mov-e april 2010 issue

Karate KallieKarate KallieInterview with Wimpie van der Merwe, master mind behind

The Need for Speed!Andrew Wilmot talks to us about making The Race-ist

Scriptwriting101

JOZIReview

VFXVFXTaking a Closer LookTaking a Closer Look

What’s

HOT

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PG 20PG 6 PG 10 PG 29

Interview:Wynand and Leani from Karate Kallie

Interview:Andrew Wilmot from The Race-ist

Interview:Wimpie fromKarate Kallie

Closer Look:We look at the basics of Video Eff ects

CONTENT

REGULARS

ARTICLES

INTERVIEWS

REVIEW

SYNOPSIS TECH

Director’s Chair

Rumour has it

In the Spotlight

Give them Credit

Scriptwri ng 101

VFX: Taking a Closer Look

Rising Stars

Wimpie van der Merwe

Andrew Revthump Wilmot

Jozi

Bakgat! 2

Liefl ing

Mad Cow

Canon XH G1S and XH A1S

SONY HDR-AX2000

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15

29

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20

17

27

35

44

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Contact Us

[email protected]

.MOV-ePO BOX 11874

Wierda Park-South0057

Disclaimer

Oppinions expressed in .MOV-e do not necessarily represent the offi cial viewpoint of the editor or the publisher while inclusion of adverts/adver sing features does not imply specifi c endorsement for any business, product or service. Copyright of material in this publica on is reserved and may not be reproduced without the wri en permission of the editor.

TheDirector’sChairLights; camera; aaand ac on! A er an intense

month of hard gra ing, we are fi nally able to present you with our dream: a monthly movie magazine aimed at both the amateur and professional fi lm makers as well as the general movie-loving public.

Each month, we will stuff the magazine with interviews, reviews, tutorials, dbits, latest releases, and much more. In our April issue we interview Wynand van Vollentsee and Leani Lerm from the movie Karate Kallie. For aspiring fi lm makers, we take a closer look at movie special eff ects and also learn more about script wri ng basics.

The main concept behind the magazine is to teach aspiring fi lm makers the ins—and outs of crea ng their own movies. At the same me, it aims to serve as a pla orm for established producers to promote their own work and give the public a li le behind-the-scenes informa on on their latest projects.

We believe that just as South African musicians evolved to be on par with their interna onal counterparts, so too will the movie industry one day (soon!) be on the same interna onal standard. Our country has the intellectual capacity to produce movies like Lethal Weapon, Fight Club, Bourne Iden ty, and Die Hard. Breaking away from the poli cal sa re genre is a good fi rst step in the right direc on, and more movies are star ng to do this. Through this magazine, we hope to encourage up and coming fi lm makers to go beyond the kind of movies that this country has already produced and to take a bold step into uncharted territories.

When reading our magazine, please keep in mind that we’re not magazine guys trying to cover the movie industry. We’re movie guys that want to share our passion with like-minded individuals through the medium of an online magazine.

That said, we would love to hear from you, so send us a mail to [email protected] with your le ers, any comments, thoughts, or sugges ons that would help us improve the magazine for you in any way.

Also feel free to register on the site in order to gain access to extra goodies, for example, the downloadable PDF version of the magazine as well as access to the forums. Crea ng an account is quick, easy, and safe. We respect your privacy and will not distribute your details to anyone.

Oh yes! I almost forgot! We would like to encourage all aspiring fi lm makers to create their own short fi lms between 2 and 24 minutes in length and send them to us. The best ones will be selected for our .MOV-e DVD that will be released near the end of the year. Many of Hollywood’s big shots started out with short fi lms, and who knows? You might just be discovered! More details later in the magazine.

Finally, we hope that you enjoy reading the ar cles as much as we enjoyed pu ng them together.

Take care,Len du Randt

We at .MOV-e would like to thank Kevin Banks from Awesome Web Development, without whom this magazine would not exist.

Thanks Kevin! You put the AWESOME into AWD!

www.awd.za.net

Rumour

has it...

SPUD Hits the Big Screen in 2010!

According to sources, the shoo ng commenced on the 8th of March in the KZN midlands and is scheduled to be released some me in November this year. .MOV-e will be keeping a close eye on this one! In the mean me, go check out their site on www.spudthemovie.com

It seems that Tom Cruise will con nue the role of Ethan Hunt in the up and coming Mission Impossible 4. Rumour has it that J.J. Abrahams (Fringe/Star Trek) will produce the movie with Brad Bird (Incredibles) si ng in the Director's Chair. If all goes well, the movie will release on Paramount's 27 May, 2011 schedule.

Chris Evans can't shake the Super Hero image. He played Johnny Storm in the Fantas c 4 and will now take up the shield to become Captain America in the forthcoming The First Avenger: Captain America.

It seems that he will thus play a role in 2012's Avengers as well. The First Avenger is scheduled for release in 2011.

There's no ge ng rid of Freddy Krueger. The remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street is set to release on the 30th of April this year and Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach from Watchmen) plays the new Freddy. Wes Craven was not part of this remake, so we just hope that it's a be er a empt than the other horror genre remakes. Judging from the pics we've seen, this one might just hit the mark.

In the Spotlight

CONGRATULATIONS! SABC 2 WINS BIG AT SAFTA 2010

SABC 2 saw a glorious win at this year’s SAFTA awards ceremony, a night that concluded with one of the channel’s fl agship programme, 7de Laan scooping the biggest ‘horn’ for the evening, the Best Soapie statue as voted for by the public.

The crème de la crème of South African Film and Television industry gathered at the Pretoria State Theatre to witness the best in the country receive honours for their crea ve excellence while millions tuned in to the show’s live broadcast on SABC 2 from 20:00 on Saturday, 20 February 2010.

“SABC 2 con nues to bring the best television to our viewers. It is through the interac on we have with them and their input that we dish the best television ever, be it dramas, documentaries or reality programmes. Hear elt CONGRATULATIONS to all the SABC2 SAFTA winners and nominees for 2010, and thank you to the produc on houses for your hard work in bringing SABC2 the best off erings.” said Bessie Tugwana, SABC 2’s General Manager

Category Programme /Personality Produc on House / ProgrammeBest Cinematographer Chris Lotz "Shoreline"Best Magazine Programme 50/50 Clive Morris Produc onsBest Presen ng Script / Research Johan Botha "50/50"Best Variety Show Strictly Come Dancing Rapid BlueBest Music Show Jam Sandwich Mahala Media and Meerkat MediaBest Concept and Script Deon Maas "Jam Sandwich"Best Soapie - Public Vote 7de Laan Danie Oodendaal Produc onsBest Director in a TV Comedy Vusi Dibakwane "Stokvel"Best Actor in a TV Comedy Tshamano Sebe as " Biza" in StokvelBest Ensemble Cast in a TV Comedy Stokvel Penguin Film

SABC2 Winners: SAFTA 2010

Visit www.sabc2.co.za for more informa on on SABC2 programmes.

Proudly sponsored by Awesome Web Development - www.awd.za.net

4

[email protected]

We met up with the two talented individuals that played Kallie and Annetjie in the Karate Kallie movie and asked them about their views on the Entertainment industry and working together as a real couple.

.MOV-e: How did you get into the industry? Did you already know someone in the industry?

Leani: I’ve always wanted to be an actress, but I decided to take the long road. I obtained my BTech Degree in Drama at TUT and it is there where I met people in the entertainment and fi lm industry. The Karate Kallie short fi lm—which we shot in my 2nd year—actually sparked my interest in fi lm.

Wynand: I have always been performing. I’ve worked very closely with people at the Witbank Theatre, like the famous Dawid vd Merwe. A er a year in London I decided to study Drama and this was basically the beginning of my professional career.

.MOV-e: What’s your advice on breaking into the movie industry? Would you say that formal studies are essen al?

Leani: I truly believe formal studies are essen al. As a young actor it is important to experiment in the diff erent genres and styles of the industry, and

Drama School forms the perfect pla orm for this. You also get to meet the right people in the right places. Everybody knows how important contacts are.

Wynand: Formal studies are very important as it gives you the necessary tools to be a professional ar st. As far as ps on ge ng into the industry is concerned, a li le bit of luck is defi nitely required.

