ABOUT BENJAMIN KENT
Some years back, I was asked what was supposed to be an innocent question by a producer living outside Africa, which left me vexed: “Are there screenwriters in Africa?”
Upon mulling over the matter for a while, it finally dawned on me. The question he really was asking is, “are there professional screenwriters in Africa who understand what it takes to deliver the kind of scripts required by international studios?” For fear of offending me, I guess he thought it was better to sound ignorant; needless to say, the outcome was the same.
If only he was brave enough, he would have discovered that it’s indeed a valid question; a question I can definitely relate to. Good screenwriters are hard to find anywhere, but more in some places than others. In Africa, it’s a tricky mountain to climb. Say you are a producer outside Africa looking for an African screenwriter to collaborate with on a spec, where do you start? The mere thought of this is enough to give you the heebie-jeebies. Only a few brave and desperate ones are willing to take that leap of faith.
That’s why I decided to create this space for international producers or anyone for that matter looking for an African screenwriter capable of delivering scripts that tick all the boxes international studios want ticked. If you’ve found yourself on this page, be assured you’ve started on the right foot.
So, who am I?
I’m a professional screenwriter based in Ghana and the UK, with almost twenty years creating shows for both local and international media organizations. My domain is drama, thriller, and anything in between. I am a writer who loves to push the envelope and is never afraid of tackling hard subjects. I’m always thinking about ways to create new experiences and conversations.
My tumultuous journey into writing professionally began after film school in Ghana where I studied Film directing. It was my favourite part of the film process; I relished how it liberated me and allowed me to explore the crevices of my imagination. Without any institutional avenue to pursue it further, I taught myself the craft by entering as many writing competitions as possible and paying for feedback notes. It felt like I was paying for my own crucifixion, but it also taught me how to deal with critiques of my work. I began to find my voice, winning the BBC African Playwriting competition two times consecutively. Through this, I landed a job as a contributing writer for the longest radio drama on BBC World service, ‘Story Story,’ which introduced me to the inner workings of a writers’ room.
Since then, it’s been one step at a time; one writing workshop to the next, YouTube videos, books, and more competitions. Slowly and painstakingly navigating the convoluted maze of surviving as a screenwriter in Africa. All that experience has shaped me for this special moment. So hell yes, there are screenwriters in Africa (wink), and I’m one of them. Don’t take my word for it, try me.
