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AFDA JHB Honours film Yeh Rishta - South Africa's first authentic Bollywood Film

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:32 +0300

Yeh Rishta was recently screened as the headliner film for the Indiafrica Film Festival held at the Majestic theater in Fordsburg.

“It was such a great experience having my film YEH RISHTA screened at the Inaugural Festival here in South Africa. The Indiafrica festival has been around for a while but this is their first time bringing the festival to SA. Since my film is a ‘Bollywood’ style film, it fit the criteria for it to be selected for the festival. At the end of the screening, the program director, who is from India, said ‘the film made her forget that she isn’t in India’. That was a great feeling for me- knowing I accomplished producing SA’s first authentic Bollywood film.” - Preshanthan Moodley

Good job Preshanthan!

AFDA Durban campus dean, Franco Human, ambassador for a charity drive

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:03:00 +0300

Franco Human recently became an an ambassador for the #getthemsomeshoes campaign. He teamed up with his AFDA Durban colleagues to give impetus to the campaign with a public service announcement video soon to be released on M-NET / DSTV and ETV for the remainder of the campaign. Stuart Strydom who teaches Editing, Sound and VFX at the AFDA Durban Campus put the Video together.

The video can be seen on youtube

To be a vulnerable child living in South Africa is a path filled with many challenges. According to the Department of Basic Education there are over seven million children in South Africa living without shoes. Many children walk far distances to school every day without wearing any shoes. “A pair of shoes is a basic item that everyone requires. A life without shoes can damage a school-goers’ self-esteem and hamper their learning ability,” says Nicola Vogel, Communications and Fundraising Manager at Adopt-a-School. The Adopt-a-School Foundation is a non-profit organisation that supports the creation and enhancement of a conducive learning and teaching environment in disadvantaged schools.

You can visit the campaign at getthemsomeshoes.

Three travelling bears will embark on a three month adventure to raise awareness and encourage sign-ups. Each bear will start its journey in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. The campaign is supported by ambassadors Freshly Ground, Tarryn Kay (AKA TK from Goodhope FM), Terence Pillay (East Coast Radio), Franco Human (Guy in the Green Shorts), Weza Solange (TV host and Actress), Thabo September (Supersport United FC Captain), Jadene Tager (Radio presenter) and welcomes anyone who would like to adopt the initiative and spread the word. For every thirty unique sign-ups, one pair of shoes will be donated to a child in need. Signing up is really easy, anyone over the age of 18 can visit www.getthemsomeshoes.co.za or SMS their Name and Email address to the Shortcode 37511 (at a cost of R1/SMS).

Currently the Durban Bear is with Franco at AFDA Durban and soon to be with Terence Pillay at East Coast Radio. Franco bought the bear some Green Shorts as he needed his own pair of green shorts, he has gone on a Cape Town trip, visited friends and family and had many discussions with people passing by or sitting at a neighbouring table at a restaurant.

Franco - you make us proud!

AFDA Honours Film Umkhumbi Wethu (Our Ship), runner up in AfryKamera 2013 Warsaw Poland Film Festival

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:26:04 +0300

Umkhumbi Wethu (Our Ship), runner up for the Audience Award (cat. AfroSzorty) was screened in April 2013 at AfryKamera. It received a special mention by their Jury who was hung between Our Ship and My Shoes.

Umkhumbi Wethu Synopsis: Isaac and Thandani are alone and struggling to survive off the streets of Johannesburg. Isaac desperately wants his son to get an education but with a growing lack of respect for his father, Thandani wants only to ignore and defy him. With no money and a palpable coldness between them, Isaac must prove himself as a man and a father.

