PRESS FROM THE HUMMINGBIRD GROUP
HUMMINGBRID GROUP RESPONDS TO SCREEN AFRICA ARTICLE'S INACCURACIES
In the interest of transparency, Pollen Creative have shared their formal response to Screen Africa’s questions below, some of which made it into an article they issued today, but most of which were not covered in the type of detail needed to tell the whole story.
Unfortunately, despite Pollen's best efforts to manage the challenges, parties involved in the smear campaign continue to use the press as a vehicle for drip feeding selected information on a deeply complicated situation, with many moving parts.
HUMMINGBIRD GROUP STAKEHOLDER STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO SMEAR CAMPAIGN
The Hummingbird Group is currently under attack by one or two disgruntled former employees, who are conducting a baseless and malicious smear campaign against the organisation, and Bridget Scarr, as its Managing Director.
Some of the Hummingbird Group's clients and service providers are also being sent untrue, defamatory information and emails, in what we believe is an effort to cause malicious damage to the Hummingbird Group.
Hummingbird spread the good news about Africa at MipTV Festival 2014
While advanced economies across the globe are holding thumbs for modest growth this year, the African continent continues to turn heads. Africa is cited to have ‘the fastest growing middle class in the world’ with several of its flourishing countries bounding into top 10 positions on global outlook lists.
This rapid growth can only mean good things for the local content industry, currently faced with a rising demand for quality entertainment.
“It’s an exciting time to be part of the film and television industry in Africa right now,” says Rebecca Fuller-Campbell, managing director of Hive Content and new business director of Hummingbird Media Investments – a bustling creative services agency in Johannesburg, the hub of pan-African content production. As investors and film-makers alike seek new production opportunities around the world, South Africa certainly ticks many a box with its rich diversity of locations, low production costs and a favourable exchange rate.
This April, Fuller-Campbell and MD of Pollen and the founder of Hummingbird Media, Bridget Scarr are heading for the MipTV Festival in Cannes with the goal of spreading the good news about the myriad of production, broadcast and content opportunities in the continent. “Good content transcends borders and language. Where the content comes from is no longer so important, it is the substance and the quality of it that matters,” states Scarr. “There is no reason that content produced in Africa can’t be exportable because we have the skills set and over and above that we are confident we have the technology and cost incentives required to build high-return partnerships with international production companies,” added Campbell.
Three Rivers & Hive Content shape UK-SA CoPro
Hive, the content division of the Hummingbird Group, have paired up with Three River Studios, the UK indie set up by former Impossible Pictures MD Jonathan Drake on a period drama about the anti-apartheid movement. Soweto was created by Rebecca Fuller-Campbell, MD of Johannesburg-based Hive Content.
Alongside South African TV writer Collin Oliphant (Charlie Jade). Fuller-Campbell previously worked at Impossible, the UK prodco behind hit sci-fi series Primeval where Drake served as MD for over six years, prior to moving to South Africa in 2010.