TEN Big Ideas
filmed in Gauteng
- Catch a Fire (Philip Noyce)
- Hotel Rwanda (Terry George)
- Tsotsi (Gavin Hood)
- Red Dust (Tom Hooper)
- Cry the beloved country (Darrell Roodt)
- Sarafina (Darrell Roodt)
- Gandhi, My Father
(Feroze Khan) - Goodbye Bafana
(Bille August) - Shakalaka Boom Boom
(Suneel Darshan) - Stander (Browen Hughes)
Latest News
Gauteng now even (film) friendlier
Film production has been recognised as an important economic sector in South Africa and is regarded as a priority industry by both national and provincial government. Gauteng is well placed to position itself as an attractive location for all types of film production, while capitalising on the economic and social value that film offers. In line with this thinking, the Gauteng Film Commission (GFC) has announced that it will officially launch the 'Film Friendly Gauteng' campaign this month (November 2009), further positioning the Province as an attractive and competitive film destination.
"Our mission is to ensure that Gauteng is one of the world's most accessible and supportive centres for film production. The 'Film Friendly Gauteng' campaign is therefore aimed at guaranteeing that Gauteng's locations are welcoming and our suppliers competitive in their pricing structures. As part of this campaign we are bringing on board locations, hotels, car rental companies and other suppliers and providers of services to the industry. These partners have all committed to film friendly policies and practices," says GFC Senior Marketing Manager Jacques Stoltz.
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The campaign is the result of extensive consultation with the film industry as well as the Gauteng Film Partnership - a representative industry body which advises the GFC on industry matters.
"We have spoken to production companies and industry players locally as well as internationally and we have fashioned our strategy in response. What is clear from our interactions is that regional competitiveness is increasingly about cost and perception of value for money - particularly during a recessionary downturn. While most producers widely praise the diversity of Gauteng's locations and our technical capability and skilled crew, the need to ensure easily accessible and competitively priced locations and services must be a priority.
"We have found, for example, that due to the fairly high occupancy rates year-round, hotels in Johannesburg are less motivated to offer discounted production and media rates. We are therefore specifically engaging the hotel sector as a key partner in our campaign and so far the response has been very encouraging," says Stoltz.
By making film 'everyone's business', the GFC not only hopes to raise public awareness of the economic importance of the film industry but also encourage friendlier service to the sector.
"This is just one more way in which we are ensuring 'Perfect Locations' across Gauteng year-round," Stoltz says.
The GFC stresses that film friendly locations also places greater responsibility on the industry to ensure that they adhere to ethical location filming practices. The GFC will therefore also be releasing industry guidelines for location filming in Gauteng this month. The guidelines have been compiled to clarify roles and responsibilities and to give film makers clear guidance relating to location filming requirements as well as to inform them of locations with particular requirements. The guidelines include a locations code of conduct, tips for 'green filming', general location filming guidelines, legislation affecting filming as well as proposals for dealing with shoots that contravene permit conditions.
The GFC believes that increased film activity will ultimately result in economic benefits for local enterprises while simultaneously securing greater media presence for the Province as an iconic tourist and investment destination.
For more information about the 'Film Friendly Gauteng' campaign or to sign up as a campaign partner contact Tumi Ntshingila at +27 (0)11 833 0409 or tumi@gautengfilm.org.za
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