iDidTht Craft Awards Rankings 2018
Every month iDidTht teams up with ad industry leaders to award the finest in South African film and production craft. It’s now our honour to share with you The Official iDidTht Craft Awards Rankings 2018. These truly were the best of the best in the industry in Film Production, Post Production, Music & Sound, Animation & Special Effects. Congratulations you beautiful clever people you!
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): November 2018
0307 Films | Kim Geldenhuys
Metropolitan ‘After Tears’
“This is a tough category in which to make work that is meaningful and moves you. “After Tears” is sensitively treated. It feels real, authentic and unaffected – never heavy handed. I loved the way the director captured the small, intimate, candid moments that take place during After Tears. Someone has to get the children ready, there’s always the ladies washing dishes, people gathering in the kitchen, and there’s that strange, quietness of grief amidst the activities that must go on. I’m also relieved at the choice of no subtitles. A really beautiful piece.”
– Guest Judge: Suhana Gordhan (CD at FCB Joburg)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): August 2018
0307 Films | Kim Geldenhuys
Castle ‘More Than That’
“This is not the Castle lager of old. It’s a very bold take on being relevant using a refreshing piece that changes the brand narrative. It is important for brands to have a purpose and through this social commentary execution the brand really stands for something. The infectious track keeps pace of the story while the stellar casting is representative of the subject matter.”
– Guest Judge: Kabelo Moshapalo (ECD at TBWA Hunt Lascaris)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): July 2018
0307 Films | Kim Geldenhuys
Nelson Mandela Foundation / Phillips ‘There’s a Mandela in me’
“It’s often tricky to talk about a project that you’re involved in, but I must say props should be given where props are due. Kim Geldenhuys of 0307 films teams up with The Nelson Mandela Foundation and Philips to honour an icon of this country, and he does so by applying finesse and his enormous talent to deliver an emotive piece of communication.”
– Guest Judge: Molefi Thulo (CD at Ogilvy Johannesburg)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): March 2018
0307 Films | Paul Ward
Puma ‘Outperform’
“A Special Mention also goes to Paul Ward’s Puma spot for making me feel guilty for not running like a real gangster.”
– Guest Judge: Mariana O’Kelly (ECD at Ogilvy Johannesburg)
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): February 2018
0307 Films | Paul Ward
Toyota ‘Rami’
“A beautifully crafted piece of content by Paul Ward and team 0307. In this piece, it is clear that each shot has been considered with careful subject framing and selection of art direction cues. It’s a powerful narrative which has been handled very sensitively, from the metaphoric red colouring of grade when Rami is in the pool, to the wide open ‘greyness’ to which he finds himself alone. The pace of the piece is just as important, with a clear ramp-up arc in the middle which follows a determined voice-over, then to the resolve which leaves you reflective and inspired by Rami’s journey. The direction, edit, grade and all ingredients makes it this months ‘Best of Reel’. Nicely done Paul.”
– Guest Judge: Gareth McPherson (ECD at Publicis Machine)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): December 2018
Darling Films | Chloe Coetsee
Nando’s ‘You People’
“Another Nandos’ ad that makes us take a good, long laugh at ourselves. Great casting, timing and performance keep it extra spicey.”
– Guest Judge: Juliet Honey (CD at Net#work BBDO)
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): September 2018
Darling Films | Zee Ntuli
MTN ‘The Steve Tshwete Story’
“Congrats to Zee Ntuli from Darling Films for MTN ‘The Steve Tshwete Story’. This is a really compelling piece of film. It draws you in with those beautiful, evocative early morning shots on the way to Robben Island and then holds your attention with a combination of interesting framing, considered sound design, edit and a restrained script. Really, really nicely done.”
– Guest Judge: Bridget Johnson (Consulting ECD at WICK)
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): August 2018
Darling Films | Ross Garrett
MTN ‘MTN Sounds The Call: The Os du Randt Story’
“It’s tough having to talk up a project that you have close ties to, but this piece is truly epic. A larger than life story brought to life in the most fitting and meaningful way. A raw and gritty emotional journey of a legend being reborn told through captivating visual metaphors and moving sound design. An old story retold in a way that appeals to a new, younger audience.”
