Ziphozakhe Hlobo

Exploring the Relationship Between Screenwriting Processes and Film Distribution in The South African Audio-Visual Industry

Independent

This paper explores the intricate relationship between screenwriting and the distribution
success of South African films, with a focus on identifying key elements hindering their
commercial success. Using the South African government’s mandate for economic growth and
international competitiveness in the audio-visual industry as context, the study combines
qualitative analysis of South African films with quantitative financial data to examine how
specific screenwriting elements influence the global commercial viability of these films. This
includes aspects like the composition of the development team, genre, contextual setting, visual
language, and target audiences, among others.

The study analyzes how strengthening, expanding, and deepening the screenwriting process
could significantly contribute to the commercial sustainability of South Africa’s audio-visual
industry. By investigating to what extent aligning the screenwriting process with distributor
perspectives on market trends and audience preferences impacts a film’s distribution success
and profitability, the study contends that enhancing screenwriting quality notably improves a
film’s distribution prospects, especially for high-value international audiences.
Using Gavin Hood’s 2005 film “Tsotsi” as a case study, the paper evaluates screenwriting
elements that supported the film’s profit-making endeavors in the international audio-visual
industry. Preliminary findings suggest that authentic contextual exposition, writing team
abilities and accolades, visual language and strategic partnerships for support are crucial
elements for South African films to succeed both nationally and globally. These results hold
significant implications for understanding the link between screenwriting and the commercial
potential of films, facilitating a process of distilling commercial viability elements to influence
a screenwriting process that ensures the achievement of the objectives for South African audiovisual industry’s long-term sustainability.

Ziphozakhe Hlobo is a Nelson Mandela University Media Studies Honors graduate. She participated in the 2020 Screenwriting Research Network and co-authored a chapter for Palgrave Handbook for Screenwriting published in 2023. She currently works as a Production Analyst for the Kwa-Zulu Natal Film Commission and enjoys her work which includes managing the development of emerging filmmakers. She has written and produced various lifestyle and reality TV programs commissioned by the SABC and Multichoice.