directors:
Entrant can only have been directing commercials for two (2) years or less at entry deadline. Minimum of one (1) sample entered must be a for-hire/commissioned commercial and one (1) sample must have aired by the entry deadline.

editors:
Entrant must have been editing commercials for two (2) years or less at entry deadline. Minimum of one (1) sample entered must be a for-hire/ commissioned commercial and one (1) sample must have aired by the entry deadline. Time spent as editor’s assistant, not included.

creative teams: (Copywriter/Art Director)
Each individual must have only worked in their field within the ad industry for two (2) years or less at entry deadline. Minimum of one (1) sample entered must be a spot that has been broadcast.
*Both members of the team must have worked on all samples entered.

agency producers: new category this year!
Entrant must have been working as a full-up producer at the time of submission and be credited as producer on ALL submitted entries.

composers:
Entrant can only have been composing for commercials for two (2) years or less at entry deadline. Minimum of two (2) of the samples entered must be commercials that have been broadcast.

animators:
Entrant can only have been working in commercial animation for two (2) years or less at entry deadline. Any animation style is acceptable, though minimum of one (1) sample must be a commercial and one (1) must have aired by entry deadline.

motion graphics & broadcast design:
Entrant can only have been working in Motion Graphics or Broadcast Design for two (2) years or less at entry deadline. Samples can be elements from commercials, music videos, titles or promos. At least two (2) samples must have been broadcast.


Entry must include a minimum of two (2) and a maximum of three (3) samples of work, with a total of no longer than five (5) minutes in duration.

Content created for online venues and interactive media can be submitted, as long as the submission fits the criteria set forth in each category and was commissioned and released by an actual client

The first roll out of the Festive Season Campaign 2006 started with a BANG at the V&A Waterfront on Saturday, 2nd December at 11:00. After a short briefing to the “presenters” by Cape Town Routes Unlimited events manager, these presenters went out to welcome visitors at random by offering flowers. Flowers from the Overstrand area in the Overberg region.

The gestures were well received by local and international tourist alike. The Clock Tower was filled with an amazing vibe as the Minstrels were entertaining the crowd sharing a stage with a marimba band from Langa.

More than 1700 flowers were handed out during the campaign with bouquets, attached a flyer informing people about the Information Office at the V&A Waterfront and contact details of the Agulhas Protea Route.

The Staff, Management and Board of the Film Resource Unit wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, loved ones, and former colleagues of Richard Ishmail who died as a result of brutal stabbing last weekend. The loss of this life is immeasurable in its immensity, to the film, entertainment and media industries, and to all those whose lives he touched and inspired with absolute humility.

The Film Resource Unit has been in existence for 21 years, and ironically, as we prepare to celebrate our ‘coming of age’ with the imminent launch FRU Enterprises Pty.Ltd. - the last element of Ishmail’s vision for the organisation - we mourn his death while celebrating his life. We will salute and honour his extensive contribution all in our celebratory activities.

Richard Ishmail took up a position as coordinator of the Film Resource Unit in 1992. Prior to his entry, FRU had been operating as a community video library collective that disseminated banned and anti-apartheid films. Ishmail quickly transformed FRU from a library into a fully fledged professionally operational distributor through a policy he introduced that respected the right of filmmakers to benefit from the distribution of their works as much as it respected the right of audiences access to them.

Under Ishmail’s leadership FRU phased out its library and proceeded to enter into proper distribution agreements with filmmakers. In April 1993, FRU unveiled its first photocopied catalogue of films for sale. Overnight FRU grew up as its catalogue soon expanded to include the definitive pieces of African -produced films spanning a variety of themes and genres.

A marketing and events magician, Ishmail developed a number of sassy and savvy marketing campaigns and began to exploit the rights of FRU films through video sales to existing community and institutional networks, later to retail and rental markets, and eventually to broadcasters. This was possibly the first time that documentary producers in South Africa could get returns from their rights on intellectual property.

Ishmail pioneered FRU’s move to the Newtown Cultural Precinct, soon to be followed by numerous other cultural NGOs and projects. His work at FRU also catalysed a number of critically important film industry initiatives and shaped the policy landscape that we have today. Most notably, he conceived, birthed and grew Sithengi, a keystone event for our industry which has enshrined its independent operation.

On his exit, Ishmail plotted an expansive vision for FRU, which was successfully implemented by Mike Dearham, this took FRU to heights as a powerful NGO distributing African Films and running immensely successful audience development programmes which continue today, across the country and in the SADC region.

Rest in light and peace Richard, mentor, colleague, boss, brother and friend to so many of us who worked with you. Thank you Richard Ishmail for touching our lives with inspiration and vision. Your ever shining smiles and legacy live on.

Jonathan Dreyer (centre), Curator of the Hout Bay Museum with Pitch Black Films

Kathleen Holmes, Gen. Assistant Jonathan Dreyer, Curator Kenneth Johannes, Maint. Mngr Jerome Abrahams, Aux. Services

“Understand the past is to appreciate the present”, says the newly appointed Hout Bay Museum curator, Mr. Jonathan (Jonty) Dreyer, “and that is the motto of Hout Bay Museum.”

It was so ironic when this son of Hout Bay soil started to work on his first day as the permanent curator that Pitch Black conducted an interview for an educational programme for SABC 1 to be broadcast on 24 January 2007.

The programme called “What is your story”, deals with those individuals that have contributed positively to the development of Hout Bay and its people.

