Liars never prosper

The SOS Coalition welcomes the resignation of Ellen Tshabalala from the SABC Board

End of the road for Tshabalala's deception

SOS_2014-12-03 - Press Statement - End of the Road for Tshabalala's Deception

International judges for WGSA Muse Awards

With the deadline for entries for the 2nd WGSA Muse Awards around the corner, the Guild is extremely proud to announce that this year they have managed to secure five international judges for the final round of script evaluations. Together with a team of local experts which include writers, actors, directors, producers and industry critics, the international judges will select the nominees and final winners in their assigned categories.

“Last year we had two international judges – writer/producer and industry guru Larry Brody from the USA, and Thomas McLaughlin, the chairman of the Writers’ Guild of Ireland,” says Harriet Meier, chairperson of the Writers’ Guild of South Africa. “This year, during the AGM of the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds and the subsequent World Conference of Screenwriters in Warsaw, Poland, Thomas raved about how much fun he had with the evaluations and that he wanted to be part of it again this year. As word spread, people started approaching us, which was really incredible.”


“There are some really big hitters amongst this year’s judges,” says Harriet. “Not only do they give the WGSA Muse Awards the credibility it deserves, but they also help to get our writers and our stories out there into the world.”

Apart from the WGSA Muse Awards, which will culminate in a spectacular prize giving ceremony in March next year, the Guild is also taking 16 writers from all over South Africa to NATPE in Miami, Florida, in January 2015, where they will pitch their stories to industry executives from around the world.

The following international judges have been confirmed for the 2014 WGSA Muse Awards:

Thomas McLaughlin – Ireland - Sitcom, radio drama, stage plays
Thomas was born in Belfast and studied acting at the Portland (Oregon) Conservatory Theatre. He is a prolific and award winning playwright with titles like Peasants” (Strathclyde Theatre, 1987, winner of a Bass Ireland Bursary), The Frontline Café (Belfast, Charabanc Theatre Company, 1991), Greatest Hits (Project Theatre, 1994, published in Greatest Hits, Dublin, New Island Press) and Iron May Sparkle (Charabanc Theatre Company, and London, Drill Hall, 1994) to his name. His radio plays include Fingertips (RTÉ and WDR, Germany, and 1990, Prix Futura winner for best new radio drama, 1991). He has written sketches and sitcom for television and is one of the principal writers of RTÉs long-running soap opera Fair City. He is the Chairman of the Writers’ Guild of Ireland.

Andrew S Walsh - UK – Animation
Andrew S. Walsh is an award-winning writer/director with credits across film, television, theatre, radio, animation and videogames. A man of many job titles, he has appeared as writer, director, speech designer, narrative designer, narrative producer, story consultant, script editor, motion capture director, camera director, voice director, story producer, story liner and story editor. To date he has worked on more than sixty videogames including Fable Legends, Prince of Persia, Harry Potter, Risen, XCom, Dirk Dagger and the Fallen Idol, Medieval II: Total War, SOCOM, LEGO City: Undercover, X3 Reunion, and the new Need for Speed : Most Wanted. He won the Writers' Guild of Great Britain Videogames Award for Prince of Persia in 2009 and is the Treasurer of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain.

Lisa Holdsworth – UK – Drama
Lisa Holdsworth is originally from Leeds and has worked in television since she graduated. Lisa’s first commission was an episode of Fat Friends, which she devised herself and was shortlisted for a Best New Writer BAFTA. Since then, she has written an original play for Radio 4 and spent three years on the Emmerdale writing team. She left to write for the third series of the BBC’s police drama New Tricks and has contributed to the show ever since. She has also written on four series of Waterloo Road including a feature length series opener. She wrote two of the final series of Robin Hood, including the largely discussed ORIGINS episode. 

Julian Friedmann – UK – Drama
Julian Friedmann was born in South Africa in 1944 and moved to London in 1961. He is an agent who represents both book and script writers across a broad range of subjects and formats. He started as an editor for two academic publishers in the early 1970s before setting up his own publishing company. He set up a literary agency in 1976, later merging with Carole Blake to establish Blake Friedmann. He has lectured all over the world on the business of scriptwriting and has published a book called How To Make Money Scriptwriting. He edited two volumes called Writing Long-running Television Series and created Europe’s leading scriptwriting magazine ScriptWriter, which became TwelvePoint.com. He is also co-author of The Insider’s Guide to Writing for Television.
He helped design PILOTS (an EU Media initiative to develop long-running television series) and the MA in Television Scriptwriting at De Montfort University. In addition to being an agent, he also works as an Executive producer.

Carl Gottlieb – USA – Feature Film
Carl Gottlieb is best known as the co-writer of one of cinema's most beloved blockbusters, Jaws (1975). He also acted in the film as newspaperman Meadows, and co-wrote the first two sequels. His book on the making of JAWS, 'The Jaws Log' has been described by Bryan Singer as 'a little movie bible'. Carl's background is in comedy, and outside the Jaws series he wrote the comedies Which Way is Up (1977), The Jerk (1979), Caveman (1981) and Doctor Detroit (1983), the last two he also directed. He began writing comedy for TV, contributing to The Bob Newhart Show, All in the Family and The Odd Couple. Gottlieb also co-wrote David Crosby’s two autobiographies, 1989's Long Time Gone and 2006's Since Then. He has been WGA-West Secretary-Treasurer since September 2011.

