Amazon Prime Video drops South African PR firm as part of cutbacks.

by Thinus Ferreira

Amazon Prime Video has also ended its contract with its South African PR firm Ten x Collective which will no longer do any publicity work for Amazon MGM Studios' content after this month.

The end of the contract with Ten x Collective is part of Amazon turning off its money tap for the creation of local African content that included the abrupt axing of all further African original productions in South Africa and Nigeria, the retrenchment of its content teams and executives in both countries and cancelling development deals with producers.

The conclusion of its contract with a local PR firm raises fears that Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Prime Video will no longer bother to have a local PR presence in South Africa to promote any of its content through the press.

It would unbundle all the work in media relationship building that Amazon has done over the past two years to get coverage and exposure for what was its growing slate of African Originals and global series.

Stephen Barber, head of PR for Amazon in the UK, didn't respond to a media query about the streamer dropping Ten x Collective and media concerns about it.

Last month Amazon Prime Video abruptly retrenched multiple content executives and staff it lured to join its video streaming service in Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa and in Nigeria, based in London, after it rapidly ramped up plans over the past two years to create, produce and roll-out localised African Prime Video Originals.

Upset producers in South Africa and Nigeria said Amazon lured them with production promises that turned out to be fake, and that they feel duped over "promises were made and not kept".

Amazon Prime Video has drastically reigned in its content spend in Africa and on African original content as part of the streamer's global realignment that is also having a negative impact on what was its content budget for Africa.

The media launch event for LOL: Laugh Out Loud South Africa earlier this month for Amazon's streamer held at The Galleria in Sandton, Johannesburg is also its last, as well as the last for the PR company on behalf of Amazon.

LOL: Laugh Out Loud South Africa with host Trevor Noah, produced by Rapid Blue, was Amazon's first South African unscripted series but has the distinction of now also its last South African unscripted original. 

One of the attendees at the media event said "there were a lot of sad and emotional people" with "an undercurrent of depression" since a lot of people talked about Amazon shutting down local content production.

Lisa Pellatt, founder and director of Ten x Collective confirmed that Amazon had ended its PR contract.

"TxC is contracted to work with Prime Video until the end of February 2024, there has been no abrupt ending – everything has followed procedure. We unfortunately can’t comment on how other people felt at the event – we only received positive feedback about a wonderful evening and fun had by all."

During its expansion into South Africa, Amazon Prime Video made use of Gillian Gamsey International Communications (GGIC) in 2022 and then switched to Ten x Collective a year ago in February 2023.

ALSO READ: Amazon slashing content funding for Prime Video Africa, retrenching staff including Prime Video Africa director Gideon Khobane with no new South African series or films to be commissioned.

ALSO READ: 'Promises were made and not kept' and 'a very sad day for the industry': South African producers devastated and dismayed in Amazon Prime Video Africa over canning original content creation.

ALSO READ: EbonyLife's Mo Abudu slams Amazon for axing African originals: 'shows a lack of respect for our continent'.

EbonyLife's Mo Abudu slams Amazon for axing African originals: 'shows a lack of respect for our continent'.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Nigerian producer and CEO of EbonyLife Group, Mo Abudu, is slamming Amazon Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios saying it shows "a lack of respect for our continent" after Amazon's shock decision to cull its Nigerian and South African content teams  and to abruptly cancel further African original content creation.

Amazon Prime Video has retrenched multiple content executives and staff it lured to join its video streaming service in Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa as for Nigeria, based in London, after it rapidly ramped up plans over the past two years to create, produce and roll-out localised African Prime Video Originals.

Gone is Gideon Khobane who officially joined Amazon Prime Video Africa 7 months ago in July 2023 as director of Prime Video Africa. The fate of other executives who all jumped from MultiChoice to join Amazon Prime Video in Africa is still unclear.

Amazon is not willing to confirm whether Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu (head of Nigerian originals), Kaye Ann Williams (head of scripted series and movies for South African originals), and Candice Fangueiro (head of planning and programming for Africa) have also been let go, although insiders said that is the case.

Stephen Barber, head of PR for Amazon in the UK, in response to a media query, said Amazon can't provide "names of team members who have left the company".

Meanwhile shocked and angry producers in Nigeria and South Africa who have been developing and producing content are furious with Amazon Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, saying "promises were made and not kept".

A longtime South African producer said Amazon "damaged producers' trust and trust in the streamer".

"Nobody will trust them when they come and present plans again in future about wanting local content. People sat through presentations in South Africa and Nigeria where Amazon laid out their plans and promised to be different; to do things better and differently. Turns out – not."  

While Amazon Prime Video is drastically reigning in content spend in Africa and on African original content, insiders said that Netflix as part of a global realignment has also quietly started to reign in its content budget for Africa. In contrast, MultiChoice has however massively ramped up content spending for its new Showmax done in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal's Peacock, which is rolling out from today in app stores as a new video streaming service.

For the relaunch of the new Showmax, MultiChoice has 21 Showmax Originals that will debut over the course of February to lure potential subscribers to the revamped streamer.

