- il y a 2 jours
In this interview, Chioma Nkem discusses writing opportunities, storytelling, culture, and the evolving future of Duanju. She reflects on how platforms like Duanju are opening doors for African writers and creators while shaping new narratives and expanding possibilities for the next generation of African storytelling and creative innovation.
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Art et designTranscription
00:00To kick things off, could you walk us through your background?
00:03How did you first step into script writing and what themes or story types naturally draw you in?
00:10Hi, nice to be here.
00:14My name is Choma Makhonam and I'm a storyteller and screenwriter with over five years of experience in writing both scripts, novels and short stories.
00:27I have over 30 produced screenplays and around five web novels and over 20 short stories.
00:41Writing is something that I think I feel connected to.
00:46And my journey into screenwriting is a very funny one because it sprang from a course I took in the university.
00:54Taking that course exposed me to how thrilling storytelling can be and I found it to be very interesting.
01:06You know, growing up, I had read quite a number of books and novels.
01:10I loved reading novels.
01:12But taking that course made me realize that this was something I had a passion for and I decided to chase it.
01:21So it's been a thrilling journey of growth, of learning, of exploring different genres and different kinds of writings from features to novels to verticals to any writing, literally.
01:36It's been a thrilling experience.
01:38Okay, that's wonderful.
01:39It's very nice to have you here, Choma.
01:41We want to talk about Dwanjoo as a new storytelling frontier.
01:48So we all know that Dwanjoo is the mobile first ultra short drama format and it's currently, you know, shifting the way stories are consumed worldwide.
01:59So from your vantage point as a writer, how do you interpret this shift?
02:05Do you view the format as limiting or as an innovative playground for new narrative ideas?
02:13Well, I don't see micro dramas as limiting.
02:19If anything, I see it as a means for writers to spread their wings and explore.
02:26As a writer, I feel like one thrilling thing about writing is the possibility of trying new things, trying new genres, you know, getting challenged to do better, getting challenged to be more creative than you've been.
02:42And I think that is what Dwanjoo has come to do for writers.
02:47It has come to create a means for writers to be even more creative than they used to be for traditional forms of writing.
02:58So I don't see this as a challenge.
03:01I see this as a very thrilling format.
03:04I see this as very, very thrilling.
03:06I mean, it is quite different from the traditional form of writing and it's like a breath of fresh air, you know, something that is, it's nice to explore.
03:16So rather than see it as a challenge, I believe that it is a kind of wing for writers to fly, you know, explore the format, learn about the format, be creative with the format, come up with new ideas and all of that.
03:33And just do your thing with the format.
03:36So, yeah.
03:38Okay.
03:38So I want you like in a sentence to explain your writing workflow in this fast moving digital space.
03:45When you are writing for screen or digital platforms, what does your creative workflow look like?
03:52And how do you ensure that there is emotional weight and narrative clarity in this format where you know that viewers want instant engagement?
04:01Okay.
04:01Well, my writing workflow is nothing so different from, you know, when I write features and all of that, because I still work with a particular pattern of writing.
04:14I write with a particular structure of writing.
04:17Before I start working on any short form content, I have to figure out the ideas, of course, and parts of the ideas where it is emotionally heated, you know, that's the emotional climax and all of that.
04:35But then I move on to start the beginning, to plot the beginning, the middle, the end, you know, in the beginning, in the beginning, I go on to carve out the emotional bits in it.
04:48And then I break it down into episodes.
04:51You know, that's the difference between short form and verticals.
04:55Now, I am breaking down these bits of the beginning parts into episodes.
05:01And now, each episode, I try to infuse an emotional core part of the story.
05:08I try to impute climax.
05:11I try to impute cliffhangers, rather, because you're writing for an audience that is scrolling.
05:18You have to make sure that every single episode keeps them thrilled to see what is next.
05:24So, I try to impute cliffhangers in every single episode.
05:31I mean, every single episode must be thrilling enough to make the audience sit back to know what happens next.
05:38So, I break these episodes into, I break these bits into episodes, ensuring that it carries the storyline, the theme, the emotional part of the story, just as every episode progresses.
05:54So, I still work with a typical, traditional style, but with a difference, because now I'm working with bits.
06:03I'm working with emotional bits, and I'm working with episodes that must keep the viewers viewed.
06:10So, let's dive into a defining creative experience that you've had.
06:15But this is going to be like your vertical edition, because we know that most writers have one project
06:20that has sharpened their voice or reshaped how they approach their craft.
06:25So, this is for a vertical now.
06:27Can you share a project you did, a vertical script or a vertical project you did,
06:32that had, like, a major influence on your growth as a visual storyteller?
06:36So, I would say that it's my very first vertical script for drama shoots, the very first script I wrote for drama shoots.
06:47That's the project that has shaped me in ways that I never imagined as a writer.
06:54Because, firstly, it taught me that, as a writer, you have wings to fly, you know, beyond borders, beyond, in fact,
07:06beyond what you can even think of or imagine.
07:09Yeah?
07:09Prior to writing verticals, I had explored the path of web novels, you know, writing stories and novels
07:18for web novel apps and all of that.
07:20So, seeing that these stories were now coming into another form called Verticals got me kind of thrilled,
07:31but a little bit confused at the beginning.
07:35However, taking off my very first vertical script project, I realized that there is nothing like here.
07:44I feel like that was one thing I learned from writing that project.
07:47It's fear is something that doesn't actually exist.
07:53Like, it's just a matter of your mind.
07:58So, I feel like that project taught me to challenge myself enough to do something that I've never done
08:05and to do it well.
08:08So, it brought out this zeal in me.
08:10It brought out this passion in me.
