Just one month after confirming that it was partnering with the Kenyan Film Commission on a cross-continental skills sharing initiative, African TV operator M-Net has now announced the names of the ten Kenyan TV and film professionals heading to Nigeria to participate in the initiative.

The training initiative forms part of MultiChoice Africa and M-Net’s shared commitment to making a lasting contribution to the development of local film industries. M-Net, who is a leading content provider to MultiChoice Africa, has been a strong investor in African film industries, and has invested $ 60 million in local film industries since 2002. This year the company will invest about $ 20 million in content made in Africa, for Africa, up from a $14 million commitment made in 2006.

The ten participants heading to Lagos represent a significant investment for M-Net, which aims to see more regionalized content created for its channels.

After undergoing a rigorous selection process, the group to head off to Lagos at the end of the month are – Albert Ngonche, Keith Oleng, Kirumburu Ng’ang, Mariah Zinzy, Mburu Kimani, Moses Oduwa Onyango, Nicholas Njache, Robert Bresson, Sheila Mulinya and Simiyu Barasa.

The group includes directors, producers, screenwriters, technical crew and distributors. The Kenyan contingent will spend two weeks learning from Nollywood, Africa’s most prolific filmmaking hub, and home to the world’s third largest film industry. The trip gives Kenyan talent the opportunity to build relevant skills, and understand and implement the techniques that have allowed Nigeria’s film industry to find widespread success.

The final decision about which ten participants would travel to Lagos came after a fully inclusive 11 person selection panel reviewed the written submissions of prospective applicants. The selection panel comprised representatives from M-Net, Kenya Film Commission, Kenya Film and Television Professional Association, Third Force Association, KBC, Ntv, Citizen Tv, Mohamed Amin Foundation Training School and Daystar University.

M-Net Director of Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa Joseph Hundah thanked the selection panel and their respective organizations for their involvement with the initiative. “It’s only through partnership that we can find success. It is especially important that TV channels work side by side so I must also thank KBC, Ntv and Citizen TV for their efforts on this initiative”.

The Kenyan Film Commission also extended their good wishes to the group travelling to Lagos saying, “The commission views this training in Nigeria as an opportunity to capacity build and develop the skills of our filmmakers. We need to see a marked improvement in the marketing and distribution machineries of our local productions and Nollywood seems to have found the key to success in these areas. The Commission’s intention is for these 10 Kenyan film makers to adapt these skills and translate them into tangible productions that can be marketed aptly and capture audiences, leaving them wanting more.”

Meanwhile M-Net Program Manager for the East Africa Wangeci Murage, whose recent appointment underlined M-Net’s commitment to local content, said the learning experiences the initiative offers are not limited to the ten selected filmmakers. “There will be a special workshop held when this Kenyan delegation returns from Nigeria at which a wider range of filmmakers will be able to share in the knowledge and insight gained during this trip.”

With this second phase of the initiative already in place, M-Net is now looking further into the future. The company is gearing up for its next announcement which will reveal the details of who is to produce its first ever Kenyan produced East African drama which is set to premier on M-Net in 2008. This will include characters and storylines from across the region, including Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The deadline for submissions from interested producers is August 17 2007.