Our Mission:
To train local filmmakers so that they can create health and educational films, news segments and PSA’s to help Africa.Premise:
While many filmmakers have recognized the growing importance of African social issues as subjects for documentaries for international export, there is an equally important need for transfer of technology and technical skills so that Africans can develop their own indigenous film industry, particularly for educational and health related PSA films for internal consumption.Well respected international NGO's such as Internews have recognized that local people are in the best position to understand local problems and to prioritize and translate them into local vernacular. (see: http://www.internews.org/how/default.shtm).
Our project will teach local University students documentary film techniques. Award winning filmmakers and graduate film students will mentor local students and partner with them to produce short educational films on health issues important to the students’ community. The filmmaking project will itself be filmed for later use as a documentary.
We will organize an 8-10 week project-based learning experience where local University students (drawn from a multi-disciplinary pool of students) serve as Production Assistants/Interns in the shooting of a series of short educational films (PSA’s) for local NGO's on locally chosen topics.
We will use this mentor/guild cultural exchange model, to develop an ongoing series of film workshops where both Mentors and Interns benefit from the cultural exchange and bring indigenous filmmakers into a professional international network.