.MOV-e: Do you need an agent to be able to fi nd work in the industry?

Leani: An agent makes it much easier to be informed about audi ons and cas ngs. A good agent will also guide you and, especially when you’re new in the industry, give you good advice.

Wynand: Agents are the gateway through which producers and directors move, so yes; absolutely important. But as soon as you build some contacts you might fi nd it easier to source your own work.

.MOV-e: How do you fi nd it working in the SA Film Industry both as individuals and as a couple?

Leani: Being in the same industry makes it easier for your partner to understand when you need to work long hours, need some advice or just want someone to help you learn your lines. But it also has

Rising StarsRising Stars.MOV-e interviews Wynand van Vollenstee and Leani Lerm


6

its challenges. Full me freelancing creates a lot of fi nancial stress...

Wynand: At mes very tough, but depending on the circumstances, working together can make life a li le easier. Genera ng your only income solely from performing can be challenging.

.MOV-e: What are your views on the future of the South African Entertainment industry?

Leani: South Africa has always had a good entertainment industry, but it’s as if more people are taking a chance on trying something new. I think it’s me for the rich South African history to infl uence the industry in a posi ve way. Tell the posi ve stories and move away from our dark history, please!

Wynand: There seems to be a fresh breeze of writers and directors, crea ng more jobs for ar sts. Defi nitely the industry is healthier than say, ten years ago.

.MOV-e: Also, what’s your opinion about the Afrikaans movie market?

Leani: I personally believe in quality and not quan ty. Afrikaans fi lms are increasing quickly and I’m looking forward to the good quality fi lms that are currently being produced.

Wynand: Much more fi lms are being produced and Afrikaans seems to be booming in South Africa. I won’t say that I always agree with the style in which all fi lms are done; nevertheless, all Afrikaans fi lms deserve to be supported.

.MOV-e: How did you prepare for your characters in Karate Kallie?

Leani: Apart from visi ng the gym a bit more o en, I got to know Annetjie a bit be er by reading through the script quite a few mes, and inves ga ng what my personal reac ons and emo ons would be, were I in her shoes.

Wynand: Mental prepara on for a character is one of the easiest things an actor can do if he goes through the process of analysing the script, ge ng to know the character’s history, and learning what the character needs.

.MOV-e: What did you enjoy most about making Karate Kallie?

Leani: I would have to say the best moment was seeing the fi nal product for the fi rst me on the big screen at the premiere. It’s very hard work with long hours and drama on set, but when you see the results, you feel like it was all worth it in the end.

Wynand: My experience of working with some of South Africa’s most brilliant actors and the general process of crea ng a fi lm.

.MOV-e: How would you say Karate Kallie infl uenced your career?


7

Leani: It defi nitely helped my career. Everything adds worth to your CV, and experience is very important. I also got good exposure and slowly but surely I’m building a name and reputa on for myself.

Wynand: Publicity-wise it defi nitely helped my career as people now know who I am. It also opened several doors through the contacts I created on set.

.MOV-e: How did the fact that you two are in a re-la onship infl uence your approach towards Karate Kallie?

Leani: When it comes to work, Wynand and I are both very professional. I wouldn’t say it infl uenced the quality of our work or our approach, but it sure is nice to have him around most of the me.

Wynand: I won’t say that it had a direct infl uence on the diff erent characters, but it defi nitely makes it easier to work with someone you’re comfortable with.

.MOV-e: Describe Karate Kallie in one word?

Leani: Pokkels

Wynand: Proud

.MOV-e: What scene was the most challenging?

Leani: I would have to say the fi nal scene. It was shot just before sunrise, a er we’d been busy the en re previous day. It’s not easy to s ll give your best when you didn’t sleep for quite some me.

Wynand: Defi nitely the scene where Kallie gets off the bus and gets confronted by the gang. This scene was shot over two days and compe ng with unbe-lievably hot temperatures and traffi c made it one of the hardest scenes to get through.

.MOV-e: How did you feel about working with the director, Wimpie van der Merwe?

Leani: There is very li le bad anybody can say about Wimpie. I think his biggest a ribute is his profession-alism; even when things get tough.

Wynand: All I can say is that he is one of the most pa ent people I have ever met in my life; so if you’re ever in trouble, his number is 082...

.MOV-e: How was it working with both the younger and older co-stars?

Leani: It was great fun working with the younger ac-tors as we had been close friends since the short fi lm was shot. It was a great privilege to work amongst some of South Africa’s greatest Afrikaans actors.

Wynand: Both were unbelievably pa ent, hard-work-ing, and commi ed to crea ng the fi nal product. These people have become more like a family to me.

.MOV-e: Are you sa sfi ed with the end-product?

Leani: I s ll some mes look at the fi lm and see things I could have done diff erent; but I think you’ll always fi nd something. I am proud to be associated with Ka-rate Kallie though...

Wynand: I don’t think anyone can ever be truly sat-isfi ed, especially in an industry where perfec on is very seldom—if ever—reached.

.MOV-e: How do you deal with cri que from Film cri cs?

Leani: I think you know when it is posi ve cri que and when not. I take everything they say with a pinch of salt.

Wynand: I don’t read them...

.MOV-e: What new projects are you working on now?

Leani: I am currently a presenter on a local radio sta on’s breakfast show and hope to have my own “dedicated to the arts” show soon. Furthermore it’s audi ons and audi ons and audi ons...

Wynand: A new fi lm by The Film Factory called Superhelde, which will be released in April 2011.

.MOV-e: Thank you both. We wish you the very best for the future.

If you are interested in using Wynand or Leani for your own produc on, mail your proposal and contact details to [email protected] and we will pass it on to them for you.


8

www.karatekallie.co.za

hasaaaaaan CHOP!

We headlock Wimpie van der Merwe, writer/director of Karate Kallie and force him to spill the beans on making his movie and movie making in general.

Would you mind briefl y telling our members what the story is about?

The basic story revolves around a chubby 17 year old that goes to a new school. He doesn’t quite fi t in and becomes the vic m of the local school bully. To make ma ers worse, he falls in love with the bully’s sister. Luckily for our hero Kallie, his tow-truck driving brother, Mike, whom is also hooked on Kung-fu movies, decides to help Kallie gain the respect he needs. This is the start for a rollercoaster of laughter.

Tell us about Karate Kallie…how did the fi lm happen?

It all started with a short fi lm, with the same tle, that I made as a fi nal year project at the TUT fi lm school in Pretoria in 2006. (The original idea was sparked while edi ng a music video with 2 of the lead characters

in it earlier that year.) The short fi lm, surprisingly, went on to win several awards at the fi lm school and various fes vals. This got everybody really keen in the fi lm and M-NET eventually bought it to be aired on their channel. It is in fact s ll showing from me to me. This also got another person, media law a orney, Charl Groenewald, interested in mee ng me. He is just as passionate about making fi lms and saw something he thought could work. We started a company called, New Trend Media, and our fi rst venture was set out to become the development of the feature fi lm; Karate Kallie.

What inspired Karate Kallie?

Kallie is one of those free characters where I could probably explore a bit of myself in him. The story is defi nitely in some why a resemblance of experience, not only from me, but from various characters and scenarios in my past.

Why do you think Kallie has become such an endearing hero for local teens?

I think most people, including the teens, can in some way, and even on total diff erent levels, associate with the character. He is lovable and fun to look at. He makes you think and I suppose people would like to have such a character as a friend.

Was it a diffi cult fi lm to make? Explain?

Well, it now needed to be about 4 mes longer than the short. This made it quite a challenge to adapt the script and s ll keep it as fresh and funny as the original. The other challenge was also the extended amount of eff ort, long hours and hard work, which needed to go into ge ng the fi lm shot. Working with some professional actors was also somewhat in mida ng, but a great learning curve.


10

The weather was also a was also a bummer during the period in which we shot the fi lm. November 2008 probably had the weirdest rainy and sunny days in the whole of history.

How diffi cult is it to make a fi lm in South Africa? What are the obstacles?

It can become quite a daun ng task. It’s not easy to get people to trust enough in such a big project. This always results in the funding being one of the most diffi cult hurdles to overcome. Another aspect is the fact that we have so many diff erent culture groups. This makes it very diffi cult to pinpoint a target market and audience.

What excites you about fi lmmaking?

First of all the people. It’s always a diff erent scenario and environment. Some mes it feels like it becomes a small family working together. It’s never monotonous. The other very interes ng and wonderful thing about being a writer, is the fact that you can search, research and explore anything in the world. You can become part of any kind of job for example and learn everything about it and never actually have to study or even execute any part thereof. You are in fact just crea ng a story about it. It helps me to focus on life and the future. I think it’s part of living life to the fullest and trying to reach that inner goal.

Have you always wanted to make fi lms? Where did it all start for you?

I was fascinated with stories and books from an early age. As I grew up I also developed an interest in the entertainment industry. I started my own li le mobile DJ business at age 12. This just made me meet more interes ng people and I knew that I was heading in the right direc on. I took a year off a er school to make sure and decided to merge the love of stories and the love of entertaining people. So I went on to study fi lm and I fi nished my B-tech degree in Wri ng and Direc ng at the TUT fi lm school in 2006. Since then there were no turning back.

As a young fi lmmaker, do you think the SA fi lm industry accommodates enough concerns of the youth?

I defi nitely think a lot is being tackled through television at least, but even there some extra views and inspira on would be appreciated. For the fi lm side, especially feature fi lms, a lot can s ll be done and the arena is open. We need young enthusias c people with a clear vision to help build the industry. I must add that the industry is probably at its best it’s been in a long me and from here it can only grow be er and stronger; crea ng even more opportuni es.

Would you briefl y describe the movie making process from start to the fi nished product so our readers can understand the eff ort that goes into a 2-hour movie?

I don’t think here is enough space to write it all out! I’ll try to give you the extra shortened, shortest version of a tenth of the most shortened version that I can. First of all you need a strong, good, sellable and worthy enough script. This can take anything from at least 3 months to eternity to write. Then comes the “trying to fi nd funding” process and working out that budget. This is crucial, because as soon as you’re going into pre-produc on and planning, some people already need to start working and they would like to get paid. This is probably the most important stage as well. If the planning is done well, a lot of things just fall easier into place at a later stage. This will include fi nding loca ons, cas ng of actors, doing a storyboard of the movie with fl oor plans and shot lists, organizing equipment, ge ng a crew, etc. A lot of people are involved to make this work. A er this comes the fun part, with its own amount of problems: Shoo ng your movie! It took only 26 days to shoot Karate Kallie.

W ld b i fl d ib th i ki


11

When all is hopefully fi nished and everyone is happy, we go into post-produc on. This can some mes even take longer than the pre-produc on phase. This will include days and even months in front of the edi ng computer system, cu ng down hours of footage into an hour and a half or so, to be able to get the movie in an appropriate state to be watched and approved by the distributor, in this case; Ster-Kinekor. Then comes the fi nal tweaks and touches (colour, eff ects etc.) to get the movie p top. The sound also has to be professionally mixed inside a studio. This is another lengthy process in general. A er this the movie must go to the encoding studio which checks, fi xes, approves and encodes the fi lm for sending it out to the theatre. In the meanwhile a huge marke ng campaign starts running with movie trailers, music videos and all kinds of marke ng tools to hopefully get everyone interested enough to go and watch the movie. If this was successful, and everybody is paid, you would hopefully have enough money to start the process all over again...

Do you need special permits or permission to fi lm a movie, or could you just pitch up at a loca on with your actors and equipment and start fi lming?

Every li le thing you do needs either a permit or a proper contract. In some cases even stricter than others, depending on the situa on. You’re not even safe in the woods, because somewhere, somehow, some city council or land owner or just a party buster will fi nd out and stop you in your tracks. This does not forbid you to try a few under the radar guerrilla tac cs to get what you need though... But yes, unfortunately, be warned.

What basic equipment would you need to make a short movie like the Karate Kallie that was aired on M-NET?

First of all a proper broadcast quality camera with its tripod. Then a few fi lm designed lights, especially for the night shoots. (Don’t even bother shoo ng without that extra light. Even during the day you’ll use extra refl ectors to highlight dark and shadow areas. As a result, day shoots are mostly easier, faster and cheaper.) Then you would need some equipment to make the camera move smoothly during certain shots, like a dolly (the trolley on the tracks), a jib (the long arm that can move the camera up and down) etc. You can try to do some handheld shots, but these

are rarely smooth and looks cheap if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Mostly all this equipment is hired in from a company. It’s just too expensive to buy and also not really worth it if you only have it for personal use. Then you need some people with skill to operate it all. The short fi lm was shot on a very ght budget (± R 10 000) with a crew of only six people, including me.

Do you think that local produc ons would have to focus on crime and poverty before it’s taken seriously, or would movies like Karate Kallie also be able to bag an award?

I think the crime, poverty and poli cal dramas are becoming ever so slightly saturated now. I’m not saying we don’t need these, any country does, but we need to start telling stories without preaching and fi nger poin ng. A good story is where a good fi lm starts. We have a lot of those in this country. Hopefully the budgets can become bigger and so the quality can also be raised another bar.

What are you working on now?

I am doing a bit of research for my next script (which I can’t elaborate too much on now) and then just some normal freelance camera, sound and edi ng jobs to keep the mind sane and the hands busy. There are some other business ventures as well and they will hopefully realise and be revealed in good me.

Any advice for aspirant fi lmmakers and writers?

Never think that your dream is too big. I set myself a goal to try and make a movie before I’m 30 years old. (Ini ally that was almost an impossible dream). I’m now only 27 years of age and I did it. It might not be an Oscar winner yet, but hopefully I’m headed in the right direc on. You have to get in there and get yourself no ced. You’ll never know unless you take the chance.

If you would like to invest in Wimpie’s next movie or use him for one of your projects, simply contact him by sending an e-mail to [email protected]


12

Scriptwriting 101:Basic tips and techniques when writing your screenplay

By Wimpie van der Merwe

In this article we will look at the basic fundamentals of writing your screenplay. We will start by giving some insight on where one can search for that great idea and even deal with some basics on exactly how a script’s format should look. More advanced terms and techniques will be covered in the following issues as we progress and also some do’s and don’ts. So let’s get going...

1) First things fi rst, before you can even consider to start writing a script, it is vital that you already have a story. This might sound silly, but you at least have to know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there.

2) It’s easiest to have the ending already in mind and then to write towards that ending.

3) There are numerous ways to go about fi nding that signifi cant story. Personal experience is usually the best route. It is a given that your story would have that extra edge if you can relate to it in some or other way, be it through a certain scenario, a type of character etc. You will be able to give your script that extra bit of heart and believability.

4) There are so many places to look for stories as long as you can relate to it; Experience (as above), other peoples’ experiences around you (friends, family members etc.), dreams, news events, magazines, brainstorming with friends and so forth.

5) Be sure that you have convincing, intriguing and well-rounded characters. The audience must relate or at least feel something for your character.

6) Be sure that your characters differ enough from each other. This makes the scenarios and the dialogue more interesting.

7) Confl ict is the main driving force behind any good story. Confl ict brings obstacles (physical, mental, emotional etc.) in your main character’s way which he/she/it must overcome to reach that end goal.

8) Don’t use too much dialogue in general. There are exceptions, but remember; Film is a visual medium. Try and convey information with the least possible dialogue. Less is more!

9) A general rule is that 1 page of a script will approximately equal 1 minute of screen time in your fi lm. This can vary, but be careful. For example; when you write something like: “The army crosses the river.” It is only one simple line, but the actions in your fi lm would certainly take longer than the few seconds this line represents. Try to justify the length needed on screen with the amount written on page. So, a 90 minute fi lm = a ±90 page script.

10) There are specifi c scriptwriting software programs on the market which you can write with. These programs acknowledge the layout (i.e. font, spacing, shortcuts etc.) of a movie script and make life a lot easier. Some titles include: “Movie Magic Screenwriter”, “Final Draft” and others.

