1 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: Cynthia Lyttleton, co editor in chief of Variety Today. My 4 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: guest is Mo Abudu, CEO of Nigeria based Ebony Life Group. 5 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: Moe's personal story could be a movie itself. She started 6 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:35,520 Speaker 1: her career in human resources at Atlas Recruiting in the UK. 7 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 1: She went on to work for Exxon Mobil in the 8 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: UK before returning to Nigeria. In nineteen ninety three, she 9 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: started her own head hunting firm. At that time, she 10 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: was also very interested in media. She started her own 11 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: talk show, Moments with Moe talking to interesting people, thinkers, actors, 12 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: artists that she found in the vibrancy of her native country. 13 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: From there, that led her to launch her own channel, 14 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: Eboni Life TV, and that company has morphed into Eboni 15 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 1: Life Media. A very busy production company. Abudu has generated 16 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: a lot of activity in a very short time with 17 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: deals with players including Lionsgate Stars and Sony Pictures TV. 18 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: Ebonie Life was also the producer behind the Netflix detective 19 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: series Blood Sisters, which marked Netflix's first African original production. 20 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,399 Speaker 1: As Moe will explain, she has no shortage of big 21 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,119 Speaker 1: plans for the local and global focus of Ebony Life 22 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: Media content. That's all coming up after the break, and 23 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: we're back with Eboni Life CEO Mo Aboudu. What was 24 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: the spark? What made you launch Ebonie Life TV in 25 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: twenty thirteen? And if I have that date right. 26 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 2: Yes, twenty thirteen was the date that we launched, but 27 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 2: the work had started at least probably three four years 28 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,800 Speaker 2: before then, So twenty first when we got on air, 29 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 2: but it was a it was a thing getting on air. 30 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 2: And I think the journey for me with Ebony Life 31 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 2: TV started with looking at what was just out there, 32 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 2: you know. And I always say that it's about I 33 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 2: call them the white spaces, like why does this thing 34 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 2: not exist? I mean, I'm sure now with today wonder 35 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 2: why did Uber never exist? But why did BnB never exist? 36 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 2: Or why did the mobile phone never exist? You know, 37 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 2: and an all number of things, you know, because today 38 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 2: we can't seem to live without them as far back 39 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 2: for me as then local content, even when I started 40 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 2: my talk show in two thousand and six with Moments 41 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 2: with Mo. For me, it was all about the need 42 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 2: for local content. Now, local content is a real thing now, right, 43 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 2: Like what part of the world you're in, even the 44 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 2: span Los Angeles, Yeah, you're in Los Angeles. So even 45 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 2: if you are in India, or you're in Spain or 46 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 2: wherever you are, if you look at the strategy of 47 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 2: the streamers, they all have local markets to satisfy. So 48 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 2: if you're in Spain, you're going to see Spanish content. 49 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 2: You get to see global content too now when I 50 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,959 Speaker 2: say it's and also Spanish content has become global content, 51 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 2: and you know, Korean content has become global content, and 52 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 2: African continent has become global content, and Niger content has 53 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 2: become because you're dealing with streamers now that have taken 54 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 2: the technology whereby they're putting content on their platforms that 55 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: is going out to a wide to the to the world. Right. 56 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 2: So we live in a world now whereby people don't 57 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 2: really care where the content comes from. What they care 58 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 2: about is is it well made? Is there a good story? 59 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 2: Can I watch it? Is it engaging? Does it have 60 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 2: all those boxes you can tip to say I want 61 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 2: to watch this show? So pretty much the same happened 62 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 2: with me on my journey with Ebony Life television realizing 63 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 2: way back then ten years ago now that you know what, 64 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 2: I think, people want to see themselves on screen, and 65 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 2: my specific target was a millennial audience. You know, if 66 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 2: you look at our content, it was really targeted at 67 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 2: those aged eighteen to early thirties. It was a very young, 68 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 2: very hip, very sexy channel, so to speak, because at 69 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 2: that time, there was nothing that was speaking to this 70 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 2: particular savvy, aspirational what you can call now the TikTok audience. 