DURBAN FILM PARTNERSHIP

Thankyou and Goodnight

2009-07-28T07:56:00.003+02:00

And on that note, our Film Industry Review process is now complete (bar the shouting) so the Durban Film Partnership blogspot also draws to a close. Over the past few months we've linked to 150 stories on training opportunities, festivals seeking African product, local successes, and interesting news about industry trends that will affect the way you produce in the future. It's shown almost daily that Durban Filmmakers are not in fact in the vacuum you fear you are, and that your connection to the outside world is more important than ever. So now it's over to you to pick up where I'm leaving off, and run with it.

Thanks for reading. And Happy Filmmaking in Durban - South Africa's future capital of indie film.

Cape Winelands Film Festival Call for Entires

2009-07-28T07:27:00.002+02:00

Since the first edition the Cape Winelands Film Festival (CWFF) has significantly grown in size and international participation. More than 70 features, documentaries and short films from over 35 countries were in competition during 2009. More than130 productions formed part of the festival programme, in total 62 featues, 27 documentaries and 44 shorts from more than 35 countries. The 2nd edition of the festival had 32 international guests. The festival had more than 300 screenings in March 2009.

Now the 3rd edition of what's become one of South Africa's largest film festivals has announced its call for entries. Entry forms are available on the official website of the festival: http://films-for-africa.co.za/ The festival will take place from 17 - 27 March 2010 in Cape Town and Stellenbosch.

And incidentally, if you want to see Facebook in action as a marketing and promotional tool, then join the festival's Facebook group; these guys are really leading the way in profiling their films and their festival using this totally free medium.

SATV CHANNEL LAUNCHES IN DURBAN

2009-07-23T17:41:00.003+02:00

In case you missed this in the press, Durban is now the proud host to an online tv station all of its own. Welcome to the future, and congratulations to everyone involved: now it's your turn to get on board: visit SATV Channel and upload your projects for free.

International Black DocuFest 2009

2009-07-22T20:10:00.000+02:00

Saturday 25th July is the last day for submissions to the International Black DocuFest (IBDF)in Atlanta, Georgia.

IBDF's mission is to showcase the most innovative and compelling documentary films on the lives of people of African descent. Through a series of screenings, workshops and facilitated panel discussions, the International Black DocuFest explores the creative ways in which documentaries capture and chronicle the diverse experiences of black life from around the globe.

In other words, they want YOUR stories. The 3rd annual International Black DocuFest ™ will be hosted at Atlanta’s celebrated High Museum of Art on September 17 th – 19th, 2009. So jump to it.

Lisbon Docs 2009

2009-07-22T08:09:00.001+02:00

Calling all Documentary Makers - Lisbon Docs 2009 is calling for proposals

Lisbon Docs is a documentary pitching session consisting of:
- a pitching session and workshop
- screenings of new films
- master classes on international aspects of documentary making

The workshop takes place on October 20-22. In the intense working atmosphere of the pitching workshop, 21 documentary projects are discussed, developed and turned upside down by colleagues and a tutor team of six internationally experienced professionals. Then on October 23 and 24 all projects are pitched to a panel of 10-12 Commissioning Editors from leading international co-production TV-channels.

For further information on how to apply, participation fees and other details please take a look at the EDN site about Lisbon Docs or contact EDN Network Manager Hanne Skjødt at hanne@edn.dk

Deadline for applying is September 4.

Two Seas SA TV

2009-07-21T07:31:00.003+02:00

Two Seas TV, a production company in Cape Town, has set up an online social network dedicated to film and TV production in South Africa.

It offers a number of tools to help you to stay in touch with other members and increase your online presence:

· Advertise your company
· Promote your film
· Drive traffic to your site
· Share ideas
· Brainstorm concepts
· Meet potential partners
· Read news & reviews
· Watch clips

It’s also FREE and easy to sign up, so go to: http://twoseas.socialgo.com/ and try it out, see if this kind of thing can work for us in KZN.

DIFF Film Finance Session

2009-07-20T05:41:00.000+02:00

On Saturday 25 July DIFF will host a session entitled 'Solutions To Film Finance'.

With panellists from the Africa Carribean Pacific (ACP), the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the NFVF, represented by Clarence Hamilton, the session will address some of the options for funding available to local filmmakers.

15h00 – 16h30 at the ROYAL-GAR(B)

13 Durban-distributed Films at DIFF

2009-07-17T06:09:00.004+02:00

It's good to see Durban companies working to support Durban initiatives. Videovision Entertainment for instance has been a long-time supporter of the Durban International Film Festival and in 2009 is looking local to present a really magnificent slate of movies including African premieres of films such as Looking For Eric, London River, An Education, Samson & Delilah and Whatever Works." That's film partnership for you.

DIFF starts on the 23rd. Be there.

IndieVillage SA Short Film Competition

2009-07-16T14:34:00.000+02:00

Independent filmmakers from across South Africa are invited to submit their work for entry into The IndieVillage South African Short Film Competition.

The goal of this festival is to support independent South African filmmakers by bringing their names, faces and artistic works to new audiences.

Films announced as part of the finals will be selected by panel and screened at the IndieVillage South African Film Festival scheduled to take place 27th May to 30th May 2010 in Toronto. All finalists will also become eligible to win one of the following prizes:

Grand Prize- R 10 000
1st Runner Up- R 3 000
2nd Runner Up- R2 000

So what can I say? This is a festival about you, and for you. Best you get applying. For more information and submission requirements, click here

NFVF Survey

2009-07-10T08:23:00.001+02:00

Given your isolation from the SA film & tv hub of Johannesburg, I thought you might be interested in this. The NFVF is currently conducting a research for the South African entertainment industry and would be very appreciative if you would participate in the survey – link below, which should take no longer than 5 minutes. Your response will be kept strictly confidential and will be used solely for this project.

The objectives of the survey are to determine the perception of the public regarding the NFVF and also gauge the level of understanding of the NFVF activities from beneficiaries, while at the same time it should help us in assessing if there is need for a film publication. So here's your chance to tell them what you think.....

The survey will be opened to receive your response up until Friday the 24th of July 2009 at 12h00.Click on the below to take part in the survey.

South African Entertainment Industry Survey

Monetising Digital

2009-07-07T18:57:00.003+02:00

Some interesting stuff at Slate.com on the difficulties of monetising digital media. So, what are your chances of achieving YouTube stardom? Chris Wilson crunched the numbers to find out what percentage of YouTube videos hit it big, cracking even 10,000 or 100,000 views......

The results: here

(believe it or not, the fourth most viewed on You Tube???)

KZN Sharks Board Video - Call for Expressions of Interest

2009-07-06T07:41:00.004+02:00

A local opportunity: The KZN Sharks Board has called for Expressions of Interest for the production of a 30 minute audio-visual film of its activities along the KZN coast. The bid reference number is: KZNSB5/07/2009.

So if you are really (really?) serious about getting into the water with the above, armed with nothing more than your camera, the deadline for submissions is 17th July. For more information contact Mrs. D. Hargreaves on 031 566 0431

PLURAL+ Film Festival Call for Entries

2009-07-03T04:45:00.001+02:00

In collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other international partners, the UN Alliance Of Civilizations is launching a youth video festival exploring themes related to migration and diversity.

PLURAL+ is aimed at involving youth in addressing the key issues in their community related to migrant integration, inclusiveness, identity, diversity, human rights and social cohesiveness.

The project invites anyone aged 9-25 to submit short videos on their thoughts, experiences, opinions, questions and suggestions on how to promote harmonious yet diverse societies.

Submissions will be accepted from 1 June-30 September 2009. A prestigious international jury will announce the winners at an awards ceremony at New York's Paley Center for Media on 18 December 2009, coinciding with International Migrants Day. More from the NFVF

Young Durban Success Story

2009-07-02T16:34:00.003+02:00

At the CIAK Junior Film Festival Awards in Italy last month, a 14 year old Durban girl, Amber-Jay van Rooyen, won 'Best Actor/Actress' and the overall 'Best Film' as well as the UNESCO Fellini Medal awarded to the film that best embodied the spirit and culture of its country.

She has now been snapped up to take part in the 2009 Durban International Film Festival, in the Short Film Category. This will be the first public airing of her film 'Coming Home', a story telling about a young city girl who moves to the farm and battles to settle in. It is on the farm that she meets an old Zulu Sangoma who teaches her three important life lessons and is based on Amber-Jay's own experiences.

