Screen Africa January 2019 by Sun Circle Publishers

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

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| IN THIS ISSUE

37 BLACKMAGIC POCKET CINEMA CAMERA 4K USER REVIEW

20 THE MAKING OF COMING-OF-AGE MUSICAL WAR DRAMA, KANARIE

STREAMING SPORTS: WAKE UP CALL FOR BROADCASTERS!

SOUND INVESTMENTS

NEWS |

ADCETERA |

PROFILE |

NEW TECHNOLOGY |

Love watching animation? Try making it!................................................. 3

Honda refreshes with JR music video collaboration........................ 10

In conversation with Blacksmith Collective................................ 24

Actor Spaces hosts its second edition of #MasterClassTalks..................... 4

The New Black Renaissance................... 12

Closing the gap between artists and audiences: Why Blockchain technology could revolutionise the entertainment industry..................... 32

The Last Post stars speak about filming Yemen in South Africa..................... 6 Elsa Joubert’s novel, Poppie Nongena, adapted for the big screen.......................... 7 The Joburg Film Festival concludes its second edition............................................... 7

In conversation with Lee Hunt............... 14

FESTIVALS & EVENTS |

iKani highlights the vibrant Ndebele culture........................... 25

Quality content isn’t free......................... 16

AUDIO |

DISCOP Johannesburg 2018 – nurturing emerging talent.................... 18

SOUND INVESTMENTS How Urban Brew built one of the most sophisticated audio studios in Africa.......................................... 26

Sunu Gonera’s Riding with Sugar starts filming in Cape Town........................ 7

FILM |

TECHNOLOGY NEWS |

The making of coming-of-age musical war drama, Kanarie..................... 20

Blackmagic Design announces DaVinci Resolve 15.2................................... 8 Rohde & Schwarz acquires Pixel Power Limited and strengthens its Broadcast & Media business................. 8

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TELEVISION |

Director Speak: Mark Jackson................. 19

AUDIO STREAMING |

STUDIOS & PRODUCTION FACILITIES | Homebrew Films: Keeping ahead of the curve..................... 34

CAMERAS & ACCESSORIES | Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K user review........................... 35

Global music on the up............................ 28

REGULARS |

ADVERTORIAL

BROADCAST TECHNOLOGY |

Marketplace................................................. 40

South Africa’s Urban Rhythm Factory is the Continent’s First to Implement Pro Tools | MTRX................. 22

Streaming Sports: Wake up call for broadcasters!........................................ 30

Upcoming Events....................................... 40

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Socials................................................38 – 39

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FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to our first issue for 2019! A new year lies ahead, with new beginnings, challenges and possibilities. I hope you all have enjoyed a well-deserved break with your loved ones and are feeling refreshed and ready to tackle a new year. The broadcast, film and television industry has much to look forward to in 2019. Apart from the usual industry events – trade shows, festivals and markets – we have the bi-annual advanced media and entertainment technology trade show, Mediatech Africa, to look forward to. Owned and managed by Reed Exhibitions and Sun-Circle Exhibitions, Mediatech Africa is the largest show of its kind on the African continent, and attracts regional and international visitors and exhibitors from across the globe. The Screen Africa team looks forward to seeing you all there. Let’s get into this issue. Our Adcetra section this month spotlights PromaxBDA Africa 2018 speakers, Jenn Nkiru and Lee Hunt. At the 2018 conference Hunt presented two informative sessions – ‘New Best Practices 2018’ and ‘Cross Platform Messaging’. Nkiru presented the closing keynote address where she spoke about her vision of “a new diasporic black renaissance” in global art. Get to know Nkiru and Hunt on pages 12 to 14. Louise Marsland covers AfricaCom 2018 in our Festivals & Events section. She provides an overview – on pages 16 and 17 – on a panel discussion titled ‘Next Generation Pay-TV Services in Africa’. Lara Preston closes out the section with an article on her experience at DISCOP Johannesurg 2018. In our Audio section this month, David Cornwell spotlights Urban Rhythm Factory – the dedicated audio and post-production wing of Urban Brew Studios. Also in our Audio section, Ian Dormer takes a look at the rise of music streaming. Read all about it on pages 26 to 29. Other noteworthy contributions to the issue include a piece on how blockchain technology could revolutionise the entertainment industry (32 – 33), and an in-depth user review by documentary filmmaker Garth de Bruno Austin on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K (35 – 37). Till next month! – Chanelle Ellaya

THE TEAM 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.

JOURNALISTS

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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EDITOR: Chanelle Ellaya: editor@screenafrica.com JOURNALISTS: Gezzy S Sibisi: news@screenafrica.com DESIGN: Trevor Ou Tim: design@suncirclegroup.com

ACCOUNTS: Helen Loots: accounts@sun-circle.co.za ADVERTISEMENT SALES: Marianne Schafer: marianne@screenafrica.com Graham Grier: graham@sun-circle.co.za

Lara 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.

David Cornwell writes fiction, films and features for a variety of publications. His debut novel, Like It Matters (Umuzi, 2016), has been long-listed for the 2017 Sunday Times Fiction Award.

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.

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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.

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LOVE WATCHING ANIMATION? TRY MAKING IT! Ever wondered how Dragon Ball Z or the latest Pixar movie was animated? Africa’s leading animation studio, Triggerfish, is introducing aspiring African animators to the principles of animation and the tools they need to make their first short film with just a smartphone, an internet connection and some time to explore their creativity.

n partnership with the Goethe-Institut and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation, Triggerfish has developed a step-by-step guide, accessible from the Academy tab of the triggerfish.com website. Aspiring animators can use this to learn how to write and animate their own short story, then post their animation on YouTube and send it to Triggerfish, who’ll be making the best animations and their creators famous across their Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels. Animators must enter by Thursday, 31 January 2019 to be in the running to be named Africa’s Next Top Animator and have their winning films screened at the most important event for the African animation industry – the Cape Town International Animation Festival. There are separate categories for animators under 13 and under 20, with additional ‘all ages’ prizes awarded for animation, character design, storyboarding and storytelling. The winners will receive mentorship from animation professionals working at Triggerfish. Films must be between 30 seconds and three minutes in length, and further terms and conditions are listed on the Triggerfish.com website. 2018 has been a breakthrough year for animation in Africa. Revolting Rhymes, partly animated in Cape Town by Triggerfish for Magic Light Pictures, was nominated for an Oscar and won over 15 international awards, including an International Emmy; a BAFTA; the Cristal at Annecy; Best Animated Special at the Annie Awards and Best One-Off Special at Kidscreen. The Highway Rat, animated by Triggerfish for Magic Light, won the

Stuart Forrest, Triggerfish CEO, and Norbert Spitz at the Goethe-Institut partnership signing

Children and Youth category at Rose d’Or and the Audience Award for three-to six-year-olds at The New York International Children’s film Festival. Belly Flop, produced at Triggerfish, screened during the closing ceremony of Annecy, the world’s top animation festival, and won seven international awards, including the +6 category at Giffoni Film Festival. Also this year, NickToons debuted two South African series: Munki and Trunk from Sunrise Productions and Moosebox from Mike Scott and Mind’s Eye Creative. Batman vs Superman vs Captain America vs Hulk vs Deadpool vs Spiderman vs Goku by Kenyan channel HeroSmashers topped 100 million YouTube views, and Sunrise Productions’ Jungle Beat – Munki and Trunk YouTube channel boasts 200 million views and 500 000 subscribers. “2018 has been the best year yet for

African animation,” says Noemie Njangiru, head of Culture and Development at Goethe-Institut Johannesburg. “We are very excited to explore further possibilities within this medium to create job opportunities and transport contemporary narratives from young diverse voices in Africa to the world.” “It’s easier than ever to get started in animation,” says Stuart Forrest, CEO of Triggerfish. “We’ve been amazed by the quality of films we’ve been receiving from children as young as 11. In today’s visual world, animation is an in-demand skill, but more importantly, it’s really fun. We know Africa’s youth are going to enjoy playing with animation – and may discover an exciting new career path at the same time.” The Triggerfish guide is set up so that

youth can play with it directly, but it’s also been designed to double as an activity plan for teachers, NGOs and after-school programmes to use. Schools, organisations and other animation studios who are interested in using it can contact Triggerfish Academy for additional free classroom resources. This introductory guide to making animation is one of a number of Triggerfish initiatives to train and diversify the next generation of African animators, with others including the pan-African Triggerfish Story Lab, supported by The Walt Disney Company and the Department of Trade and Industry; their Animate Africa webinars; Draw For Life; and their schools outreach programme. – Kevin Kriedemann

“It’s easier than ever to get started in animation. We’ve been amazed by the quality of films we’ve been receiving from children as young as 11. In today’s visual world, animation is an in-demand skill, but more importantly, it’s really fun. We know Africa’s youth are going to enjoy playing with animation – and may discover an exciting new career path at the same time.

”

– Stuart Forrest

JAN 2019

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NEWS

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Masterclass session

ACTOR SPACES HOSTS ITS SECOND EDITION OF #MASTERCLASSTALKS Actor Spaces is a creative movement that nurtures talent, cultivates industry relationships and aims to address issues within the acting industry through workshops and masterclass sessions.

n 30 September 2018, #MasterClassTalks, an initiative organised by Actor Spaces, held an event at Newtown Junction Mall in Johannesburg. The second edition of #MasterClassTalks was well attended by actors-in-training as well as industry professionals, and was hosted by acclaimed actress Renate Stuurman. “Our sole objective is really celebrating, archiving and creating dialogue about our acting world and industry,” says the South African Film & Television Awards 2018 Youth Achiever winner and founder of Actor Spaces, Ayanda Sithebe.

“So amongst the many aspects of Actor Spaces we saw the need to have an Actors Dialogue session, where established, influential, key industry players share and engage on their knowledge. These sessions are for anyone and everyone who loves the film, theatre and TV industry, and are attended by professionals, aspiring [actors] and general arts lovers,” he added. Made possible through a partnership with Ster-Kinekor, the second edition of #MasterClassTalks presented an all-female panel, which included veteran actress and author Pamela Nomvete; actress Camilla Waldman; director Amanda Lane; and actress-writer-director Thishiwe Ziqubu. “Our masters are selected by looking at their role and impact within the industry, we collaborate with actors that love sharing their knowledge,” says Sithebe. “In light of celebrating the great work that women are doing in the industry we thought this panel of ladies would be awesome, they took us through acting, directing, writing and producing, as well as the challenges of the industry and how to find resolutions.” Nomvete was the first panellist to present, bringing with her over 30 years

of industry experience. She helmed an enlightening session titled, ‘Awakening Purpose’. Television director Amanda Lane followed, addressing the topic ‘Sex and Violence in Television’, where she fostered a discussion about how sexual acts are portrayed on screen. Popular actress Thishiwe Ziqubu presented a talk centred on taking care of yourself as a performer. “You are going into this work with all of you, and it’s going to be trampled upon, and it’s going to be broken – and how do you avoid that?” asked the star. Ziqubu also praised the Actor Spaces initiative for creating a platform that highlights and reminds actors why they do the work that they do. Camilla Waldman – who was also part of the first edition of #MasterClassTalks – was the last to present her session, titled ‘Actor’s Core’. Waldman, who is also a performance coach, gave participants a six-page document from her Actor’s Toolbox that summarises how actors can apply certain techniques to their craft in order to enhance their performances. The presentations were followed by a Q&A session that saw industry players answering questions about the South

African creative industry. “The highlight of our masterclass sessions is looking at the engagement between the masters and attendees. That close interaction allows people to ‘believe’ – to really see that ‘I too can make it’. That the industry isn’t so far away,” says Sithebe. Actor Spaces has already confirmed that their next #MasterClassTalks session is scheduled for March 2019. Sithebe hopes to make the training and masterclass sessions a more regular event and also aspires to grow the brand globally. “We believe our impact is felt and we definitely want to continuously grow into other areas, to bridge the gap and be more accessible, and inspire more young people across South Africa, Africa and the world at large – sharing knowledge beyond race, culture and borders,” says Sithebe. “The world really is at our fingertips, and we should ask the questions so we get directed. At Actor Spaces, we want people to know that we are the home for all things acting and celebrating the industry to allow for more growth, lessons and awareness,” Sithebe concluded. – Gezzy S Sibisi

“The highlight of our masterclass sessions is looking at the engagement between the masters and attendees. That close interaction allows people to ‘believe’ – to really see that ‘I too can make it’.” – Ayanda Sithebe

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Blackmagic Video Assist 4K adds professional monitoring with HD and Ultra HD recording to any camera! Now it’s easy to add professional monitoring along with HD and Ultra HD recording to any SDI or HDMI camera! Blackmagic Video Assist 4K has a large super bright 7 inch monitor so you can see your shot clearly, making it easier to frame and get perfect focus! Featuring two high speed SD card recorders that save HD and Ultra HD video as 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes or DNxHD files, you get much better quality than what most cameras can record. The files are open standard which makes them compatible with all leading video software so you can start editing immediately!

High Quality Audio Recording

On Set Monitoring

Broadcast Quality Connections

The super bright 7 inch display is much bigger than the tiny displays built into most cameras and can be used to monitor HD or Ultra HD video. The touchscreen works with simple tap and swipe gestures, making it easy to set up and use! You can rig it directly onto your camera or pass it around to the crew so they can review shots on set!

Blackmagic Video Assist 4K includes HDMI and 6G-SDI inputs so you can record from virtually any camera or DSLR. The HDMI and SDI video outputs let you view shots on larger screens or even projectors! You also get a built in speaker, headphone jack, LANC, 12V power and two LP-E6 battery slots for non stop power!

Non-Stop HD and Ultra HD Recording Now you can bypass the lossy compression used on most DSLR and video cameras! With 2 high speed UHS-II recorders that use commonly available SD cards, you’ll never miss a shot because when one card is full, recording automatically continues onto the next! You get 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes or DNxHD files that work with all editing software.

