The Callsheet Issue 03_2014

ISSUE 03 | 2014

+ THE CHECKLIST Truck and Vehicle Rentals for Films

+ FILM INDUSTRY HEADS IN SA BEDS + ZAMA MKOSI on the NFVF in 2014

CONTENTS | 01

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

Announced

4. The Art of Grading – Movie Making’s Silver Lining

5. Turbulent Times as SABC Reviews Editorial Policy

6. Kenyan TV Show Turns Issue of Migration to Europe on its Head

7. All Eyes are on Kenya’s Golden Girl 8. Cuts in Store for SA’s Film Industry 9. SXSW Unveils 2014 Line-Up 10. Luxor African Film Festival Hosts Films from 41 Countries

12. Accommodation – What To Do

08

16

Nik Rabinowitz

Truck and Vehicle Rentals

SA Comedian poised for Short-Film Glory

The Checklist - Revisited

With Your Spare Room

16. Truck and Vehicle Rental – The Check List Revisited

22. A Chat with Zama Mkosi 24. AFCI Locations Show takes centre stage

26. 2014 SAFTAs Dates and Judging Panel

27. ‘Four Corners’ – Lives Lived at the Whim of Gangland Clashes

28

32

The Gem of Africa

Death of a Colonialist

Namibia as a Film Location has everything you need

Kim Muller reviews the Production shaking up SA theatre

28. Namibia – the Gem of Africa 30. In Production 32. Review: ‘Death of a Colonialist’ 34. Events 36. Opportunities 38. Associations 40. Directory

Afrotribal crew, image by Filipa Domingues taken from Bryan Little’s award winning documentary “The African Cypher” _ Fly on the Wall

2. Release Date for ‘Winnie Mandela’

02 | NEWS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

RELEASE DATE for 'Winnie Mandela' Announced

‘

Winnie Mandela’, a biopic starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson and Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard, is scheduled for release in South Africa on 7 March 2014. The film will be release exclusively at selected Ster-Kinekor theatres.

It follows Winnie Mandela’s remarkable journey amidst the turbulent decades of her husband Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment.

Despite her own incarceration and torture, Winnie’s fierce courage shows her unfaltering commitment to her husband’s dream of equality for all. This epic and often heart-wrenching film is a voyage toward understanding one of the world’s most enigmatic women.

“I was compelled and moved by the script,” said Jeniifer Hudson in an official statement.

“Winnie Mandela is a complex and extraordinary woman and I’m honoured to be the actress asked to portray her. This is a powerful part of history that should be told.”

The film is directed by acclaimed South African director Darrell Roodt (‘Cry, the Beloved Country’, ‘Sarafina!’) and the screenplay was cowritten by Roodt and Andre Pieterse. It is based on the book Winnie Mandela: A Life by former journalist Anne Marie du Preez Bezdrob, and co-produced by Pieterse of Ma-Afrika Films and Michael Mosca of Equinoxe Films.

“The story of Winnie Mandela offers a unique perspective on the South African narrative,” Roodt said of the film. “Most importantly, I want to focus on the beautiful and tragic love story of Nelson and Winnie Mandela,

which was crushed by what history did to them.

It is tragic that a woman who dedicated most of her adult life to him ended up divorcing him.”

‘Winnie Mandela’ was filmed on location over 13 weeks in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Robben Island and the Transkei.

‘Winnie Mandela’

Deon Lotz talks movies Deon Lotz spoke to The Callsheet about working with international stars, his upcoming films, and why he rates Naomie Harris’s Winnie over Jennifer Hudson’s.

Deon Lotz

D

eon Lotz managed 5-star hotels for 13 years, before making the leap back into acting. He explained his decision by stating “I didn’t want to come to the end of my life and say ‘I wish I had done that’”. Since 2001, Deon has appeared in dozens of feature films, TV shows and adverts, including the critically acclaimed Skoonheid, Faan se Trein, and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

Current and Upcoming releases Deon has a number of films currently in production or scheduled for release this

year; Kite, Book of Negroes, Cold Harbour and Skytrap among them. As well as a 13part TV series entitled Padjies Winkel, which Deon concluded work on recently.

Deon spoke enthusiastically about Kite.

“It is based on a popular anime novel, and was a particular passion project of Samuel L Jackson’s. I play a cop opposite Sam Jackson in a dystopian world. My character is wary of him, as he is aiding the main character, Sawa, an orphaned girl seeking revenge for the death of the parents”.

Deon goes to on to praise Jackson for his approachability and professionalism. Saying that, unlike some Hollywood stars Deon has worked with, Jackson was never less than friendly and courteous.

Winnie Deon, who played FW De Klerk in the movie Winnie Mandela opposite Jennifer Hudson and Kobie Coetsee in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, said, “I feel that Naomie Harris

redeemed Winnie Mandela (in Mandela: LWTF). Their story is a fantastic love story, and Naomie gave a very accurate portrayal of the anguish Winnie felt when their marriage came to an end. And the audience could truly understand where her hatred stemmed from. I don’t think Jennifer truly achieved that.”

Advice When asked what advice he would give to young actors looking to break into the industry, Deon replied “There is nothing like hard work. Go out and do those castings.

Actors need to create opportunities for themselves, because nothing will just fall in your lap!” He also stressed the importance of diversifying your work. “Don’t just try and break into feature films. Do the adverts, the voiceovers and the TV work. That way you can figure out what your strengths are.”

“In the end, the actor has the responsibility to deliver quality performances”

04 | NEWS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

THE ART OF GRADING Movie Making's Silver Lining

By Mushroom Media

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ights. Camera. Action. From epic big-screen dramas to spellbinding or humorous television programmes and commercials, the world of entertainment provides an escape from the humdrum, moving and inspiring – at times, even without sound.

The visual impact of colour and contrast has the ability to enhance or detract from the viewer’s experience, whether from sweeping landscapes or close-up facial expressions. Essentially to movies what Photoshop is to photography, the world of colour grading or colour correction allows the producer to manipulate colours and enhance certain aspects. It is the process providing productions with a certain ‘look’, capturing audiences everywhere, but yet so skillfully and artfully executed that the average viewer is completely unaware.

Warwick Allan, owner at Mushroom Media, a post-production studio based in Johannesburg with a client base spanning the likes of BMW, Vodacom and MTN, says: “Whilst different productions require different levels of grading with commercials, music videos and films receiving the most detailed, as opposed to a sitcom requiring less work than for instance a fantasy series, grading is a process undertaken across all genres of entertainment.”

While many high-end grading systems

are available, all operating at a similar level and producing similar results, the actual craft of grading is immensely specialised, requiring great skill and attention to detail across even the smallest nuances of colour.

The difference lies in the ability of the colourist to use the tools to achieve the best result, with Mushroom Media making use of DaVinci Resolve, the gold standard in post-production since 1984 and grading tool of choice for both Hollywood and many international studios.

“Be sure of who you engage with in the post-production process,” cautions Allan.

To ensure optimal, high quality end results, look for a partner who can work with all high quality formats (RED RAW, SONY RAW, ARRI RAW) while also being able to deliver across any file format you may require such as DPX or PRORES. With technology constantly evolving, larger resolution sensors of high-end digital cameras are creating pressure for post-production houses to deal with bigger images and increased amounts of data. This capturing of higher resolution images is set to continue, especially across feature films. While the current RED digital cinema camera can shoot 5K, an upgrade allowing for 6K has recently been announced with Sony already referencing 8K. To give this context, the recent movie Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and shot over 167

days produced 443 hours of 4K footage to be reviewed. This footage was crafted into a motion picture at a length of 2 hours and 38 minutes consisting of almost a quarter of a million frames at 45MB each, the equivalent of 3,412,800 3MB mp3 files – a staggering 19.5 years’ worth of music!

The move from film towards new digital camera formats also calls for a much closer relationship between the grading process and actual film shoot. Previously, when shooting film, post-production would receive the film negative for initial grading, with allowance made for a final grading at the end of the process. Now, with the supply of RAW images, the colour grader is enjoying unprecedented control over the image, allowing for creativity previously not possible, leading to an increasingly enhanced and higher quality product.

But despite technology advancements, it remains a relationship-driven industry and increasingly important to differentiate on skill and experience. With many more players joining the marketplace and advances in software enabling production of higher quality images within a shorter timeframe, in order to continue to deliver truly professional end products, there is a greater need for close collaboration and a personal touch to get the best results at the end of the day.

NEWS | 05

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

TURBULENT TIMES as SABC Reviews Editorial Policy

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n a move that confirmed the SABC’s longrunning rumour mill of organisational issues, the South African Broadcast Corporation announced earlier this month that their current CEO, Lulama Mokhobo, had resigned.

Her early exit raised further questions about stability at the SABC as two centres of power had reportedly surfaced – one in the CEO’s office and the other in that of acting group COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng. Mokhobo was said to be stepping down because her “situation has become untenable”, according to a release by NewsCentral Media.

But this isn’t the only issue that the troubled broadcaster now faces. Since 2008, there have been six CEOs at the helm of the SABC and on leaving, according to SOS Coalition, each one has received often very substantial packages from the corporation.

“The Coalition is totally opposed to these pay outs and sees them as fruitless and wasteful expenditure,” SOS said in a recent statement calling for strong action and public input.

SOS went on to call for full transparency and a full disclosure of the pay out that Ms Mokhobo received. “The Coalition fears that high turn-over of executive staff at the SABC has not only compromised the integrity of the organisation to date but, particularly now as we approach elections, will impact on the integrity and quality of programming of the SABC,” the statement said.

Just five days later, the SABC had to deal with more bad publicity at a press briefing as Acting Chief Operating Officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, said, “Your degrees can’t work for you. You need experience to do the work. When these people come with their degrees, they drain the same people [who are skilled but don’t have degrees].”

SOS Coalition said that Mr Motsoeneg’s statements were “deeply concerning”, particularly in the light of the shocking findings revealed by the Pricewater Cooper independent skills audit of the broadcaster.

The audit revealed that 15% of SABC staff demonstrated only marginal competence in strategic thinking, around 62% of employee personnel files had no proof of a senior certificate and 24 employees had fraudulent

or non-compliant senior certificates and Grade 10 certificates. The report further revealed that SABC staff “do not trust the management team or the SABC board and question their credibility,” suggesting a culture of nervousness and fear inside of the public broadcaster, adversely affecting the standard of journalism and quality of programming.

