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| PRODUCTION MANUAL |
| CAPE TOWN |
South Africa's oldest city is her newest high-profile actress. Cape Town is starring in commercials and feature films from all round the world, and has become a favoured location for filmmakers keen to make use of the city and its environs' natural beauty, as well as to employ a technically advanced film industry that can compete with that of Europe or the US for skills and savvy.
If you're considering shooting your next production in Cape Town, you probably already know how amazing our landscape is.
You are also probably aware of the following facts:
- Cape Town: One of the World's Top 10 Cities
- US Travel and Leisure, July 2005, July 2006
- Cape Town: Favourite Foreign City
- UK Telegraph 2004, 2005
- Cape Town: One of the World's Top 10 Cities
- US Travel and Leisure, July 2005, July 20
- Cape Town: Favourite Foreign City
- UK Telegraph 2004, 2005
- Cape Town: Number 1 UK Long Haul Destination
- UK Trends and Spends Survey 2003, 2004, 2005
- Cape Town: Ideal Travel Destination
- Sunday Times Top Brands Survey 2005
- Cape Town: Best Travel Destination in Africa and Middle East
- US Travel & Leisure Magazine
- Cape Town: The World's Best City for a Holiday
- BBC's "Holiday" programme
- Cape Town: The Best City in Africa
- Travel and Leisure Magazine
- Cape Town: One of the Top Eight Cultural Centres in the World
- Newsweek
- Cape Town: Favourite Foreign City
- UK Telegraph 2004, 2005
And now, Cape Town also ranks under The World's Top 5 Bluest Sky Destinations - expedia.co.uk, UK July 2006 |
| LOCATIONS |
Cape Town is many cities and, indeed, many countries. Sometimes it is San Francisco, lights twinkling with the sea in the background; sometimes it is New Orleans, with the old lacy balconies of Long Street tarted up to resemble that steamy city
of the American South; sometimes it is a French street scene; sometimes a German landscape. Or it can present itself simply as an anonymous but breathtaking backdrop - a swathe of green mountainside, a gorgeous beach, a cool, dark forest.
But more than recreating other cities at a fraction of the cost, are the truly phenomenal locations that one can only find here - Robben Island, Table Mountain, Signal Hill, Lion's Head, the Cape Floral Kingdom, and of course the Cape Peninsula - the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
It is also hugely beneficial to any filmmaker looking for a double that virtually every kind of cinematic landscape exists within an hour's radius of Cape Town International Airport, and is supported by diverse architecture, sublime natural light, superb weather, and an excellent infrastructure.
And if you're worried about traffic, don't! The City of Cape Town and the Western Cape consistently upgrade our traffic and road assistance to ensure that traffic stays away, so that you can come and play. In an effort to continually attract more filming activity, the City of Cape Town has halved location costs for shooting on Public spaces, including beaches and city streets. They have also implemented the Film Unit Liaison Project, through which medium to large shoots can expect direct on-set assistance from the Cape Town Film Permitting Office. |
| PRODUCERS |
The film industry has been alive and kicking in the Western Cape and Cape Town for the past 15 years ensuring that our producers have worked with some of the best in the world. Hollywood Reporter's Women's Edition of 2005 nominated two South African producers on par with LA producers. Our producers will help you access local rebates and incentives, and fresh new locations that will make your production the masterpiece you envisioned.
They will also see to it that your production is efficient, cost-effective, and fun! Traditionally, the South African production industry has been driven by private enterprise. Cape-based production companies use their familiarity with the Cape production environment to coordinate a whole range of production services for foreign clients - from permits and location bookings, to crew and cast contracts, they will relieve you of any stress that could arise from filming away from home. It is of course possible for overseas companies to run productions independently, but we have found that the vast majority prefers to take advantage of the wealth of experience and local knowledge that already exists. |
| CREW |
| Cape Town has some of the best crew in the world - often lured away from our shores for big productions like Mission Impossible 3 and 10 000BC. The highly acclaimed base of over 2000 sought-after, world-class crew members possess a strong work ethic, are flexible and undemanding, neither unionised nor arrogant, and keen to grow. With a combined effort between equipment suppliers, we are able to offer an extensive variety of equipment to clients that are accustomed to working with the highest quality gear. An affiliation between South African companies and large international companies also ensures the availability of just about any piece of equipment, no matter how elusive it may be. |
| POST PRODUCTION |
Cape Town has some of the best crew in the world - often lured away from our shores for big productions like Mission Impossible 3 and 10 000BC. The highly acclaimed base of over 2000 sought-after, world-class crew members possess a strong work ethic, are flexible and undemanding, neither unionised nor arrogant, and keen to grow. With a combined effort between equipment suppliers, we are able to offer an extensive variety of equipment to clients that are accustomed to working with the highest quality gear. An affiliation between South African companies and large international companies also ensures the availability of just about any piece of equipment, no matter how elusive it may be.
Cape Town hosts the biggest visual effects studio in South Africa. The studio has just taken new talent on board, expanding on their capability to deliver high-end visual effects and animation to the local and international market. The post-production facilities offer significant experience in delivering top-notch products of an international standard. Capetonians are well versed in shortform and longform projects, editing, visual effects, 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics, compositing, DVD authoring, as well as web and
Flash development.
16mm and 35mm film stocks are readily available from a number of outlets in Cape Town. There are also facilities for bulk duplication and PAL/NTSC standards conversions.
Sound facilities that service the industry range from small voice-over studios to licensed Dolby Surround motion picture sound studios. The leading facilities run networked digital audio suites equipped with ProTools workstations and the latest plug-ins. The suites range from multi-track music studios to commercial television and radio production suites. An extensive library of networked SFX and library music is available. Facilities are provided for digitizing audio in various broadcast formats, as well as for worldwide data distribution. Sound can be supplied in multiple formats and Dolby SR optical sound negatives can be shot in-house on LK3 digital laser cameras. |
| ANIMATION |
Over the past ten years, Cape Town has fostered a world-class animation industry. From 3D to stop motion, its award-winning studios are now competing and collaborating with talent from Los Angeles to London. Built on a distinctly unique creative perspective and a passionate dedication to the arts, Cape Town is fast becoming the next animation bohemia. Ad agencies have steadily become more daring in their productions, challenging the old-school perception that one resorts to animation when one can't afford live-action.
Many agencies now consider animation to be a creative opportunity, rather than just a fiscal consequence. Major film companies now trust their effects with local talent and have discovered some of the city's most creative minds. Studios are beginning to develop original series and short films.
Several local universities offer animation degrees, developing an impressive pool of talent. The city is alive with fresh ideas, unique creativity, and a heartfelt dedication to the art of animation. |
| CO-PRODUCTION |
To date South Africa has entered into four audiovisual co- production treaties, including agreements with Canada, Italy, Germany, and the UK. As well as a Memorandum of Understanding with India. The effect of these agreements is that a film or television program, which is approved as an official co-production, is regarded as a national production of each of the co-producing countries, and is therefore eligible to apply for any benefits or programs of assistance available in either country.
The international co-production agreement was established to encourage producers who wish to produce projects:
- In collaboration with foreign colleagues
- Where the storyline demands foreign creative participation
- Where the budget contains substantial foreign equity
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