Despite financial and economic strain within South Africa's TV and film industry as well as non-governmental organisations (NGO's) in the country also facing hardship promoting their causes, South Africa's videorati came out on Tuesday evening to celebrate the best public service announcements (PSA's) at the 2012 M-Net Television Awards for Good (TAG).
Due to economic pressure there were less entries this year than previously for the 2012 M-Net TAG Awards. However pay-TV operator M-Net said that PSA's, the support of young filmmakers in South Africa, and shining a light on worthy social public causes within the broader South African society, remain as important as ever to the broadcaster who handed out awards in both the newcomer and professional categories.
The 2012 M-Net TAG Awards (previously the MultiChoice Vuka! Awards) rewarded worthy candidates who made adverts for charities and causes who need public support and help to generate general awareness for social issues. Winning PSA's will be shown over the coming months on M-Net as well as several other MultiChoice TV channels on the DStv platform, as well as at Cinemark Cinemas.
Entries for the 2012 M-Net TAG Awards were as varied as for children in KwaZulu-Natal needing skateboards to drunk driving, eye tests in rural areas, missing children, domestic and child abuse and for people to not SMS and drive.
"Many of the challenges are due to the industry facing a recession," said Koo Govender, M-Net corporate marketing and communications director. "We want to encourage young creatives to continue to tell their stories," she said. "There's still a lot of space for people to tell their stories in new ways, especially in the medium of television."
According to the 2012 M-Net TAG Awards judges, entries are let down by bad ideas. Entrants need to spend more time with their creative directors to sharpen their concepts. They need to work more on sound. They must not do too much. Keep it simple and rather focus on getting the detail better.
The 2012 M-Net TAG Award for Best Overall Newcomer was awarded to the inspiring and moving TV commercial My Son the Flyer. That PSA also scooped awards for Best Sound Design, Best Editor, Best Cinematographer and Best Director in the Newcomer category.
Other winners in the Newcomer category included Eye Test ( Best Humour), Indigo (Best Animation), Blair Witch Barbie (Best Concept), Drive Blind (Special Mention for Concept), Fighting Homophobia (Special Mention for effort) and Ubuntu has no borders ( Special Mention for newcomer editor).
The overall winners in the Professional category were Stephen Geldenhuys, Deborah Matthee, Ivan Greyling and Gia Pra Lewis for their thought provoking PSA, Exchange Life. The PSA also scooped the categories of Best Sound Design, Best Editor, Best Concept, Best Cinematographer and Best Director.
Other winners included Anti-Cruelty (Best Script) and a special mention to the music video SHOUT/ You’re the voice. Although the advert didn't qualify under the current rules of TAG, the judges felt that is was a powerful and compelling PSA that deserved a special mention.
