The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) alumni have been commissioned once again to produce a new online campaign on COVID-19 for the UN.
Titled听鈥楾ogether We Can鈥�, the campaign aims to fight pandemic fatigue by sharing a public service announcement (PSA) that encourages people to continue following COVID-19 safety protocols.
The MTF has supported several UN Verified campaigns before鈥� including the听Pause听campaign against misinformation and the听Zwakala听COVID-19 awareness drive 鈥� with MultiChoice harnessing the power of its platforms to give audiences access to credible, accurate COVID-19 information.
The latest public service announcement (PSA) was shot in Nigeria, Angola, and Namibia, and will resonate with audiences across the continent. The PSA鈥檚 will be broadcast across Africa on DStv and GOtv channels, as well as some key free-to-air channels.
鈥淲e are very excited to again have MultiChoice on board to help produce our campaign content and expand our reach across Africa,鈥� said Mr. Masimba Tafirenyika, the Director of the UN Information Centre in Pretoria, South Africa.
鈥淢ultichoice is uniquely positioned to deliver this important message to their diverse audiences across the continent,鈥� he added.
The campaign is the result of another powerful partnership 鈥� between MultiChoice and the New York Film Academy (NYFA), which sees high-performing graduates of MTF academies in Nairobi, Lagos and Lusaka selected for further training through NYFA.
鈥淐ampaigns like these are a great vehicle for the talented creative professionals that Africa produces,鈥澨齭ays NYFA VP Jim Miller. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also proof of how effective the MTF and NYFA collaboration has been. It鈥檚 a natural extension of our commitment to help bolster the skills of talented African storytellers.鈥�
The MTF curriculum allows students and graduates to collaborate with global partners on practical work with real-world relevance, so they can contribute to society, while building the skills to become industry professionals or entrepreneurs.
MTF Director, Nwabisa Matyumza says, MTF alumni have now come full circle, from learning skills to applying what they have learned, for the benefit of African audiences.
鈥淭his campaign is a great opportunity for MTF graduates to multiply our impact across Africa,鈥� said Mr. Matyumza. 鈥淔or a student (now alumni) from Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya or Angola to now be working with global clients is a massive step. To influence behaviour and save lives as part of this global programme is even more exciting.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e very intentional about ensuring that MTF alumni work on the productions,鈥� said Reatile Tekateka, Multichoice Africa Group Executive Head of Corporate Affairs. 鈥淭hese are commercial jobs, paid for by the UN, to raise COVID-19 awareness. For MultiChoice, it鈥檚 a great chance to be a platform for good, while creating opportunities for young people and strengthen global partnerships.鈥�
Strategic relationships with likeminded global partners like those with the UN and NYFA have seen around 92 per cent of MTF alumni go on to find work in the broadcast industry or launch their own production companies. MultiChoice also regularly commissions MTF alumni to produce its own content.
鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to play a role in developing our industry,鈥� said Ms. Tekateka. 鈥淲e are creating opportunities, but also empowering our alumni to become productive drivers of the sector themselves.鈥�
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) alumni
Nwani Orire is a storyteller who uses documentaries to awaken society and shine the light in areas people consider grey. Some of his works have debuted on CNN, Africa Magic showcase, MTV Base, and film festivals such as New Vision International Film Festival, Nollywood Paris Week, Africa International Film Festival, Baltimore International Black Film Festival.
He is an alumni of the MultiChoice Talent Factory, New York Film Academy and the Henley Business School.
Hilma Sheehama is a director and script writer. She has worked on an award-winning film 鈥淗airareb鈥� as the first assistant director, production manager and production designer. She has also worked on the short film 鈥淜egumbo okegumbo鈥� as 听the director and听writer.
She is a College of the Arts, MTF and New York Film Academy Alumni and is the prize winner of the script writing internship with Nihilent Technologies in India.
Paulo Idalecio听is a journalist and filmmaker, with a background in Cinema and Audiovisual. He studied at 听S茫o Paulo International Film Academy in Brazil and attended the Multichoice Talent Factory Academy in Zambia.
He graduated in journalism at Cefojor (Journalists Training Center) in Angola, and has freelanced for Envolve Media, PROCINEIA, Gera莽茫o 80, DSTV Angola and others, having produced several short films, advertisements, music videos and documentaries.
Joshua Tsotso听is an enthusiastic visual storyteller, who strongly believes in the power of narratives in shaping our reality. He is an alumni of several film schools including the MTF, NYFA, PAU etc.
As a film director, his working principle is to create only when there's something important to communicate.
He is currently a freelancer, working in varying capacities in the creative industry.
