AFDA Durban Campus Invests in new Facilities and Technical Gear

Investing heavily in the quality of its educational programme and students’ creative output, the AFDA Durban Campus has recently spent over R 1, 2 Million to add to their technical equipment and campus facilities.

All post-production facilities have been furnished with new workstations, the library has couches, and the entire campus sees 150 new chairs and new signage on all venues along with the inclusion of a new 5.1 surround sound studio.   Editing, sound and visual effects studios see a number of new iMac machines installed with the latest industry software.   A new 5.1 Mix Surround Sound Suite has been kitted with the latest sound equipment ranging from perception 220 microphones, cross-faders, 20 channel sound-card to the new Avid Control software as well as a sound-proofed voice-over / Foley recording studio which enables filmmakers to reproduce everyday sound effects and quality voice over dialogue which are added to film, video and other mediums in post-production to enhance audio quality.

The Actor’s Studio has also seen an extension with a new fully equipped stage being installed and is fitted with high powered Par Can LED lights, Axial spot lights, Fresnel lanterns with barn doors and a control desk for all electrical equipment.

The most exciting, high tech equipment has been acquired for the Film School with the cinematography department receiving the latest camera equipment - some of the exciting gadgets include pocket sized Black Magic cinema cameras which record 1080HD ProRes 422 (HQ) direct to fast SD cards for quick editing or colour correcting on a laptop or pc, along with a steadicam and a DJI Phantom helicam with a GoPRo for overhead filming. 

AFDA Durban Campus Dean and Chief Operating Officer, Franco Human said “The new additions to an already successful learning program, are a clear indication that our campus is on a par with our Johannesburg and Cape Town Campuses who are considered to be above international standards when it comes to educational content and the production of film content”.

The AFDA Durban Campus will also be hosting an Open Day on Saturday, 08 March for students interested in enrolling into either their first, second or 3rd year programme. For more information on the event or about AFDA you can contact Milena Gevers on (031) 569-2252 or e-mail her on milenag@afda.co.za.

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Durban International Film Festival / Durban FilmMart form strategic partnership with Durban Wild Talk Africa

Durban, South Africa: The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal), with principal funding from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, and the Durban FilmMart (DFM), the joint project of the Durban Film Office (DFO) and DIFF, are pleased to announce that a strategic partnership has been formed with Durban Wild Talk Africa, the continent’s most respected natural history film festival and conference, which takes place at the Docklands Hotel in Durban from July 23 to 26. 

The return of Wild Talk Africa to Durban is supported by the City of Durban through Durban Tourism and the Durban Film Office. “We are pleased that after a number of years we can welcome back this prestigious conference and festival to our City,” says Philip Sithole, Head of Durban Tourism and Business Support. “Durban Wild Talk Africa combined with the continent’s two major film events – the Durban International Film Festival and the Durban FilmMart, firms up a truly strong film industry package for visitors and we look forward to welcoming the many local, continental and international industry guests to our shores.”

Durban Wild Talk Africa is considered to be Africa’s key film festival and conference for natural history and wildlife film and television programming. The event includes; workshops, seminars, masterclasses, open pitching sessions, commissioners panels and exhibitions, and is a valuable networking forum with both local and international delegates and industry leaders. This year DWTA will include the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition to be held at uShaka Marine World and sponsored by National Geographic, from 25 July to 25 September 2013.

The Durban International Film Festival is SA’s largest and longest-running film festival, which takes place from July 18 to 28. The Durban FilmMart, which runs parallel to the DIFF from July 19 to 22, is the continent’s premier film industry event, which provides opportunities for selected projects to pitch to financiers and producers, as well as offering a series of master classes and top-drawer networking opportunities with industry players.

A selection of natural history films have been chosen from 445 entries from across the globe, to be screened during 9 slots as part of the DIFF programme. These films were entered as part of Durban Wild Talk Africa’s ROSCAR Awards competition. The Durban Wild Talk Africa has scheduled its conference in the footprint of DIFF, as part of a greater vision to build Durban’s golden mile as a hub for film market activity in the month of July. 

“Forming this strategic partnership with Durban Wild Talk Africa, adds a valuable new dimension to DIFF,” says Peter Machen, Manager of DIFF. “The Wild Talk Africa Film Festival selection complements our huge variety of more than 200 factual and fiction films screened at the DIFF. This, no doubt will add to the dynamic and vigorous discourse that usually takes place during the festival both informally and formally in seminars and workshops, as well as in the media.”