Meanwhile, Mo Abudu who has produced African content for Sony and Netflix over the past few years is slamming Amazon Prime Video for deserting Africa and reneging on promises to ramp up spending on African originals.

"In recent times, we have witnessed the unfortunate departure of several international organisations from Nigeria and Africa, some marked by press statements that have, regrettably, shown a lack of respect for our continent," Mo Abudu says.

"In the face of these challenges, it is imperative that we, as Nigerians and Africans, rise above and build our own infrastructure, creating and serving our markets with pride and resilience. I firmly believe in the potential within us, and in the face of challenges, see opportunities for growth and self-reliance."

She's also praising video streamers and global players who have decided to stay in Africa and continue to invest in Africa's film and TV industry.

"To the international organisations that recognise our worth, we extend our heartfelt appreciation. Your decision to stay, partner, and collaborate with us is a testament to the shared commitment to not only growing the continent today but also for the generations that will follow."

"Let us embrace the challenges, celebrate the opportunities, and collectively contribute to the thriving and resilient future of our beloved continent. With hope and determination, we move!"

ALSO READ: Amazon slashing content funding for Prime Video Africa, retrenching staff including Prime Video Africa director Gideon Khobane with no new South African series or films to be commissioned.

ALSO READ: 'Promises were made and not kept' and 'a very sad day for the industry': South African producers devastated and dismayed in Amazon Prime Video Africa over canning original content creation.

ALSO READ: Amazon cutting hundreds of staff at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.

Amazon Studios commissions Nigerian travelogue reality series Ebuka Turns Up Africa with Ebuka Obi-Uchendu produced by Rapid Blue.

by Thinus Ferreira

Amazon Studios has commissioned another original African series, Ebuka Turns Up Africa, from Nigeria, as a travelogue reality show which will debut on the video streaming service in 2024.

In Ebuka Turns Up Africa, an Amazon Prime Video Original, the Nigerian Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, together with Timini Egbuson, Zubby Michael, Jimmie Akinsola, Onoja Adole, and Alistair Englebert Preston travel through Africa "uncovering hidden treasures and testing loyalties and friendships".

Ebuka Turns Up Africa is part of Amazon Studios growing slate of content put in production and acquired from the African continent and is produced by South Africa's Rapid Blue Productions Nigeria, an offshoot of Rapid Blue in South Africa, with Ziyanda Ngcaba and Erika Klopper as the co-executive producers.

The new Nigerian series follows after the disappointing and little-publicised Gangs of Lagos which finally made its debut earlier this year with very little fanfare or media traction as the first Amazon Original film from Africa.

Amazon Studios is also doing a format version of LOL: Last One Laughing Naija, along with a South African version of LOL with Trevor Noah as host.

In a press release, Amazon Studios says "Ebuka Turns Up Africa is a captivating showcase of camaraderie and adventure, as Ebuka undertakes the journey of a lifetime with his guys", describing the upcoming show as "a compelling series that not only transcends borders but reveals the men behind their celebrity personas".

"As our all-star cast ignites their spirit of exploration, personalities clash and tempers flare in a journey across the continent that isn't always smooth sailing."

"The adventure will take the team of intrepid travellers through a variety of experiences, from exploring Africa's most desirable destinations to delving into daring, high-adrenaline activities. Friendships will be tested, as the guys discover the magic of unity."

The press release about Ebuka Turns Up Africa was shared with Africa's media after it was specifically asked for, and only after the show's existence was announced at a panel at 2023's MIPCOM in Cannes yesterday by Ned Mitchell, the head of originals for Amazon Prime Video for the Africa and Middle East region.

Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, head of Nigerian originals at Amazon Studios, was part of the MIPCOM panel with Ned Mitchell where the Ebuka Turns Up Africa announcement was made.

"This is Ebuka and Africa like you've never seen before!"exclaims Ned Mitchell in the press release.

"It's an invitation for audiences to immerse themselves in the heart and soul of Africa. Ebuka Turns Up Africa is a unique celebration of Africa, brought to life by Ebuka and his top squad."

In a prepared quote, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu states "This journey was not only an exciting exploration of Africa, it was an opportunity for audiences to see a different side of me and the guys. Whilst we had a huge amount of fun and plenty of laughs, there were also some pretty intense conflicts - it was one wild adventure!"

Gideon Khobane appointed as Amazon Prime Video Africa director.

by Thinus Ferreira

Gideon Khobane has officially joined Amazon Studios as director for Amazon Prime Video Africa as the latest pick-up from MultiChoice to defect to the video streaming service.

TVwithThinus reported in July 2022 that Gideon Khobane had left MultiChoice where he was group executive of general entertainment, and he has now officially joined Amazon Prime Video Africa after the restraint of trade period had lapsed.

At Amazon Prime Video Africa Gideon Khobane is tasked with growing the Amazon Prime Video streaming service across sub-Sahara Africa, especially in the two top markets South Africa and Nigeria.

