by Thinus Ferreira
The South African producers of The Masked Singer SA took even bigger swings for the just-concluded third season on SABC2 with the types of masks and costumes, allowing more vernacular language, doing duets that there will be more of in season 4, and using artificial intelligence (AI) to put together the clue packages.
Everything gelled so well together that they say everything came together this season in producing and playing "the perfect game" for The Masked Singer SA's 13 episodes of season 3.
TVwithThinus sat down with co-executive producers Anele Mgudlwa and Frankie du Toit from the Rose & Oaks Media production company, producing the localised version of the shiny floor format competition show from Fremantle, with Primedia Studios, for the South African public broadcaster.
Frankie du Toit, co-executive producer and creative director of The Masked Singer SA at Rose & Oaks Media, says the celebrities who don the full-body costumes and sweat it out on stage in song and dance, fall in love with the out-of-body and stressful, yet entertaining experience.
"What all the celebrities who take part say is how much they enjoy the experience and this idea of singing behind a mask," says Frankie du Toit.
"For some of them, they're not singers. Everyone enjoys their journey on The Masked Singer SA - they feel so personally invested in what they bring to stage. Even in the season 3 finale - when the last four masks came off, viewers can see that the celebrities feel it so personally."
He says the entire production team, as well as the in-studio audience and viewers at home, fall in love with these masked performers over the course of a season - and especially with the "personalities" of the costumes themselves.
"We forget that there's someone inside there - it's part of the beauty of this show. It's not only who's behind the mask and the celebrity themselves but we fall in love with the masks."
According to Anele Mgudlwa, the masks mean something different to each of the South African A-listers selected who agree to take part.
"Many of them say they feel liberated - that they can go on stage without judgement. You're not a singer but everybody is actually rooting for you to do well."
She says "I like the kindness of The Masked Singer SA. It spreads positivity, fun and kindness. I really think South Africa needs that - a moment every week where we all get together and we have fun."
About the celebrity detectives - musician J'Something, choreographer and personality Somizi Mhlongo, DJ and socialite Sithelo Shozi and Skhumba Hlophe - Frankie du Toit says "they are once again incredible".
"They keep guessing - correctly and incorrectly."
Heavy full-body costumes
TVwithThinus asked about the incredible physical weight of the various costumes and to what degree those limit or "drag down" the celebrity contestants, their movements, and performances.
"As soon as they put on the masks, we warn them. We say, 'Look, we've made this thing now - because we choose the designs together and obviously they're part of the process," Frankie du Toit explains.
"When the fitting happens, we say 'We're going to now put the head on'. And it's heavy. And it's the first time they're experiencing it."
"When Mzwakhe Mbuli Jr., aka Robot Boii, put the Mosquito jacket on, he said 'This is perfect. This is perfect for what I want because this holds me down. This helps me to remember that I have to be in character and that I need to be Mosquito."
Anele Mgudlwa says the same happened with former Miss South Africa, Shudufhadzo Musida who made it to the second season finale as Blue Crane.
"She said the same thing because Blue Crane was quite heavy. She said I want to move slowly. It makes sense that it's heavy so that I won't run around and prance around. So I stay in character."
Intense visual clues packages
TVwithThinus asked the producers whether the clues given, were made more difficult this season.
"There's never been any conversation about making it more difficult," says Frankie du Toit.
"Can I tell you what is more difficult? It's because the clues packages are so intense, visually, and there are so many clues inside the packages, your mind gets distracted."
"The game we played this season is the perfect game. The way the detectives played ... perfect game! We all enjoyed it perfectly. We didn't set out a single moment to be more difficult or more clever."
And the greater use of AI for the clues parts this season?
"Obviously, globally, it's a trend to use more AI than animation on TV in general," says Frankie du Toit.
"With the format right holders there was a discussion about AI use. We're not the first territory to do what we've done with AI in the clues. We're definitely the best they've ever seen done - which is what I think South Africa does. Our DNA is RSA. They were very happy and impressed with it."
"But there are guidelines to these kinds of things and we've put it together with them."
Format holder is fine with SA pushing creative boundaries
I also asked them whether Fremantle, as the international distributor format rights holder of The Masked Singer, have become more comfortable with the costume suggestions that South Africa comes up with.
"In terms of the format, they actually spur us on," says Anele Mgudlwa. "They say that out of all of their territories, South Africa definitely is the most creative. They've never said no to a mask. In fact, we say no to a mask to ourselves."
"We were quite intentional this season to make everything even more South African. You can see it with the Pap & Wors character and Ponte Tower. We found that that is one of the things that will differentiate us as The Masked Singer SA even more."
"In terms of the format, we're allowed to do anything, we're allowed to sing anything. We're allowed to go bigger, we're allowed to go better. We introduced the duets. We're going to double down on that even more - people really enjoyed it."
Anele Mgudlwa says "South Africa is very creative as a territory and they hear us out whenever we ask 'Can we do this? Can we do that? What do you think about this?"
"We even find that some of our ideas they are incorporating into their other territories."
"The SABC was also saying 'more vernacular language. And if you notice this third season, we said 'use the language as it comes into your head'. Don't try and think English. No. We'll subtitle it later. Speak like you do and it will resonate with a lot more people in the country."
Frankie du Toit says "We enjoy watching The Masked Singer SA as much as we enjoy making it. As much as our masks and celebrities enjoy being on the show, we enjoy making the show."
Anele adds: "It's personal for us."
