by Thinus Ferreira
M-Net and MultiChoice are rebranding M-Net's Magic in Motion film academy under the new name of the MultiChoice Talent Factory ZA to fit in and align with MultiChoice's MultiChoice Talent Factory film academy run by the pay-TV operator in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.
M-Net launched the Magic in Motion Academy in 2014 with Bobby Heaney as academy director.
Copying M-Net's very successful film academy blueprint, MultiChoice launched the MultiChoice Talent Factory as a similar programme for the rest of Africa outside of South Africa in 2018.
MultiChoice Africa runs The MultiChoice Talent Factory with three different academy hubs in West, Southern and East Africa in Lagos, Nigeria; Lusaka, Zambia; and in Nairobi, Kenya.
After 5 years the South African Magic in Motion Academy is rebranding to now take on the name of the film academy is spawned for the rest of Africa, although it will still remain a separate localised film school for South African film students and interns only.
Bobby Heaney remains MultiChoice Talent Factory South Africa academy director, while Cheryl Uys-Allie remains MultiChoice Talent Factory director for sub-Saharan Africa.
Femi Odugmebi is the MultiChoice Talent Factory director for West Africa, Njoki Muhoho is the MultiChoice Talent Factory East Africa director, and Berry Lwando is the MultiChoice Talent Factory Southern Africa director.
Neither MultiChoice nor M-Net issued a press release regarding the name change and rebranding, or gave a reason for Magic in Motion academy name change.
M-Net on its corporate website says that "After a very successful 5 years of empowering the next generation of storytellers through on-the-job training and the opportunity to work with experienced producers for hands-on experience, M-Net's Magic in Motion now starts a new chapter as MultiChoice Talent Factory ZA".
The Magic in Motion and MultiChoice Talent Factory has been helping aspiring young filmmakers with one year internships in the form of a bursary programme that includes academic study as well as practical experience on various productions across the multitude of M-Net channels and SuperSport in South Africa as well as across the African continent.
Students get the opportunity to gain experience in directing, cinematography, content commissioning, art direction and various other practical TV and film production skills, and go on to produce student films as well which are broadcast on M-Net's set of channels on DStv.
