2020 SAFTAs 'unable to deliver a show to the standards we had hoped for': Inside the delayed and badly done virtual fiasco of 2020's 14th South African Film and Television Awards that started 6 hours late from inside Dineo Ranaka's living room.

by Thinus Ferreira

What was supposed to be a toned-down, frills and fault-free, very basic and simply done video-streamed winners announcement on Wednesday evening for 2020's 14th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) turned into a 6-hour delayed farcical fiasco marred by unexplained technical problems that forced the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) on Friday to apologise for having been "unable to deliver a show to the standards we had hoped for".

In the absence of a televised auditorium-filled awards show because of the sudden Covid-19 pandemic that also reached South Africa, the NFVF that was forced to scupper its planned 27 and 28 March awards show that would have moved back from Sun City to Johannesburg this year, opted for a toned-down, online announcement approach.

But Wednesday night, that too imploded.

After years of struggling to mount an award show to showcase the best of South African film and television that every year panned by the industry itself and is marred by technical mistakes, empty seats, often the opening of wrong envelopes and other errors, the NFVF decided to forego the usual sprinkle of glitz and glam this year for an online video stream read-out of winners.

While insiders thought that the simplified live-stream with reality star Dineo Ranaka announcing winners names would help the NFVF to deliver a better winners' event with less production bells and whistles behind-the-scenes to take care of, the opposite happened Wednesday night. Almost everything that could go wrong did with the 14th Saftas online winners announcement.

Originally announced for 17:00, the starting time was suddenly pushed to 20:00 - after which several hours went by without any live stream starting and nothing but silence from the NFVF's PR division as well as the Instinctif PR agency as to what happened and whether the stream event would still be taking place.

As print publications started to fret whether to pull winners' lists from early editions after embargoed winners were already issued to the media during Wednesday afternoon in case Dineo's living room ceremony didn't go out, the NFVF in a late night advisory told the media at 22:46 that the announcement play-out would still go ahead and would start before 23:00 on Wednesday night.

At 22:53 it did.

"We are aware of the technical issues that limited our ability to stream the Saftas14 broadcast at the times communicated to the public," the NFVF told the media and apologised for the 6-hour delay.

"Our film and television industry, who, without a doubt work tirelessly to provide us with the best on-screen entertainment deserve to be honoured in the best way possible for amazing work they do. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to the film and television industry, the media and our film and television supporters."

The 2020 SAFTAs late playout was marred by multiple mistakes, bad camerawork, some clips playing out as a black screen with sound only, shoddy editing and bad sound, interspersed with Dineo Ranaka doing comedy skits and doing Zoom interviews with some winners.

Rumours were floated that possibly the NFVF decided to delay the playout for the government's latest Covid-19 press conference that took place on Wednesday night but that is untrue. Only technical problems prevented the 2020Saftas video from playing out, and which disappeared from YouTube immediately after and was nowhere to be found by Friday morning.

Insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity explained that the NFVF and production struggled with the same, one technical issue for hours: to get the pre-recorded video package properly linked to play in concurrent streams over all of the platforms.

"The NFVF used a service provider who was doing it through a software suite so that all of the platforms like YouTube and Twitter could stream it at the same time. And it didn't work. The production literally just used one camera," explained an insider.

Dineo Ranaka's presentations and skits were all pre-recorded and added. "Everything Dineo wore was her own clothes. Her make-up was done by herself. Her hair was herself. Basically she did everything at home."

On Friday morning the NFVF apologised again and said that "last night the SAFTAs endeavoured to host the 14th annual awards ceremony on social media in response to the uncertainty around the duration of the current nationwide lockdown".

"In trying to use technology to celebrate our industry, we faced unforeseen technical difficulties that severely hampered the streaming of the show. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to deliver a show to the standards we had hoped for and for that we sincerely apologise."

"We would like to send a final word of apology to our nominees, winners, stakeholders, our friends in media, as well as the general public that, despite the delay stayed up with us last night to celebrate South Africa's film and television talent".

Multiple insiders who work in South African film and TV industry and who said they don't want to be named since it might affect future work and SAFTA nominations, told TVwithThinus that the NFVF's 2020 SAFTAs streamcast was disappointing and terribly done. All of them used the word "embarrassing".

