Posts in Cape Town
Cape film industry and Cape Film Commission at loggerheads
Is it the end?
When it was announced a few years ago that there would be a film studio built in the Cape, the media was a-buzz with excitement. The Cape Town Film Studios recently opened and with the crew of Judge Dredd using the facilities everyone involved was getting excited about the expected boom that the industry would experience. However, it seems there is dissension in the ranks as the South African Association of Stills Producers (SAASP) and the Commercial Producers’ Association (CPA) breaks ties from the Cape Film Commission (CFC) amidst unhappiness and allegations of incompetence.
Tags: cape film commission, cape town film studio, commercial producers' association, south african association of stills porducers
Takeways from the 14th Annual Design Indaba
South Africa’s annual Design Indaba 
is intended to showcase the best of the best – as well as upcoming talent – in all fields of design, including architecture, advertising technology, furniture and interiors, crafts, fashion and service delivery. Of course global trends are featured but most of the expo is given over to what’s happening on the local scene, after all local is lekker.
Bizcommunity plays an important supportive role in the indaba, ensuring it gets the publicity and news coverage it deserves. This year they declared the expo to be better than ever, particularly as far as exhibiting local talent was concerned, and gave it “a resounding thumbs up”.
The Big Issue’s big success
The Big Issue made national headlines in September 
2010 for all the wrong reasons. Florence Godonwana, a Big Issue vendor, was assaulted when some ruffians threw water all over her and drove off. Some witnesses immediately published pictures of the offending youths and their vehicle on Twitter and after a brief social manhunt the perpetrators were found. Now, the Big Issue is making headlines again, but this time it’s all good as it celebrates the success of its first ever collector’s edition.
Tags: Big Issue, Big Issue collectors edition, Big Issue Magazine, Big Issue South Africa
Stopping the press
There are a number of media experts who have spoken about the demise of print media with the advent of the online world. Could it be that the end is near for South African print press?
Cape Town is home to the Independent Newspapers facility where every day the presses print out thousands of copies of the Cape Times and Cape Argus, but now it looks like that’s all about to change. The presses will stop on 31 March 2011, putting just under 100 operators out of a job.
The new place of print will be the Cape and Transvaal Printers in Parow where the two newspapers will be printed alongside the Daily Voice and the community newspapers of Independent.
Tags: independent newspaper, print newspaper, stopping the presses
Right2Know Campaign: March against the Protection of Information Bill
The Right2Know Campaign is a force to be reckoned with, and they are pulling out all the stops to fight the Secrecy Bill currently before Parliament. Last Wednesday (October 27) in both Durban and Cape Town they organised a march to Parliament against the Protection of Information (“Secrecy”) Bill.
In Cape Town thousands joined the march from all walks of life. Media members, NGO members and supporters, walked alongside members of the general public in an act of solidarity against the proposed “secrecy” Bill.
It was a scorching hot day with full-force winds threatening to put a dampening on the moods of all involved, but the energy and gees of the marching members prevailed as the massive group marched from Keizersgracht Street all the way to Parliament.
Tags: march to parliament, protection of information bill, right2know, right2know cape town march, Secrecy Bill
