The strike of the Generations actors has highlighted a problem that is very near and dear to Grahamstown's heart: the state of the arts in South Africa.
The strike of the Generations actors has highlighted a problem that is very near and dear to Grahamstown's heart: the state of the arts in South Africa.
As the home of a renowned drama school and host to the National Arts Festival it is also an economic issue.
The strike of the soapie cast over contractual problems with remuneration, in its second week, has left actors and viewers alike questioning the future of the arts and the creative industry.
The problems with the immensely popular SABC1 soapie has drawn attention to the viability of the acting industry and the future of the arts in the country.
Rhodes Drama Department lecturer and director of the Ubom! East Cape drama company, Janet Buckland said, "There is no doubt that the creative arts are in a crisis, employment opportunities are very bleak for performers." According to research the average span of an actor's career is 10 years.
"From a teacher's perspective, we try as much as we can to produce multi-skilled actors who are able to promote themselves and we do not create an illusion that the creative industry is easy to venture into." Buntu Mahola, a writer and former actor from Port Elizabeth, said the television industry is particularly intense, and that young actors are vulnerable if they do not familiarise themselves with the pay structures early on.
"Often there is much lack of communication between companies and the casting agencies where salaries are concerned," Mahola said. Echoing Buckland's comments, Mahola advised upcoming actors to be multi-skilled and know as much about their career as possible.
"TV is a very difficult industry, anyone who ventures into it must be thick-skinned," he said. Mahola says that the industry is often painted with politics, however he does not discourage upcoming actors.
"Anyone who wants to try the industry for him or herself must do so," he said. Buckland also stressed the need to acknowledge the presence of actors in our communities that are currently unemployed, emphasising that the Generations' issues represent what is happening on a large scale in the industry.
