Netflix Unveils Film and Television Education Initiative
Netflix, in partnership with the Gauteng Film Commission and the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, has announced the launch of the ScreenCraft Pathway program. This on-the-job training initiative aims to support emerging creative professionals in South Africa, aligning with the country's national goals of job creation, youth employment, and skills development.
The ScreenCraft Pathway program offers a paid, immersive, and hands-on experience across various below-the-line roles in film and television production. These roles include development, pre-production, production, and post-production. The program is designed to provide 30 rising stars with annual training opportunities.
Applications for the ScreenCraft Pathway program will open via a partner website, yet to be announced, in August 2025. The selection process will involve a combination of public applications and nominations by the Gauteng Film Commission and KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority.
The program builds on lessons from Netflix's 2024 on-the-job training pilot initiative, which supported 13 candidates from the Netflix Creative Equity Scholarship Fund. The program's success demonstrates the value of empowering economic career pathways through real production experience.
Leadership from the Gauteng Film Commission and KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority emphasized the program’s role in fostering industry growth, diversifying funding, supporting cultural preservation, and boosting the local creative economy. Tshikululu Social Investments is also involved in the implementation of the ScreenCraft Pathway program.
The KwaZulu Natal Tourism and Film Authority's mandate includes upskilling young people and providing them with experience through internship programs. The Gauteng Film Commission, on the other hand, aims to empower young professionals through the ScreenCraft Pathway program. The program is supported by Netflix production partners.
The ScreenCraft Pathway program offers traineeships with vetted local studios, vendors, and production companies, expanding learning and career opportunities for emerging creatives. The program covers key below-the-line roles, providing participants with practical industry experience.
KwaZulu Natal Tourism and Film Authority sees the ScreenCraft Pathway program as a perfect fit for their objectives, believing that this partnership will add much-needed value. The Gauteng Film Commission is committed to growing the film and television industry through targeted development and diverse funding.
In summary, the ScreenCraft Pathway program seeks to develop South Africa’s creative talent pipeline by providing structured, paid training opportunities within the film and television sector, enhancing skills and employability for emerging professionals in the region. The program is a new on-the-job training initiative by Netflix, demonstrating the company's commitment to supporting the growth and development of the South African creative industry.
- The ScreenCraft Pathway program, aligned with South Africa's national goals, aims to foster job creation and skill development within the creative professionals' domain, offering an immersive experience across various film and television production roles.
- This program, a collaboration between Netflix, Gauteng Film Commission, and KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, emphasizes the value of practical production experience in empowering economic career pathways, such as AI, technology, education-and-self-development, and cultural preservation.
- With the ScreenCraft Pathway program, emerging creatives have the opportunity to engage in traineeships with local studios, vendors, and production companies, expanding their learning and career opportunities while building a strong, diverse, and vibrant ecosystem within the South African film and television industry.
