Where have all the flowers gone?

[NoADSLyet]

http://www.eepublishers.co.za/view.php?sid=10855

This song came to mind when I heard the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA)’s announcement about the new paid TV licences. More channels to see what?

Interesting questions!

 

[Nick333]

http://www.eepublishers.co.za/view.php?sid=10855



Interesting questions!

I disagree. I think this dude is trying to come off as some sort of visionary and failing dismally.

Its really a non story. I seriously doubt there are huge numbers of qualified and creative people out there capable of making movies who are being deprived of the opportunity. Besides which the local content that the growing industry will require should ensure that anyone who deserves a job in TV will have a pretty good chance of getting one.

The fact that there is much more talent than vested only in the few large production companies is borne out by the number of short amateur video productions that are streaming onto the internet - talented people who cannot find better outlets for their products.

Is the best he could come up with as corroboration?
Can anybody tell me where I can find this stuff? He's probably talking about the crap on youtube he's heard about.

Seriously after a month of writers block this is all this guys desperate mind could come up with an hour before deadline. Not interesting at all. Sorry.

 

[noxibox]

It can be difficult to break into this kind of thing. People who know people are more likely to get the opportunities, but that is true of everything everywhere

 

[NoADSLyet]

Think a bit further, local art have been dealt a huge blow by the lack of support from the government. State opera's and houses was closed years ago. Thing is the government only believe in their own culture and there is no art there (unless you look into cave's) They killed the industry. The only local content we see mowadays is pi$$ poor quality. Ditto

It can be difficult to break into this kind of thing. People who know people are more likely to get the opportunities, but that is true of everything everywhere

Exactly you have to be well off or damn lucky to break in!

I disagree. I think this dude is trying to come off as some sort of visionary and failing dismally.

I seriously doubt there are huge numbers of qualified and creative people out there capable of making movies who are being deprived of the opportunity.

Don't be sorry, at least you got the first part right in red above, that is the governments fault. The second part i disagree with as there is a lot of talent and very little opportunities to get in. So either you say there is little talent and ample opportunities or lots of talent and they are not deprived of the opportunities. either way I do not agree with you and I am not sorry about it.
By the way if you look at the publication it is from a industrial magazine so the quality is maybe below par but still nothing wrong with the questions and its a fact that the local art culture (or flowers) is deprived to grow and be what it can!

 

[Nick333]

To be honest I actually think a lot of the local stuff you see these days is pretty high quality.

Anyway the guy who wrote the article doesn't seem be on the inside track of the TV production industry, hence the sort of vague reference to all this poor stifled talent having to make stuff with handycams and post it on the net.

Perhaps there are a few qualified, creative people out there who aren't being given a chance. There are plenty of the same in Hollywood and New York and London, should the British and American governments be held accountable? Like noxibox said the same could be said for any industry and I'm pretty sure that its a bigger problem for most other industries.

You may be right about Government not supporting some of the arts that were supported in the past but it may be a case of the same funds being spread more thinly and evenly. Or not. Either way that has very little to do with the article you posted.

 

[NoADSLyet]

To be honest I actually think a lot of the local stuff you see these days is pretty high quality.

Anyway the guy who wrote the article doesn't seem be on the inside track of the TV production industry, hence the sort of vague reference to all this poor stifled talent having to make stuff with handycams and post it on the net.

Perhaps there are a few qualified, creative people out there who aren't being given a chance. There are plenty of the same in Hollywood and New York and London, should the British and American governments be held accountable? Like noxibox said the same could be said for any industry and I'm pretty sure that its a bigger problem for most other industries.

You may be right about Government not supporting some of the arts that were supported in the past but it may be a case of the same funds being spread more thinly and evenly. Or not. Either way that has very little to do with the article you posted.

