News

Shouts of “Action!”, “Cut!” and “Quiet on Set Please!” briefly transformed parts of Wilderness National Park into a film set when crew and cast members of the popular South African SABC soap opera, Isidingo, arrived in the park for a shoot.

Scenes included the reception area, chalet, bird hide, the Big Tree and along the river, with canoes in the background. These episodes can be seen on Sunday, 6 May from 10:00 to 12:00.

The staff members who participated in the shoot had an immense amount of fun and Isisdingo fans among the staff were thrilled to get a chance to meet some of the stars.

Jill Gordon, Park Manager, believes that the shoot in the park has a number of benefits for Wilderness, ranging from raising conservation awareness, taking the parks to the people to generally showcasing what Wilderness National Park has to offer.

Working with Isidingo is part of a product placement strategy initiated by the SANParks marketing department and is meant to give a number of the SANParks products an opportunity of show casing what they have to offer. “The Wilderness location shoot is part of the whole exercise to get especially the emerging market to understand and appreciate our products and the responsibility that SANParks has been tasked with in terms of management of the facilities, conservation and creation of opportunities to our people” says senior marketing manager for SANParks Mantlako Sebaka.

Many of the crew want to visit the Park again on holiday, and director, cast and crew believe it is one of thier best shoots ever, in terms of location.

The shoot was smoothly executed and did not disrupt the environment or the park’s other guests.

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