Insidus

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Saturday, February 4, 2023

The River And Lingashoni's Cancellation Leads Fans To Believe 1Magic Is Shutting Down

During the week, it was reported across social platforms that 1Magic would be bidding farewell to one of their only relevant shows on the channel The River with its sixth and final season scheduled to air this week and continue on through February 2024.

Prior to that Lingashoni is expected to bow down on the channel by March 2023 with a new show (not a telenovela) expected to take it's place once the show finishes it's run on 1Magic.

1Magic is a brand M-Net conceived back in 2019 as a replacement for VUZU AMP which was once known as M-Net Series Reality within a 20 year period. The idea was to give consumers on the top rated package and Mzansi Magic a run for its money with the above-mentioned shows.

It even featured other shows VUZU AMP would have aired like Power, The Real Housewives, The Originals, Grown Woman and Basketball Wives.

DStv:
- Boomerang might be first channel to exit the DStv platform in 2023
- MultiChoice shares crytpic message about eMedia's 4 channels
- MultiChoice and eMedia Investments gets roasted over load shedding plans
- BBC to close linear channels and move to an internet only digital future

Since launch, several media outlets have criticized 1Magic some for treating Mzansi Magic like second class while as the others turn to the brand's former incarnates as mentioned above seeing as M-Net struggled to retain a channel.

Mzansi Magic is a brand that knows what it wants to be, there was never any problems with its viewers same goes for most Magic brands even kykNET was implemented perfectly unlike 1Magic.

As The River draws to a close with news of a replacement nowhere in site. M-Net plans to funnel the channel with short form series and reality shows once Lingashoni ends and by that logic it's possible the same fate awaits The River that is if the channel is around by then.

Considering how this channel had only been drooling over Lindiwe. There's chances these endeavours will backfire I mean if The River started getting more attention when it broadcast on Mzansi Magic what a chances these shows won't do the same.

Honestly, it makes more sense to scrap 1Magic as M-Net will be needing the international content to build up their offering with streamers like Disney+ and HBO Max taking away their content. On top of Mzansi Magic transmitting most of their local stuff a few days later.

DStv Flex:
- Virtual Reality offers a new opportunity for African filmmakers
- Ratings for DStv from December 2022
- Big Cat Sunday this February on National Geographic Wild
- CBS Reality acquired rights to Killer's Caught On Camera

If the goal is to deploy a competitor for the premium component to Mzansi Magic wouldn't it make more sense to source out a third party instead of auctioning out this channel's shows as premium only for them to be second hand when viewed on Compact.

These endeavours coming to 1Magic aren't guaranteed to have a huge following as seen through TAMS you have programs like The River and Lingashoni dominating DStv's viewership but only with Mzansi Magic and Wethu making them the ideal candidate to continue their legacy.

Roundups #138: Triggerfish Working On An Episode Of Star Wars: Visions, Giyani: Land Of Blood To Return With A Second Season On SABC 2 And The River Currently Viewed On 1Magic To End With A Sixth Season

SA's Triggerfish is going global

Animation fans should diarise May the 4th this year as this is when the second instalment in Disney’s animated anthology, Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 lands. While we’re already excited to see what the different studios have created this time around, Volume 2 is of greater significance as South African animation house Triggerfish will be helming one of the episodes.

Disney+ and Lucasfilm announced that the second volume of the animated anthology series will premiere May 4, 2023, a.k.a. Star Wars Day, exclusively on Disney+. Volume 2, building on the Emmy Award-nominated first run of Star Wars: Visions in 2021, will feature nine new shorts from nine studios from around the globe; the shorts promise to feature unique animation styles from a variety of countries and cultures, depicting each filmmaker’s specific vision of the Star Wars galaxy,” Disney explained in a blog post.

With Triggerfish working on an episode, this hopefully means that local Disney+ subscribers will be to access Volume 2 at the same time as its international counterparts, as this was not the case initially when the streaming service rolled out in SA.

As for the episode itself, it is titled Aau’s Song, but it is unclear what direction the studio is taking with the story. Hopefully it leans on an African influence, like much of the studio’s previous content has. Either way, we are excited to see what it showcases.

