FEATURE
Customised camera rigs were used to film the whole of Vehicle 19 from within the car; (below) director writer-director Mukunda Michael Dewil
around Johannesburg. The film is also doing post-production in the city. “We’re getting better value for money in
Johannesburg,” says co-producer and line producer Gary King of local outfit Picture Tree. “We wouldn’t have had this kind of access somewhere else, [the authorities] are allowing us to do what we need. As a line producer, you want to get as much value on screen [as you can]. Shooting in Johannes- burg, the textures of this city are there, we don’t have to create them.” South Africa’s DTI offers South African
films or official co-productions a 35% rebate on the first $730,000 (ZAR6m) spent in the country and 25% on the remainder of local spend. It has no cap and can be paid in instalments. The government-backed IDC also provides debt and equity financing to projects, as part of its remit to back South African business. “We want to finance local projects
here. It’s amazing how much money and support is available to a South African project through the government — whether the IDC, DTI or the NFVF,” says Ryan Haidarian. Dewil, who used to live on an ashram in
India, is not your typical action director. Haidarian describes him as “really Zen”, noting he kept a calm atmosphere on set despite the high-octane stunts and chases and an ambitious 30-day shoot, all filmed in sequence. “He’s very eloquent when he is describing what he wants,” Haidarian points out. The shoot presented many logistical
challenges, not least with the camera in the car. Shooting chronologically and outside a studio meant frequent moves to new loca- tions, often gritty areas known more for car- jacking than for car stunts. Dewil admits it is not the easiest proposi-
tion to shoot “following a car around a city”, but says he is pleased with the results. Shooting on 35mm with heavier equip-
ment, it was also a challenge to rig the cars with cameras inside. One solution was to mount cameras on inflatable inner-tubes. “It allows movement but it’s not shaky. It’s
like your body would move in a car,” suggests DoP Miles Goodall of the inner-tube rigs. “I’m glad we didn’t shoot it in a conventional
n 22 Screen International at the AFM November 3, 2011
way. We’re going to come up with something noticeably different and take people out of their comfort zones as viewers.” Goodall, who also shot Retribution with
Dewil, is one of many South African heads of department. “It’s not a compromise using the crews
here, they were very well experienced in commercials. They are so fast and talented,” says Safran. “I definitely want to shoot more here.” Eddie Mbalo, who was the CEO of the
NFVF for a decade before stepping down in June, is executive producing Vehicle 19 as his first post-NFVF project at Forefront, the company he set up with Haidarian. He believes this film represents a step forward for the local film scene. “For me it’s the first South African com-
mercial film that is also wholly owned here,” he notes. “At a certain point we have to start making films that do make money, it’s a business after all.” Haidarian and Safran plan to re-team on
the director’s next script, Kalahari, which Safran dubs, “Open Water but with lions and hyenas in the desert.” Dewil (repped by Charlie Ferraro at UTA) also has plans for a big, Hollywood-level action film. Mbalo says the smooth Vehicle 19 shoot
was a good sign for the future. “It shows the potential of this country if we collabo- rate with the world.” n
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