Durban here we come ...

On the 1st of February (yeah, tomorrow) we all go down to Durban for the premier of the film. This is just around the corner ... wow!

My personal view is that everyone is going to be in for a big surprise. And speaking of surprises, if you didn't see the Barry Ronge clip on TV then click here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cavD3-ED8Ik

We had a sneak preview of the Material film on Thursday last week for EO and the response was once again overwhelming. Check out some of the feedback on: www.facebook.com/riaadmoosamovie

Just over 2 weeks to go and the movie will be released.

Durban, Material is coming!

Posted by Ronnie Apteker

The reel work

No, it is not a typo. We are working on the reels. We got to get people to buy tickets. How do we inspire them to go and see this little local movie?! That is where the real work is being done. Yes yes, a bit cheesy, but please just go with it ... the material for Material is what this is all about.

We are very confident in the product. It has been tested with over 300 people and the response has been overwhelming. We know that whoever goes to see the film will be delighted - the thing is: why will they take a chance and buy a ticket?

All the ticket prices are the same. So why would someone want to spend 40 bucks on a local movie when they can go and see a big budget Hollywood blockbuster for the same price?

This is not an easy question to answer. The truth is, I have no idea. Perhaps it will be the relentless marketing campaign that motivates them, or perhaps Riaad's fans will mobilize, or perhaps we will just have some luck on our side. Or, all of the above. One thing is for sure, we know that the film is going to have strong word of mouth - we just need that initial wave of people to go support Material on the opening weekend. It is that initial wave that keeps us up at night. We need people to go on the opening weekend and that is the bottom line.

It is good thing we now have the Gautrain in JHB - at least there is somewhere I can go and busk if we don't do the numbers.

The past few weeks have been the most intense I have experienced in years. The reels are coming, to a cinema near you!

Posted by Ronnie Apteker

Cultural Differences Explained

A friend sent me this - it is an oldie, but it made me laugh all over again - it had to be shared:

On a chain of beautiful deserted islands in the middle of the South Pacific, the following people are stranded:

* Two Italian men and one Italian woman.

* Two French men and one French woman.

* Two German men and one German woman.

* Two Greek men and one Greek woman.

* Two British men and one British woman.

* Two Bulgarian men and one Bulgarian woman.

* Two Japanese men and one Japanese woman.

* Two Chinese men and one Chinese woman.

* Two Irish men and one Irish woman.

* Two American men and one American woman.

One month later, on these absolutely stunning deserted islands in the middle of nowhere, the following things have occurred:

* One Italian man killed the other Italian man for the Italian woman.

* The two French men and the French woman are living happily together in a ménage a' trios.

* The two German men have a strict weekly schedule of alternating visits with the German woman.

* The two Greek men are sleeping together and the Greek woman is cooking and cleaning for them.

* The two British men are waiting for someone to introduce them to the British woman.

* The two Bulgarian men took one look at the Bulgarian woman and started swimming to another island.

* The two Japanese have faxed Tokyo and are awaiting instructions.

* The two Chinese men have set up a pharmacy, liquor store, restaurant, and laundry, and have gotten the woman pregnant in order to supply more employees for their stores.

* The two Irish men divided the island into north and south and set up a distillery. They do not remember if sex is in the picture because it gets somewhat foggy after a few pints of coconut whiskey. However, they are satisfied because the British are not having any fun.

* The two American men are contemplating suicide, because the American woman will not shut up and complains relentlessly about her body, the true nature of feminism, what the sun is doing to her skin, how she can do anything they can do, the necessity of fulfillment, the equal division of household chores, how sand and palm trees make her look fat, how her last boyfriend respected her opinion and treated her nicer than they do, and how her relationship with her mother is the root cause of all her problems, and why didn't they bring a damn cell phone so they could call 911 and get them all rescued off this forsaken deserted island in the middle of freaking nowhere so she can get her nails done and go shopping?

Posted by Ronnie Apteker

Passion and purpose

When you hire someone you can contract them to be punctual, but you can't make them be passionate. You can't buy love. You can't put passion into a contract - not a marriage contract, not an employment contract, not any kind of contract.

Purpose is a very specific thing. You either feel it or you don't. You can't pay people to love something. At IS there is a saying "Do what you love and love what you do." Of course, this doesn’t have to apply only to technology, but, if you love to do something then it is not because someone paid you.

I am always amazed when you meet someone who is enthusiastic and passionate. Why am I amazed... Because, in my view, these people are rare. They are not the norm.

Purpose is a privilege and also a curse. Doing what you love can often cause pain. If you do what you love and it does not love you back, well then it can be a real struggle.

At the moment Material (the movie) is not making my life easy, but we love it - the Moosa man is the real deal!

Posted by Ronnie Apteker

Festive spirit

The year is about to begin - from Monday it is gonna be material madness.

Before the holidays become a distant memory, here is one classic festive joke that a friend sent me - enjoy:

A married couple had been out Christmas shopping at the mall for most of the afternoon. Suddenly, the wife realized that her husband had "disappeared".

The somewhat irate spouse called her mate's cell phone and demanded: “Where the hell are you?”

Husband: “Darling you remember that jewelry shop where you saw the Diamond Necklace and totally fell in love with it and I didn't have money that time and said, 'Baby it'll be yours one day'.”

Wife, with a smile blushing: “Yes, I remember that my love.”

Husband: “Well, I'm in the pub next to that shop.”

Posted by Ronnie Apteker