Aspiring Nigerian film entrepreneurs, especially in the Niger Delta region of the country now have the golden opportunity of honing their talent, with the grand opening of WIMPRO International Film Academy, situated in Port Harcourt, River State.
Unveiled by the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Dr. Hannatu Musawa, in the presence of Nollywood stakeholders and guild heads, the academy founded by serial investor, Elder Wisdom Isaac with multiple-award-winning filmmaker Obi Emelonye as its pioneer rector is designed to provide affordable hands-on training to boost the manpower needs of the industry in areas such as script writing, directing, content creation, AI filmmaking, cinematography, lighting, and film editing amongst others.
Identifying the initiative as an investment in the future of African cinema, Minister Musawa pledged the support of her Ministry in such projects that would spawn job creation and expand the frontiers of Nigeria’s creative economy in line with Federal Government’s goals.
According to her, “the official launch of WIMPRO International Film Academy, is an important investment in the future of Nigerian and African cinema. The Academy is creating a platform where aspiring filmmakers can gain practical, industry relevant skills and prepare for careers in an increasingly competitive global film industry.
“I commend the founder, Mr. Wisdom Isaac, the founding Rector, Dr. Obi Emelonye, and all the partners who have brought this vision to life. WIMPRO is a strong example of what is possible when government and the private sector come together to invest in people, skills, and the future of our creative economy.”
Expressing his resolve to make the academy unique, the founder, Wisdom Isaac said, “my vision for WIMPRO International Film Academy was not just to be another film school in Nigeria. I envisioned it to be the very best. To achieve that, we needed the best of facilities, state-of-the-art equipment and world class teaching team drawn from international practitioners and the best of Nollywood. So, WIMPRO International Film Academy is taking off from our campus in GRA environs of Port Harcourt, equipped with air-conditioned classrooms that can take in excess of 500 students, a fully equipped sound stage, a screening theatre, an actors’ studio and a 25-unit editing suite with the most up-to-date hardware and software.
Additionally, we have a 200-capacity hostel facility for students coming from outside of Port Harcourt. When it comes to our teaching staff, that is where we have endeavoured to distinguish ourselves from other film school offerings in Nigeria. From choosing the Rector of the academy, Dr. Obi Emelonye, our distinguished UK filmmaker and scholar of Nigerian extraction, I have been intentional in my strategy to offer our students the very best available globally. Our teachers and facilitators are drawn from global practitioners from the UK, America and South Africa. And finally, our curriculum has been designed in conjunction with Goldsmiths, University of London, a UK institution of excellence which will ultimately accredit our certificates.”
In order to drive this vision, the academy also enlisted the talent of filmmaker, Toka McBaror as Registrar, Prof Osi Okagbue as Dean of Studies, Mrs. Eberechi Isaac as Dean of Students Affairs and David Nicholas Adora as Provost.