Enter online by clicking here.

South Africa issues Tax guide to film production incentives

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus21 November 2014

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has issued a tax guide to the current income tax exemption for the receipts and accruals of income derived from the exploitation rights of a film.

Aimed at stimulating the production of films within the country, the incentive was previously contained under section 24F of the Income Tax Act. Section 24F, which was repealed with effect from December 12, 2013, provided an upfront deduction, or in some circumstances a deduction which was spread over 10 years, for certain production or post-production costs incurred by the taxpayer.

That incentive was replaced by the provisions of Section 12O, which now provides for the exemption from normal tax of income derived from the exploitation rights of approved films. Section 12O came into effect on January 1, 2012, and applies to all receipts and accruals of approved films if principal photography commenced on or after this date but before 1 January 2022.

The receipts and accruals of income are exempt if the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) has approved the film as a local production or a co-production; if the income is received by or accrues to an investor; and only to the extent that the income is received or accrues within a 10-year period after the film's completion date. In addition, the tax exemption is limited to investors who acquired the exploitation rights before the completion date of the film.

The term "exploitation rights" is defined as the "the right to any receipts and accruals in respect of the use of; the right of use of; or the granting permission to use, any film to the extent that those receipts and accruals are wholly dependent on profits and losses in respect of the film."

The words "wholly dependent on profits and losses in respect of the film" indicate that the receipts and accruals must be dependent on the success of the film activity in respect of which the taxpayer undertook risk.

The NFVF has introduced a set of qualifying criteria, the South African Film Criteria, that are used to determine whether a film constitutes a local production or a co-production based on a point system.

See more by clicking here.

Submit your project for the 7th Edition La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde

SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT FOR THE 7th EDITION BEFORE DECEMBER 8, 2014! 
La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde has been created by the Institut français, in partnership with the International Organisation of la Francophonie to support talented new filmmakers from Southern and emerging countries. 

This professional programme has been developed in close association with the Festival de Cannes and the Marché du Film to invite ten filmmakers who are working on their first or second feature film. 

Accompanied by their producers, selected directors will receive personalised support adapted to their project and professional experience ; improve their market position and develop a professional network and find some French, European or international co-producers for their project.

MAIN SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Directors must come from one of the eligible countries (list available on the website).
2. The project must be the director’s 1st or 2nd feature-length film (fiction, documentary or animation)
3. The project must have a local producer or a producer from one of the eligible countries who has produced a short- or feature-length film in the last five years
4. Each director or production company may only submit one film project
5. Co-producers may not apply but they must appear in the registration form
6. The film’s provisional budget must be less than €3 million.

NEW SUCCESS STORIES

Follow the news on La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde facebook group! 

Flapping in the middle of nowhere by Hoang Diep Nguyen (La Fabrique 2012 - Vietnam) has received the Fedeora Award for Best Film at the Critics Week in Venice and and was selected in Toronto International Film Festival (Discovery). It will also be screened in A Window on Asian Cinema at the Busan International Film Festival. 

Mariam Khatchvani for Dede (La Fabrique 2014 – Georgia) and Gitanjali Rao (La Fabrique 2011 - India)  for her new project True Love Story have both received a production grant from the Doha Film Institute.

Midi Z (La Fabrique 2012 – Burma) will represent Taiwan at the Oscars with his new film Ice Poison (Bing Du). The film had been selected in Berlin (Panorama) last February. 

Marcela Esquivel Jimenez and Armando Capo Ramos (La Fabrique 2014 – Costa-Rica/Cuba) have received the best project award at the coproduction forum in San Sebastian.

Mattie Do (La Fabrique 2014 – Laos) has been selected to take part in the Toronto Talent Lab of the Toronto International Film Festival 2014.

Fidaï, Damien Ounouri’s first documentary film (La Fabrique 2014 – Algeria) has been released in France on October 29.

The Cinémas du Monde Pavilion is organised by the Institut français in partnership with the International Organisation of La Francophonie and France Médias Monde – RFI, Monte Carlo Doualiya, France 24. 

Deadline is 8 December 2014.

Online registration :

http://maj.lescinemasdumonde.com/formulaire-inscription-projet-2015/formulaire_en.php

Afpro Connect Expo 2014 - changes in dates and venues

AFPRO Connect gears up to market SA production services to the world Top SA production services companies sign up to exhibit at trade show, now taking place on 25th & 26th November; high-impact panels taking shape.

Information:
Starts 8am Tuesday 25 November
Ends 7pm Wednesday 26 November

Arts on Main, 264 Fox Street
The OPEN, 20 Kruger Street
Bioscope Independent Cinema, 286 Fox Street
MABONENG PRECINCT - Jhb

Due to ongoing building refurbishments at the Museum of African Design – we have decided to relocate the trade show component of AFPRO Connect to the more established Arts on Main venue at 264 Fox Street, Maboneng Precinct.

