The Callsheet Issue 3

ISSUE 03 | 2015

+ TV PRODUCTION COMPANIES IN SA An Industry Audit + We've Got a List of the Best LOOKING FOR A FIXER? + MIPTV 2015 African Content on the Rise

CONTENTS | 01

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

02. Good Hope Centre to re-launch as Film Studio?

04. Camera Drones Soon to be Legal to Operate Again in the SA Film Industry

06. SA to Miss DTT Deadline Thanks to Encryption and Other Issues

08. Hot Docs Announces Selection of Special Presentations for 2015

10. Behind the Scenes with Stunt Performers in SA

12. TV Production Companies:

TV PRODUCTION COMPANIES

STUNTS: STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

Turn to page 12 for an in-depth audit of South Africa’s most established TV companies.

Kim Muller takes a tumble on page 10, and pays homage to a legend on page 33.

A Glorious Time for Television

20. In Production 22. Fixers in Africa: The Real Deal 24. MIPTV 2015 Preview 27. Nikon D810: The Devil’s in the Detail

28. Associations 29. Indies & Shorts: Love is Sticky Business

30. Morocco: Catering to Every Taste 33. Roly Jansen: Saying Goodbye to a

IN PRODUCTION: MARCH

MOROCCO

Flip to page 20 for a rundown of the films and series currently being shot on our shores.

With more than 30 international productions shot in 2014, Morocco is the place to be.

Stunt Performer of Note

34. Events 36. Directory

02 | NEWS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

Good Hope Centre to re-launch

as Film Studio?

T

he City of Cape Town has written to vendors indicating that as of 1 July this year, Cape Town’s Good Hope Centre will be unavailable for international and local events and expos, as it is rumoured that the venue will become a film studio.

The familiar domed structure in Woodstock, Cape Town, has been earmarked as a possible film studio since 1998.

However, a proposal at the time from the South African Film Finance Corporation to the city council to lease or buy the centre with the intention of building one of the

biggest sound stages in the world was put on ice. Although the announcement of the centre officially becoming a film studio is “not unexpected” a number of groups and organisations will be affected.

Councillors at a tourism and events portfolio committee meeting were upset upon hearing the news for the first time.

Achmat Williams of the National Party of SA said, “The community organisations that use that venue have not been consulted.”

Among the affected organisations is the Cape Malay Choir board who have been

hosting competitions at the centre for more than 30 years. Similarly, the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust will suffer the loss of the Good Hope Centre as a venue.

The landmark, considered as an important and accessible asset to the city, is used predominantly by non-profit organisations. Repairs and reconstruction to keep the edifice in a functioning condition are estimated at between R8 million and R16 million, according to the city council.

Sources known to the Callsheet have confirmed that there are currently three consortiums bidding for the centre.

Turbulence Ahead as Kenya Migrates to DTT

T

hree of Kenya’s main private television stations are unavailable across most of the country thanks to a row over the Digital Terrestrial Television switchover. The switch from analogue to digital transmission has been met with a number of issues and court battles.

A Supreme Court ruling that rejected the request for a three-month switchover delay by three of Kenya’s main private TV stations has left them in flux. The analogue signal for KTN, NTV and its subsidiary QTV were turned off in the second weekend of February, to which the TV stations responded by switching their digital signals off in protest. According to BBC’s Anne Soy, most Kenyans have been left in the dark – although the state-run broadcaster KBC and K24 TV have remained on air.

According to Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary

for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), Fred Matiangi, the move by the three media houses is in breach of directives from the Supreme Court.

“We are not going back on digital migration. They had better get that loud and clear. We are not going back, so if these theatrics are intended to intimidate us or manipulate government, they had better think again,” Matiangi said during a recent press briefing.

The date to the DTT switchover has been postponed on several occasions due to a legal suit by the three stations, but the Kenyan government is taking a strong stance against changing plans again. In January, the regulator withdrew its temporary authorisation granted to the stations to purchase set up boxes, citing “gross misconduct and violation of the law” for running a misleading

advertisement, which, according to Matiangi, was “a deliberate effort to incite the public and portray the regulator in negative and bad light”. The media houses themselves say that the authorities have failed in giving them enough time to import their own digital set-top boxes to be distributed through the Africa Digital Network (ADN).

Kenya has about three months before the 17 June 2015 global digital migration deadline, a decision made in 2006 during the Regional Radio Conference in Geneva.

According to the Communications Authority of Kenya, 60% of all households that own a television set have now acquired a set-top box to receive digital signal.

Tanzania is the only country in the East African Community that has already done the switchover in order to troubleshoot technical issues before the DTT deadline.

04 | SPOTLIGHT

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

Sunset in Botswana © Drone Crew

CAMERA DRONES SOON TO BE LEGAL to Operate Again in the SA Film Industry

A

s the process of creating new regulations for RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems, commonly referred to as drones) comes to completion, the film industry is very eager to begin using camera drones again. Legal drone operations will be possible with the full blessing of the SACAA (Civil Aviation Authority), and through some 50 pages of new regulations and technical specifications, specific to RPAS drone operations in SA airspace. It is anticipated that the new drone regulations will be promulgated towards the end of March 2015.

Benefits of Camera Drones in the Film Industry: Camera drones are able to achieve shots that were previously difficult or impossible to achieve. They offer the film industry a unique perspective, with the ability to capture new visual footage lower than typical full sized helicopters, and higher and with less restriction

by John Gore (Drone Crew)

of camera movement than typical crane or jib shots. Drone operators are typically cheaper to hire than full sized aircraft, and more mobile with less disruption on the film set. While camera drones do not replace existing film equipment, they are becoming very popular tools available to the film industry.

New Regulations a Good Fit for the Film Industry: The new regulations will allow Camera Drones of up to 20kg total takeoff weight (future regulations will allow for up to 150kg and beyond). As typical camera drones vary in size from 1kg (GoPro type drone) to 20kg (Red Epic type drone), the regulations are a good fit technically, for immediate use on feature films, commercials, corporate shoots, etc.

The aviation industry is well respected for its high level of safety, and commercial film drone operators should strive to bring a high level of safety and reliability to their drone operations in the film industry.

A RPAS Pilot License is Required: Much like one needs a license to drive a car, ride a motorbike or fly an aircraft, all commercial and corporate drone operators will be required to complete training and obtain a drone pilot license (theory exam and practical demonstration).

Any remote controlled aircraft used for any purpose other than purely for “fun” is defined as an RPAS, and the regulations apply to any RPAS including remote controlled multirotors, RC aeroplanes (fixed wing) and RC helicopters.

Commercial operators will also be required to meet a number of standards and submit quite a number of documents before receiving permission from the SACAA to operate commercially. These requirements include: • ROC - RPAS Operators Certificate (annually renewed document achieved by the commercial drone operator company only after all paperwork and credentials

• • •

• • •

• •

are in place).

RPAS Pilot License for the category of drone to be operated.

Certificate of Registration of each RPA (drone aircraft).

Operations Manual specific to the operator - key important document generated by the operator detailing all flight operations and safety measures.

Insurance - including suitable liability insurance.

Business registration and compliance documents.

Certificate of Proficiency in Radiotelephony (to communicate with manned aircraft and ATC).

Air Services License (permission to operate aircraft for commercial purpose).

Specific approval for regular drone filming operations near people, buildings, roads and controlled airspace including flying within 10km of an aerodrome.

Licensed operators may be given special permission through ROC and Operations Manual specific to the operator, to operate within 50m from people, buildings, roads, and within controlled airspace (such as near airports), flying at night, etc. They may require permits from local authorities where bylaws are in place (for example all SA National Parks are a no fly area for drones or any aircraft below 1 500 feet).

Commercial operators will also be required to: • • •

Carry an air radio to communicate with manned aircraft and ATC. Carry a fire extinguisher and first aid kit.

Carry RPAS Pilot License, RPAS Operator Certificate (ROC) and Operations Manual specific to that operator.

Employing Licensed Operators: Production companies who employ drone operators who are not licensed and who do not have all credentials are at risk.

Before confirming a camera drone operator for a shoot, production companies will want to request from the operator, at a minimum: • A copy of the operators RPAS Pilot License.

• A copy of the ROC document (annually renewed document achieved by the commercial drone operator company only after all paperwork and credentials are in place).

• Proof of insurance.

Local bylaws may require additional special permits from local authorities, issued only to fully licensed operators with correct credentials.

What about Smaller Drones?

Even a small 1kg drone used for recce or basic shots falls under commercial or corporate use, and therefore the operator will need a RPAS Pilots License and appropriate credentials, and each drone will need to be registered with SACAA before it is used commercially.

Only flying purely for “fun” is permitted without a license with a drone of up to 7kg, however such operation needs to be below 400 feet, within 500m of the pilot (LOS), and more than 50m from people, buildings, roads, and more than 10km from aerodromes. This rules out “fun” flying in just about all urban areas.

Expected Timelines: It is anticipated that the new drone regulations will be promulgated towards the end of March 2015.

“

SPOTLIGHT | 05

We are confident that as experienced film industry drone operators we will be able to comply with, and operate successfully within the bounds of the new SACAA drone regulations.

“

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

Implementation may take a number of months, and will have a number of challenges as the SACAA adapts paperwork and processes to allow for the new regulations, and commercial operators strive to achieve compliance.

Commercial operators who have been a part of the many meetings and debates with SACAA and affected parties, particularly over the last year, may have the upper hand in understanding the regulations and achieving compliance before others. However it has been made clear that no application will be given special attention or be fast tracked.

Due process will need to be followed by all to achieve compliance.

The new regulations drafted by and proposed by SACAA have been praised by both local and international industry experts, as well as international aviation authorities.

“We are confident that as experienced film industry drone operators we will be able to comply with, and operate successfully within the bounds of the new SACAA drone regulations.”

06 | NEWS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

C

ommunications Minister Faith Muthambi has reportedly defied colleagues in the ANC by recommending to Cabinet that television set-top boxes contain no encryption system, according to a recent report by Tech Central. The African National Congress (ANC) has set the media astir of late with their decisions leaning towards a conditional access system, and has also halted South Africa’s migration from analogue to digital broadcasting within the International Telecommunication Union’s deadline in June 2015.

According to Sekoetlane Jacob Phamodi, spokesperson and coordinator of the SOS Support Public Boradcasting Coalition, cabinet has yet to implement its decision to include the controversial conditional access system

in government-manufactured set-top boxes (STBs), despite having made the decision over a year ago. He also says that the Universal Service and Access Agency of SA (USAASA) is still months away from finalising a subsidy scheme for people to access STBs, and the manufacturing tender has yet to be awarded, impacting both subsidising and distribution avenues. IT Web has reported that USAASA will be awarding tenders in the next few weeks, while Minister Mthambi said at the recent Commonwealth Digital Broadcasting Switchover Forum 2015 in mid-Feb that South Africa needs to move faster in unlocking the digital dividend expected through the upcoming migration.

