The Jakes Gerwel Foundation (JGF), in partnership with M-Net Channels, is thrilled to announce a brand-new mentorship opportunity for five budding television scriptwriters.
The mentorship comprises an intensive screenplay writing programme from 18 to 30 September 2023 at the Foundation’s writers’ house in the Eastern Cape and an internship at M-Net Channels of which the placement will depend on the individual screenwriters’ skillsets.
Two big names in television, Tina Kruger and Mbulelo Grootboom, are the mentors who will guide the five chosen screenwriters in shaping and honing their screenplays for production on television.
The successful applicants will be hosted at Paulet House, the historic writers’ house of the Jakes Gerwel Foundation, situated in the picturesque town of Somerset East in the Eastern Cape. Besides the sure investment in developing their writing talent through the programme, the screenwriters can look forward to sharing and enjoying the inspiration and comfort of the charming home-away-from-home with fellow writers.
The writing programme includes:
- National return tickets to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), if needed
- Transport between the airport and Somerset East
- A comfortable ‘room-with-a-view’ of your own
- Housekeeping services
- Delicious meals prepared by the Foundation’s resident chef
- Unlimited access to the Internet
- The guidance of two experienced mentors with proven track records in television
- Writing and learning without the interruption of loadshedding
Interested screenwriters must submit their applications to the executive director of the Jakes Gerwel Foundation, Theo Kemp, at theo@jgf.org.za by 9 June 2023.
Requirements for applications that are submitted:
- A fresh, new screenplay or an extract of a new screenplay in Afrikaans or English
- A short CV of the applicant
- A motivational letter for applying for mentorship
- A pitch for an original TV series concept set out as follows:
- A logline of 35 to 45 words
- A 300-word summary of the concept
- A PDF of about 10 A4 pages of the first act of the pilot episode in accepted TV script format
The names of the successful applicants will be announced on 7 August 2023.
Tina Kruger is ervare in alle aspekte van televisie, vanaf speel voor die kameras, regisseurswerk en vervaardiging tot skryf vir die televisie en films. Tina het ʼn entoesiasme vir skryf en het verskeie sepies, dramareekse, jeugprogramme en ook vollengte en kortfilms op haar kerfstok. Sy het reeds die ontwikkeling, vervaardiging, uitsaai en verspreiding van meer as dertig plaaslike televisiereekse, twintig vollengte films, sestig kortfilms en vier internasionale medevervaardigde produksies behartig. Dit sluit die films in Vir die Voëls en Leading Lady asook die TV-reekse Getroud met Rugby en Sterlopers.
Tina geniet dit om jong filmmakers te mentor, sy het ʼn grondige kennis van die plaaslike mark en sy leef daarvoor om eerlike, kragtige en oorspronklike Suid-Afrikaanse stories wat oor grense strek, te vertel.
Mbulelo Grootboom is a sought-after stage television and film actor as well as a director, producer and playwright of note. Mbulelo has an exceptional gift for languages and is fluent in isiXhosa, English and Afrikaans. He is known for his roles in The Red Sea Diving Resort, Skemerdans, Bulletproof, White Wedding, Zbondiwe, the remake of Roots, Suidooster and Stellenbosch, to name a few.
With a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Performance from the University of Cape Town, Mbulelo has won local and international best actor awards, including a Fleur du Cap and a National Arts Festival Ovation Award in 2013 and a KKNK Kanna award in 2018.
One thought on “Are you a budding writer of television script? Then this is your heads up!”
I am from Lesotho, am I allowed to be part of the competition?
Please direct all your queries to: theo@jgf.org.za