Chasing the Dragon is a promotional short about Surfshack Outreach in Muizenberg, where local youths are pulled from the trenches of a life on tik by volunteers dedicated to transforming their lives. “This piece had a very personal appeal to me, I felt that I could deliver a level of honesty and insight into it that would complement its authenticity,” says director Siphiwe Myeza. 7Films partnered with Y&R and Surfshack to film Chasing the Dragon.
Throughout the short the voice-over and music create a relationship between the ocean and the drugs, and plays an integral part of the production.
“The VO marries intimately with the pacing of the cut and determined the amount of scenes we needed to have,” says Myeza. This project attracted his team because it allowed them to connect with a worthwhile cause and give back to the community by doing what they love.
The brief was to make a collection of three short films for Surfshack, and to make them all very different. Therefore three different 7Films directors partnered with three different DOPs to create three very different short films. Written by Patrick Robertson, “all the scripts are very inspiring and each narrative is gripping in its own respect, which made our job so much easier to marry the words with equally beautiful imagery,” describes Myeza.
The spot was shot in Muizenberg and Capricorn in Cape Town using the Arri Alexa Mini, which was chosen specifically for its smaller size and light weight. “We needed a camera which could accommodate the intricate and intimate circumstances of the shoot’s locations and schedule,” explains Myeza. “Coupled with an Angenieux Optimo 28-76mm, the combo proved highly effective giving us the versatility we needed moving between interior and exterior locations using only natural light.”
He says they chose to shoot exclusively in natural light as the harsh African summer sun would best portray the hard lives of the young men living in the township. It was filmed on 30 and 31 December 2015 and released on 30 June 2016.
Aiming to be entirely authentic, they decided to work with children of the target demographic. To find the balance between an unforced performance that was consistent and assertive in its delivery, Myeza says was no easy feat. “So it was important that we got as much footage as we could, it is like digging for gold.” Myeza says they adopted the same workshop process which was used in films such as City of God and Life of Pi. “The workshop required us to be patient, graceful and sensitive with the children. It not only challenged us and improved us, it did the same for the children,” he says.
Forming a relationship with the children through team building exercises and trust exercises they learnt how to be disciplined and this preparation paid off on set. “Through this process we were able to instil life skills that are reminiscent of the ethos of Surfshack. In this regard it is always fulfilling to build into the community and people’s lives through working together,” adds Myeza.
Shooting in a South African township comes with its own risks and challenges, Myeza explains. “With respect and courtesy, we were able to navigate through the streets of Capricorn township and connect with the community at large,” he says. “The community bought into the idea and fully supported what we aimed to accomplish. The community offered their co-operation and volunteered a hand where they could, which made the shoot so much more worthwhile. We hope that we have done them justice and raised awareness about the challenges that their youth and community face.”
Without a stunt team and water support Myeza says shooting the water and surfing scenes posed the greatest challenge. “We had a very small but multi-talented crew which helped a lot, but the ocean shots took a toll on us both physically and mentally.”
Media Film Services equipped them with all the equipment and underwater camera gear that allowed them to capture intimate shots of the young surfers as they ripped through the waves. “Surfing on its own is hard enough, carrying around a camera and trying to keep up with these talented surfers made us grateful that we took swimming lessons once upon a time,” adds Myeza.
He describes the team work and co-operation from the cast and crew as amazing. “They had to wake up early on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day,” says Myeza. Capturing the essence of Surfshack Outreach seemed effortless in this short. Myeza was able to depict: “The abyssal, dark and all-consuming drug world versus the robust, volatile and deep ocean. Mind blowing in their similarities, both are adrenaline pumping and somewhat euphoric, but the one takes lives and the other saves lives.” He explores this poetically in his piece. It beautifies the Surfshack Outreach slogan “The cure for addiction is another addiction.” By
Key crew:
- Executive producer: Lourans van Rensburg
- Producer: Nina van Rensburg.
- Director: Siphiwe Myeza- Mhlambi
- DOP: Kabeer Shaik
- Editor: James O’Sullivan
- Grade and online: Leon Liebenberg
- Chief creative officer: Graham Lang
- Writer: Patrick Robertson
- Final mix: Gavin Kannemeyer
Key companies:
- Production house: 7Films
- Agency: Y&R
- Post-production: Nova and CV Africa
- Voice over recording studio: Big Leap
- Voice over recording: Big Leap Recording Studio