SOS Coalition believes that Mr Motsoeneng’s low regard for university qualifications “can only erode the credibility of the SABC and impede the public broadcaster’s ability to fulfil its mandate and make a lasting positive contribution to the development of South Africa.” And this concern is even more pronounced now as we steadily approach elections and require a public broadcaster that works.

Mr Motsoeneng is no stranger to controversy, as the Sowetan reported earlier in February. A task team consisting of the chief himself as well as Human Resources boss Jabulani Mabaso and Group Radio Executive Lesley Ntloko has reportedly been set up in order to “rid the corporation of freelance presenters and staff members”. The COO has already told presenters that they cannot work for the SABC and its competitors at the same time and a producer at the broadcaster recently said, “The plan is to have them on contract or permanently employed, some will be released. The employees’ fate is in the managers’ hands, and the problem with the SABC is that the managers are both players and referees, in a sense that you get line managers that also present. It is not a fair playing field for junior employees. They are doing away with the freelancers from 1 April. Getting rid of them will be difficult and the lucky few will remain.” A second insider reportedly said that people “are scared at that place” and that the task team would be looking at hiring people who can work across the board in both radio and television.

SABC spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago said in a statement that there was a lot of wrong information in circulation. “I do not know why people would be threatened because this came from their requests saying that they

want to be permanent. If you do your job, you cannot feel threatened. Another thing is that there are people who do not want to be permanent because they want to do other things elsewhere.”

This comes at no better time than the SABC’s Editorial Policy Review, which took place between 2013 and mid-February 2014.

In response to the audit report, SOS’s comments and public content concern, the SABC said the following on their website: “The SABC and the decisions taken by its staff are subject to scrutiny in the way few other institutions and no other media organisations experience. Whether there is a decision to can a programme or the announcement of a resignation, one thing is guaranteed – the generation of heated debate and acres of column space.”

It went on to say that throughout the Editorial Policy Review, the SABC has recognised the importance of public participation and that they “play a significant role in defining the way in which the SABC deals with all content carried on its platforms for the next five years”.

During the Policy Review, the SABC hosted 15 public hearings attended by almost 2,000 people in towns as diverse as Kuruman and Khayelitsha, Thohoyandou and Pietermaritzburg. The hearings were recorded and transcribed and an additional 148 written submissions – including that of SOS Coalition – have been received to date.

The collation of all the inputs will soon be finalised and all contributions will be made available on the SABC’s website. The revised policies will also be released for public comment. The current Editorial Policies can be found at www.sabc.co.za/editorialpolicy. Policy submissions are now closed.

06 | NEWS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

KENYAN TV SHOW “ Turns Issue of Migration to Europe on its Head

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icture the year 2063. In this dystopian world, all of Europe’s volcanoes have come to life and erupted, spewing out thick plumes of ash into the atmosphere. The entire continent is plunged into total darkness as dense, black clouds envelope the sky. The air is polluted and unbreathable, chaos has descended and the only place the sun continues to shine is Africa.

In ‘Usoni’, a Kenya-based television production, this is exactly what has happened. Set five decades from the present, the show turns the tables on the issue of migration to Europe. The futuristic show depicts Africa as mankind’s last hope in the wake of a series of natural disasters.

The story follows Ophelia and Ulysse, a couple desperately trying to escape Europe’s awful conditions and reach the horn of Africa before their child is born.

‘Usoni’ creator, Marc Rigaudis, is a French filmmaker and author living in Kenya. He says the show portrays the reversal of immigration trends – something that’s a real possibility when factoring in climate change and stagnant economies. “It’s put in the future just to talk and show what is happening now,” says Rigaudis. “The message is very strong and universal. It’s putting the world in front of the mirror, like exposing the injustices of the

world for so many centuries — everything is very symbolic.”

The symbolism begins in the film’s opening scenes in Lampedusa, a small Indian island on the southern edge of Europe. It is a frequent destination for refugees seeking to enter EU countries.

Many of these refugees risk their lives in search of a better one. Last October over 300 African migrants died when their ship sank off Lampedusa’s shores.

This sparked something in Rigaudis’ mind. “I was looking at those people crossing the sea from Africa, taking so many risks and getting killed in the process,” he says, explaining how he came up with the idea for Usoni. “If they don’t get killed, they come to Europe which supposedly is going to give them a better way of life. Most of the times this is not the reality and their harassment is continuing. This is so unjust, when you think that Europe has made a lot of its wealth and power from places like Africa and now these people – who are living on one of the richest continents of the world and shouldn’t be poor – have to move because the way things are being done,” continues Rigaudis, “and then I started thinking it would be interesting if all of a sudden this was reversed.”

Rigaudis had originally developed the

Set five decades from the present, the show turns the tables on the issue of migration to Europe. The futuristic show depicts Africa as mankind’s last hope in the wake of a series of natural disasters.

“

concept for a feature film, but when he was appointed as Film Productions Director at Nairobi’s United States International University (USIU), he decided to give the topic of his film to his students to help them get working in a professional way. Together, the experienced professor and the energetic students adapted the idea into a TV series and named it Usoni, which means “future” in Swahili.

Guided by Rigaudis, the 22-member student crew filmed a 30-minute pilot episode last October and November in locations around Nairobi and Mombasa.

The pilot aired at Alliance Francaise, the French cultural centre in Nairobi.

NEWS | 07

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

•

Lupita Nyong’o in ‘12 Years a Slave’

All eyes are on

Kenya’s golden girl

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upita Nyong’o is the name on everyone’s lips since her stunning portrayal of Patsey in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave. At the time of going to print, the Academy Awards were only days away and expectations around Lupita’s expected win had reached fever-pitch. While the outcome of the Best

Supporting Actress award is unknown, Lupita’s tremendous talent has been recognised and rewarded innumerable times in the past months.

Some of her awards include: • Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Online Film Critics Society Best Actress in a Supporting Role • Hamptons International Film Festival Breakthrough Performer • Hollywood Film Festival New Hollywood Award • Palm Springs International Film Festival Best Actress in a Supporting Role • Phoenix Film Critics Society Best Actress in a Supporting Role • South Eastern Film Critics Association Best Actress in a Supporting Role • St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Best Actress in a Supporting Role • 17th Hollywood Film Awards New Hollywood Award • Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress • African-American Film Critics Association Best Breakout Performance • Toronto Film Critics Association Best Actress in a Supporting Role Whether Lupita receives the Academy Award is almost irrelevant, as she has well and truly arrived on the Hollywood scene.

She has, beyond doubt, earned the title of Most Coveted Actress on the Planet.

‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom’ Allegedly Linked to Arms Deal

‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’

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n late January it was revealed that the film ‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom’ was allegedly an arms deal offset worth R4.5 billion. According to Independent News Online, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) handed lists of offset projects arising from the 199 arms deal to the Arms

Procurement Commission hearings in Pretoria.

Under the list of projects by the German Submarine Consortium (GSC), which sold submarines to the SA National Defence Force, is one called LWTF – The Movie.

Described as an “investment into the production of the Long Walk to Freedom movie” in the Western Cape, it resulted in 69 new jobs and 138 indirect jobs.

The list logs R378 million in total actual investments, R113 million in actual obligor investments, R1.8 billion in investment credits and R2.7 billion in sales credits. In return, the DTI gave the GSC R4.5 billion in offset credits.

Over 100 offset projects were listed, with many not materialising beyond the planning stages despite credits being issued nonetheless. Companies which won contracts had obligations under the National

Industrial Programme and the offsets were one of these requirements. They were aimed at encouraging foreign investment in terms of a 1996 cabinet policy.

‘Obligators’, or contractors, submitted their project proposals to the DTI, which then monitors the projects’ performance.

The DTI awards the required credits when the obligation is discharged, according to Sipho Zikode, DTI Deputy Director-General for the Broadening Participation Division.

Offset projects like ‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom’ created a total of 38,895 new jobs and saved or retained 12,541 jobs, according to the list. In return, the DTI credited the contractors with R466 billion in offset credits. The late Defence Minister Joe Modise told Parliament in March 1999, that the arms deal would create 65,000 jobs and R110bn in industrial offsets.

08 | NEWS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

CUTS IN STORE for SA's Film Industry

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n an effort to attract foreign film productions, London has developed a new incentive scheme to lure film crews.

The new scheme, which becomes effective in April, has prompted the South African government to review its own rebates in order to keep the local industry competitive.

The UK’s new incentive includes a 25% rebate on the first £20-million (about R360million) spent, with a further 20% rebate thereafter. This is likely to be changed to a flat rebate of 25% next year. The minimum UK expenditure requirement has also been revised from 25% to 10%. This means just 10% of a film’s total expenditure would need to be spent in the UK. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) spokesman Sidwell Wedupe told Times Live, “We are aware of the UK implementing

changes to its film incentive programmes, and for this reason [our department] is reviewing and amending the incentive programmes for foreign and South African productions.”

Current South African rebates allow for films spending over R12-million to claim back 20% of their “qualifying South African expenditure” as a rebate, as long as at least 50% of the principal photography is completed in the country over a minimum of four weeks. The incentives increase to 25% if the post production is done locally.

Another worrying factor is that the UK amendments could include “above-the-line costs” such as actors’ and scriptwriters’ salaries. According to Cape Town Film Studios CEO, Nico Dekker, South Africa still remains competitive as the exchange rate makes it cheaper to film in South Africa over the UK.

Nico Nico Dekker Dekker

Nik Rabinowitz

Makes Top 15 in Short Film Competition

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Nik Rabinowitz

ape Town comedian Nik Rabinowitz has been shortlisted as one of the top 15 finalists in comedy video competition, America Meet World. The 3-minute video, entitled ‘America Meet Nik’ introduces Americans to an international comedian.

America Meet World is a global comedy video contest inviting entrants to “create great comedy videos for the U.S.”. Prize winners will be flown to New York City to get advice from the award-winning executives of ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’.

Steve Bodow, Adam Lowitt and Ramin Hedayati are multiple Emmy award winners, producers and writers for the show, with ample comedy experience.

The film is a simple day in the life of Nik Rabinowitz as he traverses the city in search of material, cart horses and…fish.