71 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 2: Way back then, it didn't exist. So Ebony Life kind 72 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 2: of was the first to create that. When you look 73 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 2: at all the types of programming that we had and 74 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 2: the and the demographic of who our presenters were, you know, 75 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 2: a lot of them hadn't even done television before. But 76 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 2: they were just really savvy, really well spoken, beautiful looking people, 77 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 2: you know, dressed well, looked well, and we just put 78 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 2: them on screen and they were just they just they 79 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 2: just did an amazing job. And that for me, was 80 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 2: the gap that needed to be filled, and we filled 81 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: that gap. And since we filled that gap, there have 82 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,799 Speaker 2: been several others. Of course, imitation is innovation, as they say, 83 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 2: you know, now there have been several others you know, 84 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 2: that have decided that that is the type of you 85 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 2: know looking, that's the type of channel they want to create, 86 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,480 Speaker 2: or that's the type of content they would like to create. 87 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 2: And many have gone out since we started Open in 88 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 2: Life Television to do the same thing, which is great. 89 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 2: So now you've got many, you know a number of 90 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 2: platforms that have that look and feel that's sexy and 91 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,720 Speaker 2: is speaking to that you know, that young audience. Not 92 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 2: forgetting that Africa, sixty percent of our population across the 93 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 2: continent are still it's still defined as youth. 94 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a very young demographic. 95 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 2: It's a very young demograph. It's a very young continent, right, 96 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 2: which is to our advantage, you know. So what's important 97 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 2: is to create content that speaks to them. And that's 98 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 2: what we've done successfully and that's what we will continue 99 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 2: to do. 100 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 1: But let me ask you in twenty thirteen, what was 101 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: the key to getting it out? 102 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 2: Was it YouTube? 103 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: How did you get your content distributed? 104 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 2: We partnered with the largest PATV platform in Africa. They're 105 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 2: called Multi Choice. They're based in South Africa and I 106 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 2: had gone to them probably three as I said, three 107 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 2: or four years before this launch date of twenty thirteen, 108 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 2: and I said, I want to launch a channel, and 109 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 2: they're like, you want to launch a channel? They were 110 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 2: like okay, you know, so you've got to do the pitch. 111 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 2: You know, you go in for meeting after meeting after meeting, 112 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 2: and they're like, oh, you need to have a studio. 113 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 2: I didn't have a studio. I didn't have the resources. 114 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 2: But as God would have it, in a town in Nigeria, 115 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 2: in southeast Nigeria, in a place called Caliba, a studio 116 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:01,840 Speaker 2: had been built eight years prior to to twenty thirteen, 117 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 2: and I was just by pure chance on you know, 118 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: may his so rest in peace. A friend of mine 119 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 2: called Ozed guilla Amu, who unfortunately passed away a couple 120 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 2: of years ago, said to me more, you know, for 121 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 2: moments with mo the governor. Would you know, would you 122 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 2: like to interview the governor? And I said, of course, 123 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 2: I'd love to interview the governor. So I take a 124 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 2: trip to Kalaba, beautiful place. It was New Year's Eve 125 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 2: or something like that, and I interviewed the governor and 126 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 2: then the lady that took me to Caliba, I said, listen, 127 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 2: would you like to go on a tour of the town, 128 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 2: and I said, why not. And we went on a 129 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 2: tour and I came across this amazing studio and I 130 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 2: was like, wow, I didn't even know this place existed, 131 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 2: built to global standards, called Tinapa Studios. Please feel free 132 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 2: to google. I have image cycles end you. Okay. So 133 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 2: the next day when I met the governor, because we 134 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 2: went on this right there the day before, I interviewed 135 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 2: the governor. So the next day when I met the governor, 136 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 2: we were having a conversation, you know, and you know, 137 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 2: I've never met the governor before. You're just making you know, 138 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 2: sort of like, you know, polite conversation. I said, your excellency, 139 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 2: you know, I visited Tinapa yesterday and I saw this 140 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 2: most amazing studio it is, you know, it's I said, 141 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 2: it looks amazing. What's happening with it? He says, Wellmo, 142 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 2: not much. It's just basically there. We're looking to see 143 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 2: how we can get it up and running. And at 144 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 2: this point I was already having an ongoing conversation with 145 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 2: Multi Choice about I needed to have a studio. So 146 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 2: at that point I was saying, oh, I'm going to 147 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 2: have to build from scratch, it's going to be another 148 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: five years before I start this journey. But here was 149 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 2: this studio just sitting there, empty, no occupants, nothing at all. 150 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 2: So one thing led to another. I cut a long 151 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 2: story short. A few months later, I am living and 152 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,439 Speaker 2: working and I have started up on in life television 153 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 2: in Calaba with the support of the Governor Leolie Morkey 154 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 2: and his wife and his special assistant in Zen and 155 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 2: everyone else around that time. And that's how we launched 156 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 2: up on a life television. M hm. That is it? 157 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 1: That is It's an incredible by the bootstrapped story and 158 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:06,439 Speaker 1: a little bit of a little luck sometimes also, yeah. 159 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 2: I mean the thing is, I guess lucky is always there. 