South African documentary production house Mzansi Moving Media has just wrapped shooting on Episode 1 of the serial killer documentary series The Blackheart Diaries.
The first episode, which was picked up by etv’s International Crime & Investigation Unit was commissioned by Sam Rodgers and is based on the life of the Nasrec Serial killer, Lazarus Mazingane
Through perseverance and a determination to get the inside story, producer Caroline Hillary managed to break new ground with the Department Of Correctional Services by being allowed to take a full film crew into the Maximum Security division of Leeuwkop Prison and interview the inmate in an in-depth, revealing and highly emotional on camera conversation.
The entire documentary has been filmed with the unique cinematic approach of director Johann Vorster that pushes the boundaries with beautifully created re-enactment scenes, shot by DOP David Pienaar, with state-of-the-art film equipment including the Red Epic camera, an excellent cast and filmed on location at actual murder locations.
The focus on in-depth interviews with as many people as possible including surviving victims, social workers, family members of the inmate, the legendary crime detective Piet Bylerveld, as well as Micki Pistorius, the first South African forensic profiler, has raised the bar on crime productions worldwide.
The producers also managed to trace original police documents and footage from the case, as well as showcasing intimate moments in the killer’s life before he was incarcerated by filming in his home, on his taxi route and spending time with his family.
Mzansi Moving Media will deliver the documentary February 2012. It will be licensed internationally by the e.tv.