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Get better quality sound recording than your camera! Blackmagic Video Assist 4K features two mini XLR inputs with 48V of phantom power and an extremely low noise floor of -128dBV so you can bypass poor quality camera audio. Audio is embedded in the same file with the video so you don’t have to worry about syncing separate files!

Blackmagic Video Assist R8,800* Blackmagic Video Assist 4K R15,850*

Camera not included.

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PHOTO BY COCO VAN OPPENS

THE LAST POST STARS SPEAK ABOUT FILMING YEMEN IN SOUTH AFRICA

Jessica Raine in a scene from The Last Post

Shot in South Africa with Film Afrika, The Last Post is a six-part BBC One series set against the backdrop of the creation of an independent Yemen: a close-up view of army life set in the heat, glamour and extreme danger of Aden in the swinging sixties.

s The New York Times wrote, “The fall of the British Empire and the rise of Arab nationalism have rarely looked as ravishing as they do in The Last Post – a highly scenic evocation of the days of gin and tonics at the club and discreet bed-hopping in the officers’ quarters.” Written by BAFTA winner Peter Moffat (Criminal Justice and its US remake, The Night Of), The Last Post is based on childhood memories of his father’s career as an officer in the Royal Military Police and his mother’s struggle between being what the army required her to be and what she felt like being. “This was my parents’ world and one I have wanted to write about my entire career,” says Moffat. As The Los Angeles Times wrote, The Last Post stars “a who’s who cast culled from top-tier British television shows,”

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including Jessie Buckley (Taboo, War & Peace), Jessica Raine (Call The Midwife, Patrick Melrose), Amanda Drew (Broadchurch), Ben Miles (The Crown), Tom Glynn-Carney (Dunkirk), Jeremy Neumark Jones (One Of Us), Stephen Campbell Moore (The Bank Job) and Chris Reilly (Call The Midwife). If you don’t know much about the history of Aden, neither did many of the cast members. As Amanda Drew said on set, “I had heard of Aden but was ashamed by how little I knew, although slightly comforted when a lot of other people said the same thing. I’ve been doing a lot of fascinating reading, one book in particular by Jonathan Walker, called Aden Insurgency. Not only does the situation seem strangely remote, but it also seems like, ‘Oh dear, this is a situation that we keep finding ourselves in’ because, you know, we still feel this

need to go in to other countries and sort things out for them. While that on the surface might seem like a laudable endeavour, it often causes a lot more problems.” “During my research I stumbled upon an internet forum for people who were children in Aden in the sixties,” says Jessica Raine. “Their words and images offered a snapshot of families living an idyllic life, occasionally shattered by the odd grenade being lobbed over the wall, deliberately targeting children and families. It was hard to get my head around living in that situation. There is something funny and disturbing about trying to maintain British values under those conditions, whilst blithely unaware that they’re not welcomed there.” South African audiences will get additional pleasure from trying to match the Middle East settings to their Cape Town locations. The cast raved about their experience of shooting in South Africa, repeatedly calling it “a treat.” “It’s a real treat to be filming in such a naturally beautiful landscape,” said Drew on set. “The climate is extraordinary and the quality of light is like crystal, so bright and invigorating. And from the documentary footage I’ve seen, it mirrors incredibly the environment of Aden. The

windy but very hot landscape is stunning but also remote, somewhat unforgiving and dangerous. It feeds in very naturally to the acting.” “Filming in Cape Town while it’s winter in England has been a real treat,” echoed Raine. “The heat, especially in the desert, was a challenge. But the payoff is that the landscape is phenomenal.” Chris Reilly said that while the heat helped maintain the illusion they were in Aden, “If I’d had my way, we would have stayed in the barracks set!” But Stephen Campbell Moore credits shooting in South Africa with helping to create camaraderie on set: “We got to share a lot of experiences that bound us together,” he says. “On our days off, we hung out and hiked Table Mountain or went to the beach. It was a lovely job and full of fun.” The Last Post has a 95 per cent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Hollywood Reporter called it, “Taut, brisk, moving and gorgeous”; Indiewire hailed it as “a feast for the eyes… both patient and powerful”; and The Daily Dot called it “an intriguing exploration of history that teaches lessons we still haven’t learned... a little bit Mad Men… a little bit Army Wives… most definitely unique.” – Kevin Kriedemann

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ELSA JOUBERT’S NOVEL, POPPIE NONGENA, ADAPTED FOR THE BIG SCREEN

A still from Poppie Nongena Producer Helena Spring has announced that production on the legacy film, Poppie Nongena, has commenced. The film is based on the critically-acclaimed The Long Journey of Poppie Nongena, regarded as one of the best African novels of the 20th Century. Awardwinning screenwriter and playwright Christiaan Olwagen is the director, with Vicci Turpin as the cinematographer. Olwagen’s previous work includes the popular South African films, Johnny is nie dood nie, Die Seemeeu and Kanarie. Clementime Mosimane has been cast in the role of Poppie, alongside AnnaMart van der Merwe (Die Storie van Klara Viljee, Kanarie), veteran Chris Gxalaba and Rolanda Marais. Nomsa Nene, who played the title role to rave reviews in the international theatre production of

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Poppie, joins the cast as Poppie’s mother. “I’m extremely proud and honoured to produce a film based on such exceptional material,” said Spring. “Poppie’s deeply personal experiences, her love for her children and formidable inner courage will inspire young and old, as she draws meaning and purpose from the most difficult moments of her life.” “The Long Journey of Poppie Nongena is a very important story that needs to be told. It has taken several years to develop the screenplay. We are excited about the formidable production team and excellent cast, and can’t wait to show the film to Elsa Joubert and the rest of the world,” said Karen Meiring, head of KykNET. Hailed as ground-breaking, the novel was reprinted three times within its first four months of release and has since been translated into 13 languages. It has won multiple awards worldwide. Poppie Nongena is made possible through the support of KykNET, M-Net, The Department of Trade and Industry and Arco Venture Capital, and is scheduled for release in South African cinemas nationwide in 2019.

SUNU GONERA’S RIDING WITH SUGAR STARTS FILMING IN CAPE TOWN Promising to be a visual masterpiece, the film Riding with Sugar has commenced principal photography in Cape Town. Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Sunu Gonera, Riding with Sugar is a coming-of-age, feel-good story about a young refugee who – despite many setbacks – finds his way, finds love and finds a chance to create a better life for himself in Cape Town. True to Gonera’s style, the film will have a uniquely African aesthetic with powerful, visually-rich scenes and an undercurrent of passion and true grit. With a British, Kenyan, Nigerian and South African cast, the highly-anticipated feature film is due for release in 2019. Once a scholarship student with a great future, Joshua (Charles Mnene) dreams of winning a BMX cycling championship as a means to improving his situation, but fate intervenes in the form of an accident that shatters his knee. He is given shelter and a job by Mambo (Hakeem Kae-Kazim), who houses refugee teenagers from all over Africa. When Joshua meets Olivia (Simona Brown), a talented young dancer of mixed race from a well-to-do family, it brings him into a world he has never known before. Her insights cast a shadow over Mambo’s agenda and cause Joshua to rise above all odds and find a way towards a brighter future. The film boasts a strong cast, which

A scene from Riding with Sugar includes Hakeem Kae-Kazim (Black Sails, Pirates of the Caribbean, X-Men, Hotel Rwanda), Charles Mnene (The Bill, Holby City, Doctors, Ahead of the Class), Simona Brown (Guilt and Roots, Him) and Brendon Daniels (League Of Glory, Madame and Eve, Five Fingers For Marseilles). “Making this film has been a dream for me since I first returned to South Africa from the States five years ago,” says Gonera. “Coming back rebooted my directing career and ignited the deep love for my continent and a passion to tell our African stories, our way. It helped me discover my voice as a filmmaker.” With music at its core, expect cameos from an array of popular South African talents. Riding with Sugar has been made possible with the support of The National Lotteries Commission (NLC), The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Arco Venture Capital.

THE JOBURG FILM FESTIVAL CONCLUDES ITS SECOND EDITION With over 40 curated releases showcasing the best in African and international cinema from over 16 countries, the second edition of the Joburg Film Festival recently wrapped after a successful 9-day run in Rosebank, Johannesburg. Following an amazing week of film screenings in Alexandra, Braamfontein, Soweto, Sandton, Maboneng and Rosebank, the festival offered an opportunity for over 2000 local and international creatives to network through its Film Industry programme, produced in partnership with Discop Africa. The festival concluded with an awards ceremony to celebrate the films in competition. The 2018 Joburg Film Festival films in competition were overseen by a team of industry giants including Nadia El Fani, Pervaiz Khan and Sara Blecher, who deliberated over some of Africa’s top films, finally settled on splitting the coveted Nguni Horn between two submissions this year. Both features, one a documentary and the other a feature film, share a commonality of immersing the viewer into

A scene from Nguni Award co-winner The Day I Lost My Shadow

the unknown in order to create awareness. The two top features selected were Freedom Fields by Nazhia Arebi and The Day I Lost My Shadow by Soudade Kaadan. “We have a watched a wide range of great movies that have made us almost jump out our seats, but ultimately we decided that we had to split the prize,” stated one of the jurors after the announcement. They added, “These two

prize-winning films demonstrate that although filmmaking is not becoming any easier, filmmakers continue to make cinema that can be powerful, informative and inspiring.” Freedom Fields, which recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, is a film about hope and sacrifice in a land where dreams seem a luxury. The documentary follows a courageous and determined group of

women in Libya who, against all odds, pursue their passion for playing football. While struggling to gain cultural acceptance, the film is a mix of everyday life in a very uncertain political climate. Through their difficult journey we see a country in turmoil and transition. The film gives a deeply personal insight into the lives of these extraordinary women, and is Nazhia Arebi’s second feature. Having picked up the Lion of the Future Luigi De Laurentiis Award for a Debut Film earlier this year at the Venice Film Festival, the epic The Day I Lost My Shadow – Soudade Kaadan’s first feature film – is set in 2012 Damascus, Syria. A desperate mother goes in search of a gas bottle so that she can feed her 8-year-old son. Her journey takes her through a world of uncertainties, conflict, hopes, hunger, death and callous betrayal. What keeps her going is her determination to return to her son. The use of hand-held camera techniques transports the viewer into the centre of a brutal war zone. The film gives an insight into how war slowly and imperceptibly steals the humanity of those who live through it.

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TECHNOLOGY NEWS

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BLACKMAGIC DESIGN ANNOUNCES DAVINCI RESOLVE 15.2 Blackmagic Design recently announced DaVinci Resolve 15.2, a major update to its editing, colour correction, visual effects and professional audio post-production software.

aVinci Resolve 15.2 has been designed based on feedback from professional customers around the world. It includes over 30 new features that simplify and streamline everyday tasks so editors, colourists and sound engineers can work even faster. The editing timeline in DaVinci Resolve 15.2 draws at a higher frame rate, which

makes editing and trimming feel faster, more responsive and more fluid than ever. In addition, new animations have been added so clips slide in and out of position, making it easier to see exactly how different edits affect other clips in the timeline. Visual dup detection lets customers see when the same clip has been used more than once. In addition, clips displayed in the bin now display usage indicators for the current active timeline. White vertical lines highlight the currently marked portion of a clip, while red horizontal lines show which frames are being used. The timeline can also be cleaned up by flattening down unused clips, and timecode entry has been simplified throughout the application. DaVinci Resolve 15.2 also adds features that make pancake editing much easier and faster than before. Timelines or compound clips can now be loaded into

the source viewer and edited into the current timeline in their decomposed state. Most importantly, editors can tap the X key to instantly mark a clip in the source timeline and edit that clip directly into the active program timeline. The inspector, on-screen controls and metadata viewer on the Edit page now automatically update to show the relevant information for the highest-visible clip under the playhead. That means customers no longer have to manually select a clip to change a parameter. Keyboard customisation has been completely redesigned in DaVinci Resolve 15.2. The new visual interface lets editors quickly see which keys are in use and assign shortcuts to them. The included keyboard sets emulate other popular editing applications, making it easier for editors switching to DaVinci Resolve.

Keyboard sets can be shared between systems and shortcuts can now be assigned to different pages and user interface panels within the application. Shortcuts can even be assigned to commands in contextual pop-up menus. New highlights make it easier to see which portion of the interface is active so customers know which keyboard shortcuts they are able to use. DaVinci Resolve 15.2 also includes new ResolveFX plugins. The Blanking Fill plugin automatically fills black letterbox or pillar box areas of the screen with defocused video. This makes it easier to use vertical video or photos in standard widescreen timelines because customers no longer have to manually create a background. The new Beauty plugin is designed to gently and realistically smooth textures and blemishes on skin and other surfaces. Colourists will also find new plugins for ACES transformations and limiting gamut. In addition, colourists can now bypass mixer node inputs by turning off connected nodes and can export gallery stills with custom label names.

ROHDE & SCHWARZ ACQUIRES PIXEL POWER LIMITED AND STRENGTHENS ITS BROADCAST & MEDIA BUSINESS Pixel Power offers innovative graphics, master control and integrated playout systems for broadcasters and playout facilities.

hese systems enable dynamic content to be delivered more efficiently for linear TV, mobile, online and OTT/VOD. Pixel Power has consistently developed its portfolio of software based IP solutions that are virtualisable for the private or public cloud, whilst offering new OPEX business models as part of the broadcast technology transformation. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, UK and has been developing and deploying

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broadcast solutions for 31 years. With this acquisition, Rohde & Schwarz further expands its portfolio to complement existing product lines. Cornelius Heinemann, head of Transmitter and Amplifier Systems, File Based Media Solutions, explains: “With the acquisition of Pixel Power we are significantly expanding our Broadcast & Media portfolio with new and exciting solutions. Together we can combine the software-defined technologies and

virtualised environments to offer customers the very real benefits that they provide in broadcast playout and VOD markets.“ James Gilbert, co-founder and CEO of Pixel Power, adds, “Our virtualisable integrated playout technology is making a major contribution to Rohde & Schwarz reaching its ambitious goals for cloudbased solutions. Our modern license and payment model also contributes to this. In return, the Rohde & Schwarz size, stability, structures and competencies offer optimal opportunities for the further development of our products and the expansion of our worldwide sales. We believe this combination will benefit our customers enormously.” For Pixel Power customers, the

Nick Wright, CTO, Pixel Power acquisition represents an investment by an established and highly stable technology group – a crucial foundation, in such a dynamic market, for long-term partnerships with an additional focus on the safety of customers’ investments. The ongoing support of existing customers and commercial partners is an important prerequisite for both companies. CEO James Gilbert and CTO Nick Wright will remain with the company in their current positions and continue to develop Pixel Power.

