The Callsheet Issue 5_2014

ISSUE 05 | 2014

+ STUDIOS IN AFRICA A Scouting Guide

+ BIG BUDGET SET CONSTRUCTION Build it and they will come

+ FINANCIAL INCENTIVES A Major Drawcard for Filmmakers

2. Camera Justitia Award for Miners Shot Down

4. Supa Strikas scores another goal!

6. Plett Food Film Festival 8. CTICC hosts first interactive Dinosaur Exhibition

9. A Glittering Night for the 8th Annual SAFTAs

12. A Dazzling and Diverse 67th Festival de Cannes

12

14

The 67th Festival de Cannes

Studios in Africa

This year’s Cannes Film Festival promises to be as Dazzling and Diverse as ever.

A Handy and Comprehensive Guide featuring all the essential facts about SA’s studios.

14. Studios in Africa: A Scouting Guide

22. Loeries African Roadshow Retrospective

24. Financial Incentives: A Major SA Drawcard

30. Big Budget Set Construction 33. A Chat with Charmaine Lautre 36. Mauritius: Heavenly Weather, Alluring Locations

24

30

Rebates for Filmmakers

Big Budget Set Construction

Attractive financial incentives are a major SA drawcard

Dylan de Castro goes Behind the Scenes of some of the Biggest and most Elaborate sets under construction.

38. In Production 40. March of the Gods: Botswana Metalheads

42. Events 44. Opportunities 46. Associations 48. Directory

The Salvation; Zentropa; Spier Films South Africa; Vargafusion (Pty) Limited; DO Productions; Joe Alblas Still Photographer.

CONTENTS | 01

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02 | NEWS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

CAMERA JUSTITIA AWARD for Miners Shot Down Dutch film prize for South-African documentary

T

he documentary Miners Shot Down

by Rehad Desai won the Camera Justitia Award at the Movies that Matter Festival 2014 in The Hague, The Netherlands. The award was presented to South African filmmaker Rehad Desai at the Closing Ceremony on Wednesday March 26. In March, the film won The Václav Havel Jury Award in Prague.

Miners Shot Down shows a reconstruction of the events surrounding the Marikana miners’ strike in August 2012, where poorly paid SouthAfrican employees of the British Lonmin mine went on a strike to peacefully call for higher wages. The documentary reconstructs the brutal police clampdown using unprecedented footage of the seven days leading up to the fatal event.

The Movies that Matter Festival is the main Dutch film and debate festival on human rights and social justice. The festival in the international City of Peace and Justice is an initiative by Amnesty International. The Camera Justitia section includes eight films and many masterclasses and debates highlighting the importance of justice, the rule of law and legal dilemmas and errors.

The jury praised the film for its conceptually clever and very accessible approach, reporting on how the State –

‘Miners Shot Down’

supported by a foreign multinational that has a stake in the matter – abruptly wields intense and deadly violence to put a stop to a situation that has become inconvenient.

From start to finish, the film is an emotional and moving tribute to the courage and resilience

of people who used their fundamental rights to stand up for themselves, and who had to see their intransigence answered with lethal force.

During Rehad Desai’s attendance at the Movies that Matter Festival he participated in debates with experts on trade unions, culture and politics in present-day South Africa. Desai also joined the panel of a talk show about global economic inequality, gave a masterclass on filmmaking as part of the ESoDoc training programme and took part in the jury of the other competition programme at the festival, A Matter of ACT. As Desai had to leave the festival just before the award ceremony he thanked the jury in a video message and stated: “Winning the Camera Justitia Award will mean a lot to the dozens of widows and to the hundreds of miners who still face charges. It is critically important for the campaign for justice that those charges are dropped, that the police are prosecuted.”

04 | NEWS

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SUPA STRIKAS Scores another goal!

S

upa Strikas, South Africa’s most popular animated TV series launched on Disney France in April. Supa Strikas is the number one kid’s series in South Africa at present and on Israel’s Zoom channel. This year it also reached the number 2 spot on Disney Italy. The show’s director, Bruce Legg says: “We are expecting a stellar performance in France too considering the show’s success in other international territories.”

The France feed which includes Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg joins the 130-strong territories where the series has aired over the last three years. Supa Strikas is the first animated South African show to be purchased by a French broadcaster and the most widely-seen South African TV series ever.

Strika Entertainment producer Richard MorganGrenville adds: “It’s fantastic that this story with

Greig Cameron (writer), Valentina Philips (storyboards) and Loyiso Mkize (head illustrator) on Supa Strika animation and comics projects

South African roots continues to reach a wider and more diverse audience.”

Supa Strikas is based on the popular comic of the same name which, in South Africa, is published in You, Drum and Huisgenoot magazines and sponsored by KFC. 600 000

copies are published monthly. “I am very impressed with how quickly Shakes, Supa Strikas main character and his teammates have picked up French,” jokes head illustrator on the Supa Strikas comic product, Loyiso Mkize.

Supa Strikas is also aired in Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Bahasa Malay, Romanian, Azeri, Thai, Polish and Hindi.

About Supa Strikas • •

• • •

• • •

•

South Africa’s most successful football team Supa Strikas are taking on France The show launched on Disney XD France 5 March 2014 ( which include Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland) and will be aired multiple times a week It’s the first South African animated series to be purchased and aired on French TV Supa Strikas is the most sold South African television series ever Supa Strikas already airs on Disney across Africa, Middle-East, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Serbia & South East Asia. It will begin airing on Disney across Latin America in May It’s currently the number one kids show in South Africa Supa Strikas airs on Nickelodeon in India Supa Strika airs on various free to air channels in Israel, Poland, Romania and across Latin America Supa Strikas is based on popular South African monthly comic book. Currently distributed in You, Drum and Huisgenoot magazines. 600,000 comics per month sponsored by KFC.

06 | PLETT FOOD FILM FESTIVAL

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Plett Food Film Festival

By Lika Berning, Director – iKasi Media

T

he Plett Food Film Festival falls under the umbrella of a larger Arts Festival, Plett MAD, in Plettenberg Bay. Plett MAD is about establishing an Arts and Culture platform in Plettenberg Bay, outside of our summer season, to promote Tourism and Local Economic Development. Designed along the same lines of the National Arts Festival, the programme strives to eventually include drama, dance, physical theatre, comedy, opera, music, jazz, visual art exhibitions, film, street theatre, lectures, craft fair, workshops, tours (of the town and surrounding historic places) and a children’s arts festival.

The 2014 Plett MAD starts small, bringing artists, dancers, actors, musicians,film makers and celebrity chefs to Plettenberg Bay for some

exceptional events one of which is the Plett Food Film Festival.

The Food Film Festival was proposed by local organization iKasi Media, a registered non-profit production and training organization based in the area. The organisations objectives are to boost local economic development in the Eden District through skills training in the film and television industry. It strives to create employment, and provide training opportunities through sustainable and profitable productions and film related projects like the Plett Food Film Festival.

The Festival is the first South African festival of its kind! It is an opportunity for local foodies and filmmakers to gather and engage in the discourse around the themes of the films.

Besides local and international film screenings, we will have presentations, discussions and workshops relating to the films being shown.

Food is universal, we all love, relish, indulge in and adore food! Food carries emotion.

George Bernard Shaw said, “There is no sincerer love than the love of food” Food is also our generation’s most contentious theme. Most of us seem to be more conscious consumers; we consider veganism, vegetarianism… banting for our health! But how much do we really know about what we eat, the fast track from farm to fridge? Are we truly informed? The world is exploding with cooking shows, the fine craft of culinary art, explorations into extraordinary cultural cuisines from around the world. And everyday there is a new product, a new trend on our lips. Food gets us talking! At the Plett Food Film Festival we want to bring all of this to your plate!

The festival will run for 3 days from the Whitehouse in Plettenberg Bay where we will indulge our senses in all things culinary, tickling our palates and feasting our eyes!

Our objectives are: • To entertain and transport festival participants with quality screenings of world-class local and international feature films, short films and documentaries that explore food, farming, food manufacture, food security, sustainability or anything that celebrates gastronomy!

• To inform festival participants with ‘edifying’ discussions after screenings and in forums within these themes hosted by experts in the field.

• To delight the senses with gourmet culinary presentations by local food connoisseurs related to the films on the program The Garden Route is bursting with ecowines, cheeses, confectionary; a haven for any conscious Foodie. We support and celebrate local! We will boast with all of this in between screenings, taking care to match films with different food ‘experiences’, and make sure festival goers go home feeling satiated in body and mind!

The Plett Food Film Festival is a Plett Tourism initiative with enormous growth potential. We hope to see it flourish into an annual event famous for an uncensored selection of the most heartwarming or groundbreaking films about food. This will be an event on everyone’s bucket list and an esteemed national tradition.

08 | NEWS

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CTICC hosts first interactive Dinosaur Exhibition

T

he Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) will host the first interactive dinosaur exhibition to ever hit the shores of Cape Town.

According to CTICC, General Manager for Commercial and Business Development, Megan Arendse, the centre’s exhibition halls will be transformed into a prehistoric backdrop for the Days of the Dinosaur exhibition that will be held at the CTICC in August 2014. This event, a first for South Africa, will feature over 45 roaring, moving, life-sized dinosaurs and two dinosaur skeletons set against a prehistoric paradise,

which dates back to 65 million years ago.

“This is the first time in the centre’s 10 year history that the CTICC will play host to an exhibition of this nature”, says Arendse.

“We are excited to be the host of this event and look forward to partnering with the organisers, Huisgenoot, YOU and DRUM magazines to host this unique exhibition”, she adds. For this event over 4000 square metres of exhibition space will be converted into an Exhibition Arena, 3D Cinema and an interactive area for the kids featuring an excavation zone.

The 20 day exhibition will afford visitors with a multi-sensory experience, as

interactive rides and activities will be on offer. The event organisers were looking for an exciting new event that could span across all three magazine brands and appeal to a diverse audience.

One of the key content pillars of this exhibition is the educational aspect. From the beginning to the end the exhibition has been designed to afford both adults and children the opportunity to be transported back in time and learn about the fascinating era of the dinosaurs.

“The event organisers chose to partner with the CTICC on this event due to the central location and flexibility of the venue”, says Arendse. “Over the last few years we have seen an increasing trend of new interactive exhibitions and events coming to the fore”, she adds. The CTICC has played host to unique events such as Disney on Ice, where the centre’s exhibition halls were converted into an ice rink and the Reversing the Legacy exhibition, which recreated the Apartheid regime.

With the centre’s imminent expansion kicking off this year, the CTICC’s exhibition capacity is set to almost double. “This will play an instrumental role in helping us to advance the local exhibition industry by attracting new events to Cape Town”, concludes Arendse.

