Nigeria’s entertainment industry which contributed 2.3 percent (about N239biliion) to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2016 is receiving further lift from MultiChoice Africa. The video entertainment services provider said it is investing in Talent Factory aimed at igniting and growing the industry into vibrant, economic centre.
The MultiChoice Talent Factory will involve academies and Masterclasses. The academy is a 12-month educational programme aimed at furnishing 20 deserving, young, talented Nigerians who want to work and innovate in film and television production. The applicants who must be below 25 years must demonstrate passion for any aspect of the industry. Those who are slightly above 25 years but have strong passion may be considered.
While Nigerian talent factory will also draw students from other West African countries, the factory will also be established in Kenya and Zambia with 20 students each for those regions, making a total of 60 students across Africa.
MultiChoice said that 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.
The programme will be overseen by acclaimed local film & TV industry experts, Academy Directors: Njoki Muhoho in the Eastern Hub; Femi Odugbemi in the Western Hub and Berry Lwando in the Southern Hub.
The idea of the programme is to develop talents to produce quality and international standard films and tell African narratives. In Nigeria, MultiChoice is partnering with Pan Atlantic University to deliver content and ensure the success of the programme.
“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,” says John Ugbe, Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria.
“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.”
He further states, “There is no better time than now; this being MultiChoice’s 25th year of operations in Nigeria, for a project of this scope to concretize what we stand for as an organisation, as it lays a foundation that will foster economic growth for tomorrow’s leaders, and by extension our continent.
“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,” says Femi Odugbemi, MTF Academy Director for West Africa. He adds: “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.”
Daniel Obi
