M-Net and ITV Studios filming The Invisible wildlife poaching drama series in Hoedspruit based on Deon Meyer novel

Thinus Ferreira

ITV Studios is working with production company Scene23 and M-Net (DStv 101) in South Africa to produce a new drama series, The Invisible set in the Kruger National Park.

M-Net publicity gave the press release to the American trade publication Variety first and then sent the same press release to South African media to repeat the same basic information from the "exclusive" press release with nothing new.

The 8-episode The Invisible is based on Deon Meyer's novel Blood Safari and has actors Dougray Scott and Abbie Cornish in on-screen roles as well as co-executive producers, with Jozhua Malherbe as director.

The Invisible has been filming in Hoedspruit in South Africa's Limpopo province.

Deon Meyer created the TV-adaptation of his book with William Josef Schneider "taking the lead in writing the TV adaptation".

The rest of The Invisible cast includes Tim Theron, Tumisho Masha and Kim Engelbrecht.

One character is called Dekker who is a "former bodyguard with a haunted past" with no indication who this is - Dougray Scott or Tim Theron or someone else.

Then there is also an Emma character - again no indication from M-Net whether this is Abbie Cornish or Kim Engelbrecht or someone else.

Tumisho Masha obviously plays "local inspector Jack Phatudi".

According to ITV Studios and M-Net "In the shadow of South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a mysterious killer begins executing local poachers. As the body count rises, local Inspector Jack Phatudi is drawn into a dangerous manhunt to unmask the vigilante".

This "Dekker" is then hired to protect "Emma" a "South African expat who returns home to search for her brother who she believes is still alive, despite his disappearance 20 years ago. When Phatudi’s investigation collides with Emma and Dekker’s quest, they uncover a buried conspiracy reaching back to the political assassination of a pivotal African leader."

In the prepared statement first given to Variety, Deon Meyer is quoted as noting "To say I’m proud, grateful and excited about The Invisible as a TV series is a vast understatement".

"We've worked so hard for two years to put the series together, and now, it’s finally going into production with an excellent broadcast partner and executive production team, great writers, a stellar, international cast, a brilliant director and the best film crew in the world. How cool is that?"

Cobus van den Berg, Scene23 executive producer, is quoted as saying "Based on the work of acclaimed author Deoon Meyer, it’s about more than just a television series – it’s a chance to showcase our talent, our landscapes, and our storytelling on an international stage".

"We are proud to partner with BMG, M-Net and ITV Studios to bring this story to both local and international audiences."

Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice's director of content for general entertainment for English and Portuguese-speaking Africa - the new very long title following MultiChoice's takeover of Canal+ - is quoted in the media statement as saying"The Invisible is a contemporary South African retelling inspired by true events – including the mysterious plane crash that claimed former Mozambican President Samora Machel".

The part that ITV Studios contributed to the press release given to Variety first is Julie Meldal-Johnsen, ITV Studios executive vice president of global content, with this drop-in quote: "We're delighted to be partnering with M-Net, Scene23, BMG, and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), to bring this thrilling and action-packed drama to global audiences".

"The Invisible marks our first scripted project from a South African producer - hopefully the first of many."

And yet another superfluous quote - this one from Yu-Fai Suen of Berkeley Media Group, echoing what everyone already said: "We are proud and excited to be working with Abbie Cornish, Dougray Scott and a hugely talented group of creatives in South Africa on Berkeley Media’s latest international production".

"With our partners Scene23 and ITV Studios, we aim to bring alive this amazing African story to an appreciative global audience".

The M-Net Original series Trackers goes global as it starts its global broadcast window on HBO's Cinemax.

by Thinus Ferreira

South African television and an M-Net Original is going to global with the big-budget local series Trackers that was on M-Net last year that is getting its debut on HBO's Cinemax channel.

Trackers, an adaptation of the internationally acclaimed author Deon Meyer's crime novel that was filmed entirely in South Africa, will make its debut on WarnerMedia's Cinemax today, 5 June 2020.

Trackers, an international co-production between M-Net, Cinemax and Germany's ZDF, and produced by Three River Fiction and Scene23, was adapted for television by Robert Thorogood with cinematography by Ivan Strasburg and was broadcast on M-Net (DStv 101) since October 2020.

Mzansi Magic (Dstv 161) followed since April 2020, and now Trackers is making its debut on Cinemax.

