The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media industry.
Three MultiChoice Talent Factory alumni travel to US for prestigious New York Film Academy Scholarship
The New York Film Academy will open its doors to MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) alumni Mainala Silondwa (Zambia), Gilbert Bassey (Nigeria) and Hillary “Hillax” Lanogwa (Kenya) in the new year.
The alumni – one from each of MultiChoice Talent Factory’s three campuses in West, East and Southern Africa – were selected as top of their classes for the prestigious full-tuition award. Mainala is a director and screenwriter who co-wrote the screenplay for final-year MTF student film, The Painting while Hillax is a cinematographer who was camera operator for MTF student films Ensulo and Promises and Gilbert is a producer, director and editor who was assistant director on MTF student film Dreamchaser, which he also composed all of the music for.
As the MultiChoice Africa’s flagship Corporate Social Value (CSV) initiative, MTF Academy’s 12-month training programme is designed to train the next generation of African film and TV creatives in partnership with stakeholders across the continent and globe. “Through strategic partnerships with widely acclaimed institutions such as the New York Film Academy, Africa’s creative industries are enriched through skills sharing and exposure to global best practice. We’re excited for our Alumni and we hope that this opportunity will empower them to tell authentic African stories to a global audience,” said Reatile Tekateka, Executive Head of Corporate Affairs, MultiChoice Africa.
“These astonishingly talented filmmakers – who each have the passion and commitment to become creative professionals – will certainly excel in our programs, which will immerse them in NYFA’s philosophy of hands-on intensive learning. On behalf of the New York Film Academy I want to welcome Mainala, Hillary and Gilbert to follow your passion and join us here at NYFA,” said Jim Miller, NYFA vice president.
Africa Melane the new chairperson of the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards
Popular radio personality Africa Melane has been appointed chairperson of the panel of judges of South Africa’s leading performing arts competition, the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards. He succeeds Melanie Burke.
Established in 1965, the annual competition focuses on professional theatre productions staged in Cape Town and environs. It is sponsored by Distell Group.
A born and bred Capetonian, Melane has a long and close association with the Fleur du Cap Awards. He has been a judge since 2011 and has also acted as MC at the gala annual awards ceremony. As the host of CapeTalk’s Weekend Breakfast Show, he routinely interviews high-profile entertainment figures, prominent business and thought leaders, politicians, community activists and religious leaders from both South Africa and abroad. He also serves as the deputy chair of the Cape Town Opera board.
Melane, who studied to be an accountant before switching to the world of entertainment said: “Being appointed chair is an immense honour and privilege but it also comes with great responsibility in recognising and rewarding talent in a tightly contested domain where there are often many deserving contenders for the same title. Fortunately, the panellists are chosen for their breadth of exposure, discernment and unwavering dedication. What a joy to continue working with them and to help play a part in building on the outstanding work of my predecessors in celebrating and advancing excellence in local theatre.”
Jacaranda FM’s Renaldo Schwarp scoops a prestigious ‘Afrikaanse Taalraad Koker’ Award
Renaldo Schwarp, head of digital and radio presenter at Jacaranda FM, has walked away with the Koker Youth Award at the prestigious Afrikaanse Taalraad (ATR) Koker Awards.
The Afrikaanse Taalraad Koker Awards are celebrated annually and they honour individuals who actively promotes the language and empower others using Afrikaans as medium.
Schwarp was celebrated for his work on air (TV and radio) and online. The ATR lauded the award-winning radio broadcaster, TV presenter and producer of topical programmes for the skillful way in which he stays true to his first language, Afrikaans while working in predominantly English media circles.
This 27-year-old multimedia professional currently hosts Weekends with Renaldo Schwarp on Jacaranda FM and he is also a presenter on kykNET & Kie’s actuality program, KLOP!
“It is an amazing honour to receive this award from the ATR. I’m privileged that I get to ply my trade in my home language and I relish the opportunity to be able to create work that is inclusive and that brings people together,’ Schwarp said about his award.
The Association for Communication and Advertising launches Effie Awards South Africa 2020
The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), the official representative body for the Communications and Advertising profession in South Africa, has partnered with Effie Worldwide to launch the annual Effie Awards Programme in South Africa.
Effie Awards South Africa replaces the highly respected APEX awards, held annually in South Africa, providing an opportunity to local agencies to be a part of this leading awards programme. Brands and their agency partners will now have the ability to receive global recognition for their most effective marketing and communications campaigns, with the awarding of an Effie viewed by media agencies, marketers and advertisers worldwide as a respected global symbol of achievement.
“Effie’s mission is to lead, inspire and champion the practice and practitioners of marketing effectiveness and we take great pride in hosting the first globally recognised marketing effectiveness awards programme in South Africa in 2020. The ACA has championed effectiveness in Marketing and Communications and the incredible work executed in our market. It is with great excitement that we officially launch the 2020 season of Effie South Africa, and look forward to catapulting our local profession into the global arena,” said Mathe Okaba, CEO of the ACA.
Launched in 1968, Effie celebrates effectiveness worldwide with over 50 global, regional and national programmes across Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, Middle East, Latin America and North America. Effie South Africa joins the Effie network as the 49th national programme celebrating and Awarding Ideas That Work.
