Television & DVD's

THE MEMBERS…..a play by Cont Mhlanga Now Available On The Worldwide Web

The CSU Summer Arts Playhouse in cooperation with The Amakhosi Theatre Company presented a live

drama for television, on July 12, 2007 when a select production team successfully broadcast the politically charged drama, The Members…by Cont Mhlanga …live…for US television audience and the international theater audience on the Worldwide Web. This was a first for Amakhosi and for a Zimbabwean theater production. The play was recorded in front of a studio audience at Fresno State TV Studios and Broadcasting Center.

It will be available on the Web for the coming 13 weeks for you or anyone who would like to sample Cont Mhlanga’s political theater. Please click on this link to log on to the broadcasting site. http://www.csufresno.edu/mcj/tv

For technical support should you encounter any difficulties please email Mike Feist the Chief Engineer on mikef@csufresno.edu for assistance. All rights are reserved and please for permition to exploit the work, feedback and to order your copy of the DVD of the play please contact Cont Mhlanga at amakhosi@amakhosi.org

The Cast of The Members In Brief.-

For the full profiles of the cast please log on http://www.imdb.com

And search by the name of the artist.

Felton Perry

Felton Perry’s successful career spans over 30 years. He has worked with notable stars such

as Clint Eastwood and Al Pacino. In 1970, Felton migrated to Los Angeles to pursue a film career.

In 1972, he received an award for his screenplay If I Die at Home. That same year he was hired to write

an episode for the very popular Ironside TV series. His self-penned plays OR, Buy the Bi and Bye, and

Sleep No More received rave reviews in Los Angeles and Chicago. His most recent stage appearance was

in Athol Fugard’s play Sizwe Banzi is Dead in 2003.

Mirron E Willis

Mirron E. Willis’s television and film appearances include 24, ER, Star Trek Voyager, Living Single, Seinfeld, Cheers, Martin, Fracture, Independence Day as well as in numerous television commercials. He has lent his voice to audio book projects such as The Last King of Scotland, Operation Homecoming, The N Word and Magic Street. Mirron has spent three seasons with The Oregon Shakespear Festival appearing in

Twelfth Night, A Raisin in the Sun, Much Ado About Nothing and Wild Oats. He is also the recipient of three Earphones Awards and the LA Dramalogue Critics Award.

June Carryl

June grew up in Denver, Colorado. Originally intending to be a lawyer, she studied political science at

Brown University, but earned an M.A in English literature and to study playwriting. June

trained as an actor at the American Conservatory Theatre’s summer training congress and has appeared

in the California Shakespeare Festival. Her film credits include Nash Bridges, Women on Top and Sweet

November.

Mandla Moyo(Zimbabwe)

Mandla Moyo is an accomplished stage actor, musician and drama lecturer throughout Zimbabwe and

South Africa. He has trained in narrative theatre in Capetown under director Nicholas Ellenborg.

Moyo joined Theatre for Africa, which specializes in environmental theatre, in 1996 after his graduation

from Amakhosi Performing Arts Workshop. After his stint with Theatre for Africa, he returned to

Amakhosi where he collaborated with Zenzo Nyathi and Willing Mhlanga in a production called

Once Upon A Time, which toured the region. In 2000 Moyo went to Chiredzi to work with Malilangwe

Trust where he formed Hluvuko Theatre group. The group toured South Africa with a play called A Light

in Night of President Khaya Africa, which was directed by Nicholas Ellenbogen.In 2003 he came back to

Amakhosi where he started acting in the soap Amakorokoza as a gang member. His most recent stage appearance is in The Good President.

Thembi Ngwabi (Zimbabwe)

Thembi Ngwabi enrolled at Amakhosi Theatre in 1989. She currently works at the Township Square Cultural Centre as a dance teacher and also where she is the lead bassist of the band Amakhosikazi.Ngwabi has starred in many plays produced by Amakhosi such as Nansi Le Ndoda, Hoyaya Hoo, Stitsha, Makanya and The Members. Her most memorable performances includes Keep In Touch, a play by talented Styx Mhlanga. She appeared in the short film Iluba Lothando, which was produced entirely by Amakhosi’s film crew as part of their first filming project. She also played a role in Sister Theresa: The Runaway Nun. Her latest stage play is The Good President.

The Guest Artistic Crew In Brief.

Mike Clark (Sound)

Mike’s work includes audio production for Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Jeff Foxworth Show,

Boy Meets World, Martin, The Gregory Hines Show, Charles in Charge and How I Met Your Mother.

Gary Allen (Camera)

Gary has worked on several televised series, including Home Improvement, All In The Family, Three’s

Company, Different Strokes and The Jeffersons.

Phil Browne (Lights)

Phil has worked for Paramount for over 20 years. He has worked on Entertainment Tonight, The Insider

and Nip/Tuck. This is his fifth year as a guest artist for the Summer Arts program.

Cont Mhlanga (Writer)

Cont Mhlanga is arguably a living legend, and a theatre icon not only in Zimbabwe but also on the international stage where his works have received acclaim and awards. Mhlanga is the founder and artistic director of the Amakhosi Cultural Center and Performing Arts Academy in the city of Bulawayo, located in western Zimbabwe.

Amakhosi

Amakhosi is a non-profit institution in Zimbabwe. It was founded by Cont Mhlanga in 1980. It is a leading multi media institution based in Bulawayo, a city known as “The City Of Kings ‘n Queens” because of its rich cultural heritage and history. Drawing its inspiration from the African Renaissance, Amakhosi’s vision is to give the world a rare opportunity to experience world class multi- media production, learning and distribution through the African eye. Notwithstanding its African originality, Amakhosi is not Xenophobic, as it appreciates diversity through partnering with producers, instructors and distributors from any part of the world, thus enriching and adding value to its products.