“It’s a help that we’ve given up on trying to fool ourselves that we’ll meet the ITU

© Barun Patro

SA to Miss DTT Deadline Thanks to Encryption and Other Issues

deadline,” Phamodi wrote in The Media Online in February, “which means we can really focus on getting the migration right the first time around. But we’re still a long way off, especially considering that ordinary South Africans are already calling STBs the e-tolls of broadcasting.”

The encryption system will essentially help the government to implement STB control on subsidised boxes to prevent the taxpayersupported decoders from being bought up cheaply and resold elsewhere in the world.

Broadcasters are on either side of the fence, with MultiChoice arguing that the government should not be subsidising broadcasters like e.tv into the pay-TV market, while community broadcasters would benefit from a lack of encryption, allowing for a wider digital audience.

Record Number of Entries Received for

PRISM Awards

W

ith an almost 20% increase in entries into the 2015 PRISM Awards, competition for the public relations and communication industry’s most sought-after awards is going to be tough! This is according to the organisers of this year’s awards, which take place on 19 April at The Maslow Hotel, Sandton.

“With 213 entries in 37 categories received, this year’s judging process is going to be a very robust and interactive one,” says Marilyn Watson, Chief Judge of the PRISM Awards. ‘Each year the competition just gets tougher!” Leading consultancies from across the Continent are again well represented, with a number of them submitting entries in

multiple categories.

As per previous years, the most popular categories were the Launch of a New Product, Service or Category (20), closely followed by the Social Media for Public Relations (17) and Consumer PR for an Existing Product, Service or Category (17). New categories like African Campaign of the Year and African Network of the Year seem to be well accepted, attracting several entries.

“The Financial Services and Investor Relations Category (proudly sponsored by CIMA) has also seen an increase from last year – with entries from both corporate companies and consultancies,” states Marilyn.

Over 40 judges have been selected to adjudicate the entries, while a separate panel

will judge the South African Campaign of the Year and Pan African campaign of the year from a shortlist of five noteworthy campaigns.

“The quality of submissions is good, and as judges we will be looking out for obvious measurable objectives, as well as key insights from research,” concludes Watson.

This year’s PRISM Award sponsors include Blue Apple, Innovative Glass, Pear Factor, The Maslow Hotel, Afroflame, Zoom, Airports Company South Africa, Paper Packaging Place, Upstage Productions, CIMA, We Collaborate, Sappi, ROI Africa, Facebox, Grind Mobile Coffee, Von H Brand Provocateur, Just You Model & Artist Management and Mango. Media partners include Mix FM, Jozi Maboneng Radio, The Event and Unisa Radio.

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08 | NEWS

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Hot Docs Announces Selection of Special Presentations for the 2015 Festival © Paul Galipeau © John Barduhn

H

ot Docs, North America’s largest documentary festival, conference and market, will present its 22nd annual edition from April 23 to May 3, 2015. The festival recently announced 17 documentary features that will be a part of this year’s Special Presentations programme, a high-profile collection of world and international premieres, award-winners from

the recent international festival circuit and works by master filmmakers or featuring some star subjects. These films will screen as part of the 2015 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

The complete Special Presentations program and the full selection of films to screen at Hot Docs 2015 will be announced on March 17, including the 2015 opening night

film. Ticket packages and passes are now on sale online.

Special Presentations include The Arms Drop, by Danish director Andrea Koefoed, about a British ams dealer who hunts down the MI5 agent who betrayed him, and Being Canadian, by renowned comedy director Robert Cohen of The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory. Violeta Ayala’s The Bolivian Case explores how three Norwegian teenage girlfriends are caught smuggling cocaine out of Bolivia, while Anders Riis-Hansen’s The Circus Dynasty digs into the success and longevity of two of Europe’s greatest circus families when their respective heirs fall in love.

Other documentaries on the Special presentations bill include Democrats by Camilla Nielsson, A Different Drummer: Celebrating Eccentrics by John Zaritsky, acclaimed filmmaker Kim Longinotto’s Dreamcatcher and Tonje Hessen Schei’s Drone. Every Last Child by Tom Roberts, How to Change the World by Jerry Rothwell, Brett Morgen’s portrayal of a music legend in Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, The Last Mogul by Barry Avrich, Paris is Burning by Jennie Livingston, Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe’s Sundance award winner (T) Error, Matthias Bittner’s War of Lies, Welcome to Leith by Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K Walker and Western, by Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross have also been announced for the programme.

An outstanding selection of approximately 200 documentaries from Canada and around the world will be presented to Toronto audiences and international delegates.

Hot Docs will also mount a full roster of conference sessions and market events and services for documentary practitioners, including the renowned Hot Docs Forum, Hot Docs Deal Maker and The Doc Shop.

In partnership with Blue Ice Group, Hot Docs operates the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, a century-old landmark located in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood. For more information or to book tickets visit www.hotdocs.ca

10 | FEATURE

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

Behind the Scenes with

STUNT PERFORMERS IN SA © Pyranha Stunts

© The Stunt Company © The Stunt Company

S © The Stunt Company

ome of the best scenes in Black Sails are the action sequences, where pirates slash at each other left right and centre with no remorse. Take episode one, for instance. The series opens with a ship being attacked by the dreaded seamen. All hands are on deck – well, nearly all – and as the captain screams, “Fire!” the cannons erupt and all hell breaks loose. This is often where the stunt performers come into the story. Although we don’t really see them in the acting sense of the word, it takes a very special kind of person to go crazy on screen and still make the film or TV production look incredible.

Pyranha Stunts’ Co-Founder, Fraz Spilhaus is Stunt Coordinator on the Black Sails shoots.

His partner, Grant Hulley, says that the show requires performers to be proficient with handto-hand combat, sword fighting skills, wire work and dealing with freezing cold water. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg for performers and stunt riggers working in South Africa’s

FEATURE | 11

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

industry. “Potential candidates should have a background in climbing, gymnastics, dancing or high diving,” Hulley explains. “These disciplines create amazing body awareness and will be what a stunt performer will rely on for his or her bread and butter.”

The industry’s governing body, the South African Stunts and Stunts Rigging Association (SASSRA) is currently in the throes of setting up assessment courses for potential performers. Although the association is still quite young – it was only founded about two years ago – it has already begun to facilitate a clear communication pathway between stunt performers, riggers and the stunt companies and already has over 80 members.

“It also enables the stunt industry to take it to the next level and helps increase the skills of the stunt performers and riggers, enabling South Africa to continue to contend with the rest of the world in the stunt industry,” says Paul Hampshire, one of SASSRA’s 2015 Board Members.

Contending with the international industry is one of South Africa’s fortes, it would seem.

Pyranha Stunts holds some impressive credentials including Neill Blomkamp’s Chappie, the latest Avengers film, Adam Sandler’s Blended, all three seasons of Black Sails and Dominon seasons one and two, to name a few. Hulley says that despite these successes, there are challenges they face, as with any other industry these days. “I think most people, no matter what field they are in, will tell you it’s budget constraints that create a challenge, but in saying this it also creates a team that has to think out of the box to come up with solutions,” he says.

It would seem that this ‘can do’ attitude is prevalent in the stunts industry, with many pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,

both physically and technologically. Gideon van Schoor of The Stunt Company (Stunt Co), one of Africa’s leading stunts organisations, shared his experience on a recent shoot. “I worked on an Ikea bed ad a little while ago,” he began, “Sounds boring right? Well it turns out we had a crazy director with some far-fetched ideas! Those always get my interest perked as I know I will be forced to get creative and find new solutions. After casting about 95 girls – lots of stunt and action girls – we settled on a beautiful 19-year-old who had done very little physical stuff. In the process of the commercial, we had her in various rigs that included her dropping from 75m (there were tall skyscrapers below her). I also managed to get her to jump into an airbag from the 3rd floor. Some say I pushed her, but in reality I did have to push her mentally and we landed up in tears on a ledge outside the window, but I used the techniques I had taught her and managed to get her to a calm place and she jumped. It was a life changing few days for her,” he says.

Although stunt performers and riggers are confident of their place in the film industry, one always wonders just how much computer generated imagery and visual effects have affected them. Not that much, says Gideon.

“I anticipated the changes long before it happened. I started looking for solutions on how to do things with artists or normal people as opposed to the standard answer in those days of, ‘you have to shoot the stunt double from behind.’ Everything in life changes constantly; as film is a technological leader it stands to reason that things will change faster in our world than most other industries. If your view is that you do stunts only, you may find post-production or CGI to be stealing some of your work. But if you look for opportunities, there is potentially more work available.”

Grant Hulley says that in a way, stunts and CGI have a symbiotic relationship. “I think Stunts and CGI go together hand in hand. Yes, maybe it has taken away some of the work a stunt performer would do, but then it has also allowed us to do more because the VFX guys can remove safety lines and other things with ease now.”

Hampshire agrees, saying, “The stunt industry is going from strength to strength and even with the increasing usage of CGI it will never reduce the amount of stunt work out there. Producers and Directors will always want live action. For example, Michael Bay insists on using live action and then adds to it with CGI. There is even a shift now back to the real stunts with the actors doing most of their action,” he explains.

So, where to in 2015 and beyond? Will stunt performers, riggers and daredevils continue to push the boundaries of live action?

Grant says yes. “With the Cape Town Film Studios looking at expanding, I think we will be getting bigger budget films and TV series coming to shoot here, not just because of the favourable exchange rate but because SA has world-class crew.”

Hampshire agrees that growth is imminent, especially with an ever widening talent pool.

“In the next two to five years the industry will just keep growing. With the pool of new and talented stunt performers increasing and the international market wanting to shoot here more and more, we feel there are busy times ahead for the stunt industry.”

Gideon van Schoor sums things up perfectly: “There are very few things in life that will teach you how to reach further than you thought possible than stunt work, and if you are open to some new ideas, it can be a life transforming experience.”

12 | FEATURE

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

Homeland Season 3 © Showtime

TV PRODUCTION COMPANIES A Glorious Time for Television

by Kim Muller

S

outh Africa is a rich tapestry of film and television innovation.

Not only does it have competitive rates and world-class crew, but the infrastructure available to internationals is some of the best on the African continent – and that’s without mentioning the fact that most of Africa’s stunning locations can be recreated in South Africa. Reality formats have also taken off like wildfire in the country, with a number of unique advances in set design and technology taking place in the last year alone.

“We’ve done Fear Factor Malaysia, Fear Factor India and Fear Factor America. We’ve done You Deserve It and Dare to Dance, so we are the reality go-to house in South Africa from a technical perspective,” says Marius van Straaten, Director of Visuals TV. They’ve been pushing boundaries in 2014, laying down over 70km of fibre optic cables and integrating over 30 cameras into the workflow for reality shows they’ve been contracted to. “So the large format buyers at the moment are Endemol, Rapid Blue and M-Net, who have bought a substantial

amount of formats. Everyone’s trying to get onto the band wagon,” he explains. “South Africa is fast-becoming a reality TV hub.”

