Durban as a Film City Project (DFCP)

Center for Communication and Media in Society (CCMS), University

of KwaZulu Natal

Objective 1

• To study the interaction of film production networks within Durban’s film industry

Objective 2

• To map the film services that are at the heart of the city’s film industry.

Objective 3

• Chart the size, shape and characteristics of the Durban film industry

Objective 4

• Establish the extent to which Durban can be called a ‘film services’ hub

Objective 5

• To test the strength of the film services that are at the heart of the city’s film industry.

The test of ‘film-friendliness’

• This test of Objective #5 was also a test of Durban’s ‘film friendliness’. Film friendliness is a test of a city’s film industry’s dynamism i.e. potential and preparedness to grow locally as well as in terms of hosting international co-productions

Research Question

• The film friendliness test (Objective #5) led us to the research question: Is Durban a ‘film-friendly’ city?

The research problem follows from the observation that all important global film cities (Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Berlin, Prague, Toronto, London, Sydney, Rome and New York etc) tended to be highly rated in terms of ‘film friendliness’

Organising Assumption

We started from the organising assumption that Durban’s film industry is made up of a series of interlinked ‘film services’ that place service providers, film practitioners, film practice and audiences in the centre of interactive production networks.

What are film services?

• Film services (Goldsmith and O’Regan 2005) are processes without which a film industry would not function or grow.

• Examples are locations, studio complexes, casting agencies, training schools, principal photography services, film offices, ICT industries (digital content and applications), transport services, and so on.

Film Services framework

• The Film services approach focuses on the importance of ‘components’ rather than ‘total product’.

• Any person or body that may be affected by filmmaking in a place is a film services component

• For instance, intermediate inputs in set design and construction, production design, location management and line producing, special effects and postproduction are recognized as valued creative inputs – also police and emergency services, transportation services and agencies, health and safety officials, tourism, and even real estate and place marketing

What do film services do?

• Film services bring together local, regional, and sometimes national government agencies, business associations, film-related businesses and organizations, infrastructure owners and operators, representatives of the local community, ‘environment managers’ (those responsible or with an interest in the use of places that filmmakers might want to shoot in) to ensure that the needs of filmmakers are prioritised in order to make the experience of filmmaking in a place as straightforward as possible.

From film services to film city

A cohesive network of film services is what defines a city such as Durban as a film city in the mold of other established film cities such as Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Berlin, Prague, Toronto, London, Sydney, Rome and New York.

Research Method

• We used case studies to find out more about the interaction of core features in the value stream or value chain of the Durban film industry.

Expected Outcomes

• More concrete knowledge of broad film industry scenarios, sector trends and needs, gaps, priority skill areas, skills needs, skills development and skills impact and drivers of change and competitiveness in the Durban film industry.

The CCMS Project

• 8 Honours and Masters students in 2011, and 6 in 2012, carried out 1 to 3-month projects into Durban’s potential as a film city.

• Each student commenced a case study on the following: Durban locations; casting agencies; film office’s work; training services; principal photography services provision; digital content situation; value chain analysis; off-the-radar production.

Case studies

Because the film industry is made up of five different sectors (Development, Production, Post-production, Distribution, and Exhibition) students projects focused on selected case studies from these 5 areas in order to develop sector-specific analyses.

Expected Outcomes

• More concrete knowledge of broad film industry scenarios, sector trends and needs, gaps, priority skill areas, skills needs, skills development and skills impact and drivers of change and competitiveness in the Durban film industry.

Project 1 (2011)_Training Services in Durban

Case Study: DUT TV School A research project by Temitope Ogunlare, CCMS

Honours student Temitope’s research question was: How might a local training institution be

(re)structured in order to adequately respond to both local needs and local demand(s) for skills as well as to multiple skills gaps in an increasingly globalised world?

Training in Durban: findings

• DUT TV school offers a specialist focus on ‘video’ and TV.

