Frans Cronjé, the producer of Hansie, is very pleased with the progress of the film: “The movie is looking beautiful and we are very happy with the quality of the scenes we have shot. Aspects of the film have gone exceptionally well. We are very proud that Hansie has been a landmark movie in South Africa for its innovative use of technology.”
The movie has made use of a groundbreaking HD camera called the Phantom and also a technologically advanced computer programme called Massive. The Phantom is a highly specialised digital camera which is used to get extremely detailed slow motion shots. There are only 10 in the world and it's the first time that Africa has seen this particular camera on a film set. With the computer programme Massive, a crowd of 500 extras can be expanded into a stadium of 33 000 cheering people. Massive was first used and designed for Lord of the Rings and has not been used in a South African feature film before.
The publicity alone while the cast and crew were shooting in India shows the extent of the public's affection. Frank Rautenbach, playing the lead role of Hansie, and other crew members were interviewed on four TV news channels and stories about the shoot appeared in numerous newspapers. An Australian radio morning drive-time programme has also recently done a live interview.
Marketing manager Peter Morgan adds, “We were very warmly received in India. Hansie is still very much a loved public figure there.”
Making a movie, however, is never all plain sailing and there have been some real challenges. One of those was getting the camera into India. It took a long time to clear the camera through customs. In fact, the crew had to rent a camera for the first day of shooting there. On a positive note, however, Kirstin Barwise, the Hansie line producer says, “We would never have cleared the camera so quickly through customs without our Indian production company's assistance. Both the UK and the Indian production companies have been great to work with.”
Global Creative Studios (GCS) is pleased about a new relationship that has been forged with Nu Metro Film Distribution. GCS has handed over the sales and distribution side of the business to Nu Metro Film Distribution, who will distribute Hansie in cinemas and on DVD throughout Africa. GCS will be focusing mainly on filmmaking in the future, allowing more room for the production side of the company to grow.
“It was a difficult decision to make but we decided it was in the company's best interests going forward to close our distribution departments down,” says Cronjé.
Nu Metro GM Debbie McCrum comments, “Nu Metro has been looking to partner with a local filmmaker for sometime and not only to invest financially but to build a lasting partnership. Frans Cronjé has an enigmatic energy that captured Nu Metro's interest in his films. We look forward to a long and prosperous partnership with Global Creative Studios.”
For more information, photographs and an onset diary of the movie Hansie, go to the official film website www.hansiemovie.com. Hansie will be released in September 2008.
