Excellent scripting, acting and film techniques are all important in crafting a memorable film or TV show, but music – an often overlooked skill in film production – plays just as critical a role.
Nobody knows this better than Jerome Claasen. The 26-year-old Windhoek, Namibia, resident loves music. He holds a Certificate in Sound Production from the College of Arts of Namibia, and wants nothing more than to pursue a career as a sound engineer for a major film company.
That being said, Jerome believes he could use his talent to help bring a new range of stories to the African film landscape – stories that have not been told before.
“If I could make any piece for film or TV, it would be a documentary about the lives of the people of Katutura, which means ‘the place where people do not want to live’. I feel someone needs to tell their stories,” he says.
One of the things Jerome loves most about Africa is the diverse cultures. By joining the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Academy, he’s hoping to augment his skills and learn more about film so he can positively contribute to Namibia’s film industry and its quest to tell the stories of the country’s people.
His favourite African film star is South African actor and filmmaker, Rapulana Seiphemo, who is best known for his role as Tau Mogale in the long-running soap opera Generations and its continuation, Generations: The Legacy.
Over the years Jerome has also been inspired by another South African-based outfit, Ferguson Films, specifically for the opportunities the film production company affords young, upcoming artists and filmmakers.
“Such opportunities are vital. The creative industries in Africa are headed in the right direction. We’re at a place now where we provide our own entertainment, so that bears testament to that. But we need more support to grow these industries,” he says. “That means more opportunities for up-and-coming artists across the film sector, more financial grants being made available and greater access to free resources.”