They said that the 2020 SAFTAs playout and lack of communication on Wednesday night when nominees tuned in and waited for hours to hear who won only to give up and go to sleep reflected poorly on the incredible work being done by the local industry which needs to be celebrated and supported now more than ever.


ALSO READ: MultiChoice crows about its 2020 14th SAFTAs wins by deleting e.tv - cluelessly culling category winners on its platforms like eNCA, Ultimate Braai Master and films like Buddha in Africa yet listing SABC3's Hectic on 3.

Coronavirus: Winners of the 14th South African Film and Television Awards announced on Twitter on 29 April 2020 after televised awards got scrapped over Covid-19.

by Thinus Ferreira

The winners of the 14th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) will now be announced on 29 April 2020 as part of a "virtual awards ceremony" held on the Twitter social media platform after the televised awards show was scuppered in March because of the Covid-19 global pandemic.

Because of the growing Covid-19 pandemic and to stem the spread of the ovel coronavirus in South Africa, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) like others in South Africa's TV and film industry was forced to scrap the televised awards show that was scheduled for 27 and 28 March.

On 16 March the NFVF announced the cancellation of the 14th SAFTAs, and then started the process of trying to figure out how to still hand out Golden Horn trophies this year.

Now Dineo Ranaka will do a Twitter awards show on 29 April 2020 at 17:00 to announce the winners in the various categories.

"It has been an incredibly difficult decision to make for all concerned with the running of these awards," says NFVF CEO, Makhosazana Khanyile.

"As the NFVF we extend our sincere gratitude to the nominees and creative industry at large for their understanding and patience as we sought to find solutions. Whilst the celebrations for all our winners will be muted this year, it does not take away from all our deserving winners."

"We consulted widely to find the best possible way of presenting the awards that would still adhear to the lockdown regulations and not put any lives in danger of contracting this deadly virus."

e.tv grabs Empire and Tumisho Masha; renews telenovela Ashes to Ashes, adds music game show MVP Jam and also brings back Umlilo, Z'bondiwe.

The free-to-air commercial broadcaster e.tv which has found mass appeal for its programming strategy of creating compelling and original local black drama series for primetime has renewed the highly popular funeral parlour set telenovela Ashes to Ashes and handed out further season orders to Umlilo and Z'bondiwe.

E.tv has also scooped up the free-to-air broadcasting rights to the hit American drama Empire which just started its second season on FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131) with the first and second season which will be seen on e.tv.

While the SABC continues to makes damaging headlines for outrageous executive salaries, court cases, and behind-the-scenes turmoil at the public broadcaster, e.tv is making rating inroads by quickly securing popular overseas programming like Empire and keeping the press attention focused on its programming, on-screen talent and schedule properties.  

e.tv recently grabbed the new big hit Lip Sync Battle, as well as the reality competition show Bullseye on Saturdays at 18:05 and announced that its hit soap Scandal! has added soap actor Tumisho Masha to the cast as a brand-new villain.

e.tv will also be doing a local South African version of Lip Sync Battle in 2016.

TV with Thinus was first to reveal back in May that e.tv's biggest latest viewership hit, Ashes to Ashes, will very likely be back for a new season after it suddenly changed the billing from "series finale to "season finale".

The channel is ready to roll out a brand-new game show, MVP Jam with Dineo Ranaka and DJ Mulo from 4 November at 18:00 targeting a black urban audience similar to what SABC2's Noot vir Noot has been doing for Afrikaans viewers.

After its already taken over SA's Got Talent, The Ultimate Braai Master and She's The One which used to be SABC2 and SABC3 shows, e.tv has now also commissioned a new local black drama which will be set and filmed in KwaZulu-Natal and which will rival SABC1's Uzalo which was filmed in KwaMashu.

e.tv is also bringing back its popular eKasi series for a 6th season with various stories filmed in Soweto, Malelane and Newcastle, starting on 9 November at 21:00, while the second season of the local police drama Traffic! debuts on 6 October at 21:05, this time following a muti serial killer.

Kasi-licious will be back for a 3rd season on eKasi+ (OVHD 105) from 14 October at 18:00 with Tol A$$ Mo cooking with local celebrities.

A 5th season of Nicky Greenwall's profile interview show The Close Up will start on e.tv on 19 November at 18:00 featuring local personalities like Maps Maponyane, rapper iFani, DJ Sbu, Katlego Maboe and Kelly Khumalo.