More on this local success story here.

DIFF Indigenous Language Screenwriting Course

2009-06-30T02:11:00.004+02:00

With the 30th anniversary landmark edition of the Durban International Film Festival just around the corner, DIFF has announced an exciting call for indigenous language writers to apply for participation in a free writing and scriptwriting workshop. The workshop, run by SA's leading screenwriter Mtutuzeli Matshoba, will accommodate all the indigenous languages if required, (although a reading level of English comprehension will be helpful.)

To be considered for the workshop, please send:

a one page “treatment” of your life (a creative CV) (in any of the official languages)
a one page treatment of one of your scripts. (in any of the official languages)
a covering letter, in English or Zulu, containing your name, contact details and a declaration that you are free and available to attend the workshop between 29 th July to August 1 st from 09h00 to 17h00.

Applications (or requests for more info) are to be sent to diff @ukzn.ac.za or by fax to 0865490221. Closing Date for applications is 10 July.

Comment Requested on ICASA's Draft Regulations

2009-06-28T22:32:00.006+02:00

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has published draft regulations and the Position Paper on the commissioning of independently produced South African programming. The draft regulations and the Position Paper follow the publication of the Discussion Document and the holding of public hearings on Commissioning of Independently Produced South African Programming.

The Authority has now invited interested parties who wish to make written representations on the draft regulations (but not the Position Paper) to submit such representations to ICASA by no later than 16h00 on 04th AUGUST 2009. So this affects you directly.

For more information, visit the ICASA website.

CNN - The Screening Room in Africa

2009-06-27T09:58:00.003+02:00

CNN's The Screening Room has a three part special on the African Film Industry, including Kenya, Cape Town and Nigeria. You can watch all three episodes online here.

Camera Assistants Course - Cape Town

2009-06-26T06:57:00.003+02:00

I'm starting to notice something of a pattern emerging and it's not pretty - here's the latest next great learning opportunity to bypass KZN entirely:

Now in it's 13th year, the 2009 Camera Assistants Course is a mainstay of the South African film industry and has a reputation for supplying thorough, dedicated, committed and professional camera assistants, primarily due to it's intensive bootcamp-style structure. Also known for it's ability to stay up to date with emerging technology, the course also includes an intensive Digital-module which takes up 5 days of the 12 day course.

The Cape Town leg is from the 6th-18th July. Media Film Service plays host, and bookings / enquiries can be directed to Blaise at Media CPT on 021 511 3300.

So: of course I'd love to see KZN film folk taking up this great opportunity. But does anyone else want to enquire if they're coming to Durban next year? Perhaps they think we don't have enough potential camera assistants? I suppose the next challenge from the industry therefore is - do we?? And if we do, HOW DO WE FIND YOU??? In the meantime, here are a couple of Teach Yourself sites and applications.

Durban Film Office at Cannes Lions

2009-06-25T15:54:00.003+02:00

From our research we've come up with some estimated but nevertheless informed figures that the TV Commercial sector is currently contributing around R71 million per annum to the KZN economy. Cross referenced to the CPA's annual reports, the average number of production days per commercial during our reporting period was 1.99 days per commercial, meaning that Durban hosted 111.44 tv commercial production days and the average number of freelance crew for a commercial was 46, suggesting a total possible employment in KZN of 5126.24 person days for the year in question.

At just under 30% of the entire turnover of the KZN film sector, TV commercials obviously play an important role in building the industry. That's why the Durban Film Office is attending the world's premier TV commercial production event, the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival. Cost-effectively pooling resources, the DFO is attending as part of a joint Cape Film Commission / Gauteng Film Commission / Durban Film Office initiative, under the banner "South Africa Yes"

PS - breaking news: SA just won two Grand Prix in radio and outdoor advertising.....

Television and Music

2009-06-24T07:30:00.002+02:00

Senegalese master-musician Baaba Maal will release his new multi-lingual album, Television, on September 15, a groundbreaking successor to 2001's Missing You.

The title-track refers to that African phenomenon - ubiquitous TV screens. "The television set is like a stranger you didn't ask for coming into your living-room," explains Baaba. "You don't care about who he is: he just seems to come from nowhere and gives you information."

Now we just need to get KZN product onto those screens.....

Television is a collaboration primarily between Baaba Maal and singer Sabina Sciubba and keyboardist Didi Gutman, both members of New York's Brazilian Girls. The result is a stunningly beautiful and diverse record that meshes two genres, generally unfamiliar to each other, to produce an eclectic and romantic sound.

District 9 Movie and its Viral Campaign

2009-06-23T07:32:00.003+02:00

Re. Digital (again) - here's something to look out for - the online viral marketing campaign for the new SA Sci-Fi movie District 9. It's produced by Peter Jackson (yes, he of Lord of the Rings fame) and has a clever but also quite relevant story about the integration of aliens. In this case, alien aliens, but there's a lot of apartheid in there, and a lot about the attacks on refugees last year. It looks like it might be the kind of SA tale that works without a lot of finger wagging and point scoring.....

So visit www.d-9.com and play around with the very cool interface and various websites that have been setup to give you an introduction to the origins, look and hardware/technology on the "non-human" aliens that are the focus of Neill Blomkamp's film.

And how does Viral Marketing work? well, just like this actually; I see something I like and send it on to all my friends. It's the kind of word-of-mouth advertising that money can't buy......

SABC responds to TVEIC

2009-06-22T08:34:00.001+02:00

Also on ScreenAfrica is the SABC's formal response to the Memorandum of Demands presented to it by the TV Industry Emergency Coalition (TVIEC) at the national protest action on 4 June

Amongst the claims of support for the Local Industry, SABC claims to have increased the local content budget from R230million to R1.1 billion, and increased the ratios of international to local production from 60:40 to 30:70. It also claims a role in the growth of an independent production sector from 20 companies 2004 to 408 in 2009.

Here's the kicker though: "To ensure diversification of companies doing business with SABC, the SABC is preferentially procuring in the regions other than Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Western Cape."

Wow. So they are diverting commission AWAY from KZN?? Wouldn't that kind of assume that KZN was receiving a bumper crop of productions in the first place???? Read the whole response here and let me know what you think.

Screen Africa Talent and Technology Conference

2009-06-20T07:13:00.000+02:00

Make a note: the 6th Screen Africa Talent & Technology Conference will take place on 23 July 2009 alongside the Mediatech Africa exhibition.

Dedicated to the business of broadcast, film, new media and communications media in South Africa and Africa, the Talent and Technology Conference represents an excellent platform for learning and sharing experiences in the fields of technology developments and trends as well as content creation, management and delivery.

With a strong focus on 2010 and Low Budget Production, the conference highlights include panel discussions on 2010 Preparations, New Media, Digital Terrestrial TV, Doing Business in Africa, Film Financing, New Technologies and Platforms, Funding Update and Broadband Internet Opportunities. You know what I'm going to say: will there be a bus from KZN??

For more information visit www.screenafrica.com

The Onion

2009-06-20T04:11:00.002+02:00

A whacky but digitally pertinent spoof from the wickedly funny The Onion

"I am a block buster customber called Kathy. Two times a week I drive six miles to hire and return videos"

KZN Music Imbizo

2009-06-19T09:54:00.003+02:00

If you want to see a grass-roots movement building opportunities and economic growth - the kind of movement we're going to have to pull off if we want to exploit the benefits of digital media - then sign up for the KwaZulu-Natal Music Imbizo, a fully fledged music conference and exhibition aimed at boosting the SA music industry. The event runs in Durban from September 26th - 28th 2009.

The KwaZulu-Natal Music Imbizo aims at revealing how the industry can create new revenue streams, build loyalty with current customers, tap into new markets, benefit from the film industry, remain competitive, protect its work amongst other vital requirements needed to ensure growth in the South African music industry. (sounds familiar, no??)

The registration process has already begun. For more information, contact Sphe Mbhele: sphe@creativelead.co.za /031 201 6343 or visit the website.

KAFF 2009 Call For Entries

2009-06-19T06:12:00.000+02:00

The 6th edition of KAFF (KwaMashu African Film Festival 2009) is calling for submissions of films made in SA, KZN, Africa, and Africa Diaspora – as well as and unique world cinema films that highlight issues about Africa and that can be a reference for industry growth in KZN.

