Gauteng Film Commission, WGSA and SAGE at the 3rd Ekurhuleni International Film Festival, with M-Net, SABC and e.tv doing commissioning and content licensing sessions.

The Gauteng Film Commission (GFC), the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) and the South African Guild of Editors (SAGE) will be at the 3rd Ekurhuleni International Film Festival (EIFF) taking place from today, 20 June until 23 June at the Springs Theatre.

Broadcasters, including the SABC, e.tv and M-Net will all have a presence and do sessions regarding the licensing of TV content, and the commissioning of TV content.

The Ekurhuleni Film Festival is focused on empowering local filmmakers in South Africa by providing them with film-making skills and creating networking opportunities with local and international broadcasters.

"The film industry is part of the development of creative industries," says Themba Gabede, Ekurhuleni spokesperson.

Several screenings and workshop sessions will be taking place, with a selection of films that will also be screened. The award ceremony is on 23 June at 18:00.

The 3rd EIFF schedule is as follows:

20 June: Film screenings from 10:00 to 21:00.
21 June: Film and TV business workshop from 10:00 to 11:00.
21 June: Scriptwriting workshop (WGSA) from 13:00 to 14:00.
21 June: Licensing workshop (e.tv) from 14:00 to 15:00.
21 June: GFC (Gauteng Film Commission) funding seminar from 15:00 to 16:00.
21 June: Film screenings from 17:00 to 19:00.
22 June: Film and Publication Board (FPB) film and TV classification master class 10:00 to 11:00.
22 June: Editing workshop (SAGE) from 13:00 to 14:00.
22 June: Content licensing workshop (M-Net) from 14:00 to 15:00.
22 June: TV content commissioning seminar from 15:00 to 16:00. (SABC, e.tv).
22 June: Film screenings from 17:00 to 19:00.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) says it dumped writers from the televised 13th South African Film and Television Awards since their creative art is ‘technical expertise’.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) that abruptly dumped writers and all writers' categories to the non-televised, so-called "technical awards" for the 13th Saftas now says writing isn't creative but "technical expertise" and was therefore removed.

The NFVF with acting CEO Shadrack Bokaba that organises the South African Film and Television Awards finally responded, just short of two weeks after the 13th Saftas took place at Sun City on 2 March and where writers and nominees in the various writers' categories discovered - to their shock - that they've been dumped.

Writers' categories were shunted from the main awards ceremony broadcast on SABC2 and bumped to the afternoon awards.

Writers, the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA), and even nominees in writing categories were not told that their creative categories have been removed after numerous telenovela categories were added for the first time this year to the main awards.

Nominees who showed up on the Saturday had to hear that Golden Horn awards for their categories already got handed out during the afternoon.

While scrapping the writers' categories and dismissing it as "technical expertise" the NFVF and producers Clive Morris Productions responsible for the bloated Saturday night awards show broadcast, kept best directing categories that were not considered "technical".

The long-winded and yet-again badly produced televised ceremony included a speech by the minister of arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa, a youth achiever award, sponsored McDonaldsSA backstage bits, as well as a parade of telenovela and soap stars taking to the Saftas stage in-between wrong envelopes that got opened.

The NFVF, funded by the department of arts and culture, finally responded on Thursday evening - almost two weeks after Safta organisers were asked in multiple media enquiries made since 2 March - why the writers' categories were scuppered from the main awards ceremony.

The NFVF, in a statement from Instinctif, the PR company now used by the film funding body, on Thursday evening told TVwithThinus that scriptwriting - although a creative art - is now seen as "technical expertise".

"The quality of our scriptwriters is the backbone of our industry and should be recognised for the technical expertise these key categories represent," the NFVF said.

"In acknowledgement of this, the Saftas sub-committee, which is made up of members from the various industry bodies - and also sit as judges - made the decision to move the writing categories to the technical section of the award ceremony."

"We are currently working on a 4-month workshop where we are relooking the Saftas categories and criteria required, with the Saftas sub-committee. Once we have commenced with this process we will first send through the categories and criteria to all industry organisation chairs and their boards for their preparation."