Its Academy trains students from diverse backgrounds.

CSU FRESNO SUMMER ARTS AND AMAKHOSI MARKETING

July 12^th 2007

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The Impact of Independent Film Producers in Zimbabwe

By Andrew Ngozo --posted 22/03/2007

ZBCtv used to be the only production house although there were some small production houses whose presence was not felt at all.

But the same cannot be said today as more independent producers are coming on board and have seen their products making their way into ZBCtv, the country’s only television station.

“It is good that private productions are making their way onto ZBCtv. Different production houses have different objectives and ways of doing things and this has enabled ZBCtv to bring out diversity in its quest to inform educate and entertain people,” said Nyasha Vuta of IKO Productions (Pvt) Ltd: the producers talk of the show Patricia.



She added that since the national broadcaster was mandated by the Broadcasting Services Act (2002) to accept programmes from independent producers, a high level of professionalism has emerged as a result of the competition in the industry.

“Most products that have come from independent producers are of high quality as each strives to stay ahead of the other. As IKO Productions we always put an extra effort and emphasise quality rather than quantity.

“At this point, most of Zimbabwe’s film products are suitable for export, something which we couldn’t do in the past,” said Vuta.

IKO Productions has also produced Breaking New Ground, a motivational and inspirational programme which was flighted on Botswana Television (Btv) last year.

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The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) believes that although independent producers in the country are cropping up, the progress is slow.

The Communications Manager of the arts mother body, Laura Chiweshe said this scenario has impacted heavily on the country’s entry into the international arena.

“Independent producers are trying to bring new tactics and skill into our film industry but at present it’s difficult for them to make major headway since they still lack adequate resources. It is important to note that the introduction of independent productions on ZBCtv has resulted in improved productions on the station as the public broadcaster now has to compete with the private producers,” Chiweshe said.

She also noted that with such events as the Harare International Film Festival (HIFF) and the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) Zimbabwe’s producers have acquired a lot of knowledge which has enabled productions from this country to compete on the world market. She cited Tsitsi Dambarembga’s Kare kare Zvako and Tanyaradzwa as examples as these won international acclaim in 2003 and 2006 respectively.

Another independent production on ZBCtv that has endeared itself to viewers is Estate Blues which is produced by Unlimited Media Company.

Although most of the actors on the soap are amateurs, they portray a high degree of professionalism that is not common among many productions on ZBCtv. The quality of the soap cannot be questioned as well.

The producer and director of the soap Admire Maramba however lamented on the lack of professionalism on the part of ZBCtv and some independent producers saying at times both parties are guilty of compromising the broadcaster’s mandate of accepting material from independent producers as stipulated by law.



“While the company (ZBCtv) is doing its best to follow its mandate, there have been cases where it just accepts any programme just because it wants to fulfill its mandate. On the other hand, the producers take advantage of the chaotic situation at ZBCtv to present low quality products,” he said.

Whichever way one looks at the film industry in Zimbabwe, all is not lost. The country has seen a number of prominent filmmakers emerging from the Southern African nation. Such names as Rumbi Katedza, Tsitsi Dambarembga, Emmanuel Bagoro and Raisedon Baya are some of the names that are synonymous with successful film productions.

Motion picture also includes music videos which, of late are being given lengthy airtime on the country’s sole station. There are programmes such as Rhythm Unlimited, Sisonke Mix, Ezomgido, and Music Calabash among others. Videos featured on these programmes are largely locally made and with increasing frequency; of high quality.

Notably those made by independent producers are of better quality than those made by traditional and established horses like Zimbabwe Music Corporation (ZMC) and Gramma Records.

Given the scenario outlined above, it can safely be said that the country’s film industry in general and the independent producers in particular is moving in the right direction albeit at a slow pace. Prior to the introduction of the Broadcasting Services Act, the national broadcaster did not have a defined broadcast content policy. This resulted in Zimbabweans being subjected to a considerable amount of foreign content which some people said resulted in cultural imperialism. Local producers were being shortchanged but this became a thing of the past when the BSA stipulated that all broadcasters in the country should have at least 75% local content in their programming



Andrew Ngozo is on attachment from NUST, where he is studying for a Bachelor of Science honours degree in Journalism and Media Studies.

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INGWEBU CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY   -posted 18/11/2006

There is a huge need to sponsor the arts as it is increasingly becoming a business. This is because of the times we live in and the simple evolution of the times. A single episode of soap is difficult to cost because of the current inflationary space. It is because of this that the Zimbabwe Television had to advise the makers of “Amakorokoza “ to find a sponsor for their soap.

The sponsor came in the form of Ingwebu, who took it upon themselves to ensure that the fans of the soap are afforded the opportunity to watch it on their screens, every Tuesday.

The Ingwebu, Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr. N. P. Ndlovu said that Ingwebu has a broad social responsibility program and they had decided to sponsor the soap as it has proved to be a popular brand. The popularity of the soap means that they will be affording a sizeable number of people an opportunity to entertain themselves.

“We desire to plough back to the entertainment and cultural heritage of the nation as we want to be a part of the history making of this nation”, said Mr. Ndlovu.

Ingwebu sees, Amakorokoza as a long term cultural responsibility of the corporate sector as it is important that the sector ploughs back to the community.

Ingwebu has a broad corporate social responsibility program as they sponsor a primary schools tournament, a social soccer, national events and they also sponsor, Mzilikazi’s annual memorial. Ingwebu of late has also been sponsoring a contest for traditional music and dance groups.