Fourteen bright, young storytellers successfully completed the internship programme and were recognised at a graduation ceremony held at Fourways in Johannesburg. The ceremony was attended by the graduates, friends, families, media, and industry experts.
Each year as part of their internship, the MTFza interns get to produce four films, one of which was screened at the graduation ceremony. Each of these films are also then broadcast on Mzansi Magic, channel 161 and this year will include: Areyeng Jozi (17 June), YOLO (23 June).
“MultiChoice connects over 100 million people across the African continent by bringing them local stories that they can resonate with in their own languages. The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), launched in 2014, is one way in which we bring these stories to life.
“MTF is the platform through which MultiChoice provides the skills and resources to tell local stories and functions through two distinct initiatives – the first is to identify and nurture young talent, with the second pillar being to further upgrade the skills of those professionals already active in the industry,” said Tumi Masekela, executive head of Corporate Affairs South Africa.
MTF is MultiChoice’s commitment to grow the film and broadcast industry and gives young Africans the chance to hone their television and film production skills through a world-class training programme. Every year, a new generation of aspirant storytellers are nurtured so they are equipped to develop Africa’s creative industries into vibrant economic hubs.
The twelve months of practical training also allows the interns to be thrown into the deep end of film making to grow their passion for film and movie making. Interns attend specialist classes hosted by industry professionals and spend most of their time interning on current local productions. On the various sets, the interns connected with top television and film producers and crew, as well as the best actors in the business.
The MTFza internship is accredited, and all interns graduate with a qualification from Henley Business School, who provide a number of courses on business aspects as well as personal growth.
“MTFza continues to produce exceptional graduates who I believe will make an invaluable contribution to the South African film and broadcast industry. I’m proud of each and every graduate and they must know this is just the beginning of their illustrious careers,” said Bobby Heaney, academy director at MTFza.
Since 2014, the MTFza Academy has been instrumental in helping to transform the South African film and TV industry by upskilling students and empowering them with substantial knowledge and experience. To date, 100 students have been trained through MTFza.