KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and KZN Tourism merged to form KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority.

by Thinus Ferreira

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has merged the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and KwaZulu-Natal Tourism to form the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority (KZNTAFA) with Sibusiso Gumbi as interim CEO.

Prof. Thandi Nzama is the KZNTAFA chairperson.

Instead of a separate organisation promoting tourism to KwaZulu-Natal and a separate film commission for the province, the provincial government has merged these separate functions.

According to KwaZulu-Natal's department of economic development, tourism and environmental affairs, KZNTAFA will have to focus on "marketing and promoting the tourism and audio-visual industries, facilitating sector development, creating sustainable growth and job opportunities, and addressing historical imbalances in infrastructure, skills, and resource distribution".

The tourism part of KZNTAFA will be tasked to "continue to explore new and innovative ways to profile Destination KwaZulu-Natal through partnerships with mega-events, TV, film and music productions".

According to the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission in 2022, KwaZulu-Natal was South Africa's fastest-growing film destination in the country and two years ago accounted for 12% of the country’s filming activity.

The merger of the two organisations is supposed to open "up a range of new opportunities for skills development in the areas of local film concept development, packaging, distribution and marketing".

The merger to create KZNTAFA is supposed to "assist in attracting larger film productions, particularly during KwaZulu-Natal's mild winter season". That is what the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission has been doing anyway over the past years.

KZNTAFA is supposed to "additionally allow the province to tap into South Africa’s existing co-production treaties with Canada, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland to attract upcoming productions" - again something the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission has been doing.

TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission's 10th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards came and went. Eye-roll.

by Thinus Ferreira

The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission's 10th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards came and went on Saturday night. You probably don't know about it or even who won because there's barely any coverage and a lack of real reporting about it.

It's what happens when you get starstruck, don't know how the media functions, and decides to work with social media influencers who are in it to promote themselves instead of what you're actually doing or trying to showcase.

For the record: TVwithThinus was invited but didn't attend. Also for the record: The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission in its infinite wisdom decided that only people from Johannesburg would be flown to Durban. 

On Monday morning the question is: Where exactly is all the coverage from all of these people from Johannesburg that the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission took to Durban to cover the 10th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards?

Where exactly are all the interviews, the articles, the opinion pieces, the show-and-tell stories from the red carpet, what the awards did, how it was the same and different this year, or what the KZN Film Commission's work is and what this body is trying to do? 

There's nothing about it because the KZN Film Commission apparently lacks an understanding of how to engage and work with the media, who exactly the members of the media are in South Africa who cover the country's film and TV industry, how they operate, and why influencers and their here-today, gone-tomorrow flash-snaps isn't something that truly builds an industry or has permanence.

Besides Daily News reporting about Saturday night's industry awards - in a general provincial newspaper, where exactly is the industry coverage? What did the KZN Film Commission and the award organisers do in the weeks prior to secure coverage like that? 

Everybody wants South Africa's TV and film industry to be "more American" - meaning more professional and to operate closer to that model: With things running and happening and more people just generally doing things "right".

That should start with people actually doing things. 

Dear KZN Film Commission and organisers of the 10th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards: You can't sit back and expect coverage and exposure for the awards and the province's work within the country's broader film and TV biz without actual ... effort.

Nothing is going to yield ... nothing. 

Is it really too difficult, cumbersome, time-consuming and "expensive" to invite media to a Zoom meeting or interaction of half an hour to discuss the awards? To actually send press releases? To get to know actual journalists, what they would cover and want to cover and to help to get those articles done and to secure that earned media?

What's the real actual return on the investment from the influencers and people who were flown at cost from Johannesburg to Durban to "cover" the 10th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards? Selfies?

What was done and reported that build these awards and the KZN Film Commission and has some type of permanence and legacy beyond ethereal social media scrolling that lives for now and is gone and forgotten in a second? 

While something like a provincial film and TV awards is laudable and the effort surely appreciated what does something like the 10th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards really mean if enough people -the public and the industry - don't really take notice, and if there isn't a real and tangible media presence to cover it?