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HONDA REFRESHES WITH JR MUSIC VIDEO COLL ABORATION

JR music video

Keeping up with the times is of utmost importance to any business or brand, whether local or international. Honda, a Japanese public multinational conglomerate corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of cars, recently revealed that – according to current statistics – its brand is not as appealing to the public as it aspires to be. In a bold move, the company decided to take a humorous approach to these grim findings with a new campaign titled, We’re Not Fresh.

onda recently launched the Honda Amaze in a creative, collaborative project with one of South Africa’s most popular hip-hop artists, JR. The collaboration includes a song and supporting music video that aims to showcase how Honda has “refreshed” its brand’s image. “What made this campaign so remarkable is that Honda, via their agency DDB, took a massive leap of faith in poking fun at themselves, and thereby winning the trust of savvy contemporary consumers,” says Arcade Content producer, Will Nicholson. “They didn’t pretend to be something they’re not – instead they embraced the insight that they’re ‘not fresh’ and used this as a great angle for humour and honesty, which studies show younger audiences, in particular, really appreciate.” Business-savvy musician JR produced the campaign song and stars in the music video, which gives viewers a peek at how business deals are done in the music industry. The tongue-in-cheek video begins in the boardroom, where an over-zealous agency creative is trying his best to convince the Honda team that this music video will improve their poor “Freshness Barometer” rating. The clients are not convinced – that is, until the high-profile rapper enters the room and takes charge of the presentation. JR impresses the Honda team, clinching a five-year

contract and the keys to a new Honda Amaze. The video continues with scenes from JR’s “daily life” as a musician and Honda ambassador. This includes shooting a music video while cruising in the new Honda Amaze, as well as a photo shoot to showcase his new ride. “The concept was to create a music video that pokes fun at how often celebrities are used in contrived and insincere ways to try sell products,” Nicholson explains. While the video employs popular stereotypes synonymous with hip-hop culture such as flashy jewellery, press attention and constantly being accompanied by an entourage, it also rejects unrealistic and excessive flourishes. For example, in one scene, JR refuses to wear an unnecessarily oversized jacket – making a profound statement on how he, like the Honda brand, is also trying to remain honest and real. The music video was conceptualised by DDB creative directors Nicola Wielopolski and Conan Green, produced by Arcade Content’s Julia Schnurr and directed by Lebogang Rasethaba. “As consumers become more and more discerning, we as storytellers and marketers need to catch up with their demands, be more honest, clever and creative with how we tell stories,” says Rasethaba.

“What made this campaign so remarkable is that Honda, via their agency DDB, took a massive leap of faith in poking fun at themselves, and thereby winning the trust of savvy contemporary consumers. 10 | SCREENAFRICA | JAN 2019

”

– Will Nicholson

Sticking to the hip-hop aesthetic, the We’re Not Fresh music video was shot by Deon Van Zyl on the Red Epic camera. Post-production duties were handled by the Postmodern Company. Impressively, most of the action – including converting a Honda dealership into a boardroom for the opening scene – was captured in just one day. The video was released on 10 October 2018 and has received positive feedback on social media, earning the hashtag #WeStillFresh. Art director Masonwabe Ntloko was impressed by the immense positive impact the music video has had on the campaign and the brand: “I love how it says everything the consumer needs to know, but in a fun way and in a language we all understand – music!” “Young audiences, in particular, smell BS from a mile away, and don’t like to be ‘sold’. So this video is clever in that, from the very opening shot, the brand doesn’t claim to be cool – in fact, it brazenly admits it’s ‘not fresh’. Audiences appreciate this level of honesty, as if they’re invited in on a joke, instead of being presented a fake advertising façade,” concludes Nicholson. – Gezzy S Sibisi

TECH CHECK EQUIPMENT • Camera: RED Epic

We’re Not Fresh was shot on the Red Epic camera.

KEY CREW Director: Lebogang Rasethaba Producer: Julia Schnurr DOP: Deon Van Zyl Editor: William Kalmer Sound: Sean Jefferis

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THE NEW BLACK RENAISSANCE

HIGHLIGHTS FROM JENN NKIRU’S PROMAX BDA KEYNOTE ADDRESS En vogue

12 | SCREENAFRICA | JAN 2019

Delegates at the 2018 PromaxBDA Africa Conference were treated to a closing keynote address by BritishNigerian filmmaker Jenn Nkiru, who – through examples of her work and resounding words about identity and representation, as well as the centrality of the continent of Africa to the story of the world – outlined her vision of “a new diasporic black renaissance” in global art.

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he session – co-presented by the SABC – began with a show reel of Nkiru’s work, including her collaborations with the musician Kamasi Washington (such as “Hub-Tones” and “Fists of Fury”) and the short films Rebirth Is Necessary (2017) and En Vogue (2014). With their bold compositions, dark, arresting colour palettes and hypnotic rhythms, the films have a curious quality of being both highly cerebral and powerfully emotive. As a director, Nkiru is blessed with the ability to communicate complex ideas about culture and identity in clear and emphatic images; a talent that has been keenly appreciated by audiences around the world, and one which forms the backbone of her artistic vision. Her interesting treatment of colour – particularly in low-light settings – is showcased in the dance-based film En Vogue, where sequinned performers are backed by a snappy ballroom voguing soundtrack. The nascent concerns of identity and representation in this video are given fuller expression in Rebirth Is Necessary, which opens with a sampled quote from Afro-futurist pioneer Sun Ra and uses archive footage and filmed dance performances to both tell the story of black resistance and find new modes of expressing these politics on screen. Meanwhile, her collaborations with US jazz musician Kamasi Washington reveal Nkiru’s sensitivity to the interplay between sound, image and idea. “Hub-Tones” is as astonishing video: consisting of a nine-minute single shot, the footage shows a woman in sparkling traditional garments dancing with her

As a director, Nkiru is blessed with the ability to communicate complex ideas about culture and identity in clear and emphatic images; a talent that has been keenly appreciated by audiences around the world, and one which forms the backbone of her artistic vision. eyes closed in rapture to music that flits in and out of rhythm with the seething jazz beneath it, prompting searching questions about roots, heritage, belonging and dislocation in contemporary society. Although the event was, for many audience members, a first taste of Nkiru’s work, the filmmaker pointed out that she has spent much time in Johannesburg, one of “her favourite cities in the world.” Nkiru began her keynote address by explaining that, in her view, her work is part of a global movement – a “new diasporic black renaissance” – that is seeking to subvert and reinvent tired, stereotypical concepts of Africa (and of blackness, more generally). According to Nkiru, “artists who fall into this movement are taking up space and reshaping contemporary images of blackness within art, film and culture like never seen before,” and she was quick to foreground the continent of Africa in this process of re-imagining. “Anyone who meets me quickly realises Africa is the holder and the key to my heart. It is my constant – and in my

view, central to any understanding or exploration of the world must include Africa. This continent is all that was past, and it contains the present and what can be possible in the future. The most diverse place on the planet, Africa has to be central to any conversation on art, culture, film, politics, the environment and all other forms of progression.” Quoting the academic Margot Natalie Crawford, Nkiru explained that black artists are moving beyond “mere rage” and are “immigrating into self, family and nationhood – and celebrating the process. We are at such a transitional time globally, and with any great transition in history comes the introduction of a more focused, unified voice [and process of] art-making. The general conversation echoing throughout the world is that we all want change and are finally willing to do the work to see that change that we want to happen. The New Black Renaissance sums up just this.” Reflecting on her unique style of filmmaking, Nkiru commented: “It is my duty to ask questions and encourage my

audience to do so, too. I sometimes refer to myself as an archaeologist: a cosmic archaeologist. I’m constantly searching, excavating those lost codes to get us back closer to ourselves.” In her view, as a contemporary filmmaker with her roots in Africa, she occupies a similar space to that of the griot, memorably defined by Senegalese filmmaker Djibril Diop Mambetey as “a messenger of one’s time, a visionary and the creator of the future.” Expanding on this point during the keynote, Nkiru stressed that “we have now the choice more than ever before, to envision and create the future that we want to see. After so long spent not seeing the images that are so familiar in our day-to-day life projected within the media, we are now instead exercising the often under-valued importance of imagination, rejecting what we are told we should be and instead choosing to explore what we could be. The people truly hold the power and now is a time everyone is expressing and exploring that.” After taking some questions from the audience, and expanding on her sources of inspiration and her legal and academic background, Nkiru left the stage with a probing question for everyone in attendance. “I invite you all to keep in mind the ideas and thoughts I have spoken about here when awarding, commissioning, championing and creating new work. Are your choices tapping into our greater global concerns, and are they getting us closer to where we all collectively want to be?” – David Cornwell JAN 2019

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IN CONVERSATION WITH LEE HUNT Lee Hunt is a strategist, trainer and industry thought leader. His success in launching and positioning channel brands, in addition to his pioneering work in audience management, has set many of the standards for our industry.

t the recent PromaxBDA Africa conference, held at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton, Johanneburg, Hunt presented two sessions. In his first session, titled ‘New Best Practices 2018’, Hunt presented an updated version of his annual round-up of strategies, tactics and creative shorts – from portfolio promos to reverse episodics, to six-second promos in 30-second breaks. In his second session, ‘Cross Platform Messaging’, Hunt presented the findings of his two-year study into how linear networks are moving viewers to new platforms – MVPD VOD (on demand via set top box), TVE (authenticated viewing on mobile, tablet, PC), connected devices and OTT. He chatted to Screen Africa about industry trends, challenges and the importance of audience management. WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW HAS IT SHAPED YOU AS A THOUGHT LEADER IN THE INDUSTRY? I began my career 40 years ago working at a local television station in my hometown of Dallas, Texas. In the early 80s, I moved to New York at the beginning of the cable revolution to launch new channels. In 1990, I left the client side and started a creative services agency that specialised in branding networks. In 2000, I sold my agency to the digital services company, Razorfish, worked in Europe on digital entertainment, then came back to New York to begin my strategic consultancy. Working as a client, vendor and consultant for broadcast, cable and digital services throughout the seismic shifts in our industry has given me a unique perspective. But more importantly, for the last 40 years I’ve listened to people who are a lot smarter than me and tried to integrate their wisdom into my thinking. WHAT ARE THE CURRENT TRENDS SHAPING THE MARKETING & ADVERTISING INDUSTRY IN 2018? For the television industry, it’s trying to understand not only what our viewers want to watch, but where and how they want to watch it. That dynamic changes continually, as new services and platforms launch, and the amount of compelling content continues to grow. 14 | SCREENAFRICA | JAN 2019

Although, if you think about it, the goal really hasn’t changed. We are still trying to increase time spent viewing: get people to sample new content, watch for longer periods of time and come back more often. But the paths to reaching that goal are changing and evolving. IN RELATION TO AFRICA, WHAT IN YOUR OPINION IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE(S) FACING THE MARKETING & ADVERTISING INDUSTRY? In many ways, I believe the African market has the opportunity to leap-frog the U.S. and European markets. The outdated distribution infrastructure that we invested in isn’t a burden in Africa, and the opportunity to reach people through new technologies is greater. But the challenge is still the same: how do you create awareness, drive acquisition, then foster conversion and retention? WHAT CAN AFRICAN MEDIA PRACTITIONERS DO TO COMBAT THESE CHALLENGES? It always comes back to the audience. You have to understand who they are, where to reach them, what drives their interest, what is of value to them and how you can satisfy them. YOU’VE CONDUCTED AMPLE RESEARCH INTO AUDIENCE MANAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT. IN AFRICA, IN PARTICULAR, AUDIENCE MANAGEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF LOCAL CONTENT, YET MANY WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT. IN YOUR OWN WORDS, WHAT DOES AUDIENCE MANAGEMENT MEAN? I tend to think of audience management in narrow terms: once your marketing has got viewers to your platform, how do you keep them there for longer periods of time and coming back more often? In either a linear or on-demand experience, it comes down to “accelerated flow”- creating psychological time that is measured by how deeply involved you are in the content, rather than by the second-bysecond passing of time. The goal is to make your audience believe that time is passing more quickly than it really is and reduce the urge to sample competitive content or leave the platform. We do that through both linear and

Lee Hunt

on-demand architecture; combining all the elements that go into a viewing experience – programming, promotion, packaging, advertising and secondary events – into a holistic viewer experience that slows erosion, maximises messaging ratings, reduces internal time-shifting, builds vertical flow and strengthens viewer loyalty. WHY IS AUDIENCE MANAGEMENT SO IMPORTANT TO THE INDUSTRY? Simple economics. On an ad-supported platform, if I can get a viewer who has come to watch a one-hour show on my channel to stay for three hours, I’ve tripled my ratings and revenue. If I can get them to make my channel or platform a habit, I’ve eliminated my acquisition costs. WITH DIGITAL PLATFORMS FAST BECOMING THE FAVOURED WAY TO CONSUME CONTENT OF ALL KINDS, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE TRADITIONAL PLATFORMS IN THE MARKETING MIX? Some people believe that free-to-air and linear channels will become barker channels, simply pushing people to their digital platforms. But I believe the future is a hybrid, very much like the sound

system in your car. You have a radio, where someone curates the content for you, but you also have the ability to integrate your own on-demand experience, whether a digital player or music streaming service, where you curate your own experience. You move seamlessly between the two depending on the experience you want. I believe our content distribution brands need to direct our viewers to the right platform for the right experience. I hate the term, but we need to market “omni-experiences” through cross-platform messaging. YOU PRESENT AN ANNUAL ‘NEW BEST PRACTICES’ SESSION AT PROMAXBDA. WHAT VALUE DO YOU THINK THE PROMAXBDA CONFERENCE AND SIMILAR EVENTS HOLD FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRY? This industry changes so quickly and the transformations are so disruptive, that we need a place where we can exchange ideas, brainstorm new solutions and share our experiences with our peers. I know I take in more information at the conferences than I give out during my presentations.