Some of the arts? ALL arts! In New York and London as well as Russia the national arts still remains and is supported. Facilities are maintained and created for art to flourish. In South Africa private sector funds it. Therefore as Noxibox said it is difficult, even with Talents, for the Flowers out there to break in. Fact. Concerning thinly spread, NAh, rather no spread and lined pockets as you would know.

Whatever, I think it is a lot to do with the article posted as in the article the question asked is where have the flowers (talent) gone as stated in the heading.

 

[Fudzy]

Unfortunately, most of the local museums/galleries aren't managed from a national level but a municipal one where penny pinching and financial management are alot of rife than right at the top.

That's where big corporations come, they sponsor ALOT of cultural aspects.

Ps. Where was the talent to begin with? As far as television is concerned we've always been lapdogs to whatever is hot in either the UK or the US, unfortunately more from the latter.

 

[Albertdup]

Hi all

Do you have any idea of the amount of work that need to be done to make a production. We are currently submitting a 13 episode local production for Kyk-net. Our budget hearing takes place Friday. It will take 8 months to produce with a rock bottom budget of around R 90 000 an episode. It may sound a lot until you start to look at what you need to pay then you realise how little it is. Actors, Locations, Camera operators, Sound recorders, Director, Producer, Editor, Script writer, Music composer/rights, location, catering (it is required by law), an on-site medic, insurance, transport, lighting equipment, editing equipment, sound equipment, camera equipment, etc. Not a lot of people can produce quality work on such a small budget, if you are really good there are opportunities. So stop wining and try writing a 13 episode script and see how "easy" it is. As a guideline you need about 27 pages for a 24 minutes episode, that's 351 pages. Then make a pilot episode and get feedback, refine it and then you may get a channel that's interested.

So good luck, lets see what you guys can do.

 

[Nick333]

Ps. Where was the talent to begin with? As far as television is concerned we've always been lapdogs to whatever is hot in either the UK or the US, unfortunately more from the latter.

I honestly think our local shows are getting better. To be honest I don't watch a lot, but what I do seems to be a lot less cringe worthy than what I grew up to expect. We're still ripping off US and UK formats but at least we're ripping off stuff from the 90's now instead of the 50's. If you know what I mean?

 

[Nick333]

Hi all

Do you have any idea of the amount of work that need to be done to make a production. We are currently submitting a 13 episode local production for Kyk-net. Our budget hearing takes place Friday. It will take 8 months to produce with a rock bottom budget of around R 90 000 an episode. It may sound a lot until you start to look at what you need to pay then you realise how little it is. Actors, Locations, Camera operators, Sound recorders, Director, Producer, Editor, Script writer, Music composer/rights, location, catering (it is required by law), an on-site medic, insurance, transport, lighting equipment, editing equipment, sound equipment, camera equipment, etc. Not a lot of people can produce quality work on such a small budget, if you are really good there are opportunities. So stop wining and try writing a 13 episode script and see how "easy" it is. As a guideline you need about 27 pages for a 24 minutes episode, that's 351 pages. Then make a pilot episode and get feedback, refine it and then you may get a channel that's interested.

So good luck, lets see what you guys can do.

Fcck Dude. I bet I could find some kid with a handycam who could do it in half the time for the price of a McMeal.

Just kidding. I'm with you. This is my whole point. If you were to drag some kids off the street and give them a studio and a budget because apparently they have good ideas, you'd have to double the budget to pay some people who actually no what the hell they're doing to come and salvage the whole thing so that its not a complete waste of time.

 

[Fudzy]

Hi all

Do you have any idea of the amount of work that need to be done to make a production. We are currently submitting a 13 episode local production for Kyk-net. Our budget hearing takes place Friday. It will take 8 months to produce with a rock bottom budget of around R 90 000 an episode. It may sound a lot until you start to look at what you need to pay then you realise how little it is. Actors, Locations, Camera operators, Sound recorders, Director, Producer, Editor, Script writer, Music composer/rights, location, catering (it is required by law), an on-site medic, insurance, transport, lighting equipment, editing equipment, sound equipment, camera equipment, etc. Not a lot of people can produce quality work on such a small budget, if you are really good there are opportunities. So stop wining and try writing a 13 episode script and see how "easy" it is. As a guideline you need about 27 pages for a 24 minutes episode, that's 351 pages. Then make a pilot episode and get feedback, refine it and then you may get a channel that's interested.