But attracting international reality TV formats to South Africa isn’t the only broadcast programming that’s been making waves in the country. Local reality shows have also become extremely popular, with M-Net announcing a South African version of Power Couple, while X-Factor South Africa and SA’s Got Talent have already been making millions of couch-ridden fans over the last few years.

FEATURE | 13

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

“

“

Not only does South Africa have competitive rates and world-class crew, but the infrastructure available to internationals is some of the best on the African continent and most of Africa’s stunning locations can be recreated in South Africa.

The South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) also recently announced their nominees and among these were local reality shows like Kabelo Boot Camp by Connect Channel, Ultimate Braai Master: The Road Less Travelled by Cooked in Africa, and Quizzical Pictures’ Clover Little Big Cook Off and Tropika Island of Treasure, now in its 6th season. Endemol’s Clash of the Choirs SA was also a crowd pleaser, while Viacom International Media Networks Africa brought The Comedy Roast of Kenny Kunene Fired Up to local screens.

A host of wildlife programmes – Game of Lions, Hippos vs Croc, Elephant Gangs and Great White Code Red, for instance – have been given a nod by the SAFTAs, while comedy shows like ZAnews: Puppet Nation, Check Coast and Lastborn Does The Loeries have slowly gained popularity. Local television drama in South Africa is also on the rise, with Afrikaans shows like Deon Opperman Produksies’ Donkerland, Stark Films’ Binnerlanders, Quizzical Pictures’ Swartwater, Born Free Media’s 90 Plein Street and others like 7de Laan and Skeem Saam making it into nominations, while African dramas like The Bomb Shelter’s Isibaya, Quizzical Pictures’ Rhythm City and soap operas like Isidingo, Scandal! and Muvhango still maintaining huge popularity with the general public.

Although quite a bit slower on the uptake, specialist, magazine, educational

and talk shows are beginning to jump into the mix, with production companies like The Bomb Shelter, Endemol South Africa, Ochre Media, Okhule Media, Vusion Media, Cooked in Africa, Nguni TV, Urban Brew, Plexus Films, Lucky Bean Media and Homebrew Films walking away with most of the SAFTA nominations in these categories.

It’s impossible to speak about television production in South Africa without mentioning the many international shows that have been shot in the country recently.

Renowned programmes like Showtime’s Homeland Season 4, Starz’ Black Sails Seasons 1-3, BBC’s Wallander Season 4, Syfy’s Dominion Seasons 1-2, BBC Three’s Bluestone 42, the critically acclaimed mini-series The Book of Negroes and most recently Apocalypse Slough featuring Rob Lowe, have all set foot within our borders.

Moonlighting and Film Afrika have been rather successful in securing the production work for these types of programmes as well as a number of internationally renowned live action films.

“Film Afrika has been at the forefront of the post-apartheid emergence of South Africa as a major film destination and helped establish Cape Town as the production hub it currently is,” says David Wicht, who’s based in the company’s Los Angeles offices. “As the demand for high-end television overtook the international film world, Film Afrika made a conscious decision to focus on longrunning television series in addition to the ongoing international features it shoots with international partners. To that end, the company opened a Los Angeles outpost, the only South African production company with a Hollywood office.”

Wicht goes on to say that South Africa has gone “from strength to strength as a production industry” and is currently well-established as one of the world’s best-known film destinations. “The country is blessed with some of the world’s best crews, a large pool of diverse Englishspeaking cast, varied and accessible locations served by first-class infrastructure, experienced and sought-after construction and art departments, a weak currency, affordable rates with low fringes and very attractive and reliable cash rebate – making South Africa the most cost effective high-quality English language shooting destination in the world,” he explains.

Scottnes Smith, Director and Producer at Coal Stove Pictures, a production company that has created unique content for local broadcasters and who recently released their first feature film and South Africa’s first dance movie, Hear ME Move, says that internationals are very interested in South Africa. “Coal Stove is in the process of opening a new division of its business overseas in Australia. To that end, I have been posted there since the day after the premiere of Hear ME Move because we believe that there is space for a new player in the international sphere, especially one with its finger on the pulse of Australasia.”

He does go on to say, however, that even though there is a vast amount of international attention, we should not neglect our local audiences and those who create content for them.

“The industry has gone through massive transformation and simply put, budgets are smaller,” says Visual TV’s van Straaten of challenges they face. “We see it with feature films, we see it with commercials, we see it with reality TV.” He says despite this, reality TV is cost effective to make and even though it might be considered as the lower end of the creative spectrum, it still helps keep many local production companies profitable.

Although Film Afrika is more involved with international television productions in South Africa, they too have challenges to overcome. “The international production sector is highly competitive internationally, with film commissions and jurisdictions constantly improving their incentives.

The dollar is a strengthening currency so the cost of shooting outside of the major countries is constantly shifting. We seldom know long in advance what we will be shooting and have up to 20 projects in active development at any one time. To effectively manage this workload requires comprehensive staff that can quickly turn around budgets and production plans,” Wicht explains. “Film Afrika is blessed with some of the finest producers and managers in the industry to manage this intensive workload,” he adds.

With Cape Town Film Studios always in demand and a slew of additional productions both local and international rumoured to shoot in South Africa in 2015, the country seems set for a healthy future in television.

14 | FEATURE

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

Television Production Companies in South Africa © Desert Rain Films

© Coco Van Oppens, BBC

© SyFy

Tom Wisdom in Dominion

Bluestone 42

A Polish shoot with Desert Rain Films

Company Name Specialty

Key Projects

Website

Africade Productions

Amazing Race, Britain’s Next Top Model

www.africadeproductions.com

AFS Productions Production House specialising in commercials and broadcast

Netflix

www.afsproductions.com

Aquavision TV Productions

Premier wildlife production company with over 10,000 hours stock footage in HD, 2K, 4K and 8K resolution

Mother Warthog

www.aquavision.co.za

Area 51 Productions

Production company with experience from big budget location shoots to studio pack shots

Tabloid (e.tv), Spirit of Olympia

www.area-51.tv

Astral Studios

TV and commercial production studios with focus on educational and animation TV series

Alison Moyet (DStv), Jojo, Mouse in the House

www.astralstudios.co.za

Bellovista Productions

Production company with experience in Southern Africa and South America, specialising in documentaries and travelogues among others

Big Banana Films

Production company facilitation documentaries, drama reconstructions in Southern Africa

Big Film and TV Productions

Filming, editing, post, directing and producing

Bluehouse FX

Broadcast Visual Effects

Hectic Nine-9

www.bluehousefx.com

Cape Town Film Studios

Cape Town Film Studios is the first custom-built Hollywood-style film studio complex of its kind in Africa, with state-of-the-art support services.

Black Sails

www.capetownfilmstudios.co.za

Chroma Television

TV, corporate and documentary production company with post production facilities

The Muhammad Ali Tour of South Africa, Wildlife Documentaries at Mala Mala and Mashatu in Botswana, SABC and M-Net programming

www.chromatelevision.co.za

Coal Stove Pictures

Film and television production company headed by an award-winning director, a seasoned actor and a well-known filmmaker

Lucky Numbers, Hear ME Move, Tooth and www.coalstove.co.za Nails, Ke Jive, Call Center, Remix, This Day in History, Papa Carlitos Shebeen, Busi’s Bed and Breakfast, Imali YE Gazi, Loxion FM

Competent Artistes

Video production for television entertainment and news

Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital Project, Interview with Oprah

www.competentartistes.tv

Dancing Light Productions

Commerical, television and film production services, as well as creators of film and TV fiction content

Let’s Fixit, High Season, Shooting Stars, Unicity

www.dancinglight.co.za

Day Zero Films / Steps

Documentary productions and international coproductions for social change.

Afridocs on DSTV, CareTakers, Steps for the Future, Why Democracy, and Why Poverty

www.steps.co.za

Production house specialising in stills, commercials and reality TV shoots

www.bellovistaproductions.com

BBC’s Walking with Cavemen, An Idiot Abroad, www.bigbanana.co.za Man Hunt: Kalahari Killers www.bigfilmandtv.com

VISUAL IMPACT | 15

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REALITY TV:

There is No Substitute for Experience

W

ith a record amount of reality TV shows completed in 2014, and 2015 not letting up; Visual Impact has once again confirmed its ability to deliver on large scale reality TV projects. For 16 years, Visual Impact has provided the technical infrastructure and expertise for reality TV shows, features, documentaries and commercials.

“We have seen a significant genre move towards reality formats, and thanks to our strengths and extensive experience we made sure we positioned ourselves well”, says Marius van Straaten, director of Visual Impact.

Experience, expertise and the ability to finance the right technology is key. Goran Music, director of Visual Impact, elaborates that “as part of the Visual Impact group consisting of 17

branches worldwide, we have the ability to source equipment quickly and competitively. This gives us an important advantage especially if deadlines are looming. Finding the right partners is also very important and our relationship with Stratosphere and Blade post production has proved to be very successful.”

Recently, Visual Impact made a significant capital investment that increased their technological infrastructure. Stefan Nell, technical director confirms that,“the move to fibre technology and signal processing has had its challenges, but the investment was absolutely worth it. We have increased our abilities tenfold.”

It is easy to see how Visual Impact’s ability to provide sophisticated fibre infrastructure, very fast data ingest and large amounts of equipment at short notice has positioned it as a formidable

partner in broadcast projects. To underscore this fact, Stefan Nell points out that on some projects Visual Impact has provided over 50 cameras of varying formats, processed Terabytes of footage daily and installed many kilometres of fibre cores.

Vital to their success is Visual Impact’s engineering workshop run by experienced broadcast engineers, Gordon de Beer and Jose da Silva. One of the best equipped Sony certified workshops on the continent allows for quick repairs and some of the best engineering brains available to create solutions and solve complex problems.

Visual Impact has participated in a wide range of reality TV shows like Fear Factor, Dare to Dance, Sweden’s Next Top Model, You Deserve It, Masterchef, Pawn Stars, Reality Check, Idols, XFactor, The Bachelor and Big Brother. Marius van Straaten points out that it is clear from recent production statistics that South Africa and the African continent will increasingly become a preferred location for reality TV projects.

Looking at Visual Impact’s philosophy and practise that There is no substitute for Experience it becomes clear why they are so well positioned to successfully complete large to small scale reality TV projects.