“We have chosen our dates to co-incide with the DIFF and DFM in a united effort to build the film festival and market environment for factual content and feature films in Durban,” says Donfrey Meyer, Director of Wild Talk Africa. “As the DWTA is an autonomous conference, running concurrently with the DIFF, we believe that film-makers and industry players will take advantage of the abundance of content, industry representation and opportunities to discuss, network and start conversations about content generation and distribution. There is a global focus on the natural history of this continent and, with this in mind, we are pleased to be welcoming commissioning editors and representatives from Discovery Networks International, NHK Japan Broadcasting Corp., BBC NHU, ORF Austrian Broadcasting Corp., ABC Australian Broadcasting Corp., National Geographic, SABC, NFVF, e.tv. NHU Africa and others to Durban.”

“The success of the Durban FilmMart is clearly demonstrated by the fact that we have seen many of the projects pitched in the finance forum successfully make it to festivals and theatrical release over the past four years.” says Toni Monty of the Durban Film Office. “The DFM provides an important platform for the business of film to be conducted. This, together with the industry events at both the DIFF and DFM, promises to create a conducive environment for delegates to exchange ideas and forge partnerships and relationships.. All of this helps to further develop a dynamic and robust industry on the continent. We see the alignment with Durban Wild Talk Africa as a great opportunity to further promote and develop factual film content in Africa. We are hoping that film-makers and industry representatives attending the DFM will stay on a little longer to engage with Wild Talk Africa, and take in the additional industry opportunities available.”

Registration for the DWTA is now open on www.wildtalkafrica.com. The delegate pass includes full access to workshops, seminars and panels, as well as evening networking events and functions.  

Registration for the Durban FilmMart is now open on www.durbanfilmmart.com. For more information about the Durban International Film Festival go towww.durbanfilmfest.co.za

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Note to Editors: 

The Durban FilmMart (DFM) is a co-production and finance market and is a joint programme of the Durban Film Office (DFO) and the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF). DFM provides filmmakers from across Africa a valued opportunity to pitch projects to financiers, distributors, sales agents and potential co-producers, and participate in meetings, project presentations and a series of master classes and workshops on latest industry trends. www.durbanfilmmart.com

The Durban Film Office (DFO) is the film industry development arm of the eThekwini Municipality, mandated to position Durban as a world-class film production destination and facilitator for the development of the local film industry.  The DFO drives activity and development in the sector in order to boost tourism, job creation and the development of core skills and SMME’s in the region.   www.durbanfilmoffice.com

The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) presents over 250 screenings from different countries and cultures with special focus on Africa; it includes development programmes such as Talent Campus Durban. DIFF is a flagship project of the Centre for Creative Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal, which facilitates creative platforms and economic opportunities for artists and related industries, intercultural exchange and network development, training, audience development and strategic Pan-African and international cooperation in the cultural sectors.  www.cca.ukzn.ac.za

 

New Manager of Durban International Film Festival Announced

NEW MANAGER ANNOUNCED -  Durban International Film Festival

Peter Machen, is the new DIFF manager

Plans are well underway for the 34th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), South Africa’s largest and longest running film festival hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts (CCA), reports Kishore Gobardan Director of Professional Services in the College of Humanities at UKZN in which the CCA is housed. The CCA is currently a special project of the newly appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Cheryl Potgieter, in the College of Humanities.

“We are pleased to announce the appointment of well-known film critic and arts journalist, Peter Machen, as the DIFF Manager,” says Gobardan.

“Peter has been working with the Durban International Film Festival for the last seven years as a programme advisor,” says Gobardan. “He comes to the Festival with a wealth of institutional knowledge which provides much needed continuity.  Along with a solid knowledge of the programming requirements, Peter has also been responsible for writing synopses in the festival publications and editing and designing the festivals' Reel Times daily newsletters. He has appeared on various DIFF panels, as well as introduced directors and facilitated Q&A sessions during festivals. So we are pleased to welcome him on board the team and look forward to the significant value he will add to the mix.”

Machen, who has a BA Honours degree in economics from UKZN, is one of South Africa's leading arts writers and communication consultants. A talented publication designer, Peter has produced a range of publications and is author and designer of two coffee-table books Durban - A Paradise and its People and Durban - A Return to Paradise. He is currently Sunday Tribune's resident film columnist.

Earlier this year Machen attend the Rotterdam and Berlin Film Festivals as part of his research as a programme advisor for DIFF, and is excited about the challenges that lie ahead. “It is quite a daunting task to step into someone else’s programming shoes,” he says, “but because I have been so intimately involved in the festival for some time now, I know my way around and look forward to creating a programme that will be interesting and varied for our audiences.” To that end, Peter will be heading off to the Cannes Film Festival next month to seek out additional cinematic treasures for the DIFF 2013 programme.

“The Assistant Film Festival Manager position will be announced within the next few weeks, and the CCA Director’s post has been advertised and should be filled soon.”

