Clive Morris Productions reveals truth behind 'Queendom' saga: "We wanted to do something positive"
- Clive Morris Productions has been hogging the news for all the wrong reasons since word got out about the Queendom scandal
- The production company has reportedly failed to pay the cast and crew working on the show, leaving many hopeless and frustrated
- Briefly News spoke exclusively to the owner of the production to get the truth behind the speculations
Source: Instagram
Weeks into landing in a massive scandal over non-payment of the Queendom cast and crew, Clive Morris spoke to Briefly News to shed some light on what was happening behind the scenes.
Offering some background
Clive Morris, the man behind Clive Morris Productions, which produced Isono and the now-famous Queendom, gave Briefly News some background on the nature of the production business and how they approached it:
"What is produced by production houses is commissioned by broadcasters. What that means is that we lose our IP, and they [broadcaster] are able to sell the production wherever they want. Essentially, we can't benefit from our work.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
"When we approached BET for Isono, we asked for a stake and had to pay 30% for the production with help from an investor. Sure enough, it became a success."
Clive said he intended to have part ownership of the production, which would benefit them in the long run:
"We wanted to do something positive and not rely on commission because the national broadcaster can't supply.
"It was so we could produce with some ownership of our ideas because of the hours spent creating them. Owning the production means we can get more money at the end and pay the cast."
Unpacking the Queendom saga
Clive then explained what led to the highly-publicised Queendom scandal, saying things are not always what they seem:
"When we submitted Queendom to BET, we asked to do the same thing as Isono. This time, they asked us to pay 50% of the production. We had to raise the money, but the time was short.
Luckily, we found an investor who promised to deposit the funds, but they pulled out at the last minute."
He went on to address speculations that the cast and crew have not seen a cent since the show started:
"Everyone was paid at the end of April 2024. We were hoping to pay people before Easter, but we couldn't. We could only pay them at the end of the month."
Finding a plan of action
Clive shared the way forward and his hopes for the production:
"We've been working hard to get an investor. BET is also helping us; they paid their 50%.
"The cast and crew have been told, and bridging finance has been organised. Unfortunately, people get angry and they have been hit very hard. It's been tough; we're all devastated.
"We're not crooks hiding millions away from the team; we're all struggling. But raising funds is difficult in this economy, especially in a situation like this. The more is in the press, the more investors pull out."
Clive went on to reveal how Queendom became a success in more ways than one:
"Queendom will hopefully continue. The show was successful, and the ratings went through the roof.
"Clive Morris Production benefitted by giving people employment, funding their studies and providing private medical care."
"When you make a decision in life, you hope it's the right one. Unfortunately, things don't always work out how you planned."
Muvhango reportedly continues
In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to an announcement that Muvhango was in talks to renew its contracts and would not be cancelled anymore.
This after the famous soapie revealed that it would be scrapped, leaving many fans devastated at the sudden announcement.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