The films (short, feature, docs) must have been produced after October 2008 and must be submitted to KAFF before September 30th, 2009. Organised by K-CAP, the 6th edition of KAFF will be held from December 4th – 13th, 2009.

For more information contact: kcap@mweb.co.za or tel: 0027 31 504 6970 - or read more here.

The Perfect Storm for a Digital Revolution

2009-06-18T06:25:00.003+02:00

PriceWaterhouseCoopers have announced expectations that, inspite of recession, the global entertainment media market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 2.7% over the next five years, to reach $1.6 trillion in 2013. The firm projects a decline of 3.9% for 2009, followed by growth of just 0.4% in 2010, before regaining strength and reaching 7.1% in 2013.

Driving the survival is Digital Media. Marcel Fenez, Global Leader Entertainment & Media practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers, said:

“In some ways this could be called “the perfect storm”. Inside every cloud is a silver lining and in this case, a digital one. Companies who grasp the opportunities which are appearing in this fast changing marketplace and are agile enough to adapt their business models will be able to take full advantage of the potential and new revenue models as they emerge.”

The title of their report?: No Place to Hide from the Digital Revolution

Website becomes TV Show

2009-06-17T05:38:00.000+02:00

As if to reiterate the convergence between digital and tv, in the USA, Prometheus Entertainmenthas signed a deal with website Axelist.com, a site that highlights users' complaints, to create a half-hour TV show.

Launched in September 2008, Axelist includes users' rants about employers, neighbors, businesses and other entities. Each episode will reportedly focus on a single complaint, and attempt to reach a resolution.

More at Variety.

Real Change - Digital Style

2009-06-16T05:37:00.000+02:00

If there is ANY doubt left in your mind about how the digital era is going to democratize and revolutionise our lives then take a brief squizz at the electrifying and exhilirating coverage of the Iranian crisis at AndrewSullivan.com. Sullivan's become one of my "must-read" daily fixes and he blends news, first-hard tweets, photo-journalism and really insightful comment from a variety of sources in a way that the mainstream media can only dream of.

The Digital Era offers us a total transformation of media in South Africa - what we make, what we see, how and when we see it. Things will never be the same again.

Another Training Opportunity NOT Coming to A Venue Near You

2009-06-15T10:53:00.001+02:00

A 2-day course for Independent and aspiring filmmakers, writers, directors and producers, exploring the craft of filmmaking and the art of being a film director is being run in Cape Town on June 13/14 and in Joburg on June 27/28.

The blurb claims it's a great training ground for candidate film directors, actors and screenwriters who want to pursue a career in filmmaking, and that it "also gives scholars and students the opportunity to make a competent choice in a career decision in the film and television industries; and to develop their independent film projects."

Again, I'm asking why this isn't happening in KZN? I can't help but feel its because these course organisers feel there simply aren't enough of you to make it worthwhile. Mobilization - that's the key.

Stakeholder Meetings

2009-06-12T12:42:00.000+02:00

Just back from 2 days of stakeholder meetings in Durban / KZN. It always amazes me that I meet new people each and every time I'm in town. WHERE HAVE Y'ALL BEEN? Keeping tabs on who is doing what and where in the province is one of the biggest challenges moving forward.

Having said that, there was a commitment from the Province to take the Film & Media Strategy to government for approval and adoption, and the KZN Department of Arts & Culture, Sport & Recreation also outlined its programme that really allows young film makers to experiment and play.

Also good news from the Durban International Film Festival: DIFF 2009 will open with a Durban-made move (My Secret Sky) and the Short Film Screenings include the work of some 17 local filmmakers.

More Awards for Izulu Lami

2009-06-07T19:16:00.000+02:00

Izulu Lami (My Secret Sky), the first feature film directed by Durbanite Madoda Ncayiyana, has won the coveted AUDIENCE prize at the recent 2009 Tarifa International Pan African Film Festival, held in Tarifa, Spain. 11 year old actress Sobahle Mkhabase, who plays the character Thembi, won BEST ACTRESS.

Here for more information

The World's Most Loved Movies

2009-06-05T14:38:00.000+02:00

Box-office records aren't the preserve of Hollywood blockbusters. The Guardian asked its contributing writers around the world to tell them about their countries' biggest homegrown hits

Guess who was top of the list????

TV Industry Emergency Coalition (TVIEC)

2009-06-04T09:10:00.000+02:00

One of the interesting findings of our research programme has been that the SABC and its commissioning processes really do no favours to Producers generally, and to Producers in Durban / KZN in particular. And it's coming to light that the way the SABC does business (sllooooowwwww payments) is potentially prejudicial to the development of South African content AND South African production capabilities.

In response, the TV Industry Emergency Coalition (TVIEC) will be holding manned protests at the SABC offices in JHB and Cape Town today - June 4th. However, you can still get involved in KZN, by simply sending an SMS. Says the TVEIC:

We will be calling on South Africa to send an SMS that tells the SABC what people think of the current crisis. We will collate these comments and deliver them to the powers that be as well as the media. The number to send to: 31970. Your SMS must start with the word TV. SMS’s are charged at 50 cents.

Have your say. But make sure you include KZN in the text!

SAFTA Opens for Entries

2009-06-03T09:42:00.000+02:00

As noted last week, the South African Film and Television Awards have opened for entry - click here for the entry details.

White Wedding Pirated.

2009-06-02T09:30:00.000+02:00

Interesting that the Times would file this story under "Entertainment". Surely it should be under "Crime"?

Pirated Film on Sale for R50.00

It turns out that locally-produced hit movie White Wedding was been pirated within a month of its release. Illegal copies of the film, which was only released on April 29, have for been on sale on the streets of Johannesburg and Cape Town for a fortnight already - for a mere R50.

To put this in perspective: the amount of copies seized in a raid this week would account for R250000 in DVD sales which would have taken away up to 15 percent from box office receipts from the film.

Piracy is such a quaint term; images of Johnny Depp and blue Caribbean seas abound. But it's neither sweet nor romantic, it's theft - and it's your livelihood they are stealing.

Mtuzini - Broadband Heaven

2009-06-01T08:05:00.000+02:00

According to Toby Shapshak in this morning's Times, the small KZN town of Mtunzini is the "most wired place in South Africa right now."

Why? Because it's where the new Seacom underwater broadband cable hits land. At 1.2 terrabits a second, the Seacom cable brings 10 times more bandwidth than its existing rival, and therefore offers to radically reduce the cost of internet and improve its speed and functionality.

Says Shapshak: "I’ve often been asked why South Africa doesn’t produce Google, Facebook, Twitter or any other of the new breed of Internet companies and entrepeneurs. Simple — no broadband. No cheap broadband. But not for much longer....."

Of course, the opportunities this opens up for tv producers and other film sector entrepreneurs are simply unlimited. And these opportunities are coming first to KZN........

NFVF Film Student Open Day

2009-05-29T08:31:00.000+02:00

The National Film and Video Foundation will host its 4th annual Student Open Day on Saturday 06 June 2009 at Nu Metro, Hyde Park from 11:00 until 15:30. The aim of the Student Open Day is to familiarise students with the industry, affording them the opportunity to be informed and motivated by industry professionals. Says Pretty Mthiyane, NFVF Training Coordinator:

"Education and training are instrumental to the viability, growth and sustainability of the industry. Driven by these reasons, our objective is to stimulate training and development by making it more accessible for previously disadvantaged individuals and those with financial difficulties to enter the film & television industry."

More on the event can be found here.
Now a couple of things strike me about this invaluable kind of indaba:

When is the bus from Durban leaving for the event on June 6th?
When can we expect the same kind of event to be facilitated in KZN?

In KZN, we are out of the main stream of South African film and tv production, and we have to fight to get ourselves involved - it's not going to be meekly offered. It's time to get mobilised, people......... will someone please come up with a plan to get a group of students to Joburg next weekend?

SAFTAs - Prepare for Entry

2009-05-28T14:40:00.000+02:00

The NFVF has called for South African projects to prepare themselves for entry into the South African Film and Television Awards - the SAFTAs - which open for entry shortly.

Since its inception the SAFTAs has honoured individuals and productions in the following categories: Television including TV fiction: TV Comedy, TV drama, and TV soap as well as TV non fiction including Magazine shows, News and Actuality, Wildlife, Children, Variety and Reality programmes; Feature Film, Student Film, Short film, Documentary and Animation.

