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Carly Barnes

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Africa’s digital penetration in 2014

Carly Barnes
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Despite advances in technological reach and growing digital awareness, statistics show that Africa still has a way to go in excelling in international new media and communications markets. Out of a total population of 1,125,664,947 people living on the African continent only 18% of are internet users, 7% are active on social networks and 67% have active mobile subscriptions.

While global internet usage has grown 35% in the last year, Africa has only seen a 5% growth, from 13% to 18%. Regions with the highest growth are North America at 81% and Western Europe with 78%.

Though mobile usage in Africa has developed substantially, it is still on the lower end of the global scale at 67% in comparison with Central and Eastern Europe which has grown 151%, Western Europe which has grown 129% and South America which has grown 124%.

Mobile broadband subscriptions in Africa have experienced an enormous growth of 83 million which is still below East Asia at 444 million and North America at 252 million but above Central America at 15 million, South Asia at 61 million, Central Asia at 18 million and the Middle East at 37 million.

Due to the lack of inexpensive, available internet on the continent, social media usage in Africa has only experienced a 2% growth, which is substantially low in comparison to North America which has experienced a 56% growth and Western Europe which has experienced a 44% growth.

Even though South Africa has higher internet, Facebook and mobile usage, Nigeria has a greater amount of users in all categories. The number of internet users in Nigeria is 55,930,391 compared to 20,012,275 in South Africa. There are 11,200,000 Facebook users in Nigeria as opposed to 9,800,000 in South Africa and 114,000,000 active Nigerian mobile subscribers versus 68,394,000 active South African mobile subscribers.

Independent Mzansi Short Film Festival call for entries

Carly Barnes
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The Independent Mzansi Short Film Festival (IMSFF), which showcases films shorter than 25 minutes by emerging South African filmmakers, takes place from 25 to 29 June 2014 at the Maxi Cineplex in Hatfield Plaza in Pretoria and is calling for film submissions.

Along with 20 hours’ worth of screenings, the festival will host workshops presented by industry experts, as well as live Q & A sessions with attending filmmakers.
An awards ceremony will be held on Sunday 29 June with a R50,000 cash prize going to the film with the most awards.

Filmmakers interested in participating in the festival will need to complete an online registration form along with proof of entry fee payment and send both documents to submissions@imsff.co.za.

A link and access details to upload the film will then be sent to applicants.

Entries need to be submitted by no later than 6 June 2014.

Submission Requirements:

• Films must have been completed after 1 July 2013.
• All non-English films (Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, etc.) must have English subtitles.
• Films must be submitted on PAL DVD, MP4 Video. Audio is STEREO only.
• Works-in-progress will be considered, provided they will be completed two weeks prior to the festival.
• More than one film may be submitted, however, each submission must have its own entry accompanied by its own entry fee.
• Do not send stills or press kits.
• Once a film is selected, the filmmaker will be asked to provide digital stills from the film; press materials; video trailer and digitised trailer for online purposes; posters and flyers (if available).
• All films selected for the festival grant IMSFF the rights to use press materials from the film for promotional purposes.
• All films selected for the festival grant IMSFF the rights to upload the submitted video trailer of one minute to the IMSFF YouTube Channel online for promotional purposes.

The following fees will apply according to submission date:

• R250 for entries submitted before early deadline: 16 May 2014
• R350 for entries submitted before extended deadline: 30 May 2014
• R450 for entries submitted before late deadline: 6 June 2014

Visit the IMSFF website for more information.

Nairobi’s digital migration delayed

Carly Barnes
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Nairobi and its surrounds will have to wait another 30 days to make the switch over to digital television broadcast, pending the judgment from the Court of Appeal pertaining to an ongoing dispute regarding the transition.

The Nation Media Group, Royal Media Services and Standard Media Group delayed the process hoping to overturn a judgment which permitted the Communication Commission of Kenya to switch off analogue television broadcast.

The defence stated that the case was an attempt to gain further advertising revenue and was not in the interest of the public. It also claimed that media owners were well aware of the changeover dates.

On 12 January 2014 judges David Maranga, Roselyn Nambuye and Daniel Musinga restrained the implementation of digital migration until 14 March 2014 when they will give a judgment.

The Court of Appeal judges ruled: “We extend the orders barring CCK from switching off analogue television signals until we give a judgment of the appeal on March 14 (2014).’

Cannes Lions launches a new Young Lions PR competition

Carly Barnes
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Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is providing young professionals in PR agencies an opportunity to test their talents and showcase their skills in the Young Lions PR competition. The competition is supported by The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO), which comprises of national trade associations in 29 countries, representing over 1,700 public relations consultancies across the globe.

Local representatives of Cannes Lions and its affiliates from countries around the world pre-select participants who make up two teams of PR professionals taking part in the competition. Contestants eligible to participate in the 24-hour competition are under 28 years of age and work as Assistant Account Executives, Account Executives, Senior Account Executives or Account Managers for PR agencies and consultancies.

