President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Project Panda on Thursday, which is the working title for Netflix’s live action anime series, One Piece, at the internationally renowned Cape Town Film Studios.
One Piece is Netflix’s biggest production project in Africa to date – both in terms of scale and budget, covering South African labour, infrastructure and suppliers and involves more than 50 South African cast members; more than 1 000 crew member jobs as well as an Academy of Creative Excellence (ACE) mentorship programme for more than 30 young creatives and technicians.
In September last year, Netflix announced a commitment of US $400 000 (approximately R5.5 million) to support black creatives in the South African film and television industry.
The Netflix Black Creatives Empowerment Fund will be implemented in a two-pronged approach: the first being a grant of around R1.4 million to the Independent Black Filmmakers Collective and the second of more than R4m designated for fully-funded scholarships and student debt relief at higher education institutions in South Africa.
The Cape Town Film Studios has been the catalyst over the past 12 years for the Western Cape to benefit from the significant multiplier offered by the film industry, generating an estimated R7 billion per year and totalling more than R100 billion to the region over this period.
The complex has enabled more than 100 productions, with a collective budget of over US$2 billion to anchor their productions which include blockbuster films and popular series on local and global platforms. The studios have had a positive impact on the economy since its opening, with more than 100 000 people being able to work on various productions over the years.
The visit by Ramaphosa allows Netflix and its local partners Film Afrika to showcase the Project Panda production and its contribution to South Africa’s creative industry, giving the president a deeper understanding of the impact of Netflix’s investments in the creative industries and adjacent industries, including tourism, small business, and supply chain economies.
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Picture: Cape {town} Etc Gallery