Best in Film Craft awarded to Xander Vander & Nic Apostoli from Strangelove, and Greg Gray from ROMANCE

Creative Director at Grey Africa/Liquid, Steph van Niekerk once went on stage 15 times on a single night at the Loeries. She’s one of SA’s most awarded creatives in film, but it’s time that people know that the real talent lies with her cat, word-renowned film critic and enthusiast, Dmitri Moses, who will be joining her as co-judge this month. Thank you Steph and Moses 🙌🐾

BEST IN FILM CRAFT:

BEST IN FILM CRAFT: ‘Disco Casting’
Strangelove Studios | Xander Vander (Edit) & Nic Apostoli (Grade)
(Editing and Grade Craft)

BEST IN FILM CRAFT: Nedbank ‘Secrets (Sizwe & Alinah)’
ROMANCE | Greg Gray
(Direction Craft)

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTIONS:

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: Sanlam Investments ‘A Whole New World’
Deliverance Post | Ricky Boyd
(Editing Craft)

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: Edgars ‘Valenzia’
Picture Tree | Richard Truter
(Direction Craft)

Judges comments by Steph Van Niekerk, CD at Grey Africa / Liquid and Moses, Cat.

Best in Film Craft: Nedbank ‘Secrets’ by Greg Gray from ROMANCE – Direction Craft
Steph:
This is a tense film and once you get into it, it grips you. It could quite easily have veered into the dramatic, but the performances are beautifully restrained.
Moses: The music, edit and framing all work together to capture the isolation and anxiety of the protagonist. It puts the burden of the secret squarely on him for such is the Tao of Secrets.
Steph: What do you know of the Tao of Secrets? You’re a cat.
Moses: There’s a dead bat under your bed…
Moses: I feel so much better now.

Best in Film Craft: ‘Disco Casting’ by Xander Vander (Edit) & Nic Apostoli (Grade) from Strangelove – Editing and Grade Craft
Steph: We couldn’t decide between the two pieces, so there are two Best of Reels this month.
Moses: I’ve seen a lot in my nine lives, and rarely does something feel new. This piece popped.
Steph: I love the structure of it. The edit perfectly accentuates the track, with each character representing an instrument. It’s playful and astute. Great casting too, which is fitting, because it’s for a casting agency.

Special Mention: Sanlam ‘A Whole New World’ by Ricky Boyd from Deliverance – Editing Craft
Steph: I am well acquainted with the horrors of building a narrative from found footage, and just for that, this piece deserves a special mention. The narrative arc hits all the notes, whilst the cut builds to its climatic end.
Moses: It left me feeling that maybe sometimes humans don’t suck. It was a fleeting feeling, but a feeling nonetheless.

Special Mention: Edgars ‘Valencia’ by Richard Truter from Picture Tree – Direction Craft
Steph: We were quite surprised by this film.
Moses: What we thought was going to be a video brochure, turned out to be delightful piece of film with some great performances and healthy dose of wit.
Steph: The grade and the styling captures the essence of Valencia brilliantly. Good job.

About our Guest Judge

Steph once went on stage 15 times on a single night at the Loeries. She’s one of South Africa’s most awarded creatives in film with a stash that includes a Gold One Show Pencil for Cinema, a few Cannes Golds for film, and the first-ever Loeries Grand Prix awarded to a branded content series. But it’s time that people know that the real talent lies with her cat, word-renowned film critic and enthusiast, Dmitri Moses, who will be joining her as co-judge this month. Steph currently works on the Distell business at Liquid/Grey.

All Craft Entries

Tigerfight | Chris Snyman and Garth Barnes
Toyota Hilux ‘Was the Hilux Born a Legend?’
(Original Music Craft)

Egg Films | Simon Ringrose
Ab Inbev ‘Minion’
(Original Music Craft)
*Please note that this spot was entered by Egg Films on behalf of Simon Ringrose

0307 Films | Kim Geldenhuys
Aware.org ‘My First Drink Story’
(Direction Craft)

Arcade Content | Zandi Tisani
Takealot ‘Coconut Kelz’
(Direction Craft)

Carbon Collective | Mzonke Maloney
Three Ships Whisky ‘Dj Lag’
(Direction Craft)

Giant Films | Karien Cherry
Sanlam ‘A Whole New World’
(Direction Craft)

Egg Films | Kyle Lewis
Ab Inbev ‘Minion’
(Direction Craft)

Left Post Productions | Jolynn Minnaar
‘Womanhood’
(Direction Craft)
*Entered on behalf of Jolynn Minnaar by MOD

Patriot Films | Anton Visser
Kia ‘The Journey’
(Direction Craft)

The Star Film Company | Wim Steytler
Avbob ‘Every Funeral is Different’
(Direction Craft)

The Star Film Company | Tebza Malope
Game ‘You’ve got Game’
(Direction Craft)

they | Adam & Jonathan
Shadowclub and RetinaSA ‘Lighten up the soul with Shadowclub (the band)’
(Direction Craft)

they | Adam & Jonathan
‘Blessing’
(Direction Craft)

Your Girlfriend | Morgan Dingle
KFC ‘Picnic’
(Direction Craft)

Egg Films | Adrian de Sa Garces
Castle Lite ‘Extra Cold Loop’
(Direction Craft)

Egg Films | Kyle Lewis
Toya Delazy Music Video ‘Funani’
(Direction Craft)

Rick Joaquim (DOP)
Toya Delazy Music Video ‘Funani’
(Cinematography Craft)

Ludus Post Productions | Michele Wilson
Distell Scottish Leader ‘See The World Differently’
(Grade Craft)

Left Post Productions | Daniel Mitchell
‘Womanhood’
(Editing Craft)

Priest | Amelia Cohen
Three Ships Whisky ‘DJ Lag’
(Editing Craft)

Figment Films | Eddie Addinall
Santam ‘Say I’
(VFX Craft)
*Please note that this spot was entered by Figment Films on behalf of Eddie Addinall from Black Ginger