Best of Reel awarded to Gillette ‘Nozizwe’ by the late SJ Myeza from 7 Films

Every month iDidTht.com teams up with an industry leader to award South Africa’s best in Film Craft. This month, the CCO of Grey Africa, Fran Luckin, lends us her years of experience and talent by stepping up to the judging plate. More importantly though, she makes us look damn cool, because guys, it’s Fran flippen Luckin! 😍

BEST IN CRAFT:

BEST IN CRAFT: Gillette ‘Akhona’
7 Films | Siphiwe SJ Myeza-Mhlambi
(Direction Craft)

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTIONS:

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: Cadbury ‘Mom’s Birthday’
Egg Films | Zwelethu Radebe (Direction Craft)
Egg Films | Nic Apostoli-Comfort and Fame (Grade Craft)

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: Xero ‘Unexpected’
The Star Film Company | Jonathan Parkinson
(Direction Craft)

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: Outsurance ‘The Calling; Linda’
Darling Films | Zee Ntuli
(Direction Craft)

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: Opera ‘Escape’
Hey Papa Legend | Myles McDonald & Ross McDonald
(Original Music and Final Mix Craft)

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: PhFat ‘Catherine’
Carbon Films | Rob Smith
(Direction Craft)

Judges comments by Fran Luckin, CCO at Grey Africa

BEST IN CRAFT: Gillette ‘Nozizwe’ by SJ Myeza from 7 Films – Direction Craft
Full disclosure: 7Films shot this for us at Grey. I don’t believe I’m patting myself on the back by selecting this as my Best of Reel though because everything this film is, it owes to SJ Myeza and 7 Films. It could so easily have been a sad but moving story about loss and struggle. But through his casting of Akhona and Nozizwe, aided by the rapport he established with them that enabled him to draw so much rich material from them, through the sensitive cinematography that gives dignity and warmth to their home, to the way the edit guides the viewer through the relationship, the director has turned this into an ultimately joyous portrayal of the redemptive power of love.

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: PhFat ‘Catherine’ by Rob Smith from Carbon Films – Direction Craft
This one starts with a boy and a girl on a hill and ends with a haunting. I liked the visual intrigue of the seemingly natural changes of sky and light behind the characters as the camera moved around them. It was visually mesmerising but also made me feel like there was more going on here than was evident at first. Deceptively simple.

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: Cadbury ‘Mom’s Birthday’ by Zwelethu Radebe from Egg Films (Direction Craft) and Nic Apostoli-Comfort and Fame (Grade Craft)
Solid, well-crafted storytelling. There isn’t a false note struck in any of the performances. I love the way that this isn’t a game – it’s a serious transaction between two human beings in a world where the child has set the terms. There’s no obvious smile and wink to the audience.

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: Xero ‘Unexpected’ by Jonathan Parkinson from The Star Films Company – Direction Craft
One simple fluid take lets the stunt enjoy center stage. It feels easy and unforced. It would be even better with no voice over. Just a superbly well-phrased end title. Okay, you might need two titles.

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: Opera ‘Escape’ by Myles McDonald & Ross McDonald from Hey Papa Legend – Original Music and Final Mix Craft
Nice moody Blade Runner vibes.

CRAFT SPECIAL MENTION: OUTsurance ‘The Calling; Linda’ by Zee Ntuli from Darling Films – Direction Craft
I love the treatment of the voice-over: the unscripted feel and performance give the ad an emotional depth. The hand-held camera, which restlessly alternates between close up intimacy and moving behind and around things, gives a real sense of how a child might experience the events of the story: fragmented, uncertain, but also at very close quarters. The grade and lighting give the visuals a rich cinematic moodiness, turning the humble setting of the home, the hospital and the shop into a theatre for tragedy and heartbreak.

