Blackberry wins big, news from AFDA Durban, news from King Shaka airport and a story

BlackBerry voted best brand by young South Africans for the third year running

The youth of South Africa has once again independently voted BlackBerry® as the 'Coolest Brand Overall' in the Sunday Times Generation Next 2013 Brand Survey Awards. Young voters also named BlackBerry the ‘Coolest Cellphone’, and BBM™ as the ‘Coolest Cellphone App’ for the third year running.

The results of the ninth annual Generation Next Brand Survey Awards were announced at an event at Montecasino, Johannesburg tonight (30 May). The ongoing popularity of the BlackBerry® brand among young South Africans is a result of the company’s focus on offering an experience that enables tech-savvy young people to lead increasingly connected lives.

Alexandra Zagury, Managing Director for South and Southern Africa at BlackBerry says: "We are delighted that BlackBerry is the coolest brand for the third year in a row and sincerely thank our young fans for their loyalty and support. Smartphones are a lifestyle choice in the youth market, so BlackBerry focuses on designing cool and stylish handhelds that are also packed with excellent features that keep young people engaged and connected, such as BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), social networking and plenty of apps.”

She adds: “Success in the youth market is not about selling products, it’s about sincere engagement with your audience. Young people want a relationship with the brands that they love and BlackBerry gives South Africa’s mobile and hyper-connected youth the tools to communicate and co-create with the world around them.”

Zagury says that the award is especially pleasing in the year that BlackBerry has successfully launched the new BlackBerry® 10 platform and smartphones. BlackBerry 10 has been re-designed, re-engineered and re-invented to create a new unique mobile computing experience. Both the new BlackBerry® Z10 (all-touch) and BlackBerry® Q10 (touch with physical keyboard) smartphones are available in South Africa, and the newly announced BlackBerry® Q5 smartphone is coming soon. The BlackBerry Q5 is the perfect smartphone for young people and makes it easy for them to have fun, create, share and stay connected.

BlackBerry 10 builds on many of the strengths that made earlier BlackBerry platforms so popular with the youth .For example, BBM, which enables users to share text and voice messages, pictures and video clips – provides an even richer experience on BlackBerry 10 as it includes video chat, and introduces the ability to share your screen with other BlackBerry 10 contacts.

(Source - Blackberry) 

Upcoming Events at AFDA Durban 

OPEN DAYS

Date: Saturday 1 June 2013 | Saturday 3 August 2013

Time: Starts 10am | Ends 12noon

Place: 2a Highdale Road, Glen Anil, Durban North

A day when we WELCOME all prospective students, parents, guardians, teachers and the public to the campus. With introductions to each our departments from our Campus Dean to the heads of schools and lecturers. You will have the opportunity to tour our campus, observe demonstrations within the departments offered, watch performances by our students and schedule an interview with an HOD, lecturer or other staff.

 

AFDA FILM FESTIVALS: Our film festivals are a platform upon which our students are able to showcase their work to friends, family and the public. 

 

AFDA Experimental Film and Music Festival (Mid-Year)

Date: Friday 14th of June 2013

Time: From 14h30 til late

Place: On Campus at 2a Highdale Road, Glen Anil, Durban North 

With Durban campus being so young, we will be screening our current first years' short films made this semester and include the top third year experimental short films from our Johannesburg and Cape Town campuses. A selection of the best theatre and musical pieces from our current students will also be performed. Please enquire with us regarding tickets/entry, program etc.

 

AFDA Annual Film Festival

Dates: Friday 22 – Saturday 23 November 2013

Time: TBC

Place: TBC

A showcase of a variety of this years films screened in cinema including the First Year Films from Durban, Best of 3rd Year, Honours & Masters Degree Films from Johannesburg and Cape Town.  Further details will be confirmed later in the year.

 

HOLIDAY WORKSHOP in film and entertainment is a one day taste of what the AFDA Program entails should you be interested to enrol in one of our Degree programs. This workshop is during the school holidays and will give you an introduction to some essential practical skills in creating a good Entertainment Product, whether you want to act, make films or tv productions. This will include practical demonstrations and exercises.

