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The Cape Film Commission is the official representative of the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Province for the economic development, marketing and promotion of the region’s film industry. The Cape Film Commission combines the film-related interests of the City of Cape Town and the Provincial Government of the Western Cape under an independent autonomous organization. The Cape Film Commission’s main objective is to position both the City and the Province as a globally competitive film region, thereby boosting tourism, job creation and the development of core skills.
It is on this economic development premise that the Cape Film Commission in collaboration with various industry, government and other key stakeholders are launching “The Cape Film Imbizo 2007” to run from the 07th to the 09th of November 2007 at various venues in Camps Bay. Fundamentally the aim of this Imbizo is to strategically align and comprehensively integrate efforts of the various key industry players and promote interactive dialogue to advance the production of film in the region.
The Cape Film Imbizo will kick off with a New Media conference called Reshaping Media in partnership with Platypus Productions. This conference aims to unpack and bring together thought leaders and decision makers in the fields of Advertising and Broadcasting, to examine the latest developments and challenges facing advertising and media agencies in a modern and over communicated digital world where consumers have become over empowered. Jeremy Allaire founder and Chief Executive of Brightcove has been quoted as saying “Reach consumers where they are, not where you want them to be”. Local and International speakers will deliver various presentations on issues ranging from Marketing Opportunities (social networking and user generated content), Branded Entertainment (the brand, the agency, the broadcaster and the producer) and Mobile Content and Mobile Marketing (what will people watch).
The Cape Film Commission will also lead numerous discussion forums in partnership with other government funded organization like the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) the Department of Trade and Industry (the Dti), the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business to discuss and engage film makers on issues that affect the development and sustainability of film making as a strategic and sustainable business in the province.
These forums will also look at the various film Funding and Distribution opportunities and more importantly opportunities within the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup for local filmmakers especially on key areas like service and content development.
Dr Marcia Socikwa from Icasa will also lead a key discussion on the various issues related to the four newly licensed broadcasters, what impact will they have on the state of competition in the broadcasting industry, issues of broader accessibility for the masses, regulations on the commissioning of Local Content and broadcasting opportunities around the 2010 FIFA Soccer world Cup.
The Cape Film Commission’s Training and Development unit will also present and host a discussion forum of findings from a research it commissioned, this Skills Development and Training forum will also seek to align academic and training institutions with the industry to collectively determine the needs of the industry and how these institutions can service the industry effectively.
We will also officially launch our ambitious Environmentally Friendly strategy that will see the Cape Film Commission being a leading film commission globally taking a strong and positive stand on environmental issues, thus influencing and encouraging local filmmakers to go green and leave a light foot print on our environment when filming in and around communities.
The imbizo will conclude with the launch of the First Cape Town Film Awards in collaboration with the City of Cape Town to celebrate those in the industry so seldom recognised for their outstanding work. The awards will also feature an auction from Art with Hearts with the proceeding donated to two key film Charities, The Heart of Healing and Hollywood Heart.
We will also host a Press Conference and officially launch “The Cape Film Imbizo 2007 at Imbizo Lounge in Langa Township under the theme bringing film to the people.
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Lisolomzi Nkitha