Issued Cape Town film permits up 22% as movie-making becomes all-year business while feature film production make steady gains.

by Thinus Ferreira

International and local TV commercials filmed in sun-drenched Cape Town still reign supreme as the bulk of film permits issued by the Mother City but as the city transitions to an all-year filming destination the production of feature films is ticking up too.

More filmmaking in Cape Town, as well as more filmmaking all year round, has led to an overall increase of 22% in the number of film permits issued by Cape Town over the past year.

The City of Cape Town's Film Permit Office recorded an increase in the number of permits issued during the 2023/24 financial year: Up from 3 910 to 4 757 for the period between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024. 

That's a 22% increase overall, with TV adverts called TVCs still comprising the bulk of film shoots over the past financial year (1 604 permits issued). 

This was followed by 962 permits for "micro-shoots". There were also 168 large local and international feature films shot in Cape Town over the past year – almost double from the previous year.

Over the past 12 months, Cape Town issued permits for the filming of local and international feature films, commercials, TV series, stills photography, documentary films, short films, student projects and music videos. In addition, the permit office also received bookings for more than 9 317 film locations in the same period.

To boost Cape Town's film industry, the city froze tariffs for filming in the city for the fourth consecutive year. 

This includes zero rated-fees for the deployment of metro police and traffic services who help with road closures, while the freeze on safety and security tariffs for filming has saved the film industry R700 000 in production costs.

"In the past, Cape Town attracted a lot of film productions during the summer season due to a number of factors, including our beautiful long summer days," says Alderman JP Smith, mayoral committee member for safety and security in Cape Town.

"However, what we are seeing over the last couple of years is that filming is increasingly becoming an all-year business and this is good for both the industry and Cape Town."

"We are seeing more and more productions taking place in the winter months and this was the case for the concluding financial year. This is critical for an industry that contributes billions to the economy and employs over 30 000 people."

Filmmakers flocking back to Cape Town post-Covid pandemic.

by Thinus Ferreira

Cape Town's film biz is on the rebound with local and international filmmaker flocking back to the Cape Town after the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown with the city's Film Permit Office (FPO) that issued 3 900 permits over the past year with more than 100 feature films and 499 TV series which filmed scenes in the Mother City.

A review of the FPO's latest figures shows that the past film season - when local and international filmmakers flock to Cape Town during the warmer months to film anything from international car commercials to American series - was one of the busiest yet after the Covid-19 pandemic.

TV shows like American Monsters, the fourth season of Netflix South Africa's Blood and Water, Come Dine with Me Cape Town from BBC Studios Africa and even Fear Factor India were among some of the local and international productions that brought their clapper board to Cape Town over the last 12 months. 

While Cape Town's Darling, Keerom, Leeuwen and Dorp Streets are extremely popular due to architecture that can resemble European locations, Kogelbaai beach, Camps Bay, Clifton's Fourth Beach and Muizenberg beach all remain extremely popular on-set scenic locations for the film industry.

Between July 2022 and July 2023 Cape Town's FPO issued more than 3 900 film permits, which included feature films, TV commercials, TV series, stills photography, documentary films, short films, student projects and music videos.

While a majority of the permits issued were for TV commercials, the Mother City also hosted more than 100 large feature film productions and 499 TV series during that time. The FPO also received bookings for more than 8 300 film locations over the same period with the numbers that represent a significant improvement in interest in Cape Town as a film destination since the 2021/22 financial year when 7 400 location bookings were processed.

"This past season we have seen a number of international feature film and TV series productions heading to our shores as we steadily recover from the impact of the pandemic," says Alderman JP Smith, the city's mayoral committee member for safety and security.

Cape Town's film industry, according to a study commissioned by the city shows that the film industry contributes approximately R5 billion to the local economy annually and has created more than 35 000 jobs.

"The local film industry has also done an incredible job in attracting international brands to film their commercials here in Cape Town."

"The uptake in filming the past year is made possible by Cape Town's reputation of a world-class local film industry, by having a competent and efficient Film Office and the fact that we have some of the best locations in the world within a few kilometres of the city centre."

'Cannes in Cape Town' is back: kykNET's Silwerskermfees is back and does a roll-over for the 10th edition of its annual film festival now set for March 2022 in Camps Bay.

by Thinus Ferreira

kykNET has decided not to hold its annual film festival in 2021 due to the ongoing Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic and will now rather do a roll-over with the 10th Silwerskermfees set for a week in late March 2022 at its usual berth at the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town.

kykNET has been silent for months about what's happening with its Silwerskermfees this year that usually takes place during August, not responding to media queries about it, and having been asked about it consistently by TVwithThinus this year; the last time in late October. 

The 9th kykNET Silwerskermfees last took place as an in-person event in August 2019. It was then followed by an online webinar series in 2020 because of the global Covid-19 pandemic although it was never officially recognised as the 10th edition of the film festival seen as South Africa's "Cannes in Cape Town".

Besides the cancellation of 2021's Silwerskermfees, the MultiChoice Group and M-Net scrapped plans this year for both the 2021 African Magic Viewers' Choice Awards in Lagos, Nigeria and the 2021 DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards in Johannesburg because of Covid-19.

The 10th Silwerskermfees will take the form of a "vibrant hybrid format" according to the organisers, with kykNET saying that its film festival will "maintain the festival's signature glitz, glam and prestige while allowing a much broader audience to enjoy the films and festivities".

The 10th Silwerskermfees as a hybrid event will see the debut of at least five local feature films and more than 17 short films produced with the festival's ongoing mentorship.

The festival will also include more international guests sharing their knowledge and skills, and the new films will be eligible for the prestigious Silwerskerm Film Festival awards. The finalised programme for the 10th kykNET Silwerskermfees film festival will be available early in 2022.

In partnership with the City of Cape Town, the 10th kykNET Silwerskermfees film festival will play out simultaneously at its usual home – the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town  – and virtually on the Silwerskerm website, where movie lovers will have access to the same feature film world premieres, short films and industry discussions.

The 10th Silwerskermfees will still be observing strict Covid-19 protocols and will allow only a limited number of guests at the Bay Hotel's Rotunda although anyone with internet access will be able to watch the festival offerings online.

Some of the feature films from the 10th Silwerskermfees' festival programme will also be screened at selected movie theatres and other venues in Cape Town.

The revenue from the small fee of the virtual festival as well as income earned from ticket sales at public venues will go to the Tribuo Fund which was created to assist entertainers suffering a loss of income due to the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa.

"We look forward to hosting the milestone anniversary festival in an on-trend hybrid fashion for the first time," says Suzaan Keyter, kykNET spokesperson.

The film festival's website has been updated with an extensive archive, featuring the more than 50 movies and 160 short films that premiered at the festival since its inception in 2011.

ALSO READ: kykNET still silent over whether its Silwerskermfees is still on or off for 2021 or what's happening with its film festival this year.

ALSO READ: As the Cannes Film Festival continues, Africa’s battered film festival circuit faces a fraught future.

Cape Town's Draft Film Policy 2021 open for comments as city seeks to reclaim its position as significant film destination and wants to attract more local and international productions while facing challenges like rising production costs.

by Thinus Ferreira

Cape Town is now asking for public comments on its Draft Film Policy of 2021 as the city tries to reclaim its position as a significant film destination and wants to attract more local and international film and TV productions despite challenges like droughts, Covid-19 and rising production costs.

The 27-page draft policy is available on the city of Cape Town's website with comments and objections that can be submitted online or written and hand delivered by 31 October 2021. The Draft Film Policy of 2021 is set to replace Cape Town's Film Policy and Protocol of 2004.

The City of Cape Town says that its new Draft Film Policy "aims to position Cape Town as a globally competitive film destination, renowned for the quality and variety of its exceptional locations, studios, facilitation companies and specialised crew".

"It will also guide us on how to work with role-players to build a film industry that contributes to city objectives, such as economic growth, job creation, and social inclusion."

The Draft Film Policy 2021 also seeks to "attract, drive and support film activity in Cape Town; position the city as a significant film destination, attracting local and international productions; and to build a resilient, sustainable and inclusive film industry".

According to Cape Town's film office, the city has a "robust and vibrant film industry" but still faces a number of challenges inhibiting the growth and impact of the industry in Cape Town".

"In recent years the Cape Town film industry, like many other industries has been negatively impacted by a number of external factors such as increasing global competition coupled with rising production costs, the 2017/18 drought and the Covid-19 pandemic".

"The critical challenge for Cape Town is to successfully reclaim its position as a significant film destination attracting a host of local and international productions, and to harness the extensive film industry value chain and enormous potential within this industry to grow jobs and help build the local economy."

"Although Cape Town has the highest concentrations of film industry companies and resources in the country, the industry still does not market itself optimally," the draft film policy states.

"The lack of collaboration and aligning of sales and marketing campaigns means the region is missing opportunities to maximise new business development. There is a need for more collaboration and support within the local film industry aimed at ensuring Cape Town has a presence at key industry markets and festivals."

"There is a need for increased inclusivity within the film industry," the draft policy says.

