Netflix Partners with Realness Institute to Launch Content Lab for African Writers

Netflix is partnering with African filmmaking organisation Realness Institute to create a content development lab for writers on the continent.

The Episodic Content Development Lab is for writers in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria and will open for submissions on November 30. The Lab is open to writers with Film and TV experience in any genre or language.

Six writers will be selected by the lab to work on their projects to be developed and commissioned by Netflix.

Through the partnership, Realness Institute, an organisation dedicated
to nurturing authentic voices in African Film,
emphasizes its commitment to foster a new wave of storytelling, while Netflix also brings its expertise in episodic content development, production and insight into global content trends.

“We had fun shaping the program with the Netflix team. We all share a love for storytelling, and Netflix’s writer-centric approach is very much in line with our ethos,” said co-founder and creative director of Realness Institute, Elias Ribeiro.

Over the past year, there has been a growing appetite for new and exciting African content to star on global streaming platforms. Netflix has recently enjoyed much success with its first two African original series, ‘Queen Sono’ and ‘Blood & Water.’

“At Netflix, we believe that great stories come from anywhere and be loved everywhere,” says Dorothy Ghettuba, who leads African Original Series in Africa.

“We strongly believe that Africa has a wealth of untold stories. As we grow our slate of Originals in Africa, partnerships with organisations like Realness will help us achieve our goal of investing in writers who will bring diverse genres of authentic, local stories that cater for every mood and will ensure our members see their lives reflected on screen.”

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