Outside the Lines

The project involved extensive preliminary research which included focus group research and formative research.

In developing the pilot episode of the drama, formative research was undertaken to outline key issues and possible storylines. Completed in June 2005, the report on the formative research, titled "Experiences of Black LGBTI Youth in Peri-urban Communities in South Africa", revealed that there is a great need for initiatives such as Outside the Lines. The research examined the various issues that affect the peri-urban LGBTI community, including HIV/AIDS, hate crimes, and human rights. It found that, due to high levels of discrimination, stigma, and homophobic violence from family, peers, and public workers such as police, doctors and nurses, LGBTI people are not accessing the support and information they need to lead full and healthy lives.

Focus group discussions held in collaboration with the Forum for the Empowerment of Women, OUT LGBT Wellbeing, and the Soweto HIV/AIDS Counsellors Association (SOHACA) were part of an effort to ensure that the dialogue and characters rang true to life. The storyline was based on a comic book developed for GALA.

In conjunction with the planned 13-part series the project will include the following activities:

• Episode workshopping: Subsequent episodes will be workshopped by the scripting team and again tested before production.
• Production: A high degree of importance is being placed on quality of production, thus ensuring a high level of professionalism and entertainment.
• Distribution and Broadcast: The drama series will be distributed freely to community, university, and possibly some mainstream radio stations. Background information and a telephone number will be available in case of any questions or queries about the programmes.
• Widespread marketing and promotion : In order to ensure a widespread listenership, and to extend the reach of the drama, a detailed marketing and public relations (PR) plan is being produced. Activities will include: producing promo spots for the show; producing posters and leaflets for the radio stations and for places where LGBTI communities meet; issuing press releases and liaising with media for press coverage; and advertising in LGBTI publications.
• Associated support activities that support gay and lesbian listeners are considered essential to deliver more impact. For example, at the end of each episode listeners will have the opportunity to write in or send cell phone text (SMS) messages with comments, questions, or queries.
• Listening groups will be strongly encouraged. Clubs and associations of LGBTI people, such as university clubs, will be encouraged as a way of further bringing people together for support. Rights- and advocacy-based organisations will be encouraged to create listening groups, as well as youth centres. A small number of CDs will be available for non-broadcast listening, and the programme will be available for download from the internet.

The project organisers chose the drama format because they believe that it promotes learning through entertainment. They hope it will allow the intended audience to identify with the characters and explore issues through them. It also allows complex issues to be addressed without necessarily "preaching" or offering the audience easy solutions.

Radio was considered the best medium for the drama for several reasons. Radio is by far the most accessible medium in South Africa, particularly for economically poor and disadvantaged communities, and for rural audiences. Secondly, radio is far cheaper to produce and more flexible than television. A 30-minute radio drama would incur a fraction of the costs of a TV drama of similar length. Radio also offers more flexibility in terms of location.

Rights, Youth.

Despite the promise of full constitutional rights, there remains a great deal of socialised and institutionalised homophobia in South Africa. Formative research conducted for the drama suggests that the LGBTI community receives little support or acknowledgment from government programmes, health and social services, educational institutions, and even family and heterosexual peers. There is very little communication around LGBTI issues, and many LGBTI people, especially those living in townships, feel extremely isolated and alone.