• ‘Blind borrowing’ of one-size-fits-all international frameworks for building a future film school in Durban may not work.

• The need to invest heavily in training, and in the marketing of its available film resources and film services is urgent.

• There is space for establishing a film school in Durban to supplement the work of the DUT TV School

Project 2: Value Chain Analysis of a Wholly Locally-financed film

• Student: Lynette Naidoo, Honours

• Case Study: Attack of the Indian Werewolf (Masood Boomgaard)

• Applied the value-chain approach to study how a low-budget locally produced movie got made.

• The study examined the extent to which local films follow conventional value-chain models

Naidoo’s findings

• Durban is one of “the world’s best kept secrets” in terms of locations, resources and film friendliness. As yet, however, this was merely a lot of potential and nothing more.

• Local movies do not always fit the conventional ‘value-chain’ model (see next slide) assumed by established film industries. Rather, local movies tended to follow their own idiosyncratic value chain links, threads and nodes in tandem with uniquely local problems and opportunities.

• Also, physical distribution for many local was still being preferred over online forms, despite online distribution impacting film and video ‘with a fury’.

Beginnings

Production

Circulation Distribution

Audience Consumption

Very strong Strong Weak Very weak

Scriptwriters.

Finding cast and crew locally.

Resources available in Durban.

Funding however was difficult to

acquire (no response from NFVF).

Utilising resources available in

Durban.

Offering opportunities to the

local market to gain

experience.

Sourcing high standard

equipment and facility

suppliers.

Competitive make up (a

challenging task as a horror

spoof).

State of the art post production

– Foley and Automated

Dialogue Replacement).

Successful test screenings to generate interest

from distribution companies.

Acquisition of distribution rights by Videovision.

However there were not many avenues for the

filmmakers in terms of circulation. This is an area

that the Durban film industry needs to address.

Exhibition at DIFF to packed theatres provided the

film with an international platform.

Nu Metro screenings with sold out screenings.

DVD release.

However not enough support from the cinema chains

and DVD distributors have not been able to keep up

supply to match demand.

Like circulation, distribution (which is a significant

node in the value chain) needs to be given greater

attention.

Piracy is crippling return on investment.

Marketing in the form of online

social networks (Facebook,

YouTube) aided in the hype created

to draw audiences in.

International appeal, obtained

through exhibition at DIFF as well as

the keen interest from Diaspora

(especially due to the soundtrack of

the film).

Positive reviews from around the

world with an appreciation for the

glocal context of the film.

Audience consumption could have

been stronger if the circulation and

distribution nodes had provided

more opportunities.

Conventional Value Chain model

Source: South African Film and Television Industry Report, 2008: 48

Project 3:Value of Durban’s Locations

• Student: Duduzile Zwane, CCMS Honours student

• Case study: Durban film locations used in the local drama Izulu Lami (Madoda Ncayiyana, 2009)

• Findings: The study revealed that Durban actually stood a bigger chance of selling its locations to diversified international co-productions by promoting locally made movies such as Izulu Lami as a way of building preparedness and film-friendliness, rather than ‘expensively’ courting often ‘disinterested’ Hollywood .

Project 4: Durban’s Casting Potential

Student: Abulele Njisane, Honours student,

Case study: The dynamism – or lack thereof – of local casting agencies.

Findings: Study concluded that more still needed to be done to include local casting in the value chain.

• Local acting talent was also, to some extent, being sidelined.

Project 5: The Role of film offices and commissions

Student: Lungelo Dakile, Honours student

Case study: Durban Film Office

Findings: Study observed that some media students interviewed at the UKZN, for instance, were not aware either of the presence of a viable film industry in this city or the DFO

• The job of promoting local film has been complicated by the need to balance it with efforts to court international productions.

Project 6: Principal photography services

• Student: Claudia Frindte, Masters • Case study: a comparison of principal photography services

in Durban and Berlin • Findings: size, international experience, celebrity

contingent, number of feature films, number of universities and colleges, number of companies and services in general are different (p.22) between Durban and Berlin.