The basic layout, would look something like this example:

FADE IN:

INT. RESTAURANT – DAY

STEVEN and his wife, JENNY, are having a casual lunch at a restaurant with some friends. He is dressed in a T-shirt, shorts and sneakers. Everyone is cheerful as they await their food. They are talking about Steven’s fruit and vegetable shop.

MARK So Steven, veggie shop doing okay?

STEVEN Business is tough. It’s nice to get out for a change.

MARK(sarcastically)

We heard you’re buying that butchery across the road?

STEVEN Why not? Then I could legally burn it to the ground.

MARK just laughs at Steven. The food arrives and they all sit back. The waitress puts their plates down on the table. Steven is having a Greek salad; he is a vegetarian, while Jenny is having a steak.

JENNY(excited)

Haven’t had one of these in a while.

FOCUS ON STEVEN’S FACE

Steven takes a glimpse at Jenny’s steak as she starts cutting it. It is medium rare and there is some blood coming out of it. Steven is revolted at the site of the meat. He gets up quickly to go to the restroom. The others just look at each other, confused.

CUT TO:

EXT. PARKING AREA – LATER

So, put on your thinking caps and start developing those stories. The most important key to writing a script is re-writing your script. Don’t aim for the ultimate script with draft number 1. Keep on writing and improving.

JOZIReview:

Jaqueline van Niekerk shares her views on the movie Jozi

Cast: Carl Beukes, Jena Dover, Lionel Newton, Moshidi Moshegwa, James Bortwick, Frank Opperman, Lindi Matshikiza

Cast: Carl Beukes, Jena Dover, Lionel Newton, Moshidi Moshegwa, James Bortwick, , ,, FFrFrFrFFFranananankkk k Opperman, Lindi Matshikiza

First things fi rst – Local is lekker and we are always glad for any fi lm producion in South Africa.

As the fi lm starts and I sit in the cinema with my popcorn and coke, I await the new and exci ng local produc on. Jozi takes us on a journey with James, fi nding himself and his humour.

There is nothing worse for a comedy scriptwriter to lose his sense of humour. He encounters quite a few obstacles during the fi lm. Yet, he feels you cannot have a sense of humour in Johannesburg due to all the crime and the constant irrita on of the street hawkers selling feather dusters; not taking no for an answer (we can relate to James - ed). Having a lot of problems, issue’s and stress, James struggles to cope with it all and he turns to drugs.

A er throwing his producer’s computer out of the window, his friends, family and colleagues try to help him by kindly forcing him to join the rehabilita on centre. The conclusion is that he loses everything: his job, his girlfriend, and the respect of his friends. At the centre, he meets a faithful friend and companion, Mar n, who later helps him escape from the concentra on camp-like centre. So begins the road of ‘freedom’ and redemp on for James.

He eventually gets work wri ng for a sitcom, but due to his struggle with writers-block, the naïve sitcom characters come alive in his mind to try and assist him. In the mean me, James meets Brenda, who helps him see the beau ful side of Jozi. The clear message, that in everything, there is an ugly side as well as a beau ful side.

What worked with the fi lm?

Most South Africans would relate with James and his frustra on with the street hawkers. The camera work is funky and I love the edi ng of the fi lm. It suits the fi lm and it also makes it more amusing and funny. Carl Beukes, that acted as James and Mar n (Lionel Newton) made a convincing act in the fi lm. The message is true; I personally like to see the beau ful side in everything. I don’t feel the story is original, but once again there is a nice message behind the madness of Jozi – which is beau ful. It is also great that local movies promote local bands and music and this is what they did in Jozi. Carl Beukes is charisma c and we wouldn’t mind seeing more of him on our big screens. I thoroughly enjoyed the fi lm.

What didn’t work?

It was a bit disappoin ng when the fi lm reached its climax. I felt there should have been more. I didn’t feel great or happy when I walked out of the cinema and I feel a person should walk out of the cinema feeling happy, or otherwise, know why you don’t feel good and there must be a good reason. And in this par cular fi lm, you should walk out feeling posi ve, so much that you want to go and live in Jo’burg.


17

The story was a bit too long and certain scenes were dragged out slightly, containing unnecessary informa on which does not necessarily contribute in moving the story/plot line forward. An example would be the scene where Mar n and James are pulled over by a traffi c cop.

James was in rehab for drugs, yet he had no side eff ects and was quickly rehabilitated of cocaine…I wasn’t sold on his easy recovery.The character development doesn’t really evolve much during the fi lm and at a certain point in the fi lm, it stagnates.

Moshidi Moshegwa over-acted her role as the demanding sitcom boss a bit.

This movie is a light-hearted fi lm, so the dark ligh ng during the fi lm, did not enhance a happy feeling. Maybe they could have made it more colourful, to get that happy feeling out there…

I know my mother would not like this fi lm, but my father might.

Edi ng: 8 Character Development: A disappoin ng 5Cinematography (camera work) and ligh ng: 7Direc ng: 7Ac ng: 7Set design; Costumes: 8Script: 6Story: 7Pay off : 5Sound: 8

Total Score: 68%

Would I buy the DVD? Only if there’s nothing else that I want at that moment.

Share your review about this fi lm in our forums. Log into www.mov-e.co.za and tell us what you thought.

We want your stuff !

Send us your 2 to 24-minute short fi lm and if it’s good, it will be included in our annual short movie DVD. The best three will win awards.

Closing Date: 15 November, 2010

Send all submissions to:.MOV-e

P.O. Box 11874Wierda Park-South

0057

The only requirement is that you must be the copyright owner of the movie.

For more info, mail us on [email protected]


18

“Making this fi lm was scary as hell.”

We Interview underdog director, Andrew Revthump Wilmot about his fi rst movie, The Race-ist and the challenges he had to overcome in order to realize his dream.

Please give a brief descrip on about the Race-ist.

An Ac on/Comedy about a young guy that learns to race in the Brakpan quartermile drag racing scene.

Where did it all start for you?

I’ve loved movies since I was a kid. I saw Conan the Destroyer at the Odeon movie theatre in Grahamstown and was hooked. I think I’ve watched movies almost every weekend since then. Some mes two movies a week; some mes the same movie up to 5 or 6 mes.

Do you have any ter ary qualifi ca ons in fi lm produc on and do you think it is a ‘must’?

Naa, I did a quick course at TEF just to fi gure out what all the names on the list at the end of a movie mean. Haha. I reckon educa on would help stacks, but I never had the bucks for such luxuries. Jump in and learn to swim!

Why did you choose the tle (and theme): ”The Race-ist”?

I hate racism! It was a great stab at the old school reverence of the word. I think we need to lighten up and stop making issues out of things we can’t change. I’m white, you’re black or yellow or whatever... can’t change that with nas ness so we might as well accept it and just get along. So yeah… once you take the teeth out of the shallow minded imbecile soup

that is racism, you can poke fun at it with words like Race-ism – Driving really fast!

Where you nervous about making a fi lm touching on some sensi ve issues in South Africa, especially with the inten on of making it a “Blockbuster”?

I dunno if we’ve got a Blockbuster here. We had less money than some people might think. We just got stuck in and made the coolest movie we could with the awesome talent we had available! And yes, I’m nervous as hell! The longest thing I directed before this was like 3 minutes or something.

What was the most challenging part in shoo ng this fi lm and why? How did you overcome it?

We shot it in 2009 – Epic economy fail! Our sponsors and investors were dropping like fl ies midway through the principle photography! We overcame it by not stopping, by driving through the storm and s cking to our guns! We never gave up; just kept asking other investors and sponsors to jump in when our original bunch went belly up. Tough as hell but we survived, and we are much stronger and be er a er the experience.

What is the average budget a fi rst me fi lmmaker would need to look at before planning to shoot a fi lm of this standard and calibre?


20

“We overcame it by not stopping, “We overcame it by not stoby driving through the storm and by driving through the stors cking to our guns!”s cking to our guns!”

“We overcame it by not stopping, opping, by driving through the storm and m and s cking to our guns!”

Whatever you can lay your hands on! This fi lm was my fi lm school! Go as big and as loud as you can. With great risk comes great reward and with great failure comes great growth. Either way, you win!

Is it diffi cult to get funding?