08:13And it's made me realize that, as a writer, you can actually adapt to any form of writing.
08:20Like, you know, as long as you're good.
08:23So, that project challenged me in nice ways that, yeah, I would say I'm thankful about.
08:31So, yeah.
08:32Let's talk about Duanju's place in Africa's creative future.
08:37Where do you see the Duanju formats landing within Africa's entertainment space over the next few years?
08:43And do you think short-form dramas can break into the mainstream year?
08:50And what industry shifts would need to happen for that to become reality?
08:53Yes, I see a very big possibility of short-form dramas taking over the African market, yeah?
09:01Because, I mean, they still have to do with stories.
09:04So, I see a very big possibility of micro-dramas making way into the African market.
09:10Why?
09:10Simply because stories are universal, you know?
09:14And short-form dramas are still a form of storytelling.
09:20So, storytelling is one major thing that has the capacity of courting through borders.
09:26I feel like Nigerians are also interested in stories.
09:32And I know that they will be interested in vertical storytelling as long as it is something strong enough
09:38to drive their interest or their attention or to make them want to invest their time in seeing it.
09:45That is to say that the stories coming in should be really, really captivating.
09:50Captivating enough to make them decide that it is worth their attention and their time and their resources.
10:00You know, once it can be proved to them that this is something worth your time,
10:05I feel like verticals are something that Africans would really, really embrace, yeah?
10:12And industry shifts, the only industry shift would just be probably a little bit of learning and relearning
10:23because verticals are a new concept, as you know.
10:28And even if it looks easy, even if it looks easy, it is still a bit technical
10:34because right from the writing stage down to the post-production stage,
10:40you need to know that this is a form that is different from the traditional mode of shooting.
10:48So, there have to be a kind of knowledge from both the writer to every crew member.
10:56They have to be educated kind of on how verticals work.
11:00So, the industry shifts would just be just knowledge, like learning about it and all of that.
11:06And, yeah, but all around, I just feel like verticals are something that Nigerians would accept
11:13as long as it can be proved to them that it is worth their attention.
11:18You know, that is true.
11:19Creating emotionally rich, captivating stories that are also culturally inclined.
11:27Yes.
11:27Okay, that's nice.
11:28Speaking of culturally inclined,
11:30how do you think creators can infuse authenticity into Dwanju
11:36while still delivering the immediate mobile audience aspect?
11:40Like, how do you think African creators can infuse, you know, authenticity into Dwanju?
11:46Okay.
11:48Authenticity, I feel like it comes in things down from even the way they talk,
11:56the way they talk down to their outfits.
12:01You know, there can just be little infusions here and there that defines culture.
12:07It doesn't have to be overwhelming.
12:08It doesn't have to be extravagant.
12:11But even from their language or, you know, I mean, every country have their language.
12:19That is, every country have their language.
12:23I mean, so you can, I feel like for Nigeria, bringing it in,
12:27we could actually include something like their native language here and there,
12:33not so much, but just in bits, you know.
12:40And apart from that, probably their outfits or their mode of dressing,
12:47you know, things that makes them distinct from other countries.
12:51It can be shown in just bits here and there to show that, okay, yes,
12:55to hold on to the culture and to make it still emotionally rich
12:58while still passing the stories.
13:01Stories are universal.
13:03The same story used in creating a beautiful production in other countries
13:09can still be used in Nigeria as long as these cultural bits are infused,
13:16maybe through their dressing or their language or their mode of living, literally.
13:24For our final question, let's talk about the opportunities and risks for writers.
13:31As Dwanjoo gains momentum globally,
13:34what do you think this could mean for writers on the continent?
13:38Could the rise of short-form content create new pathways for writers
13:43or introduce challenges that they need to prepare for?
13:46As a matter of fact,
13:48as a matter of fact,
13:49I feel that the introduction of short-form content
13:52have even opened more doors of opportunities for writers.
13:57You know, I feel like now writers have more jobs.
14:01You know, they're not just looking for the traditional means of writing,
14:05you know, feature writing or novel writing.
14:07Like, the introduction of verticals has also created more jobs for writers.
14:15So I don't see it as a challenge.
14:17The only bit of challenge there,
14:20like I mentioned earlier,
14:21is the technicality.
14:23Because the writer now has to understand that
14:26this is not a normal way of writing.
14:30There is a little bit of difference here.
14:31You have to know how to engage your viewers
14:36from the very first episode
14:38down to the last episode
14:40and make sure that every single episode
14:42you are working on ends with a cliffhanger.
14:45You know, so that's just what I see
14:47as a little bit of a challenge that writers face,
14:50you know, learning the technicalities of verticals.
14:52But apart from that,
14:53I feel like it is a nice concept
14:56when it comes to,
14:57it is a nice opportunity
14:59when it comes to opening doors
15:02of writing opportunity for writers.
15:04I totally agree with you on this one.
15:07Okay.
15:08Thank you so much, Chioma,
15:10for sharing your insights and experience with us.
15:14Because, like I always say,
15:16conversations like this are exactly
15:18what the African creative industry needs
15:21as we navigate new formats and new opportunities.
15:25and your perspective on storytelling,
15:28culture, and the future of Duanju
15:30really adds value to this ongoing dialogue.
15:33So to everyone that is watching,
15:35thank you for joining us.
15:37This is part of Duanju's commitment
15:39to spotlighting the voices,
15:41shaping the next era of African storytelling.
15:45So until the next conversation,
15:46keep creating, keep experimenting,
15:49and keep pushing the boundaries
15:50of what is possible.
15:53Bye.
15:55Bye.
15:59Bye.
15:59Bye.
15:59Bye.
15:59Bye.
15:59Bye.
15:59Bye.
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