"Currently, barriers to entry negatively impact inclusivity, diversity and transformation in the industry. These barriers need to be resolved in order to realise the benefits of inclusivity and to realise the potential of a diverse and inclusive industry."

"While Cape Town has some of the best studio facilities on the African continent and boasts a rich diversity of locations there is still a need to increase infrastructure across the film industry value chain, from training to production facilities, to expand the industry and enhance competitiveness."

'Stop it or I'll stop it': South Africa's police boss Bheki Cele damages the image of the country's struggling film biz after holding Cape Town crew 'hostage' with shocking shutdown of TV advert beach shoot despite valid permit.

by Thinus Ferreira

"Stop it or I'll stop it," said South Africa's uninformed police minister Bkehi Cele on Wednesday when he further damaged the image not just locally but internationally of South Africa's struggling film and TV industry as he wrongly ordered the shocking shutdown of the filming of a new TV commercial with a valid permit on a Cape Town beach while spouting non-sensical and non-applicable Covid-19 regulations.

During an altercation on Cape Town's scenic Camps Bay beach on Wednesday the caustic Bheki Cele doing a "beach inspection" summarily ordered around 16 police officers to abruptly halt the Red Petal Productions production on a new TV advert, despite the production company that had already applied for and had been issued with a valid permit to film on location.

The TV commercial production also had its Covid-19 compliance officer in place, checking and monitoring everything. 

The Red Petal Productions filming was permitted by Cape Town's Film Permit Office as required by the Film By-Law regulating filming on public spaces.

Co-incidentally JP Smith, Cape Town's mayoral committee member for safety and security, happened to be at Camps Bay at the same time for a beach inspection as well.

A clash ensued when Bheki Cele, who referred to JP Smith as "PJ", insisted on the production being shut down, while JP Smith said the film shoot had already applied for and was approved for filming on the beach and had a valid permit.

Bheki Cele and his heavy-handed entourage that his publicist Lirandzu Themba called the "Cele Beach Watch" and that included 4 generals, later called in further police reinforcements to Camps Bay to specifically ensure that filming of the TV commercial remains shut down. 

Bheki Cele as a member of South Africa's so-called National Coronavirus Command Council appeared clueless and uninformed how TV and film productions work since and during Covid-19 or that film and TV production sets have been classified as workspaces with very specific risk-adjusted strategies and rules to continue operating.

The Camps Bay production that had a price tag of around R2.9 million, employing around 75 people on Wednesday and strictly adhering to the Covid-19 safety protocols for filming underwritten by the Commercial Producers Association of South Africa (CPASA), lost around R1.5 million on Wednesday.

According to the regulations published in South Africa's latest Government Gazette of 15 December 2020 there is no ban nor any regulations to outlaw the approved filming of commercial television and film productions on beaches that are adhering to stringent Covid-19 prevention protocols.

"Bheki Cele instructed 16 South African police officers to come down and shut a film shoot on Camps Bay beach which has a legal permit from the city and is employing 75 people," said JP Smith who announced that the city of Cape Town would be applying for an urgent court interdict to prevent Bkehi Cele from "illegally interfering with this film shoot".

"We are approaching the Western Cape High Court on an urgent basis for an interdict against the South African police's interference in a film production on Camps Bay beach," said JP Smith.

"The next time residents of the Cape Flats or the townships are wondering why you can't find police, maybe it's because the national minister is busy deploying them to score political points."

On Wednesday evening JP Smith said that "After forcefully stopping the film company from working and holding them hostage the South African police just walked over to us here at the film shoot and said that filming can proceed tomorrow".

"I hope they get sued and landed with a massive cost order as they have now clearly figured out that they were wrong and that the minister instructed them unlawfully".

Lirandzu Themba, Bheki Cele's publicist, in a statement, said that "an activity by a private company on the Camps Bay beach was shut down during the minister’s walkabout".

"While it was permitted by the City of Cape Town, upon closer inspection, the production was not compliant with what is permitted on beaches, as stipulated on the Covid-19 regulations."

"According to the permit of the production company that was handed to the South African police, the production would go against the very rules set out by president Cyril Ramaphosa which are clear on what is permitted on beaches and therefore could not be allowed to continue for now."

On Thursday morning JP Smith told eNCA that "this morning there were again police officers blocking them and preventing them from carrying on which I think is very problematic. We're waiting for the judge to hear the case so that we can get that urgent interdict and prevent the minister from interfering".

UPDATE: Thursday 17 December 2020 19:00 - Toni Marais, executive producer at Red Petal Productions, in an interview on Thursday at Camps Bay after the international TV commercial was shut down again, said "I'm very disappointed, I'm very angry. We're doing everything we can to try and work around this so that our international client get the shoot that they've come to South Africa for to get".

