round up

Here's a new year round up of the latest scriptwriting and film opportunities (and deadlines) for those based on this continent.

Firstly there's the SASWU 'Script Camp' an exciting fully funded 3 month training initiative for 12 writers who want to script the ultimate South African feature film between 1st March and 1st May this year. Writers will receive a stipend/part option fee of R30,000 during training. Read the full details by clicking here.

For queries and submissions email Nicola Rauch: nicolarauch 'at' webmail.co.za

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Maisha Film Lab is now accepting applications for 2008. Maisha seeks applications from Screenwriters, Directors, Editors, Sound Recordists and Cinematographers for the 2008 Annual Lab to be held in Kampala , Uganda. For more details visit the website by clicking here.

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Telkom Media, one of the four new South African commercial satellite and cable subscription operators licensed last year, has published its first round of briefs for the production of local content, as well as a guide to its standard Terms of Trade for acquiring local content.
The briefs can be accessed on www.telkommedia.co.za under 'Content Proposals'

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'Scenarios from Africa' film contest calls for submissions.
Community and Youth Development Initiatives and Imo State Action Committee on AIDS have launched the fifth edition of this contest in Nigeria which accepts entries until March 15, 2008. Young African journalists /aspiring journalists under 25 are invited to submit storylines for short films on HIV/AIDS. The grand prize winner will receive US$1,500.To learn more about the competition, visit the website by clicking here.

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There's still time to get together an entry for the BBC's annual African Performance playwriting competition 2008. Plays must be half an hour in length when read aloud, and feature no more than six characters. The subject matter must resonate with an African audience. Entries are sought from Africans living in Africa. Deadline is January 31st 2008. There are three prizes. The first prize is £1000, the second is £850 and the third prize is £650. Visit the website here for full details of how to apply.

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There's another radio scriptwriting competition on climate change which has a deadline of March 15th . Read the full details at the website by clicking here.

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The Pangea Day online film competition deadline is 15th February. Still plenty of time for filmmakers to enter. Full information is available right here.

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For those developing and packaging features, it may be worth taking a look at these two granting opportunities - the World Cinema Fund's next deadline is March 13th 2008 and application information and guidelines can be found on their website here.
The Global Film Initiative (promoting cross cultural understanding through films) provides small amounts of funding for feature length dramas that have already attracted some backing. Further information is on their website - click on this link.

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All Roads seeds grants for filmmakers have quarterly submission rounds. Full details on their website here.