CEO of the Cape Film Commission (CFC) Denis Lillie reports a successful trade mission by South African filmmakers to the Tribeca Film Festival, which runs in New York until 29 April. The mission was organised by the CFC in conjunction with the South African Consulate in New York, the Department of Trade & Industry (the dti), the Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) and the Durban Film Office (DFO).

The 22 South African filmmakers, who come from all over the country, are joined by the Gauteng MEC for Arts and Culture, Lebogang Maile, his head of Department, the GFC CEO and representatives of the dti.

The mission opened with a briefing session at the South African Consulate hosted by George Monyemangene, whose staff have put together a comprehensive programme for the mission.

Lillie comments: “The welcome afforded us by the Consulate and the New York film community, including representatives of Tribeca and the International Emmys, has exceeded expectations. Our filmmakers have echoed this view and are in the process of developing solid relationships and some are in the process of concluding deals.

“Formalities commenced with a presentation of our filmmakers work at a special session at the consulate chaired by myself. The introduction was made by the South African Consular General with a welcome by actor Joe Pantoliano (The Sopranos)). This was followed by an introduction to each filmmaker who then screened a two-minute trailer of their work. In total 16 pieces of work were screened, including work from film schools, the Animation School, Big Fish and AFDA.”

Lillie notes that the New York audience was particularly taken aback by the quality of animation currently being produced in Cape Town, including a trailer for Triggerfish’s upcoming feature length 3D animated film, Adventures in Zambezia and local student film Die Wind Pomp, which has now been optioned by Cape Town-based Zen HQ.”

The filmmakers were also given access to interactions with the Africa Channel, a cable TV station in the USA which specialises in broadcasting African content, as well as with the executive director of the New York African Film Festival. Both showed great interest in the content being created, submissions have already been requested.

The following days included a networking reception at the Tribeca filmmakers lounge which was hosted by the Consular General, GFC and CFC. This was attended by over 200 local producers, distributors and filmmakers. 

Other items on the agenda include a visit to the New York Mayor’s Office for Media and Entertainment where the GFC and CFC will discuss many issues including their film permit process.

Lillie concludes: “This mission has been so successful that we have agreed with the Consul General, the dti and the GFC that we will establish it as an annual event. Next year we hope to attract 30 filmmakers to the mission.”

Article by Screen Africa

Greetings everyone,

Term one is over.  It seems just like yesterday that the staff and students arrived for the first and welcoming assembly of the year.  When we look again, we will be at the end of the year awards – yes, time does fly when you are working hard and having fun.  2012 has been hectic so far:

AFDA Cape Town face-lift
AFDA Cape Town has been a construction site for the last 8 weeks and the earth moving vehicles, construction workers, industrial machinery and ear-splitting noise and dust in the eye all form part of the 5 million rand face-lift of the campus.  It has been a challenge for all concerned.  Thank you for your patience staff and students – thank you.  Your patience and frustration will be justly rewarded with the final results for you to enjoy when you return to the campus for term two.

New staff appointments
Cape Town 2012 welcomes Christopher John (Acting), Michael Thorn (Music), Brad Holmes (Music), Donald Leitch (Editing), Jeffrey Rusch (Visual Effects), Stephanie Esterhuizen  (CMS) and Tristram Atkins (Writing).

The Johannesburg campus welcomes Danette van Rensburg (CMS), Geo Hohn (Sound), Hermien Roelvert (Editing), Jahn Beukes (Musical Performance); Nqobile Sipamla (Acting), Parushka Moodley (Scriptwriting) and Trevor Harper (Musical Performance), Merveline Ferris (Acting, Rozanne Penniken (Producing), Pamerla Zote (Marketing), Megan Douglas (Assistant to Registrar and Student Affairs) and Michelle van Heerden (Core Course Co-ordinator).

Congratulations to the head of the Cape Town costume, make-up and styling
department Mr. Michael Ivy on being selected to present academic papers at:
1. International Journal of Arts & Sciences (IJAS) at rue Cabanis, Paris, France 
2. The 4th Global Fashion Conference – Exploration of critical issues Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK, Mansfield College 
3. The Fashion Tales, 2012 Conference in Milan, Italy at the prestigious Università Del Sacro Cuore

Wicus Labuschagne visits Norway’s Film School: Noroff.
Many Noroff film students finish their studies and graduate from AFDA in Cape Town, so I thought it was time to experience the Norwegian way of life. Armed with a few essential words like “Takk” (Thanks) and “Unnskyld” (Excuse me), I set out to find some Reindeer and Moose between the Fjords without being eaten by “trolls” (their version of the Tokolosh). 
The real purpose of my visit was to represent AFDA at Noroff’s “International Week” alongside Deakin University Australia, Teesside University and University of Glamorgan, both from the United Kingdom. I was also invited to present a Visual Effects master class at both film campuses. The class was two days each and covered the basics of visual effects up to the production of a complete effect-shot filmed on greenscreen. The class was structured to allow collaboration between departments so that directors, through to cinematographers and editors were involved.

Musical performance session on campus:
Both campus have also presented the 1st year musical performance sessions for the first time, which have been a great success.  We look forward to these growing into full blown concerts for AFDA performances that meet and exact professional standards in rigging the venues, promoting and marketing the concerts and having full-on audiences enjoying and assessing the work of our musical performance departments.  Well done to the staff and students on both campus for the time, effort and of course the ‘courage’ of many of the first-time performers to stand up and do their thing in front of a live audience.

