While Sithengi realises that the film and television industry has huge potential for growth, it recognises that this growth can only be maintained and expanded through a structured forum that would facilitate a transfer of skills and experience.
The Berlinale Talent Campus proved to be a working example of how industry experts could be accessed to transfer skills to students and veterans alike. It is for this reason that Sithengi launched its Talent Campus in cooperation with the Berlinale Talent Campus in 2004 and due to its success is once again holding it in 2005.
Objectives of the Sithengi Talent Campus
Sithengi drafted the structure and program of the Talent Campus with specific objectives in mind. These being:
-
To give students and aspirants a holistic picture about filmmaking, from pre-production to distribution and marketing
-
To ensure that specific skills or concepts are transferred. These skills or concepts would need to speak to needs of the African filmmaker
-
To encourage filmmakers to think of a global market when making their films through the strategic incorporation of international experts
-
To inspire African talent to greater heights
-
To assist in ensuring that African products are of a high quality, fit for any market
The Selection Criteria
Sithengi developed the students/talents selection criteria based on Africa's uniqueness and needs and the Berlinale Talent Campus terms and conditions. An application form was drafted and the criteria were set as follows:
Applications were open to;
-
Film students registered at a tertiary institution,
-
Aspiring previously disadvantaged filmmakers, not registered with a tertiary institution.
To enter, students and aspirants needed to submit;
-
a short film of no longer than 30 minutes
-
on VHS format for viewing
-
letter of motivation explaining why they felt they should participate in the Talent Campus
-
CV
Applications were open to everyone. In keeping with Sithengi's mandate, it opened application to the SADC region.
Sithengi realised that the success of the Talent Campus was dependant on the "talents" being aware of its existence. To this end, Sithengi engaged in a publicity campaign that reached out to all communities and consisted of the following:
-
Print media
-
Radio media
-
Electronic media
-
Road shows to tertiary institutions
Conclusion
We believe "talents" at this year's Sithengi Talent Campus are passionate and committed and we hope that many of them will be able to present their projects in our future co-production forums.
Posted on Thursday 6 Oct 2005
Festival Daily
Market Daily
