Film, Screenwriting and New Projects – CCFM 107.5 Interview with Spling, Friday Nite Synergy with nK

Spling joined nK on Friday Nite Synergy, CCFM 107.5 to discuss film criticism, script editing, new creative projects and Peak Valley Studio.

The interview highlights the evolution of Stephen “Spling” Aspeling’s career from a long-time film critic into a multi-faceted filmmaker, script consultant and studio owner. He discusses his new project ‘Ask Spling’, his boutique consultancy reviewmyscript.com, and the creation of Peak Valley Studios in Muizenberg. The conversation touches upon the changing landscape of film criticism, the rise of accessible “micro-dramas,” and the mutual frustration shared by South Africans regarding the local hadeda ibis birds, which inspired an upcoming audio drama.

1. The Intersection of Criticism and Filmmaking

Reviewmyscript.com: Six years ago, Aspeling founded a boutique script consultancy (reviewmyscript.com) because filmmakers wanted his critical review before locking in the final cut.

The “Critic Bias” Paradox: When reviewing films he consulted on, Aspeling notes he tends to judge them more harshly rather than giving them favour… because he knows the project’s internal flaws intimately, he works harder to maintain strict, independent transparency.

2. The Evolution and “Crossroads” of Film Criticism

The Death of Print: Aspeling notes that film criticism has undergone a massive shift from traditional print media to digital.

The Market Dilution: With social media, “everyone has a loudspeaker,” leading to a sensory overload of unearned opinions. Aspeling believes the craft is starting to sharpen backward—moving away from the noise and returning to verified expertise and quality substance.

The Filter Economy: Because the public is overwhelmed by content fatigue, services like his Weekend Watchlist serve as vital filters to save audiences from endless scrolling and wasted time.

3. Emerging Trends: Micro-Dramas and Vertical Cinema

Host nK points out a massive boom in “vertical cinema” and short YouTube/TikTok-style micro-dramas (particularly Japanese and Korean imports).

While nK jokingly calls it a “ridiculous way of storytelling” due to over-acting and predictability, Aspeling recognises its immense accessibility for both creators and consumers. He even expresses interest in upscaling the format for his own future projects.

4. Peak Valley Studios & Audio Projects

The Origin: Located in an old, unrenovated loft/attic in Muizenberg, Aspeling transformed a gritty storage space into a retro recording hub (peakvalleystudio.co.za).

Current Offerings: The studio handles voiceovers, podcast recordings, photography and video podcasts.

To Kill a Hadeda: Aspeling reveals he is working on a South African-localised audio drama murder-mystery comedy named ‘To Kill a Hadeda’ — a satirical nod to the notoriously loud local Hadeda birds (“suburban roosters”) that break everyone’s sleep.

5. Transition to ‘Ask Spling’

After hosting Talking Movies on FMR for 12.5 years (650 consecutive scripted episodes), Aspeling launched ‘Ask Spling: Reel Talk and Real Life’.

This new series marks a shift from rigid, scripted film critiques to organic, unscripted Q&As designed to blend cinematic themes with real-life, everyday human conversations.

Fun Side-Note: nK’s Top 5 Movies

During the broadcast, host nK shared his definitive, unranked top 5 films:

Mary Poppins (The film that sparked his love for special effects).

Man on Fire

Gladiator

The Godfather 1 & 2 (Viewed seamlessly as one continuous masterclass).

The Blues Brothers (An American cult classic).