Blak Wave is planning to use the funding to develop a new drama show
Blak Wave was set up by Dr Mena Fombo and Michael Jenkins(Image: Bristol Post)
The owners of an independent television production company in Bristol say they are “super excited” after securing funding from Channel 4 to develop a drama show.
Blak Wave was set up by Michael Jenkins and Dr Mena Fombo in 2019 in a bid to create content from a “fresh perspective” and to give a voice to those underrepresented on television.
On Tuesday, July 28, the duo announced the business was one of five indies to win backing from Channel 4’s Creative Equity Drama IP Fund, which is designed to support ethnically diverse-led indies to secure and develop IP.
“We are so please to share with the world that we were successful in our pitch to the Channel 4 creative equity fund,” Blak Wave said in a statement on Facebook.
“This is big for Blak Wave. Mena and I do a lot of documentary’s and short drama films but we are super excited to be developing our first drama tv show with Channel 4.
“This has been years in the making and it’s a reminder that this game is a marathon and not a sprint. Shout out to the other companies selected we are in good company.”
Blak Wave is behind productions including ‘No Rucks Given!’ – a women’s rugby documentary made in partnership with Warner Bros, Discovery Access and TNT Sports – and carnival documentary Home Carnival Queen, in partnership with BBC Arts.
The company’s co-founder, Dr Fombo, is a Bristol-based equality and diversity campaigner, who is also behind Black Girl Convention – a movement to ensure that women of African and Caribbean heritage have “a sense of home” by sharing experiences.
Mr Jenkins, meanwhile, is a writer and director for film and TV. He won Best Short Film for ‘Check the Label’ at the Royal Television Society Awards West in 2018 and Best Documentary at the Royal Television Society Awards West in 2021 for ‘Monumental’. He is a full BAFTA voting member.
The other independent production companies to secure funding from Channel 4 are Greenacre Films, Turnover Films, Lunar Pictures and Dark Pictures.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login