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Exclusive: Dreaming Whilst Black producer Big Deal Films has secured investment from one of the architects behind BBC iPlayer and BritBox, who has become the company’s Executive Chair.

Bal Samra has taken an undisclosed minority stake in Big Deal and will help with commercial partnerships and a push into the podcast and digital space.

Samra has for the past couple of years been providing strategic advice and commercial support to Big Deal via his consultancy firm Bizet Media. He is a former BBC group commercial boss who spent three decades at the corporation, during which time he led work on the transformation of BBC iPlayer, BBC News online and BritBox. He also worked on commercial deals with the likes of Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Samra will “bring his commercial expertise, operational insight and a future-facing mindset to guide Big Deal Films through its next phase of growth, both in the UK and globally,...

A lot of the work of making a great TV show is done in the casting. Characters with compelling, dynamic relationships are ultimately a huge part of what keeps our attention on the big or the small screen. So, given that Emmy voting has just begun, IndieWire wanted to reach out to some of television’s top casting directors to ask them to nominate one outstanding work from this past year.

Not so unlike seeing 10 great, different actors give 10 great, different interpretations of a role and then somehow having to pick just one, the casting directors who responded to us were quick to point out how many shows have made revelatory casting choices in the last year. “Baby Reindeer,” “Eric,” “Only Murders In The Building,” “Shogun,” and “What We Do in the Shadows” all received warm praise in multiple email threads about our casting directors’ choices, and luckily, most of...

UK-based Black cinema distributor and supporter We Are Parable has teamed up with the Jamaican Film and Television Association (Jafta) for the third iteration of Shot List showcasing Black and Caribbean filmmakers based in the UK.

The event, which takes place in Kingston, Jamaica on Sunday (May 26), includes screenings, masterclasses and panel discussions. This year’s edition is also supported by James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli through Eon Productions.

Earlier this year, the Jamaican government launched a $1bn fund for filmmakers through the Jamaican Screen Development Initiative.

Jafta president Saeed Thomas said: ”This is a special year for film in...

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Its not often you come across a comedy as wickedly smart as Chivalry. Created by Aram Rappaport (Syrup), the enjoyable #MeToo era tale, which recently debuted on free streaming platform The Network, is written by Sarah Solemani (Bridget Joness Baby) and Steve Coogan. The story finds a critically acclaimed female director, Bobby (Solemani), having to doctor a troubled production run by a seasoned male producer, Cameron (Coogan). Shes also speaking up while several privileged white males around her play #MeToo catch-up and reconsider their motivations and actions.

Chivalry ComedyDrama 4.5/5

A successful producer and a woke writer and director are brought closer by a creeping attraction and a feeling that they are just pawns in the studio's agenda for a Saudi Arabian buyout.

Release DateMay 19, 2022CastSteve Coogan, Sarah Solemani, Sienna Miller, Wanda Sykes, Lolly Adefope, Aisling Bea, Adjani Salmon, Robert LonsdaleSeasons1WritersSarah Solemani...

Awards season may well be over for another year in the world of film, with the Oscars, BAFTAs, and Golden Globes just a distant memory now. But on Sunday evening, one of the biggest nights in British TV, the BAFTA TV Awards — this year hosted by comedians Rob Beckett and Ramesh Ranganathan — took place at London’s Royal Festival Hall. And on a night where the two most nominated shows, Black Mirror and The Crown, failed to snag a single win, Happy Valley, Top Boy, and The Sixth Commandment enjoyed great success in key categories, each taking home two awards apiece.

On the night, Sarah Lancashire won Leading Actress for her all-timer of a turn as police sergeant Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley, her second BAFTA for the same role. The show also snagged the public-voted Memorable Moment award for Catherine and Tommy Lee Royce’s (James Norton) remarkable final kitchen showdown.

Updated with complete winners list: Despite being up for four acting category awards, The Crown‘s final season left the BAFTA TV Awards empty handed tonight in London.

Elizabeth Debicki, Lesley Manville, Salim Daw and Dominic West were all snubbed, as the the likes of Matthew Macfadyen, Jasmine Jobson, Timothy Spall and Sarah Lancashire all triumphed and the Netflix show went out quietly.

There was also a major surprise in the International category, where little-known French drama Class Act beat the likes of Beef, The Bear and The Last of Us to win the prize. Among the most shocked was the show’s star Laurent Lafitte, who urged the audience to find and watch his show — to the amusement of the audience.

The first award of the night saw Jobson beat off competition from actresses from The Crown, Succession and The Last of Us to win Best Supporting Actress for...

The BAFTA TV Awards took place this sunny Sunday afternoon as the British equivalent of the Emmys awarded the best of the year’s TV on the other side of the Atlantic. The ceremony was hosted by Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett, who both hosted last year, while the event takes place at the Royal Festival Hall on London’s South Bank. Scroll down for the full list of winners.

