And this for the spitfire intro: With over 24 years of directing 360+ commercials across 32 countries, Spitfire’s Co-Founder AK is one of South Africa’s most experienced directors. Beyond the awards and on-set adventures, his journey is also about family, personal growth, and a deep love of film.
Former Pulse Films director Alex Motlhabane returns to South Africa after a successful UK career working with brands like Pepsi and Amazon, and directing music videos for slowthai and A$AP Rocky. He now brings his expertise to Robot Films.
Lazola Gola’s latest Weetbix campaign is a perfect example of comedy having it's moment in advertising. Teaming up with M&C Saatchi Abel, Lazola brings his signature offbeat humor to the breakfast table, crafting a colorful, quirky, and memorable campaign.
Social impact campaigns are resource-intensive, requiring expertise to ensure lasting benefits. Here's why agencies partner with experts like Bloom & Stone.
Miss Women’s Day? At CreateSA.tv, every month is Women’s month, with a powerhouse team of women creatives driving their commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Giant Films, a name synonymous with nurturing top talent, has signed director Kyla Philander to their roster. As a company with a 30-year legacy of supporting and growing passionate filmmakers, Giant has always sought out directors who bring something unique to the table, and Kyla is no exception.
There are 8 days left until the third annual AVIJOZI Festival kicks off on September 14-15, 2024 at Summer Place in Hyde Park. This year’s festival spotlights Film, Animation, Visual Effects, AI, and Interactive Technology, including Gaming and VR. The exciting line-up, of over 60 global industry leaders, has just been released and includes talks from industry powerhouses like Greg Gray, who will share his expertise on directing for story and character, Ellen Poon, who has worked alongside legends like George Lucas and Christopher Nolan on projects like Star Wars and Avatar, and Hamid Ibrahim, one of the co-creators of the series IWAJU, Disney’s first collaborative animation project with another studio.
Back with another car ad and hot off the heels of their campaign for Standard Bank, there is no denying First Pencil is having a moment! The team’s latest commercial for Omoda and agency Clockwork Media, directed by Justine Calverley and EP’d by Lebo Mabuela, is a prime example of their ability to merge their technical chops with some laser-infused cinematic storytelling. The ad has beams cutting through the scenes like something straight out of a sci-fi movie (with an added nod to Back to the Future) and the impressive in-camera work leaves you wondering what’s real and what’s not.
18 years ago, Jacqui Pearson and Saki Bergh became the new owners of Left Post and set out to carve their own space in the post-production industry. With Jacqui Pearson’s background in broadcast and Saki Bergh’s expertise in editing, they transformed Left Post Production from a small start-up company into an award-winning post powerhouse. Their partnership is one for the history books, a partnership that has produced some of our country’s iconic work from the past two decades and played a huge part in shaping South Africa’s post industry.
Ayanda Duma represents a group of rising young directors in our industry who have their fingers on the pulse of culture, and creativity and come with an inclusive mindset and strong point of view. From challenging societal stigmas to creating authentic representations on screen, Ayanda is not afraid to make her mark in Adland and with the smart production chops of Robot, you know you’ve got the whole package.
Since Editor Nic Goodwin launched The Syndicate four years ago, the company has undergone an interesting evolution. Initially taking on a minimalist approach with a fully remote post-production process and a team of freelance talent, The Syndicate was one of the first post facilities of its kind in South Africa and a huge success for Nic. But it was time to take the next step forward and the post house has evolved to meet familiar client demands while sticking to its core ethos. Welcome to The Syndicate 2.0.
Clean Creatives South Africa is excited to launch the Creative Cleanup 2024 Young Creatives Challenge (formerly known as the Clean Creatives Schools Challenge). The challenge is an invitation to South Africa’s young creatives to join Clean Creatives SA in putting pressure on The Loeries to stop awarding creative work for the fossil fuel industry. Some creatives are unaware that they are directly connected to speeding up climate change by creating and building false perceptions for fossil fuel companies.
Bonga Ntozini, better known as Karyendasoul, is a 27-year-old music producer and DJ who has leapt to success and is making waves in entertainment and music culture. With a passion for ambitious collaborations, Karyendasoul has partnered with Grid Worldwide and 608 to build his brand and create a legacy for music as a movement.
Star Films’ Wim Steytler has established himself as a performance director who blends realism with the otherworldly. He can’t help but bring his love of symbolism and the mystical to each set he steps on, adding layers of meaning paired with strong attention to detail. Let’s get to know the man whose journey into filmmaking started in the most unexpected way.
Six countries, ten cities, 17 days, and 54 awards to their name – Carling Black Label was on a fact-finding mission to investigate who else had as many accolades as them. Ogilvy South Africa had one burning question, ‘Who on earth could solve this massive, production-heavy project?’ With Executive Producers Mmameyi Mphahlele, Melina McDonald, and Lorraine Smit at the helm, Darling Fling had the skillset and solutions to bring this ambitious globe-trotting campaign to life.
Executive Producer Gaye Leong unpacks Together Films’ approach to establishing and living their own brand values through a process that emphasises the importance of being human-centric, outlining a clear storytelling journey, involving the right people, and creating impactful endings. With this approach, Together Films is able to tell, and create, compelling stories. This ensures that their work – ranging from commercials to content to documentaries – resonates with audiences, addressing their needs and fostering a meaningful connection with the brand.
‘I was born the year of the youth uprising, and so my birth is tainted with struggle and revolution.’ This powerful opening line sets the tone for director Sanaa Mothabisa’s latest commercial film for Spotify. Produced by Johannesburg-based Sanaa Films, the spot offers an intimate glimpse into musician Thandiswa Mazwai's inspirations and themes behind her latest album, ‘Sankofa.’ From day one Sanaa Films has been dedicated to producing original and honest work, and this hits the mark.
As always, IDIDTHAT is bringing you the Cannes Lions action live, this year in partnership with LITTLEBIG. As of the 17th of June 2024, this page is your gateway to all things South Africa in Cannes. Right here you can check in to view South Africa’s winners and shortlists, the work, and the talented IDIDTHAT members involved in the work. We’ll be updating this page as results come in. Also, head over to our Instagram and Facebook for more coverage. Good luck and here's to championing South African creativity on a global stage. Go Saffas!
Being selected as a judge at Cannes is a massive achievement. It’s a testament to the respect the industry has for you on an international scale. We know that while a lot of us will be basking in the glitz and canapes Cannes has to offer, these judges will be toiling away in dark rooms, sifting through all the entries to identify the most outstanding work the world has to offer. Not to mention the Cannes Lions Shortlist judges who already had to work overtime and in between their own pitches back home! We see you, and we salute you.
Triple Story Content is shouting from their rooftop that directors Lauren Chengan and Ken Kamara are joining their roster of independent talent. According to Executive Producer Monareng Makwetla, both Lauren and Ken perfectly embody the philosophy of Triple Story Content, which values multi-faceted directors who understand the industry from various angles.
