Pretville Film #FlashbackFriday

Two years ago we were involved in the most colourful and vibrant Afrikaans musical feature film project called Pretville produced by Hartiwood Films. Hubby Ferdinand Gernandt was choreographer for the project, I acted as Assistant Choreographer and featured as a dancer in the film as well. Producers Paul Kruger (also DOP) and Emma Kruger, as well as Co-Producer and Director Linda Korsten, were so supportive and encouraging throughout the creative process, it was only a pleasure to create 'cinemagic' together.

We had so much fun shooting this project and creating the choreographic content for the lively musical numbers. The delightful lyrics and soundtrack was created by the talented arranger/composer Machiel Roets (@machielroets on Twitter), some of my favourite tracks being 'Skillie Skillie Skilpad', 'In die Maanlig', 'Is jy Verlief?', Skud, Skop en Hop' and 'Ek en Jy'. 

We had a week's worth of rehearsals with the amazing dance team, as well as the various characters prior to principal filming. And then we worked the final touches whilst preparing on set during the shoot days. Here are some beautiful and fun 'behind-the-scenes' shots of the rehearsals and other on set moments.

 

The challenging task of editing fell to the lovely Anel Stolp, the beautiful costume design was the work of Nerine Pienaar from The Wardrobe Studio and the magnificent art direction by Bathoni Robinson. It was a wonderful team of crew and cast; we really had such a fun time during production.

 I even have a wonderful cookbook at home called 'Proe Pretville' that was released along with the film which contains some of the most beautiful stills from behind-the-scenes of filming Pretville.

Fans can actually visit the little Pretville 'town' in Hartbeespoort Dam which functioned as the set for the film. It has now expanded to include memorabilia from other Hartiwood Productions, there's a functional 50's 'diner' where you can order yummy milkshakes, a quaint 'silver screen' bio-scope where you can watch the film Pretville (and several other Afrikaans or South African produced features) and you can also visit the Zaza Photographic Studio, take fun photographs in the little town and dress up in 50's wardrobe and accessories. It's a really fun family outing, so contact Emma on 083 283 1323 for movie tickets, times and info on the the Pretville 'dorpie'.

Hartiwood recently produced another feature film called 'French Toast' which is due for release in 2015, (I play a tiny cameo role as a nurse and loved every minute of it, read about it here) for which they built and created another magical 'set' in Hartbeespoort Dam - the lovely French Toast 'Koffiekafee' (Cafe).


It is now also open to the public, serving their customers french-inspired cappucinos, macarons and all styles of french toast.

A few of our FADCreationS Mentorship Students will also feature in this film, read this post on their behind-the-scenes experience.


Here is a trailer of the film Pretville which released in Nov 2012.

Here's to making movies in SA!
Chat soon peeps!

Extras in Paris, French Toast Film #BehindTheScenes

Today several of our FADCreationS Mentorship Students got to experience (for some their first) a day on a film set, filling the scenes as extras for the film French Toast, to be released in 2015.

What a magical experience for them, I am so grateful to Hartiwood productions for allowing them the opportunity and experience.

It is our goal as mentors to these performers-in-the-making to provide them with as much exposure to real industry experiences and professionals, in order to formulate their own path and goals towards becoming artists in their own right. The mentorship program is a 6 month intensive one-on-one training program, with the purpose of honing these artists to their true industry potential, providing platforms and opportunities as well as assisting in the transition from amateur to professional working performer.


Look at the beautiful replica Hartiwood built of Cafe Alexandre in Montmarte right in the middle of Hartebeespoortdam...

After one more week of filming, the Cafe will be open for business and visits by the public. It is gorgeous and quaint; and I can not wait to go and enjoy some delicious coffee and macarons 'french style'.
And there is speak of all sorts of yummy french toast!

Au revoir!

Buy Smart - Enterprise Lifestyle Commercial #BehindTheScenes

I had such a fun day on set of the commercial shoot I did a week ago for Buy Smart - Enterprise Lifestyle. And it was completely surprising and lovely to have several familiar faces on the team as well as fabulous new people to meet.

It was a real blast from the past to find out my 'husband' would be played by my friend Dean Roberts, who was my colleague and fellow 'bohemian' in the South African and touring musical theatre production of We Will Rock You (also read We Will Rock You - A Tribute) some years ago! Deano is an absolute scream, he has the best sense of fun and humour to have around on set and wow he's so great with kids! What an absolute pleasure angel!

I got to play #mommyforaday and had the most gorgeous-looking family!

Just look at my gorgeous little girl Amika and cute dimple-face boy, Levi. (So this is what my offspring would look like if I married a blonde!) And lemme tell you, the camera looooooves Levi! There's something to be said for the pure innocence of kids that age, they have absolutely no limits, fears or airs. Almost oblivious to the camera he just 'is', his whole little being speaks of joy and freedom of spirit. It's magical and inspiring!

I met Aileen Joubert at our wardrobe fitting at the Wardrobe Studio and we were chatting about my sharing the Joubert surname (maiden name) and having lived in Northcliff, but I never quite put two and two together.

