Burnt Onion Productions is a young, black-owned production company that is making waves in the entertainment industry. With over 13 years in the game, they have produced short-form and long-form content, for various local and international broadcasters, including Netflix, SABC, MultiChoice and Viacom and is currently behind the production of popular YouTube lifestyle show, The Lite Show, brought to you by Africa’s biggest premium beer brand, Castle Lite.
Mohube Rapodile, Director at Burnt Onion Productions shares some knowledge working with the brand for a second season and says, “In Season 1, we, along with Castle Lite, were able to build an online presence as a pop culture and news entertainment show alternative in a time where we were mostly faced with a lot of bad news. In Season 2, we want to solidify The Lite Show as a feel-good ‘lite’-hearted show that allows people to have fun and be entertained while keeping up to date with what has been going on in the world. This time around, we have changed up our sets, introduced new talent, and brought back the segments that made Season 1 a success.”
And what a success it was. A fresh and different form of comedy, Season 1 broke barriers under the stress of the lockdown, allowing artists to draw from their other talents, skills, and abilities. “This is not the company’s first partnership with Castle Lite,” continues Rapodile. “We are the production house behind the successful award-nominated competition reality show that aired on Mzansi Magic for two seasons, Ultimate House Vibe.”
Even the making is rooted in how we can best work as a team, family, and society. The production of The Lite Show has been keeping safe from COVID-19 by working according to regulations. All crew wear masks at all times and constantly sanitise while following social distancing protocols. “We are privileged to entertain the audience during a pandemic and we take the health and safety of the crew and cast very seriously. It’s important that everyone feels safe enough to be at work,” says Rapodile.
Further to a great cast and experienced production team, the guests and performers enable us to further explore talent relevant to our audience and keep them entertained. Franscoe Bouwer, Marketing Manager for Castle Lite says, “We do a lot of research around our guests and performers to ensure that they are a good fit for the show, that they are people our consumers are interested in and want to hear more from.”
With so much happening in the world and South Africa at this time, it is easy to take on the negativity around us, but with The Lite Show, we have the opportunity to look on the ‘Lite’ side, find entertaining and remarkable nuggets of positive news, and have a good time doing it. If we do this, we know, ‘We gonna be alright.”
Bongi Sikelo 