E50 000 up for grabs for High School film makers

MBABANE-The Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM) has officially launched the second edition of the ESCCOM High School Film Competition.

The initiative aims to nurture creativity, develop practical filmmaking skills and uncover emerging acting talent among Eswatini’s youth.

Speaking during the launch, ESCCOM Broadcasting Specialist Mandisa Nkambule emphasized that introducing high school learners to the world of storytelling and film is intended to spark interest in careers within the broader creative and broadcasting industries, including scriptwriting, acting, directing and content production.

The structure of the initiative pairs participating high school learners with a university film crew comprising cinematographers, production sound personnel, production managers and editors to produce original, low-budget short films.

Before filming commences, participating learners will take part in a week-long mentorship programme, led by local industry professionals, providing hands-on training, real-world industry exposure and creative guidance.\

To facilitate this collaborative structure, ESCCOM has opened a call for applications targeted at passionate students and alumni from the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) and Limkokwing University of Creative Technology to serve as production crew members.

Positions open for application include:

• Cinematographers (4)

• Editors (4)

• Production Sound Personnel (4)

• Production Managers (4)

These roles are voluntary professional development opportunities and do not carry remuneration. However, ESCCOM will cover transport and meals for participants on official project days.

Delivering a speech on behalf of the acting ESCCOM Chief Executive Officer, Sicelo Simelane highlighted the measurable achievements of the competition’s inaugural edition.

“The success of the inaugural competition exceeded our expectations and demonstrated the incredible potential that exists among our youth,” he said.

“More than 120 high school students received hands-on training and experience in acting, directing, scriptwriting, cinematography, sound recording, production design, and production management. Through our partnerships with UNESWA and Limkokwing University, an additional 16 university students gained valuable industry exposure while providing mentorship and support to participating learners”, he added.

Simelane noted that the impact extended beyond technical instruction, citing instances where participating schools expanded their formal curricula such as one high school introducing drama into its syllabus as a direct result of the initiative.

Furthermore, the program has begun serving as a direct pipeline to professional opportunities in the creative sector. Two participants from the first edition have secured roles in local professional film productions and obtained industry representation through the South African talent agency Star Quality Management. The learners include Bandiswa Nxumalo from Sisekelo High School and Marlik Greenhead from Somnjalose High School.

The competition features structured cash prizes for high school participants, university crew members, and the winning school:

Student Awards (High School Learners)

• Best Scriptwriters: E5 000 each (up to 2 winners)

• Best Director: E5 000

• Best Actor: E5 000

• Best Actress: E5 000

• Best Supporting Actor: E5 000

• Best Supporting Actress: E5 000

• Best Production Design (Art): E5 000

Technical Awards (University Crew & Alumni)

• Best Cinematography: E7 000 (evaluated on camerawork and lighting excellence)

• Best Production Manager: E7 000 (evaluated on organization, budgeting and reporting effectiveness)

• Best Picture Editor: E7 000 (evaluated on set continuity, cutting style and post-production)

• Best Sound Design: E7 000 (evaluated on location recording and post-production sound design)

Grand Prize

• Best Picture (Winning Film / School): E50 000

This year’s creative film requires the learners to embrace ‘The Mystery Frame Challenge’ when creating their short films, this requires the learners to turn one mydterious image into an original 90 second short film.

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