– Guest Judge: Kabelo Moshapalo (ECD at TBWA Hunt Lascaris)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): July 2018
Darling Films | Jeana Theron
MTN ‘The Laurie Kay Story’
“Last, but certainly not least a shout-out to Jeana for bringing this story to life. South Africans never tire of talking about this particular Rugby World Cup, and this commercial definitely evokes those memories, only here it’s told from the point of view of the pilot who flew a 747 over the stadium. Clever twists in the storytelling and an interesting visual treatment.”
– Guest Judge: Molefi Thulo (CD at Ogilvy Johannesburg)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): February 2018
Darling Films | Jono Hall
Nando’s ‘We Can Fix Our S#*t’
“Chicken aside… the Nando’s team are back and doing what they love to do best – Take a tongue-and-cheek point of view at our country. I really liked the level of pace and edit in this piece. Due to the comedic nature, it needed to settle on certain moments and also amplify certain scenes, which Jono and team Darling did very well. Nicely done!”
– Guest Judge: Gareth McPherson (ECD at Publicis Machine)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): October 2018
7Films | SJ Myeza-Mhlambi
Netflix ‘Boxer’
“A wonderful story beautifully told through the lens and capturing some genuine moments. I really enjoyed watching this and I was pleasantly surprised to see what they were actually advertising in the end.”
– Guest Judge: Xolisa Dyeshana (CCO & Partner at Joe Public)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): September 2018
7Films | Lourens Van Rensburg & SJ Myeza-Mhlambi
Nedbank ‘Affinities Children’
“Props to Lourens Van Rensburg & Siphiwe Myeza from 7 Films for Nedbank ‘Affinities Children’, for a classy piece, beautifully shot and some great casting.”
– Guest Judge: Bridget Johnson (Consulting ECD at WICK)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): August 2018
7Films | SJ Myeza-Mhlambi
SPUR ‘Fly the Flag’
“This is an emotionally charged and truly South African story that tugs at your heartstrings as you follow a coming together moment of a young boy who carries the weight of representing his family, community and South Africa at large. A familiar construct and execution but very beautifully put together with rich cultural nuances.”
– Guest Judge: Kabelo Moshapalo (ECD at TBWA Hunt Lascaris)
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): July 2018
7Films | Lourens van Rensburg
Mercedes-Benz ‘Return to Chapman’s Peak’
“The Best of reel goes to… Lourens Van Rensburg for directing Mercedes Benz’s “Return to Chapman’s Peak”. This mini-documentary taps into the advertising archives to find an old gem and links it to the new to deliver a compelling product demonstration. Some people will remember the powerful message of the original ad, I must say this is just as riveting. The music also does a great job of keeping the suspense going, so well done!”
– Guest Judge: Molefi Thulo (CD at Ogilvy Johannesburg)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): April 2018
7Films | SJ Myeza-Mhlambi & Dirk van Niekerk
Mercedes-Benz ‘Upside Down Cinema’
“Special mentions for direction go to both the Mercedes films by Dirk van Niekerk and Siphiwe SJ Myeza. They were intriguing to watch and visually beautiful. I especially loved the build in tension without giving away the story until the end in “Upside Down Cinema”. Both films were beautifully packaged overall.”
– Guest Judge: Peter Khoury (CCO at TBWA Hunt Lascaris)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): April 2018
7Films | SJ Myeza-Mhlambi & Dirk van Niekerk
Mercedes-Benz ‘Crater Golf’
“Special mentions for direction go to both the Mercedes films by Dirk van Niekerk and Siphiwe SJ Myeza. They were intriguing to watch and visually beautiful. I especially loved the build in tension without giving away the story until the end in “Upside Down Cinema”. Both films were beautifully packaged overall.”