NEWS | 09

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A Glittering Night for the 8th Annual SAFTAs

S

tars, celebrities, entertainment industry leaders and prominent officials were out in full force for the South African Film and Television Awards on Friday and Saturday, 4-5 April 2014. The event was screened live on SABC 3, from the glamorous red carpet arrivals to the celebration of the Golden Horn winners. The theme, 20 Years of Freedom, was evident throughout, while comedian Alan Committie brought his rare brand of humour to the stage as Master of Ceremonies.

National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) CEO Zama Mkosi opened the evening with a moving speech, setting the award ceremony on its way. The coveted Best TV Soap Award went to ‘7de Laan’ by Danie Odendaal Productions, while Spier Films and New Brighton Pictures won Best Feature Film for ‘Of Good Report’.

The film raked up a slew of other awards - Best Writing Team, Best Editor, Best Director, Best

Supporting Actor and Actress and Best Actor, all in the Feature Film category.

Political comedy also made inroads at this year’s awards, with ZA News winning Best Writing Team and Best TV Comedy, and with Late Nite News winning Best Ensemble in the TV Comedy category. Other notable winners were ‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom’, ‘Khumba’, ‘The Wild’ and ‘Kanyekanye,’ which won Best Student Film.

The Golden Horn Awards were presented on the second night of the award ceremony, with over 30 statuettes given to the “crème de la crème” of South Africa’s film and television industry. The first award of the evening went to the very funny Tsholo Monedi for Best Actress in a Comedy for her role in ‘Skwizas: Season 2, while the hugely talented Obed Baloyi took away the Golden Horn for Best Actor in a Comedy. All the Golden Horn nominees and winners were of

the highest industry standard with the SAFTAs also celebrating a new category, Made for TV Movie. Rolisizwe Nikiwe won this Golden Horn for ‘Inside Story’. All the actors nominated for Best Actor in a TV were from ‘Isibaya’ – Sdumo Mtshali for his part as Sbu Ndlovu, Bongani Gumede as Mandla and Siyabonga Thwala who plays Mpiyakhe Zungu. Siyabonga Thwala won this coveted Golden Horn, but the sheer popularity of ‘Isibaya’ also made it a big winner of the evening.

“The 8th Annual SAFTAs event has been the most vibrant and inspiring awards we’ve held so far, with the amount of industry participation and support, the awards have grown from strength to strength,” said Zama Mkosi. “One of the highlights this year was definitely having the public engage with what we’re doing on the SAFTAs before, during and after the show on Twitter and Facebook. That’s true democracy!”

10 | HOLLARD

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HOLLARD FILM GUARANTORS Leads the way to paperless efficiency

Paul Raleigh (right) celebrates the Oscar win for Tsotsi with Madiba

Templates and Contracts

The Hollard Film Guarantors team is a group of ‘get it done’ experts in film production.

S

outhern Africa’s leading completion guarantor is now storing vital movie production documents ‘in the cloud’ to avoid production delays caused by urgently needed paperwork that is missing or delayed.

“Paperless is the future in streamlining film production and avoiding unnecessary bottlenecks,” says Oscar award winning film producer, Paul Raleigh, the head of Southern Africa’s leading film bonder, Hollard Film Guarantors. Raleigh has just completed his three year term as a Council member of the National Film and Video Foundation and is a sitting Board member of the KZN Film Commission.

With offices in 12 countries and on four continents, the Hollard Group’s annual turnover exceeds R12.5-billion with assets of over R23.6-billion. “In the past two years we have guaranteed 57 film productions in Africa and the UK and are now expanding our

delivery to the global film industry. Hollard’s worldwide offices include: India, Australia, China, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia.”

New Paperless System Hollard Film’s new ‘in the cloud’ storage system is a game changer that makes all documents available worldwide 24/7. A production’s documents are all stored in three servers around the world where they’re backed up every day. Producers each have their own ‘filing room’ and documents are stored by date; version; and who uploaded.

“Producers love the efficiency this delivers. All uploads are automatically sent to our legal team and everyone is efficiently on the same page at all times. Our Hollard Film Guarantor team includes vital specialists as well as lawyers and accountants – all focused on getting producers across the line on time,” says Raleigh.

Another way we streamline efficiency for smaller budget films – or those who need this support – is to provide producers with: a Cost Report Programme as well as access to various legal document templates, crew and cast contracts and all necessary production related templates. Our ‘in the cloud’ storage system makes all these instantly available anywhere in the world.

Hands on Assistance It is not by chance that Hollard Film Guarantors is the Southern African film investors’ preferred choice.

• Our specialist team leader is an experienced Oscar winning producer.

• All risks are expertly determined and dealt with proactively.

• Progress is monitored continually and initiatives taken to resolve issues that threaten production.

• Ensure that locations are safe, protected and efficiently sustained.

“Email or give me a call for the answers to any bonding questions you have,” invites Paul Raleigh. His email address is Paulra@hollard.co.za and his mobile +27 82 801 1283.

12 | SPOTLIGHT

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THE 67TH FESTIVAL DE CANNES - As Dazzling and Diverse as ever

T

he annual Festival de Cannes is synonymous with rich, red carpets, a myriad of sparkling stars and all the glitz and glamour in the world. It all began in 1946 on 20 September and has since grown into one of the most anticipated events on the film industry calendar. It was decidedly Eurocentric in the beginning, with French films dominating the awards that year. Skip forward 25 years and the films had become decidedly more international, with five of the 11 winners in the feature film category hailing from America. Skip forward another 25 years to 1996 and we see our familiar contemporaries like Mike Leigh, Lars von Trier and David Cronenberg scooping up

the coveted Cannes Palm d’Or, Grand Prix and Special Jury Prize respectively.

This festival is often thought of as the pinnacle of achievement and many award winners end up taking their careers to even greater heights afterwards. Mike Leigh, for instance, went on to produce eight more films, including the much-loved, ‘HappyGo-Lucky’. Lars Von Trier has now become a household name with the launch of the ‘Nymphomaniac’ Volumes in 2013, but has also had a hand in gripping films like ‘Melancholia’, ‘Antichrist’ and ‘Dancer in the Dark’, featuring offbeat singer and artist, Bjork. Cannes is a great motivator of creativity and this is never more evident than in its eclectic – and sometimes

eccentric – array of official film posters throughout the years.

Last year saw even more diversity than ever, with Abdellatif Kechiche, a TunisianFrench filmmaker winning the Palm d’Or for his beautiful yet controversial creation, ‘Blue is the Warmest Colour’. The Coen brothers took home the Grand Prix for ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’, while Japanese filmmaker Kore-Eda Hirokazu took home the Jury Prise for ‘Soshite Chichi Ni Naru’, Jia Zhangke from China was awarded Best Screenplay and Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, originally from Chad, won the Vulcain Prize for an artist technician for ‘Grigris’ – his second Cannes win.

2014 is set to be just as glamorous,

SPOTLIGHT | 13

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creative and diverse as previous years – perhaps more. Although official award selections are only released in mid-April, the internet has been buzzing with news.

Suave, multi-talented artist Lambert Wilson will be Master of Ceremonies for the 67th Festival De Cannes. He made his first appearance in Cannes in 1985, with ‘Rendez-vous’ by André Téchiné, in which he acted alongside a young débutante named Juliette Binoche. He then returned on several occasions to the Selection, both as an actor and as President of the Jury of Un Certain Regard in 1999. In 2010, the cinema world was deeply moved by his performance in Xavier Beauvois’ ‘Of Gods and Men’, which picked up that year’s Grand Prix.

As part of the festival, the Cinefondation’s Atelier, created in 2005, will hosts its tenth edition inviting 15 directors to Cannes whose projects have been considered particularly promising. Together with their producers, they will be able to meet potential partners, a necessary step to finish their project and start the making of their film.

This year keeps in line with all the elegance and wonder of previous years, opening with French director Olivier Dahan’s ‘Grace of Monaco’. The world preview will take place on Wednesday 14 May, starring Nicole Kidman as American actress Grace Kelly who became Princess Grace when she married Prince Ranier III, played by Tim Roth. Dubbed “the marriage of the century”, the film follows grace as she struggles with her new role as a princess after winning an Oscar and having worked with the likes of John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock and Fred Zimmermann previously.

The 67th Festival de Cannes sees New Zealand director Jane Campion presiding

over the Jury. “Since I first went to Cannes with my short films in 1986,” she says, “I have had the opportunity to see the festival from many sides and my admiration for this Queen of film festivals has only grown larger.

At the Cannes Film Festival they manage to combine and celebrate the glamour of the industry, the stars, the parties, the beaches, the business, while rigorously maintaining the festival’s seriousness about the Art and excellence of new world cinema.” Campion is the only female director to have won the Palm d’Or, for ‘The Piano’ in 1993, having already garnered the Short Film Palme d’Or in 1996 for ‘Peel – a unique double in the festival’s history.

“

Grúa’ received the Critics’ Award at the Venice Film Festival in 1999. His second, ‘El Bonaerense’, was selected in 2002 at the Festival de Cannes (Un Certain Regard). In 2008, ‘Leonera’, screened in Competition at the Festival de Cannes, reveals the exceptional talent of actress Martina Gusman. ‘Carancho’ (2010) and ‘Elefante Blanco’ (2012), critically acclaimed internationally, were both presented in Un Certain Regard. “I am very proud to serve as President of the Jury for Un Certain Regard,” he says, “Proud to take part in another way in the adventure in Cannes.”

The 2014 Cinéfondation and Short Films Jury will be presided by Abbas Kiarostami

At the Cannes Film Festival they manage to combine and celebrate the glamour of the industry, the stars, the parties, the beaches, the business, while rigorously maintaining the festival’s seriousness about the Art and excellence of new world cinema.

Thierry Frémaux, Director of Cannes Film Festival had this to say of her: “We are immensely proud that Jane Campion has accepted our invitation... Coming from a country and indeed a continent where film is a rare but powerful phenomenon, she is one of those directors who perfectly embody the idea that you can make films as an artist and yet still appeal to a worldwide public.”

Pablo Trapero, an Argentinian scriptwriter, producer and director, is this year’s President of the Jury for Un Certain Regard. His first feature film ‘Mundo

“

(Iran), supported by directors Noémie Lvovsky (France), Daniela Thomas (Brazil), Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Chad), and Joachim Trier (Norway).

Winners of this year’s glittering Festival De Cannes will be announced on Saturday 24 May, at the traditional awards ceremony in the Grand Théâtre Lumière. The final film in competition will be shown on 23 May and the jury will meet the next day for selections. The festival will close on Sunday 25 May with the screening of the Palme d’Or.

14 | FEATURE

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STUDIOS IN AFRICA a scouting guide

C

ape Town Film Studios may have generated the most press in recent years, but Africa is far from a onetrick pony when it comes to studios.

There are over 90 dedicated film and stills studios in Cape Town and Johannesburg alone, offering more than 35 000m² of floorspace. That’s without counting multi-purpose buildings like Cotton Mills in Epping or The Three Arts Theatre in Diep River, which have been repeatedly used for films and TV series.