Date: Thursday 4 July 2013

Time: 9am – 4pm

Place: On Campus at 2a Highdale Road, Glen Anil, Durban North 

Cost: R50 per person – includes light lunch, please inform us if vegetarian on booking.

Booking is ESSENTIAL as space is limited. Open to Matrics, Grade 11's and students who have finished school already.

Hilton Arts Festival

Dates: 13th - 15th of September 2013

The Hilton Arts Festival is held each year at Hilton College in Hilton and AFDA is thrilled to be apart of this festival again this year! AFDA will be situated in The Crookes Block near the Long Table where we will be giving workshops on filmmaking, storytelling and performance as well as screening the work of our students. 

Please enquire with us for more details.

For more details about AFDA Durban visit their website - www.afda.co.za

(Source - AFDA Durban) 

King Shaka International improves service levels at Arrivals Pickup Zone

King Shaka International Airport, 21 May 2013 - The current Arrivals Pickup Zone at King Shaka International Airport has proven to be very convenient for airport users since its upgrade in June 2012. As part of further enhancing the facility, Airports Company South Africa has decided to cover the entrance and exit of the facility so that it would be more convenient for users especially during adverse weather conditions. 

Colin Naidoo, Communications and Brand Manager at King Shaka International said, “This enhancement will allow vehicles to safely enter and exit without the tickets being damaged, adding to the inconvenience when exiting. To ensure that this project can be completed in a short space of time, the pickup zone will have to be closed for at least 45 days so that the canopies can be properly erected”.

Naidoo continued, “As King Shaka International is constantly striving to improve its service standards and takes airport users suggestions seriously, we believe this enhancement will go a long way to improving service delivery and ultimately taking our service standards to a more positive level”.

The closure of the Pickup Zone will be from 24 May to 26 July 2013

We are mindful that the construction work and the closing off of the Arrivals Pick up parking will impact users, especially those who park on a short-term basis. To ensure that our users are not inconvenienced during that time, we will be directing vehicles into the multi-story car park during that period only.

• The Multi-Story Parking (MSP) park will be the alternate parking facility during the construction period
• An area on the ‘O’ level closest to the entrance to the Terminal Building will be allocated for all pick up
• Free Parking of 20 minutes will be  implemented within the MSP
• Once the 20 minutes free parking has elapsed, the normal MSP tariffs will apply
• Entrance to this demarcated area can take place via the north and south entrance of the MSP
• Payment may take place at any of the pay stations situated within the MSP

Naidoo mentioned, “During this period, there will be directional signage and additional manpower in place, to direct the public to the designated parking area within the MSP. As always, our customers are important to us and these changes will improve the customer experience, at King Shaka International Airport. We do apologise for the inconvenience caused and ask for your patience during this period”.

For any parking related queries during this period, please call (032) 436-6626 / 6654.

“Parking Solutions, WITH YOU IN MIND”

(Source - King Shaka International Airport) 

Now for some writing.  

Frank Ketchup Visits Durban:  Interviewed by De Wet Bronkhorstspruit

Frank Ketchup, famous and illusive bon vivant, rock star and suffering from the concussion caused by rap, and a presumption that his music career will take wing. Rip van Winkle was popular once. On the perimeter of his designs, Ketchup holds the fort for his new band One Off The Wall Clanging Circus. Ketchup is on a tour of South Africa; but Ketchup reveals that Durban is the only destination for this tour.

Ketchup who insists on walking everywhere between night venues; in between reading such obscure books like Louis-Ferdinand

CÉLINE’s “Voyage au bout de la nuit,” and avoiding the radio, at all times might a create a frisson among the pompous. He refuses all public transport including bicycles. After putting aside his cigarillo box, his third since sunrise; it is two o’ clock and Ketchup is sitting in a chair at the Elangeni dreaming of absinthe in lieu of friends.

Asked why the tour bisects Cape Town, Grahamstown or even more surprisingly, Johannesburg, (the former are one) Ketchup announces that “Joburg’s architecture with its dishevelled collection of buildings annoys him while the other fills him with ennui.”