16 | FEATURE

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© Desert Rain Films

Company Name Specialty

Key Projects

Website

Deepend Post Production

Post for TV Series, commercials and documentaries

4Plat: Sex Tips 4 Girls, Master Chef SA, The Lab 2, Intersexions

www.deependpost.com

Desert Rain Films

Namibia’s only production service company dedicated to conservation of land, cultures and wildlife

The Amazing Race, Superhuman Animals – BBC America, ITV, The Hunt – BBC 1

www.desertrainfilms.com

Devereux-Harris

Film and video production company specialising in music videos, live shows, TV shows, and documentaries

Contact pam@dha.co.za for info

www.dha.co.za

Digital Broadcast Hub

Television broadcaster, production company

Do Productions

Production company working in both film and television industries

Dreamcatcher Productions

Production & editing company specialising in behind the scenes, production/client content management and montages and showreels

Dv8 Films

Filmed content across the production psectrum from cinema and television to mobile and internet distribution platforms

e.tv

Filmed content across the production psectrum from cinema and television to mobile and internet distribution platforms

www.etv.co.za

Endemol South Africa

One of the largest producers of quality TV content Survivor SA, Isidingo

www.endemol.com

Farm Film

The Farm is a hands-on production service company with experience shooting in over 15 countries in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands

Universal Channel, Black Mirror Series, Sky Anytime+

www.farmfilm.tv

Film Afrika

Africa’s premier production company and SA’s most prolific producer and co-producer of films for the international market

Black Sails, Dominion, Labyrinth, Chronicle, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

www.filmafrika.com

FilmAd Productions

Working with some of the leading production houses in Bollywood and the Indian film industry, with talented directors, and technical crews

Acid Factory, Altraaz, Blood Money, Cash, Dhokha, Dushman

www.filmad.co.za

Foghound Studios

Africa’s premier production company and SA’s most prolific producer and co-producer of films for the international market

Sharp Shooter for M-Net

www.foghound.co.za

Global Access

HD Studio, Live TV broadcast and streaming, pre-production, location broadcasting, post production, distribution

Money for Mahala, Gospel Grooves, Skwizas, Dzinge, Life with Thami, Dirty Laundry

www.globalaccess.co.za

www.digitalbroadcasthub.co.za My Sister’s Kids in Africa (Denmark), Where the Road Runs Out (Netherlands), 419 (USA)

www.doproductions.com www.dreamcatcherproductions. co.za

How to Steal Two Million, State of Violence, In a Time of Violence (The Line), Africa Dreaming, Short and Curlies

www.dv8.co.za

FEATURE | 17

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Company Name Specialty

Key Projects

Website

Grinder Films

Studio and stage technology for a tabletop studio work

www.griderfilms.com

Hartland Studio

Television broadcaster

www.hartlandstudio.co.za

Imageworks

An award-winning video and multimedia production company

BBC, National Geographic, MNet, Animal Planet and Discovery Channel content

www.imageworks.co.za

Kalahari Pictures

A leading Cape Town production company, offering production services for films, TV series and commercials shooting in Africa.

Dredd, District 9, SAF3, Thirteen Hours

www.kalaharipictures.com

Lemon Reel

Suppliers of feature, commercial, music video and documentary equipment and professionals in Namibia

Let It Rain Films

A collective passionate about commercials, feature films, television content and documentaries

Survivor 2, Amazing Race, Voices, BBC, Jack Up Your Shack

www.letitrainfilms.com

Man Makes a Picture

Production house specialising in documentaries and television

It’s Africa’s Time, Straatpraat, Mzala – Discovers Wine in the Winelands

www.manmakesapicture.co.za

Maxi-D TV Productions

Film and television content production

SABC 1 – Skeem Saam

dmaxbrown@mweb.co.za

Metal Tiger Productions

Metal Tiger Productions is a streamlined production company offering huge experience without the expensive frills.

Sky Sports, Canalsat

www.metaltigerproductions. co.za

Miros Films

One of SA’s longest established production companies with over 47 years’ experience

M-Net Production Services

Television broadcaster, studios

www.lemonreel.com

www.miros.co.za Special interest, magazine and other shows including Big Brother Africa and Carte Blanche

www.mnetcorporate.co.za www.mnet.co.za

18 | FEATURE

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Company Name Specialty

Key Projects

Website

Modern Times

Production house with boutique post-production facility built around FCP, DVD authoring, conversions, web, multimedia and audio mix

SABC, Carte Blanche inserts, Burden of Truth, All About Reeva, Finding Leigh, A Tangled Web

www.modern.co.za

Moonlighting Film production Services

One of the premier production companies in southern Africa for production services, coproductions and structured financing with over 20 years’ experience

Homeland Season 4, Livingstone, Locked up Abroad, How We Invented the World, The Challenger, Mary and Martha, Restless, The Borrowers, Flight of the Storks, Infested, Mister Bob, Pirate Island, Hitchcock, I Shouldn’t be Alive 4

www.moonlighting.co.za

Morula Pictures

Award-winning, BEE compliant TV production house with credentials including primetime drama, serial drama, feature films and children’s television

Magic Cellar, Generations, How to Steal 2 Million, Winnie the Opera, HANI, JOZI H, Backstage

www.morula.co.za

Ochre Moving Pictures (Ochre Media)

OMP Production Services offer post-production facilities with flexible, 24 hour service

Mzansi, Kwanda, Scandal!, Relate, Takalani Sesame, Take 5, The Wedding Show

www.ochre.tv

ODM

Television broadcaster

Off The Fence South Africa

International company producing and distributing documentaries, factual features and TV shows

Britain’s Broken Families, Confessions of an Alien Abductee, Freaks of Nature, Stan Lee’s Superhumans Season 3, Wildest Indochina, Wildest Middle East, World’s Wildest City: Manaus

www.offthefence.com

Okuhle Media

An award-winning media and production company that currently delivers over 500 hours of content per year, both locally and internationally

Signal High Season 2, Kasi0-Licious, Hectic Nine-9, Glitterboys & Ganglands, My Night Reality Series

www.okuhle.co.za

One Step Beyond

A service production company with experience in commercials, film and television

BBC London, The Entertainment Group (Netherlands)

www.onestepbeyond.co.za

Orijin

Leading broadcast design group in South Africa

BBC London, The Entertainment Group (Netherlands)

www.orijin.co.za

Out of Africa Entertainment

Production company with an experienced team able to provide a “hands-on” approach to both television and film productions

Wild at Heart, The Prisoner, Strike Back, Generation Kill, The Royal, The Bang Bang Club, Bluestone 42, The Book of Negroes

www.outofafrica.info

Pieter Cilliers Productions

Award-winning television production company specialising in magazine programmes, actuality and documentaries

Kwêla (kykNET)

www.pietercilliers.co.za

Quizzical Pictures

An industry leader for over 15 years, creating quality TV drama, factual programmes and digital content innovations

Rhythm City, Intersexions I & II, Swartwater, 4Play: Sex Tips for Girls, the Lab, Those Who Can’t I & II, Hopeville

www.quizzical.co.za

Rapid Blue

World class television producers for SA, Nigeria SA’s Got Talent, Pawn Stars SA, Strictly Come and the rest of Africa, from live TV to international Dancing, The X Factor SA, Dragon’s Den, formats

www.rapidblue.com

Red Cherry Media

SA’s leading media production company with complete BEE status

Maynards, FNB, Beacon, Nedbank, Fidelity, OMO, Energade,

www.redcherry.co.za

Red Pepper Pictures

TV production house and animation facilities

Ed and Eppa In the Wild

www.redpepper.tv

Sasani Studios

Television and film studios with post production facilities

National Geographic, Scandal!, Muvhango, www.sasanistudios.co.za Rhythm City, Turn It Out, 7de Laan, Big Brother – The Chase, eKasi

Seed Post House

Post production house for TV commercials, web ads, feature films and documentary series

Carte Blanche

SABC

The SABC has broadcast, recording and outside broadcast facilities across the country

Spier Films

Spier Films is an award-winning production and finance company with offices in Cape Town, London and Reykjavik.

The Salvation, The Price of Suger, Veraaiers, Of Good Report, Trend Beacons, Indigenous Encounters, Highway Vultures

www.spierfilms.com

Stark Films

Friedrich Stark is a television producer creating content for the SABC

Generations

friedrich@postmasters.co.za

Street Stories Films

Company broadcasting four seasons of Street Talk in Western Cape, Eastern Cape and DStv

Street Talk

www.streettalktv.com

www.starsat.com

www.seedposthouse.co.za web.sabc.co.za/sabc/home/bf

FEATURE | 19

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Company Name Specialty

Key Projects

Website

Talking Pictures

A specialist production company focusing on natural history, cultural and wildlife related productions

Nature On Track, The Whole Story, Young and Wild, Nature’s Babies

www.talkingpics.com

Tekweni TV Productions

Production company

The Bomb Shelter

Production company focused on local talent, TV dramas, documentaries, commercials and museum instalments

Isibaya, Jacob’s Cross, Yizo Yizo, Shuga, Soul Buddyz, Think Big live on SABC 3

www.thebomb.co.za

The Bridge

Production house for film, television and media

Vallei van Sluiers, Medua – Queen of the Climb, The Story of an African Farm

www.thebridgesa.co.za

The Video Lounge

Production house for commercials, television series, documentaries and reality shows among others working across Africa

TVPC Media

Production house for commercials, television series, documentaries and reality shows among others working across Africa

SuperSport, e.tv, Sky, SABC, MTV, M-Net, The Game, The Wrap and live sport broadcasts

www.tvpcmedia.com

Two Oceans Production

TOP have produced more than 60 movies for the German speaking market, both TV and features

Superdad, Rosa 2, Stranded in Paradise, Grzimek, Unfriend, The Sinking of the Laconia

www.topproduction.de

Ukhamba

Television and video productions, editing, graphic design and animation

Urban Legends International

Film, television and commercials on-set production services and post production

Black Sails Season 1, Mad Dogs Season 3, Seal Team 8, Heatstroke, Skrillex – Ragga Bomb

www.urbanlegendsinternational. com

Visual Impact

The authority in both digital and high definition broadcast solutions in South Africa

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, Fear Factor Malaysia, India & America, You Deserve It, Dare to Dance

www.visuals.tv

Waterfront Film Studios

TV Series, Staging, Post Production, Visual Effects Dominion

www.waterfrontfilmstudios.com

Waterston Entertainment

TV and film productions specialising in documentaries, children’s live action, entertainment TV and commercials

Scrapmac and the Sky Raiders, Antartica: Ice World Pioneers, Whispering the Wild, Circle of Ice

www.waterston.tv

We Shoot Food

Tabletop studio run by Rob Payton & Farm Film

J’Accuse – The Superchefs C4 UK, Further Abroad – Beer BBC 2, Two Fat Ladies – BBC 2, Gary Rhodes around Britain BBC2

www.farmfilm.tv/weshootfood

Wicked Pixels

Award-winning production company offering highly creative visual solutions to advertising, broadcast and gaming industries

Top TV, Design Indaba, SuperSport, South African Music Awards

www.wickedpixels.com

Zen HQ Films

ZenHQ Films is a leading film and television production company based in Cape Town, South Africa, with offices in Los Angeles

Die Windpomp, 12, 4 Women, Black Beauty

www.zen-hq.com

www.satvchannel.com

www.thevideolounge.co.za

www.ukhamba.com

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this list by no means covers all the vibrant production companies currently working in Southern Africa, but merely serves as a guide to the main production companies and studios with either broadcast facilities or who have experience operating in the television sphere.

“

“

Reality formats have taken off like wildfire in South Africa, with a number of unique advances in set design & technology taking place in the last year alone.