“We get to go to New York and meet with the producers of ‘The Daily Show’, make TV

comedy history, get crazy rich and famous and eventually die from an ‘unknown cause’ in a hotel toilet,” the short’s director, Gill Apter, explained on JHB Live radio.

The winner will be chosen by public vote.

To view Nik’s video and help a great South African talent out, go to www.americameetworld.com/ submissions/288

NEWS | 09

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

SXSW

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unveils 2014 line-up

eadliners include first screenings of the upcoming Universal comedy Neighbors starring Seth Rogen and Zac Efron and Australian time-travel thriller Predestination with Ethan Hawke.

The 21st edition of the festival in Austin, Texas, runs from March 7-15. The new Episodics programme will include new upcoming television work including Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn for his El Rey Network, HBO’s upcoming Silicon Valley and FOX’s COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey.

The first ever SXsports section will include as previously announced an on-stage conversation with Jurgen Klinsmann, the former German international striker and current US national team coach in the run-up to the World Cup in Brazil this summer.

Among the Special Events is a screening of Berlinale opener The Grand Budapest Hotel followed by an extended Q&A with Wes Anderson.

The eight world premiere selections in the Narrative Feature Competition are: • 10,000km (Spain) by Carlos Marques Marcet • Animals by Collin Schiffli • Before I Disappear by Shawn Christensen • Fort Tilden by Sarah-Violet Bliss and

Charles Rogers • The Heart Machine by Zachary Wigon • I Believe In Unicorns by Leah Meyerhoff • The Mend by John Magary • Wild Canaries by Lawrence Michael Levine The eight world premiere Documentary Feature Competition entries are: • Beginning With The End by David Marshall • Born To Fly by Catherine Gund • The Great Invisible by Margaret Brown • The Immortalists by Jason Sussberg and David Alvarado • Impossible Light by Jeremy Ambers • Mateo by Aaron I Naar • Print The Legend by Luis Lopez and Clay Tweel • Vessel by Diana Whitten Headliners selections are the previously announced festival opener Chef by Jon Favreau; David Gordon Green’s Joe; Nicholas Stoller’s Neighbors; Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig’s Predestination (Australia); and Veronica Mars by Rob Thomas.

Narrative Spotlight entries include world premieres for Emilio Aragón’s A Night In Old Mexico (US-Spain), Terry McMahon’s Patrick’s Day (Ireland), Jen McGowan’s Kelly & Cal, Angus Sampson and Tony Mahony’s The Mule (Australia) and the North American premiere of

Diego Luna’s Cesar Chavez.

World premiere Documentary Spotlight selections include Cary Bell’s Butterfly Girl, Alexandre O Philippe’s Doc Of The Dead, Angus MacQueen and Guillermo Galdos’ The Legend Of Shorty (UK) and Elijah Drenner’s That Guy Dick Miller.

All in all 115 features were announced from a record 6,482 submissions, up 14% over 2013 and contributing to a 45% rise since 2009.

There are 76 world premieres and 68 from firsttime filmmakers.

“We are psyched to present this year’s slate – truly diverse in size, shape, and emotional tone and reflective of our ever-eclectic tastes,” said head of SXSW Film Janet Pierson. “As always, we strive for the delicate balance of launching new voices, while providing equally combustible entertainment from red carpet moments and highly anticipated titles to soon-to-be-new-addictions from the small screen. “Getting to share this work with our adventurous, intelligent, film-loving audience is where the magic happens and the films truly come alive. Is it March yet?”

For the full line-up including Visions, a Sundance-heavy Festival Favorites strand, 24 Beats Per Second, SXGlobal and Special Events visit http://sxsw.com/film.

Multichoice

to launch pop-up Oscar Pistorius trial channel on DStv

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n Sunday, 2 March 2014, MultiChoice will launch a 24-hour pop-up channel on DStv Channel 199. The Oscar Pistorius Trial: A Carte Blanche Channel will feature round-the-clock coverage of the legal proceedings, as well as exclusive documentaries, profiles and in-depth expert analysis.

This is the first time DStv is using a pop-up channel to cover a major news event.

“We previously added dedicated channels for

special events such as Idols and Big Brother.

This pop-up channel will give our viewers in-depth coverage of the Oscar Pistorius trial, with a rich variety of content and social media integration,” says Aletta Alberts, Head of Content for MultiChoice.

“The Carte Blanche producers were the obvious choice to create and package the channel. Their mantra of ‘You have the right to see it all’ ensures viewers will get fair and balanced coverage of the trail,” Alberts added.

The channel will be available exclusively

to DStv Premium, Extra and Compact customers. The Oscar Pistorius Trial: A Carte Blanche Channel will be a conduit to the inside information on the most talked about and controversial subject in recent South African history.

Pistorius’ criminal trial is scheduled to run in the Pretoria High Court from Monday, 3 March to Thursday, 20 March 2014. The trial judge will decide whether any part of the trial will be broadcast live closer to the start date.

Egypt © Victor V. Hoguns Zhugin (Shutterstock)

10 | NEWS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

LUXOR AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL Hosts Films from 41 Countries

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he third edition of the Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF), which runs from 18 to 24 March 2014, will feature 55 films from 41 African countries. Heeding the recommendations of last year’s jury, the LAFF reviewing committee decided to divide participating films into four separate competitions: feature narratives, short narratives, feature documentaries and short documentaries.

The festival will be showing 14 in the feature narrative category, 10 in the feature documentary section, 17 in the short narrative and 14 in the short documentary category.

The long narratives include ‘Bastardo’ (Tunisia), ‘Battle of Tabato’ (GuineaBissau), ‘Black Diamonds’ (Mali), ‘Durban Poison’ (South Africa), ‘Dust and Fortunes’ (Zimbabwe), ‘Horizon Beautiful’ (Ethiopia), ‘Rooftops’ (Algeria), ‘Imbabazi’ (Rwanda), ‘Kadjike’ (Guinea), ‘Kampala Story’ (Uganda), ‘Yam-Dam’ (Burkina Faso), ‘Mice Room’ (Egypt), ‘They Are the Dogs’ (Morocco), ‘Tall as Baobab Tree’ (Senegal) and ‘Rock the Kasbah’ (Morocco).

The feature documentaries competition

includes ‘Aliens’ (Somalia), ‘Angola Ano Zero’ (Angola), ‘The Devil’s Lair’ (South Africa), ‘Emirs in Wonderland’ (Tunisia), ‘Nana Benz’ (Togo), ‘The River’ (Algeria), ‘Small Small Things’ (Liberia), ‘The Teacher’s Country’ (Tanzania), ‘Touba’ (Senegal), ‘Tough Bond’ (Kenya), and ‘William and the Windmill’ (Malawi).

Twelve additional films from nine different non-African countries will participate in the Freedom Films Competition. It includes films from Venezuela, Iraq, Serbia and Iran, as well as African films ‘Fuelling Poverty’ (Nigeria), ‘Logical Revolt’ (Egypt), ‘Story of Mount Elgon’ (Kenya) and ‘Red Moon’ (Morocco).

The Freedom Films awards are named after journalist El-Husseiny Abou Deif, who lost his life covering the Ittihadiya presidential palace clashes in December 2012.

The Freedom Films jury will be headed by renowned Egyptian writer Youssef El-Qaeed and include critics Martin Botha from South Africa, Ahmed Fayek from Egypt and Fathi Kharrat from Tunisia. Egyptian actress Salwa Mohamed Ali will also be on this year’s jury.

“

The festival will be showing 14 films in the feature narrative category, 10 in the feature documentary section, 17 in the short narrative and 14 in the short documentary category.

“

LAFF will also pay tribute to acclaimed Egyptian actor Mahmoud Abdel-Aziz, prominent director Mahamat Saleh Haroun from Chad and will honour the memory of late South African leader, Nelson Mandela.

It is organised by the Independent Shabab Foundation, with the support of the ministries of culture, tourism youth and foreign affairs, and in collaboration with the Governorate of Luxor and the Egyptian Film Syndicate. Originally designed to strengthen the presence of African cinema in Egypt, LAFF takes place in historically rich venues across the city.

12 | SPOTLIGHT

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

Rockwell

FILM CREW ACCOMMODATION, Or, What To Do With Your Spare Room

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s Africa and South Africa and Kenya in particular have attracted more international film shoots and productions, some unlikely economic sectors have opened their doors – namely, the hospitality and property markets. Foreign filmmakers take advantage of the diverse and unique locations on the continent coupled with low production costs and favourable exchange rates. It is up to 40% cheaper to make a movie in South Africa than it is in Europe or the US, and up to 20% cheaper than filming in Australia.

With this sky-rocketing growth in the film industry, the need to house both local and international film crews has arisen.

“One of the most overlooked options for luxury property owners is leasing out their apartments or villas to international production crews for stills shoots or as accommodation for film crews,” Tanya Joubert, director of Cape Locations said in a recent interview with Property24. Cape Locations represents a variety of luxury properties including apartments and villas in Cape Town and surrounding areas.

According to Joubert, owners can earn up to R25,000 or more per day and “have the added benefit of having their properties showcased to an international audience.”

Sonia Theron is the Sales and Marketing Executive at the Rockwell All Suite Hotel &

Apartments. The Rockwell offers film crews a unique set of packages tailored to suit their erratic work schedules and has hosted crew from Film Afrika, Fear Factor Malaysia, Juice Films, Bar One Man Hunt, Belgium & France TV and many more. Crew usually flock to their two-bedroom apartments due to their ample size, fully fitted kitchens with washers and dryers and large patios with stunning views. She says they offer set rates for all production and film crews for both accommodation and location shoots. “These rates are generically more competitive than our standard rates. We look at all enquiries independently and create ad hoc packages according to their needs.”

14 | SPOTLIGHT

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Rockwell

Rockwell

Theron says that providing services to film crew is generally the same for other market and direct bookings, except that film accommodation bookings are generally done on a larger scale and with more in-depth requirements such as early or late check-ins and checkouts, sharing requirements, storage and payment structures. “We do require a full list

detailing all the desires and needs for the entire duration of the stay, including a full delegate list,” says Theron.

