BMA has learnt that American movie star Idris Elba and Nigerian media mogul Mo Abudu are joining forces to empower talent from Africa and the diaspora through their respective production companies, Green Door Pictures and EbonyLife Media.
According to the parties, the new partnership aims to provide opportunities through capacity building and large-scale global productions. In addition, new education and mentoring initiatives will launch through the partnership to foster both the lost generation and a new generation of creatives.
Through their collaboration, the pair aim to nurture a more inclusive and diverse media landscape for stories from Africa and its diaspora. They are calling on industry leaders, the wider public sector, governments and multilateral agencies to help them grow talent globally and build capacity around the continent of Africa.
The duo wants to build on industry education to support and empower African talent, achieved primarily through EbonyLife’s Creative Academy in Lagos, Nigeria, which will support graduates from the program.
Meanwhile, Elba and Abudu will also create a new development slate of stories from Africa or set in the diaspora as feature films and TV series for the global market. The slate will highlight authentic, Afro-centric stories that resonate with worldwide audiences. The co-productions will target broadcasters and streamers as well as the theatrical market.
Elba commented, “I have always been passionate about using my platform to make a positive impact. By partnering with Mo, we aim to offer free, world-class industry education to the next generation of storytellers and bring their authentic voices to the forefront. This partnership is a step towards creating a more inclusive and diverse media landscape that represents the voices and experiences of Africa and its diaspora worldwide.”
Abudu added, “We believe that Africa has the talent and the stories to captivate the world. It’s our mission to offer the best in industry education, mentorship, and production opportunities so that our graduates can become valuable contributors to the global media landscape. We plan to hit the ground running and explore the very best that African and Black stories have to offer global audiences.”