Driven by the values of Creativity, Freedom of expression, Entrepreneurship and Equitable redress, it would be great to see KZN entries in every single category..... So get planning. Last years award winners are listed here.

Twitter on Reality TV

2009-05-27T19:00:00.000+02:00

TV, New Media and social networking: the future of communication?

Variety reports that microblogging service Twitter has partnered with production companies Reveille and Brillstein Entertainment to develop a reality TV series that will "put ordinary people on the trail of celebrities in a revolutionary competitive format."

However, less than 24 hours after the news broke, the New York Daily News reported that Twitterverse is up in arms about the deal. Protest was spurred by speculative reports - including one in particular on Examiner.com that was later amended - that the show might involve celebrity stalking.

Details about the show are scarce, but a statement from producers did say that "ordinary people" will be "put on the trail of celebrities in a competitive format."

Paperfoam Green DVD trays

2009-05-27T08:05:00.000+02:00

Start building your green procurement plan today - here's a new alternative to the standard plastic DVD and CD tray.

The Paperfoam tray is 100% biodegradeable and can be recycled as paper or composted to biodegrade. And besides being environmentally friendly, PaperFoam comes in a range of colours and is lightweight.......

Paperfoam has already been adopted abroad by Universal Music, Sony Music, And EMi for several releases. It is acknowledged as the first successful environmentally friendly alternative to plastic.

For more information or orders please contact: Nicki Becker - nicki@paperfoam.co.za

Music Film Cross-Over

2009-05-25T14:16:00.000+02:00

I've been saying for as long as anyone can be bothered to listen that the Music Industry stands to be the biggest unintended beneficiary of the Soccer World Cup. 2 billion people will be watching their edited highlights to an African beat - and then hopefully they'll go on line to try to find more of that South African music for themselves.

And so how can film benefit from this cross over? Very easily apparently. Check out these black cab sessions: load up a couple of musos in the back of a London cab, get them to perform live and unplugged and then post it on You Tube. It's great theatre!

Video Gaming Outperforms Movie-going

2009-05-23T07:53:00.000+02:00

A report released by market research firm NPD Group shows that the percentage of American video game players (63%) now outnumbers those who have gone out to the movies in the past six months (53%).

According to DMW, the the survey found that one in three gamers bought a console or portable game over the past 12 months -- up 7% on the prior year, while 10% of U.S. consumers played video games on a social network, and 5% paid to download a video game from the Web -- up 2% from last year. Video games now account for one-third of the average monthly consumer spending in the U.S. for core entertainment content, including music, video, games. And while sales of physical gaming products still account for the bulk of consumer spending on video games, digital downloads and other delivery and game-play formats are also rising in popularity.

Big Fish Digital Training Course

2009-05-22T08:40:00.000+02:00

The Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking in Gauteng is offering a five day short course in Film & TV Production that will encompass:

• Pre, Production and Post
• Roles and responsibilities
• Legal aspects
• Script breakdown and logistics for both fiction and non-fiction
• Budgets

The course runs from Monday 29 June 2009 to Friday 3rd July 2009, the application deadline is Friday 5th June 2009.

For more information contact Connie Mosegedi on 011 482 5599 or mosegedic@bigfish.org.za.

More Than Just A Game

2009-05-22T08:37:00.000+02:00

Another Durban success story: More Than Just A Game, the inspirational film about organized football played among prisoners on Robben Island, had a screening at Britain's House Of Lords in London on May 12th, hosted by Baroness Jan Royall, the Leader of the House, and Chief Whip Lord Bassett.

Baroness Royall is a senior member of the Labour Party which strongly supported the struggle against apartheid and the sports boycott against South Africa. The screening of the film was also a tribute to the anti-apartheid movement and the many activists who made huge personal sacrifices in their fight against apartheid, especially those who were incarcerated on Robben Island.

The film, which was directed by Durbanite Junaid Ahmed, and produced by Videovision, and stars Presley Chweneyagae (Tsotsi), Wright Ngubeni (Generations), Tshepo Maseko (Isidingo) met with "thunderous applause."

New Media

2009-05-21T08:22:00.000+02:00

The Financial Times of London has a fascinating article on attempts to monetise digital content.

For well over a decade, the prevailing orthodoxy of the internet has been that information wants to be free. Publishers, broadcasters and games developers alike are beginning to discover, however, that advertising alone is not providing the sustainable digital business model they expected for their expensively produced content...... The biggest uncertainty holding back media owners remains the worry that customers have been schooled not to pay for content online.

....A migration from free to fee has worked before, when cable operators introduced a subscription model to television. But pay-television took off because it offered a dramatic expansion of the content on offer, from Hollywood films to live sports. Consumers are now overwhelmed by choice on multiple media.

Bioskope

2009-05-20T07:23:00.000+02:00

Also announced in Cannes: movie star Juliet Binoche and the Cannes Film Festival President Giles Jacob both wrote cheques to the value of R58,400 and handed them to the Mali filmmaker Abderrehmane Sissako for the purpose of reopening the iconic Soudan Cinema in Bamako. Binoche co-heads a group that plans to revive cinemas across the African continent. Coming to a bioskope near you?

Scene from Sissako's "Waiting for Happiness"

Green Film London

2009-05-18T20:07:00.000+02:00

This morning I attended a presentation by Film London on their new Green Screen Programme. Green Screen identifies key action areas that are likely to have the greatest impact in dramatically decreasing the environmental impact of screen production - both on location and in the studio. Film London has shrewdly realised that going green not only saves money, it's also a huge marketing opportunity.....

As well as providing a user-friendly and practical guide to going green, The Film London site also offers productions a way to identify how much carbon and waste they produce, and where best to make reductions. Cross reference with this Guardian story about the mobile phone application that also helps you measure your carbon footprint. Cool, really......

Why this interest? Well, given that much of KZN's production comes because of its natural locations - and wildlife - I've included a strong environmental thrust in the Strategic Plan.

One step forward, One step backwards

2009-05-18T08:30:00.000+02:00

One of the biggest challenges when trying to build a film-friendly environment is when departments or agencies come up with unilateral decisions or declarations that prevent access to valuable locations. This is usually done without any consultation with the sector, or any consideration of possible management plans we might come up with.

Transnet Freight Rail is the latest. It has confirmed that it has placed restrictions on all filming on its railway tracks due to "safety reasons." The filming of trains will only be allowed if they do not adversely interfere with the company’s day to day operations. These restrictions apply countrywide.

It's ridiculously backward-thinking - as if the industry itself has not considered safety as a major priority!! Furthermore, it flies in the face of every incentive, rebate or support that the government has come up with to promote the industry. Frankly, we all need to be vigilant of this kind of nonsense.

Transnet Freight Rail is not responsible for train stations as the company does not operate passenger services. Such requests have to be forwarded to the relevant passenger operating services.

No One Knows About Persian Cats

2009-05-15T08:01:00.000+02:00

Just in case you ever think that the South African government is unfriendly to filmmakers, remember Bahman Ghobadi - the Iranian whose movie "No One Knows About Persian Cats" screen at the Cannes Film Festival yesterday.

Shot covertly in Tehran just 17 days, without permission from the authorities, "Cats" looks at the risk of censorship - including prison terms - faced by Iranian musicians and artists. Scouting was done using two or three motorbikes and the scenes had to be shot at high speed, so the police couldn't spot them. The crew was arrested twice during the shoot. The co-writer - his fiancee American Iranian Roxana Saberi (below) - has famously been incarcerated (though just released) in Iran for spying.

Ghobadi's films are available only as bootleg DVDs in Iran, and he began "Cats" after the government refused him permission to start a long-planned project. The film also was partly inspired by the arrest of more than 200 music fans at a rock concert near Tehran in 2007. A local prosecutor at the time described the music as "satanic."

Despite his growing international acclaim, Ghobadi says, "I'm 100 percent sure this film won't be released in Iran."

Avalon hits 70

2009-05-12T07:17:00.000+02:00

This year, KZN's very own Avalon Group celebrates its seventieth anniversary - and also marks several other major milestones, including a ten-year relationship with the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa, a thirty-year association with the Durban International Film Festival and fifteen years of democracy in South Africa.

Congratulations to a truly local success story - and best wishes for another 70 years.

