October 2012
Just over a month ago AfricaMagic announced the first ever AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards, in association with MultiChoice. Created to recognize and celebrate African film and TV talent, the news of the awards has taken the continent by storm.
Industry professionals have embraced the initiative and entries are now streaming steadily in to the AfricaMagic offices. And it’s becoming clear that the awards are on track to deliver a night of spectacular entertainment on March 9. That’s when the winners will be announced at a special gala event, to be screened live on DStv to 48 African countries.
In order to ensure that all entrants have enough time to process their entries, AfricaMagic has extended the entry deadline. The new cut-off date for submissions is now 21:00 (CAT) on Friday November 9, 2012. Entry is FREE and all the info on where and how to enter is available at www.africamagic.tv .
AfricaMagic has also announced that it will accept awards entries at the DISCOP film and TV market which is being held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from Wednesday October 31 to Friday November 2, 2012.
M-Net Africa Managing Director Biola Alabi explains the entry process. “To ensure a methodical and tracked entry process in line with international standards, our primary method of accepting entries is through post or courier. However we know DISCOP is a highlight on the African film and TV calendar and is a popular meeting place for the industry. So we will accept awards entries at DISCOP. Just make sure you enter – do it for yourself, for your fans, for your moment in the spotlight.”
Key awards judge Femi Odugbemi has clear instructions for those who have not yet entered the awards.
“I would say make haste! Hurry up and put in your entry. The guidelines are simple and easy to understand. This is an opportunity you would NOT want to miss.”
Pleased with the awards, he is excited about the opportunity it provides. “This is a huge opportunity for all professionals in front and behind the camera. I think all of us owe a duty to support every initiative that will raise the game creatively-speaking. There is potential for the creative industries of Africa to contribute more significantly to the economy of the continent. It’s already the sector providing a lot of employment.
But to achieve potential we have to raise the game. AMVCA provides the right kind of incentive for our creative industries to get recognition and to improve in quality.”
He also says that any creative professional will recognize the importance of taking advantage of this initiative to showcase their creativity and skills. “It’s going to be a moment of great fulfilment and professional satisfaction to emerge as a winner of AMVCA. You can be confident if you win an AMVCA you have truly deserved it because the rigorous process from which the winners will emerge will prove without a doubt that you are one of the very best that Africa has to offer in your field.”
In closing, Odugbemi has some advice for entrants. “I would encourage all individuals to please carefully follow the submission guidelines so that their entry is not invalidated. That is a key concern for me. I would hate for us to miss a really great creative work because the entry was sloppy or not according to the guidelines.”
Partner to the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards, MultiChoice Africa’s CEO, Nico Meyer also added words of endorsement to this new initiative encouraging African filmmakers to enter in numbers: “We are honoured to be associated with the awards because our investment in the M-Net channels over the years has contributed immensely in the development of original African programming through our AfricaMagic channels. We have seen this in the increasing number of quality film and TV programming coming out of this continent.
MultiChoice would really like to honour Africa’s talent and the role our subscribers also play in making the film and television industry what it is today by giving you a voice to choose your best films and film makers in the continent.”
So with the days flying past, the word to film and TV talent across Africa is simple – GET YOUR ENTRY IN!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated: October 29, 2012
1. Why have MultiChoice and AfricaMagic decided to partner to create these Awards?
MultiChoice and AfricaMagic both have a long history of investing widely into the film and television industry across the continent. Having together launched 8 AfricaMagic channels since 2003, it was a logical progression for these two brands to partner on this very exciting initiative.
2. How many AfricaMagic channels exist currently?
Currently there are 8 AfricaMagic channels in total – these are AfricaMagic, AfricaMagic Entertainment, AfricaMagic Movies, AfricaMagic Movies 1, AfricaMagic World, AfricaMagic Hausa, AfricaMagic Yoruba and AfricaMagic Swahili.