Gerety Awards announces Johannesburg as an executive judging session with Jacquie Mullany as the jury ambassador
Launched in January 2019, the Gerety Awards is the latest global advertising award programme to recognise global talent who define and refine the standards to which their craft should be held.
New for Gerety 2020 is an executive jury in multiple locations globally, whose task it is to choose agency and production company of the year from their country. Jacquie Mullany, executive creative director at VMLY&R in Johannesburg, has been announced as the ambassador for the South African executive jury.
“South Africa has an incredibly diverse advertising industry, well known globally for producing award winning work. I’m really excited at the prospect of working with some of my most respected peers to seek out the best we have to offer and share it on the global stage,” said Mullany.
Entries for Gerety Awards 2020 opened globally on 1 January.
Cannes Lions 2020: Dates to remember
Call for Content Deadline: 10 January
Cannes Lions needs unique and original thinking, brilliant ideas, and pioneering research to bring eight themes to life on stage in 2020. If you think you’ve got what it takes to inspire and educate our audience, we want to hear from you.
See It Be It Deadline: 13 January
See It Be It is the Cannes Lions initiative working towards equal gender representation across the industry. This year we’ll fund bringing 15 women to the Festival for an access-all-areas, week-long, career accelerating programme. In partnership with Spotify.
Awards Open: 16 January
In 2020, the Cannes Lions Awards will continue to reflect the entire creative communications landscape across The Lions, including the new Creative Business Transformation Lions and the revamped PR Lions.
Apply now for 2020 Cannes Young Lions academies
If you’re a talented, ambitious professional under the age of 30, keen to fast-track your career through practical learning and coaching from industry legends, this is your chance.
The Young Lions Academies offer 30 young professionals from around the world the opportunity to learn from the best, helping rising young talent to become the next generation of industry leaders. The academies provide classroom sessions with world-class speakers, along with hands-on learning and coaching from the industry’s finest. It’s been described as “five years learning in five days” – prepare to be inspired!
Applications are open until 1 March 2019. For more information visit www.canneslions.com/learn/young-lions.
Eight wins for John Brown Media at London awards
Global content agency John Brown Media picked up eightwins at the 2019 International Content Marketing Awards in London – including Best Large Content Agency
The International Content Marketing Awards is the biggest night in the content marketing calendar. Agencies from across the world offered up their greatest work from the past 12 months for judgement by some of the biggest names in marketing.
It was a great evening for John Brown Media.
Awards included:
- Winner: Best Large Content Agency
- Bronze for Best Automotive: MINI Creative Club (John Brown South Africa)
- Gold for Best Content Platform: MoneySense – NatWest
- Gold for Best Use of Print: Reach out and Touch – Sappi Europe
- Silver for Best B2B Campaign: MoneySense – NatWest
- Silver for Designer of the Year: Kerry Wakefield – Waitrose & Partners
- Bronze for Best Automotive: MINI Creative Club (John Brown South Africa)
- Bronze for Best Intercompany Engagement: The Roger Collective – Virgin Management Group
- Bronze for Best Use of Imagery: Waitrose & Partners Food
The global new-business effort has seen a number of high-profile wins such as Capitec (SA) Sam’s Club (USA) and Loblaws (Canada). The largest was Sam’s Club in the US; launching a data-driven ECRM content programme.
Global mobile journalism awards: Innovation Prize with no entry fee
How do you innovate with your mobile storytelling? Do you think the world would benefit by learning about it?
The Mobile Journalism Awards honour the best mobile journalism reporting each year. The competition recognises the best video reporting, documentary film photojournalism and audio reporting being produced with smartphones and small pocket cameras.
#MojoAwards are organised by a partnership of journalism schools and non-profits to recognise excellence in non-fiction visual storytelling.
Winners will be announced and screened between April and July at global journalism festivals and projected in cinemas.
(And there are gear prizes for winners being provided by top manufacturers)
This programme is being organised by the Visual Editors non-profit in partnership with Deutsche Welle and the Global Media Forum. Deutsche Welle is an official supporter and this is a huge opportunity to get recognised for groundbreaking projects related to mobile journalism.
The #MOJOawards Innovation Prize winner will be announced at the Global Media Forum in Bonn.
To find out more, click here.
The entry deadline is 22 January 2020.
NFVF Congratulates Q3 approved bursary students
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) has congratulated the approved 2019/2020 bursary beneficiaries.
The NFVF is committed to growing young citizen’s participation in the film and television industry by means of availing training opportunities. The approved funding will assist the recipients to access opportunities that will help encourage the creation of globally competitive content, underpinned by sector transformation and international best practice.
“As the NFVF, we are extremely proud to support upcoming filmmakers. We are cognisant of the growing need to assist more students in furthering their studies and obtaining the skills required to thrive in the industry. Congratulations to all the recipients. We look forward to walking this journey of compelling storytelling alongside you.”, said Makhosazana Khanyile, CEO of the NFVF.
A call for NFVF bursary applications will open again from June – August 2020. To access funding opportunities, visit www.nfvf.co.za.
