Daniel Dercksen shares a few thoughts with screenwriter Janet van Eeden, who co-wrote the screenplay of The White Lion

How did you get involved with WHITE LION? 
Janet van Eeden: I started writing films almost fourteen years ago after a dream I had before we left the UK to return to SA inspired me to write films.. I'd studied and taught drama and wrote plays until then. To cut to the chase, after having films optioned (the rights bought by a producer) three times over the next few years, once by a UK producer, each time the process got stuck in "development hell" where endless rewrites destroyed the script. In all three cases the producers gave up on my film after years of work and simply made another one without paying me a cent. This is not at all uncommon in the film industry.
And so it came to pass that nine years down the line, and as many screenplays later, I decided I would give up my dream of writing feature films if nothing concrete happened by the end of 2006. After all, you can write as many brilliant feature film scripts as you like but unless one of them sees the light of celluloid, you're not considered a film writer at all.
That's when a call for scripts came through SASWA (South African Script Writers Association now called the Writers' Guild of South Africa) from the Producers of White Lion. They were looking for a writer to develop a rough story outline about a white lion into a full feature film script. By now I'd learnt how to write scripts to a tough British standard after my five year stint with UK producer and directors. I'd also acquired the services of one of Britain's top agents. I had certainly paid my dues. Without hesitation I submitted a treatment based on a very loose outline supplied by the producers and went up against the pool of South Africa's best script writers.

What was your role in bring the film to the big screen?
Janet van Eeden: Like the others I had to send in a treatment, which is a synopsis of the storyline of sorts. Doing my research, however, I heard that the African elders believed that white lions are the angelic messengers of the gods. In a whim of fancy I felt that the white lions were going to be my angelic protectors at this critical stage of my career. As a child I'd been besotted with lions after seeing Born Free. I even have a photograph taken of me and my two brothers with a lion cub at a Boswell Wilkie's Circus when I was about six. I held the cub so tightly that my brothers could hardly touch the lion. I knew in my heart that this was my breakthrough film.
Rodney Fuhr and Kevin Richardson were looking for someone to create a story around the lions they loved. First ten writers were selected. Then it went down to the wire. I was up against an established production company and a top writer. When the production team did a teleconference, they asked me why they should give me the job. I answered, "Because I love lions." I thought I'd really blown it with my naïve answer. But I did really love lions and I think that may have touched Kevin Richardson's heart. 
Fortunately the treatment I'd written also really got to the heart of the lion's story. I realised as soon as I started working on this project that we needed a classic Hero's Journey with the lion being the hero. So, in spite of, or because of, my naïve answer, I got the job.  

How do you write a film like WHITE LION?
Janet van Eeden: When it came to writing the script Rodney wanted a story which I felt reflected his own life of making it on his own terms in a harsh world. So I created a classic underdog story for Letsasti. First principles of script writing still apply whether you're writing about humans or animals.
Also Rodney would not allow any anthropomorphism at all. This was no Lion King II fortunately. So I was given many lessons while on location by Kevin of actual lion behaviour and had to disabuse myself quickly of any notion that lions are sweet. They can be extremely brutal and male behaviour towards their own cubs almost broke my heart as I watched many documentaries researching lion behaviour.
In my hero's journey for Letsatsi I needed a mentor to kick-start his journey. However I had to work really carefully to get the producers to accept an ancestral link to the lions through the ancient African tradition as they didn't want anything "airy-fairy". I opened the door to the possibility of the mentor being a Shangaan tribesman who would take over the guardianship of the white lion because of the Shangaan's beliefs in the mystery of these lions.
Also I insisted we had to have humans in the story to up the ante and create an antagonist of serious proportions. Just having the lion's natural predators and his rejection by his pride wasn't strong enough to create a real sense of crisis and drama. So I set up some hunters with one nasty man in particular desperate to bag the white lion he'd heard rumours about.

What inspired the writing of the script?
Janet van Eeden: The executive producer of this film, Rodney Fuhr, owned the Lion Park near Lansaria. He'd made his money in business but had a dream of telling the story of a white lion's struggle to survive in the wild. White lions seldom survive in nature because their light fur makes them a target for predators. But Rodney had managed to breed a pair of white lions. White lions aren't albinos but a rare genetic throwback which occurs at random in tawny prides. Rodney Fuhr's right hand man, Kevin Richardson who was producer on this film, had hand-reared many of the cubs. They'd finally reared a fully-grown white lion which had done the rare thing of reaching healthy maturity. It was Rodney's long held dream to make this film. I was the one who had to try and put his dream into a screenplay.

How long did it take to write the script?
Janet van Eeden: It took about four months until the whole production team agreed on the step outline I'd written. When that was done, I enlarged the script and the shooting began immediately.

This is very much a film that relied on the collaboration of many talented minds?
Janet van Eeden: Absolutely. In this film more than others, this film is the product of exectutive producer Rodney Fuhr and his dream, the huge production team and the wranglers/handlers of the lions. Without the lion handlers, Kevin Richardson, Helga and Rodney Nombekana, and DOP and then director Michael Swan, this film would not have happened.

Although it might seem like a simplistic story on the surface, there is a serious conservation message that will hopefully speak to everyone?
Janet van Eeden: That is absolutely true. This film celebrates nature in all its glory and lions in particular. I hope it does for young people watching it today what Born Free did for me - instill a permanent love and respect of wild life in them. 

It is refreshing to watch a film where the animals are real and performing without using dubbed voices to express their thoughts?
Janet van Eeden: Rodney and Kevin were adamant that there would be no anthropomorphism at all. I had to study lion behaviour and consulted Kevin regularly, as well as doing research by watching many wild life documentaries, especially about animal behaviourand so on. It is such a relief not to have a film where the animals are patronised or belittled by embarrassing human voices. This is a film made by people who adore and respect lions and all enormously, and it shows.

This is indeed a film for the whole family and people of all ages to share?
Janet van Eeden: It is the perfect family film. I defy even grumpy teenagers not to fall in love with the newly born Letsatsi!

How does feel after years of patience and hard work to now see audience enjoy your story?
Janet van Eeden: When I watched the first screening of this film in Joburg recently, I was so aware of how lucky I was to have played my small part in this exquisite creation. I also could not stop smiling and crying throughout the whole film!

What do you hope local audiences will get from watching the film?
Janet van Eeden: This is a film which crosses all racial divides. It is not about any issues other than respecting and loving nature. It has the potential to uniite South Africans of all races and creeds to protect this exceptional country we are privileged to inhabit. We have a duty to protect our wild life so that it will be here for our children. 

Is this South Africa's real 'Lion King'?
Janet van Eeden: I think it's way better than Disney's version! You can't beat real lions. :)

What do you think it takes to be a screenwriter in South Africa?
Janet van Eeden: Jeez! An extremely accommodating bank manager who allows you to remortgage your house many, many times. An incredibly stubborn (some would call it stupid!) persistence and the inability to give up your dreams. Luckily I have all three.

Any comments you would like to share on the film?
Janet van Eeden:
Go and see it. Now. Take all your friends, fathers, mothers, aunts, grandparents, children, godchildren. But go and see it. I don't there will be anyone who will not fall in love with Letsatsi, the star lion.

READ MORE ABOUT THE WHITE LION

Copyright © 2010 Daniel Dercksen