Budding actors in Buffalo City are set to rub shoulders with big televisions stars as Seismic Media kicks off production of a new drama series called Dirty East in East London.
The series will feature well-known actors like Andile Nebulana, Zola Nombona, Hlomla Dandala and Rorisang Mohapi.
Seismic Media has announced a call for young, passionate, driven local actors to audition for the second round of casting, which will take place on Friday November 28, at the Mdantsane Youth Centre.
The company has begun pre-production on its upcoming prime-time drama series which will be filmed in both Mdantsane and East London.
The series aims to capture the energy, personalities and everyday experiences of a township whose cultural influence reaches far across SA.
Dirty East producer and creative lead Mariza Matshaya said her inspiration for creating the series stemmed from both her deep industry experience and her personal connection to Mdantsane.
“When Gqeberha: The Empire began winding down, I wanted to create a series that could replace it and create opportunities for young creators, as well as for people in the industry to understand the economic development potential of film and television,” she said.
Matshaya also wanted to create a series that would air on SABC1, which is the biggest platform in SA.
“As someone who has worked in the sector for many years, I know SABC1 is one of the biggest channels in terms of numbers.
“I was aware that I wouldn’t immediately be given a long running series, so I created Dirty East from that.
“It also came at a time when Zahara passed on, and I needed to revisit this concept to think about how we package our culture, especially as people from Buffalo City Metro, in a way that resonates nationally and globally,” she said.
Matshaya described the storyline as multi-dimensional and deeply rooted in contemporary South African life.
“It’s a multilayered story set in the worlds of construction and music.
“We understand the challenge of holding two universes together, and on top of that, Mdantsane itself becomes a character,” she said.
The drama explores themes of power, control, love and the complexities of family dynamics. “It’s a family drama at its heart — a story about love, what love looks like when you hold the power, and what happens when someone else exerts power in a way that results in toxicity,” she said.
Matshaya said the story spoke to broader national issues as well.
“It becomes a story about crime and corruption, because these are themes at the heart of our country right now.
“It’s not a one-dimensional story — it’s a story that resonates with everybody.”
As someone born in Mdantsane, Matshaya sees Dirty East as a tribute to her community.
“For me, it’s a love letter to my people. I hope Mdantsane residents enjoy the series for what it means.
“It’s a love letter to the township that raised me and shaped my perspective,” she said.
During pre-production, the team received support from the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts & Culture Council (ECPACC) for research and development, and from the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) as a production partner.
Matshaya said the biggest challenge was the writing process, since it involved people who did not know Mdantsane at heart.
“Working on both development and production at the same time has been strenuous, but it was a welcome challenge,” she said.
The team is still casting several roles and is currently focused on bringing in new faces from the Eastern Cape.
“For our supporting roles, we believe it’s important to cast from the province.
“We have about 20 roles to cast before Friday 28,” Matshaya said.
She said though the story was rooted in Mdantsane, the production reflected SA’s cultural diversity.
Matshaya said the production was eager to partner with local businesses to stimulate the local economy.
“We would love to collaborate with Mdantsane businesses because economic development and job creation are important to us.
“We are looking for suppliers, water companies, butcheries, fruit and vegetable suppliers, mobile toilet hires, VIP toilets, trailers because we want the city to recognise its participation in the series,” Matshaya said.
Those interested in joining the cast can submit a two-minute self-taped monologue to dirtyeastseries@gmail.com before Friday at 12pm.
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