Gideon Khobane who remains in South Africa, will be working with Amazon Prime's Africa Originals team, headed up by Ned Mitchell, the content acquisitions team headed up by Ayanna Lonian, and product teams.

According to Amazon Studios, Gideon Khobane "is tasked with helping to provide a world-class mix of original and exclusive TV series and movies for existing Amazon Prime Video members and to attract new customers in sub-Saharan Africa".

In his role, Gideo Khobane oversee the implementation of programming and marketing plans for Amazon Prime Video Africa's content offering spanning both global Amazon Originals as well as a planned growing slate of African Originals like the upcoming LOL: Last One Laughing South Africa with Trevor Noah as host.

Similar to Netflix Africa and Disney+, at Amazon Prime Africa Gideon Khobane joins a growing number of former MultiChoice and M-Net executives who've jumped from the traditional pay-TV operator's headquarters in Randburg, Johannesburg to the international streaming services which all have great ambitions and deep pockets to produce localised pan-African continent.

Gideon Khobane is now working with former MultiChoice West Africa boss Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu who is head of Nigerian Originals at Amazon Prime Video in London; former Showmax boss Candice Fangueiro who is head of planning and programming for Africa at Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios; and Kaye Ann Williams, former M-Net local content boss who now heads up scripted series and movies for South Africa at Amazon Prime Video. 

Besides MultiChoice's head of general entertainment Gideon Khobane previously also served as SuperSport CEO and M-Net channel director.

Questions loom over South Africa's Ukhozi FM flown to Nigeria by Amazon Prime Video in paid trip to suddenly promote rival video streamer's Gangs of Lagos to radio listeners.

by Thinus Ferreira

Several big questions have been raised over the bizarre relationship between South Africa's public broadcaster through its Ukhozi FM radio station, and the Amazon Prime Video streamer, after Ukhozi FM staff accepted and travelled to Nigeria in an all-expenses paid trip so that Ukhosi FM can promote a rival content service's Gangs of Lagos production to SABC radio listeners.

Over the past Easter long weekend, Amazon Prime Video in South Africa took Ukhozi FM - the SABC's Zulu radio station based in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal - to Lagos, Nigeria, for a multiday junket for Amazon Studio's Gangs of Lagos that had a red carpet premiere there.

Ukhozi FM as a Zulu radio station doesn't do dedicated TV and film coverage, doesn't have dedicated film reviewers as a specialist reporting beat on staff, didn't attend the South African public broadcaster's media launch in 2022 in Johannesburg of the organisation's own SABC+ video streaming service, and doesn't have any history of incisive, ongoing coverage of either Amazon Studios, Amazon Prime Video or Amazon Prime Video series or films.

Gangs of Lagos from filmmaker Jáde Osiberu, is Amazon Prime Video's first African Original film production, starring Tobi Bakre, Adesua Etomi and Iyabo Ojo.

Besides Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, head of Nigerian Originals at Amazon Prime Video in London who attended the junket on Lagos' Victoria Island, Ned Mitchell also flew in from Los Angeles who is Amazon Prime Video's head of originals for Africa and the Middle East.

Amazon Prime Video also had some social media influencers, including from South Africa, at the multiday launch.

The decision of Amazon Prime Video in South Africa to pay for Ukhozi FM to travel to Lagos to promote content of Amazon to listeners of a South African public broadcaster's radio station, raised eyebrows, and has led to multiple questions around why the SABC - which has its own SABC+ video streamer - is now suddenly fine with plugging and promoting a commercial rival's video streaming service.

Also unclear is whether the SABC and Ukhozi FM is henceforth going to be promoting other Amazon Prime Video content to SABC radio listeners, and what this relationship now is, and why it came about.

TVwithThinus asked the SABC why one of its radio stations in South Africa is suddenly covering a made-for-TV film from the TV and film industry in another country, and giving coverage and promotion to another streaming service which happens to be in competition with the SABC.

Mmoni Seapolelo, SABC spokesperson, in response to the media query, says that "Ukhozi FM has been invited by industry stakeholders to network and explore opportunities for the biggest radio brand in Africa. The station will also cover the movie as one of Africa's biggest productions".

The SABC didn't specify what these various opportunities are that were explored. It should be noted however that Gangs of Lagos is far from "one of Africa's biggest productions" as a stand-alone feature film.

The SABC admits that "It must be noted that Ukhozi FM did not incur any cost for this trip as it is paid for by the host". 

The SABC was also asked if Ukhozi FM is now going to do ongoing coverage of Amazon Prime Video's services and content for South African radio listeners, what the SABC makes of the coverage as part of promotion from a paid trip that the public broadcaster is doing for a private video streaming service, why the SABC and Ukhozi FM decided to work with Amazon Studios and Amazon Prime Video now, and if the SABC will also be promoting Amazon's other TV projects from now on.

The public broadcaster didn't provide specific answers to these questions.

Amazon Studios teaming up with Trevor Noah for LOL: Last One Laughing SA produced by Rapid Blue as the first Amazon South African Original series.

by Thinus Ferreira

Amazon Studios has roped in Trevor Noah for Amazon Prime Video's first South African Amazon Original series, with the comedian who will pit 10 comedians and entertainers against one another to see who wins R1 million for charity in LOL: Last One Laughing South Africa.