For more information on this story visit www.nfvf.co.za

NFVF at Cannes

2009-05-11T15:19:00.000+02:00

This year, as well as the first rate SA Pavilion, the NFVF will commemorate the 10th Anniversary of its attendance at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival with a conference themed "South Africa, your co-production partner of choice, and content on offer". To be held at the Eden Hotel in Cannes on Monday 18 May, the conference will include the NFVF and its partners the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Arts and Culture (DAC), and Durban's own Avalon Group, as well as international buyers, industry colleagues and producers from other filmmaking countries.

"One of our objectives in hosting this event is to present some of South Africa's best projects to the international market," said Eddie Mbalo, NFVF CEO. Projects that will be presented at the conference include 31 Million Reasons, Izulu Lami (My Secret Sky), In the Shadow of a Saint, Otello Burning, Skin (pictured), Khumba and The Consequence.

The Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to take place from Wednesday 13 until Sunday 24 May 2009.

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

2009-05-07T05:48:00.000+02:00

Following on from my earlier post on viral marketing, the BBC has an apparently unrelated story that is both fun and really quite fascinating. It notes that for decades, scientists have tried to prove that the world is made up of social networks that are ultimately interconnected. The theory that there were "six degrees of separation" between everyone - with each degree being a person they knew - entered the mainstream with a play, a Will Smith film, and a party game called Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Now however, scientists for instance, used data from the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game to see if there was actually a mathematical basis for this complex set of relationships. They discovered a formula for the invisible links that make the big world small. Other scientists examined the importance of hubs in how these kinds of networks evolved. A new discipline - network science - was established and other scientists gladly applied these universal laws to other kinds of networks, such as the world-wide web, the growth of cities, global travel, sexual relations between people, wealth and property distribution, and protein molecules in cells.

What's my point? Well, I'm really reporting this because a) it's kind of fun and b) if everyone in the world is just six handshakes away, what opportunities might that mean for marketing and promoting African films in a new digital age?

No to Product Placement?

2009-05-06T06:27:00.000+02:00

Again the challenge of how to retain control and monetise digital media: YouTube is apparently reminding the producers of some of its most populat videos that, according to the YouTube terms and conditions, product placement is not allowed.

"We have a policy, and if we discover they are embedding stuff we will definitely let them know," Tom Pickett, YouTube's director of online sales and operations, told Mediaweek.

Google (which owns YouTube) itself sells advertising against the videos uploaded to YouTube, and therefore views Product Placement - or "user-secured form of advertising" as competition......

Canadian Talent leading the way?

2009-05-05T07:13:00.000+02:00

Canadian actors and independent producers have unveiled a new multiyear labour deal to send Hollywood a signal of industry stability.

The Independent Production Agreement, which covers a three-year period that kicks off December 31, is between ACTRA and the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA), which represents independent producers, and its Quebec counterpart, l'Association des producteurs de films et de television du Quebec. The new IPA differs little from the current deal beyond giving performers a 2 percent rate increase in each of the three years as well as offering a rate increase for new-media residuals. And like the current agreement, the 2010-12 IPA will permit both sides to reopen the new-media provisions one year before the next IPA's expiry on December 31, 2012.

The new deal is designed to bring stability to an industry keen to draw Hollywood producers to Canada for location shoots.Both sides also said they looked at the bigger picture -- a Canadian film and TV production sector beset by a recession and a steep drop in U.S. location shooting -- before they reached a new deal.

Kandyse McClure

2009-05-04T06:55:00.000+02:00

Did you know that the radiant Kandyse McClure - Anastasia Dualla in iconic sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica fame - is a Durbanite?

I wonder if she'd consider being a brand ambassador for the Durban/KZN film industry??

TV Commercials Can Be Fun

2009-05-03T05:42:00.000+02:00

Who said that there's no creativity in TV commercials??

In the following tv commercial for Honda, there are no computer graphics or digital tricks; everything that you see happens in real time. Your eyes are not deceiving you. The recording required 606 takes and the production team took three months to get it just right. It cost 6 million dollars to make.

More importantly for Honda, it's viral marketing at its finest. I received it via the email, from a friend, at no additional cost to Honda. I'm also posting it here, again for free.

Making the Movie

2009-05-02T07:12:00.000+02:00

Making an independent film is a lot like having a kid. The sexy part is coming up with the idea and the money. Actually making the film is a lot like giving birth – both exciting and painful. Then you have your bouncing baby movie - and you have to raise the little bastard.

I love coming across blog sites by filmmakers who have actually made films. The information is usually practical, helpful and refreshingly candid. Making the Movie offers filmmaking tips, resources, reviews of Film Production books (useful!), news and links.

Here's some good stuff on the kinds of "special features" to add to your dvd.......

Documentary and Government

2009-04-30T08:45:00.000+02:00

Documentary filmmakers must become adept at bearing witness to events as they unfold, without influencing outcomes or forever disrupting the lives of individuals who aren’t seeking the limelight. The presence of a camera thrust into any of our lives could at best make us self-conscious, at worst, negatively and permanently expose our lives to unwarranted scrutiny and judgment. There is a delicate balance of trust that must exist between documenter and subject. How does an NGO find a voice for a issue or a situation that will meet the needs of a filmmaker to tell a compelling story that will be typically 60 – 90 minutes and likely seen on television worldwide or the internet? Understanding the dynamic complexities and length of this relationship are what make the difference between a public service announcement and a film anchoring an outreach campaign......

There's more invaluable insight, comment, film festival reviews and news for indie film makers at Filmmaker Magazine........

Incidentally, the above quote comes from the programme of Envision, "Addressing Global Issues through Documentaries". Envision is a two-day forum hosted by the IFP and the United Nations, to be held in New York on 14th & 15th May, in which film and both live and virtual discussion will be used to address significant global issues.

There will be 12 screenings, presentations and panel discussions "rooted in the UN’s Millennium Development Goals" - which include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and empowerment of women; reduction of child mortality; improving maternal health, combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developping a global partnership for development.

The fact that the film sector and government have come together to host this event is interesting, I think - particularly given that these are all our challenges in South Africa. A future DFO / KZNFC conference, perhaps??

Consumer Confidence in New Technology

2009-04-29T08:34:00.000+02:00

If the news coming out of the USA is anything to go by, people are becoming more techno-savvy and computer literate. According to a recent report from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and CNET, while consumer confidence in the overal economy dipped in April, confidence in technology and consumer electronics climbed sharply.

The CEA-CNET Index of Consumer Technology Expectations (ICTE) rose to 77.4, up more than 10 points from March to reach its highest level since December.

If these stats are in any way replicated in South Africa, it bodes well for new media options for filmmakers when creating, marketing and distributing their films.

Doxumentary Filmmakers' Master Class

2009-04-26T15:33:00.000+02:00

Learn the art of in-depth, hard-hitting, factual documentaries that challenge people’s points of view from highly acclaimed Jacques Pauw.....

This Documentary Filmmakers' Masterclass will take place in Johannesburg over five days, from Monday, 25th May to Friday, 29th May 2009. (Course hours are 09h00 to 16h00 each day.) The focus is on in-depth documentary production, how to research and how to make documentaries with substance.....

Applicants must have a commitment to documentary filmmaking and have experience in filmmaking.You are required to bring ideas you are working on, or would like to develop, to be workshopped in class and you can also bring short documentaries you have worked on for analysis and feedback.

Deadline for application is May 7th and only 14 candidates will be accepted. For more information / application requirements etc., contact Connie Mosegedi at Big Fish on 011 482 5599 or mosegedic@bigfish.org.za

London African Film Festival Call for Entries

2009-04-25T13:26:00.000+02:00

The London African Film Festival has opened its call for submissions

The London African Film Festival is dedicated to promoting the exhibition of African feature films, shorts, animation and experimental films. Dates are 26 November – 3 December 2009. This year the festival will show a selection of recent films from all the regions of the continent.

The deadline for submissions is 31 July 2009

Entry forms can be downloaded at the website. For more information contact Keith Shiri at kshiri@boltblue.com or keithshiri@hotmail.com

Izulu Lami wins at IPAFF

2009-04-24T13:20:00.000+02:00

KZN's own Izulu lami (My Secret Sky) has won the best feature film award at "International Pan African film festival", in Cannes, France

Directed by Madoda Ncayiyana, Izulu lami won the coveted DIKALO Best Feature Film prize at the recent International Pan African Film Festival, held in the city of Cannes between 1st and 5th April 2009.

Izulu Lami (My Secret Sky) follows the story of two young children who journey to the city from their rural homestead after their mother’s death. The film features a cast of mainly young children who had never acted professionally before, discovered through extensive casting by the director, from the townships, informal settlements of eThekwini Municipality to the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal.

