Creative Nigerian tech startup – Albantsho, a suite of easy-to-use screenwriting tools for African creators, launched its latest feature – The Scriptwriter, which is currently available free of charge for users across Africa.
It is a robust screenwriting tool created by Africans for Africans, offering a platform that enables screenwriters to create polished stories that meet formatting requirements. The platform rivals similar tools, with its block-based script editor that is user friendly and free.
Easing the Strain Screenwriting Demands
“The creative aspect of screenwriting can be very mentally demanding, but that doesn’t mean professionals can afford to focus on that alone and shun widely accepted formatting standards. So it can be tricky to balance ticking creative boxes alongside properly formatting each story element,” said Julie Ako, who founded the startup with Nikita Mokgware in 2020.
High Demand for Creative Tools
There is an increasing need for creative tools in the African market as African storytelling is becoming more popular in Nigeria and across the African continent. The 2023 Nollywood $1 million blockbuster, The Black Book, racked up 5.6 million views on Netflix barely 48 hours after it launched on September 22 and was among the top 10 titles in 69 countries by the second week of its launch. Earlier in the year, Jadesola Osiberu’s Gangs of Lagos was also one of the top ten most streamed non-English Language titles on Amazon Prime.
This growing global appeal of African films, coupled with their potential to deliver quick and impressive returns on investment, is also transforming the industry into an attractive investable asset class.
Empowering Screenwriters to Craft Compelling African Stories
By providing simpler and more accessible tools, Albantsho aims to empower screenwriters to craft compelling African stories and hone their voices.  As part of its mission to promote African storytelling, Albantsho also looks to introduce a script marketplace that will enable screenwriters to monetise their craft and producers to acquire quality scripts.
Tagged StoryBase, the feature scheduled for launch in Q1 of 2024, will allow screenwriters to put their ready scripts up for sale and allow producers to bid or collaborate on them.
In the near future, the platform will also integrate a community feature that will enable writers to easily collaborate, share, and receive feedback and, as a result, create richer stories.