Shop Talk Filmit sessions schools young film-makers

Staff Reporter|Published 2 years ago

Well-known South African director Nina Swart, pictured in the centre of the back row, presented a session on all things the young film-makers need to know about the industry art of directing.

The first two Shop Talk sessions for aspiring young film-makers forming part of the Filmit 2022 Competition, hosted by Paul Roos Gymnasium (PRG) took place in May and June.

Although Filmit Festival’s Shop Talk sessions are hosted for the 2022 finalists of the Filmit Festival, the sessions were also open to high school pupils from the Western Cape with an interest in film-making.

As stated in a release issued by PRG, this year’s Filmit finalists attended these sessions free of charge, while other interested high school pupils could attend the sessions priced at R100 per session.

At the first Shop Talk session on Saturday May 28, almost 30 pupils from Paarl, Ceres, Worcester, Kylemore, Durbanville and Stellenbosch attended three talks on producing, production management, pitching your film to producers, and production design (set, wardrobe and make-up).

Industry specialists presented these Shop Talk sessions with passion and generosity, also leaving room for pupils to engage in conversation with the experts.

The industry specialists on the day included Lynne-Anne Vosloo, CEO at Moonlighting Films; Uga Carlini, producer, director and screenwriter at Towerkop Creations; Christian Joubert, production designer; Marné van der Burgh, wardrobe designer; and Louiza Calore, make-up and hairstylist.

The second series of Shop Talk sessions was hosted on Saturday June 4, at Paul Roos Gymnasium’s Media Centre. Director Nina Swart (known for her work on Temptation Island, Die Boekklub and Fynskrif) addressed young film-makers on all things pertaining to directing.

Her session was followed by a “Screenwriting” Shop Talk session by creative pair René and Corné van Rooyen – who are known for their exemplary work in, among others, the award-winning film, Vaselinetjie and Toorbos.

The second session was attended by pupils from Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof, Stellenberg High School, Curro Durbanville, Worcester Gymnasium, New Orleans Secondary School, Jan van Riebeeck High School and Kylemore High School.

The third and fourth series of Shop Talk sessions took place on Saturday June 11 and Saturday June 18, between 9am and 3pm. It covered topics such as camera and film, editing, animation, the making of music videos, music and film, sound production and foley, and finally, acting for the camera.

Young adults who are interested in film-making and would like to view these sessions online, can go to the Filmit Festival’s YouTube channel as of Wednesday June 8, where all the recorded sessions can be viewed.

Directing couple and industry creatives, René and Corné van Rooyen, in the centre of the back row, schooled the young film-makers on screenwriting as part of the 2022 Filmit Festival’s Shop Talk sessions.