Toni Marais said "it's been very frustrating and very hard because I have not been given a reason as to why I've been shut down".

After Red Petal Productions handed in all of the necessary documentation at the Camps Bay Police station, they were once again prevented from filming by the South African Police on Thursday.

"One shoot day costs around R1.5 million and we've had to pay all of the crew to come out today and now we have to send them all home until we can understand what is happening and why it's happening".

Meanwhile, the location manager for the production, Derek Raeburn, told News24 on Thursday that Red Petal Productions is scouting for a possible new filming location now for the Russian TV commercial that had been filming at the lifesaver's clubhouse and can't wait any longer for a possible court interdict decision since the expensive shoot was losing too much money and valuable filming time. 

"The police came in and said 'Shut this thing down'. We don't know why. They can't give us a reason why. Officially we're totally legal, permit wise and they've shut us down. The problem is that a lot of film crew haven't worked since March because of Covid," said Derek Raeburn.

"There are so few jobs here as it is. And the one or two jobs we get, they close us down in the middle of a shoot."

"What are the foreign people who come here going to say about this when they go back to their various countries? They can't be guaranteed to film and work here with an official permit. How is this going to affect the rest of filming in Cape Town?"

Andrey Shkatov, a TV producer from Moscow, Russia, told News24 on Thursday that "We came here to South Africa to bring some business and to shoot a very beautiful commercial here on this sandy beach with white sand for our client".

"The local company we work with they've got all the papers. They fully made all the necessary agreements with the local government and suddenly our shooting didn't start today, so we're a little bit upset and we're confused and we need to move our shooting somewhere else".

UPDATE Thursday 17 December 2020 20:00 - According to the City of Cape Town on Thursday another 11 film shoots, representing about R24 million in lost revenue, have withdrawn from planned filming in the city in the 24-hours  since police minister Bheki Cele's altercation with a film crew that the South African police service shut down on Thursday for a 2nd day without any reasons given.

Coronavirus: Cape Town partially reopens the city's film permit office, only accepting and processing applications online amidst Covid-19.

by Thinus Ferreira

Cape Town has partially reopened the city's film permit office after it was completely shut down amidst the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic in South Africa and will now process applications again.

Walk-in applications at the Cape Town Civic Centre are not be allowed and applications for film permits can only be done online.

Dan Plato, Cape Town executive mayor, in a statement says that the gradual reopening of Cape Town'sfilm industry will result in some economic relief for the city's local economy.

"This is an important industry because not only does it provide entertainment, it is a great financial contributor to the local economy, with an estimated R3.5 billion ($198 million) a year and employs thousands of people, creating job opportunities for our local Cape Town communities."

"Ensuring the safe, regulated return to the film work of this industry will act as a catalyst for the return to work of the broad range of service providers that support this industry."

Cape Town's film permit office has developed standard operating procedures (SOP) which require that productions and production companies screen all staff - whether cast, crew or other workers - daily and keep a record.

Covid-19 awareness and information notices must be displayed around the workspaces and every employee should receive a copy. No more than 50 people are allowed on a set. Production sets should be regularly sanitised and equipment and props should be disinfected.

Face masks and/or face shields must be provided to staff and sanitiser made up of 70% alcohol must be made available to all employees.

JP Smith, member of the mayoral committee for safety and security, says "This document was shared with members of the film industry for comment and they have agreed to abide by the strict guidelines aimed at avoiding the spread of Covid-19".

"It also outlines the basic technical measures the companies have to put in place in the workplace to contain the spread of the coronavirus and to protect their employees."

"We would like to urge all those attached to the film industry, and who will be going out to film locations, to please adhere to the protocols as well as all applicable regulations in terms of hygiene on set and observing physical distancing to ensure the safety of all those on set."

Risk assessments and a Covid-19 mitigation plan for every location needs to be conducted before a film permit is issued. Law enforcement agencies will monitor compliance safety measures and mitigation from Covid-19 from production companies.

Second Deon Meyer crime drama TV adaptation, Cape Town, set to start on the Universal Channel on 7 September as a 6-part mini-series.

Cape Town will again be the backdrop of another international TV series this month when Cape Town, the TV adaptation of Deon Meyer's book Dead Before Dying starts on the Universal Channel with several South African actors.

The 6-part mini-series Cape Town, produced by all-in-production and Out of Africa Entertainment and distributed by Dynamic Television, is based on Deon Meyer's third novel, Dead Before Dying (Ikarus in Afrikaans) and will start on the Universal Channel (DStv 117) on Wednesday 7 September at 20:50.