20 | IN PRODUCTION

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

© PBS Masterpiece

IN PRODUCTION March 2015 Thanks to ever-present confidentiality clauses, no one is ever allowed to officially talk about what’s in production in Africa, but here are some of the projects to look forward to.

Apocalypse Slough The story takes place in the last few days of mankind’s existence, as a comet makes its way towards an inevitable meeting with Earth.

Rob Lowe, Jenna Fischer, Megan Mullally, Mathew Baynton and Pauline Quirke will star.

Be sure to expect madcap comedy, explosions and the requisite amount of romance in this apocalyptic comedy.

Alison Towerkop Creations’ Uga Carlini is writing and directing this adaptation of the remarkable life story of Alison Botha, who survived being raped, stabbed 37 times, and disemboweled, not to mention having her throat slashed 17 times. Christia Visser (Hollywood in My Huis) stars as the young Alison, with Amy Nelson producing.

Black Sails The pirates are back at Cape Town Film Studios filming season three of Black Sails, which premieres on Starz on 24 January 2015, according to Deadline. The first season of the Treasure Island prequel set a viewership record of a Starz original series and won two Emmy Awards. Film Afrika is producing.

Detour Written and directed by Christopher Smith, indie thriller Detour will begin shooting in South Africa in the coming months. Tye Sheridan, currently the darling of the indie scene and a rising star in young Hollywood, will star as Harper, a student who plots the murder of a deceitful relative. Sheridan has previously worked alongside Matthew McConaughey and Nicholas Cage.

Dominion

Season one of Syfy’s Dominion had mixed reviews, with a 70% rating on IMDB, a 47% metascore on Metacritic, and a brutal review in The Hollywood Reporter, where Tim Goodman called the angels versus humans drama “one of the dumbest, worst-acted, most poorly written series I’ve seen in ages.”

So the South African industry will be relieved to know that it still screened to over two million total viewers in June, according to Deadline, and has been renewed for a 13-episode second season, expected to start filming this month. Film Afrika is producing.

Last Broken Darkness Local actors Sean Cameron Michael (Black Sails) and Brandon Auret (Elysium) are attached to star in this post-apocalyptic action drama, directed by Christopher Lee Dos Santos and produced by DS Films and The Karoo Film Company. Let’s hope it’s a dramatic improvement on Christopher’s first film, vampire thriller Eternity, which Munyaradzi Vomo memorably wrote made him feel like he was “trapped in a year-long eclipse.”

Mat Joubert According to Out of Africa’s website, this adaptation of Deon Meyer’s crime novel Dead Before Dying went into production in December as a co-production with Germany company All-In Production.

Mohenjo Daro Variety says Ashutosh Gowariker (the Oscarnominated crossover hit Lagaan) is directing Mohenjo Daro, an epic period adventure

and love story set during the Indus Valley Civilization. Disney Studios India is producing, while Hrithik Roshan and Miss India Universe 2010 runner-up Pooja Hegde will co-star.

Digital Spy says the film will start shooting in January after a six-week delay caused by Roshan injuring his shoulder at gym.

Queen of Katwe Shadow & Act reports that Mira Nair is lined up to direct an adaptation of Tim Crothers book, Queen of Katwe, about a Ugandan chess prodigy. Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave) is set to star, with Disney producing. It’s expected to film in Uganda, where Nair set up the Maisha Film Lab.

The Siege of Jadotville

According to Deadline, 50 Shades of Grey and The Fall star Jamie Dornan will be in South Africa in 2015 to film The Siege of Jadotville, the feature film debut of commercials and music video director Richie Smyth.

Set in the Congo just after the murder of Patrice Lumumba, Dornan will play Commandant Pat Quinlan, an Irishman who led a UN battalion of 150 Irish troops that held out against a force of 3 000 local troops led by French and Belgian mercenaries working for the mining companies.

Wallander Sir Kenneth Branagh is shooting an episode of his hit series Wallender on our shores, with Out of Africa. A largely South African cast will appear alongside Sir Branagh’s police inspector in the UK series. Wallender is based on Swedish novelist Henning Mankell’s Kurt Wallander novels.

22 | FEATURE

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

FIXERS IN AFRICA: The Real Deal

by Carryn Gabriels

W

hen I was first assigned the task of compiling an industry audit of Africa’s most reputable film fixers, I had a very little idea of how big a task it would be.

What exactly do film fixers do? Where and how does one find them? And I do not mean the run of the mill, self-proclaimed fixer, I mean the real deal – more importantly, enough of the real deal to compile an industry audit.

There is this beautiful continent, Africa, most of which many of us have not explored fully or even a bit. But there are people who have. These people are fixers.

But why use a fixer rather than a production company, I asked. There was general consensus among the fixers I corresponded with, making my question seem futile, but for those wondering the same thing, the consensus is: it is simply more cost effective than the production company route. Using a fixer allows the filmmaker the required access and all the contacts without having the cost of bringing in the whole office setup or the cost of a local production office.

When filmmakers come to this beautiful continent, they enter and approach locations, languages, cultures, and way of operating that sometimes differ from what they are used to. You, as filmmakers, know what you need and what you want – a desert location, wildlife, permits to work, camera equipment, accommodation for crew, transport, the list goes on – but just how do you get all that?

Fixers have knowledge on the ground to prepare the way and find solutions to obstacles as they arise. ‘Fixers become an extension of production,’ says Bernd, a Southern African fixer whose expertise include scouting, locations, permits and local crew/ equipment.

Bernd is Namibian, born and bred, and can be contacted through Lemon Reel Film Services who provide a number of services

Tania Jenkins walks an elephant in the Okavango delta.

and equipment specialised for the smaller production or documentary. Bernd says, ‘I have worked on every continent and my love for Africa and its natural beauty have brought me back here.’

Another Namibian fixer, found by recommendation, is Paul van der Ploeg. Van der Ploeg started out as an off-road safari guide in Namibia in 1991. The tour guides became the key access for documentary filmmakers in the 90’s as they knew all the locations and logistics around working in ‘hard to get’ regions. This developed into an industry in Namibia over the years, for doccies, commercials, reality and film. Based in Swakopmund, just 20 minutes from the desert locations of dunefields, canyons, inselbergs and gravel plains, he is now the owner of Sandstone Logistics and operates as a scout/ fixer/ location manager, dealing with permits and access into locations, including environmental impact studies from crews that are required by parks for larger shoots.

One of the things I learned through undertaking this piece, and you should note, is: filmmakers (and others) who need a fixer MUST do a good background check on their potential fixers, and try as much as possible to get a recommendation from someone that has worked with a potential fixer.

Ayubu Kasasa is one such recommendation from my go-to fixer in the initial stages of research, Margie McMahon. The multilingual Kasasa is based in Rwanda, and specialises in securing film permits and sourcing local actors, and takes a hands-on approach to fixing. ‘I love taking good care of people. I organize logistics such as transport and hotels.

I quite like driving my clients and take special satisfaction in personally looking after my clients. I speak five languages which include English, French, Swahili, and other Rwandan and Ugandan languages, and translate

The other half of AfriScreen Films; fixer Tania Jenkins.

interviews and act as a go between to foreign production companies and local authorities in the Great Lakes region.

Qualities such as these are what set fixers apart from the conventional office and production company route; personality and being personable.

Personable, experienced, resourceful, and passionate are but a few characteristics of afore mentioned and well-known fixer, Margie McMahon. Having worked in the South African film industry for more than 20 years, McMahon, quickly built up a reputation as one of the industry’s top Line Producers. Well versed in film, the industry and its workings, her love for Africa and all it has to offer has drawn Margie to producing work in other African countries. McMahon’s connections, travel and filming experience now extend to 20 African countries, and she has built up sturdy relationships with suppliers and learnt the finer intricacies’ of traveling and filming in what can often be described as challenging circumstances.

Another female powerhouse in the land of fixing is Tania Jenkins, the other half of AfriScreen Films, with Mike Holding. Botswana is this pair’s primary territory and focus, yet their ‘on the ground knowledge’ extends to Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. AfriScreen has accumulated 25+ years African wildlife filming expertise, 200+ hours Cineflex aerial experience, 25+ years feature film and TV drama experience, 25+ years editing and post production skills and a lifetime of African bush skills and field operations. The company’s resume includes BBC Top Gear Special, shot in Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania; The Amazing Race Season 22, two episodes shot in Botswana; and facilitating news crews such as Al Jazeera and BBC Fast Track.

As I reflect on my research, the people I’ve come into contact with, and my earlier

FEATURE | 23

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

question “why use fixers?”, I find myself (as I hope after this reading this you do too) asking “why not?”

Fixers today, have evolved somewhat from the fixers of yester-year. Van der Ploeg confirms, “This is a fast growing and essential

sector, to ensure the highest quality of ‘Local Expertise’ service at the best ‘Production Value.’” As you may or may not know, politics and regulations change regularly and quickly in Africa, fixers, the real deal ones, have built relationships and reputations solid enough

to make “red tape” disappear or shift slightly.

Bernd eloquently encapsulates this by saying, “Nowadays it is more a guiding through the maze of options, what can be done with time and budget in mind. A lot more wrangling red tape than suggesting.”

NAME

COMPANY NAME/ FREE LANCE

COUNTRY

SPECIALITY

CONTACT DETAILS

Ayubu Kasasa

Freelance

Rwanda

Director, Producer, Securing Film Permits and Sourcing Local Actors

Tel: +25 07 88 844 473

Bernd

Lemon Reel Film Services

Namibia

Scouting, Locations, Permits and Local Crew/ Equipment

Tel: +264 81 122 7717 Email: bernd@lemonreel.com

Brad Logan BLM

Productions Film and Stills Production

South Africa: Cape Town, Durban

Production, Locations

Tel: +27 21 437 1621

Caleb Bahati Kabanda

Freelance

Democratic Republic of Congo

News crews in politically volatile areas

Tel: +243 822491027 Email: calebkaban@yahoo.fr

Coen Oldenhof and Hary Rason

Cinéroutes

Madagascar

Fixer/producer, Crews, Documentaries

Tel: +261 32 400 0404 Tel: +261 32 021 7843 Email: cineroutes@moov.mg Email: routes.2000@wxs.nl

