Since the beginning of 2011, we have offered the life skills curriculum at the Cape Town branch of the BIG FISH ACADEMY OF FILMMAKING. A few weeks ago, a report was published on Big Fish and our work in the German-South African magazine FEEL SA.
A story of life design
At the end there was just silence in the classroom. Buhle wiped sweat off his forehead and feeling slightly nervous, he took his picture away from the flipchart stand. Then everyone started clapping and cheering!
He had inspired them all with his introduction. He had drawn up and spoken about – just as all the others – his vision of his future work and life, and the path he had taken until here. This path had not only been easy, on the contrary. Due to financial difficulties, formal training was absolutely out of reach for Buhle back in the Eastern Cape.
Buhle is one of the students at the multi-award-winning BIG FISH School of Digital Film making. The school implements cutting edge training interventions to produce socially responsible, progressive filmmakers keen to transform society and contribute to developing the indigenous filmmaking culture. Having proven successful in Johannesburg since 2003, the School launched its Cape Town branch in 2011. Dr. Melanie Chait, Big Fish CEO, “the expansion to Cape Town was the obvious next step, considering all the Western Cape aspirant filmmakers coming to Johannesburg to be trained by us and hopefully we will be able to have a greater impact by being here.“
The cornerstone of the BIG FISH philosophy is a unique and holistic approach to training. Students are prepared for the workplace by addressing technical, business and life skills. In order to achieve this at the Cape Town School, BIG FISH works with CONTRACT SA, a consultancy for organisational and human resource development. This felt like a good match – a film school and a consultancy that are both operating and recognised locally and internationally.
Buhle has already taken many steps and is in the middle of ‘designing his life’. He is enjoying all aspects of BIG FISH, growing as a person as well as a film maker. “BIG FISH and CONTRACT SA gave me so many impulses for my life, communication skills and personality development. I am now feeling prepared not only to create exceptional films, but I see my future roles, as leader in my own life and leader of others.”
Luana Vaveki, one of the women who facilitate the life skills workshops at BIG FISH, has already found her dream role. Only three years ago, she was in a similar situation as Buhle – she plucked up all her courage and asked the facilitator Judith Haupt from CONTRACT SA if she could do an internship to find out more about the job of a facilitator and coach. Today she is facilitating workshops for CONTRACT SA at BIG FISH!!! A wonderful example of life design, and when she speaks to the students, she speaks from the heart and more importantly, from her own experience.
Karen Pratt, facilitator of CONTRACT SA: “For us, the work with BIG FISH is an exciting challenge. Our main clients are companies – for example in the automotive and financial sector – as well as NGOs. Our usual focus is developing leadership competence within organisations and providing support in other organisational development. But we noticed that our specific approach is just as effective when facilitating life skills. No matter where we work – we work with people and their personalities, and aim to increase their effectiveness and virtue. At BIG FISH, it is inspiring to see the students becoming more aware of their potential and growing in self awareness and in interpersonal skills, both regarding their personal lives and their work at the film school.“
In Buhle’s words, he is “on his way to the top!” His vision as an upcoming Filmmaker is to go back home to the Eastern Cape and start documenting the interesting untold rich stories of his province. With the skills he receives through Big Fish, he is confident to explore his vision and to help others who are creative but cannot have formal training.
With a school as wonderfully progressive as BIG FISH, this should be a piece of cake! With its track record of achieving an impressive 85% employment rate for former students, while the remaining 15% work on their own productions, Buhle can look forward to a promising future.
Our Entry level students totally enjoy CONTRACT SA‘s workshops, Karen and Luana make it fun and interesting. I often pop into their class to chat and to discuss what they are covering for the day and I find their lessons interesting, so interesting that I am planning to do further courses with Karen on the topics to help me in my position at Big Fish.
Project Manager BIG FISH, Lisa Mini