WE EAT, LIVE AND SLEEP THE MOVIE MAKING BUSINESS. Jahmil X.T. Qubeka and Layla Swart, Yellowbone Entertainment

Our love for movies doesn’t blind us to the fact that movies are a tough business. We approached the IDC to assist us with funding for our movie ‘Sew the Winter to My Skin’. What’s great about our partnership with the IDC is that they are as invested in our future as we are and have assisted us beyond this one movie. Because of the IDC’s involvement, we have been able to create more movies and collaborations, setting us up to tell authentic South African stories. The show must go on! To do business with us, visit www.yellowboneentertainment.com or call +27 78 633 99 67

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www.idc.co.za | tel: 0860 693 888

Quality content

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Content isn’t free. It costs money to produce quality content and producers have to be paid. Consumers may want a freemium model, but will be prepared to pay those who bring quality content to them.

his was the view of a panel on ‘Next Generation Pay-TV Services in Africa’ at the annual megaconference and expo, AfricaCom, held in Cape Town at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 13 to 15 November, 2018. AfricaCom focuses each year on the digital ecosystem in Africa, and this year attracted 14 000 people to its 16 conference tracks under the AfricaCom banner. The television broadcast stream was this year renamed the Africa Video Forum and hosted discussions on the content market in Africa, revenue models

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and the growth of the pay-TV market and free-to-air (FTA) channels on the continent. Most discussions centred around revenue models and updates on digital migration – but, as always, content and the type of content featured heavily, with emphasis on the move to local content and creating opportunities for local content productions. Most global broadcasters are beginning to invest in local content and create local content opportunities for producers, and the consensus was that this would continue, although a focus on mobile content would disrupt the market. On another panel, ‘Ensuring that quality content is getting commissioned in Africa’, Elias Schulze – co-founder of Kana TV, the first free-to-air channel in Ethiopia – made the point that stories matter, and that stories are universal.

Before Kana TV started investing in local content, all content bought in was dubbed into local languages, and Kana was, in fact, the very first channel to do professional dubbing in Ethiopia. “We thought the entry-point was clearly the stories everyone was watching, even where they didn’t understand the language, hence the dubbing. “So right now, we are building in more original content and investing in the people we hired, and those people are now working on original shows.” The problem, as always, is funding that local content in a market like Ethiopia, where the television advertising market is only $20 million. So while the demand is there for quality produced local content, the funding is not. “In Ethiopia there is no funding from the state, so we have to be very clever and deliver content that works.”

FUNDING MODELS The advice given to independent producers by Duncan Irvine, founder and CEO of Rapid Blue, was to diversify as much as possible into revenue streams from multiple sources. “As a production company, the one thing that has helped solidify us as a business producing long-form television for local broadcasters and ride the rollercoaster of the state of our local broadcasters [in South Africa], was to diversify. “We are best known for big television shows and we fund those in different ways. We actively pursue brands and media agencies in terms of getting the communication strategies of brands before they start implementing, so we bring them opportunities, and thereby get ahead of the spend. “Even in South Africa, let alone other African markets, this advertising pot isn’t

isn’t free

“Everything has always been focused on linear television. With video on demand (VOD) and the production of VOD, the linear television business model is being disrupted. Our world is also disrupted as content producers and we haven’t come to terms with that yet. How do we play a role in this new environment? This is the struggle we have to deal with. It is an exciting time.

”

– Siraaj Cassiem

At the ‘Next Generation Pay-TV Services in Africa’ panel discussion at AfricaCom 2018

growing exponentially – we are all fighting for the same dollar.” This is how Irvine has diversified his business into a “basket approach”, with investment and revenues coming in from multiple sources: • Producing long form: commissions, originals, ad funded, scripted or non-scripted. • Short film: digital first, design. • Building production hubs for international broadcasters to film in South Africa: all dollar-based revenue. He also warned that no production was ever funded in only one way. “The financing models we run and use are varied to facilitate the productions we do. We source funding from brands; through DTI funding and tax rebates for scripted productions; presales funding from distributors internationally; from some

broadcasters, though not many, which are open to a structured finance deal; and a shared component from a telco operator – we are now also creating content for telco providers.” Irvine also urged production companies to work on several projects at once, as it always takes longer to fund a production and get it off the ground than you think. In his view, any production business should be running five to six productions at any given time.

DISRUPTION During a panel discussion on ‘Can content producers think differently in terms of how they produce content?’, Siraaj Cassiem, producer and director at Circle 7 Media, said writers and producers also needed to focus on non-scripted content. “In a room full of content creators, everyone wants to make

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

a movie.” He urged people in the industry to collaborate, to learn from each other. “Our industry consists of many genres, there is a place for everyone, collaborate with others producing different content.” Cassiem was concerned about legacy issues. “Everything has always been focused on linear television. With video on demand (VOD) and the production of VOD, the linear television business model is being disrupted. Our world is also disrupted as content producers and we haven’t come to terms with that yet. How do we play a role in this new environment? This is the struggle we have to deal with. It is an exciting time.” One of his biggest frustrations remains the fact that people don’t appreciate that VOD allows a more flexible structure and provides detailed analytics. “As content producers for linear TV, we are still

getting to grips with the concept of analytics. It is so important.” Dantagos Jimmy-Melani, the founder and managing director of Ndapunikwa Investments Management (Namibia), said that content needed to be tailor-made for funders, especially with teaching content or promotional content that focuses on financial literacy or the social responsibility sector. “I’ve worked with corporates in the financial services sector and they want to fund specific types of content,” he said. “In a smaller market, where there isn’t that much funding available for smaller projects, our priorities are somewhat different.” Irvine also encouraged producers to create the type of ecosystem that allows people to be independent and to work for broadcasters in a free-flowing system. Cassiem also emphasised that mobile broadcasting would become more and more important, and that content producers all needed to get comfortable with both producing for mobile and producing with mobile. “Go out and produce your content: get a team together, make a hit. Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom. Even those of us who have worked on big productions and some of the biggest TV reality shows are starting at the bottom again when it comes to producing mobile content. I’m starting at the bottom with VOD. Now, I don’t have that network. Everyone around me is uncomfortable with VOD.” – Louise Marsland

JAN 2019

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FESTIVALS & EVENTS

As I sat amongst about 50 very patient (and some very anxious) people in the Bill Gallagher Room at the Sandton Convention Centre on the last night of DISCOP Joburg 2018, I was struck by the realisation that this is what the industry was actually all about.

e were awaiting the judge’s decision in the Annecy Animation du Monde pitching competition, which was run across five territories in Africa and in the major cities of Abidjan, Johannesburg, Zanzibar, Nairobi and Lagos. Most of the 10 finalists, two from each territory, were at DISCOP Johannesburg to compete in the continental final. The two winners of the continental final, identified by the panel of international expert judges, will now go on to represent Africa and compete against their global counterparts during the Annecy International Animated Film Festival & Market 2019. This award ceremony was very low-key, with only those really passionate about animation in attendance; however, as the winners were announced, it became clear to me that I was witnessing a lifechanging moment for the two young 18 | SCREENAFRICA | JAN 2019

DISCOP Johannesburg 2018 - nurturing emerging talent finalists, who were overwhelmed by the announcement. After three days of both watching and taking part in intense networking, deal-making and various cocktail parties and events – the activities that define a DISCOP Market – I was exhausted. However, as the winners of the competition were announced, I felt re-invigorated and I understood why it is that we all do what we do. There are so many people that work tirelessly behind the scenes at any film festival or market such as this – and yes, of course everyone is getting paid – but trust me, most of the time that payment does not come close to compensating people for the time and commitment they put into making these events happen. The force behind these particular animation events is Nick Wilson, the founder of African Animation Network (AAN) and a tireless advocate for African animation. In addition to the partnerships with Annecy and MIFA, Nick has managed to secure the support of other major players within the global industry, who were also in attendance at DISCOP and at this awards event. Mike de Seve, the director of Baboon Animation (the multi-awardwinning animation studio out of the US) and Rathan Sam George, director of Operations for India’s Toonz Media Group (along with Toon Boom), have also

joined forces with AAN to develop a long-term incubator and accelerator project for African animators. DISCOMICS IQEMBU, launched at DISCOP Johannesburg, is a multi-faceted project aimed at incubating young talent and accelerating production in order to develop the animation industry across Africa. These global partners will ensure a sustainable model into the future. Based in India, the Toonz Media Group is a world leader in animation production, producing over 10 000 minutes of animation per year. Baboon boasts a peerless animation IP development team, who have produced Emmy Awardwinning and Oscar-nominated writing, directing and design for over two decades. Toon Boom, meanwhile, is the leading 2D animation software in the world today. The two winners from 2018, who will travel to France for the final round of the competition, are Dami Solesi of SMIDS Animation in Lagos – the studio behind The Makerbolts project – and Nildo Esso from FX LTD Animation Studios in Maputo, who is behind The Troublemakers project. Nildo, and this project in particular, have been represented at several competitions in the recent past, including Digital Lab Africa and Durban Talents at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF). Furthermore, his pilot was part of the

selection for the FUPiTOONS FESTiVAL 2018. For all the participants in this panAfrican pitching competition, the opportunities have been life-changing. While often it is the large deals and acquisitions that make the headlines after international markets such as DISCOP, to me, the real and enduring value is to be found here – in these developmental moments. During DISCOP, I also had the chance to chat with a number of the volunteers on site, many of whom are film students, and some of the younger producers also in attendance. Through these conversations, many of which were with young women, I realised the importance of networks, mentoring and internships. The enthusiasm and ambition of these young people needs to be channeled into career paths with sustainable futures. The DISCOMICS IQEMBU initiative, therefore, must be seen as a model that can be replicated in other production sectors: cinematography, documentary filmmaking, etc. While many businesses and larger companies boast about major deals that were signed during DISCOP – my eye is going to remain firmly fixed on the talented youths who are just starting their industry journeys. – Lara Preston

DIRECTOR SPEAK

FILM

MARSKON JACK

WHAT KIND OF CONTENT DO YOU ENJOY CREATING AND WHY? I’m not sure I always like creating content. I just feel compelled to make it, especially with documentary work. But with Girl From Nowhere, it was really a lot of fun seeing the actors acting out my script. I got to watch my movie coming alive, through the camera. WHAT INSPIRES YOU CREATIVELY? People. Nature. The world. Inspiration is everywhere! And I really enjoy studying mythology.

From civil engineering to filmmaking, this month we chat to Girl From Nowhere director Mark Jackson… WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW HAS IT SHAPED YOU AS A DIRECTOR? Most people are very surprised to learn that I have a degree in civil engineering. But it makes sense to me. Civil engineering, like movie-making, has a lot to do with project management. And in civil engineering, the sky is the limit. You learn how to build the biggest things imaginable, from dams to skyscrapers. So I guess you discover that anything is achievable. WAS A CAREER IN FILM/TELEVISION ALWAYS THE PLAN? In a way, yes. At university, I spent a lot of time running the darkroom, and taking photos and writing stories for the varsity newspaper, so I think I always secretly planned a career change as soon as I graduated.

YOUR MICRO-BUDGET FILM – GIRL FROM NOWHERE – HAS TOPPED THE CHARTS ON SHOWMAX. WHAT DO YOU CREDIT ITS SUCCESS TO? I think it’s the equivalent of a page turner. People really want to see what happens next. So it’s a compelling story, with strong actors. Christia [Visser] is very popular. And I think audiences are hungry for something new. Many great big-budget films soon all start to look the same. Girl From Nowhere is fresh, and fun. WHAT’S THE SECRET TO MAKING A HIGH-QUALITY, MICRO-BUDGET FILM? ANY TIPS FOR FELLOW FILMMAKERS STRUGGLING WITH BUDGET? Don’t skimp on the sound design, or the grading – that’s where production quality is very noticeable. Shoot in natural light. Add extra value wherever you can. Find unseen locations. And we have great musicians in South Africa – an awesome soundtrack is within anyone’s reach. WHAT VALUE DO VOD & SVOD PLATFORMS LIKE SHOWMAX HOLD FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN FILM INDUSTRY AND EMERGING FILMMAKERS IN PARTICULAR? I think those platform offer huge opportunities to emerging filmmakers. It allows them to skip over some of the traditional gatekeepers, like the funding committees, or some distributors, who seem to have other ideas about what people want to watch.

WITH CONSUMERS OF ALL AGES FAVOURING DIGITAL PLATFORMS AND STEERING AWAY FROM APPOINTMENT VIEWING, WHERE DO YOU THINK THAT LEAVES THE THEATRICAL FILM INDUSTRY AND TRADITIONAL BROADCAST MEDIA? I think they need to adapt, fast. WHICH ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON? I’m making a really cool graphic novel of my next script. The plan is publish this first, to be enjoyed in its own right, and then I can pitch that to investors, producers, etc. I’m aiming to have this done by April 2019. TOP THREE FAVOURITE DIRECTORS OF ALL TIME? Undoubtably Sergio Leone, then [Stanley] Kubrick and then probably Michelangelo Antonioni. Three is too few. TOP THREE FAVOURITE FILMS OF ALL TIME? A Few Dollars More, Blade Runner and Raiders of the Lost Ark. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CAREER CHALLENGE TO DATE? Selling Girl from Nowhere. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT THUS FAR? Selling Girl From Nowhere. IF YOU WEREN’T A FILMMAKER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? Maybe an architect. Or an inventor. Actually, when I was a small kid, we went through every career imaginable, from afireman to astronaut, and then I announced to my surprised parents that I just wanted to be an ordinary man like my grandfather. I didn’t realise that being a retired pensioner wasn’t really a career option.

