Best in Craft awarded to Bioscope Films & Strangelove for Volkswagen ‘Kitty’ and ‘Mandisa’

This month’s IDIDTHAT.co Craft Awards were judged by two industry legends, the unstoppable forces of coolness themselves; Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Stephanie Symonds and Director at Egg Films & Arcade Content, Lebogang Rasethaba.

‘What are the IDIDTHAT.co Craft Awards?’ Every month we team up with ad industry leaders to award the finest in South African film and production craft across these different categories: Direction, Editing, Cinematography, Animation and SFX, Online, Original Sound, Sound Design and Final Mix. It’s just another way that we make it ridiculously easy to stay up-to-date with who’s doing the best work in the country.

BEST IN CRAFT (Direction & Full Post)
Volkswagen ‘Kitty’
Bioscope Films | Fausto Becatti (Direction)
Strangelove | Daniel Mitchell (Freelance Editor), Nic Apostoli (Grade), Charmaine Greyling (VFX)

Awarded by Lebogang Rasethaba

Judges comment on Direction: “This whole process has cemented in me the undeniable fact that Fausto is extremely talented. This piece reveals an unwavering appetite for strong visuals that pierce through the visual clutter of the internet in 2020. What’s so dope about this story with Kit is that it’s a story we all know, but this take on it felt so fresh because of the strong visual extension to a powerful narrative. The shot of Kit in a snowy city, I’m not even sure what’s happening there, but that moment was the moment my envy turned into respect. Man is good y’all.”
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Lebogang Rasethaba, director at Egg Films/Arcade

Judges comment on Post: “The team from Strangelove did an exceptional job and Daniel Mitchell’s edit takes this whole visual masterpiece to an even more powerful level. Well done!’
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Lebogang Rasethaba, director at Egg Films/Arcade

BEST IN CRAFT (Direction & Editing)
Volkswagen ‘Mandisa’
Bioscope Films | Fausto Becatti (Direction)
Strangelove | Daniel Mitchell (Editing)

Awarded by Stephanie Symonds

“This is pure cinematic storytelling at its finest. No tricks or tired “looks”. With beautiful performances, incredible pacing – it’s a visual feast that takes you on a journey with a character that you as a viewer are rooting for from start to finish. As they say ‘if it looks like an ad and smells like an ad, it’s probably not a very good ad.’ This does not look or smell like an ad. Nice.”

– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Stephanie Symonds, Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi

CRAFT MENTION (Direction, Editing & Cinematography)
Awarded by Lebogang Rasethaba

CRAFT MENTION (Direction)
Awarded by Stephanie Symonds

Carling Black Label ‘Class of its Own’
Egg Films | Zwelethu Radebe (Direction)
Anthony Martin (Editing)
Fabian Vettiger (Cinematography)
*Entered on behalf of Anthony and Fabian by Egg Films

Judge’s comment on Direction: “Man this is a beautifully crafted and impactful piece of work from Zwele. The performances are understated and immediately draw you in. The piece is cinematic and evocative while still feeling real.”
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Lebogang Rasethaba, director at Egg Films/Arcade

Judge’s comment on Cinematography: “There was one shot that stood out for me that makes Fabian the winner, yes we are thinking of the same shot. The 3/4 top shot on the street, sweet Jesus that’s an epic shot. And this theme of epic shot is consistent in the advert, its just one glorious shot after another. Such considered lighting and composition, dramatic and rich relationships between the foreground and the background, deliberate lensing that creates intimacy with the characters but also leaving enough room for the viewer to take in the visuals in the breathy, dreamy wides, F**ken stan what Zweli and Fabian did here.”
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Lebogang Rasethaba, director at Egg Films/Arcade

Judge’s comment on Editing: “This ad is full of so many moments that charge the story with the right amount of sentimentality while still maintaining a very front foot forward pace. Anthony has kept the story moving and it has a lovely rhythm that allows you to digest the story, holistically and individually, yet still pauses every now and then to ground you in the important emotional details of the scenes. That, my dear friends, is crafting.”
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Lebogang Rasethaba, director at Egg Films/Arcade

Judge’s comment on Direction: “There’s a sensitivity and a subtlety to the performances that really lets the characters live and breathe. Thanks for the feelings Zwelethu.”
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Stephanie Symonds, Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi

CRAFT MENTION (Direction)
Extreme Energy ‘Unstoppable’
Carbon Films | Bruno Bossi

Awarded by Lebogang Rasethaba

“I have always been a fan of Bruno Bossi, firstly he has a really cool name and surname and it would be an affront to his ancestors if we didn’t see this name as often as possible. BRUNO BOSSI BRUNO BOSSI BRUNO BOSSI. But more than a cool cowboy with a fancy name he is a director who is full of surprises, has mad depth in his skills that are rooted in an understanding of the game 360. He has been around but he is still growing.”
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Lebogang Rasethaba, director at Egg Films/Arcade

Showmax ‘Game Changers’

‘Game Changers’ Behind the Scenes

CRAFT MENTION (VFX Craft)
Showmax ‘Game Changers’
Chocolate Tribe | Rob van den Bragt (VFX Supervisor), Tiaan Franken (Lead Technical Director)

Awarded by Stephanie Symonds and Lebogang Rasethaba

“I have heard the name Chocolate Tribe a few times in passing, “you should try these guys one day” but now I am ready to f**ken intern there! This is such great work and when I saw that behind scenes I was even more blown away. These cats play in such a tricky space where it’s easy to fail, constructing imagery that we have real-life references for is really hard, like really hard. They play with such small margins and in this particular context, we are talking about the margin between realistic and creepy. This work didn’t make you once question anything about what was real and what wasn’t, it was all seamless, believable and really inspiring. Seriously, if you need anyone to be your assistant or fetch your kids from school, call me, I am keen as long as I can learn from you guys.”
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Lebogang Rasethaba, director at Egg Films/Arcade

“Impressive levels of attention to detail, getting the lighting right on Mr Ali must have been a SOB. They really are demonstrating that SA VFX artists can rumble with the big dogs.”
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Stephanie Symonds, Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi

CRAFT MENTION (Directing)
Mr Dowells ‘True Moments’
The Rudeboy Collective | Mpho Twala

Awarded by Lebogang Rasethaba

“This advert is so wholesome and I feel like only a person who believes in the project of humanity could have made it like this. Boy, it feels so good to see wholesome advertising. I felt young again, optimistic and now I wanna go to a bar (with good Covid protocols) and have a drink (yes, I will even drink that drink from the advert) and see my friends.”
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Lebogang Rasethaba, director at Egg Films/Arcade

CRAFT MENTION (Direction)
Darling Films | Director Kit
Afro Punk ‘Dare to Fly’

Awarded by Lebogang Rasethaba

“I just love this spot. When I watch the Afro Punk piece I see a mark of excellence. Director Kit is making such great work, on repeat as if rehearsed she just gets better, stronger, smarter.”
– IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Lebogang Rasethaba, director at Egg Films/Arcade

IDIDTHAT GUEST JUDGES:

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Stephanie Symonds, Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi: As a student with a passion for ‘unusual’ videos at animation school, it’s not surprising that Steph’s advertising career took off (literally). Her talent as an art director has taken her from Joburg to London and Cape Town, where she even chose to focus on making films for a while (weird since she hasn’t even seen Forrest Gump). She’s collected some lions, birds, skinny figures holding squashed basketballs, pencils, and her neighbour’s cat along the way. Now, she’s creating a cult following as Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi for clients like P&G, Mondelez and Burger King who are slowly but surely learning what she meant when she said her ideas were ‘unusual’. If you see her around, you’ll have what she’s having. And if you’re nice, she’ll make you your own title sequence or bequeath you your own font.

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Lebogang Rasethaba, director at Egg Films/Arcade: He grew up in South Africa, spent five years in China completing his masters in film studies, and returned to his mother continent with a remarkable skill set and a handy fluency in Mandarin.Since then, Lebogang has made his mark on South African advertising, winning Creative Circle Ad of the Year, working with a spread of international brands, and featuring on sites like Highsnobiety, i-D, Nowness and Vice. Lebogang has also directed four documentaries: The People Vs Patriarchy, The People Vs The Rainbow Nation, Future Sound of Mzansi, and Prisoner 46764: The Untold Legacy of Andrew Mlangeni. This documentary work adds a sense of realism to his commercials.