Ludus Post Productions

Ludus Post Productions is a leading offline/online editing company that works with top South African and international directors and advertising agencies.

Cape Town & Johannesburg

Cape Town: Managing Director and Senior Producer: Ashleigh Oates
Johannesburg: Executive Producer: Kate Grosso

Awarded by IDIDTHAT

AWARDED: BEST IN CRAFT (OFFLINE & ONLINE EDIT)
Ludus Post Production | Nick Gishen (Offline Edit) & Michael Naidoo (Online Edit)
Best of Reel: Brand South Africa ‘One Africa One People’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Ahmed Tilly, CCO at FCB Africa
July 2019

Judges Comment: “My Best of Reel goes to the team at Ludus; Nick Gishen (Offline), Michael Naidoo (Online) for the fantastic job they did with Brand South Africa’s ‘One Africa One People’. Their editing skills kept me attached to the lead character throughout a frenetic race to safety. The shots were selected perfectly and timed beautifully. The piece was so magically crafted that I was transported into the terrifying mind and heart of the lead character. Powerful stuff!”

AWARDED: CRAFT MENTION (OFFLINE & ONLINE EDIT)
Ludus Post Production | Mark Ash (Offline Edit Craft) & Michael Naidoo (Online Edit Craft)
Outsurance ‘It’s a Calling – Matt’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Tseliso Rangaka, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy Cape Town
April 2019

Judges Comment: “It’s great to see OUTsurance telling authentic, well put-together stories that make the audience feel something. Well done.”

AWARDED: CRAFT MENTION (OFFLINE, GRADE & ONLINE EDIT)
Ludus Post Productions
Special Mention: Nando’s ‘You People’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Juliet Honey, Creative Director at Net#work BBDO
December 2018

Judges Comment: “Another Nando’s ad that makes us take a good, long laugh at ourselves. Great casting, timing and performance keep it extra spicey.”

AWARDED: BEST IN CRAFT (OFFLINE, GRADE & ONLINE EDIT)
Ludus Post Productions
Blaqboy Music ‘iWalk Ye Phara’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Xolisa Dyeshana, Chief Creative Officer and Partner at Joe Public
October 2018

Judges Comment: “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.”

AWARDED: CRAFT MENTION (OFFLINE EDIT)
Ludus Post Productions
Trace Mobile ‘Never Expire’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Stuart Stobbs Chief Creative Officer at 1886 Advertising
June 2018

Judges Comment: “How exciting to see powerful stills gyrating to a raw drum solo. James and Ludus have created a beautifully imperfect rhythmic dance of youth.”

AWARDED: BEST IN CRAFT (GRADE & ONLINE EDIT)
Ludus Post Productions
MTN ‘Mic Drop’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Camilla Clerke, Creative Director at Hellocomputer
January 2018

Judges Comment: “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.”

AWARDED: CRAFT MENTION (GRADE & ONLINE EDIT)
Ludus Post Productions
Amarula ‘Ivory Tracker’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Zwelakhe Zee Tshabangu, founder and Executive Creative Director of The Make Beautiful Agency
July 2017

Judges Comment: “This piece was entered for grade and I believe it is very much worth a mention. There are a few colour palettes that the Grader had to tackle. From Africa to China to America, every time I feel like I’m in those countries with some dope touches of detail, especially in the China scenes, am sure most of it was post…beautiful piece.”

AWARDED: BEST IN CRAFT (OFFLINE EDIT)
Ludus Post Productions
MTN ‘Night Shift’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Fran Luckin, Chief Creative Officer at Grey Africa Johannesburg
December 2016

Judges Comment: “Best of Reel goes to both Ludus and to Howard Audio because the craft is so seamless here that it would be impossible to judge them separately. The cutting pace gives the story a groove that carries the viewer effortlessly from one scene to the next. It’s to the credit of the editing that the ad maintains an infectious rhythm without ever turning into a Busby Barkeley extravaganza (Google it, millennials!) Even the dance at the bus stop is handled deftly, with combinations of long shots, cutaways and different angles, so it never becomes A Big Flashy Number. When it comes to take selection, there isn’t a shot here that jars or is out of keeping with the rhythm of the piece. I particularly loved the subtlety of the “sideways glance and shoulder-shimmy” at 0:53 and the way it punctuates the build-up. This could so easily have been cheesy and heavy-handed… some guy who can’t hold a tune serenading his mate Marvin. But the instigator’s voice is blended into the mix almost immediately as the music takes over, and takes us into complete feel-good territory. It’s a great choice of song and the re-record flawlessly captures its groove and its emotive power. I enjoy the way the incidental noises are used as beats in the music to punctuate the melody: witness the musical timing of the cut to the passport controller calling “Next.” And the close harmonies on the chorus made me get goosebumps (but then I am a big girly softy..). I really like this ad. It’s a welcome return to form for MTN.”

