As the month of March comes to an end, the Gauteng Film Commission also wrap up our financial year 2020/21. When we started the financial year last year, we were already in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however the show had to go on and we endured. To say it has been a year of unprecedented events, would be an understatement. We are just grateful.
Despite all the uncertainties and challenges brought on by the national lockdown, the film industry showed resilience and a huge amount of support was received and given throughout the whole sector value chain. We saw government entities, industry associations and other allies come together, sharing information, collaborating, providing relief funding, and coming up with solutions to help weather the unchartered territory – the new normal. Through our department (SACR), the Gauteng filmmakers were also called to take advantage of the relief funding, as relief funding is a competency of the provincial government.
Talking of the “new” normal, the new trends seem to be exploring old ways in filmmaking as alternatives to keeping the industry going. Short films which were the thing in the 20th century are making a comeback in contrast to hour long feature films made for cinema. The cheaper cost of making short films and the anxiety inducing thought of spending an hour in a cinema, will see more filmmakers making short 10–30-minute films. In turn this will further propel us into the virtual world which has seen online streaming rise exponentially as more movies are released online.
Drive-In cinemas – who would have thought! Yes, these much -loved venues are more appealing again for social distancing as most people avoid going to indoor cinemas, concerned with the risk of COVID-19 transmissions when indoors for lengths of time. It seems there is some creativity and positives the industry can take into 2021 as it looks to turn the page on an annus horribilis – as Variety’s Rebecca Rubin termed the year.
The GFC will also take advantage of the virtual world, to get close and personal with our stakeholders our acting CEO, Ms. Keitumetse Lebaka will host stakeholder engagement sessions throughout the year. Check the recent session on our YouTube channel, where she shares with government stakeholders the GFC strategy, core service offering and revised funding application processes. An overview of the partnerships and funding models the organisation plans to adopt were also presented. The aim of tabling these strategic interventions and new programmes to the industry is to get buy in prior to implementation.
As much as we look forward to our new year, we are also in a reflective mood. We remember all the fallen heroes of the film and television industry; the industry has lost incredible individuals who graced us with their immense talent. May their gone souls be a reminder of our purpose in life, give our best in what we do and be kind to ourselves and each other. We live in trying times.
We share more on the rest of this newsletter; we would like to hear from you as well – catch us on our social media platforms and engage with us.
For the love of cinema
Siyabonga