It’s almost impossible. For every 100 ‘No’ s you might get a yes – so get cracking on those No’s so you can get to your ‘Yes’ faster!

Would you briefl y describe making a fi lm like “The Race-ist” from pre-produc on to the fi nished project?

Briefl y? Hahahahah.Ok, I’ll try: The original plan was to make a sitcom about two of my buddies, Juan Kruger and Kenneth Blaire who I aff ec onately named 'Fillus' and 'Cummef'. Their banter is always hilarious; I thought it would be lekker to put it on screen...I penned the script for a pilot episode and started asking around for some bucks to get it done. No go, no-one was interested.

I was working for a mul media company at that point who also thought my idea was a bit weak and didn't deem it a good investment of me and resource. I le it for a bit and worked on some other stuff un l I randomly brought the subject up in a conversa on

Making the Race-ist in South Africa was like drowning while your parents watch. Luckily I learned to swim, but most fi lm makers don’t.

with some friends. They said it would be cool as a sitcom, but way be er as a movie.

At that point I had never directed anything longer than 3 minutes, so even a sitcom was a stretch for me but I thought, "why the hell not". Off I went, looking for interest in a movie about two mechanics who get Bio Fuel out of manure and need a driver to test it. Funnily enough, when I did my sums, I saw that it would cost about the same to make an en re movie as it would to make a pilot episode for my sitcom.

I started asking diff erent people for the money to shoot the promo, a kind of fake trailer that would show people what I had in mind for the look and feel of the fi lm. A er about 4 months of asking and pitching, I met Andre Marich, a business man who got excited about the project and jumped in boots and all with me to raise the bucks.

A er a month or two we fi nally found a sponsor to help us shoot the promo onal trailer. On the night of the shoot, the sponsor apologized and said that they actually did not have money... hahahaha… so began our bap sm into the fi lm industry. So there we were, bright eyed, bushy tailed, with a stunning promo and already over 100k in debt... We started pitching like crazy to get sponsors and investors to make our fi lm. For every 20 nega ve responses, we had a posi ve response, most of who turned out to not actually have the money they said they had. I think 2009 was just a bad year all round!


23

A er a while we managed to convince Nu Metro to jump onboard and put their stamp on it. This made it a lot easier to get the sponsors and investors excited! I must say, Nu Metro’s an amazing bunch of people. They were literally the only (fi lm) ins tu on who would give us the me of day! We gave them a lot to worry about throughout the produc on, but they stuck to their guns and kept encouraging and suppor ng us all the way! Without them - no fi lm!

We started shoo ng The Race-ist in June 2009, sponsors in the bag, investors in the bag and a lot of money wai ng for us upon comple on of the project. One week into the shoot and the the fan needed toilet paper! Sponsors started wobbling under the pressure of the economic storm and the fi rst budgets to go were the marke ng budgets.

Our cash fl ow hit a sinkhole of note! Top that off with crew that had not been paid by previous jobs and you have the REAL produc on hell. I think at one point, my crew were thinking of buying pitchforks and spades so that no one would fi nd my body when they were done with me! I think it can be compared to marrying a woman whose previous husband had cheated on her... and then ge ng a compromising sms from an ex girlfriend. No ma er how hard you try to explain that you are a good guy, you may as well start drawing up the papers!

Making this fi lm was scary as hell. But I pushed through and the crew pushed through and here and there, money came through to save the day in li le ways that counted. Thank God for some of the bigger suppliers who commi ed to weather the storm with us, without them we would have folded halfway through the produc on phase.

Anyhoo...

We hit post produc on with great gusto and a lot of missing scenes; no money to shoot ‘em, and a ruthless post produc on team that eventually held us to ransom. I tell you, we had to dig deep to fi nish this baby!

The whole me, through the pre-produc on, produc on and post-produc on, we kept pitching for sponsors and investors. It was literally 20 months of pitching. I tell you, we pitched to anything that moved!

At some point my wife and I lost our house and car. We were literally homeless for about 3 months during the post-produc on, living with friends and family while we kept pitching for the bucks to fi nish our fi lm.

Let me just say this: My wife is awesome!

Hell or high water, we would fi nish our fi lm and that’s exactly what we have done!

The day a er Christmas 2009, we fi nally found Nico Muller who agreed to give us the bridging fi nance to fi nish the movie. It was enough to pay some bills and get the gear we needed to shoot some fi nal scenes. We also did a call to some Facebook groups where we found some amazing volunteers who jumped into the shoot days and helped us fi nish our baby! One of them, Christopher Grant Harvey, ended up being our new editor as well. He worked non-stop for two months on the edit and helped me turn my movie into something we can be proud of. Epic win!

So ja, we faced the storm, chased our dream fana cally and made our movie!

What kind of equipment was needed for this, regarding the shoo ng and edi ng phases?

We shot on:Arri D21Red OneCanon 5D MkIICanon 7DSony EX1Sony EX3

All edited in Final Cut Pro.

Audio in Cubase and Pro Tools.

What are your views about the future of South African movies and the industry?

My views are a bit dark. We have this paradox of the most talented people in the universe completely unsupported by the public (Less than 1.5 million South Africans watch movies at the cinema) and completely under supported by Government ins tu ons, who are meant to not only fund the fi lm industry, but also guide us in the right direc on. If something doesn’t


24

change there fast, we’ll keep bleeding talent like we are at the moment. I certainly won’t s ck around to be humiliated and ignored by those ins tu ons. It’s tragic! It forces your hand. We get off ered interna onal jobs all the me. As patrio c as a lot of us are, we s ll want to fulfi l our passion with the best tools possible. Making the Race-ist in South Africa was like drowning while your parents watch. Luckily I learned to swim, but most fi lm makers don’t.

What did you learn from your experience by making “The Race-ist”?

Anything is possible. Just don’t give up!

How was it to work with actors and celebri es, such as Ian Roberts, DJ Fresh and Kurt Darren?

Awesome! These are humble professionals who are as eager to make your project work as you are. It was really an honour for me!

Who is your main target audience for “The Race-ist”?

Boys who dig toys!

Do you have any advice for our readers if they want to break into the fi lm industry?

‘Break’ is the right word.

My advice:Grow a pair, get your head down and forget the cri cs and the nega ve barkers around you. Everyone in this industry has had terrible experiences, don’t let that stop you. Film making is a ba le fi eld. You are a commander. When you understand these things, you will enjoy your journey and relish every victory! Don’t fl inch when things go wrong; change your plans when you have to. Rewrite your script on the fl y if you can’t get the stuff you need in front of the camera. There are no failures, only lessons.

Are there any new projects in the pipeline?

Of course! Watch this space, The Race-ist fi lm school is over. I’m about to make my real babies!

Currently at selected cinemas

Watch it now!

www.race-ist.co.za

25

BAKGAT! 2

Sy n ops i s :

U/21 Rugby hero, Wimpie Koekemoer, is off ered a contract to play Rugby in England. While Katrien is rehearsing a play with au s c children, she also tries everything in her power to keep Wimpie in the country. Fanie struggles to get used to Chris e’s plump post-high school body, while Japie and Liezl encounter “sizable” problems of their own. Super jock, Werner “Killer” Botha, joins the Unitas U/21 team, threatening Wimpie’s posi on within the Rugby team.

The Unitas coach decides to let Werner play in Wimpie’s place in the semi-fi nals and Werner outdoes himself. Wimpie plans to ask Katrien for her hand in marriage so both of them can move to England to pursue his Rugby career. In the mean me, Japie and Fanie are busy with their usual clowning about that land them both in more trouble than they can handle. Wimpie and Werner’s hatred for each other intensifi es as they compete for the lead posi on in the team and Katrien’s love.

Meanwhile Wimpie’s mother, Ester Koekemoer, is convinced that her son has serious emo onal problems and works out a plan to save him from the clutches of the devil.

Bakgat! 2 is fi lled to the brim with fun and surprises and projects a posi ve South African theme.

- All ADSL is directly onto the IS backbone

- No start-up fees

- No contracts: Month-to-month payment

- No rolling caps

- All protocols & applica ons allowed Certain applica ons will receive network priority

- Pricing per month incl. VAT

- Pricing subject to Debit Order sign up

- E&OE

!! SPECIAL !!Place your May AD before the 20th of April and

receive 60% discount!