Morocco offers a similar amount of studio space, but split between fewer studios. Atlas Film Studios in Ourzazate claims to be the largest in the world, covering 10 000m2 of desert, while CLA Studios offers two stages of 1800m² each, plus a staggering 1,560,000 m² backlot.

Ourzazate has a long history of hosting blockbusters, including ‘Game of Thrones,’

Photo Hire

By Kevin Kriedemann

‘Gladiator,’ ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Star Wars,’ among others.

Kenya has a similarly proud history: Kenya Film Studios offers 400m², 270m², and 100m2 studios in Nairobi, which have hosted a remarkable 12 Oscar-winning features.

Empire Studios in Tunisia offers two 1000m2 air-conditioned studios, as well as one 400m2 studio. There are also 5 500m² of sets over 11 hectares in an area chosen for its resemblance to Rome. Empire has hosted films like ‘The Last Legion’ and ‘Pompeii.’

Tarak Ben Ammar, who is behind Empire Studios, built the de Ben Arous studios in 2007, which now offers two multi-use sets over 10 hectares. Legendary Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore shot his Sicilian epic ‘Baaria’ here.

Other studios in Africa include: • Power & The Glory’s 100m² studio in

•

Windhoek, Namibia M-Net Studio and Supersport Studio in Lagos, Nigeria

Glossary Cyclorama (also known as a cyc or an infinity curve): A walled background incorporating one or more curved surfaces that are used to create a background with no perceptible beginning or end.

Chromakey (also known as green screen): a digital technique by which a block of a particular colour (often blue or green) in a film or video image can be replaced by another colour or image.

Daylight Studio: A studio that is lit with natural light, usually by way of windows and skylights.

Green Room: the space in the studio that accommodates performers not yet required.

FEATURE | 15

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STUDIO NAME

Atlas Studos

LOCATION

Milpark, Jozi

TARGET MARKET

TV series & soapies

Studio One

FLOORSPACE

440m² + lower

INFINITY

LIGHTING

GREEN

CHROMA

SET STOR-

CURVE/CY-

GRID &

ROOM

KEY / GREEN-

AGE

CLORAMA

HEIGHT

No

Yes. 4.2m

level floor area of

WEBSITE

SCREEN Yes

No

Yes

www.atlasstudios.co.za

Yes

No

Yes

www.atlasstudios.co.za

No

No

Yes

www.atlasstudios.co.za

Yes

No

Yes

www.atlasstudios.co.za

generally

20m² Atlas Studios

Milpark, Jozi

TV series & soapies

460m²

No

Studio Two Atlas Studio

generally Milpark, Jozi

Daylight shoots

Studio Three Atlas Studios

580m² + 150m²

No

mezzanine Milpark, Jozi

Commercials

Studio Four Atlas Studios

Yes. 4.2m

270m² + 40m²

roof at apex No

mezzanine Milpark, Jozi

Studio Five

Interviews, newsroom,

No. 7.5m to No. 6m to roof at apex

70m²

Yes

Yes. 3.2m

Yes

Yes

Yes

www.atlasstudios.co.za

Chat shows, game

320m² divided

No

No. 4m to

No

No

Yes

www.atlasstudios.co.za

shows, commercials,

by 2 columns

music videos,

into 2 equal,

photoshoots

interconnected

corporate videos, music videos, packshots

Atlas Studios

Milpark, Jozi

Studio Six

roof

160m² portions Atlas Studios

Milpark, Jozi

TV drama

160m²

No

N/A

Yes

No

No

www.atlasstudios.co.za

Buchanan

Woodstock,

Stills and films

235m²

Double

No. 3.9m to

N/A

No

N/A

www.buchananstudios.

Studios

Cape Town

volume:

roof

Studio Seven co.za

3.8m high, 5m x 5.45m Camera

Randburg,

N/A

100m²

Facilities

Jozi

Yes. Double.

Yes. 3.5m

No

No

No

www.camerafacilities.co.za

Cape Island Studios Stage 1

Milnerton,

Film, television, music

466.2m²

Yes

Yes 6.2m to

Yes

Yes

No

www.islandstudios.net

Cape Town

video, commercials

Cape Island

Milnerton,

Film, television, music

Studios Stage 2

Cape Town

video, commercials

Yes

Yes

No

www.islandstudios.net

Cape Island

Milnerton,

Film, television, music

Studios Stage 3

Cape Town

video, commercials

Yes

Yes

No

www.islandstudios.net

Yes

No

Yes

www.capetownfilmstudios.

gantry

or stills 321.75m²

Yes

Yes 6.2m to gantry

or stills 536.25m²

Yes

Yes 6.2m to gantry

or stills Cape Town Film

Faure,

Feature films and

Studios Stage 1

Cape Town

international TV series

2100m²

No

Yes. Gantry: 15m. Roof:

co.za

20m Cape Town Film

Faure,

Feature films and

Studios Stage 2

Cape Town

international TV series

1850m²

No

Yes. Gantry:

Yes

No

Yes

12m. Roof:

www.capetownfilmstudios. co.za

17m Cape Town Film

Faure,

Feature films and

Studios Stage 3

Cape Town

international TV series

1200m²

No

Yes. Gantry: 12m. Roof: 17m

Yes

No

Yes

www.capetownfilmstudios. co.za

16 | FEATURE

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STUDIO NAME

LOCATION

TARGET MARKET

FLOORSPACE

INFINITY CURVE/ CYCLORAMA

LIGHTING GRID & HEIGHT

GREEN ROOM

CHROMA KEY / GREENSCREEN

SET STORAGE

WEBSITE

Cape Town Film

Faure,

Feature films and

1200m²

No

Yes. Gantry:

Yes

No

Yes

www.capetownfilmstudios.

Studios Stage 4

Cape Town

international TV series

12m. Roof:

co.za

17m Clive Morris

Randburg,

Productions

Jozi

TV

81m²

Yes. Green

4.5m to

screen

roof, with

infinity

movable

curve.

lighting grid

250m² + 69m²

Yes. 2 x

No. Opening

balcony

portable

skylight

Studio Daylight Studio

Cape Town

Stills and films

CBD

No

Yes

Yes

www.cmproductions.co.za

No

Yes, on

No

www.breestreetstudios.

request

co.za

(3mx3m each) D3 Studios

Balfour Park,

N/A

63m²

Jozi

Yes. Green

Yes. 6m

No

Yes

No

www.bafwethu.com

No

No

Yes

Yes

www.flashphoto.co.za

Yes

No

Paint as

No

www.foghound.co.za

No

www.foghound.co.za

screen infinity curve.

Flash Photo

Greenpoint

Stills/video shoots.

Entire Studio

Yes 4m x

Cape Town

Catalogue/editorial/

Space: 200 m²

6m x 10m

advertising shoots

Flat wall: 6m x 4m

Films

208.6m²

Foghound

Midrand,

Studios:

Pretoria

Three-wall cyclorama

required

Studio 1 Foghound

Midrand,

Studios;

Pretoria

Pack shots

39.9m²

Yes

Yes

No

Paint as required

Studio 2 Global Access

Downtown

Talk Shows, ads, game

Studio 1

Jozi

shows

Global Access

Downtown

Sitcoms, soaps, talk

Studio 2

Jozi

shows, ads, game

Global Access

Downtown

Talk shows, ads, game

Studio 3

Jozi

shows

Gold Island

Midrand, Jozi

Film, television, music

235m²

Yes

Yes. 3.2m

Yes

Yes

Yes

www.globalaccess.co.za

564.5m²

No

Yes. 5.5m

Yes

No

Yes

www.globalaccess.co.za

290m²

No

Yes. 6m

Yes

No

Yes

www.globalaccess.co.za

617.7m²

Yes

No. 8.1m to

Yes

Yes

Yes

www.islandstudios.net

Yes

Yes

Yes

www.islandstudios.net

No

No

N/A

www.grinderfilms.com

shows

Studios Stage 1

video, commercials

roof

or stills Gold Island

Midrand, Jozi

Studios Stage 2

Film, television, music

420m²

Yes

video, commercials

No. 7m to roof

or stills Grinder Studios

Obs, Cape

Tabletop: commercials

Town

& stills

315m²

Yes. 36m²

No. 3.6m to roof

FEATURE | 17

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

STUDIO NAME

LOCATION

TARGET MARKET

FLOORSPACE

INFINITY CURVE/ CYCLORAMA

LIGHTING GRID & HEIGHT

GREEN ROOM

CHROMA KEY / GREENSCREEN

SET STORAGE

WEBSITE

Henley

Auckland

TV

112m²

No

Yes. 9.4m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sabc.co.za

Television

Park, Jozi

TV

140m²

No

Yes. 9.4m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sabc.co.za

TV

297m²

No

Yes. 9.4m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sabc.co.za

TV

305m²

No

Yes. 9.4m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sabc.co.za

TV

671m²

No

Yes. 9.4m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sabc.co.za

TV

297m²

No

Yes. 9.4m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sabc.co.za

Facilities: Studio 1 Henley

Auckland

Television

Park, Jozi

Facilities: Studio 2 Henley

Auckland

Television

Park, Jozi

Facilities: Studio 3 Henley

Auckland

Television

Park, Jozi

Facilities: Studio 4 Henley

Auckland

Television

Park, Jozi

Facilities: Studio 5 Henley

Auckland

Television

Park, Jozi

Facilities: Studio 6

18 | FEATURE

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

STUDIO NAME

LOCATION

TARGET MARKET

FLOORSPACE

INFINITY CURVE/ CYCLORAMA

LIGHTING GRID & HEIGHT

GREEN ROOM

CHROMA KEY / GREENSCREEN

SET STORAGE

WEBSITE

Henley

Auckland

TV

305m²

No

Yes. 9.4m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sabc.co.za

Television

Park, Jozi

270m²

Yes

Yes

No

www.magnatude.co.za

N/A

No

N/A

www.mediafilmservice.

Facilities: Studio 7 MagnaTude

Mowbray,

4 camera multi-cam

Yes. Green

Yes. 4.5m to

Studios

Cape Town

productions with

screen

lighting grid

control room & fiber

infinity

with Desisti

uplink

curve: 6m

cold light

wide x 3.5m

supplied &

high

mounted

Yes. 28m &

Yes. 6m

Media Film

Durbanville,

Studios Studio

Cape Town

Media Film

Sandton, Jozi

N/A

540m²

18m N/A

462m²

No

com N/A

No

No

No

Studios Studio Media Hive

www.mediafilmservice. com

Cape Town

Stills / TV

120m²

Yes

Yes, 4.830m

Yes

Yes

No

www.visuals.tv

Stills

140m²

Yes

N/A

No

No

No

www.merwelene.co.za

TV

Six studios,

No

Yes

N/A

No

N/A

www.mnetcorporate.co.za

Yes

Yes

No

Yes. Full

No

www.phoenixstudios.co.za

CBD Merwelene

Randburg,

Studio

Jozi

M-Net

Randburg,

Broadcast

Jozi

ranging from

Services x6

165m²-500m²

Phoenix

Blairgowrie,

Green screen visual

Studios

Jozi

effects

100m²

wall-to-wall wrapped chroma cyc

Photo Hire

Cape Town

Studio A

CBD

Photo Hire

Cape Town

StudioB

CBD

Stills & video

300m²

8.5 x 8.5

No, 3.4m to

cyc infinity

roof

No

No

No

www.photohire.co.za

No

No

No

www.photohire.co.za

No

Yes. Or white

No

www.photohire.co.za

www.productionworks.

curve Stills & video

250m²

8.5 x 8.5

No, 3.4m to

cyc infinity

roof

curve Photo Hire

Cape Town

Stills & video | green

Studio C

CBD

screen on request

Production

Melville, Jozi

Green screen visual

400m²

10 x 14m

No, 3.7m to

cyc infinity

rafters

studio

curve Works Q-Studios:

70m²

Yes

N/A

Yes

Yes

No

900m²

180m²

Yes. 7.5m

Yes.