Netflix’s “The Crown” leads the way with eight nominations. Another Netflix show, “Demon 79 (Black Mirror),” came in second with seven nominations while BBC’s “Happy Valley,” Apple TV’s “Slow Horses,” and BBC’s “The Sixth Commandment” all snagged six bids apiece.

Several US shows did well, too, with HBO’s “The Last of Us” and “Succession” each receiving five nominations — the same as ITV’s drama “The Long Shadow.” The BBC documentary “Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland...

Happy Valley and Top Boy shared the BAFTA love on Sunday night at the British Academy’s prestigious Television Awards in London’s Royal Festival Hall.

Sarah Lancashire took home the top prize for her performance in Sally Wainwright’s Yorkshire-based police thriller, and fellow Briton Timothy Spall beat Succession‘s Brian Cox to win the equivalent award, best leading actor, for The Sixth Commandment – which also won two BAFTAs.

Jasmine Jobson claimed the best supporting actress prize for her role in drug-gang drama Top Boy, which also went on to win best drama. Matthew Macfadyen was the only winner for Jesse Armstrong’s hugely popular black satirical comedy, winning the award for best supporting actor in Succession. Sitcom Such Brave Girls claimed best scripted comedy.

Notably, The Crown and Black Mirror missed out despite leading the nominations ahead of the awards show with eight and seven, respectively, and in...

Exclusive: The CAA agent who brokered the sale of Dreaming Whilst Black to A24 is to head up Emily in Paris producer Jax Media’s UK division.

Katie Gahamire joins the LA outfit’s London hub as Creative Director, replacing Molly Seymour, who recently moved to BBC Studios. Jax has also signed former Disney Star exec Hussain Casey-Ahmed as Production Executive.

The hires will help Imagine Entertainment-owned Jax expand its UK originals, alongside producing U.S. projects from the UK. Since launch, Jax UK commissions have included Channel 4’s Simon Bird-starrer Everyone Else Burns, which was picked up by The CW and has been recommissioned for a second season, and BBC Three short form show Peck Eds. The hub also made Clem Garritty’s Showtime pilot Jonah Kills.

Gahamire has spent the past six years working across the television and comedy departments at CAA, where she helped...

A pair of top international executives have joined forces to build a UK-based talent agency and production business.

Thomas Drachkovitch and Jason Hafford will lead Dream Bay Entertainment, with former Amazon exec Drachkovitch the founder and Managing Director and ex-CAA rep Hafford co-founder and Head of Dbe Management.

The company, which Drachkovitch launched last year after exiting his role at Amazon Studios (now Amazon MGM Studios), comprises film and television production, literary and talent management, and media advisory services divisions. Based out of London, Dream Bay’s bosses plan to offer “a unique blend of strategic guidance, development expertise, and industry insights.”

LA native Drachkovitch left his UK-based role as Original Series Development Executive at Amazon Studios in 2022 having overseen commissioning initiatives across global markets.

He had previously been based in India, where he helped spearhead the launch of Amazon Studios’ first Indian content slate out of Mumbai, including shows such as Comicstaan,...

The BAFTA TV Awards are the British equivalent of the Emmys, honoring the very best of television in a wide range of genres and categories. Many of these contenders will also hope to compete at the Emmys but they’ll first have their BAFTA fates revealed on May 12, when the 2024 BAFTA TV Awards will take place. The BAFTA TV Craft Awards winners will be announced on April 28. (Read the full report on the BAFTA TV Awards nominations here.)

Best Drama Series

“The Gold” – BBC One

“Happy Valley” – BBC One

“Slow Horses” – Apple TV+

“Top Boy” – Netflix

Best Limited Drama

“Best Interests” – BBC One

“Demon 79 (Black Mirror)” – Netflix

“The Long Shadow” – ITV1

“The Sixth Commandment” – BBC One

Best Comedy Series

“Big Boys” – Channel 4

“Dreaming Whilst Black” – BBC One

“Extraordinary” – Disney+

“Such Brave Girls” – BBC Three

Best International Show

“The Bear” – Disney+

“Beef” – Netflix

“Class Act” – Netflix

“The Last of Us...

The 2024 Independent Spirit Awards took place on Sunday at the traditional Santa Monica beach tent location, with Aidy Bryant hosting. “Past Lives” took home the coveted Best Feature award, with “Beef” being honored as Best New Scripted Series. Check out the full list of winners and nominees below.

Best Feature

“Past Lives”

Producers: David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon

“All of Us Strangers”

Producers: Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Sarah Harvey

“American Fiction”

Producers: Cord Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson, Nikos Karamigios, Ben LeClair

“May December”

Producers: Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, Grant S. Johnson, Pamela Koffler, Tyler W. Konney, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Christine Vachon

“Passages”

Producers: Michel Merkt, Saïd Ben Saïd

“We Grown Now”

Producers: Minhal Baig, Joe Pirro

Best Lead Performance

Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”

Jessica Chastain, “Memory”

Greta Lee, “Past Lives”

Trace Lysette, “Monica”

Natalie Portman, “May December”

Judy Reyes, “Birth/Rebirth”

Franz Rogowski, “Passages”

Andrew Scott, “All of Us Strangers”

Teyana Taylor,...

