Alive in Joburg – Neill Blomkamp uyarocka
Remember you heard about him first through Represent!We put together an interview for Neill who was stuck in Amsterdam in transit to Vancouver. He promptly sent us his answers once he was back in Canada – FInd out what it is that makes Neill Blomkamp tick and how he got to such success at only 26 years old! Click here to see his film…
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1)In a nutshell, “Who is Neill Blomkamp” and why are we only hearing of him now in film/commercials?In 1998 I started working at Rainmaker, a VFX house in Vancouver, as a visual effect artist. I worked on computer generated fx for television shows like Smallville, Dark Angel and Stargate SG1. In 2003 I left Rainmaker and began directing music videos for Canadian artists and in 2004, began directing commercials.
In 1998 I started working at Rainmaker, a VFX house in Vancouver, as a visual effect artist. I worked on computer generated fx for television shows like Smallville, Dark Angel and Stargate SG1. In 2003 I left Rainmaker and began directing music videos for Canadian artists and in 2004, began directing commercials.The commercials I’ve directed all feature heavy visual effects simply because that is my background and has been my stepping stone into directing. As I grow as a director I will begin to shed that more and more and eventually end up with some work that is purely actor driven.
I’ve done ads that were featured only in America, the only one so far for a European client was for Citroen, with that dancing car, which played in SA.
2)Give us a short cv of your life – where and when were you born, where were you at school, where did you study, where do you live now and why?
I was born in Johannesburg in 1979, I went to Sandown Primary and then to Redhill Highschool. From a pretty young age I became very interested in filmmaking, initially I wanted to become a prosthetic special effects artist, but as computers began to get more powerful, it seemed like visual effects was a more interesting field. So, I began messing around with 3d animation, which at that time was much much rarer then it is now. At about 16 I met up with some guys who had a company doing what I wanted to be doing, and they let me use their equipment and software, almost like a mini film school.
My mother was always talking about us leaving South Africa for more opportunity somewhere overseas, so when I was 18 we landed in Canada. From there it was much easier I think to get into the field I wanted to be in.
After living in Canada for a few years I began realising how much south Africa interests me, and how much I still felt apart of it. I go back to Joburg regularly, because I find it so fascinating. I truly love it.
3) Your short film “Alive in Joburg” was very powerful visually with the graphic elements that were used; I think it’s safe to say that it’s the first of its kind in SA. What was the reason you chose to shoot it the way you did?
Well I think the main reason I made the whole thing was to experiment, and I think most of that experiment was to completely degrade what is usually expensive cgi. The excuse I used to be able to degrade everything was to make it look like old documentary footage. So that meant that everything would be grainy or some old vhs standard.
4) I picked up a few underlying issues throughout the film; poverty, inequality, the haves of the minority, the rebellion of the people against systems they didn’t want, to name a few. What are the issues you were trying to raise through this film?
To be honest I don’t really know what specific issues I was trying to raise. It’s like a jumble of things surging through my head. When I’m in SA and primarily Joburg, I feel constant stimulation, I feel like I’m in an environment that is extremely interesting and extremely dynamic. South Africa is like a microcosim of the whole world; be it good or bad. A few people with mega wealth and a majority in poverty; it makes you feel and think.
5) For the international viewer, what would you want them to take away by watching this film?
That’s a good question. I don’t really have an answer.
I suppose because this sort of project is so bizarre and so strange. I made it because I had to get it out of my system, so I never really thought about what I wanted people to take away from it.
6) Was it expensive to use the character generation in your film?
No it wasn’t because I did it, typically that would have been very expensive.
7) What was the budget for your film and how did you raise the money to make it?
Every director has a production company that represents them, I went to my executive producer and said, “can you put up some cash for me to go to south Africa and film a crazy short film”. Spy films in Toronto said yes, and I left for Joburg. The producers in South Africa were two of my buddies who live in Capetown and work in the same field.
