Netflix wants to show more local content

[Jamie McKane]

Netflix wants to show more local content

Netflix has said it wants to bring South African movies and shows to a global audience through its platform.

 

[PsychoFish]

Spare us the embarrassment

 

[beans100]

Hope they get new actors and creators, as the local talent is getting stale.
Hope they opt for some Afrikaans sitcoms.

 

[Tjitah]

Spare us the embarrassment

Not so fast. There's been a flood of Afrikaans movies over the last two or three years (I reckon at least one per month). Every time I sit down to watch one of them it is with low expectations and I'd say 8 out of 10 times I've been pleasantly surprised. I'd venture to say that the majority were top class, entertaining and well made - on par or better than the average international movie out there.

On top of that, we've produced some highly decorated English/international movies (District 9, Long Walk To Freedom, Tsotsi). But I'm especially surprised and proud of the quality of our Afrikaans movies. I can't speak for movies made for the African market, as I don't watch those.

 

[beans100]

Not so fast. There's been a flood of Afrikaans movies over the last two or three years (I reckon at least one per month). Every time I sit down to watch one of them it is with low expectations and I'd say 8 out of 10 times I've been pleasantly surprised. I'd venture to say that the majority were top class, entertaining and well made - on par or better than the average international movie out there.

On top of that, we've produced some highly decorated English/international movies (District 9, Long Walk To Freedom, Tsotsi). But I'm especially surprised and proud of the quality of our Afrikaans movies. I can't speak for movies made for the African market, as I don't watch those.

Most of the Afrikaans movies, the last couple of years, was made by Kyknet. Doubt DSTV will share with Netflix.
Though, I'd like if they made Netflix original Afrikaans. With the likes of Willie Esterhuizen (though I think he has past his prime) etc.

 

[PsychoFish]

Most of the Afrikaans movies, the last couple of years, was made by Kyknet. Doubt DSTV will share with Netflix.
Though, I'd like if they made Netflix original Afrikaans. With the likes of Willie Esterhuizen (though I think he has past his prime) etc.

Made by Kyknet mostly, with the same terrible actors, writers and directors mostly. I mean if you want a father figure it will likely be played by Marius Weyers, Ian Roberts or Eric Nobbs. The problem I have with South African productions are that they have typecasted our actors to death and most of the older actors tend to be just below par. More correctly I think it's that they over act, nothing ever seems natural.

 

[beans100]

Made by Kyknet mostly, with the same terrible actors, writers and directors mostly. I mean if you want a father figure it will likely be played by Marius Weyers, Ian Roberts or Eric Nobbs. The problem I have with South African productions are that they have typecasted our actors to death and most of the older actors tend to be just below par. More correctly I think it's that they over act, nothing ever seems natural.

Yes, that's what I meant in my first post, the current local talent is getting stale. We need fresh faces and characters.

 

[DieGrootHammer]

As with all things in life, it's all about the money.

One day I read a really interesting article on the plane about the film industry in SA. Currently, English directors and writers are almost forced to make Afrikaans content, as English content just doesn't sell well at the box office in SA. The ROI is too high. Which is where Kyknet is key. Kyknet has built up this base from which to launch a whole host of projects, and effectively bankroll so many projects. But Kyknet is also just a business that needs to bank on things that have worked in the past. As per the same problems that Hollywood faces, at some point deviating too far from formula does not yield returns. So the same feeling content with the same actors are made. They are made very well these days, but some just feel a bit too same-y perhaps.

With Netflix money, however, there exists the opportunity for a whole host of new content to be created under the Netflix banner. Content hopefully on par with other Netflix content. Content made by more unknown actors and directors that were not given the opportunity in SA due to the Afrikaans profitibility thing. I see no real downside, or realy reason to be negative just yet. Our country has more than enough potensial to create world class content. With Netflix money and reach, it may launch the careers of the next Charlize Theron.

 

[PsychoFish]

As with all things in life, it's all about the money.

One day I read a really interesting article on the plane about the film industry in SA. Currently, English directors and writers are almost forced to make Afrikaans content, as English content just doesn't sell well at the box office in SA. The ROI is too high. Which is where Kyknet is key. Kyknet has built up this base from which to launch a whole host of projects, and effectively bankroll so many projects. But Kyknet is also just a business that needs to bank on things that have worked in the past. As per the same problems that Hollywood faces, at some point deviating too far from formula does not yield returns. So the same feeling content with the same actors are made. They are made very well these days, but some just feel a bit too same-y perhaps.

With Netflix money, however, there exists the opportunity for a whole host of new content to be created under the Netflix banner. Content hopefully on par with other Netflix content. Content made by more unknown actors and directors that were not given the opportunity in SA due to the Afrikaans profitibility thing. I see no real downside, or realy reason to be negative just yet. Our country has more than enough potensial to create world class content. With Netflix money and reach, it may launch the careers of the next Charlize Theron.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see ORIGINAL and high quality local productions. We don't need another terrible clone of a hit show from elsewhere. So basically new actors and fresh writers and directors that do something without rugby, cricket, soccer, apartheid, racism, bushveld, safari, famers, townships, Nelson Mandela, the anglo boer war or corrupt politicians would be nice.

 

[beans100]

As with all things in life, it's all about the money.

One day I read a really interesting article on the plane about the film industry in SA. Currently, English directors and writers are almost forced to make Afrikaans content, as English content just doesn't sell well at the box office in SA. The ROI is too high. Which is where Kyknet is key. Kyknet has built up this base from which to launch a whole host of projects, and effectively bankroll so many projects. But Kyknet is also just a business that needs to bank on things that have worked in the past. As per the same problems that Hollywood faces, at some point deviating too far from formula does not yield returns. So the same feeling content with the same actors are made. They are made very well these days, but some just feel a bit too same-y perhaps.

With Netflix money, however, there exists the opportunity for a whole host of new content to be created under the Netflix banner. Content hopefully on par with other Netflix content. Content made by more unknown actors and directors that were not given the opportunity in SA due to the Afrikaans profitibility thing. I see no real downside, or realy reason to be negative just yet. Our country has more than enough potensial to create world class content. With Netflix money and reach, it may launch the careers of the next Charlize Theron.

+1, nicely said

 

[czc]

the anglo boer war

There was quite a good show on mnet once related to that I think. I don't remember the name though.