The 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards are being handed out Sunday, February 25, from Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, CA in a show hosted by comedian, actress and “SNL” alumnus Aidy Bryant. On the film side, the nominations were dominated by “American Fiction,” “Past Lives” and “May December,” which picked up five nods apiece. Those three films are up for Best Feature along with “All of Us Strangers,” “Passages” and “We Grown Now.” Best Director is a contest between Andrew Haigh (“All of Us Strangers”), Todd Haynes (“May December”), William Oldroyd (“Eileen”), Ira Sachs (“Passages”) and Celine Song (“Past Lives”).

Of the nominated features, only “American Fiction” and “Past Lives” are also in the running for Best Picture at the Oscars, while none of the nominated directors are up for Academy Awards. However, on the off chance that either “American Fiction” or “Past Lives” manages to take the top prize at...

Gold Derby is backstage at the 39th Annual Indie Spirit Awards on the beach in Santa Monica, CA on Sunday, February 25, hosted by comedian, actress and “SNL” alumnus Aidy Bryant. We’ll bring you all of the up-to-date details on the presenters, nominees and winners. (See the complete winners list here.) Read on for the 2024 Spirits live blog.

The kudofest is streaming live on IMDb’s YouTube Channel as well as Film Independent’s YouTube and Twitter accounts starting at 2 p.m. Pst/5 p.m. Est.

On the film side, the nominations were dominated by “American Fiction,” “Past Lives” and “May December,” which picked up five nods apiece. Those three films are up for Best Feature along with “All of Us Strangers,” “Passages” and “We Grown Now.” Since 2012, Film Independent and the Spirits have forecast 7 of 12 Best Picture winners at the Academy Awards, including “The Artist” (2012), “12 Years a Slave...

Raine Allen Miller’s debut feature Rye Lane, Adjani Salmon’s Dreaming Whilst Black, and Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical were among the top winners at the sixth edition of the CDG Casting Awards. Scross down for the full list of winners.

Kharmel Cochrane picked up the Best Casting in an Independent Film award for her work on Rye Lane. Dreaming Whilst Black landed the Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series award for Heather Basten, Peter Noden, and Fran Cattaneo, and Louise Kiely won Best Casting in a Film for The Banshees of Inisherin.

High-profile titles that missed out on honors include Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which was nominated for Best Casting in a Film alongside Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn. Kharmel Cochrane cast Saltburn and also popped in the noms for Best Casting in a Commercial for her work on Vanish ‘Me, My Autism & I.

The awards were...

Quick Links Dreaming Whilst Black Season 2 Is Confirmed Dreaming Whilst Black Season 2 Cast Dreaming Whilst Black Season 2 Story Dreaming Whilst Black Season 2: Further News & Info "Dreaming Whilst Black" has been renewed for a second season after its successful debut and positive reception. The main cast is expected to return for the second season, including Adjani Salmon as Kwabena and Dani Moseley as Amy. Season 2 will explore Kwabena's journey as a filmmaker, his mental state, and his complicated relationship with Vanessa.

A24's critical darling series Dreaming Whilst Black has been renewed for a second season, and there are already tons of exciting news about the show's second act. Initially premiering as a web pilot back in 2021, Dreaming Whilst Black made its official debut in 2023 and follows Kwabena as he hopes to get away from his boring corporate job and pursue his dream of being a filmmaker. Through comedy and brains,...

Following a turbulent year marked by dueling industry strikes and the violent contraction–if not yet full pop–of the streaming bubble, 2024 has thus far been pretty good to Hollywood. It certainly helps that we’re in the middle of awards season, which for cineastes amounts to a three-month holiday largely characterized by voluminous binge-watching. And not just binge-watching of the year’s top films. For the curious, the season also offers up a smuggler’s bounty full of talking special post-screening Q&As, roundtables, filmmaker panels, celebratory cocktail receptions and more.

Traditionally Film Independent’s Directors Close-Up series has been a little bit of all of the above, presenting behind-the-scenes insight into the year’s most important works of cinema, straight from the mouths and brains of filmmakers themselves. As the virtual portion of this year’s programming winds down (see below), we’re looking ahead now to our...

Dreaming Whilst Black, a critically acclaimed show created by Adjani Salmon, has been renewed for season 2. The show follows Kwabena, an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a recruitment job, as he pursues his dream of creating a TV show. After its debut in July 2023, the show received a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes and has gained significant popularity.

Dreaming Whilst Black, a new television show from A24 with a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, has been renewed for season 2. Created by Adjani Salmon, the story follows Kwabena, played by Salmon, an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a dead-end recruitment job who takes the first step to achieving his dream of creating a TV show.

Now, after debuting in July 2023, Deadline confirms that Dreaming Whilst Black will return for season 2.

