Aimed at equipping young creatives looking to kickstart and build their career in film and TV production, the course is created as a capacity-building tool to address the information gap among these emerging media professionals. The course features 23 modules on relevant film & TV production areas in easy-to-understand video format. This virtual learning experience is further enhanced by practical insights and scenarios.

Why take Fundamentals of Production course with March 31 Media Academy?

Here are four (4) compelling reasons why taking this course is a worthy investment in career development, especially if you are looking to be build a successful career in film and TV production.

1) COMPETENT FACILITATOR

-> The course is facilitated by Hadizat Ibrahim, an accomplished and experienced media producer with over 20 years’ active industry experience. Responsible for successful productions such as The Real Housewives of Lagos, The Voice Nigeria S3, The Irabors Forever After and movies such as The Counsellor, All Mine, The Playbook. Hadizat’s creativity and expertise in storytelling and production has received numerous industry recognition and nominations such as Best Unscripted M-Net Original at the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA), Best Producer – African at the 2024 Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF) and Best Female Filmmaker – International at the 2023 TINFF.

2) PRACTICAL COURSE CONTENT

-> The course is perfect for young creatives who are looking to kickstart their career in film and TV production and is enriched with practical insights and scenarios. It’s a career-development course that fuels curiousity, features useful information about the stages and processes involved in production as well as provide insights into building a successful career in film and TV.

3) SELF-PACED VIRTUAL LEARNING

-> The course is a self-paced virtual learning experience, with 23 easy-to-understand modules on relevant film & TV production areas in engaging video format. The course explores topics such as phases of production and what happens in each phase, the creative minds responsible for the magic of content production, common production terminologies, useful tips for building a successful career and how to negotiate your worth as  a young creative.

4) ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

-> In addition to the practical knowledge obtainable from the course, the course is currently available for a limited-time discounted fee at https://march31media.selar.co/FundamentalsOfProduction

The course, FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION, which is now available on Selar, is also a pre-requisite for the paid internship programme at March 31 Media where young creatives are given practical, hands-on experience in the field of content production.

To access the course and obtain a certificate of completion, click here – https://march31media.selar.co/FundamentalsOfProduction

Over the past twenty years, Hadizat has excellently honed her career in the industry. From her early days at Radio Nigeria to her pivotal role in television as a producer at M-Net/Africa Magic, owning her own production company (M31M), and initiating life-changing courses, her journey has been inspirational. Hadizat’s journey in media started at Radio Nigeria in 2004 before she fully transitioned into television in 2014, joining MNet/Africa Magic, working on primetime entertainment shows and overseeing well-loved series like “Tinsel,” “Battleground,” and “Ajoche”. In 2020, she established her own media production company, March 31 Media (M31M), producing and contributing to notable projects such as “The Playbook”, “The Counselor”, and “The Real Housewives of Lagos”. Her expertise and passion for storytelling have been evident throughout her journey, earning her respect and admiration across the industry. In 2012, she was nominated as Radio Presenter of the Year by the Nigerian Media Merit Awards (NMMA). In 2017, she was recognized for her outstanding contribution to production, and in 2023, she was nominated in three different categories at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF), Best Producer – African 2024 (TINFF) and Best Unscripted M-Net Original (AMVCA) 2024.

At this significant milestone celebration, there was the launch of March 31 Media’s new course tagged FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION. Facilitated by Hadizat Ibrahim, the course aims to build on the legacy of Hadizat’s impact in the media and serve as a platform to empower young and aspiring media professionals. By equipping aspiring media professionals with the skills and mentorship they need to thrive, Hadizat continues to impact lives and shape the future of the industry globally.

Access the course here – https://march31media.selar.co/FundamentalsOfProduction

These gaps have prompted our next webinar tagged DEAR YOUNG CREATIVE: NEGOTIATING YOUR WORTH IN FILM & TV.

