TMO Reporter | 8 February 2023
A new cohort of MTF students from Africa
MultiChoice South Africa has stepped up its skills development and industry readiness programme with the launch of its MultiChoice Talent Factory Extended Cut programme.
Designed to assist MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTFza) alumni, it assists those who want to start their own production companies after the 12-month internship programme.
Now in its ninth year, MTFza is an industry readiness programme that affords South African film and TV graduates the opportunity to learn from some of the leading TV producers in the country, while acquiring valuable experience in directing, producing, cinematography, commissioning, art direction and many other skills.
Speaking at MTF Day at the Joburg Film Festival, Tumi Masekela, Executive Head of Corporate Affairs South Africa at MultiChoice, said: “At MultiChoice, our purpose is to enrich lives and this programme is a culmination of many conversations and interactions with various stakeholders on how we can really help graduates from our prestigious MultiChoice Talent Factory internship programme to gain sustainable employment and make a meaningful contribution to the economy.”
After ending their time at the academy, alumni are faced with two options: enter the industry as production professionals, often as freelancers, or establish their own production companies and pursue production opportunities.
Understanding that more opportunities are needed in the film and television industry, MultiChoice will be giving further access and production opportunities within the Group, increasing the chances of filmmakers becoming sustainable.
Under MultiChoice Talent Factory Extended Cut, promising and newly established productions houses will have access to free-to-use production facilities and equipment to increase profitability, business support services to boost sustainability, mentorship support from experienced professionals to enable skills transfer, and production accounting services to ensure compliance.
These production houses will also be able to produce movies exclusively for the Mzansi Magic channel.
To be eligible, production companies need to be partly or wholly owned by MTFza alumni, 51% black-owned and a preference will be given to those production houses owned by youth and women.
“We truly see this as a win-win for both the alumni and the entertainment industry as we will now have a pipeline of fresh and diverse content from new entrants, increase job creation and a sustainable and complete model that provides market access to budding new black-owned production companies,” Masekele added.
The programme will be overseen by a team of writers, directors, executive producers and production managers and will kick off on 01 March 2023.
‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’.