STUDENTS ANNOUNCED FOR MULTICHOICE TALENT FACTORY 

Two Zimbabweans are among the line-up of aspiring film-makers selected to undergo a year of intensive training in film and television production as part of the recently-launched MultiChoice Talent Factory initiative.

Liz Dziva, publicity and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe said today (Tues August 28) that the 60 selected students had been chosen from more than 3 000 hopefuls across Africa, and are to be the first students of the MultiChoice Talent Factory Academies that will operate in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa, each of which will host 20 students.

The Zimbabweans are Nobert Mapfoche of Bulawayo and Rutendo Mahofa of Harare, who will attend the Southern Africa MTF Academy in Lusaka, Zambia.

“We are excited and delighted to have two Zimbabweans in the Academy and look forward to their participation and success, as well as to their future roles in the local film and television industry,” said Ms Dziva.

The candidates were chosen after a two-month process of shortlisting candidates from the 3 000 applicants from 13 countries, which was followed by a rigorous interview and adjudication process by a group of film and television industry experts and the three regional academy directors.

The 20 future film-makers chosen from Southern Africa were selected on the basis of their industry related qualifications and skills, as well as their passion to narrate Africa’s unique stories. They start their year’s training on October 1, with MultiChoice Africa  sponsoring the students’ tuition fees and accommodation, as well as a stipend for the duration of their training.

The MTF Academy students will be provided with the means to fully develop their talent, connect with industry professionals and tell authentic African stories through a comprehensive curriculum comprising theoreticalknowledge and hands-on experience in cinematography, editing, audio production and storytelling.

“This year-long programme will establish a meaningful pool of  young African creatives by providing them with invaluable hands-on industry experience that will give them the confidence to take on the world,” said Ms Dziva.

“We hope it will show them that it’s possible to create careers in Africa’s film and television industry.”

Zambian broadcasting stalwart Berry Lwando will direct the Lusaka MTF Academy and will spearhead training of the 20 Southern African students, who also include participants from Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Malawi and Mozambique. During the programme, MTF Academy students will produce television and film content that will be aired on M-Net channels across the MultiChoice platform, including Africa Magic, Zambezi Magic, M-Net and SuperSport,  reaching audiences on the continental DStv platform.

“On 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,” said Ms Dziva.

  “As a company deeply rooted in Zimbabwe, MultiChoice understands that many young, aspiring film-makers have the capacity to learn and strengthen their skillset 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.”

 More information can be sourced from Instagram (@multichoicetalentfactory), Twitter (@MCTalentFactory) and Facebook (@multichoiceafricatalentfactory), as well as www.multichoiceafrica.com.

Excitement about the MTF initiative has been created among industry professionals in Zimbabwe.

Said poet, writer and musician Albert Nyati:  “This  was a  long overdue initiative. I have no doubt in my mind’s eye that it will change the face of Africa in terms of our recorded story telling. There was a lot of unevenness in Africa in terms  of production quality. This programme is set to iron out all that.”

 Well-known producer and director Joseph Bunga was also enthusiastic:  I am really impressed that MultiChoice has taken the feedback received from the Content Summit and implemented a solution in a short space of time. This is definitely one of the key  components in ensuring a vibrant and successful  media industry.”

  Munya Chidzonga, businessman, actor, writer, producer and former Big BrotherAfrica finalist said: “ The future of the film industry here lies in Pan-African business initiatives. The MultiChoice Talent Factory is a bold step to creating a viable, profitable and self-sustaining film industry. I salute MultiChoice for this project. As iron sharpens iron, so too will this initiative take the best and make them better. I am excited and thrilled by this initiative.”