This change of venue has necessitated a change of date, from Friday 14 & Saturday 15 November, to Tuesday 25 & Wednesday 26 November, which has been welcomed by 99.9% of our stakeholders, exhibitors, suppliers, panelists & ticket-holders.

We are pleased to report that all AFPRO Connect venues are now confirmed, with all relevant licences & permissions in place.

AFPRO Connect is the first trade show & conference programme geared towards boosting the number of films, television shows, commercials, corporate & NGO videos being shot in Africa with Africa.

The trade show will bring together established and emerging production companies, corporate marketing & brand managers, advertising, branding & PR agencies, event management companies, production services companies (e.g. crew, cast, catering, set design, special effects, post-production, etc) NGOs, animation companies and other organisations and individuals that play a continuing role in the production management ecosystem.

Don't miss your chance to meet over 60 world-class African production companies, discover new expert collaborators and partners,  and find out what's happening in African production today.

Meetings Delegates will be able to pre-schedule meetings with exhibitors, attend high-impact panel discussions, company presentations and gain preferential access to evening social networking events.

Selected Exhibitors:

• Quizzical Pictures
• Bladeworks
• Mann Made Media
• Your Girlfriend
• Left Post-Production
• White Heron Pictures
• Dreamlights
• Department of Trade & Industry

Selection of Panelists:

• Ryan van Jaarsveld – 7 Different Kinds of Smoke [The Rise & Rise of Branded Entertainment]
• Roger Smythe – Masters & Savant [Animation for Communication: Why it Makes Sense]
• Doug de Villiers – Interbrand [Branding in Africa]
• Chris Briggs – Red Dot Productions [Wealth of SA Production Services]
• Tracey Williams – Refinery [DTI Production & Post-Production Incentives]
• Stella Nwimo – Bedlam Productions UK [Selling African Screen Stories Internationally]
• Hayleigh Evans – Propertuity [Shooting Maboneng]
• Anne-Marie Hanna – Commpost Media [CSR & the Power of Video Communications]
• Dan Jawitz – Fireworx Media [Meaningful Content for NGOs]
• Mic Mann – Mann Made Media [Corporate Videos with more Impact]

Please click here to view the full Conference Programme timetable.

Selection of attending NGOs:

• Reach for a Dream Foundation
• African Leadership Academy
• National SPCA
• Legal Resources Centre
• Food & Trees for Africa
• Impilo Child Protection and Adoption Agency
• Thusanani Children's Foundation

Education Institutions Exhibiting:

• AFDA
• Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking
• Animation School - Johannesburg
• LEARN 3D
• Open Window Institute
• Academy of Sound Engineering

Expected Total Attendance: 500 - 800

Further Benefits of Attending:

'SPEED-DATING' SESSIONS
Series of short face-to-face meetings between SA corporates seeking marketing, staff training, CSR & event video production services. Also between SA documentary filmmakers and NGO's seeking to use video for future awareness and fund-raising campaigns.

MABONENG NEIGHBOURHOOD TOURS
A discounted 2-hour tour of Maboneng Precinct.
[Usual cost is R350pp, but has been reduced to R100pp for AFPRO Connect attendees].

Please click on the following link for an itinerary of the tour: www.mainstreetwalks.co.za/tours/maboneng-precinct-tour/

SOCIAL NETWORKING EVENTS
A number of social networking events will be taking place at various venues around Maboneng.

Holders of Meeting Delegate Passes receive preferential access to these.

ACCESS TO SHORT FILM SHOWCASE @ Bioscope Independent Cinema
SA'S best short film directors and producers showcase their work and discuss how their films were conceived and produced. This is an AFPRO Connect partnership with Independent Msanzi Short Film Festival.

ACCESS TO MUSIC VIDEO EXPO @ Zen Music Lounge
SA's best music video producers and directors showcase their work and discuss how the ideas were conceived and produced.

Cost of Attendance:

• Visitor's Pass: R1000 (access to Main Expo at MOAD, all panel discussions at OPEN, screenings at Bioscope + social networking events)
• Meeting Delegate Pass: R3500 (all of the above, plus access to AFPRO Connect Meetings Organisation System + Business Speed-dating Sessions)

Registration:
The online registration form for attendance at AFPRO Connect Expo 2014 can be found by clicking on this link.

Tickets can also be purchased via Webtickets at this link. Please try to register early as space is limited.

Meals:
The AFPRO Connect Expo organisers will not be serving meals to attendees, but there are nearly 20 restaurants and eateries in Maboneng Precinct, enough to suit most tastes and budgets.

To view the options, please click on this link.

Transport & Parking:
Transport to and from AFPRO Connect Expo is your own responsibility. There is sufficient – free – on-street parking around Maboneng Precinct, with highly-trained security personnel on every corner.  

We look forward to meeting with you at AFPRO Connect Expo, and helping you to network effectively.

