How MTF Graduates are Running Local Content Industry In Uganda

By Nabilah Musimenta

My first interaction with the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) programme came in 2023 when I was accepted into the internship programme at MultiChoice. 

Here, I was assigned various duties, including handling the communication for the programme. One of the most satisfying aspects of this journey was watching budding youngsters with potential return as professionals with ambition after a year of fully-paid training.

When Isiko Abubaker stood on the podium of the 2023 Uganda Film Festival to receive the award for the best Post-production/Editing for the film “The Passenger,” it marked a moment of great pride and accomplishment. Just four years earlier, he had been working under the keen tutelage of Adnan Ssenkumba, a celebrated sound designer in the Ugandan film circuit.

This achievement was a realization that dreams do come true. “I was very happy for the win because it was after putting in a lot of hard work and training,” Isiko said when asked about the win.

For many aspiring filmmakers in Uganda, achieving a breakthrough demands a blend of hard work, dedication, and luck. In Isiko's case, luck played a significant role in 2019 when he discovered the Multichoice Talent Factory through a third party. This annual training for young aspiring filmmakers in Nairobi provides attendees with intensive cinematography, scriptwriting, and post-production/editing training.

Since his time in Nairobi, Isiko has become one of the most sought-after talents in the Ugandan film industry. He now works on various movie and TV sets, leveraging the expertise gained during his training. He is currently involved in several projects still in the development stage.

Due to the numerous success stories emerging from the MTF training, the trip to Nairobi has become something of a pilgrimage for many aspiring filmmakers. Youth leave Uganda with great hopes and dreams, returning with life-changing opportunities and experiences gained from the MultiChoice Talent Factory.

This was the case for Cissy Nalumansi for whom the saying “it takes a village to make a film” is a key takeaway from her experience in the Multichoice Talent Factory training.

“The films that we created at MTF required a lot of collaboration, immense synergy and teamwork,” Nalumansi vividly recalls her time at the academy as a member of the 2020 cohort.
According to Cissy, the training required participants to rapidly acquire various skills and practice extensively to be assessed effectively. She finds herself applying this approach in her current career.

"While executing one of our projects at the academy, my teammate Sheila Gathoni and I were tasked with recording sound. We chose to work overnight because it was quieter then and with less distractions. When the project was completed and we were being credited for a great job well-done, we felt great satisfaction due to the effort we had put in."

Such determination and drive have propelled Nalumansi to achieve success beyond the borders of Uganda. Her recent triumph includes the success of her documentary "Test for Uganda," which earned her an accolade at the Smiley Charity Film Awards in London.

Teamwork is a recurring theme among many alumni who have undergone MTF training. According to 2021 alumni Daisy Masembe, film as a sector demands a team of individuals with specific skills working together to deliver a quality product.

“It's impossible to execute an entire film project on your own and see it through to completion. You need a good team,” reflects Masembe, a recipient of a scholarship to the New York Film Academy, earned at the completion of the MTF program, on the key lesson she learned from her time in the academy in 2020-21.

Masembe, one of the standout members of the program's 2021 graduating class, despite the interruption caused by the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, has matched her excellent performance at the academy with an impressive portfolio since completing the program. 

“I am currently doing freelance communication work and I am also doing live broadcast directing with Watoto church and several filming projects. I am also working on my debut feature film which is currently in the development stage,” Masembe gives an update on what she has been up to since she left MTF.
Phillip Sentamu is another MTF graduate who has seamlessly transitioned into the work environment since leaving the academy.

Drawing inspiration from the various trainers at the academy, Phillip has immersed himself in the world of entrepreneurship. 

“Currently, I run a production company. We've just released our first short film and are planning to release more between end of this year and beginning of next year. We're aiming to change the narrative on African film and how it's produced,” Ssentamu speaks confidently about the prospects of his production company, having received world-class film training during his time at MTF.

For many film enthusiasts like Sentamu, MTF offers an opportunity for fully paid skill enhancement, provided they meet the recruitment criteria. Every year, MultiChoice calls for entries into the program, and from many applicants, the top four, both male and female are chosen to represent Uganda at the academy in Nairobi.

As the academy actively recruits every year, an increasing number of young Ugandans are returning home with skills that consistently elevate the standard of local productions on Ugandan television.

Therefore, as you enjoy any of the quality local TV show in Uganda, wait for the credits to roll -- You won't be surprised to see the name of an MTF graduate playing an active role in this renaissance.

The writer is a PR & Communications Intern at MultiChoice Uganda.