When it comes to the Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards the KZN Film Commission should really do some serious introspection - especially around proper media engagement, what it is, how it works, and how to foster and get it.

Work harder but also smarter.

South Africa's KZN flooding disaster: How flooded sets paused production and pushed out filming on Uzalo, Durban Gen, Imbewu and a movie.

by Thinus Ferreira

With flooded sets and casts and crew unable to get to work, the destructive rainfall and disastrous flooding in KwaZulu-Natal also damaged South Africa's TV and film industry as it disrupted production of Uzalo as the country's biggest TV show as well as other television series filmed in the province, with at least one locally-shot film that has to pause and push out its start of filming to next month.

South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province is dealing with a growing humanitarian disaster with more than 448 people who have lost their lives so far and billions of rand of damage to infrastructure and property.

The country's cabinet has declared a National State of Disaster in response to floods while KwaZulu-Natal based productions, making some of the biggest shows on South African television are also assessing the damage the floodwater wrought and picking up the pieces.

Uzalo on SABC1 and Durban Gen on e.tv that saw flooded sets and Imbewu on e.tv - all filmed in the province - had to halt production but have and are resuming production again.

The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission (KZFC) tells TVwithThinus "the floods affected every community in KwaZulu-Natal. Most of the work in TV and film had to be put on hold due to lack of electricity, water and the roads being closed".

"We have not received any updates regarding most productions that had to be paused, however as productions usually take place around the KwaZulu-Natal area, there is a high possibility that they were also affected."

"A feature film called The Score was due to film from 19 April but due to the devastation experience in the province, they had to delay production until 16 May. We are still in the process of determining whether there were other projected affected."

The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission says it is waiting to hear from producers to indicate what assistance they would need from the commission's side in order to get back in schedule with their filming processes.

"As the industry and an agency of the state, we are comforted by the fact that the government has made an estimation of the loss and are working on ensuring that people's livelihood are restored."

Stained Glass TV, the production company responsible for Uzalo - the most-watched show on South African television and most-watched show on the SABC that drew over 7 million viewers in March on SABC1 - told TVwithThinus that the prime time telenovela had to shut down production for 5 days but has resumed filming.  

The prime time soap Durban Gen, also produced by Stained Glass TV for eMedia's e.tv that lured 2.51 million viewers in March, also had to deal with flooded sets and shut down production for one day and for two days worked with cast and crew who could make it to work.

"Like most of KwaZulu-Natal our productions were also gravely impacted by the floods," Stained Glass TV spokesperson Nomfundo Zondi tells TVwithThinus.

"On both productions, we couldn't shoot for numerous days due to our sets being flooded and cast and crew being unable to make the journey to work. Lastly, all location and street scenes were temporarily halted simply because the weather wasn't conducive."

"Fortunately, we were able to quickly make the necessary reparations to the sets to resume production. Our hearts are with all those impacted, It is indeed a tough time for KwaZulu-Natal as many have not only lost jobs and homes but loved ones as well," she says.

Production will resume today on Imbewu, the prime time soap from Grapevine Productions on e.tv that lured 3.44 million viewers in March and which is also filmed in the flood-ravaged province.

"Due to weather conditions and flooding, some personnel were severely impacted and unable to travel to work," spokesperson Nilesh Singh says.

"As such, the production was halted on 12 and 13 April. A production break of one week for Easter, starting on 14 April was already scheduled and the production will resume as normal on Wednesday".

TV CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK. A KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission 'Beach Party' at Sun City, a Gauteng Film Commission brunch: The bizarre sideshows at the NFVF's 13th Saftas that look like a waste, with money that could actually directly support film making in their provinces.

You won't think that there are a serious shortage of funds to support struggling and emerging South African filmmakers, or that producers are struggling to get paid by the SABC, if you witnessed the bizarre money-wasting sideshows at the NFVF's 13th South African Film and Television Awards that took place this weekend at Sun City.

It ranged from a "Beach Party" sponsored by the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission to a brunch courtesy of the Gauteng Film Commission.

Instead of actually directly investing in and helping filmmakers, actors, writers and other talent in their own provinces, some of South Africa's film commissions literally splurged on dubious-looking sideshow events at the National Film and Video Foundation's (NFVF) 13 South African Film and Television Awards that was held on Saturday at Sun City in the North West province.

