Lights, camera, action! A school in Mbizana village in Middledrift has captured the heart of the Cape Town-based film production company, and the result is a jointly produced short film – Africa.
Pupils from Ntabenkonyana Senior Secondary School had a chance to write, direct and produce their own film and the final product was so good that Say Media Production – a film company dedicated to youth development – was impressed.
The rural pupils were eager to enter an inter-school film competition led by their English teacher and head of department, Amanda Nel.
“I tasked my students to each write a script for a short film, which would be scrutinised by me and some other teachers at school to choose the winning script.
“Over 20 pupils entered but unfortunately only one script could be chosen for production,” said Nel.
After a nail-biting shortlisting process, the winning script was chosen with the help of the Say Media crew.
Titled Africa, it was written by matric pupil Lisakhanya Mene, who also directed the production.
The others became part of the production crew.
Say Media hosted the young film crew in Stutterheim for a weekend of intensive training last year as they had only four days to produce the film. “They had to implement what they learnt, starting with an audition process for actors, actresses and musicians, who all had to produce original content,” said Nel.
The film tackles a young girl’s struggle with verbal xenophobic attacks from bullies at school. Children ridicule her, knowing nothing of her harsh past.
The film highlights hard-hitting issues of how foreign nationals are mistreated.
Africa was filmed and produced on the school premises. Teachers took a back seat and allowed the pupils to run the show. “The best part was that it was a school effort. Everybody came together,” said principal Matthew Mkiva. “The teamwork was resounding.” Producer Siphesihle Nxantsiya said: “It was a chance of a lifetime. I learnt so much.”
Viewers can help Ntabenkonyana win the Say Me viewers award with likes and comments on YouTube . — gugup@dispatch.co.za
Rural school film triumph
Pupils from Ntabenkonyana Senior Secondary School had a chance to write, direct and produce their own film and the final product was so good that Say Media Production – a film company dedicated to youth development – was impressed.
The rural pupils were eager to enter an inter-school film competition led by their English teacher and head of department, Amanda Nel.
“I tasked my students to each write a script for a short film, which would be scrutinised by me and some other teachers at school to choose the winning script.
“Over 20 pupils entered but unfortunately only one script could be chosen for production,” said Nel.
After a nail-biting shortlisting process, the winning script was chosen with the help of the Say Media crew.
Titled Africa, it was written by matric pupil Lisakhanya Mene, who also directed the production.
The others became part of the production crew.
Say Media hosted the young film crew in Stutterheim for a weekend of intensive training last year as they had only four days to produce the film. “They had to implement what they learnt, starting with an audition process for actors, actresses and musicians, who all had to produce original content,” said Nel.
The film tackles a young girl’s struggle with verbal xenophobic attacks from bullies at school. Children ridicule her, knowing nothing of her harsh past.
The film highlights hard-hitting issues of how foreign nationals are mistreated.
Africa was filmed and produced on the school premises. Teachers took a back seat and allowed the pupils to run the show. “The best part was that it was a school effort. Everybody came together,” said principal Matthew Mkiva. “The teamwork was resounding.” Producer Siphesihle Nxantsiya said: “It was a chance of a lifetime. I learnt so much.”
Viewers can help Ntabenkonyana win the Say Me viewers award with likes and comments on YouTube . — gugup@dispatch.co.za
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