Student Admission Programme

The ambition of ZIFTESSA is to train students who will become Leaders of different screen industries in Africa and play a key role in setting high standards for screen production and exercise responsibility towards their audiences. Accordingly mere attainment of a high school certificate or degree by applicants does not necessarily meet all the criteria. In addition to good high school and /or University degree results applicants are expected to demonstrate the following attributes:

 

• General knowledge about Africa and the World.
• Demonstratable leadership skills, self reliance and energy to benefit fully from the programme.
• Demonstratable talent, aptitude and /or interest in regard to some aspects of film-making and film analysis.
• Demonstratable creative potential, ideas or imagination as determined through interviews, tests, written work and/ or prepared portfolios
• Ability to work in teams comprised of people from different social, cultural and professional backgrounds.
• Teachability and commitment to the development of film and the film sector as an industry.

 

Successful candidates will be enrolled for Foundation Courses first in the first semester. Enrollment for specialisation subjects during the second semester of the two and a half years, during which students go on attachment programmes, complete their Practical Film Projects (PFP) and sit for their final examinations. Each year group comprises of an average of 20-25 students representing all core specialisations. A balanced distribution of students among specialisations is critical because the programme is based on a substantial proportion of practical group work where all specialisations must be represented. The modest year group intake of students takes into account staff-student ratio plus teaching and production floor space in order for students to have adequate access to relevant production equipment.

 

Diploma in Film and Television

ZIFTESSA awards a two and a half year Diploma in Film and Television Production. The Diploma requires satisfactory completion of a two and a half year full time programme. Students must satisfactorily complete all units of their foundation courses and all units of their specialisation. They must attend lectures and seminars regularly and satisfactorily for the five semesters.

• Through the in-depth lectures, practical workshops and numerous productions that the course offers, the student will gain sufficient insight into and experience of the various disciplines.
• At the end of the second, third and forth semesters students get involved in the production of a short film, with each student working and getting practical evaluation in accordance with industry-accepted production standards.
• In the fifth semester the student focuses on producing a 25 minute Graduation Short Film. The production must meet the highest professional standards, with emphasis on expressing unique creativity and talent, utilising all the skills and knowledge gained in the first and second year of the course.
• The best of these films will be screened at a student film festival, broadcast on national television and entered into various film festivals.

 

Majors and Minors

All students are expected to select a minor and major subject for specialisation in the third semester and a minor subject.

• A major is comprised of a subject which will be evaluated on the basis of performance in a practical film project.
• A minor is comprised of a subject which will be evaluated on the basis of performance in the theory examination only.

 

Examinations

End of semester and final examinations will be held in accordance with the rules and regulations laid down by the Academic Committee of the school and the national requirements of HEXCO. In addition external examiners either from reputable film school institutions will be invited to assess the quality of the student’s performance whenever this is possible and considered necessary.