Is marketing your estate on Netflix worth it? 

Luxury estates are typically promoted through glossy brochures and flashy websites, but San Lameer went one step further and got featured on Netflix.

We catch up with those working behind the scenes of Trippin’ with the Kandasamys – the latest and third instalment from South Africa’s favourite family – to find out how San Lameer’s appearance ended up being marketing success story.

A gamble that paid off

Setting the plot on San Lameer was a gamble. It was only after the script was finalised that director Jayan Moodley approached Jolanda Cloete, the estate’s marketing and liaison co-ordinator, to get permission to shoot at the venue.

‘Although it was an amazing opportunity and we were keen to be on board, I still had to go through a few processes to ensure that the HOA, management and board of directors were all happy and comfortable. Having a film crew on your estate definitely requires proper planning,’ warns Jolanda.

Fortunately, there was a positive outcome. ‘Having the San Lameer brand showcased in the Kandasamy movie was the best decision ever,’ says Jolanda Cloete. ‘The film means a lot for San Lameer and since its release, we have seen a direct return on investment.’

San Lameer captured the imagination. Just two days after the release, Jolanda’s team took calls from people wanting to book the villa featured in the film. The villa is now affectionately referred to as ‘The Kandasamy Villa’. But it’s not just the villa that enjoyed a showcase. The film also captures some of the estates’ best features including the golf course, tennis courts, and natural beauty.

For the film crew, shooting on one location had many perks too. As everyone was in one place it was possible to do longer rehearsals, be punctual, cut out the commuting and stay safe during the pandemic.

Getting the right balance

Jolanda’s advice to other estate managers considering such filming location proposals is to ensure it takes place during the off-peak season, so residents and guests are not affected.

For San Lameer that was between September and mid-October when just over 40 of the 616 homes are occupied by permanent guests. This allowed the 45 crew members and nine actors to enjoy a more peaceful setting.

‘Those residents that were on the estate were just as excited as us,’ says Jayan. ‘Covid restrictions meant we could not have any extras but there were plenty of residents and staff always willing to step in. Even the general manager at the golf course managed to make his film debut with a one liner,’ she chuckles.

Jolanda says it was important to communicate to ensure rules were followed. For example, the crew could only use vehicles weighing less than eight tonnes but because this was raised early on, there was no conflict. It could’ve been a logistical nightmare – especially when it came to parking – but they managed to negotiate that too.

Jayan says the relationship was successful because of the mutual respect. ‘The film crew respected the people living and holidaying on the estate. If Jolanda told us we couldn’t shoot on the golf course on a particular day, we just moved our schedule around,’ she says. In return, San Lameer were equally accommodating, even managing to get the villas ready earlier than planned.

The million-dollar question

For now, Jayan keeps the possibility of a fourth film close to her chest. ‘I hope there is another adventure but at the moment I think we are all just enjoying the film’s success. Netflix was a dream come true as we can now reach audiences in 190 countries and we are enjoying receiving amazing messages from people all over the world,’ she laughs.

When asked if she will do it again, Jolanda gives a resounding yes. But this is hardly surprising considering that San Lameer’s profile has been boosted to millions of viewers in 190 countries too.