Experience

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  Michael Chèze Productions

  • Johannesburg, Cape Town

  • Founder and Owner

    • Jun 1994 - Present
    • Johannesburg, Cape Town

    * 1995 to 2004Founded film company. Developed and produced a number of films in the M-Net New Directions Short Film Series written and directed by emerging South African filmmakers, many of which won awards internationally. Headed screenplay development of ten feature film projects for the M-Net New Directions Feature Film Series. Produced the two selected feature films: “The Sexy Girls”, written and directed by Russell Thompson, and the multiple award-winning “Chikin Biznis”, written by Mtutuzeli Matshoba and directed by Ntshaveni Wa Luruli. Appointed by M-Net as the Supervising Producer of the Cape Short Film Project, an initiative in which M-Net was an investor. With funding from the Department of Arts and Culture and the National Film and Video Foundation, co-wrote a screenplay of “The Story of an African Farm” based on the novel by Olive Schreiner.* 2005 to 2019Michael expanded his film skills of writing and producing to encompass directing and filming, as well as editing. His film work since this time includes directing and producing four feature-length biographical documentaries, filming content for BBC World, as well as directing and producing a further two documentaries in collaboration with master baker and pâtissier Markus Färbinger, former Dean of Baking and Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.(See Filmography for a complete list of projects.)

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  Electronic Media Network Limited - M-Net

  • Johannesburg, South Africa

  • Head of International Co-Productions

    • Jan 1992 - May 1994
    • Johannesburg, South Africa

    * International Co-ProductionsResponsible for establishing and building co-production relationships between M-Net and international broadcasters, as well as overall management of the co-productions department. Functions included strategy formulation, identifying and developing potential co-production properties, negotiation of financial and creative deal terms in co-production agreements, as well as executive supervision of productions engaged in. Concluded co-production arrangements between M-Net and the BBC, NBC, Yorkshire Television and Atlantis Films. served as an executive producer of "Shingalana", a series co-produced by M-Net and Londolozi Productions and distributed by Disney worldwide.*The M-Net New Directions SeriesConcieved of, managed, established, served as executive producer and then producer of the M-Net New Directions film series which created an opportunity for new film writers and directors from diverse backgrounds to make creatively ambitious, often groundbreaking films. The series is considered by many to be one of the most significant developments in the South African film industry in the 1990's and provided the first film opportunity to writers and directors such as Khalo Matabane, Barry Berk, Mtutuzeli Matshoba and Dumasani Phakathi.

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  Genesis Releasing

  • Los Angeles, USA

  • Vice President

    • Apr 1989 - Dec 1991
    • Los Angeles, USA

    * Business and Legal AffairsNegotiated film distribution agreements with international distributors and exhibitors on behalf of Genesis, an international film distribution company. Responsible for all business and legal affairs.* International MarketingHeaded Marketing and Sales at international film markets and festivals in Cannes (Cannes Film Festival), Milan (MIFED), and Los Angeles (The American Film Market). Concluded numerous film distribution agreements for the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Far East.

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  Investec

  • Johannesburg, South Africa

  • Corporate Finance Executive

    • Mar 1987 - Mar 1989
    • Johannesburg, South Africa

    * Corporate FinanceRaised equity capital for the production and exploitation of international feature films. Functions included financial structuring as well as negotiation of contracts between distributors, producers, equity investors, completion guarantors and banks. * Corporate LendingStructured and negotiated debt financing for corporate clients of the bank.* Group Cultural ManagementMember of 5 person team formed to investigate and make recommendations for the advancement of effective management culture across the Investec group of companies. Reported directly to the Chairman and Managing Director of Investec Bank.