No fewer than 890 trainees graduated from the Film in a Box programme by the African Film Academy in partnership with the Lagos State Government during the week.
The graduands had gone through diverse training in courses such as acting, directing, light and lighting, editing, sound production and post-production.
Speaking during the event that was held at the Lagos Theatre, Igando, during the week, the Chief Executive Officer of African Film Academy, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, urged the students to make diligent use of all the training they had acquired during their time with the academy.
She added that the agency went stretched itself to train 890 students instead of the initial plan to train 600. She also stated that some trainees had got employment even during the training.
She said, “We will like to tell you that even before we finished, some of these students had got jobs from some production houses. Our editors are in great demand, and our cinematographers now take commercial rates from us.”
Anyiam-Osigwe also thanked the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his support of the creative industry.
Speaking at the event, Sanwo-Olu restated his administration’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders in the entertainment industry to train and acquire skills that would help creative minds make a decent living.
He maintained that his government’s THEMES agenda is to make life a lot easier and beneficial to all Lagos residents, especially the youths. This was even as he said that the state is committed to achieving its 30 years (2022 to 2052) development plan, which was unveiled recently at the 2022 Ehingbeti Summit, as well as building an African Film City in the Epe area of the state.
“I also advise those who graduated from the African Film Academy and other creative initiatives by the state to take advantage of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and the State Film Fund, to become self-employed and employers of labour.”