Cape Town will showcase a backdrop of the Mother City and the Western Cape peninsula that will be instantly familiar to Capetonians and South Africans, ranging from places like Constantia and Tokai to Woodstock, Macassar Beach, Cape Town's city centre and other well-known spots where on-location scenes were shot.

The series was filmed in Cape Town last year, similar to American shows like Strike Back, Homeland, Dominion, Black Sails, SAF3 and Of Kings and Prophets that filmed seasons with varying success the past few years, and local productions like the Afrikaans crime drama Die Byl on kykNET.

Although a South African story, the two leads in Cape Town are foreign actors who are trying the South African accent on the tongue, with the Norwegian actor Trond Espen Seim playing alcoholic detective Mat Joubert and the American actor Boris Kodjoe as his new partner Sanctus Snook who portrays a former Hawks unit investigator.    

The Cape Town supporting cast include veteran South African actors Arnold Vosloo and Ian Roberts, alongside Jody Abrahams, Colin Moss, Irshaad Ally and Jessica Haines.

Cape Town, written by Anna Tebbe and executive produced by Zeljko Karajica, Klaus Zimmermann and Daniel March, follows Mat Joubert whose wife Lara was murdered, who investigates two major cases with Sanctus Snook.

Firstly there a series of brutal murders involving men wearing masks of famous people and secondly there are the deaths and disappearances of young European women.

According to the producers, the gritty crime fiction series sees the characters shine a flashlight into the shadows of the city with Cape Town that becomes a character itself in Cape Town: culturally rich and beautiful, but also fractured and harbouring dark secrets behind its glamorous façade.

Cape Town is the second TV series based on a Deon Meyer novel, following the Afrikaans crime drama Orion that was broadcast on kykNET in 2006 and that was also filmed in Cape Town at the time.

Ster-Kinekor launches Cape Town's first IMAX at Cape Gate shopping centre after long absence, South Africa a key market for IMAX again.

Cape Town has an IMAX movie theatre again with IMAX now saying that South Africa is, and will remain a "key focus" for the big screen company.

On Wednesday night Ster-Kinekor officially launched the city's first new IMAX cinema at Cape Gate shopping centre in Brackenfell, the third one countrywide after Gateway in Durban and The Grove Mall in Pretoria.

Guests watched the riveting conclusion to the final film in the The Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies in 3D on the massive screen.

Johannesburg will get South Africa's 4th IMAX through Ster-Kinekor during the second half of 2015 at the Eastgate shopping centre.

"This is a big screen but it's much more than just the specifications and words like 'in-theatre geometry' and difficult things we had to overcome to ensure that when we promise great moments at their greatest, we deliver exactly that," said Doug Place, Ster-Kinekor marketing executive.

"International expansion has been a key focus for us and South Africa is, and will be, a key market for our films," says Giovanni Dolci, the vice president for theatre development, for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region at the IMAX Corporation.

"Next year we have an amazing slate of really powerful titles, films like Jupiter Ascending in February, Fast & Furious VII in April, the new Avengers and then ending at Christmas with the new Star Wars VII."

BREAKING. Fire close to SABC's newsroom inside the SABC's Sea Point building in Cape Town extinguished.

A fire that broke out this morning at the SABC's building in Sea Point, Cape Town has been brought under control and extinguished.

The fire broke out on Friday morning inside the SABC's building in Beach Road in Sea Point, close to the newsroom on the third floor.

The fire caused damage to the building and the office and the cause of the fire is not yet known.

Cape Town's fire services rushed to the scene at 06:00 this morning to bring the fire under control and extinguish it. Twelve firemen used the SABC's internal firehose to extinguish the blaze.

BREAKING. Homeland's 4th season to be filmed in Cape Town, South Africa, to double as the Middle East.

The fourth season of the spy drama Homeland will be filmed in Cape Town in November; Deadline's Nellie Andreeva first reported the news.

With Homeland star Damian Lewis gone after three seasons, declining ratings and critics who have gone lukewarm about the show's storylines, the show is planning a soft reset for the upcoming fourth season.

Production is now planned for Cape Town which will double as a Middle Eastern setting with Claire Danes.

Pre-prodcudtion will start in Cape Town in mid-June and filming will commence in November.

Homeland's executive producer Alex Gansa told Deadline: "We knew going into season four that we would need to move the production overseas to tell the story of Carrie returning to the Middle East as chief of station".

"We are thrilled to have found a new home in Cape Town and look forward to getting season four production off the ground."

Homeland already filmed in Israel, Morocco and Puerto Rico in past seasons. For the third season of Homeland the show was supposed to film again in Israel but shifted production to Morocco following the civil war in nearby Syria.