About the book

This book largely recounts the lifetime experience of Richard Green, a veteran film and TV producer. Green’s personal narrative is emblematic of the struggles, the negotiations, and the prevailing ideologies competing for position and dominance as the new South Africa began to emerge from the ravages of apartheid (1948-1990). This is a story of how big media capital in the then nascent form of the M-Net pay-tv channel opened a door in 1986 to the television and cinematic future that has since unfolded.

About the author

Keyan G Tomaselli is Distinguished Professor, University of Johannesburg and Professor Emeritus and Fellow, University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is a member of the SA Academy of Science and recipient of the Legends and Heroes award, The Simon Mabhunu Sabela Film Awards. He is also a Fellow of the International Communicology Institute, editor of Critical Arts and co-editor of Journal of African Cinemas.

Endorsements

“First time I ever read an academic tome and felt – yep – moved, touched, sad, and actually kinda cleansed and re-inspired - the empathy makes one truly wish for a fuller South African cinema and the honesty of idealism vs. regret makes one feel that is indeed still possible.”

Andrew Worsdale, film director, writer and journalist

“This book combines so much useful material in film studies, it easily becomes an absolutely must have for students, directors, historians, theorists, stakeholders, audiences, government agencies, and so much more. Straddling theory, history, critique, ethnography and industry, it challenges common-sense perception of South Arica’s film industry –also the creative industries – and calls for keen review of the agency of political transition across all cultural industries. The book’s biggest strength is drawing from industry and academic experience of the authors, a rare find. The book’s methodical synthesis of theory, practice, policy, and academia is most commendable, as the expansive engagement with industry data and output. If one must choose just one book about South African cinema, for introductory or advanced scholarship, this one would be it. The expert knowledge it provides remains valid for all times.”

Dr Addams Mututa, Videomaker University of Johannesburg

The New Directions project and Richard Greene’s contribution to South African film is important history, but also the way that the book is structured will allow students to understand the importance of practice led research and how the academic analysis of The New Directions process links to the content produced; and the impact that that had for so many emerging filmmakers. The book gives meaning towards the processes we need presently and in the future for similar or new developmental frameworks and necessary real-world transformation. Clearly this book will be important and impactful at our film school.

David Max Brown, National Programme Coordinator MFA Production, UG/PG Discipline Lecturer & Industry Liaison-Cape Town

This is an important deep dive into the field of film studies. It is the complete history packaged into a single monograph that makes it so important. From the rise of pay tv during the 80s to new directions and questions facing the field of film studies, Tomaselli and Green’s offering will generate much needed discourse about the growing film studies field in South Africa. It is a book that will be in much demand and generate much needed conversations. I am convinced that students within our universities, academics, researchers as well as practitioners will rely on this book as a much-needed guide on the historical and present conversations shaping the field.

Siyasanga M Tyali, Deputy Chair: Film and Publication Board (FPB), Professor and Chair of UNISA’s Department of Communication Science