Regular Nick:
- Cartoonito to get a dedicated channel in France
- Da Vinci Kids plans co-viewing future
- PBS Kids has yet to rollout the new logo in other countries
- Disney renews 3 adult animated series through 2025

SABC 2 welcomes back a fan-favourite series from February 6th

"Giyani – Land of Blood explores powerful, emotive and clear themes about land and answers the questions: who the rightful owner of the land is, who has the right to exploit the land," a press statement reads. "All these thematic views are infused with all the captivating backdrops of a classical telenovela – two warring families, a secret past and a forbidden love story between Khensani Mudau (now played by Mahlatsi Mokoena) and Musa Baloyi."

This season sees the introduction of the Khoza family, headed by successful lawyer Solani Khoza (played by Lesley Musina) and his former promo girl turned club manager wife Pele (played by Bokang Phelane). Zigi Ndlovu (as Dzovo) joins as Solani's son and Khensani's new love interest.

Reprising their roles are Rami Chuene (as Manoko), who continues with her manipulation and criminal activities and Ndivhuho Mutsila (as Richard), Linah Ngcobo (as Mhani Tsani), Noel Baloyi (as Mahlori) alongside Fumani Shilubana (as Vukosi) and Maduvha Madima (as Shoni).

"Season 3 is about coming full circle on these themes of the series, and secrets will be exposed. This season embarks on the show's final odyssey with a world that has expanded and changed – the banana plantation has been replaced by the game lodge, which Manoko continues to pillage, while the villagers remain marginalized and living in poverty on their supposed own land."

1Magic bids farewell to the only relevant show on the channel

1Magic’s most-watched telenovela The River is ending after six seasons on South African television. Co-creator Phathu Makwarela from Tshedza Pictures production confirmed the show is ending on social media yesterday.

This is after the departures of actors Tango Ncetezo, who played Paulina since season one, and multi-award-winning actor Lawrence Maleka and Hlomla Dandala, who played Zolani and Zweli respectively.

Shirley Adonisi, who is the director of local entertainment channels at Mnet confirmed the telenovela is ending after six seasons.

“At M-Net local entertainment channels we would like to extend our most sincere gratitude to the cast and crew of The River for a memorable five years. Their hard work, dedication, and brilliance have led to the telenovela’s success. The final season is going to be the show’s most epic one yet. The drama will be bigger and better, setting the stage for the ultimate finale.”

Friday, February 3, 2023

Boomerang Africa Also Rumoured To Be Replaced With Cartoonito By Early 2023

During the week, it was reported Warner Bros. Discovery in France would be rolling out a dedicated preschool channel, Cartoonito which currently runs a programming block on various Cartoon Network and Boomerang channels.

Prior to that, some parts of Europe have already confirmed the distribution of Cartoonito by March with Warner Bros. Discovery in Africa remaining silent with the recent developments that have been seen across the world.

For several months, Cartoonito has been increasing its stake on the channel while as Boomerang continues funneling their schedule with more preschool based shows like The Adventures Of Little Penguin and Legend Of Spark.

Insidus Games:
- Buzz Lightyear Star Command
- Pink Panther: Pinkadelic Pursuit
- Spider-Man Toxic City
- Baby Felix Halloween

It was no later than late January where the lineup of both Cartoonito and Boomerang collided when Masha And The Bear and Grizzy And The Lemmings were slotted in the programming block while as being made available outside of the block.

It further boosted speculation for the Cartoonito Channel's presence in the African market as shows like the above-mentioned alongside Batwheels and Interstellar Ella were all confirmed to rollout on Boomerang later in the year.

In a recent press siting where visuals are provided for brands like TNT, Cartoon Network and Boomerang. Several posters came in Looney Tunes Cartoons and Thomas And Friends both of which are now labelled as Cartoonito.

Take to account, programming blocks are only labelled under their respective brand which in this case happens to be Boomerang as seen previously.

If this happens to be accurate, it means Cartoonito might have a chance to rollout no later than March as seen in Central Eastern Europe which consists of Poland, Hungary, Denmark, Romania and several others or April like France as the material in question is for this month.

The sources in charge of providing visuals also took the time to unveil details regarding upcoming attractions for TNT and Cartoon Network but remain silent on anything regarding Boomerang as the recent sitings now label the brand's recent batch of content Cartoonito.