Audience Development

2009-04-24T07:53:00.000+02:00

YouTube has begun testing a new social feature that lets users see what which videos their friends are watching, rating and commenting on in real-time.

DMW reports that the company has offered a limited number of invites to test the new YouTube RealTime feature, which aims to supplement the current widespread trading of YouTube videos via email, IM, blogs and social networks.

The feature functions as a toolbar at the bottom of the browser window, and provides updates of a user's friends' activities on YouTube in a news feed-type format.

Screenwriting

2009-04-16T17:38:00.000+02:00

Unknown Screenwriter is a personal, sometimes very personal, blog about screenwriting. The list of links alone is priceless. I also like the quality of his ideas. His posting on hamartia is typical. Hamartia is a character’s great tragic flaw - and a great way to move a story forward.

Journalism Online

2009-04-16T02:05:00.000+02:00

One of the fascinating challenges about New Media is how to monetise content online. I mean, all too often these days, we expect the internet to give us "stuff" for free - which doesn't bode particularly well for the film industry if we're hoping to use the internet as a dynamic means of distribution that cuts out the middleman. Fortunately we're not alone. The publishing business in particular has been hard hit by people wanting to read their news - for free - online.

So it's good to see a report on DMW that a trio of high flying media executives have announced the launch of a Journalism Online, a new venture that aims to help monetize online news publishing. The venture plans to create a distributable system that will allow publishers to charge annual or monthly subscriptions to view their content, as well as a portal where consumers could pay a single fee to access content from multiple participating publications.

Says co-founder Steven Brill: "We believe we have developed a strategy and a set of services that will establish that model by restoring a stream of circulation revenue to supplement advertising revenue, while taking advantage of the savings to be gained from producing and delivering content electronically."

Watch this space

Thinking Animation

2009-04-15T14:10:00.000+02:00

The Thinking Animation blog is created to document and inspire all involved in bringing life to characters and inanimate objects. They cover everything from computer generated animation, VFX, stop motion and even puppets. The site includes a long list of really useful animation resources.

Locations Trade Show

2009-04-15T05:30:00.000+02:00

The Durban Film Office is in Los Angeles this week as part of the official South African delegation at the Locations Trade Show.

The pre-eminent locations event on the international calendar, LTS is an opportunity for the best film destinations in the world to show off their talents to the Hollywood industry. This is particularly important for KZN, since more than 70% of the province's film income currently comes from Hollywood blockbusters. This is the tenth year that South Africa has attended the event, and the stand is funded by the NFVF and the South African Consulate General in LA.

NFVF Sediba Programme

2009-04-10T10:10:00.000+02:00

EXTENSION OF DEADLINE - Closing Date is now 14 April 2009!!!!!

The Sediba Advanced International Financing Programme for Producers 2009 is a programme offered by the National Film and Video Foundation aimed at local Producers. This programme, which has been designed to run for three sessions over 8 months, will provide focused training to experienced Producers in international financing, packaging and distribution. Visit www.nfvf.co.za for more.

Writing Studio Screenwriter Training

2009-04-09T20:02:00.000+02:00

If you’re an aspiring screenwriter with a vivid imagination whose ideas are larger than life, The Writing Studio has an exciting Weekend Workshop for Scriptwriters taking place at the SABC in Durban on April 18 and 19, running from 10am until 5pm each day.

Within ONE WEEKEND budding screenwriters will understand the principles of writing for a visual medium and what it takes to be screenwriter in South Africa.

The cost of the workshop is R900. If you are a registered student, scholar, or a pensioner, the cost of the workshop is R800. For more information visit www.thewritingstudio.co.za

Tyler Perry

2009-04-09T06:50:00.000+02:00

Entertainment Weekly recently ran an article about “black america’s secret culture war”. Apparently it's all due to Tyler Perry: the playwright, author, filmmaker, and actor of Madea fame, who has created a franchise around his name and is also responsible for opening the first black-owned studio in the U.S. in October of last year. Culture war or no, Perry certainly sends sparks flying with the characters he puts on screen - some critics say they're lowest-common-denominator, stereotypical representations of black experience (ie. the complete opposite of the too-elite Cosby's).

What's as interesting is the loyal and resilient audience that Perry has developed for his films. In February, his latest, “Madea Goes to Jail” was the top film in the US, bringing in $41.1 million at the Box Office. Not bad for what was always thought of in Hollywood as a "niche" audience. It’s also worth mentioning that Tyler Perry owns it all, from the movies and video library (he’s sold 25 million DVDs of his plays) to his TV shows.

Read more at www.postbourgie.com

Wolverine saga continues

2009-04-08T08:08:00.000+02:00

Fox News has fired Roger Friedman, a journalist who posted an online review of the unfinished and illegal copy of Gavin Hood's movie Wolverine.

DMW is running a poll - (given the significant piracy issues) do you think it's right that he was fired?

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is due to launch - officially - in SA on April 29th.

DVD Copying and Piracy Issues

2009-04-07T09:34:00.000+02:00

In the United States, the National Consumers League has publiushed results of a new study conducted by Opinion Research showing that 90% of consumers believe they should be able to back up their DVDs to a hard drive or copy them to a portable device - and that they'd be willing to pay about $61 for a piece of software that helped them back up their collections. According to the survey:

55% of respondents are buying fewer DVDs today than they did a year ago.
More than four in 10 (41%) expect to be buying fewer still a year from now.
41% said the ability to make back up copies would make their collections more valuable
40% said it might cause them to buy more DVDs.
Households with kids have purchased an average of nearly 3 DVDs to replace those lost or damaged.
Despite studio fears that back-up copying will lead to massive Internet piracy, only 18% of respondents reported ever having copied a DVD to a hard drive.
Another 5% said they had tried but were unable to.
The vast majority of respondents (79%) said they have no real interest in copying DVDs.

And, according to DMW, what have the studios come up with to deliver that value to their customers? Litigation against Kaleidescape Systems and RealDVD for providing tools that allow people to back up their DVD collections.

Cinema Audiences

2009-04-03T09:07:00.000+02:00

Reuters is covering a Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) report that box office receipts around the world rose 5% to a record $28.1 billion in 2008, inspite of the economic turndown.

The United States and Canada markets reached $9.8 billion in 2008, a 1.7% increase over 2007, and a figure that accounts for 35% of the worldwide total. International box office sales hit a record $18.3 billion, up 7% over the previous year, and accounted for 65% of the global total. (so much for "runaway production.....")

The number of films released in 2008 increased slightly from the previous year to 610 compared to 599 in 2007.

Hood's Headaches

2009-04-02T09:42:00.000+02:00

An unfinished "workprint" version of South African director Gavin Hood's next movie "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" has been leaked onto the BitTorrent file-sharing network,where it has already been downloaded more than 75,000 times. The video file is reportedly of high audio and video quality, but does not contain any of the special effects from the film, which is not due for release until May 1.

In the USA, the penalty for "pre-release" piracy of copyrighted content, under the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act of 2004, is up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Sediba Advanced International Financing Programme

2009-04-01T14:26:00.000+02:00

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) has announced the launch of a brand new programme, the Sediba Advanced International Financing Programme, developed for South African Producers.

Aimed at providing to experienced producers focused training on international financing, packaging and distribution, the programme comes after the successes of the NFVF's Sediba Scriptwriting Training and Development Programme.

The programme will be headed by a range of global experts who have experience in buying, sourcing finance and selling at the world's leading markets including the American Film Market, the Cannes Film Festival and the Berlin Film Festival.

The programme will be held in three sessions with the first taking place on Tuesday, April 28, and the last session on Tuesday, August 18 2009. At the end of the programme the top two achievers will be selected to attend the Film London Production Finance Market in October 2009, where they will have an opportunity to pitch their projects to potential international financiers, sales agents and distributors.

The closing date for applications is April 6th 2009. For more information visit the NFVF website

Africa Booms

2009-03-31T09:26:00.000+02:00

According to a forecast by the International Monetary Fund reported in Fin Week, a list of the world's top ten fastest growing economies includes seven African countries. Angola already tops the list at 20% growth, Mozambique is the world's fastest growing non-oil based economy. Even the destroyed Zimbabwean economy offers hope; the Beitbridge border crossing between Zim and SA is the busiest border post in Africa, in terms of cargo volume shifted.

