THE VIEWFINDERNEWSLETTER: ISSUE NO 39, MARCH 2005 [Changed telephone numbers] [Changes in Kenyan Film Regulations] [The Year So Far] [Equipment for Sale] [State of the World] [New KWS Director] [Festival Time ] CHANGES IN OUR TELEPHONE NUMBERS With effect from 11 March 2005, please note that our telephone numbers have changed. All 58xxxx numbers are now 418xxxx. There is a new digital exchange - maybe this will make telephone connections easier. In one fell swoop and with no notice, the cost of film licences was increased from 28 January 2005. New rates are KSh 5,000 for a documentary, short feature, drama or stills, and KSh 15,000 for a full length feature, plus KSh 1,000 per filming day. This represents an increase of 455-614% for the basic licence, and 150% for the daily charge. The fee for registered agents has also been increased by 500%. Despite the increased costs, filmmakers have been pouring in and we are currently on 30 crews for the year, with more coming. The majority of these have been natural history, with only two or three covering charitable or social projects. Featured fauna has ranged from driver ants to elephants, naked mole rats to lungfish, so the variety continues. March is busy, with 120 stills photographers in the Mara and a major outside broadcast in Mombasa.
Vintage filmmaker Jack Couffer is selling his complete Arri IIC 35mm camera package. Camera with hard front, 2 variable speed motors, high speed motor and control (to 80 fps), constant speed sync motor, interchangeable lens mounts for Arri, Panavision or PL lenses. Various lenses, magazines, batteries, tripods, hi-hat. Cases for all above, plus changing bags, specialised tools, filters etc. Complete package for US$ 5,000. Please contact Jack direct, on jcouffer@africaonline.co.ke or write to him at PO Box 185, Naivasha 20117, Kenya. Since our last newsletter in December, the planet seems to have been hitting back at the maltreatment it continues to receive from the human race. First the devastating tsunami, whose effects are still being felt, then mudslides, floods, landslides, fires, earthquakes, blizzards, the list seems to go on and on. Nairobi has just had the hottest February in more than 20 years, with daytime temperatures soaring to over 100F, and only 6.5mm of rain to settle the dust. The forecast for the next couple of months is that parts of Kenya will receive abnormally heavy rain, and other parts will receive no rain at all, so no doubt there will be more loss of life from either floods or famine. NEW DIRECTOR AT KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE In December 2004 the last Director and indeed the entire board of KWS were ignominiously removed from office. A new board was appointed in January, and a new Director shortly after that. The new man in charge is Mr. Julius Kipng'etich who comes from a business/investment background. He has been spending his time getting to grips with the many inherited problems, and seems to be doing well. He quickly realised that the KWS HQ is top heavy, with far too many people sitting at desks. He believes that those people with years of experience manning Kenya's National Parks should be back out there, making decisions on the ground, in the parks, and not wearing smart suits in the city. This seems a step in the right direction, and already morale seems to have improved. Watch this space. For everyone going to the International Wildlife Film Festival in Missoula, please watch out for Delulu.
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