Plans by Mo Abudu’s television channel, EbonyLife TV, to produce the African version of Emmy Award-winning hit series, Desperate Housewives, is in top gear. Touted as Africa’s first Global Black Entertainment Network, the TV has begun a pan-African search for writers, as part of preparations for the pre-production stage of the iconic series.
Tagged: Desperate Housewives Africa, EbonyLife TV has announced its search for Head Writers, Series Writers and Script Editors, who relish the opportunity of working on one of the biggest African television series ever made.
“We are looking for experienced, imaginative and creative script writers, who are masters of suspense and intrigue,” said Director, Scripted Programming Quinty Pillay.
Pillay noted that the writers must be familiar with the Desperate Housewives show, and the cultures and traditions of Africa, particularly Nigeria. She enjoined interested writers to visit www.ebonylifetv.com for details. Entries in all categories, she said, will close on December 1, after which search for actors will commence.
Launched five months ago, the channel plans to produce over 1,000 hours of original, homegrown and premium entertainment content annually, broadcasting same to over 44 African countries on Channel 165, DStv.
With rollout plans for UK, US, Canada and other parts of Europe, the acquisition of Desperate Housewives, a world-famous format, reinforces the mission of the channel to create inspiring content with an African soul for the global black audience.
Disney Media Distribution EMEA last month announced plans for a co-production of the iconic hit series with EbonyLife TV, bringing a new take on the series’ darkly comedic view of suburbia to African audiences. The Desperate Housewives Africa series, Pillay said, will be filmed mainly in Nigeria and is expected to begin airing by mid-2014.
“The Nigerian series will feature an African cast of new emerging and established talents and will be filmed on location in Lagos at a site that has been identified as Africa’s own ‘Wisteria Lane’.”
She noted that production will closely follow the format and storylines of the original American version, with a uniquely Nigerian flavour. And to ensure the series retains its international appeal but with an African soul, EbonyLife TV will be working with DO.ii designs and Agatha Interiors on furniture design for the Desperate Housewives Africa sets.
The original Desperate Housewives won both the 2005 and 2006 Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, and was created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios. The series is broadcast in more than 200 territories around the world, where it has been one of the most popular United States TV shows in recent history with its eighth and final series concluding in 2012.