The NFVF was asked multiple times when the decision was taken but the NFVF and Instinctif didn't answer this question. The NFVF was also asked for its comment and explanation about writers and nominees who say they were not informed about the move but declined to answer this.

The NFVF was asked if it has a message for South Africa's TV industry about writers' categories and what its response is to the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) saying it will boycott the Saftas moving forward unless the writers' categories are restored to the main awards ceremony, but the NFVF chose not to answer these questions either.


Meetings abruptly cancelled
According to insiders, an initial meeting between the WGSA and the NFVF CEO was abruptly cancelled by the NFVF.

A possible new meeting between the WGSA and NFVF will likely be with Makhosazana Khanyile, known as Khosi Khanyile in the industry, who is taking over as new NFVF CEO from 1 April.

On Tuesday, according to insiders, the NFVF also cancelled a Saftas debriefing and new programmes session that was scheduled for 29 March, without any reasons given, and no new date set.

According to insiders, there was no meeting where either the move of writing categories or the short documentary category - also mired in a scandal of its own - was approved to be moved to the technical awards.

The WGSA told TVwithThinus it is "shocked and taken aback" by the removal of writers' categories from the Saftas main awards and demands the reinstatement of the writers' awards in the main broadcast of the Saftas.

"We will also demand input in and full oversight of the judging and categories of writers awards. And we are seriously looking at lobbying for an Independent Motion Picture and Television Academy to take over the running of the Saftas."

On Friday the WGSA told TVwithThinus that "writers are creatives and writing is not a technical skill but a creative one. The only thing technical about what we do is using a computer".

"Secondly, WGSA was not invited to be part of the Safta sub-committees, nor did we provide judges for the screenwriting categories. If writers were part of either, they were chosen by NFVF and were not representatives of the mandated industry organisation."

"We only heard about the move of the writing categories to the 'technical awards' at the networking session on the morning of the Safta awards. There was no consultation and WGSA was not officially informed of the change. If our vice chairperson Eubulus Timothy had not been at Sun City, we would have found out about this during the actual awards show, said Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson.

"Further as to the cancellation of the debrief of the Saftas, we have still not been advised of any reasons, nor have we been informed of a new date. We have also not heard anything further from the acting CEO since his acknowledgement of receipt of our letter and promise to revert."

"And finally, we are not part of the 'sub-committee' which is allegedly relooking the Safta categories and criteria - and I have no idea what they mean by sending categories and criteria to industry organisation chairs for their 'preparation'," said Harriet Meier.

Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) shocked over NFVF's decision to unilaterally dump writers' categories from the Saftas main awards ceremony, demands full reinstatement: 'Without the writers, there would be no Saftas'.

More than a week after the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) abruptly dropped all writers' categories from its 13th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) main ceremony the organisation has not responded to multiple media enquiries about the shocking move, nor met with the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) that says it is shocked and is demanding the reinstatement of writers' awards in the main Saftas broadcast.

For more than a week since 2 March TVwithThinus asked the NFVF, funded by the department of arts and culture, for comment and an explanation as to why the writers' categories were abruptly removed from the main ceremony broadcast on SABC2 that was once again a badly-produced show.

The NFVF didn't tell the WGSA, nor nominees that their categories had been moved to the non-televised, so-called "technical awards" on the Saturday afternoon.

Neither Shadrack Bokaba, NFVF acting CEO; Neo Moretlwe, NFVF communications coordinator; nor Instinctif, the PR company paid by the NFVF to liaise and communicate with the press have responded with any answers to questions put to them in multiple media enquiries made over several days since then about dumping the writing categories from the main ceremony and why it happened.

Immediately after the 13th Saftas, the WGSA said it plans to boycott the NFVF's Saftas if the writers' categories are not reinstated to the main awards ceremony.

According to insiders, it seems as if the NFVF that added separate telenovela categories for the first time this year to lure more soap stars to appear during prime time in the awards show, unilaterally decided to sacrifice more of the proper TV and film production categories, in order to try and insert more superficial "glitz".

With the telenovela addition and because of duration, more legitimate industry categories were banished from the show.