Showtime has picked up a second season of the critically acclaimedhalf-hour dramedy series Dreaming Whilst Black, which garnered industry praise for its inaugural season, including nominations from the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards and the NAACP Image Awards. Featuring returning star and BAFTA Award winning co-creator and co-writer Adjani Salmon (Chivalry), season two is expected to commence filming later this year in the UK.  The season will premiere in the U.S. on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ for subscribers with the Paramount+ with Showtime plan, on air on Paramount+ with Showtime, and in the UK on BBC Three and iPlayer. The series ... Read more...

Exclusive: Big Deal Films and A24’s Dreaming Whilst Black, one of the buzziest British comedies of 2023, has been greenlit for a second season by the BBC and Showtime.

Adjani Salmon’s comedy took years to get from web series to screen but was picked up by A24 and then Showtime last year and has been catapulted, garnering strong ratings and critical acclaim. The season will premiere in the U.S. on the Paramount+ with Showtime streaming tile, on linear on Paramount+ with Showtime and in the UK on BBC Three and iPlayer. It continues to be co-produced by Big Deal in creative collaboration with A24, and A24 distributes globally.

Dreaming follows Kwabena, played by Salmon, an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a dead-end recruitment job who takes the first step to achieving his dream of creating a TV show. Season 1 ended with Kwabena showing his new movie project to friends and family,...

In a year that was defined by as much drama off-screen with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes as there was on-screen, 2023 saw the era of Peak TV come to a bruised end, but not without getting a few last solid punches in.

Ted Lasso sputtered to a pretty standard end as heavyweights Succession and Reservation Dogs made their last bows with exits on HBO and FX respectively that will almost certainly stand the test of time as some of the best finales ever executed. Entering the arena, filmmaker Boots Riley made his small screen debut with the quick witted and startling creatively I’m A Virgo on Amazon Prime Video. From the other side of the Atlantic, Adjani Salmon flexed some serious star power and unconventional wisdom on Paramount+/Showtime with Dreaming Whilst Black.

As the Great Contraction brought cancellations galore, removal of titles, and subscription hikes, one thing...

“American Fiction,” “May December” and “Past Lives” shared the spotlight with five nominations apiece to lead the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards announced Tuesday. The trio all landed bids for Best Feature along with “Passages,” “All of Us Strangers” and “We Grown Now.”

“American Fiction” was also cited for its screenplay (Cord Jefferson), for Jeffrey Wright’s lead performance and for Sterling K. Brown’s and Erika Alexander’s supporting work. “May December” also landed bids for Best Director (Todd Haynes) and Best First Screenplay (Sammy Burch) as well as for Natalie Portman’s lead performance and Charles Melton’s support. And “Past Lives” was singled out for Celine Song’s screenplay and direction and the lead performances of Greta Lee and Teo Yoo. See the full list of nominees here.

Next with four nominations apiece were “Passages” and the Alexander Payne-directed “The Holdovers.” Besides its Best Feature bid, “Passages...

Nominees for the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards — the premiere awards event for the independent film and television community — were announced on Tuesday morning by actor/director/writer Natalie Morales and actor/producer/writer Joel Kim Booster, and HBO’s The Last of Us and Prime Video’s I’m a Virgo the TV pack with four nods each.

Netflix’s Beef followed closely with three noms.

More from TVLineCritics Choice Award Nominations: <em>The Morning Show</em> Scores Most Nods, Beating <em>Succession</em> — See Full ListThe Oscars Telecast Is (Pretty Much) Guaranteed to End Before Bedtime This Year — Here’s WhyTVLine Items: Michelle Williams Is Dying for Sex,...

In what is an annual tradition, A24 led all nominations at this morning’s 39th Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations with 11, while the indie studio’s Past Lives, along with Netflix’s May December and Amazon MGM’s American Fiction, each tallied five noms apiece.

The titles up for the Spirits’ marquee Best Feature include Amazon MGM’s American Fiction, Searchlight’s All of Us Strangers, A24’s Past Lives, Netflix’s May December, Sony Pictures Classics’ We Grown Now and Mubi’s Passages.

As of this post, three movies have yet to open: We Grown Now, American Fiction (which goes limited on December 15) and All of Us Strangers (December 22). Passages played the arthouse circuit over the summer, grossing around $551,000. May December is available to stream on Netflix, while Past Lives has made close to $11 million stateside and more than $20M worldwide, a very good gross for a specialty release in the post-pandemic marketplace.

Photo credit: ©BAFTA/Vivek Vadoliya, 2023

BAFTA Breakthrough is a wonderful Netflix-supported initiative that celebrates the very best of young talent. In its 10th year, the alumni boasts the likes of Florence Pugh, Tom Holland and Letitia Wright – and this year comes a whole host of exciting new names. One of which caught our eye especially, which is Vivian Oparah, who shone in Peckham-set rom-com Rye Lane, which enamoured viewers with its spring-time release. We discuss what it means to her to be named as a BAFTA Breakthrough artist, and naturally we look back to Rye Lane, to talk about shooting the film, and the lasting, indelible impact it has left. She also looks ahead to a future that we’re gonna consider pretty damn bright.

