iKapa Travel and Tours, part of the Cullinan Holdings Group of travel and leisure companies that include well-known labels Hylton Ross, Springbok Atlas and Thompsons, has launched FilmiKapa to provide production companies with a diverse range of both stand-alone and packaged services.
“We realised there are certain services needed by the film and media industry that we can deliver and that we are specialists in, such as transport and accommodation, and that we already offer at the best rates available,” says FilmiKapa’s general manager, Maryna Blomerus. “By providing these additional services, we can make the lives of busy filmmakers a bit easier.”
FilmiKapa extends iKapa’s longstanding footprint in the travel and accommodation sector, to crew and equipment hire, location scouting and security, customized truck rentals, and also road, sea and air charters.
“It is about offering fast and easy solutions for the logistical challenges faced by the industry,” says Lica Blomerus, FilmiKapa’s operations manager. “We are used to having to anticipate whatever a client may need, from beginning to end, so it is easy for us to think in terms of providing a one-stop solution for production companies.”
The FilmiKapa team is confident that their experience in matching clients’ specific needs by packaging a wide selection of services at the best possible rates, can now be extended to the film and media industry. “We view it as an investment on our part,” explains Maryna, “and so we’ll do the extra legwork to source industry service providers as required. Ultimately, the payoff is of benefit to our core business where we’re operating by volume; at the same time, we’re helping filmmakers save time and money.”
Apart from the convenience and savings offered to filmmakers, FilmiKapa is also flexible in how they package their services. “We understand that most production managers already have existing networks of service providers,” says Lica, “so we don’t insist on providing all our industry clients’ logistical needs. They’re free to pick only from our accommodation or transport or equipment offerings.”
Veteran film producer David Pupkewitz thinks FilmiKapa is a real gain for the industry. “They are highly resourced and a producer or production manager doesn’t have to look for services from several entities, but can secure most of their needs through them. So the FilmiKapa team can really help take the heat off production management.”
Maryna emphasizes the personal and collaborative nature of how FilmiKapa works. “We aim to be a part of our client’s team, to be an arm or a leg that supports what they want to do and to have a close relationship with them. At our early morning meetings, our 6 team members discuss clients’ enquiries and we all pitch in. So it’s very much a team effort with everyone involved and having the benefit of collective know-how as well as access to relationships throughout Southern Africa.”
FilmiKapa’s website provides an overview of the services they offer and enquiries go directly to Maryna and Lica. “We ask prospective clients to provide us with a complete list of their needs and then we quote and supply accordingly, making sure never to consciously undersell our suppliers,” says Lica. “Or they can just tick our website’s downloadable rate cards and email it through together with descriptions of anything else they need — that helps us, too.”