What does this mean for KZN entertainment media producers? Hopefully African economies where consumers are increasingly flush with cash and looking to spend their new-found monies on entertainment items..... Nollywood will surely be there, so what about us?

A Tale of Two Cities

2009-03-30T15:23:00.000+02:00

How about this for a commissioning trend to watch? Time Magazine has a story on Gaza - Sderot: Life Inspite of Everything, the French-made multimedia documentary about everyday life on either side of the Gaza-Israeli border.

Though funded by the French-German television channel Arte, Gaza-Sderot was created for the internet, reversing the typical order in which films are shown on television and then posted online. While filming the two crews uploaded daily stories of about five minutes each on the production's website..... The 52 minute documentary was edited from these hours of video postings.

Obama Online

2009-03-27T07:23:00.000+02:00

Yesterday marked in a first-of-its-kind event - an online townhall meeting where the President of the United States sought, accepted and answered through the internet, questions on the economy from members of the public.

The event, dubbed "Open for Questions," was streamed live on WhiteHouse.gov, and included an array of hand-picked questions submitted through video or text on the Internet. Nearly 93,000 people submitted about 104,000 questions, 3.6 million votes were cast either for or against questions submitted by others.

Imagine the role of the KZN film industry in creating such a platform for democracy in South Africa? The film sector providing video boothes operated by trained and in-training operators, the ICT sector providing the platform..... Obama, who relied heavily on the Internet during his campaign, called the experiment "an exciting opportunity for me to look at a computer and get a snapshot of what Americans across the country care about." South Africans care too; this could be an interesting way to express it.

Spotify

2009-03-26T13:22:00.000+02:00

Another music distribution example with possible relevance for film? - Spotify is a music distribution service that some people believe could spell doom for iTunes (www.apple.com/ itunes) or even for the CD. It launched last October and already has a million users.

Spotify works like this: users download a small application, which allows them to listen to any track from a total of thousands of albums at any time. The key difference between this and iTunes is that customers never actually own the music.

Spotify is the most talked-about start-up of the last year, not just because it provides a service that is much in demand, but also because of its interesting model for financing itself. Premium users, who pay £9.99 a month, do not see advertisements served up to them every 20 minutes. But you can enjoy the music for free if you are willing to watch the commercials.

In other words, the service is funded by both advertisements and subscription, which doesn't leave it solely dependent on one or the other method......

Script Submissions

2009-03-24T10:30:00.000+02:00

Film Industry Bloggers is actually a collection of blogs that offer an insiders look at the motion picture industry through the unique eyes of working professionals.

Here, for example is an entry by Rachel Miller who manages the careers of writers and directors of feature films and television. Her clients include writers and directors on THE DAILY SHOW, THE SIMPSONS, and FRANK TV, along with comic book company Bloodfire Studios. Check out her superb list of resources here.

At Film Industry Bloggers she lists her Top 5 Peeves about Query Letters and Submissions for Management Representation - peeves that are equally applicable whether you are applying to the NFVF or the SABC or any other potential funder......

1. If you list 12 scripts in a query letter. If I see 12 scripts listed on a query letter I am going to wonder why hasn’t anything happened with any of them? Put one or at most two in the letter.

2. Saying this script will sell for millions of dollars! Every script I have seen with a letter saying “it will sell for millions of dollars” has been a pass. First, no one knows what scripts will sell and what won’t. If you must say something, just say you believe it is a very commercial idea.

3. X meets Y. Don’t pick two movies that have nothing in common and put them together by saying your script is like X meets Y. I have seen all kinds of ridiculous statements, such as Wall-E meets Schindler’s List. This means nothing.

4. Calling me up and saying I must read this asap. If you give it to me on a Monday and think I am going to read it by Friday, then you are mistaken. You are also mistaken if you give it to me on a Friday and call me on Monday to see if I have read it. Give everyone two weeks to read your script; we are all busy and we have a lot of work to do and are trying to get through everything.

5. Spelling and grammar mistakes. There should be none, ever — either in your letter or in your script. If I am taking the time to read your script, you should have taken the time to go through your work and make sure there are no spelling and grammar mistakes.

Bonus tip. If you call me and say you would love to submit to me and I tell you to check out our submission policy on our web page and you tell me you don’t have a computer — that is a very bad sign.

So before you send your script to me make sure you have done everything in your power to make it the most professional and well-written script you can.

Slow Down and Fast

2009-03-23T10:23:00.000+02:00

The Slow Down and Fast blog highlights the personal journey of a couple of filmmakers attempting self distribution for their film Slow Down and Fast. The goal is to get 1,000,000 views of the short documenterary, but the blog is also for anyone who wants to discover the powerful marketing potential of Social Networking....

Bridging the Digital Divide

2009-03-20T10:24:00.000+02:00

At the Digital Music East conference currently unfolding in the USA, Ron Berry, e-Commerce Advisor to the Isle of Man outlined how the government of that little island is trying to be a pioneer in a field where many larger nations are struggling, namely finding a way to compensate musicians in a digital age.

The basic idea is to charge Internet users a flat fee for access to music online through their Internet Service Provider and then pass that money on to the collection societies, record labels and other interest groups.

Could that work for KZN film??

MultiChoice Film Talent Incubator

2009-03-19T07:27:00.000+02:00

A couple more days only before the closing date for entries of the 2009 MultiChoice Film Talent Incubator programme, an intense 24 week course open to just 14 aspirant filmmakers that offers free worldclass training and mentorship by top industry professionals.

To apply, you have to be:

* studying or working in the film industry
* previously disadvantaged
* committed to 24 weeks intense training
* able to submit a showreel and cv
* passionate to be a great filmmaker

The MultiChoice Film Talent Incubator runs from April to December 2009 at the Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking in Auckland Park. The course includes technical specialisation in research, lighting design, cinematography, production management, sound and editing. Interactions and training by industry specialists are core.

Become a Millionaire?

2009-03-18T09:26:00.000+02:00

Then switch off your tv set......

Oh dear - that's the recommendations of a Nielsen Media Report on the economics of television watching. They've calculated not just the cost of the tv sets and surround sound systems, not just the hours we waste each week vegging out in front of the box (about 32 hours a week) but also the indirect impacts of the products we purchase as a result of those damn adverts. Over a lifetime they reckon we'd each save ONE MILLION DOLLARS.

Which we could then invest in films, no?

Economic Impact Assessment

2009-03-17T15:55:00.000+02:00

Did you shoot a production - feature, television, tvc, stills, corporate, anything! - in Durban or KZN in 2006 or 2007? If so, we need your help with our Economic Impact Assessment.

Please either click here or follow the link to the third questionnaire in the sidebar "ECONOMIC IMPACTS SURVEY), and complete the short multiple choice form - ideally for each production you undertook.

The information you provide is completely confidential and will only be used to collate averages.
Thanks in advance!

Coffee Shorts - Distribution

2009-03-16T10:54:00.000+02:00

Coffee Shorts is an independent short film digital distributor helping indie filmmakers and musicians take advantage of the explosion in web video. While one lone talented filmmaker may not get noticed or earn more than pocket change, 100 talented filmmakers grouped together really can, and audiences can instantly find quality short filmmaking without even trying.

We've all seen YouTube clips with millions of online views featuring talking dogs, dancing girls and established music artists; but finding really well made independent shorts can be hard work, which means no solid audiences can really develop and thousands of talented individuals miss out on all the buzz and ad revenue they're helping create.

As a matter of priority, check out their blog entry on film festivals, particularly short film festivals...... Coffee Shots recommends.....

Microcinema
Excellent US screenings tour

Shallow Shorts
Well attended London short film screenings

Clermont Ferrand
Superb short film festival with good market alongside

Vienna Shorts
Quality driven shorts fest

Wreck Beach
The coolest of festivals held by a nudist beach in a dome village in Canada

Melbourne Underground
Trouble making and controversial underground festival

Portobello
Huge and fun film festival in London

Edinburgh
Excellent competition and a great Film UK market run alongside

LA Shorts
Not everything it's cracked up to be but a Hollywood Boulevard screening is nice

Antimatter
Very cool indie festival in Canada

Leeds
Strong international films in Leeds, UK

Brief Encounters
Probably the UK's best short film only festival in Bristol

Euroshorts
Cool shorts festival from Poland, also does some touring

Anchorage
The pleasant people of Alaska

London Shorts
Excellent festival organised by lovely people who love film!

