Have a vision - and believe in it

Scriptwriter and director Oliver Hermanus, whose trophy cabinet includes a Queer Palm Award 2011 from the Cannes International Film Festival for 'Skoonheid', the first Afrikaans movie to be screened at the festival, says his aim has always been to make enough money to go to the movies more than once a month. Jana Marais spoke to him

How responsible are you with money - are you stingy, careless, or too conservative?

I definitely go through phases. I am not stingy ever, I'd say. It might, in fact, be good to try it some time. I always tend to pay for lunches with friends or family and it does add up. I also don't cook, so I am spending tons on eating out. Some would say that's pretty careless.

What is the worst thing you've done for money?

Wrapped presents at Woolworths.

What is the worst thing you've spent money on?

Eaten at an overpriced restaurant and spent the equivalent of someone's salary on a forgettable night out.

How much money do you spend watching movies in a month?

I spend about R500-R1000 on DVDs a month. I usually buy them when I travel. I rarely go to the cinema in SA. I do get to see most films at film festivals. When I go to London, I go a bit mad as they have so many films that I want to see, on DVD.

What is the biggest amount of money you have ever spent in a single day?

I spent R250000 on a deposit for my apartment in one day. I think that's my biggest swipe.

People say if you want to become a millionaire in the film business, you have to start out as a billionaire. Can you prove them wrong?

Definitely. I think that directing films is all about craftsmanship. We create a product and that product is exploited for financial gain. If you can hone your skills to make films that speak to a global audience, your value to the business can grow exponentially.

You're jet-setting all over the world to attend film festivals and premieres. How do you fund your red-carpet wardrobe?

Good question! Generally I am given the clothes by very kind designers in South Africa. I try to wear as many local labels as I can.

What is your secret recipe to convince investors or banks to put money into your film projects?

The biggest challenge when asking for millions of rands is being clear about the film you intend to make. Investors and producers need to believe that you have a vision for the project and its potential to win an audience or acclaim. I need to really see it before my eyes before I can sell it as a concept to others. The other thing I need to do is make sure my films now premiere at A-list festivals like Cannes or Venice and that is a lot of pressure, but it comes as a silent demand with the cash.

You are dead broke and desperately need cash. For how much money would you be willing to part ways with your Queer Palm Award?

Ha-ha! I don't think it's that valuable. I'd have to sell my car instead, I'd say. The title is the true value, rather than the piece of glass.

Do you have fears of going bankrupt?

Oh yes! When I feel like I am overspending, I have these firm conversations with myself - doomsday-prophesy type of conversations. It is a real concern.

How do you tip? Are you an easy tipper, or do they have to work hard for it?

No, I think I am a very generous tipper. No less than R20, even if the bill is R11.

Do you believe in personal-finance advisers?

I do have a financial adviser. As a result of one of my stern conversations with myself a few years ago, I got one to take my excess cash out of my hands and invest it for me. It's good to understand how you live in financial terms, and my adviser definitely cleared the smoke from my eyes.

What is the most expensive item you have ever bought? How much was it and how special was it for you?

Probably my couch, I guess. I don't pay for my gear or Mac computer system and I am still too young to start a serious art collection, so it will have to be my couch. I love my couch, it's like a bed. I think it was R8500.

How did your childhood experiences influence your attitude to money?

I grew up with a R20-a-month allowance. I blew that at the movies in a single go. My attitude has always been to make money to live the life of someone who can go to the movies more than once a month.

How does your profession influence the way you deal with your personal finance?

I do not direct commercials or music videos, like most SA directors have to in order to earn a steady income. So far I have been able to foster my career in the traditional sense - whereby I am paid to write and then direct my films. I therefore need to structure my finances to have reserves, a six-month buffer, in case my world falls apart.

Do you have a monthly budget? Do you stick to it?

I am always over budget! But then I win a prize for one of my films, or I give a lecture or write an article, something usually comes along that gives me cash to squash my excess spending. I do get a fair amount of tax back each year and that usually squares up my slow, month-by-month overspending. I have not yet had to reach into my investments to pay off debt.

What do you invest your money in?

I invest in bonds - mainly industrial bonds, fairly low risk. With the guidance of my adviser, I have spread my investments over a few companies and have seen valuable growth over the last three years.

Should you be given R5-million now, how would you spend it?

Pay off my bond, have a party, make a short film - and invest the change left over.

Do you try to conceal how much you earn to make others, particularly your old film-school classmates, feel more comfortable?

Yes, definitely. I went to a high school where the fees in my senior year were R1000 for the whole year. I like to pay for my friends' meals and so forth when we hang out - but I wouldn't want them to feel like I am not the same guy I was when we all had 20 bucks to our name. As for my film-school friends, most of them are the offspring of millionaires, so I'm not that guy yet!