THE INSPIRATION
The inspiration for BEAT THE DRUM came from when producers McBrayer and Shaw were in East Africa in 1999 filming the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) television series "Hope for Africa," a powerful hard-hitting series highlighting the AIDS epidemic in Africa. "We saw these street kids there and when we came to South Africa, we saw the same thing - homeless, hungry young kids," says producer Shaw. "But there is not a lot of sympathy for them," added writer/producer McBrayer, "and we wanted to find a way to give a voice to people who don't normally have a voice."
Approximately 30 million people have died from AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, and, as a result, there are about 12 million orphans. "It was a learning experience for us about what was truly going on," says Shaw. "As we studied more, the real extent of the problem becomes overwhelming - the numbers are the equivalent of seven major US cities being wiped out!"
During their research for "Hope for Africa," the filmmakers were introduced to Sandra Thurman, Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy at the White House during President Clinton's administration. "Sandra was extremely gracious and very helpful and provided us with reams of materials, containing staggering facts and figures which we eventually drew upon and included in BEAT THE DRUM," explained David McBrayer.
All these incidences are actually based on real facts. "We couldn't believe it - the number of different ways people were getting the disease was incredible and most of the time it was because they weren't educated and they didn't understand what the disease was really about," Shaw observes.
Some of the topics in BEAT THE DRUM stem way back to those early studies; "We discovered kids in schools were being raped by their teachers, truck drivers were spreading the disease from one country to another - a lot of the truckers were having little trysts with hookers five-six times a day, every time they stopped! Even their wives would put condoms in their lunch boxes and send them off to work but a lot of times they didn't get used! adds Shaw incredulously. "You have to understand that truly one of the biggest problems are the truckers so we utilized a trucker called Nobe played by Owen Sejake to help illustrate a very real situation," noted McBrayer.
During their time in Kenya while filming "Hope for Africa," the filmmakers had an exclusive audience with President Daniel Moi at his private estate. They were met by armed guards carrying machine guns and escorted into the compound to his private chambers. At the time President Moi was extremely unpopular and was taking a lot of heat in the media for the AIDS epidemic as well as "sex-for-grades" - it was reported children in schools were being raped to get better grades.
In was during this meeting when the filmmakers were discussing their television series that they asked the President what else they could do to help highlight the gravity of the situation to the people of Africa - "make me a cinema about AIDS that would scare them to death" was his response.
On their way back to the airport they discovered from their cab driver their interview had been televised without their knowledge and that their meeting was all over the news stations in Kenya.
The filmmakers realized from their television experience that African people really learnt through storytelling and got a better understanding of a situation through pictorial images. It was therefore important to create a movie that would be a dramatic depiction and resonant with the African people how it would affect their lives rather than an educational approach like "Hope for Africa."
They also recognized through their research they were dealing with century old traditions and that it would require a very delicate approach to get the messages across without preaching.
It was also extremely dangerous for people to openly talk about the disease. A UNAIDS newspaper clipping confirmed this with the tragic story of Gugu Dalamini, an AIDS activist who had come out publicly announcing she had AIDS in support of the campaign but as she left the platform she was beaten to death by a mob.
Yet the incredulous stories continued about the ways the disease was spreading - the same unclean knife was being used on children being circumcised as the doctor went from village to village, so if one child had the disease they all got it. In Botswana, during their Jubilee celebration they would swap wives for a day or a week, so if they didn't have AIDS at the time, they did afterwards. In fact, 40% of the population in Botswana is infected with the disease which equates to one-in-three with the average life expectancy being less than 40 years. The entire population is only 1.7 million people so unless something drastic takes place, the whole country could be wiped out.
In 2000, SABC aired "Hope for Africa," in Swaziland and more newspapers were sold that day in the paper's entire history because of the special brochure that was produced to accompany the series.
Later on the Queen of Swaziland fully endorsed BEAT THE DRUM, hosting a special screening in a 5,000 seat stadium. The Queen went on to ensure that every school in her country included the film as part of their curriculum. To date, early figures are showing that the number of new AIDS cases in Swaziland have dropped crediting the impact of BEAT THE DRUM.
In 2000, the filmmakers won the Global Association for Independent Television (GAIT) Best Drama Award for their pilot television series "Postcards from Heaven." McBrayer had co-written with R.J. Colleary (M.A.S.H., Golden Girls) a heart-wrenching episode about a young Russian girl desperately seeking medical help.