Director: Garon Campbell

Writer: Danielle Erasmus & Garon Campbell

Producer: Raeesah Essop

Cinematographer: Garret Richardson

Editor: Tanille Retief

Composer: Danielle Erasmus

Umkhumbi Wethu (Our Ship) has had multiple mentions and won several awards including the following:

Best Musical Score (Danielle Erasmus) and Best Screenplay for at the AFDA Awards in 2010.
“Official Selection” at the Park City Film Music Festival where it screened in the category of Best Music for a Short Film.
Best Student Film at the 2011 Action/Cut Film Festival – 1st place
‘Jury Prize’ for Narrative as well as a ‘Special Mention’ for Screenwriting at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2011.
Won a Cine Golden Eagle Award
Received an Honorable Mention at the Los Angeles International Film Festival.
Awarded ‘Official Selections’ at the Alabama, Seattle and San Francisco United International Film Festivals.

View the Trailer

AFDA Film, Otelo Burning, came in 4th place in the Audience Award (cat. AfroSelekta)

Find out more about Otelo Burning

AFDA Honours Film, Umkhumbi Wethu (Our Ship) in 5th Annual Lady Filmmakers Film Festival

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:05:59 +0300

Lady Filmmakers is an international women’s film festival in Los Angeles, CA, promoting the collaboration between women and men. Umkhumbi Wethu has been accepted into the festival & invited to 2 full days of workshops & seminars. The festival runs from 27th-29th September 2013.

Director: Garon Campbell
Writer: Danielle Erasmus & Garon Campbell
Producer: Raeesah Essop
Cinematographer: Garret Richardson
Editor: Tanille Retief
Composer: Danielle Erasmus

Synopsis: Isaac and Thandani are alone and struggling to survive off the streets of Johannesburg. Isaac desperately wants his son to get an education but with a growing lack of respect for his father, Thandani wants only to ignore and defy him. With no money and a palpable coldness between them, Isaac must prove himself as a man and a father.

Biographies:

WRITER- DANIELLE ERASMUS

Danielle Erasmus graduated with Honours from AFDA Film School Johannesburg, South Africa in 2010. Despite being a fledgling, untrained writer (for she was in fact trained in music composition) she received an award for best writing in an AFDA Honours film in 2010 as well as a special mention at the Seattle international film festival for best writing in 2011. Although technically untrained, Danielle has a passion for story telling and has already begun developing ideas for feature films scripts.

DIRECTOR- GARON CAMPBELL

Garon Campbell graduated with Honours from AFDA Film School Johannesburg, South Africa in 2010. In the same year his short film ‘Umkhumbi Wethu’ received numerous AFDA awards including Best Picture. His 2009 short film ‘Vryheid’ was also nominated for many AFDA awards and was well received by a number of International Student Film Festivals. His love and passion for film continues to grow with inspiration always on his horizon.

The AFDA Experimental Film, TV and Music Festival and the innovation of the SHOWCASE APP

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:37:00 +0300

Every year AFDA hosts its Experimental Film Festival – a festival which essentially gives students an opportunity to discover and to experience the response of a paying audience.

This year sees the return of the music students performing to live audiences as well as the television students broadcasting on campus (JHB) and on Cape Community TV.

The development of the AFDA online festival continues with the innovation of the AFDA ‘Showcase app’.

The showcase app will be made available for FREE to all registered students from 08:00 16^th June – 20^th June.
From 21^st June, the Showcase App will be available at the cost of R7.99
The Showcase App will include a trailer and behind the scenes for each film selected for the AFDA Showcase App.
The app will be automatically uploaded with a trailer and behind the scenes of the end of the year annual Film, TV & Music festival.
All monies received from the sale of the Showcase App will be used to continue developing & innovating online video on demand formats and for the annual production fund to produce AFDA films, TV content and stage musical performances.
The purpose of the Showcase App is to ensure that AFDA students create entertainment products that consciously identify, reach and exploit local and global niche markets in a relevant and meaningful manner.
The various statistics and data produced off the AFDA Showcase App is key to the process of measuring the market appeal of the entertainment products generated by AFDA students.

