Netflix has announced the 12 participants selected for its two creative skills development initiatives for Africa — with six candidates from South Africa taking part.
The two initiative include a three-month training programme and are hosted in partnership with the Realness Institute.
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The first Netflix programme is an Episodic Writers Lab that focuses on South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria. The writers selected for the programme will develop their pitched story ideas and concepts with the input of experts from the industry.
They will also receive creative training and feedback from the Netflix team. When the programme is over, they will be able to pitch their incubated concepts to Netflix for production.
The writers selected for the EPL include:
- Ayoade Adeyanju – Nigeria
- Dominique Jossie – South Africa
- Andile Ngcizela – South Africa
- Mary Waireri – Kenya
- Kehinde Joseph – Nigeria
- Kudakwashe Maradzika – South Africa
The second programme is a Development Executive Traineeship (DET) for candidates from across Sub-Saharan Africa.
They will work with the EPL writers to develop story concepts, while receiving training to bolster their technical skills in story development.
The participants of the DET programme include:
- Antoinette Engel – South Africa
- Anneke Villet – South Africa
- Damaris Irungu Ochieng’ – Kenya
- Lara Sousa – Mozambique
- Ololade Okedare – Nigeria
- Thandeka Zwana – South Africa
The training programmes will take place until September 2021.
Netflix partnerships in South Africa
“We want to be a good partner for Africa’s creative industries. We’re energised and excited by the many opportunities that lie ahead for us to help strengthen the quality of African storytelling and to bring fresh voices to our members in Africa and around the world,” Netflix said in its announcement.
Earlier this year, Netflix also partnered with SA Tourism to promote South Africa as a filming destination for series and movies.
The company also launched a fund with the South African National Film and Video Foundation to help create new local films.
Feature image: Shereesa Moodley/Memeburn