Yes. Painted

In Unit 4

www.q-studios.co.za

49m²

as required,

effects Kew, Jozi

TV and film

co.za

Studio 1

for client’s account Q-Studios:

Kew, Jozi

TV and film

700m²

No

Yes. 8.2m

Yes

No

In Unit 4

www.q-studios.co.za

Kew, Jozi

Stills

540m²

Yes. 15m

Yes. 6.5m

No

No

In Unit 4

www.q-studios.co.za

Yes. 6.5m

No

No

In Unit 4

www.q-studios.co.za

Studio 2 Q-Studios: Studio 3 - Main

wide, 8m

Studio

return left & right, 6m high

Q-Studios:

Kew, Jozi

Stills

180m²

Studio 3 - Pack

x 5m high.

Studio Realtime

10m wide 6m bounce

Linden, Jozi

TV

80m²

Yes

N/A

Yes

No

Yes. 55m²

www.realtimepictures.com

Linden, Jozi

TV

N/A

Yes

N/A

N/A

No

Yes

www.redpepper.tv

Roodebloem

Woodstock,

Stills

200m²

5.5m x 6m x

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.roodebloemstudios.

Studios: The

Cape Town

Pictures Red Pepper Pictures x 4

Church

7m high

co.za

FEATURE | 19

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

STUDIO NAME

LOCATION

TARGET MARKET

FLOORSPACE

INFINITY CURVE/ CYCLORAMA

LIGHTING GRID & HEIGHT

GREEN ROOM

CHROMA KEY / GREENSCREEN

SET STORAGE

WEBSITE

Roodebloem

Woodstock,

Stills

180m²

No. Flat

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.roodebloemstudios.

Studios: The

Cape Town

wall: 5.1m

Hall

co.za

wide x 4.2m high

Roodebloem

Woodstock,

Studios: The

Cape Town

Stills

60m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.roodebloemstudios. co.za

Gallery Roodebloem

Woodstock,

Studios: The

Cape Town

Stills

160m²

Corner

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

curve: 9.7m

Drive-In

www.roodebloemstudios. co.za

x 7.1m x 9m high

Roodebloem

Woodstock,

Studios: Jett

Cape Town

Stills

180m²

Corner

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

Curve: 7.6m

www.roodebloemstudios. co.za

x 6.7m x 4m high Roodebloem

Woodstock,

Studios: The

Cape Town

Stills

48m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.roodebloemstudios. co.za

Tailor Shop Roodebloem

Woodstock,

Studios; The

Cape Town

Stills

42m², plus a

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

8m² balcony

www.roodebloemstudios. co.za

Kitchen Roodebloem

Woodstock,

Studios:

Cape Town

Stills

23m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.roodebloemstudios. co.za

Mezzanine Roodebloem

Woodstock,

Studios; The

Cape Town

Roof Deck

Stills

85m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.roodebloemstudios. co.za

20 | FEATURE

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

MagnaTude Studios STUDIO NAME

LOCATION

TARGET MARKET

FLOORSPACE

INFINITY CURVE/ CYCLORAMA

LIGHTING GRID & HEIGHT

GREEN ROOM

CHROMA KEY / GREENSCREEN

SET STORAGE

WEBSITE

Salt River

Salt River,

Films, commercials

4024m²

Yes. 17m x

15m to

Yes

Can be

No

www.saltriverfilmstudios.

Studios

Cape Town

or stills

12m x 7m

highest

painted;

high

point

doesn’t need

com

to be painted back.

Sasani Studios

Highlands

Stage 1

North, Jozi

Reality TV

382.5m²

No

Yes. 4.6m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

Sasani Studios Stage 2

Highlands

TV series, soapies and

427.57 m²

No

Yes. 6.7m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

North, Jozi

films

Sasani Studios

Highlands

TV series, soapies and

182.9 m²

No

Yes. 6.4m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

Stage 3

North, Jozi

films

Sasani Studios

Highlands

TV series, soapies and

454.86 m²

Yes

Yes. 8m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

Stage 5

North, Jozi

films

Sasani Studios

Highlands

TV series, soapies and

1027 m²

No

Yes. 6.4m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

Stage 6

North, Jozi

films

Sasani Studios

Highlands

TV series, soapies and

960 m²

No

Yes. 6.4m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

Stage 7

North, Jozi

films

Sasani Studios

Highlands

Reality TV, talk shows,

908 m²

No

Yes. 8.2 m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

Stage 8 - new

North, Jozi

game shows, sitcoms

Lonehill, Jozi

TV series, soapies and

675m²

No

Yes. 8.2 m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

898m²

No

Yes. 8.2 m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

64m²

Yes. 4.5m

Yes. 4.6 m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

No. 6.2m

Yes

No

Yes

www.sasanistudios.co.za

No

Shooting area

Yes

www.senepestudios.com

studio Sasani Studios Lonehill Sasani Studios

films Lonehill, Jozi

Lonehill

TV series, soapies and films

Sasani Studios

Highlands

Photoshoots,

Studio A

North, Jozi

interviews, talk shows

Sasani Studios

Highlands

Reality TV, talk shows,

Studio B

North, Jozi

game shows, sitcoms

Senepe Studios

Silverton,

Music videos,

Yes. 16m

Yes. Grid:

Pretoria

commercials, corporate

infinity

5m. Roof:

of studio can

videos

curve

6.5m

be painted

wide 153.68 m²

Yes. 9.4m wide

and photo shoots

Stark Studios

Randburg,

Studio 1

Jozi

Stark Studios

Randburg,

Studio 2

Jozi

Telemedia

Rivonia, Jozi

200m²

Soapies

750m²

No

Yes. 7m

x2

No

Yes

www.starkfilms.co.za

Soapies

500m²

No

Yes. 7m

x2

No

Yes

www.starkfilms.co.za

Broadcast

180m²

No

No. 4.5m to

Yes

No

Yes

www.telemedia.co.za

Yes

No

Yes

www.telemedia.co.za

Studio 1 Telemedia Studio 2

roof Rivonia, Jozi

Broadcast

85m²

No

No. 4.5m to roof

FEATURE | 21

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

STUDIO NAME

LOCATION

TARGET MARKET

FLOORSPACE

INFINITY CURVE/ CYCLORAMA

LIGHTING GRID & HEIGHT

GREEN ROOM

CHROMA KEY / GREENSCREEN

SET STORAGE

WEBSITE

Urban Brew

Randburg,

TV

600m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.urbanbrew.tv

Studios 1

Jozi

Urban Brew

Randburg,

TV

300m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.urbanbrew.tv

Studios 2

Jozi

Urban Brew

Randburg,

TV

200m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.urbanbrew.tv

Studios 3

Jozi

Urban Brew

Randburg,

TV

200m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.urbanbrew.tv

Studios 4

Jozi

Urban Brew

Randburg,

TV

600m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.urbanbrew.tv

Studios 5

Jozi

Urban Brew

Randburg,

TV

600m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.urbanbrew.tv

Studios 6

Jozi

Urban Brew

Randburg,

TV

35m²

No

N/A

N/A

No

N/A

www.urbanbrew.tv

Studios

Jozi Film, Stills, game

120m²

Yes

Yes 4.830m:

Yes

Yes

Only off

www.visuals.tv

Greenscreen Visuals TV

Cape Town

shows and talk shows

lighting grid

site

to floor Zootee Studios

Brooklyn,

Photography, music

239m²

Yes: 7.2m L

Cape Town

videos, corporate

x 4.5m w x

videos

6m h, with a 32.4m2 painted curve area

Yes. 6m

Yes

On request

No

www.zooteestudios.com

22 | FEATURE

LOERIES

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

African Roadshow Retrospective

A

s part of our media partnership with the Loeries, The Callsheet was privileged to travel with them on the Loeries African Roadshow.

Visiting Harare in Zimbabwe, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya, The Callsheet gained an incredible understanding of the brand communication industry in these countries. The roadshow also visited Accra in Ghana as a final destination to both garner support from and to encourage the advertising industry to get involved in the awards and Creative Week Cape Town from 15 to 21 September 2014.

At each event, Andrew Human, CEO of the Loeries, shared a fascinating collection of insights from last year’s Loeries Seminar of Creativity, presented the 2013 winners from the Africa & Middle East Category and explained the judging process, the various categories and tips for entering the awards. Many creatives were both intrigued and excited for the upcoming awards.

“I was talking to some of the people who came through today and they were saying that they were amazed at how many Zimbabwean creatives have come out to this workshop,” Denford Mangora, CEO of Jericho Advertising and part of the Loeries African Advisory Committee, said of the event. “The hunger, energy and drive displayed simply demonstrate that we do have passion for great creative work.” Ulric Charteris, CEO of Roots255, one of the largest advertising agencies in Tanzania and also an African Advisory Committee member, said he was “very passionate about the Loeries

Till Aurousseau, Creative Director at Ogilvy and Mather with Denrele Edun, Channel O TV Presenter

going into Africa.” In an interview with The Callsheet, he went on to say that although the creative industry in Africa is growing, it is still in its developmental stages. “I don’t think that Africa has found its true voice yet and that’s my mission in life. We need to find a uniquely African way of advertising that people identify with and when we find it, it’s going to be great.”

Lagos, Nigeria was an awe-inspiring event with the Loeries and DStv – one of their sponsors – joining forces. This powerhouse of a city is at the helm of a nation that has recently overtaken South Africa as the biggest market on the continent. Along with Human, speakers included Fahmeeda Cassim-Surtee, Sales Director of DStv Media Sales, Daryn

Wober, CEO of Ventra Media Group, and Debbie Shepard, Head of Marketing for Nokia West Africa.

Lanre Adisa, Managing Director and CEO of Noah’s Ark, a well-known, local advertising agency that’s championing creativity in the workplace had the following to say about the industry: “The young creatives are more ambitious. Now we see some of our guys going to schools and studying abroad, but the biggest challenge is that we are not training enough people here. We’re not creating a platform for the talent to flourish.”

