BUSINESS NEWS

IDC drives local feature film and animation production

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 11:39

South Africa’s diverse and dynamic arts and culture heritage is one of its richest and most important resources, with the capacity to generate significant economic and social benefits. Equally important, but less understood, is the potential for a dynamic vibrant film and production sector to contribute significantly to the economy of the country and provide sustainable jobs.

Basil Ford, head of Media and Motion Pictures at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), says the South African motion picture industry can only become sustainable under conditions where there is a strong local consumption of locally produced stories.

“A collaborative approach to develop South African stories, coupled with the development of distribution channels and audiences, will provide the momentum for a profitable South African motion picture industry. My mantra is: ‘Develop a sustainable South African film industry through local consumption of locally produced feature films’.”

The IDC has invested more than R500m into 45 local motion pictures since 2001, initially adopting a co-production strategy and achieving success with projects like Tsotsi, Red Dust, Country of My Skull and Hotel Rwanda. The high profile nature of these projects has triggered increased international market acceptance of South African feature films, a vital factor in getting better prices for local products, increasing local audiences and making films economically viable.

“The overall lack of South African brand films has resulted in a struggle for independent local producers to obtain international distribution,” continues Ford. “At the moment international recognition stems purely from South African films winning accolades at major international festivals, a challenging task. We need to find and produce projects that will sell well and grow the local and international market for South African films.

“The IDC wants to see low budget locally developed feature films, made by South Africans, starring South Africans and seen by South Africans, leading the development of the South African film brand. We are currently ‘price takers’, in that sales agents and distributors take our products on their terms, which are often unfavourable to us. Instead we need to become ‘price makers’ by producing good films that do well at the South African box office, thereby establishing the brand. In this way, we can start to dictate the terms of the international distribution, making it much more favourable to ourselves.”

The IDC has now embarked on its first film studio project with the financing of the Cape Town Film Studio (CTFS), located between Khayelitsha Township and the Blue Downs Township. The project is expected to create 703 permanent jobs. “These studios will handle exciting big budget products, including a project currently underway for over R50m targeting international audiences, as well as more niche movies,” says Ford. “Films produced here will generate foreign exchange for South Africa and grow the local production industry.”

The IDC is funding one of the first 3D animated feature films produced in Africa, Zambezia, due for release in 2012 and produced by the South African based Triggerfish Animation.

“This project is a major leap forward for the animated movie industry in South Africa, and has created 200 to 250 new jobs for a period of one year,” says Ford. “It will really put South Africa’s animation film industry on the map and should lead to more animation feature films being produced locally.

“The reality of the South African industry is that no single stakeholder in the industry has the sole capability to ensure the commercial success of feature film projects across the value chain,” says Ford. “A value chain approach with collaboration between key stakeholders is needed to build a successful local industry.”

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