Allan Glogauer, Executive Producer at Glo Films, says that the golden rule for crew accommodation is not getting put in a shared room with a snorer! Jokes aside, he says, “Crew really dislike sharing accommodation and we try not to do so as

much as possible.” This isn’t typical of all film productions, however. “Some producers like to try to put all the crew in one place – it makes sense for logistics, and everyone is fairly treated as they have more or less the same room. Others prefer to ‘share the wealth’ and to put some of the production money into the community by using Guest Houses and B&B’s.” This can be cheaper, he says, but depends on what vehicles are available to collect and drop the crew off at multiple venues.

But before tidying the spare room in preparation for a film crew, Theron says there are certain things that need to be considered.

“The most important factor is location in respect to where the team will be working.

They are generally ‘out’ most of the day and thus do not wish to travel far to get back to the hotel. Other vital factors are space, sharing facilities, kitchen or self-catering facilities, dining offerings and all day cleaning facilities as the crew often sleep during the day when standard cleaning occurs.”

She also says filmmakers need to be aware of what’s available when booking accommodation. “My only tip is that the production houses do a proper site inspection of the property they wish to make use of so that they are entirely aware of what is on offer as this will avoid much disappointment should it not be as per their desires.”

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REVOLUTIONIZE the way you buy stationery Save up to 40% with safe, easy online ordering and next day delivery

By Claire Alexander

O

fficeBox is an innovative delivery subscription package which is set to revolutionize stationery procurement in South Africa.

Launched in August 2013, OfficeBox is already on both the Grindstone Accelerator and Sanlam Enterprise Development programs, and has been identified by Knife Capital , who were awarded SA’s Venture Capitalist of the year award for a 2nd year running by Acquisition International magazine , as one of the Top 10 Early Stage companies to watch.

The business model is simple. Stationery is charged at cost. Subscribe to a monthly delivery package from as little as R100 for either 1, 3, 5

or 50 deliveries per month to take advantage of this amazing saving. Login and shop online for anything from pens, to filing solutions to your tea and coffee requirements, at cost.

Subscription is billed on the first of each month, whilst orders are invoiced immediately and payable within 30 days of statement.

The unique, powerful online ordering system licenced by Realmdigital allows customers fast order processing, comprehensive management and an efficient tracking tool. Orders received before 12h00 are guaranteed next day delivery, which together with the ability to price compare online whilst you’re shopping, ensures your time is spent

more efficiently on other business priorities.

“The first of its kind in South Africa, OfficeBox facilitates the easy and affordable online ordering of all your stationery needs, with next day delivery anywhere in South Africa.” says Ruari Richardson, co-founder and Director OfficeBox South Africa.

“With a focus on customer satisfaction and a guarantee of the lowest prices, saving you up to 40% on your monthly stationery bill, OfficeBox is set to change the way businesses procure their stationery” adds David Adams, co-founder and Director OfficeBox South Africa.

For more information visit www.officebox.co.za

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TRUCK AND VEHICLE RENTAL The Check List Revisited

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By Sarah-Claire Picton

hen it comes to transport vehicles in the film industry, it is all about: affordability, reliability and service delivery. When you’re dealing with expensive equipment, props, wardrobe and make-up, and a highly stressedout crew – the transport vehicle needs to become more than just the wheels that got them from A to B. The truck rental industry needs to offer a myriad of services in order to keep the cameras rolling and Cape Town on the global map as a top film location.

© AFS productions

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FEATURE | 17

So far, The Mother city is doing pretty well on her own when it comes to getting the attention of foreign fimmakers. She’s a radiant beauty no doubt and the world is keen to discover more. The New York Times has placed Cape Town number 1 on its list of 52 places to visit in 2014, stating that “Cape Town is again reinventing itself, and the world is invited to its renaissance.”

No surprise there really. After all, it’s a big year for South Africa, and especially for its Mother City. As a country we celebrate 20 years of democracy, and as a city we honour the title of World Design Capital 2014. This is a year not only of celebration, but also of innovation and empowerment – the creative industry in Cape Town is fuelled with an infectious energy as it finds itself sitting on top of the world.

And the creative industry is filled with competitors – we’re all chasing some form of deadline, chasing each other, trying to get to wherever the top might be. We see it in the film industry, and we see it in the truck rental industry. If you are planning to get to the top, and stay there, you need to know the basics when it comes to vehicle hire and

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have a checklist of your own. The Callsheet is here to help you out with the basics. We’ll run you by the main points:

Territory Make sure you find out if you are allowed to travel beyond the South African border.

Some truck rental companies do actually provide permits for cross-border travelling, for example Avis.

Additional Services Some extra services that truck rental vehicles offer could include assistance with loading or packing; providing self-storage; and extra equipment to make the trip much more comfortable (i.e. boxes, padded blankets, tie downs and other packing supplies).

Pricing Let’s be frank, it often all comes down to price. About saving money and saving time.

It’s a highly competitive business in the film industry – both for those who rent out vehicles and those who are renting, and the price factor is always going to be high up on the checklist. Rates may vary from location to location and some of the important points to be aware of when considering price are: base rental cost; fees per kilometre; and insurance cost for all moves. At the end of the day, it’s about paying the price that allows gives you structure amongst the chaos so that you can focus all your attention on pulling a stellar production with no major hiccups. Do note that some companies charge additional fees such as taxes, fuel charges or environmental fees – so always check beforehand!

Customer Service When it comes to seeking out great customer

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service there are three major plus factors you could consider: 1) if the hire company offers a guarantee if the contract is breached; 2) if the hire company provides roadside service in the event of an emergency; and 3) whether the hire company provides pickup services for customers without cars. We like the fancy coffee too though. It’s worth to keep in mind that certain companies may require that some production companies uses their own drivers for insurance purposes and they will not cover any losses or damage if their drivers are not used.

What the Industry says: Delving a little deeper into the points above, we chatted to a few of those that deal with these issues on a daily basis, gaining insight from those who rent out vehicles to the production companies who hire them.

So, without further ado... Read on to hear it straight from the horses’ mouth

Adrian Nakic | Sunshine Company Sunshine director Adrian Nakic is an individual who ‘knows what photographers want, need and how their minds work under pressure.’ Constantly striving for increased efficiency, Adrian is on a focused voyage to keep evolving Sunshine Company and seeing that it remains loyal in its commitment to reliability, above-the-grid customer service and safety. Mark Wegener is part owner of the vans and has run Sunshine Company’s Vans division for the past eight years. His vast knowledge of the vehicles and how production teams work has cascaded down to the dedicated drivers and others who work with him. We caught up with Adrian to get his take on transport delivery in the film industry and to find out what’s on his checklist!

“

Q: If sunshine. co was a person living or dead - who would he/she be?

A: James Dean or Marilyn Monroe

“

Adrian Nakic, Sunshine Co Q: What does sunshione.co pride itself on when it comes to delivering service that is commendable?

A: We pride ourselves in being always in time, reliable and friendly. As a rule we are always ready to drive 30 minutes before call time, which gives the production team some much-needed peace of mind when there are so many other important factors to deal with.

Q: What type of vehicles do you supply?

A: Mercedes Sprinter 415CdI, Motorhomes with WC, Air condition, built-in Generator and our Lavazza Espresso machine.

Allowed to travel outside the border, and each vehicle is also equipped with a knowledgeable driver; space for eight crew; collection rail; toilet and make-up area.

Q: Is there a safety check that is followed before the vehicle is handed over?

A: We check the vehicles constantly. Our drivers are very familiar with them and try to make the production as smooth as possible.

Q: What is sunshine.co’s ethos?

A: Always in time and safe!

BE SEEN AT CANNES FILM BE IN THE FILMMAKER’S GUIDE TO AFRICA 2014

FILMMAKER’S GUIDE TO AFRICA 2014 MAKES ITS DEBUT AT CANNES FILM. BE SEEN. BE IN FMG. CONTACT JENNIFER DIANEZ

tel: 021 674 0646 | email: jennifer@filmeventmedia.co.za | www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

20 | FEATURE

Q: Is there anything new happening on your side for this year?

A: We hope to have soon more vans for the end of the year!

Q: If sunshine.co were a person - living or dead - who would he/she be?

A: James Dean or Marilyn Monroe Now you know a little more behind those Vans with that famous orange swirl! Keep up to date with all that’s going on with the Sunshine group online:

Gee Moloi | Moonlighting Films Moonlighting began in 1989 and was one of the first commercial production services companies in South Africa. Today, they offer 23 years of accumulated experience out of their Cape Town-based office.

We raised a few key points with Moonlighting Commercials’ house coordinator Gee Moloi; she raised a few back: … on Territory: It’s not a matter of are they willing to travel it is how much the surcharges would be when you cross the border with a rental.

Cross border fees and fees charged for dropping the vehicle at a different branch.

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[When it comes to travelling outside the border and the risk factors involved] – it’s all about the money, they all do it. … on the Main Competitors: Imperial Truck Rental, Kempston Truck Hire, Avis Truck Rental, Tempest Car and Van Hire and some sub hirers, such as Rota Rentals, Kiba Rentals and Ronnie’s Rentals. … on the non-negotiable item on the check list: Time of delivery and available for ‘down days’ (there may be one day in the rental period that you may not use the vehicle and thus do not want to be charged) … Vehicle Use: • Cargo Trailers: The companies that deal with car transportations have their own vehicles • Pick-up Trucks: Art department; unit and locations • Vans: Art department; camera crew; lighting crew; and grips • 8 TONS Heavy Duty: Art department; camera crew; lighting; and grips. … The Safest Vehicle Safety varies depending on the driver that is used.

… The Most Common Vehicle Panel Vans … On Standard Pre-Checks?

We [Moonlighting] have a vehicle inspection when the vehicle is dropped off. … On Having Loyalty To: Kiba Rentals, Kemptson Truck Hire, Ronnie’s Rentals and also Rota Rentals. I have a personal relationshionshp with each of them.

Margie Welch, Value Logistics Value Logistics offers the most comprehensive transportation film fleet services in Southern Africa. With over 30 years of experience, they provide a dedicated film fleet of 1-8 ton vehicles specially designed for the film industry. They also offer an array of transportation solutions to fit any occasion. From sedans to event transportation-buses, SUVs, or minibuses, Value Film Fleet has a variety of vehicles to meet all your needs. By having a national footprint with branches across South Africa, as well as bases in Namibia and Botswana; they can assist with logistics of moving anything from picture vehicles, sets and equipment to any part of Southern Africa.

