FILMMAKERS welcome a new incentive scheme that will fund emerging black movie producers.
The Department of Trade and Industry yesterday unveiled the SA Emerging Black Filmmakers Incentive.
The incentive was launched because previous schemes did not address the needs of black filmmakers.
Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said the incentive, which will benefit projects with a total production expenditure of at least R1-million, was aimed at nurturing and growing emerging black filmmakers.
"Small black filmmakers were excluded from these incentives as they needed to have a minimum of R10-million qualifying South African expenditure. Now we have dropped the ceiling.
If you want to make a film for R1-million or a documentary for R500000, you now qualify and should apply," said Davies.
He said black filmmakers will receive a rebate of up to 50% for the first R6-million and 25% thereafter.
The rebate runs between September 1 2014 and March 1 2017.
Davies said filmmakers will only be incentivised for a maximum of five productions.
"After getting five shots at the rebate, we believe that filmmakers ought to have graduated from that stage," he said.
Owner of Raohang Multimedia Productions, Seipate Bulane Hopa, said for the incentive to work, South Africa needed to come up with a long-term strategy on how to make the film industry sustainable so as tocreate permanent jobs.
Ants Multimedia owner Uzanenkosi Mahlangu and producer of local TV series Intersexions said, despite being an award-winning production, it was still difficult for him to raise finance. Mahlangu said the incentive scheme would assist young filmmakers to break into the industry.
Horace Rayners, owner of Kilimanjaro Releasing, said black filmmakers were struggling because state-owned funding companies were not helpful.
"There are young black filmmakers working with my company who have applied for funding but they are not getting a positive response," Rayners said.
"If these funding institutions could say exactly what they want, then the funding system would be efficient."
sibanyonim@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Incentive for black filmmakers - scheme aims to fund and grow emerging talent
FILMMAKERS welcome a new incentive scheme that will fund emerging black movie producers.
The Department of Trade and Industry yesterday unveiled the SA Emerging Black Filmmakers Incentive.
The incentive was launched because previous schemes did not address the needs of black filmmakers.
Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said the incentive, which will benefit projects with a total production expenditure of at least R1-million, was aimed at nurturing and growing emerging black filmmakers.
"Small black filmmakers were excluded from these incentives as they needed to have a minimum of R10-million qualifying South African expenditure. Now we have dropped the ceiling.
If you want to make a film for R1-million or a documentary for R500000, you now qualify and should apply," said Davies.
He said black filmmakers will receive a rebate of up to 50% for the first R6-million and 25% thereafter.
The rebate runs between September 1 2014 and March 1 2017.
Davies said filmmakers will only be incentivised for a maximum of five productions.
"After getting five shots at the rebate, we believe that filmmakers ought to have graduated from that stage," he said.
Owner of Raohang Multimedia Productions, Seipate Bulane Hopa, said for the incentive to work, South Africa needed to come up with a long-term strategy on how to make the film industry sustainable so as tocreate permanent jobs.
Ants Multimedia owner Uzanenkosi Mahlangu and producer of local TV series Intersexions said, despite being an award-winning production, it was still difficult for him to raise finance. Mahlangu said the incentive scheme would assist young filmmakers to break into the industry.
Horace Rayners, owner of Kilimanjaro Releasing, said black filmmakers were struggling because state-owned funding companies were not helpful.
"There are young black filmmakers working with my company who have applied for funding but they are not getting a positive response," Rayners said.
"If these funding institutions could say exactly what they want, then the funding system would be efficient."
sibanyonim@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos