The Film and TV Unit at Monash South Africa – including the Hothouse Incubator

The film and t.v. unit at Monash South Africa is addressing poverty alleviation, job creation, youth empowerment, and skills development through training, mentoring, and job placement programmes.  Using intensive, accelerated training and skills transfer methods, previously disadvantaged learners are now experiencing cutting edge training, and subsequently, finding employment within the film and t.v. industries.
The project is run from the Monash campus in Gauteng, located on the outskirts of Johannesburg, and offers four programmes, including Learnerships, Protégé Projects, short courses (over 5-10 days) and the Hothouse incubator.  In addition, a 6-month Access level learnership, reserved for the top 20 learners, which includes research, proposal writing, script writing, production processes, administration, production accounting, directing, camera and editing. This is followed by workplace experience to allow participants to apply their newly acquired skills and knowledge.

The 3-month Protégé project aims to hone the skills of intermediate professionals.  The short courses include: business development and audience research; 3 camera directing; digital editing; production accounting for bookkeepers; production budgeting for producers; and low budget documentary production. The Hothouse Incubator offers ongoing mentoring, skill advancement, free equipment and infrastructure use. The incubator also helps in placing students in relevant jobs.

The project is run and funded in partnership with the National Department of Arts and Culture, MAPPP Seta, National Film and Video Foundation, Create SA (85% together) and the City of Johannesburg (5%) – (Monash contributes 10% of funding).

Innovation

This project provides technical education to poor students that have an interest and talent for film-making, and empowers them to access the film and TV industry. The incubator is a very worthwhile venture to help in ongoing education to ensure the successful employment of these students.

Effectiveness

Since the project's inception, 180 students have been educated, and 202 have been accepted for the programme in 2005 (including 10 from 2004, who will continue to train in the incubator). The aim is to increase this number to 212 in 2006 and 2007.

Poverty Impact

A number of students that have left the programme have found good starting jobs, earning between R3000 and R6000.

Sustainability

This project has formed a number of sustainable partnerships but it is crucial for these to remain in place, if the project is to continue. The financial management is conducted by Monash South Africa and auditing is done by Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Replication

The technical nature of the equipment and training offered in this programme is very difficult to replicate. The industry is also concentrated in Gauteng and replication in other areas of South Africa would be difficult and very expensive.  However, this project serves as a good model for other Arts Institutes that would like to expand into offering such services to poor students. 

Partnerships

• National Department of Arts and Culture
• MAPPP Seta
• National Film and Video Foundation
• Create SA
• City of Johannesburg
• Monash South Africa