Nigerian creative industry welcomes new filmmakers

…as MultiChoice counts gains of talent academy in four years

The burgeoning Nigerian creative industry received a boost on December 14, 2023 when a set of 20 young filmmakers debut to make impact.
The new entrants are fresh graduands of the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Academy, who have been groomed across different aspects of the filmmaking and other related careers in the creative industry, as well as the business aspect of their new career.

Tagged the ‘Class of 2023’, the graduands are the fourth set to graduate from the academy and are now set to explore the industry with the skills gained, amid high expectations from the MultiChoice for a showcase of creative ingenuity.

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Celebrating the conclusion of a successful fourth year of the MTF, MultiChoice congratulated the Class of 2023, for the successful completion of the programme and their graduation, at a ceremony, which held at Tera Kulture Arena, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday.

According to the pay TV service provider, it has been an intense one year of the graduates honing their skills in screenwriting, editing, production, directing, the business of filmmaking and gaining hands-on experience through immersions on various TV and film projects.

It has also stayed committed to investing in African talent through initiatives such as the MTF.

Like previous cohorts, the skills of the Class of 2023 shined during the programme. The students completed an intensive 3-week online New York Film Academy (NYFA) course on the production of documentaries, music videos and TV commercials, which exposed them to global networks. They also produced two short films for Zee World as well as other short films, which have been selected into film festivals such as the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF) and the Africa International Human Rights Film Festival (AIHRIFF).

They also produced two feature films as their final projects, which will be broadcast on Africa Magic channels on DStv, GOtv and on Showmax ; a testament to the success and practicality of the programme.

One of the highlights of the graduation ceremony was the recognition and presentation of awards to the top three graduates of the Class of 2023, which included internships in recognition of their exceptional work and achievements. Segun Elvis Damptey from Ghana, who came third, was awarded a two-week internship at a film and TV production in South Africa; Abdulazziz Attah from Nigeria, who clinched the second position, was awarded a two-week Bollywood internship with Zee World; and Samuel Ogundeyi from Nigeria, the overall winner, was awarded an eight-week scholarship to the New York Film Academy (NYFA).

Another highlight was the induction of the graduates into the Diretors Guild of Nigeria, the apex film association in the country, a ceremony performed on behalf of Victor Okhai, the president of the guild by Uzodinma Okpechi, a movie veteran.

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Also as graduates, the Class of 2023 now join the illustrious MTF alumni network and will be connected to industry professionals from across the continent through the relaunched MTF Portal – www.multichoicetalentfactory.com – an interactive Pan-African platform for African film creatives to showcase talent and network within and beyond Africa.

Beyond thoroughly equipping Africa’s finest content creators, the MTF plays the critical role of being a talent pipeline for the African creative industry.

“This is a proud moment for everyone involved in ensuring that the students successfully became graduates. The MTF Academy is now acknowledged as a great path to a career in the African entertainment industry. It functions as a production line for talent and creativity, producing passionate, motivated young people with the exact set of skills that our sector needs to produce high-quality African content for African audiences,” John Ugbe, CEO, West Africa MultiChoice, said while highlighting MTF’s contribution to the creative industry.

He noted that MTF is a collaborative platform for the creative industry to develop talent.

“It is helping to build the future of West Africa’s film and TV industry. We thank all our partners, stakeholders and collaborators for coming together to grow local skills in our industry. It is a positive investment in Africa’s future,” Ugbe noted further.

The continued success of the MTF initiative since its start in 2018, is rooted in its partnership with the Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) as well as with internationally acclaimed organisations such as Henley Business School, Zee World and the New York Film Academy (NYFA). Today, the graduates not only earn a certificate in film and TV production from the MultiChoice Talent Factory and the Pan-Atlantic University, they also walk away with an equally illustrious qualification from the New York Film Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (NYFA).

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Speaking on the journey this past year, Atinuke Ngozi Babatunde, Academy Director, said, “It is wonderful to see the growth our graduates have attained in just one year. Out of the thousands of passionate filmmakers who applied in 2022, they were selected for the one-year life changing scholarship and came with a burning desire to learn. We are happy that the MTF has not only fanned their fire but has equipped them with world-class learning and a thriving community of passionate filmmakers through the MultiChoice Talent Factory alumni, who will stimulate their growth to even greater heights”.