Joint application against the SABC and the Minister of Communication

2014-11-05 - SOS_ MMA and FXI Joint Press Statement - Joint application against the SABC_ the Minister of Communications and Mr Hlaudi Motsoeneng

Copyright & A2K Issues - 4 November 2014

Intellectual Property:

Exceptions to Copyright : Guidance for Creators and Copyright Owners (UK)
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/359250/Exceptions_to_copyright_-_Guidance_for_creators_and_copyright_owners.pdf

Apply for a licence to use an orphan work (UK)
https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-licence-to-use-an-orphan-work

Open Access, A2k & Scholarly Communication:

Creative Commons South Africa – Guidelines for Licensors
https://open.uct.ac.za/bitstream/handle/11427/9045/CC_Guidelines_092014TS.pdf?sequence=1

Institutional journals as an alternative model for open access
http://memorias.ioc.fiocruz.br/issues/current-issue/item/1858-0334_institutional-journals-as-an-alternative-model-for-open-access

Making It Real: 3D Printing as a Library Service
http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/making-it-real-3d-printing-library-service

State-of-art analysis of OA strategies to peer-review publications
http://science-metrix.com/files/science-metrix/publications/d_2.1_sm_ec_dg-rtd_oa_policies_in_the_era_update_v05p.pdf

2015 IFLA/ekz LIS Student Paper Award
http://www.ifla.org/set/student-paper-award

The top 100 papers - Nature explores the most-cited research of all time.
http://www.nature.com/news/the-top-100-papers-1.16224

When Shared Data Is Not Reproducible: Science Is Broken–But It Can Be Fixed
http://www.wired.com/2014/10/science-broken-but-can-be-fixed/

Conferences – Call for papers:

IFLA LIS Education in Developing Countries Special Interest Group (SIG) Satellite meeting
August 12, 2015, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
For more information, email Dr. Ismail Abdullahi at iabdullahi@nccu.edu

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a free international online service covering topics such as copyright, authors’ rights, plagiarism, traditional knowledge, digitisation and library matters, open access, access to knowledge (A2K), scholarly research and communication, issues affecting persons with sensory disabilities, open education and m-learning, mobile technologies and social networking, conference alerts, useful websites and legislation affecting access to information. For information about this service or its Archives, or to subscribe/unsubscribe , please email copyrightanda2kissues@africanlii.org. The Archives can be found at http://www.africanlii.org/blogs/denise. For feedback or suggestions, please email Denise.Nicholson@wits.ac.za.

Allegations of editorial interference in e.tv

SOS 2014-10-27 - Press Statement - Editorial Integrity of ALL Broadcasters Must be Protected and Promoted

SAGE Cape Town and Labspace hosting Adobe Solutions

Matthew has been working in the UK media since 1996. He has directed and produced BAFTA, RTS and Wildscreen award winning series, as well as winning prizes for camerawork and cinematography - mostly during his 14 year career at the BBC. His directing and producing credits include Trawlermen, Earth: Power of the Planet, Serious Jungle/Desert, Oceans and How Earth Made Us. In 2011 Matthew joined Adobe to help lead strategic relationships with broadcast customers across Europe. Today, Matthew manages the Strategic Development Video Team across EMEA, where he helps develop creative relationships across the television, film and advertising sectors. 

Remembering Gerald Kraak: On the vision and legacy of an extraordinary man

http://www.jacana.co.za/ebooks/1614-gerald-kraak

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Gerald Kraak – a beloved friend, comrade, mentor and supporter of the South African lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) movement. 

It is no exaggeration to say that the sector as we know it would not have been possible without Gerald’s vision, courage and determination. As the head of the South African office of Atlantic Philanthropies, Gerald was responsible for a major shift in the funding landscape, one that reinvigorated and forever altered our movement.   

LGBT rainbow flag: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT

Remarkably, Gerald also found the time to write a novel, Ice in the Lungs, which was the joint winner of the 2005 EU Literary Award and to direct a landmark documentary, Property of the State: Gay Men in the Apartheid Military (2003).

When Gerald became part of the funding sector in the mid-1990s, very few donors were willing to support the then-nascent LGBTI movement. At the time, most regarded sexuality and gender rights as secondary to the ‘big’ issues facing the new South Africa. This attitude was mirrored in the politics of the day: in a country plagued by racial inequality, economic disparity and violence, the ‘gay and lesbian question’ was viewed at best with suspicion and at worst with contempt and revulsion.

Gerald Kraak thought differently. He believed that South Africa’s transformation would not be possible unless all people – including LGBTI persons – could access their human and socio-economic rights.  His broad vision for social justice encompassed all South Africans – from migrants and refugees to farm workers to activists fighting for freedom of information.

But Gerald did more than offer financial assistance to a fledgling movement: his foresight created space for a crucial transformation to take place. Through Gerald’s support, particularly after he joined Atlantic Philanthropies in the early 2000s, new organisations were able to emerge and existing groups were able to re-evaluate their approach. The impact the funding Gerald provided is apparent in the new generation of black community leaders, specifically those from townships and rural areas, who came to the fore during this period.

