

The collaboration marks the Weinstein Company's first foray into television and Harvey Weinstein commented that he is thrilled to be working with HBO on the project because he believes they are responsible for producing television that is often superior to films. Cite web|url=|title=Speaking of HBO|accessdate=|publisher=The Baltimore Sun|year=2008|author=People & Places] Filming of the episodes is expected to begin in the northern hemisphere during summer 2008. Once the pilot was completed HBO and the BBC ordered a further 13 one hour episodes of the series. and he decided to offer the film as a feature length pilot. Minghella raised the possibility of it appearing on television instead. While filming the pilot episode Minghella publicly expressed concerns about how the film might be received in cinemas because the story is far removed from crime genre conventions and has little action. Although McCall Smith declined to write the adaptation, he remained involved as an adviser and visited the set during production. Cite web|url=|title=Rose plucked for 'Detective Agency'|accessdate=|publisher=Variety|year=2007|author=Dade Hayes] Weinstein has commented on the project saying that "like all fans of Alexander McCall Smith's magisterial books, I became enchanted with the wonders and charms of Botswana." Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella helmed the pilot episode and co-wrote the teleplay with Oscar nominated writer Richard Curtis.

At this stage the producers were Sydney Pollack and Minghella of Mirage Productions and Weinstein. Cite web|url=|title=HBO nabs 'Ladies' Detective Agency'|accessdate=|publisher=Variety|year=2008|author=Cynthia Littleton] Minghella also approached The Weinstein Company for funding and Harvey Weinstein has commented that he thought it was important to fund the production because it would be impossible to sell to a network or studio solely as a concept. The promise of funding from the country's government convinced Minghella to shoot on location. Once attached to the project she convinced Minghella to visit the country with her in 2004 and took him camping in the Makgadikgadi Pans. A friend approached her with the novel in 2000 and she greatly enjoyed it. Moore had travelled extensively in Africa including Botswana and had worked on promoting South African film and bringing African produced plays to an Off Broadway setting. Minghella, having filmed " The English Patient" in Africa, was concerned with the realities of importing equipment and housing the cast and crew for the production. Moore was a catalyst in the decision for an on location production in Botswana.
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1 Botswana Movie Shoot|accessdate=|publisher=The New York Times|year=2008|author=Michael Wines] Producer Amy J. Cite web|url=|title=Detective Agency to be serialised|accessdate=|publisher=The List|year=2008|author=Allan Radcliffe] Minghella was committed to directing the project himself but it was several years before his schedule allowed pre-production to commence. British director Anthony Minghella was a known fan of the books and after optioning the film rights he worked with the publishers to write a blurb for the paperback edition. The production was initially envisaged as a film rather than a television adaptation.
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The series premiered on 23 March 2008, Easter Sunday, on Britain's most popular TV channel, BBC One, receiving a high 6.3 million viewers and 27% of the audience share. Executive producer Anthony Minghella directed the pilot episode and co-wrote the adaptation with fellow executive producer Richard Curtis. The series is filmed on location in Botswana and is the first major film or television production to be undertaken in the country. Cite web|url=|title=Detective Agency to be serialised|accessdate=|publisher=BBC|year=2007] The novels focus on the story of a detective agency opened by Mma Ramotswe and her courtship with the mechanic Mr. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" is a television drama series, co-produced by the BBC and HBO, and based on the novels of the same name by Alexander McCall Smith. 1 Ladies' Detective AgencyĬaption = (from left to right) Anika Noni Rose as Mma Makutsi, Jill Scott as Mma Ramotswe, and Lucian Msamati as Mr.
