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Brenda Phiri Harare Bureau
The name Obey Machipisi might not ring a bell in the minds of Zimbabweans, but it resonates like a hurricane within the South African arts industry. The 27-year-old singer, actor and presenter is among the unheralded artistes raising the country’s flag in the Mzansi film industry. Machipisi is a scriptwriter for one of Africa’s most successful soap operas, “Generations” among other soapies.
Asked how he got the opportunity to work with the Generations crew, Machipisi said: “It’s a long story, it took almost two years, two test scripts, good references and one meeting to get the Generations gig.
“However, the wait was really worth it. It’s a great experience working with writers that have been with the show since its inception, and writers that I’ve worked with on other shows,” he said about Generations.
It is no secret that real life drama has rocked the soapie behind the scenes with principal cast members being sacked after a long-running dispute over salaries but Machipisi says the tension had not dampened spirits of writers, but instead challenged them to rise above the occasion.
“The drama in the Generations camp had nothing to do with writers, if anything it was a mind challenge to turn around the show to what it is right now.
“Unfortunately I missed out on this fun as I was on a break working on a children’s show for SABC2,” he said.
The writer who started off as an actor and did a few South African commercials said he was not intimidated by working in a competitive industry that is dominated by seasoned artistes as he is driven by passion.
He said he spends most of his time researching, reading and watching other people’s work, just to keep abreast of the state of affairs on the market.
“I speak a lot of languages and always ask for advice. Sometimes I find myself thinking like an old Zulu woman, that’s how much I dedicate myself to my work, so my age is nothing but a number.”
While his current spot might be the place to be for many aspiring writers, Machipisi is not sinking his teeth just yet. He is mostly excited about a possible move that will see him working with the local film industry.
“My fingers are crossed as I’ve been asked to submit content for a local station. Unfortunately I can’t say much until I get thumbs up, but be on the lookout for a kick back of Zimbabwe’s top actors and some kick-ass international standard productions,” he said.
In terms of where locals are getting it wrong, Machipisi said the country has what it takes to lead the pack although quality was being compromised for quantity.
“There is so much talent in Zimbabwe and I’m sure given the knowledge, equipment and funds, we’ll top all African productions and rate against big against international productions.”
Besides Generations, the youthful artiste has written for Isibaya Season 2 (Mzansi Magic), Vat’n’Sit (eTV+), Live Music show for Nigerian TV channel (SoundCity), Inside the Baobab Tree (SABC2) and Rhema Ministries TV./
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