They take care of all clearing and forwarding

SPOTLIGHT | 21

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“

We organised special crossborder permits for a year; customised vehicles were rigged for the project and Value Film Fleet also had a mechanic and a vehicle supervisor on set.

“

Margie Welch, Value Logistics

of film equipment and the securing of crossborder vehicle permits to South Africa’s neighbouring countries. Value Logistics caters for exceptional project development services to meet and exceed any filming, media and television production.

Value Logistics specialist: Margie Welsh says that Value Logistics has seen the most demand from the feature film sector. One of the largest shoots organised by Value Film Fleet was Mad Max Fury Road based in Namibia and South Africa of which 172 transport vehicles were supplied for the shoot. “We organised special cross-border permits for a year; customised vehicles were rigged for the project and Value Film Fleet also had a mechanic and a vehicle supervisor on set. Forklifts, Linehaul and Courier were additional services offered to Mad Max”, says Margie.

Value Film Fleet are dedicated to providing excellence on a daily basis, including their polished and professional customer service team of experts and their stylish and comfortable vehicles. Margie © AFS productions

says “their 8 ton Panel Vans with Cantilever tail lifts is particularly popular with lighting for the camera crew. On this model the tail lift can be dropped right down to the ground making loading easier. The surface is larger and more stable posing less of a risk of damages to expensive equipment.”

Today, Value Film Fleet can fully outfit every department’s needs. As the requirements of the industry evolve, so does Value Film Fleet’s equipment. From their exclusive customizable selection of trailers, fully kitted wardrobe units with clothing rails, washing machines and tumble dryers, production and unit vehicles are kitted according to the client’s needs. Their on-site repair/maintenance assistance and their outstanding staff continue to help them raise standards in motion picture film fleet.

Margie says that most of Value Film Fleet work is spread between Cape Town and Johannesburg, although they’ve worked with Namibian companies and international clients to identify their needs to help their production meet every deadline. This experience has led Value Film Fleet to close relationships with key players in production, post production, advertising, marketing and all facets of the entertainment industry.

Value Logistics offers a one-stop shop with 24-hours, seven-days-a-week service and solutions to the industry.

As one of the leading logistics companies Value Logistics focuses on providing secure, innovative and time sensitive solutions for their customers. Value Film Fleet strives to provide top tiered performance with unprecedented operational excellence nationally. From your first to your fiftieth project, Value Film Fleet will be by your side.

Quite simply – they are the answer that keeps your project rolling.

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What are the main challenges that the NFVF faces, and what is being done to combat these challenges?

The main challenge for the industry and NFVF remains a financial one. The NFVF continues to pursue strategic partners that allow us to partner with other government entities who operate in the film space. That way, our programmes have a larger impact. The NFVF has also identified a number of projects such as the SAFTAs where the private sector has come on board to support programmes that are important for positioning South Africa as a serious player in the global film market.

Internally, we motivate the NFVF team to provide an excellent service to our stakeholders despite our limited resources.

How many projects is the NFVF funding in 2014, and how does this compare to previous years?

A CHAT WITH ZAMA MKOSI on the NFVF in 2014 What is the NFVF hoping to accomplish this year?

Please give an overview of the highlights.

With the Economic Baseline study research that was released in May 2013, revealing that the industry is worth R3,5-billion, we hope that the private sector sees the industry as a potential investment portfolio. This is important as the NFVF together with the Department of Arts and Culture are working on the establishment of a film fund. Minister Paul Mashatile made two key announcements that will impact on the NFVF. The first relates to the Film Fund that “will form part of the broader Creative and Cultural Industries Fund”

which we hope will be finalised as contained in the Draft White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage. We also hope the institutional arrangements proposed in the White paper are finalised as well as the proposals to change the NFVF into a fully fledged film commission.

We will also focus on implementing some of the key recommendations on the four pillars at the film Indaba in November 2013. The input received from the indaba will culminate in the finalisation of a macro strategy for the film industry which will be concluded this year.

The rollout of the infrastructure development project especially in underserviced areas is also a priority, as access to cinemas for the majority of South African remains a serious barrier for access to content.

We are looking at funding 31 projects for development, 25 for production, four for archive and five TV concepts. For the first time ever we will support a documentary slate over a period of three years; and we currently have three fiction slates running.

The NFVF has also allocated R500 000 each to four ‘20 years of Democracy’ documentary projects. With respect to how this year compares to previous years, instead of increasing the number of projects the focus is on how we fund projects.

This means we will see an increase in the allocation for feature length documentary films. Within fiction four animation projects will be supported for development.

What surprises are in store for followers/ supporters of the NFVF in 2014?

The NFVF will use the ‘20 Years of Democracy’ celebrations theme to showcase the best of the film industry in both our local and international activations. The new Council for the NFVF will be announced sometime in April by the DAC. We are particularly excited about the SAFTAs event on 4 & 5 April which will be worth the wait for the industry.

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AFCI LOCATIONS SHOW takes centre stage Starring Roles

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he AFCI Locations Show will take place on the 27-29 March 2014 in Los Angeles, California, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. The event brings together key stakeholders such as global production VIPs from independent filmmaker to industry veterans to media to film commissioner, while showcasing an unbeatable display of incentives, production locations, and business and support services.

About the AFCI How do you close a street for an important shot? How do you open the doors at an abandoned ghost town? How do you find answers to any location question?

Just ask a member of the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI), the official professional organization for film commissioners who assist film, television, and video production across the globe. The AFCI is a non-profit educational association whose members serve as city, county, state, regional, provincial, or national film commissioners in their respective

governmental jurisdictions. With more than 300 AFCI-Member Film Commissions on six continents, you can almost always find an AFCI Member Film Commission to support your production.

Exhibiting When it comes to showcasing your jurisdiction, facilities and capabilities to scores of current and potential clients, Locations Show earns its reputation as the go-to event for the global production industry. Sure, digital technology has enabled our communication to transcend time zones, but there’s no substitute for the power of face-to-face communication. A few of the many reasons to exhibit at Locations Show 2014: • Gain not just real-time, but real-life access to scores of prospects worldwide • Create a lasting visual impression of your location, product or service • Elevate the advantages of your commission or company • Usher promising communications and sales leads

Film Commissions will be complemented on the show floor by dozens of service industry partners emphasizing even more compelling reasons to shoot in your corner of the globe: • Cinematic Equipment and Resources • Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus • Film and Television Studios • Film-friendly Locations • Financial Support and Incentive Brokers • Guilds and Associations • Hotels and Resorts • Industry Publications • New Media • Production Support Companies • Travel Support

The Guest List Seize this unparalleled environment to personally cultivate relationships old and new with filmmakers, directors, producers and screenwriters to actors, agents, attorneys and scouts representing esteemed Industry Guilds and Associations including: • Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) • Alliance of Women Directors • American Cinema Editors • Art Directors Guild (ADG) • American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) • Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS)

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Director’s Guild of America (DGA) Filmmakers Alliance Film Independent (FIND) International Documentary Association (IDA) Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA) Location Managers Guild of America (LMGA) National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) Producers Guild of America (PGA) Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Visual Effects Society (VES) Writers Guild of America (WGA)

Venue Highlights Los Angeles Ballroom Recently remodelled, the Los Angeles Ballroom is an airy, split-level, luxurious space that will host the Presentation Theater, a

small lounge, and many exhibit booths both standard and premium. Accented with dark wood, pale walls and crystal chandeliers, this ballroom provides excellent exposure and maintains the 10’ aisles for ease of movement.

California Showroom The California Showroom is a unique and bright, divided space that will be home to Premium and Standard Booths, as well as our new offering of Select Booths – soft-walled exhibit space with unique design options to be available to the exhibitor. These Select Booths are an efficient way to welcome those on even the tightest budgets. Attendee traffic will be directed to this space to ensure the highest level of exposure. Exceptionally wide aisles throughout the Showroom allow for increased gathering at booths while still allowing for maximum traffic flow.

California Lounge Registration, the Café, and Filmmaker Lounge fill the 11,000 square feet between the exhibit spaces and will be filled with tables and seating areas for networking, lunch, snacks and general mingling - an effective way of

making the space feel like one large home to our Show.

Private Lounges/Pavilions There are seven Private Lounges/Pavilions available for reservations throughout the show.

These rooms may be reserved for one day, or for all three days, and are perfect for private panels, mixers, displays, meetings or whatever you can dream up! Special catering needs can be arranged for through the AFCI, and special rates are available to members, or to those with exhibit booths in the Los Angeles Ballroom or the California Showroom.

26 | SPOTLIGHT

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2014 SAFTAs Dates and Judging Panel

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n a recent statement, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) announced that the 8th annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) will take place on 5 and 6 April 2014.

The NFVF also announced the judging panel at Killarney CineCentre in Johannesburg late last year. In addition to extending the judging sessions to Cape Town last year, the SAFTAs will now incorporate Durban as well. SAFTAs coordinator, Lala Tuku, said that the 2014 submissions increased, with 432 entries compared to 233 in 2012.

SAFTAs Lifetime Achievement Award winner Jerry Mofokeng (‘The Forgotten Kingdom’, ‘Tsotsi’) is the overall chairperson of the judging committee. Roberta Durrant (‘Felix’), also a Lifetime Achievement winner, will be his deputy.

The judging panels are divided into direction, art direction, technical and performance. Each panel has a chairperson, deputy and eight additional industry professionals.

The direction panel will be headed by Robbie Thorpe with S’Thandiwe Kgoroge as his deputy, while Maria Hofmeyer will chair the art direction panel along with deputy Martha Sibanyoni. Jim Petrak will lead the technical panel with Sandra Vieria as his deputy, and Chris Beasley will cover the performance panel along with Terence Bridgett.

The 2014 SAFTAs ceremony will take place at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg. The nominees are scheduled to be announced soon, but the exact date has yet to be confirmed.

History of the SAFTA’s In 2005, representatives of the South African Film and Television industry resolved to come together under the auspices of the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) to establish the annual South African Film and Television Awards, the SAFTA AWARDS (SAFTAS). The primary objective of the SAFTA Awards is to honour, celebrate and promote the creativity, quality and excellence of South African Film and Television talent and productions, and to encourage entrepreneurship and the development of new talent within the industry.

