Jana Marx Email & Phone Number

Johannesburg, Gp, Za

South Africa

● Manage end-to-end production of investigative content across multiple media platforms, specialising in true crime documentaries● Develop, produce, and direct compelling true crime narratives for books, television series, and feature-length documentaries● Conduct in-depth interviews with law enforcement, victims, witnesses, and experts for documentary productions● Collaborate with local and international production companies to bring South African true crime stories to global audiences● Provide media consulting services, offering expertise in criticial thinking, true crime storytelling and investigative journalism techniques● Ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards in true crime reporting and documentary filmmaking

● Documentary Inspiration: Authored "The Krugersdorp Cult Killings" which inspired the award-winning documentary series "Devilsdorp".● Commercial Success: "Afspraak met Moord", the Afrikaans version of her book, was listed as one of the top 20 Afrikaans books in sales for 2020 and has undergone three reprints, reflecting its enduring popularity.

South Africa

● End-to-End Production Management: Successfully manages the complete production cycle for M-Net’s current affairs program, Carte Blanche, from story development to final delivery, ensuring content meets the highest quality standards.● Cross-functional Collaboration: Coordinates with various stakeholders, including sources, experts, lawyers, crew, and presenters, to produce impactful unscripted content.● Budget & Schedule Adherence: Negotiates contracts, manages production schedules, and maintains budgetary control, resulting in the timely and cost-effective delivery of multiple high-profile segments.Watch some inserts here:* Sting in the tale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGdvRYf6bso* The war on buses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1u7StNmPHY * Business behind bars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiMZ-D37b68 * A dam mess: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTFY6Pdj1OI* Acid water alert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXmXkyPqbcw&t=1s

South Africa

● Write exclusive articles, front-page news stories and features for top-tier South African media outlets that have influenced public discourse● Maintain a reputation for reliability and excellence in journalism, resulting in frequent assignments from leading publications● Appear weekly on national TV, contributing expert analysis on current affairs, and establishing public trust and credibility.

London Area, United Kingdom

Served as the Editorial Producer for "Original Sin: My Son the Killer," a high-end international true crime documentary. Managed relationships with contributors, oversaw the production phases, and mitigated legal risks. Collaborated closely with creators to build compelling story arcs and ensure journalistic integrity. Produced by Rogan Productions and Electric Shadow Company.● Led editorial and field production● Played a crucial role in the editorial production of a layered documentary that explores complex themes like gender-based violence● Conducted pre-interviews and developed story arcs in collaboration with UK- and US-based creators● Assisted with translation services

London Area, United Kingdom

Served as the Editorial Producer for "Original Sin: My Son the Killer," a high-end international true crime documentary. Managed relationships with contributors, oversaw the production phases, and mitigated legal risks. Collaborated closely with creators to build compelling story arcs and ensure journalistic integrity. Produced by Rogan Productions and Electric Shadow Company.● Led editorial and field production● Played a crucial role in the editorial production of a layered documentary that explores complex themes like gender-based violence● Conducted pre-interviews and developed story arcs in collaboration with UK- and US-based creators● Assisted with translation services

A Showmax documentary, "Convict Conman" charted one of my journalist investigations, which exposed a global fraud scheme operated from within a South African prison. Coordinated the investigative efforts, resulting in significant legal action and media coverage. Consulted on "Rosemary's Hitlist" in the initial stages of development.

● Authored "Kultusse in Suid-Afrika," a comprehensive exploration of South African cults, with documentary rights sold for a docuseries. The book has been well-received for its thorough research and engaging narrative.

South Korea

Provided consulting services for a true docu-series episode produced by South Korea’s public broadcaster. Assisted with on-set language barriers and contributed as a journalist.● Facilitated effective communication and collaboration between the production team and local contributors● Featured as a journalist in the series, adding authenticity and depth to the narrative

Wrote exclusive feature articles and profiles for Huisgenoot, South Africa's leading Afrikaans magazine. Produced high-quality content that resonated with a broad audience, showcasing my storytelling prowess.● Developed a series of impactful lifestyle articles● Built strong relationships with interviewees and sources, ensuring access to unique and compelling stories

United States

Consulted on "Queen Havoc," a podcast series set in South Africa, and featured as a journalist. Provided expert insights and facilitated production processes. Available on all podcast platforms.● Contributed to a successful podcast series that received positive reviews and significant listenership● Leveraged my investigative skills to enhance the depth and quality of the podcast’s content

Johannesburg Metropolitan Area

Delivered long-form journalism and in-depth reports on legal, political, health, and environmental issues. Led special projects and contributed to increased media coverage on critical topics.● Led an award-winning investigative series on South Africa’s water crisis, influencing national media coverage● Produced a digital, interactive micro-site that provided immersive news experiences, setting a new standard for content presentation● Regularly appeared on national TV for news discussions, establishing a strong public presence● Weekly appearances on the Afrikaans channel kykNET’s programme Die GROOT Ontbyt for a national news discussion of the country’s headlines● Wrote headlines and blurbs for the web with SEO in mind.

