Small steps for the big screen
The "Midgets" project is a first in South African Film History. Six South African directors on the BIG SCREEN simultaneously. How, you ask? Small steps.
Midgets is a project conceptualised by Kryptonite Productions and Ster Kinekor that will bring South African audiences the best in local film making talent. Six of South Africa's best directors will direct six of South Africa's best scripts, and the resulting films will be screened on Ster Kinekor Cinema Nouveau circuit before the main feature film. When the Midgets are released in mid-2003, Nouveau cinemagoers will be treated to a "double feature" where their main feature movie will be preceded by a small taste of local movie magic.
The films are called "Midgets" because unlike traditional short films, which are usually 15 to 25 minutes long, the Midget will be shorter than short - 6 minutes each to be precise. And as any director will tell you, trying to tell a story in six minutes is one helluva challenge. But challenge is what the Midgets project is all about. Challenging six South African crews to create short films worthy of theatrical release. Hundreds of hopefuls have been narrowed down by a team of judges to the final six filmmakers chosen to make movies of an international standard.
The project promises to be incredibly exciting, and certainly does its bit to further the South African film. The task ahead is massive. First the final six scripts must be finalised and developed. Then actors, locations, musicians, crews and extras will be chosen, and finally 6 short films will be made. All the while Kryptonite will be launching into a very visible campaign that aims to get the public involved in the movie magic. There are a number of surprises in the pipeline too. A mystery director is to be flown out from Los Angeles, Robben Island regains its prison status ... and the darkest secrets of South Africa's most internationally successful boyband will be exposed.