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FILM

Kanarie

The making of coming-of-age musical war drama,

Scenes from Kanarie

On 9 June 1967, the Defence Amendment Bill – which made military service compulsory for all white males – came into effect in South Africa. During the apartheid regime, this became a kind of rite of passage for many male youths, some of whom were as young as 17 years of age.

harl-Johan Lingenfelder undertook this journey as a young man when he was recruited by the South African Defence Force (SADF). While struggling with the gruelling military training, he found a safe space serving in the SADF’s church choir and concert group, also known as the Kanaries (‘Canaries’). His story is now being told in the award-winning film Kanarie, produced by Marche Media. “Kanarie began when co-writer, Charl-Johan Lingenfelder, told director, Christiaan Olwagen, his personal story one day, on their way back from the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees in Oudtshoorn. Christiaan was so intrigued by the concept of the Kanaries that it haunted him for a long time after that. Months later, after presenting a different project to channel, Christiaan retold Charl-Johan’s story and had the whole room in tears. At the end of that meeting,

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they told him that Kanarie will be made,” explains Jaco Nothnagel, marketing manager at Marche Media and codirector of the film. Olwagen shared the news with Lingenfelder, who happily agreed to come on board as co-writer and musical director of the film. Olwagen helped turn his tales into the film script and also acted as the editor of the project. Roelof Storm and Jaco Smit coproduced the film, with Smit additionally acting as first assistant director. The production team also included line producer Elmarie Botha, production manager Verene van der Heyden and Annemarie du Plessis, who acted as the production coordinator. “It was a small team, with a limited budget, but we all knew from the start that we were part of something special. It was an extremely ambitious film – with big musical numbers, numerous locations

and logistics to take care of. But the team was perfect for the job at hand. We couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone else,” says Nothnagel.

CASTING Schalk Bezuidenhout plays the lead character in the film, delivering a compelling performance as 18-year-old Johan Niemand (a character based on Charl-Johan Lingenfelder) from the small town of Villiersdorp. Nothnagel says that Bezuidenhout was their first choice for the role of Johan Niemand: “We saw him do stand-up a few months before casting started, where he actually joked about being in the school choir. There were quite a few physical resemblances to Charl-Johan at

that age, so we asked him to come and audition for the role, and he blew us away. “He threw himself into the role… There were piano lessons and choreography sessions that he had to endure, but he always just wanted to give more and make sure that he was doing the story justice,” adds Nothnagel. Additionally, the film features an array of local talent including Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Dawid Minnaar, Tinarie van Wyk-Loots, Johan and Lida Botha, Albert Maritz and Martelize Kolver. Casting for the choir group proved to be more challenging than expected, says Nothnagel. “Initially we were to only cast the eight ‘lead’ characters. We soon realised that it would be a bit more complicated than that, for a few reasons. Firstly, we had to find actors that were experienced but would look the part. These boys were 17 or 18 when they were conscripted. Then, once we found the lead, we needed to be sure that, relative to each other, they would still look the part in terms of age. We went through about 13 rounds of auditions and call-backs until our ‘Bungalow 8’ were cast. Wolfgang (the love interest) was the last character to be cast.”

“Kanarie offers a different perspective set against a very problematic background in our country’s history. The film asks questions about toxic masculinity and the origin thereof in our society today. Many conscripts came back from the army changed, but never discussed it.

”

FILM

TECH CHECK EQUIPMENT • Camera: Arri Amira

– Jaco Nothnagel

“It’s a lighter camera, and because it was all shot with Steadicam, it was the best choice, and also the best quality for what our budget allowed.”

THE PRODUCTION

THE STORY Kanarie tells the story of Johan Niemand, a young man with an emerging interest in creative performance and a love for British New Wave music. His unique interests don’t sit well with his male peers, which makes him a constant target for bullies at school. In 1986, at 17 years of age, Johan, like many others before him, gets conscripted for military service. While serving, he auditions for the South African Defence Choir and gets accepted by the Kanaries. Although the Kanaries are not called to the border, they undergo the same training as the rest of their military group, while also rehearsing a performance programme that they later tour the country with. While on tour, members of the Kanaries are constantly reminded of their role in

serving the country and representing the church. However, when Johan develops feelings for a fellow choir member, he begins questioning everything he knows about himself, including his sexuality, religion, and his role and purpose in a world of oppressive political structures. “Marginalisation, identity, acceptance, oppression; Kanarie offers a different perspective set against a very problematic background in our country’s history. The film asks questions about toxic masculinity and the origin thereof in our society today. Many conscripts came back from the army changed, but never discussed it. On the flipside, the camaraderie in the army is something that you don’t find in any institution today. Finding your true self and being unapologetic about it probably stands central in the film,” says Nothnagel.

Kanarie was shot within five weeks at various locations in and around Cape Town, including Villiersdorp, where Charl-Johan Lingenfelder actually grew up. Budget constraints resulted in the team shooting their border scenes at Kaalbaskraal on the N7, instead of at the actual barracks in Valhalla, Pretoria. DOP Chris Vermaak shot the film on the Arri Amira with Cooke lenses to enhance the 80s look and feel of the film. “It’s a lighter camera, and because it was all shot with Steadicam, it was the best choice, and also the best quality for what our budget allowed,” says Nothnagel. Sound and Motion handled the sound design and final mix, while Madoc Post and AfterDark Post Production worked on online and grading, respectively.

THE ACCOLADES The film recently won the Best LGBTQI film at the Cape Town International Film Market & Festival. Internationally, it was honoured with the Best International Film, Best Narrative Feature, and Best Director awards at the 31st Out On Film Festival in Atlanta, USA. Kanarie will continue its festival circuit run in 2019 at the QueerScreen Mardi Gras Film Festival in Sydney in February. “All of the awards were really astounding. We are beyond proud of what the film has achieved. It proves that we are telling an important story and that the film might have a long life after local

KEY CREW Director: Christiaan Olwagen Producers: Roelof Storm and Jaco Smit Writer: Charl-Johan Lingenfelder DOP: Chris Vermaak Editor: Eva Du Preez Sound: Charl-Johan Lingenfelder

release,” comments Nothnagel. Kanarie had its local release on 19 October at Ster-Kinekor cinemas across South Africa. An agreement to sell the film in various territories, including parts of Africa, has been signed with Breaking Glass Pictures. “We are very excited about the possibility of the film being shown in these territories, especially the USA,” says Nothnagel. “I think the army-element resonates with the Americans, but as I said, the fact that the story has so much heart, and that it tells such a personal, yet universal story, adds to the success of the film and how it has performed overseas,” he concludes. – Gezzy S Sibisi

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ADVERTORIAL

South Africa’s Urban Rhythm Factory is the Continent’s First to Implement Pro Tools | MTRX THE CHALLENGE

THE SOLUTION

South Africa’s preeminent audio post and music production facility

A sweeping upgrade of the most advanced Pro Tools hardware and

looked to make its creative capabilities and workflow efficiencies

software added unsurpassed creative power, collaboration and

equal to its high-profile projects.

productivity.

PRODUCTS USED • Pro Tools | HDX

• Pro Tools | S3

• Pro Tools | HD Native

• Pro Tools | Dock

• Pro Tools | HD Omni

• Pro Tools | Ultimate

• Pro Tools | MTRX

“Our client was impressed by the quality of our new Pro Tools | HDX technology in the hands of our expert composers and engineers, especially in the amount of time allocated for the production. All URF studios are now completely cross-compatible from session to session, which increases efficiency, productivity and quality for us as a business, which were some of most important factors we considered.”– Theuns Du Toit, Head of Urban Rhythm Factory

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| Urban Rhythm Factory (URF) is a wholly owned subsidiary and audio post-production arm of the renowned Urban Brew Studios, the creative Johannesburg-based entertainment powerhouse that’s been the heart of the continent’s film and television production for the past 20 years. URF’s wide-ranging projects have included music and audio post production for Cold Sweat: A Race to the North Pole, South African sci-fi series Room 9, and music composition for Cartoon Network’s Pop-Up Party. It’s also been home to various South African historical documentaries, African wildlife features such as Wolhuter for Sky Vision UK and Raising Wildlife for Autentic in Germany, and children’s programming for South Africa’s YoTV. At Urban Rhythm Factory’s Ferndale, Johannesburg campus, nine bustling studios focus on final mix, sound design, voiceover recordings, and foley, as well as custom music production and music publishing. URF prides itself on delivering premium service to its global clients. Looking to maintain its reputation for cutting-edge technology and create more production efficiencies, as well as better synergies with parent company Urban Brew Studios, URF decided the time was right for a far-reaching technology upgrade.

A REGIONAL FIRST Given the project’s scope and aggressive timeline for completion, URF called upon the region’s leading sound distributor Wild & Marr. “We knew Wild & Marr had the experience to bring the project to fruition,” says Theuns du Toit, head of Urban Rhythm Factory. “Their considerable expertise was invaluable in designing a holistic, highperforming and turnkey solution.” URF studios now boast one of the largest and most sophisticated post-production environments in Southern Africa, incorporating the latest technology offered today.

ADVERTORIAL

VERSATILITY MEETS EFFICIENCY A range of other Pro Tools solutions support diverse sound functions. Pro Tools | HD Omni, the versatile all-in-one preamp, interface and monitoring interface, can capture every performance nuance, including high-resolution audio through premium mic preamps, while Pro Tools | S3 and Pro Tools | Dock consoles provide intelligent control in portable, affordable surfaces. The URF teams turns to Pro Tools | Ultimate for top-of-the-line performance and quality audio software. In addition to more powerful creative and production capabilities, the upgrade has alleviated the hurdles associated with full compatibility between studio systems, particularly when moving from file formats like ptf and ptx, and plugin formats like RTAS to AAX. Explains Theuns Du Toit, “All URF studios are now completely cross-compatible from session to session, which increases efficiency, productivity and quality for us as a business, which were some of most important factors that we considered.” All of the new Pro Tools solutions seamlessly integrate into Urban Brew Studios’ larger production ecosystem. “From a workflow perspective, there are tremendous advantages to practically function as one business,” says Theuns Du Toit, head of Urban Rhythm Factory. “We’re one of Africa’s leading content creators and studio facilities so our one-stop-shop capabilities—from concept creation, scripting and pre-production all the way through post-production, music and broadcasting—is a tremendous benefit to our customers.” It also makes it the choice of top international content creators.

BIG OPPORTUNITIES, BIGGER RESPONSIBILITIES

It’s also breaking new ground in the region. “Urban Rhythm Factory is the first audio post facility to feature the new Pro Tools | MTRX,” comments Ian Holden, head of Avid technical support and sales for Wild & Marr. “The MTRX is Avid’s newest I/O release that features a modular design capable of hosting a number of newer technologies such as MADI and Dante, as well as the ability to record up to 384khz DSD. It also includes Pro|Mon 2, giving you complete control over monitoring, talkback, summing and fold-down control, whether you’re mixing mono or a 64-channel ATMOS mix.”

The new upgrade was already given a successful test drive—a 13-episode comedy series produced end-to-end by Urban Brew Studios. “The client needed some music composed on the fly, as the show was quite particular,” explains Theuns Du Toit. “Our client was impressed by the quality of our new Pro Tools | HDX technology in the hands of our expert composers and engineers, especially in the amount of time allocated for the production.”

SPECIALISM BY DESIGN Now at the all-new Urban Rhythm Factory, nine studios are equipped with the latest industry-standard music and sound hardware. Every control room has its own primary booth as well as the capability to “cross patch/receive signal” from the adjacent booth into the same control room. This meets challenges that can arise when composers and audio engineers need to track and record two sources simultaneously, while maintaining separate control over each source. Each studio is outfitted with the tools that best fit a given specialty. While some studios feature Pro Tools | MTRX, four others are dedicated to audio post production supported by Pro Tools | HD Native systems. Other studios cater to music composition and production through Pro Tools | HDX systems. Pro Tools | HDX may well be the heart of the upgrade, making it possible for URF to accommodate large, complex productions that might include dozens of audio sources, hundreds of tracks or thousands of clips. Larger “live rooms” are designed to handle instrument recordings such as drums and other acoustic or electric instruments. Some of the studios are also equipped to accommodate 5.1 surround mixing productions.

It’s a changing landscape across countries and continents and one that URF is now well prepared to embrace. “Producing content and providing production services globally is getting easier and easier as time goes by,” says Theuns Du Toit. “This makes it even more important to be competitive with quality. With the right focus on quality and efficient service, the well-deserved, big opportunities will come our way.”

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PROFILE

In conversation with Blacksmith Collective Marcus von Geyso and Diogo Mendonça are the founders of Blacksmith Collective – a production collective specialising in content creation and creative problem-solving. The company prides itself on going the extra mile to meet their clients’ needs by formulating bespoke technological solutions for content purposes.

few content pieces are able to cater for the masses these days – it’s about being niche and strategic. IS THERE A PLACE FOR BOTH VOD AND TRADITIONAL BROADCASTERS IN THE FUTURE? HOW DO YOU SEE THE TWO CO-EXISTING? Content on demand is a trend that has been happening for years thanks to YouTube and social media. It is all about getting the content you want at the time you want it. Whichever platform can provide that will rise to the top. WHAT MAKES BLACKSMITH COLLECTIVE DIFFERENT TO OTHER PRODUCTION COMPANIES? We innovate, and push the envelope. We even build custom rigs to deliver on our creative ambitions. If we want to get a certain shot, we will make it happen. We tap into our vast network of more than 300 creatives, ranging from art directors to camera operators. We choose the teams who are best suited for the job. We try and stay away from only using in-house talent – this helps us continually innovate and generate new concepts.