Through pandering to a view-from-home audience in an attempt to lift ratings, the NFVF decided to turn the Safta award ceremony that is supposed to be more a "South African Oscars" and recognise the entirety of the local TV and film industry's serious work, into a more fluffier "Daytime Emmys" spectacle more heavily focused on the visibility of soap stars, insiders say.

The Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) on Tuesday told TVwithThinus that the "WGSA was shocked and taken aback when we were told during a networking meeting on the morning of the Safta awards that writing categories would be moved from the main show to the technical awards, without any advance notification or consultation".

"As a result, many writing nominees were not present when their categories were awarded in the afternoon, and were left confused and angry when their categories did not feature during the main show," says Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson.

"We placed our dissatisfaction on record with NFVF and SASFED on 3 March, and were advised that a debrief on the Saftas had been set for 29 March 2019."

"This is not the first time that NFVF has unilaterally removed the writers' categories from the main Safta show, which is really incredulous considering that the writers create the scripts and screenplays without which there would be no actor, series, film or soap awards," says Harriet Meier.

"In fact, without the writers, there would be no Saftas," she says.

"For this to happen so soon after the department of arts and culture's Film Summit - where support for and development of the South African writer was flagged as extremely important - makes this a slap in the face for the whole South African writing fraternity."

Harriet Meier says "there is no question that WGSA will demand the reinstatement of the writers' awards in the main broadcast of the Saftas".

"We will also demand input in and full oversight of the judging and categories of writers awards. And we are seriously looking at lobbying for an Independent Motion Picture and Television Academy to take over the running of the Saftas. A lot will depend on the meeting on 29 March."

"In the meantime, the highly prestigious WGSA Muse Awards have opened for entries. This time, there is even a category for writers from the rest of Africa. With internationally acclaimed judges making the final choice, the WGSA Muse Awards really stand out as the awards for African writers," says Harriet Meier.

Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) plans to join boycott of the South African Film and Television Awards after the NFVF's shocking move to shift all writing categories to the non-televised 'technical' awards division.

Following apparently disgraceful treatment, South Africa's Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) is planning to join the growing number of producers and production companies already boycotting the badly-organised South African Film and Television Awards after the shocking decision from the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) to suddenly move all writing categories to the so-called "technical" awards division.

Funded by the department of arts and culture, the NFVF with acting CEO Shadrack Bokaba, responsible for organising the South African Film and Television Awards abruptly decided to dump all writing categories from the so-called "main" awards ceremony that is broadcast on television, to the "secondary" technical awards ceremony.

In the past the technical awards took place 2-days earlier, is never televised nor streamed and can't be watched by the public or the industry. This year the NFVF decided to suddenly move it to the Saturday morning at 10:00 on the same day of the main televised Saftas awards that was broadcast on SABC2 on Saturday night.

Besides the writing categories being moved to the technical awards on Saturday moring, numerous upset and angry South African producers said that they were not told nor informed by the NFVF or Safta organisers that their category was suddenly moved from the main awards ceremony at Sun City to the "technical" awards, and also saying that their category has nothing to do with being "technical".

"Our company had 3 nominations but was not informed that our categories would be on at 10:00 even though nominations were not for technical awards but for non-scripted. A shambles," said one.

By Monday evening Shadrack Bokaba, NFVF communications coordinator Neo Moretlwe and the Instinctif PR agency paid to communicate with the media about the Saftas, failed to respond to questions in a media enquiry, made multiple times since Saturday afternoon to the NFVF, seeking comment, answers and an explanation for what is going on and why the decision was made to move writing categories to the Saftas technical awards.

On Monday afternoon at 12:00 Tshene Wedi, senior consultant at Instinctif, told TVwithThinus in an emailed response that "we are just getting confirmation from the NFVF and will revert with feedback shortly".

On Saturday Dr Eubulus Timothy, vice chairperson of the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA), was in Sun City where the NFVF told him at a networking meeting - despite his strongest objections - that all writing awards are being moved to the non-broadcasting technical awards part of the Saftas.