Dark Green Books Short Film and Video 2013 competition

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:07:15 +0300

Create an exciting and powerful Youtube video based on the works of Luke Andreski and compete to win…

First Prize

$700 (US) plus seven free downloads from www.lukeandreski.com

Second Prize

$200 (US) plus three free downloads from www.lukeandreski.com

Third Prize

$100 (US) plus two free downloads from www.lukeandreski.com

The competition is easy to access, open to submissions from anywhere in the world and free to enter.

Submissions from schools, colleges and universities are welcome, as are multiple submissions.

Candidates for the award are invited to meet the challenge of creating videos suitable for upload onto Youtube, based on free samples of the powerful and controversial writings of author Luke Andreski. Submissions must reflect, extrapolate, express or represent the selected work in ways that are engaging, insightful, powerful or enduring.

The competition runs from 9 a.m. GMT March 4 2013 to 12 p.m. GMT December 31 2013.

Long-listed submissions will be loaded onto the competition’s Youtube channel.

The shortlist will be announced in early January 2014.

View more and check them out on YouTube

AFDA Durban Students & Followers - Future Shorts: The World's Biggest Pop-Up Festival - 19 May

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:27:00 +0300

Future Shorts: The World’s Biggest Pop-Up Festival – this Sunday at The Upstairs, Spiga on Florida Road. R40 Entry at 6pm.

AFDA Alumni, Tiny Mungwe, is one of the local organizers of this event. Tiny also works at the CCA (Centre for Creative Arts - UKZN) which facilitate, organize and/or support big creative festivals in Durban such as the Durban International Film Festival, Poetry Africa, Jomba Contemporary Dance Festival and Time of the Writer.

CILECT Africa Region Association Executive meeting in Milan at EXPO

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:22:00 +0300

Milano 2015 World Expo Site with CILECT executive and other CILECT Honourary members

Underexposed Film Festival YC 2013 - Call for entries

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:52:07 +0300

Show Us Your Shorts - Take 2

ROCK HILL – The Underexposed Film Festival YC celebrates the art that is the independent short film. In 2013, Underexposed continues its focus on high quality, independently created, short films where all films submitted will be entered into competition. On November 15 - 16, 2013, filmmakers and enthusiasts will converge upon the Community Performance Center in Rock Hill, SC to be exposed, engaged, intrigued, enlightened, challenged and entertained by films that go places and do things that longer format movies only dream of.

Independent filmmakers across the world are invited to submit professionally presented short films, in one of the following categories: Narrative (Drama or Comedy), Documentary, Animation, or Experimental, with a runtime of 45 minutes or less to participate in this juried competition.

For festival guidelines and entry information, visit the Underexposed Film Festival YC’s site at withoutabox.com. For those who do not wish to submit their films via withoutabox.com, Festival guidelines and entry information may be found here.

Entries submitted via withoutabox.com are eligible for a $5 discount. Entry deadlines and entry fees for the 2013 Underexposed Film Festival YC are as follows:

April 19, 2013 - $25 per entry; WAB Discount - $20

Student Rate - $20 per entry; WAB Discount - $15

May 17, 2013 - $30 per entry; WAB Discount - $25

Student Rate - $25; WAB Discount - $20

June 21, 2013 - $35 per entry; WAB Discount - $30

Student Rate - $30; WAB Discount - $25

*July 19 - $45 per entry; WAB Discount - $40;

Student Rate - $40; WAB Discount - $35

*This deadline is only available for entries submitted through withoutabox.com.

Awards totaling $1,950 will be presented at the Festival. In addition to the Exposed (Best of Show/First Place), In the Limelight (Second Place), Out of the Shadows (Third Place), and Everyone Loved It (Audience Choice) awards presented last year, the Festival introduces two new awards - the Woman to Watch, awarded to the best female director, and the Best Student Film. Both of the new awards are sponsored by the Arts Community Service Program of the Woman’s Club of Rock Hill, SC and an affiliate of GFWC.