The channels are available on DStv, DStv Mobile and GOtv. Different AfricaMagic channels are available on different bouquets and/or in different countries.
3. Where can I get information on when, where and how to enter the Awards?
Detailed information on the awards is available on the AfricaMagic website at www.africamagic.tv. Entry into the awards is free. The deadline for entries is Friday November 9, 2012 at 21:00 CAT.
4. What will happen if I send my entry in but you only receive it after the deadline?
Entries sent via courier/registered mail, before or by the above date, which bear a valid postmark clearly indicating the date of original dispatch, will be accepted even if the entry is delivered to AfricaMagic after the deadline date. However this provision will not apply if the entry is received more than a month after November 9, 2012 deadline.
5. How will winners be selected for these Awards?
A selection panel of industry experts will be named later this year and they will select the winners for certain categories based on set criteria. In other categories, audiences will vote for the individual they think should win. All results will be verified by an independent auditing company, the details of whom will be announced before voting begins.
6. What will the winners of these Awards receive?
The winners of the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards will receive a limited edition statuette and continental recognition for their achievement. There is no financial component to the prizes as we believe the honor of being selected among the finest African filmmakers on the continent is reward in itself.
7. Where will these Awards be hosted?
There are two awards events scheduled. Due to the wide scope of this initiative, the technical awards event will be held on Friday March 8 while the gala awards event will be held on Saturday March 9. Both events will be hosted in Lagos, Nigeria. Both events will also be screened on DStv, with the gala event being screened live across the continent.
8. Why did the organizers decide to host the awards events in Lagos?
Given that the Nigerian film community is a significant creator and producer of movies in Africa, it was a natural choice for MultiChoice and AfricaMagic to host the very first Awards in this country.
9. Is this a one-off event or will this be an annual event?
MultiChoice and AfricaMagic intend for the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards to become an annual event that will not only serve as a calendar highlight for the African film and television community, but also for continental audiences watching at home.
10. How are these Awards different from other film and television awards that are currently in the market?
Both AfricaMagic and MultiChoice are aware of other film and television awards currently available on the continent. The AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards serves to complement these initiatives and not to compete with them. The key differences between the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards and other awards of this genre are that the AMVCAs will be screened live to 47 countries across the continent and will include public voting in specific categories.
11. Why is it called the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards when viewers will only select winners in certain categories?
AfricaMagic viewers are at the heart of the brand’s phenomenal success and so the awards are named to honor the loyalty and support of these audiences. However, certain categories are best judged by industry experts and film/TV professionals who have a broad understanding and detailed knowledge of the skills required to produce and create different successful film and television products.
12. Does this event have a sponsor?
At this time, any organization/s interested in being a sponsor at the Awards can approach DStv Media Sales to make enquiries and/or submit proposals. Both AfricaMagic and MultiChoice are committed to building sustainable commercial partnerships that are mutually beneficial and will contribute to the evolution of their respective brands.
13. Outside of the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards, what other initiatives do MultiChoice and AfricaMagic support to ensure the development of African talent?
In addition to these Awards, MultiChoice has been instrumental in rolling out MultiChoice Resource Centres to over 1000 schools across Africa.
Both brands also support the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Awards, which AfricaMagic screens on its channels.
Further AfricaMagic invests widely to create workshops for diverse production subjects ranging from script-writing to technical skills (camera, audio, lighting and post production). AfricaMagic also facilitates outreach workshops with industry stakeholders to discuss acquisition and contracting processes.
Further to the above, AfricaMagic is a leading creator of African content on the continent with 8 channels and a range of African programming such as Mashariki Mix, Jara, 53 Extra, Tinsel, Star Gist, Big Brother Africa and Jacob’s Cross to name some of the flagship productions
14. I have noticed that there is a specific category dedicated to short film. If I want to enter this category, what should the maximum duration of my film be?
The international standard for short film is a production 15 minutes in duration but for the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards, any film production that is 30 minutes or less in duration will be considered.