The first season of LOL: Last One Laughing SA will premiere on Amazon Prime Video in early 2024 with the video streaming service adapting its own LOL franchise for a South African version. 

Different versions already exist in more than 20 countries, including Nigeria which started production on the first season of LOL: Last One Laughing Nigeria last year with comedian Basketmouth as host.

LOL: Last One Laughing South Africa will be Amazon Studios' first South African Amazon Original series, greenlit as the streaming service continues to staff up its TV maker ranks in Cape Town with experienced executives who will eventually be responsible for commissioning an expanding slate of South African series and movies for a global audience.

Trevor Noah will record the six LOL: Last One Laughing episodes of 30 minutes each in South Africa, produced by South Africa's Rapid Blue which is well-versed in South African adaptations of format shows, in conjunction with his own Day Zero Productions.

The former host of The Daily Show on Paramount Global's Comedy Central has previously done stand-up specials for MultiChoice's Showmax streamer, as well as his Trevor Noah presents NationWild in 2018 for M-Net and Showmax in which he served as the host and showcased new upcoming South African comedians.

Trevor Noah has also done three comedy stand-up specials for Netflix so far: Son of Patricia, Afraid of the Dark and last year's I Wish I Would.

In LOL: Last One Laughing, Trevor Noah will pit 10 well-known South African comedians and entertainers against one another to see who can keep a straight face while simultaneously trying to make their opponents laugh. Anyone who laughs, loses. The grand prize is R1 million which will go to the first season winner's South African charity of choice.

"I'm excited to be back home to host Amazon Prime Video's first South African Original, LOL: Last One Laughing, and to have a chance to connect with my home audience," says Trevor Noah in a statement.

"I am equally delighted for the opportunity to be working alongside my fellow home-grown comedy stars on a show that not only entertains but gives back to the South African production and charity communities."

Ned Mitchell, Amazon Prime Video head of Africa and Middle East Originals, says "We are delighted to be announcing Trevor's momentous return home to South Africa as the host of Amazon Prime Video's first South African Original, LOL: Last One Laughing".

"Comedy, in all its forms, shines among South Africa's most valuable treasures. Together with an A-list roster of this country's incredible home-grown comedic talent competing for a great charitable cause, Trevor and Amazon Prime Video are demonstrating the depth of our shared ambition to invest and elevate the very best of South Africa for audiences locally and around the world."

Former M-Net exec Kaye Ann Williams now heading up Amazon Prime Video South Africa's scripted series and movies division.

by Thinus Ferreira

Kaye Ann Williams who was the head of M-Net's local productions and independent films is now the head of scripted series and movies at Amazon Prime Video in South Africa.

Kaye Ann Williams already exited M-Net in the latter part of 2022, jumping to Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios in Cape Town but MultiChoice made no statement at the time, and neither did Amazon Prime Video Africa issue any press announcement about her hiring.

Amazon Prime Video Africa's headhunting of Kaye Ann Williams and subsequent braindrain of MultiChoice is part of an ongoing trend of high-level MultiChoice staffers and executive who continue to jump to streaming services focused on the Africa and South African region - specifically Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Showmax.

The highly respected Kay Ann Williams joined Amazon Prime Video in October 2022 after 7 years at M-Net where she was commissioning editor and for the last five years of her tenure there, head of local productions.

Kaye Ann Williams joins Candice Fangueiro who jumped from MultiChoice's Showmax to Amazon Prime Video where she is now planning and programming senior manager for Africa since October 2022, with Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu as Amazon Prime Video's head of originals for Africa.   

Brendan Gabriel is now Amazon Studios' senior unscripted creative executive in South Africa, with Lala Akindoju who joined as senior movies creative executive, based in Nigeria. 

Amazon Prime Video signs 3-year production deal with Jáde Osiberu's Greoh Studios for Nigerian scripted series and films.

by Thinus Ferreira

Amazon Prime Video has signed another production output deal in Africa, this time with the Nigerian filmmaker Jáde Osiberu in a new three-year contract with her Greoh Studios to make original scripted TV series and feature films for the video streaming service. 

Jáde Osiberu is behind the new Amazon Original, Gang of Lagos, which will be released later this year as Amazon Prime Video's first Nigerial original.

"I am overjoyed with this collaboration and already feel like I'm part of the Prime Video and Amazon Studios family," says Jáde Osiberu in a statement.

"It will be an absolute pleasure to introduce Amazon Prime Video audiences to the most exciting talent and storylines Nigeria has to offer, and I'm looking forward to continuing to help elevate Nigerian stories on a global scale."

Ned Mitchell, head of African and Middle East Originals at Amazon Studios and Amazon Prime Video, says "Collaborating with visionary and respected talent is foundational to delivering a curated and elevated slate of Originals for our local audiences in Nigeria".

