CRÉATION AFRICA: After Netflix success, Bad Influencer creator wants African creatives to own their intellectual property
Kudakwashe Maradzika wants her company Lincoln Green Media to develop African stories across countries and creative disciplines, with one piece of intellectual property capable of finding audiences in several different forms.
Kudakwashe "Kudi" Maradzika, founder of Lincoln Green Media, wants her company to develop African stories across different creative mediums, aiming to create intellectual property that can reach audiences in multiple formats. Maradzika's journey began when she was just 12 years old, inspired by films like Jurassic Park and Star Wars. She initially planned to study screenwriting in the United States, but her path led her to become an actor, voice artist, writer, director, and producer.
Maradzika's company was founded in 2022 after she left her role as an executive producer at Paramount Africa. She emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship and building a supportive network, as these are crucial for success in the industry. Lincoln Green Media specializes in creating stories and in-house intellectual property that can be adapted into various formats, such as live-action productions, comic books, and animation.
One of their most notable creations is the Netflix series Bad Influencer, which follows the lives of BK, a struggling single mother and counterfeiter, and Pinky, an aspiring luxury influencer. The series has gained international recognition, topping Netflix's Global Top 10 list for English-language television programmes and attracting four million views in just a week.
Maradzika's vision extends beyond traditional television production, as she is developing an original comic-book property called Artemis Elixa and working on adapting an existing African comic, Beasts of Tazeti, into an animated series with an international partner. This demonstrates her commitment to taking African stories across countries and creative disciplines, ensuring that intellectual property can reach diverse audiences.
Maradzika's selection as one of the 15 entrepreneurs in the second edition of Création Africa, a development program supporting emerging cultural and creative entrepreneurs in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi, highlights her commitment to growing her business and making her creative concepts a reality.
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