OWN DEVELOPING FIRST ANIMATED COMEDY SERIES ‘THE MOUND’ FROM RISING CREATOR MUNIRAH SAFIYAH JONES
Los Angeles – OWN announced today it is developing the network’s first animated comedy series “The Mound” from Munirah Safiyah Jones, the multi-hyphenate creator of OWN’s NAACP Image Award-nominated animated short form series “Sincerely, Camille” and the viral hit “Junt Land.”
Set in the 1980s in the Orange Mound neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee – the first Black neighborhood in American history built by and for Black people, “The Mound” follows the lives of Duke and Naomi Wiley-King as they balance marriage, family, and careers with the more pressing community issues of salon gossip, bougie aunties, suspect potato salad, and aerobicized colonizers.
“Munirah’s incisive wit makes you laugh out loud and think critically at the same time.” said OWN President Tina Perry. “We look forward to seeing what she creates with the backdrop of such a unique Southern setting in the ‘80s.”
“’The Mound’ is about community. It’s about showing up, despite personal or interpersonal issues, for the good of the whole … even when your neighbor keeps blocking your driveway.” said Jones. “This show is for the men and women who built Orange Mound from the ground up and who deserve a joyful, relatable, hilarious portrayal of the community they love.”
“The Mound” is produced for OWN by executive producers Munirah Safiyah Jones and Harpo Films, in association with Bent Image Lab.
Munirah Safiyah Jones is represented by Heroes and Villains Entertainment and Ginsburg Daniels LLP.
About Munirah Safiyah Jones
Munirah Safiyah Jones is a writer/filmmaker from Memphis, Tennessee. One of 10 children, Munirah has always had a talent for crafting stories that make folks laugh, while also willing a suspension of disbelief. She began exploring filmmaking as a teen, helming everything from short films to music videos, and went on to work in television news while attending the University of Memphis, where she earned her bachelors in communications with a concentration in Film and Video. She currently works for a billion-dollar financial services company where she creates content for online learning.
She developed an online presence with her animated viral video, “Dating in 2018 – How Men Communicate,” which she wrote, animated, and voiced. It was about, you guessed it, dating in 2018. It garnered the attention of Hollywood, landed her in the writers’ room for season 14 of “Nick Cannon Presents: Wild N’ Out,” and even garnered a few film festival awards. That animated video soon turned into a web-series, “Junt Land,” which is an eclectic mix of satirical, anecdotal and introspective videos in both live-action and animation. Most recently she created OWN’s first ever animated digital short comedy series “Sincerely, Camille” for the network’s OWN Your Vote 2020 get-out-the vote campaign which was recently nominated for an NAACP Image Award. When she’s not being the cool aunt, Munirah is crafting words and visuals that feel both familiar and fresh.
