June 2009

by | Nov 10, 2010 | Newsletter

Message from the Chief Executive

June is Youth Month and in this edition we celebrate cutting edge work from our young hot shots. We bring you a special feature written by Prof. Keyan G. Tomaselli, Sarah Dawson and Jonathan Dockney which looks at the recently held Bafundi Film & TV Festival. We also report on iMPAC, a short film festival held in the province late last month which celebrated student work from the Open Window Academy. We talk to young ?hot shot? Pule M who is currently in production on his latest film Soweto Drift. In the first of what promises to be a series we look at support programmes available to emerging filmmakers. In this particular edition we highlight the dti?s Export Marketing and Investment Assistance scheme, as well as the recently launched script registration service called Pitchit which allows filmmakers and writers to register their scripts and literary work on-line.

In response to media speculation regarding our withdrawal from this year?s Cannes Lions we wish to state that the decision has been taken after consultation with our Board and our principal funder, the Gauteng Department of Economic Development. It has been decided that the GFC will place on hold participation at foreign pavilions until agreement has been reached with our key principals regarding a strategy to ensure our programmes are in alignment with the new Government?s priorities and that we coordinate a coherent industry response to the current financial crisis. We would however like to encourage Gauteng commercial production companies to participate in and support the official South African initiative at Cannes Lions this year and we wish Brand SA ? led by the capable team from the Cape Film Commission and the Durban Film Office ? all the best at this important global platform.

Terry Tselane
Chief Executive
IN BRIEF
Gauteng grows in popularity as global film location
The versatility of Gauteng, South Africa?s economic hub, and the abundance of fascinating historical stories and heritage sites is resulting in the province gaining popularity as a location for co-productions.
…to read more CLICK HERE
Open Window create high iMPAC short-film festival
By Martin Chemhere
An initiative to promote the short-film and encourage African filmmakers, iMPAC (Initiative for Motion Pictures within the African Continent) was launched at the end of last month by Pretoria-based The Open Window Department of Video
…to read more CLICK HERE
The simple life in The Game of My Life
By Martin Chemhere
One of Gauteng?s latest feature films, The Game of My Life, was recently showcased at Cannes, where it was taken by its producer Michael J Rix of Johannesburg?s Mirror Mountain Pictures.
…to read more CLICK HERE
Script registration service offered through Pitchit
A useful and innovative on-line script registration service has been launched by Ants Multimedia Entertainment. Filmmakers and writers can now register their scripts and literary work to have proof of date of creation should ownership of the work come into question.
…to read more CLICK HERE
South Africa gets this young filmmaker?s Drift
Last month?s Emerging Hot Shot, Pule Motloung, known as Pule M, of Young Minds Productions has had his film Tumelo selected to be screened at this year?s Durban International Film Festival.
…to read more CLICK HERE
Industry warning: possible credit card scam
The Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) has received notice of a possible scam which might be operational in the industry. A production company registered in Asia recently rented mobile phones from a local supplier.
…to read more CLICK HERE
MediaTech Africa, a must for technology professionals
By Martin Chemhere
