Africa News

Film in a Box now in SA

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:05

A film training programme comes to South Africa and encourages Africans to tell their own stories.

Fifteen students recently graduated from the first South African edition of the Film in a Box training programme.

Film in a Box was conceptualised four years ago in Nigeria as a flagship brand of the African Film Academy stable, which also includes the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). The programme comprises 21 days of intensive filmmaking training with an emphasis on team work.

Peace Anyiam Osigwe, originator of Film in a Box and AMAA president, is happy about its progress so far: “Since inception about 1 000 students from Nigeria and Ghana have done the course. We are now in South Africa and intend to go to Gambia and Kenya this year.”

The course will also be introduced in Swaziland and Zimbabwe. “These two countries fit well into the Film in a Box policy of going where there is a film training vacuum,” Osigwe emphasises.

She anticipates that the programme’s presence in South Africa will help to balance existing film schools with an alternative programme, while promoting Africa Film Academy’s vision of more African filmmakers telling their own stories in their own words.

The Film in a Box curriculum takes students through core modules of screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, acting and sound and production management. It is a hands-on approach to filmmaking that combines theory and practice.

Osigwe believes that Film in a Box bridges the gap between expensive film schools and aspirant filmmakers who don’t have the resources to attend mainstream tertiary institutions.

“There is huge demand for this type of training in Africa. Many people really want to know the basic rudiments of filmmaking but can’t afford to pay for training courses.”

During the second part of the course students produce a feature film, from pre-production to shoot to edit. They also work on the marketing and distribution of the film which is intended for theatrical release. There is also a master class and professional supervision to ensure the artistic and professional quality of their films.

Osigwe adds that classes are aimed at addressing the specific needs of film. “During the course participants feel the pulse of the real feature film industry. They also cultivate a spirit of team work and feel a sense of achievement when they leave us.”

For more information visit: www.africafilmacademy.org.
(By Martin Chemhere)

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