"Writing is a creative genre and not a technical one. We don't operate cameras, build and dress sets or do hair and make-up. We create story, which becomes the basis of the work for all our esteemed colleagues," says Harriet Meier, chairperson of the WGSA council.

"We've had this fight before with NFVF, and to now see how writers are once again denigrated and belittled is the straw that breaks the camel's back."

"Without the writer - the story - there would be no film and TV industry and no need for a NFVF."

"There would be nothing for actors to act in, producers to produce or audience to watch. So we are not important enough to warrant some recognition and respect?"

Several production companies are part of a growing list of professionals working in South Africa's TV and film industry who are fed-up with the NFVF and the allegedly non-transparent, amateurish and hopscotch way the Saftas are organised and run, and are actively boycotting it.

Meanwhile Safta organisers admit that they've done nothing the past year to specifically reach out to upset producers and have meetings, listening or mediation sessions.

Generations on SABC1 produced by Mfundi Vundla's Morula Pictures, Muvhango on SABC2 produced by Duma Ndlovu's Word of Mouth Productions, and 7de Laan on SABC2 produced by Danie Odendaal Productions all deliberately snubbed the NFVF and the 13th Saftas again and refused to enter.

Also joining them is Ferguson Films producing shows like The Queen and The Throne on M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161).

Luring millions of viewers daily, combined, on SABC1, SABC2 and Mzansi Magic on MultiChoice, it means that a very large and growing part of what viewers actually watch on South African television are excluded and not seen at the NFVF's Saftas.

That makes the awards show increasingly unrepresentative of what South Africa's TV industry actually is and Safta award wins hollow victories.

The Writers’ Guild of South Africa becomes a full member of the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (AIWG); 2019 AGM set to be held in South Africa.

After 8 years of lobbying, the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) has finally secured its seat at the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG).

At the 31st Annual General Meeting (AGM) in October hosted by the Writers Guild of America West in Los Angeles, America, the WGSA signed the Memorandum of Incorporation.

"This is a proud and historical moment for the Guild and for South African screenwriters because not only does it afford our writers protection when taking on international projects, but knowing that our Guild has the support of the IAWG and all its members also bolsters our efforts in fighting for the rights of our writers locally," says Khobi Ledwaba, WGSA chairperson.

"This is really big for us, and it certainly should inspire us to say that things can't just continue to be business as usual. We're now on a world stage and we need to do better."

The IAWG was established in 1986 to address the globalization of the entertainment industry and improve the working conditions of professional film and television writers worldwide through collective action, mutual support and common representation internationally.

Its member guilds work on behalf of 50 000 writers throughout the world in the areas of collective bargaining, standard contracts, credit disputes, government lobbying, and the promotion of the essential role of the writer as a creator in the film making process.

Membership of the IAWG is not open to individual screenwriters, but writers are represented at the affiliation by their home guilds.

"It's taken many years and the blood, sweat and tears of numerous Guild chairs, council members and executive officers like Thea Aboud and Nonkosi Slatsha to make this happen. When we were notified that the Memorandum of Incorporation was signed, there was hardly a dry eye in the room," says Harriet Meier, a previous chairperson of the WGSA.

The Writers' Guild of South Africa is working on hosting the WGA West early in 2018 to help with lobbying and negotiations with local broadcasters to ensure that South African writers are paid fair rates, rebroadcast fees and royalties, and to structure a Collection Agency that is on par with the rest of the world.

The WGA West has also offered their support in guiding the WGSA through the minefield that encompasses writing for digital and new media productions.

The WGSA was also selected to host the 2019 IAWG annual general meeting in South Africa.

This will bring some of the most powerful writers and writers' unions to South Africa in 2019 and the first time in its 31 year history that the IAWG will be coming to Africa.

This annual general meeting will run in conjunction with the WGSA Writers Festival.

"It's a huge achievement for the Writers' Guild of South Africa and an incredible moment for South African screenwriters - to be part of the international family of writers," says Thandi Brewer, first chairperson of the WGSA.