The 6-episode Trackers interweaves three different story strands into an action-packed thriller that covers the length and breadth of South Africa, explosively colliding in Cape Town in a violent conspiracy involving organized crime, smuggled diamonds, state security, black rhinos, the CIA and an international terrorist plot.

In Trackers agents of the Presidential Bureau of Intelligence (PBI) are doing surveillance of a small group of Islamic radicals known as "the Committee" who are suspected of trying to secretly import a weapon of mass destruction into South Africa.

To pay for their operation, the Committee has hired a local mob boss to steal a cache of diamonds being smuggled in from Zimbabwe, but all hell breaks loose when the would-be hijackers find more - and less - than what they had expected.

The Trackers cast includes James Gracie, Rolanda Marais, Ed Stoppard, Sandi Schultz, Brendon Daniels, Trix Vivier, Thapelo Mokoena, and Sisanda Henna and is executive produced by Cobus van den Berg, Tim Theron, Jonathan Drake, Robert Thorogood and Deon Meyer; with Steve Maher as executive creative producer, Rebecca Fuller-Campbell as series producer and directed by the Finnish director Jyri Kähönen.

Tonight M-Net will be doing Open Time for DStv subscribers to debut its new Trackers drama series on Sunday night in the 8pm movie timeslot.

After more than two decades M-Net (DStv 101) is returning Open Time on Sunday evening when the channel will be opening the channel on 27 October for more than just DStv Premium subscribers to enable sampling of its new drama series, Trackers, to a bigger audience.

On Sunday M-Net - with the premium channel inhabiting the pole channel number position of 101 on DStv decoders and only available on MultiChoice's most expensive subscription tier - will do an Open Time block and be made available to DStv Compact Plus, DStv Compact and DStv Family subscribers as well between 18:00 and 22:10.

M-Net hasn't done Open Time since April 2007 when it ended its long-running, daily 2-hour open window marketing initiative that was used to showcase its premium content to prospective pay-TV subscribers.

Tonight DStv subscribers on lower-tiered packages will get to watch M-Net's local dating reality show, Finding the One at 18:00, its revitalised weekly investigative and current affairs magazine show Carte Blanche at 19:00, followed by the debut of its new 5-episode local drama series, Trackers at 20:00, for 4 hours of availability to millions more DStv subscribers.

For the first time in over 30 years M-Net is also upending its Sunday night schedule - swopping its Sunday 20:00-timeslot dedicated to a new film premiere for the drama series based on the Deon Meyer novel.

"One of the biggest shifts and changes on the M-Net schedule in terms of local content is with Trackers. Because we believe so much in this show we decided to give it the best possible slot on the M-Net schedule which is 8pm on a Sunday night," says Kaye-Ann Williams, the head of local content and independent films for M-Net channels.

"The first episode of Trackers is basically feature-length and will be about 90 minutes long and thereafter we will have 4 more episodes. Trackers is very action-driven, the plot's twists and turns are amazing and we have a great cast as part of Trackers as well."

While M-Net will show Trackers as an international co-production in South Africa and across sub-Saharan African on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service, ZDF will show it in Germany while Cinemax gets the remaining worldwide rights for the United States and areas beyond Africa and Germany.

Trackers, produced by Three River Studios in the United Kingdom and Studio 23, will also be available on MultiChoice's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, Showmax.

The rest of the four episodes will have an hourlong duration with the Sunday films starting at 21:00.

"Trackers shines the spotlight on the incredible talent working in the African film and television industry," says Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO of general entertainment.

"We are immensely proud of this milestone production. It’s one of the biggest ventures in the history of M-Net and we trust that it will be the first of many enticing and authentic stories from our continent to reach global audiences."

"Tonight is a big night for MultiChoice and we would like to share the pilot episode, which has the feel of a movie, with more of our customers."

Trackers, set against Southern African landscapes – from the Karoo to Khayelitsha and Limpopo to the Bo-Kaap - spins a web of intrigue that involves conspiracy, terrorism, corruption, diamonds, rhinos and smugglers with a cast that includes James Gracie, Sandi Schultz,Rolanda Marais, Thapelo Mokoena, Brendan Daniels, Sisanda Henna, Jill Middelkop, Trix Vivier, Jerry Mofokeng, Grace Olifant, Albert Maritz and Ed Stoppard.

With its Trackers drama series, M-Net is doing something schedule-wise that the pay-TV broadcaster hasn't done in over 3 decades - here's why.

