It is good to know that some leaders of the film and TV industry realise that as much as we are impressed by international movies and TV series, we still long for our own material.
Nothing quite does it like locally made content, despite budget constraints. Mzansi Magic gambled with the Lokshin Bioskop Series and it paid off.
Many short films were shot and people responded very well to them, despite the low quality.
Joining the bandwagon of these storytellers is comedian David Kau (pictured), who is producing the new series, Taxi Ride.
As some may know, Kau first got the nod from Mzansi Magic viewers when he produced the movie, Taxi Ride, which we saw on the channel last year.
After its success, the funnyman sat down to create another part of the same story to cash in on an already established market.
“In the movie we were introduced to the characters, but we didn’t know anything about their dynamic backgrounds.
“In the series we have more time to get to know them better, and we see what their lives entail away from the taxi rank.”
Expanding the story means spending more time with each character, hence the format has been changed from full-length movie to a series.
“We have a storyline that runs throughout the five episodes, in which the two taxi drivers – Dlamini (played by Skhumba Hlophe) and Bhakabhaka (played by Sifiso Nene) – are trying to start an airline.”
As those who watched the film remember, Dlamini and Bhakabhaka were interesting characters, who had insane dreams.
Here we are brought closer to their plotting how to make those dreams a reality – with interesting results, of course.
Those who enjoyed the character of Shampoo will be interested to know that he has more in store from what we know already.
Then the Chuenes, who were falling apart in the film, attempt to fix their relationship for the sake of the children.
“My personal highlight while working on this production will have to be witnessing how talented people with no television experience are,” Kau said.
“These individuals gave the best performances ever.
“There’s definitely no shortage of new characters that people will love and definitely want to see again, with the usual suspects that viewers met in the movie, Shampoo and Elpheous.”
The homegrown entertainment bioscope is divided into two, with Lokshin Bioskop Movies on Mondays and Lokshin Bioskop Series on Tuesdays at 9pm.
Other titles to look out for this week include The Right (tonight at 9pm), which is a film that questions polygamy in our society today.
It also takes an interesting look at interracial relations in South Africa.
On Wednesday there is a back-to-back double bill Long Drop (9pm) and Mamu and Ngema (10pm).
In Long Drop, we meet a young boy whose quest is to change his family’s standard of living, starting with the outhouse.
Mamu and Ngema is more paced, with two friends fleeing loan sharks.
Then on Saturday there is Mogodu Wars (7pm), which is about a former saleslady who tries to start a street kitchen after being retrenched. Her only problem is that she enters a saturated market.