160 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 2: But I had worked and struggled so hard about finding 161 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 2: investors to build a studio in Legos, and that was 162 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 2: the plan. That was my plan A. But when I 163 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 2: saw this studio already existing, it became my plan. It 164 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 2: meant I had to leave Legos. I'd never left Legos, 165 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 2: you know, to live anywhere else in Nigeria. It's like 166 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 2: living in New York and suddenly you're moving to Let 167 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 2: me think, where can it be in America. I'm trying 168 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 2: to think of a comparison like someone in the Deep South, 169 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 2: you know where you know, like somewhere in the Deep 170 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,959 Speaker 2: South Atlanta or no, No, Atlanta is a city I'm 171 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 2: talking about, like in like farmland, like maybe Arizona or 172 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 2: somewhere I don't know, you know. So we had to 173 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 2: we had to move to Calabal with about one hundred people. 174 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 2: Everybody had to. We had to move in and did 175 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 2: a little bit of revamp to the studios because obviously 176 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 2: it'd been sitting there for eight years no one used it. 177 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,079 Speaker 2: And that's how we started up on Your Life television. 178 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, did you have investors going in even 179 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: to get it just off the ground? 180 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:11,079 Speaker 2: I didn't have investors. The only support I got was 181 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 2: from Cross River State government in terms of giving us 182 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 2: the studio facility and working out partnership and a co venture, 183 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 2: you know, a joint venture agreement with them on having 184 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: access to the on having access to the studio. Yeah, 185 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 2: so we had I had to go out and raise 186 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 2: finance for everything else. Yeah. 187 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: Did Multi Choice pay you a license fee or did 188 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: you fund it through advertising? 189 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 2: In those early days, they paid us. They paid us 190 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 2: was called a carriage fee, you know, which is typically 191 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,679 Speaker 2: what you get when you operate on a PTV platform. 192 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 2: Even the moment when we had launched the on a 193 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,319 Speaker 2: Life TV, I knew that I wanted to tell local 194 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 2: stories for a global audience. So we were already investing 195 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 2: heavily in research and treatments and pilot episodes of projects 196 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,839 Speaker 2: and putting together beautiful pitch decks, which is why by 197 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 2: the time it was twenty eighteen, I had signed my 198 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 2: first deal with Sony Picture Television on a three scripted deal, 199 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 2: and from Sony to AMC, and from AMC to I 200 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,839 Speaker 2: don't know, there's so many others as you know, you 201 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 2: know Westbrook, you know, will Packer, BBC and amongst others. 202 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 2: We had realized very early on that we wanted to 203 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 2: do local for global, and we had to find the 204 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 2: stories that we knew would be local for global, because 205 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 2: there are some stories that I still strongly believe are 206 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 2: local for local, and there's nothing wrong in serving a 207 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 2: local audience, and I would continue to always want to 208 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 2: you know, please, you know, African and nigrone audiences, but 209 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 2: I also knew that I wanted to operate in a 210 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 2: bigger space, which was local for global, whereby there are 211 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 2: such incredible African stories that have just never traveled. We've 212 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 2: been a continent that has been so silent about everything 213 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 2: we've done, and the only part of our history that 214 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:57,839 Speaker 2: really ever gets told time and time again has been 215 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 2: the slavery part of it. But there was life before slavery, 216 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 2: there was life during, and there was life after. I mean, 217 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 2: we're a continent of a billion people, so we had life. 218 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 2: It was unfortunate that slavery happened, but whilst that was happening, 219 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 2: there were still things going on on our continent. So 220 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 2: for example, if you look at the project we have 221 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 2: with Stars and Lionsgate, it's about Queen and Zinger from 222 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 2: Angola who had reigned from the seventeenth century. I mean 223 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:27,200 Speaker 2: she reigned for over eighty years. She had a great reign. 