SAFTAS has had six sessions to date. Each session has given over 70 awards each.

Did you know Samuel L Jackson surprised guests at last year’s event by taking part in the proceedings and even handing out an award!

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FOUR CORNERS Lives are Lived at the Whim of Gangland Clashes By Monique Verduyn

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irector Ian Gabriel’s comingof-age thriller ‘Four Corners’ – opening on 28 March – takes its audience deep into the harsh realities of the unique and volatile gangland sub-culture of the sprawling Cape Flats.

“Set against an explosive backdrop, ‘Four Corners’ has at its centre a vital message of inspiration and hope,” says Gabriel.

“At times raw and violent,at other times touching and true, the film weaves together the universal themes of love, loss, kinship, betrayal and redemption.”

The film, which takes its title from ‘die vier hoeke’, South African prison slang for the world within the four corners of a prison cell, delves into the world of two of the ‘numbers’gangs – the 26s and the 28s – who are engaged in a long standing turf war both in and out of jail. When 28s member, Farakhan (Brendon Daniels), is released, he returns to his father’s ramshackle home, quickly taking revenge on the 26er who was living there in his absence.

Meanwhile,13-year-old chess whiz Ricardo (Jezzriel Skei) is trying to steer clear of the 26ers, named the ‘Americans’,who rule his neighbourhood, particularly their cagey and charismatic leader (Irshaad Ally), who recruits local boys to do his dirty work in exchange for lots of cash. Smart and soft-spoken, Ricardo sees chess as both a way of life and a way of escaping gang culture, but the escalating violence resulting from Farakhan’s actions soon sees him caught in the middle. His story calls to mind that of Rocket, the boy in the highly-acclaimed ‘City of God’, part tender coming-of-age film and part gang-warfare epic from the Brazilian slum.

“Gang warfare on the Cape Flats has a long history,” says Gabriel. “The South African police have estimated that more than 100000 gang members compete for turf and control of the drug trade in the Western Cape, most of them in the urban sprawl of the Flats,on the eastern outskirts of Cape Town. The level of violence stands in the way of the communities’ social and economic development, with conflict often forcing the closure of schools as rival gangsters try to assert control over the trade of drugs such as mandrax and crystal methamphetamine, known locally as ‘tik’.

Our first responsibility was to tell the truth, as much as we could.”

Historically, the Cape Flats was once a dumping ground for mixed-race families evicted from areas reserved for whites by the apartheid government. Democracy has changed little for most residents of Manenberg’s dilapidated apartment blocks and cramped, run-down houses. People live on top of each other, many of them jobless. Young men in hoodies are branded by tattoos denoting membership of the socalled numbers gangs, the 26s, 27s and 28s, which operate in the country’s prisons.

Gang life on the Cape Flats is a complex subject that has captured imaginations in the past. It’s been explored by highly praised

South African write Jonny Steinberg in ‘The Number’, his biography of prison gangster Magadien Wentze, which is also a riveting account of the hegemony of the 26 and 28 gangs in Pollsmoor prison. The story is less about despair than about beguiling ingenuity in the quest for survival. There is also ‘Odd Number’, a documentary film set on the Cape Flats. A story of redemption, it’s about a boy who grows up in poverty and joins a gang. Sent to Pollsmoor, he fights for survival and survives an assassination attempt.

In 2011, thriller writer Roger Smith’s ‘Wake Up Dead’was published. A novel of unrelenting action and violence, it too was set on the Cape Flats. Evoking the toxic and seething slums of the Oscar-nominated movieDistrict 9, Smith makes readers well aware that poverty, corruption and profound despair are overcome by the will to survive.

In ‘Four Corners’, Gabriel’s cast combines veterans including Lindiwe Matshikiza (who delivered a powerful rendering as Zindzi Mandela in ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’), beginners and‘real people’ non-actors,and includes several first time teenage actors,drawn from schools, chess clubs and communities across the Cape Flats.

“This is a gritty, contemporary street film in the vein of ‘City of God’ and ‘Amores Perros’,” says Helen Kuun, CEO of local distributor Indigenous Film Distribution.

“Despite the violence it portrays, itis also heartfelt and redemptive, making it one of the most interesting films to look forward to this year.”

‘Four Corners’ is South Africa’s official entry in the 2014 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. It has also received a nomination for Best International Film from the International Press Academy (IPA) in Los Angeles. Both awards ceremonies will be held in March, shortly after the film opens in South Africa.

NAMIBIA

the Gem of Africa

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country filled with striking and dramatic natural beauty, Namibia is home to the vast Namib and Kalahari Deserts, the Fish River Canyon and the Skeleton Coast. But film and photography locations are not its only draw cards. In 2013, Bloomberg named Namibia the top emerging market economy in Africa – ahead of Morocco, South Africa and Zambia. The country’s history is closely tied to that of South Africa and as such, it has similar economic sectors such as mining, agriculture, manufacturing and tourism.

Namibia regards its landscape as a defining asset and as such, it is one of the few countries in the world to specifically address habitat conservation and protection of natural resources in its constitution.

Nicknamed “the Gem of Africa”, the nation remains a dazzling and beautiful hub of adventure. It is home to the largest single piece of meteor on earth, it has the secondlowest population density in the world and the largest number of cheetahs.

Namibia is also home to the oldest desert on earth, the Namib, and the highest sand dune, reaching a height of 980 feet.

The Welwitschia Mirabilis, which has a lifespan that can reach 2,000 years, is a fossil plant found in the Namib Desert. Lake Otijkoto – the world’s largest underground lake – is located in the country’s mysterious Dragon’s Breath Cave. The nation has two declared UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Bushman painting and rock engraving site at Twyfelfontein and the Namib Sand Sea which is home to Sossusvlei and Sesriem.

Namibia’s NamibRand Nature Reserve was also declared a Dark Sky Reserve in 2012, making it one of only two sites on earth with the lowest levels of light pollution.

Stargazers of the world unite!

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© Shutterstock

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Ghost Diamond Town, which was once one of the richest towns on the planet! Lüderitz is also near the Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet National Park), which contains over 2,300 endemic succulents. The spectacular 59m Bogenfels – a coastal rock arch – is also located in the Tsau //Khaeb.

Population 2,182,852 (July 2013, CIA World Factbook)

Climate

Namibia as a Film Location Because of its spectacular scenery, Namibia has become a world-renowned filming destination. A myriad of documentary makers and photographers frequent the country’s many conservation sites in search of the abundant local wildlife. In recent years, a number of blockbusters have done their principal photography here. Films like ‘10,000 BC’, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ and ‘Flight of the Phoenix’ have all been shot in Namibia.

Filming In Namibia Namibia is a film-friendly place. Film permits can be attained between 24 hours to a week and locals are fairly capable set constructors. Although creative talent pools and equipment stock are small, these can easily be sourced and imported in neighbouring South Africa. Rates are very reasonable and transportation is not an issue – Namibia has well-maintained, paved roads, groomed rural roads and few require 4-wheel drive.

Key Locations Fish River Canyon The Fish River Canyon is the second-largest natural gorge in the world and the largest in Africa. It has a distinct setting, with harsh, stony plains and drought-resistant succulents such as the quiver tree. This spectacular natural phenomenon was formed over 500 million years ago not by water erosion, but through the collapse of the valley bottom due to movements in the earth’s crust.

Dragon’s Breath Cave 46km northwest of Grootfontein in the Kalahari Desert lies the Dragon’s Breath Cave, home of the largest non-subglacial underground lake. Its depths have only been charted to around 100m and its water is crystal clear. The lake’s zero-sunlight conditions limit photosynthesis and because of these unique conditions, it is an ideal spot for one of the world’s rarest and most isolated species, the Golden Cave Catfish.

These catfish are critically endangered – there are an estimated 150 of them and all live in the Dragon’s Breath Cave.

Namibia’s climate is typical of semi-desert terrain. It has hot days and cool nights with an average of 300 days of sunshine each year. The coastal regions are cooled by the cold Benguela Current, causing fog and inhibiting rainfall. Over the central plateau, temperatures are lower. Namibia sees rain mostly as heavy thunderstorms during the summer months from November to February.

In the interior, the short rains take place during October and December and the long rains take place between January and April.

Skeleton Coast Once upon a time, the entire coastline of Namibia was called the Skeleton Coast.

Today, it refers mainly to Skeleton National Park, which stretches across the northern third of the shoreline. The ominous name was given because of the scores of shipwrecks littering the beaches – the work of the Benguela Current, dense fog and rough surf. But despite its appearance, the Skeleton National Park houses a great variety of species with its borders, from big cats and desert-adapted elephant to black rhino and many more.

Lüderitz Located along the coast of southern Namibia is probably the most unique town in the country. The colourful fishing harbour town forms a barrier between the towering coastal dunes of the Namib Desert of the north and the unforgiving, rocky coastline of the south.

It is nearby the world-renowned Kolmanskop

Did You Know?

71 communal conservancies cover 18% of the country. Add to that figure national parks, community forests, and freehold conservancies, and 42% of Namibia is under conservation management.

30 | INDUSTRY MOVES

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IN PRODUCTION March 2014 Thanks to ever-present confidentiality clauses, no one is ever allowed to officially talk about what’s in production in Africa, so this monthly section is an unofficial overview of the industry’s worst-kept secrets.

‘The Avengers: Age of Ultron’ and ‘Children of The Gun’ wrapped in February, but there’s still an impressive amount of work to go round in March.

‘Abel se Ontwaking’ Leading South African production designer Johnny Breedt (‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom,’ ‘Hotel Rwanda’) is making his feature film directorial debut with this adaptation of Chris Karsten’s award-winning Afrikaans crime novel. It’s the first in a trilogy about a serial killer who harvests his victims’ tattoos. Vlokkie Gordon’s Advantage Entertainment is producing.

‘Black Sails’ ‘Black Sails’ premiered on Starz in January to rave reviews, with an 8.2 rating on IMDB, where it’s stayed in the top 50 most popular films and TV series.

The ‘Treasure Island’ prequel is currently based at Cape Town Film Studios filming its second season, with more likely given the response so far. Film Afrika is the South African production company, while African actors Hakeem Kae-Kazim and Sean Cameron Michael are both credited in the title sequence.