When probed about his table manners Ketchup gives a glowering stare. Ketchup is part of an inexplicable rock revival; think: Duran Duran,Tears for Fears, Falco he of ‘Rock Me Amadeus’, and a mongrel cross a Radiohead departing from practice and speaking in full sentences, breaking plastic chairs at every opportunity: Ketchup ends our chat by holding forth: “people today have an aversion to concept albums, or concepts per se, Guinness Beer and condensed milk.” It seems for him this is a serious predicament.

Next to my chair in St. Lucia’s Bar in Kloof Ketchup went on a tirade of Olympian proportions about anything from split infinitives, writing calligraphy in Latvian and Norwegian embroidery. When Frank Ketchup was told that very little of this could be considered practical, he stubbed out his secretary- she was told to leave and the Rock vivant quoted Cassius “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings." Julius Caesar (I, ii, 140-141. There is a question mark here. “Yes, I once visited that establishment in Melville, involving a mirror, a camera and the crisp Highveld air” Ketchup poured forth. He lost me somewhere after this sentence because of some unprintable stuff about sculptures at Wits University, the Old South African Flag (he retorted ‘Which one?’, the Benguela Current, Seagulls, Cadets, billowing cigarettes smoked by Uncles in cinemas: deserts, chimeras, cul de sacs, dingy bars and other probable Civil Wars. We can back to earth when he mentioned the old L.A. Hotel in Durban.

Imagine Casablanca in 2013, with the smoke removed by a land of interdiction that I imagine draws Ketchup, Copenhagen-like to these shores. He wants a country with more sauce, humid in the indulgence of wit, not merely side partings and coiffures. Frank Ketchup never goes cap in hand, but it would be stupid and a folly to spend oneself, in the effluence of his diatribes.

(This Satire Piece is proudly brought to you by some hack.... excuse me writer, Timothy Sparks)

email him your thoughts on tpwsparks@hotmail.com 

You are invited to ETSY Craft Party Durban with @NadiavdMescht

Your personal invitation to ETSY Craft Party Durban

I am so excited to be organising the Etsy Craft Party for Durban! We get to show-off Durban to crafters around the world!

It will be happening on the evening of the 20^th June! (6:30-9:30) and I would love to have you there!

The event is all about the craft community and we will doing a few fun DIY things. It will be R100 at the door for the craft activity plus a few refreshments.

Please dash off to the event page and RSVP asap, if we get 30 RSVP’s by tomorrow, Etsy will send us a lovely party kit!

http://etsycraftparty-durban-southafrica.eventbrite.com/

The venue and final details will be confirmed soon!

(

(Source - Nadia van der Mescht) 

Theatre news

Listen With Your Eyes

Event Type: On Stage, Comedy

Venue: Catalina Theatre, Wilson's Wharf

Duration: 55mins

Show Times:

           Thu 30 May - 8pm (Opening Night)

Fri 31 May - 8pm

           Sat 01 June - 2pm

           Sat 01 June - 8pm

Cost: R80pp

Bookings 031 837 5999, www.computicket.com

Catalina UnLtd`s Listen With Your Eyes is going international! This is the first time ever for the Deaf-led South African cast and director to perform on the international stage, which makes history for South Africa! Listen With Your Eyes is a comedy set in a science lab. A hearing scientist and his Deaf assistant find communication a big challenge and they set about designing a robot to interpret for them. While designing the robot the hearing scientist learns a lot about Deaf people’s communication needs but not without loads of humour!

For more information contact Alison Swannack at listenwye@gmail.com or Francis Doherty-Bigara at 031 201 4738 / 072 795 5965. Visit www.listenwye.com.

Durban-based Deaf artists, Darren Rajbal, Bo Tasker and Ismael Mansoor, and Deaf director, Alison Swannack have been invited to take Catalina UnLtd’s theatre production, ‘Listen with Your Eyes’ to Reims, France. The Festival Clin d’Oeil, International pluridisciplinary Meeting on Deaf Arts, will celebrate its 6th edition in 2013, from 5 to 7 July. Visit http://www.clin-doeil.eu/

(Source - Pansa)

News for Writers

When One Hair Turns Gold workshop

Writers’ Guild to host a workshop in Durban on Tuesday 4 June.