About our Guest Judge

Fran Luckin began her career as a copywriter, moved to TBWA / Hunt Lascaris in the late nineties, where she became a Creative Director, then joined Ogilvy Johannesburg in 2003, and became Executive Creative Director there in 2008. In 2012, Fran was appointed to the 15-member Ogilvy Worldwide Creative Council. After 20 years in advertising, Fran went full digital, joining Quirk South Africa (a Mirum agency) as Executive Creative Director of the Johannesburg office in July 2013. She joined Grey as CCO in 2016. The company won its first Gold Lion in 2017. Together with the executive team, Fran has helped to transform the creative output of the agency from traditional advertising into a fully integrated multi-media, digital and social communications offering. She has judged international and South African creative awards shows (including the Cannes Film Lions, the Cannes Outdoor Lions, the Dubai Lynx Awards, the Clio Awards and D&AD) – and has also served three times on the judging panel for the Apex Awards. In 2017 she served as Jury President of the Print and Publishing Jury at the Cannes Lions – the first female Jury President from Africa. She has an M.B.A from the Berlin School of Creative Leadership, and is Chairman of the Academic Board of the Red & Yellow School.

All Craft Entries

Arcade Content | Zandi Tisani
Brand South Africa ‘Why’
(Direction Craft)

Arcade Content | Zandi Tisani
Nandos ‘#tAPPthat’
(Direction Craft)

Bioscope Films | Zipho Dlangamandla
Jozi ‘My Jozi’
(Direction Craft)

Bioscope Films | Hylton Tannenbaum
Gumtree ‘It’s Huge’
(Direction Craft)

Bioscope Films | Fausto Becatti
Castle Free ‘Free To Be’
(Direction Craft)

Carbon Films | Bruno Bossi
Captain Morgan ‘There’s a New Captain in Town’
(Direction Craft)

Darling Films | Ross Garrett
Ford ‘Bring your Tough’
(Direction Craft)

Darling Films | Director Kit
Barloworld ‘Fierce Girl’
(Direction Craft)

Darling Films | Slim
Cadbury ‘Mission’
(Direction Craft)

Fell + Co | Greg Fell
ASICS Rugby ‘What is the Difference’
(Direction Craft)

Fell + Co | Kelvin Trautman
Salomon ‘WMN’
(Direction Craft)

FirstPencil | Justine Puren-Calverley
Varsity College ‘The Upside Down’
(Direction Craft)

Hungry Films | Yes Dear
Peak Coffee ‘Come Alive’
(Direction Craft)

Let it Rain Films | Lee Doig
Serengeti Lite ‘Friends’
(Direction Craft)

Patriot Films | Aadil Dhalech
Reach For A Dream ‘Boots’
(Direction Craft)

Spitfire | AK
Cadbury ‘Paper Planes’
(Direction Craft)

they | Alan Irvin
Dromex ‘Most People’ (Directors Cut)
(Direction Craft)

TinToy Productions | Ian Morgan
‘Good Mourning’
(Direction Craft)

Deliverance Post | Anthony Lee Martin
Dromax ‘Beyond These Doors’
(Editing Craft)

Egg Films | William Kalmer from Post Modern
Cadbury ‘Mom’s Birthday’
(Editing Craft)

Fell + Co | Jessie Viljoen
Cape Town City FC ‘Thando’
(Editing Craft)

FORT | Amr Singh
Opera ‘Escape’
(Editing Craft)

FORT | Frank Liebenberg, Thomas Hulett & Terrance Holt
Opera ‘Escape’
(VFX Craft)

Ludus Post Productions | Michael Naidoo (Online) and Craig Simonetti (Grade)
Cadbury Paper Planes
(Grade and Online Edit Craft)

Ludus Post Productions | Michele Wilson
Edge ‘All Seasons Moisture’
(Grade Craft)

Ludus Post Productions | Michael Naidoo
Edge ‘All Seasons Moisture’
(Online Edit Craft)

Ludus Post Productions | Andrew Traill
Jaguar ‘E-Pace’
(Offline Edit Craft)

Howard Audio | Adam Howard
Chicken Licken ‘Supermarket’
(Original Music and Final Mix)

Howard Audio | Adam Howard
MAQ ‘Dishwash’
(Original Music and Final Mix Craft)

TigerFight | Christ Snyman
Cadbury ‘Moms Birthday’
(Sound Design and Final Mix Craft)