Targeted towards young creatives with less than 5 years of experience in the film and TV space but promising to be beneficial to all attendees, the webinar will cover:

• Useful negotiation skills
• 3 biggest factors that influence your pay
• How to improve your earning power
• Specific average costs for key roles in film & TV based on insights from reputable producers.

The facilitator is Hadizat Ibrahim, an experienced TV Producer with nearly 20 years industry experience. She has recruited hundreds of crew across her productions as well as worked on local and international formats. Some of her production credits include TINFF-nominated  movies (The Counsellor, The Playbook); docureality series (The Irabors Forever After, The Real Housewives of Lagos, The Voice Nigeria S3, Our Perfect Wedding S1) and several other TV content. She is the Founder/Executive Producer of March 31 Media, a blossoming media firm in Lagos-Nigeria passionate about capacity building for young creatives.

This FREE online session will hold on Saturday 27^th of July 2024 at 10am

CLICK HERE FOR MEETING LINK

Spread the word!

One of the key success markers of The Johnsons was that it could boast of relatable, well-rounded characters. It featured family members depicting everyday Nigerian family in Lagos with varied personalities – Father (Lucky), mother (Emu), children (Jennifer, Efe, Tari, Blessing), adopted child (Spiff). And the other extended family and friends – Pablo, Suzanne, Mr Goodluck, Abulu, Prince, Mohamed. Whether it’s Lucky wanting a career breakthrough, or Jennifer’s encounter with boys as she became a young adult, we saw these characters go through familiar challenges most humans go through. It also helped a great deal that some of these characters were brought to life by industry heavyweights who delivered on their role such as Charles Inojie, Ada Ameh, Chinedu Ikedieze, Samuel Afolabi, Seun Osigbesan, Kunle Bamtefa to mention a few

The stories were simple yet engaging.
The beginning sets up the issue, and you feel the tension rising in the middle with the various obstacles till it gets resolved/addressed at the end. The Johnsons drove narratives that most members of the family can identify with. The storytelling was also skillfully done with ample moments of laughter per story act.

Also, each character had a unique dialogue pattern. The father was learned and as such, more eloquent. Efe too. Emu was your typical African mother with limited education who would always want to “feel among”, not to be brushed aside. The dialogue also didn’t shy away from pidgin and other Nigerian languages, local nuances and street slangs.

Clean pictures, crisp audio with a decent production design.
For the locations featured in the series, you could see the constant improvements in the set, the bright colours of the house, the addition/upgrade of locations tied to story (e.g Jennifer moving to her own home after she got married).

The series also didn’t shy infusing indigenous elements in the production design. From the traditional outfits adorned by the matriarch (Emu) to the traditional wedding ceremony featured on the show, indigenous foods and other props, Oga Pablo’s local herbs shop…the list goes on.

With Rogers Ofime as the Executive Producer of the series, one didn’t expect anything less than stellar. Rogers had in the past contributed to the success of Tinsel (another Africa Magic content which has now become one of the longest running series in Africa). After that, he went on to produce several other engaging series such as Hotel Majestic, Hush and most recently Wura and Chronicles.

Supporting Rogers were also Eric Ossai and Preye Odibo in Supervising and Series Producer roles respectively. These two have enough production credits and previous experience that proved to be a game changer for running The Johnsons and making it the successful series that it is.

Running a series is not a cheap endeavor. It involves investing heavily in location and props, technical and post production gear, cast, crew and other elements needed for a successful production. Africa Magic’s consistent investment in The Johnsons meant that the team could focus on creating a content we all can be proud of. 

Africa Magic is no doubt one of the biggest investors in the film and TV ecosystem, whether it is through the commissioning pathway, co-production deals or acquisition models. The investment in The Johnsons ensured that the content was available for over a decade, with well over 2000 episodes to show for it. Now, that’s a feat worth celebrating.