It’s business as usual for the Durban FilmMart, the co-production project of the Durban Film Office and DIFF, this according to Toni Monty of the Durban Film Office. “We have had a great response to the call out for projects for this year’s Durban FilmMart. Submissions are now with adjudicators and we await their selection. We are proceeding with the plans to present a strong fourth market, and we are pleased to receive continued support from our partners and supporters, Rotterdam Film Festival’s CineMart, IDFA, Arte France, Hot Docs and EAVE, as well as the inclusion of other awards from new strategic partners, Paris Project, the co-production and development platform of the Paris Cinema International Film Festival,  Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and No Borders, a co-production market of the Independent Filmmakers Project In the USA.”

The 34th Durban International Film Festival will take place from July 18 to 28. The full programme will be in the www.durbanfilmfestival.co.za website five weeks before the festival begins.

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Victory for Anant Singh - Durban Film Industry Set to Benefit

NATAL COMMAND: ULTIMATE VICTORY FOR SINGH

November 29, 2012

Yesterday the Constitutional Court of South Africa handed down judgement in favour of Anant Singh’s Rinaldo Investments in the matter of the purchase of the Natal Command site on the Durban beachfront. Singh has emerged victorious after an epic legal battle that has spanned more than eight years.

The Constitutional Court in its unanimous, comprehensive judgement by the full bench of the eleven judges of the Court, also dealt with the standing of Giant Concerts saying, “The inference that Giant was merely toying with process, or seeking to thwart a propitious public development because it had been made available to someone else, is therefore one the Court is entitled to draw. The consequence is that Giant lacks standing, since its interest remains incipient and has never become direct or substantial.”

Singh, currently in London, commented, “We welcome the decision of the Constitutional Court.  We are vindicated by the judgement which endorses the fact that due process was followed in the transaction.  The long legal process has delayed the project which would have a positive impact on the economy of the City and Province.  We now look forward to proceeding with the exciting opportunities that this development brings to the region in the film, media and entertainment sectors.”

The proposal for the project, together with concept drawings for the film studio complex were presented to the City nine years ago wherafter it was presented to City’s Exco and was subsequently unanimously approved by a full sitting of the eThekwini Council and endorsed by the Provincial Authorities.

Representing Singh and Rinaldo Investments were Sudhir Pragjee (Videovision Entertainment’s Director of Business Affairs), attorney David Levin of Nicolson Stiller and Geshen, and Advocates Peter Olsen SC and Andrea Gabriel SC.

Summarising the judgement, the Constitutional Court said:

Today the Constitutional Court delivered a judgment dismissing an appeal against a decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).

In 2003, through a law allowing a municipality to sell land by private sale rather than a public tender, the Ethekwini Municipality sold prime property on the Durban beachfront to Rinaldo Investments (Pty) Ltd (Rinaldo) as part of its plan to promote Durban as an international destination for film production. Rinaldo is a property-holding company ultimately controlled by film-maker Mr Anant Singh. The applicant, Giant Concerts CC (Giant), objected to the proposed sale and the Municipality rejected the objection.

Giant asked the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, Pietermaritzburg to set aside the sale. The High Court decided in favour of Giant, holding that the decision was unlawful, procedurally unfair and unreasonable. It declared the agreement between the Municipality and Rinaldo void.

On appeal, the Supreme Court of Appeal reversed the finding of the High Court. It found that Giant had failed to establish legal standing to challenge the decision to sell the land to Rinaldo since it had not shown a sufficient interest in the subject matter of the dispute. Giant claimed to act in its own interest in terms of section 38(a) of the Constitution.

In a unanimous judgment for the Constitutional Court, Cameron J noted that Giant did not claim to act in the public interest or on behalf of a group or association or anyone who was not able to bring proceedings themselves. It therefore had to show standing on the basis of its own interest alone. The Court affirmed that constitutional own-interest standing is broader than traditional common law standing. A litigant must nevertheless show that his or her rights or interests are directly affected by the challenged law or conduct.

The Court concluded that even on a broad approach to standing, Giant did not show that it had interests that were capable of being directly affected. This was because Giant never demonstrated that it had any serious commercial interest in the venture. In fact, Giant had failed to establish anything more than a hypothetical or academic interest. The Court found that Giant had no standing.

It held that when a party does not have standing, it is not necessary to consider the substance of the dispute, unless there is at least a strong indication of fraud or other gross irregularity in the conduct of a public body. There was nothing of the kind in the case before it. The appeal was therefore dismissed with costs.

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For more info on this contact Nilesh Singh

Nilesh Singh

031 2046050

nilesh@videovision.co.za