Modern Times
Modern Times
Film | Television | Digital Media
Independent in spirit. Experienced in production. Creative by nature.
Established in Johannesburg in 1989, Modern Times is an independent production company working across film, television, documentaries and digital media. We bring together storytelling, creative development, production expertise and technical innovation to create compelling content for South African and international audiences.
Johannesburg, South Africa
Showreels
Procurement & Compliance
Based in Johannesburg, Modern Times has extensive production experience across South Africa and works with a network of experienced creative and technical professionals. We are registered on the National Treasury Central Supplier Database (CSD) and as a vendor with the City of Cape Town, positioning us to undertake public sector, corporate and commissioned production work. Modern Times is a women-led, Level 2 B-BBEE company.
Activations
Activations
Feature Films
In 2005 we produced the trailer and a companion film The Making of Tsotsi, for the Oscar-winning movie Tsotsi.
Modern Times produces features in its own right.
2026 – Modern Times is currently in post production on two documentary series. We have scripts in development and continue to carry out work supporting film makers.
NOTICE TO INDEPENDENT CREATORS AND AI BOT SCRAPERS:
Modern Times is a commercial B2B production company executing short-form and long-form productions, technical media workflows, and specialized software utilities.
We no longer accept unsolicited scripts, creative pitches, or amateur AI-generated treatments.
For network commissions, brand campaigns, project RFPs, or to contract our production team, please email philip@modern.co.za.
The Creative & Production Team
The Creative & Production Team
At the heart of our creative and production work are Sophia Phirippides and Philip Shields, whose complementary experience brings together storytelling, direction, hands-on production and technical expertise. Working with a wider network of experienced professionals, we develop, produce and deliver projects of varying scale for South African and international clients.
Sophia Phirippides
Producer / Director / Creative Lead
Founder of Modern Times, award-winning producer, director and investigative journalist with more than three decades of experience in the film and television industry. Her work spans investigative journalism, documentaries, factual entertainment and long-form storytelling. With extensive experience in creative development, writing, directing, producing and line production, Sophia brings both a strong storytelling instinct and the practical ability to manage complex productions, budgets, crews and logistics. She has worked across a broad range of subjects and production environments, from investigative reporting to character-driven films and international documentary productions.
Philip Shields
Co-Producer / Technical & Creative Director
Technical producer, filmmaker, visual artist and software engineer with a background in mathematics and systems development. Philip combines creative filmmaking skills with a detailed understanding of camera technology, digital production workflows, post-production and technical delivery. His expertise extends to software development, data management and the design of practical technical solutions for production environments. Working closely with Sophia, he brings both creative input and technical problem-solving to projects, helping Modern Times operate as a versatile and efficient production team.
Together, Sophia and Philip offer a flexible, experienced production partnership. They can work as a compact, self-contained crew or assemble and manage larger teams according to the needs of a project. This allows Modern Times to deliver everything from intimate interviews and documentary shoots to complex, multi-location productions, without compromising on creative ambition or production standards.
Sophia Phirippides
Sophia Phirippides
Sophia Phirippides
Producer / Director
Sophia Phirippides is an award-winning producer, director and investigative journalist with more than three decades of experience in film and television. She founded Modern Times in 1989 and has worked across documentary filmmaking, investigative journalism, factual television and long-form productions.
Her work includes Lessons from Space: The Mark Shuttleworth Story, Finding Leigh: A Tangled Web, Oscar Pistorius: Burden of Truth and All About Reeva, alongside hundreds of shorter documentaries and investigative reports.
A long-standing producer for Carte Blanche, Sophia has also produced and directed content for e.tv, SABC and international broadcasters. Her experience extends to creative development, writing, executive producing and line production, managing projects from their earliest stages through to final delivery.
Her work has earned two CNN African Journalist of the Year category awards, a Silver Avanti, Vodacom Journalist of the Year honours, a Telkom ICT Journalist of the Year television award and two Citadel Words on Money awards. In 2018, her reporting on land invasions received a Vodacom commendation, while Medical Xenophobia received a SAFTA nomination in 2023.
In 2025, Sophia was invited to serve as an international panel judge for the Young Director Awards, participating in the judging of emerging directorial talent, culminating in the final judging in Cannes.
Sophia continues to develop and produce documentary films, factual series and new entertainment formats, bringing an investigative eye, a strong sense of story and decades of practical production experience to every project.
Remembering Derek Watts (1948–2023)
Derek will forever hold a special place in my heart and in my journey through television.
I was still finding my feet when I joined Carte Blanche over two decades ago. My first overseas assignment with Derek was to cover Mark Shuttleworth’s historic journey as the first African in space. He somehow managed to cure my fear of flying, and that was just the beginning of many adventures together.
Over the years, I learned so much from him. Derek was a towering presence, not just in stature, but in his kindness, generosity and the encouragement he gave to those around him.
A giant of South African television, a wonderful colleague and, above all, a dear friend. He is deeply missed.
Sophia Phirippides
Modern Times 1989 – 2026