BEST IN CRAFT (DIRECTION)
KFC ‘Festive’ (Director’s Cut)
Darling Films | Zee Ntuli

Awarded by Catherine Wanliss

Judge’s comment on DIRECTION:
“So pleased to have an opportunity to say this: craft matters. The detail we put into the work we make for our clients’ brands is extremely important. Craft isn’t us indulging in making beautiful ‘art’, or an inability to understand leaner budgets and tighter deadlines. Quite the contrary. It’s us using our talent and expertise to help brands connect powerfully with their target markets and ultimately sell stuff. In a world where every second person is a content creator, craft is what sets our professional offering apart, what makes our fees worthwhile.

On that note, I loved Zee’s treatment for KFC ‘Festive’ – the two different grades; one giving off a cool urban frisson, the other hot family-December vibes. This, coupled with the immersive sound treatment and the beautiful overlapping collage of the two worlds, made me feel like I was getting to experience somebody else’s emotions and memories. I also loved the way the performances were handled. There are lots of subtle details that could’ve been left out, but are actually what make the piece for me: ‘Are those tattoos?’ (loved that), the protagonist holding that look into camera at the end, and the woman on the right pulling those faces we all pull whilst waiting for a photo to be taken. Very nice.”

– Catherine Wanliss, Creative Director at Accenture Song

BEST IN CRAFT (DIRECTION)
KFC ‘Keep Love Simple’
They Films | Grant de Sousa

Awarded by Kyle Lewis

Judge’s comment on DIRECTION:
“It’s refreshing to see such a bold script in advertising executed with this level of craft and care. The performance direction, razor-sharp comedy, and stunning visuals give the piece a cinematic scope, with every department firing at full throttle: huge credit to the art direction, styling team, and especially Grant.”

– Kyle Lewis, Director at Egg Films

CRAFT MENTION (DIRECTION)
KFC ‘Festive’ (Director’s Cut)
Darling Films | Zee Ntuli

Awarded by Kyle Lewis

Judge’s comment on DIRECTION:
“When it comes to Zee Ntuli, you can always expect something bold, innovative, and crafted with real care. His use of blocking, choreography, and camera movement is top tier, pushing the medium forward and setting the blueprint for what’s possible locally. Huge shout out to Amahle Zama for the stellar styling work on this! So clean!!!!!!“

– Kyle Lewis, Director at Egg Films

CRAFT MENTION (EDITING CRAFT)
KFC ‘Keep Love Simple’
Tessa Ford Post | Shelby Ncube

Awarded by Catherine Wanliss

Judge’s comment on EDITING:
“Some deft editing by Shelby on this particular piece. There were quite a lot of set-ups (and probably many great performances from the lead), yet somehow he managed to stitch them all together into a seamless narrative that felt well-paced, effortless and enjoyable.”

– Catherine Wanliss, Creative Director at Accenture Song

CRAFT MENTION (DIRECTION)
Handy Andy ‘Seems like a Miracle’
Incommon Productions | Retang Sebeka

Awarded by Catherine Wanliss

Judge’s comment on DIRECTION:
“I really enjoyed how Retang handled the Handy Andy campaign. Good character casting without becoming caricatured; a lovely comedic performance with great, nuanced moments (I loved the double take on the shower door); well-shot and integrated product usage; and an appropriate grade that didn’t make the comedy feel garish. The choice of narrator and music finished it off nicely. Well done.”

– Catherine Wanliss, Creative Director at Accenture Song

CRAFT MENTION (CINEMATOGRAPHY CRAFT)
Volkswagen ‘4 x Force of Nature’
7 Films | Lourens van Rensburg

Awarded by Kyle Lewis

Judge’s comment on DIRECTION:
“A breathtaking visual spectacle and a true masterclass in cinematography, camera movement, and lighting. The scale and precision are exhilarating: huge credit to Lourens Van Rensburg, Hayden Brown, and Jon Samuelson for crafting such an innovative thrill ride.”

– Kyle Lewis, Director at Egg Films