Black filmmakers left out of the picture
The Gauteng Film Commission has been criticised for spending 75% of its budget on salaries while young black filmmakers struggle to crack it in the industry. The Gauteng department of sport, arts, culture and recreation presented its budget for the 2016-2017 financial year yesterday in the provincial legislature.Of the R24-million received by the commission, about R18-million is spent on salaries of its staff. This leaves the commission with just R6-million to support the film industry in the province."The CFO of [the film commission] earns more than the CFO of the department," Gauteng's MEC for sport, arts, culture and recreation, Faith Mazibuko, said.Bomb Commercials' award-winning director, Tebogo Malope, was shocked that so much money went to salaries."Most of my friends and peers are out there hustling. It is not like the skill and expertise are not there."I go to individuals, private companies and save a chunk of my own salary to put into my projects. It's not easy," Malope said.Mazibuko told The Times that most of the commission's money went to administrative staff and little to the people who work to support the film industry...
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