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"If we don't tell our stories, no one else will"
6TH ANNUAL MAISHA FILMMAKERS LAB
Maisha's Annual Filmmakers' Lab is the centerpiece of the Maisha program. It is an intensive 23-day course for intermediate students from East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda) focusing on the basics of screenwriting and production. Maisha's Reading Committee selects 9 screenwriting participants based on their 10-15 page screenplays. 4 writing mentors help these participants revise their work by conducting workshops on the fundamentals of screenwriting as well as meeting with the participants one-on-one. Maisha also chooses 9 technical participants (3 each of sound mixers, cinematographers, and editors) to participate. These specialized trainees attend seminars on all aspects of film production and also work one-on-one with experts in their field. The mentors choose three of the writers' screenplays to go into production, and divide the remaining participants into teams. 11 days are allotted for the teams to cast, prep, shoot and edit a 10-15 minute film.
Past Mentors include: Abderrahmane Sissako (Director, Bamako), Kristina Boden (Editor, Carlito's Way), Santosh Sivan (Cinematographer/Director, Before the Rains), Joshua Marston (Writer/Director, Maria Full of Grace), Jason Filardi (Writer, 17 Again), Patricia Riggen (Director, La Misma Luna), Mira Nair (Maisha Founder, Director of Monsoon Wedding) Vishal Bhardwaj (Director, Kaminey) and Drew Kunin (Sound Mixer, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).
MONTHLY FILM CHAT
Since 2006, Maisha and the Film Club of Kampala have been co- hosting free monthly screenings and related discussions on different aspects of filmmaking. Each program is held at Uganda's National Theater and presented by a local filmmaker (often Maisha alumni).
Past topics include: acting for film, sound, camera, lighting, editing, producing and distribution, and screenwriting.
3rd ANNUAL SCREENWRITING LABS, 4 COUNTRIES (funded by the Gotëborg International Film Festival)
Maisha partners with the 4 Regional East African Film festivals for an 8-day Screenwriting Lab in each of our target countries.
For each Lab, Maisha's International Reading Committee selects 9 participants based on their submitted screenplays (5-10 pages). 3 professional screenwriters volunteer their time to mentor the participants. At the end of each lab, the mentors award a production grant of $2,000 to the best screenplay. These funds are contingent on the Maisha's administrative team's approval of the winning filmmaker's shooting script, budget, and production plan.
Past mentors include: Jack Amiel (Writer, Helen & Me), Cajetan Boy (Maisha Alum and Writer/Director, Benta), and Tsitsi Dangarembga (Writer/Director, Everyone's Child).
Zanzibar International Film Festival
Dates of Lab: Early June 2010 (dates TBD) in Zanzibar Town
Due date of Application: Friday, March 26th, 2010
This will be a residential workshop; Maisha will cover the cost of the hotel and food for all participants. Participants must make their own way to Zanzibar.
Rwanda International Film Festival:
Dates of Lab: May 15th to 21st in Kigali, Rwanda.
Due date of Application: Friday, March 19th, 2010
This will be a non-residential workshop; Maisha will cover the cost of food for the participants. Participants will be expected to arrive at the workshop location by 8:00am and stay until early evening.
Kenya International Film Festival
Dates of Lab: Oct 16th to 23rd in Nairobi.
Due date of Application: Monday, August 2nd, 2010.
This will be a non-residential workshop; Maisha will cover the cost of food for the participants. Participants will be expected to arrive at the workshop location by 8:00am and stay until early evening.
Amakula Kampala International Film Festival
Dates of Lab: Early November 2010 (dates TBD) in Kampala.
Due date of Application: Monday, August 2nd, 2010.
This will be a residential workshop; Maisha will cover the cost of the hotel, and food for all participants. Participants must make their own way to Kampala.
2ND ANNUAL MAISHA DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING LAB - (Funded by the Luma Foundation)
Dates of Lab: Early October 2010 (Dates TBD)
Maisha presents this 10-day intensive workshop on the fundamentals of non-narrative filmmaking. 12 students are selected to participate. The first four days of the program focus on watching and analyzing documentary films and familiarizing the students with the equipment. The second half of the Lab is devoted to 3 groups of students shooting and editing their own short documentary projects.
APPRENTICESHIP WITH LOCAL FILMMAKERS (Since 2009)
Maisha offers production grants to local filmmakers who are making feature films. Recipients of this grant are required to take on Maisha alums as apprentices in the areas of development, production, or post production. The first director to receive this grant is Donald Mugisha, a Ugandan director working on his second feature film (his first, DIVISIONZ screened widely all over Africa and was featured in several European film festivals).
MAISHA FEATURE SCREENPLAY MENTORSHIP PROGRAM - (New Program, 2010)
Details to be confirmed by January 15th, 2010.
Available At National Theatre:
1. Maisha Office - Room F06 - 1st Fl.
2. Box Office
3. or email maishafilmlab@infocom.co.ug for softcopy
4 Regional Screenwriting Labs:
» Kenya Screenwriting Lab 2010 Application Form
» Rwanda Screenwriting Lab 2010 Application Form
» Uganda Screenwriting Lab 2010 Application Form
» Zanzibar Screenwriting Lab 2010 Application Form
Annual Maisha Filmmakers and Technical Lab:
» Maisha Filmmakers Lab 2010 Application Form
» Annual Technical 2010 Application Form
» Documentary Lab 2010 Application Form
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