Digital Film School Africa: A film school for anyone, anywhere

Efo Korku Mawutor is a journalist in Ghana, eager to learn how to tell his stories in films with moving images instead of just words. While looking for hands-on training in audiovisual storytelling, he came across Digital Film School Africa (DFS Africa). The objective of DFS Africa is to make filmmaking education more accessible. The few film schools located on the African continent are usually found in big cities, and their programmes are often prohibitively expensive. DFS Africa aims to address these challenges by offering a comprehensive course programme for young filmmakers across Africa, delivered digitally on the online learning platform atingi.  

Efo’s course began in January 2023, and Efo entered YMCA Ghana full of anticipation to begin his training together with 59 other students. Everyone was nervous and excited at the same time to start one of the three training paths offered in documentary film, screenwriting and creative production.  

Efo’s decision to enrol was also driven by the good mix of practical training and flexible, self-paced learning opportunities: some sessions took place in presence, supplemented by digital courses in the online learning platform atingi. The young filmmakers were able to conduct their online courses regardless of time and place and thus continue to make a living on the side. Over the span of six months, the students gained fundamental knowledge in filmmaking and produced their own short films. Efo decided to showcase the life of a woman who is working as an Uber driver in Accra. For Efo, the programme has been a great success: Shortly before the end of the six months, he found a job as a multimedia producer at a consulting firm specializing in documentaries for international media companies. Now he earns his living with what he is really passionate about.