Film Makers Catch The Rainbow

Bongo Hibbert of The Film Workshop recently interviewed Vaughan Giose, owner of Rainbow Circle Films, South African producer of the IKON South Africa Series as well a string of documentaries including MR DEVIOUS – My Life by John Fredericks and Deafening Echoes by Eugene Paremoer.
Our article is based on the original transcript of that interview, along with bruinou.com’s own interaction with Vaughan and it is re-published & edited with full permission from Vaughan & Bongo – Ed.

Rainbow Circle Films started out in 1998 producing documentaries for television and providing production, directing, camera and post-production services to the industry. Since then it has produced numerous documentaries, TV Series, Educational Films, Corporate Videos and has grown to include production management, crewing and equipment services, location services, fixing, language translation services and transport services.

Bongo asked Vaughan how Rainbow Circle Films manages to still be in business in the very difficult South African film industry.
Vaughan: “Over here things are still tough in the industry. The global economic crisis, which started in 2009, has had a devastating effect on our industry with many companies closing their doors and the National Broadcaster needing to be bailed out financially by the Government.
We have therefore had to be creative to stay in business. For example, in the last 2 years we managed a training project in schools. We got a grant to do the project so we managed to survive like that.”

This training project has resulted on a series that is in its second run on Cape Town TV which can also be seen nationally on DSTV channel 263. The entire series was produced by the students with Rainbow Films only providing oversight.

On the question of what kind of support film makers get from the SABC and the The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) Vaughan replied: “In the last 5 years independent filmmakers had basically given up on the SABC and the NFVF, etc. We hope that these institutions get their act together and start supporting more filmmakers! We are however keen to engage with them as well as the rest of the industry.”

He continued to say that most of their documentary projects are actually geared towards the National Broadcaster as opposed to the more commercial channels. It is therefor in their interest and in the interest of the viewers that the SABC becomes a prolific financier of local productions once again.”

Vaughan is quite optimistic about the future survival and growth of the South African film industry, especially for Cape Town film makers. He and other stakeholders already have plans in place to not only anticipate that growth, but to spearhead future developments.
“At the moment we are trying to start a cooperative/collective to try to strengthen and motivate each other and to help each other with our projects. This collective so far involves Kurt Orderson (Azania Rising Productions), Paul Cuba (AFDA Honours graduate), Shamiel Albertyn (Independent Freelancer), Clinton Cerf (former news editor at ETV and Cameraman at ANN7), and myself (Rainbow Circle Films). Hopefully you’ll hear of some new project coming out of the collective soon!”

When Bongo asked what Vaughan is currently working on, it was clear that the focus on developing young film-makers and embracing technology is a priority at Rainbow Circle Films.
“I’m currently editing an iPhone feature film. It developed from a training project in the Elsies River community and an experiment in Mobile film making for the mobile “download” market. We’ll also enter the online iPhone Film Festival where there are prizes to be won and we’ll use the film as a marketing tool.

“Then, I’m involved in a project that hopefully will result in an Africa-Diaspora Festival that includes a film festival, a conference, an exchange program, a photo exhibition and a series of lectures at UWC and UCT.”
This exciting new initiative is still in its infancy and Vaughan promises to let us in on it as soon as everything is in place.

As the interview came to an end, Bongo asked Vaughan what else he would like the general public as well as the film industry to know.

“Rainbow Circle Films produces films for people who demand serious thought provoking content and we work with experienced and even award-winning Directors, Camera Operators, Sound Recordists and Apple FCP Editors. We also organise Crew, Equipment and provide Location Services, fixing as well as crew transport.”
“If anyone needs any of these services please don’t hesitate to call Rainbow Circle Films on +27(0)21 5564072 or +27(0)723382440 or you can contact us via email on giosev@mweb.co.za”.

We at bruinou.com have had the pleasure of attending a few of Rainbow Circle Films’ workshops and would like to add that we are proud to be associated with their initiatives in equipping young film makers with quite advanced skills while they are still in high school, all this while making a success of their business.

Check out the trailer for one of Rainbow Circle’s latest films made with Cape Town Hip Hop group LSE as well as the original trailer of Mr Devious – My Life, a trailer that in itself speaks volumes of his life.

Trailer of Cape Epic