Elephant Tales, a film by Australian filmmaker Mario Andreacchio, is a movie with talking animals. The story is about the journey of two young elephants across Africa after they are orphaned by poachers. South Africa's contribution, apart from the filming in Pietermaritzburg and surrounds, is in the form of elephants, cheetahs, warthogs, eagles, giraffes, chimpanzees, crocodiles, a crowned crane and a ground hornbill. The animals were provided by Pietermaritzburg animal trainer Jim Stockley. Jim also supplied lions and cheetahs for the US rapper Ludacris' music video for his hit single, Pimpin’ All Over The World. The film is scheduled for release next April.
Hollywood producer Wes Craven, famous for the horror hit Scream, is using some South African baddies in his latest film, The Breed. The film stars Michelle Rodriguez, Taryn Manning, Oliver Hudson (Goldie Hawn’s son) and Hill Harper (CSI:NY star). It also stars 20 South African dogs. The film is a bout the nightmare holiday of 5 friends on a remote island inhabited by a pack of dogs. The film was filmed in George and Cape Town. South African model Lisa Marie Schneider and actor Nick Boraine are the first to encounter the dogs. The 20 dogs come from the Cape animal training company Union Pictures. Six dogs were imported by the USA company Gentle Jungle and were used for the attack scenes. Two of the SA dogs are the German shepherds Ammo and Trigger, who appeared as police dogs in Country of My Skull and have done TV commercials as well.
