The 'pay-off' line of the VUKA! Awards is 'make a commercial, make a difference', and the secret of its success is its two-tiered strategy.
A PSA is a commercial produced for a registered charity, non-government organisation or a worthy cause. These worthy causes need media exposure in order to generate awareness and raise funds and so the top entries are flighted free on selected DStv channels.
And, while our local charities are benefiting, the filmmakers are getting something out of it, too. The VUKA! Awards offers an opportunity for filmmakers to make a difference to their communities and to showcase their talents plus the chance to win cash prizes.
In a bid to nurture new talent and create a valuable skills base for potential filmmakers, MultiChoice Africa (MCA) is encouraging professional filmmakers to get involved in all aspects of the competition this year. They can either submit their own PSA in the Professional Category, or they can play a role in assisting newcomer filmmakers, particularly those from previously disadvantaged communities, to produce their PSA entries.
"I believe it is important to share our knowledge with other people, and VUKA! provides this opportunity," says Etienne de Villiers of Passing Trains, one of the production companies mentoring a newcomer. "It is an opportunity for us to give back some of the experience we have gained over the years. It is difficult to break into the film industry and it is particularly difficult for people who don¹t have a fancy show reel. If we can help young people to put that reel together and get a solid start in the industry, then we will."
The VUKA! Awards credit the whole team involved, not simply the director, with craft awards, in both the professional and newcomer category, for best editing, sound, cinematography, animation and creative concept.
Closing date for entries is 30 September.
For further information about the VUKA! Awards, please contact Julie Coghlan or Nazek Roberts on (021) 448-6989/448-5481; or Gail Jennings on (021) 701-7150.
