By Mimi Chiadikobi
Awka,Sept. 20,2024 Anambra Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism,Mr Don Onyenji has Inugrauated four months training of one thousand youths and elders alike in film production.
Onyenji said that over 2,000 applications for the training was received but 1000 was selected for the first phase which will continue after the completion of the first set of trainees.
He said that Anambra Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, intends to use creative industry to improve economic and social behaviour of Anambra public.
Onyenji said that the programme is aimed at making the young people to be self employed through the creative industry in Awka on Friday.
He said that Anambra film village was developed with the intention to bridge unemployment gap in state through training of youths and adult alike in various areas of film making to create means of livelihood for all.
Addressing the selected students for the first phase of the programme Onyenji explained that the initiative was designed to meet Soludo's vision of creating a robust economy for Anambra public.
He said that in creative sector that the foundation for a film industry hub will be solidified in the state and also boost the Anawood government that has been created in Anambra, which is an umbrella for Anambra people who are in the film industry.
The commissioner noted that the programme will enable those who are in the entertainment industry to become the oil that graces the system in the entire economy of the state.
Earlier, The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer,Anambra Film Village, Ms Chinyere Ozo -Okomma noted that Anambra State Government is determined to use the creative industry to tell stories about Anambra and Igbos in general.
Ozo-Okomma said that the training programme after graduation will help the beneficiaries in film production to use it to earn a living and become employers of labour.
She further said that the idea behind the training is to bring back home film makers who are from Anambra to build the state in film production rightly.
Ozo-Okomma said that core film makers, markerters,Executive Producers in Lagos and Asaba ,are from Anambra so Anawood is designed to capture young minds in right perspective where right foundation will be taught to young people.
She said that creative economy is an aspect of economy that is not seen but it makes a lot of impact in development of the people and promotion of social relaxation.
Ozo-Okomma said that the trainees will be taught about 24 courses such cinematography, editing,sound design, continuity, costumes,welfare amongst others.
" The beneficiaries in turn will have value for their time because they willl be armed with core objectives of filmmaking and given opportunity to shoot contents.
" They will be taught film production in practical with right vision to enable them make films that will project the values and culture of Igbo's.
"Film making is now bastardised ,diabolical pictures are been painted but that is not who we are,
" Through right teaching of film making our culture values and beliefs willl be projected to world space, we are hard workers and lovely people not devilish in activities," she said.
Miss Chukwuamaka Nwaejena, a graduate of Adult Education from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, a beneficiary of the programme said that she needs to learn a skills to enrich herself.
Nwaejena said that no knowledge is a waste since it is a free programme from the government it is imperative for to take a step to develop her in other areas of life.
" I want to learn make up,costumes and related skills to fix in well in the society instead of depending on white collar jobs alone.
" Skill acquisition is best means of livelihood because when acquired it lives with tge perdon for life and it gives free time for the person to plan his life ,"She said.
Another participant Mr Eke Obiora, described the programme as a welcome development, and an opportunity for him to learn something that will help him to achieve his potential and excel in the entertainment and creative world.
Eke said that the golden opportunity is a rare one and urged youths despite their educational qualifications to try get a skill in creative industry as is more dependable than white jobs.
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The trainers were drawn from good hands of film makers that are Anambra film producers, directors who are knowledgeable in film production.
The training is hoped to achieve the goal of using creative industry to provide jobs for teeming Anambra youths who are presently not employed .