Contact Len du Randt at [email protected]

There is a saying that the best special eff ects in the world cannot make a terrible story be er. A fi lm maker’s focus should thus fi rst and foremost be on the quality of the story. Everything else is merely an extension of that. However, once you have that award-winning script in place, video eff ects (VFX) could certainly add an extra dimension to your fi lm if applied correctly.

Special eff ects are used in almost every Hollywood movie today. Some mes its uses are so subtle that one could watch an en re movie like Forrest Gump without realizing that it’s li ered with special eff ects while other movies like 2012 almost numb the senses with its showcase of explosions, collapsing buildings, and dal waves.

In some cases, the special eff ects in huge Hollywood blockbusters are real and created in carefully controlled environments under the supervision of a host of industry experts, but more o en than not, everything you see has been du fully created on computers by digital ar sts. Over the next few issues, we will show you exactly how some of these spectacular eff ects are created. The main problem with special eff ects in the local fi lm industry is that can be quite expensive. Depending on the complexity of the project, some of the huge eff ects houses overseas are reported to charge up to $ 100.00 per frame of edi ng. The standard big screen movie has 24 frames per second, so going at the reported rate, one could easily see why it cost hundreds of millions of dollars do make fi lms like Avatar. Thus, if you would want to use one of the Hollywood power houses like Industrial Light & Magic or The Orphanage for your Independent Film, at our current exchange rate, even at $ 1.00 per frame, a

mere one minute’s worth of edi ng could exceed R 10 000. Of course, not all houses were created equal and not all of them charge per frame. Local studios are more aff ordable than overseas studios, but if you opt to do it yourself, you could get more or less the same results at a frac on of the price. It’s all about the so ware you use and what quality you’re prepared to be sa sfi ed with.

With modern technology where it is today; it’s easy for the average Joe out there to run his or her own VFX Studio from their bedroom. Because prices of Hardware and So ware are at an all- me low and free tutorials are sca ered all over the Internet, those with virtually no budget or experience are now able to blast their way through outer space in no me.

To date, most of South Africa’s mainstream releases were mainly poli cal sa res so there really wasn’t any need for Hollywood-like special eff ects. Although District 9 was not strictly speaking a South African movie in every sense of the word, it s ll made people sit upright and realize that we could certainly broaden our horizons when it comes to movie making.

A small independent movie maker with almost no budget could s ll incorporate awesome eff ects into their short fi lms or mo on pictures. Here are some examples of what could be achieved for as li le as R 5 500.00:

29


Colour Correc on:

Something as simple as sucking out a li le red and boos ng some blue and green into your footage could create an en rely diff erent mood in your fi lm that could change it from dull to exci ng. Saturate the scene a li le and add a Vigne e and you might just have a Hollywood-looking movie on your hands. There are hundreds of eff ects one could apply to the colour of a movie and most video-edi ng so ware these days can perform even complex colour correc ons.

Muzzle Flashes & Op cs:

Many South African fi lms omit footage where someone fi res a gun for the mere fact that most guns used in fi lms are either plas c, broken, or unloaded. Crea ng a realis c-looking muzzle fl ash or gun recoil is somewhat complex, but no longer out of reach of the average South African movie maker. The same goes for standard op cs like lens fl ares, plasma rays, and also laser beams.

VFX: Taking a closer look

30


Par cles: From fi re to smoke to bu erfl ies or a swarm of locusts; par cles are almost used everywhere you look these days. Embrace par cles and you could take your project to a whole new level.


31


Stock Footage:

If you would like to blow up a car or even a building, there’s no need to spend millions on it for your short fi lm. With stock footage, you can now incorporate realis c explosions, fi re, fl ying debris, blood spla er, and much more with a few simple clicks of the bu on.


32


Keying:

Shoot your actor in front of a blue or green screen and you can remove that screen with keying and replace the background with footage of your choice. No longer do you have to fl y your en re cast or crew to Paris for one scene in front of the Eiff el Tower. With proper ligh ng and colour correc on, the illusion would go unno ced and your budget uncapped.


33


We will cover each of these eff ects in more detail in issues to come, but if you can’t wait that long and would like to get started immediately, we would recommend you start your journey at h p://fxhome.com/blockbuster-movie-kit and take a look at what this awesome so ware could do for you and your produc on. FXHome’s BlockBuster Movie Kit will cost you around R 5 500.00 (depending on the exchange rate), but with it, you will receive:

• HD Video Edi ng• Special Eff ects• Advanced Composi ng• DVD & Blu-ray Authoring• Soundtrack & Sound Design• Upload to YouTube• 4 Tutorial DVDs• Stock Footage• Massive Green Screen

So for those aspiring fi lm makers who are really interested in changing the movie industry of South Africa, it seems that your imagina on—and no longer your budget—is your only limita on.

For more informa on on available FXHome prod-ucts, visit h p://fxhome.com/products


Do not se le for mediocre movies!

AdForgeNow anyone can afford special effects!

* Colour Correc on * Muzzle Flashes * Op cs * Par cles * Green/Blue Screen Keying * Much more!

Contact [email protected] for more information

34


Synopsis:Synopsis:

Paul Kruger, Producer and DOP of ‘Liefl ing, die Movie’, listened to the Mama Mia CD, saw the DVD and decided that it’s time for an Afrikaans Musical. After all, there hasn’t

been an Afrikaans musical since the early ‘80’s (about 30 years ago). He got his team together and started working.

Liefl ing is a love story that plays off in the Hartbeespoort area. It’s all about the life of ‘Liefl ing’ Marias, a young girl who has a passion for life and adventure and lives on a farm with her family. Her father, Simon, is a professor at the University of Pretoria and we meet three of his students, Jan, Pieter and Gert; which also live in Hartbeespoort. The story begins with the start of the December holidays with lots of girls eyeing Jan and his friends. However, Jan meets Liefl ing, and a love story unfolds with lots of laughter and tears.

‘Liefl ing, die Movie’ has a star-studded cast e.g. Sonja Herholdt, Rouel Beukes, Elize Cawood, Paul du Toit, Sylvaine Strike, Kurt Darren, Anna Davel, Willem

‘Liefl ing, die Movie’

will be released in November

2010

Botha, Monique Nortjie and many more. It’s a feel-good movie and people from young to old will enjoy it.

Johan Heystek had to re-arrange most of the music in the movie. The soundtrack includes songs from the 70’s to 2009 Kurt Darren hit, Kaptein. Lika Berning plays the lead role of Liefl ing and Bobby van Jaarsveld is the male lead.

The fi rst big scene was shot in November 2009 at the University of Pretoria. The main fi lming was done between 11 January and 2 March 2010 and at the moment the fi lm is in post production.

XH G1S and XH A1S

We take a look at Canon’s HD Video Camera Recorders XH G1S and XH A1S – two handheld, professional-quality HDV1080i (High Defi ni on Video) camcorders that build on the successful legacy of the XH G1 and XH A1.

Flexible handheld professional production:Canon HD Video Camera Recorders XH G1S and XH A1S developed from user feedback

Key enhancements made over the predecessor models include: a redesigned lens for more comfortable opera on; enhanced audio features; and an expanded range of crea ve shoo ng op ons. Off ering videographers unprecedented levels of control over what they shoot, the XH G1S and XH A1S have been developed and refi ned based on feedback from exis ng XH-series users.

“The XH G1S and XH A1S take low budget HDV produc on to the next level,” said Karel Poortman, European Professional Video Specialist. “A er listening to the opinions of exis ng XH-series users, Canon now off ers an expanded range of customisable op ons and fl exible recording features to lowbudget moviemakers and event videographers.”

