Whoop! Things are going from strength to strength in our local TV writing scene.
Scriptwriters are becoming celebrities (
tap here for more on this), an ever-increasing number of locally-penned shows are being produced and there are international opportunities for those who have The Gift.
Netflix has commissioned its first original African animated series called Mama K's Team 4 and the search is on for talented female writers to bring it to life.
The show's being produced by Cape Town-based animation studio Triggerfish and London-based kids’ entertainment specialist CAKE and it's been created by Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema.
The design is by Cameroonian artist Malcolm Wope and it's inspired by ’90s R&B and hip hop girl groups.
Malenga Mulendema
Interestingly, Malenga was one of the winners of the Triggerfish Story Lab initiative back in 2015 and now she has her own Netflix series. Very cool.
Mama K’s Team 4 tells the story of four teen girls living in a neo-futuristic Lusaka in Zambia who are recruited by a retired secret agent who wants to save the world.
This is what Malenga has to say about her creation:
“In creating a superhero show set in Lusaka, I hope to introduce the world to four strong African girls who save the day in their own fun and crazy way. Most importantly, I want to illustrate that anyone from anywhere can be a superhero.”
If you'd like to bring her series to life, this is what you need to know:
1. The production is looking for women writers who've had work produced for either TV, film or theatre.
2. You need to be English-speaking (the series is in English) and a citizen or permanent resident of an African country who can identify with the source material.
3. To apply you must submit a maximum one-page letter of motivation, a CV and a script sample in English of no more than a combined 10 pages, preferably demonstrating a passion for animation and an ability to write for children in the action-comedy genre.
4. Closing date for submissions:
17 May 2019.
You can apply on the Triggerfish website here:
Triggerfish