Colette Massier

Desert Rain Films

Namibia

Landscapes, Wildlife, People, Cinematography

Tel: +264 (0) 81 659 5405 Email: colette@naankuse.com

Derrick Kibisi

talking film PRODUCTION

Uganda

Producer/Crew Fixer

Tel: +25 6792 902 991 Email: dkibisi@talkingfilmproduction.com

Ginger Wilson

Ginger Ink Producer

Nairobi

Locations, People, Equipment, Ccrew, Logistics

Email: info@gingerink.tv

Helen Atty

Two Seas TV

South Africa

Locations, People, Equipment, Crew, Logistics

Email: helen@twoseas.cc

Jean Hartley

Viewfinders EPZ Ltd

Kenya

Facilitation, Documentary Film Crews, Permits

Tel: (254) (0) 716 875928 Email: info@viewfindersltd.com

Joseph Muwowo

Mystic Pictures Zambia

Zambia

Post-Production, Electronic News Gathering, Shooting

Tel: +26 0955 558 259

Karen Brooks

Freelance

South Africa, Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia,

Wildlife Documentary Production, Reality Production, Budget Development

Tel: +27 83 259 6324 Email: kbrooks@netactive.co.za

Lesley-Anne Mulder

Outbound Film

Namibia, Zambia

Léonce Ngabo

Freelance

Burundi

Researching

Tel: + 257 79 563 611 Email: lngabo@yahoo.fr

Margie McMahon

Freelance

Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania, Seychelles,Ghana

Line Producing, Locations, Logistics, Equipment

Tel: +27 21 422 1321 Email: mcmahon@icon.co.za

Paul van der Ploeg

Sandstone Logistics

Namibia

Scouting, Location Management, Permits, Environmental Impact Studies

Tel: +264 81 2769 Email: paulnamibia@iway.na

Ramses Mahfoudh

Godolphin Films

Tunisia

Researching

Tel: +216 71 755 610 Email: Info@godolphin-films.com

Richard and Janice Beatty

African Environments

Tanzania

Location, Accommodation, Talent Finding, Aerial Filming

Tel: +255 27 250 8625 Email: beatty@africanenvironments.co.tz> janiceb@africanenvironments.com

Rick Matthews

Big Banana Films

South Africa, Namibia

Producer / Location Scout / Photographer

Tel: +27 11 880 6686 Email: bigbanana@mweb.co.za

Rob Clifford

Robin Pope Safaris

Zambia

Wildlife-specific Fixer

Tel: +260 978 695 732 Email: rob@robinpopesafaris.net

Tania Jenkins

AfriScreen Films

Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia

Editorial ideas, Logistical Support and Production Management

Tel: +267 680 1123 / 6862570 Email: tania.jenkins@afriscreen.com

Zablon Beyene

Zab Ethiopia Tours

Ethiopia

Researching, Locations Management

Tel: +251 118 60 85 64 Email: zablon@zabtoursethiopia.com

Tel: +264 81 458 6554 (Namibia) Email: lesley@outboundfilm.co.za

24 | FEATURE

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© MIPTV

MIPTV 2015 PREVIEW © MIPTV

MIPTV 13 - 16 April 2015

MIPDOC 11 - 12 April 2015 The Grand Hyatt Cannes Hôtel Martinez in Cannes, France, will host the world’s largest Screenings Library, that is MIPDoc. The showcase of non-fiction and unscripted programming will screen 1,500 projects over two days to more than 400 buyers, prior to MIPTV.

MIPFORMATS 11 - 12 April 2015 The world’s leading producers, commissioners, buyers and distributors have the opportunity to witness and discover the best in entertainment formats at MIPFormats. Held at the Palais des Festivals - Cannes, France, the two-day showcase is the incubator of a new wave of must-see formats.

© MIPTV

As April approaches, it is almost time for MIPTV 2015. Cannes, France, is the setting for the biggest annual TV & Digital content market event of the year. This year, execs and creative talents from 100 countries across the globe will gather at the Palais des Festivals for the world’s most-established entertainment industry platform between 11-16 April.

Delegates converge at this prestigious event to build business, form content partnerships, launch co-production projects, and seal international distribution deals at the earliest stages of development for the year ahead.

Exhibitions, conferences, networking, and screenings are aspects of the exciting agenda at MIPTV. In addition to the highlight of the convention, MIPTV, delegates are invited to attend two sub-divisions of the programme: MIPDoc and MIP Formats.

MIPTV by the Numbers MIPTV 13 - 16 April 2015 • 11,000 Participants, 100 Countries, 60 Keynotes • 25 Pavilions, 3,800 Buyers, 1,600 Exhibiting Companies • 1,700 Production Companies • 1,000 Vod Buyers, 300 Journalists MIPDOC 11 - 12 April 2015 • 700 Participants, 470 Companies, 400 Buyers • 50+ Countries, 2,000+ Hours of Screened Programmes • 1,500 Programmes and Projects, 30,000 Screenings MIPFORMATS 11 - 12 April 2015 • 992 Participants, 327 Buyers, 67 Countries, 143 Programmes

Raps, director at Chocolate Milk & Cookies Productions.

The Callsheet caught up with Chocolate Milk & Cookies Productions (CMC). CMC was founded in 2007 by film director Raps. With more than 15 years of industry experience, CMC began predominantly producing commercials, then later ventured into long form feature films, documentary and music videos. Here’s what the MIPTV first timer had to say: “We provide high-end and below-theline production value to clients in the communication advertising industry. As a young company our aim for the festival is to network with industry players to create awareness for South African filmmakers on the international stage and hopefully make contact with possible funders, distributors and sales agents, creating a healthy base for getting our finished products to be showcased after completion. This will be the first time Chocolate Milk & Cookies will attend the MIPTV festival and we are looking forward to a fruitful engagement with the hopes of screening a documentary we are developing with called Black Sunday ‘A Moment In Time.’”

Gambit Films, a creative brain trust that develops and produces high quality independent film and television content for local and international audiences, is taking the film and television industry by storm. Gambit Films is among the South African attendees at this year’s MIPTV, and said: “Our primary goal for MIPTV is to seek out one or more international broadcaster/s to partner with us on a globally appealing crime drama television series that we have developed. In addition to this, we will make relevant connections and forge relationships with content seekers that will become potential buyers for some of our future film and

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FEATURE | 25

As a young company our aim for the festival is to network with industry players to create awareness for South African filmmakers on the international stage and hopefully make contact with possible funders, distributors and sales agents.

television content and programming.”

Having attended MIPTV before, Gambit Films considers the market a vital component in connecting local content producers with international buyers. “It is the primary conference for all aspiring producers to establish an international presence for television programming and should be considered a staple in the international networking arena. In 2015, we expect to learn even more about the latest global television trends so that we may continue to develop for, and operate on an international scale.”

- Travis Taute, Gambit Films’ Writer, Director, and Producer.

An interview with Ted Baracos, Director of Market Development, Reed MIDEM The Callsheet: How large has Africa’s presence been at MIPTV in previous years and what is the estimated African turnout for 2015 MIPTV? Ted Baracos: We are expecting approximately 200 delegates from Africa at MIPTV 2015.

This number has doubled over the last two years and we have more buyers and sellers attending. One of the reasons that the number of buyers is growing is because of the digital explosion of new channels. The countries with the biggest growth are Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.

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www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

The Callsheet: How has African content developed since it’s participation at MIPTV? Baracos: Both MIPTV and MIPCOM have helped African producers recognise that there is a demand in the international market for good stories from Africa, but that it takes time, commitment, and stable presence at international markets to develop this potential.

There are also many international companies looking to do co-production deals with African companies. Africa is also a fabulous location for many productions as it offers a vast array of exceptional sites of natural beauty.

The Callsheet: What is MIPTV hoping to achieve from this event? What can attendees look forward to this year?

Baracos: MIPTV is the world’s biggest market for the TV industry in the first half of the year, so in addition to selling content it offers opportunities for international co-production and meeting new digital platforms. There will be an exceptional programme at MIPTV in April with three key accelerator events, MIPDoc, MIPFormats and Junior@MIPTV. The conference programme will also focus on producers and digital content will be at the heart of the second MIP Digital Fronts. With over 110 countries attending there is a real interest by the international TV community to coproduce and do business with Africa.

26 | FEATURE

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• Research channels; what they are scheduling and what is working • Get your log-on details and spend time going through the databases.

• Give a lot of thought as to who you would like to meet with.

• Send meeting requests as early as possible – ideally 6 – 8 weeks before the market.

• Download the conference schedule and make notes of which ones you want to attend.

Louise McClelland, Chief Creative Officer and Co-founder of Okuhle Media.

7 Tips for Rocking MIPTV

by Louise McClelland, Chief Creative Officer and Co-founder of Okuhle Media.

1. Planning your content and the sale of it Your content needs to be unique to SA – not a generic concept that can be sold/produced anywhere.

Leave a lasting impression: • Put effort into your treatment and brochure; • Have eye-catching leave-behind (ideally a Flashdrive) • Double-sided business cards: your details on the one side, show details on the other.

2. Sizzle Reel A sizzle reel helps buyers understand: • Your idea, • The tone , look and feel.

• Your vision and its viability • Your commitment – you’ve taken the time to research and produce this.

Making your sizzle reel: • Develop your idea on paper first: research other shows of the same genre; think about how the audience would view it and how it would be produced. Have your friends listen to your idea. Know what makes your idea unique.

• Determine the commercial

viability of the show idea: have an idea of the cost of producing the show; research the type of programming on potential channels; research the buyers. Know what has worked before and what hasn’t.

• Build your value and negotiating leverage: if you’re building a show around someone or some intellectual property, be sure you have a deal in place. When building a show around a personality, lock in the talent in advance.

• Choosing your type of sizzle: - Rip-o-matic –cut from other sources and may never be broadcast.

- Talent sizzle – focuses solely on the talent being pitched; usually done in their usual environment, including sound bites from sit-down interviews.

- Teaser sizzle – exciting promo, doesn’t give away too much about the show.

- Standard sizzle – much like a movie trailer, outlines all elements and vision of the show.

Production of the sizzle reel: • Budget ranges from R10 – R100K. • Once the type of sizzle has been decided, it is time to work out how to pay for it and produce it.

3. Planning Your Market • Subscribe to online newsletters eg. C21, Realscreen, World Screen Weekly

4. Meetings • Study the venue layout before you step into the building. (The Palais) • Put the stand numbers in your diary with your meetings, getting lost in the Palais is no fun.

• Plan your meetings carefully to avoid running around.

• Build relationships with distribution companies, they will help you get into the market.

• By building relationships with international production companies, you will be able to receive network mandates from them. This is a good insight to have.

• Be confident, know about their brand or organisation.

5. Financial Plan What to know for your financial plan: • Production Budget • What funding you have • What your deficit is • Make use of the co-production and SA-owned rebates. Know these.

• Know what content qualifies and other criteria 6. The Market • Grab a map at registration – mark off where your meetings are.

• Take detailed notes at every meeting.

• Attend as many network functions as you can.

7. Feedback • Email everyone you met and socialised with.

• Keep interested parties up to date with any developments on your projects.

• Translate your learnings into local content.

SPOTLIGHT | 27

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Captured with the Nikon D810, Courtesy of www.europe-nikon.com © Miss Aniela

NIKON D810: The Devil's in the Detail

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same remarkable image quality to 1080p at 60/50/30/25/24p uncompressed to an external device and compressed to a CF or SD card – or both simultaneously.

The ISO Auto Adjust really does wonders in streamlining the technical workflow, allowing one to move between dark and light scenes with no iris or frame-rate adjustments. It also changes a shot’s depth of field quite easily, although I think it takes a bit of practice on the cinematographer’s part to really ensure it’s a smooth transition. I struggled at times, but it was a struggle I relished.