For the first time in over 30 years M-Net is doing something it has never done since the pay-TV broadcaster started: It's touching its sacrosanct Sunday night movie slot in the M-Net playout studios and swopping it for 5 weeks from when it premieres the new drama series Trackers on Sunday, 27 October at 20:00 on M-Net (DStv 101).

M-Net is turning its iconic no-commercials Sunday night movie slot at 20:00 over to the Trackers drama series based on the Deon Meyer novel - something it hasn't done in decades, with its weekly investigative and current affairs magazine show, Carte Blanche, serving as the lead-in to the action spy drama.

"One of the biggest shifts and changes on the M-Net schedule in terms of local content is with Trackers. Because we believe so much in this show we decided to give it the best possible slot on the M-Net schedule which is 8pm on a Sunday night," says Kaye-Ann Williams, the head of local content and independent films for M-Net channels.

"The first episode of Trackers is basically feature-length and will be about 90 minutes long and thereafter we will have 4 more episodes. Trackers is very action-driven, the plot's twists and turns are amazing and we have a great cast as part of Trackers as well."

While M-Net will show Trackers in South Africa and across sub-Saharan African on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service, ZDF will show it in Germany while Cinemax gets the remaining worldwide rights for the United States and areas beyond Africa and Germany.

Trackers, produced by Three River Studios in the United Kingdom and Studio 23, will also be available on MultiChoice's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, Showmax.

The action-thriller revolves around an international terrorist plot in Cape Town, South Africa and an extended conspiracy involving organized crime, smuggled diamonds, state security, Black Rhinos, and the CIA.

The British writer Robert Thorogood is the showrunner with Deon Meyer as supervising screenwriter and co-producer. Jyri Kähönen is the director of all Trackers episodes with Ivan Strasburg as director of photography.

The team of South African writers on Trackers includes the screenwriter and director Amy Jephta as well as writer-directors Kelsey Egen and Jozua Malherbe. The cast includes Ed Stoppard, Rolanda Marais, James Alexander, Thapelo Mokoena and James Gracie, among others.

HBO's Cinemax has joined the Cape Town filmed co-production of Deon Meyer's Trackers drama series done by M-Net and Germany's ZDF.

HBO's Cinemax TV channel has also joined South Africa's M-Net and Germany's ZDF in their co-production of the Cape Town filmed drama series based on Deon Meyer's crime-and-spy book Trackers.

M-Net announced Trackers in February 2018, based on Deon Meyer's 7th book.

While M-Net will show Trackers in South Africa and across sub-Saharan African on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV service, ZDF will show it in Germany while Cinemax gets the remaining worldwide rights for the United States and areas beyond Africa and Germany.

The 6-episode Trackers, produced by Three River Studios in the United Kingdom and Studio 23, will start on M-Net (DStv 101) in October 2019 and will also be available on MultiChoice's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, Showmax.

Trackers as an action-thriller revolves around an international terrorist plot in Cape Town, South Africa and an extended conspiracy involving organized crime, smuggled diamonds, state security, Black Rhinos, and the CIA.

The British writer Robert Thorogood is the showrunner with Deon Meyer as supervising screenwriter and co-producer. Jyri Kähönen is the director of all Trackers episodes with Ivan Strasburg as director of photography.

The team of South African writers on Trackers includes the screenwriter and director Amy Jephta as well as writer-directors Kelsey Egen and Jozua Malherbe.

The Trackers cast includes Ed Stoppard, Rolanda Marais, James Alexander, Thapelo Mokoena and James Gracie, among others.

James Alexander plays the character of Lemmer, a man seeking revenge while rebuilding his life in a small town after his career was destroyed during an operation for the Presidential Bureau of Intelligence (PBI).

Rolanda Marais is the "unlikely heroine" Milla Strachan, an abused Cape Town housewife who becomes a data analyst for the PBI and finds herself at the centre of the conspiracy.

Ed Stoppard is Lukas Becker, an alleged CIA operative.

"The trailblazing and massively exciting co-production of Trackers illustrates M–Net's vision and commitment to shine the spotlight on the African film and television industry and provide fresh, proudly African narratives to our viewers as well as global audiences," says Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO of general entertainment.

"It is also taking our longstanding relationship with Cinemax to the next level, allowing local and international talent to combine their world-class story-telling and production skills."

"Trackers is an unprecedented scripted television venture and MultiChoice and M-Net are proud to chart out new territory with all the game-changing players involved in this co-production."