The nominations are in for the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) and The Irabors Forever After is in good company. Nominated in the Best Unscripted M-Net Original category, The Irabors Forever After is March 31 Media’s first docu-reality series production. Produced and directed by Hadizat Ibrahim, the 5-episode series which features the lives of Betty and Soni Irabor aired on Africa Magic and is now available on leading streaming platform, Showmax.

The AMVCAs is an annual celebration of artistic excellence and creative brilliance in film and TV productions in Africa. The award, now in its tenth year, recognizes both on-screen and off-screen talents involved in the film and TV production process across various categories such as Best Actress/Actor, Best Writing, Best Cinematography, Best Editing etc.

To vote for The Irabors Forever After as Best Unscripted M-Net Original, here are the simple steps to follow:

1 – Visit www.africamagic.tv/amvca

2 – Click on the VOTE menu item and register/sign in

3 – Select THE IRABORS FOREVER AFTER as Best Unscripted M-Net Original

4 – Enter your number of votes and cast your vote by clicking VOTE.

Speaking on the nomination, the Producer/Director, Hadizat Ibrahim shares:

“I am super excited for this nomination, which is a validation of our commitment to excellence, one of our core values at March 31 Media. We are passionate about storytelling and driving narratives that interests our audiences. Special thanks to the amazing March 31 Media crew who worked tirelessly on this project giving their utmost best. I am also deeply grateful to Mr Soni and Mrs Betty Irabor for opening their worlds to us, allowing us capture their vulnerabilities and authentic stories in the most compelling way possible. The list of gratitude can not be complete without special mention of Africa Magic and the team there who consistently champion African stories using various content formats”. 

Winners of the AMVCAs are to be announced at an elaborate ceremony later in May, 2024.

AMVCA Voting closes on the 28^th of April at 10pm (WAT)

The romantic movie released on the 9^th of February 2024 features some very interesting characters brought to life by some of Nollywood’s brilliant acts.

Let’s dive in!

Meet Gbenro in #TheCounsellorShowmax

Fun-loving, kind of a mummy’s boy, overthinker.

He’s an accountant with a passion for art. Being raised by a single mom has taught him to be practical. While his logical views make him a great career man, they tend to make him a shitty lover as he approaches everything from the angle of practicality. Meeting Aisha exposes him to a whole new world of possibilities, and he begins to adjust his black and white views on what life and love should be like. But will Gbenro have the courage to follow his heart, for once…

The ever-dapper David Eyo is Gbenro.

From sweet and charming to intensely angry and outspoken, David delivered the range like the pro that he is.👌🏽👌🏽 But beyond his brilliant acting skills, ladies, get in here. Have you seen his charming smile? You need to watch #TheCounsellorShowmax for the full dose. You’re welcome!😘😘

Meet Aisha in #TheCounsellorShowmax.

Gorgeous. Exceptional Baker. Wears her heart on her sleeve.

She grew up surrounded by a lot of love. She tends to love recklessly and gets hurt as a result; however, she jumps right back in at the first sign of chemistry. Will her new found relationship stand, or will she be served premium breakfast?

The AMVCA awardwinning trailblazer Teniola Aladese embodied Aisha Danjuma so beautifully we felt her every emotion! Thank you so much, Teniola…for sharing the gift of your craft with us!!

Meet Dr Cynthia in #TheCounsellorShowmax.

Gentle but firm; soft spoken yet dogged.

Dr Cynthia Oladimeji is a marriage counsellor, unorthodox in her ways and with a deep passion to eradicate divorce from the world by stopping incompatible or ill-prepared people from getting married. But what really fuels her passion? Can science truly provide guidelines for matters of the heart such as love and marriage?

Watch the beautiful Eyiyemi Olivia Rogbinyin deliver on her role as Dr Cynthia; and for many reasons, we loved her in the role. She nicely embodied the mature psychologist in a convincing way in her titular character on The Counsellor.

Meet Andikan in #TheCounsellorShowmax.

A girl’s best friend, full of life and love, chief supporter.

