Master classes for aspiring filmmakers

Five esteemed and experienced filmmakers will share vital skills, experience and knowledge over the next few weeks at Nu Metro Theatres in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, and V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. Discussions will include finding creative filming solutions, crafting expert narration, innovative camera angles, using archive material and dealing with sensitive cultural and language differences during filmmaking.

The Master Classes will be delivered by:

• Ditsi Carolino (Jhb 21 July 09h30 -12h00; CT 22 July 14h00 – 16h30). Carolino, as an award winning filmmaker will share her experiences as an independent filmmaker in the developing country of the Philippines. She discusses access and ethics and how she finds both funds and an audience for her films. Her film Life on the Tracks screens at the festival.

• Jihan El-Tahri (Joburg: 15 July 2pm – 4.30pm; Cape Town: 22 July 9.30am –12 noon) Emmy nominated El-Tahri will dissect the challenges African filmmakers face when producing heritage films that require the use of sometimes costly and difficult to obtain archive material, especially from archives housed outside the African continent. Jihan's film Cuba: An African Odyssey can be seen at the festival.

• Eva Mulvad (Joburg: 19 July 6.30pm – 9pm; Cape Town: 21 July 9.30am – 12 noon) Winner of the IDFA 2007 Silver Wolf Award, Mulvad will discuss the differences of filming at ‘home' and ‘abroad' and of the challenges faced with differences in culture, language, religion and cultural sensitivity. Her film is Enemies of Happiness.

• Leonard Retel Helmrich (Joburg: 14 July 2pm – 4.30pm; Cape Town: 21 July 2pm – 4.30pm): This Sundance Grand Jury Award-winning filmmaker has been documenting ordinary Indonesian people's stories, reflecting on their heritage, culture and politics. He will discuss the advantages and challenges of playing the dual role of cinematographer and director. Famed for his ‘single shot' takes, he reflects on creative decisions made ‘in camera'. Promised Paradise, produced by Helmrich, can be seen at the festival.

• Thomas Wallner (Joburg: 21 July 2pm – 4.30pm; Cape Town: 24 July 6.30pm – 9pm) Successful documentaries are carefully crafted pieces of non-fiction storytelling. Using examples of films written as a case study, Emmy Award-winning writer/producer Wallner will share how to conceive ideas, structure stories, conduct research and interviews, write narration and adapt the script to resulting footage.

Tickets for the SABC & Encounters classes are R70.00 each and may be obtained at either the Johannesburg or Cape Town venues.