Johnny Masilela
The fragmented South African film and TV industry cameras are beginning to focus towards unity.
Stakeholders from 200-odd interest groupings have edged closer towards engaging the government with one voice, through an all-embracing and ambitious draft document entitled The South African Film and TV Industry: Vision Statement.
Cultural development activist Avril Joffe, who chaired the so-called ”film cluster” responsible for the vision statement, says a large part of the industry agree on the way forward.
She discloses that the last of the input into the vision statement is being finalised and that the document will be submitted to the authorities in a matter of days.
The vision statement presses home the need for, among others, the greater involvement of society in the industry, and strategies for South Africa to claim a stake in the global entertainment marketplace.
The document was edited by Atlanta University film graduate Mandla Dube, ScreenAfrica magazine editor Howard Thomas and New York University film school graduate Mweli Mzizi.
Joffe says the final document should be as representative as possible of the South African film and TV industry.
The document will be submitted for review to the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, and also the Department of Trade and Industry.
The main thrust of the document, particularly with regard to opportunities and training, was the speedier inclusion of previously marginalised artists into the industry’s mainstream, and the repositioning of the industry in the global village.
”The industry has a primary objective to restructure participation by all so that it is representative of the demographics of the country.
”This will be done by achieving the full participation of fully qualified black professionals who have the proper expertise by ensuring the process of training and development of those people who were previously excluded from participation,” the vision statement declares.
A rather ambitious aspect of the vision statement is its emphasis on the local industry’s potential to make a significant presence in the international marketplace.
This, the document points out, can be achieved through, among others, film and TV productions and commercials. ”Little has been done to effectively market South Africa on an ongoing basis.”
The document says that while there is massive growth in the entertainment industry in Europe and elsewhere, South Africa is still struggling to gain a foothold into global markets.
”This is due to the lack of a cohesive, collaborative, consolidated and global strategy, and that no private international sales companies are operational in South Africa.”
This is attributed to a number of factors, one being that South Africa has historically been impeded by cultural isolation and, more recently, an ailing economy and political uncertainty.
The solution, the document suggests, is for the National Film, TV and Video Foundation to spearhead the formulation of a marketing strategy.
”This will include tax incentives for foreign producers to work in South Africa, mechanisms for co-production with the broadcasters, the formation of an export council, access to finance from the [planned] state lottery, and facilitating the formation of private investor film funds,” the document explains.
The document calls on the National Film, TV and Video Foundation to co-ordinate training and development, with particular emphasis on those who had no access to opportunities.
On the cinema circuit alone, the document argues that South Africa had the potential to increase its local productions from the present six to 20 films annually, 10 of which should be earmarked for foreign audiences.
Roughly 18 foreign feature films are made in South Africa annually. The document projects that with proper planning and marketing, this figure could increase to 30 films per year.
The document notes that the TV industry, which presently produces about 7 000 hours a year, of which only about 100 are exported, has the potential to produce 20 000 hours within a period of five years.
”This should produce a turnover in local content of R1-billion a year, with the exported material yielding a further R1,5-billion.”
With regard to commercials, which earn far more in facilitating foreign work, the document draws a picture of massive growth in the next few years.
”In five years’ time, this industry should be worth an annual turnover of R1- billion, made up of R250-million in local production and R750-million in the production of foreign commercials.”
The document also puts forward certain recommendations for the processes of Internet imaging, animation and graphics.