential to achieve much higher data rates than we can currently achieve using Wi-Fi, with speeds of tens of gigabits per second having been achieved under controlled settings in the lab. Unlike Wi-Fi, Li-Fi transmits data to devices via direct and incident light without risk of disrupting sensitive electronics, such as those found in hospitals or on airplanes. And because Li-Fi is directional, requiring a line of sight between the transmitter and the receiving device, it cannot be hacked. Li-Fi’s directionality also reduces the risk of interference with other devices vying for a connection, so co-channel interference, a source of noise, and electromagnetic radiation from the simultaneous use of mains electricity and wireless technology, which exist in radio waves, are absent in Li-Fi, making it a very reliable technology in terms of stability. Apart from the obvious home-use advantages, technology researchers are looking at developing Li-Fi as means of providing network communications in television production studios and for OB van setups in stadiums. Developers have already tested the technology to replace traditional Wi-Fi in aircraft with great success. It’s being tested in vehicles to communicate with one another via front and back lights to increase road safety and integrated into streetlights and traffic signals to provide information about current road situations to users’ smartphones. Li-Fi can be used anywhere that can be outfitted with wireless communications and electric lighting: commercial buildings, retail environments and smart cities for in-vehicle data transmission. As IoT (Internet of Things) and smart applications gain traction, Li-Fi offers the omnipresent wireless connections that these devices and applications need.
Along with its use in bi-directional internet communications, Li-Fi holds promise in cataloguing and entertainment applications. Toric and Luciom, a French VLC company acquired by Philips Lighting, refer to these three respective applications as Li-Fi Internet, Li-Fi Tag, and Li-Fi Broadcast categories. Li-Fi Tag uses a router to broadcast the same tag repeatedly, for example, to confirm the specific row and shelf of a product in a store or distribution centre. The data flows one way from the emitter to the receiver, such as a device used for tracking inventory. Li-Fi Broadcast uses a router to transmit data, videos, music and shopping coupons one-way to consumer devices, such as smartphones. Li-Fi has already been developed as an integral part of the new 5G network. Though Li-Fi technology is prohibitively expensive in its early stages, it isn’t stopping tech developers from seeing its advantages – and the more money that’s put into development, the cheaper the end cost will become. An Australian start-up company is developing and integrating Li-Fi into their lighting kits for film and television production. Essentially, the individual lighting components all communicate with each other via the light network that they produce; the rigger adjusts settings on a smartphone app and each light self-adjusts accordingly. Along with all these benefits, there are also some disadvantages of a Li-Fi connection. Since it uses visible light to transmit data, Li-Fi would be rather useless in conditions where there is no light. That means no Internet while lying in your bed at night. Similarly, if you have a Wi-Fi router installed in one room of your house, you can connect your devices sitting anywhere in the house – but this is not the case with Li-Fi. Since visible rays cannot pass through walls, you have to be in the immediate vicinity of the source of light to access the Internet on your device, which may not sound particularly convenient to many people. Whilst the technology is not here to replace Wi-Fi, a recent article posted on Tweet Tech stated that Li-Fi is on track to become a $113bn industry in 2022. If you really want to see the advantages of Li-Fi you need to visit Dubai. The city became the first smart Li-Fi city in the world last year to roll out the internet, live stream television channels and run the city’s infrastructure programme on the massive street lighting grid. Li-Fi is impressive technology that, from a tech professional’s perspective, should be something to embrace and not something to be wary of. As Plato once said “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” – Ian Dormer
| SOCIAL
Telemedia “Hangover” Party PHOTOS BY TREVOR OU TIM
Telemedia kicks off 2020 with an industry party held at their offices in Rivonia...
Gareth Cliff (Cliff Central) and Peter Bretherick (Telemedia)
Laura Sealy (Liquid Telecom), Taryn Uhlmann (Discover Digital) and Mirian De Carvalho (Liquid Telecom)
Adriaan van Tonder (MultiChoice), Peter Bretherick (Telemedia), Roland Lehner (SABC) and Patrick Mwaba (Irdeto)
CNBC Africa’s Ramon Erasmus and Phil Wright with Global Access’ John Stevens and Brad Willson
Vincent Joubert (Sun Solutions), Quentin Barkhuizen (Telemedia) and JC Vermaak (Sun Solutions)
Caption
Kabelo (MultiChoice), Senzy Mtswemi (MuliChoice), Shoop Kgaratsi (Telemedia) and Thabani Nyathi (SuperSport)
Telemedia’s Ryan Bretherick, Brian Lodge and Lot N Chakonza with Tom Salmon (Workonline Communications) and Shoop Kgaratsi (Telemedia)
TruFi’s Leonard Matjila (red shirt) with Telemedia’s friends and colleagues
Hennie Roux (University of Stellenbosch), Shoop Kgaratsi (Telemedia), Zainab Suliman (University of Stellenbosch), Andy Louis (Telemedia) and Thabiso Seichoko (e.tv)
Richard Fulton (TruFi), Troy Chelin (Dimension TV), Mike Carragher (TruFi) and Nomsa Mngomezulu (TruFi)
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M A R KET PL AC E
UPCOMING EVENTS FEBRUARY 23 JAN – 2
SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
Salt Lake City, Utah
20 – 28
EUROPEAN FILM MARKET
Berlin, Germany
20 – 1 MAR BERLINALE
Berlin, Germany
MARCH 6 – 12
LUXOR AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL
Luxor, Egypt
6 – 15
MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL
Miami, Florida
13 – 22
SXSW FILM FESTIVAL
Austin, Texas
27 – 29
VANCOUVER SOUTH AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL
DISPLAYS & MONITORING
INDUSTRY DIRECTORY
SATELLITE & TRANSMISSION
SERVICES
SOCIAL
POST-PRODUCTION
COMMERCIALS
RADIO
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The industry’s smallest and lightest 4K 60p camcorder 10-bit 4:2:2 recording in 4K MOV and P2HD MXF. 24x optical zoom, 25mm wide-angle. 3G-SDI output. Supports NDI | HX and RTMP Live Streaming.
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