South African actors and film crews, those tragically charming beings, find themselves forever entangled in a web of financial misfortune. They roam the endless, parched expanses of economic obscurity, where proving their brilliance is as absurd as trying to catch a rainbow in a jar.
By Themba Khumalo
Our actors, as well as crew, bless their hearts, are forever trapped in a financial conundrum. They are destined to wander the vast, arid plains of financial obscurity, where proving their worth is as futile as trying to catch smoke with bare hands.
The notion of bankability is but a cruel joke, a phantom that taunts them from the shadows, forever out of grasp and shrouded in the mists of uncertainty.
The woeful lack of bankability among our actors can be attributed, at least in part, to the astonishingly low-quality control standards at every television station. It is a wonder to behold, really, how television operates with all the finesse of a three-legged elephant on roller skates.
Quality control? Ha! That is merely a whimsical notion, a fleeting dream that some big industry fat cats occasionally chuckle about over their lukewarm coffee. It is a curious phenomenon where the channel owners seem blissfully indifferent to whether a production is a train wreck or a poorly executed farce.
A production can be a breathtaking train wreck or a glorious mess. Still, certain producers and all channel overlords maintain an air of serene indifference, as if they are perched atop a mountain, gazing down at the pandemonium below with the detached amusement of a spectator at a circus gone wildly awry.
Regardless of the shoddy craftsmanship on display, they will air a production until the bitter end, as if it were a cherished classic! One would assume that with a film industry that dates back to 1899, we would be swimming in a sea of high-quality productions, but instead, we find ourselves adrift in a vast ocean of mediocrity.
The sheer perplexity is enough to make one’s head spin. When a production is a cacophony of chaos, the thought of reshoots is treated like an unwanted guest at a party, uninvited and utterly ignored, as if the creators have sworn an oath to embrace their blunders with open arms.
Having been bombarded by an unending stream of television garbage – a veritable landfill of visual detritus – I have arrived at the rather disheartening realisation that the bar for quality has been lowered to subterranean levels. The horror escalates as we, in our boundless enthusiasm, seem to celebrate the most lacklustre productions, as if they were the crowning achievements of human creativity rather than the sad remnants of what should now be a great medium.
In the chaotic carnival of my thoughts, a commotion of questions erupts like a thousand clashing cymbals, while my soul rages like a lion in a cage: Why does our television seem to be channelling the spirit of radio broadcasts? How on earth do we anticipate ascending to greatness?
How can we possibly hold our own on the global stage without sacrificing the very essence of our film and television industry? Who, if anyone, is orchestrating this chaotic symphony? What unseen forces are tethering us to the ground, and why is this travesty permitted to continue?
Then there is Nollywood, the magical land where actors are transformed into millionaires overnight—what sorcery is this? What secret formula do they possess that mere mortals in South Africa’s film industry can only dream of? Nollywood is apparently the enchanted world where actors strike gold while in South Africa actors are left to scrape the bottom of the barrel.
What alchemy are they practising in Nollywood that enables their stars to swim in wealth while our dedicated filmmakers and performers toil away for mere crumbs?
What is their secret, one might ask, as they bask in the glow of financial success while South Africa’s film industry languishes in the shadows, despite its legion of talented craftsmen and women?
It is also high time the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture pulled its head out of the sand; its disdainful attitude towards the industry as an irritating sideshow is not only foolish but also perilously counterproductive.
The industry has been treated like an unwelcome guest, rather than a valuable asset. In stark contrast, governments worldwide are rolling out the red carpet for their local film industries, offering a smorgasbord of support options. This can include everything from funding and tax incentives to subsidies and cultural promotions.
Although the details may vary by country, the intent is crystal clear: to enhance the film sector, elevate national culture, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth.
It is a disheartening spectacle, watching years of skill and effort yield little more than a pat on the back. How utterly pitiful!