• Obviously, Berlin’s reputation is much bigger than Durban’s. But apart from that, Durban offers nearly every production service that Berlin offers, though on vastly a smaller scale.

• Both cities’ future growth strategies include programs, which could attract not just local but also international production companies.

Frindte Recommendations

• Networking is essential for the Durban film industry (p.23), within itself and with other creative industry precincts;

• further research to identify solutions concerning increasing Durban’s market share in digital productions and platforms is essential;

• more useful comparisons of networks amongst global cities are needed;

• Updated information on “principal photography services” in Durban must be made readily available to practitioners and researchers

2012 PROJECTS

1. Sandisa Nyokana_ “Durban’s Micro-film industry: A value-chain study of the low-budget film services used in the film Knife Edge”

2. Ashlina Ramdutt_ “A value-chain analysis of Pushpa’s Love Child”

3. Celani Mkhize_ “The eThekwini Film Industry Value-chain; A case study of Before Sunrise Within”

4. Shree Jokhun_ “The Durban medium budget film industry value-chain: 31 Million Reasons”

5. Lungani Mthethwa_ ““Deconstructing the film industry value-chain: Florida Road”

6. Gillian van Heerden_ “Some Factors to Consider When Persuading International Producers about eThekwini’s Film Friendliness”

Project 1

• A value-chain study of the low-budget film services used in the film Knife Edge (Sithebe 2012)

• Sithebe has been in the local film industry for 10 years. He is also a participant in the producer ‘incubation’ programme initiated by the DFO and SmartXchange.

• The SmartXchange programme helped Sithebe with business and creative skills as well as digital equipment and work space.

• Sithebe describes the movies he makes as ‘ultra-low budget’. This is because, like most micro-budget filmmakers in eThekwini, they do almost everything themselves (from script to post-prod to distribution).

• Sithebe and his wife own Durban Motion Pictures (DMP)

• Knife Edge was commissioned by MNET’s Mzansi Magic for R100, 000

Findings of Project 1

• $ (or its non-availability) is a big issue with local filmmakers

• The Durban film industry has to compete with Cape Town and Jo’burg for visibility

• Start-up filmmakers are being supported with space, skills and equipment by the DFO and its partners (SmartXchange)

• Micro-budget filmmakers need more than just financial support

• MNET’s Mzansi Magic support programmes are helping the local filmmakers like Sithebe

• Some micro-budget eThekwini filmmakers do not consider big-budget international productions that come to Durban to be providing any benefits (e.g. skills; jobs)

• Distribution is literally in a shambles in eThekwini

Findings of Project 1 (cont…) • Informal, personal networks of filmmakers and producers are critical in

getting films made in eThekwini (e.g. Vivian Moodley who doubles up as both caterer, casting director and film director. Formal ‘supply’ services weren’t used that much.

• Bodies such as the DFO and Tourism and Industry KZN have been critical in supplying skills, support and infrastructure.

• Tourism and Industry KZN sponsored Bonnie Sithebe to attend the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce, the Industry Frames conference and the Animation Convention conference after seeing her story in a newspaper article

• Some local filmmakers, however, have not had a pleasant working relationship with agencies such as the DTI and complain of being rebuffed

• Though small, DMP is involved in training other upcoming filmmakers

• Durban can be film friendly. However, it has not got to where CT and Jo’burg are.