Aside from the World Cup, the industry is facing a number of other opportunities. So says Simon Robinson, MediaTech Africa trade fair director, who adds that ?getting to grips with the introduction of high-definition (HD), Dolby E and 5.1 surround sound to television, as well as training technically qualified personnel, well-versed in these new technologies, are just some of the opportunities and challenges.
…to read more CLICK HERE
Gargoyle selected for 3 US Film Festivals
Gargoyle, a short film that expresses how the past can come and haunt you in the future when you least expect it, has been accepted into three US film festivals, namely the 15h Annual Palm Springs International ShortFest (23 ? 29 June), Rhode Island International Film Festival (4 ? 9 August) and Beloit International Film Festival.
…to read more CLICK HERE
A serious tool for serious animators!
The growing interest in animation was highlighted at a recent launch in Johannesburg by Touchvision Digital Media Solutions of, in addition to Animate Pro, their Toon Boom product, described as a ?serious tool for serious animators’.
…to read more CLICK HERE
South African wins inaugural Africala Vote Competition
South African animation nerd, Diek Grobler, walked away with the inaugural African Vote Film Festival.
…to read more CLICK HERE
KODAK unveils latest film stock in VISION3 FAMILY
The Eastman Kodak Company has unveiled the latest product offering in its Vision3 technology platform: by extending the Vision3, Kodak is giving customers more workflow efficiencies combined with all the existing advantages of film-image quality, resolution, unrivalled dynamic range, flexibility and achievability. Kodak now offer Vision3 in both 500T and 250D speeds, enabling more creative options in a wider variety of lighting conditions.
…to read more CLICK HERE
People to People doccie conference
Following on the successful inauguration of the People to People International Documentary Conference in 2007, the biennial conference is scheduled for 10 ? 12 September this year.
…to read more CLICK HERE
Story telling a gift
By Martin Chemhere
?Most of Gauteng?s filmmakers are blessed by being in a region so rich with culture, heritage, tradition and music,? says Jacqui Hlongwane, Head, Reversioning and Repurposing, SABC Content Support.
…to read more CLICK HERE
We?ve got the talent??..but make sure we?ve got the training
By Martin Chemhere
Training is key if we want to leverage the abundance of available Gauteng talent. So says Mpumelelo Mayiyane, an upcoming actress, who warns that many aspiring actors may not make it if they do not receive proper industry training.
…to read more CLICK HERE
Transnet Freight Rail confirms restrictions on filming
Transnet Freight Rail 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. Please take note that 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.
…to read more CLICK HERE
EMERGING HOT SHOTS
Export opportunities
In this and upcoming editions we look at business support opportunities available to emerging Hot Shots in the industry. The Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) scheme of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) allows South African companies to grow their export potential through market research, participation in out- and inward missions and marketing support in foreign markets .The scheme is available to companies involved in the film and TV industries.
…to read more CLICK HERE
Patrick Peni
This month we speak to emerging film editor, Patrick Peni, whose editing skills helped Men of the Number win awards at major student film platforms this year, including AFDA, M-Net EDiT (Emerging Dynamics in Television) and the Bafundi Film & TV Festival.
…to read more CLICK HERE
PERFECT LOCATIONS
The Golden Age of Steam
On the one hand, Gauteng?s old stations and well-preserved steam trains evoke the romance and nostalgia of rail travel in the golden age of steam and on the other, there is the hustle and bustle of modern day commuter travel in the modern Johannesburg railway station.