The Writers’ Guild of South Africa (WGSA) continues its series of monthly gatherings in Durban with a workshop called When One Hair Turns Gold, by Clinton Marius.

Through storytelling and poetry, the Durban-based playwright will pinpoint symbolism in fairy tales to lead workshop-goers on a journey of self-discovery.

“We don't see flowers,” says Marius, “we walk past them. The Inner Child sees and rejoices in being a part of this world that is sheer miracle. Is that person still alive in us? One of the ways we can reconnect with this inner, radiant being is through the archetypal clues in fairy tales.”

The workshop is open to members of the public, and WGSA representatives will also be present to answer any queries regarding membership.

WGSA is the only association in South Africa with the sole purpose of protecting, empowering and developing performance writers in the local film, television, radio, stage, animation and new media (internet – mobile and digital distribution, and gaming) industries.

When One Hair Turns Gold runs on Tuesday 4 June from 6-8pm at Ike’s Books, 48a Florida Road, Morningside, Durban. Workshop enquiries and bookings: Thea Aboud / admin@writersguildsa.org Website: www.writersguildsa.org

(Source - Pansa)

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(Source - Hirsch's)

Theatre News

On 6 June, for one night only, Clover Aardklop National Arts Festival and the Catalina Theatre brings you the award winning production, Sunday Morning. A delightful play performed by James Cunningham and written by Nick Warren. Tickets for Sunday Morning are available from Computicket at R80 a ticket. To book visit http://online.computicket.com/web/event/sunday_morning_catalina.  All proceeds of the show will go towards the Theatre Benevolent Fund (TBF) as part of the Clover Aardklop National Arts Festival cycle tour.

From 2 to 6 June the Clover Aardklop National Arts Festival will cycle hundreds of kilometres in aid of the TBF.

The team of 17 personnel departs on 2 June from Potchefstroom for the epic tour to the ATKV Natalia resort on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal. On route they will sleep over in Kroonstad, Bethlehem, Ladysmith and Pietermaritzburg and will arrive in Durban on 6 June.

The TBF is a charity organisation and was founded 50 years ago with the vision of helping deserving Arts and Showbiz professionals of every genre and every creative discipline, in their time of need. Currently the TBF permanently cares for more than twenty aged, destitute and desperately infirm Entertainment industry professionals.

Andries Vrey, CEO of Clover Aardklop, says the aim with the cycle tour is not only to raise money for the TBF, but it is also a campaign to raise awareness of the TBF’s selfless work.

“Without artists, festivals won’t exist. While we create opportunities for young artists to find their feet in the industry, we should not forget about the artists that were part of the industry for many decades,” says Vrey.

Sunday Morning is a not-to-be-missed production and has received numerous award nominations, namely Best New South African Script and Best Actor in a Solo Performance at The Fleur du Cap. Best Production, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Lighting at the Naledi Awards, also winning the Fleur du Cap for Best Actor in a Solo Performance.

Sunday Morning:

Mat is a successful photographer who has his life exactly how he likes it - ordered, neat, and beautifully composed - until the day his girlfriend tells him she is pregnant.

In an attempt to process this disturbing information he goes out for a run. Straying from his regular route, he ventures into a strange part of the city where he makes a gruesome discovery that changes everything.

Those who want to make a contribution can simply SMS “TBF” to 40770 until the 10th of June. A SMS costs R20.

For more information contact Chrizanda van Wyk on 084 831 3142.

(Source - Catalina Theatre) 

Art classes 

MFAG is now offering Art classes for the beginners and Art lovers. Learn varoius techniques in Art


Lessons include;

History of Modern Art and contemporary Art

History of South African Art and African Art

Painting: Oils, Acrylics and Watercolour

Drawing: Pen, Pencil, Charcoal, Pastels and Ink



Fee:  R350 A Lessons  or R1400 for 4weeks

(lessons include coffee and snacks)



Dates in June:1, 8, 15, 22, 29 June 2013

Time: 1pm -4.30pm

Venue: Eagle Wind Manor

call/email  for booking: info@mwimbifineart.com, 072 229 6530

(Source - MFAG) 

Insight into the African Renaissance Conference 2013

An inspiring time to be in Africa.