So good luck, lets see what you guys can do.

Let's hope that with the new channels comes more subscription and ad revenue, opening up new opportunities for up and coming series producers.

I honestly think our local shows are getting better. To be honest I don't watch a lot, but what I do seems to be a lot less cringe worthy than what I grew up to expect. We're still ripping off US and UK formats but at least we're ripping off stuff from the 90's now instead of the 50's. If you know what I mean?

Agreed, I'm a self-confessed Isidingo fan. I don't see it as much of a soapie as a current-affairs drama. As for our investigative reporting shows, the accolades speak for themselves. Unfortunately, as Big Brother/Idols/Survivor have shown, reality shows are big money makers at the moment and that seems to be the only thing that counts to the current lot of channel execs.

 

[NoADSLyet]

Hi all ........
So good luck, lets see what you guys can do.

Ah someone in the trade, Whats your take, its not about the budget per se', how much talent is dwindled because of lack of support and facilities. How difficult is it to get in or start. What will the extra licenses bring apart from "more of the same" Will local talent benefit at all!

I still maintain that the article writer have a point and asked valid questions, no matter what Nick says! ( Maybe the antagonist attitude is due to the "Name" ....Hans van de Groenendaal.

A lot said about something someone do not watch much. LOL

 

[Nick333]

Heres a list of 269 South African production companies all presumably competing to provide content for our handful of TV channels.

http://www.kftv.com/product-country-4410-ZAF.html

How many more do we need?

 

[NoADSLyet]

Heres a list of 269 South African production companies all presumably competing to provide content for our handful of TV channels.

http://www.kftv.com/product-country-4410-ZAF.html

How many more do we need?

You are half of your trolley friend, where is the talent! was the question.

 

[Nick333]

You are half of your trolley friend, where is the talent! was the question.

Dude presumably already in the glut that is the production industry that we have already.

Being that I'm an english speaking whitey I'm not really in a position to judge the majority of local productions seeing as I don't speak any African languages.

I seriously doubt that you or van de Groenendaal are either.

The point is that what you also don't that their are enough people with talent who can't get into the industry out there that anyone should actually give a ****.

 

[Glordit]

I don't want to watch South African Made T.V programs...

 

[Tns]

I think they word is variety, people different styles of programs not the same stuff with different flavours

 

[cyberbob1979]

First off, I dont watch TV, at all.

Secondly, its not a lack of companies or individuals that is hampering the production of good programs / movies for television, but the policies of the SABC / SANC / Government. I have a friend who works for a production company and I heard about all the regulations and adherence to BEE policies they need to have before SABC even looks at them, much less commision a production. The bottom line is that Government is forcing the whole BEE card (which is fine as an idea) however, it is to the exclusion of all other productions / initiatives, thus you continue to see sub standard television and productions because the skills and tools arent necessarily available to new companies who produce these shows.

They need to reduce / eliminate the regulation on BEE for productions for television or movies, and let the merits of the programmes themselves do the talking, only then will you get "watchable" television.

 

[chiskop]

I honestly think our local shows are getting better. To be honest I don't watch a lot, but what I do seems to be a lot less cringe worthy than what I grew up to expect. We're still ripping off US and UK formats but at least we're ripping off stuff from the 90's now instead of the 50's. If you know what I mean?

Have you watched SABC3's recent local dramas - I think that the LAB and Hard Copy were really very good. The production values were extremely good.

 

[NoADSLyet]

Have you watched SABC3's recent local dramas - I think that the LAB and Hard Copy were really very good. The production values were extremely good.

Yeah, in the eyes of the beholder anything is possible!