Writers' Guild of South Africa presents two day workshop with 'story doctor' Peter Russell in May in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

The Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) is having a two day workshop in May with Peter Russell, a longtime "story doctor" in Hollywood whose clients include Imagine Films, HBO, Participant, Viacom, CBS Television and many more.

Peter Russell teaches film and television pilot creation at the MFA Screenwriting Program at Pepperdine University and also teaches at UCLA's Entertainment Division of the Extension School.

In May 2016 Peter Russell will present workshops on the "Secret Patterns of Writing for Different Genres"in Johannesburg (14,15 May from 08:30 to 16:30), Durban (12 May from 09:00 to 15:00) and Cape Town (21,22 May from 08:30 to 16:30).

The two day workshop will include (day 1) an introduction to the 9 elements of all great movie stories, the beats of a story (20 essential moments your script should have); and the "Secrets of Writing for Television Drama", with an additional module on character-driven shows like True Detective Season 1.

On day two the workshop will cover the secret patterns of multiple genres to clarify the functional differences in story structure between genres, as well as for the sake of comparison.

The two day workshop costs R4000 for WGSA members in Johannesburg or Cape Town, R3800 for WGSA student members, and R4600 for non-WGSA members. There is an early bird special price of R3500 for WGSA members buying a ticket before 15 February, R3200 for WGSA student members and R4100 for non-WGSA members.

The one day workshop in Durban costs R2000 for WGSA members (R1750 early bird), R1900 for WGSA student members (R1600 early bird) and R2300 for non-WGSA members (R2050 early bird).

For bookings and more information email admin@writersguildsa.org

Writers' Guild of South Africa announces WGSA Muse Awards 2014/2015 nominees, adds M-Net as sponsor.

The 2nd WGSA Muse Awards 2014/2015 ,organised by the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA), has announced its nominees for the awards ceremony set to take place late in April and has added M-Net as a sponsor.

The WGSA Muse Awards 2014/2015 will once again recognise writers in film, television, radio, stage and new media for their contribution to South African entertainment industry.

"A substantial number of entries were received for the WGSA Muse Awards and we would like to thank all the writers who submitted their scripts for consideration," says Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson. 

"The top three scripts reaching or surpassing the standard set by the minimum judging criteria will make up the nominees. These screenplays will proceed to the next phase, where the winners will be selected by a new set of judges, which include big name international writers, agents and Writers' Guild representatives from around the world," says Harriet Meier.

M-Net has come aboard as the headline sponsor for the awards event.

"For the past 29 years, M-Net has remained a proud sponsor of local arts and culture initiatives. This event confirms our belief in the very important and often undervalued role which writers in various disciplines play in South Africa," says Kershnee Govender, M-Net's corporate affairs director.

"These writers bring the many diverse stories of our multi-faceted society to life, in so doing enriching the lives and cultural fabric of all who come into contact with their work."

The nominees for the WGSA Muse Awards 2014/15 are:

Animation: 1) Tracy Eccles: Wheelin’

Documentary: 1) David Forbes:  The Cradock Four
2) Meg Richards:  1994:  The Bloody Miracle
3) Peter Goldsmid:  Dance Up From The Street

TV Comedy / Sitcom: 1) Fidel Namisi: Call Centre
2) Joshua Rous: By the Numbers

TV Drama: 1) Amor Tredoux:  Danz! Episode 6
2) Marina Bekker:  Thola Episode 1
3) Shirley Johnston: Traffic:  Episode 25

TV Drama: 1) Amor Tredoux:  Danz! Episode 6
2) Marina Bekker:  Thola Episode 1
3) Shirley Johnston: Traffic:  Episode 25

Stage Play: 1)  Janet van Eeden: A Matter of Time
2) Janet van Eeden: In-Gene-Uity
3) Janet van Eeden: The Savage Sisters

Spec Script: 1) Fidel Namisi:  Bring Back Lost Lover
2) Hanneke Schutte: Meerkat Moonship
3) Zamo Mkhwanazi: The Good Doctor

No nominations were made for Radio Plays, and the over 100 Feature Film entries received were all for unproduced screenplays.

The WGSA organisers decideed to dedicate the Spec Script in Any Genre category this year solely to feature films, and to include unproduced work in other genres in their own genre categories.

Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) hands out Muse Awards in another monumental step forward in recognising TV and film writers in South Africa.

Shirley Johnston accepts her Muse Award Trophy for Felix as best feature script at the inaugural WGSA Muse Awards.

Recognising, valuing and rewarding writers in television and film in South Africa took yet another monumental step forward when the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) held the country's inaugural WGSA Muse Awards on Saturday evening at the Barnyard Theatre in Cresta Johannesburg.

Award winners who received a Muse Award Trophy include Fidel Namisi for Tooth and Nails (Best TV comedy script), Joshua Rous for the pilot episode of SABC3's High Rollers (Best TV drama script), Gisele Turner for eLimboland (Best stage play script), Shirley Johnston for Felix (Best feature script) and Kelsey Egan for The Chemist, a feature film (Best spec script, unproduced work).

Fidel Namisi who won for Tooth and Nails as Best TV comedy script.

Thandi Brewer received the WGSA Special Service Award.

"Finally there is an award which acknowledges the creators of local entertainment; the incredibly talented writers who take an idea and give it life, a face and unique character, which is then brought to the screen by the actors, directors and producer," says Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson.

The WGSA believes that the Muse Awards will grow to become a regular and much-anticipated event on the local calendar.

Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson addresses the Muse Awards audience.

WGSA member Richard H. Nosworthy of Plum Productions headed a team of musicians, vocalists and performers from the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) to produce the WGSA Muse Awards with Jack Devnarain (Rajesh in Isidingo) who was the master of ceremonies.

Zama Mkosi, the chairperson of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) delivered the keynote speech at the WGSA Muse Awards which ran for 100 minutes, as scheduled, with a wide cross-section of representatives from South Africa's broadcasting industry present.

Joshua Rous who won for High Rollers as Best TV drama script. 

Muse Award Trophies were presented to winners by Verona Duwarkah (the head of SABC Television), Ayanda Halimana (commissioning editor at Mzansi Magic and Mzansi Wethu TV channels), David Makubyane (the acting general manager of local conten tfor On Digital Media and StarSat), Paul Raleigh (producer of the Oscar-winning film Tsotsi, and Nkateko Mabaso (general manager of M-Net's local interest channels).

The WGSA Muse Awards was followed by dinner and a good networking session and many attendees stayed for the Barnyard show, Battle of the Sexes.

The WGSA says writers who are not yet members are invited to join the guild and become eligible to submit their work for the next WGSA Muse Awards and can email admin@writersguildsa.org

Time running out to enter scripts for the inaugural Writers' Guild of South Africa's Muse Awards.

It was a dark and stormy night.

And the number of those dark and stormy nights are fast running out to still enter for the inaugural Writers' Guild of South Africa's Muse Awards set to honour and celebrate writers labouring within South Africa's TV, stage and film community.

The WGSA Muse Awards forms part of the WGSA's schedule of initiatives to strengthen the writing profession by offering skills development programmes as well as protecting the interests of South African writers.

Writers still have until 15 November to enter, and can do so online here, visit www.wgsamuseawards.co.za or you can contact the WGSA office on admin@writersguildsa.org, tel: 011 888 4349 or cell 082 575 6901.

Entry for WGSA members is R100 per entry. Non-members who join the WGSA now will get membership until end February 2015. Winners will be announced at a gala event early in 2014.

The 6 categories for which entries will be accepted for the 2013 WGSA Muse Awards include:
• Feature Film
• TV Drama
• TV Comedy
• Documentary
• Stage Play
• Unproduced in any genre

"With the growth in the South African film and television industry it is critical that credit is given where credit is due," says Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson.

"Often it is an overlooked fact that it is the writers who are the backbone of the film and TV industry, as without their vivid imaginations there would be nothing to watch on our screens."

"WGSA has created the WGSA Muse Awards to recognise the hard work done by our members in the South African film, TV and entertainment industry. It is an award by writers for writers, which finally shines the spotlight on the often forgotten custodians of SA arts and culture."