"It is a joy to announce our collaboration with Jáde Osiberu in a deal that is the first of its kind for us in Africa. We are constantly delighted by Jáde’s talent for weaving her visual magic and voice into heart-stopping storytelling and characters that sear into our memories, and together we will create authentically African hits for our Prime Video customers worldwide."

In January this year Amazon Prime Video signed an output deal with Nigeria's Anthill Studios as its second Nigerian content licensing agreement, following a contract with Nigeria's Inkblot Productions in December 2021 as Amazon's first with any Africa production company.

Amazon Prime Video and rival streamer Netflix Africa are scouring the African continent to sew up output deals with production companies and talent, with Netflix also continuing to commission localised series in primarily South Africa and Nigeria.

MultiChoice's streamer Showmax is also focused on ramping up local content for its service, primarily focusing on South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya as MultiChoice's three biggest market across the African continent, and now also starting to move into Ghana.

RINGS OF POWER MOVE. In a first-ever and signalling its expanding marketing efforts, Amazon Prime Video South Africa joins the 'watch party' publicity circuit with a cinema preview screening and exclusive watch party for The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power.

by Thinus Ferreira

For the first time ever Amazon Prime Video held a preview screening in South Africa ahead of the debut of one of the streaming service's new shows - The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

The power move signals a dual intent about both the importance and big marketing push Amazon is putting behind the show, as well as the rising prominence of the country as a territory and a place where Amazon means serious business.

While Amazon previously bought some billboard space over the past two years in South Africa for general outdoor advertising and to promote specific content on Amazon Prime Video, the advertising billboards and lamppost billboards seen across Johannesburg for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is on a whole new level for the streamer in terms of ad spent as it tries to entice viewers to watch a show.

In addition to the cinema screening as an Amazon Prime Video SA first for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in Johannesburg, the streamer also held a champagne-filled watch party - also a first-ever from Amazon Prime Video in South Africa for a TV show.

On Wednesday 31 August, just before the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power made their debut on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon in South Africa held an exclusive screening at the Nu Metro cinema in Hyde Park, Johannesburg - a switch to a bigger venue from The Convention Lounge at The Saxon as the originally envisaged venue.

This cinema screening, similar to exclusive preview cinema screenings which were held in other countries, was followed up by an exclusive watch party in Johannesburg for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - complete with cobalt-coloured flute glasses.

It's the first time in South Africa that Amazon Prime Video did an in-person screening of a new series, similar to what Netflix South Africa has been doing for a while, MultiChoice's streamer Showmax has done a few times in the past, and what local and international TV channels like M-Net, e.tv, BBC Studios Africa and others have been doing for some of their local productions (and even international acquisitions) over the past two decades.

Gillian Gamsey International South Africa (GGISA), the public relations firm in Johannesburg repping Amazon Prime Video in South Africa, didn't respond to questions in a media query made three weeks ago on 25 August for the first time as to why Amazon decided to do a screening and media watch party for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in South Africa, but its evident that now having joined the "watch party" publicity track, Amazon will be doing more of it - and more regularly in future.

Although there's been no answer from Amazon as to why it matters to the company to have a growing presence in South Africa, it is clear that Amazon is notably upping its marketing spend in conjunction with a string of new job offers and appointments specifically for Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Studios to produced localised content in South Africa and Nigeria.

MultiChoice Africa and M-Net West Africa lost Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu who jumped to Amazon to become head of Nigerian originals, Candice Fangueiro jumped from MultiChoice's Showmax where she was content boss to Amazon Studios for Africa, with the SABC's former TV channels PR Zandile Nkonyeni who has resurfaced as the head fo PR for Amazon Prime Video Africa based in Cape Town.

Meanwhile, consumers and the media are noticing Amazon Prime Video billboards for The Terminal List and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, with executives from traditional pay-TV companies like MultiChoice who've said they've felt somewhat upset and disturbed to land back in South Africa after overseas trips and having the first thing they're seeing being billboards at O.R. Tambo airport for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video content.

Amazon Prime Video isn't just expanding its playbox space in the physical world in South Africa.

The streamer is also growing its presence on social media - something else Amazon has been advertising new positions for, based in South Africa.

Amazon Prime Video's Instagram account at @amazonprimevideoza is churning out new content for followers, and while the streamer didn't respond to questions about this, it once again underscores Amazon's ramped-up approach and serious intention to start to leverage social media to help drive potential viewers and subscribers to sample its content and to use Amazon Prime Video. 

What has South African consumers' response been to Prime Video so far since it became accessible in South Africa? Amazon was asked but remains tight-lipped.

With the litany of Amazon Studios and Amazon Prime Video positions being advertised for specifically South Africa and for Nigeria (based in South Africa), more new output deals with African filmmakers like Jade Osiberu, the increase in outdoor billboard ad space snapped up, regionalised social media expansion, and physical watch parties and events around content like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, it is however crystal clear that Amazon in South Africa and Africa is a sleeping giant that is just starting to flex its muscles.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power lures 25 million viewers for its debut to Amazon Prime Video.

by Thinus Ferreira

In a first-ever for the streaming service Amazon Prime Video announced viewership figures, saying that its new fantasy drama series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power which made its debut on Friday, attracted 25 million global viewers on its first day.