224 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 2: She was an incredible woman with many talents, who said 225 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 2: when she became queen, she said, you can call me king. 226 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 2: This is in the seventeenth century, you know. So it's 227 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 2: such you know. So that's in development and it's been 228 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 2: announced with Stars, you know and lions Gate. Another great 229 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 2: project that we have BBC Studios is called Reclaim Again, 230 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 2: going back into history in the eighteenth century, the British 231 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 2: came to beIN in city in Nigeria and looted all 232 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 2: our great artifacts and took them back to all these 233 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 2: British museums and some of them are still sitting there 234 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 2: till tomorrow and some have been returned. So we have 235 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 2: a limited series with BBC Studios called Reclaim whereby there's 236 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 2: this you know, high powered millennial you know, team of 237 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 2: kick ass. You know, you know, people determined to go 238 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 2: back to the museums and to those that have stolen 239 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 2: our artifacts as we want it back, so using a 240 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 2: heist format, but for something else has meaning to say, 241 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 2: you took that doesn't belong to you and we want 242 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 2: it back. Please, thank you very much. You know that's 243 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:36,599 Speaker 2: strict claim set up at the BBC, you know, and 244 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 2: we have a ton of other projects you know that 245 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 2: have been that are out there. You know that we're 246 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 2: working with the Dahoma Warriors. You saw a woman king 247 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,679 Speaker 2: that Vola Davis. Did you know as far back as 248 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen, you know, we signed an agreement with Sony 249 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 2: about the Dahoma Warriors the series. Again, these women reigned 250 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 2: in Africa for many, many years. Their story has never 251 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 2: been told the first time the story was told was 252 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,199 Speaker 2: when Viola Davis did it as a movie. But there 253 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 2: is so much content around these women that we believe 254 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 2: there is life for there to be a series. And 255 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 2: it's one of our projects that's been announced and is 256 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 2: in development and you know it's being pitched with Sony 257 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 2: Pictures Television we have. So for us as Ebony Life, 258 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 2: we try and pick projects and select projects that we 259 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 2: know are local in terms of the story, but globally 260 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 2: would appeal to a wider audience. 261 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: Can I ask you about the development So even in 262 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: the time that you have been active with Ebony Life, 263 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: all the pre production and then going live, can you 264 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: talk about the development of infrastructure of entertainment and content 265 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 1: production infrastructure in Legos and other parts of Nigeria other 266 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: African markets, Because definitely, the potential, the growth potential in 267 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 1: Africa is something that every major global media company is 268 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: really talking about. I'd love your on the ground perspective 269 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 1: as being one of the people that really said, hey, 270 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: it's time to take the reins and tell our own stories. 271 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 2: Absolutely well as far as the infrastructure is concerned, I 272 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 2: want to say that for infrastructure, we need to do 273 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 2: more in Nigeria. You know, South Africa is ahead of 274 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 2: us in that regard. They do have studio facilities where 275 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 2: you can go in and you can do big epic, 276 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 2: you know stories, But Nigeria still needs to develop, the 277 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 2: rest of Africa still needs to develop. As you know. 278 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 2: I also have a partnership with Idris Elba. He is 279 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 2: also in the prosis of the studio in Ghana, you know, 280 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 2: So it is beginning to happen that studios need to 281 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 2: be on ground. We do need to have those structures there. 282 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 2: But what I do love about the way we've worked 283 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 2: in Nigeria is that despite not having the studios, you 284 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 2: find that there are properties and locations where you can shoot. Now, 285 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 2: when we were running up on in life television, of 286 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 2: course we had a massive studios. As a linear TV channel, 287 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 2: we had a you know, we had our studios. But 288 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 2: when we became more of a co production partner to 289 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 2: the you know, when we moved out of linear television, 290 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 2: we didn't have those massive studios that we were running anymore. 