Watch the full interview with Vivian Oparah here:

See below for the full list of this year’s stars:

UK Breakthroughs (20):

Adjani Salmon,...

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in partnership with Netflix, has today unveiled 10 upcoming individuals from the screen industries selected for BAFTA Breakthrough in India. In this historic first, BAFTA simultaneously introduces its UK, USA, and India participants, with 42 talented individuals selected globally.

The ten names for BAFTA Breakthrough India were selected by a distinguished jury of industry experts, including Jury Chair and BAFTA Breakthrough Ambassador Guneet Monga Kapoor, Manvendra Shukul, Monika Shergill, Rajiv Menon (Filmmaker), Naman Ramachandran (Critic & Journalist), Sid Roy Kapur (Founder of Roy Kapur Films & Producer), Shaunak Sen (Filmmaker) and Ratna Pathak Shah.

The list of BAFTA Breakthrough India participants for 2023 is:

Abhay Koranne | Writer – Rocket Boys Abhinav Tyagi | Editor – An Insignificant Man Don Chacko Palathara | Director/Writer – Joyful Mystery Kislay| Writer – Soni Lipika Singh Darai | Director/Writer – Some Stories Around Witches Miriam Chandy Menacherry | Producer – From the Shadows and The Leopard’s Tribe...

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in partnership with Netflix, has today unveiled 10 upcoming individuals from the screen industries selected for BAFTA Breakthrough in India. In this historic first, BAFTA simultaneously introduces its UK, USA, and India participants, with 42 talented individuals selected globally.

The ten names for BAFTA Breakthrough India were selected by a distinguished jury of industry experts, including Jury Chair and BAFTA Breakthrough Ambassador Guneet Monga Kapoor, Manvendra Shukul, Monika Shergill, Rajiv Menon (Filmmaker), Naman Ramachandran (Critic & Journalist), Sid Roy Kapur (Founder of Roy Kapur Films & Producer), Shaunak Sen (Filmmaker) and Ratna Pathak Shah.

The list of BAFTA Breakthrough India participants for 2023 is:

Abhay Koranne | Writer – Rocket Boys Abhinav Tyagi | Editor – An Insignificant Man Don Chacko Palathara | Director/Writer – Joyful Mystery Kislay| Writer – Soni Lipika Singh Darai | Director/Writer – Some Stories Around Witches Miriam Chandy Menacherry | Producer – From the Shadows and The Leopard’s Tribe...

A galaxy of 42 emerging creative talents from across the U.S., U.K. and India have been unveiled as the 2023 BAFTA Breakthrough cohort.

The selected talents have worked on some of the most lauded projects over the last several months including “The Last of Us,” “1923,” “Blue Jean,” “Rye Lane,” “Rocket Boys” and “Joyland.”

Breakthrough is BAFTA’s flagship new talent initiative in partnership with Netflix, drawn from creatives working in film, games and television. Awarded to those in the midst of, or on the cusp of their breakthrough moment, the year-long initiative includes one-to-one meetings and career guidance, full voting membership, access to BAFTA events and screenings, as well as networking events, both in the U.K. and internationally.

This year’s cohort comprises creatives spanning craft specialisms from hair and make up, production, editing and games design, to performance, directing and cinematography and is from diverse ethnic backgrounds and abilities.

Six of the 20 UK talents have previously been named Screen Stars of Tomorrow.

Actors Bella Ramsey and Vivian Oparah, and filmmakers Adjani Salmon and Raine Allen-Miller are among 32 talents selected for the 10th anniversary edition of the Bafta Breakthrough programme.

The 2023 edition of the talent-spotting scheme includes 20 UK names, and 12 individuals from the US.

Scroll down for the full 2023 Breakthrough list

Those selected from the UK include Game Of Thrones and The Last Of Us star Ramsey, Dreaming Whilst Black creator Salmon, and Allen-Miller and Oparah, director and star of Rye Lane.

Also included are Blue Jean writer-director Georgia Oakley...

Dreaming Whilst Black is a witty and surreal show that tackles the struggles of life in the arts and the Black experience in the UK. The series was created and co-written by Adjani Salmon, who also stars as aspiring director Kwabena, and features fantastic performances by guest stars. The show was adapted from an award-winning web series and co-produced by A24 and Big Deal Films to make it more welcoming for a global streaming audience.

Dreaming Whilst Black, initially an award-winning UK-born web series, is coming to Showtime. The show depicts the struggles of life in the arts, the Black experience in the UK, and more with a witty and winningly surreal tone that makes it difficult to pause. Dreaming Whilst Black was created and co-written by Adjani Salmon, who also stars in the show as aspiring director Kwabena. The series also stars Rachel Adedeji, Dani Moseley, and Demmy Ladipo...