Value-chain for Knife Edge

Recommendations of project 1

• The film industry in Durban competes (and has to compete) for recognition with other industries

• Units such as the DFO are critical to skills development

• The DFO needs more capacity; at present it is under-supported and under-staffed

• The Durban International Film Festival and the Durban Film Mart could do more to support and showcase eThekwini-made films

• Immediate but lasting and sustainable solutions need to be found to the problems of funding for aspirant filmmakers (Cuff 2009a)

• The eThekwini film industry is still struggling and needs further long-term, strategic support

• Programmes such as SmartXchange need further, long-term support

• Distribution-related issues must be looked into ‘as a matter of urgency’

Project 2

• Ashlina Ramdutt_ “A value-chain analysis of Pushpa’s Love Child”

Project 3

• Celani Mkhize_ “The eThekwini Film Industry Value-chain; A case study of Before Sunrise Within”

Project 4 • Study of Florida Road (2010, Brad Glass)

• Florida Road is a co-production (SA and USA)

• Fred Fontana (writer/producer, Hollywood)

• Brad Glass (director, Durban)

• The DFO played a major role in facilitating the co-production (identifying locations, casting, licensing)

• Glass founded Sunworld productions ‘to bring Hollywood closer to Africa’ and to promote Durban as a film friendly city

• Florida Road is Glass’s 1st film.

• FR was shot around a budget of R8-million

• Most of the lead cast was flown from India; extras and supporting actors were supplied by eThekwini casting agencies

Findings of Project 4 • Co-productions promote eThekwini as a ‘film-friendly city’

• eThekwini can host international (e.g. Hollywood) films

• Being a film producer in eThekwini is risky, challenging business

• Most of the production equipment for FR came from Cape Town.

• The eThekwini film industry still does not offer significant guarantees to local filmmakers that their investments will get a return

• Durban is not yet on the map in terms of crewing agencies. Jo’burg and Cape Town dominate visibility

• Post-production took place in Cape Town

• Durban offers a ‘great’ mix of diverse cultures which help position the city

• The PR/marketing personnel were from Durban, recommended by the DFO

Weighting Durban

• Brad Glass weighted Durban (out of 10) as follows: 1. Locations_ 10

2. Film Financing_ Unknown

3. Crew_ 8

4. Cast (supporting cast)_ 6

5. Production equipment_ 3

6. Post-production_ Unknown

7. Distribution_ 2

8. Exhibition_ 5

9. Audiences_ 7

10. Future potential_ 7

Recommendations of Project 4

• More needs to be done to bring or keep production companies in eThekwini

• As things stand, jobs are likely to go to Jo’burg and Cape Town

• However, the DFO is playing a critical role in helping small producers ‘find their feet’

• Distribution is a major let-down in eThekwini

Project 5

• Shree Jokhun_ “The Durban medium budget film industry value-chain: 31 Million Reasons”

Project 6

• This project focused on the question: “Some Factors to Consider When Persuading International Producers about eThekwini’s Film Friendliness”

• Student did research in collaboration with the DFO; interviewed Toni Monty

• In her view, geography and ‘locality’ should be eThekwini’s main selling points

General Conclusions

• Durban is rapidly shedding the largely unflattering tag of ‘video city’ through investing in production, especially on digital platforms.

• Durban, through the Durban Film Office, is showing an increasing willingness to provide incentives and assistance to producers and filmmakers

• Nascent attempts, again through the DFO, are being made to prepare local communities and stakeholders for production

• Distribution in SA is still dominated by the likes of Ster-Kinekor, UIP and Nu-Metro.

• The eThekwini film industry has potential to have considerable economic impact in the coming decades

• The local film industry can stimulate employment and reasonably well-paying (though often short-term) jobs.

• Support for local eThekwini filmmakers must not be to the detriment of attracting international co-productions/big-budget films. The opposite is also true

Recommendations

• More still could be done to prepare local communities and stakeholders for local production, international production and international co-productions

• More could be done to delve deep into the guts of what the local filmmaking business is actually made of, instead of relying on ‘dead’ data and statistics. As such, researchers on the local film industry should be more ‘outgoing’.

• Analysis of trends and drivers of change and competitiveness in the local film industry could be better. Collaboration between industry and researchers from academic institutions could be of help.

• Distribution needs to be de-centred. Ster-Kinekor, UIP and Nu-Metro still dominate. Innovative concepts such as ReaGile could be utilised in eThekwini both to create local jobs and to decentre distribution.