This event, hosted by the Centre for Film and Media Studies & Stepping Stone & the RCLA at the University of Cape Town, is designed for filmmakers with a Rought Cut of either short documentary or narrative film projects. It offers an opportunity to work through the rough cut stage with expert mentorship to refine your project and push it toward its final cut.

Applications for the 1-Week Stepping Stone/Rough Cut Lab: Africa Edit Lab are now closed.

Over the course of five days (13–17 January 2025), participants work closely with industry professionals, delving into the intricacies of editing. Key areas covered include:

By the end of the week, each participant aims to have:

This intensive in-person course takes place at the UCT TV Studio at Baxter Theatre in Cape Town, providing an invaluable opportunity for filmmakers to finalize the post-production process with professional guidance.

Key Requirements:

This event is a crucial step in helping filmmakers finalize their projects and prepare for the final stages of production.

A lifetime dreaming of your story. Years researching, raising funds. Months pouring over text and proposals, rejections and victories. Eventually production starts and stops. Subjects’ lives change and alter the narrative possibilities. That’s ok though, it’s part of the thrill. Budgets get higher, funding runs lower; but you manage, somehow. Finally, you feel you’re ready for the edit, you think you’re ready. Then the real problems begin.

NETFLIX & TEMPO, through its associate SAGE, are joining forces to offer the first VFX editor course of its kind in South Africa. This course is aimed at those who want to make a career as a VFX editor.

WHAT DOES A VFX EDITOR DO? 

VFX editors work as a link between the film or TV production team, which shoots the live-action footage, and the VFX studio that does the visual effects. A VFX editor can be employed by a VFX studio or directly by the film or TV production company. The role varies depending on whether they are in-house (employed by the studio) or by the client (employed by the production company).  NETFLIX NEEDS VFX EDITORS  The number of productions is increasing, and with them, the need for this crucial and specific role in the post-production process. NETFLIX wants to train editors in  their workflow, so that VFX editors can be ready to go.

WILL I GET A JOB ON A NETFLIX PRODUCTION AFTER TAKING THIS COURSE? 

There is no guarantee. However, there is a great chance of being asked to participate as a VFX editor on a NETFLIX show, given the high demand for these professionals. 

LECTURERS

The course has been developed by Liyana Mansor, BFE & Lukas Lerch, BFS and will be run with participation from Daniëlle Nel, SAGE. You will learn directly from these highly skilled professionals who have on the job experience working for NETFLIX.  Liyana Mansor BFE is a UK-based editor and VFX editor in high-end television and feature films. Her credits include Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Prime Video), The Alienist (TNT), Chernobyl (HBO), Black Mirror (Netflix), and Alien: Covenant(20th Century FOX). She uses Avid Media Composer together with Continuum and Sapphire plugins for offline comping and Adobe Photoshop. IMDB

Lukas Lerch BFS -  after working multiple years in Berlin, Munich, London and LA as a first assistant editor and VFX editor time has come to use the experience gained to provide post-production services and consulting. IMDB

Daniëlle Nel from SAGE has been freelancing as an editor since 2002. She has a MFA in Craft Editing from the University of Ravensbourne. Known for her work on Amandla, Tomb Raider (2018) and the BAFTA and Oscar Winning My Octopus Teacher (2020). IMDB

SCHEDULE 

The course will take place online in May 2022: Thursday 5 May 2022 - Introductory Session (1 hour) Saturday 7 May 2022 - Day 1 of the course (4 hours) Sunday 8 May 2022 - Day 2 of the course (4 hours) In addition, there will be the possibility for personalised sessions scheduled after the course to resolve any doubts participants may still have. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR OBSERVERS

There is no selection process to register as an observer, however, you do need to be a member of SAGE (or have an active application in progress to join SAGE). You are involved in post-production and wish to have a greater understanding of the role of a VFX editor. You can attend the planned schedule as an observer. Post-Production professionals who work as educators, post-production supervisors or co-ordinators and other industry professionals can join SAGEas Affiliate members. If you have any questions, please contact us at VFXCourse@editorsguildsa.org

REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPANTS

You have experience as an assistant editor or editor, with some VFX or motion graphic experience. You really want to work as a VFX editor. You are experienced with Avid & Premiere. You can attend the planned schedule.  You are not required to be a member of SAGE

SELECTION PROCESS 

The course has 30 participant places and there will be a selection process for applications which will be carried out by SAGE. The registration process will open 7 March 2022 and will last until 23.59 on 8 April 2022  After reviewing the applications, an email will be sent to the candidates with the communication of the selected candidates during the last week of April.  In order to register you have to fill this form. In addition to the above form you will need to attach your CV with your professional experience, and a short text about why you want to participate in the course.  Applications will be evaluated on:  Experience, Motivation, Order of enrolment, as well as the above requirements. Register at VFXCourse@editorsguildsa.org

LINKS

The role of the VFX editor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qft4VRn_WaY VFX

best practices:

https://partnerhelp.netflixstudios.com/hc/enus/articles/360000611467-VFX-Best-Practices

TEMPO:

https://www.tempo-filmeditors.com SAGE: https://editorsguildsa.org/

NETFLIX:

https://www.netflix.com/