Showtime’s Dreaming Whilst Black is not the story of its own making, but it kind of feels like it could be. Described as being “loosely inspired by real-life events,” the comedy follows Kwabena (co-creator Adjani Salmon), whom we find toiling away at a dreary office job while dreaming (figuratively and literally; he’s napping on the clock) of being a filmmaker.

But the road to making it is a rocky one for any novice — and, as the title hints, even more so for Black artists trying to forge ahead in an industry still dominated by white people. That Dreaming Whilst Black exists at all feels like a victory after watching Kwabena struggle to realize his vision amid financial troubles, unhelpful advice and skeptical film execs. That it comes blessed with such an observant eye and such a confident comic voice is cause for celebration.

Talent, Kwabena has in spades...

In the British comedy Dreaming Whilst Black, an aspiring filmmaker must balance his creative ambition with the harsh realities of his day job.

When we first meet Kwabena (Adjani Salmon) in the series premiere (which is now streaming via Paramount+ With Showtime; it airs on Showtime proper Sunday, Sept. 10 at 10/9c), he’s already daydreaming on company time. In the dream, he’s running a big production and living the life he truly aspires to. In reality, he’s interviewing a candidate whose English skills are, let’s say, less than perfect. (That comma between “cooking” and “dogs”? Very necessary!

Showtime is bringing the UK-made series Dreaming Whilst Black to the US, a semi-autobiographical show about a struggling writer/director trying to break into the film industry. The series was initially a hit web series and was adapted for television with the help of producers A24 and Big Deal Films. Koby Adom, a director and longtime friend of Adjani Salmon, the star and creator of the show, has been involved since the beginning and directed multiple episodes. The show explores personal and relatable experiences, including the challenges of pursuing dreams while navigating relationships and financial struggles.

Showtime is bringing the hit UK-made series Dreaming Whilst Black to the US. The series was created and co-written by Adjani Salmon, who also stars as Kwabena, a struggling writer/director looking for an entry into the film industry. The show began as a hit web series but was brought to television format with...

Dreaming Whilst Black is a UK dramedy series with relatable themes and sharp social commentary delivered through hilarious writing. Producer Nicola Gregory played a crucial role in staying true to the show's vision and highlighting the UK Black experience. The series covers a wide range of characters and topics, including personal projects vs. money-making projects, time jumps, and the intentional use of music to enhance the storytelling.

Dreaming Whilst Black is a new dramedy series from the UK co-written by and starring Adjani Salmon. The show first began as a web series and earned its way to a 30-minute format thanks to its relatability and sharp social commentary often delivered effectively through hilarious writing; the Dreaming Whilst Black trailer shows how well that has stayed intact. The series was co-produced by A24 and Big Deal Films and also stars Dani Moseley, Rachel Adedeji, and Demmy Ladipo.

Dreaming Whilst Black was...

The camera is rolling on Kwabena, an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a dead-end recruitment job, and now, United States audiences will get to follow along on the path toward his dreams when the hit British dramedy “Dreaming Whilst Black” comes across the pond. The six-episode series, co-written by and starring Adjani Salmon, will make its streaming debut on Paramount+ with Showtime on Friday, Sept. 8, followed by its linear debut on Showtime this Sunday, Sept. 10 at 10 p.m. Et. You can watch with a subscription to Paramount Plus.

How to Watch 'Dreaming Whilst Black' When: Friday, September 8, 2023 Where: Paramount Plus Stream: Watch with a subscription to Paramount Plus. Save $20 Now$5.99+ / month paramountplus.com

For a Limited Time, Get 1 Month of Paramount+ With Code: Lioness

About 'Dreaming Whilst Black'

Adapted from the web series of the same name, “Dreaming Whilst Black” reunites writers Adjani Salmon and Ali Hughes for the six-episode,...

Dreaming Whilst Black is a BAFTA award-winning comedy that follows Kwabena, an aspiring filmmaker, as he navigates the challenges of pursuing his dream. The series tackles heavy themes such as racism, microaggressions, and elitism, while maintaining a comedic tone. The show has received critical acclaim in the UK and is set to release as a six-episode comedy series in the US, with two new episodes debuting weekly on Paramount+ and Showtime.

Screen Rant is excited to exclusively debut the new trailer for Dreaming Whilst Black. The series follows Kwabena, an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a recruitment job that he seems to have no hope of escaping from. However, he soon takes the first steps needed to achieve his dream by creating a television series. Although his dream may be more difficult than he initially expected, Kwabena must learn to balance finances, love, and his sense of reality while his series explores heavy themes including racism,...

September is almost here, and that means fall is in full swing. Typically, broadcast networks would be gearing up to release their new and returning series at the end of the month. But with the ongoing dual Hollywood strikes, any normalcy in the world of TV is currently up in the air.

Streamers have never followed the antiquated September-to-May schedule and, as such, can roll out new content (mostly) without a hitch this fall. Paramount+ has several new and returning offerings to usher in loyal viewers' autumn. Whether you're an animated sci-fi buff, devoted sports fan, or avid consumer of documentaries, there is something for you.