Marcus von Geyso

HOW DID BLACKSMITH COLLECTIVE COME TO BE? We worked together at Ogilvy and have always been entrepreneurs at heart. We didn’t really know what we wanted at the time, we just knew that we wanted to do things differently, and that’s when we came up with the idea of creating a collective – a unique business model that was formed to ignite creativity by bringing the best creatives for the job onto some of the most exciting projects. WHAT KIND OF CONTENT PRODUCTION, IF ANY, DO YOU SPECIALISE IN? Our background is more in the brand and entertainment space, and we are well-known within this space. We are also really passionate about technology and innovation, and have become specialists in merging technology for content purposes, which has led to us getting a lot more requests to do live-streams, work with robotic arms and the custom-built rigs that we happen to own 24 | SCREENAFRICA | JAN 2019

Diogo Mendonça

few of. We carry the reputation of being the team to go to when clients don’t know if something is possible or not. WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS THUS FAR? We have been fortunate to have various highlights, but some that stand out are working with Intel and Absa to light up Johannesburg CBD with 300 light drones; our first international campaign for Visit Qatar; live streaming Oprah Winfrey with Facebook Africa as a client; working with Carling Black Label to reframe what it means to be a man in today’s society; and being the first African brand to use Periscope manager with Castle Lager and the T20 Mzansi Super league. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING PRODUCERS IN THE INDUSTRY TODAY? HOW DO YOU COMBAT THESE? The need for instant content does make it a lot more difficult to deliver high-end

crafted work, as the reality is that it takes time to do good work. But, based on our experience, the best way to combat these challenges is to have open and clear communication with clients upfront as time does not allow for many reverts, thus we try to plan as much as possible upfront. Also choosing your work as well as managing the amount of work in the system, helps minimise the risk of putting out mediocre work for the sake of it. WITH AUDIENCES FAVOURING BINGEWATCHING ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS, WHAT CHANGES HAVE PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS OF FILM AND TELEVISION HAD TO MAKE? The consumer has had a power shift and they are dictating the direction that film and television content needs to take in order for brands to reach their audiences. With there being so much variety and competition for audience share, it is important for content creators to understand and know their audiences and be more selective about them. Very

YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELVES AS A PRODUCTION COLLECTIVE, SPECIALISING IN CONTENT CREATION AND CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ‘CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING’? The market has changed so quickly and forced many businesses to adapt to its demands, and often clients have great ideas and aren’t necessarily sure how to execute them. We are often the team that clients come to when they need something to be executed that isn’t the norm – projects that push the limits or require a lot of creative innovation. WHAT NEXT FOR BLACKSMITH COLLECTIVE? We have expanded and moved into the event space as we believe the future is in brands being experiential, with content being a part of this, thus our next step is to become experiential experts while growing our business in the international realm. We have been fortunate to have two international projects already and look forward to expanding the business on a global scale.

iKani highlights the vibrant Ndebele culture

TELEVISION

“The camera had to heighten the moments, and it managed to achieve that. We wanted our story to feel more real,” says Letsatsi. “Our lighting department worked very hard to crack the look with the DOP.” Offline edit was handled by iKaye Masisi, while Bertus Kirsten acted as the online editor. Themba Mahlangu worked on the subtitles and final mixing duties were undertaken by Tiny du Preez.

A DISTINCTIVE SHOW

iKani tells the story of a young artist, Khanya Hlophe, who embarks on a journey of selfdiscovery that takes her from the bustling streets of Johannesburg to the tranquil, fictional Ndebele town of iKani. Hlophe, who was raised within a Zulu cultural context, travels to iKani to discover her true self when she finds out that she is actually the child of an Ndebele family.

“W

e wanted to create the most authentic story of self-discovery. Most people are in a constant journey of redefining and finding themselves. Hence we believed that the narrative was going to resonate with people. There are a lot of people that are battling with identity. iKani tackles that and takes the viewer through the journey of self-finding,” comments the codirector of the series, Mmoni Moabi. iKani was written by Ayanda Halimana and directed by Sello Letsatsi and Moabi. The 13-part drama series, produced by Coal Stove Pictures, premiered on SABC1 on 30 September 2018 – just before the end of the country’s Heritage month. While most prominent television shows which embrace Nguni languages usually

“The show resonates with audiences because of its unique voice. Particularly the Ndebele community, which has been marginalised for a very long time. Some of our stories are the same and sometimes they become monotonous. I feel lucky to have worked on a distinctive show like iKani,” says Letsatsi. “We hope our audience learns that you can never run away from who you really are. Identity is an integral part of our humanity, and we encourage our audience members to embrace themselves and accept who they are. The impact of the show should be: Who we are is rooted in our souls, it is nothing that we can deal with externally.” – Gezzy S Sibisi

focus on the Zulu, Venda and Sesotho cultures, iKani is the very first isiNdebele show to air on SABC channels. The producer of the series, Wandile Molebatsi, says that “iKani was developed to explore the colourful and rich culture of amaNdebele. It is time to appreciate and celebrate all South African cultures – in all of their different facets.”

A CELEBRATED CAST The lead role in the series is played by actress Thandeka Mdeliswa. The 25-year-old stars as Khanya Hlophe, alongside the award-winning veteran actress Florence Masebe, who plays the role of Balise Mahlangu. In real life, Masebe is an advocate for South African cultures and languages. The Limpopo-born actress is fluent in most South African languages, even though she is proudly Venda. She also recently starred in South Africa’s first Tshivenda feature film, Elelwani. Other cast members in the series include Nomonde Mbusi as Dinah, Wandile Molebatsi as Vince, Themba Mahlangu as Butho, Nhlanhla Mahlangu as Jonas, Frieda Makoba as Esther, Sipho Mbele as Charles, Sophie Kabini playing the role of Ouma and January Kabini as Khowleza.

AN AUTHENTIC REPRESENTATION OF NDEBELE CULTURE iKani follows Khanya Hlophe, a painter and lover of all things beautiful. Upon entering an art competition, Khanya ends up getting more than she had hoped for – as questions on the entry form concerning her identity and culture lead

her down an unknown path. In her quest for discovery, she must learn about her Ndebele roots and culture, and undergo several rituals that will help her through her journey. To enhance the authenticity of the production, the cast and crew worked with Ndebele cultural and language consultants Vusi Ndlovu, Branco Nkambule, Kenneth Mabena and Gwezi Masango, who ensured that the show is a true reflection and representation of Ndebele culture and its traditions. “The Ndebele people are a proud and beautiful nation with a history of artistic talent that stretches back through the ages. The patterns in their art are a form of written history… We mirror this in our protagonist, whose heritage and legacy is her art,” comments Letsatsi.

THE LOCATION While the production team hoped to shoot the series in the province of Mpumalanga, which boasts a large Ndebele population, due to budget constraints the team had to resort to finding locations in and around Johannesburg, which included a set-up at Crown Mines. “The most critical aspect was to get the correct location that was going to translate our vision on screen. We found locations that were quite unique,” says Letsatsi.

A MULTI-CAM SHOOT iKani was a multi-cam shoot using Sony FS7 cameras. The production team also utilised the Easyrig, gimbal and tracks to get a wide variety of shots.

TECH CHECK EQUIPMENT • Camera: Sony FS7

iKani was a multi-cam shoot using Sony FS7 cameras.

KEY CREW Directors: Sello Letsatsi and Mmoni Moabi Producer: Wandle Molebatsi Writer: Ayanda Halimana DOP: Gavin Sterley Editors: iKaye Masisi and Bertus Kirsten

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AUDIO

SOUND INVESTMENTS

How Urban Brew built one of

Urban Rhythm Factory is the dedicated audio and post-production wing of Urban Brew Studios, one of South Africa’s longest-standing production houses with a track record of quality output that stretches back nearly three decades.

hen Urban Brew recently completed their new move and studio upgrade, Urban Rhythm Factory also took the opportunity – in the company’s words – “to make its creative capabilities and workflow efficiencies equal to its high-profile projects.” Tshepo Mashishi, the head of Urban Rhythm Factory, explains the origin of the company: “Urban Brew was already well established by the year 2000, which is when we started to supply them with music and mixes on a regular basis. Urban Rhythm Factory was a small studio out in

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Lonehill – they used to send people over from Urban Brew in a production van to get the mixes – but we formed a strong working relationship this way, and eventually we moved on site and became an official division of Urban Brew.” According to Mashishi, Urban Rhythm Factory’s nine state-of-the-art studios are mostly tasked with “television production, from kid’s shows to reality series, movies and ads. We’ve just done two advert campaigns for Vodacom and Standard Bank, and we’re busy on some others.” In addition to the full suite of sound services – from composition to recording, mixing, mastering, editing, publishing and rights management – Mashishi explains that the “future-proof” design and cross-compatibility of the new Urban Rhythm Factory studios offer many unique value propositions to clients. “Our recording booths are much larger now – and, because we’ve spotted that there’s a huge need for foley studios in the country – we converted one of our

recording booths into a foley studio. We have a dedicated foley artist now, and so that’s one service that emanated from our new studio environment.” The wide-reaching technology upgrade of the new Urban Rhythm Factory studios saw them become the “first audio facility in South Africa to feature the new Pro Tools | MTRX audio interface. Avid’s most current release, the MTRX features a modular design capable of hosting a number of newer technologies such as MADI and Dante, as well as the ability to record up to 384khz DSD. With Pro|Mon 2 included, the MTRX gives you control over monitoring, talkback, summing and fold-down, whether mixing mono or producing a 64-channel ATMOS mix.” Moreover, each studio at Urban Rhythm Factory has been equipped with the tools that best fit its specific purpose. While some studios feature Pro Tools | MTRX interfaces, four others are dedicated to audio post production

AUDIO

the most sophisticated audio studios in Africa

supported by Pro Tools | HD Native systems and other studios cater to music composition and production through Pro Tools | HDX systems. As well as being able to record and mix in higher 32-bit, 192 kHz resolution (with more headroom) and track and monitor with extremely low latency, the Pro Tools | HDX systems allow Urban Rhythm Factory to handle large, complex productions that might involve multiple audio sources and thousands of tracks and sound clips. As Mashishi explains, “Our recording studios and control booths are seamlessly connected. We’re all on the same, integrated technologies and our studio rooms are cross-compatible. So if an engineer is missing for whatever reason, another can jump in there and continue with the work; you can move a project

from one studio to another; and, just like the booths, the control rooms are interchangeable. So you can link through to the studio next door and operate it, and with the Avid S3 Dock you can even control your DAW remotely, using an iPad.” In practical terms, these improvements enhance the studio’s capacities and improve its workflow efficiency, and can result in some unique recording benefits. “Of our five music recording studios,” Mashishi explains, “two of them are actually paired. So if you have a large choir, you can split them into two groups, and record them into one control room for greater isolation and balance in the mix.” Not content with their busy production schedule – which includes Yo TV, the

longest-running children’s show in South Africa and Khumbul’ekhaya, which is in its 14th season – Urban Rhythm Factory are also in the process of launching an exciting web-based music library project. “The website will be a comprehensive music library, with all songs [encoded with metadata]. Sound designers and other production houses will be able to go to the website and search by instrument, tempo, mood, genre, geography – it will be an amazing resource to find the right music and sounds to match to your project. It can also be a clear way for people to identify the texture of the sound they want for our in-house team of composers to work with.” Regarding this aspect of Urban Rhythm Factory’s operations, Mashishi says: “We have four in-house composers that have

been with the studio for more than eight years, but we also have a pool of external composers that send us new music on a monthly basis. This is because we want to stay at the front of the pack from a procurement perspective, as well as keep our library sounding diverse and fresh.” There is certainly a fresh and exuberant atmosphere around the studio, and Lerato Moseki, marketing manager at Urban Brew, speaks about the importance of always being on the lookout for new talent, and of developing the next generation of technical engineers through internships and training programs. “With the move, and our new increased potential, we are currently optimising the overall brand strategy of Urban Rhythm Factory, but we know – with our facilities and our personnel – that we are sitting on gold here,” she concludes. – David Cornwell

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GLOBAL MUSIC ON THE UP

AUDIO STREAMING

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The music industry touches all of us in one way or another. We’ve all happily sung along to the latest hits while driving to the office, or jogged around the block to the beat of our favourite rocker on the old iPod and watched iconic 70s bands strumming away on MTV in the background in the pub after a hard day’s work. We take our consumption of music for granted these days, but the music industry itself is on an extraordinary and challenging path, commercially and technologically speaking, and the business – after 15 years of continual decline – is finally on the up, with more fans purchasing and listening to more music around the globe in increasingly rich and immersive ways, mostly thanks to streaming.

ob Stringer, CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, describes 2018 as “the most fast-paced and innovative chapter of the music business in decades.” After declining revenue characterised the global recorded music market for 15 years in a row, it’s finally on the up, with positive revenue growth for the third consecutive year. The record industry is finally rebounding in the wake of Napster and the internet’s unravelling of physical record sales, and streaming services are the main driver behind these recovering revenues. For the first time, streaming has become the single largest revenue source, with 176 million users of paid streaming services contributing to year-on-year streaming growth of 41.1 per cent. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s Global Music Report 2018, streaming now accounts for 38.4 per cent of total recorded music revenue, and its growth has more than offset a 5.4 per cent decline in physical revenue and a 20.5 per cent decline in download revenue. Total digital income last year accounted for more than half of all revenue (54 per cent) for the first time ever.