Andikan believes in love and Cupid and magical encounters. When her best friend goes through painful heartbreaks, she is the one who provides the “ginger” to move on. She gives the best hugs and the heartiest giggles.

Every girl needs an Andikan.

And this character is heartwarmingly brought to life by the beautiful Uzoamaka Aniunoh Phenomenal actress, a solid professional, and have we mentioned beautiful…oh yes, she is! A natural hair sista!🥰

Meet Mrs Solanke in #TheCounsellorShowmax

Sweet Mother. Skeptical Mother-in-Law.

How can a sweet mother who loves her son so dearly be so fiercely against him when he finds love? But there is a condition. Will her son meet this? What does she really have against love? Or is it against his fiancée? What is the backstory?

The beautiful MoyinOluwa Olutayo is Mrs Solanke and she was incredibly stellar in her delivery and gave us the typical African mother vibes.

The Counsellor is now streaming, exclusively on Showmax!

Watch, and tell us who your favourite character is.

Commissioned by Showmax and produced by March 31 Media, The Counsellor is a romantic movie that tells the love story of Gbenro Solanke and Aisha Danjuma.

Gbenro and Aisha have been unlucky with love all their lives, but once they meet each other, they know they’ve found true love. Theirs is a whirlwind romance. Barely 2 months after they meet, they move in together and when Gbenro pops the question a month later, Aisha says ‘yes!’. Gbenro’s mum is unsure about this union. As a single mum, she is skeptical about the durability of this sudden romance. In order to put his mother’s fears to rest, Gbenro and Aisha agree to attend a marriage counselling session by a counsellor that she swears by. According to her, “If Dr Cynthia Oladimeji says you are perfect for each other, then you have my blessing”. Gbenro is determined to prove that Aisha is perfect for him but the couple soon finds out that love is only one of 10 steps when it comes to marriage.

Written by Pearl Agwu, directed by Muyiwa Aluko and starring David Eyo, Teniola Aladese, Eyiyemi Olivia Rogbinyin, Uzoamaka Anuinoh, MoyinOluwa Olutayo and several other brilliant acts, THE COUNSELLOR is the first March 31 Media movie available on streaming platform, Showmax.

Speaking on the making of the film, the Producer, Hadizat Ibrahim shares:

“It’s been an amazing journey making this particular movie and I am very excited to share this love story with our audiences. The movie will not only leave our viewers in their feelings but I hope it also inspires conversations around what sustains a marriage. Is love truly enough as a strong foundation for a happy marriage? Incredibly grateful to the cast and crew who worked tirelessly to bring this story to life. I’m also particularly grateful to Showmax and the larger Multichoice team who continually champion stories of various genres and amplify impactful narratives through their funding”.

The Counsellor is now screening exclusively on Showmax.

Statistics tell us that the film and audiovisual industry in Nigeria generates substantial
employment, billions in revenue, and contributes significantly to the GDP, which is a
measure of a country’s economic output.

Africa Magic is one of the key contributors to the film and TV landscape in Nigeria, with over
thousands of hours of content produced and acquired. The platform’s continued direct and
indirect investment in filmmaking is impressive, benefiting numerous production companies
including March 31 Media.

Starting out as a single channel in 2003, Africa Magic has grown to seven channels, giving an opportunity for filmmakers to show off their artistic expressions and celebrate the diversity of Nigerian languages
through commissioning and acquiring content with broadcast languages in Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Pidgin etc.

How does Africa Magic’s investment in film and TV production impact the economy?

1 – Revenue Generation/Job Opportunities For Creatives On-Screen And Behind The Camera.
The Nigerian film and audiovisual industry has grown significantly over the years,
contributing to job opportunities and economic development. According to data from the
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Nollywood industry, of which Africa Magic plays a
significant role, was estimated to have contributed about 2.3% to Nigeria’s GDP in 2016,
which is over 200 billion Naira. Nollywood is one of the largest film industries in the world in
terms of the number of films produced, and it provides employment to a large number of
actors, directors, producers, and supporting staff. Africa Magic continues to give industry
creatives the funding and platform required to thrive.