In 2008, Gerald himself reflected on the shape of the LGBTI movement during the early years of our democracy:

LGBTI organisations were concentrated in urban areas. They were typically strapped for cash, crisis-driven, run by small, committed activist staffs, and sometime lacked professional capacity to carry out their programmes and relied on one or two donors for support … More problematically, the public face of the community was largely white, male and middle class.

Gerald understood that this situation would not change without sustained and strategic investment. He recognised the need for organisations to be provided with a level of funding that allowed not only for programmatic activities but also for growth and development. The ensuing support permitted the movement to reappraise its values and goals, and to begin working in a more strategic and coordinated fashion. In his own words, Gerald described his approach as ‘less about an injection of cash into an impoverished sector than a synergy between targeted funding and imperatives within the movement itself’.

The significance of this approach, of funding according to strategic outcomes, is evident in the 2006 adoption of the Civil Union Act. Gerald played a crucial role in channelling funds towards the same-sex marriage cause, ultimately allowing for the advocacy campaign that made this historic moment possible. Indeed, without the support of Atlantic Philanthropies, it is very unlikely that the Joint Working Group would have been able to undertake litigation or to successfully lobby the ANC leadership.

It is also through Gerald’s expansive vision that transgender and intersex struggles became included in the broader LGBTI agenda in South Africa. With his support, for the first time, transgender activists could formalise themselves and create strong organisations.  This validation contributed towards shifting the transgender movement from the margins.

When Atlantic began its phased withdrawal from South Africa, Gerald acted to ensure sustainability of the movement.  More than any other person, he was crucial in the establishment of the Other Foundation. In its first year, the fund has already demonstrated its commitment to advancing the rights of LGBTI people in Southern Africa. None of this would have been possible with Gerald’s tireless work.

While the impact of Gerald’s vision is indisputable, he would be the first to argue that we still have a long way to go. Over the last few years, Gerald continued to urge the LGTBI sector to build alliances with other movements and to engage strategically with political parties, trade unions and mainstream faiths. Such an approach, he argued, would highlight the connections between our struggles while also helping to increase visibility of our communities. For many organisations, this strategy has shaped our current and future activities.

There are very few LGBTI organisations that have not benefited from Gerald’s dream of a better world. It is because of his courage to support an overlooked sector that our movement exists in the form that it does. Gerald’s refusal to take the easy approach, his insistence on allowing organisations to develop on their own terms, has left a lasting legacy on our movement and on South Africa. We still have a long road ahead in the struggle for sexuality and gender rights, but we are closer than ever to realising the freedoms of our Constitution.

We thank you, Gerald, for all that you have done to make this world a better place.

A luta continua!

A memorial service will be held in Johannesburg on 1 November and in Cape Town on 6 or 7 November.  Full details will be sent out in due course.

Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL):                                              (011) 403 0004

Durban Lesbian & Gay Community and Health Centre:            (031) 312 7402

Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW):                         (011) 403 1906

Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA):                                 (011) 717 4239

Gender DynamiX:                                                                              (021) 633 5287

Out in Africa Gay and Lesbian Film Festival:                               (021) 461 4027

OUT Wellbeing:                                                                                 (012) 430 3272

Pietermaritzburg Gay and Lesbian Network:                               (033) 342 6165

Triangle Project:                                                                                (021) 686 1475 

For more information, please contact any of the organisations listed above.

Communications Minister must abide by the Law

The SOS: Support Public Broadcasting Coalition notes with concern media reports that the Minister of Communications has allegedly refused to allow outgoing ICASA Councillors to continue to work until their replacement councillors’ terms of office commence. 

ICASA, as the regulator of the electronic communications and postal sectors, is critically important and the Council is, obviously, the engine of the regulator. 

Section 7(4) of the ICASA Act stipulates that a councillor stays on after the expiry of his or her term of office until the commencement of the term of office of his or her successor councillor for a maximum of 45 days. 

It is important to state that this happens as a matter of law, and the Minister (nor any other body) has the legal authority to purport to tell an outgoing Councillor that he or she may not stay on in office as provided for in the ICASA Act. 

As the public is well aware, the SABC and the Post Office are both in a state of crisis and there are a number of important regulatory processes, including in respect of competition in the ICT sector, are currently underway before ICASA. Consequently the public needs a functioning and effective ICASA that is able to keep up with the demands of the sector. 

Section 5(1) of the ICASA Act determines that the ICASA Council is made up of a Chairperson and eight other Councillors. Currently two ICASA councillors’ terms of office ended at the end of September and two more are due to end their terms of office at the end of October. Worryingly, Parliament has yet to even call for public nominations to replace these outgoing Councillors, far less be finalising the recommendation process which takes time and is required to be open and transparent. 

SOS has no knowledge of the Minister’s intentions regarding her purported interference in the outgoing Councillors’ ability to continue working for 45 days or until their successors’ terms of office commence, but the clear effect of this unlawful interference would be to severely undermine ICASA’s capacity to perform its functions as it reduces the Council to only five people – just over half its members.

SOS calls on the Minister to cease and desist from interfering in ICASA’s ability to perform its functions immediately, and to allow the outgoing Councillors to continue to perform their functions as they are required to do as a matter of law. 

