we have strong storylines, colourful characters and lots of humour contributes much more to our success.
HM: We have heard rumours that you may be spending more of your time in France. Is Danie Odendaal retiring and, if so, what will happen to 7de Laan?
DO: I wish! No retirement in sight yet, although I sometimes yearn to have week-ends or holidays like“ normal” people have. I work on new storylines during our Christmas and Easter breaks and I flee overseas when I go on holiday, because it is impossible to escape from the show in South Africa- people invariably find out about my Sewendelaan connection and pepper me with suggestions, questions, complaints, threats, etc.!
HM: How did you actually start in the industry, and how was Danie Odendaal Productions“ born”, if I may call it that?
DO: I registered a sole proprietorship, Danie Odendaal Productions, after I left the SABC, produced and directed one or two children’ s series( Fransina Vark, Rompelstompelstories), and was in the fortunate position to be around when a multi-cam drama series was cancelled at the last minute and the SABC desperately needed something in its place. I wrote my first drama series, Dennekruin 12, at breakneck speed, and produced and directed it before the final episodes had even been written! It was tough going, but I survived.
HM: There are so many young people starting out in this industry every year with stars in their eyes and big hopes and dreams, little realising how difficult it is to survive. You are one of the few local drama producers who have actually“ made it” on their own, who have built a strong production house with ongoing programming without the support of either a financier or an international group to fall back on. What did you do? How did you make this happen? And is there any advice you can give to people starting out?
DO: I have always shied away from teaming up with a large production company or getting financiers involved, because I hate the thought of losing final control over my product.
I am often approached by young people( writers, directors) with ideas for a feature or a series, and they want to know what they should do to sell it to Hollywood. My advice is: learn your craft first, don’ t try to fly before you can crawl, write something with a low budget for the local market and if it gets produced, learn from your mistakes. If you fail to interest someone to produce it, don’ t lose heart, keep trying. I have dozens of scripts on my shelf, and although they will probably never be produced, they were still valuable training experience. Too may young people talk and dream, instead of buckling down and getting something on paper.
HM: Coming back to 7de Laan, can viewers ever look forward to a motion picture spin-off from the series, like we’ ve had with Egoli?
DO: I very much doubt it. I do not have the time or energy.
22 | WGSA MAG July 2013