2000
Close Encounters took place in Cape Town between Sunday 18th June and Saturday 24th June 2000. Eight candidates, selected on the basis of a written proposal for a half-hour documentary, worked with a team of International and South African filmmakers. The aim of the Laboratory is to prepare candidates for presentation at a final pitching session wherein e.tv will commission two films to be made. This initiative, designed and organised by Nodi Murphy and Steven Markovitz of Big World Cinema [BWC], is supported by the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Pretoria and Holland Film, Pro Helvetia Arts Council of Switzerland, the British Council and e.tv.
1999
In partnership with SABC and ETV this Lab has been phenomenally successful and in 10 Labs has produced 48 films. It has launched the careers of several South Africa’s innovative young filmmakers. The Lab offered the opportunity to first-time directors to work with experienced filmmakers, refining their concepts for a half-hour documentary. E.tv commissioned two of these first-timers to make their films.