Advertising sales company, Cinemark is the exclusive Cannes Lions Festival representative for South Africa.

Once in Cannes the teams are given a brief by a charity or non-profit organisation which acts as their client, and are called to present each of their strategies to a selected jury.

Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are presented to the winners and on Monday 16 June, Gold winners are honoured at the Creative Effectiveness, Promo & Activation, PR and Direct Lions Awards.

Steve Latham, Cannes Lions’ Director of Talent and Training, says he is delighted to count on the support of the ICCO and comments, “As we continue to strengthen and amplify Cannes Lions’ efforts to provide rising stars with unique learning opportunities, the Young Lions PR competition will complement our existing contest offerings and give budding PR professionals a unique experience and a global platform that will help their career prospects. We are.’

David Gallagher, President of ICCO says, “ICCO is focused on the future of the global PR industry and we see the Cannes Lions festival as a one-of-a-kind world stage to showcase the enormous potential and creativity of our young talent.’

Visit the Cinemark website and the Cannes Lions website for more information.

South African movie iNumber Number opens Jozi Film Festival

Carly Barnes
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The third annual Jozi Film Festival (JFF) starts on Friday 21 February at The Bioscope in Maboneng Precinct with the South African premiere of the thriller iNumber Number, written and directed by Donovan Marsh, who will speak about the film before its screening.

Los Angeles-based production and distribution company Wrekin Hill Entertainment has acquired the North American rights to iNumber Number, starring S’dumo Mtshali (winner of the TV talent show Class Act) and Presley Chweneyagae (Tsotsi). The story follows an honest undercover cop who, after being cheated out of a promotion, crosses over to become a part of a cash-in-transit heist gang.

JFF also screens The Forgotten Kingdom, which was shot in Lesotho, on Saturday 22 February at Cine Centre Killarney. Directed by Andrew Mudge and produced by Cape Town-based ZenHQ Films, the movie tells of a young man (Zenzo Ngqobe) who travels to Lesotho to bury his estranged father and gets drawn into the mystical beauty of the land he had forgotten. The film also stars Jerry Mofokeng, Lilian Dube and Nozipho Nkelemba.

Other local feature films that will be shown include Shotgun Garfunkel: The Fastest Film Ever Made, Durban Poison and Of Good Report.

For the first time, international films are included in the line-up such as Finding Hillywood, a unique and endearing movie about the pioneers of Rwanda’s film industry; and the local premiere of An American Promise, a movie which follows two African American boys from Brooklyn and their experiences from kindergarten at the prestigious Dalton School through to their high school graduation.

The South African premiere of The Grand Budapest Hotel by director Wes Anderson, which also features as part of the line-up, has one screening only at Ster-Kinekor’s Rosebank Nouveau on Saturday at 20h15.

A number of varied and fascinating local and international short films are also on offer over the festival.

Within walking distance from The Bioscope, a day of master classes and panel discussions will be held at Goethe on Main, during which industry leaders will talk about all aspects of the film business from script development to funding and advances in digital media.

Visit the Jozi Film Festival website for more information.

The weekend wraps up with the Awards Evening on Sunday at The Rand Club where 2014’s winners will be announced. John Vlismas hosts the event while the Soweto Opera Quadro will perform.

Tickets can be booked online at the Jozi Film Festival website or bought at the door for R30 each. However, tickets for The Grand Budapest Hotel are charged at regular Ster-Kinekor rates, and normal concessions apply.

View the line-up for more information about the movies included.

Marriage abductions brought to light in Ethiopian film

Carly Barnes
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The tradition of abducting girls for marriage has made headlines in South Africa, as the apparent epidemic wreaks havoc in communities of the Eastern Cape. The custom, often instigated or approved by a young girl’s parents and / or elders is known as “Ukuthwala’ and is not unique to South Africa.

“Telefa’, as the practice is known in Ethiopia, is the subject of a new film by director Zeresenay Berhane Mehari titled Difret, which recounts the true story of a 14-year-old kidnapped bride, who stands trial for murdering the man she is forced to wed.

Mehari says: “What pushed me to make this story is that we never question the things that are handed down to us traditionally. This is one of many – I wanted to take that and see if we could talk about it and see how the country would respond.’

Mehari comments that the word “Difret’ has two meanings: the first is “courage’, the second is “rape’.

Human rights activist and Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie joined the production in the role of Executive Producer and said: “It is inspiring to see such an important story so beautifully illustrated with such creative talent. It draws out the richness of Ethiopian culture and shows how important legal advances can be made while respecting local culture. It is a story that gives hope for Ethiopia’s future, and for other countries where countless girls grow up without the protection of laws that shield them and their bodies, and shows how the courage of brave individuals can awaken the conscience of a society.’

The film, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and won the award for Best Fiction Film screening in the Panorama section, marks a turning point in its home country, examining a case which represents a change in the way Ethiopia views and handles these crimes.

View an excerpt from Difret.

