Pay-TV broadcaster M-Net’s learner-based television production initiative, the EDiT (Emerging Dynamics in Television) competition, is calling for entries from South Africa’s finest emerging filmmaking talent. This year’s category genre for submissions is Reality TV. Entries close on 9 May.
As part of the EDiT initiative, M-Net Original Productions will fund the making of five learner video/film productions, each of which will receive a budget of R40 000 from M-Net. The competition is open to all learners and students in their final year of study attached to educational institutions or professional associations who actively support the development of skills in film or video production.
Chosen projects will be paired with a production company who will mentor the students through the project. The best of the five productions will be broadcast on M-Net in South Africa and Africa and prizes will also be awarded in recognition of outstanding creative talent, with all winners receiving a combined cash and learner-opportunity prize.
M-Net EDiT Project Manager Bongiwe Selane believes that the evolution of a skilled talent pool is critical for the advancement of the South African film and television industry. “We always receive stunning submissions from across the country for EDiT and are looking forward to seeing what our bright young creative minds come up with in the Reality TV category this year,’ she says.
The EDiT initiative was created to provide emerging film and television talent with genuine production opportunities within a real world television environment. Through partnership with industry-oriented educational institutions and professional associations, EDiT seeks to identify gifted learners and enhance their production portfolio.
In 2010, the M-Net EDiT initiative falls under the newly-formed M-Net Cares Banner, an umbrella project which encompasses M-Net’s CSI (Corporate Social Investment) initiatives as the company aims to develop filmmaking talent in South Africa and across the continent.
M-Net CSI Manager Palesa Xorile says that the EDiT initiative is a key element in M-Net’s campaign to achieve just that aim. “It is our aim that through synergy with the Skills Development Act, SAQA and the Employment Equity Act, the EDiT initiative will embrace the philosophies of lifelong access to learning, empowerment and equitable gender and race representation,’ she says.
All EDiT proposals submitted must be formatted as a word-processed creative document that includes:
– Synopsis – 1 A4 page
– Treatment – 2 A4 pages
– Names of key learners involved with the production – (e.g. writer/creator, director and technical staff) in the form of a credit list
– A detailed production budget breakdown, including contributions in-kind
– The Statement of Intent to be signed by the educational institution/professional association detailing their contribution to the project.
Prizes will be awarded in the following categories: Best Project/Concept, Best Director, Best Writer, Best Cinematography and Best Presenter and the M-Net Evaluation Team will assess each proposal in accordance with M-Net’s business objectives in South Africa and the rest of Africa. Says Selane: “The team will also take into consideration that M-Net is after all an entertainment channel on a pay TV platform, and will therefore be looking into selecting projects that are first and foremost entertaining and have potential to grow M-Net’s subscriber base. M-Net also hopes to develop platforms like mobile and broadband broadcast, and will look for concepts that would sit well on these platforms, combining interactive elements like audience participation, new media platforms like twitter/Face book/MySpace, and traditional online elements’.
For more information, visit www.mnetcorporate.co.za or contact:
Bongiwe Selane
Project Manager: M-Net EDiT/New Directions
bongiwe.selane@gmail.co.za