Len Amato, president of HBO films, miniseries and Cinemax, says "Cinemax is delighted to partner with M-Net and ZDF in bringing Deon Meyer's unforgettable characters and storytelling - all so richly rooted in the people and spectacular geography of South Africa - to screens around the world".

Besides Cape Town, M-Net says filming for Trackers has already started in "exotic locations" across South Africa and that M-Net, ZDF and Cinemax have been working together on all aspects of production – from developing and casting, to assembling the crew and approving the final content.

The 6-episode crime drama thriller, Trackers, from Deon Meyer turned into the first international co-production between M-Net and Germany's ZDF.

The South African author Deon Meyer's book turned into a TV series on M-Net (DStv 101), Trackers, has been turned into a co-production between M-Net and the German public broadcaster, ZDF, with production that will finally start in 2019.

M-Net announced Trackers in February, based on Deon Meyer's 7th book, and the South African-German series marks the first co-production between the two broadcasters.

Trackers will be filmed in and around Cape Town in 2019 with a local and international cast including Germans and have 6 episodes.

The story revolves around three interwoven stories set across South Africa and the crime drama touching on black rhinos, the CIA, organised crime, diamond smuggling, state security and an international terrorist plot to attack Cape Town.

A smuggler dupes everyone, an agent falls in love and a drug lord is on a killing spree.

Trackers done by SCENE23, a production hub created by Deon Meyer with Tim Theron and Cobus van den Berg, together with Three River Fiction, a London-based, independent production company, also brought the German-based Helle Media in Cologne aboard with Isabelle Helle that brokered the co-production deal between M-Net and ZDF.

The British writer Robert Thorogood is the showrunner, with Jyri Kähonön as director and Ivan Strasburg as director of photography.

According to Jonathan Drake, Three River Fiction CEO, the Trackers co-production "represents the first in a new wave of stories and international series coming out of South Africa".

"We are the leading African storyteller on our continent, and this deal is a fantastic way to diversify programming for our subscribers across Africa," says Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO of general entertainment.

"Ultimately, our vision is to shine the spotlight on the African film and television industry and provide compelling new stories for global audiences beyond African shores."

Dr. Simone Emmelius, ZDF main editorial director of feature film and international co-production, says Deon Meyer's stories have a loyal fan base in Germany.

"Trackers is an intelligent crime story and that, combined with the exhilarating South African locations and the great talent, both in front of and behind the camera, is guaranteed to enthrall viewers while, at the same time, introduce a huge television audience to Meyer's work, and that will inspire both old and new Deon Meyer fans."

M-Net working on a Xhosa king period drama set in the Eastern Cape and a Deon Meyer crime novel adaptation for 2018.

M-Net is adding two new local productions, Trackers, a 6-episode Deon Meyer crime novel adaptation; as well as House of Phalo, a period drama focused on the rise of Xhosa in the Eastern Cape and the rise of King Phalo produced by Mfundi Vundla's Morula Pictures.

M-Net says the pay-TV broadcaster remains committed to local storytelling and that the slate of new productions will provide compelling viewing for DStv subscribers and help to feed the growing global appetite for television drama series.

"This is the golden age of television series – an era marked by a year-on-year increase in scripted content that is eagerly consumed by audiences, both live and through binge viewing," says Yolisa Phahle, CEO of General Entertainment for MultiChoice,

"Audiences are also increasingly receptive to authentic, universal stories and this provides an opportunity for us to take African stories to the world."

Trackers is an adaptation of the acclaimed South African crime writer Deon Meyer’s international best-selling novel.

The 6-part series is co-produced with SCENE23, a new production hub created by Deon Meyer, Cobus van den Berg and Tim Theron, together with Three River Fiction, a London-based, independent production company.

"It is a real pleasure and privilege to co-produce an international TV series based on my novel, Trackers – with South African talent, textures and accents,” says Deon Meyer.

"Thanks to M-Net and Three River Fiction’s involvement, we are also delighted to have Robert Thorogood, best known for the Death In Paradise TV series, on board as the showrunner, leading our writing team".

"Deon Meyer has been responsible for introducing millions of people across the globe to South Africa, so it made absolute sense to adapt one of his books for SCENE23’s first outing into the great unknown of the international industry," says Cobus van den Berg.

