Dynamic Youth Production House Showcasing Botswana’s Potential

Dee-Zone Productions is a vibrant, 100% Botswana-owned company specialising in film and television projects. Founded by Botswana’s award-winning filmmaker Thabiso Maretlwaneng in 2008. In 2009 Dee-Zone Productions received financing boost through the Botswana government’s Youth Development Fund.

Thabiso Maretlwaneng explains, “Dee-Zone Production pioneered Botswana’s broadcast industry, and we have five programmes now running on Botswana TV. Our aim is to produce international-standard, high-quality broadcast projects shot on high-definition (HD) and which live up to our motto, ‘Quality is our priority’.” He adds that when he returned from five years of film studies at Australia’s Swinburne Film University in Melbourne, where he made a documentary film about immigration in Australia, and it won award at the New York International Independent Film Festival. Only one film had been made in Botswana.

Dee-Zone changed that. The young company developed new concepts and new productions for Botswana TV, including “First Issues”, with 52 episodes; “KBL”; documentaries for Kalahari Brewery; and a programme for the youth ministry which has been going strong for three years. Dee-Zone also partners with South Africa’s Planet Image Productions to produce “Good Morning Africa”, a TV show which attracts 1.6 million viewers per month. Thabiso Maretlwaneng says, “We have been able to push the envelope and develop TV shows like ‘NTWAKGOLO’, a ground-breaking drama which deals with HIV and AIDs. This programme premiered in 2012 and we continue to produce it.”

Botswana ideal location for film projects

Thabiso Maretlwaneng aims for Dee-Zone Productions to show the world what Botswana can accomplish and to help take the country to the next level. He says, “I am using my passion for film to showcase Botswana. One day I hope I win an Oscar to demonstrate Botswana’s potential for filmmaking.”

Representatives from Dee-Zone regularly attend film festivals around the world and are working to establish a film industry in Botswana. Thabiso Maretlwaneng says, “Botswana is a wonderful, safe, inexpensive location for film production and can be a Hollywood for Africa. I want to see more international film companies shoot films here.”

Dee-Zone Productions is a true Botswana success story. Now hired 40 fulltime youth in the production from graphics, cameramen, producers, marketing, presenters, editors etc. As Thabiso Maretlwaneng points out, “Our company grew from humble beginnings to become a great production house here in Botswana. Both Botswana and Dee-Zone have the same talent, knowledge and capacity which can be found in developed countries. Our government is doing all that it can to support the broadcast and film industry but we need private funding to reach our goals.” He welcomes international partnerships which will help Dee-Zone Productions continue to build the foundations of Botswana’s film and television industry.