THE SCRIPT
"It became so clear to me," says McBrayer, "that telling a story about AIDS seen through a child's eyes allows you to highlight issues that normally are tough to handle head on. You are not inhibited by politics and you can get a point across without offending people."
Holed up in his native city of Atlanta for four to five months, McBrayer perfected the script. Once the script was completed the filmmakers connected with line producer Lance Samuels at New African Media Films (NAM) at Sasani Film Studios in Johannesburg to assist with preparations.
"The film deals with a very delicate topic. It is harsh topic to begin with and not the kind of topic people in Africa openly talk about," observes Samuels. "This was our biggest challenge - to overcome the controversy perceived by locals when dealing with such a sensitive topic."
"The beauty about BEAT THE DRUM," he adds "is, it takes an important subject and shows it through the eyes of a little boy who is caught up in the whole problem and captures it in an entertaining and thought provoking way."
CASTING
The next biggest challenge was casting the role of Musa. The underlining theme of BEAT THE DRUM is hope and the incredible power of one little boy who brings hope, compassion and understanding to the devastating epidemic that is threatening the continent of Africa. "An enormous responsibility and the whole key to the success of the film," noted McBrayer.
The filmmakers auditioned for Musa all over South Africa from Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and out into the countryside. "We just couldn't find the right talent," continued McBrayer. "We saw hundreds of little boys and we began to feel we weren't going to be able to make the picture." Then nearly a week before production was scheduled to begin they received a call from a mutual friend to say they had found Junior Singo. 'He was the very last boy we auditioned - he is a natural, you fall in love with him instantly," beams McBrayer. "He has done a fantastic job!"
Junior Singo wasn't the only key factor eluding the production. About the time Junior came on board, the production lost its director due to scheduling conflicts.
"I woke up in the middle of the night wandering what an earth we were going to do," confides producer Shaw. "I remember the next day Lance Samuels came to us to say he had found three possible candidates but two had bowed out so we really only had one - so here is his demo tape!" chuckles Shaw in retrospect. "We hired David Hickson on the spot and we started filming three days later!"
It was Hickson's short "Angels in a Cage" a very emotional tale about sexual and abusive relationships that the producers had watched. Taking the helm of BEAT THE DRUM as his first outing about a nine-year old orphan dealing with AIDS and surviving on the streets was a natural transition for Hickson. His credits also included the Rape Crisis successful public service announcement that had a huge impact when it premiered and still occasional plays 12 years later.
"David is very gentile, and has a very calming influence. He immediately bonded with Junior and the other actors," notes McBrayer. "It is a South African story told by a South African filmmaker. He has truly been able to capture and evoke so much emotion for the camera. He is a real find…a gem."
"It was great pleasure working with such fresh raw talent," Hickson says. "It was like having a clean palette."
Having already had the experience of working with young South African actors before, he knew the most important thing when dealing with such a difficult subject matter was to spend time with them. "I said to Junior on the very first day that we were going to get to know each other very well and extremely quickly so we could trust each other," says Hickson. As there had been no rehearsal time, Hickson spent as much time as possible with his young actors to create detailed back stories for their characters.
Hickson found that Junior's life was very different to the life of his character Musa. He had very supportive parents, attended a great school and his father even drove a BMW so had very little or no exposure to AIDS personally.
"I was having conversations about some really difficult and sensitive issues that you don't normally talk about with 12 year olds," Hickson reflected. "I decided early on to approach the subject directly so that their performances are very real and they have a real understanding about what they are doing."
"We were aware that we were walking a very fine line - drawing people in through emotions and making sure we were expressing ourselves subtly rather than being very unsubtle and unbearable to watch - it was a constant balance," Hickson continues. "It was important to put the messages in the background so we do not preach to our audience."
A number of extras that were used for the church scene towards the end of the film were literally off the streets so many of them had HIV/AIDS.
"Storytelling can be very powerful in Africa," says Hickson, "so while we were working in the church, the extras became interested in what the BEAT THE DRUM story was about. Through telling them the story it became very apparent that this was indeed a very effective way of communicating and relaying the underlining message to the locals themselves."
"The biggest problem is staying silent. Not talking about it and ignoring it. There is a tremendous public awareness going on but people on a personal level still do not talk about it. It is far more emotional on a more personal level," concludes Hickson.
