Blak Wave, an independent television production company based in Bristol, has secured funding from Channel 4's Creative Equity Drama IP Fund to develop its first drama series, a move its founders describe as a 'super exciting' breakthrough after years of persistence.
Funding Awarded to Five Diverse-Led Indies
The company, founded in 2019 by Michael Jenkins and Dr Mena Fombo, was one of just five independent production companies selected for the fund, which aims to support ethnically diverse-led indies in securing and developing intellectual property. The other recipients include Greenacre Films, Turnover Films, Lunar Pictures, and Dark Pictures.
Blak Wave announced the news on Tuesday, July 28, via a Facebook statement: 'We are so pleased to share with the world that we were successful in our pitch to the Channel 4 creative equity fund. This is big for Blak Wave. Mena and I do a lot of documentaries and short drama films but we are super excited to be developing our first drama TV show with Channel 4.'
Marathon, Not a Sprint
The founders emphasised the long journey behind the achievement. 'This has been years in the making and it's a reminder that this game is a marathon and not a sprint. Shout out to the other companies selected – we are in good company,' the statement added.
Blak Wave was established with a mission to create content from a 'fresh perspective' and amplify voices that are underrepresented on British television. The company has already produced several notable projects, including No Rucks Given! – a women's rugby documentary made in partnership with Warner Bros, Discovery Access, and TNT Sports – and the carnival documentary Home Carnival Queen, in collaboration with BBC Arts.
Founders' Backgrounds
Co-founder Dr Mena Fombo is a Bristol-based equality and diversity campaigner who also leads the Black Girl Convention, a movement designed to provide women of African and Caribbean heritage with a 'sense of home' through shared experiences. Michael Jenkins, meanwhile, is a writer and director for film and television. He won Best Short Film for Check the Label at the Royal Television Society Awards West in 2018 and Best Documentary for Monumental at the same awards in 2021. He is also a full BAFTA voting member.
The funding from Channel 4's Creative Equity Drama IP Fund marks a significant step for Blak Wave, enabling it to develop its first drama series and further its goal of bringing diverse stories to mainstream audiences. The company's success reflects a broader industry push to support underrepresented talent in the UK's television production sector.
