Looking Back #FlashbackFriday

It's been a while since my last post, and so I thought I'd catch you up on some of my recent activities.

Our months of April and May have been filled with lots of great projects. One of which was our FADCreationS annual Broadway Performance Showcase Experience. This year the production was entitled 'Follicle The Musical', in partnership with the wonderful team of stylists from the salon Follicle Hair Atelier. The hair and make-up styling was out there, outrageous and out of this world, wow!
After a two week workshop auditioning, dancing, singing and acting at Dance de Art studios, we moved onto stage at Monte De Dios with excellent staging and technical equipment provided by EPH Productions and JSF Productions. The production was such a great success and the talent astounding. Each year our candidates manage to creep into our hearts and it's a great reward to hear all of their feedback about how much they've learned, grown and enjoyed the 14 intensive days with us.

This is the awesome logo and poster below that was designed for the show this year by the talented Anzel Liebenberg from Fire Cherry Creative Branding.  

Ferdi and I with designer Anzel Liebenberg

Hubby Ferdinand acted as a writing assist on the screenplay for the 8 Days Film which highlights the growing and pressing issue of human trafficking. The film had already premiered in several major cities in the States when director/producer Jaco Booyens began planning the South African premiers. It was a star-studded premier in Johannesburg on the 14th of March, and a wonderful privilege to attend. The 8 Days message is truly important for the trafficking awareness campaign, if you want to follow this movement or donate to the cause, visit their site at this link.


It was also particularly special to attend this year's Naledi Theatre Awards with Ferdi who was nominated as choreographer for his work on the production of Reik Na Die Sterre die Musical, which he produced together with Johan Ferrreira and Henre Bornman as TheSmashHitCo. The musical was nominated for 7 Naledi categories, and was a grateful affirmation and reward for the vision and hard work that went into the production.

My beautiful friend Clarice Pieterse recently launched an online musical 'movement' named #DinsdagDeuntjie. Every Tuesday, performers record videos of themselves playing their instruments and singing cover or original songs and post them online with the hashtag #DinsdagDeuntjie.

A brand new development has evolved from the growing popularity of this movement! We recently attended the second monthly 'live' #DinsdagDeuntjie event at the ProSound venue at the Hillfox Centre in Roodepoort. It is a wonderful platform for up and coming vocalists and musical artists to showcase their brands and perform live.

The next live event is happening on Friday 5 June 2015, TydOmTeSkyn#3 - you should all come and check out the great talent! For more info go and like their Facebook Page. 


Another highlight of the past few weeks was the official premier of the French Toast feature film.

I was so thrilled to play a cameo in this film and thoroughly enjoyed playing the french nurse Marion, as well as working on speaking the french language which I've been in love with since high school.
The premier was held with a lot of 'french flair' (and lots of really yummy) french toast at the knew open air cinema at the French Toast Coffee Cafe in Hartebeespoort. The smaller replica of the Eiffel Tower was all lit up on the other side of the romantic lock bridge, and had everyone experiencing a little bit of Paris in Gauteng.
It was such a lovely evening!

Wow it's been an eventful few weeks, it's been fun looking back.

I am looking forward to all that is still lying ahead and all the exciting new possibilities!!
Will keep you posted :)

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Chat soon peeps,

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!