John Smeddle to manage Film SA commercial challenge

The Commercial Challenge is a Film SA competition open to all member directors with the intention of generating five different commercials based upon the same script that will assist in promoting South Africa as a destination for film-makers.

Smeddle will be responsible for writing the script for the commercial, briefing it in to all participating directors and for overseeing the project. In order to ensure impartiality in the selection process, all directors will be required to present a written treatment of the script following which a shortlist of 10 directors will be selected to do a full treatment presentation to Smeddle. The final five directors nominated to complete the job will each create their own interpretation of the initial script resulting in five commercials which shall be used as a marketing tool to assist Film SA in promoting South Africa as a film destination.

Comments Smeddle, "This is a fantastic creative opportunity both for me and for the participating directors. I have no doubt we are going to see an exceptional standard of work amongst the participating directors and look forward to seeing the resultant outcome."

Comments executive producer at Groundglass and Film SA spokesperson, Janette de Villiers, "The Commercial Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for the film industry in South Africa to harness the individual talent of five different directors to showcase the diversity of creative expertise, locations and acting skills available in our country. We are very excited about John Smeddle's involvement and assistance in helping to make the project a success."

The commercial will be briefed out by Smeddle at the end of November 2004 and awarded by the beginning of January 2005 with the deadline for finished material being end March 2005 in tie for Cannes Film entry into the Cannes Lions.