Published history of scoops and breaking news for the national online news platform, Netwerk24, and daily newspapers: Beeld, Die Burger and Volksblad.● Making the most of reputation for scoops due to an established network of sources● Demonstrating skilled live blogging from court● Crossovers for radio stations and TV news bulletins on an ad hoc basisI'm a former NASPERS-Zuid-Afrikahuis fellow - a reporting residency program in Amsterdam. This program is sponsored by NASPERS (a divison of Prosus) and the Zuid Afrikahuis, a cultural organisation in the Netherlands that aims to promote South African culture. The residency is awarded annually to journalists and editors who excel in their respective fields.

Devilsdorp, based on my book, The Krugersdorp Cult Killings, was released on 29 July 2021 to five-star reviews, topping the Showmax Top 20 and setting a new record for the most hours watched in its first four days of launch of any film or series ever on Showmax – outperforming the likes of Game of Thrones, The Real Housewives of Durban and The River. The series opened a new world of true crime TV in South Africa.In 2022, the documentary won several awards, including a SAFTA award for Best Made For TV Documentary. Helped Showmax win a PRISM Award for Best Arts and Entertainment PR campaign through effective publicity efforts.

South Africa

Led the editorial and brand management efforts for Finesse, a former national women's magazine with a readership of 197,000 (print & digital). My role encompassed a blend of creative and strategic responsibilities, including content creation, brand development, and digital engagement.● Editorial Responsibilities: Conducted research and conceptualized new campaigns, while also engaging in creative writing, including reviews, features, advertorials, and advertisements. Provided translation, rewriting, and editorial input for the magazine, contributing to layout, photography, and overall aesthetic.● Digital and Social Media: Managed content creation and distribution, including copywriting for social media posts and newsletters, SEO audits, proofreading, and basic language editing.● Brand Responsibilities: Managed the corporate brand, overseeing campaign management across social media, TV, and radio. Developed brand strategies, conducted brand research, and coordinated social media activities.● Marketing and Public Relations: Conducted market research to stay current with marketing trends, managed relationships with partners, clients, and celebrities, and contributed to product development for the online store. Successfully negotiated and secured barter agreements with sponsors and clients.● Event Coordination: Arranged and coordinated various high-profile events, including two tours to the Middle East, two tours to Europe, four MSC cruises for 2,000 participants each, and several festivals and conferences for over 1,000 attendees. ● Corporate Social Investment (CSI) campaigns: Coordinated and managed CSI campaigns, ensuring alignment with the company’s social responsibility goals.

Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa

Spearheaded the rebranding and marketing efforts for ENGO Free State, a non-profit organization, managing 20 frail care centres, two disability care centres, 33 youth care centres (orphanages) and centres providing adoption- and social services. My role involved comprehensive brand management, public relations, and event coordination. ● Responsibilities: Led the rebranding of the entire ENGO group, encompassing over 100 centers. Managed brand identity and corporate communications, including public and media relations. Drafted press releases, handled crisis communication, and provided media training for staff. Served as editor for annual yearbooks and other corporate documents. Conducted basic design and branding using Adobe InDesign and Illustrator. Additionally, arranged and executed fundraising campaigns and managed the marketing budget.

Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa

Editor of Annual Reports for the University of the Free State’s Faculty of Theology. ● Responsibilities: Wrote, edited, and proofread content while overseeing layout and design. Handled copywriting and copy editing, promoted and managed the brand, and provided media training for academic staff.

Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa

Media and Communications officer at the Dutch Reformed Church of the Free State (HQ)● Responsibilities: Led the rebranding of the entire group, oversaw the development of a new website, and wrote copy for both the website and social media. Promoted and managed the brand, edited special publications, including a history book celebrating group milestones, and provided media training for staff.

Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa

Features Editor of a local community magazine in Bloemfontein, Free State.● Responsibilities: Developing the startup, including the look-and-feel and business model, SEO, brand development and editing the first few issues.