African films screen in Alabama in the US

Carly Barnes
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Two short and three full-length award-winning African films will screen at The Bama Theatre in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in the US as part of an initiative to expose Americans to the fast growing film industry in Africa.

The screenings are presented by Afram South, an organisation which informs and supports the African American community by creating awareness on social and health issues, and the Edward A. Ulzen Memorial Foundation, a philanthropic project in culturally sustainable tourism.

Bill Foster, director of programs for Afram South Inc., said: “We decided that we wanted to explore this whole menu of African films, which is an exploding art form on the continent of Africa.’

The three feature films being screened are White Wedding, Boneshaker and Alaskaland.

Boneshaker, directed by Ghanaian filmmaker Nuotama Frances Bodomo, tells the story of a Ghanaian family dealing with with life in America while trying to uphold their African traditions. The family embark on a trip to Louisiana, hoping to release the spirits they believe are hurting their daughter.

Written and directed by Jann Turner, White Wedding is a South African romantic comedy about a groom who goes on a road trip in preparation for his wedding day. An array of obstacles appear on the way to his happy ending in this feel-good story of love, commitment, intimacy and friendship.

A Nigerian-American brother and sister at odds are forced to reconnect in their hometown of Fairbanks, Alaska after a family tragedy takes place in Alaskaland. Directed by Chinonye Chukwu, the story examines the balance between cultural heritage and the pressures of a larger world.

Foster commented: “We’re hoping that these films will help people see the diversity of culture there is throughout the continent of Africa.

“International African TV is not available in the US. Africans know more about us than we do about them. We need to change that equation and become more culturally aware of people throughout the world. We live in one world, and we need to become more familiar with it.’

Visit: the AframSouth Inc. website for more information.

Television actively encourages interactions on Facebook

Carly Barnes
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A study by research firm SecondSync has revealed that 60% of television-themed interactions which take place on Facebook, happen while the show being talked about is broadcast and that 80% of these posts are generated from mobile devices. It was previously assumed that Facebook posts relating to a particular television show were being posted before or after the show had aired.

The report stated that: “TV is an important area for Facebook and it has been actively encouraging activity in this space for some time. Pages for shows, the adoption of the hashtag and the “Watching’ status update have all contributed to the high volume of interactions.’

A good indication of this took place during the final episode of Breaking Bad when 4,477,454 show- related interactions took place on Facebook, about 22% of the AMC network’s TV audience.

The report described how the social media platform may benefit certain sectors of the television market, stating: “When looked at holistically, real-time activity around TV and sport on the Facebook platform is hugely compelling and there are important commercial implications. Audience measurement, TV planning, content discovery, direct response advertising, TV commissioning and research are just some of the sectors that will benefit from the insights coming out of the world’s biggest social network.’

Oscar Pistorius special report on Carte Blanche

Carly Barnes
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On Sunday 16 February at 19h00 on M-Net and M-Net HD (Channel 101), Carte Blanche features a special report on the Oscar Pistorius case as South Africans prepare to watch the most anticipated trial of the century.

One year ago on Valentine’s Day, top Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius shocked the world when news that he had shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the bathroom of his Pretoria home, spread.

His legal team will set out to prove that the tragedy was an accident and not murder during the trial which takes place in just over two weeks’ time. In this episode, Carte Blanche consults with leading crime scene experts who reveal alarming findings.

Produced by Sophia Phirippides and presented by Subniv Babuta.
Journalist: Amalia Christoforou

Line-ups are subject to change.

Visit: The Carte Blanche Website for more information.

Find updates on the Carte Blanche Facebook Page or the Carte Blanche Twitter Page.

Canon announces a new entry-level digital single-lens reflex camera

Carly Barnes
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A new digital single-lens reflex camera, the Canon EOS 1200D, caters to first-time owners by offering a helpful app, easy-to-use controls and automatic shooting modes.

Detailed Images

The camera is able to take colourful, high-quality stills using an 18.0 MP APS-C CMOS sensor and Canon’s DIGIC 4 processor. A 9-point AF system ensures that no matter what you are shooting, the scene is captured in striking, detailed quality. The Scene Intelligent Auto mode adds to a convenient experience, ensuring the right settings are used every time.

Full HD movie recording

Users are able to control exposure, focus and sound levels while shooting full HD video at 1080p and are able to achieve a professionally edited feel by recording a series of short video clips, which are automatically joined together by setting the camera to Video Snapshot mode.

Adding atmosphere

A choice of five filters can be applied either before or after a shot is taken to dramatically enhance the mood or perspective of the picture. These include Miniature effect, Fish-eye and Toy camera.

User-friendly

A number of features make the EOS 1200D easy and natural to use. A bright optical viewfinder helps frame shots; large and intuitively-placed controls assist in quickly understanding different settings; and a sharp 460k-dot resolution LCD allows the user to review stills and movies immediately after capture.

The camera is also the first model to launch with an EOS Companion app for mobile devices, which offers helpful tips and tutorials.

Visit the Canon website for more information.

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