Just over a month ago AfricaMagic announced the first ever AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards, in association with MultiChoice. Created to recognize and celebrate African film and TV talent, the news of the awards has taken the continent by storm.
Industry professionals have embraced the initiative and entries are now streaming steadily in to the AfricaMagic offices. And it’s becoming clear that the awards are on track to deliver a night of spectacular entertainment on March 9. That’s when the winners will be announced at a special gala event, to be screened live on DStv to 48 African countries.
In order to ensure that all entrants have enough time to process their entries, AfricaMagic has extended the entry deadline. The new cut-off date for submissions is now 21:00 (CAT) on Friday November 9, 2012. Entry is FREE and all the info on where and how to enter is available at www.africamagic.tv .
AfricaMagic has also announced that it will accept awards entries at the DISCOP film and TV market which is being held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from Wednesday October 31 to Friday November 2, 2012.
M-Net Africa Managing Director Biola Alabi explains the entry process. “To ensure a methodical and tracked entry process in line with international standards, our primary method of accepting entries is through post or courier. However we know DISCOP is a highlight on the African film and TV calendar and is a popular meeting place for the industry. So we will accept awards entries at DISCOP. Just make sure you enter – do it for yourself, for your fans, for your moment in the spotlight.”
Key awards judge Femi Odugbemi has clear instructions for those who have not yet entered the awards.
“I would say make haste! Hurry up and put in your entry. The guidelines are simple and easy to understand. This is an opportunity you would NOT want to miss.”
Pleased with the awards, he is excited about the opportunity it provides. “This is a huge opportunity for all professionals in front and behind the camera. I think all of us owe a duty to support every initiative that will raise the game creatively-speaking. There is potential for the creative industries of Africa to contribute more significantly to the economy of the continent. It’s already the sector providing a lot of employment.
But to achieve potential we have to raise the game. AMVCA provides the right kind of incentive for our creative industries to get recognition and to improve in quality.”
He also says that any creative professional will recognize the importance of taking advantage of this initiative to showcase their creativity and skills. “It’s going to be a moment of great fulfilment and professional satisfaction to emerge as a winner of AMVCA. You can be confident if you win an AMVCA you have truly deserved it because the rigorous process from which the winners will emerge will prove without a doubt that you are one of the very best that Africa has to offer in your field.”
In closing, Odugbemi has some advice for entrants. “I would encourage all individuals to please carefully follow the submission guidelines so that their entry is not invalidated. That is a key concern for me. I would hate for us to miss a really great creative work because the entry was sloppy or not according to the guidelines.”
Partner to the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards, MultiChoice Africa’s CEO, Nico Meyer also added words of endorsement to this new initiative encouraging African filmmakers to enter in numbers: “We are honoured to be associated with the awards because our investment in the M-Net channels over the years has contributed immensely in the development of original African programming through our AfricaMagic channels. We have seen this in the increasing number of quality film and TV programming coming out of this continent.
MultiChoice would really like to honour Africa’s talent and the role our subscribers also play in making the film and television industry what it is today by giving you a voice to choose your best films and film makers in the continent.”
So with the days flying past, the word to film and TV talent across Africa is simple – GET YOUR ENTRY IN!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated: October 29, 2012
1. Why have MultiChoice and AfricaMagic decided to partner to create these Awards?
MultiChoice and AfricaMagic both have a long history of investing widely into the film and television industry across the continent. Having together launched 8 AfricaMagic channels since 2003, it was a logical progression for these two brands to partner on this very exciting initiative.
2. How many AfricaMagic channels exist currently?
Currently there are 8 AfricaMagic channels in total – these are AfricaMagic, AfricaMagic Entertainment, AfricaMagic Movies, AfricaMagic Movies 1, AfricaMagic World, AfricaMagic Hausa, AfricaMagic Yoruba and AfricaMagic Swahili.
