South Africa

“South Africa is definitely open for business,” states Tshepiso Chikapa Phiri, CEO and founder of the Known Associates Group of companies, which include a film production development and finance company and a studio in Gauteng. “Our rand still goes a long way. We’ve got great facilities, we’ve got great crews that are highly skilled. We are still a country to be looked at. One thing about South Africa is we are resilient. We know how to ride a wave — and we hope our partners and clients internationally will stay with us.”

Phiri’s Moonlighting Films is filming Paramount Pictures’ adventure fantasy Children Of Blood And Bone, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. The project marks the return of Paramount to South Africa after Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. Moonlighting also worked on Gore Verbinski’s sci-fi action adventure Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, produced by German outfit Constantin, which was shot in Cape Town.

Meanwhile, Netflix filmed the second series of its live-action manga adaptation One Piece, also based in Cape Town. The streaming giant is working on several South African films and series, including romantic comedy Happiness Is, the latest in the Happiness franchise.

Government-owned body The Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa is supporting the industry through its Youth In Film programme and funding to local producers. Meanwhile, the Department of Home Affairs is trying to make it easier and quicker for international crews to access work visas.

Phiri points out that the success of Prince-Bythewood’s 2022 feature The Woman King reassured Holly­wood majors about working in South Africa. “We shot in very challenging locations but we made it seamless, smooth and delivered the production on time,” says Phiri of the film, on which Known Associates was a service producer. “We are great at delivering on these big productions.”

South African producers are also working closely with Dutch counterparts on several features. John Trengove’s The Smell Of Apples shot from April, produced by Cait Pansegrouw and Eric Abraham of Portobello Pictures with Dutch producer Frank Hoeve of Baldr Film. The film is not relying on the incentive. “We did have problems so we secured the money from elsewhere,” says Hoeve.

However, using the co-production treaty between South Africa and the Netherlands, Hoeve and Pansegrouw are setting up a slate of projects to shoot in the country, including South African period vampire film Pale Faces and Thati Pele’s Brace Yourself!.

Permission to shoot across the country is generally easy. Although it’s best to get local partners or crew who know the system to apply. Where the production shoots dictates to whom you need to apply.

The country boasts an array of architecture and location options – from city life with accessible infrastructure; beaches, vineyards, forests, crop lands, mountains and dunes; to the best of Africa’s bush and savannah settings.

"Our southern hemisphere climate is probably what most filmmakers associate with South Africa, and this remains a strong card in our hand. However, diversity in talent, as well a huge diversity in locations, and crews that are highly-rated across the world, are all part of our strong hand," says Orange Films' Vivian. 

"The Western Cape, and specifically locations in and around greater Cape Town area remain the most popular and frequently filmed ones," says Vivian.

The country is large enough to offer a multitude of strikingly different visuals that are routinely used by producers to double for locations around the world, whether that be the Middle East, US or other African countries.

There has been continued investment in film infrastructure. New studio facilities are being planned near the Cradle of Humankind archaeological site near Johannesburg and in KwaZulu-Natal.

South Africa has a strong crew base and experienced service providers, well accustomed to working on big international productions, among them Moonlighting Films.

South Africa is well-connected internationally by air. The main national hubs are Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. The country is large enough to offer a multitude of strikingly different visuals that are routinely used by producers to double for locations around the world, whether that be the Middle East, US or other African countries.

According to Orange Films' Vivian, South Africa is a "well-oiled machine" in terms of production service, with their two film hubs of Cape Town and Johannesburg providing the bases. Visa-on-arrival travel for most passport holders, and "superb hotels and restaurants all add to an overall slick experience for international filmmakers."

Filmmaking hubs exist across South Africa. Cape Town has the most established studios but there is a strong filmmaking tradition in Durban. Most parts of the country can be reached in an hour or two by plane. South Africa is well-connected internationally by air. 

First contact: Yolanda Ncokotwana, head of industry development, The National Film and Video Foundation @ yolandan@nfvf.co.za