Digital era gives stories wings
Ordinary people’s experiences filmed and broadcast online or TV
THE Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is characterised by cybersystems, artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, among others, has brought about change in ways that we could’ve never imagined.
The way humans interact and engage with technology has never been as dynamic as it is right now. No wonder it’s being called the “technological revolution”.
And it’s no different in the world of TV production where real stories from ordinary people are being shown, not only on TV but online too.
M-Net’s Magic in Motion (MiM) graduate and co-owner of production company Eccentric Circus, Xolani Nhlapho, 27, is living through this great technological revolution behind and sometimes in front of the camera.
Graduating from MIM in 2016, he learnt the “whole value chain of a production”.
Nhlapho explains how the digital age has become an integral part of telling local stories and also reaching the right audience.
“I think technology is helping young people to tell their own stories in the way they want to tell it.”
But how does being on the internet and knowing what the Eccentric Circus target audience (15-35) benefit the stories they produce and bring them closer to a channel like Mzansi?
“We would start to bring our market to to broadcasters. What we do is use social media and we start posting stuff as soon as the first day on set.”
Followers get more transparency and also feel part and parcel of the making of that particular production.
“It also works the other way around. It has helped us get direct feedback from our audience through Facebook and Twitter,” he says.
Even though technology might be replacing or taking over a lot of human-like functions, Nhlapho believes content is still king.
“What’s helping us is the stories that we tell. We tell stories that we know people have experienced.
“We tell stories that we know our target market is not necessarily seeing on TV in terms of local content.”
Referring to their three productions: Babakhe, Magenge and the ever popular love and class movie Themba Lam, which have all been on Mzansi Magic, Nhlapho attributes their success to being well received by audiences and being relevant to what people “need to talk about”.
Another advantage of the digital age is that through mediums like
YouTube not only can people express themselves, but “it’s showing us what the landscape looks like”.
YouTube has made it easier for filmmakers to know their audiences, and ultimately for broadcasters to showcase what people really want to watch.
The evolution of digital has also allowed a bridge to be built between people telling their own stories and broadcasters.
Nhlapho uses the popular series Insecure as an example. “It was first something that was done on YouTube and it ended up on TV. We can use that same kind of model with our South African stories as well.”
He says that being at MIM, Mzansi Magic and MultiChoice “has opened our eyes to seeing what is possible”, which has resulted in Eccentric Circus being born.