Wednesday, July 13, 2011

M-Net's long running Vuka! Awards replaced by the M-Net Television Awards for Good (TAG).

M-Net's long running Vuka! Awards honouring and mentoring upcoming filmmakers, producers and creatives in South Africa's advertising and film industry is being replaced by the M-Net Television Awards for Good (M-Net TAG) for Public Service Announcements, or so-called PSA ads, in the trade.

''We decided to rename the M-Net Vuka! Awards to M-Net Tag to underline our fresh new approach to this important M-Net Cares initiative,'' says Koo Govender, M-Net's director of corporate marketing and communications. All the winning PSAs of the M-Net Television Awards for Good will be shown on M-Net and the M-Net sister channels on DStv.

M-Net says the pay broadcaster wants to take the awards ''to the next level with a much stronger focus on developing and mentoring new talent.'' Besides the usual categories, the new M-Net Television Awards for Good will introduce an additional category called TAG 10 that is focused on black economic empowerment (BEE).

Film and advertising school graduates (or those between 20 and 27) and with less than 5 years' experience in directing, producing, copywriting or art direction, could win a trip to the Cannes Film Festival or the Cannes Young Lions. Teams entering for TAG 10 should take into account the race, language and cultural demographics of South Africa says M-Net.

More information, entry forms and deadlines are available at http://tag.mnet.co.za or phone Shelli or Candice on 011 804 2552.