‘Tiger House’ The Hollywood Reporter calls this “a thriller starring Kaya Scodelario (‘Wuthering Heights’), Tom Cullen (‘Downton Abbey’) and Dougray Scott (‘My Week With Marilyn)” from “rising theatre director and filmmaker Thomas Daley.” Variety adds that the film ‘is about a troubled teen who fights back against an armed gang, which has kidnapped her boyfriend’s family.” Ten10Films is the South African production company, with Edwin Angless line producing.

Brangelina & George Clooney film The gossip pages were abuzz at the end of January with the news that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will be living in Johannesburg for eight months this year while Brad shoots a film with George Clooney. There’s been lots of talk about the rent they’re paying (R85 000 a month for a mansion in Sandhurst, according to CityPress) and whether or not they’ll be getting married while they’re here, but no one seems clear what film they’re making or who the local production company is yet. The most common guess is that it’s ‘Oceans Fourteen,’ but there are also skeptics who insist the whole thing is a hoax.

‘Book of Negroes’ Out of Africa Entertainment is currently shooting ‘The Book of Negroes,’ a six-hour miniseries based on Lawrence Hill’s Commonwealth Writers Prizewinning novel.

Variety says Oscar-winners Louis Gossett Jr. and Cuba Gooding Jr. star alongside Oscar-nominee Jane Alexander, Aunjanue Ellis, Lyriq Bent, Ben Chaplin and Allan Hawco.

According to Variety, ‘The Book of Negroes’ follows the life of Aminata Diallo, who, after being kidnapped by slave traders in West Africa and subsequently enslaved in South Carolina, tries to navigate her way to freedom.

It moves from Cape Town to KwaZulu-Natal in March before wrapping the South African leg in April and moving to Nova Scotia.

The miniseries is co-written by Hill and director Clement Virgo (‘The Wire’).

‘Dominion’ After shooting its pilot in Cape Town last year, ‘Dominion’ has a full-season order from Syfy to premiere June 2014.

Syfy describes the ‘Legion’ sequel as “an epic supernatural drama” about “an army of lower angels” waging “a war of possession against mankind.”

‘Dominion’ stars Christopher Egan (‘Resident Evil: Extinction’), Tom Wisdom (‘300’), Roxanne McKee (‘Game of Thrones’) and Alan Dale (‘Lost’), among others. Film Afrika is the South African production company.

‘Karsten og Petra på Safari’ Spier Films and Do Productions are shooting ‘Karsten og Petra pa Safari’ in Johannesburg. It’s the fourth in a popular Norwegian children’s franchise.

INDUSTRY MOVES | 31

Black Sails, Courtesy of Starz

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32 | REVIEW

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DEATH OF A COLONIALIST Brings Film and Stage Actors Together

By Kim Muller

Rehearsing

A

unique stage production has hit Cape Town – ‘Death of a Colonialist’. What makes this show so original is not only its star-studded cast but the intimate way in which it has touched its audience.

‘Death of a Colonialist’ was written

by Greg Latter (‘Forgiveness’, ‘Black Butterflies’) and was brought to the stage by film director Craig Freimond (‘Material’, ‘Jozi’, ‘Gums & Noses’, ‘Sorted’). Jamie Bartlett, recently of ‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom’ and the captivating Genaro in ‘Rhythm City’ heads up the cast as Harold Smith, while Shirley Johnson (‘Felix’, ‘Heel Against the Head’, ‘Shadowlands’) plays his wife Margaret and Ashleigh Harvey (‘Sophiatown’) and Nicholas Pauling play his children Susan and Jonathan Smith.

“I’m friends with Greg Latter, who’s primarily a screenwriter,” Freimond said of the origins of ‘Death of a Colonialist.

“I was having a coffee with him in Knysna and he said he had written this play, which is not like him at all. He started telling me about the play and I really liked the sound of it. It’s about this very passionate history teacher in Grahamstown and all he wants to talk about is Xhosa history and he’s a really larger than life character. And then there’s this other story going on with his wife who’s dying of cancer and he doesn’t know and I just thought it was a really interesting construction. So he gave me a copy and I thought it was amazing. It was just what I’d been looking for.”

Craig Freimond, Director

Freimond says he had also been looking for something of this calibre for Jamie Bartlett. This was in 2008. They began working on the play and their first stage production was in early 2010 at the Market Theatre. After moving onto a run at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown they returned to The Market and finally, after the Baxter theatre figured out a way to do so, they brought the show to Cape Town.

He says that the production process has not been easy as they have had to “break in” the new play. “New plays need to be broken in, in a sense that they’re on the page and now they need to get onto the stage,” he explains, “And that’s a different process to doing a normal play because you kind of know, okay, it’s going to work. So a new play is a much more intense process.” When asked about the very first show, Freimond says it was “terrifying”. “I remember it well, that period of showing it to people for the first time and getting people in and getting people’s responses and shaping it. You know, the other thing about doing something that’s well-known, is that there’s a certain confidence about the text. You know it works.”

Freimond recounts their rehearsal stories, “There’s a scene where Jamie covers himself in red ochre and does this very dramatic scene so in the first dress rehearsal we put the stuff on properly. We had planned one scene after it, and then he was going to come back on stage afterwards. Of course, he was shouting from offstage, ‘I’m never gonna make it!

“

It stirs the souls of every South African searching for answers about their messy heritage, about their family, their career.

“

I’m never gonna make it!’ and we ended up putting an interval there because it took him so long to shower and get back into costume.”

All the hard work and gruelling hours of rehearsing have paid off, however. ‘Death of a Colonialist’ has seen full houses almost every night in the Golden Arrow Studio, often with tears in their eyes. “Lots of tears,” says Bartlett. “This is a play that makes adults weep.” And he’s right. It stirs the souls of every South African searching for answers about their messy heritage, about their family, their career. Bartlett’s performance is captivating and riveting, giving the front row some real, threedimensional action. The cast play off each other well, as expected of people who spend long chunks of time together, and there is a natural sense throughout that the audience is what makes the show what it is.

INDUSTRY MOVES | 33

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A MUSE For South Africa's Performance Writers

By Harriet Meier

E

XT. LEBO’S HOUSE - NIGHT It’s a dark and stormy night.

The wind howls and jagged bolts of lightning shoot through the heavy clouds as LEBO, barefoot and her clothes in disarray, runs down the steep steps to the road below. Her rasping breath forms little mist pockets in the freezing air in front of her mouth and nose, and then solidifies into minute ice crystals on the smudged mascara below her eyes.

The hands that grasp her slender neck come out of nowhere, jerking her off her feet and slamming her hard onto the frozen ground. There is terror in Lebo’s eyes as they lock with….

I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for the rest of the script to find out what happened to pretty young Lebo, as will the actors, directors, producers, broadcasters and everybody else who makes money out of stage, film and television. This is the writer’s domain: Script writer, screenwriter, performance writer, call them what you want, but without them there are no movies, no TV series, no stage plays, no radio serials, no computer games, no newscasts, no song lyrics…

Yet these hardworking creative individuals, who spend countless hours in front of their computers to create what is generally classified as entertainment, are rarely honoured at glamorous events, are hardly ever mentioned when a movie becomes a world-wide success and are paid a pittance in comparison to the actors and director, who also get all the glory.

But heaven help the writer when something flops, even if major changes were made to his script by those interpreting it.

When something goes wrong, it’s always the writer’s fault; the screenplay sucked!

Yet, strangely enough, the writer goes back to his computer, dries his tears and types the heading of the next drama or adventure, which is just starting to crystalize in his mind.

Glutton for punishment, you may say.

Masochistic weirdo. Maybe. Maybe not.

In fact, writers write because they have to. It’s who they are, and there’s no getting away from it. Writers are the most creative of all the creatives, but the least recognised, and the Writers’ Guild of South Africa is proud to finally be able to change that.

On 15 March 2014, at 15:30 at the Barnyard Theatre in Cresta, Johannesburg, WGSA launches the inaugural WGSA Muse Awards.

An award by writers for writers, the Muse will honour the top local performance writers, and finally shine the spotlight on the often forgotten custodians of South African art and culture.

WGSA has had incredible support in

this venture from our actor, director and producer colleagues, as well as industry organisations and private sponsors who have helped to make this event possible. A big thank you also goes to Kohl Graphics in Pretoria, who designed and produced the flirty Muse trophy for WGSA. A non-profit and public benefit organisation, WGSA is the only officially recognised organisation in South Africa mandated to protect, develop and empower the local performance writers. Our association with the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds gives our members access to the top trainers and writers from around the world, as well as the prerogative to work legally as a writer in affiliated countries including the US, UK, Canada and most of Europe.

WGSA members get free legal advice, and we run a script registry to protect writers’ IP. We lobby government and broadcasters for writers’ rights, collect royalties and residuals for creatives, set standard industry rates and, with the Independent Producers’ Organisation (IPO), we’re developing fair standard industry contracts. Our workshops cover topics of interest to beginner and experienced writers alike, and a countrywide grassroots training and mentorship programme in ethnic languages will start operating in the near future. And we are proud to announce that we have teamed up with Audio Describe SA, to bring access media to the people and finally make film and TV “visible” to the blind community of South Africa as well.

The WGSA Muse Awards are the cherry on the top of what we do, and, as the Guild grows, so will the Awards. We look forward to seeing you all there to celebrate creativity with us.

Tel Office: 011 888 4349 Mobile: 082 575 6901 Email: admin@writersguildsa.org

34 | EVENTS

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MARCH OSCARS 02 Los Angeles, U.S.A. ADFEST 06-08 Pattaya, Thailand CAPE TOWN FILMMART 07-09 Cape Town, South Africa CAPE WINELANDS FILM FESTIVAL 06-16 Cape Town, South Africa NORTH CAROLINA BLACK FILM FESTIVAL 13-16 Wilmington, U.S.A. LUXOR AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL 16-24 Luxor, Egypt

APRIL SAFTAS 05-06 Johannesburg, South Africa MIPTV 07-10 Cannes, France AFRICA MOVIE ACADEMY AWARDS (TBC) TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 16-27 New York, U.S.A.

AFCI LOCATIONS SHOW 27-29 Los Angeles, U.S.A.