291 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 2: So we tend to work more on a set by set. Okay, 292 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 2: if we're going to shoot this particular project, you know, 293 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 2: we we have you know, location managers that work with 294 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 2: us we go out and we wrecky many many times 295 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 2: I have appealed to friends and family and colleagues to say, 296 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 2: I know your home is not a studio, but I 297 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 2: need to shoot this movie. Your house, your living room, 298 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 2: your dining room, your garden, your you know, your car park, 299 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 2: your tarmac, your private get whatever it is. I really 300 00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 2: really need you to support me on this project, you know. 301 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:04,360 Speaker 2: And that sometimes works with friends, and in some instances 302 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 2: it's a commercial arrangement. You're going to have to pay 303 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:12,160 Speaker 2: for the location, you know, for the prop, for whatever 304 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 2: it is that you need. You're going to have to 305 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 2: pay for it if you need to use it. So 306 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 2: that's pretty much the infrastructure that we work with in Nigeria. 307 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 2: But as I said, in South Africa, it's way more developed. 308 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 2: They've got a more settled market. They do have studios 309 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 2: in Cape Town and joe Burg whereby you know, you 310 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 2: can go in and you can shoot long term projects 311 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 2: and you can build your sets and things like that. 312 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,399 Speaker 2: You know. So infrastructure is some is an area that 313 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 2: I do believe we need to work on. I also 314 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 2: believe we need to work more on post production facilities 315 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 2: as well. In country, we do have our own post 316 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 2: that eBoy Life part of the work, but we still 317 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 2: do outsource part of it because we don't have absolutely 318 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 2: everything that we can do in house, you know. So again, 319 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,959 Speaker 2: I still strongly believe in there being a collaborative effort 320 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:09,120 Speaker 2: towards achieving our goals. And we shouldn't sort of put 321 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 2: this circle around us that, oh, everything I do must 322 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 2: be in Nigeria. Whatever we can do in Nigeria or 323 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 2: Ghana or South Africa or Kenya or whatever other part 324 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:21,159 Speaker 2: of the world, in Africa, we do. And if we 325 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 2: even have to extend that to work in England, or 326 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:25,360 Speaker 2: we need to extend that to work in South Africa 327 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 2: or America or any other part of the world, so 328 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 2: be it. You know, creatives need I think creatives need 329 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 2: to be more involved with working together because I think 330 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 2: that's when you get the best of us rather than 331 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 2: very much. Oh I'm going to work. I'm going to 332 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 2: do this. It's Mimi, I and myself. 333 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 1: Don't go anywhere. There's more coming from Ebony Life CEO 334 00:18:52,359 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: mo Aboduo right after this break and we're back with 335 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:07,640 Speaker 1: more from Ebony Life CEO mo Aboudu. Let me ask 336 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,680 Speaker 1: you as you pitch. You know, everyone from BBC to 337 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: Stars to you know, major networks around the world and 338 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: other continents have what has been some of the education 339 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: that you've needed to do to because you are coming 340 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:23,439 Speaker 1: in with a different message. We are Africans, we are 341 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 1: ready to tell our own stories. We are local for global. 342 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: Have you found mostly receptive ears? Has it taken Has 343 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: it taken time for people to understand people outside of 344 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 1: Africa to understand what the potential, what the marketplace is 345 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:38,880 Speaker 1: there right now? 346 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 2: I think it's like with all things, it's you have 347 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:48,120 Speaker 2: to educate, you have to convince, you have to persuade positively, 348 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 2: you've got to share data, you've got to let them 349 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 2: understand that Africa is only six hours away from London. 350 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 2: You know, It's it's not like you're going to out 351 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 2: of space, right. I mean the other day I was 352 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 2: on a plane from New York to la and it 353 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,159 Speaker 2: was five and a half hours. That's how long it 354 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 2: takes to get from London to Lagos literally, So you know, 355 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 2: we're not that far away from where the world is. 356 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:18,160 Speaker 2: And it's important for the world to understand that Africa 357 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:20,679 Speaker 2: is shaping a lot of the culture around the world 358 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 2: when it comes to music, when it comes to fashion, 359 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 2: when it comes to beauty, when it comes I mean, 360 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,440 Speaker 2: I believe that Nigeria, for example, has some of the 361 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 2: best fashion designers, has some of the best hairdressers, has 362 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,680 Speaker 2: some of the best makeup artists that the world needs 363 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:39,959 Speaker 2: to discover, you know, And so we have talent sitting 364 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 2: there that needs to be exported, that needs to be 365 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:48,359 