As a content creator, getting the opportunity to show the world what you have can be tough. Ideas and proposals never seem to reach the right hands. Thankfully MultiChoice is helping with that, one creator at a time.
On October 2018, creators all over Africa had huge smiles on their faces. Why? Because, MultiChoice launched MultiChoice Talent Factory which opened its doors to its three regional academies based in Nigeria for West Africa, Kenya for East Africa and Zambia for Southern African countries. 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.
This gave African creatives, not just the opportunity to showcase what ideas they had, but also a chance to receive tutelage from industry greats about filmmaking by making films, developing their skills in film and TV production. From editors to producers, actors, scriptwriters, voice-over artists and many more, all were given a chance to be selected for the programme.
Graduates from the academy, empowered with the knowledge gotten from MTF, went on to achieve great things in the creative industry. At this year’s AMVCA, which is the 7th Edition, 6 films by MTF alumni have been nominated in the newly launched category, the MultiChoice Talent Factory Award. The category aims to reward excellence in storytelling and provide a platform for alumni of MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Academies.
In January 2020, three alumni, Mainala Silondwa (Zambia), Gilbert Bassey (Nigeria) and Hillary Lanogwa (Kenya), were selected by New York Film Academy (NYFA) as the recipients of the prestigious full-tuition scholarship award at the NYFA, having emerged top of their classes in their respective academies. The once in a lifetime opportunity expands on MultiChoice Talent Factory’s mission to empower emerging filmmakers through training, skills and creative development.
“Through strategic partnerships with widely acclaimed institutions such as the New York Film Academy, Africa’s creative industries are enriched through skills sharing and exposure to global best practice. We’re excited for our Alumni and we hope that this opportunity will empower them to tell authentic African stories to a global audience,” says Reatile Tekateka, Executive Head of Corporate Affairs, MultiChoice Africa.
This is part of MultiChoice drive to enrich African creators and in a bid to ignite and grow Africa’s creative industries into vibrant, economic centres.