Regular Nick:
- Da Vinci Kids plans co-viewing future
- PBS Kids has yet to rollout the new logo in other countries
- Disney renews 3 adult animated series through 2025
- CoComelon to get yet another spinoff

Primetime On eExtra Takes Another Plunge With A Rebroadcast Of Kurt En Shura

In the start of 2023, eMedia Investments has been reducing the primetime offering for their eExtra channel starting off with weekends which gave audiences more alternatives with the likes of Sisterhood, Impak and Kruispad axed and merged onto the weekday lineup.

With Afrikaans movies retaining its timeslot every Saturday at 8pm a similar move eExtra's sister channel e.tv made with Sunday Night Movies returned to 8pm as the viewership took a toll for the worst with Kuiertyd Premium serving only a catch-up to other programs.

During the week, a fan asked of what's to become of the timeslot currently used by the Brazilian soap opera, Orphan Of A Nation and the answer is not what we anticipated for the brand at all, Kurt En Shura.

Openview Plus:
- Ratings for SABC 1-3 and e.tv for December 2022
- e.tv to rollout a rebroadcast of Die Put
- eExtra scrapped the launch of 4 telenovelas
- Verdeelde Liefde to return with a second season on eExtra

Introduced back in 2021 as an eVOD exclusive and 2020 on Timeless Dizi Channel, Kurt En Shura follows the love story of Kurt Seyit, an army major, and Shura, a Russian woman. A madly intense whirlwind drama about love, betrayal, friendship, and hope.

It stars Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ, Farah Zeynep Abdullah, Fahriye Evcen, Elçin Sangu, Ushan Çakır, Demet Özdemir and several others.

My hunch on why it was supplemented by a rebroadcast may have to do with the fact that not a lot of people were viewing at early timeslot and the other solely dealing with the fact eMedia wants to put more of an emphasis into the other aspects of their lineup.

eMedia Investments:
- SABC+ Vs. eVOD: The Consequence Of Free-To-View Television
- MultiChoice and eMedia Investments plan to combat load shedding get a lot of attention
- Ultraview Pride and Ultraview Indian coming soon to Openview
- Could SABC be unveiling another two channels for Openview Ultra?

I mean is it shocking that we're getting Kuiertyd repeats on eExtra despite the existence of ePlesier not really what's more shocking has to do with the timeslot allocation.

Kurt En Shura is expected to air this Valentine's Day which kind of makes the best compliment to that occasion only for it to end in about 3 months.

Cartoonito To Get A Dedicated Channel In France By April 2023

Already established in many territories, its arrival in France responds to the overall strategy of Warner Bros. Discovery to address a new target called “preschool”: girls and boys from 3 to 6 years old. It thus completes the kids portfolio in France already made up of Boomerang and Cartoon Network.

Cartoonito is the best place to laugh and to discover. Batwheels, Bugs Bunny Builder, Lucas the Spider, Interstellar Ella...the heroes amazing chain train kids ages 3 to 6 years in their adventures and encourage them to be curious, to have fun and to be themselves!

Cartoonito, these are new programs and quality, original creations and shows from of Warner's legendary franchises tailored to younger. In an ultra creative, modern, funny and always benevolent, Cartoonito offers the little ones great stories to discover and open up to world around them.

Insidus Games:
- Buzz Lightyear Star Command
- Pink Panther: Pinkadelic Pursuit
- Spider-Man Toxic City
- Baby Felix Halloween

The quality of content and the values conveyed correspond perfectly to the expectations of parents to see their children entertained, discover new things and thrive in a caring environment."

Cartoonito will be available from Monday, April 3 in linear and in SVOD in France at Orange, Free, SFR, Bouygues, Molotov and Prime Video via the Pass Warner, in Belgium with Voo, in Switzerland with Swisscom and UPC/Sunrise.

Warner Press Contact Bros. Discovery Kids France Elise Groothaerdt.

I am very proud that in this year when we celebrating 100 years of Warner Bros. we show our commitment to our youngest public by launching Cartoonito in the EMEA region. In celebrating individuality and originality, Cartoonito offers a safe space where children and their families can laugh and learn alongside characters beloved. We are delighted to introduce a new generation of original productions and to welcome them into the world of iconic IPs from Warner Bros. Discovery pwith adaptations modern versions of fan-favorite franchises like Batwheels and Bugs Bunny Builders.