Highlights from the African Renaissance Conference 2013 held at the ICC in Durban.

The conference was off to a grand start with the Deputy President of South Africa in attendance and the Mayor of eThekwini.  Other dignitaries included the Chair of the African Renaissance Dr Ndebele and also the Minister in the Presidency:  National Planning Commission, Mr Trevor Manuel.

This was the 15th year of the conference.

Some of the highlights included:

• ‘We need partnerships with Private Business’  - Mayor of eThekwini.
• It is very easy to move from London to Paris, not so easy from SA to Mozambique – Dr Ndebele
• The ReGeneration believed in themselves, we are this ReGeneration – Dr Ndebele
• We need to do these things we can’t wait for others – Dr Ndebele
• What are we doing with what we have? – Dr Ndebele
• The African Renaissance Conference has been growing in leaps & bounds – Deputy President of South Africa
• The Deputy President left us with a quote he recalled, ‘We face neither east nor west, we face forward.’  
• SA belongs to all of us, united in our diversity – Trevor Manuel quoting the constitution.
• We must try not to oppose without offering solutions – Trevor Manuel
• Education is the start of so many things – Trevor Manuel
• Wheverever there is a challenge, there is an opportunity – Andy Openshaw, Nashua Communications
• We also heard from Carol Coetze from Ernst & Young and she showed us some interesting stats on what the people want.  The number one thing people want is to get rid of bribery and after that came transportation.

You might also like the African Renaissance Youth Conference which is held just before this conference with IgniteSA.  This Conference is aimed at the Youth of Africa and aims to inspire Young Entrepreneurs.  

Useful contacts there on Twitter are

Lyle Krause - @lylekrause

And Lynette Ntuli - @MsNtuli

All in all it was a very inspiring Conference and one came away from it with so many ideas.

A wonderful Conference for anyone who would like to do business in Africa.

There is so much opportunity in Africa.

For more info on this conference visit www.connectingafrica.info or www.ebandla.co.za

Email: info@connectingafrica.co.za

Follow some more of the highlights on Twitter using the hashtag #ARC2013

Article and Photo by Fred Felton (@fredfelton)

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Updated List of Drop Off venues for Twitter Blanket Drive in Kwazulu-Natal

• All Hirsch's stores
• Europa Florida Road
• Spiga Florida Road
• Wakaberry Florida Road
• St Clements, Musgrave Road
• The Sharkcage, Sharks Rugby Stadium
• Wakaberry Branches - Westville, Kloof, Umhlanga, Ballito
• Mandini Spar - North Coast 

(Source - Twitter Blanket Drive) 

With the support of  NAC/SA-FRENCH Seasons 2012-2013  and Catalina UnLtd present

LISTEN WITH YOUR EYES - First ever South African Deaf Play to perform in Europe

Catalina UnLtd proudly announces that Catalina’s Deaf production  ‘Listen with Your Eyes’ a comedy play, created and performed by Bo Tasker, Darren Rajbal and Ismael Mansoor  and directed by Alison Swannack, is going international.

Catalina UnLtd has decided to showcase ‘Listen With Your Eyes” by running the play again   from 30 May to 1 June 2013 at the Catalina Theatre, 18 Boatman Road, Wilson’s Wharf for the public who missed this fantastic show last year. Show runs on Thurs 30 May, Fri 31 May at 8pm and Sat 1 June at 2pm and 8pm. (4 performances)

To book visit http://online.computicket.com/web/event/listen_with_your_eyes or call the theatre for more information 031 837 5999 (10am-4pm)

 ‘Listen with your Eyes’ took Catalina’s  “Talking Hands”, the first ever Deaf theatre Festival delivered in  South Africa, by storm last year. It has been selected for the Festival Clin d’Oeil (European Deaf Theatre Festival) in Reims, France.  While showcasing the richness of performance art among the South African Deaf Community, the cast will be exposed to the excitement of the international Deaf Theatre world at a time when this Deaf Cultural Festival celebrates its 10^th year.