The films selected for screening will be shown at the Underexposed Film Festival YC, to be held at the Community Performance Center, 249 East Main Street, Rock Hill, SC, on November 15-16, 2013. For more information on Arts Council events, contact the Arts Council of York County at 803-328-2787, by email at arts@yorkcountyarts.org, or visit our webpage at http://www.yorkcountyarts.org.

AFDA JHB Film 'Kanye Kanye' makes it to finals in Student Oscars!

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:46:00 +0300

Miklas Manneke’s film Kanye Kanye has been selected by the Academy as one of the nine finalists in the Foreign Category for the 40th Anniversary Student Academy Awards.

CREW - Producer: Nelio Frade Da Silva, Associate Producer: Tidimalo Motlhamme, Director & Writer: Miklas Manneke, Cinematographer: Charles Hunter Ryder, Production Designers: Lize Snyman, Christina Vartimos, Zelia Da Silva, Costume, Make-Up & Stylist: Maricia Pieterse, Editor: Mpho Austin Malema, Sound Designer: Alison Stevens, Music Composer: Kirsten Marie Van Rooyen, Visual Effects Artist: Garon Lehmann

CAST - Thomas: Gundo Ramuligho, Thandi: Bongeka Sishi, Palesa: Nokwasi Gumede, Bongani: Lucious Dosi, Mac: Zwelakhe Mtsaka, Lerato: Vicky Kente, Jabu: Thembalethu Ntuli

View Kanye Kanye Trailer

Congratulations & Fingers Crossed for the final announcement!

Final screenings in all categories will take place over the next few weeks and ultimate winners will be notified around May 13th of the final results.

Winners will be brought to Los Angeles for a week of industry activities and social events that will culminate in the awards ceremony on Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

KanyeKanye on Facebook

The Hollywood Reporter

Synopsis:

The film centre’s itself in a small township, where many years ago, two best friends had a childish argument about which apple is better, the red or the green. The argument lead to the great division within the town, everyone who believed that the red apple would live on the left of a big white line in red houses while everyone who thought green was better would live on right side in green houses.

Thomas a big, friendly teenager who lives on the green side falls in love with a beautiful, compassionate girl called Thandi. The only problem is that she on the red side of the town. The couple is commanded to never see one another again by their parents, who would rather destroy something than let it blossom for what they believe is the greater good.

To overcome the division Thomas decides to build a string telephone from his room, across the township to Thandi’s room on the red side. However how long can this connection go on until the townsfolk, especially their parents become aware.

AFDA CPT 4th Year Honours VALA - Wegkruipertjie/Like Clockwork

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:14:00 +0300

Following the current success of Like Clockwork (2012 AFDA graduation animation), the crew of Wegkruipertjie (a 4th year honours animation) completed their VALA presentation on Tuesday, 30th April 2013. Wegkruipertjie is set in the Anglo Boer War (1899) where Anna, an eight year old girl, is forced to survive on her own after her mother is tragically killed in a farm raid. The lonely girl’s traumatic loss manifests itself in the form of an imaginary friend, Bersie (Blanky). Together they rebuild Anna’s life to a point where she has to choose between facing reality and living in her imaginary world.

Wegkruipertjie is a 10 min stop-motion animation film. Shooting will commence on Monday, 27 May 2013 for an extended shooting period of 90 days. It is an intensive, meticulous project that requires much patience and perseverance from all crew members.

The crew were very privileged to have had an expert industry panel who gave constructive, invaluable feedback which will allow the project to grow and flourish further. The crew are very grateful for all the guidance they have received from AFDA lecturers, industry insiders, keen animators and fellow students.

For more information on the project or ways to assist the project, please see Wegkruipertjie on Facebook

Like Clockwork has also been accepted to be screened at the Short Film Corner in Cannes!

