Christian Epps holds Film Lighting workshops in KwaZulu-Natal

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Christian Epps holds Film Lighting workshops in KwaZulu-Natal --

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 15:14

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It s Lights, Camera and Diaspora as sought-after Hollywood gaffer and lighting director Christian Epps conducts workshops on 15 and 16 September 2017...

The event is supported by the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, and with sponsorship by PioLED Lighting, a client of BEE Novation. PioLED is the manufacturer of Lite Panels and LED lights for the film industry.

Christian Epps career as a lighting designer has spanned more than three decades covering a wide range from major motion pictures, broadcast television, live theatre, dance, music videos and special events. Epps passion for dramatic lighting has been put to use by notable film directors such as Spike Lee, Hype Williams, Ava DuVernay, David Lowery and Ice Cube. He captured the attention of big artists such as Michael Jackson, P. Diddy, Biggy Smalls, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Queen Latifah, MeShell Ndegeocello, TLC, Boyz II Men, and many, many more. He served as the gaffer on SELMA, Ain t Them Bodies Saints, and Belly, directed by the seminal music video director Hype Williams.

Epps has also been involved with big corporate brands such as Nike, IBM, Sprite, McDonalds, Buena Vista Television, GE Capitol, Paramount Studios, Home Depot, ESPN, Buick, Kaiser Permanente, Amtrak and Panasonic.

My mission and vision for Africa is to impart skills and knowledge and bring up at least one or two people to a level where they are ready to conquer the film and entertainment industry, and are confident enough to handle big brands across the globe. I am where I am because someone decided to mentor me and because someone decided to give me a chance and assist in perfecting my skills and grow my knowledge in the field.

I believe it is more than necessary for me to do the same thing for another young upcoming filmmaker with the hopes of one day becoming a Technical Director in a big production. This of course cannot be achieved in a one-day session, however, through organisations like the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and PioLED through BEE noVations, this could be a start of something that will have a lasting impact, adds Epps.

The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission is excited to host Christian Epps, as he represents a rare set of skills that we would like to see in our film makers. The KZN Film Commission is committed to growing the local film industry and offer effective support to local filmmakers through facilitating the creation of enabling environments where there is exchange of information and knowledge with an intention to harness and develop skills. I therefore encourage filmmakers to take advantage of such initiatives as they are directed towards building a sustainable film industry in KZN. This session will be used to give filmmakers access to an international professional technician who has demonstrated that filmmakers in the province can build a career by specialising in a particular area of skill in the industry. We are happy to see Christian Epps in the province and hope that we can build on this initiative going forward, says Carol Coetzee, CEO of the KZN Film Commission.

Discussions on having Christian Epps come to Durban to engage filmmakers in the province on how to get it right when it comes to lighting during the production phase of film making, started about 2 years ago when I first met him during the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in Nigeria. He came across as someone who was very passionate about Africa and seeing transformation in our film industry. I really am excited that today he has arrived in the province and we are starting a partnership that we intend to sustain for a long period of time. The issue of skills development and skills transfer is something that we are passionate about and we believe that for us to build a thriving film industry such initiatives are a necessity, concludes Ms Jackie Motsepe, COO of the KZN Film Commission.

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