Oil on Water
Oil on Water, Tidal Wave Productions first short feature film, was shot and produced exclusively out of the burgeoning film location capital, Kwa-Zulu Natal in July 2006.
The film will showcase the locations of Kwa-Zulu Natal exclusively, a region that is rapidly emerging as the new growth centre of the film industry in South Africa. According to director Peter Matthews, the choice of the province as a backdrop for Oil on Water and the selection of various locations in and around Durban was an easy one.
While South Africa is a country rich in locations, we found the raw and natural beauty that is an intrinsic part of Oil on Water, in Kwa-Zulu Natal, said Peter Matthews.
At one stage in the fimlinga small park on the side of the freeway in La Lucia, Kwa-Zulu Natal was completely transformed by the film crew of Durban-based Tidal Wave Productions into a dreamlike forest scene. In their quest for great locations in Kwa-Zulu Natal, the makers of Oil on Water used a combination of the natural surroundings and special smoke effects to achieve just the right look for a pivotal scene from this short feature film that deals with loss and transformation.
While the forest scene in La Lucia proved to be visually evocative, all the other locations used for Oil on Water showcase the region as a great location for both local and international films.
Director Peter Matthews reiterated that based on the footage he has seen so far of the scenes that had already been shot, both he and the producer are very pleased with their decision to film exclusively in Kwa-Zulua Natal, as the raw and natural beauty of the province has become an intrinsic part of this film.
Other locations used in the film include a beachfront home in Lower La Lucia, the breathtaking beaches of Thompsons Bay, Glenashley and Umdloti, as well as Naughty 90s, Belle Punto and Tare Panda restaurants, and the Kizo Gallery at Gateway.
Oil on Water's production company, Tidal Wave Productions, has supported the development of the film industry in the province for the past six years, and has also drawn the majority of its crew and cast members from the region.
Through Oil on Water, the company continues to explore the creative process through independent film-making. Oil on Water is the first of several projects that Tidal Wave Productions will undertake over the next 12 months, which will aim to put this innovative Durban-based production company and Kwa-Zulu Natal on the international map.