Unilever on Tuesday, September 30, 2014, announced that it is now accepting applications to attend the Academy of African Filmmakers (AAF), a new initiative by Unilever designed to help filmmakers excel in their chosen industry. Bearthur Mgoza Baker, a South African Director, producer and film lecturer has been appointed lead tutor and will be supported by Akin Omotoso, the award winning Nigerian writer, director and actor as well as a range of guest tutors.
“The Academy for African Filmmakers is one of the platforms Unilever is leveraging to promote creativity in Africa,” said Mr. Yaw Nsarkoh who is managing director of Unilever Nigeria. “We are delighted to launch this initiative in Nigeria. Nigeria has a thriving creative industry and youthful population; through this initiative Unilever is playing a part in strengthening Nigeria’s growing creative industry while helping young Nigerians fulfill their dreams of becoming accomplished filmmakers.”
The Academy is free to apply to and attend and will take place in Lagos in December 2014. Applications are welcome from African citizens between the ages of 16 and 30 with a passion for film and storytelling. During the intensive three-day session, filmmakers will work on live briefs from Unilever brands Lux, Knorr and Sunlight, using these live briefs to develop their story telling skills. At the end of the sessions, the students will be able to identify, shape and articulate their professional vision.
The curriculum will also cover topics such as ‘Your signature as a director and storyteller – how do you develop one?” “Who is your client and what are their expectations?” and “Dialogue in communion or conflict with your visuals-what works?”
Filmmakers can find out more and apply at HERE.
Speaking further at the event Mr. Yaw Nsarkoh said, “We will enhance film making capability so we can tell the story of Nigeria and Africa better and this is something we crucially need to do and also enhance the competitiveness of the market place and society, and in so doing arrive at a better tomorrow. There is no better way to illustrate that than to take from the very rich Nigerian culture and imagery of the people of Africa which is exemplified by the extremely vibrant culture of the Nigerian people.”
Jeffrey Merrihue, Founder and “MOFILM had great success in 2013 in finding untapped African filmmaking talent. We visited countries film schools and production houses, meeting hundreds of filmmakers and those efforts resulted in two filmmakers being celebrated at the international Festival of Creativity at Cannes. Through partnering with Unilever, AAF will build on this work and give even greater opportunity for African filmmakers to shine on a local and global stage”.
The Academy for African Filmmakers is part of the Unilever Foundry, a platform which Unilever launched in May to collaborate and experiment with the digital and creative community.
The Unilever Foundry provides a single entry-point for innovative start-ups seeking to partner with Unilever, enabling the company’s global brands to experiment with and pilot new technologies more efficiently, effectively and speedily. It provides start-ups and entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop and work on global projects, access mentoring from marketing professionals, and tap into funding through Unilever Ventures. Start-ups are invited to pitch their technology to Unilever brands by clicking HERE.
MOFILM is the leading content creation community for filmmakers, photographers and musicians and provides them with a stage for their work to be seen. With creative based all over the world, MOFILM works with global brands to showcase talent and create innovative new ideas. For more information about MOFILM, click HERE.
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