The new XH G1S and XH A1S:- Professional quality 1080i HD recording with selectable frame rates (50i / 25F) o High resolu on 1/3” 1.67 Megapixel 3CCD sensor system o DIGIC DV II for high-speed HD image processing- Re-designed 20x HD Video Lens with separate Focus, Zoom and Iris rings allowing simultaneous three fi nger control.- Expanded audio op ons, including: o Independent limiters in manual mode o Simultaneous use of built-in and XLR microphones o Independent XLR sensi vity se ngs- Expanded image customisa on op ons, plus Cine Gamma controls. - Improved mechanical design for even greater robustness and ease-of-use- NTSC shoo ng modes (60i / 24F / 30F) available via op onal upgrade.- Studio connec vity (XH G1S only) o HD-SDI output for uncompressed Full HD (1920x1080) video with 4:2:2 colour sampling and embedded audio o Gen lock in and Time code in/out for mul -camera shoots in a studio environment- Canon CPS Video service support: registra on required via the CPN website(www.canon-europe.com/cpn)


Re-designed lens

Re-designed for more comfortable and effi cient opera on, the Canon HD 20x op cal zoom 4.5-90mm (32.5-650mm 35mm equivalent) L lens incorporates a shi type Super Range Op cal Image Stabilizer (OIS), helping professionals who shoot handheld achieve reliably steady shots. L-series lenses are constructed to very highest standards, drawing on Canon’s experience as the world’s leading manufacturer of lenses for broadcast. Fluorite lens elements and Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) glass provide excep onal clarity, helping to combat chroma c aberra ons. Two Neutral Density (ND) fi lters allow the iris to be opened fully, even in the brightest condi ons. Mul -coa ng virtually eliminates ghos ng and fl are. With three separate rings – off ering simultaneous, independent control of Focus, Zoom and Iris – the lens off ers enhanced operability. Lens ring opera on can be modifi ed to suit individual needs: Focus Limit and Iris Limit can be selected by the user. Four Focus Preset speeds are also available, ac vated via the Focus Preset bu on. Addi onally, three Zoom Preset speeds allow the zoom rocker to be customised.

Enhanced audio func ons

The new XH G1S and XH A1S both incorporate twin XLR audio inputs. The XLR sensi vity of each channel can be controlled independently and both feature separate manual limiters. Independent control of auto and manual levels is also possible for each channel. The supplied, front mounted stereo microphone can be used as a mono source, recording to one of the XLR channels.

Fully customisable: advanced image control

The range of advanced image control func ons has been expanded. These now include:- Wider White Balance adjustment (from 2000k to 15000k)- Selec ve RGB noise reduc on op ons- Auto Gain Control (AGC) limit, with increased Gain levels and fi ne-tuning- Push Auto Exposure (AE) bu on (in Manual mode)- Iris Limit func on (constrains the increased range

of available aperture values to less than f/9.5, helping to avoid diff rac on)- 23 Custom Presets, 21 Custom Func ons, 22 Custom Display op ons

Robust, intui ve design for work in the fi eld

For cameramen working in the fi eld, the XH G1S and XH A1S have an improved mechanical design. The opera on and layout of exterior bu ons have been altered, reducing the chance of accidental opera on. Addi onal refi nements include a redesigned belt grip, a tripod screw thread adaptor, improved viewfi nder eyecup, and sturdier terminals (including a 6-pin Firewire connec on). Allowing shoo ng setups to be easily recreated, custom presets can be stored to SD/MMC memory cards and shared with other XL and XH series camcorders. While up to nine presets can be stored in-camera, high-capacity MMC or SDHC cards (4GB or more) are now supported.

XH G1S: for studio produc ons

The XH G1S off ers addi onal studio connec vity for the last word in fl exibility. It features an HD-SDI output connec on, providing uncompressed Full HD at 1920x1080 resolu on with 4:2:2 colour space. Audio and Time code are embedded in the SDI signal. Gen lock in and Time code in/out allow the camcorder to be coordinated with other compa ble cameras, as either master or slave, in a mul camera shoot.

Canon CPS Video

Cameramen who purchase the XH G1S or XH A1S also benefi t from Canon Europe’s CPS Video service.

The CPS Video membership program off ers:- Priority repair service (six day turnaround)- Free loan equipment for repairs that will take longer than 6 days- Email and phone support from a dedicated local representa ve


37

Selected XH G1S and XH A1S EnhancementsSimultaneous three ring control YesSelectable zoom and focus ring response level YesWhite balance adjustment 2000k-15000k Push AE YesAGC Limit YesIris Limit YesFocus Limit YesSelective NR YesGain fi ne tuning YesFocus preset speeds 4Separate sensitivity settings for XLR input CH1 and CH2 YesSimultaneous use of built inmicrophone and external microphone (XLR input)

Yes

Independent auto/manual audio level control YesIndependent audio limiters (Manual mode) YesSecondary EVF display output Yes

Full details of Canon’s professional HD range, and more, is available on the Canon Professional Network (CPN) website: www.canon-europe.com/cpn

The New Sony HDR-AX2000 Camcorder

Sony’s proprietary “Exmor R” CMOS sensor enables op mum low light performance while the latest SteadyShot technology enables sharp movie capture.


39

Handycam® AVCHD Memory S ck series: HDR-AX2000

Technology is advancing at an amazing pace in our modern day. Some prosumer video cameras today are even be er than some of the professional cameras of only a few years ago, and the diff erence between the two are becoming lesser and lesser. Judging by the HDR-AX2000 prosumer video camera, these technological advancements show no sign of slowing.

The HDR-AX2000 boasts Sony’s exclusive high performance wide angle “G” lens with wider shoo ng area, new Ac ve SteadyShot technology with greater image stabiliza on, which should help out those of you with shaky arms, and up to 24mbps AVCHD movie format recording for professional grade video work. The HDR-AX2000 can capture 1920x1080/60i HD video as well as progressive scan video at 1080/30p and 1080/24p directly to Memory card.

Shoo ng in the 24p mode will also give you that advanced “fi lm” look, which will lend a unique movie feel to your footage; very diff erent from the normal 50i/60i video. Aside from its high bit-rate HD footage, AVCHD is also a great format if you want to ul mately burn your footage to Blu-ray, since the AVCHD2 codec is compa ble with the Blu-ray format.

Shoo ng in diffi cult low-light scenarios is also easily achieved with not one but three Exmor CMOS sensors built into the latest high-end Handycam® HDR-AX2000. It can capture footage in ligh ng situa ons as low as 1.5 lux. Op cally, the Sony AX2000 has a broad (20x) focal range equivalent of a wide 29.5mm to 590mm telephoto which should be suffi cient to sa sfy most fi lm makers' needs.

Equipped with dual Memory S ck and SD card slot and relay recording support, users can shoot extensively without worrying about storage capaci es. You'll get about 180 minutes of 24Mbps 60i recording per card. With two 32GB cards, one can easily capture up to 6 hours of full HD footage before you need to swap out cards. When one card is full, the camera automa cally switches over to the next card. The fact that everything is recorded to solid state media also means that accessing your video footage is now much faster and easier.The camera has a 1,227 pixel high-resolu on

viewfi nder to make focusing and composing your shots a breeze, and if you're more of a LCD person, the AX2000 also sports a 921,000-dot touch LCD display. The touch display allows you to control some of the cameras features with a touch of your fi nger and allows you to easily view and navigate through all the footage saved on the cards.

The more control you have over your footage, the be er. The AX2000 has three manual rings for zoom, focus and iris. In addi on, it gives you control over gain, shu er speed, and white balance; so there’s no shortage of manual se ngs to give any prosumer that professional edge. The camera also has assignable bu ons, so you can program up to 6 picture profi les to easily access the features you use most without having to go through the menus.

The camera has three diff erent built in neutral density fi lters, 1/4, 1/16 or 1/64, which makes the camera a whole lot more versa le when working in glaring sunlight and other bright condi ons. The camera also has Minus ACG (Auto Gain Control), so you can shoot in extremely bright condi ons and just set it to nega ve gain to get great footage.

On the audio side of things, the camera features dual XLR inputs, to capture cri cal ac ng dialogue, and can provide +48V phantom power to external microphones. Op mal audio quality is also primed with a high performance internal microphone.

The camera also has an HDMI connec on, making it really easy to connect the AX2000 to an HDMI equipped HDTV.

