MultiChoice to help young filmmakers sharpen their talents

August 29, 2018 in Communications, Companies, Investment by Editor

August 29, 2018—Four young Ugandan filmmakers are heading to Kenya to join 15 others from across the region to have their talent sharpened at the MTF Academy in Nairobi, courtesy of MultiChoice Africa, the entertainment and media company based in South Africa. They begin going through their paces on October 1st.

Aaron Tamale, Casey Lugada, Hilda Awori and Cissy Nalumansi who represent Uganda after going through a vetting process overseen by MultiChoice Uganda. The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) is multi-tiered training programme 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 company that is deeply rooted in Uganda we understand that many young, aspiring filmmakers have the capacity to learn and strengthen their skill set to give back to their communities, but may not be financially equipped to do so. The MultiChoice Talent Factory focuses on making sure that those gems are nurtured and their talent developed in order to contribute meaningfully to Africa’s creative industry,” Tina Wamala, MultiChoice Uganda Corporate Affairs Manager said.

DStv and GOtv are the leading brands in the MultiChoice stable which leads in the African pay-television market. MultiChoice Africa will sponsor the students’ tuition, accommodation and allowances for the duration of their training in each regional hub.

Award-winning script writer, Njoki Muhoho, who will spearhead the East Africa MTF Academy hub in Kenya said, “We’re exceptionally impressed with the calibre of young Africans chosen to be part of the inaugural MultiChoice Talent Factory. Their applications illustrated their passion for the continent – they talk about making African stories go viral and getting international audiences addicted to high-quality and engaging local content.”

Nalumansi, a 24-year-old website developer, who has a flair for entrepreneurship said,“It’s an opportunity to broaden my social connections, expand my network in the film industry and give me an opportunity to make a difference in Uganda by passing on the information I have learned to other people, who are hungry for the same knowledge but not in position to acquire it.”

Tamale, who has earned the nickname ‘Media Mogul’, is passionate about digital media and dreams of owning a streaming site for distributing and monetising locally-made content. He hopes that joining the MultiChoice Talent Factory will position him as a game changer across East Africa’s film industry. He said, “It’s only a matter of time and Hollywood is running to Africa for more ideas.”

As for 18-year old Lugada, “There are a lot of opportunities and untold stories within Africa. It is a content-rich continent. What determines a good film happens long before the film is shot. There are countless ways in which meanings, interpretations, motives and emotions can be conveyed to an audience,” he said.

“As long as creatives learn the art and formula of storytelling, the sky is the limit. We can become incredible storytellers by making use of all kinds of platforms and materials, starting with our phones and making use of social media, which has given us an opportunity for an audience,” 24-year old Awori said.

The MTF Academy students will be provided with skill sets 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.

During the programme, MTF Academy students will produce television and film content that will be aired on 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.

According to a statement, upon graduation from the MultiChoice Talent Factory Academy, the MTF student will leave with the knowledge and skills to contribute professionally to Africa’s film and television industry.