By Trevor Makonyonga
Just as local productions such as the animation series Paghetto, Wadiwa Wepamoyo, Bustop’s Lockdown and Special Class have done very well on YouTube, a new local production is soon to be launched.
The production titled The Weekend special and will mainly focus on college life.
Speaking to Bustop TV, writer and producer of the series, Lonias Rozvi Majoni, said that the drama will focus on campus life and issues that affect students.
“The Weekend Special is basically a drama series on Campus Life in Zimbabwe. It captures various issues like, Drug Abuse, Stress , Culture Shock , Rape and so forth. The Pilot episode which will be launched soon gives a background but definitely it touches all those aspects as enshrined in our research paper though I fear it may shun broadcasters and other partners but we won’t stop telling the story as it is and serving our purpose as Mirrors of the society.”
Rozvi said that his series was motivated by the Zimbabwean tertiary institutions as well as some government policies.
“Well we realised that Arts Students and Former Students should embrace the new Higher and Tertiary Education 5.0 curriculum by implementing all skills taught at school and without funding we looked for volunteer crew and cast who are students and former students and to tell a campus life story. Because if we fold our hands, it may end up being a world of “scientists”.”
Speaking on the progress they have made so far other than the trailer which is now on YouTube, Rozvi said that work on the series was progressing well and that they are ready to start dishing out episodes.
The filmmaker said, “So far one pilot has been shot as a short film. But we have then written thirteen which will be shot any time from now. We will be using a YouTube Channel. We haven’t made a name yet so we feel that’s a better platform to build an image as a brand. In addition it’s an ideal platform to make mistakes and perfect along the way.”
The crew of the series includes producer and writer, Lonias Rozvi Majoni and the director, Leroy Kandeya. The film stars the likes of Melisa Magombedze and Blessing Muderedzwa all UZ film graduates.
It seems as though the film industry in Zimbabwe is on a recovery path as the movie Cook Off started screening on Netflix. The success of many productions on YouTube shows that locals are always craving for local content and The Weekend Special could just feed the masses off their hunger.