As summer draws to a close, let's look at what we can expect to see this September on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Lower Decks (Season 4) - Sept. 7

This animated offering follows the crew of the USS Cerritos, one of the less important ships in the Federation.

In the Showtime adaptation of his webseries Dreaming Whilst Black, co-creator Adjani Salmon reminds us that the only way to make it in this world as a Black person is to laugh. Salmon, who won the 2022 BAFTA for Emerging Talent: Fiction and Screen International Star of Tomorrow, takes on the role of Kwabena, a man aspiring to be the U.K’s version of Spike Lee. Working in recruitment by day and writing by night, he spends the six-episode series trying to balance his personal life, which is in disarray, with moving the needle on his professional life.

Dreaming Whilst Black is headed to Showtime. The cable network has acquired the new BBC comedy series created by Adjani Salmon. He also stars in the series alongside Dani Moseley, Demmy Ladipo, Rachel Adedeji, Babirye Bukilwa, Alexander Owen, and Will Hislop.

Based on the web series of the same name, the series follows Kwabena (Salmon) as he dreams of becoming a filmmaker while working for a company in a dead-end job.

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Exclusive: Showtime has picked up the BBC’s BAFTA-winning buzzy breakout comedy Dreaming Whilst Black from Big Deal Films and A24.

The move is the latest step in the show’s ascent, having started life as a web series before moving to BBC pilot, then series and subsequently being picked up by A24 for distribution in the space of several years.

Adjani Salmon’s comedy launched last week on BBC Three and has garnered highly favorable reviews. It follows Kwabena, played by Salmon, an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a dead-end recruitment job who takes the first step to achieving his dream of creating a TV show. However, he is quickly confronted with the tribulations of balancing finances, love and his own sense of reality, while the show deals with themes including racism, microaggressions and elitism.

The series will launch on Paramount+ with Showtime on September 8 and premiere two days later on linear,...

Exclusive: A24 has quietly added another experienced exec to its steadily growing London office.

Former Film4 and The Ink Factory production boss Tracey Josephs, whose past credits list includes Slumdog Millionaire, 12 Years A Slave and Fighting with my Family, joined as Head of UK Production several months ago. She had previously been freelancing with the Piers Wenger and Rose Garnett-led outfit.

Josephs is overseeing the production and management of TV series, films and documentaries from the Everything Everywhere and Euphoria maker’s London hub, which opened just over a year ago, helmed by the former BBC Drama and Film bosses.

Tracey Josephs

Josephs spent four years as Head of Production at The Night Manager producer The Ink Factory, where she was EP on Stephen Merchant’s Florence Pugh-starrer Fighting with my Family and also worked across the BBC/AMC’s The Little Drummer Girl. She left The Ink Factory...

Salmon is a Screen Star of Tomorrow 2022 and the creator of BBC, A24 and Big Deal Films series ‘Dreaming Whilst Black’.

Screen Star of Tomorrow 2022 Adjani Salmon received the inaugural Menelik Shabazz legacy award at the UK’s Windrush Caribbean Film Festival, which drew to a close on Friday (June 30) at London’s Genesis cinema.

The award was created in honour of late UK filmmaker Menelik Shabazz, who died in 2021, and is considered one of the godfathers of Black British cinema.

Salmon is an actor-writer-director, whose BBC, A24 and Big Deal Films series Dreaming Whilst Black will air in...

Jessica Hynes (“Shaun of the Dead”) and Akemnji Ndifornyen (“Famalam”) are among the cast set to join Adjani Salmon’s BBC, A24 and Big Deal Films series “Dreaming Whilst Black.”

The show, which Salmon (“Doctor Who”) created and stars in, is based on a web-series of the same name. It was adapted into a critically acclaimed pilot in 2021 and greenlit for a six-part series last fall.

The series will see Salmon reprise his role as Kwabena alongside Dani Moseley (“Everything I Know About Love”) as Amy.

They will be joined by newcomers to the show Hynes and Ndifornyen as well as Isy Suttie (“Peep Show”), Peter Serafinowicz (“The Tick”), Roger Griffiths (“Chef!”), Martina Laird (“The Little Mermaid”), Jo Martin (“Doctor Who”), Steve Furst (“The Serpent Queen”) and “Love Island’s” Ovie Soko.

Meanwhile, returning from the pilot are Demmy Ladipo (“We Are Lady Parts”) as Maurice, Rachel Adedeji (“Champion”) as Funmi,...

Ricky Gervais and Sharon Horgan’s agent has said creatives should “be careful what they wish for” when considering whether to launch production companies.

United Agents vet Duncan Hayes told a BBC Comedy Festival audience that his constant challenge is “steering” creatives towards writing and directing over getting too involved with their businesses, which can be incredibly time costly.