Speaker 2: shared with the world. So my message to those that 366 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:50,879 Speaker 2: are ready to listen because you know the challenges are 367 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:52,879 Speaker 2: some of them that you still not ready. Some of 368 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 2: them are very risk adverse to. Like you know what, 369 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 2: I'm just rather going to do season hundred of this 370 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 2: particular show because it kind of works for me, and 371 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 2: I'm not sure I want to go and do another 372 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 2: season one of a show from Nigeria or Cape Town 373 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 2: and Johannesburg. But then you see data speaks for itself 374 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 2: because what you find is that a number of the 375 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 2: shows that are on Netflix or any of the other streamers, 376 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:19,240 Speaker 2: you find that because data, they're so data driven, they 377 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 2: share the numbers, you know, on you can check these 378 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,880 Speaker 2: numbers online and they can see that even when our 379 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 2: shows are standing shoulder to shoulder with international shows that 380 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 2: probably get ten times the budget that we get. We're 381 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 2: still getting the numbers, and that tells you that there 382 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:39,399 Speaker 2: is an audience, that people want a different story, and 383 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:43,640 Speaker 2: it tells you that you know, this new generation, this 384 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 2: younger generation, like my daughter has been watching Korean content 385 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 2: for ten years or longer, and I would say, what 386 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 2: are you watching? She's like, Mom, you need to watch this. 387 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 2: But look how that has taken the world by storm. 388 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 2: Right now some of us are just realizing that there's 389 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 2: Korean content out there. But I've been on this journey 390 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:05,199 Speaker 2: for the last twenty or thirty years, so again I 391 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 2: believe that it's a journey that Africa is on and 392 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 2: we've started the journey. And you know, when you look 393 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 2: at markets where there is huge potential today, it's going 394 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 2: to be Africa because, oh, as a business case, all 395 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 2: the other markets are literally fully saturated. Where are you're 396 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:24,439 Speaker 2: going to go? How many more subscribers a you're going 397 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 2: to get in England or on London or France or wherever. 398 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 2: You may get a few more. But you know where 399 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,439 Speaker 2: the largest market is right now is on the continent. 400 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 2: There are a billion people. 401 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:36,160 Speaker 1: There and they're incredibly and nowadays they are incredibly wired. 402 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 2: They are We're getting more wired. I mean, there are 403 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 2: probably three hundred million phone lines in Nigeria. I mean 404 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:44,919 Speaker 2: that number may be wrong, you know, so I'm just 405 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 2: saying it's probably higher than that, you know, three hundred 406 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,680 Speaker 2: million subscribers maybe or more. So. We're getting more white, 407 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:52,920 Speaker 2: We're getting more connected. You know, there's a lot more 408 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 2: going on with that. Even in the tech space. You know, 409 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 2: Nigeria is very savvy when it comes to tech in 410 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 2: terms of you know, the partnerships that they forged around 411 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:06,200 Speaker 2: the payment systems and things like that, not forgetting what's 412 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 2: happening in the world of music, you know. I mean, 413 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 2: we have Nigerian artists, you know, like Burna Boy and 414 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 2: David Ow and whiskeyd and to A Savage and this 415 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 2: and as Shake this week selling out studios, setting out 416 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 2: you know, staating. 417 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 1: The cultural exports have been significant. 418 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 2: In New York people. I mean, I'm sometimes walking around 419 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 2: Macy's or Selfridges or Harold's. I'm in a restaurant and 420 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 2: I'm hearing a Nigerian song and I'm like wow. I mean, 421 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 2: last week I was in La and I was at 422 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:39,720 Speaker 2: the rooftop of the World of Astoria and I was 423 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 2: listening to rama and I'm like, wow, that is that 424 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 2: is that is amazing. You know, I was in Canada 425 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:48,879 Speaker 2: last year. There was a DJ playing at an event 426 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:50,679 Speaker 2: and I had to go to him and say, are 427 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 2: you Nigeria And he said no, His entire playlist was 428 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 2: ninety percent Nigerian music. I'm saying that things are beginning 429 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 2: to happen around the world. And it's happened in the 430 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 2: world of music, and I believe that it's going to 431 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 2: take off in the world of fashion and the film 432 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 2: and television and storytelling. It's beginning to happen and it 433 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 2: can only it can only be up from where we are. 434 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 1: And let me ask you for the local audience, for 435 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 1: the Nigerian audience, what did you see was the impact 436 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 1: of a show like Blood Sisters. You produced one of, 437 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:31,400 Speaker 1: if not the first Netflix African original series. What did 438 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 1: you see What was the resonance of that series among 439 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 1: the among the African audience. 