Director of Ajoche, a drama series currently airing on Africa Magic, James Omokwe, has described the MultiChoice Talent Factory Academy (MTFA) project, as one that would help the African movie industry attain a world-class status.
Speaking in an interview in Lagos, Omokwe said the MTFA, a fully funded year-long training programme for young people desirous of making careers in the film and television industry, will create a new generation of professionals with top-tier skills and boost local content production.
“I believe strongly in capacity building and for MultiChoice to take on the Talent Factory Academy initiative to educate and train professionals, that will bring value to the industry, it is a great step in the right direction and I must commend MultiChoice for it,” he said.
He added that the MTF is a major intervention in the African creative industry and that is a continuation of the company’s efforts to ensure that African movie makers and television professionals are skilled and able to create jobs.
Speaking further, the expert pointed out that the investment the Pay TV Company is making towards entertainment is what is required for the industry to take a giant leap in Africa.
“I believe the industry needs to invest in infrastructure and systems that will allow it grow organically and authentically. For African film, a major challenge is a structured and systematic distribution channel that appeals to the African market. For example, we need affordable cinema chains that cater to everyday Nigerians and other African countries.
“For TV, there is already an existing and working structure but TV stations across board need to improve on their production value to stand a sustainable chance in the current content market,” Omokwe said.
While thanking the management of MultiChoice for giving him a platform to express himself, the expert emphasised that Africa Magic had given him the opportunity to fully establish himself as a series producer, director and executive producer.