Gervais runs Derek Productions and Horgan is the co-founder of Merman TV, and both have devoted much of their time to building up their indies over the past few years.

“Sometimes Sharon has a lot of plates to spin,” said Hayes. “She is running a successful indie and has lots of scripts to write. It can feel a bit ‘be careful what you wish for’ when you have the weight of your own production company.”

The Bad Sisters creator recently said she is pausing work on U.S. projects due to...

The late Denise Dowse’s ’Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story’ has received the most nominations.

The British Urban Film Festival (Buff) has unveiled nominations for the 2022 awards, to be held at London’s Rich Mix on December 2, following the week-long festival.

Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story has received the most nominations. The drama focuses on gospel singer and activist Mahalia Jackson’s unsung contribution to the US civil rights movement in the mid-20th century, and her friendship with Martin Luther King. It is directed by the late Denise Dowse, with US musician Ledisi starring as Jackson – a...

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After two years of Covid-enforced virtual events, leading international television confab MIPCOM is looking to reestablish its claim to the title as “the mother of all entertainment content markets” with its 2022 event, running Oct. 17-20 in Cannes. Organizer Rx France is expecting more than 10,000 attendees from some 96 countries and a who’s who of small-screen power players, including all the studios (Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Paramount, MGM and Fox Entertainment) plus Netflix, indie production giants Fremantle, Banijay, ITV Studios, BBC Studios, Red Arrow and All3Media, and such national champions as France’s StudioCanal and Gaumont, Italy’s Rai Com, Scandinavian platform Viaplay and Japan’s Fuji Television. All will be looking to feed an ever-growing global appetite for content. Among the hundreds of new shows and formats debuting at MIPCOM this year, The Hollywood Reporter has picked a dozen scripted dramas — from...

Following an acclaimed pilot that aired last year, hit web series “Dreaming Whilst Black,” has been commissioned for a full six-part TV series for BBC Three and iPlayer.

The pilot was adapted from the hugely popular web series co-written by Adjani Salmon and Ali Hughes. It gathered kudos for creator, star and co-writer Salmon, including the 2022 BAFTA craft award for Emerging Talent: Fiction, The Royal Television Society’s 2022 Breakthrough Award and the Soho House 59 Gen Now Award.

Loosely inspired by real life events, “Dreaming Whilst Black” follows aspiring filmmaker Kwabena (Salmon) in and out of reality as he tries to make it in “Babylon.” The problem is he’s broke, Black and born into a Jamaican family who wishes he was an accountant.

Global entertainment company A24 will co-produce and distribute the new six-part series internationally. It will be co-produced by BAFTA and Emmy nominated Big Deal Films.

Salmon, said:...

Euphoria maker A24 is on board to co-produce and distribute a full season of acclaimed BBC Three comedy Dreaming Whilst Black.

The order comes after an award-winning pilot last year and four years after creator Adjani Salmon released his original short-form online series of the same name through the BBC. The series will air in 2023, with indie film studio A24 selling it internationally.

The pilot’s producer Big Deal Films is co-producing the six-part series, which comes from Salmon, whose pilot last year won him a BAFTA Craft Award for Emerging Talent: Fiction and the Royal Television Society’s 2022 Breakthrough Award among others. That was adapted from Salmon and Ali Hughes’ web series, which launched in 2018 on BBC Three when it was an online-only service.

Loosely inspired by real life events, Dreaming Whilst Black follows aspiring filmmaker Kwabena (Salmon) in and out of reality as he...

Screenwriter, actor and director Adjani Salmon’s star is rising, with a slew of recent awards to show for it. Most recent is the 59 Gen Now award, which was presented to him at last week’s inaugural Soho House Awards in London.

Named after Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya’s recently-established production company, the award seeks to recognize and advance diverse creative talent, particularly from the United Kingdom, who are already making a clear impact on the entertainment industry with their work but could benefit from some added visibility. Kaluuya personally presented the award to Salmon at the awards ceremony on Sept. 1.

As for Salmon’s body of work, his most prominent creation is “Dreaming Whilst Black,” a comedy web series-turned-BBC iPlayer show that chronicles a young, naïve British-Jamaican filmmaker, Kwabena (played by Salmon), as he balances the struggles between navigating his ambitious dreams and sobering reality.

In addition to the 59 Gen Now award,...

Exclusive: Daniel Kaluuya is “chilling” on acting following the release of Nope, his latest collaboration with Jordan Peele.

“I like the films to come out and have nothing lined up,” he told Deadline. “You’re showing a new performance, a new way, a new space that you were in at that time, so you gotta let that get out there and spread.”

The London native and Oscar winner has instead moved behind the camera, as a producer, with Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul, the first film from his production company 59 out in theaters this weekend.

Written and directed by Adamma Ebo in her feature debut, the film follows the story of Trinity Childs (Regina Hall), the first lady of a prominent Southern Baptist megachurch who attempts to help her pastor-husband, Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown), rebuild their congregation and reconcile their faith following a scandal that threatens their elite status.