The AFDA hosts the CARA conference (30th April 2012) and CILECT Congress 1-5th May 2012
AFDA will host the annual CARA (CILECT Africa Regional Association) academic conference to be held on the 30th April 2012.  The majority of South Africa’s tertiary institutions and film, tv and media departments will attend this conference which is dedicated to sharing teaching methodologies for film making and television.  Seven African country film schools from Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Cameroon, Barkino Faso, Benin and South Africa will also be in attendance at the event which will be held at the Cape Sun Hotel.

The CILECT Congress
CILECT the International Association of Film Schools will be held in Africa for the first time in the 60 year history of this prestigious association.  AFDA will be hosting over 140 film schools and approximately 200 delegates from the top film schools of the world.  The theme of the congress is UbuntuFilmEducation and is dedicated to institutions, schools, lecturers and students finding common ground, sharing and collaborating – in essence optimising opportunities and meeting the challenges that film schools have and face in the new millennium – an era characterised by globalisation, diminishing resources, ever accelerating technology and its impact of knowledge production and transmission.  AFDA welcomes all the delegates and wishes them a fun and fruitful congress.  AFDA (Cape Town) fourth year students (honours) will be working at the congress and we trust that they will learn much and benefit from their experience of an international event of this stature.

AFDA Production (1st term)
1st year 53x 1.5 minute cell phone movie
2nd year 60x 5 minute movie
3rd year 41x VALA presentations for 10 minute Experimental productions

AFDA stage actors to perform at National Arts Festival Grahamstown
The AFDA 4th year acting honours students are currently ‘workshopping’ their production that will play at the national arts festival in Grahamstown this year in June.  This will be the first time in term years that AFDA will stage a production in Grahamstown.  AFDA will also be running a retro-spective film festival of AFDA’s films 1994 – 2011.

AFDA Alumni
Congratulations to the following Alumni for their performances and success in the industry.

1. 35 SAFTA nominations and 9 winners including Ukumbe Whetu (Our Ship) and winning Best student film.  It is interesting to note that in the last 6 years AFDA have won best student film at the SAFTAS 5 times and had 15 of the 18 nominations.  Ukumbe Whetu  Our Ship also won the jury awards and special mention for screenwriting at the Seattle international film festival, received an honourable mention at the Los Angeles International film festival and took best student film at the Action international film festival.
2. Gang of instrumentals and Mo and the Dark Knights opened for Mega star Usher.
3. Current list of feature films that have AFDA Alumni in key position: 
   a. Material
   b. 31 Million Reasons
   c. Man on the ground
   d. Veraaiers
   e. Bloedsuiers
   f. Wolverdans
   g. Zama Zama
    
4. Congratulations to Ryley Grunewald for winning best S.A documentary at the Cape Winelands film festival.
5. 3rd year Johannesburg 2011 film Electricity won the Inaugural Jozi film festival for best short film.
6. Congratulations to Cape Town’s Joshua Malherbe on directing the latest ‘Getroud met rugby’ series and for his directional feature film debut on Wolwedans.
7. AFDA MFA students Sarah Muhohu and James Tayler won the 10 000 Euro Berlinale Talent Pitching Award for their project the Boda Boda Thieves which was conceived and developed during their MFA studies at AFDA.
8. We of course wait in anticipation to see if ‘Die Windpomp’ is able to win the coveted Academy Award for best foreign student film.

AFDA graduation class of 2011
219 undergraduate students and 55 post graduate students attended the AFDA graduation on the 9th March 2012.  Well done to all especially those who graduated Cum Laude or were on the principals list.  We wish all graduates much success in their future studies and careers.

We wish the third years all of the best for their upcoming experimental film productions.  First years please ensure that you are assisting on these productions otherwise enjoy the Easter break, don’t drink and drive and give up smoking today and see you next term.

Prospective AFDA students
All prospective students are encouraged to apply and schedule an interview at AFDA.  Remember Open Day the 12th May at both campus 10h00 sharp. (Open day lasts approximately 1and a half to 2 hours)

My best in film

Garth Holmes
Co-founder and Chairman of AFDA
Chairman of CARA 
Member of CILECT Executive

AFDA Cape Town screened the top 1st and 2nd year films at the end of term assembly. Well done to the cast and crew!

1st Year Top films
The Last Sunrise
The Zone

2nd year Top Film
Seducing Eve

[AFDA] CAPE TOWN
Time: 11H30-12H30
Location: Cinema
Date: 5 April 2012

Max Deale- Silent Night Bodom Night
Casey Dodgen- backtrack by Eliza Doolittle, lyrics by Casey ‘You tell lies.’
Sthembile Gumede- Only Hope

ALL WELCOME TO WATCH THIS EXTRAVAGENT PERFORMANCE!

Having fun at High Speed

Jac Kotze assisting students

Jac Kotze ready for action

Seeing every detail at 1500fps

Stephan Nel and Jac Kotze from Visual Impact                                  

Stephen Nel in action

AFDA Cape Town 3rd year cinematography students had the opportunity to experience the power of the award winning Phantom HD Gold. 

“It is imperative that students are aware of new camera developments, and it is great to have a company like visual impact to run the 3rd year loaders course” said AFDA cine discipline head Charles Deacon.

For more info on Visual Impact, visit: www.visuals.tv

The phantom HD Gold looks good up close

AFDA Students getting to know the Phantom HD Gold

Filming at 1500 fps