The found footage genre is alive and well and traveling to Africa! Hey, it’s been really busy, it deserves a little vacation. But it doesn’t seem as though this is going to be a restful trip.
According to a recent press release, director Darrell Roodt is currently working on SAFARI, based on Tyler Hisel’s screenplay about a band of American tourists, stranded and hunted in the heart of the South African wilderness. Their struggle to survive the elements and the vicious predators lurking the African plain is documented by the video cameras meant to record their vacation..
The Thaba Media project will shoot in Johannesburg beginning on October 15. Anton Ernst of Thaba Media is producing Safari and Hisel and manager Alexander Robb of Insignia Entertainment are on board as executive producers. The cast includes Rocky Myers, Kim Argetsinger, Chloe Kirby and Robert Watkins.
World-renowned animal trainer and behaviorist Kevin Richardson will provide the stunning African animals throughout the production. Stunt and Special Effect coordination is being handled by Emmy Award winner Antony Stone (GENERATION KILL, STRIKE BACK).
Roodt was nominated for an Oscar back in 2005 for his South African Foreign Film entry YESTERDAY. Hisel recently wrote the creature feature DARK WAS THE NIGHT, which is currently in post-production. Keep an eye out for our set visit report on that awesome-looking horror flick in the near future.
Kim Argetsinger