Gauteng province is well serviced when it comes to rail infrastructure and includes lines from Vereeniging in the south, Nigel in the east, Randfontein and Oberholzer in the west and Oliefantsfontein in the north.
…to read more CLICK HERE
SHOT IN GAUTENG
Capturing Soweto, the City within a City
The South African Tourism (SAT) 2009 campaign features cultural and historical elements of South Africa from a tourist?s perspective.  Soweto, a historically and culturally rich and diverse area, is fast becoming well established within the international community for its township tours and vibe.
…to read more CLICK HERE
Coca Cola kicks off at Orlando Stadium
In Focus spoke to Mark Veltman, production manager of Egg Films, about the recent Coca Cola commercial shot at Orlando Stadium, Wits Dance Studio, Triomf Park in Sophiatown, Melville Koppies and the Coca Cola factory in Nigel.  This was the first big commercial shoot to be filmed at the new stadium.
…to read more CLICK HERE
Downtown Joburg selected for its pan-African urban feel
Hillbrow was buzzing recently when Velocity Afrika used a location close to the Alec Gorschel Park (Hillbrow Park) in Catherine Street for a commercial shoot for a drink very popular in Nigeria.
…to read more CLICK HERE
US sports awards shoot in Joburg and honour Nelson Mandela
American cable television network, ESPN Television, recently utilised several locations around the Johannesburg area for the shooting of an element of the ESPY Awards. These annual sports awards, which started in 1993 and are known as the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, are for individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given ceremony.
…to read more CLICK HERE
Photographers on the frontline of change
The Bang Bang Club?s story is being told on the big screen.  In Focus brings you the in-depth interview with Joao Silva, one of the surviving members of the Bang Bang Club, by journalist Andy Stead.  This article is reprinted with the kind permission of The Weekender
…to read more CLICK HERE
SPECIAL FEATURE
An overview of student film festival, Bafundi TV and Film Festival 2009
In line with June being Youth Month, we feature an in-depth look at the Bafundi TV & Film Festival 2009, written by Keyan Tomaselli, a senior professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and two media MA students at UKZN, Sarah Dawson and Jonathan Dockney
…to read more CLICK HERE
MADE IN GAUTENG
In this article in our series profiling various manufacturers, suppliers and services that cater specifically to the film and television industry in Gauteng, In Focus spoke to Teleset Design and Manufacturers, who specialise in the design and manufacture of exhibition stands, commercials and all types of sets for TV productions, and Interaction Marketing, resellers of two-way radios and accessories.
…to read more CLICK HERE
2010 COUNTDOWN
Airspace restrictions over Confederations Cup host cities announced
At a recent press briefing hosted jointly by the Department of Transport (DoT), Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), South African Police Service (SAPS), South African Air Force (SAAF), and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), it was announced that special airspace restrictions will be implemented during the upcoming Confederations Cup, to be held in major cities across the country.
…to read more CLICK HERE
MTN joins Township TV initiative
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/147/36210.html – contact#contact
A recent sponsorship agreement between MTN, Johannesburg City Parks and Township TV will see the latter now known as MTN Ekasi TV. The sponsorship, which will turn the city’s green lungs into virtual football stadiums for the FIFA Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup, will continue until after the world cup next year.
…to read more CLICK HERE
TECHNO TALK
Strictly non-linear, Part 3
In the last newsletter we covered the development of non-linear editing to the stage of M-JPEG becoming the standard codec for NLE, and we also covered the Eidos Edit 1, Edit 2, and later Optima systems which allowed the editor to use any Eidos system, rather than being tied down to a particular one, and still keep his/her data secure. The Optima software editing system was closely tied to Acorn hardware, so when Acorn stopped manufacturing the Risc PC in the late 1990s, Eidos stopped selling the Optima system; by this time Eidos had become predominantly a games company.
…to read more CLICK HERE
FESTIVAL & AWARD WATCH
Edinburgh International Film Festival
17 ? 28 June 2009
Venue: Edinburgh, Scotland
For more info: www.edfilmfest.org.uk
Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
21 ? 27 June 2009
Venue: Cannes, France
For more info: www.canneslions.com
15th Annual Palm Springs International ShortFest
Short Film Festival and Film Market
23 ? 29 June 2009
Venue: Palm Spring, United States
For more info: www.psfilmfest.org
12th Zanzibar International Film Festival
27 June ? 4 July 2009
For more info: www.ziff.or.tz
2009 Grahamstown National Arts Festival
2 ? 11 July 2009
For more info: www.nationalartsfestival.co.za
Encounters South African International Documentary Festival
2 ? 19 July 2009
Venue: Nu Metro, V&A, Cape Town
For more info: www.encounters.co.za
Photo & Film Expo
SA?s biggest photographic show
10 ? 12 July 2009
Venue: Coca Cola Dome, Nrothgate Johannesburg
For more info: www.photofilmexpo.com
MediaTech Africa
Advanced Technology Trade Fair
23 ? 25 July 2009
Venue: Coca Cola Dome, Northgate Johannesburg
For more info: www.mediatech.co.za
30th Durban International Film Festival
22 July ? 2 August 2009
Talent Campus Durban (co-operative project with Berlinale Talent Campus)
24 ? 28 July 2009
For more info: www.cca.ukzn.ac.za
Need to know
Gauteng Film Directory: Make sure the world knows about you
Each month over 2 000 unique visitors make use of the Gauteng Film Directory ? a free industry directory of service providers active in the Gauteng film industry.

The directory covers all service providers required for the production of film, television, documentaries, commercials, stills photography and multimedia, as well as providing access to a wide range of specialist services and functions ranging from script development and film direction to post-production, financing, deal making, distribution, exhibition and broadcasting.

During the month of June 2009, the Gauteng Film Commission will be updating the directory and is calling on all industry organisations to ensure that their information is correct.

To update your data visit www.gautengfilmdirectory.org.za. The directory can be searched by category or key word. If you are an organisation working in the industry and want to change your details, you can request amendments to your existing listing or simply add your company by visiting the ‘Add Listing’ page.
You can also visit the