Joziewood Films in collaboration with Amariam Pictures is developing a dance film set in Cape Town, inspired by movies like Step Up and You Got Served. Pop, Lock “n Roll is a rags to riches story about an ambitious youth from the Cape Flats who gets a lucky break and rises as a professional dancer, but his life takes a drastic turn when he falls in love with the girlfriend of the gangster-come-producer that’s making his career.
Director Ziggy Hofmeyr and producer Pascal Schmitz have teamed up to launch a nationwide search for South Africa’s best street style dance talent, in conjunction with a crowd funding campaign through which they plan to raise a portion of the film’s budget.
Hofmeyr explains: “South Africa’s dance talent is of international standard, we have solo dancers and dance crews who are winning world championships and documentaries like the DIFF winner for best SA documentary The African Cypher clearly show this. The local dance community is already showing us their support and there is no doubt in me that we’re going to make a dance film that will blow your mind.’
Currently the film is running a campaign on online crowd funding platform Indiegogo. Interested parties can contribute anything from as little as R10 towards the film and in return receive perks ranging from thank you credits to tickets to the premier, a DVD of the film or even a day on the film’s set where they can meet the stars and crew. Two big events are also being planned, one in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town, which will show off some of the best dance talent with profits going towards the making of the film.
Then there is also a YouTube channel where anyone with exceptional moves can upload his or her audition footage to get a chance of landing a role in the film. Pop, Lock “n Roll is hunting for their lead male role, so if you’re in your early twenties and can dance in various street styles, mainly hip-hop styles, get your audition footage onto the YouTube channel and make sure you’re in line for the spot.
Production on Pop, Lock “n Roll is planned for early 2013 and Indigenous Film Distribution have already committed to a cinema distribution deal. Investors, as well as brands interested in product placement, are encouraged to get in touch with the team. Dance films in South Africa have proven to be extremely profitable and the team is certain that they will produce a fantastic film that everyone will be proud of.
Producer Pascal Schmitz comments: “With this film we really want to lift the profile of dancers and dance in this country. They haven’t been given the same acknowledgement as our DJs and musicians and so we want to create partnerships with various dance organisations and dance groups, especially those that give back to their community, by profiling them in our PR campaign and even donating a portion of the films profits to them, in order to make dance in South Africa a sustainable passion and something all professional dancers can live from for a change.’
For more information, visit:
www.indiegogo.com/poplocknroll
www.facebook.com/poplocknroll
www.twitter.com/poplocknroll
www.youtube.com/poplocknrollvideos
