Reality shows adding life to ZTV

21 May, 2017 - 00:05 0 Views
Reality shows adding life to ZTV Sunday Mail

The Sunday Mail

Andrew Moyo
REALITY television has become a big deal in the entertainment industry around the globe, which has even led to the creation of numerous channels that are only dedicated to that type of programming.

This genre of television programming documents supposedly unscripted real-life situations involving either celebrities or an unknown cast of individuals who are typically not professional actors. The huge success of programmes that include “Big Brother”, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”, “Idols”, “The Voice”, “The Real Housewives franchise”, “Survivor” and “Teen Mom” to name just a few is a true testament of this television genre’s popularity.

On the local entertainment scene, content producers have also realised that they could cash in by creating reality shows that local viewers can relate to and this has seen a rise in such programming making it to ZBC TV.  While this is not a new phenomenon in local TV with numerous shows such as “Starbrite” having been around for a while, it cannot be disputed that the productions have spiralled lately. Some of the reality shows that have spiced up ZTV include “I Do”, “Inside Out”, “My Own Boss”, “The Chit Chat Show”, “Battle of the Chefs” and “Simba Savanna”.

From issues to do with marriage to business scenarios, these shows are exploring various situations that people encounter on a daily basis. Top filmmaker Joe Njagu told this publication last week that reality TV was growing in popularity by the day. “Reality TV is the way to go at the moment and many local producers have taken note of the trend, which is why there has been a rise in the number of shows that are coming out,” said Njagu.

He added: “Back in the days; soapies and dramas were dominant on TV but these days more and more people prefer watching reality, which is why most of these shows have become very popular.”

Not to be left out on the train of local content producers who are making reality shows, the award-winning filmmaker already has numerous projects in the pipeline. “We are currently shooting a reality show documenting the life of a local celebrity couple, which I cannot divulge at the moment. Besides that project we are currently working on, there are several other shows that we are planning on producing before the year ends,” said Njagu.

Production group, Dariro Arts, is also working on a new reality show which will see various couples talking about problems that they encounter in their marriages while at the same time receiving counselling on screen. Moderate Kasvosve, writer of award-winning film “Tariro”, is spearheading the project, which is set to hit the screen soon. Another award-winning filmmaker Nick Zemura said Zimbabweans were actually yearning for reality shows considering how things get to trend fast in the country.

“While the market is ripe for reality shows, I think we may not be able to do a really good job considering the lack of resources. Imagine if we could put cameras in the houses, cars and offices of people who really matter in society from celebrities to policy makers. I am sure many Zimbabweans would want to see how those personalities live their lives on a daily basis,” said Zemura.

With more producers becoming creative and coming up with various concepts for reality shows, ZTV viewers should be geared up for exciting times ahead.

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