Cannes Catalogue

Back Row (from left): Marcelle Du Toit, Joanie Ludik, Chantre Crafford, Nicola Gowing, Claudia Ramos, Roxanne Kasperski, Martin Flatmoen. Front Row (from left): Thanja Van Deventer

Crew - Producer: Nicola Gowing, Director: Chantre Crafford, Cinematographer: Claudia Ramos, Editor: Martin Flatmoen, Production Designer: Chantre Crafford, CMS: Marcelle Du Toit, VFX Artist: Roxanne Kasperski, Sound Designer: Joanie Ludik, Music Composer: Joanie Ludik

Cast - Kali: Thanja Van Deventer, Gero: Mark MacDonald, Seamstress: Euodia Samson, Barber: LJ Nombiba, Boy: Kyle Prowse

Behind the Scenes

Congratulations Team!

AFDA Experimental Film, TV & Music Festival 14-15 June 2013

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:45:55 +0300

All prospective AFDA students - The Experimental Film, TV & Music Festival is a great opportunity to see the work, atmosphere, spirit & comradery of AFDA. Join us from 14-15 June!

The AFDA Experimental Film, TV & Music Festival is held annually in Cape Town, Johannesburg & Durban in the month of June. The festival aims to showcase young emerging talent from all 3 cities. Producers, directors and their crews have to opportunity to screen their productions to a real audience. Our performing students get to showcase their works and display their talents in a star shoot portfolio that is on display. The experimental film is the first exam of the year with graduation films to follow to complete their 3rd year of studies. The 10 minute experimental film challenges students to discover their unique individual artistic expression, by delving into themes, philosophies and human emotions that they find to be relevant and meaningful.

AFDA Open Day - 1 June from 10:00-12:00

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:45:00 +0300

Request an Interview

Next Open Days 1 June & 3 August

Locations:

Johannesburg

GPS -26.18743, 28.02

Phone: +27 (0) 11 482 8345

Email: jhbcampus@afda.co.za

Street Address: 41 Frost Avenue, Auckland Park 2092, Johannesburg

View Google Map

Cape Town:

GPS -33.93142, 18.46804

Phone: +27 (0) 21 448 7600

Email: cptcampus@afda.co.za

Street Address: 18 Lower Scott Road, Observatory 7925, Cape Town

View Google Map

Durban:

GPS -29.753528, 31.035105

Phone: +27 (0) 31 569 2252

Email: dbncampus@afda.co.za

Street Address: 2a Highdale Road, Glen Anil 4051, Durban

View Google Map

"Brothers in Blood" directed by AFDA JHB Performance School head, Greg Homann, to be performed at The Playhouse Company, JHB

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:18:00 +0300

Brothers in Blood which played at Artscape Arena Theatre, Cape Town last month, is now coming to the Playhouse Loft from 18-19 May 2013 headlining the Playhouse Company’s New Stages Festival.

Brothers in Blood is a human drama that explores the themes of prejudice and xenophobia within a religious (Jewish/Muslim/Christian) setting, and against the background of the activities of PAGAD in the late 1990s which created much tension in the city of Cape Town. While global events fuel regular newspaper debates and letters to the editor, Brothers in Blood gives a human face to the dilemmas, anxieties, hopes and fears that ordinary people often share, no matter the religious faiths to which they subscribe, or not.

Commissioned by the Charles Diamond Foundation, Brothers in Blood is directed by Greg Homann, an accomplished actor, director and lecturer at the AFDA Film School. He has brought together a formidable cast of five; award-winning actor, David Dennis, portrays the role of Abubaker Abrahams with Kurt Egelhof as Reverend Fredericks, Aimee Valentine plays Leila Abrahams, Harrison Makubalo is Fadiel Suleiman and David Dukas plays Brian Cohen.

Brothers in Blood premiered at the Market Theatre in 2009 and won the Naledi Theatre Award for Best New South African Play. Last year it was performed at Artscape Arena and was exceptionally well received, with paid attendance at more than 88%.