HOT DOCS 24 April – 04 May Toronto, Canada

KKNK 29-05 Oudtshoorn, Western Cape

MID-ATLANTIC BLACK FILM FESTIVAL 25-26 Norfolk, U.S.A.

MAY THE BROADCAST SHOW AFRICA 2014 19-22 Johannesburg, South Africa SAN FRANCISCO GREEN FILM FESTIVAL 29-04 San Francisco, California

EVENTS | 35 www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

Afrotribal crew, image by Filipa Domingues taken from Bryan Little’s award winning documentary “The African Cypher” _ Fly on the Wall

36 | OPPORTUNITIES

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Open Doors calls for applications The twelfth edition of Open Doors will be dedicated to Sub-Saharan Africa.

W

ith support from the Swiss Foreign Ministry’s Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Open Doors aims to support and highlight films and filmmakers from the South and the East, where independent filmmaking is vulnerable, via a focus on a different region every year. The next edition will explore SubSaharan Africa, following the spotlight on Francophone African countries in 2012. 2014 will cover the following nations, which did not participate in 2012: Angola, Botswana, Cape Verde, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Festival will select a dozen projects from the region to participate in Open Doors 2014. The objective of the co-production lab (August 9-12) is to bring the finalist projects’ directors and producers together with potential partners, to encourage support for these projects to come to fruition.

Open Doors will continue the new initiative introduced in 2013, whereby, in

addition to enabling the selected directors and producers to meet possible partners, there are also workshops for professionals on related film industry issues, with individual meetings and panels on training and marketing. The four-day event will conclude with the awards. The Open Doors Grant, worth 50,000 CHF (ca. 40’000 EUR), is funded by the Open Doors initiative in collaboration with the Town of Bellinzona and the Swiss production support fund Visions Sud Est, also supported by the SDC. Two further awards are offered by the CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée) and by ARTE. In addition to these initiatives for professionals, the section also offers the general Festival audience the Open Doors Screenings, which present a selection of films that are representative of production in the countries involved. The initiative is organized in close collaboration with Locarno’s Industry Office and enjoys the support of ACE (Ateliers du Cinéma Européen), EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs) and the Producers Network Marché du Film (Festival de Cannes).

The 2014 edition of Open Doors is the first to be managed by Ananda Scepka, who

succeeds Martina Malacrida. A graduate in philosophy and history from the Sorbonne in Paris, Ananda Scepka has been working with the Festival since 2009. For this edition of Open Doors, the Festival is working with Alex Moussa Sawadogo, an expert in African cinema and director of the Afrikamera Festival in Berlin.

The 2014 edition is open for applications, via www.opendoors.pardo.ch for projects originating from any of the 25 countries listed above. The 67th edition of the Festival del film Locarno will take place August 6 -16 2014.

OPPORTUNITIES | 37

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Zanzibar © www.sxu.hu

Encounters Calls for Entries

‘The Village Under The Forest’ won the Audience Award at Encounters 2013

E

ncounters is the only South African distributor dedicated to distributing documentaries to the South African public. Encounters makes sales of films to television, theatrically and on DVD.

Submission Guidelines Encounters South African International Documentary Festival accepts South African, African and International documentary films of all lengths and subject matter. The festival’s selection committee reviews submitted films and all films are viewed and considered.

Encounters is looking for shorts of 30 minutes or less; medium-length documentaries of 3159 minutes; and feature length documentaries of 60 minutes or longer.

Entry fees

•

• •

• •

All South African and African filmmakers are exempt from having to pay the entry fee. For all other nationals, the entry fee is $15USD (non-refundable), payable through PayPal.

Documentary Submission Regulations The deadline for documentary submissions to arrive at the festival offices is 5pm, 25 March 2014. Encounters encourages filmmakers to submit films completed after July 2013, although films made before are also eligible for consideration into the festival. Encounters does not accept films that have been broadcast on South African television before the festival.

Enter your Film • •

•Submitted films should either be in English or have English subtitles •Encounters accepts submissions on DVD, YouTube and Vimeo. Please note, should you choose to send a Vimeo

•

link and your film gets accepted, we will require a DVD screener •All DVDs and covers have to be clearly labelled with the film title, contact information and year of completion •All DVD submissions should include a full submission form •If posting outside of South Africa, please mark your package to read “NO COMMERCIAL VALUE; FOR CULTURAL PURPOSES ONLY.” Encounters will not accept the package if there are custom fees that need to be paid and will not accept responsibility for any lost or damaged DVDs for selection •All preview DVD screeners can be submitted in PAL or NTSC •The holder of copyright authorises the festival to make excerpts, of a maximum of three minutes, available for use on television channels, the Encounters’ website, and the festival’s YouTube channel for the promotion of the film and the festival •Screeners and any promotional material submitted will not be returned to the sender.

Documentary Awards The Encounters Festival presents an Audience Award, which is awarded to Best South African Film and Best International Film at the end of the festival. A jury award will be introduced in the near future.

ZIFF 2014 Film Entries Now Open

T

he Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) is currently accepting applications from African filmmakers (including the African Diaspora) and films from the Dhow Countries’ region- India, Pakistan, South East Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, The Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean Islands. Films from Europe, North America and Australia may also be submitted out of competition but all documentary films are viable for competition. All films must have been produced after June 2011.

ZIFF however, reserves the right to accept any film with specific interest to the festival. Films reflecting the theme of global cultural interaction, cultural encounters or sociocultural commentary will be given priority and we encourage filmmakers to submit works in any genre. We will accept submissions of works in progress. However, films must be semi-completed no later than April 1st, 2014 For more information visit: http://www. ziff.or.tz/

38 | ASSOCIATIONS

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NFVF to Strengthen Co-Production Opportunities for SA Companies

Changes to SAARF TAMS Data to be Implemented in March

SOS Coalition Arranges Workshop on the ICT Green Paper

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) attended the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) in February to investigate the relevance of the festival to the local film industry. Its fact-finding mission will determine whether the country requires an official participation at the festival.

NFVF CEO Zama Mkosi and Head of Production and Development Clarence Hamilton attended the festival where they are scheduled to take part in various strategic engagements with relevant stakeholders. The purpose of the visit is to take a closer look at co-productions between the two countries and to give filmmakers from both countries an opportunity to network. Another objective is to unpack the broad legal framework within which co-productions between SA and Germany operate, as well as discussing funding opportunities from both countries.

On Monday the 10th of February 2014, Mkosi took part in the Germany-South Africa Co-productions Roundtable discussion, along with Dr. Nonceba Mashalaba, Chief Director and Acting Deputy Director General at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Dv8 Films CEO Jeremy Nathan and Dr. Teresa Höfert de Turégano from the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. The event will be opened by His Excellency Makhenkesi Stofile, South African Ambassador in Germany.

“There is no doubt that the festival is one of biggest international film festivals; however, it is important that we first understand the its offering and determine how our industry can best position itself and benefit from this platform. We are happy that already there is some degree of participation at the European Film Market thanks to the DTI and other stakeholders that they have partnered with us. We will be observing the participation with an aim of, among other things, identifying where we can add value in the future,” Mkosi said in a statement.

South Africa has been represented at Berlinale by a delegation consisting of NFVF officials and local filmmakers since 2004.

On 3 March 2014, the TAMS data will be updated as the final step in implementing the TAMS audit recommendations of April 2013. This marks the effective commencement date of the new TAMS expanded panel contract.

According to a statement released by the South African Audience Research Foundation (SAARF), the TAMS Universe will be updated to the AMPS 2013A household and individual Meter Universe, which incorporates the latest South African census data. DSTV audited subscriber figures for March 2013 will be used to update the DSTV Universe.

The current weighting system used for TAMS is the Random Iterative Method - in short RIM weighting. The TAMS weighting regime will be adjusted where each weighting variable will be broken up into Children (ages 4 to 14 years) and Adults (ages 15+).

These updates will be applied to an increased weekly reporting sample of 2,500 households and will ensure that data users and researcher will have more efficient and enhanced results.

The SOS Coalition together with the Right2Know Campaign ran two workshops on 20 and 27 February to develop a civil society response to the Department of Communications Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Green Paper.

Earlier this year, the government released the ICT Green Paper, announcing a review of laws on freedom of expression, diversity in radio & TV, the cost of communication & internet access. Some of the topics covered during the workshops were who controls the airwaves and to what end, who should benefit from the internet and telephones and how we can ensure privacy when using the internet or phones.

The ICT Green Paper follows a Framing Paper that addresses the critical principles that should underpin communications policy.

ASSOCIATIONS | 39

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SAASP Welcomes New Members & Announces Amendments to CTIZS The South African Association of Stills Producers (SAASP) is delighted to welcome two new members to the association, namely Cayenne Productions and Production SA. This brings the SAASP membership to 22 of the top stills production companies in South Africa.

Recent statistics released by the City of Cape Town indicated that 59% of all permits issued for all sectors and 80% of permits issued for stills shoots by the Cape Town Film office annually are issued to SAASP members. SAASP continues to have a good working relationship with the City, Wesgro and the Province and aims at improving the industry’s accessibility to locations and reducing red tape in general. Amongst these is the agreement by the City of Cape Town to make amendments to the very restrictive CTIZS (Cape Town Integrated Zoning Scheme) after a successful meeting with Mayor Patricia De Lille last year.

WGSA Announces Next International Workshop The Writer’s Guild of South Africa (WGSA) recently announced its next international workshop with writer and director Andrew Walsh. He will be visiting both Johannesburg and Cape Town between 10 and 18 May 2014. The award-winning video games writer’s portfolio includes the immensely popular ‘Prince of Persia’, ‘Need for Speed’, ‘Lego City’ and various ‘Harry Potter’ episodes.

He will be sharing his experience as a writer, director, producer and story consultant. In addition, he has credits in film, television, radio, stage plays and animation, offering local writers the full package of learning how to spread their talents from film and TV across the full spectrum of new media.

The two-day workshop content includes writing dialogue and narrative in an interactive medium and will mix talks with workshop exercises which cover a wide range of interactive writing challenges from concept to shipping. Attendees will learn to recognise and analyse the different challenges offered by various platforms, narrative genres and gameplay genres that face writers working in this medium. For more information or to book, email admin@writersguildsa.org.

© Filipa Domingues

40 | DIRECTORY LISTINGS

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