Canon, which has been present on the continent for more than 50 years, says that is committed to supporting the sustainable development of African countries. The company believes that the education and training of the youth is key to unlocking further development in Africa.

Canon, through the Miraisha Programme that was launched in 2014, is striving to enhance initiatives that help young people learn and develop skills. One of the objectives of the Miraisha Programme is to support the development of employment in key African markets while promoting local sustainability.

It is in this context that Canon says it decided to partner with the KFC. The focus of this collaboration is to help young people develop their creativity, provide them with the skills that they need to facilitate their professional integration in East Africa and wider pan, as well as help them seize international opportunities.

To achieve this, the programme intends to match young Kenyans with professional talents who can share their knowledge of the film industry and give the youth access to their deep experience.

Canon Miraisha and KFC film boot camps in six counties across Kenya

Canon and the KFC say that they want to undertake various short-term training workshops in six different counties. This is in order to hone the skills of young filmmakers, improve local production and support the sustainable development of the film and television sector. At the end of the course, students will have learned how to write, shoot and edit a short film in six days.

For each of the six programmes planned, the KFC will be responsible for selecting 30 students (aged between 18 and 35) who are interested in cinematography in each county.

Canon will provide a certified trainer for the workshops and will offer the technical equipment required to complete the projects. This program will train 180 students who will receive a certificate of participation and will allow the production of six films per county of three to five minutes in length.

Canon Miraisha and KFC film clubs

An eight-week film club programme will be implemented at four institutions in Nairobi. This programme's goal is to introduce young people to film and create awareness around the film industry as a viable career path in Kenya. The ultimate objective, according to Canon and KFC, is offering an eight-week course within these institutions.

At the end of the course, students will be able to understand the simple principles of film terminology and the elements of film production, as well as how to shoot basic films on DSLR cameras.

To implement this programme, the KFC will offer two sessions out of the eight-week training to explain the Commission's mission and purpose and present the Kenyan film industry.

The Commission will strive to support each college with two sets of basic film equipment so that the film club can be sustained. Canon will offer six sessions during the eight-week training to teach the basics of film terminology and help participants create a film using the DSLRs.

At the end of this project, it is expected that 120 students will have passed through the film club during the eight weeks and each will be given a certificate of participation at graduation.

Amine Djouahra, sales and marketing director — B2C, Canon Central and North Africa — says, "Education and training are important success factors in providing young people with the skills necessary to enter the job market, but also to help communities adapt to changing skill requirements, increase productivity and to raise a country's skill level."

"Young people are the future of their country, and it is up to all of us, dynamic actors in Africa, each in our own way, to provide them with all the necessary means to help them build their future. We are very proud to lead these different projects alongside the KFC and to support them in this fantastic new project, which will give greater visibility and appeal to the film sector," Djouahra adds.

Timothy Owase, CEO of the KFC says, "By investing in youth, creating tangible career development opportunities and promoting the film and photography industry through Canon's innovative solutions, we are creating a dynamic growth ecosystem in Kenya and East Africa."

"We look forward to starting this collaboration, which will improve Kenya's capacity to build and capitalize on its young and dynamic population, offering them opportunities for local success. This, in turn, will foster the development of our region through this industry. It is crucial that students receive appropriate training to be able to succeed and support their country's economic development," concludes Owase. 

For more information, visit www.kenyafilmcommission.com. You can also follow the KFC on Facebook or on Twitter.

*Image courtesy of the KFC.