– Guest Judge: Peter Khoury (CCO at TBWA Hunt Lascaris)
Special Mention (Offline, Grade and Online Craft): December 2018
The Upstairs Ludus
Nando’s ‘You People’
“Another Nando’s ad that makes us take a good, long laugh at ourselves. Great casting, timing and performance keep it extra spicey.”
– Guest Judge: Juliet Honey (CD at Net#work BBDO)
Best Of Reel (Offline, Grade and Online Craft): October 2018
The Upstairs Ludus
Blaqboy Music ‘iWalk Ye Phara’
“Congratulations to Ludus on a beautifully crafted music video for one of the most popular songs in Mzansi at the moment. The offline, grade and online on this piece are stunning because they have managed to straddle that fine line between too stylised and too raw, and they strike that balance beautifully.”
– Guest Judge: Xolisa Dyeshana (CCO and Partner at Joe Public)
Special Mention (Offline Edit Craft): June 2018
The Upstairs Ludus
Trace Mobile ‘Never Expire’
“How exciting to see powerful stills gyrating to a raw drum solo. James and Ludus have created a beautifully imperfect rhythmic dance of youth.”
– Guest Judge: Stuart Stobbs (CCO at 1886 Advertising)
Best Of Reel (Grade & Online Edit Craft): January 2018
The Upstairs Ludus
MTN ‘Mic Drop’
“It’s hard not to be mesmerized by this little masterpiece. Straight from the streets of Gotham City (well, the MTN version at least), it is as enjoyable to watch as it probably was tiring to make – very. Especially post. The grade is clean, crisp and fresh, seeing the compulsory MTN yellow in a new light – literally. A glowing yellow orb that floats around the streets, bringing to life the world of music, gaming and memes that sit within your smartphone. The attention to detail is super – with only one or two things that could be neatened up (like the yellow on the girl’s face at the end). But who’s counting? Not that this has anything to do with the grade – but it’s worth mentioning that the ad is cleverly and intentionally cut to the music, making for a watchable piece of content that almost makes me forget how much MTN data I used to consume it.”
– Guest Judge: Camilla Clerke (CD at Hellocomputer)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): September 2018
Giant Films | Karien Cherry
Sanlam ‘Conversations with Yourself – Pushups’
“A shoutout to Karien Cherry from Giant Films for Sanlam ‘Conversations with Myself’ for nailing the technical challenge of these spots so seamlessly. Well done.”
– Guest Judge: Bridget Johnson (Consulting ECD at WICK)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): September 2018
Giant Films | Karien Cherry
Sanlam ‘Conversations with Yourself – Forklift’
“A shoutout to Karien Cherry from Giant Films for Sanlam ‘Conversations with Myself’ for nailing the technical challenge of these spots so seamlessly. Well done.”
– Guest Judge: Bridget Johnson (Consulting ECD at WICK)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): September 2018
Giant Films | Karien Cherry
Sanlam ‘Conversations with Yourself – Neighbours’
“A shoutout to Karien Cherry from Giant Films for Sanlam ‘Conversations with Myself’ for nailing the technical challenge of these spots so seamlessly. Well done.”
– Guest Judge: Bridget Johnson (Consulting ECD at WICK)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): June 2018
Giant Films | Karien Cherry
KFC Africa ‘Keep Rolling’
“Humour, it’s a funny thing – and damn hard to crack. However, Karien and Giant Films have flirted with ‘slapstick’ the whole way through but brilliantly managed to keep this ad firmly in “damn funny”. I just keep showing people this commercial – excellent stuff.”
– Guest Judge: Stuart Stobbs (CCO at 1886 Advertising)
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): March 2018
Giant Films | Ian Gabriel
Sanlam ‘100 Years’
“In order to select my favourite spot, I also asked myself which commercial had the biggest executional risk attached to it. Like…which one had the biggest potential for failure if it wasn’t for the director? And I have to say its hands down the Sanlam spot. Getting a 9 year old girl to carry an entire brand message and to deliver it with such confidence, humility and a touch of innocence deserves a bloody well done. Nice one. The cinematography is also exquisite.”