Jonty, a church, business and community leader, said, “Preserving Hout Bay’s rich history, must depict all sectors and races in Hout Bay, all the people of the Republic of Hout Bay.”

He continues, “it should be transformed and on par with the current political situation in our country.”

For him the museum should educate those not familiar with the country’s history. “Chris Hani, one of the heroes of the struggle against Apartheid, gave his life for the new South Africa and people need to know why.”

“Hout Bay’s rich Khoi (referred to as the Hottentots by the Dutch colonialists) history, the first inhabitants of the area owned Hout Bay. The original name of the area should be researched and the name Hout Bay given by the Dutch colonialist Jan van Riebeeck is not original.”

He also appeals to Government to assist with a process of identifying and declaring Heritage sites such as the original Khoi Cave at the main entrance to the harbour.

He ends with relieve on his appointment, “My role as curator in the community is to make the Hout Bay museum accessible for the whole of Hout Bay and the world.”

by Timothy Jacobs

Timothy Jacobs with daughter Pashlyn

January 1, New Year’s Day, the people of Cape Town and visitors are wished a happy New Year with the magical music sound of the Kaapse Klopse (Cape Town Minstrels). Thousands of people dressed in their satin uniforms and painted faces greet the thousands of people from the rest of South Africa and the world with the wonderful Goema music.

Francisco Jacobs, captain of Hout Bay Entertainers, said, “The carnival is firmly entrenched in the culture and heritage of the Cape Town community. The tradition has its origin when slaves, our forefathers and foremothers, were allowed to relax on Sundays, marched in the streets, played instruments and sang wonderful songs.”

Jacobs continues, “The competition started 99 years ago and the influence of the music has its origin in the African rhythm, Malay slaves and African-American sailors who docked here in the 20th century. It continues every Saturday in January at two different venues.”

The different troupes marche every year on Tweede Nuwejaar (2 January) from Darling Street into Adderley and Wales Streets and end in the Bo-Kaap in Cape Town.

Joseph Cloete, another captain, said, “It is sad that for the last three years we did not have any sponsors and members of the Hout Bay Entertainers joined with the Schotse Kloof Glamour Boys.”

They appeal to businesses for sponsorships to start and enter the Hout Bay Entertainers. A group of 350 persons needs an estimated R120 000 to cover the cost of registration, material, hats, umbrellas, choir and band conductors, singers, venue hiring, transport, the brass band and drum majors.

The group have started a brass band to keep youngsters in Hangberg, Hout Bay away from drugs and crime and an estimated R17 000 is needed to buy the instruments. “We need a good Samaritan to make a difference in the life of our youngsters by donating towards this positive cause”, says Cloete.

The benefit that a business would get is naming and branding rights on stands, umbrellas and display of your banners. They would also be available to do promotional appearances at any activity that the business wishes to present.

It is tradition to have a Klops Table where members are served with refreshments and snacks after a day at the competition and the Glamour Boys thank the following businesses and individuals for their contribution:

South African Breweries, JC Fishing (PTY) Ltd., Johanna Cloete, Dorothy Mathews, Michael Baartman, Jastine Jacobs, Shireen Mathews, Fuad Jacobs, Nadeema Jacobs, Natalie Mathews, Isaac James, David October and Sandra Da Siva.

by Patrick Dowling


The issue of alien organisms and their impact on the biodiversity and environmental integrity of host countries is a global concern the specifics of which include loss of indigenous species, erosion, water resource depletion, fire hazards and threats to local economies.

It is the sense of such threats that drive authorities and agencies to actions that can often appear excessive. The clearing of pine and gum trees on the Cape Peninsula is a case in point. Most of these trees started off as smallish plantations to cope with local timber demand and compensate for the earlier denuding of the indigenous forests of Hout Bay and Newlands by colonial decision makers.

Experiencing what is known in conservation circles as ecological release, the absence of natural pests, predators, fungi and diseases that limit nearly all indigenous species on their home turf, the plantations soon started producing many escapees that spread into areas where they had not been planted. Vigorous growers using major supplies of scarce water and crowding out the mountain fynbos these trees, complemented by their invasive acacia fellowa, Rooikrans and Port Jackson in the lower, sandier coastal regions, these plants soon started taking over large parts of the Cape Town landscape. The same was happening in other parts of South Africa which is now facing the challenge of a total invasive alien plant siege equivalent to the area of Britain some 36 million hectares.

Most of the invasive species including birds, animals, fish, crabs were introduced deliberately or accidentally by people over the last 300 hundred years or so. Very few have been transported by wind and currents to our shores. The rapidity of this influx has meant that there has been no time for gradual ecosystem evolution as is the case with natural global changes and so the little understood threat to biodiversity has been considerable with massive regional variety being steadily replaced with monocultures.

Not all aspects of the aliens species is bad which is what leads to their passionate defence by many. Gums, pines and oaks provide shade and cool, sometimes attractive environments that look green and natural. In our short lifetime perspectives they seem to have been there forever.

Where it could be said authorities like National Parks, Cape nature and local authorities have erred in response to alien invasive control is the apparently ad hoc approach adopted. Suddenly the public sees a bare, ugly area of several hectares where there used to be "lovely trees providing shelter for birds and recreational space for people". This is resented and resisted - a pity when proper communication could have ensured public buy-in, alternative plantings, informative signage, set aside recreational areas and so on.

Nevertheless tackling the threat of invasive species remains a high global environmental priority topped only by climate change and GMOs. People migrations, refugees and squatters, sometimes also referred to as alien invasion, has more to do with politics and economics than the biodiversity challenge.