The Durban-based production company Tidal Wave Productions aims to continue to build the film industry in South Africa and explore the creative process through independent film-making.

The company has produced commercials for a variety of clients including Barclays Bank, Toughees, Yamaha, Knorr, Carling Black Label, Ola Milky Lane, Omo, Marriott Income Specialists, The South African Alzheimer’s Association and Ola Magnum, amongst others. They have also produced corporate and conference videos for clients such as Unilever, Massmart and Barclays Bank. Tidal Wave Productions made history recently by co-producing the first hip-hop music video on the African continent for Grammy award-winning artist, Ludacris.

Tidal Wave Productions is to produce Oil on Water, an intriguing film to be filmed in South Africa and produced exclusively out of KwaZulu-Natal. “With the film industry on the rise and location owners delivering high levels of service to filmmakers, the choice of KwaZulu-Natal as a backdrop for Oil on Water was an easy one”, says the organisation.

Oil on Water is an emotionally poignant story, written and produced by Elle Matthews. “This is a very exciting project for us”, said director Peter Matthews, “and we are extremely enthusiastic about making this film one of the most prestigious and original hits”.

The story explores the relationship between an artist, Max, and a writer, Anna. It reveals the conflicts that arise as a strange turn of events in Max’s life leads to the unravelling of their relationship and to everything they have built together. The film promises to be a complex, visually artistic work showcasing the fortitude that Elle Matthews had to document one man’s struggle with an undiagnosed condition.

Oil on Water will be filmed at the end of September 2005 and aims to put Tidal Wave Productions and KwaZulu-Natal on an international map, as it showcases both the high calibre production values that are being produced out of South Africa, as well as the beauty of the KwaZulu-Natal province.

Tidal Wave Productions will host an open call audition on September 8. Interested males and females aged between 25 and 39 with previous film or television acting experience are invited to attend the casting session.

The characters are as follows: Female: blonde early to mid 30’s; late 20’s with dark hair, good, athletic body and confident, outwardly brisk nature; early 30’s with dark skin, dark hair, eyes and African features. Male: late 20’s quite athletic and healthy looking.

More information from Mel Massyn, Casting Off, on 031 562 8470 or 082 788 0939.