student documentaries attie gerber
DOCUMENTARY VIDEO AT NWU
Our students know how to shine in student competitions, the national industry and the international field. The achievements below were possible because video training at the School of Communication Studies at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University in South Africa focuses on the intellectual, operational and creative development of its students.
The proof that this approach is working, can be seen by the successes of video alumni in industry. They lead in many fields, and more and more are starting their own business. We believe that our motto says it all: “we are not students, we are professionals in the making!
VREDEFORT DOME: FOOTPRINTS
English, 24:38
Footprints of the Past is a historical-anthropological documentary about the people who occupied the Vredefort Dome since the Stone Age. The Dome is the oldest and largest meteorite impact site in the world and relates to an incident 2000 million years ago when a meteorite more than 15 km in diameter struck earth.
VREDEFORT DOME: ORIGINS
English, 15:57
Origins explores what happened 2000 million years ago at a place called Vredefort In South Africa. A giant meteorite, more the 15 km in diameter, crashed into this site not far from Johannesburg. It caused a crater of more than 90 km in diameter.
The three-phased collision (impact-rebound-erosion) over and upturned the environment and left a paradise for scientists from a variety of disciplines. Liebenberg investigates the geological legacy of the oldest and largest meteorite impact site in the world. Vredefort was granted world heritage status by UNESCO in 2005.
This documentary won the special jury award at the 2015 Sichuan International Documentary Film Festival for students. Produced by Terrie Liebenberg for his BA Hons (Documentary Video) – 2013. English.
VREDEFORT DOME: PARADISE
English, 17:07
The bio-diversity of the Vredefort Dome where flora and fauna combinations thrive in unique combinations. Produced by Izelle Mostert for her BA Hons (Documentary Video) – 2013.
VOICES OF THE DRYALANDS (2006)
English narration, Afrikaans interviews with English subtitles. 22:42.
This documentary tackles the issue of desertification and how subsistence farmers in Namaqualand, Bokkeveld, Molopo and the southern Kalahari experience and counter the problem of encroaching desertification.
Produced by Liesl-Dana van Schalkwyk for her MA in Communication Practice (Documentary Video) – 2006. It was showcased for the first time at the annual conference of the Global Environment Fund (GEF) in Cape Town in August 2006. It was selected for a retrospective film festival by the United Nations in Rome as the climax of its Year of Desertification in 2006. It was commissioned by the UN’s Desert Margins Program. In 2007 the film was screened in Nu Metro Theatres in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. It was nominated for the Roscar Awards held by the international Wild Talk Film Festival in Durban.
The documentary was subsequently screened at venues in Spain, Germany, Slovenia and was a category nominee for the international Sichuan TV-festival in China (2012) for which it was re-edited and entered as The Barren Invader. Liesl-Dana received the award as the best masters student of the NWU’s Potchefstroom campus in 2006.
CRACKING THE CODE
English, 35:13
A literal translation of Driekopseiland would be an island with three heads. An exploration of the rock engraving site near Kimberley in the Northern Cape, South Africa. With almost 4000 geometric or non-representational engravings, Driekopseiland has puzzled archeologists, anthropologists and artists for decades.
Many meanings were offered what happened at this mythical site and Cracking the Code tries to make sense of the message that the original artists try to convey. Produced by Carla Henriët for her MA in Communication Practice (Documentary Video) – 2013. Selected for Silwerskerm Film Festival 2014. English.
Nominated for two categories at the 2015 Sichuan International Student Film Festival, namely best student documentary and best anthropological documentary..
PUTSONDERWATER
Afrikaans, no subtitles, 37:29
The story of the people who once lived in a small railway settlement between Groblershoop and Kenhardt in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province. Today it is a ghost village. Produced by Marcell le Grange for her MA in Communication Practice (Documentary Video) – 2013. The film was selected for the Silwerskerm Film Festival 2014.
SHERI BRYNARD
Afrikaans, no subtitles, 16:26
A gripping story about somebody who with the help of her family developed far above the intellectual ceiling that is normally associated with Down-sufferers. This documentary proofs that environment plays a telling role in the intellectual development of people. Produced by Elrieka van Dalen for her BA Hons (Documentary Video) - 2011.
WHAT IF?
English, Afrikaans interviews with English subtitles. 21:19.
The struggle of a man who as small baby was dumped by his parents at an institution for the mentally impaired in Potchefstroom, South Africa. He left the institution when he was 21. Harold and others believe that his depressing environment denied him normal development. This documentary investigates the problem of humans being environmentally handicapped. Produced by Carla Henriët for her BA Hons (Documentary Video) - 2012. Entered for the 2013 Sichuan TV Festival International Gold Panda Awards for Students. .
ORANIA
Afrikaans, 16:01
The story of the white Afrikaner settlement in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. Produced by Joanie Scheepers for her BA Hons (Documentary Video) - 2011.
THE HORN
English, 34:43
The Horn tackles the catastrophic rhino poaching crisis in South Africa, a country where the army has been called up to counter poaching by insurgents from neighbouring states. The documentary focuses on possible solutions such as flooding the international markets with the current safeguarded stockpiles, more efficient security, the injection of the horn with substances detrimental to humans, etc. It also addresses the duties of countries responsible for keeping the poachers in business. Produced by Danie van der Westhuizen for his Honours degree in documentary video.
HERITAGE DENIED
English, 20:46
South Africa is currently experiencing a climate of protest against its European past. Historical buildings and monuments are being vandalized. Unsympathetic Government departments are breaking their own laws by not maintaining and renovating historical buildings, especially architectural structures that relate to the country’s Dutch and British heritage. Although not new, the destruction of historical monuments, buildings and artefacts got new impetus with the #RhodesMustFall protest movement (2015) that even spread to Oxford University. The case in point that this documentary investigated, is the Agricultural College in Potchefstroom (South Africa) where two declared national monuments are in ruins. HERITAGE DENIED investigates the plight of these two architectural gems. Produced by Andries Heydenrych for the M.A. in Communication Practice.
PUBLIC AWARENESS
English, 6:16
Public awareness videos about blood and organ donating, racism, poverty, crime and the aged.