It is the first time Amazon Prime Video has ever revealed viewership data for its content, with the first season, set during the Second Age, costing $465 million - a price production price tag that makes it the world's most expensive TV show ever.

The 25 million viewers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power across 240 countries and territories worldwide, breaks all previous viewership records for Amazon Prime Video and marks its biggest premiere in the history of this streaming service.

"It is somehow fitting that Tolkien’s stories - among the most popular of all time, and what many consider to be the true origin of the fantasy genre - have led us to this proud moment," says Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, in a statement.

"I am so grateful to the Tolkien Estate – and to our showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, executive producer Lindsey Weber, cast and crew - for their tireless collaborative efforts and boundless creative energy.  And it is the tens of millions of fans watching – clearly as passionate about Middle-earth as we are – who are our true measure of success."

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power made its debut with two episodes on Friday with the first season which will have its season finale on 14 October. 

After the first season was filmed in New Zealand, the second season of an envisioned five season series is currently in production in the United Kingdom.

The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power to make a double-bill debut on Amazon Prime Video on 2 September.

by Thinus Ferreira

Amazon Prime Video will make the global debut of its upcoming fantasy drama series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power a double-header, with the first two episodes which will be released on Friday morning 2 September, followed by an episode weekly.

With HBO's new Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon, releasing on Monday 22 August and carried on M-Net (DStv 101) in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service, it means that both duelling fantasy drama series will no longer conclude in the same week of 21 October.

Where the George R.R. Martin prequel series set in Westeros will end its 10-episode, first season run on M-Net on 24 October, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power prequel series set in Middle Earth during its Second Age will now end its 8-episode, first season run on Amazon Prime Video on 14 October.   

The first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will become available for South African Amazon Prime Video subscribers on Friday morning, 2 September at 03:00.

From the following week, 9 September, one episode will be released weekly, becoming available in South Africa on Friday mornings at 06:00.

"The episodes will launch at the same tie around the world, so that all fans can experience them simultaneously. The finale of the 8-episode first season will air on 14 October," Amazon Prime Video says.

As HBO's House of the Dragon holds UK and Europe red carpet media launches, Africa's media in HBO EMEA once again largely left out in publicity approach.

by Thinus Ferreira

In HBO's new prequel series House of the Dragon a continent is once again largely shut out and ignored - not Westeros but Africa - as HBO decided to do big red carpet media launches in Amsterdam for Europe last week and in London for the United Kingdom on Monday night, with nothing but scant attention for Africa.

The attention and effort put in by HBO for House of the Dragon in Africa - primarily for and with M-Net (DStv 101) as HBO's long-time content distribution partner in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa, eye-poppingly pales in comparison with the marketing, PR and publicity work being done in the United Kingdom and in Europe.

With M-Net that has organised a media screening and invited some journalists to a physical House of the Dragon cinema screening in South Africa's Cape Town and Johannesburg, HBO doesn't appear to have been receptive to put in any effort into making House of Dragon cast and crew available for media roundtables, getting press together for a type of media launch event, or setting up talent interviews with South Africa's TV critics and journalists covering television and the show.

In sharp contrast, Amazon Studios and Amazon Prime Video PR already started publicity work and doing talent roundtable interviews in July with South Africa's media for the debut of its Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power fantasy drama series coming in September to its video streaming service.

The lackluster HBO effort, which is part of Warner Bros. Discovery, with House of the Dragon in South Africa - a George R.R. Martin prequel series based on his Fire & Ice book - is also in stark contrast with the effort done in London's Leicester Square where the show had its premiere on Monday night in the Cineworld and Odeon Luxe cinemas. 

To be fair - the bulk of House of the Dragon was filmed across the United Kingdom which make it logical that there would be a big(ger) red carpet and media event in London for the first season of the series where HBO appear to be working much better with Sky as its longtime pay-TV partner in that territory.

That's not however the case for Europe, where HBO still and also held a red carpet premiere and a media launch party for House of the Dragon last week Thursday at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam in the Netherlands - a media event that most of the show's on-screen talent as well as HBO executives attended.

House of the Dragon viewership in South Africa and across pan-Africa will very likely rival or surpass that of the United Kingdom, with more DStv subscribers who will collectively sample or watch it on M-Net than in the UK given the available audience size.

Yet, Africa and South Africa's media have inexplicably once again been largely excluded from any of the build-up, buzz-creating strategies and media interviews which HBO's publicity division tried to create elsewhere in the world outside of the United States.

Africa's media once again has had to look to the UK, Europe and America to see what is happening with the show or news and reporting about it, read interviews done with publications from other countries to find out what the cast and crew of House of the Dragon might be saying - playing catch-up and second fiddle to other media valued more simply because they're apparently not based in Africa and seemingly not worth the effort.