"We have secured the first and second season of Empire. We currently have Gold Diggers which will be followed, officially, by Ashes to Ashes, the second season. We're in production and Ashes to Ashes will be back on screen on e.tv from 14 March at 20:00," Monde Twala, director of e.tv channels announced at e.tv's summer press preview on Saturday.

"At e.tv we're quite focused on making sure that we remain relevant, that we remain local, we inspire imagination and that we're the window to the world and the window for progressive South Africans to really engage and mirror the culture and who we are and moving the country forward," said Monde Twala.

Umlilo's new season will start in March 2016 on e.tv at 21:00, Z'bondiwe will return for a new season in May 2016 at 21:30. Empire's first season will start on e.tv on 3 February 2016 at 21:30.


Below some images from e.tv's summer press preview day on Saturday held outside Krugersdorp:

DIVA DRAMA: Dineo Ranaka dumps e.tv and Club 808 in exchange for Mzansi Magic's magazine show All Access Mzansi.

Drama queen Dineo Ranaka has dumped e.tv and the music magazine show Club 808 mid-season in favour of being a new presenter on Mzansi Magic's (DStv 161) resurrected magazine show All Access Mzansi which has been "uncancelled".

It's highly embarrassing for e.tv and for the show currently in its third season.

The broadcaster, at e.tv's Winter Upfront 2013 just last week announced to the press that Thando Thabethe is joining Club 808 as only a field presenter as the show moves from July to a new timeslot on Saturday evenings.

e.tv told TV critics last week that the 23 year old Thando Thabethe will be joining as a field presenter and that Dineo Ranaka and Mo Flava will continue as the co-hosts of Club 808.

Now, a week later, Dineo Ranaka is done, and e.tv is doing damage control.

With Dineo Ranaka's departure, e.tv is upping Thando Thabethe from the announced field reporter position to co-host with Mo Flava to fill the gap left by Dineo Ranaka.

e.tv tells me Dineo Ranaka "will be leaving the show on Friday 21 June". Sources tell me e.tv and Club 808 became aware of Dineo Ranaka's decision to leave the channel and the music magazine show about two weeks ago but that it wasn't confirmed until now.

SABC3 went through a similarly embarrassing mid-season talent disappearance when Michael Mol suddenly upped and left The Dr. Mol Show with Tswelopele Productions which replaced him with Riaad Moosa mid-season and instantly renamed the show Doctor's Orders.

Thando Thabethe will now "officially start to co-present alongside Mo Flava on 28 June after Dineo Ranaka's departure," I'm told.

Dineo's Diary, the second season of Dineo Ranaka's reality show is seen on Vuzu, another M-Net supplied channel to DStv, similar to Mzansi Magic.

"The appearance of Thando Thabethe on Club 808 will bring a different dynamic to the show; her highly energised and engaging personality fits in perfectly with the show's audience," says Monde Twala, e.tv channel head in a press statement.

"Her vitality and youthful spirit is in tune with a show that has captured the pulsating global lifestyle and music trends," says Monde Twala.

BREAKING. Dineo Ranaka, Nandi Mngoma and ProVerb the three presenters of the uncancelled and resurrected All Access Mzansi.

Dineo Ranaka is the third presenter joining the uncancelled and resurrected magazine show All Access Mzansi on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) with Dineo Ranaka who will  be seen with the singer Nandi Mngoma as well as the Idols presenter ProVerb when the show makes a comeback on Thursday 20 June at 19:30.

Mzansi Magic has so far ignored questions and media enquiries made weeks ago as to why the channel cancelled the Homebrew Films production at the end of 2012 saying at the time it was "moving towards more exciting content" more in line with Mzansi Magic's audience.

All Access Mzansi was already a retool from All Access which started on M-Net and was then shifted to Mzansi Magic as All Access Mzansi for two seasons where it was adjusted for a black urban TV audience. The resurrected show will now once again undergo changes when it returns on 20 June such as an interactive viewer element.

Viewers older than 21 will be able to invite All Access Mzansi to their own events. The requirement is that events need to be "fabulously trendy and unmistakably the place to be on that day" whether its a birthday, graduation, anniversary or something totally original. Requests can be send to info@allaccessmzansi.co.za for the show to possibly cover it.