Further, SOS calls on the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications urgently to call for public nominations for four ICASA Councillors and to get on with the critically important process of ensuring that people who are able to act in the public interest are shortlisted for appointment by the Minister following a public and transparent shortlisting process. 

For more information contact:
Sekoetlane Jacob Phamodi
Coordinator
076 084 8077


The SOS Coalition represents a broad spectrum of civil society stakeholders committed to the broadcasting of quality, diverse, citizen-orientated public-interest programming aligned to the goals of the South African Constitution. The Coalition includes a number of trade union federations including COSATU and FEDUSA, a number of independent unions including BEMAWU and MWASA; independent film and TV production  sector organisations including the South African Screen Federation (SASFED); a host of NGOs and CBOs including the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), SECTION27 and a number of academics and freedom of expression activists.

SA Parliament must not allow the SABC to be led by liars and perjurers

SOS Press Release: Parliament must not allow the SABC to be led by liars and perjurers.pdf

Copyright and Access to Knowledge Issues

This is a free international online service covering topics such as copyright, authors’ rights, plagiarism, traditional knowledge, digitisation and library matters, open access, access to knowledge (A2K), scholarly research and communication, issues affecting persons with sensory disabilities, open education and m-learning, mobile technologies and social networking, conference alerts, useful websites and legislation affecting access to information. 

Latest Blogs:

Intellectual Property:

Harvard Law Review Claims Copyright Over Legal Citations; Now Challenged By Public Domain Effort
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20141007/17534928757/shameful-harvard-law-review-copyright-maximalism-over-legal-citations-put-to-test-with-new-public-domain-effort.shtml

Adobe is Spying on Users, Collecting Data on Their eBook Libraries
http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/10/06/adobe-spying-users-collecting-data-ebook-libraries/#.VDfH6k9xmHs

Open Access, Access to Knowledge (A2K) and Scholarly Communication:
http://accessibility.arl.org/

Change role of faculty librarians in open access by Iryna Kuchma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qxXheV83F8&feature=youtu.be

Open Access Journal publishing at your institution by Ina Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65_tZRz1vSg&feature=youtu.be

Lessons from Swets : Libraries need subscription security | peer to peer review
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2014/10/opinion/peer-to-peer-review/lessons-from-swets-libraries-need-subscription-security-peer-to-peer-review/

A new chapter for the monograph?
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/blog/a-new-chapter-for-the-monograph-30-sep-2014

The digital future of our stuff: approach with caution
http://theconversation.com/the-digital-future-of-our-stuff-approach-with-caution-32218

What is the Lyon Declaration?
http://www.lyondeclaration.org/about/

Traditional Knowledge:

Nagoya Protocol Enters Into Force, Will Be Tested In Months To Come
http://www.ip-watch.org/2014/10/09/nagoya-protocol-enters-into-force-will-be-tested-in-months-to-come/



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The Archives can be found at http://www.africanlii.org/blogs/denise. 

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THE 4TH ANNUAL JOZI FILM FESTIVAL JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

The Fourth Annual Jozi Film Festival, taking place 20 - 22 FEBRUARY 2015, will highlight the very best in filmmaking in the heart of Johannesburg, one of the world’s most diverse and electrifying cities. 

Fantastic stories about Jozi and her habitants, as well as films made by local and international filmmakers, will be screened over a three-day period at several venues throughout the city, including The Bioscope Independent Cinema in the hip Maboneng precinct on the east side of the Johannesburg CBD.

The Jozi Film Festival will present a multi-genre slate of films from emerging and established filmmakers, exploring a broad range of themes and topics that affect our communities and stir our hearts and minds.

The festival will also offer provocative Q&A sessions with the filmmakers in attendance, workshops and seminars. Wrapping up the festival will be JFF's exciting Awards Ceremony on February 22, 2015.

Submissions are accepted until October 19, 2014, so don't delay!

We have a number of competition categories, such as Best Feature Film, Best Feature Documentary, and Audience Choice Award. Prizes will be awarded for several of the winning categories.

The Jozi Film Festival is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching local culture, supporting the city’s vibrant film community, and reaching new audiences through the powerful language of film.

For more information about the festival and to submit your film, please visit our website: www.jozifilmfestival.co.za.

You can also find us on:
Twitter: @JoziFilmFest
Facebook: Jozi Film Festival

The Pan African Film Festival Announces Call for Submissions

America’s Largest, Most Prestigious Black Film Festival Elevates Its Tradition of Enrichment

LOS ANGELES – The call for submissions is open for the 23nd Annual Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), February 12 – 22, 2015. 

The largest and most prestigious Black film festival in the U.S. PAFF spans 11 days, and attracts 40,000+ industry and public attendees, and schedules screenings of more than 150 films from around the globe such as countries the United States, Austria, England, Bermuda, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Brazil, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, Nigeria, and Angola. American exposure generates at-home press and even award recognition for international films. The diversity of PAFF is represented by its core value of Pan-Africanism in every feature selected and its community programming including an extensive fine art show ArtFest and surrounding schools Black History Month curriculum.