Festival Clin d’Oeil was created in 2003 (European Year of Disabled Person) and this year will run from 5^th to 7^thJuly.  This multidisciplinary arts festival is aimed at highlighting the richness of the Deaf community. This unique festival has become a reference and an essential event to the global Deaf community as it opens a space for artistic expression and communication which is accessible to both Deaf and Hearing people. In addition to the performance of ‘Listen with your Eyes’, the festival has also requested the performance of  ‘Rainbow Magic’ for the street theatre aspect of the Festival, as well as two workshops for children.

Message from Mr David de Keyzer, the Festival director ‘I always take great pleasure in meeting new artists and that is why we have chosen to invite the cast from Catalina UnLtd. It is very important for us to promote foreign artists in Europe, at Festival Clin d'Oeil. We encourage the exchange of experiences and cultures in which results in constant evolution of our art. I will be amazed by the South African culture now, and the audience can also discover this culture so far from France… We are very pleased with the arrival of these great artists. With more than 6,000 persons attending the Festival in 2011, "Clin d’Oeil" is today the international central meeting event of Deaf culture.

Diversity, protection and development of languages are a central concern of the Festival. Greater diversity in the public audience is now fortunately  possible thanks to the 15 interpreters present, the vélotypie, subtitling and the magnetic loop, which allows meetings and exchanges between deaf and hearing people.’

The play “Listen with your Eyes” is a Deaf-only comedy based in a science lab. The hearing scientist and his Deaf assistant find communication a big challenge and they set about designing a robot to interpret for them. While designing the robot the hearing scientist learns a lot about Deaf people’s communication needs but not without loads of humour!

This is the first time ever for a Deaf-led and exclusive South African cast and director to perform on the international stage, which makes history for Catalina UnLtd and South Africa! 

The former Artistic Director of Catalina UnLtd, Mr Themi Venturas, says, “We have embraced the Deaf community and deaf artists at Catalina, and it is gratifying to see this international recognition for their efforts.  The play is sure to be well received in France, and we are currently looking for funding and sponsors for our talented cast and director.”

The festival is paying 50% of the airfares for 4 people, Ismael Mansoor, Darren Rajbal, Bo Tasker and Alison Swannack and providing a small fee for the performances. “All we need to showcase South African Deaf theatre talent in Europe is to find the funders.  A reasonable amount for these amazing South Africans to showcase their work on behalf of the city, the Province and the country,” notes Mr Venturas.  Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

For further information or to make a contribution please email Alison Swannack at listenwye@gmail.com or contact Francis Doherty-Bigara at 072 795 5965 . You can also visit http://listenwye.wix.com/about orwww.catalinatheatre.co.za

For more information on Festival d”Oeil  visit website www.clin-doeil.eu/2013

(Source - Catalina Theatre)

Parenting Talk - Hillcrest Primary, KZN


Lisa Fowler the Intern Psychologist at Hillcrest Primary School attended our LADD 12 Week ADHD Programme  recently.
As an intern psychologist working at a Primary School, Lisa realised that much of what we teach in our course applies to all parents whether ADHD / ADD is present or not.
Lisa has therefore invited Dave Pughe-Parry, the founder of Living ADDventure (LADD®) to speak to all Parents (whether ADHD is present or not, whether your child is at Hillcrest Primary or not) about the challenges of Parenting.
Here are the details:
Date: Tuesday 28 May 2013 from 18h30 to 20h30 (tea will be served first)
Where: Hillcrest Primary School School Hall, 17 Emoyeni Drive Hillcrest
Cost: No Charge (LADD® will have their ADHD Audio Book on sale for R150)
Speaker: Dave Pughe-Parry
Title of Talk: Living the Parent ADDventure - Practically!
RSVP for catering purposes: To Janine or Jaqui on telephone 0317657390 or emailjbarnard@hillcrestprimary.co.za Name and phone number and/or e-mail address.
We look forward to seeing you there.  

(Source - LADD)