Why? What exactly is the positive return on investment for film commissions, constantly pleading poverty, yet spending and apparently wasting a lot of money on unnecessary things like a "beach party" in the middle of the North West?

Does it generate reams of positive articles in the press, glossy pictorial pages, and fawning coverage from the media?

Do the guests who attend the NFVF's awards show shindig at the shiny Sun City feel better, or better about themselves, afterwards? Does McDonalds SA end up selling more McCafe brew?

First up, there was the "by invitation only" so-called 13th Saftas "Beach Party" at Sun City's Valley of the Waves on Friday evening - courtesy of the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and McDonalds South Africa where DJs and artists performed and guests indulged in a feeding frenzy of food and drink.

How exactly does this advance the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission's mission to support "film", and presumably in KwaZulu-Natal?

Does a "beach party" in the North West buy goodwill from the film fraternity elsewhere and help with nice exposure, or what does it actually accomplish?

(Co-incidentally Jacqueline Motsepe, COO of the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission got an award on Saturday night at the 13th Saftas, the Outstanding provincial contributor award, whatever that means.)

Where are the press releases and information about the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission in the press pack and Google drive for media that could have been issued, added and sent out by the NFVF? It doesn't exist.

Where was a panel discussion or roundtable with media if the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission actual had a presence at Sun City? It just looks like a colossal waste.

Cue Saturday morning at Sun City for the 13th Saftas and the Gauteng Film Commission doing a "networking session" breakfast in the North West province where those who bothered to show up were "addressed".

Of course sponsor McDonalds South Africa was here as well.

It looked far from jam-packed.

Again, where are the transcripts of the speech or speeches of whoever from the Gauteng Film Commission spoke? A basic press release?

Where is whatever was issued to the media, if even anything?

Here too, the NFVF communication people couldn't be bothered to issue something to the media and neither did the Gauteng Film Commission.

And again the questions: What exactly is the return on the investment from this empty-looking breakfast session and how is the value from that investment measured?

Where is the media coverage? Were there even media there?

And a bonus point if anyone can answer what happens to all of the wasted food.

South Africa and the South African economy entered into a technical recession in 2018. People and the South African film and TV industry are struggling. There's been a huge number of job losses in the industry in 2018 and more were planned in 2019 at the SABC until it was halted last month.

In this critic's opinion, it's unseemingly, crass and totally out-of-touch for the National Video and Film Foundation and places like the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and Gauteng Film Commission to splash the cash on trivial-trash like a "Beach Party", or something like a "networking session" at something like the problematic and constantly badly produced Saftas when money and available resources are scarce.

The optics of these things - call them marketing "activations" if you really like - are terrible.

It comes across as if the National Film and Video Foundation and places like the KwaZulu Film Commission and Gauteng Film Commission are having a luxury, cheese-platter and McFlurry-filled weekend away living it up at Sun City with time for the "beach" while South Africa's TV and film industry suffers.

The NFVF's Saftas is already at risk of becoming even more out-of-touch and irrelevant with viewers. Yet its "elitist" and detached image is being helped along with things like a "Beach Party" and Sun City visitors nibbling on cheese for breakfast.

As I've said before, the NFVF under acting CEO Shadrack Bokaba, needs to do a radical overhaul of the troubled, struggling and badly done South African Film and Television Awards.

The Saftas at Sun City - replete with beach party -  looks like the elitist Capitol in The Hunger Games films while South Africa's struggling TV and film industry who it is actually meant for, are standing on the outside, looking in at the champagne crowd.

Do film commission "districts" gleefully dispatching their reps and money there have any idea of how they're perceived?

What next? A Showmax sponsored binge-lunch all-you-cat eat buffet? A MultiChoice sponsored content discovery game set in the as-difficult Sun City maze?

A Netflix South Africa Shadow puppet show (oh wait, Netflix reached its targets with anything to do with shadows)? Or a SABC activation at the top of the water slides with people flicking coins down and watching money being thrown into the water?

It's high-time to re-envision the Safta awards at Sun City and what exactly happens there - and not.