Nairobi, Kenya, has a similar problem, with many creatives having to deal with a cosmopolitan environment and clients who are set in their ways – although digital is slowly taking over. “Kenya has proven to be a very, very positive hub for tech start-ups,” says Daryn Wober, “and a lot of money has been invested in tech hubs to facilitate entrepreneurs, great ideas, to build businesses and to take advantage of the expertise that’s coming in internationally.”

Another opportunity for regional investors is that of short-form video. “Generally speaking, short-form video is really the dark secret of the internet in Africa,” said Neil Drewitt, Business Development Director at Wunderman a local company working with Microsoft’s 4Afrika initiative. “People don’t like reading loads and loads of text and skipping through pages, but they will watch short-form video, which is why YouTube is fantastically successful here and the use of video by brands, if you get it right, can be a real winner.” For more information on the event or the Loerie Awards, visit www.loeries.com.

24 | FEATURE

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

ATTRACTIVE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES are a major SA drawcard

By Lesley Stones

S

outh Africa’s highly attractive rebate scheme for film producers is making a noticeable difference to the local industry.

The Department of Trade and Industry already has ample evidence that production levels have risen steady since the scheme was introduced.

But film producer Ronnie Apteker confirms just how crucial that 30% rebate scheme really is. Speaking from the set of Tiger House, a co-production between South Africa and the UK, Ronnie said: “Without the DTI rebate, this film never would have happened. Tiger House represents a very good example of how the DTI incentive resulted in a very positive thing happening – a real film, with 3 A-grade UK actors and a bunch of SA actors all participating, and it’s good for the economy, for the arts, and for many other things,” he said. “This film being made here means a fair amount of money came into South Africa which went to paying salaries to local artists and craftsmen.”

Tiger House was filmed in Cape Town in February by Tendeka Matatu, a South African who owns a company here but lives in London.

Tendeka says the rebate has existed for about four years and has definitely boosted the local industry. “There is no doubt the number of films being produced here has gone up tremendously. I have produced movies like Jerusalema and Material, so the rebate is tremendously useful,” he says.

“We come to South Africa because the rebate is an attractive proposition and because there is some other finance available.

On the set of ‘The Breakup Guru’ in Mauritius

The DTI has attracted a huge amount of foreign films because of the location rebate and the co-production treaties.”

The rebate scheme refunds 35% of the first R6-million of eligible spending on a production, and 25% any spending above R6million. Tendeka says that means South Africa boasts one of the most generous film rebate schemes available.

The country has also been made more attractive to foreign film studios through the five Audiovisual Co-Production Treaties it has signed with Canada, Italy, Germany, the UK and France.

Those co-production treaties mean that an approved production is regarded as a national production in each of the co-producing countries, and is eligible for the benefits and assistance programmes available in

both countries. Yet the treaties deliver more than just financial support, by encouraging the sharing of a story and a shared mix of actors and directors. They generate a level of cooperation that boosts the local industry far more than a foreign–run project such as Invictus, where the producers took the rebate then left again without leaving much of a mark locally, Tendeka says.

Foreign production crews currently gain another huge advantage from the Rand exchange rate, he adds, as they get a lot of value for their dollars.

Tiger House has a budget of $500 000, so the rebate will deliver substantial savings.

Although applying for the DTI rebates naturally involves a certain amount of paperwork and processes, “it runs extremely efficiently and it works very well,” Tendeka says.

26 | FEATURE

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

On the set of ‘The Breakup Guru’ in Port Louis, Mauritius

The impact of the government support schemes can be seen clearly from a movie like Fanie Fourie’s Lobola. That was 40% funded by private investors, but the majority of the cash came from the government, with 30% from the DTI and 30% from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

“The contribution the DTI has made to the film industry is unbelievable,” said director Henk Pretorius.

When the American crew behind the new Marvel movie, The Avengers: Age of Ultron was choosing its locations, the Gauteng Film Commission made sure it explained all the potential financial incentives to them.

The movie was recently filmed in parts of downtown Johannesburg for two weeks, adding to the growing body of work with some South African input.

The DTI’s Film and Television Production Incentive scheme comes in two flavours, designed to increase local content generation and attract more overseas projects. One is the Location Film and Television Production Incentive, and other is the South African Film and Television Production and CoProduction Incentive.

They were introduced because the government “recognises the significant contribution the film industry potentially has in stimulating economic growth, job creation and strengthening South Africa’s profile in the global creative environment.”

“

The contribution the DTI has made to the film industry is unbelievable.

“

The incentives available to purely foreign productions aim to attract largebudget film and television productions and post-production work that will contribute towards job creation, raising South Africa’s international profile, and increasing the country’s creative and technical skills base.

An applicant must set up a Special Purpose Vehicle in South Africa for the purpose of the filming project. The rebate on their Qualifying South African Production Expenditure (QSAPE) is 20% and 25% on their Qualifying South African PostProduction Expenditure (QSAPPE), or a 25% rebate on those two categories combined for bigger budget productions.

The scheme for local productions offers rebates of 35% on the first R6-million of QSAPE and 25% on amounts above R6million. It covers feature films, tele-movies, television dramas, documentaries and animation, as long as the budget is R2.5million or more.

Various clauses and conditions govern the period that the filming and production work must last, and the incentives do not apply to reality TV shows, discussion programmes, news, sports and current affairs or advertising.

Qualifying expenditure includes the costs of facilities and services provided by South African companies, such as artist fees, travel, accommodation and daily expenses for the overseas crew.

Filmmakers can also apply for grants, investments or loans from the National Film & Video Foundation (NFVF) for projects spanning training, script development, production, marketing and distribution.

The amount of funding varies according to the specific cash flow needs of the project.

The NFVF has a recoupment policy on

film and television productions to ensure there is a return on its investment, and the incoming money is used to fund future projects. Application forms can be downloaded from the NFVF website.

Mauritian rebate scheme challenges South African incentives.

Foreign film crews no longer only have South Africa to consider when they are seeking glorious locations and an attractive rebate to make the location even more enticing.

The tiny island of Mauritius recently launched a rebate scheme that could position it as a serious rival to South Africa. Although its success has been limited so far, the Mauritian government decided to increase the benefits last year in a bold move to improve its competitiveness even further.

The scheme has already inspired the creation of a joint South Africa/Mauritian company specifically to market the island as a perfect destination for film, TV and advertising companies. Cape Town-based co-founder Alan Glass says the new company, Glass van’t Hoff and Associates, will help any production house in South Africa or further afield that is considering shooting in Mauritius to take advantage of the new rebate system. “We are able to provide all the on-the-ground logistics including shooting permits, travel, transport, food, crew, gear, locations and the rebate administration,” he says.

One of Alan’s partners is Mauritian Jean-Claude Labat, whose local knowledge is proving helpful in obtaining filming permits and arranging the logistics.

Alan believes the rebate scheme is just as attractive as the South Africa version, with the benefit of being easier to obtain.

28 | FEATURE

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

On the set of ‘The Breakup Guru’ in Mauritius

“To get the rebate you need to partner with a local company because the Mauritian government is encouraging people to build an industry there through skills transfer, as opposed to arriving with your kit then packing up and going away without leaving an impact,” he says.

Alan recently worked as the local production manager on a feature film called The Breakup Guru, a project by the Chinese production studio Enlight Pictures. The crew shot in Black River Gorges National Park, the historical ruins of Lighthouse Island and the Chinatown area of the capital, Port Louis.

Enlight Pictures chose Mauritius largely because of the generous rebate, Alan says. But the country also benefitted.

“Because you have to partner with a local company you are going to be using local services. For Breakup Guru we had to move 120 people a day and we used local transport, used a local casting agency for the extras and used some local camera crew, so its up-skilling the local industry.”

Alan expects the film industry in Mauritius to benefit substantially from this relatively new rebate scheme. He believes the South African incentive scheme isn’t quite as straightforward as the Mauritian version, and he points out that almost all the production expenses qualify for a rebate in Mauritius compared with only certain budget items in South Africa.

Glass van’t Hoff will primarily try to attract European and Asian film and TV content producers to Mauritius, rather than the South African film industry. “The problem with trying to target the South African market is that we have our own beaches and forests so Mauritius isn’t a destination that South Africans typically need, although there are great street scenes and other wonderful locations,” he says.

Even though South Africa has similar scenery, the rebate scheme is actually attracting

On the set of ‘The Breakup Guru’ in Mauritius

some South African crews, says Marcel Noë, a consultant to the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. Marcel first suggested the Film Rebate Scheme to the government many years ago when he chaired the Mauritius Film Development Corporation.

It was finally tabled in 2012 and has begun to do well, he says. “Up to now, one Indian movie, two Chinese movies and one Chinese reality show have benefited from the rebate and there are a number of other productions in the pipeline. We are getting two South African shows here soon, Tropika and MasterChef.

Apart from movies and TV, advertising spots also qualify for the scheme,” Marcel says.

The government first introduced the scheme in 2012 with a rebate of 25% on Qualifying Production Expenditure. That was raised to 30% in 2013, when high-end TV commercials and documentaries were also made eligible.

Vice Prime Minister Xavier-Luc Duval predicts that the film industry will generate MUR 500-million ($16.3-million) in 2014 and bring about MUR 1-billion ($32-million) annually in foreign exchange.

As well as boosting local film skills, the scheme will generate employment for related trades including designers and artists, and will have a beneficial effect on the tourism, transport and retail sectors, he said.

Marketing efforts to promote the Mauritian Film Rebate Scheme will be concentrated on markets such as India, China and Europe. The Board of Investment says most enquiries are currently coming from local producers as well as from China, South Africa and India.

The scheme is available to local production houses and to foreign companies if they register in Mauritius, or if they use the services of a local production company. Expenses eligible for the rebate include travelling costs, catering, construction, location fees, per diems for the crew, post-production services, equipment rental, rental of marine vehicles, helicopters and planes, and the rental of studio facilities, mobile toilets, offices and furniture.

The Mauritius Film Development Corporation (MFDC) was set up in 1986 to encourage the development of a film and audiovisual industry in Mauritius and to promote the island as a prime film-making destination internationally.

It also aims to increase the opportunities for young people to work in the industry, build its capacity and support professional filmmakers.

The website www.filminmauritius.com, gives all the details and lists agencies on the island that can help foreign producers, including audiovisual studios and professional camera crews, editors and post-production experts.

30 | FEATURE

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

BIG BUDGET SET CONSTRUCTION Build it and they will come

By Dylan de Castro

Š Cape Town Film Studios

FEATURE | 31

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

“ © Cape Town Film Studios

T

he string of foreign features produced on South African soil is testament to the country’s success as a premier film production venue. And while most of the acclaim goes to the actors, directors and screenwriters, little is given to the worlds to which they owe much of their fame; even less to the hands that construct them. Indeed, they’re an elusive lot – unglorified heroes who work long before shooting commences, and well after it ceases.