Amazon Prime Video now looking to hire a head of PR for Africa based in Cape Town, and a creative director to run its local marketing strategies for Amazon Originals.

by Thinus Ferreira

As Amazon Prime Video is working on staffing up its South African TV executive ranks with aspirations to dramatically expand its local South African content slate for Amazon Studios, the company is now also on the prowl to headhunt experienced South African marketing, ad industry and publicity execs for positions like creative director and a head of public relations for Africa.

Amazon will very likely offer extremely enticing salary packages to South African executives who decide to jump to Amazon Studios from MultiChoice or its DStv Media Sales, eMedia and e.tv, the SABC or any number of ad agencies if they can prove they have an in-depth knowledge of the local marketing and publicity landscape.

Amazon wants to headhunt marketing and publicity talent with a vast network of contacts, experience and creative ideas, who come not just with a good media contact list but also with excellent working relationships with the members of the press covering television and ad industry execs.

Amazon doesn't want to learn and slowly scale up as it ramps up efforts to expand the Amazon Prime Video brand and Amazon Studios local content commissioning in South Africa and Nigeria but is looking to poach top-tier execs from existing pay-TV operators and broadcasters like MultiChoice and e.tv, as well as agencies, who can step in and already know not just the people but the local lay of the land.  

Amazon already advertised a raft of TV executive positions for Amazon based in Cape Town, as well as for Nigeria. 

Amazon is expected to also advertise and hire for a raft of publicity positions, and is now starting with looking to appoint a head of public relations for Africa, for Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios.

Amazon is looking for an experienced public relations professional to join the Amazon EMEA PR team to manage and lead their PR activity in Africa, with a focus on South Africa and Nigeria. 

Based in Cape Town, Amazon's head of PR will develop and execute the PR strategy for the region and lead local PR campaigns for Amazon Originals, exclusive content, the Amazon Prime Video service, Amazon Studios and the brand.

Amazon is also looking for a creative director to develop, propose and execute local creative marketing strategies, and to infuse global Amazon Prime Video strategies "with local nuances to grow brand love in Africa for Prime Video and our most strategic Amazon Originals content".

Amazon says the ideal candidate "will have a genuine passion for movies & TV, deep knowledge of the South African and Nigerian marketplaces, and a track record of delivering successful large-scale and innovative marketing campaigns".

Amazon Prime Video is battling MultiChoice's Showmax, Netflix SA, and Disney which will launch its new Disney+ video streaming service on 18 May in South Africa.

While Netflix's marketing and publicity execs sit in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Netflix is currently making use of Eclipse Communications and DNA Brand Architects for publicity.

While The Walt Disney Company Africa in South Africa has its own permanent marketing and PR execs, the company has outsourced some communications work to external publicists and is also using Atmosphere Communications as the launch agency to do Disney+ publicity.

MultiChoice which has permanent corporate and content publicists but fewer and on a lower scale than in years before, is currently using Duma Collective and JR Communications for DStv, some M-Net channels work, and its streamer Showmax; with Showmax itself also having its own in-house publicity staffers.

ALSO READ: Amazon Studios looking to poach experienced South African TV executives as its plans to ramp up its localised Amazon Prime Video SA presence.

ALSO READ: Amazon Studios expands its TV exec headhunting in Africa to set up a Nigerian Originals team - now looking for a head of Nigerian Originals and TV and film execs for Nigeria.

Amazon Studios expands its TV exec headhunting in Africa to set up a Nigerian Originals team - now looking for a head of Nigerian Originals and TV and film execs for Nigeria.

by Thinus Ferreira

After advertising multiple jobs early in 2022 for TV executives in South Africa, Amazon Studios is expanding its search for TV execs in Africa to produce content from the content and is now hunting for a head of Nigerian Originals as well as movie and scripted series executives for Nigeria.

While Amazon Studios has big plans to scale up its localised TV production presence in South Africa and is ramping up plans to get a South African based TV executive team in place as it competes with the likes of streamers like MultiChoice's Showmax, Netflix, Apple TV+, as well as Disney+ launching 18 May, Amazon Studios has the same aspirations for Nigeria.

While the team for South African content creation will primarily be based in Cape Town, Amazon Studios is looking to set up its initial Nigerian originals in-house team working from London in the United Kingdom.

Amazon Studios is now looking for a head of Nigerian Originals, a senior scripted series creative executive, and a senior movies creative executive who will all have to work from London from where they will be "executing Amazon Prime Video's overall content strategy for Nigeria and Africa".

Amazon Studios is looking for execs with a "deep knowledge of the Nigerian production landscape, including talent".

Similar to the positions advertised in South Africa, Amazon Studios is clearly looking to poach well-connected and highly networked executives from existing and established broadcasters as well as traditional pay-TV players like MultiChoice in Africa, noting that the jobs are for executives with "multiple years of scripted series and TV development experience at an executive level".

The execs are all required to have a proven track record of having developed successful content in the form of series and film within Nigeria for a Nigerian audience.

Amazon Studios' head of Nigerian Originals will "have day-to-day oversight of the creation and grown of Amazon Prime Video's slate of local original content from Nigeria" with the video streamer saying the person will "leverage your hands-on development and production experience, high judgment, collaborate spirit and deep industry knowledge to bring a slate of projects to life to delight Prime Video customers everywhere".

