MultiChoice Talent Factory launches sound-focused masterclasses supported by the Dolby Institute

MultiChoice Africa is proud to announce that its flagship corporate shared value (CSV) initiative, MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), will deliver a series of sound-focused masterclasses in various African countries supported by the Dolby Institute.

Taking place for the first time on the continent, MTF will provide valuable insight into filmic sound, such as sound–tracking, audio levels, sound gathering and mixing, aimed at nurturing filmmaking across the continent by focusing on the importance of sound in pre- and post-production.

The Dolby Institute, dedicated to educating emerging filmmakers to think creatively about sound and image, will present masterclasses to 60 MultiChoice Talent Factory students and industry professionals in January and February 2019 as part of MTF.

“The Dolby Institute aims to educate, inspire and empower the next generation of content creators and storytellers in Africa,” said Pankaj Kedia, Managing Director- Emerging Markets, Dolby Laboratories.

“Together, MTF and Dolby are bringing together emerging artists with experts to offer concrete tools and mentorships that will enable them to more effectively use sound and imagery to create inspirational stories.”

With three Multichoice Talent Factory campuses across Africa – Southern Africa (Zambia), East (Kenya) and West Africa (Nigeria) – the masterclasses kicked off at the MTF Academy in Lagos, Nigeria, on 18 January 2019. The first interactive session presented by Dolby’s Vikram Joglekar focused on audio and sound, and was followed by masterclasses hosted in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and will conclude in Zambia on 8 February 2019.

Not only will the masterclasses provide students with access to skills development in sound, contemporary practices and innovations in sound, and some of the industry’s most skilled individuals working with Dolby, it also addresses issues faced by emerging filmmakers on the continent such as access to resources and a lack of skills.

“Collaborations like Dolby and MTF are important to help create a standard curriculum that will put the right kind of priority on the learning of the science and art of sound and sound gathering,” says Femi Odugbemi, award-winning Nigerian filmmaker and head of the West African campus of the recently launched MultiChoice Talent Factory.

“Sound is a distinct art. It’s a specialisation. There is a lot of demand on us as African TV and filmmakers to get this right, especially if we want our films to travel within and outside of Africa. Sound is an integral part of the full experience.”

Following an intense selection process, in which 60 candidates were selected from thousands of entries to join the MTF, the academy launched in October headed by industry experts as academy directors. Working hand-in-hand with local creatives, government partners across the continent and international organisations, such as the Dolby Institute, MTF has tailored a 12-month curriculum focused on experiential learning as a way to provide young emerging filmmakers with the skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications to help the MTF graduates launch a successful career within the creative industry.

Source: MultiChoice