Emmanuel Thomas
June 29, 2015 – Twelve Nigerians are among the 15 undergraduate students that will participate in a one month training session on film production techniques at the Mountain State University in the United States.
During the training they will also have the privilege of visiting the best studious in Hollywood, Los Angeles, US to learn about modern trend in film production.
Others are two Kenyans and one person from Ethiopia. The 15 excelled in the competition segment of the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF) Talent Development Workshop in 2014. The trip is funded by Ford Foundation having
Speaking at a send-off ceremony for the trainees, officials of Ford Foundation and those of AFRIFF restated their commitment to the development of talents in Africa.
Ford Foundation Programme Officer, Prof. Paul Nwulu described the scholarship scheme as a one-month intensive hands-on training camp on various aspects of film making with emphasis on documentary film production.
“There will be six days each week of classes which will include an intensive field work and hands-on training. A trip to Hollywood in Los Angeles will crown this trip with interactions billed to happen with American film makers and a tour of certain film studios slated to take place as well,” he said.
Founder/CEO of AFRIFF, Ms. Chioma Ude, said the skill acquisition and youth development initiative was designed to use film making as an authentic vehicle for youth empowerment.
“We believe we can use this model for a social revolution that will change the economic horizon of the African film industry, by providing technical knowledge for the abundant talents in our film community,” she said.
She recalled that AFRIFF had provided free training in various aspects of film making.
“It had, for instance, worked with Sound and Motion Technical College and City Varsity, Cape Town, South Africa; the National Film Institute, Jos; PEFTI Film Institute, Lagos; the Creative Arts Department at The University of Port Harcourt”, she said.
