The IPO’s Longform Committee draws together members of the IPO, The Producers’ Alliance (TPA) and the South African Screen Federation (SASFED). The Committee has been active since July 2006. The committee is convened by David Wicht but the different task teams falling under the committee have their own coordinators.
(1) DTI Task Team
David Wicht is the coordinator of this Task Team. He can be contacted at telephone: (021) 461-7950 or 083-254-3777.
Email: david.wicht@filmafrika.com
Members of the Task Team are Dan Jawitz (TPA), Tendeka Matatu (TPA), Ken Kaplan (TPA), Marvin Savin (IPO) and Dorothy Brislin (SASFED)
The Task Team was formed to make sure that the DTI:
- Understands and integrates the specific needs of the industry into its policy and regulatory framework;
- Supports the sector through specific programmes and initiatives that serve the industry as a whole; and
- Engages the industry in a broad process of consultation in the process of developing policy.
Most of the Longform Committee’s efforts over the past eight months have been focused on consulting and collaborating on the rollout of the DTI’s Customised Sector Programme (CSP) documents, which detail government’s intervention in the industry in five broad areas.
A series of workshops and meetings have been held over the past eight months on the EMIA scheme, the Long Form Rebate and BBBEE.
The DTI asked the Task Group to make recommendations on:
- The impact of the current Large Budget Film and Television Incentive Scheme;
- The proposed South African Film and Television Incentive Scheme for lower budget South African films;
- The proposed Licensed Investment Company (LIC); and
- Proposals for the alignment of the rebate schemes with the BBBEE Codes of Good Practice.
A sub-committee was established to explore and propose a policy on Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment. Helena Spring (IPO) coordinated this committee. Members were Indra de Lanerolle, Mfundi Vundla (IPO), Genevieve Hofmeyr (IPO) and Faizel Mamdoo (TPA).
The BBBEE Sub-Committee held a public meeting on 2 March to enable all industry stakeholders to comment on the committee’s proposals.
On the 12 March, the Task Team submitted joint IPO/TPA/SASFED recommendations to the DTI. Commitments from the industry in response to the recently published Codes of Good Practice with regard to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment represent a critical turning point in addressing historical inequalities. The three organisations believe that the film and television industry can make a significant contribution to the AsgiSA programme in contributing sustained and shared growth and employment to the benefit of the South African economy and South African society as a whole. In order for this vision to be achieved, the industry must me seen by the DTI and the industry itself, as an integrated industry with strong interdependencies including those between the foreign film servicing sector and the South African film and television sector.
Further meetings are expected once the DTI has held internal discussions on the industry’s proposals. The DTI hopes to launch a final report in June 2007.
(2) IDC Task Team
Members of the Task Team are Brigid Olen (coordinator) and Tendeka Matatu (TPA).
Brigid Olen can be contacted at (021) 409-2233 or 082-372-2502.
Email: brigid@doproductions.co.za
The Task Team met with the IDC towards the end of 2006. Currently the IDC’s objective is to create and sustain commercial viability within the industry by supporting local producers and promoting co-productions through which South African producers can earn and retain right in projects they are involved with.
(3) SARS Task Team
Co-ordinator: Marvin Saven. Telephone: (021) 422-4423 or 084-279-6175.
Email: marvin@moonlighting.co.za.
Key issues addressed by this Task Team include:
- PAYE and the high levels of disharmony in the industry because of the conflicting interests of the ACA (representing advertising agencies) and the PMA (representing the talent industries, which have created complications for production companies.
- Section 24. The Task Team’s objective is to convey the industry’s perspective in a way that is comprehensible to SARS and the Department of Labour in the hope of establishing the kind of special dispensation that has been in operation for years in other countries.
(4) NFVF Task Team
The co-ordinator is Dan Jawitz (TPA). Telephone: (011) 339-4128 or 082-330-8736.
Email: dan@voxpix.net
Members are Akin Omotoso (TPA), Pule Diphare (TPA) and Desiree Markgraaf (IPO).
The objective of this Task Team is to discuss mutual concerns in regular meetings with the NFVF so that there is a common understanding of how to promote and support entrepreneurship in the industry.
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