Help Liam fund his Masters Degree in Film

Hello,

 

My name is Liam, and I’m raising funding for my Masters tuition fees. I’m also directing any excess funds raised to a great cause (see below).

 

I have been accepted to an incredibly prestigious degree at one of the world’s best film schools - the National Film and Television School of the UK (NFTS).

 

The degree is called the MA in Creative Entrepreneurship for Entrepreneurs and Executives. It trains people in the business side of the creative industries (such as film, TV, theatre, streaming etc.)

 

I will be learning from serious entrepreneurs in the UK media industry, as well training alongside some of the best and brightest young directors, producers and filmmakers.

 

I want to use this degree to forge a career that brings UK and global investment into the South African creative industries, and vice versa, improving creative business between South Africa and the rest of the world.

 

Watch my video above to find out more!

 

About me

I grew up in South Africa and was raised by British parents. I have a deep love of both nations, and have always wanted to forge a career as an entrepreneur whose endeavours benefit both countries. My other passion - film and cinema - ultimately led to me studying Film and Television at the University of Cape Town. There I learned to write film and television scripts, and in my final year produced a feature-length film script as a thesis which earned me an ‘A’ grade.

 

After university, I started an animated video production company in Cape Town with my brother, Callum, called ScreenPoint Digital . For the past few years, we’ve been making animation and video content for some amazing companies and organisations. Our goal is to grow into a post-production (animation, special effects, editing) house which services the UK, Europe and the rest of the world from right here in South Africa. We have a wealth of talented creative professionals just waiting to produce globally-relevant content from African shores.

 

During this time, I was also funded by South Africa's National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) to turn an idea for a sci-fi-drama short film into a production-ready script. 'Connected' has now been written and developed, and is poised to go into production.

 

In 2021, I started working for one of South Africa’s leading film production companies - Spier Films - and have been learning the fundamentals of film financing and the business of making films. That’s why the course I have been accepted to is perfect for me.

 

 

The Course and why I need your help

 

The course is a two-year Masters Degree that will equip me with all the fundamentals I need in understanding the business models of numerous creative disciples (film, TV, gaming, theatre, publishing, streaming and more), as well as other key business and entrepreneurship fundamentals such as marketing, digital distribution, raising finance, legal agreements and much more.

 

It's taught by major players from the UK creative industries, and the school itself is one of the best  in the world.

 

Sir Richard Branson himself said of this course: "This course gives young entrepreneurs in the creative industries the compass to navigate their way across those domains, with practical knowledge and practical guidance."

 

So why do I need your help?

 

Well, it's expensive (particularly in South African terms!), and well beyond my personal financial means. The course costs £11,300 per year for two years.

 

On top of that, there are all the costs associated with living in London , spread across 24 months. It's a huge figure. But the good news is I don't need your help with all of it. Through a combination of family, loans, bursaries and scholarships, as well as hopefully working alongside my degree, I should be able to take care of the living-costs portion. What I am humbly asking you guys for is help with the tuition - £22,600.

If we could hit that target, that would be amazing. However, for now, the priority is getting Year 1's fees sorted and payed for - £11,300. That way, I can start the course and we can figure out a solution for Year 2's fees later.

 

Why fund me?

 

You may not realise it, but a lot of films you have seen were actually shot in South Africa, such as 'Avengers: Age of Ultron', 'Tomb Raider', and 'The Crown: Season 2'. We have some of the world's most beautiful locations and some of the world's most talented and capable film and TV crews as well as post-production professionals.

 

However, we rarely have any ownership or IP involved in film and TV projects which are shot on South African shores. That means that tangible, long-term profits rarely go to South African producers, which hinders our ability to grow our industry.

 

And we have to grow it.

 

That's because, as of 2021, South Africa is suffering one of the world's worst unemployment rates at 34.4% . I am a firm believer that responsible business, innovation and employment opportunities are how we will raise humanity and improve our global community.

 

That is why I am passionate about growing the South Africa creative industries utilising British, European and global investment.

 

I want to use this degree to set up and grow creative business in South Africa and the UK which help to improve the industries in both countries and provide employment opportunities for South Africans and those from other countries across Africa.

 

Excess funds will go to a great cause!

 

To demonstrate my commitment to growing the South African film industry and reversing the rising tide of unemployment in SA, I will commit any funds raised over the £22,600 toward 'The Young Filmmakers Programme ', which encourages at-risk youth in Cape Town away from potentially harmful pathways and instead toward the local film industry as a means of developing their skills and competencies and providing them with opportunities to grow into South Africa's next generation of visual storytellers.

 

Thank you!

 

Thank you for reading this, for watching my video, and a huge thank you to anyone considering donating!