– Guest Judge: Mariana O’Kelly (ECD at Ogilvy Johannesburg)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): November 2018
Patriot | Anton Visser
MTN ‘The Sweater’
“It’s great to laugh out loud at an ad. It’s a hard reaction to achieve but this one does it brilliantly. It fully embraces the unreal and that lack of compromise is what makes the humour awesome. If Jordan Peele saw his meme coming to life, he’d be proud.”
– Guest Judge: Suhana Gordhan (CD at FCB Joburg)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): October 2018
Patriot | Anton Visser
Hansa ‘Escape’
“It seems this was the month of lighthearted work and Hansa really showed up with this piece. For a brand we haven’t seen in a while, I thoroughly enjoyed this and it made me appreciate and understand the new direction that Hansa is going in.”
– Guest Judge: Xolisa Dyeshana (CCO and Partner at Joe Public)
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): May 2018
Patriot | Aadil Dhalech
WAIF ‘Repertoire’
“An Art Nouveau commercial, with a beautiful and clever treatment. We’re bombarded with so much that it takes a lot to hold the viewers’ attention and not skip a commercial. This piece succeeds, and it’s partly because it doesn’t feel like an ad. You can see the love that went into it, proof that you don’t need big budgets to make great work, you need passion. I’m off to buy some earrings and start smoking.”
– Guest Judge: Nicola Wielopolski (CD at DDB South Africa)
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): December 2018
they | Grant de Sousa
Chicken Licken ‘The Legend of Big John (Extended version)’
“It’s another case of the battle of the chicken burgers. This month Chicken Licken’s epic Legend of Big John pips Nandos’ ‘You people’ to the post. Big John is jam-packed with fun moments and hidden references making it rewarding to watch more than once (especially for us ad people). It’s always great when a piece of work feels like it was produced with lots of love.”
– Guest Judge: Juliet Honey (Creative Director at Net#work BBDO)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): October 2018
they | Alan Irvin
Mahindra ‘The Wanderer’
“This is a charming piece, beautifully shot and quite different from the car advertising we’re used to, which is usually about a list of features with little to no attention paid to the story. So well done to they Films and Alan Irvin.”
– Guest Judge: Xolisa Dyeshana (CCO and Partner at Joe Public)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): January 2018
they | Grant de Sousa
Ster Kinekor ‘The Reign of Ian’
“Pretty much a 1,5 hour movie made into a 1,5 minute ad – it’s got the whole plot. We watch as Ian falls from grace as his power-high becomes too much for his office. The casting is good – from Ian (SA’s answer to Zach Galifianakis) to the extras. The music is full of drama. And the acting, although a little overdone and a bit forced in parts (but I guess that was the point), hits the right note. A littttle obvious, but still a good mini movie reminding us to watch the real thing.”
– Guest Judge: Camilla Clerke (CD at Hellocomputer)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): July 2018
Bioscope Films | Rio Allen
NBL ‘Daughter’
* Please note that this piece was entered by Bioscope, but produced by The Video Cartel, thus no ranking points for Bioscope have been allocated.
“Chills! You’d have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by this commercial. Yes, this subject matter has been tackled by many campaigns before, but I love the authentic feel of this piece. Great casting as well. Congratulations to Bioscope films and Rio Allen for NBL’s ‘Daughter’.”
– Guest Judge: Molefi Thulo (CD at Ogilvy Johannesburg)
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): June 2018
Bioscope Films | Fausto Becatti
Castle Milk Stout ‘Savour Your Richness’
“What a beautifully directed piece of work. Rich, raw imagery that drips with “Africaness” but walks a perfect line between over the top fantasy and gritty truth. I get easily distracted but I watched this 2min15 piece 4 times in a row (and I have seen it before). Oh and I watched that “magical” billboard transformation at 1:43 about 8 times. Ha! Brilliant! Well done all round Fausto and Bioscope – phenomenal job.”
