The third Royalty Soapie Awards aim to be bigger and better than the last two events.
“When we started, there were only about 16 productions, and now it’s over 20 productions that are on television; the industry is growing. This is why we started them.
“When people are motivated, writers want to write and there’s competition, and actors get more jobs,” said founder Winnie Ntshaba, explaining the awards had taken a two-year hiatus so the team could go back to the drawing board to see how they could improve.
“Initially we wanted to have the awards because I thought as an actor, we are not being celebrated. Soapies are the most watched television shows, but there is not enough recognition and celebration. It’s about finding a solution where there is a problem.”
Ntshaba said that ultimately the awards were about promoting a buzz in the industry. Preparation for the event, which takes place on March 17 at the Durban ICC, is well under way.
“The beautiful thing is that now, with the two-year gap, we were able to look at whether the awards were necessary. We did market research and we felt they were needed.”
Ntshaba said the plan was not for the awards to be a one-day event.
“It must benefit the community in some way, so we started the Royalty Soapie Foundation, which will roll out from April next year. Like Miss SA, for example, it will be a whole year of doing charity work and providing acting-industry skills through a development programme that focuses on the technical side of the business,” said Ntshaba. The foundation will act as the social responsibility beneficiary for the ceremony.
The former Generations star said it was important to teach rising talent from marginalised communities and rural areas about the film and television sector.
“A lot of people think it’s just about being in front of the television and being a celebrity. The business of the arts, where the money is, is behind the scenes, and people don’t know that this is available to them.”
Ntshaba said the foundation would focus on underprivileged communities and have professionals from five fields in the industry to share their skills.
“For now, it will be just five - writing, acting, camera, directing and production. So in the end, it is an intensive programme that will run in each district. We are busy with the groundwork for the syllabus and research right now.”
Ntshaba said this was part of the plan to take ownership of the industry. “We saw the gap and realised we needed to make an impact in the communities - the people who watch the soapies. We are an industry rich in culture and we need to tell our stories.”
Nomination is now open for the Royalty Soapie Awards. Entries opened last week and will close on November 30. Soapies which were aired between August 1, 2016 and August 30 this year are eligible. For more information on rules, visit www.royaltysa.com