It’s not every day that bad news can be flipped into a good story and sold as a proudly SA export.
For Deon Meyer, whose book Trackers was adapted for a six-part miniseries that will make its way to television screens globally, this was always the stuff of fairy tales.
“I never dreamt of being a writer. I didn’t consider it to be a career option because I had no frame of reference. I didn’t know any writers,” Meyer tells me.
I meet him on a day when the rain has given way to sunrays, a peaceful afternoon in Hyde Park where he is staying on a visit to promote the release of his latest book, The Last Hunt. Behind his spectacles, he’s calm, collected and a genuinely pleasant guy.
Trackers premiered in SA at the end of October. Due to M-Net’s partnership with HBO Cinemax and Germany’s broadcasting company ZDF it’s the biggest original co-produced drama to come from SA and it will make its way to television screens globally.
The fact that I started selling books was a big surprise for me. The fact that my books were published internationally was an even bigger surprise
— Deon Meyer
The miniseries follows three stories centred on diamond smuggling, black rhinos, organised crime and an international plot to orchestrate a terror attack in Cape Town. Starring Thapelo Mokoena, Sandi Schultz, Rolanda Marais, Sisanda Henna and James Gracie, it’s shot in and around Cape Town.
In January 2008 Meyer retired from his day job as a consultant on brand strategy for BMW Motorrad after he realised writing required his full attention. “I wrote because I loved it. I always loved my day job and it was only once writing started keeping me busy that I realised I can’t do both together and took the leap to writing full time.
“It’s something that I would have never predicted. That I started selling books was a big surprise for me. That my books were published internationally was an even bigger surprise. Life is wonderful in the sense that things just happen. I also never thought I’d become involved in film.”
Some of Meyer’s other books have been adapted for television series. He has previously written screenplays for movies but says he didn’t think all of these adaptations made for good TV series. For this reason, he was very involved with Trackers. “I wanted to make sure that we produced an enjoyable story of a good quality that works as a TV series.”
Thus far, he says the positive reactions have been overwhelming. “It’s exciting. We worked hard on it and you never know how it will be received.”
But, he says he was lucky with the timing. “This is a golden era of TV with the likes of Netflix, HBO, Apple TV and Disney+. What has also worked is that series made in Scandinavia and Europe have been popular on Netflix recently. There was also Narcos that was filmed in South America. The television bosses have started realising that it doesn’t have to be shot New York, Los Angeles, London or Paris; good stories come from everywhere.
“I think America is so fascinated with itself that it’s always going to be more difficult to have a big break there. But you have to keep trying and make sure that your quality is as good as what’s coming out of America. It is a challenge but the time is ripe.”
The decision to turn Trackers into a TV series came easily, a process Meyer describes as an interesting and stimulating experience because he loves creative problem-solving. “It is what telling stories is all about.”
Trackers was written 10 years ago and was originally published in Afrikaans as Spoor. At the time, rhino hunting and gangs on the Cape Flats featured prominently in the news.
“The ideas came from everywhere. Milla’s story came from something I saw. At the time I was living in Durbanville and I came upon a scene that made me wonder what’s going on in this woman’s life. On the surface everything looked good.”
The author says he believes in hard work and not so much in inspiration. “You have to develop stories. You have to read, listen and talk. You have to constantly be aware of what’s happening around you and, in so doing, gather story ideas.”
The Last Hunt, Meyer’s recently released English book and the sixth in the Benny Griessel series, is another example of how his stories are influenced by recent news events. “The book I’m currently busy with also comes from news events over the past year — there is just so much happening.”
As for fans of protagonist Benny Griessel, Meyer says they can expect more tension, more riddles and more books.
He says he has never been one for a five-year or ten-year plan. He would like to spend more time travelling with his wife but he loves what he is doing and will continue writing books.
“I am comfortable and happy with where I am and where things are going. But you never know what life has in store for you.”
As he has seen time and again, some of the best things in life happen when you least expect it.
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