The vibrant cultures, rich history, abundant natural resources and Ubuntu spirit are just some of the things that Jose Amutenya loves most about Africa. That, and the music. The 26-year-old freelancer from Windhoek, Namibia, is crazy about music and wants to pursue a career in audio engineering.
“I’m so excited about getting into the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) Academy because I really want to learn about professional audio production and its role in film and TV production. If I could create my own TV show, it would definitely be a music-related show, like Massive Music on Channel O, Vinny’s House or even a live music show,” says Jose, who also holds a Diploma in Television Production from the College of the Arts of Namibia.
Jose believes he can bring his love of music and film together by ultimately specialising in professional audio production for film and documentaries as well as producing music TV shows and music videos.
To this end, he considers David Benade as one of his role models. “I look up to him as he has taught me so much about sound for film and live sound. I admire his work ethic as well as his desire to keep learning,” Jose says, adding that Israel Zulu and Rapulana Seiphemo are his favourite African actors.
He is inspired by the creative work coming out of Namibia, but feels more can be done to support the industry, particularly when it comes to providing emerging filmmakers with the means to tell the stories they want to tell.
“Film is headed to a really good place,” Jose says. “There is no limit to what we can achieve. For instance, I was truly inspired after seeing the production standard on Collective Productions’ film Land of the Brave. I think the biggest challenge in Africa’s creative film and TV industry is the lack of professional skills, funding to produce the films, and the platforms to showcase the films. In the future, I would love to help where I can by availing my knowledge and skills to assist the writers and directors who want to tell Africa’s stories.”