It took a long time for record companies to face the challenges of digital and technological innovation, something they have finally embraced as they work with existing and start-up technology companies, licensing their music to create better listening experiences for fans. This is happening both with traditional partners, such as audio streaming services, and new ones, such as social media platforms. A major factor behind recent growth in the music industry is streaming services, which also offer music subscriptions and are taking music consumption to the next level by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) within their platforms. The internet has played the role of catalyst in online music streaming growth, and the growth is attracting the attention of investors worldwide, who have renewed interest in the rebounding music industry. The Swedish company Spotify was recently listed on the stock market, and on its first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the music streaming service finished with a valuation of $26.5 billion. Despite a lot of criticism from their contemporaries, Spotify have evolved themselves into a ‘new record label’, functioning – in many ways – similarly to how a traditional label would. When they

launched Spotify for Artists recently, it gave musicians themselves a tool to optimise the way they want to be seen and heard. Spotify describes their data tool as “a one-stop shop that helps the artist get to know their fans better by finding out where they live, how old they are, what features they’re using to discover the artists music, and what other musicians they are listening to.” The Spotify for Artists tool is likely to worry traditional labels, who conventionally acted as gatekeepers between artists and fans. Spotify themselves have said that since the launch, more than 67 000 artists and labels have submitted music through the tool and more than 10 000 artists have been added to Spotify editorial playlists for the first time. Artists being able to put their music up the way they want to without any interference from Spotify, counters any claims that the company’s play lists are often biased in favour of relationships within the industry, making it a win-win situation for all concerned. Spotify is not the only streaming entity around: services such as Google Play Music, Apple Music, Amazon’s Music with Alexa, Pandora and YouTube Music have all emerged as serious competitors, so much so that Apple Music recently

AUDIO STREAMING

A major factor behind recent growth in the music industry is streaming services, which also offer music subscriptions and are taking music consumption to the next level by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) within their platforms. surpassed Spotify for the most paid subscribers within the US. Unlike Spotify, these companies have big bank balances that they have invested in artists and are under no pressure to maximise their revenue from streaming music, whereas Spotify has shareholder obligations and needs to become profitable. It’s no coincidence, therefore, that Spotify launched Showtime and Hulu streaming packages and have ventured into the podcast domain, diversifying their product offering and increasing paid subscriptions. Streaming continues to open and expand territories where there have previously been barriers to generating revenue through licensed music. Countries where there used to be vast differences between population size and consumer-spend on music are finally beginning to realise their potential. A big coup and potential subscriber surge for Spotify came at the stroke of midnight on the 14 November, when they officially launched Spotify Mena in a range of countries across the Middle East and North Africa. Users in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Palestine can now access the free ad-based, or premium subscription-

based service, for the first time. Spotify Mena can be accessed in the Arabic language, and there is also a generous amount of content created specifically for the region. Through its select curators based in Dubai and abroad, more than 40 new region-specific playlists have been added. Traditionally in business, an owner uses analytic tools to diagnose and understand customer requirements to make an appropriate business change. For the music industry, due to the rapidlygrowing number of customers and the wide variety of choices now available, traditional tools don’t cut it anymore. Incorporating AI and machine-learning technologies into music streaming algorithms has quickly become the new norm. If a music service provider can’t ‘guess’ what a user wants to hear, the user will most likely switch to one that can and, if that happens, they lose the listener forever. Technology, ultimately, rules over all of you melophiles out there, and it’s only just the beginning… – Ian Dormer

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BROADCAST TECHNOLOGY

Streaming Sports: Wake up call for broadcasters!

Sports broadcasting is going through an interesting phase at the moment. Over the past two years, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and Yahoo (amongst a host of others) have all been buying non-exclusive rights to live sports packages. More recently, over the past few months, broadcasting giants like Fox Sports in Australia, for example, have seen the need to change the way that they deliver sports content to their audiences.

re we on the edge of a watershed moment in sports broadcasting? I think indeed we are, and here’s why: over-the-top sports video content is set to generate revenue of $30.6 billion as we approach 2020, and everyone wants a cut! Just 24 months ago, British tech start-up The Perform Group launched a subscription video streaming service called DAZN (pronounced “Dazone”), headed by former ESPN president John Skipper. The group, who has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in buying up sports rights across Europe, Japan, Canada and the USA, had obviously seen the potential of live streaming and 30 | SCREENAFRICA | JAN 2019

on-demand video services in the sports broadcast arena. Today DAZN, who employ over a thousand staff members, offer more than 8 000 sports events a year, ranging from major to minor competitions, including the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, NBA, NFL, MLB and Formula One, and is the host broadcaster of Japan’s J.League, screening every game of the season across all three divisions. The two-yearold sports streaming platform has millions of subscribers across seven countries and plans to be in 13 more by 2022. They have a massive team of developers and engineers, who constantly gather and interpret data to gauge how the audience

is reacting to an event and what methods they can develop to retain them, for example, to keep engagement up when matches get boring. A team of userexperience designers work on trying to get people to interact, similar to how people do on Facebook, by crowdsourcing information from other supporters and passing it on to encourage communication between fans. Last year, DAZN showed tremendous growth, with revenues rocketing from £8.7m to £90.8m, and is not the only brand to start to see the potential of disrupting the sports broadcasting market. Recently, Amazon struck a $130m

non-exclusive streaming deal for NFL matches, alongside NBC and CBS, and in the UK it has deals for the US Open tennis and the ATP Tour, while also being close to securing streaming rights for the Premier League. Also in the USA, Disney is gearing up to launch a streaming service based on ESPN content. The traditional sports broadcasting market, therefore, has become fragmented, and the rise in costs fuelled by the rivalry between traditional broadcasters has undoubtedly made it harder for new entrants. As high-speed internet access spreads, and younger consumers increasingly opt for viewing events on mobile devices, it’s

| also clear that the sporting bodies themselves have seen the potential behind their massive fan bases and have started experimenting with streaming as an alternative to traditional broadcasting. Cricket Australia live-streamed their controversial ‘sandpaper’ tour of South Africa in early 2018 to hundreds of package-deal subscribers in the Pacific region as a test, which – by all accounts – was a great success. A few months back, the New Zealand public were perhaps pleased to hear that Sky Sport (a pay-tv service) had lost the bid to broadcast the upcoming Rugby World Cup to Spark Sport, a newly-formed streaming service run by the telecommunications company, Spark. In a matter of months, Spark also secured the exclusive rights to the English Premier League for three years, the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2021, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. Linear and traditional television is still Sky TV’s bread and butter, but they have been slow to adapt to the public’s changing consumption habits, and Spark are gearing up to fully capitalise on the streaming space, with low-cost subscriptions being talked about prior to the 2019 launch of the service. Across the Tasman Sea, FOX Sports (Australia’s equivalent to Sky Sport) has been far more pragmatic in their approach to the changing times. They have quietly launched Kayo, a new streaming service for their sports fans. Already dubbed the “Aussie Netflix of sport”, Kayo is currently in beta testing and has been opened to the general

public to sign up as they await the full service in 2019. There are more than 50 sports channels already covered by Fox Sports, ESPN and Bein on offer, at a low-entry price point and no lock-in contract. The service also includes HD streaming and is available on laptops, mobiles and streaming via Chromecast, with apps on Apple TV, iOS and Android to follow soon. FOX Sports doesn’t seem too worried about declining traditional TV viewership in light of their big shift towards streaming: their new mobile plans are all about reaching more people at a more affordable price, and therefore adding to and expanding their pay-tv platform.

BROADCAST TECHNOLOGY

The big concern among many sports fans, however, will be the cost of potentially having to pay for several different services in order to keep up with the whole range of live sports available. No more ‘one-stop shops’ is something that fans might just have to come to terms with, although DAZN -who are charging just US$12 a month – intend to keep costs low by amassing tens of millions of customers. In their words: “We have seen in music with Spotfiy and Pandora, in TV with Netflix and Amazon, that people will pay a sensible amount of money for a good service, so we want to do the same for sport. We want to be a Netflix for sport.” I don’t believe that this is the end of linear televised sport. The sporting bodies, tech companies and broadcasters all have the opportunity to capitilise on the amazing era of technological development we are witnessing. In the prophetic words of Bob Dylan: “Come writers and critics, who prophesise with your pen/Keep your eyes wide, the chance won’t come again/For the loser now, will be later to win…/The times they are a-changin’.” – Ian Dormer

As highspeed internet access spreads, and younger consumers increasingly opt for viewing events on mobile devices, it’s also clear that the sporting bodies themselves have seen the potential behind their massive fan bases and have started experimenting with streaming as an alternative to traditional broadcasting. JAN 2019

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NEW TECHNOLOGY

CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN Why Blockchain technology could revolutionise

owever, these currencies’ underlying technology – known as Blockchain – has, in fact, caused even more disruption within the fintech (financial technology) sector, and promises to have a similar impact on the entertainment industry in years to come. As Paul Mitchell – Fintech and Blockchain lead at leading professional services company PwC – explains, “Genuine disruption comes when we reinvent business models, and this will be the case with Blockchain, too.” In this article, we take a look at this cutting-edge technology, which – according to some estimates – is expected to grow from a $210 million annual market in 2016, to a staggering $2.3 billion in 2021.

HOW DOES BLOCKCHAIN WORK? In essence, Blockchain is a particularly innovative type of ledger. All financial institutions – such as banks, insurance companies, traders, etc. – require ledgers. They are vitally important, as they allow the institution to keep a record of all its financial transactions. The implications of this extend to the operations of the company, of course, but also to the realms of taxation and other forms of financial compliance. As the financial industry has adapted to the digital revolution, ledgers have evolved into electronic format. However

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– and this is the crucial factor about Blockchain – for the most part, these electronic ledgers have remained centralised in storage, ownership and maintenance, meaning that all the transaction records are still kept in one place and maintained by one person or group of people. Blockchain, on the other hand, is a form of distributed ledger. In basic terms, a distributed ledger is an encrypted database that is shared and synchronised across multiple networks. Technologies such as Blockchain do not operate as single, centralised servers that process calculations and then record the various transactions in the particular institution’s private ledger: instead, the ledger is distributed through a network of (more or less) 1000 different nodes, with every one of these nodes storing a copy of the ledger. When a new transaction is lodged – and a new block is formulated – the different transactional nodes will compete against each other to perform the necessary cryptographic calculations. Although this is slower than regular payment processing – Bitcoin can process between five and seven transactions per second, while major credit card networks can process up to 2000 – this form of network is extremely resistant to fraud, a key consideration in both the financial and entertainment sectors. This is because, as opposed to a centralised ledger – where there is one database that needs to be hacked – in

order to make any changes to a distributed ledger, you need to subvert a majority of the transactional nodes (51 per cent for Bitcoin; two-thirds for Byzantine networks). Simply changing one ledger entry will not affect a change across the entire network, making distributed ledgers far more resilient to cyber-attacks.

APPLICATIONS FOR BUSINESS When asked about how businesses can go about implementing this sophisticated technology, Mitchell responds with an interesting perspective on the challenge: “Well, I think the technology is not the hard part. “When we work with businesses, our concern relates to strategy. This involves introducing partners to the technology of Blockchain, and asking what can it do; what are the implications for your industry; what are some interesting applications emerging in similar industries?” He describes a time of cross-industry disruption and experimentation, when “playing around” with these new technologies is key to discovering their optimal utilisation. “A lot of industies are at the stage of piloting new ways of doing things,” he says, and explains that the transformative potential of Blockchain turns on the concept of “unique digital assets. “A unique digital asset, represented as a non-fungible token – or NFT – might be

a unique or limited edition musical recording, a piece of artwork, or any other asset. A non-fungible token is a crypto-asset that is non-divisible and unique. The token might be linked to a real-world asset, or represent the relevant value itself, and these can be sold and transferred from person to person on a Blockchain network.” However, he also points out that once businesses discover an implementation that works – a new way of selling news features, for example – “the technology itself tends to fade into the background, and the business model becomes crucial.”

BLOCKCHAIN AND THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY Blockchain has already begun to make the process of sending money across borders cheaper and more convenient – a key innovation on the African continent, where remittance fees can sometimes eat up more than 20 per cent of the transfer value – but its potential to disrupt the entertainment industry extends far beyond this. Distributed ledgers offer a more transparent, more direct, cheaper and more secure way to conduct transactions, and developers are harnessing these benefits in increasingly innovative ways. “Blockchain as a technology is designed to enable peer-to-peer transfer of value, leveraging consensus-driven networks and cryptography,” Mitchell

NEW TECHNOLOGY

ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES

the entertainment industry

says. In most sectors of the entertainment industry, “there are many large intermediaries between the producers and the consumers of content. Alongside this is the concern that digital assets need to be protected from illegal copying and distribution. Blockchain-based companies are starting to test new models that might change the current landscape.” One interesting example of this relates to digital rights management. With its permanent and unfalsifiable recordkeeping capacities and decentralised nature, Blockchain could be a global solution to tracking and enforcing worldwide rights and royalty payments. Its potential in this sphere has recently been underscored by Spotify’s acquisition of Mediachain, a digital rights management startup company. And yet the biggest potential disruption that Blockchain poses to the entertainment industry must be in the realm of direct sales. Because Blockchain allows for

revolutionary disintermediation – while, at the same time, providing a secure and transparent method of recording transactions – it is now possible for artists or production houses to sell media directly to fans, without the need to work through intermediaries such as distributors and subscription platforms, or financial gate-keepers such as PayPal. The reduced cost of processing Blockchain transactions has allowed for this “microtransaction” model – and this innovation “creates a stronger artist-toconsumer link”, ensuring that the ones who create the content can be directly remunerated by its consumers. Disintermediated transactions of this nature could, potentially, also lead to greater savings for customers as well as higher profits for the creators of content.

EARLY PIONEERS Grammy Award-winner Imogen Heap represents an early success story for Blockchain in the entertainment industry.

Even those with no interest in financial technology will have heard of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, with stories of their meteoric rise (and sharp recent decline) making headlines this year.

