Within weeks of sending home graduates from the first year of training, the MultiChoice Talent Factory Academies in Nairobi, Lagos and Lusaka have welcomed the class of 2020 for a year of training and career preparation. Liz Dziva, publicity and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe, said two Zimbabwean students joined 18 others from across Southern Africa to enter the MTF Academy in Lusaka, where they will undergo an intensive year of training and skills enhancement that will see them ready to enter the film and television production world across Africa.
“We send best wishes for a successful 12 months to Nkosilesisa Ncube and Nelson Madzima, both from Bulawayo, who are the two Zimbabweans,” she said.
The MTF Academies were created by MultiChoice Africa to provide a massive boost to the skills base in the continental film and television production industry, and the first students at the three academies – one each for West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa – studied between October 2018 and September 2019, graduating recently. Each academy hosts 20 students
The 60 students from 13 countries were chosen after a month-long process that shortlisted candidates from thousands of entries. This year’s applicants were put through a rigorous interview and adjudication process by a group of leading film and television industry experts and the regional academy directors and represent “the very best in young talent from across the region,” according to Ms Dziva.
The 60 new students start the academic year with an orientation programme in partnership with Kenyatta University in Kenya, Pan-Atlantic University in Nigeria, the University of Zambia and the Henley Business School. These academic partners have been on board since the academies opened their doors in October 2018.
The second intake of students from Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe will be provided with training and hands-on experience in the film industry, with a focus on storytelling, production, audio and directing among other key areas. The curriculum offers students the opportunity to learn directly from leading African and international industry experts, work on live sets of local TV productions and create original content aired on local M-Net channels across the MultiChoice platforms.
The MTF has over the past 12 months partnered with government, local and international film industry associations and partners to hone and sharpen the skills of emerging filmmakers and industry professionals and Berry Lwando, Southern Africa’s academy director, feels that the past year has equipped the him and his fellow academy directors with great insights into how best to produce the next generation of authentic storytellers.
“The first year was a great learning curve and I’m excited for the class of 2020 as they embark on their new journey. Their passion for filmmaking makes us wake up in the morning wanting to do more,” he said.
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About the MultiChoice Talent Factory:
The African continent is steeped in a rich and diverse history of living passionately through language, art, music, and colourful storytelling. As the continent continues to change rapidly, the entertainment industry has become ever more relevant. MultiChoice Africa has identified an opportunity in this fast-changing environment—one that will have a lasting impact on the industry as a whole. The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) is a multi-tiered training programme (Academies, Masterclasses & Portal) designed by MultiChoice Africa to focus on positively impacting the technical and professional value chain in the film and television industry across the continent. As a business born and bred in Africa, we have a long-term commitment to making a socioeconomic difference in the countries in which we operate. As such, this initiative helps to play a positive role in growing Africa’s creative industries. MTF is a shared-value initiative that provides a platform for the creative industries to develop their talent and engage with one another through their shared passions. Through the MTF Academies (every year, the academies select 60 talented individuals from across 13 countries to participate in a 12-month academic and practical immersion programme including both theory and hands-on experience in cinematography, editing, audio production and storytelling) we are building a pipeline of good local content for our channels whilst the Masterclasses focus on developing technical skills of established creatives in cinematography, audio and storytelling to improve the quality of local productions and are conducted by leading African and international industry experts. The MTF Portal is the golden thread that brings talent and opportunities together on one platform. It is a Pan-African, film and television digital marketplace that offers open, cost-free access to film creatives across the continent to showcase their talent, access opportunities, stay up to date with industry news and expand their industry network. Through this initiative, MultiChoice Africa demonstrates its commitment to enriching lives by developing the art of inspired local storytelling and story making, while simultaneously growing a legacy of local content on our DStv,platform and ultimately continue showcasing Africa’s rich cultural heritage and diversity. More information available on www.multichoicetalentfactory.com