Film-making, editing lessons at ZITF

Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
FILMMAKERS and producers in and around the province have been urged to grab opportunities made possible by the ongoing digitalisation project.

Zim-digital project coordinator Florence Sigudu-Matambo, in an interview at the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services ZITF stand, said her team was in Bulawayo to empower and capacitate filmmakers in the Matabeleland region.

Matambo, who is also the Transmedia chief executive officer, said as the digitalisation process was slowly progressing, it was important for all content producers to be part of the process.

“This is an opportunity for people in and around Bulawayo to empower themselves through the digitalisation process. We’re inviting them to come to our stand at the ZITF, see what we’ve done and share ideas on how we can be in this project together. We’ve six fully fledged sites that have digital equipment and we’re on 15 new sites where there’s never been transmission, which are under construction throughout the country,” she said.

“Everyone is expected to be part of this project. In Zimbabwe we’ve always had one television station and we’ve relied on it for entertainment for years. We now have an opportunity for Zimbabwe to have many. There’s a lot of opportunity and one doesn’t need to be a professional producer to come up with content.”

Matambo said she was impressed with the overwhelming response from filmmakers’ countrywide.

The government, she added, has purchased 15 cameras so far for recording and editing studios.

“As part of the project, we’ve people from the Zimbabwe Film School here to teach people how to start filming and how to edit. I want to encourage our content producers to come forward because support is here for them. It doesn’t matter how far they’ve gone with their projects. We want to help young people to create jobs for themselves and others,” said Matambo.

She, however, bemoaned lack of funding for the project, which she said has slowed down the digitalisation process.

“Digitalisation is a process. In some areas such as Lupane in Matabeleland North, Rutenga, Karoi and Mt Darwin there has never been any transmission at all in terms of television but I’m happy that we’ll soon be able to cover the whole country,” said Matambo.