Prior to its launch in France, it was already confirmed a linear component would rollout in Central Eastern Europe by next month in place of Boomerang. Of course, WBD in Africa remains silent about the latest developments seen internationally.

It wouldn't be far fetched if EMEA took a similar route as Latin America and already mentioned Central Eastern Europe as Boomerang's remaining offering loses more hours to the rise in preschool programming which since 2021 has been regarded as Cartoonito.

On top of soon to be launched dedicated website for Cartoonito, most of the announced upcoming attractions for Boomerang at the MultiChoice Showcase in 2022 such as Interstellar Ella and Batwheels are launching on Cartoonito elsewhere.

Why SWITCH'D On Channel 110 Doesn't Offer Rebroadcasts To kykNET's Primetime Series?

Last month, eMedia Investments had MultiChoice unveiled a batch of pop-up channels which serve as a linear catch-up service to some of their primetime offering while eMedia only runs 1 channel Power Up with MultiChoice SWITCH'D ON comes as two components.

The first SWITCH'D is accessible to DStv Premium, Compact+ and Compact consumers on channel 109 incorporates the best of Mzansi Magic and kykNET & Kie which consists of Gomora, In Die Ysterhand Se Greep, Arendsvlei, Kind Van Die Noodlot, The River and so forth.

The second SWITCH'D is accessible to lower mass consumers particularly Family and Access package on channel 110. The channel incorporates the best of Mzansi Wethu and Mzansi Bioskop with content like The Queen, The River, Lingashoni and Isibaya.

Since launch, the channels were met with mixed reviews particularly for the second SWITCH'D channel as the pay-tv holder opted to only bundle Mzansi Magic's sister channels and exclude kykNET from the offering while as the first incorporates both brands.

DStv Flex:
- Ratings for DStv from December 2022
- What to expect this February on TNT?
- Big Cat Sunday this February on National Geographic Wild
- CBS Reality acquired rights to Killer's Caught On Camera

Why kykNET is not available on channel 110?

The answer is simple MultiChoice offers two versions of kykNET one which is kykNET & Kie is accessible on the Family bouquet alongside Compact, Compact+ and Premium while the other kykNET Lekker can only be viewed on Access.

Taking that to account, both brands are at different stages with various shows take for instance Kind Van Die Noodlot which is halfway through its second season on kykNET & Kie while as the first season recently launched on kykNET Lekker.

Same goes for most of the offering including Arendsvlei, Binnelanders, Getroud Met Rugby, Suidooster and several others.

Why channel 109 is not accessible on the Family bouquet?

Kind of related to the whole reason channel 110 doesn't supply kykNET, Mzansi Magic. The channel offers the latest seasons to various local productions to which the Family bouquet can only view in the coming future so MultiChoice doesn't want to go off spoiling anything.

Thoughts:

Do viewers really need to schedule what's on the screen especially with the power outages I mean wouldn't it make more sense to launch an On Demand service in the menu bar in order to watch these shows at anytime.

Now a week's worth of episodes will be going down the drain because of Eskom and the fact that the population is too busy in their personal lives to keep tabs on daytime repeats.

DStv:
- MultiChoice shares crytpic message about eMedia's 4 channels
- MultiChoice and eMedia Investments gets roasted over load shedding plans
- BBC to close linear channels and move to an internet only digital future
- kykNET Lekker Opened To More DStv Customers For A Limited Time

New Series Alert: Queen Of The Night And How Do I Say This? Coming Soon To Timeless Dizi Channel And Zee World Respectively

Timeless Dizi Channel, a Turkish entertainment channel owned by Canal+ SPI International and Zee World a Bollywood based entertainment channel owned by ZEE unveil respective new series Queen Of The Night (Gecenin Kraliçesi) and How Do I Say This? (Ki Kore Bolbo Tomay).

Queen Of The Night tells the story of Kartal an orphan who is raised by Aziz the man who killed his father. Kartal married Aziz's daughter Esra but falls to Selin and feels obligated to leaves her.

