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08 January 2019 | Story Charlene Stanley | Photo Charlene Stanley
Film and Visual Media
Johanet Kriel-De Klerk, Chris Vorster, and Martin Rossouw in the auditorium at the Visual Hub, where a lot of time is spent watching and analysing films.

Three years ago, an oblong yellowish-green building arose between Pellies Park and the Beyers Naudé male residence, housing state-of-the art filming, editing, and viewing facilities, and sporting the promising name ‘Visual Hub’ on its exterior.  With this, an exciting interdisciplinary honours degree in Film and Visual Media was introduced.

While the interior and facilities still provide a brand-new impression, lecturers reflect that they’ve come a long way over this period, finding a delicate balance between practical and academic components. 

Not traditional “film school”

“This is not ‘film school’,” lecturer Chris Vorster explains. “Although we have an intensive practical component that sees our students producing a short film at the end of their training, our emphasis is on equipping students with a thorough academic knowledge of film history and analysis.”

Only 15 students can be accepted each year. Applicants should have a degree in the Humanities, scoring at least a 65% average in their final year.

Over the course of a year, students are given a viewing list of selected movies, illustrating different aspects of visual storytelling, film development and techniques, but which also relate to the societies that produced them in revealing ways.

Broadening students’ viewing experience

“Most people tend to get stuck in their favourite genre when it comes to watching movies. We considerably broaden students’ viewing experience,” says Vorster. “We give them as wide a base as possible. When they walk out of here, they can go on to specialise in anything from directing to writing film reviews.”

He usually advises students to see the year after completing their degree as a ‘practical year’, doing volunteer work in as many fields of film production as possible to see what they enjoy most, and then work hard to become a specialist in that field.

“The film industry is a tough world. You really need a great amount of talent and drive to make it.” 

LECTURERS’ FAVOURITE FILM GENRES:

Chris Vorster: DRAMA AND THEATRE ARTS

Science fiction crossed with psychological thrillers, and all that shouts, explodes, devours, hits, and disgusts.

Johanet Kriel-De Klerk: HISTORY OF ART AND IMAGE STUDIES

Indie (independent) films, as they strike a good balance between profound art and everyday entertainment.

Debeer Cloete: DRAMA AND THEATRE ARTS

Science fiction. A great favourite is Steven Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence [2001]. Spielberg was asked by Stanley Kubrick’s widow to direct this film after Kubrick’s death in 1999. It stays true to Spielberg’s own aesthetic approach while incorporating Kubrick’s approach to cinematography and fragmented narratives.  

Martin Rossouw: HISTORY OF ART AND IMAGE STUDIES

So-called boring philosophical art films, such as those of Terrence Malick.

News Archive

Breeding of unique game requires a balance between conservation and sustainable use
2014-05-20

 

Game bred for qualities such as unconventional hair colour or horn quality, may on the long term have unexpected consequences for biodiversity and game farming.

This is according to the inaugural lecture of Prof Paul Grobler from the Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Prof Grobler feels that the consequences of selective breeding should be examined carefully, as there is currently much speculation on the subject without sound scientific information to back it.

“At the moment, colour variation invokes much interest among game farmers and breeders. Unusual colour variants are already available in different game species. These unusual animals usually fetch much higher prices at auctions compared to prices for the ‘normal’ individuals of the species.”

Examples of these unusual variants are springbuck being bred in white, black or copper colours, the black-backed or ‘saddleback’ impala, and the gold-coloured and royal wildebeest.

A black-backed impala was recently sold for R5,7 million.

“Based on genetic theory, good reason exists why these practices need to be monitored, but one should also take care not to make the assumption that selective breeding will inevitably lead to problems,” warns Prof Grobler.

Grobler says that negative characteristics in a species can sometimes unwittingly be expressed during the selection process for a unique colour. “It is seen, for example, in purebred dogs where the breeding of a new race sometimes brings underlying genetic deviations in the species to the front.” He also believes that some of these animals may not be able to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

“However, one should also look at the positive side: because of the good demand for game, including unusual variants, there is much more game in South Africa today than in many decades. Balance should be found between the aims of conservation and the sustainable utilisation of game.”

Research at the UFS’s Department of Genetics is now trying to establish the genetic effects of intensive game breeding and predict the impact on biodiversity.

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