“Through the years, our guiding principle of ‘Pan-Africanism’ as a movement remains to unify and provide a platform for the meaningful stories of all people of African descent worldwide – African American, Caribbean, European, Latin American, South Pacific, and Aboriginal” said Asantewa Olatunji, the director of programming for PAFF.

PAFF broadens the horizon of the film market and opens the minds of its audiences. In recent years, the reception to “Django Unchained,” “The Help,” and “12 Years a Slave” by both Black and crossover filmgoers were culturally explosive, huge box office wins and proved to Hollywood and the world that films about the Black experience were not only relevant, but also profitable.

”Any film from anywhere with a synopsis from Africa and the Diaspora is eligible,” said Ayuko Babu, executive director and a founder of PAFF. “The perspective must be realistic and reflect the Black experience. Our time is now, our stories are prime, and support of authenticity is vital,” said Babu.

ELIGIBILITY:
PAFF accepts submissions for films and videos made by and/or about people of African descent. Filmmaker(s) need not be of African or African American descent. Films should preferably depict positive and realistic images and can be of any genre -- drama, comedy, horror, adventure, animation, romance, science fiction, experimental, etc. Features and shorts both narrative and documentary may be submitted. The film festival will accept a single submission of a work in progress; however, the final version of the film must be completed no later than December 1, 2014. Submissions must be made online through the PAFF website, www.paff.org. Click onto the “Submit to PAFF 2015” button.

SUBMISSION:
Regular Submission:
Aug. 19 – Oct. 19
Features $45 | Shorts $30

Late Submission:
Oct. 20 – Nov. 19
Features $75 | Shorts $55

For complete details on rules, restrictions, fees, deadlines, and online application, visit www.paff.org. Official selections begin December 3, 2014 with “roll-out” notification; final announcement will be posted to the website no later than January 5, 2015.

COMPETITION:
The PAFF competition categories are:

• Best Narrative Feature
• Best Narrative Short
• Best Documentary
• Best Director
• First Feature
• Audience Favorite Awards for Narrative Feature
• Audience Favorite Awards for Favorite Documentary

Films in competition must be copyrighted no earlier than 2014. With the exception of Audience Favorite Awards, all films are judged by industry professionals, selected by PAFF. In addition to competition awards, other programming and festival special prizes will be awarded.

ABOUT THE PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL
The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) is America's largest, and most prestigious Black film and arts festival. Each year, it screens more than 150 films made by and/or about people of African descent from the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, South America, the South Pacific, Latin America, Europe and Canada. PAFF holds the distinction of being the largest Black History Month event in the United States.

PAFF was founded in 1992 by award-winning actor Danny Glover (“The Color Purple,” “Lethal Weapon” movie franchise), Emmy Award-winning actress Ja’Net DuBois (best known for her role as Willona in the TV series “Good Times”) and executive director, Ayuko Babu, an  international legal, cultural and political consultant who specializes in African Affairs. PAFF is a non-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of ethnic and racial respect and tolerance through the exhibit of films, art and creative expression.
The goal of PAFF is to present and showcase the broad spectrum of Black creative works, particularly those that reinforce positive images, help to destroy negative stereotypes and depict an expanded vision of the Black experience. PAFF believes film and art can lead to better understanding and foster communication between peoples of diverse cultures, races, and lifestyles, while at the same time, serve as a vehicle to initiate dialogue on the important issues of our times.

Share in the movement:
Official Site: http://www.paff.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PAFF1992
Twitter: http://twitter.com/paffnow
Instagram: http://instagram.com/paffnow

2014 AFPRO CONNECT EXPO

The 2014 AFPRO CONNECT EXPO has arrived!

AFPRO will be bringing together Global Production VIP's,  independent film makers, industry veterans and government facilitation agencies in a two day interactive exhibition taking place in Maboneng Precinct  (JHB) from the 14th to the 15th of November 2014.

Our focal aim is to showcase  Production Incentives and  support services found in SA of which there are many to an international forum of buyers.

Our Aim being to boost the number of Feature Films, Series, Commercials and Stills campaigns being shot in South Africa in the upcoming years.

Please click here to find the AFPRO website which showcases the expo in its entirety, the expected attendance and the confirmed participation to date. And for the event summary click here.

Or contact Geoff Kukard on 082 451 4357

Cinema Nouveau Launches Exciting New Initiative to Encourage Local Filmmakers to Submit a Short Film

Original article from the NFVF website.

South Africa has a vibrant film industry that is growing in reputation and is competitive internationally. The local film industry in South Africa has been identified by government as a sector with excellent potential for growth, with the opportunity to increase employment from various sectors of the economy. According to a 2013 report from the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), the country’s film and television industries contribute approximately R3.5-billion per annum to the country’s economy.

The important role that local productions are playing in telling South Africa’s stories and growing the industry cannot be ignored. Ster-Kinekor Theatres has witnessed a 44% increase in the number of locally-produced films releasing on its national circuit in the past two years alone. With the continued interest in and support of local productions, Ster-Kinekor’s art-house chain of cinemas, Cinema Nouveau, today (25 September) launched an exciting initiative to support and encourage local filmmakers to create and submit original content in the form of a short film, no longer than ten minutes in duration. The Short Film Project is being launched in partnership with Spectrum and ShortandSweet, and will roll-out over a six-month period.