– Guest Judge: Stuart Stobbs (COO at 1886 Advertising)
Special Mention (Original Music Craft): May 2018
Bioscope Films | Pressure Cooker Studios
Indiefin ‘Be Indie’
*Please note: This piece was produced by Bioscope films, who entered it for Music Craft on Pressure Cooker Studio’s behalf.
“I love how this track combines so many ideas together. Traditionally you would want to keep things simple, this goes against that and proves there are no rules.”
– Guest Judge: Nicola Wielopolski (CD at DDB South Africa)
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): April 2018
ROMANCE | Greg Gray
Chicken Licken ‘Sbu 2.0’
“The Direction Craft category stood out for me. There were some great films whose stories were told compellingly. My overall pick goes to a story that was told with no tricks or fancy techniques; Greg Gray’s “Chicken Licken Sbu 2.0” – this gets my nod. Aesthetically it is a collision of first world tech and African grit. There is an honesty about how it is told. The little touches of magic and humour sprinkled throughout add charm and keep you captivated.”
– Guest Judge: Peter Khoury (CCO at TBWA Hunt Lascaris)
Special Mention (Direction Craft): February 2018
ROMANCE | Greg Gray
Volkswagen Polo ‘Red Flashy Thingy’
“VW are back with a good old SA production. Trading off the Polo’s well-entrenched ‘Confidence’ platform, Greg and team ROMANCE deliver a great comedic piece. From the casting, to set design, scene selection to strong voice-over, this commercial has been considered from every angle and very well put together. Congrats!”
– Guest Judge: Gareth McPherson (ECD at Publicis Machine)
Best Of Reel (Original Music Craft): June 2018
Howard Audio
Allan Gray ‘Father’s Share’
“Cinematically-styled, beautifully melodic warm jazz tones that truly add to the power of this story, punctuating its lows and highs. So often music is laid down as an afterthought – how refreshing to hear it build and flow perfectly with this narrative. Excellent work Howard Audio.”
– Guest Judge: Stuart Stobbs (CCO at 1886 Advertising)
Best of Reel (Direction Craft): October 2018
Your Girlfriend | Morgan Dingle
Toyota Aygo ‘Make your Mark’
“My pick for this month’s Best Of Reel for Direction this month goes to Morgan Dingle and Your Girlfriend for this lighthearted and beautifully directed piece. I particularly enjoyed the believable performances, the shooting style and the concept of this work. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, just like the car its advertising, but it packs a punch and I think it will resonate strongly with its intended audience.”
– Guest Judge: Xolisa Dyeshana (CCO and Partner at Joe Public)
iDidTht Guest Judges 2018
Thank you to all these sexy judges for awarding the best in craft for 2018! We salute you, we rate you, we love you, basically, you’ve made it okay!
January 2018 Craft Awards – View
Camilla Clerke, Creative Director at Hellocomputer
February 2018 Craft Awards – View
Gareth McPherson, Executive Creative Director at Publicis Machine
March 2018 Craft Awards – View
Mariana O’Kelly, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy JHB
April 2018 Craft Awards – View
Pete Khoury, Chief Creative Officer at TBWA Hunt Lascaris
May 2018 Craft Awards – View
Nicola Wielopolski, Creative Director at DDB South Africa
June 2018 Craft Awards – View
Stuart Stobbs, Chief Creative Officer at 1886 Advertising
July 2018 Craft Awards – View
Molefi Thulo, Creative Director at Ogilvy Johannesburg
August 2018 Craft Awards – View
Kabelo Moshapalo, Executive Creative Director at TBWA Hunt Lascaris
September 2018 Craft Awards – View
Bridget Johnson, Consulting Executive Creative Director at WICK
October 2018 Craft Awards – View
Xolisa Dyeshana, Chief Creative Officer and Partner at Joe Public
November 2018 Craft Awards – View
Suhana Gordhan, Creative Director at FCB Joburg
December 2018 Craft Awards – View
Juliet Honey, Creative Director at Net#work BBDO
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