8) How much do you think lack of budget inhibits creativity in a film?
Well, I think a high budget can also inhibit a film.
When the film begins to cost a lot, and a lot is riding on its success , then the people who put up the money in the first place start to tone it down, and make it safe, so their return on their investment can be made safer. No one wants to gamble too much. On the other end of the spectrum you have low budget indie film makers who have all the control they need, but they can’t afford to make the piece the way they want to, so it’s a fine balance.
9) This film screams ORIGINALITY and most of the South African films that have come out are huge on the social commentary angle. How important is the way in which a message is told for the message to get across?
I think it’s very important. Again, this film isn’t really meant to say anything too bold, but I think for feature films that deal with heavy subject matter, like South African history, I think most of the time they are very smart in the way they present the film. I haven’t seen Tsotsi yet, but I’m dying too.
It did really well here at the Toronto festival.
10) Who did you make this film for?
Myself.
11)What do you feel the South African film industry lacks?
I think what affects the South African film industry is the same thing that affects South Africa as a whole, and that is… it is extremely un-progressive.
I think since the ANC took power South Africa has made major headway, and almost leads the planet in terms of racial integration, but that’s the only thing. Every other aspect of the culture is not open to new things that haven’t been tried and tested, whether it’s music, art, film, food, anything.
Then South Africa looks to North America or Western Europe for what the next “cool” thing is, instead of relying on itself.
For example, kwaito, if it came out of California, would be played all over the world. I think that hurts the industry in a big way.
12) Do you feel that the country is ready for films that are not crying (so to speak) films that don’t raise the pressing issues of poverty, HIV and crime and the general post-apartheid circumstances we are faced with everyday?
13) Do you feel that filmmakers have a responsibility to better the state of society as it is through their films or we should begin to look at it as an art form that we can explored outside the parallels of social responsibility?
I think films can be either of those. It’s an open canvas, you send what ever message you want, or you can try and make money with a popcorn film. It’s whatever the film maker desires. I think some people feel that responsibility, but I don’t think it’s an intrinsic responsibility
14) Where do you live now and where do you work and Why>?
I live in Vancouver Canada. I own a company, Ratel, that does computer generated visual effects and animation for my commercials, also in Vancouver. The production companies that represent me are Spy Films in Toronto, and RSA Films in Los Angeles. For each particular commercial the situation is different, you could find yourself shooting it anywhere.
15) What are your views on the current SA society/progress/situation and what do you think the future will bring?
South Africa is so complicated, it’s impossible to tell what the future holds. It seems like its getting better, the economy seems strong, but then there’s the bad side; the huge aids problem, the crime, the illegal immigrants taking the South African jobs and working for far less. I hope the future brings prosperity and stability to South Africa, but I’m not sure.
16) What your message to the ones who want to make it in film in this country?
Well, first I have to make it.
18) What’s your personal mantra&?
Only do what feels right.
Thanks Neill for sharing with REPRESENT!
Check out two other sites featuring the ALIVE IN JOBURG Clip:
DRAWN
Screenheard
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24 November
From the brother that directed the Citroen “transformer” Ad (you know the one where the car turns into a robot and starts jiving… ) and who got major PROPS at Cannes for the best non-European director – Neill Blomkamp is one of our brightest young naledi’s in the GLOBAL commercial industry. Neill, thanks for Representing us with such style and sass – UYAROCKA> He calls himself “sci fi joburg from tetra vaal creator neill blomkamp” Yeah man, you are one sci-fi street kasi star.Check out this incredible ad if you can, it’s in quicktime – we’re battling to open it – apparently it’s a tight play on the hate of apartheid with some aliens landing in Jozi and being ‘discriminated’ against…
Click here to go to the commercial “Alive in Africa”.
Check out this incredible ad if you can, it’s in quicktime – we’re battling to open it – apparently it’s a tight play on the hate of apartheid with some aliens landing in Jozi and being ‘discriminated’ against…Tell us what you think!
