July 9, 2003
By Tshepiso Mogotsi
THE old and abandoned Atlas Bakery building in Milpark is now catering for a new clientele - as the newly modernized home of a film and television production company.
Atlas Studios, a one-stop film and television production facility, held their official opening on 3 July at their new premises in the once derelict bakery building.
The first production out of the studios, a new SABC sit-com called The Res, is already in the can and about to be flighted on SABC 2 on Saturdays at 7:30pm. The show, co-produced by industry heavy-weights Anant Singh and Franz Marx, made use of the state of the art technology available at Atlas Studio.
"The studios have been fully sound-proofed and light-proofed. They are also conveniently connected to the new 'dry-hire' control rooms that are compatible with any major company in the industry," said studio spokesperson Bev du Toit.
"The Atlas Bakery," according to Du Toit, "is one of Johannesburg's landmarks."
And its revamp stressed the industrial nature of the old factory. "A new rough texture, industrial windows and doors, stainless steel floor finishes and exposed cabling inside the building, emphasise the industrial appeal," Du Toit said, adding that the history of the building would be preserved.
Developer behind Atlas Studio, Jonathan Gimpel, was excited about the new lease on life of "one of the city's most historical, yet under-utilised, areas".
The Coca Cola Company built the architecturally significant building, on corner Owl and Forest roads in Milpark, in 1951 as their head quarters and local bottling plant. It was later taken over by Atlas Bakery and eventually abandoned when the bakery industry was deregulated.
When Atlas Bakery permanently turned off the ovens and left the building it became, over the past five years, a favourite spot for vagrants, pigeons and party organisers.
The South African Film School (AFDA), situated next door, had used the building with its barrel-vaulted roofs, vast space and interesting shapes for movie sets.
The new Atlas Studios are situated in a prime spot for Joburg's growing media, television and film industry. Besides being next door to the film school, it is across the road from the Media Mill, another of the Gimpels' projects. Media Mill houses the Mail & Guardian newspaper and Kagiso Television.