Key Specifications: • • • •

• •

• © www.nikonistas.com

lthough at first glance it seems like a pretty camera that packs a whole lot of punch, there’s so much more to the Nikon D810 than initially meets the eye. Not only does it have a staggeringly high resolution of 36.3 megapixels, but it also has stunning image quality that manages to take bold, vibrant photographs even on Auto settings.

According to Nikon’s official website, “The D810 truly raises the bar for image quality and dynamic range.” This is clearly demonstrated in the all-new FX format full-frame image sensor design, together with Nikon’s EXPEED 4 image processing – ensuring gorgeous, clear images with flawless detail retention.

Its range – ISO 64 to ISO 12,800 – is ideal for all types of environments and ethnicities, giving photographers a perfect picture whether they’re in a dingy club or out on the brightest of days. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I was privileged enough to have the Nikon while filming interviews at a recent conference and the way the colours popped in each video, you’d say I filmed it on a top tier, professional cinema camera. That’s not to say that this isn’t a professional device, but it is a lot less daunting than a Black Magic or a RED, for instance! The D810 can record at the

by Kim Muller

• • • •

•

Effective Pixels: 36.3 million Sensor Size: 35.9 mm x 24 mm Image Sensor Format: FX Storage Media: CompactFlash© (CF) (Type I, compliant with UDMA), SD, SDHC, SDXC Top Continuous Shooting Speed at full resolution: 5 frames per second ISO Sensitivity: ISO 64 -12,800, Lo-1 (ISO 32), Hi-1 (ISO 25,600), Hi-2 (ISO 51,200) Movie: Full HD 1,920x1,080 / 60 fps, Full HD 1,920x1,080 / 50 fps, Full HD 1,920x1,080 / 30 fps, Full HD 1,920x1,080 / 25 fps, Full HD 1,920x1,080 / 24 fps, HD 1,280x720 / 60 fps, HD 1,280x720 / 50 fps Monitor Size: 3.2 inch diagonal Monitor Type: Wide Viewing Angle TFT-LCD Battery / Batteries: EN-EL15 Lithium-ion Battery Approx. Dimensions (Width x Height x Depth): 5.8 in. (146 mm) x 4.9 in. (123 mm) x 3.3 in. (81.5 mm) Approx. Weight: 31.1 oz. (880 g) camera body only

28 | ASSOCIATIONS

The South African Film and Television industry, in collaboration with the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF), announced the nominees of the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), an award ceremony of honouring and promoting the creativity and excellence of South African film and television talent, now its 8th year of existence.

This year’s SAFTAs will be held on the 20th and 22nd of March 2015. 438 entries were received for the 2015 SAFTAs. Some of the nominees include: Best Documentary Feature: • I, Afrikaner - Go Trolley Films • The Vula Connection - Sabido Productions • Miners Shot Down - Uhuru Productions Best Achievement in Directing Documentary Feature: • Miners Shot Down - Rehad Desai • I, Afrikaner - Annalet Steenkamp • Fatherland - Tarryn Crossman Best Short Film: • Security - Mannequin Pictures • Keys, Money, Phone - Muti Films • Picture Perfect Heist - Benchfilms Best Reality show: • Kabelo’s Boot-camp - Connect TV • Ultimate Braai Master: The roads less traveled - Cooked in Africa Films • I Want To Sing Gospel - Eclipse TV

Best TV Drama: • Swartwater - Quizzical Pictures • 90 plein street - Born Free Media • Donkerland - Deon Opperman Produksies Best Actress in a lead role -TV drama: • Jenna Dunster as Anna de Witt in Donkerland • Nthati Moshesh as Dibuseng Makwarela in Thola • Jana Strydom as Karen Le Roux in Swartwater Best Actor in a lead role -TV drama: • Louw Venter as Francois Le Roux in Swartwater • Gerard Rudolf as Johan de Jager in Donkerland • Hannes Muller as Klien Piet de Witt in Donkerland Best TV Soap: • Binnelanders - Stark Films • Isibaya 2 - Bomb • Rhythm City - Quizzical Pictures Best TV Comedy: • ZA news: Puppet nation - Both Worlds • Check Coast - Burnt Onion Productions • Lastborn does The Loeries - Quizzical Pictures Best Actress in a lead role -TV Comedy: • Motlatji Ditodi as Baby in Kota Life Crisis • Tsholo Monedi as Tiny in Skwizas 3 • Mary Mhlongo as MaKhambule in Skwizas 3 • Busisiwe Lurayi as Phumzile in Ses top la II • Lilian Dube as Mmane in Skwizas 3

Best Actor in a lead role - TV Comedy: • Nik Rabinowitz as Desmond Tutu, Pieter De Villiers, Vladimir Putin, Oscar Pistorius etc in ZaNews: Puppet Nation • Mackmillian Leshumo as Voni in Kota Life Crisis • Thabo Malema as Khaya in Single Guys • Thomas Gumede as Zanele in Single Guys Best Feature Film: • iNumber Number - Quizzical Pictures • Four Corners - Giant Films • Faan se Trein - Faan Films (PTY) LTD Best Achievement in Directing Feature Film: • iNumber Number - Donovan Marsh • Faan se Trein - Koos Roets • Four Corners - Ian Gabriel Best Achievement in Scriptwriting Feature Film: • iNumber Number - Donovan Marsh • Faan se Trein - Pieter Fourie • Four Corners - Hofmeyr Scholtz Best Actress in a lead role - Feature Film: • Thishiwe Zuqubu as Skiets in Hard to Get • Erica Wessels as Helena in Alles wat Mal is • Elzette Maarschalk as Aletta in Seun • Donalee Roberts as Amore in Pad Na jou Hart Best Actor in a lead role – Feature Film: • Jezriel Skei as Ricardo in Four corners • S’dumo Mtshali as Chili Ncgobo in iNumber Number • Pallance Dladla as TK in Hard to Get • Willie Esterhuizen as Faan in Faan se Trein

© Desert Rain Films

2015 SAFTAs nominees

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INDIES & SHORTS | 29

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Short Film Review:

LOVE IS STICKY BUSINESS

by Kim Muller

A scene from the short film He Took His Skin Off For Me.

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onderfully weird and a slight bit disturbing, He Took His Skin Off For Me is an 11 minute short about doing just about anything for the person you love. In this quirky little story, centred around a couple who absolutely adore each other, he does exactly what the title says

and takes his skin off to show his partner just how much he loves her. And it is disgusting.

Terribly disgustingly beautiful. The gesture isn’t lost on her, she loves him all the more for it.

But as hours turn into days turn into months, things slowly begin to unravel and she begins to notice his demeanour change as he yearns for the days where remnants of his insides weren’t left everywhere.

Director Ben Aston does a wonderful job of quietly questioning the parameters of love and how much we’d do to show our significant others that we care about them. How much we’d change for them, how much of ourselves we’d abandon for them. Based on the short story of the same name by award-winning writer Maria Hummer, it truly is a “twisted modernday fairytale,” just as the official description

says. “In the end we had to build our own SFX department from the ground-up to bring the story to life,” says Aston. “It is, bizarrely, also a student production, being my own graduation film from the London Film School.”

The story is incredibly surreal, yet tangible – as though it could be happening right next door. With the help and guidance of Colin Arthur (NeverEnding Story and 2001: A Space Odyssey) they built their own independent crew of sculptors, makeup artists and special effects newbies. Starring Sebastian Armesto as the man who has no skin (spoiler: it’s hanging in the wardrobe!) and the graceful, delicate Anna Maguire as his lover, the production is unparalleled in its storytelling. The devil, they say, is in the details, and in this show, the details are difficult to miss. Absolutely stunning.

30 | COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT

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© craigbcn (via www.freeimages.com)

MOROCCO:

Catering to every taste

L

ined by both the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Ocean and rugged with a mountainous interior, Morocco’s natural juxtaposition is ceaseless. The monarchy is a natural wonder as barren deserts, flawless lakes, and deep gorges comprise this enthralling country.

A blend of Arabic, Sub-Saharan African, and European cultures add substance and a charming authenticity to the land that flaunts palms trees, argon oil, and lavender as indigenes.

The political capital is Rabat, yet Morocco’s busiest and most populous cities include Agadir, Casablanca, Marrakech, and Ouarzazate, each boasting unique attractions and compositions.

Agadir flaunts picturesque beaches and a bustling tourist industry, as it is the gateway

to the inland attractions of the Sahara desert. The port city is an amalgamation of history and modernity.

The largest of these is the beloved city of Casablanca. Palm-lined boulevards, cool arcades, and French essence remaining from a century ago are but a few of the charms of the authentic North African city.

Ancient souks, spices, snake charmers and hidden palaces constitute the glamour and mystery of elegant Marrakech. Situated north of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, Marrakech is in close proximity to Europe, and offers an enticing taste of Africa.

The marvel of Ouarzazate is sprawled across Southern Morocco. Resting atop a bare plateau in the High Atlas Mountains, the dry land is home to unspoiled locations and cultures, unique fortified villages, and

by Carryn Gabriels traditional Berber adobe houses. The region, beyond the studios, is home to The Dadès Valley. The valley extends from Ouarzazate to Boumaine. Gorges in this region, depending on the lighting, appear to be red, pink or mauve.

Filming in Morocco: Morocco’s natural wealth and geographical position constitute a filming haven. The monarchy also has its very own remote Hollywood in the gateway city to the Sahara Desert, Ouarzazate. The desolate city is a noted film-making location, and is home to CLA Studios Morocco and Atlas Corporation Studios – the world’s largest movie studio – which extends over 20 hectares.

All the necessary film services and equipment are available at the marvellous

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© Piotr Menducki

© Piotr Menducki

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The monarchy is a natural wonder as barren deserts, flawless lakes, and deep gorges comprise this enthralling country. A blend of Arabic, Sub-Saharan African, and European cultures add substance and a charming authenticity to the land.

studios in the heart of the desert: interior and exterior designs, productions offices, workshops, stables with trained animals, and comfortable accommodation at the Oscar Hotel.

World class directors haven chosen Atlas Corporation Studios as their canvas including the likes of David Lean (Lawrence of Arabia was made on location here before the studio opened), Martin Scorsese (Kundun), Ridley Scott (Kingdom of Heaven), and Oliver Stone (Alexander the Great). The location was also the set of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and Ridley Scott’s Gladiator.

Beyond the epic nature of productions that have been filmed in this location, and the location itself, costs are drastically reduced. These studios are estimated

to give a fifty percent saving, as the cost of labour is much less than Western counterparts in the same field, and incentives for filming in Morocco include an exemption from VAT on all costs.

Getting to Morocco

by Air: Royal Air Maroc is Morocco’s main airline carrier, with British Airways also having frequent flights to Morocco from the UK. Morocco’s busiest airports include Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, which serves regional and international flights, Marrakech Menara Airport, and Agadir Al-Massira Airport which serves regional flights to the northwest and southeast regions of their respective cities.

