Adjani Salmon: Combining honest storytelling and comedy

Adjani Salmon, the creative force behind the BAFTA-winning Dreaming Whilst Black, has opened up about the process of developing the hit show. The series shines a light on the challenges of entering the film and TV industry and the grey areas of black politics, encouraging audiences to embrace open conversations. “It’s more interesting when people can have a conversation”, he says.

Part of BAFTA’s 2023 Breakthrough UK cohort, Salmon describes the show as one where: “I try not to say that we have a message [but] ‘if you get it, you get it’.”

Alongside his friend and writing executive producer Ali Hughes and performer Dani Moseley, Salmon took part in a special Q&A that offered insights into the creation and evolution of the show…

Salmon and Hughes first met at film school, pursuing director and writing courses respectively. Salmon wrote the initial scripts for what started as a web series and then brought in Hughes to help. “I think my instincts are slightly more comedic and Adjani’s slightly more dramatic,” Hughes explains. “They naturally sort of work together.”

As writer, director and actor Salmon recalls that in first developing Dreaming Whilst Black as a web series he was thinking “maybe online content is the thing”. He says: “I just made a show about a black filmmaker from London and that was it”.

Having then been picked up by BBC3 the duo say they feel very lucky to have been given a chance on what feels like a “young channel”. A channel where it feels like they have “managed to go under the radar” of people who may have approached it negatively.

Aside from the comedy, Dreaming Whilst Black also delivers on skilfully sparking conversations. And as Salmon explains, it’s about “not being preachy, but not being simple … it was a delicate balance of not trying to point fingers.”

Delving into the process Salmon shares: “To be honest I feel like it’s story first before trying to make anything funny… what are you trying to say, what is this about, what are you trying to highlight and then how can we make it funny… Think story first and then just like pile on the jokes… there’s where to get the humour and honesty.”

One aspect of this is of course how the “grey area of black politics” is weaved into episodes. Salmon reflects; “I think audiences react most to that conundrum of playing in the grey area of black politics where [there’s] just lack of understanding… I think what we continue to do is find the grey areas of conversations… it’s more interesting when people can have a conversation.”

Hughes seconds this, saying: “hopefully it gives [people] something to think about rather than telling them.”

Another key feature of the show is the relationships – including the one between Salmon’s character Kwabena and his cousin Amy, played by Moseley. Specifically, it’s a relationship that allows for an exploration of the challenges of the television industry. Salmon explains: “The concept has always been to see these two characters see two different perspectives of the industry. Two points of view which is a freelancer and then a person who’s in and working a job.”

Moseley, who portrays Amy, says: “You see the industry just beat the optimism out of her. Because actually that’s what happens, it takes us as the creatives to keep the fight but there are days where you’re like I’m tired of pretending this industry cares and wants me in it.”

Given the topical nature of the themes within the show Salmon and Hughes try to create as many opportunities as they can and are proud that “lots of people had first gigs on this show”. Salmon says: “being a show that critiques the industry the first thing we knew is that everybody would turn the lens on us and say well what do you do, so I remember being like let’s get runners in, let’s get people to shadow and let’s get them paid in the writers room etc… The BBC knows this, we exhaust all their internship funds to get trainees and things. We try to do as much as we can within our resources.”

The second series of Dreaming Whilst Black will be available to watch on BBC Three soon. You can catch up on season one now via BBC iPlayer.

• The BAFTA Breakthrough UK programme is supported by Netflix and is an initiative that showcases and supports the next generation of creatives in film, games and TV, helping leverage early success into sustainable careers. The 2025 BAFTA Breakthrough UK cohort will be announced in November, keep an eye on our programme page to be the first to know who has been selected.