Must See: Innocent Times

Written by Tashi from the blog Tashi's TV on 23 Apr 2008
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Tonight (Wednesday, 23 April) sees the premiere of the new six-part mini-series Innocent Times on M-Net - it replaces Ella Blue at 20h00.

I've haven't seen an episode but I've caught the Making of it and been chatting to people involved in creating it and from the looks and sounds of it it's an exciting must-see that's different and revolutionary when it comes to SA TV.

Over 55% of the show's been filmed using green screen and CGI effects - you may have seen the promos about it on M-Net. The idea's been to create a comic-book, top quality series that looks and feels like nothing we've ever seen before when it comes to local production.

According to the executive producer Geoff Newton, the show and story's "What you'd get if you set Tarantino free on a nice SA story." - something I've been wishing someone would do for ages.

From the bits I've seen there's lots of violence in it - all with a Tarantino-esque sense of humour and commentary - and the story revolves around the character Gene, who's similar to Tarantino's shero's eg Mallery, The Bride etc.

Part of the action's set in the present - which is all filmed on location and the rest of the action's set in the past, which is where the CGI comes in.

Local shows always pay way too little (if any) attention to the importance of conceptual stylistic elements and the show seems to have them up the wazoo so it looks really promising.

Here are some grabs from it in pre-and post-production that explain how the scenes have been transformed from a green screen acting context to the final product, followed by fast facts about the ins and outs of things:

Fast facts

The white dotted lines you see in some of the green grabs are what's used to link up the CGI with the action - so the computers use the dots to create the imagery around them type thing.

Actor Justin Strydom (who played Captain Leon Cutts in Snitch) is one of the shows creators - he's both a writer and producer on the show and plays one of the leads, Eddie Brok.

All the music for the show's been specifically written and recorded for it and features songs instead of mood music. The songs are written by Sean Fourie and musicians include Chris Chameleon, Zola, Wendy Oldfield, rapper Pharrel and the group Pickpocket Charlie.

The CD's going to be released at the end of May.

Other inspirations for the show include the graphic novel genre and the movie Sin City.

The series cost R6.5 million to make and went over budget by R700 000 - a standard practice. Apparently most shows in the US go over budget by 10% guaranteed.

Using CGI effects to dress a background and set in TV shows isn't a cheaper option and can turn out more expensively.

(It's a pity 'cos it would be a good solution to the problems we so often see when it comes to unexciting backdrops and lighting in local shows but apparently it doesn't reduce costs because of the length and complexities of TV shows. When it comes to movies it can though - for instance a movie that costs between R16 and 20 million could be made using CGI effects for about R10 million.)

There are 277 scenes in the series and 2800 special effects. To compare the numbers, there were 1000 special effects in the first season of Heroes.

Episode repeats are on M-Net Extra (Channel 103) on Saturdays at 21h00, as from 26 April. The show carries an age restriction of 18VSN.

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For more info on the show visit TVSA's Innocent Times mini-site.

7 Comments

six
23 Apr 2008 01:43

This looks so good!! I have to get the repeats though (as it clashes with BSG)

charmed_dude
23 Apr 2008 02:21

I caught the making of it last week and looks to be brilliant! Cant wait to watch it tonight!!

Segololo
23 Apr 2008 02:36

looks really good! Maybe Genrubbish can invest in this and get more set scenes for places to hang out!

Tashi
23 Apr 2008 06:09

Just got news that there's a change to the repeats - it was supposed to be on M-Net on Sundays at 15h00 but it going to be on M-Net Extra on Saturday nights at 21h00, as from this Saturday 26 April (until 31 May).

The CSI repeat that's currently on M-Net Extra at 21h00 - it's moving to Saturday afternoon at 15h00.

six
23 Apr 2008 06:15

Great news Tashi!!!

Thanks!

lepogo
23 Apr 2008 06:28

All visitors and my son own the tv in my own house.....Been trying to watch the damned box for a while now nd everyone seems to know of something better on tv,especially neighbors-I thought THAT WAS the sole reason we left townships-the nosey neighbour??????

If only Blue death worked as good on human beings......

Err,uhm,not that I have tried it on people....eish

Nonny
23 Apr 2008 06:37

"I thought THAT WAS the sole reason we left townships-the nosey neighbour??????"
LOL @ Lepogo, brace urself coz those nosey neighbours are everywhere........LOL

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