By Akpor Otebele
Published June 20, 2013
Africa must clamour for high quality film productions borne out of high standards of training.
Though there is a great demand for African filmic content around the world, the supply has not always met the demand as 70% of the works produced on the mother continent are mediocre.
For the development of skills and growth in the film industry, there is an urgent and continued need for skills-based training geared towards exceptional film practice.
Through organisations like East African Film Network (EAFN), Africa is in a special position to help facilitate training on filmmaking through collaborations with film schools, festivals, trainers, and with public and private production entities.
The focus would be for EAFN to help accelerate the training of young aspiring filmmakers, and adults alike. The training of trainers should also be of paramount interest.
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EAFN in its coordinating efforts on training and workshops should:
a). Exchange best practices in the region and the continent as a whole in its training goals.
b). Collaborate with regional and international film festivals, institutions and film practitioners.
c). Coordinate intensive hands-on workshops and master classes through the festivals in its network.
d). Coordinate and maintain outreach projects that follow up on the growth and achievements of the trainees of our master classes and workshops, and
e). Facilitate or coordinate funding for the development of the projects of trainees, if need be through organised competitive undertakings.
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Akpor Otebele is Director of Arusha African Film Festival in Arusha, Tanzania.
