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Script2Screen Africa set for reality TV on filmmaking

By Ijeoma Thomas-Odia
15 February 2017   |   4:18 am
With a vision to train filmmakers to tell stories that tackle some of the continent’s most pressing issues head-on, educate viewers while entertaining them, Script2Screen Africa 2017 is set for its first reality TV project.

With a vision to train filmmakers to tell stories that tackle some of the continent’s most pressing issues head-on, educate viewers while entertaining them, Script2Screen Africa 2017 is set for its first reality TV project. Script2Screen Africa is a vision of High Definition Film Academy.

The project has as theme ‘Film as a Catalyst for Revolution’ and is in its sixth edition. It is scheduled to hold from July 1 through August 26, 2017 and will host finalists comprising of 30 filmmakers and 30 actors as housemates, and will have 12 star actors and trail blazing filmmakers, as mentors.

It will also feature three veteran filmmakers and actors as jury. The eight-week academy will climax with the premiere of the short films by the participants at the Script2Screen awards.

According to the pioneer of the project, Bright Wonder Obasi, the project is coming at a time when “our continent is overwhelmed with multiple social ills, including corruption, injustice, inequality, lack of quality education, lack of power supply, poverty and insecurity.

“We want to raise filmmakers, who understand that film is an ideal catalyst for change and linking a powerful story with a highly developed activist campaign could move public opinion and start a revolution.”

While noting that the project would involve three stages: training, short film competition and awards, he said auditions would be held across seven states in Nigeria, three countries in Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom – for Africans in diaspora, where 60 finalist will be selected.

Continuing Obasi said, “The 60 finalists are separated into six teams of 10 finalists per team (five filmmakers and actors). While the first four weeks will showcase rigorous classroom lectures, hands-on practical, delivered by professional filmmaking institutions, while week five would introduce the short film competition on a select social justice topic.”

He added that their approach to social justice filmmaking is not to make didactic or advocacy films, but to tell stories that happen about social issues.

Co-producer of the project and actress, Judith Audu, noted that she is excited to be partnering with the Abuja-based academy that has come to Lagos to carryout the project. Registration has officially started for the project and will close on March 31, 2017 at www.s2safrica.com.

While auditions will be done across selected zones – Lagos, Benin, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Ibadan, some of the filmmakers and actors expected to train the housemates are Teco Benson, Nse Ikpe-Etim and Kalu Ikeagwu.

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