Video-sharing social media platform TikTok recently announced that it would be launching a project to help upskill black South African content creators. The movement has been duly named the “Rising Voices” project.
Rising Voices has been launched as an incubator-based initiative that will focus on supporting local black creators by teaching them digital skills and content creation techniques. Qualifying candidates will also stand a chance to receive a grant to help them further their careers as content creators. The project is expected to run for 6 weeks.
The Rising Voices project has been endorsed by South Africa’s National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and popular DJ and digital creator, Mihlali Ndamase, will also be an active participant.
Africa’s TikTok Content Operations Manager, Boniswa Sidwaba is confident that the country is brimming with creative talent and that this project will help to amplify the voices of communities who have thus far not been heard.
“Through this initiative, we will empower these creators to thrive on TikTok and beyond, as we aim to provide them with career-building resources and programs,” says Sidwaba.
The initiative comes at a good time for South Africa, where job opportunities are scarce. All a digital creator needs to get started is a smartphone and access to an internet connection.
The National Film and Video Foundation has openly shared its excitement about the project and looks forward to the opportunities that it will create for the country’s film and video industry.
NFVF spokesperson says: “Projects like this one provide black content creators with vast opportunities to further develop their digital skills while learning from some of the industry’s leading content experts. We look forward to seeing the incredible content and content creators that will emerge from this programme, and we are confident it will add tremendous value to the film and video industry in South Africa.”
The initiators behind Rising Voices have promised to train, educate, and support up to one hundred black creators. They will be taught how to manage the platform and compile high-quality content. To add, qualified candidates will also be provided with access to career-building resources and digital skills advice from prominent industry experts.
The qualifying criteria are as follows:
- Candidates must be black creators
- Creators must be South African citizens
- Candidates needs to be over the age of 18
- Candidates must hold a TikTok account with approximately 10 000 followers and have posted a minimum of 12 videos in the last two months
Applications for the Rising Voices project are open until 9 April 2021.
Finalists will be put through an intensive course where they will learn how master to TikTok and create content that will help with personal branding which, in turn, can monetise their account.
At the end of the “bootcamp”, 20 of the creators will be selected to receive a grant. The catch, however, is that the creators will need to use this grant to create a series of paid content.