WHERE WERE YOU TEN YEARS AGO? We were making Second Skin, a Darrell Roodt noir thriller starring Natasha Henstridge and Peter Fonda. This was the first movie aimed at an international audience with South Africans in all the key roles, other than a few of the cast. We’d just started co-producing with Germans and Canadians, who were the first countries to give South Africa a shot. Our first wholly American serviced film came the following year: Styx in 2001, which unleashed a chain of American financed movies.
HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED IN THE LAST DECADE? Movies have got bigger while the budgets keep getting smaller! We used to work with crews of between 30 and 50. Now it starts around 80 people. Production had a more leisurely pace. You’d send off an agreement or letter by fax and get a response in two days. Now if you don’t respond within ten minutes, everyone gets nervous.
BIGGEST LEARNING CURVE? That we are managing people, not movies.
BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT? The introduction of the Rebate. The skill of our crews, all round.
HIGHLIGHT? The satisfaction of seeing people grow within the industry, step into their power and find their voice. Everything else pales in comparison. We have received numerous international awards, including a Life Time Achievement from my peers. Yet, it’s our movies I am most proud of – they outlive all the awards.
TEN YEAR GOAL? On a personal level, it’s about getting back to my roots as a writer and director by becoming more of a creative producer. On a company level, the challenge is to balance the need to bring in a new generation while remaining committed to those who have been with us since the beginning.

CONTACT: David Wicht 

tel: +27 21 461-7950

fax: +27 21 461-7951

email: info@filmafrika.com

www.filmafrika.com

2nd Floor, Avalon 2, 123 HopeStreet, Gardens, 8001, Cape Town