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Tag: MultiChoice Talent Factory

  • MultiChoice Talent Factory networking portal goes live

    The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Portal, the digital hub conceived as the premier destination for connecting Africa’s creative industries, went live yesterday after its launch in Lagos.

    The MTF Portal, www.multichoicetalentfactory.com, is the third touchpoint of the MultiChoice Talent Factory, the company’s shared-value initiative. Its launch follows that of the MTF Academy, a 12-month film training programme aimed at upskilling the next generation of young film creatives, last October; and the MTF Masterclasses, launched in January, to upskill industry professionals.

    The interactive online portal is aimed at profiling and connecting Africa’s creatives as well as bringing pan-African talents and opportunities together in one place. The digital portal will allow filmmakers across the continent to network, find talent and showcase their work.

    Access to the portal is through registration on www.multichoicetalentfactory.com, which will serve as an authoritative source of industry news, supported by MultiChoice’s position as Africa’s leading storyteller. Users of the portal, up and coming creative talents, can also connect and collaborate. The MTF Portal will also provide information on the MTF Academies and Masterclasses.

    The portal forms part of the investment MultiChoice is making to improve quality and support the production of local content and storytelling across the continent. It will serve both seasoned professionals and aspiring talent in Africa’s film and TV industry.

    Femi Odugbemi, MTF Academy West Africa Director, believes that the networking portal will be yet another important tool that will play a key role in strengthening the credibility of Nigeria’s creative film and television industry.

    “For a long time, professionals within our industry have gone to great lengths to prove that what we do is credible enough to be treated as an important economic player in our economy,” he said.

    “The MTF portal will prove that not only is our industry just as structured, but most importantly, that it can compete on a global scale.”

    Users wishing to connect with other creatives across Africa are directed to register and create a profile to have an exclusive avenue to showcase their talents, connect and network with other industry individuals, scout for skills and stay informed about the latest opportunities in the continent’s  creative industries.

  • Femi Odugbemi: Why MTF is investing in young filmmakers

    Nigerian filmmaker and former president of Independent Television Practitioners Association of Nigeria (ITPAN), Mr. Femi Odugbemi is the Academy Director, Multichoice Talent Factory (MTF) – West Africa. In a recent interview with the media, Odugbemi, a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences (AMPAS) discusses the need for talent development in the motion picture industry in Nigeria, and how Multichoice has risen to the occasion through the MTF Academy. By VICTOR AKANDE

    What is different about Multichoice Talent Factory?

    We promised three things and we plan to deliver on them. We promised a curriculum that is technically strong and functionally solid on international best practices. One of the things we look at in picking our students are their IQs. They make films; they shoot it, edit it and I have not been involved in whatever they do. They have an editing room; they all have laptops that have editing software on it. They are in groups where they make films, they pitch here regularly every week but beyond that, they are also required to read and we are building a library.

    We’ve got an e-library and we’ve got wonderful book donations from great people. We have about 500 books now. They read every week and they write a reflective essay, so it’s both theoretical and practical. But I think what makes a difference is they’ve also met people in the industry who I think are doing the real things not only as celebrities but as artistes. So, they’ve got to ask them about their process, not about their result. We’ve also taught them about banking and finance and I feel we’re on the right path, both here, in Kenya and Zambia. We’ve started our master classes and that series is expected to build what we want to call global brands to interface with people in our industry. A big difference that MTF has made is that a global player like Multichoice is putting its money to ensure that the intervention is not just about buying films but actually investing in the people who are going to make the difference and make better films.

    Multichoice took a step further with the MTF Masterclasses for professionals in the industry, how are the beneficiaries being selected?

    The Masterclasses were conceived for those who are working and leading the different technical lines in our industry. We’ve got 60 of them at the event center already doing the Sound Masterclass with Dolby and every one of them were selected from major players in the industry. There are senior NTA audio producers, audio personnel from LTV, Silverbird, independent production companies and Nollywood. The real reason we are doing the Masterclass is to actually try to touch all the areas in the industry. There’s a lot we’ve done experimenting; there’s a lot you can do on Google and there’s a lot you can do with your own passion. But the world is an amazing technological space, things are changing at an alarming rate that when you think you know it, everything has changed.

    So we’re not talking about the fundamentals only, we’re talking about how to bring knowledge to the table that is current, that is global, that is best practice because that’s the only way we’re going to change the future and the only way to calculate that is to find whoever is already the best that we have and put information at their disposal so that we can be the best and compete internationally. We’re doing a lot in our country, simply by passion but the only way to make our filmmakers prosperous is to ensure that their work can travel. And by travel, it means Netflix will not have to spend a million dollars to re-do everything again in order to have it ready for an international audience. It’s about time our filmmakers are empowered; not the guy whose name is in the papers; I’m talking about the heads of department for the sound, camera, production and design. These guys are the ones that really make films look the way they look and empowering them is the goal, that’s the process.

    I started out in NTA in 1986 but there are people I left in NTA who have not attended one course since they’ve been in NTA and guess what, they produce every day. The people on our social media, the stars of our industry don’t make a film once every six months. They are on the road every day and I feel when we give, we must give across board. Multichoice is an independent company but it’s a leader in an industry, it owes that industry something and that’s the argument.

    So whether it’s Silverbird, NTA or Channels, we will collaborate with all and hopefully try to build this, simply by putting something in. The whole goal is this, no more time for complaining and it’s easy to cut things down and say this is not good enough but I hope it’s a season when we all do something. I do believe that our next goal should be that our work is best practiced across the globe. It’s not just about whether the sound is good or not but of course we know technically our challenge has been that the sound has to be clearer. But there are also many things we don’t know about sound that I think we’re also eager to know.

    The creative type of sound, the use of silences, the way we use music scores are part of it. A few of us are getting better at it but we need that knowledge to reach all of us. If we started out with the knowledge of recording cleanly, we will spend less. But can they afford the courses? That’s why an industry leader like Multichoice must show leadership. They must be ready to bring to the table the enablement they need because it comes back to them. The same films they are going to make are the contents Multichoice needs. In that sense, I think both training the kids that will start from scratch and training those who are already there becomes a mid-term and long-term strategy. Meanwhile, we must make our people better in the technical beats and in the long-term, we must grow those who start out with an empty hard drive by loading them with the right kind of information.

    What do you say to self-taught people who believe they don’t need this kind of platform to stay relevant?

    It depends on how high you wish to fly in this industry. I’m not keen on forcing anyone to grow but you know growing is an economic thing. The better you are the more you can earn. Regardless of how good you are at anything in the world, there’s always a way to be better and the only way to be better is to get more information. We need our media to push the films that are important to grow.

    Nobody invites us to do film festivals just so we see a Nollywood person live. We now have young Nollywood filmmakers who are getting up to it. So, if you are a mediocre, your chances of making it in this industry are so slim. The two Nollywood actors that were invited to the Oscars have always been in England, so your nationality has nothing to do with your capacity. So, for those who are happy with what they are now, our training wouldn’t be for them because the first qualification is to be passionate and hungry to look for excellence. If we’re bringing the courses to the table, you should bring some measure of hunger too because nobody can be forced to learn something new.

    For the MTF Academy trainees, how soon do you think they would be ripe enough to “take over” the movie industry?

    I don’t want them to take over; they are not a revolutionary influence. We believe in them and I don’t want them to take over individually so to say. I want them to form cells, teams to work together, to recreate the passion into something structurally strong, not to work as individual filmmakers but to create production companies. We want 20 of them to hire another 100 people; we want them to become game changers in the economy of the creative industry, not to just show how to make films but to expand opportunities for other people. We want them to come with an exposed mindset that is digitally driven.

    What I’m trying to create is a filmmaker who, 10-years from now won’t just be carrying cameras but will be making contents that will make a difference. We’re looking forward to having filmmakers who understand the impact platforms like Facebook, Instagram and the rest, because content will no longer be extremely personal in the next five years and we need to prepare those who will own that place at that time now. So there is a lot of technological interface in what we are doing and they already know how to manipulate these devices.

    So the question is how to tell the stories that are also customized for these devices. The African story will never die but technology will ask questions that will be directed at the filmmaker who cannot come to the table an illiterate or a novice or without the ability to explain the kind of story he is telling. Essentially, that’s the goal and in five years they should be able to form production teams and create digital platforms not just carrying cameras because for me, carrying cameras will end in another five years, technology will guarantee it.

    What are the challenges you encountered while putting this together?

    The biggest challenge in the industry is that everyone questions everyone’s motive and my response is always to let the result speak for itself. I’ve never really been keen to prove anything to anyone. My commitment has always been on training. For me, it is a challenge because it simply means that transparency is a very key part of what we are doing. I was very keen that we are transparent in the selection process, we made it digital. What would have been a challenge would have been that if this level of support will be sustainable. Initially, my worry was that it’s often easy to create a public relations thing.

  • MultiChoice Talent Factory launches West Africa Academy

    •As 20 film students from Nigeria, Ghana begin training

    The West African branch of MultiChoice Talent Factory Academy (MTFA) located in Lagos, was officially opened on Monday, October 8, 2018.

    The much anticipated Academy is expected to provide Africa’s next generation of film and television storytellers with a 12-month training programme.

    The initiative by Multichoice received commendation by the Lagos State Government, as the State Commissioner of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, lauded the company for giving young Nigerians across the country an opportunity to understand the business of film production.

    Speaking at the ceremony which held at Multichoice’s Victoria Island’s Headquarters, Ayorinde said, “What MultiChoice did deserves huge commendation and these 20 students should consider themselves lucky. They need to acknowledge the fact that stakeholders in the entertainment industry in Nigeria and across the continent expect a lot from them and the students on their part should make good use of this opportunity given to them.”

    While expressing his appreciation to MultiChoice for organising this laudable initiative in Nigeria, Ghanaian Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr. Ziblim Iddi, congratulated the 20 students selected for the inaugural edition of the MTFA and charged them to be committed to learning as this is a life changing opportunity.

    Also speaking at the event, Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe noted that, “The film and television industry is the pioneer of creative industries in Africa and is particularly relevant as a tool for shaping the African narrative. We have been telling authentic and well-produced stories that only Africans themselves can tell. Nevertheless, there is a lot of raw talent that need to be nurtured and polished. The Academy will give such talent the opportunity to hone their skills, thereby increasing the pool of world-class talent within the industry. It’s also about teaching the selected candidates the business of film and television”.

    Ugbe further praised the support of critical partners saying, “We are incredibly fortunate to have the calibre of broadcast partners that we do in M-Net and Africa Magic who believe in this project and have been on this journey with us from the very beginning”.

    The 20 candidates from Nigeria and Ghana will begin their 12-month training programme at the Academy this month. They will be provided with the skillset to ignite their passion, connect with industry professionals and tell authentic African stories through a comprehensive curriculum comprising theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience in cinematography, editing, audio production and storytelling.

    “The talented creatives that will go through the MultiChoice Talent Factory Academy will be primed as key players in the growth and sustainability of Africa’s creative film and television industry. As Academy Director, I will be preparing these candidates as future business owners who will in turn, play their own part in building the economy around the industry. It’s time that we not only reap the rewards of high-end quality TV and film products, but we also equally benefit from the investments behind the lens,” said West Africa Academy Director, Femi Odugbemi.

    In attendance at the launch were members of the academia and industry creatives, as well as the media, who joined the ribbon cutting ceremony, which was followed a tour of the Lagos-based academy facilities situated in Victoria Island, Lagos.

  • The looming film revolution

    OVER the next few years, the Nigerian and, of course, the continent’s creative industries, will witness significant changes sufficient to bring about an appreciable leap in every facet. The catalyst is the recently launched MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a continent-wide initiative conceived groom and nurture talents in the creative sector.

    It is difficult, impossible even, to argue that the Nigerian film industry AKA Nollywood is not a monster hit around the continent and elsewhere despite its imperfections.

