ScreenCraft Pathway Empowers Emerging Creatives Through Netflix Collaboration And Paid Training

Netflix has announced a new initiative. Source: Netflix.

Rising stars

The programme which was shared during a panel discussion around training at the screening event of Netflix’s upcoming series Marked in Johannesburg, will be administered & implemented by Tshikululu Social Investments with applications opening in August.

The ScreenCraft Pathway programme is designed to offer emerging creative professionals in South Africa a paid, immersive and hands-on experience through a variety of Netflix production partners. Thirty rising stars will be selected to gain this valuable experience in key below-the-line (BTL) roles across development, pre-production, production, and post-production.

This new programme builds on lessons from Netflix’s 2024 on-the-job (OTJ) training pilot initiative which supported 13 candidates from the Netflix Creative Equity Scholarship Fund (CESF). The pilot project highlighted the value of economically empowering career pathways, directly aligning with South Africa’s national goals of job creation, youth employment, and skills development.

By providing traineeships with vetted local studios, vendors, and production companies, Netflix and its partners are expanding learning opportunities to a broader cohort of emerging creatives.

Shola Sanni, Netflix director of public policy in Sub-Saharan Africa, stated: “We’re excited to introduce the ScreenCraft Pathway programme to show how intentional we are about investing in local storytellers and creatives. This initiative is not only a win for our members, but also for us at Netflix because this will help grow the talent pipeline so we can continue to entertain the world and bring more of the amazing local stories our members love.

"We’re especially grateful for our programme partners, the Gauteng Film Commission and the KZN Film & Tourism Authority and the amazing production companies we work with who’ve come on board to lend their expertise to train emerging creatives and boost their careers with income-earning skills.”

Enabling growth

Keitumetse Lebaka, CEO, Gauteng Film Commission (GFC), said: “At the Gauteng Film Commission, we are committed to enabling the growth of the film and television industry through targeted development and diverse funding across the value chain. By fostering partnerships and creating inclusive opportunities through the ScreenCraft Pathway programme, we will be empowering young professionals to thrive in the competitive creative economy.

"Our partnership with Netflix is one that we are honoured to be in, as it contributes to cultural preservation, social cohesion, and long-term economic resilience for the province and beyond.”

Interim CEO of the KZN Tourism and Film Authority, Sibusiso Gumbi noted this programme stating that “Part of KwaZulu Natal Tourism and Film mandate and central to province's film industry transformation agenda is upskilling of young people and ensure they gain much needed experience through internship programmes in big production to ready them to be phased into the mainstream film ecosystem.

“Through this, KZN Tourism and Film is also responding directly to South Africa and KwaZulu Natal high unemployment rate affecting the youth. This programme therefore is the perfect fit to our objectives, and this partnership will add much needed value.”

Trainees for this programme will be selected from various sources including a public open application as well as nominations from the KZN Tourism and Film Authority and the Gauteng Film Commission.