Expertise “We consider ourselves to be building forgers,” says Construction Manager Clive Pollick (‘Ali’, ‘Blood Diamond’, ‘Black Sails’).

“What we’re doing is making sets that look completely authentic, so when you walk into them you don’t know you’re not in the real thing. We do a lot of in-house research within the construction department, over and above what the art department does, to ensure that we present the correct textures both historically and visually. That’s critical for us and we go to extraordinary lengths to

make that happen.”

Their craftsmanship will even extend beyond the status quo to include mechanical ingenuity. “If a job requires a vehicle, we’ll make it, including the engine and chassis. If it needs a set that moves, we’ll assemble that too,” says Clive. “We build everything from towns with moving trams to armoured trucks, aeroplanes, spacecraft, submarines and ships. There’s nothing we can’t do.” Internationally it’s a task left to special effects teams but in South Africa, owing to Clive and some several hundred associates – collectively known as Bulls Eye Construction – it’s seamlessly integrated with the building process. “We have the expertise and we’ve found it works more efficiently, because traditionally, communication between construction and special effects departments are not up to scratch. We’ve experienced that in the past so we thought, why not do both ourselves?”

Innovation “We’ve moved away from plasters to

What we’re doing is making sets that look completely authentic, so when you walk into them you don’t know you’re not in the real thing.

“

working with more effective materials, mainly polyurethanes, to create detail such as rock and brick,” says Head Fabricator Marian Moncek (‘Safehouse’). “We constantly strive to make sets more realistic, which involves keeping up-to-date with newly-developed materials and cutting-edge construction methods. This enables us to build bigger, more sophisticated sets in shorter time frames than in the past.”

Head Carpenter David Bastiaans (‘Safehouse’) says, “South Africa’s capacity to accommodate large-scale construction projects has increased over the years.”

He believes this is the result of both an increase in the number of skilled SA set builders, and constant technological advancements that are improving overall construction efficiency.

How then has CGI influenced set construction? “In the old days, they would build to a certain level and expand the set with matte paintings,” says Clive.

“Nowadays CGI is used to do that but, while you can do incredible things with it, you still need a real environment in which to shoot.

32 | FEATURE

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© Cape Town Film Studios

© Cape Town Film Studios

So CGI has affected movie making, but it hasn’t really affected set construction. In some ways, it’s actually given us extra work because there are items that need to built for CGI, like green screen boxes.”

Resources Being an industrialised economy, South Africa possesses a wealth of material stocks, including metals, timber, plastics, paints, polyurethanes, plasters and adhesives. “We have almost everything we need to build sets,” says Clive. “The few materials that can’t be locally sourced can be readily imported.”

Proficient manpower is also an asset.

“We get our crew from architecture school, interior and industrial design, model making and carpentry,” says Clive. “Our skills are specific, though, so they’ll come with their own great skills and we’ll mould them to do what we do.” Marian echoes, “Creative crews are gaining considerable experience and are constantly becoming more specialised.”

Location versus Construction South Africa is brimming with locations spanning myriad geographical landscapes.

Add to that a favourable exchange rate, colourful cultural pool, rich diversity of first and third-world architecture, and foreign clients have more than enough reasons to shoot on location. However, they have just as much motive to get sets built.

Historical structures are seldom available

and if they are, they’re often inaccessible.

Current establishments too are sometimes off limits due to the invasive nature of filming and its threat to their preservation.

“If we do work for an action movie, for example, we’ll need to blow up a building or shoot bullets at it,” says Clive. “But we can’t do that to the real thing, so we’ll build a replica. And if we do have to work on location and use an existing building, like we did for Blood Diamond, we’ll add artificial elements to it and blow those up.”

Generally, though, “there’s far more studio-based work in South Africa than in the past, when work was more locationorientated,” says Marian. “Which means we create whole locations as sets”. Clive ascribes this trend to a growing preference among producers to streamline the filming process. “Walls are mobile, lighting completely customisable, logistics minimal, and it’s much easier to manage privacy and security. It ultimately comes down to optimising control of the space.”

industries,” says David. “The movie business is essentially still freelance and people who are starting out, and wanting reliable work, will choose industries like insurance or banking,” echoes Clive.

“Then again, it’s also about the global economy. If more producers have money to come here, they’ll come, and that’ll create more stability.”

Challenges

Future

Globally, the increasing demand for set construction calls for shorter prep time.

And South African crews have it harder than their international peers. Clive attributes this to two factors: “Foreign producers want to spend less time here to reduce costs, and local producers are trying to sell South Africa as a destination that can achieve things faster”.

“Sometimes work is sporadic and we lose skilled people to other, more secure

Nonetheless, the future of set construction in South Africa appears bright. “I would say we can expect the industry to grow in size as well as stature,” says Marian. “We’re excellent at what we do, and we’ve got a big slice of the world filmmaking pie for the size of our economy,” asserts Clive. “We do the best job possible to entice foreign producers here and as far as I and my crew are concerned, every time they come, they leave with a good taste.”

© Cape Town Film Studios

PRO-SPECTIVE | 33

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

A chat with

CHARMAINE LAUTRE

Cinema post-producer at Refinery Charmaine Lautre talks to The Callsheet about how the industry has changed over the past few decades.

Charmaine Lautre

How did you get started in the post-production industry?

I started out many years ago at what was then Rhodesian Television, as a VT operator. I had just finished studying – languages being my focus – when an ad for the job was broadcast on TV, so despite having no knowledge of the industry, and purely on a whim, I went for an interview and got the job. That was back in the days of sanctions when we had to make do with equipment that was probably better suited to a museum, but the job got done regardless! We had great content though – all acquired on the black market presumably!

I emigrated to South Africa a couple of years later, and was determined to stay in the industry.

I eventually got a job at Charles Minster’s commercial production company Spectravision.

An admin position turned into the in-house production management position shortly after, and so my journey in the South African film industry began. Leaving commercials for television series production management and later features eventually led to my career becoming post production focused.

What are the most challenging aspects of your work?

Does current technology meet the demands of postproduction work?

I can’t think of a job in this industry that isn’t challenging. In my opinion it’s more of a lifestyle than a job! Nothing is entirely predictable, and no two jobs are alike. Each project presents itself with unique challenges, which is probably what makes the industry so exciting.

For me personally it was to learn both digital and film technology. As much as I loved celluloid and my time spent at The Film Lab, it was essential to keep abreast of the ever-evolving technological advances, and with that the changes in workflow.

Yes, we have attracted international interest for both production and post-production. This has been evidenced by a number of productions that have been shot and post-produced here. Recent examples are the television series ‘Seal Team 8’ and ‘SAF3,’ and the feature ‘Karsten & Petra’ for theatrical release in Norway.

Are these challenges as apparent in so called “first-world” countries, or are they uniquely South African?

We are no different from the rest of the world. Changes happen globally and all of us have to keep pace. We in South Africa have access to the same technology, which has allowed us to work to a global standard and take on some big international post production jobs with confidence.

Is the field well populated with skilled professionals, or does it need more publicity/courses offered by universities and film schools?

Learning the post production process is somewhat better done in an apprenticeship type capacity. It’s one thing learning the theory, but there are so many ways to skin a cat in this field that it really is best done on the factory floor rather than in a formal institution of learning.

As with the rest of the industry, workload is not consistent, so we are sometimes stretched for resources if a number of productions are being done at the same time, and at others not. That just goes with the industry territory.

34 | MONEYPENNY

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MONEYPENNY Turns 10

by Jane Corden

From left: Chrissy Owen of Moneypenny UK, Jane Corden, CEO of Moneypenny global, and Shamila Phillips of Moneypenny SA

I

n 2003, in my office in Sydney, I received a phone call from Melanie Chait’s office at the newly established Monash University Film campus in Johannesburg to ask me if I could recommend someone to do a production accounting course for them. I didn’t hesitate to say that I would happily run such a course. At this point Moneypenny had provided production accounting services in Australia for close to twenty five years and I had been at the helm for 15 years.

For fifteen years I had developed specialised production accounting software and built a team of 30 production accounting staff who we contracted on to TV and feature projects in Australia domestic and international production and co-production. I personally had worked on US projects shooting in Singapore, Tahiti, and Vietnam as well as all nature and scale of projects locally. I had run training programs for the industry when GST was introduced and consulted with government

when they introduced a rebate system. I regularly ran training courses for the film school for aspiring production accountants and for producers or producer students. I was and still am passionate about inspiring accountants to specialise in film and TV, attracting those with the right skills and the right personality to the industry. Working with film makers to ensure their budgets are optimised and in the process helping them to understand and appreciate the value of a good production accountant.

After running two courses at Monash, one for accountants and one for producers I visited Cape Town and Martin Cuff organised visits with all the principal production companies operating in Cape Town at that time. The seed was planted that there could be an opportunity for Moneypenny in South Africa.

Over the next twelve months I explored the feasibility and undertook a consultancy with the DTI to write the guidelines for the Film and TV Production Rebate. In June

2004 Moneypenny SA was established and I moved to Cape Town with my family.

Year 1: 2004 DTI rebate was launched. The plan was to establish a production accounting service for domestic and international production shooting in SA and to introduce the Moneypenny production accounting software. The expectation was that the rebate would increase the interest in SA as a location for OS production.

Year 2: 2005 SARS started to crack down on employers within the film and TV industry and required them to tax all employees. Moneypenny responded introducing a payroll service for the industry. In the same year Moneypenny won a tender to develop a customised sector program for the Film and TV industry being part of a Micro Economic Reform Strategy introduced by cabinet in 2002 across a number of industry sectors

MONEYPENNY | 35

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identified as having the biggest growth potential.

Year 3: 2006 Moneypenny accountants work more on domestic production than international production. Focused our attention on providing services to the domestic industry and tailoring the software to the local conditions. Continued to advocate the formalising of co-production treaties between Australia and SA.

Year 4: 2007 I took on role of financial controller for the Number One Ladies Detective Agency for The Weinstein Company with Film Afrika in Botswana. I worked with the producers to negotiate a financial incentive with the Botswana government. I used the opportunity to develop the Moneypenny software to further streamline some of the production processes.

Year 5: 2008 Appointed Shamila Phillips as general manager of Moneypenny South Africa.

Moneypenny did a consultancy for the Botswana government to look at the potential for developing a film industry locally. Consulted to the renewed TV series Number One Ladies Detective Agency.

Year 6: 2009 Shamila worked with local producers building the Moneypenny presence in Johannesburg, recognising the focus of the domestic and TV industry there. Focusing on training Johannesburg based accountants to work on the Moneypenny system as freelancers rather than through Moneypenny.

Including the accounts department, payroll and software for District 9.

Year 7: 2010 I as based in the United Kingdom where Moneypenny UK has been established for

three years. Recognising that there was an increasing amount of British productions choosing to shoot in South Africa so exploring integrated financial solutions for international production with an SA and UK or SA and Australian element. Increasing amount of international production with opportunity to claim rebates in multiple jurisdictions increases the importance of location reporting.

