Kenya Film Commission (KFC) in conjunction with Kazi Remote have held a graduation ceremony for the first group of 25 trainees. The trainees were in the transcription, captioning, subtitling and content writing training, a 5-week program which commenced on 18th January to 12th February 2021.
The program targeted youth aged 18-35 years with an interest in the film industry. The call-out for the remote training attracted over 400 applicants.
KFC and Kazi Remote embarked on a capacity building training specifically focused on the film industry to drive skills, impact and interest amongst the youth in transcription, subtitling, captioning and content writing. These four areas are part of the film industry value chain and are key to unlocking the potential of online job creation amongst youth in Kenya and Africa.
These areas are vital in ensuring content accessibility to everyone including Persons with Disability (PWDs). This was a key focus area for the two institutions, which aim to bridge the divide between abled trainees and those living with physical disabilities.
The joint pilot program equipped the trainees with requisite skills that are a crucial link in the chain of production of any film, TV series or documentary. Subtitling requires highly skilled professionals and these skills are highly sought after globally, with many well-paying online job opportunities. The program specifically chose to invest in subtitling and significantly attract new audiences to Kenyan productions.
The Commission has undertaken deliberate measures to build capacity of filmmakers through strategic partnerships with organizations such as Kazi Remote who provide training and apprenticeship in the creative sector.