More than 1000 students flocked to the Cape Town Science Centre to attend the much-anticipated M-Net Magic in Motion Expo which ran from 25-28 August. This is a country-wide mobile expo targeted at high school learners in three provinces. The aim is to expose learners to the many opportunities available in the film and television industry.  2015 is the first time UCT Centre for Film and Media Studies has participated in this event.

M-Net Magic in Motion is the company’s rebranded corporate social investment initiative and comprises two flagship programmes: the Magic in Motion Academy which fast-tracks young, talented film-makers and, the M-Net Magic in Motion Expo. Through these initiatives, M-Net aims to cultivate a new generation of South African film-makers. 

2015 was the first time the expo was held in Cape Town and therefore the ideal opportunity for the Faculty of Humanities to participate. Over the course of the four days, staff members from the Centre for Film and Media Studies (CFMS) and the Humanities Faculty Office engaged with more than 1000 grade 11 and grade 12 students.  M-Net branded buses transported students from their respective schools to the Cape Town Science Centre each day where they experienced what it is like to work in a television studio, to work behind the camera, script-writing and film production.

Visitors to the Faculty of Humanities stand were treated to a visual and interactive display featuring some of the current student films compiled at the UCT TV Studios. Questions regarding application and admission points were clarified and students walked away with Humanities ‘Explore Your Options’ handbooks and CFMS pamphlets.

In total, 12 exhibitors were invited to participate in the event. They included: the University of Stellenbosch; Boston Media House; AFDA The South African School of Motion Picture; NSFAS; the South African Screen Federation; Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking; SAE Institute South Africa and UCT’s Centre for Film and Media Studies. This was an ideal opportunity to recruit prospective undergraduate applicants and to show-case the exciting academic offering available through our CFMS. The face to face interaction with learners enabled the Faculty to highlight additional avenues open to prospective Humanities students. The opportunity to partner with the M-Net brand was also important.

"Taking part in the M-Net Magic in Motion expo gave the Centre for Film and Media Studies the opportunity to connect with a large and diverse group of high school kids. Many kids don't know that they can make a career in film and media and so our aim wasn't primarily to drum up more applications for CFMS, but rather to create awareness of the various stimulating and exciting opportunities for studying and working in film, television and media in South Africa" says Dr Liani Maasdorp, CFMS lecturer in screen production, television and media studies.

M-Net will soon establish permanent, interactive exhibitions in each of three cities were the expos are held: Durban; Johannesburg and Cape Town.