Visit their site for links and more.....

MAPPP-SETA

2009-03-12T09:06:00.000+02:00

MAPPP-SETA, the Sector Training Authority that covers the film sector (I'm not writing out the entire acronym, it'll take too long.....) is legally obliged to submit a re-establishment/re-certification application to ensure its continued operation from 2010-2015. As part of this process, MAPPP-SETA has created a questionnaire and is undertaking a roadshow - infomation on both is available here. The KZN session is on March 16th at the Southern Sun North Beach.

MAPPP-SETA is looking for your input on a range of issues, including

* Measures to improve the interaction between MAPPP-SETA and all provinces;
* Skills development programmes and activities that MAPPP-SETA should take
into account when compiling its Business Plan for the next five years;
* MAPPP-SETA current performance in attending and addressing the constituency
training needs

Now in my own personal experience, MAPPP-SETA's impact on funding regional training and development funding has been pretty negligible over the last few years. So to ensure this consultation process is more than just window-dressing, now is your chance to demand some changes and let the organisation know what you need.

Silver Stallion Award for Durban Film

2009-03-11T08:53:00.000+02:00

Nothing but the Truth, starring John Kani and produced by Durban's Richard Green won the Silver Stallion Award (runner up best movie) at FESPACO, the Pan African Film Festival in Burkina Faso.

Shot in and arouund KwaMashu in 2006, John Kani plays a librarian who, on the eve of his brother's funeral, looks back on his memories of the past. Kani wrote the play on which the movie is based.

Richard starts work shortly on his next Durban production - Promise Me - about an orphan in a fictional African state who sets off across country to meet the President.

Feedback Meetings - Monday 9th

2009-03-08T07:20:00.000+02:00

We would like to invite you to join us for a Film Industry Review feedback session with Martin Cuff on the 09/03/2009 at Botanic Gardens. There are two sessions:

10.00 - 12.00 for members of the Stakeholder Committee

13:00 - 15:00 for aspiring producers and participants of the various Collectives

The purpose of the meetings is to workshop the findings of the study to date and to provide you with an opportunity to give further input before we commence drafting the final report.

Your input is most valued and we do hope you are able to attend.

Kindly RSVP your attendance to Thembani Mthembu on 031 311 4243 or MthembuVT@durban.gov.za

Kind Regards,

Gugu Zungu
Durban Film Office
031 311 4243 (T)

New Media Information

2009-03-06T05:00:00.000+02:00

Want to know what countries like China, India, South Korea and even Jamaica are doing with New Media Production? I came across this Futures of Learning website, with all sorts of global projects and programmes for the Durban Film sector to benchmark itself against.

The convergence of consuming and producing digital media has been termed “prosuming” (Lim and Nekmat 2008). This practice has been democratized with the increasing availability of technology tools to (young) Indians from all socio-economic strata. While findings avenues for creative expression is at the heart of prosuming, the objectives differ depending on who is doing the prosuming. For more affluent Indian youth it is often tied to commercial ends that try to capitalize on the growing middle-class Indian youth market and its potential for technology and other companies. On the other hand, enabling poorer young Indians to produce digital media is seen as a way of giving them a voice to express their experiences and attitudes about their lives and neighborhoods.

Sounds like the kind of discussions we have here in SA, no?

iPhone Applications

2009-03-04T08:01:00.000+02:00

As a recent Mac convert, I also used my due cellphone upgrade to switch to iPhone. I mention this, not only because I am a smug b******d, but also because I am consistently amazed at the mobile applications I come across that could be used by canny producers......

There's Eternity, for instance, a time-management tool that allows you to log and track your time, create daily reviews, daily, weekly or monthly reports, export your timesheets.

And via the VertigoEffect blog, I came across a Depth of Field application for cinematographers.

Something tells me that this sort of mobile technology is only going to become more inherent in everything we do......

First on Mars

2009-03-02T18:10:00.000+02:00

First On Mars styles itself as "your personal guide to network tv on the web" What that really means is a website where you can find and download all your favourite US tv shows for free streaming / download. You build a "playlist" that matches your moods, or simply select your favourite networks and shows. And of course you can share your selections with friends.....

The site's not terribly user friendly, but just imagine this kind of thing as a repository for African product? With a pay-per-play button? Like iTunes for African films.....

Corporate / Training Films

2009-03-02T05:53:00.000+02:00

The Safety and Security SETA has announced a Request for Proposals for Discretionary Grants Funding for 2008/9. The tender advert says:

Funding will be made available for qualifying proposals from employers within the Safety and Security Industry that address the following priority areas relating to scarce and critical skills:
Adult Basic Education and Training
Skills Programmes
SMMEs, NGOs, CBOs
New Venture Creation

So while you probably can't apply for these funds directly yourselves, there's no reason at all why you shouldn't be dusting off your proposals for Training Videos and engaging immediately with your contacts in the local Safety and Security sector. The application deadline is March 13th.

Durban Wild Talk Africa Film Festival

2009-02-27T11:48:00.000+02:00

Tomorrow is the early bird deadline for Wild Talk Africa, the international film festival and conference for the global wildlife, travel and cultural filmmaking industry. The 2009 Festival will run from 19 – 23 April 2009, at the ICC Durban in South Africa and offers a forum for networking, debating and negotiating with commissioning editors, distributors and producers.

With the support of the global wildlife, travel and cultural community, the second Durban Wild Talk Africa Festival, held in August 2007, attracted 480 delegates over the 4 day Festival with representation from 22 countries.

Full registration is normally R3000, but click here until 28th February to catch the discounted early bird rate.

Elance

2009-02-27T07:17:00.000+02:00

As research for this blog, and for this project, I've been looking at the IT and Music (and other) sectors to try and identify a whole range of programmes that could be adapted for the KZN Film Sector.

Here's one that caught my eye that might work for us - it's called E-lance...... (like freelance, geddit?) As the blurb says:

Elance is an online workplace where businesses hire and work with qualified professionals to get work done. Elance facilitates the entire work process from hiring to collaboration to payment.
Businesses and hiring managers use Elance to find, hire and work with qualified professionals with specialized skills. Service professionals ("providers") use Elance to meet customers, produce quality work and get paid for doing what they do best.

In other words, not only could KZN producers crew up for their productions using local crew who've posted their resumes on the site, it also offers the potential for clients could seek proposals from local producers via the site......

The Vertigo Effect

2009-02-26T07:44:00.001+02:00

Another top-ranking blog with great information for filmmakers is The Vertigo Effect.

Designed as much as a discussion forum as a straight-forward "This is how you..." blog, The Vertigo Effect nevertheless contains a broad range of useful information, tips, ideas and comment. How about this suggestion for a Filmmaking Mastermind Group? KZN Collectives anyone?

PS - The Vertigo Effect is a camera move made famous by Alfred Hitchcock, but also known as a Dolly Zoom wherein the camera simultaneously zooms in/out and dollies out/in. What the audience sees is a perspective change while the main subject remains the same size on screen. The technique can be used to heighten suspense and more recently for comedic effect.

Looking Back

2009-02-25T13:17:00.000+02:00

A 1981 report on the possibility that one day we might read our newspapers (gasp!) on our computers.

I'm loving the tag line "It takes two hours to download the paper....."

2009-02-24T12:16:00.000+02:00

Americans now watch more than 151 hours of TV a month -- an all-time high -- while those who watch video online consume another 3 hours of video per month, and those who use mobile video watch nearly 4 additional hours per month on mobile phones and other devices, according to a report from Nielsen.

The study also noted that men continue to watch video on mobile phones more than women, and women continue to watch video on the Internet and television more than men.....

Time of the Writer Festival

2009-02-20T07:48:00.000+02:00

The 12th Edition of the Time of the Writer has announced its programme and the key participants for the Durban-based Festival next month.

With a line-up of approximately 20 new and established writers, predominantly from South Africa and elsewhere on the African continent, the Time of the Writer festival provides a stimulating platform for dialogue and exchange between writers. It's therefore an opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to gain insight into different kinds of creative processes and perspectives that writers undertake - which may in turn, assist in the creation of even better Durban stories.

Tickets are R25 for the evening sessions, R10 for students, and can be purchased through Computicket or at the door one hour before the event. Workshops and seminars are free. Contact the University of KwaZulu-Natal 's Centre for Creative Arts for more information on 031 260 2506/1816 or e-mail cca@ukzn.ac.za