The delegation of South African media professionals in production, finance and facilities in the local entertainment industry will meet with Hollywood's top-level executives in production, finance and acquisition at the studios, networks, cable broadcasters and indie production companies, as well as support entities including finance and facilities partners, legal and business representatives.
High-ranking government and government agency officials whose portfolios include co-production, funding incentives, film commissions and industry development will join the contingent. Among the objectives of the mission is the procurement of lucrative offshore production business for South Africa, to meet potential co-producing partners and funding and to update the understanding of foreign markets by meeting decision makers in their local business environment and experience the core of the industry at work.
The marketing program specifically targets US companies that are most likely to have interest in South Africa. The meetings provide direct interface in the boardrooms of the US host companies where the delegates establish, first-hand, their immediate requirements. Conversely, the SA delegates provide information about production expertise, local producing partners, financial instruments, production incentives and co-production opportunities.
The program is produced by the LA-based Katrina Wood's media consultancy MediaXchange in association with Dezi Rorich, chief executive of Metal Moon, a leading independent marketing and publicity company in the South African entertainment industry.
Since originating South Africa's first international film and television conference in 1995, which brought broadcasters and producers to South Africa from 14 territories in Europe, they have collaborated to produce regular exchanges between South Africa and the entertainment industry worldwide, specifically Los Angeles.
"The question is why not Cannes?" says Rorich, "Firstly this level of executive is not accessible at a major market or festival and, if they were, we are up against thousands of other delegates who are there with the same agenda. To make a dent in a major market, to cause a ripple or to be heard, one needs big marketing dollars. Our program is tactic and individualistic, and yields value. Wood's consultancy is well-known and the US hosts take it seriously."
