Entertainment / TV Guide
Calls for filmmakers to change the face of ZBCtv
15 Aug 2017 at 06:26hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE Film and Television School of Southern Africa (Ziftessa) script writing lecturer, Nocks Chatiza has urged aspiring filmmakers to submit their productions to Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBCTV) to help change the country's sole broadcaster's television programming.
Chatiza made the remarks at the recently-ended training course on creative content creation in Victoria Falls.
"This effort (training) is to try and change the face of our television as most of you say it is boring. It's not Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation that is boring, but it us who are boring because we are not providing quality products," he said.
"In my discussion with a number of people here, they said they prefer to watch Zambia television, but try to take your content to Zambia and see whether they will accept it. But if you take your content to ZBC, they will accept it, so we need to start watching ZBC and see what is wrong with it and we provide content that we want to see."
Chatiza said the government was going to fund the proposed submitted projects, if approved.
"There is a commissioning committee that goes around offering grants to those with good ideas, which are good for television and that is a follow up. After a month or so, we are going to send people to come here and look for proposals that can be funded into commission productions," he said.
"As we are in the process of migration, if you don't produce, we will be recycling what ZBC will be broadcasting because we are stingy with our talents. So let's get into our shelves, get our skills and start to create content and ideas that can improve our national television."
Chatiza said although the government might not have enough funds to complement the efforts, they must commit to keep on rolling out such programmes.
Some participants have, however, shot down the invitation, arguing that their proposed ideas can be hijacked and given to others, as happened before.
The workshop covered script writing, editing, production, directing and cinematography with the participants being tasked to produce three-minute films that are to be broadcast on television.
Chatiza made the remarks at the recently-ended training course on creative content creation in Victoria Falls.
"This effort (training) is to try and change the face of our television as most of you say it is boring. It's not Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation that is boring, but it us who are boring because we are not providing quality products," he said.
"In my discussion with a number of people here, they said they prefer to watch Zambia television, but try to take your content to Zambia and see whether they will accept it. But if you take your content to ZBC, they will accept it, so we need to start watching ZBC and see what is wrong with it and we provide content that we want to see."
Chatiza said the government was going to fund the proposed submitted projects, if approved.
"There is a commissioning committee that goes around offering grants to those with good ideas, which are good for television and that is a follow up. After a month or so, we are going to send people to come here and look for proposals that can be funded into commission productions," he said.
"As we are in the process of migration, if you don't produce, we will be recycling what ZBC will be broadcasting because we are stingy with our talents. So let's get into our shelves, get our skills and start to create content and ideas that can improve our national television."
Chatiza said although the government might not have enough funds to complement the efforts, they must commit to keep on rolling out such programmes.
Some participants have, however, shot down the invitation, arguing that their proposed ideas can be hijacked and given to others, as happened before.
The workshop covered script writing, editing, production, directing and cinematography with the participants being tasked to produce three-minute films that are to be broadcast on television.
Source - newsday
