Editorial :
Film schools should meet the demands of the film industry
I was reading an interesting piece on the proposed new curriculum for Kenyan university schools of film and theatre the other day and many things crossed my mind . A friend from the industry attended a curriculum-centred meeting and shared his thoughts with me- there is a serious disconnect between training institutions and the reality in the field .
There have been changing trends over the years on the
James Ndone , Editor , Filamu Kenya editor @ filamukenya . co . ke demands from the industry . This is heavily influenced by changing times , politics , social metamorphosis , among other aspects . There have been calls for incorporating academic research into the industry , but I think there is more that the schools need to dofocus on more skills , quality of work , and of course , return on investment .
When I was an undergraduate student , I took some film production courses where I was taught the production cycle : preproduction , production , and post-production . This is basically what I learnt in school , but after interactions with key players in the industry , there is need for a change in the mindset .
Film students need empowerment to read and nurture their skills to match with the technological demands in the industry . The pre-production , production , and post-production focus needs to be tailored to ensure that students understand what it takes to be a film producer , a director , or even a script writer .
One thing that students need to be taught is research and how to come up with a compelling storyline . This touches on mapping the concept to content and looking at the final product . Other factors to consider here are coming up with the crew and cast , sourcing for finances and other crucial aspects that could hamper the production .
Also , pre-visits to the sites where the film will be produced need to be considered . Other aspects that need to be emphasised are the equipment needed , logistics involved and how marketing will be done . Of course , students need to know that there are quacks in the industry . Industry mentorship and networking with key figures in the industry will help you borrow brains from veterans in the industry .
In addition , the gap between the industry and the education system can be closed by coming up with workshops and training bodies that are composed of industry greats and relevant government bodies . The bottom line is the education system needs a curriculum that is market-driven .
In our March edition , we talked to Vioja Mahakamani crew who shed light on why they left KBC and how Daktari has been a soft landing for them .
Also , we have Selina ’ s Collette ( Riziki Ambrose ) who shared her story from quitting college to pursue her acting dream .
Find all this in our March edition .
4