About the new presenters' trio "we were looking for presenters who know what it's like to be in the spotlight themselves and are able to rbing that to the inserts and interviews they do, in a relaxed and informal fashion," says Yolisa Phahle, the channel director for special interest channels at M-Net in a statement.

ProVerb is again the presenter of the new season of the reality show Idols which will start on M-Net and Mzansi Magic as a co-production in July; Dineo Ranaka is a presenter on e.tv's Club 808 music magazine show and baring her tumultuous personal life in a reality show on Vuzu, another M-Net supplied channel on DStv.

"ProVerb, Nandi and Dineo fit that bill just perfectly and we're thrilled that they are going to be taking All Access Mzansi into a fantastic new world," says Yolisa Phahle.

The resurrected show will again do celebrity interviews and red carpet coverage, as well as tie-in synergy inserts with Idols such as contestant interviews but in the retooled version All Access Mzansi will ditch the more glossy and formal approach and interview style in favour of covering street and club events.

"I'm super excited that All Access Mzansi is returning to our screens and even more delighted to be a part of it again," says ProVerb in the statement, the only returning former All Access Mzansi presenter. (Pabi Moloi, Bridget Masinga and Jason Greer won't be back.)

"I'm thrilled that I've been blessed with an opportunity to host All Access Mzansi," says Dineo Ranaka, "the show, its producers and former presenters have set a high standard and I hope to suavely fit into that standard. I am looking forward to giving the best of me."

"I'm absolutely elated to be a part of such an amazing show, mostly becaue it is coming back bigger and better," says Nandi Mngoma who have been filming inserts for the past two weeks.

BREAKING. 'Mogul' Dineo Ranaka getting her own reality show on Vuzu. Two little words of warning: Nonhle. Thema.

South Africa's TV industry is already holding its breath and TV critics chatted last night among themselves when Vuzu (DStv 123) announced a reality show for Dineo Ranaka in an extremely pretentious press release.

Now insiders are wondering: Is South Africa going to see Nonhle Goes to Hollywood The Sequel?

The uber-pretentiously entitled Dineo's Diary: A Mogul in the Making is already following the loathed, badly-produced and universally panned Nonhle Goes to Hollywood - Vuzu's low-class reality show which did tremendous damage to Nonhle Thema's brand - in the exact same 3 aspects: vaunted show title, self-important, self-aggrandising press release and the nouveau reality star also being the executive producer.

The 12 part reality show will, according to a press release, be "taking viewers through the highs and lows of her life as she pursues her dream to become a mogul".

"We felt it was time to showcase the life of a strong outspoken female in the industry working hard to build her empire," says Solly Moeng, acting head of youth channels at M-Net in a statement - making no mention, and as if forgetting, that Vuzu already went there with Nonhle Thema with terrifically terrible results.

The self-important Dineo Ranaka, a radio DJ who will also executive producing the "mogul"-ness -  also seemingly has Roman empress delusions of grandeur. "So here I am. Watch me do it. It won't be easy, I have stumbled but I will always dust myself off as I embark on my journey to build my empire," she is quoted in the press release.

Now the press is waiting for possibly part 4: the high gloss, over-styled publicity photos. Nonhle Thema was draped on a purple couch, surrounded by trappings of gold and wealthy allure with a half naked man fanning her. 

(Part 5 will be the "small and intimate" media launch party to which the inappropriate and wrong people will be invited to - inane celebrity press with no real clue of television instead of real journalists covering tlevision and people who actually desire to be on the red carpet more than the star, will drink the wine, watch the pilot episode and rather write about who wore what instead of the show.)

"It's exciting entering the world of television from radio. I am confident about this production as I am working with a solid team," says the press release. "Vuzu is trendy and fashion forward and are the leaders in reality TV."

A word of advice would be to blur out cellphone numbers and car registration numbers in the reality show when shown. When, during a visit to mom's house who acts all fake surprised to see you, it would be better if the camera capturing it all is outside the house.

Already whoever wrote the puff press release failed Dineo Ranaka placing her on a pretentious pedestal and creating an unrealistic image, especially given that the show is touted as "reality".  With her as executive producer, it will be interesting to see if Dineo's Diary: Making of a Mogul will be able to make the right moves.