Climate: As diverse as its land and cultures, Morocco’s climate follows suit. Climates vary from region to region and season to season. Overall, the country’s temperatures range from highs of 35°C (95°F) to lows of 5°C (41°F). The coastal regions have a warm Mediterranean climate with cool breezes during the very hot summer months, while inland regions experience a hotter, drier, continental climate. Warm winter temperatures with rainfall between November and March, allow dry summers sans unbearable humidity, deems Morocco as an all-year round destination.

Population: 32,987,206 - July 2014, CIA World Factbook

32 | WRITERS’ GUILD OF SOUTH AFRICA

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WGSA MUSE AWARDS 2014-2015 Nominations the first round judges,” said Harriet Meier, the chairperson of WGSA. “The top three scripts reaching or surpassing the standard set by the minimum judging criteria will make up the nominees.

These screenplays will proceed to the next phase, where the winners will be selected by a new set of judges, which include big name international writers, agents and Writers’ Guild representatives from around the world.”

T

he Writers’ Guild of South Africa (WGSA) and M-Net take great pleasure in announcing the nominees for the WGSA Muse Awards 2014/15, set for late April 2015. At the event, performance writers in film, television, radio, stage and new media industries will gather to recognise and celebrate the integral role played by their peers in the South African entertainment industry.

On this, the second annual WGSA Muse Awards, WGSA is elated to have M-Net as a headline sponsor for the prestigious competition and glamorous awards ceremony, which honours the best local performance writers in the industry.

M-Net Corporate Affairs Director, Kershnee Govender, commented on M-Net’s support of the event, “For the past 29 years, M-Net has remained a proud sponsor of local arts and culture initiatives. This event confirms our belief in the very important and often undervalued role which writers in various disciplines play in South Africa. These writers bring the many diverse stories of our multi-faceted society to life, in so doing enriching the lives and cultural fabric of all who come into contact with their work.”

“A substantial number of entries were received for the WGSA Muse Awards, and we would like to thank all the writers who submitted their scripts for consideration. The judging benchmark for this year has been set high, and entries have now been evaluated by

The nominees for the WGSA Muse Awards 2014/15 are: Animation: 1. Tracy Eccles: Wheelin’ Documentary: 1. David Forbes: The Cradock Four 2. Meg Richards: 1994: The Bloody Miracle 3. Peter Goldsmid: Dance Up From The Street TV Comedy / Sitcom: 1. Fidel Namisi: Call Centre 2. Joshua Rous: By the Numbers TV Drama: 1. Amor Tredoux: Danz! Episode 6 2. Marina Bekker: Thola: Episode 1 3. Shirley Johnston: Traffic: Episode 25 Stage Play: 1. Janet van Eeden: A Matter of Time 2. Janet van Eeden: In-Gene-Uity 3. Janet van Eeden: The Savage Sisters Spec Script: 1. Fidel Namisi: Bring Back Lost Lover 2. Hanneke Schutte: Meerkat Moonship 3. Zamo Mkhwanazi: The Good Doctor No nominations were made for Radio Plays, and the over 100 Feature Film entries received were all for unproduced screenplays. As such,

it was decided by the organisers to dedicate the Spec Script in Any Genre category this year solely to Feature Films, and to include unproduced work in other genres in their own genre categories.

The WGSA gratefully acknowledges the hard work of the judges from all industry sectors, who participated in this extensive first round.

Animation Albert Du Plessis, Julie Hall , Yolanda LindequeStrauss Documentary Carolyn Carew, Veronica Stewart, Vlokkie Gordon TV Comedy/Sitcom Harriet Meier, Nim Geva, Theoline Maphutha, Tracey-Lee Dearham, Yolanda Lindeque-Strauss TV Drama Anna-Marie Janse van Vuuren, Dorette Nel, Eubulus Timothy, Harriet Meier, Jacqui Achilleas, Saskia Schiel, Theoline Maphutha Spec Script: Feature Film Adze Ugah, Amor Tredoux, Anneke Villet, Dan Jawitz, Dorette Nel, Elsa van Schalkwyk, Harriet Meier, Jan Engelen, John Hill, Joy Sapieka, Marc Nekaitar, Matthew Kalil, Quanita Adams, Robert De Mezieres, Sam Phillips, Thandi Brewer, Victor Molele, Yolanda Mogatusi Radio Play Harriet Meier, Lelia Etsebeth, Veronica Stewart Stage Play Karen Jeynes, Paulette Reynecke, Sam Phillips

SPOTLIGHT | 33

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ROLY JANSEN:

Saying Goodbye to a Stunt Performer of Note blew my horn a bit! I also recall The Breed, where I doubled for Michelle Rodriguez.

I had to reverse this old Mercedes in the smallest space and I narrowly missed my mark but was more worried about what Roly was going to say. He was always looking for perfection - crapped on us if he did not get it! We had pressures from three sides: safety pressure, film pressure and Roly pressure,” she says, “He loved to laugh and we had to be a bit of a comedian. He was also the main inspiration and mentor for the establishment of more stunt companies in South Africa.”

Liebenberg says things have changed drastically for stunt performers since Roly’s days. “There was no personal insurance and hospital bills were only paid if you got hurt.

So it had to be in the limits of safety. This is where Roly was top of the class. As the stunt Co-Ordinator, he wanted to eliminate all unnecessary risk, have a union in place with necessary insurances and safety offices.”

Jansen worked with Stunts SA and SFX well before the company was known for its special effects. From 1989 to 2011 he was involved on a myriad of productions including Endgame, Last House on the Left, Doomsday, Primeval, Supernova, The Poseidon Adventure, and The Constant

“

Jansen worked with Stunts SA and SFX well before the company was known for its special effects. He was involved on a myriad of productions including Endgame, Last House on the Left, Doomsday, Primeval, Supernova, The Poseidon Adventure, and The Constant Gardener.

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man of uninhibited ambition, Roly Jansen worked on over 100 films in a career spanning more than 34 years. One of his closest friends and protégés – not to mention one of the few women on South Africa’s stunt scene since its beginnings – LeeAnne Liebenberg, says she met Roly when she needed money to compete in the Kick Boxing World Championships and turned to commercials and films to find it. “This is where Roly Jansen approached with optimism. We mutually agreed to assist each other in reaching our goals. He needed a stunt double for There’s A Zulu Op My Stoep. I needed to compete.” Liebenberg, who was later selected as the 2004 Rapport Woman of the Year in the stunts industry, says that Jansen was her “founder, mentor and teacher”.

“We worked close together as I was his Stunt Co-Ordinating Assistant and Stunt Performer for years before he relocated to Cape Town. We worked together on many projects – too many to mention – but I must say one that does stand out for me was the Tarzan Series where he was very proud of me. I did a 105ft, ‘12’ storey jump into the water and he said, “That’s hard core for anyone, especially a chick.” I must say he

Gardener, to name but a few. From Stunt Co-Ordinator to SFX Co-Ordinator to performing actual stunts himself, Jansen had a strong understanding of every aspect of the job – arguably his greatest strength.

34 | EVENTS

MARCH SOUTH AFRICA FILM AND TELEVISION AWARDS (SAFTAs) 19 – 21 March Johannesburg, South Africa BOKEH FASHION FILM FESTIVAL 26 – 28 March Cape Town, South Africa THE SOUTH AFRICAN ECO FILM FESTIVAL 26 March – 2 April Johannesburg, Cape Town and Eastern Cape, South Africa

APRIL VANCOUVER SOUTH AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL 10 – 12 April Vancouver, Canada MIPTV 13 – 16 April Cannes, France ESSENTIALS OF BROADCAST MANAGEMENT SHORT COURSE 20 – 24 April Grahamstown, South Africa HOT DOCS INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTART FILM FESTIVAL 23 April – 3 May Toronto, Canada

Scarlett Johansson plays the lead in Lucy © Universal Pictures

3RD ACT | UJ ARTS & CULTURE CONFERENCE 8 – 10 March Johannesburg, South Africa

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EVENTS | 35

36 | DIRECTORY LISTINGS

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ADVERTISERS COMPANY

TELEPHONE

EMAIL

WEBSITE

Aquila Private Game Reserve

+27 861 737 3783

res@aquilasafari.com

www.aquilasafari.com

Blackmagic Design

+613 9682 4770

melissa@blackmagicdesign.com

www.blackmagicdesign.com

CTICC

+27 21 410 5000

sales@cticc.co.za

www.cticc.co.za

Fairbridges Attorneys

+27 21 405 7300

ahewitt@fairbridges.co.za

www.fairbridges.co.za

KZN Film Commission

+27 31 325 0200

info@kwazulunatalfilm.co.za

www.kwazulunatalfilm.co.za

Lemonreel Film Services

+264 81 122 7717

info@lemonreel.com

www.lemonreel.com

Media Film Service

+27 21 511 3300

info@mediafilmservice.com

www.mediafilmservice.com

Pro-Sales

+27 11 462 0000

info@pro-sales.co.za

www.pro-sales.co.za

Red Cherry

+27 11 807 2531

jenna@redcherry.co.za

www.redcherry.co.za

SABC

+27 11 714 4666

peter@sabc.co.za

www.sabc.co.za

Sony South Africa

+27 11 690 3200

anu.thomas@eu.sony.com

www.sony-psmea.com

The Loeries

+27 11 326 0304

info@theloerieawards.co.za

www.theloerieawards.co.za

Visuals TV

+27 87 550 0737

marius@visuals.tv

www.visuals.tv

Wesgro

+27 21 487 4868

monica@wesgro.co.za

www.wesgro.co.za

WGSA - Muse Awards

+27 11 888 4349

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CONTACT US

Editorial Assistant: Carryn Gabriels carryn@filmeventmedia.co.za Cover Image: De(con)struction of Love, a film project that features a duology of short films: Recovery and Promise Executive Producer: Greta Henley Director: Craig Hunter Parker Production Company: Motif Studios Screenwriters: Greta Henley, Amanda Cooper and Craig Hunter Parker Photographer: Craig Hunter Parker Actress featured in poster: Josie Feldman Publisher: Lance Gibbons lance@filmeventmedia.co.za Executive Editor: Katie Reynolds katie@filmeventmedia.co.za Head of Design: Sheree Steenkamp sheree@filmeventmedia.co.za Writer: Kim Muller kim@filmeventmedia.co.za

Production Co-ordinator: Tammi Klein tammi@filmeventmedia.co.za Account Executive: Jennifer Dianez jennifer@filmeventmedia.co.za Account Executive: Theo Jacobs theo@filmeventmedia.co.za Group Sales Manager: Lloyd Kirsten lloyd@filmeventmedia.co.za Sales Co-ordinator: Tracey-Anne Arendse tracey-anne@filmeventmedia.co.za Manager, Special Projects: Taryn Fowler taryn@filmeventmedia.co.za 57 2nd Avenue, Harfield Village, Claremont 7708, Cape Town, South Africa Tel: +27 21 674 0646

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