On set she was telling me about having worked with primates earlier in life, and I got all excited telling her about this lady who was my neighbour in high school who also rehabilitated monkeys and how my sister and I did school projects on them. After a great pregnant pause, she announced "That's me!"

Well, I could have hit myself! Of course she was! I don't know how I missed it before, I mean her name should have rung a big bell! What a wonderful 'coincidence'! And what a good-looking on-screen mom to have, go-figure - we do look like we could be family!!

I just adored my beautiful red dress and styling by The Warderobe Studio and enjoyed the pleasure of working with Nerine Pienaar and her team once again, feeling familiar and well looked after in their hands. Fianca Barnard was attentive on set all day, making sure I looked fabulous.

And the lovely Bianca Pelser who did hair and make-up was a gem, and it was just as fascinating to realize we have so many friends and connections in common.

It was a wonderfully smooth day of filming and I enjoyed the slightly more improvisational style director Andrew Cleland used to get the best performances out of the kids. As an often behind-the-scenes crew member myself, I always pay attention to and try to honour the unsung crew heroes who actually make it all happen at the end of the day. It was an immense pleasure to work with the great AD Darryl Fuchs, DOP David Pienaar and their teams.




I must also compliment the catering by Anton from Aquarius, who made the most yummy and mouth-watering coconut-covered, jam-pocketed, cereal-flaked, impossible-to-decline dessert. (no other way to describe it!)








Well, in a blink it was all over and I had enjoyed such a joy-filled, love-what-i-do day.
It's heaps of gratitude that spill over and await the next time I can walk onto a film set and enjoy telling you all about it!









Chat Soon Peeps!

Glimpses from my Crew Life #BehindTheLens

So one of the many avenues of work I am blessed with happens to be behind the lens. I am signed with the very best crew agency in SA, Call A Crew and I get to enjoy a variety of amazing set environments either as 2nd Assistant Director, Production Coordinator or Cast Coordinator.

What I love about the other side of filming is really the never-ending pace, the high-energy and ever-changing environment that really is not for the faint-hearted.

One of my very first set experiences was AD'ing on an Afrikaans short-film with a group of friends for the KykNet Silwerskerm Filmfees in 2012, called Uit Die Kaskenades - which was one of 10 short-films commisioned to be aired from about 450 entries. And from there the bug bit!



I remember working on a great OlaFilms production for Adidas in the Maboneng Precinct in Johannesburg. It meant anything from scheduling,
wrangling little soccer players, sweeping glass from a tar road and everything in between. I had such great fun on that shoot.


Another Ola Films project had me working with a Norwegian company called Babusjka and we were filming in Rockville, Soweto. Our lead actor was the legend Sam Phillips, it was great to be able to watch him work. The little boy playing the 'younger Sam', had to throw a live chicken onto his parents' bed during a short scene. I got tasked with holding the chicken and passing it to the little one on 'action'!  I learnt that day that if you tie a chicken's feet together they become pretty much passive, but if you untie them - not so much!

I've even had the privilege of meeting Richard Branson's daughter, Holly last year. She is completely down to earth and was telling us all about their preparations for travelling to space with the launch of Virgin Galactic.

The corporate video world has also taken me to a few interesting places, including banks, boxing rings, breweries, insurance companies, charities, universities and many many many... many offices.

My most recent shoot, a week or so ago was on campus at the University of Pretoria, where I was running into a whole bunch of students I coached years ago in their schools' musical revue productions, who are now all students at the Varsity.
And student life at UP really does look fantastic!

The crew shot a lot of interviews and vox pops but then got creative with our cutaways. The Director Zoe and I were driving the DOP around on the back of a golf-cart, getting some great architectural shots and drawing attention every time we had to reverse with that ridiculously loud beeping sound.
All in a day's work!


I learn such a great deal every time I work a new job with a new crew and I'm looking forward to the next adventure to tell you all about...


Chat soon,

Starting Over #MeMoments

So in 2012 I discovered that blogging isn't for 'sissies' and that consistently posting as part of a busy schedule can be a challenge and a half. My blog YouHadMeAtHello started off with a bang but pretty much ended with one too and it has taken me this long to muster the courage to get it going again. Because the thing is, getting something going is never the problem, but rather the seeing through of it is.
So why now? I think that I finally find myself in a place where I can accept that I do not have to fit into a certain mold in life or in who/what my blog should be about. Actress, presenter or voice artist; company manager, choreographer or director; cast coordinator, production manager or film AD, it doesn't really matter. Having been blessed to experience such a varied multitude of industries and arenas, I finally realised that it is quite a gift and a strength to be able to easily adapt and apply myself to very different roles and job descriptions. I now proudly own my chameleon skill, both on stage or on screen, in front of the lens or behind, creative or corporate - wherever the work or world of artistry takes me, that's where I'll go.

And with this blog as with so many things (think eating plans, exercise regimes or giving up bad habits), I need to take a deep passionately motivated breath and start all over again. Each Monday of each week, we re-do, re-think, re-plan and then take on the next week (or chapter) with even more gusto and a few learnings in our pockets.        Maybe this time round, YouHadMeAtHello will help me with just that.

So, here's to starting over.