It has been announced that 300,000 young Nigerians will be trained in film, television, and motion picture production over the next three years.
The partnership is between Lagos-based KAP Film and Television Academy and the Mastercard Foundation.
Founded by award-winning Nigerian actor, director, and filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, the KAP Film and Television Academy is one of the specialised services subsidiaries at the KAP Hub in Lagos, which was formally unveiled to the public on Thursday, September 30, 2021.
According to Mastercard, 50 per cent of the participants would be made up of women in order to ensure strong female participation.
“The programme would also include two levels of certifications from professional institutions in the areas of screenwriting, sound, editing, directing, cinematography and production design, among others as well as practical hands-on training.
“It would also link participants to employment or gig entrepreneurship activities, not only in the film industry via placements and internships, but in related sub-sectors such as fashion, make-up, music scores, editing, and script writing, “the statement reads.
“The training would include The Masterclass Series, which is a virtual series of 20 episodes that would provide e-learning to aspiring filmmakers, covering several aspects of filmmaking from directing, cinematography, and the business of film using the acclaimed movie, ‘The Figurine’, as a case study. The virtual series of the Figurine would be free to watch on KAPtv’s YouTube channel.
Mastercard added that applications would be received from prospective participants between 18 and 35 years while selection would be based on a one-minute video pitch to assess the level of skill, passion, and socio-economic status of each applicant.
Similarly, The Chief Executive Officer and Founder of KAP Academy, Mr. Kunle Afolayan, who is also the producer of “The Figurine,” said that the academy would leverage on smartphone technology for the training that would be conducted through a learning app.