    Since coming to life in the 90s, Nollywood, given a fillip by MultiChoice’s AfricaMagic channels, has won the hearts of Africans and arrested the attention of peoples of other continents with its prodigious output. World Bank insights indicate that Nollywood creates up to 50 films a week, and up to 1,200 films a year. Hollywood and Bollywood can produce up to 800 and 1600 films respectively, with Hollywood leading the way in terms of global industry size followed by Bollywood and Nollywood.

    Nollywood production budget is light years behind that of Hollywood. An average Nollywood film budget can rise to $15,000, while that of Hollywood verges on $50million, with Bollywood averaging $1.5 million.

    Despite the leanness of its budget, Nollywood is a staple in almost every African household. Its progress has been astounding. The Wedding Party, the 2016 smash hit, is rated as the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time. According to Quartz, it raked in just over N300 million (over $800,000) in Nigeria alone.

    Its 2017 sequel brought in over N70 million (about $200, 000) on the opening weekend.

    Compared to figures for Hollywood and Bollywood hit films, the earnings are not in any way eye-watering. But by Nigerian standards, they certainly are.

    The Wedding Party’s success proved that Nollywood can compete with the Hollywood films on the big screen. The film also set a new standard for the industry, showing that authentic storytelling and high quality production are crucial to making a film capable of filling local and continental cinema seats.

    But films on the same pedestal with The Wedding Party are not as commonplace as they should be. This is indicative of gaps in technical skills of among many Nigerian filmmakers and one which the MTF is conceived to effectively bridge.

    Nollywood, however, stands head and shoulders above other film industries in Africa is that its storylines are a depiction of everyday life. This has made its output the rage across the continent and elsewhere. Much of Nollywood’s success is down to the work of accomplished film industry leaders such as Femi Odugbemi, who arrived on the filmmaking scene through photography.

    Odugbemi has been chosen as the West Africa academy director for the MTF, a role that will see him transfer his vast range of skills acquired from decades of working in Nollywood to the next generation of Nigerian filmmakers, many of whom require a strong basis of film training.  His track record of consistency makes him a leading figure in Nollywood and recently earned him voting membership of the United States Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

    “We must consciously build capacity so that our next generation film makers and producers can also create wealth and create employment by being entrepreneurs as well,” explained Odugbemi.

    Odugbemi grew up on a diet of Indian and Chinese films, which were the rage in 1960s in Lagos. They developed his affection for storytelling and led him into filmmaking, rising to become one of West Africa’s most prolific film and television industry professionals.

    He is minded to ensure that the next crop of film professionals is guided by high craft and authenticity.

    “Nigerian cinema 10 to 15 years ago was challenging. It’s better in lighting, audio even in production design. It’s getting better. Proficiency and efficiency is good, [but] excellence is really ideal, and to be excellent in a consistent form. That is the goal of every winning industry,” he said.

    He is famous for involvement in top shows such as Tinsel and Gidi Blues.  Tinsel, which aired in 2008, was the first daily soap opera on the M-Net network in Nigeria at the time. More testament of his devotion to quality content, both on-screen and behind the camera, could be seen in Battleground.

    For two young Nigerian filmmakers, Femi Alabede and Cyriacus Ibekwe, functioning in Nollywood requires unlearning a bit of what they learnt in film school. Both had formal training abroad before returning to Nigeria. They were steeped in the Hollywood way, but the situation that awaited them back home was radically different. They discovered that certain roles within the film reel they expected to find back home did not exist here and had to adapt their Hollywood knowledge to fit Nigerian storytelling and film style to ensure balance in their works. Alabede and Ibekwe are happy that they have had the benefit of formal training, but believe that the technical skills deficiency in the industry will be difficult to fill without learning from the experts. A big opportunity to learn, they said, is the MTF, which will have regional academies in Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia.

    The MTF initiative will deliver three touch points: the MTF academies, Masterclasses and the MTF Portal.

    The MTF Academy is a 12-month educational programme designed for 60 (20 per academy) young and talented people who aspire to become film and television professionals. During the course of the programme, MTF students would be expected to produce television and film content that will be aired on MultiChoice platform.

    –Sebanjo, a film critic, writes from Lagos