The channels are available on DStv, DStv Mobile and GOtv. Different AfricaMagic channels are available on different bouquets and/or in different countries.
3. Where can I get information on when, where and how to enter the Awards?
Detailed information on the awards is available on the AfricaMagic website at www.africamagic.tv. Entry into the awards is free. The deadline for entries is Friday November 9, 2012 at 21:00 CAT.
4. What will happen if I send my entry in but you only receive it after the deadline?
Entries sent via courier/registered mail, before or by the above date, which bear a valid postmark clearly indicating the date of original dispatch, will be accepted even if the entry is delivered to AfricaMagic after the deadline date. However this provision will not apply if the entry is received more than a month after November 9, 2012 deadline.
5. How will winners be selected for these Awards?
A selection panel of industry experts will be named later this year and they will select the winners for certain categories based on set criteria. In other categories, audiences will vote for the individual they think should win. All results will be verified by an independent auditing company, the details of whom will be announced before voting begins.
6. What will the winners of these Awards receive?
The winners of the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards will receive a limited edition statuette and continental recognition for their achievement. There is no financial component to the prizes as we believe the honor of being selected among the finest African filmmakers on the continent is reward in itself.
7. Where will these Awards be hosted?
There are two awards events scheduled. Due to the wide scope of this initiative, the technical awards event will be held on Friday March 8 while the gala awards event will be held on Saturday March 9. Both events will be hosted in Lagos, Nigeria. Both events will also be screened on DStv, with the gala event being screened live across the continent.
8. Why did the organizers decide to host the awards events in Lagos?
Given that the Nigerian film community is a significant creator and producer of movies in Africa, it was a natural choice for MultiChoice and AfricaMagic to host the very first Awards in this country.
9. Is this a one-off event or will this be an annual event?
MultiChoice and AfricaMagic intend for the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards to become an annual event that will not only serve as a calendar highlight for the African film and television community, but also for continental audiences watching at home.
10. How are these Awards different from other film and television awards that are currently in the market?
Both AfricaMagic and MultiChoice are aware of other film and television awards currently available on the continent. The AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards serves to complement these initiatives and not to compete with them. The key differences between the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards and other awards of this genre are that the AMVCAs will be screened live to 47 countries across the continent and will include public voting in specific categories.
11. Why is it called the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards when viewers will only select winners in certain categories?
AfricaMagic viewers are at the heart of the brand’s phenomenal success and so the awards are named to honor the loyalty and support of these audiences. However, certain categories are best judged by industry experts and film/TV professionals who have a broad understanding and detailed knowledge of the skills required to produce and create different successful film and television products.
12. Does this event have a sponsor?
At this time, any organization/s interested in being a sponsor at the Awards can approach DStv Media Sales to make enquiries and/or submit proposals. Both AfricaMagic and MultiChoice are committed to building sustainable commercial partnerships that are mutually beneficial and will contribute to the evolution of their respective brands.
13. Outside of the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards, what other initiatives do MultiChoice and AfricaMagic support to ensure the development of African talent?
In addition to these Awards, MultiChoice has been instrumental in rolling out MultiChoice Resource Centres to over 1000 schools across Africa.
Both brands also support the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year Awards, which AfricaMagic screens on its channels.
Further AfricaMagic invests widely to create workshops for diverse production subjects ranging from script-writing to technical skills (camera, audio, lighting and post production). AfricaMagic also facilitates outreach workshops with industry stakeholders to discuss acquisition and contracting processes.
Further to the above, AfricaMagic is a leading creator of African content on the continent with 8 channels and a range of African programming such as Mashariki Mix, Jara, 53 Extra, Tinsel, Star Gist, Big Brother Africa and Jacob’s Cross to name some of the flagship productions
14. I have noticed that there is a specific category dedicated to short film. If I want to enter this category, what should the maximum duration of my film be?
The international standard for short film is a production 15 minutes in duration but for the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards, any film production that is 30 minutes or less in duration will be considered.
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