MultiChoice Talent Factory is calling upon all aspiring filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers, and storytellers to apply for entry into the 2025 fully funded academic year.
The applicants can be a young professional looking to change careers and expand their horizons or a newcomer eager to make a mark in the TV & Film industry. MTF welcomes applicants from all backgrounds across the 13 countries in Africa; Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Since its inception in 2018, MTF has welcomed 60 students each year, giving them an opportunity to reach their dreams and unleash their potential by providing a platform that nurtures and develops talent across the continent, providing opportunities for growth, networking and success in the entertainment industry.
Through a series of rigorous training programs, MTF believes in using a hands-on approach and mentorship from industry experts. Participants not only get a chance to sharpen their craft but also gain invaluable insights into the business of filmmaking and practical experience in areas such as cinematography, sound design, editing, and more.
At the end of the programme, top-performing students from each academy will get further training, mentorship and internship opportunities with MTF global partners, such as the New York Film Academy (NYFA), Indian-based platform Zee World and will get an opportunity to work on productions in South Africa.
Upon completion, students receive accredited and recognised qualifications and get a chance to produce and direct short films showcased on MultiChoice platforms.
For context, Uganda had 4 students in MTF East Africa Academy class of 2023 that graduated in December last year. Three of the four won special awards: Hanna Nalunga – Cinematography Award which came with a Canon DSLR camera with a tripod, batteries and charger. Enock Tamale won the glass plaque in recognition of his work as a jury member of the Kenya International Sports Film Festival while Samuel Mafayo won a 2-week immersion on a leading ZeeWorld production in Mumbai, India.
All these initiatives are indicative of MTF’s commitment to supporting MultiChoice’s content selection of delivering exciting local content, which is rich in culture. Africa has many untold stories and by investing in African talent, MultiChoice gets to uncover and showcase these stories by supporting MTFs students, giving them the necessary skills and the platform to produce content that resonates with Africans and the global market.
Last year, five alumni secured nominations across three categories at the 2023 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA). In addition to this, Many MTF alumni occupy significant industry roles across the continent, working as directors, producers, sound designers, camera operators, art directors, scriptwriters and editors on major African productions which include Salem, Tempted, Engaito, Mvamizi, Mum vs Wife, Makofi, County 49 and many others.
Habtamu S. Mekonen, an MTF student from the East Africa Academy in Nairobi, Kenya, recently won an International Emmy Award for a short film that he produced and directed. The success of MTF is best illustrated by the feature films produced by its students. The films highlight the talents and creativity of participants and demonstrate the programme’s profound impact.
MTF also fosters entrepreneurial spirit, giving young people the confidence to start their own projects and businesses. To date, thirty of its alumni have registered production houses, creating employment opportunities and contributing to the economy. The knowledge and skills imparted by MTF empowers graduates to be catalysts for economic growth and cultural enrichment in their communities.
Applications are now open and will close on 15 September 2024. Interested candidates can visit https://applications.multichoicetalentfactory.com to submit their entries and learn more about the program’s requirements.
Ugandans at MTF
Up to 20 Ugandans have received training through MTF, in Nairobi, with more than 4,000 through the regular online and physical Masterclasses held over the last five (5) years and via the Online MTF portal library.
Abubaker Isiko: He graduated as part of the first cohort in 2028 and has since won awards including one for the best post-production/editing for the film, The Passenger at the recently ended Uganda Film Festival. Presently, he contributes his expertise in sound design to one of our TV shows, Sanyu.
On the other hand, Victoria Nakimbowa has been a scriptwriter for the concluded Prestige series and set Designer for the ongoing Beloved Series on Pearl Magic Prime. She has also won awards, while Cissy Nalumansi has gone on to win several awards and produce feature films.
In terms of production, productions like Sanyu (Matthew Nabwiso), Prestige (Nathaniel Magoola), Juniors Drama Club (Allan Manzi), DamaLie (Doreen Mirembe) Date My Family (Judithiana Namazzi) among other productions and producers have been recognized for their excellent work which has contributed to the enormous impact within the ecosystem of their productions in the industry from catering to make-up artists to set designers to camera crew, to editors, to costumes designers, to transport management, among others support areas.