BEAT THE DRUM is an emotional journey of a little boy - a universal story yet culturally specific. The film's biggest message is… know the truth, don't live in ignorance.
FILMING
Shot on Super 35mm, BEAT THE DRUM was filmed on locations all over South Africa, including Johannesburg, downtown, Soweto, KwaZulu Natal, Drakensburg Mountains with a complete South African cast and crew that captured the stunning landscapes and wildness to create a vivid and authentic backdrop.
The production began its 26 days of principal photography at the notorious Muti Market, a haven for the homeless kids chosen to depict the real flavor and ambience. Located underneath the freeway under pass in downtown Johannesburg, the eclectic Muti market emits odors unimaginable from the array of unthinkable products on sale including dead animals and human body parts for the range of concoctions used by native medicine men for curing various diseases.
BEAT THE DRUM was filmed during the South African winter in July where temperatures drop to a bitter 40 degree Fahrenheit overnight. In fact, the production was held up one morning when the crew discovered a homeless man had frozen to death on the sidewalk over night.
"I remember buying jackets for $20 at the local flea market," says producer Shaw. "There would be these kids like Musa standing at the intersections and there was one particular kid wearing only a plastic shopping bag and shorts. We gave him a jacket because we knew he would be dead by morning if not; and as we drove away we heard the other kids taunting him give me your jacket man. We saw him a few days later without the jacket. It was heartbreaking."
BEAT THE DRUM truly portrays the children of Africa the way so many are - in their school uniforms, walking miles to go to school. They are very bright - speak several languages - they are just under privileged. Very different from the way they are portrayed in America.
"We hope BEAT THE DRUM brings a better understanding of Africa and about the subject of AIDS," contemplates McBrayer.

David Hickson grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. He began his professional career as an architect, working for several years in London, before returning to South Africa to study film.
Mr. Hickson chose to remain in South Africa because he developed a strong connection with the country and wanted to play a part in the development of a South African style of filmmaking, using the strong story-telling culture of the country, and the unique experiences shared by South Africans.
Beat the Drum is Mr. Hickson's first feature. He also directed two short films, Angels in a Cage, winner of the Avanti Craft Award for direction, and Skeletons at the Feast, winner of the Kodak Award for best dramatic short film.

W. David McBrayer is co-owner of Z Productions LLC and is a member of the Writer's Guild of America. Beat the Drum is Mr. McBrayer's first feature film based upon his experiences in Africa.
David also created and produced Postcards from Heaven, winner of the 2000 Outstanding Drama Award by the Global Association of Independent Television and in 2001 produced the acclaimed 6-part series for South African television entitled Hope for Africa, Winning the Battle Against HIV/AIDS

BEAT THE DRUM STRIKES A CHORD IN KWA MASHU
Young Zulu writers express their views on Beat The Drum, a locally made film that was shot in KwaZulu Natal, and screened at the Kwa Mashu Film Festival on December 17.
The hope for most filmmakers is reaching their respective target audience.  For writer-producer David McBrayer and director David Hickson, their independent film Beat The Drum has not only reached South African cinemas after a two-year struggle, but has been screened to an eager group of young writers during the Kwa Mashu Film Festival last week.
A group of young Zulu writers, who were honing their writing skills at a week-long workshop held by The Writing Studio and hosted by the Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre, were overwhelmed by the story of a young Zulu boy and his journey to manhood.
"For the second time I have cried over a movie," said 17-year-old Siyabulela Gcabashe. "It teaches a very good lesson on AIDS awareness as it shows that people are still not open about the disease yet it's destroying our nation."
"Beat The Drum addresses serious issues that people are facing everyday, like poverty, homelessness, and most importantly, AIDS," said 25-year-old Nokulunga Khuzwayo. 
"I don't have much," said 22-year-old Thembinhosi Buthelezi, " but the film motivated me as I am one of the children who lost his parents at a young age. I think the film must be shown all over the world because of its educational values."
For 21-year-old Zama Zuma the film echoed his real world in KwaZulu Natal. "I have a father who drives a truck (as the character in the film). We are not open to each other but now I have a way to warn him about AIDS. I'll make him watch it. I now have 80% guts to go and test myself."
"One day I will have my own Children's Organisation," said Zuma. "I will work towards it every day knowing that I can make a difference."
"Beat The Drum shows us that it is never too late to start over, never too late to be happy again in your life," said 16-year-old Gugu Mzobe.
