Tell authentic African stories by empowering content producers
MultiChoice Africa has announced a Pan-African initiative for the film and television industry, to ignite Africa's creative industries. The MultiChoice Talent Factory will launch with regional academies in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia.
MultiChoice Africa’s main aim is to grow the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) into vibrant, economic centres.
“The African development story has long been defined by investment in the vast mineral wealth on the continent, leaving our creative industries to fend for themselves on the fringes of economic development for far too long.
“As a result, the film and television industries have not developed at the same rate as other industries on the continent, and not for a lack of talent, passion or imagination,” said Brand De Villiers, CEO of MultiChoice Africa.
“We are abundantly blessed in these areas, however, the space given for this expression has at best been limited and at worst, been relegated to the fringes of the mainstream economy, leaving in its wake, unfulfilled dreams, unexplored talent and unwritten stories.
“As an African business, MultiChoice, together with our valued partners and stakeholders across the continent, have collaborated to make a positive socio-economic impact in the communities in which we live and work through the MultiChoice Talent Factory initiative.”
Touchpoints
The MTF initiative will deliver three touchpoints that launch throughout the year, the MTF academies, Masterclasses and the MTF Portal. The first to launch is the MTF Academy, a 12-month educational programme aimed at furnishing 60 deserving, young, talented people who want to work and innovate in film and television production.
The MTF Academy students will be provided with skillsets to develop their talent, connect with industry professionals and tell authentic African stories through a comprehensive curriculum comprising theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience in cinematography, editing, audio production and storytelling.
This is part of a game changing-era in which creative and production skills will be developed to enable local content be produced and compete with the best across any genre.
“Film making knowledge and skills that translate into enhanced livelihood, is what our youth in the creative industry desire,” said Muhoho, MTF Academy director for East Africa.
“The MultiChoice Talent Factory is the response to this cry. MTF is a 12-month long film making boot camp where the student will be taken on an experiential and practical film-making journey that will result into a highly-competent graduate who is a passionate, employable and an entrepreneurial film maker. My role is to be a catalyst to this process,” she added.
“I am truly delighted to be a part of this great African renaissance, one that will not only tap into Africa’s latent but grow talent by up skilling our youths so that they can grow our creative industries,” said Lwando, MTF Academy director for Southern Africa.
“This is part of a game changing-era in which creative and production skills will be developed to enable local content be produced and compete with the best across any genre. For Southern Africa, the MultiChoice Talent Factory answers the questions of training and advancement in film production we have asked for a long time and provides us the local content solution we have desired. Nothing can be more rewarding to our creative industries,” Lwando added.
During the course of the programme, MTF Academy students will produce television and film content that will be aired on our local M-Net channels across the MultiChoice platform including Africa Magic, Maisha Magic East, Maisha Magic Bongo, Zambezi Magic, M-Net and SuperSport to reach African audiences on the DStv and GOtv platforms. Upon graduation from the MultiChoice Talent Factory Academy, the MTF student will leave the Academy with the knowledge and skills to contribute professionally to the film and television industry.
“Professional training is key to success in any occupation. We need interventions like the MTF so that emerging filmmakers are better equipped in the creative processes that has scholarship and technology at its foundation,” concluded Odugbemi, MTF Academy director for West Africa. “We must consciously build capacity so that our next-generation filmmakers and producers can also create wealth and create employment by being entrepreneurs as well."
Call for entry closes 5 July 2018:
