At the Durban International Film Festival, consultant Martin Cuff, the former Cape Film Commissioner, presented the findings from his six month research into Durban, which was commissioned by the Durban Film Office (DFO) and the KwaZulu Natal (KZN) Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

The research took place against a backdrop of the DFO’s fifth anniversary, a Durban film policy review, the launch of the Durban Film Mart, and the pending formation of The KZN Film Commission.

The core of Martin’s findings was that Durban should focus on the opportunities created by new media and digital platforms. “Digital is the way forward. At least 60% of the DFO’s activities - like training and interventions - should be digitally based,” Martin says. Part of this transition is an ambitious plan to match 10 Durban film companies with 10 IT businesses to create sustainable, digitally successful models.

“The original business plan for the DFO was based on: ‘If you build it like Cape Town, they will come,’ but they aren’t coming,” Martin admitted. “The bottom line is that film is underperforming in KZN. Cape Town and Johannesburg are so far ahead of us that attempting to compete on their terms is just throwing money away.”

The global film industry is worth $2.2. trillion dollars a year. According to industry surveys for the 2006-2007 year, the Western Cape is worth R2.65 billion and Gauteng is worth R1.1 billion. During the same period, according to Martin’s research, Kwa-Zulu Natal hosted R236 million rands worth of work, around 4.47% of the national total or 0.2% of the gross geographic product.

Of the service work coming into the region, 25% came because of the tropical jungle locations and Jim Stockley’s animals. However, there wasn’t enough work to keep crew in Durban. Cape Town and Johannesburg producers didn’t help keep Durbanites employed.“When they come to Durban, they hire at most 25% local crew, whereas a KZN producer hires 90-100% local. So if we want to get people working, we have to develop local producers who will hire locals.”

Uncharacteristically, Martin has backed away from the idea that service work will save the region. “Our vision is that Durban filmmakers are empowered to create high quality programming for local and international audiences that is funded and distributed by multiple channels, notably new and digital media.”

However, he pointed to the need for an ecology of film, that was never either/or but embraced all sectors.

“Industry incomes need to be further stimulated by frequent big budget international feature film and commercial projects that offer job creation, entrepreneurial activity and vocational training.”

Part of the blockage for local producers is financing and distribution, especially as the SABC and NFVF’s commissioning structures are based in Johannesburg, where the vast majority of pitches take place. “With all the decisions about commissioning being taken in Joburg, this puts KZN at a disadvantage.” While he pointed out that Durban producers need to be developed to overcome this, he also believes the DFO has a role to play in lobbying the broadcasters to commission regionally.

Martin pointed out that the DFO had a “ridiculously large mandate,” which their four staff and limited budget could never realistically deliver on. Communication will be a key part of moving forward, through the creation of a blog site attached to the DFO’s webpage, a network of film collectives, and a Durban Film Partnership made up of the regional film community.

For more information, click here.

Kevin Kriedemann