"Beat The Drum talks about things happening around us and speaks to the youth of South Africa," said 14-year-old Thabile Buthelezi. "The film can teach the nation about this dreadful pandemic."
"Beat The Drum changed the way I use to think about HIV/AIDS," said 20-year-old Sicelo Crowane. "I was excited by the way the director chose to tell a story that has been spoken about for a long time, but managed to make you feel you are watching something that is new and never told before."
"The important thing was that Beat The Drum tells the community that if you are HIV Positive, it's not the end of the world and that there will be a new day," said 23-year-old Lucky Cele. "After watching it I was very scared of even thinking about doing sex with someone without testing because of the consequences. It's good for the world to see it."
"It was invigorating to introduce these young writers to Beat The Drum," says trainer and educator Daniel Dercksen, who also conducted a similar workshop in Kwa Mashu last year, and has been training writers throughout South Africa the past eight years. .
"It allowed the writers, some who have never been to a cinema, to experience the power of a powerful story told well. It also gave the group an opportunity to share a communal experience that afforded them the opportunity to express their own, unique experiences in writing."   
During the week-long-workshop 20 young writers were introduced to aspects related to filmmaking and scriptwriting, and were taken through the paces of completing a short film script. 
"It was inspirational to find that at the end of four days, the young writers not only had fresh stories, but were able to transform their words in action and share it with their colleagues and friends," says Dercksen.
"Although there was a power failure at the end of the week, it did not prevent the writers from writing or achieving their goals. It shows that if inspired, there is nothing that will prevent young creative minds from expressing their passion and sharing their unique cultural heritage."
At the end of the week the writers performed a scene from their scripts and the three winners (Zamo Ngubane, Vumelani Mchunu and Sicelo Gowane) were awarded a free Correspondence Course for Scriptwriters by The Writing Studio, worth R5000.
Their scripts will be developed through The Write Agency for Sithengi 2008, and showcase unique stories from KwaZuklu Natal.

FESTIVAL AWARDS
Urban World Film Festival - New York, NY Best Feature
Palm Springs Int'l Film Festival - California Best of the Fest
Monaco International Film Festival
Best Feature
Best Newcomer (Junior Singo)
Best Director (David Hickson)
Best Supporting Actor (Owen Sejake)
FICI - Madrid, Spain Best Feature Audience Award
Schlingel Film Festival - Germany "Cinestar" Prize (Best Feature for Children and Young Audiences)
Sedona International Film Festival - Arizona Audience Award - Int'l Feature
World Film Festival - Montreal, Canada Audience Award - Foreign
Reelworld Film Festival - Toronto, Canada Best International Feature
Pan African Film Festival - Los Angeles, CA Best First Feature (David Hickson)
Newport Beach Film Festival - California
Best Cinematography
Best Actor (Junior Singo)
FESPACO - Burkina Faso, Africa
SIGNIS Prize (Prize for Health and Security at Work - City of Ouagadougou Prize
Castellinaria Int'l Film Festival - Switzerland Opening Night Film
Fort Lauderdale Int'l Film Festival - Florida Special Jury Award
Black Harvest Film Festival - Chicago Audience Award
Golden Wagon Festival -- Fire Island, NY. Audience Award, Sliver Prize
Guerilla Film Festival - Washington, DC
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Cinematography
Best Film Editing
Best Music

US DOMESTIC PRESS COVERAGE and QUOTES
"Spectacular. Handsome well-crafted family drama…naturalistic performances...affecting human drama…first-rate!" - Dennis Harvey, Variety
"Gorgeous, fantastic…audiences were enraptured…has the potential for greater success than just the art house circuit." - Joe Mader, Hollywood Reporter
"Junior Singo is a true star...like the young girl in "Whale Rider," through his eyes and experiences we are transported." - Eugene Hernandez, Indiewire.com
"A gem…warm, affectionate…timely…breathtaking." - C.W. Nevius, San Francisco Chronicle
"BEAT THE DRUM is a film with a big heart and a vital message." - Leonard Maltin, Entertainment Tonight
"A cinematic miracle…warmhearted, uplifting…well written and lyrically filmed." - David Templeton, North Bay Bohemian
"Profoundly moving, with a heart as big as Africa, BEAT THE DRUM is a journey you will simply love." - Barry Morrow, Academy Award© winning screenwriter of "Rain Man."

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