The series ensembles the cast of Meryem Uzerli, Murat Yildirim, Ugur Polat, Funda Eryigit, Selim Bayraktar, Deniz Celiloglu, Burak Deniz, Seda Akman and several others.

How Do I Say This? follows Radhika, a budding fashion designer abandoned by her lover a night before their wedding. Eventually, she develops a close bond with the owner of an apparel company, Virat.

DStv Flex:
- What to expect this February on TNT?
- Big Cat Sunday this February on National Geographic Wild
- CBS Reality acquired rights to Killer's Caught On Camera
- Trafficked With Mariana Van Zeller returns for a third season on National Geographic

The series ensembles the cast of Krushal Ahuja, Swastika Dutta, Rahul Dev Bose, Manosi Sengupta, Uday Pratap Singh, Sanghasri Sinha Mitra, Tanushree Bhattacharya Bose and several others.

Queen Of The Night currently has a 5.6 rating out of 10 stars amongst 500 consumers on IDMB while as How Do I Say This? has a whopping 7.8 rating of 10 stars.

Both series are expected to rollout in the coming week Queen Of The Night by the 7th internationally on Timeless Dizi Channel while as How Do I Say This? by the 9th of February on Zee World.

Everyday Novelas:
- Nurses returns for a season 3
- The origin story of Forbidden Passion
- New Series Alert: eMedia Investments Acquired Broadcasting Rights To Turkish Romcom, Aşk Mantık İntikam
- Close To My Heart coming soon to Star Life

Virtual Reality Offers A Huge Opportunity For African Filmmakers

Africa has a habit of leapfrogging technological hurdles and coming out ahead of countries considered more developed – look at our adoption of mobile phone payments, mobile payments and internet connectivity solutions. We lead in proptech, we’re drawing massive investment in fintech and medtech solutions developed on the continent are being rolled out across the world.

Virtual Tech, Real Applications

While Virtual Reality (VR) is still a novelty technology in much of the rest of the world, it is flourishing in Africa in the gaming, healthcare, mining, advertising and property industries and is being explored as a tool in education. The expansion of the tech will create its own value chain, which will help filmmakers transition more easily into VR production – giving our own storytellers the opportunity to innovate, dream, think and push boundaries on their own terms.

Africa has the opportunity to combine it with our own compelling stories and storytelling methods to position ourselves as leaders in its use. VR offers filmmakers the opportunity to make films in new ways, since immersion is a given. Harnessing the tech effectively will help develop the African storytelling narrative, giving our filmmakers ownership over both production and consumption and ensuring that our stories are told, our way.

Removing Cost Barriers

The rapid decline in cost of VR technology – both to produce and view films – gives African filmmakers an incredible opportunity too. As it becomes cheaper for consumers to adopt VR tech, it opens up immersive content consumption opportunities for anyone who has a headset and a compatible mobile phone – reducing filmmakers’ reliance on expensive cinema set-ups and the cost of encoding films to operate on the tech. Indeed, with piracy a rampant problem across the continent, delivering films directly to users without an intermediary has huge positive financial implications for filmmakers and producers.

The ability to use the same platforms and distribution methods levels the international filmmaking playing field, going some way toward levelling financial obstacles and giving the heart of filmmaking – the power of the story – a chance to shine. Since storytelling has been at the heart of African culture since the continent birthed the human race, we have a chance to lead by combining the available tech and our skills as storytellers.

VR at this year’s JFF

Four VR films are being showcased at JFF this year – two from South Africa and one each from the US and Taiwan – as part of the Exploring VR Experience.

Azibuye – The Occupation (South Africa) is a VR / 360 degree which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2020. Container makes visible the ‘invisiblised’ bodies enabling our consumer society, confronting slavery through an ever-transforming shipping container, the past becomes the present, the invisible become visible. Meta’s The Soloist is a ground-breaking two part series following mountaineer Alex Honnold’s soloing adventures through the US and into the Alps. The Man Who Couldn't Leave integrates the stories of numerous political victims of Taiwan’s ‘White Terror’, told through the form of an undelivered family letter.

The Joburg Film Festival (JFF) kicks off across Jo’burg on 31 January, showcasing some of the finest films from over 35 countries across the globe, including 20 African premieres and 27 South African premieres, until 5 February.