The Kunle Afolayan Production (KAP), the production studio behind some of Nigeria’s most iconic films in the last decade, has partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to train 300,000 young Nigerians in film, television, and motion picture production over the next three years.
KAP produced widely-acclaimed movies like The Figurine, Irapada, October 1, The CEO, Citation and the recently released Swallow (an adaptation of Nigerian-American writer Sefi Atta’s 2010 novel), among many others that have earned global acclaim for their cinematic quality and captivating storytelling.
KAP and Mastercard Foundation announced on Monday, October 11, 2021, that the new generation of filmmakers would be trained through the KAP Film and Television Academy, one of the specialised services subsidiaries at the KAP Hub in Ikeja, Lagos, which was formally unveiled on Thursday, September 30, 2021.
The Academy was founded by award-winning Nigerian filmmaker Kunle Afolayan, who recently told The Guardian Nigeria after the opening of the KAP hub that his vision is “to set some sort of legacy that will help train a new generation of filmmakers.”
Despite being recognised as the third-largest film producer globally, the Nigerian film industry still faces a bevvy of challenges, including the development of talents through proper training and access to funds for filmmakers.
“As a result, very few practitioners can reach their full potential creatively and economically,” says Chidinma Lawanson, Nigeria Country Head at the Mastercard Foundation. “The Foundation’s partnership with KAP has the potential to enable at least 102,500 work opportunities for youth in the vibrant creative industry in Nigeria.”
The training, which is open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 35 years old, will leverage smartphone technology for the teaching and be conducted through the KAP App.
According to Afolayan, “the KAP App is a mobile learning application where multimedia content – which includes video and audio lessons, visual presentations, video simulations, and interactive testing – will be delivered to the students. It will allow students to have access to interactive learning content, industry professionals, community forums, an electronic library, a job board, financial support, contacts, and links, among others.”
The training programme will include The Masterclass Series, a virtual series of 20 episodes providing e-learning to aspiring filmmakers, covering several aspects of filmmaking from directing, cinematography, and the business of film using Afolayan’s acclaimed movie, ‘The Figurine’, as a case study. The virtual series will be free to watch on KAPtv’s YouTube channel.
The programme will also include two levels of certifications from professional institutions in screenwriting, sound, editing, directing, cinematography and production design, among others, and practical hands-on training. It will also link participants to employment or gig entrepreneurship activities, not only in the film industry via placements and internships but in related sub-sectors such as fashion, make-up, music scores, editing, and scriptwriting.
Selection will be based on a one-minute video pitch to assess each applicant’s level of skill, passion, and socio-economic status. KAP and Mastercard said 50% of the placements in the programme would be given to young women to encourage strong female participation.
