Exclusive: Junior Okoli and Chas Appeti talk about creating and executive producing Prime Video's Jungle
Now playing on Prime Video is the six-part series Jungle, produced by Nothing Lost. The Creators and Executive Producers are Junior Okoli and Chas Appeti.
Jungle follows the connected lives of several strangers, each facing their own struggle, viewed through the prism of UK rap and drill music, and giving a perspective on an often unseen world. Frequently misunderstood, it’s a world where one law governs everything: only the strongest will survive. As the strangers’ worlds begin to unravel around them, they come to the realization that every action, no matter how small, has a consequence.
The series will be told through a unique blend of music and dialogue, working alongside creatively ambitious cinematography and design to create a tilted, timeless version of today’s London and bring to life a compelling and complex narrative. The series will feature some of the UK’s top drill and rap artists, including Tinie Tempah, Big Narstie, Unknown T, Jordan McCann, Jaykae, IAMDDB, Double Lz, Bandokay, M24 and over 20 more artists, and looks to capture a very different side to an often told story. Portraying the city through compelling visuals, whilst detailing the many perils and dangers involved in day to day life in Inner City London and ultimately conveying a bigger message about the true value of life.
Chas Appeti and Junior Okoli are two creatives with a strong background in cinematography, film, music and visual arts. Chas is a well-known and respected music video director and DOP who has been creating videos and visual art pieces for many years, and Junior is a passionate director, writer and story-teller. Having met five years ago, the two immediately sparked a dynamic friendship. Growing up on the wrong side of inner city London and Kent, the two shared mutual insights and experiences of a world very few get to see; that insight, along with a strong interest for film and music, allowed the two of them the confidence and resolve to experiment with their creativity. What followed was the realization that they had a genuine passion in “creating dope shit”, as Chas put it, and so Nothing Lost was formed. With strong links in and throughout the music and creative art scene in the UK and abroad, Nothing Lost’s style of honest yet beautiful visuals and storyline has captivated the scene. Earlier this year, Chas and Junior were jointly selected for inclusion in Variety’s 2022 edition of the “10 Europeans to Watch” list.
Blackfilmandtv.com’s Wilson Morales spoke with the duo about the creation of this new series for Prime Video.
