09 Nov 2014

The entertainment industry has always been one segment that allows its practitioners to spread their wings outside their borders.

One does not need to be in the country of birth to realise her or his dreams.  That has shown in most Batswana who have tried it outside Botswana and some even flying even afar as the United States and Europe. 

One such successful Motswana is Sebati Mafate, a novel writer, screenwriter, film-maker and director.  His fellow countrymen will remember him from the novel Memories of Lotsane: The Chronicles of An African Boarding School in which he narrated the life of boarding school in Botswana. 

Mafate has a couple of novels under his sleeve; but he also has movies in his resume with a movie Black Cobra released by Lionsgate Films, a screenplay from his novel When the Cobra Strikes.

Last year he was due to release his second screen play feature film titled Geraldine. But due to production technicalities the film was shelved and had to be reshot. But the writing skills in him inspired him to write a novel version of the feature film. 

Hence the catchy title The Devil’s Concubine, which garnered over 4 000 copies making it a New York Times Bestseller. 

BOPA caught up with Mafate on his continuing success as well as his latest novel The Devil’s Concubine.

KM: What inspired the concept of the novel?

SM: When writing the story, there was so much that I wanted to reveal, but you can only do so much with 90 minutes, which is the time normally you have to tell a story on screen, and keep the audience before you lose them; so the concept of the novel was all the more enticing to go deeper into the character/s, their background/s, and most importantly what drives Raymond Pata, the central character to the story, to do the things that he does.

KM: Why the title The Devil’s Concubine for the novel, after the feature film was titled Geraldine?

SM: I wanted a much more ‘catchy’ title so to speak as opposed to a title like Geraldine and the truth really is that the story is not only about Geraldine as it is about Raymond Pata, who sells his soul to the devil, and in a way becomes the devil, and the woman of his dreams, Geraldine, his concubine in a manner of speaking. I also silently took a poll among friends and strangers alike asking them of the two titles which they preferred and the answer was unanimous. 

KM: What are the challenges in converting a novel into a screen play?

SM: There are challenges in both aspects I think, but it is more difficult to adapt a novel to a screenplay. 

A story in a novel usually occurs over a period of time; sometimes even years and you have to compress all that into less than 100 minutes of screen time. 

A case in point the movie Long Walk To Freedom; the filmmakers were faced with the monumental task of capturing the iconic Nelson Mandela’s entire life and struggle in only so much time; an almost impossible task, but unfortunately that is the nature of the beast. 

As a filmmaker, your job is to tell a story to the best of your ability, in spite of the time constraints, and keep your audience engaged every step of the way, because if you lose them even for a moment you are doomed. 

And these days with the advent of the electronic information age it does not take much to accomplish that. 

KM: ….. and a screen play into a novel?

ES: Adapting a screenplay to a novel on the other hand is the easiest to do, at least for me, because you already have the whole blueprint in front of you. It is a skeleton, and what you are doing when converting it to a novel is adding the flesh, blood, clothes, and air; thereafter it takes a life of its own. 

KM: What is your target market? 

SM: All ages, races, and anyone who appreciates a great psychological thriller type of story. 

KM: What types of novels or stories make the best sellers?

SM: Stories that hook you from the very beginning and do not let you go until you reach the satisfying end to me make the bestsellers. The genre does not really matter as long as it is a great story that can engage a reader. Remember, picking up a book and reading it, when you can easily surf the net on your phone, iPod, computer etc. takes a lot; you have to give the reader a reason to read your book.

KM: And on Memories of Lotsane…..how far with the proposed television series?

SM: Aha, I am faced with the same challenge I mentioned earlier, and that is adapting the book into a six part miniseries, also the investors want someone with a ‘name’ to play ‘Sebati’. 

I would like to collaborate with a determined and dedicated Motswana/South African writer in adapting the book, and would definitely welcome proposals from anyone interested; this because I would like to keep it as authentic as possible, and what more than having one of our own in helping craft the series.

The Devil’s Concubine will be available in January worldwide and is published by Aventine Press, based in Chula Vista, California. ENDS