MultiChoice Talent Factory announces 2019 Call To Entry For MTF Academy

Pan-African initiative is searching for 60 aspiring film and TV creatives from across the continent to be part of the Class of 2019

7 May 2019: Does your passion for video entertainment know no bounds? Do your stories wildly stir the imagination of your audience? Is your creativity inspiring enough to make you Africa’s next big content creator? If so, then MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Academy is looking for you!

Launched in May 2018 as part of MultiChoice Africa’s ground-breaking corporate shared value (CSV) initiative aimed at igniting Africa’s creative industry through TV and filmmaking, today the MTF Academy officially announced the much-anticipated Call to Entry to all emerging filmmakers from 13 African countries with either some industry experience or a relevant post-school qualification in filmmaking to apply for this exciting opportunity to hone their television and film production skills under the guidance and mentorship of industry experts.

Only 60 students will be selected to part of the sought-after year-long and fully-funded programme at three academy hubs located in Southern Africa (Lusaka, Zambia), East Africa (Nairobi, Kenya) and West Africa (Lagos, Nigeria) headed by industry leaders Berry Lwando, Njoki Muhoho and Femi Odugbemi, respectively

As part of the programme, young filmmakers are provided with training and hands-on experience in the film industry, with a focus on storytelling, production, audio and directing and other key areas. The academies also provide students with an opportunity to learn directly from well-known leading industry experts, work on live sets of local TV productions and create original content that will be aired on various local M-Net channels across the MultiChoice platforms – DStv, GOtv and Showmax.

So far, MTF Academies have exposed the Class of 2018 to real-life industry immersions which include the Kenya Hub students working on productions such as music reality show Coke Studio, Pambio, Turn-Up and the popular Swahili telenovela Selina. In Nigeria, the students cut their teeth on the thrilling series Battleground, The Johnsons, Tinsel and Flatmates which is a situational comedy, whilst in Zambia, the class worked on the reality show, Date My Family, Top ZED music show and the drama series Chintelelwe. The students also had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience on SuperSport shows and pitch their final-semester film projects to MultiChoice channel executives.

As part of MultiChoice Africa’s investment in growing Africa’s creative industries into vibrant economies, MTF in 2019 extended its commitment by introducing the MTF Masterclass series, aimed at upskilling industry professionals by offering exclusive access to practical, expert-led industry skills workshops in various counties. And in March, the initiative rolled out the MTF Portal, www.multichoicetalentfactory.com, and interactive online destination which brings talent and opportunities together under one platform for Africa’s creatives to connect and network with each other.

How to apply for the MTF Academy:

·       Visit www.multichoicetalentfactory.com  before 14 June 2019 and follow the steps to enter.

·       The 60 students (20 for each region) – will be selected from *13 African countries where MultiChoice operates – for the year-long programme that will commence in October 2019.

·       *13 Markets eligible for entry include:

WEST AFRICA: Nigeria, Ghana, EAST AFRICA: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania; SOUTHERN AFRICA: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Angola, Mozambique

Join the MTF social media conversation on the hashtag #MultichoiceTalentFactory and follow/join:

·        Instagram: @multichoicetalentfactory;

·       Twitter: @MCTalentFactory

·       Facebook: @multichoiceafricatalentfactory

If you have any questions about the MultiChoice Talent Factory, please contact us on info@multichoicetalentfactory.com

About the MultiChoice Talent Factory:

The African continent is steeped in a rich and diverse history of living passionately through language, art, music, and colorful 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’s 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, GOtv and Showmax platforms and ultimately continue showcasing Africa’s rich cultural heritage and diversity. More information available on www.multichoicetalentfactory.com

ENDS.