The head of Nigerian Originals will "be joining a dynamic, hands-on and growing Amazon Studios team" the company says, and will be reporting to Ned Mitchell, Amazon Studios' head of originals for Africa.

In December 2021 Amazon Studios signed a licensing deal with Nigeria's Inkblot Studios and followed it up with a similar deal with Anthill Studios in Lagos in the West African country in January 2022 as it looks to rapidly catch up in adding African content to its streaming catalogue with primarily Netflix and Showmax that have more of a head start.

ALSO READ: Amazon Studios looking to poach experienced South African TV executives as its plans to ramp up its localised Amazon Prime Video SA presence.

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Everything known so far about Amazon Prime Video's megaseries.

by Thinus Ferreira 

It is the most expensive TV show ever made and when The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power starts on 2 September on Amazon Prime Video with weekly episodes it will usher in the start of the Second Age - not of video streaming services but of a richly-filled fantasy story, costing billions to produce, that simply would not have been possible to tell visually on television before now.

The show will break new ground with a diverse cast including actors like Sophia Nomvete, of South African/Iranian heritage, as a new character - the first black woman to play a dwarf - who will portray a dwarven princess. 

The show will have many more, like Ismael Cruz Cordova as Arondir, a silvan elf, also specially created for the fantasy drama series, who will be the non-white elf portrayed on screen.

Set as a prequel story to the Lord of the Rings films, during the so-called Second Age of the Middle-earth world, showrunners J.R. Payne and Patrick McKay are bringing the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien to life, in a new "origin" story.

Get ready to see the Dark Lord Sauron before that's who he was known as, the forging of the rings, the epic tale of the Atlantis-like Númenor island where mankind lived and from which Aragorn is a distant descendant, and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.

With the first season filmed in New Zealand, and with production that moved to the United Kingdom for the second that will start filming soon in Britain, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the TV series can probably be best understood if you understand how George Lucas' Star Wars film prequels expanded and filled out the "before" story, decades after people saw A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

In this Lord of the Rings, things on the surface level will initially still seem fine and will be relatively peaceful.

The kingdom of man and kingdom of elves are experiencing a great era - but in the same way the Republic and Jedi in Star Wars failed to understand how the connecting dots of smaller crises from Episode I were starting and building to a cataclysm and a great evil despot intent on destroying everything, pitting everyone again each other and planning to rule over the destruction.

Set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books and films, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power that Amazon Studios plan to be a long-running series, will show how "kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin", how "unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and one of the greatest villains that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness".

Amazon Studios would like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power to run for at least 5 seasons or 50 hours - if not more.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will look at (the initially not evil, or just hiding it, like Palpatine) Sauron's rise to power, how the various "Rings of Power" were forged and were given by Sauron to humans, elves and dwarves (to corrupt their minds) to then try control them with his One Ring. 

Vanity Fair's February 2022-edition is now giving fans some first-look information about Amazon Prime Video's most precious show.

The Lord of the Rings: The Power of the Rings will initially start out with a young Galadriel (now played by Morfydd Clark), elven ruler of Lothlórien and commander of the Northern Armies, looking to find her brother's murderers.

Since elves live for thousands of years - and other creatures for very long as well - the prequel series will be filled with some younger versions of characters that viewers might know from the films, as well as surprising touchpoints and inter-connected people and relationships linking the prequel show to the Frodo & Company era.

For instance: You won't hear anyone talk about hobbits or really see hobbits in the series. Hobbit ancestors in this series do feature in the show but they are "still" called "harfoots" and they definitely don't live in The Shire.

The series is not based on a J. R. R. Tolkien novel, but has been created from the appendices that he wrote to elaborate on his novels.

22 characters, multiple storylines

In the way that HBO's Game of Thrones (Amazon would love it if their show becomes the global buzzy successor-series to GoT) would move between different kingdoms, political groups and landscapes to tell different, interconnected stories and plotting, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will juggle over 22 characters, each with their own storylines.

Viewers will be in the elven kingdom of Lindon the one moment, only to follow the inside politics of the humans on the powerful island of Númenor next. 

Mix in some Misty Mountains dwarf mines realpolitik, Sauron's overall scheming, and character's personal pride, passions and love stories and the series might just be the next biggest binge-watch viewers will have to watch like old-school television: All of us together, weekly.

"Rings for the elves, rings for dwarves, rings for men, and then the one ring Sauron used to deceive them all. It’s the story of the creation of all those powers, where they came from, and what they did to each of those races," showrunner Patrick McKay told Vanity Fair.

"Can we come up with the novel Tolkien never wrote and do it as the mega-event series that could only happen now?"

He says: "This is material that is sometimes scary - and sometimes very intense, sometimes quite political, sometimes quite sophisticated - but it’s also heartwarming and life-affirming and optimistic. It's about friendship and it's about brotherhood and underdogs overcoming great darkness."