David, Lisa and Auggie Photo: Cape Film Commission

Cape Town, 7 June 2007

The Cape Town film industry has once again opened it’s doors to offer less fortunate children a once in a lifetime experience. For the second year running, the Cape Film Commission has partnered with U.S. Based Charity organization, Hollywood Heart for two Movie Team projects, with unrivalled support from top industry professionals.

The Movie Team project allows 18 children from two Children’s homes each to participate in workshops in various fields of filmmaking, including script writing, camera work, acting, lighting and sound that will culminate in them completing their very own movie.

Hollywood Heart was founded in 1995 as a Summer camp Program by MTV Films’ Executive Vice President David Gale, for children affected and infected with HIV. It has since grown into a number of projects including The Movie Team and has reached out beyond the United States to Africa with the aim of establishing a similar sister organization here in Cape Town.

This year the Movie Team worked with Heatherdale Children’s Home in Athlone and Durbanville Children’s Home in Bellville over a two week period, with film production companies Groundglass and Gatehouse generously handling one of the projects each. Crew and services have been volunteered by various industry professionals, such as international Director of Photography, Robert Payton who has unequivocally offered up his time and some 20 years in international film experience to assist in teaching the children. Payton’s credits include numerous international travel and documentary series with BBC as well as working with big names such as Mel Gibson soccer star David Beckham and Chris Rea.

Hollywood Heart was not only here for the Movie Team projects though. Finalities around a Summer Camp project have been finalized and will take place in April of 2008 as part of the CFC’s social development initiatives. The initiative seeks to grow filmmakers and audiences by engaging and educating youth in the various fields of filmmaking. The CFC will be partnering with Cape Town Tourism as well as creative associations PANSA (Performing Arts Network of South Africa) and WCMA (Western Cape Music Association) for the Summer Camp and will be extending the experience beyond film.

The Cape Film Commission would like to say thank to our soponsors for helping make Hollywood Heart 2007 Movie Teams possible. Tempest Car Hire, Cellular Dynamics, Protea Hotels, Condor Post and Waterfront Studios for doing the post productions and printing all the DVDs.

CFC would also like to send a heart felt thank you to the following companies: One8six, AFM, Food Lab, Discovery, Pulse Crew, Radical Crew, On Track Studio, Prop House, Hot Tuna, Annie’s Wardrobe, Avis Car Rental, Lynn Matthysen Catering, Braam, Hot Tuna, Magus Visual, Wendy Alport, Media Film Services, Gloss Artist Management and KAYOS.
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Youth Indaba takes a new look at media

Photo: Cape Film Commission

New media is quickly becoming an essential sector within the film industry and looks to open new doors for developing film industries. It was also the focus of the Cape film Commission’s annual Youth Indaba held on 15 June 2007 at the !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre just outside of Yzerfontein.

The annual Youth Indaba seeks to get film students and first time filmmakers in direct dialogue with leaders in film, both locally and internationally. This year’s speakers included MTV’s Executive Vice President of New Media, David Gale and CFC Commissioner, Laurence Mitchell discussing how this sector is set to change the traditional media formats and execution.

Gale, who has recently taken up the new department within MTV after serving as Executive Vice President of MTV Film, gave the 45 attendees insight into how media is changing the entertainment industry on an international level as well as the opportunities and challenges that it poses local filmmakers. Laurence Mitchell continued on what viability it holds for the South African filmmaker.

Beyond the discussions around new media, the attendees were also given an educational tour of the San Culture Centre at !Khwa ttu and provided a unique opportunity to engage and network with fellow filmmakers.

!Khwa ttu: Photo Gallery

!Khwa ttu, in essence was specifically chosen for the Indaba as the Culture Centre expresses the San’s efforts to maintain their tradition while at the same time adapting to a modern world. This reflects in new media where traditional media applications and content is being presented in new, diverse and creative ways.

This is the second year that the CFC is holding the Youth Indaba in celebration of Youth Day. Last year, the Indaba was held around Leadership amongst the youth as part of the 30 year commemoration of the 1976 Soweto Uprisings.
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Jonathan Dreyer Curator

Pam was born in Pretoria and lived there with her parents, Ruben and Clara Turnball and her two brothers, James and John until her marriage to Jens Wormser in 1956. Her home in Boom Street in Pretoria was across the road from the Boer War Museum and the Pretoria Zoo. These both played an important role throughout her childhood and in her future choice of career.

While she was in high school, she was twice chosen to represent her school at the Durban Cultural Festival. These Festivals were the brainchild of Edward Dunn, the leader of the Durban Symphony Orchestra. Selected participants came from cities and towns throughout South Africa and for two weeks they attended cultural activities, such as theatre, art and music. Pam matriculated in 1953 in History, Art, English, Afrikaans, Maths and Science In 1974 she joined the staff of the Trigonometrical Survey, where she trained and then worked as a cartographer.

Pam Wormser (center front)

Pam married Jens Wormser in 1956, moved to Cape Town and began a new life as a wife and then mother to her three daughters; Karen, born in 1957, Theresa in 1959 and Pamela in 1964. They moved to Llandudno in July 1963, into an old house, the third house in Llandudno, but the first brick built house. It was called ‘ The Homestead ‘- the history of the house is on record in the Museum. Pam and Jens soon became involved in the life of Hout Bay and Llandudno. Pam is a good artist and she and Jens joined the Sentinel Players and acted and helped with scenery in a number of productions in the late 60’s and early 70’s.

In 1975, the chairman of Hout Bay Library Committee, Jimmy Steele, set up a committee to organise a Cultural Festival in Hout Bay and Pam was asked to represent Llandudno. Her portfolio on the committee was to set up exhibitions on ‘The History of Llandudno’, ‘Early man in Hout Bay’ and ‘Shipwrecks along our coast line’. The Festival was to run for one week and at the end of the week, all loaned items were returned to their owners.

The Festival was a great success and had proved that the people of Hout Bay and Llandudno had much to be proud of and to preserve. Jimmy Steele called a meeting to put forward the idea of creating a museum for Hout Bay and then a committee was formed of those interested. Pam was on that committee.

By 1978 the present building, which had been standing empty, was cleaned and painted by the Lions Club and rented from the Kronendal School Board for a peppercorn rent of R1 per annum. A Board of Trustees was formed and Pam was appointed Curator in September 1978: she began work in an empty house without even a table or a chair.

The Cape Times Centenary Medal 1986

DISA Garden Centre Environmental Award 22 April 1990

Pam and Jimmy were able to attend a museum conference in Calvinia, which gave them invaluable information on accession and administration skills. Then began the work of collection and display of the many items from the original festival and the other items donated by local people. A child from Marais Road came in and gave Pam an old coin and that was her first exhibit.

There was need to organise a deadline for an opening date, to prove to the Divisional Council that the museum was a project worth supporting. The display cases were built by the Museum Workshop and Pam and the many volunteers and friends dedicated themselves to having Hout Bay Museum ready for the Official Opening on 5 April 1979.

For 19 years Pam dedicated her life to the growth of the Museum, with the Special Exhibitions, Open Days, Festivals, Celebrations, Camps, Guided Walks, Fireside Chats, Museum Conferences and Workshops becoming part of her family’s life. Pam retired in 1997 and moved to Noordhoek but, was asked to remain on the Board of Trustee and persuaded to work part time until the next Curator was appointed.

Pam has now moved to Pringle Bay, but we still draw on her expertise from time to time and are honoured to have inherited a Museum to which she dedicated so much of her life.

Thank you Pam!