Year 8: 2011 Moneypenny moved to the newly opened Cape Town Film Studios providing payroll and rebate facilitation services on Judge Dredd. Continuing to build relationships with local production companies both TV and feature.

Year 9: 2012 Shamila works as production accountant on three SA projects through the year and Jane, too, works personally on a project in India.

Moneypenny prides itself on continuing to develop its systems and software with a practicing production accountant’s perspective.

Year 10: 2013 Introduced the Moneypenny software mydaEs to AFDA film school. Provided at no cost so the students can be introduced to established film and TV financial management from the outset. Etana bond company took the initiative to license mydaEs for all projects they are bonding under ten million rand in order to achieve consistency of reporting.

Now Introducing the complete digital accounting system. Cloud based digital in trays, and a digital filing cabinet for faster, cheaper and more efficient access. A centralised data base that not only provides full accounting but a complete digital archive of all associated paperwork for the

“

SARS started to crack down on employers within the film and TV industry and required them to tax all employees.

Moneypenny responded introducing a payroll service for the industry.

“

ease of production, audit, delivery and beyond.

Moneypenny have developed a complete accounting solution being hosted software, accounting and payroll systems that provide an affordable option for low budget film and documentary in recognition of the increasing amount of low budget production and the importance of the new and emerging film makers understanding budgetary control from the outset.

We are proud to have been a part of the developing industry in South Africa for the last 10 years and we are excited to see the growth of the domestic industry and increasing diversity in locally made production. We see a future where the domestic industry will grow alongside the service industry seeing more SA producers developing film TV and other content for both the local and international market.

36 | COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

MAURITIUS

A

n idyllic, volcanic island fringed with palm trees, sandy beaches and blue skies as far as the eye can see, Mauritius is every holidaymaker’s paradise. Its climate is temperate all year round, and its warm coastline is sheltered by barriers of coral reefs forming crystal clear lagoons. But it is so much more than just a tourist destination. The country forms part of the Mascarene Islands together with Reunion, Saint Brandon and Rodrigues, and is a popular location for filmmakers and photographers alike.

Mauritius has strong cultural connections with Europe, Africa and Asia and most of the friendly islanders are multilingual, speaking English, French, Creole and Asian languages.

Its culture is equally eclectic and people

Heavenly Weather, Alluring Locations

celebrate a wide variety of festivals from Holi and the Chinese New Year to the Père Laval pilgrimage and Diwali.

Filming in Mauritius The Board of Investment is responsible for implementing the Film Rebate Scheme, providing advice and assistance to filmmakers. The scheme provides a 30% rebate for qualifying production expenditures incurred on the island and is open to any company registered in Mauritius. Applications for location permits need to be made well in advance of shoot days and although local talent and crew are inexpensive, key crew and equipment must be brought from abroad.

The island is a favoured location for Bollywood productions, with Indian

filmmakers travelling to this dream destination since the 70s for shoots. Its main towns have run-down French colonial architecture making for interesting backdrops, while its west coast is perfect for underwater photography. Tamarin Bay offers good surf breaks; while inland provides a myriad beautiful forests, national parks, tree-lined avenues, volcanic mountains, waterfalls and rivers for avid explorers. Organisations like the Mauriwood Film Industry Artists Association (FIAA) and Mauritius Society of Authors (MASA) have been encouraging upand-coming local filmmakers.

Getting to Mauritius by Air The country has a national carrier called Air Mauritius that offers flights to a range of

COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT | 37

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“ international destinations. Other carriers also fly to the island, while many flights from Africa offer more affordable options. Air Mauritius also offers helicopter tours of the island from SSR International Airport.

September. Temperatures generally hover between 19 and 34 degrees Celsius.

Climate

Did You Know?

Mauritius’ tropical climate remains warm and relatively dry throughout the year. Inland gets more rain than the coast, and the cyclone season is from December to March, while best surf conditions are from April to

Mauritius is the former home of the Dodo, which was driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through a combination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species.

Population 1,331,155 (CIA World Factbook, 2014 est.)

The island is a favoured location for Bollywood productions.

Its main towns have run-down French colonial architecture making for interesting backdrops, while its west coast is perfect for underwater photography.

38 | IN PRODUCTION

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

IN PRODUCTION May 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.

‘Book of Negroes,’ ‘Karsten og Petra’ and ‘Our House’ have all wrapped, so May is the quietest month in a while.

Of course, with ‘Homeland’ on the horizon, this slump is likely to be temporary.

‘Black Sails’ The first season of ‘Black Sails’ has just wrapped on Starz to mixed reviews, with an impressive 8.1 rating on IMDB but a disappointing 5.7 rating on Metacritic.

The ‘Treasure Island’ prequel is currently based at Cape Town Film Studios filming its second season. 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.

‘Dominion’ ‘Dominion’ will premiere on SyFy on 19 June 2014. After shooting its pilot in Cape Town last year, this ‘Legion’ spinoff is currently based at Cape Town Film Studios, shooting with Film Afrika.

SyFy says, “Dominion is an epic supernatural drama set in the year 25 A.E. when an army of lower angels, assembled by the archangel Gabriel, has waged a war of possession against mankind. The archangel Michael, turning against his own kind, has chosen to side with humanity against Gabriel. Rising out of the ashes of the 25-year long battle are newly fortified cities, which protect human survivors.”

Dominion stars Christopher Egan (‘Resident Evil: Extinction’), Tom Wisdom (‘300’), Roxanne McKee (‘Game of Thrones’), Alan Dale (‘Lost’), Anthony Stewart Head (‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’) and Luke Allen-Gale (‘The Borgias’).

‘Hollywood In My Huis’ In May 2014, Dylan Voogt and Saskia Schiel will wrap their first feature film as Stage 5 Films: writer/director Corne van Rooyen’s ‘Hollywood in My Huis.’ When Jana van Tonder witnesses Charlize Theron’s Oscar win, she’s inspired to secure her own Hollywood red carpet moment at her matric dance. But with only a month to go, Jana soon finds herself in the middle of a love triangle between her closest friend and her dream date. Advantage Entertainment’s Vlokkie Gordon is executive producer, with Red Letter Day Pictures’ Rene van Rooyen co-producing. Newcomers Christia Visser and Edwin van der Walt star alongside the likes of Vilje Maritz (‘Binneland,’ ‘Verraiers’), and Leandie Du Randt (‘Getroud Met Rugby’).

‘The Unexplained Files’ In May, Trilogy Creative Studios will be servicing the second season of ‘The Unexplained Files’ for RAW TV UK. Discovery Channel says. “Strange sightings in the sky, mysterious disappearances, odd creatures and UFO encounters; ‘The Unexplained Files’ is an unabashed telling of some of the world’s best and most baffling true stories.”

Trilogy also shot the first season here.

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

IN PRODUCTION | 39

UPCOMING ‘Homeland’

‘The Last Space/Face’ Sean Penn was spotted at Dias Tavern in Cape Town in April. He’s rumoured to be scouting for his next directorial effort, which is called both ‘The Last Space’ and ‘The Last Face’ on the internet. Shadow & Act says the film will be set in the refugee camps of Sudan and Liberia, with ‘Blue Is The Warmest Colour’ star Adele Exarchapoulos in a small role as a journalist. The Wrap says South African Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, who’s been linked to Sean romantically, is in talks for the lead, while IMDB also lists Javier Bardem among the cast. No word yet on who the local production company would be.

The Salvation; Zentropa; Spier Films South Africa; Vargafusion (Pty) Limited; DO Productions; Joe Alblas Still Photographer.

The Golden Globe and Emmy-winning series ‘Homeland’ is relocating to Cape Town for its fourth season, which will shoot from June-November 2014.

Moonlighting is rumoured to be the production company, having worked with showrunner Alex Gansa before on ‘24: Redemption.‘ The show sounds like it’ll be reinventing itself slightly: there’s no Damien Lewis, with the plot revolving around Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) returning to the Middle East as chief of station, according to Deadline. Mandy Patinkin is expected to still play a key role.

40 | REVIEW

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

MARCH OF THE GODS Botswana Metalheads Review

“T

he lifestyle of a metalhead means being accepted by a brotherhood, being part of a big family…they do not judge you by your job, they do not judge you by your gender, they do not judge you by your colour or where you come from. The only colour they understand is being dressed in black, or the sound of crunching guitars and pounding drums.”

This statement, made by He-Man – one of the pivotal rockers on Botswana’s scene – sums ‘March of the Gods’ up nicely.

Rafaelle Mosca, the film’s director, found this niche music scene quite by chance, he says, while researching subjects

for a documentary. Frank Marshall’s photographs from his Renegades project in Vice Magazine caught his eye and he immediately began getting in touch with the bands. Producer Natalia Kouneli and Story Editor Alessio Calabresi travelled to Botswana with him two years later to shoot the film. And they discovered much more than they bargained for.

“It’s not only about music, but it’s also about the role that this subculture plays in Botswana now and how it’s connected to their race into development,” Rafaelle said in an interview with The Callsheet.

The film is incredibly riveting from start to finish, using Botswana’s friendly culture and the eccentric cowboy-like garb of

the rockers to draw the view in. The X-Fest screening saw its fair share of laughter – partly because no one knows about the country’s metal scene and partly because we’ve never seen metal convoluted like this.

The film is a beautiful exploration of how isolation can bring people together. It also shows how that same isolation can allow those same people to develop their own subculture on the back of Western influence.

The support for the small local metal scene is extraordinary, and will easily leave any up-and-coming artist inspired at what bands like Wrust have done despite the lack of musical instruments and studio equipment available to them in Botswana.

‘March of the Gods’ is also a testament

Rafaelle Mosca, Director

Wrust, Live at the Solomacello Festival in Italy

Natalia Kouneli, Producer

Alessio Calabresi, Story Editor

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

“

REVIEW | 41

The only colour they understand is being dressed in black, or the sound of crunching guitars and pounding drums.

“

Wrust, one of the biggest metal bands in Botswana

to what independent filmmakers can do despite the odds. “Time and money are two big issues in this industry when you want to make it. It’s slow, it’s painful and it can be really hard, but when you finally get there’s it’s really satisfying and you learn a lot,” Natalia said. The film is a diamond in the rough, with as many cultural jewels as there are cinematic ones. Rafaelle’s directorial debut is a winner and worth every 87 minutes.