Although similari es occur, there might be some drawbacks when weighing the AX-2000 up to the more professional Sony HXR-NX5, but these are features that would not be of interest to non professionals and the price of the AX-2000 is slightly more appealing. A more in-depth review will be conducted to compare the two.Delivering full high defi ni on performance with fi lm-like progressive scan, the new prosumer camcorder is the ideal camcorder for aspiring movie directors. It is light, sturdy, very user friendly and will make you feel like the fi lmmaker you dream to be.

Recommended retail price:HDR-AX2000: R39, 999.00


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Handycam® AVCHD Memory Stick series: HDR-AX2000

Model Name HDR-AX2000Image Sensor 1/3 type Exmor 3CMOS SensorsGross pixels (for each sensor) Approx. 1,120, 000 pixelsEffective Pixels (for each sensor)

16:9 Movie Approx. 1,037,000 pixels (Active SteadyShot Off)

4:3 Movie Approx. 778,000 pixels (Active SteadyShot Off)

Minimum Illumination 1.5lux (Fixed Shutter Speed 1/30, auto iris, auto gain)Lens (Filter Diameter) Sony Lens G (72mm)Zoom Optical: 20x, When Digital Extender “ON”: approx. 30xFocus Auto/Manual (ring)/One-push Auto/Infi nityF F1.6~3.4f (focal distance) f=4.1~82mmf (35mm conversion) f=29.5~590mm(16:9), 36.1~722mm(4:3)SteadyShot Active SteadyShotShutter Speed 1/4~1/10,000 sec (20 steps)White Balance Auto / outdoor / indoor / One-push (A/B)AE Shift YesBacklight Compensation YesRecording Media Memory Stick PRO Duo

Memory Stick PRO Duo (High Speed)Memory Stick PRO Duo (Mark 2)Memory Stick PRO-HG DuoMemory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX

Recording Mode HD AVCHD FX (24Mbps) 1920x1080/60iAVCHD FH (17Mbps) 1920x1080/60iAVCHD HQ (9Mbps) 1440x1080/60iAVCHD LP (5Mbps) 1440x1080/60iAVCHD FX (24Mbps) 1920x1080/24pAVCHD FH (17Mbps) 1920x1080/24pAVCHD FX (24Mbps) 1920x1080/30pAVCHD FH (17Mbps) 1920x1080/30p

MPEG SD HQ (9Mbps) 720x480/60iMPEG SD HQ (9Mbps) 720x480/60i (24p scan)MPEG SD HQ (9Mbps) 720x480/60i (30p scan)SD


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Video Recording HD: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (AVCHD), SD: MPEG-2 PSAudio Recording HD: Dolby Digital 2ch, 16bit, 48kHz

SD: Dolby Digital 2ch, 16bit, 48kHzLCD Monitor 3.2 type(16:9), 921,600 dots, Touch Panel

Xtra Fine LCDViewfi nder 0.45 type, 1,227K dots (approx.)

Xtra FineRec Start/Stop and Zoom Buttons Yes (side, handle)Fader White, BlackBattery Info,IntoLITHIUM Battery

Yes

Stamina Approx. 7 hours(When using NP-F970 (sold separately))

Interface -Accessory Shoe-HDMI OUT jack-VIDEO OUT jack-AUDIO OUT jack-COMPONENT OUT jack-Headphone jack-XLR connectors x 2 -USB (mini B / Hi-speed) jack -Remote jack -DC IN jack

Supplied Accessories -AC Adaptor-Rechargeable battery pack (NP-F570)-Component video cable -A/V connecting cable -USB cable-Large eyecup-Lens hood with lens cover-Remote Commander (RMT-845)-Lithium battery CR2025-Application Software (CD-ROM)

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42

• Web design • Logo design • Web interfacing • API creation • Database solutions

• Ecommerce• Script installation• Mail solutions• Online marketing• SEO optimization

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www.awd.za.net42

• Web design • Logo design • Web interfacinng • API creation • Database soluttions

mmerce• Ecompt installation• Scril solutions• Maiine marketing• Onli

O optimization• SEO

MAD COWOverview

‘In the Bush no-one can hear you cream…’

A Comedy Spoof Horror Feature from Mirror Mountain Pictures / Hibiki Films

The Project

Mad Cow is a fast-paced, crazy comedy horror movie (with the accent on the comedy) in the vein of Naked Gun, Scary movie and Shaun of the Dead.

Mad Cow sets out to spoof Hollywood and horror movies in a new and totally insane way following the story of a Frankenstein-like experiment that goes horribly wrong, with hilarious results.

Synopsis

Deep in the African Bush, a crazed scien st has stolen the body of a super human android from a top secret military research base with the not-exactly-original plan of world domina on. But fi nding the body he has stolen has no head he grabs the nearest thing he can fi nd, a cow’s head from a butcher’s fridge and puts the two together - Mad Cow is born!

Once brought to life the crazy creature goes on the rampage around the Boerewors Game Lodge wielding a chainsaw and leaving a trail of bad special eff ects in his wake. Enter under-cover cop Vince Chopper, who together with vegetarian waitress turned weapons expert Charlize, does ba le with Mad Cow in a series of off -the-wall ac on packed set pieces.

They defeat the monster, fi nd romance and have a braai, but as with most horror movies it’s never over when you think it’s over….

More About the Project

The result of a development deal which found its genesis at the 2009 Cannes Film Fes val, Mad Cow is the fi rst collabora on between South African director / producer Michael Rix (Tengers, The Game of My Life) and UK based writer / director Michael Wright (Dark Side, Boulevard Noir) with ini al funding from US fi nanciers.

Mad Cow is set to shoot in February 2010 in loca ons around Johannesburg and the Kruger Na onal Park.

Running Time - 85mins

Budget – R500,000

Cast – Tanya van Graan (tbc), Greg Viljoen

For more info on the produc on team, go to www.hibikifi lms.com; www.tengers-movie.com


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Freelance!Name Contact 1 Contact 2 SpecialtyJan-Lourens vd Merwe 084 741 0420 [email protected] Camera work & EditingMike Smuts 076 729 7005 Freelance Camera Work,

Editing & SoundClaire Smuts [email protected] Production co-ordinatorRochelle vd Merwe 084 679 5673 [email protected] Actress (22)Jason Morgon 084 500 6879 [email protected] Voice-over and ActingPieter Oosthuizen 072 651 5685 [email protected] ScriptwritingRenske de Klerk 083 724 7305 [email protected] ProducingWimpie van der Merwe [email protected] Directing

Please send any Freelance details to Jacqueline van Niekerk at [email protected]

BizCards!To advertise in the BizCards section, contact [email protected]

Give them creditDifferent titles, different jobs! What do they all mean? Over the next few issues, we will bring you some basic defi nitions of the most common job titles in fi lm and television...

Producer:The boss of the fi lm. This person is in charge of all phases of the production, from initiating, co-ordinating, supervising and controlling matters such as

fund-raising, hiring key personnel and arranging for distributors.(Example: Jerry Bruckheimer)

A fi lm director is the most senior creative person in charge of the production. This person visualizes the screenplay, controls a fi lm's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew and actors towards his or her vision.

(Example: Michael Bay / Tim Burton)

Screenwriter:This is where the story begins. Screenwriters write different drafts of the story, until they are satisfi ed with the fi nal draft, which then becomes the script (also

referred to as a screenplay); ready for production.

Director:

PART

1

Executive producer:This can be more than one individual. When making your movie, this producer

is in charge of either funding or sourcing funds for the production.

DOP (Director of Photography):The DOP is in charge of the creative look and feel of the fi lm and works closely with the director. The director tells the DOP how the scenes should look and the DOP directs the camera and lighting departments to portray that

vision.

Continuity Person:The Director’s ‘wingman’. A fi lm is not always shot in chronological order, so one must keep track of when what is shot in the script in order to have consistent continuity. Errors and mistakes can occur when fi ne details are overlooked and not taken note of within every shot. It also makes the post-

production phase (editing), much more effi cient.

Editor:This person collects all the footage and continuity information to put the whole fi lm together in the coherent order which will form the fi nal movie. They creatively structure the shots to once again portray the director’s vision. The editing process brings meaning to every scene and completes the story in the best possible fashion. This is like writing the script for the second time.

To be continued...46

Aaaaaaand CUT!