440 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 2: That show did eleven million hours around the world in 441 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 2: its first week, eleven million viewing hours. We made the 442 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 2: show based on an original idea of timnydal You know. 443 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 2: Let me just you know, for Transparency stations, my daughter, 444 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 2: but the show didn't get green lit because of that. 445 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 2: The show got greally because it was a great story, 446 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:06,440 Speaker 2: and we went into development with Netflix on that. Dorothy, Dorothy, 447 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 2: I love you, Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you guys. 448 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 2: You know, we went into development of that. It took 449 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,160 Speaker 2: about a year to get these to get the six episodes, 450 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 2: to get the four episodes ready, and as soon as 451 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 2: that was done with the writing, we just knew we 452 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 2: had a winner on our hands because even just simply 453 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 2: reading the scripts, you just knew story is story, you know, 454 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 2: it's it's universal, and we knew that as we were 455 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:33,639 Speaker 2: reading them that the world was going to take this 456 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 2: story on and they were going to love it. And 457 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:37,879 Speaker 2: that is exactly what they've done. You know, it was 458 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 2: well received. People loved it. They were like, oh my god. 459 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 2: You know, there were memes. There were I mean, people 460 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 2: went on and on. People had all these groups on Twitter. 461 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 2: There were blood groups. This there was about fashion was 462 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 2: absolutely or Landa did an amazing job with the fashion. 463 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 2: You know, Suricit did an amazing job with production design. 464 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 2: Heidi had a programming supervising creative direct supervisor did an 465 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:02,360 Speaker 2: amazing job. Our directors. Kenneth be worked tirelessly with an 466 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 2: amazing cast, you know, Kate, Nancy Inny Genoveva. You know, 467 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 2: it was just awesome in terms of the look and 468 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 2: feel of that show, not forgetting Dami, who was the 469 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:20,640 Speaker 2: group that was badly behaved and his you know, he 470 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,240 Speaker 2: was you know, he was the body that they had 471 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 2: to hide. And you know, I mean, imagine on your 472 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 2: the day you're going to get married, you're about to 473 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:29,879 Speaker 2: get married, and you find that you're about to marry 474 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 2: a crazy guy who you don't know. On your wedding day, 475 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 2: you tell him listen, I don't love you, I can't 476 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:37,680 Speaker 2: marry you anymore, and he tries to kill you. Your 477 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:39,400 Speaker 2: best friend walks in on that and said, you're trying 478 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 2: to kill my best friend, and accidentally she kills him. Meanwhile, 479 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 2: there's a group of people downstairs waiting for a wedding 480 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,360 Speaker 2: to happen, and all of a sudden, there's a dead 481 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 2: body upstairs. 482 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:53,400 Speaker 1: That's That's a detective show called Open If I've ever 483 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:55,920 Speaker 1: seen one, anything you'd like to leave us with. 484 00:26:57,359 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 2: Just to say that I'm excited about the few There 485 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:04,440 Speaker 2: are a number of projects that we are working on that, 486 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 2: unfortunately I can't disclose to you because you know they 487 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 2: haven't been announced yet, but there is some exciting things 488 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 2: going on right now. I will say too, I'm super 489 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 2: super excited about our slate of projects in development and 490 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 2: in production, and yeah, the world should just get ready. 491 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 2: A couple were announced last week by Netflix. A Lotterre 492 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 2: we did a lot Toier on Human Trafficking, the feature 493 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 2: film in twenty fifteen. We've now done the series which 494 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 2: will launch soon on Netflix, and another series we did 495 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 2: called Sons of the Caliphate. It's set in the northern 496 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 2: part of Nigeria. We've also now done the spinoff of 497 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:50,120 Speaker 2: that called you know, War and Revenge. So those two 498 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:51,679 Speaker 2: have been announced, but there are others that have not 499 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 2: been announced. And I'm just really really excited about what's 500 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 2: to come. So everybody should just watch out for what's coming. 501 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. Be sure to leave us a review 502 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 1: at Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music. We love to hear 503 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: from listeners. Please go to Variety dot com to sign 504 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: up for the free weekly Strictly Business newsletter, and don't 505 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 1: forget to tune in next week for another episode of 506 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:24,120 Speaker 1: Strictly Business.