Modern Eyes on a Painful Past, a South African filmmaker’s manifesto and MA study goal.

Modern Eyes on a Painful Past,

a South African filmmaker’s manifesto and MA study goal.

After crossing the pond in 2008, I am still intensely involved and motivated by my country of origin. My years as a corporate filmmaker here in the Netherlands have brought be full circle to my greatest motivation: South Africa.

As I was growing up, I experienced massive changes in the world I was living in. As a white person I was shielded from much of the violence, but I could observe it, albeit from a distance. Sometimes the violence came closer, like the day my father and I were attacked at a petrol station, and the day my brother was shot. In spite of such events and the constant flow of bad news coming from South Africa, I remain a child of the Mandela years. I have a stubborn belief in the ideals of humanism, tolerance and reconciliation. My inspiration and aspirations as a filmmaker and storyteller is rooted firmly in this belief. It defines not only the kind of human being I aspire to be, but forms the cornerstone of a great dream of so many visionaries, and the essence of what I intend to leave behind on this earth.

Bitterly the principles of reconciliation have become scarce of late in South Africa. Recent events, like the vandalisation of statues, moments of blatant disregard by the status quo to uphold the constitution, and a surge of xenophobic violence have brought rapid and intense polarisation. As the seasoned political observer and journalist, Max du Preez, recently implored in an opinion piece on Moneyweb, "Hope is the commodity we need most now. Hope that we're not descending into conflict and instability; hope that Project New South Africa is still on track; hope that the future is indeed going to be better than the past.” (Du Preez 2015)

These words resonate with the essence of my goals for this study. Without hope South Africa is doomed. I have always believed that the arts have a responsibility towards society. In my theatre work I have always aspired to achieve that which I personally yearn for: to have my own prejudices and pre-conceptions challenged through the innate human desire for brotherhood and reconciliation. As an artist I have always been dissatisfied with my own culture’s apparent inability to evolve; and with the constant looming threat from the raging masses, barely held at bay by a morally depleted and broadly corrupt black elite. Film, as the most powerful and transcendent form of communication, can serve as the vehicle to achieve understanding and empathy across this divide. I am intent on exploiting this opportunity.

For me to reconcile in the present I look at the past. South Africa’s past is a goldmine of cinematic opportunity. It comprises of worlds moulded by conflict and adventure, and carry with it some of the most emotive stories of friendship and loyalty that I know of. Friendships that transcend the borders of tribe, culture, race and language. Friendship beyond the mistrust of the traditional. Friendships that existed not because of, but in spite of the inequalities of the past. Simply depicting such friendship achieves what no measure of political activism can: it proves that racial nationalism is a contrived and nonsensical ideology that evaporates quickly amid personal contact and resulting understanding.

My primary goal for a postgraduate study is thus:

Achieving mastery in the research and creation of a historical South African screenplay, that inspires understanding and respect.

My secondary goal is:

To provide collaborators, advisors, investors and other partners with proof that I am the right person to create this film with.

The steps toward goal one could be: researching and choosing a story; writing a synopsis, tagline, log-line, outline, treatment and draft script. Goal two could be achieved by the creation of a short film inspired by the story, a teaser trailer, a look book or director’s treatment.

Possible studies to achieve goal one can include:

1. identification and analysis of successfully executed historical adaptations and biopics.
2. identification of screenwriters who have been successful at historical adaptation and biopics; and extracting a set of writing principles to apply to my own writing.
3. investigating the threshold of universality and relevant screenwriting techniques to reach broader audiences.
4. defining target audiences and harnessing gained insights in writing a story with the added ability to inspire understanding and tolerance based on audience paradigms.
5. Defining and applying principles for the creation of emphatic characters.
6. Researching cultural and historical trends to apply to the creation of authentic characters, space and context.

Possible studies to achieve goal two can be:

1. Identifying and analysing a collection of look-books and/or director’s treatments and defining a set of principles to be applied in the creation of a similar document.
2. Identifying and analysing a collection of feature-related short films and defining a set of principles to be applied to the creation of a similar production.
3. Identifying and analysing a collection of feature-related short films and defining a set of principles to be applied to the creation of a similar production.
4. Consolidating the research gained from goal one in a documentary film with cinematic re-enactments.

Bibliography

Du Preez, M 2015, 'Radicalisation and polarisation: the encroaching threat', Moneyweb 10 April. Available from: <http://www.moneyweb.co.za/moneyweb-opinion/radicalisation-and-polarisation-the-encroaching-threat/>. [2 January 2014].