For the WGSA Muse Awards, while the main language of the entries should be English, short dialogue sequences in other South African official languages are acceptable as long as English translations are supplied.

As the Muse Awards grow, more categories will be added, including new media, gaming, animation, shorts and a category for student writers, says the organisation.

Cape Town branch of the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) to kick off the year with filmmaker Revel Fox on Thursday, 23 February.

The Cape Town branch of the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) will be kicking of 2012 officially with filmmaker Revel Fox who will be talking next Thursday evening, 23 February about the scriptwriting process.

Booking are essential (send email to: admin@writersguildsa.org)
since the event includes wine, snacks and parking access at the University of Cape Town's Hiddingh Campus in Gardens. All performance writers stand to benefit from the latest developments at the WGSA and the organisation says non-writers are also welcome to attend.

The official Cape Town opening of WGSA for 2012 takes place at 18:00 for 18:30 next Thursday evening at UCT's Hiddingh Campus in Orange Street in Gardens (opposite the Labia Cinema).

BREAKING. Thandi Brewer of the Writers' Guild of South Africa speaking at New York conference; will ask support for local scriptwriters.

Thandi Brewer, the chairperson of the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) as well as WGSA administrator Thea Aboud have both left South Africa to visit New York to attend the annual general conference of the International Affiliation of Writers' Guilds that will be taking place from 21 to 23 October.

This is a major development for the WGSA, as well as for the writers' collective of South Africa's TV industry in which writers are constantly discarded, overlooked, underpaid and not given enough credit and recognition.

In South Africa TV writers are a crucial link in the value production chain of making and creating local content, yet they are generally disenfranchised in a system where those abused puppies at the SPCA actually receive better treatment. If the writers of Friends, one of the most hugely successful TV shows ever in the world said (although jokingly) that ''Often the only sunshine that comes into the room is when lunch comes through the door'', imagine what the situation is like for South African writers even lower on the production totem pole. And yet they endure.

This is the first time ever that an official South African Writers' Guild has been invited to attend the conference, which this year is hosted by the Writers' Guild of America East. The WGSA protects, promotes and try to help scriptwriters in South Africa's film and television industry.

I'm told that Thandi Brewer will deliver a report on the WGSA at the conference and has also been invited to the auspicious President's Dinner.

At the conference Thandi Brewer will lobby the WGSA's sister organisations overseas for support of the local writers in South Africa. She will also be meeting with American TV and film producers during her time in New York to encourage co-productions with South Africa and to open the doors for South Africa writers to sell their scripts overseas.

As official WGSA spokesperson for the Jameson First Shot short film competition, Thandi Brewer will also meet with actor Kevin Spacey (who will star in the winning SA short film entry) and invite him to become the second international ambassador of the WGSA.

BREAKING. The Writers' Guild of South Africa 'appalled' and 'desperately sad' over SABC's cutbacks on local TV content.

Appalling. Desperately sad. A disservice to the South African public.

These are the words of the The Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) representing writers in the TV, radio and theatre industry as this organisation is reacting to this morning's shocking appearance of the SABC board before parliament's portfolio committee on communications.

The portfolio committee and National Treasury took the South African public broadcaster to task for apparently cutting back on its budget for local TV content in a misplaced attempt to try and bring down its overheads and overall cost.

ALSO READ: At the SABC ''short term cost cutting is happening on content, posing a longer term risk for the SABC,'' National Treasury tells parliament.
ALSO READ: ''The SABC needs to get their house in order before they get further public funds,'' says the Support Public Broadcasting Coalition (SOS) pressure group.

''We am appalled and saddened by this short term thinking of the SABC regarding cutting back on local content,'' says the WGSA in a statement. ''Obviously this affects the livelihood of our members, but even more so it is a disservice to the South African public who the SABC are supposed to serve. This is desperately sad.''

ALSO READ: Shocker! SABC asks parliament for money AGAIN. Broadcaster failing to meet targets of government's loan guarantee; no plans submitted to National Treasury.
ALSO READ: Now the SABC wants almost R7 BILLION from the government over the next 3 years.
ALSO READ: SABC is ordered back to parliament in mid-October to explain what is going on.