"The global and critical success of Trackers made it the perfect choice to go with. As producers we’re really excited to join the current push to show the world that we’re not just a great place to come and shoot their films and series, but that our own stories deserve to be seen and enjoyed by the global audience. But we can’t do it alone, and SCENE23 is extremely proud to be partnering with M-Net and Three River Fiction to make this project a reality."

"Three River Fiction is delighted to be working with SCENE23 and M-Net on Trackers,” says Jonathan Drake, CEO and co-creative director at Three River Fiction.

"Deon has written a thrilling book, and working with Deon and Robert Thorogood to adapt the story for television is a really exciting opportunity. M-Net is the ideal home for Trackers – a story rooted in Africa but with strong international appeal. It is already generating strong interest from other networks around the world."

A Xhosa Game of Thrones

A uniquely South African historical drama series is also currently in production - House of Phalo, a telling of the first modern history of the Xhosa and the rise of King Phalo.

Mfundi Vundla’s Morula Pictures is behind House of Phalo. Vundla is renowned for his game-changing television, having created South Africa’s first soapie Generations in 1994 on SABC1. House of Phalo will appeal to fans of series like Vikings and Game of Thrones that's on M-Net.

"This story is about shattering the popular narrative that the history of our people began in 1652 with the arrival of Jan Van Riebeek," says Mfundi Vundla. "There is indisputable evidence that Xhosa people have lived in the Eastern Cape since the 15th century."

"It’s only through systematic erasure by colonialists and apartheid that we have lost part of this history. It was crucial for us then to treat this drama with the care and reverence it deserves. We hope we have managed to evoke a sense of pride in our history, a better understanding of the people we are, and a clearer vision of our present and future."

M-Net acting CEO since 1 February, Nkateko Mabaso says "co-productions are on the rise globally and they are certainly playing a huge role in the opportunity to build global audiences for local stories. These days it is common to see productions that are a collaboration between broadcasters operating in different markets."

"This is good for the industry as it has the potential to increase audiences," says Nkateko Mabaso.

"We are thrilled to be working with some of the finest talent, both locally and abroad, to bring an increased focus to the incredible talent in South Africa."

Second Deon Meyer crime drama TV adaptation, Cape Town, set to start on the Universal Channel on 7 September as a 6-part mini-series.

Cape Town will again be the backdrop of another international TV series this month when Cape Town, the TV adaptation of Deon Meyer's book Dead Before Dying starts on the Universal Channel with several South African actors.

The 6-part mini-series Cape Town, produced by all-in-production and Out of Africa Entertainment and distributed by Dynamic Television, is based on Deon Meyer's third novel, Dead Before Dying (Ikarus in Afrikaans) and will start on the Universal Channel (DStv 117) on Wednesday 7 September at 20:50.

Cape Town will showcase a backdrop of the Mother City and the Western Cape peninsula that will be instantly familiar to Capetonians and South Africans, ranging from places like Constantia and Tokai to Woodstock, Macassar Beach, Cape Town's city centre and other well-known spots where on-location scenes were shot.

The series was filmed in Cape Town last year, similar to American shows like Strike Back, Homeland, Dominion, Black Sails, SAF3 and Of Kings and Prophets that filmed seasons with varying success the past few years, and local productions like the Afrikaans crime drama Die Byl on kykNET.

Although a South African story, the two leads in Cape Town are foreign actors who are trying the South African accent on the tongue, with the Norwegian actor Trond Espen Seim playing alcoholic detective Mat Joubert and the American actor Boris Kodjoe as his new partner Sanctus Snook who portrays a former Hawks unit investigator.    

The Cape Town supporting cast include veteran South African actors Arnold Vosloo and Ian Roberts, alongside Jody Abrahams, Colin Moss, Irshaad Ally and Jessica Haines.

Cape Town, written by Anna Tebbe and executive produced by Zeljko Karajica, Klaus Zimmermann and Daniel March, follows Mat Joubert whose wife Lara was murdered, who investigates two major cases with Sanctus Snook.

Firstly there a series of brutal murders involving men wearing masks of famous people and secondly there are the deaths and disappearances of young European women.

According to the producers, the gritty crime fiction series sees the characters shine a flashlight into the shadows of the city with Cape Town that becomes a character itself in Cape Town: culturally rich and beautiful, but also fractured and harbouring dark secrets behind its glamorous façade.

Cape Town is the second TV series based on a Deon Meyer novel, following the Afrikaans crime drama Orion that was broadcast on kykNET in 2006 and that was also filmed in Cape Town at the time.