The concept behind the project is to call for entries that will be judged by a panel of industry experts. The entries that make it through the initial selection process will be featured on the big screen as the ‘supporting act’ to the main feature at the Cinema Nouveau theatres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town.

Says Doug Place, Marketing Executive of Ster-Kinekor Theatres: “We are constantly amazed by the raw and undiscovered talent that abounds in the South African film industry. We are confident that this project will provide us with an opportunity to expose original content, in the form of the short film, to a wider cinema audience.

“The Short Film Project will target filmmakers, both established and aspirant talent within the industry, to produce and enter a short film of ten minutes or less. We have partnered with ShortandSweet to curate the entries, with Spectrum providing valuable input on the post-production process. A panel of judges will then view and review the entries that make it through this process, and compile a short list of finalists that make it onto the big screen.”

Entries are now open and submissions must be received by 24 October 2014. 

Budding filmmakers need to complete an entry form (available at Cinema Nouveau theatres and via the website at www.cinemanouveau.co.za) and submit this, together with their short film via Dropbox to: shortfilmproject@sterkinekor.com.

Audiences will have the chance to view all the curated entries – not only those that make it through to the short-list – from 14 November to 14 December this year. Thereafter, the entries will be submitted to the judging panel whose final selection will be announced on 02 February 2015. These short films will have the honour of being featured on the big screen during “Oscar” weekend, which always attracts large cinema audiences.

“The project culminates with the overall winners of The Short Film Project being announced at a special function at Cinema Nouveau Rosebank on 05 March 2015. For all the filmmakers whose work is selected for screening, it is the ultimate kudos for them to view their finished product on the big screen inside a cinema,” says Place.

The overall winning director of The Short Film Project will receive the following prize: Sony camera equipment to the value of R20 000 and a screening of the winning short film at the 2015 Durban International Film Festival.  The director of the film that receives the most number of votes during the ‘Audience Choice Award’ voting process wins a screening of his or her film at 2015 Durban International Film Festival.

The Spectrum team will spend an hour with each finalist to assist them with the post-production process, and will also transfer their material to into a digital format, to play on the recently upgraded digital projection systems within the cinemas.

Ronald Henry, the MD of Spectrum.tv, comments: “Spectrum is very excited to work with our partners, Ster-Kinekor and Cinema Nouveau, on this new and exciting initiative.  We have been working with local filmmakers and distributors for more than ten years, and we are committed to helping develop and showcase emerging talent.”

Responsible for curating all the entries for the final judging process, Short & Sweet has an established reputation in curating short film festivals, and creates unique screening platforms to enhance and redefine the public’s experience of cinema.

Says Julia Stephenson, the founder and curator of Short & Sweet: “We are dedicated to the exhibition of film as a critical art form in its own right.  As such, we are delighted to be involved in this exciting new initiative with Cinema Nouveau and look forward to unearthing some real gems in the short film genre.”

Entries are now open for The Short Film Project and aspirant filmmakers have until 24 October 2014 to submit their original short film. All the project details and further information can be found on the Cinema Nouveau website - www.cinemanouveau.co.za.

The 2014 WGSA MUSE Awards call for entries

 

Following hot on the heels of the inaugural Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) Muse Awards, which culminated in a highly acclaimed awards ceremony in March this year, the 2014 WGSA Muse Awards are about to launch with a bigger, better list of categories and a televised awards ceremony in March 2015. 

The WGSA Muse Awards, launched by the Writers’ Guild of South Africa (WGSA), is the only award in the country which exclusively honours the South African Performance Writer and allows the local content production industry to celebrate and promote the creativity, quality and writing excellence of local writers.

 Entries will be accepted for the 2014 WGSA Muse Awards in eight different script categories:

• Feature Film
• TV Drama
• Radio Drama
• TV Comedy
• Documentary
• Animation
• Stage Plays, and
• Unproduced Script in any genre.

A panel of independent judges will be looking for excellence in writing style, story, characterisation, dialogue, and impact. Every nominee will receive a personalised Nomination Certificate, and each winner will receive a personalised Winner’s Certificate and a beautiful specially designed WGSA Muse Trophy.

The WGSA is a registered Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) and a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO and is the only organised  industry association in South Africa with the sole purpose of protecting, developing and empowering performance writers in the local film, television, radio, stage, animation and new media (internet – mobile and digital distribution, and gaming) industries. The WGSA is a key member of SASFED (The South African Screen Federation).

The judging process will take place during December 2014 to middle February 2015, with the nominees announced at the end of February 2015. This will be followed by the award ceremony, which will take place on 9 March 2015.

Entries for the 2014 WGSA Muse Awards open on 23 September 2014 and close at midnight on the 30^th of November 2014. 

All entries have to be submitted online. The online entry system, competition rules and regulations, FAQ and entry details can be found on the WGSA Muse Awards website at http://www.writersguildsa.org/museawards.htm