Rainbow Scars is set in contemporary Cape Town. Ellen Robinson (Terrry Norton), a suburban mom, adopts Lindiwe (Kertrice Maitisa), a born-free orphan, who is now in her matric year at a top suburban, former Model C school. For fourteen years, she has not had contact with her extended family living in Khayelitsha. Then, her elder cousin, Sicelo (Mbulelo Grootboom, recent Fleur du Cap Best Supporting Actor winner), enters her life, bringing to the surface many of the anxieties and complexities of Lindiwe’s relationship to her adoptive family and her place in contemporary South Africa. Rainbow Scars has plenty of humour, but also raises some of the challenging questions about our post-1994 “rainbow nation” still struggling with its divided past, but which has created not-a-few scars of its own. Rainbow Scars is directed by Lara Bye who has been recognised with numerous nominations and awards for her work.

AFDA CPT Student Gabrielle Da Silva to open in JHB for Justin Bieber!

Fri, 10 May 2013 10:04:14 +0300

Gabrielle Da Silva, Lakota Silva, has just been invited to open for Justin Bieber’s concert in Johannesburg 12 May 2013!

She will be singing alongside Locnville’s new hit “Closer” for the opening act.

Right on Gabrielle!

Take part in Thermaikos International 2min Film Festival

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:17:17 +0300

CALL 2013 is open…

If you are a professional or amateur film-maker, Thermaikos International 2min Film Festival happily invites you to participate in the 6th THERMAIKOS INTERNATIONAL 2min FILM FESTIVAL 2013

The Cultural Department of Thermaikos Municipality (ΔΗ.Π.Π.Α.Κ.Υ.Θ.) organizes the 6th International Thermaikos 2min Film Festival 2013, which will take place in the beginning of November 2013 in Thermaikos area (Thessaloniki, Greece).

Thermaikos Film Festival continues to walk creative pathways, aiming to enrich the cinema universe of Thessaloniki and to present alternative, quality film works to the cinephile audience.

DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATIONS: 12th of October 2013, 11.59 p.m. (date of e-mail or post-stamp)

Reelshow Online Student Film Competition May 2013

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:12:11 +0300

Deadline for entry 27th May! Enter Now

The film genre category for this competition is Documentary/Mockumentary.

Reelshow members, if you haven’t already uploaded a film to take part, you are welcome to do so.

AFDA CPT Student Gabrielle Da Silva part of opening act for Justin Bieber!

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:49:35 +0300

Last night, AFDA Student Gabrielle Da Silva, sang alongside Locnville’s new hit “Closer” for the opening concert for Justin Bieber.

Congratulations to Gabrielle!

AFDA 3rd Year, Cinematography Student, Andrew Gregory featured online

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:54:00 +0300

“My work is all the product of depression and anxiety. If I see something that my mind takes interest in, I will shoot it. I picked up my first camera in 2007 and since then I must emphasize a very slow progression started with my passion and interest in capturing a still image. Every day I grow as a photographer and my interests change from minute to minute. AFDA has been a huge influence on me as a creative, because of the people that I have had the privilege of interacting with.”

Between 10 and 5 Creative Source Article

View Andrew’s Blog

AFDA CPT 2nd Year, Cinematography Student, David East's photography featured in ORMS Connect & DP Review

Wed, 08 May 2013 11:07:00 +0300

Talented student & photographer, David East, has been featured online in ORMS Connect as well as an American publication DP Review.

“I started taking pics as soon as I got my GoPro Hero 2, but when Instagram featured me as a Suggested User, I started taking it a little more seriously. I use my Hero 2 with my LCD BacPac and I take it pretty much everywhere I go. The great thing about this is that, besides for the small image preview, you don’t really know what you have shot until you get home and load them onto the computer so it is almost like film in that way. Also with the GoPro is that is versatile and compact so it can get some very unique shots. It’s just a cool different way to taking unique shots compared to my DSLR.”

ORMS Connect Article

DP Review Article

Beautiful work David!

Contact David:
E-Mail: davejeast@gmail.com
Phone: +2782 451 0946
Twitter: @daveast
Instagram: @daveast