More drama for pay-TV station

Carl Fischer, M-Net's head of Original Productions, says M-Net is now commissioning more local content than ever before. According to Fischer, M-Net has commissioned more than 100 local productions in 2007. These shows will air on main channel M-Net as well as the M-Net channels on DStv, which includes kykNET, MK89, actionX, KTV, GO, Channel O and AfricaMagic.

“The most recent statistics regarding M-Net's Original Productions are impressive,” he adds. “In the past year we have generated over 2000 hours of finished programming which involved more than 5500 shooting days. And best of all,by commissioning so many new shows, we have created over 10 000 jobs. Whilst this gives bright youngsters an opportunity to showcase their talents, it's also a feather in our cap that so many industry veterans are working on our programmes.”

The new drama series Feast of the Uninvited, which is currently being filmed nearby Standerton by Sonneblom Films, was penned down by award-winning playwright and scriptwriter PG du Plessis. The backdrop for this unusual costume drama about love, loyalty and betrayal is the Anglo Boer War and master storyteller Katinka Heyns directs A-list South African actors such as Jana Cilliers, Marius Weyers, Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Cobus Rossouw, Louis van Niekerk, Albert Maritz and Neil Sandilands.

Ella Blue turns back the clock to the turbulent early 1960s and tells the story of a woman whose life is torn apart by the politics of the day. Darrel Roodt, who directed the Oscar-nominated film Yesterday, is at the helm of this Waterfront Television production. The title role is portrayed by Natalie Boltt and among her co-stars are Tertius Meintjes, Jonathan Rands, Nico Panagio, Anthony Wilson and Bo Peterson. Hein Eksteen wrote the script.

Feast of the Uninvited and Ella Blue will be screened on M-Net in 2008. Two more dramatic mini-series, as well as a new comedy series, are in development. Details will be released shortly.