According to Forbes magazine (‘How Blockchain Can Transform The Future Of Entertainment’), Heap “recently teamed up with [South African-founded] Ujo, a company looking to be the one-stop shop for independent music distribution and payments, to release the first song on the Ethereum blockchain. The concept of smart contracts is at the core of Ethereum and allowed Heap to enjoy absolute control over how she and her collaborators on the track were paid and under what circumstances – for example, buying licenses to download, stream, remix and synch the song.” All considered, this is perhaps the most attractive feature of Blockchain technology: how seamlessly it blends with current consumption standards. With viewers and listeners continuing to migrate away from traditional, channel-based consumption, we can expect to see a lot of activity in this space, as the gap between creators and consumers becomes increasingly

narrowed by innovative technologies such as Blockchain. Mitchell says: “The potential for Blockchain to disrupt entertainment and media is huge, and with the pace of development in this space, we are seeing new ideas and new projects emerging week on week.” He concludes by encouraging businesses to embrace the opportunities that this technological sea-change presents, reminding local players that “It’s about the process as much as the outcome. If you go through the innovation process and you create something new – that’s great – but that thing you’ve created might not work. The point is getting to that thing is a learning and changing process – and creating the ability to be agile and adaptive is as important as what you build at the end of the day. Because that capability lasts forever.” – David Cornwell

With its permanent and unfalsifiable record-keeping capacities and decentralised nature, Blockchain could be a global solution to tracking and enforcing worldwide rights and royalty payments. Its potential in this sphere has recently been underscored by Spotify’s acquisition of Mediachain, a digital rights management startup company. JAN 2019

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STUDIOS & PRODUCTION FACILITIES

CASE STUDY

Homebrew Films: Keeping ahead of the curve

Shoot action at Homebrew Films

For the 40-strong team at Homebrew Films, no two work days are ever the same. The production company, based at Cape Town’s Atlantic Studios, delivers a huge variety of high-quality content, from stunning wildlife documentaries, to studio-based soap operas and lifestyle magazine shows filmed in front of live audiences.

ow a new, Ultra HD studio infrastructure – built around a broadcast workflow featuring Blackmagic Design equipment – is allowing the team not only to evolve and future-proof its broadcast programming, but also to expand into the world of corporate production. “This modern studio solution opens up an opportunity that we’ve always wanted

to explore, and places us in a very competitive segment of the market at a very affordable cost,” begins Chris Gardner, Homebrew’s technical studio director. When Gardner started to scope out the new infrastructure, his main requirements were for a system that could be assembled and configured quickly, and for a solution that would

allow Homebrew to have a technical advantage over the rest of the market. “Although our broadcasters are not yet accepting Ultra HD 4K, it made sense to get ahead of the curve, so that we can meet their content needs now and in the future,” Gardner continues. “And the beauty is that at the same time, we can use the 4K functionality in our studio system for live streaming and events, so our clients can have the best possible experience for video production.” Gardner explains that Homebrew’s studio acquisition relies on six URSA Broadcast cameras paired with Canon KJ20 x 8.2 BIRSE HD b4 optics; four positions are mounted on pedestals with two positions being jib- and tripodmounted respectively. The latter provides a locked-off shot that can be moved easily. “We produce a large amount of

“Although our broadcasters are not yet accepting Ultra HD 4K, it made sense to get ahead of the curve, so that we can meet their content needs now and in the future. And the beauty is that at the same time, we can use the 4K functionality in our studio system for live streaming and events, so our clients can have the best possible experience for video

”

production. – Chris Gardner 34 | SCREENAFRICA | JAN 2019

content for local television channels, including Tussen Ons, an all-female Afrikaans version of The View, and a local affairs talk show called Kwela, and all of these require multi-cam setups that are flexible,” he explains. “For shading we rely on a pair of ATEM Camera Control Panels, alongside the ATEM Camera Control software, and an ATEM Talkback Converter provides our operators with return, tally, comms and control. That ensures we can communicate clearly and effectively with our operators as to what shots the director needs at any given time during a production.” Video with embedded audio is sent from the studio floor via SDI through to a Smart Videohub 40x40, which each camera channel ISO recorded to SSD using the HyperDeck Studio Pro. Those broadcast desks are also used for VT playback and prerecorded content, while an UltraStudio 4K I/O box is used to generate a fill and key output from RGB graphics and animations or Photoshop. All of this feeds into the central production desk, where an ATEM 4M/E Broadcast Studio 4K with ATEM 1 M/E Advanced Panel is used to produce the live programme mix. “When we need to stream content to social media sites, for example for the Facebook series Capetona Live and LCA Spark Talks, we simply take the programme feed from the ATEM through to a Blackmagic Web Presenter and then stream it via a laptop running OBS. It’s that simple to move between traditional broadcast and a live streaming workflow.” “We’ve been incredibly impressed, not only by this flexibility, but also the ease of design and installation,” concludes Gardner. “To put it in perspective, it took two of us just four weeks to design, wire, install and deploy the system, and that includes building custom elements and racks.”

CAMERAS & ACCESSORIES

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K user review

Written by Garth de Bruno Austin, documentary filmmaker

Garth de Bruno Austin with the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

It was the beginning of August and I was in Perth when I nearly hit my ceiling with excitement, as I received an email from Blackmagic Design asking if I would consider making them a short video of my choice with the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K (Pocket 4K). With 13 stops of dynamic range, 4K recording, dual native ISO up to 25,600, a 5-inch touch screen, mini XLR inputs, full size HDMI, C-fast cars and external SSD recording for only $1,295 USD (including the full DaVinci Resolve Studio License) – I couldn’t actually believe it! I had three days to film my short video called The Colour of Light, before I had to fly back to South Africa to continue filming for a documentary I’ve been working on. The timeline was tight, but there really is no better way to learn about a camera other than to put it through its paces!

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CAMERAS & ACCESSORIES

t was late afternoon, two days before filming was to begin, when I received a call to say the Pocket 4K would be delayed at Australian customs. Anxiety set in – with production planned to start on a short film, where we would be using what seemed to be the rarest camera in the world, it was a mad rush to organise flights across the country to their headquarters in Melbourne to pick up a pre-production Pocket 4K quickly and attempt to make it back to Perth in time. Fortunately, I did make it and – with three hours to spare before shooting began – I finally managed to put my head down so I could doze off for a quick two-hour sleep.

FUNCTIONALITY, DUAL NATIVE ISO & BATTERY LIFE For obvious reasons, there was a lot of hype around the Pocket 4K – and with my production process already being deeply embedded within the Blackmagic ecosystem, it was hard to avoid getting caught up in it all. But to really understand what this camera was capable (or not capable) of, I needed to put the hype aside and focus on using it in the real world. Luckily for me, the menu system is identical to my URSA Mini Pro. This made it very familiar when starting the camera up for the first time. This first day of shooting for my short film was going to be challenging. The set was indoors but only lit with a workerslight from my local hardware store and an LED light. That meant the lighting was

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very harsh! My plan was to cast the shadow of my subject Steve Brown onto the canvas that he was painting for us. I then set up the small LED light behind him to give a hint of fill from the side. Now for the moment of truth: would the camera blow out and crush the shadows like most other small DSLR-type cameras? Blackmagic have said this camera has 13 stops of DR and a really good highlight roll-off. I set the camera to ISO 400, looked at the histogram and realised I could push it to 800 ISO – exposure was good, but there was quite a bit of noise in such a dark room. Before I received the camera, I had a quick chat with some of the tech team at Blackmagic, who explained that with the dual native ISO it will be noisy at the top end of the first part of the sensor’s circuitry but any noise should mostly disappear when you hit 1250 ISO. I tested this and sure enough, the image was bright but the noise vanished! To make certain that the image was clean, I used the zoom function on the large touch screen, moved around the image and concluded that there definitely wasn’t any noise at 1250 ISO. I had made sure that I started filming with a battery that was 100 per cent charged, but was surprised when it died only 30 minutes into filming. I swapped batteries and put another LP-E6 battery in, this time a generic, and it only lasted just shy of 25 minutes. With both of my batteries on charge, I borrowed a third

LP-E6 battery from my photographer and was back in business. Luckily, we could take breaks in between filming to charge the batteries, but I quickly realised that to get the most out of this camera, I would need to look at an external battery solution to keep the filming schedule running smoothly.

SMALL BUT POWERFUL For the past year and half I have been filming with Blackmagic’s URSA Mini Pro. So, for the second day of filming, it was a dramatic change in filming style moving from a heavy shoulder-mounted camera to one that was so light (the Pocket 4K only weighs 720 grams). I borrowed a Smallrig shoulder mount from my friend and behind-the-scenes cameraman, John Sullivan, who fortunately had a V-lock battery with a D-Tap cable that could power the Pocket 4K. This, paired with my Edelkrone follow focus and the Panasonic MFT 12-25mm f2/8 lens, was a great run and gun setup – best of all, the entire rig could easily fit in my Lowepro Whistler backpack. It was early morning and we set off into the Australian bush to film a photographer friend of mine called Shaun Atherstone from Dear Rabbit Photography. The idea was to film him documentary-style while he was capturing images using a smoke machine in the early morning light. Usually, constant ND changes are needed with smaller mirrorless or DSLR cameras, but

with the Pocket 4K’s dynamic range and dual native ISO, the sun only caught me off guard a couple of times as the piercing rays hit the billowing pure white smoke. I also found myself straining to see the image on the screen because of the glare; however, I’m hoping to fix this with a small sun hood. Another often-overlooked aspect of most cameras is their ability to record internal audio. The majority of camera companies seem to have internal audio as an afterthought, but with the Pocket 4K that is certainly not the case. With two internal microphones on either side of the lens mount, the internal audio captured is arguably the best I’ve ever heard from any camera that I’ve owned – it was so good that I ended up using it as the audio for the short film! Another great little feature is that you can choose to record separate channels from each internal microphone so that you’re able to get an amazing stereo effect. Still, if you prefer to use other microphones, there is the option to choose between the 3.5mm stereo jack or the mini XLR audio input with phantom power.

USING GIMBALS & FILMING AT NIGHT Filming at night on a gimbal brought on a whole new set of challenges for the Pocket 4K. Our first evening shoot was centred around recording two dancers in Perth’s CBD. When filming in cities with the URSA Mini Pro, I was used to people

looking, and especially the police asking for permits – so I was curious to see how the general public would react to the Pocket 4K on a DJI Ronin S. Fortunately, no one batted an eyelid and the whole scene went almost unnoticed! I had a great time using the pocket 4K on the DJI Ronin S, and from someone that is used to only getting smooth cinema-quality footage from a camera dolly or heavy Steadicam, it was fantastic to get the same results from a piece of equipment that was so portable. However, it did take some time to balance the Pocket 4K, as we had to use a small adjustable base plate to help centre the camera. The next night, I again used the DJI Ronin S but this time swapped out the

Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 for the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 with the Metabones speed booster 0.71 ultra. I found that the Sigma was easier to use as the focus happened faster and internally, so it wasn’t constantly tipping the gimbal off balance. When filming my friend, Darian Bradara, who agreed to be the actor for the night, I was able to get some shots that completely took my breath away, and once I felt quite confident with the gimbal, I decided that I would track Darian from the car to where he overlooks the Perth skyline at 35mm with f/1.2. This meant my focal plain was incredibly small and my margin for error even smaller, and that is where the large bright screen and green focus assist dots made it easy to keep at the right distance.

HOW THE POCKET 4K WILL FIT INTO MY WORKFLOW The day after I finished filming I was on the plane back to South Africa and I ended up cutting the entire short film on my old 2015 Apple MacBook in DaVinci Resolve. The only reason that was possible was because I had shot the entire project in ProRes and – apart from a few RAW clips that slowed me down – I managed to film, edit and grade the entire project in 6 days. The small design and incredibly powerful features and capabilities of this camera make it a great choice for filmmakers when stepping into the world of manual cinema cameras. However, it’s certainly not the perfect camera for every situation, and you will need to factor in

CAMERAS & ACCESSORIES

the money that will need to be invested into a quality kit to get the most out of this little beast. But, for me, this camera has changed what I thought was possible from such a compact design. Yes, I’ll need to carry around quite a few extra batteries, but besides that downside, I’ve really enjoyed using it alongside my URSA Mini Pro and can barely tell the difference when editing the footage side by side. At the end of the day, the Pocket 4K has become an essential part of my filmmaking toolkit and I look forward to using it on film projects in South Africa.

JAN 2019

SCREENAFRICA

| 37

SOCIAL

PromaxBDA Africa 2018 The annual PromaxBDA Africa conference and awards took place on 8 November 2018 at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg. Seen there wereâ&#x20AC;Ś

Amilcar De Carvalho, Siemon Steyn and JC Smal

Kay Makgale, Donne Henry and Thokozani Zitha

Kgodumo Mohlala and Bobby Heaney

Liz Dunning and Paul Bowden

Cathy Ferrara and Madien van der Merwe

Aluwani Munyamela, Stanley Denga, Lungile Mapukata and Marcel Solomon.

Wicus Burger and Ruette Steyn

38 | SCREENAFRICA | JAN 2019

Kate Gannaway, Ivano Mattiello and Bessy Moloisane

Michael Louw and Keegan Moolman

| SOCIAL

Cheese and Wine with Urban Brew Studios On 15 November 2018, Urban Brew Studios held a cheese and wine afternoon at the Urban Brew Studios Events Dome to celebrate their new state-of-the-art content production facilities. Seen there wereâ&#x20AC;Ś

Hannah Worrell and Ryan Paulsen

Alex Radnitz, Phumla Radebe and Adelaide Joshua

Steve Schafer, Trevor Nkosi, Quinton Schmidt and Theuns du Toit

Mpumi Phillips and Mandrew Mnguni

Ryan Paulsen and Verona Duwarkah

Noleen Martin, Evandre De Sliver and Sandy Schultz

Quinton Schmidt, Eric Lawrenson and Ebrahim Rahaman

Seipati Molefe-Pitsoane and Evandre De Silver

JAN 2019

| SCREENAFRICA |

M A R KET PL AC E

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23 – 3 FEB INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ROTTERDAM Rotterdam 24 – 3 FEB SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL Utah

FEBRUARY 7 – 16 EUROPEAN FILM MARKET Berlin 7 – 17 BERLINALE Berlin 16 CANADA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL Montreal

MARCH 1 – 10 MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL Miami

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40 | SCREENAFRICA | JAN 2019

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