AWARDED: CRAFT MENTION (GRADE & ONLINE EDIT)
Ludus Post Productions
Virgin Insurance ‘I Love Insurance’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Graeme Jenner, Executive Creative Director at King James II
September 2016

Judges Comment: “You know whats my worst? Crowd participation. Like in live shows when they point into the crowd and ask you to come up on stage and get involved. That’s partly the reason that I don’t like theatre in general. I went to Grahamstown once and it really wasn’t for me. My mate fell in a ditch and someone stole his Air Max’s off his feet. Who does that? Also, I was late for a performance (cos I had to piggy back my mate whose foot was buggered from falling in the ditch and then walking home lank far with no shoes on) and we had to sit in the front row and then the lights went down and a naked white dude ran on stage with a buck skull over his face and shouted “AFFFRRRIIICCCCAAAAA” and then splashed blood all over his penis. Fuck sakes man. Then I got straight back up and had to piggy back my mate out again. So yeah, I don’t really like theatre at all, including musicals. But I don’t mind this ad. In fact, I had to watch it to the end more than once because it was in a few categories and I was totally happy to do that. So yeah, that’s a good thing. Nice one.”

AWARDED: BEST IN CRAFT (INTERNATIONAL REMOTE GRADE FACILITATION, VFX & COMPOSITING ONLINE)
Ludus Post Productions
Coronation ‘If Your Money Came Easy’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Pepe Marais, Chief Creative Officer at Joe Public
May 2016

Judges Comment: “My Best Of Reel goes to Tristan Holmes from Star Films for his Direction on the Coronation commercial. And also to Ludus for their remote grade facilitation, VFX and Compositing as well as to Marc Algranti from Pulse Music for the Music. This is a disruptive take on investment. It’s highly insightful and deserves to be recognized, no matter the controversy. It’s the kind of work I absolutely love and have all the aspects of world class commercial making.

AWARDED: CRAFT MENTION (GRADE & ONLINE)
Ludus Post Productions
ABSA ‘Mega U’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Jenny Glover, Executive Creative Director at TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris
April 2016

Judges Comment: “Ludus (Grade and Online): From a pure craft perspective, the ABSA ‘Mega U’ spot is nicely stitched together and finished and this certainly adds a lot of value to the piece.

AWARDED: CRAFT MENTION (OFFLINE EDIT & GRADE)
Ludus Post Productions
McDonalds ‘Big Flavour Trio’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Jonathan Deeb, Executive Creative Director at FCB Johannesburg
January 2016

Judges Comment: “A double special mention to Produce for their sound design/composition approach to both of these commercials. The edit has absolutely been enhanced and the execution strengthened by music that cues up the right punctuation points and assists in shifting the mood at all the right points. It guides both of these stories along in an effortless and unobtrusive way. And for the same Mc Donald’s Commercial – Ludus deserves a special mention for a beautifully graded and edited piece of work. Fresh, and very South African. ”

AWARDED: CRAFT MENTION
Ludus Post Productions
Savanna ‘The Buffet’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Jonathan Beggs, Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi
December 2015

Judges Comment: “Ludus did a fine job on the Savanna “Buffet” commercial. Altogether, it’s a superbly crafted ad, with well-measured performances and a great Ennio Morricone style soundtrack….all adding up to a very classy piece of silliness.

AWARDED: CRAFT MENTION
Ludus Post Productions
PHFat & Al Bairre ‘Caviar Dreams’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Michael Lees-Rolfe, Creative Director at FoxP2
September 2015

Judges Comment: “This beautifully crafted music vid from Ludus entitled “Caviar Dreams”, skilfully brings to life a killer track from local bands PHFat & Al Bairre. Wonderfully cinematic and deliciously depressing, it’s a perfect compliment to the somewhat cheery, nostalgia of the track. This piece really does have the full package – and has me hitting the replay button. All aspects of craft are really strong here which makes for a very well-rounded and memorable video. The edit does well to hold attention for the entire 4-minute track, which in SA music video land – can feel like a very long time. Congrats to the whole team involved. It is awesome to see this quality in a music vid that is 100% local from top to bottom. Well deserving of an (extra) special mention.

AWARDED: BEST IN CRAFT
Ludus Post Productions
Prudential ‘The Fisherman’
IDIDTHAT Guest Judge: Eoin Welsh, CCO at Havas Worldwide
May 2015

Featured Work 

IDIDTHAT Editorial

10 things you should know about Online and Motion Graphics with Ludus Post Productions’ Donovan Smith

March 17th, 2023|Comments Off on 10 things you should know about Online and Motion Graphics with Ludus Post Productions’ Donovan Smith

We asked the Head of Online and Motion Design at Ludus Post Productions, Donovan Smith, some questions about the inner-workings of the post process and what are some of the best practices for achieving top craft in post.

Matthew Stead takes the reins at Ludus Cape Town

July 3rd, 2020|Comments Off on Matthew Stead takes the reins at Ludus Cape Town

As producer Thandiswa Ndaba exits the Cape Town Ludus to re-join the JHB Ludus team, producer Matthew Stead steps in as Senior Producer and Facility Manager at the Ludus Post Production Cape Town office.

‘Let’s do this Ludus!’

October 25th, 2019|Comments Off on ‘Let’s do this Ludus!’

Want to get your customers and staff living their best damn lives? We caught up with Ludus (on Champagne Day nogal) to find out how making their clients feel more valued throughout the entire post-production experience has led to building a unique culture internally.