42 | EVENTS

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JUNE NIPPON CONNECTION FRANKFURT 4–9 Nippon, Japan

MAY

SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL 4 - 15 Sydney, Australia

MARYLAND FILM FESTIVAL 7 – 11 Maryland, USA

ENCOUNTERS 6 – 16 Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa

FESTIVAL DE CANNES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 14 - 25 Cannes, France

ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED FILM FESTIVAL 10 – 15 France

UN CERTAIN REGARD 15 - 26 Cannes, France

LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL 11 – 19 Los Angeles, California

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 15 – 8 June Seattle, USA

CANNES LIONS 15 – 21 Cannes, France

THE BROADCAST SHOW AFRICA 2014 19 – 22 Johannesburg, South Africa

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 18 – 29 Edinburgh, Scotland

SAN FRANCISCO GREEN FILM FESTIVAL 29 – 04 San Francisco, California

INTERNATIONAL MZANSI SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 25 – 29 Pretoria, South Africa

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

EVENTS | 43

Š Filipa Domingues

44 | OPPORTUNITIES

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

International Mzansi Short Film Festival (IMSFF) - Call for Entries

T

he Independent Mzansi Short Film Festival (IMSFF), which showcases films shorter than 25 minutes by emerging South African filmmakers, takes place from 25 to 29 June 2014 at the Maxi Cineplex in Hatfield Plaza in Pretoria and is calling for film submissions.

Along with 20 hours’ worth of screenings, the festival will host workshops presented by industry experts, as well as live Q & A sessions with attending filmmakers.

An awards ceremony will be held on Sunday 29 June with a R50,000 cash prize going to the film with the most awards.

Filmmakers interested in participating in the festival will need to complete an online registration form along with proof of entry fee payment and send both documents to submissions@imsff.co.za.

A link and access details to upload the film will then be sent to applicants. Entries need to be submitted by no later than 6 June 2014.

Submission Requirements: • Films must have been completed after 1 July 2013.

• All non-English films (Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, etc.) must have English subtitles.

• Films must be submitted on PAL DVD, MP4 Video. Audio is STEREO only.

• Works-in-progress will be considered, provided they will be completed two weeks prior to the festival.

• More than one film may be submitted, however, each submission must have its own entry accompanied by its own

• •

•

•

entry fee.

Do not send stills or press kits.

Once a film is selected, the filmmaker will be asked to provide digital stills from the film; press materials; video trailer and digitised trailer for online purposes; posters and flyers (if available).

All films selected for the festival grant IMSFF the rights to use press materials from the film for promotional purposes.

All films selected for the festival grant IMSFF the rights to upload the submitted video trailer of one minute to the IMSFF YouTube Channel online for promotional purposes.

The following fees will apply according to submission date: • R250 for entries submitted before early deadline: 16 May 2014 • R350 for entries submitted before extended deadline: 30 May 2014 • R450 for entries submitted before late deadline: 6 June 2014 Visit the IMSFF website for more information.

TCFF Call for Entries The eleventh annual Tri-Continental Film Festival 2014 will be taking place in September 2014. Filmmakers across the globe are invited to enter their films or documentaries that are dedicated to Social, Political and Human Rights issues on the African continent and globally.

Steps for filmmakers 1.

Download the filmmaker’s entry form

2.

3.

4.

for 2014 Complete the filmmaker’s entry form for 2014 Prepare your Film or Documentary Submit/ deliver the complete entry form and the Film or Documentary to 31 Patrol Street, Kensington, Johannesburg

Note The TCFF submission deadline is the 1st June 2014.

All DVD formats must be in: DCP or Blu Ray Screening Format Since the Tri-Continental Human Rights Film Festival began, TCFF Outreach screenings have taken place featuring the latest selection of films. In 2014, we aim to be doing a lot more outreach screenings. We will be reaching out to current and potential partners and marketing outreach with more vigour.

Steps to take part in Outreach Screenings • Download and complete 2014 TCFF Outreach Screening Request Form • Email the form to the festival director on anita@uhuruproductions.co.za • After the screening the audience members must individually fill the evaluation form below • Download 2014 TCFF Evaluation Form Note: Admin Fee for Outreach • 1-2 films : R500 • 3-6 films: R1000 • 7-10 films: R1,500 • Over 10 films: negotiable

46 | ASSOCIATIONS

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

ASSOCIATIONS SAGE Releases a Revised Rate Card for 2014

CPA asks all to be Aware of Legal Amendments

The South African Guild of Editors (SAGE) has recently released a new rate card for 2014. The new rate card matches inflation, simplifies the job classification and broadens the range of experience pay. With the card, SAGE has also attempted to match rates with the camera department.

As always, they state that it is a guideline and not a rigid set of rules and that a pre-employment checklist is published in conjunction with the card. Both daily and weekly rates are calculated, and overtime rates are also suggested.

“For many years SAGE has increased rates below CPI, attempting to maintain a rate card that better represents what editors are actually paid. This dangerously deflates editors’ income over time, threatening to make a career in editing unfeasible. This year we’ve added the average CPI for 2013, at 5.77%. We urge all post-production professionals to consider a longer-term view when negotiating rates,” SAGE said.

The Commercial Producer’s Association (CPA) has asked all members and others to be aware of a number of changes in the film-related laws. According to the CPA, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries have gazetted the Performing Animals Amendment Bill for 2014. The department has also requested comments from the public within 30 days from 9 April 2014.

The Department of Labour also recently circulated a Code of Good Practice for working with children in the film and entertainment industries. This should be read in conjunction with Sectoral Determination 10, which sets out the legislative framework for the employment of children.

The CPA announced that there is also some uncertainty regarding legislation applicable to the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for commercial purposes in South Africa. “We strongly recommend that

all production companies consult with their brokers to ensure that they have adequate cover when using drones and octocopters and also ensure that their service providers are properly qualified and licensed to operate UAV’s,” they said in a recent statement.

SACIA Looking for Strategic and Event Partners The South African Communication Industry Association (SACIA) board is looking for partners for their events during 2014. The SACIA strategic partnership provides maximum exposure for any interested party. Stretegic partners receive acknowledgement in all SACIA meetings, recognition on sponsors pages on the website, and a banner advert in their monthly newsletter. They also receive preferential editorial coverage in email and print distribution, branding on SACIA adverts and posters, and a full page advert in each of the four quarterly issues of SACIA’s new member magazine, CommTech.

ASSOCIATIONS | 47

www.filmmakerafrica.co.za

The SACIA event partner programme was developed to provide exposure for a company seeking to align itself with the organisation. The bundled package provides a unique opportunity for industry partners to build a relationship with members at specific events. Costs and

benefits vary according to each event.

“We are currently looking for event partners for a series of half-day workshops that will run during 2014,” said SACIA. Each Event partner will be recognised as a sponsor of the event, identified in the event promo-material and provided with a

copy of the attendee list. They also have the opportunity to deliver a 20-minute technology presentation, with branding on the SACIA website and in all print advertising run in the build-up to the workshop. “We’ll also provide a ‘demo table’ where you would distribute brochures and display product,” they said.

48 | DIRECTORY LISTINGS

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ADVERTISERS COMPANY

TELEPHONE

EMAIL

WEBSITE

Amazing Spaces

+27 21 447 1902

info@amazingspaces.co.za

www.amazingspaces.co.za

Aquila

+27 861 737 3783

res@aquilasafari.com

www.aquilasafari.co.za

Avis Rent a Car

+27 21 424 1661

avisfilm@avis.co.za

www.avis.com

Bird Film

+27 21 448 8771

alan@birdfilm.com

www.birdfilm.com

CTICC

+27 21 410 5000

info@cticc.co.za

www.cticc.co.za

Durban Film Mart

+27 31 311 4243

info@durbanfilmmart.com

www.durbanfilmmart.com

Durban International Film Festival

+27 31 260 2506

diff@ukzn.ac.za

www.durbanfilmfest.co.za

Fairbridges

+27 21 405 7300

attorneys@fairbridges.co.za

www.fairbridges.co.za

Film Finance SA

+27 82 411 4088

jane@filmfinances.co.za

www.filmfinances.com

Flash Photo

+27 81 876 1233

digital@flashphoto.co.za

www.flashphoto.co.za

Ginger Pictures

+27 11 888 8240

julie@gingerpictures.tv

www.gingerpictures.tv

Hollard Insurance

+27 11 351 5000

paulra@hollard.co.za

http://www.hollard.co.za/

Irish Macleod

+27 21 462 5151

guy@irishmacleod.co.za

www.irishmacleod.co.za

Kzn Film Commission

+ 27 31 325 0202

-

www.kznfilmcommission.co.za

Legacy Collective

+27 21 5 10 0008

info@thelegacycollective.com

www.thelegacycollective.com

Lindbergh Lodge

+27 11 884 8923/4

lindbergh@iafrica.com

www.lindberghlocations.co.za

Media Film Services

+27 21 511 3300

brad@mediafilmservice.com

www.mediafilmservice.com

Okuhle

+27 21 486 2900

info@okuhle.co.za

www.okuhle.co.za

Penguin Films

+27 21 422 4466

info@penguinfilms.co.za

www.penguinfilms.co.za

Plett Tourism

+27 44 533 4065

bookings@pletttourism.com

www.pletttourism.com

Pro Events

+27 72 549 1162

info@proevents-sa.co.za

www.proevents-sa.co.za

Rosco

+44 20 8659 2300

ron.knell@rosco.com

www.rosco.com

Sam Cap

+27 76 187 3883

aimee@samcap.tv

www.samcap.tv

Sunshine Company

+27 21 465 8262

info@sunshinecompany.co.za

www.sunshinecompany.co.za

Syntech

+27 86 127 4244

info@syntech.co.za

www.syntech.co.za

V & A Waterfront

+27 21 408 7631

locations@waterfront.co.za

www.waterfront.co.za

Wesgro

+27 21 487 4868

monica@wesgro.co.za

www.wesgro.co.za

Wizards

+27 21 461 9334

copy@wizardz.co.za

www.wizardz.co.za

CONTACT US

Cover Image: Montana 11 (Penguin Films TV Series) Publisher: Lance Gibbons lance@filmeventmedia.co.za Editor: Katie Reynolds katie@filmeventmedia.co.za Head of Design: Jess Novotnรก jess@filmeventmedia.co.za Designer: Sheree Steenkamp sheree@filmeventmedia.co.za Editorial & Design Co-ordinator: Kim Muller kim@filmeventmedia.co.za Digital Co-ordinator: Tammi Klein tammi@filmeventmedia.co.za

Production Co-ordinator: Siyasanga Denga siyasanga@filmeventmedia.co.za Manager, Special Projects: Taryn Fowler taryn@filmeventmedia.co.za Group sales Manager: Carl Mellors Carl@filmeventmedia.co.za Brand Manager: Jennifer Dianez jennifer@filmeventmedia.co.za Sales Manager (Outside SA): Shaun Ross shaun@filmeventmedia.co.za 57 2nd Avenue, Harfield Village, Claremont 7708, Cape Town, South Africa Tel: +27 21 674 0646

Join us DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed in The Callsheet do not necessarily represent the official viewpoint of the editor or the publisher, while inclusion of adverts/ advertising features does not imply endorsement of any business, product or service. Copyright of this material is reserved. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, The Callsheet and/or its employees may not be held liable or responsible for any act or ommission committed by any person, including a juristic person, referred to in this publication. It and they furthermore accept(s) no responsibility for any liability arising out of any reliance that a reader of this publication places on the contents of this publication.

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