July 2007

A delegation of film and theatre professionals from the North East of England recently visited Gauteng to exchange views and experiences with members of the Gauteng audiovisual industry.

Since its inception nine years ago, the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival has gained in popularity and grown significantly. According to organisers, a record number of over 500 films from around the world will be screened this year.

Organisors of Mediatech Africa have reported a record year for both exhibitors and attendees
at this year’s Mediatech.

Andrew Worsdale gets the low-down from producer Diony Kempen about the making of Meisie, the opening night film at this year’s Durban International Film Festival.

With nine radio stations and rising to a height of six storeys Broadcast House was once the hub of all radio broadcasting in what was then known as the Transvaal. A much admired studio for its superb Art Deco features and technical capacities, today Broadcast House still ply’s the trade it was built and designed for sixty two years ago. In Focus visits a Johannesburg broadcasting landmark.

Every last Sunday of the month a rag-tag assembly of twenty-something filmmakers, writers, artists, actors and their buddies, muses and collaborators meet at Primi Piatti Studio in Rosebank’s The Zone to showcase their short films, to interact and to make plans for bigger projects in the pipeline. Andrew Worsdale caught up with Fidel Namisi co-founder of this new monthly event that is dubbed: Coal Stove.

Ilse Hahn can probably be best described as the Film Industry Philanthropist. A Bavarian immigrant from Germany, Hahn came to South Africa 30 years ago with late husband Alfred. She took out South African citizenship in 1992 and bought the Unit One Studio facility in Kew, re-naming it Q-Studios. Upon the death of her husband, Hahn took over the running of the business and, together with project manager John Difford is now totally committed to making Q-Studios a landmark on the Gauteng movie-industry skyline.

Last month one of Hollywood’s top film schools, UCLA, held its annual screenings of the Directors Spotlight Competition and Gauteng was showcased with Thabo Wolfaardt’s Joburg, a gripping 22-minute crime drama, which earned rave reviews. Andrew Worsdale spoke to the up and coming filmmaker.

Andrew Worsdale speaks to filmmaker Vincent Moloi director of A Pair of Boots and a Bi-Cycle the opening film at this year’s Encounter’s Film Festival which plays from the 13th of July in Johannesburg and from the 20th of July in Cape Town.

Trevor Jones well known music composer for over 90 films was in Johannesburg recently for a visit to the country of his birth. In focus spoke to him about his illustrious career and the reasons for his visit.

The Johannesburg CBD is attractive as a location for both feature films and commercials. Indeed the areas surrounding the old banking precinct and the JSI building are used on a regular basis for producers requiring the ?look and feel? of a built up and busy metropolitan city.

Seen shooting there recently was Velocity Films who were in production on the recently aired Castle Lager – Bafana Bafana commercial. This commercial featured the Bafana Bafana players and members of the public interviewed in various areas of the CBD including Gandhi Square and the Library Gardens.

Encounters South African International Documentary Festival 2007
Johannesburg Nu Metro Hyde Park 13 – 22 July

Margate, 27 – 30 July 2007

The GFC is calling on Gauteng-based filmmakers to submit current film projects for consideration as part of its ongoing screening initiatives. 

The GFC wishes to advise that new project funding criteria and proposal application forms are now in place. All project proposals must be submitted in the new template.
For more information contact Kgomotso Tabane at ktabane@gautengfilm.org.za
or telephonically at (011) 833-0409.