Great news for local filmmakers

M-Net recently announced that Zambezi Magic is looking for five new film concepts that depict the authentic African experience and reflect the shades of the southern region. Filmmakers from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland and Botswana are encouraged to submit their proposals on M-Net's submissions portal before 31 December. Filmmakers and producers can access the Zambezi Magic submissions portal via submissions.mnetcorporate.co.za/.Speaking at the MultiChoice Southern Africa Media Showcase 2018, Timothy Okwaro, the channel director, also presented the content line-up for Zambezi Magic in 2019. Exciting new shows in store for DStv viewers in 2019 will include Our Perfect Wedding Zimbabwe, Date My Family Zambia and Date my Family Botswana. Okwaro said they will soon come and scout for more talent and productions in Namibia as of next year. “Before we commit to anything we need to see what skillset is there and how we can work on it. Once we identify it we can then work on shows like Date My Family Namibia or Our Perfect Wedding Namibia. In the meantime, the productions that will come out of Namibia need to be suitable as that is how we identify producers who we can then train to produce our productions,” he said. Zambezi Magic is a DStv channel customised for southern African viewers outside of South Africa. Okwaro reflected on the journey of the hyper-local channel that offers a mix of locally produced content for markets in southern Africa. “Since the birth of the channel in 2015, Zambezi Magic has grown exponentially by working with local producers to share southern Africa's stories. In 2016, we commissioned five local shows, and to date we have commissioned over 17 shows. Our channel offering composes 85% southern African content and has grown from strength to strength as we continue to deliver on the content that our viewers love”, he stated. Zambezi Magic has grown from strength to strength in its content by offering family entertainment that showcases the best in local movies, music, soaps, sitcoms, lifestyle shows and documentaries. During this period, the channel featured a wide array of content across the region including the drama-filled The Third Will Namibian series, which has made Zambezi Magic its home for the third consecutive year. The channel also featured the local historical documentary, Man of the Hour, which looks at the life of President Hage Geingob. MultiChoice Africa is the biggest investor in local content on the continent, and has played a significant role in bringing the TV production industry to life across Africa. Through their channels, MultiChoice has made extensive investments in the development of original African programming showcasing the best African content across the continent. Their investment in stories and programmes has reinvigorated film and television industries across the continent, resulting in a proliferation of exceptional original local productions and the discovery of talent both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. According to Lizette Foot, the corporate affairs manager of MultiChoice southern region, local content investment depends on the size of the market and their ability to fund such initiatives. The following factors are important considerations in the process: The demand for the content, whether the broadcast will attract viewership across the region, the capacity to broadcast, the cost of acquiring the content and whether the broadcast will be commercially viable and attract advertisers. June Shimuoshili

Great news for local filmmakers

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-02

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Great news for local filmmakers

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-02

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