'Synergy', 'Proximity', 'Connectivity'.

These are some of the buzzwords used when describing the essence of what The MediaHive in Cape Town, South Africa is all about. It is home to many successful companies all sharing a similar vision. Not only is the exterior of this perfectly located building impressive, the interior is filled with individuals who are passionate about the future of television and film in South Africa.

Visit the website for more info www.mediahive.tv

The MediaHive has been fully tenanted since 1 September 2007 and some of the tenants have had the following to say about their experience of the MediaHive thus far:

Peter Robson from Isenzo says, "As a small company it is great to be in a building with other companies offering complimentary services. There is co-operation rather than competition. Each one offers a different service and it is all under one roof. There is an energy of like-minded people and it is wonderful to be in a space where everyone inspires each other."

Preston Thomas from Pixel Project mentioned that he appreciates "the collective abilities and skills" and that the proximity of the various companies allows for great speed when immediate changes need to be made on projects. He also mentioned the fact that the concept of the MediaHive is a great one and that having all this talent under one roof is very convenient.

Yvette Oosthuizen from the HDHub, which is a company specialising in postproduction, speaks with pride about the MediaHive. "It is a sexy facility. There are many pieces of a puzzle within the MediaHive, all working together to create cross-pollination, which fits in nicely with the name of the building". She also listed many examples of various synergies that have developed since 1 September, adding to the efficiency and success of the companies within the building.

There are many attributes that add to the uniqueness of The MediaHive. Some of the key elements include a 180 square meter Studio with a green room and full shower facilities. There is also a twelve seater cinema, a brilliant broadcast demonstration area, an audio facility as well as ample visitors parking. There is also 90km of cable running throughout the building resulting in a well networked facility.

Clinton Sparks and Juanne White run the very stylish Visual Impact Sales shop and demonstration area known as the DEMO ZONE. It is described as "a one stop shop for all broadcasting solutions" and adds to the synergy of the MediaHive by providing equipment to use for shooting as well as for editing. The sales division started out as a small business, but is increasing in popularity as some people prefer purchasing equipment to renting it. One of the most important factors of the sales unit within the company, is that it is the only Apple Solutions Expert in the Western Cape. They are the forerunners of equipment in video and can source it from anywhere in the world. Due to the location of the shop, being right at the entrance of the MediaHive creates excellent exposure for them SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) were the first to make use of the studio. Munier Parker, producer and director of a children's religion series, was the first to use the studio. He had the following to say about his experience: "The studio is really great. It was great novelty to be the first production in there. Being given access to the building day and night also made the experience much less stressful." It is used for stills, television, casting as well as for training purposes and only positive feedback has been received by those who have used it.

Theo from Chemistry - a company with a very appropriate name - commented on how much the various tenants learn from each others experiences. He also emphasised the importance of the 'synergies' that are anticipated. "We are all working together for a common purpose. We solve problems together and everyone gives different ideas," he said proudly. Along with all the tenants, he also appreciates the magnificent views along with the 'fantastic space' and 'great neighbourhood'. He goes on to say that "the building was designed with creative people in mind and this is why the generous spacing makes it such a pleasant environment to work in."

Inke from a company called Meme, commented on the collaboration between the talents within the building. "We can collaborate with all the different companies. The location is great and the views are spectacular. We have already done a number of jobs that required the people next door to us."

Proud director of Visual Impact - SA, Marius van Straaten speaks with great enthusiasm and pride about The MediaHive. He mentions that, 'generating synergies and increasing business for all is exciting' - along with the tremendous talent and abundant creativity spread across the building. The fact that the building has VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), meaning that one can phone anywhere in the building without paying, makes networking even more economical and convenient. It is these seemingly small details that add to the success of the concept behind The MediaHive.

Moving along to the more technical side of things, Mogamat Arend (Mo), the head of the technical department, mentioned his feelings about the rooms that they now have for gear-checks, as opposed to simply having open space. The first project where they enjoyed this privilege was working on "Captain, Oh my Captain" - a South African production about the life of famous cricketer, Hansie Cronje. "Having a room for gear-check was a breath of fresh air compared to before. We gained a lot of freedom and knowledge and we were able to focus on one client at a time without disturbances. We could give each one personal attention."

The MediaHive serves as the proverbial Shopping Mall for those within the broadcasting industry. With an array of undeniable talent and a dedicated team of hardworking artists, there is no doubt that this exciting new endeavour is sure to take South African television and film to places it has never been before.

Visit the website for more info www.mediahive.tv