2 – Social Impact and Cultural Representation.
With Africa Magic commissioning content such as Ajoche (its first fully epic 260-episode
series) and Itura (an epic drama series), there is more cultural representation on our screens.
The inclusion of various Nigerian languages and cultures in Africa Magic’s content, and
dedicated channels to some of Nigeria’s most popular ones: Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa, not
only enriches the viewing experience but also preserves and promotes Nigeria’s diverse
cultural heritage.
According to a report by the Nigerian Film Corporation, the use of local languages in
Nollywood films has contributed to the preservation of Nigerian languages and cultural
traditions, making it a powerful tool for cultural expression.

3 – Industry Growth and Training Ground:
Africa Magic’s commitment to industry growth is evident through its capacity-building
initiatives. For example, the Multichoice Talent Factory, launched in 2018, has provided
training and mentorship to emerging filmmakers as well as relevant masterclasses. Africa
Magic has shown serious commitment to industry growth, and not just paid lip service to it.
Also, Africa Magic is very particular about quality control of content and this has continued
to raise the standards in our filmmaking process and workflows.
The impact of such programs is seen in the growth of Nollywood. The Nigerian film industry
produced over 2,500 films in 2019, generating revenue of about 15 billion Naira. It’s
noteworthy that many successful actors and filmmakers, including those associated with
March 31 Media, have emerged from Africa Magic’s platforms.

4 – Global Recognition and Economic Impact.
Africa Magic and Showmax’s efforts to project Nigerian content to global markets, have
contributed to the industry’s international recognition. Nollywood, as a whole, has gained
global prominence.

The international appeal of Nollywood also has the potential attract foreign investments and
boost tourism. Tourists and film enthusiasts often visit Nigeria to explore the locations and
culture depicted in Nollywood movies, providing a positive impact on the tourism industry.
These points above highlight some of the significant economic, cultural, and global impact
of Africa Magic’s investments in the Nigerian film and TV industry, benefiting not only the
industry but the nation as a whole.

We at March 31 Media are incredibly proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this giant
platform, Africa Magic.

We wish them many more years of entertaining and inspiring African content and stories.
May the switch never go off.

FILM LAB AFRICA is an exciting accelerator program designed explicitly for emerging filmmakers and TV producers in Nigeria. This program aims to empower and elevate your skills in the world of storytelling through film. It offers a comprehensive package of support that includes capacity building, coaching/mentoring, access to valuable resources, and opportunities to showcase your work.

Here’s what you need to know about the FILM LAB AFRICA accelerator:

– Focus Areas: FILM LAB AFRICA concentrates on several key aspects of filmmaking, including mobile phone cinematography, short film production, understanding the business of film and TV, script consultations, and opportunities to showcase your creations.

To be eligible for this accelerator, participants should meet the following criteria:

– Age: You must be between 18 and 35 years old.

– Experience: Have at least one film credit to your name.

– Location: Be based in Nigeria.

– Completed SoCreative E-Learning: You should have successfully completed the British Council’s SoCreative E-Learning program.

This opportunity is a fast track to reframing your future in the world of filmmaking. Don’t miss out on this chance to accelerate your career and take your storytelling skills to the next level. Apply now for FILM LAB AFRICA by following this Link

Conclusion:

As a Nigerian filmmaker, you have immense talent and creativity to offer the world. While funding may sometimes feel like a hurdle, these opportunities demonstrate that support is available. Whether you’re a budding filmmaker or an experienced one, these grants and competitions can make a significant difference in your journey.

Remember to check the respective organizations, Good luck.

At March 31 Media, we recently had a brainstorming session which has led to the birth of a new series; a monthly webinar that would delve into important, often dismissed yet varying issues in entertainment, health and lifestyle.

It gives us great pleasure to announce that the first episode in this series would focus on How To Prioritize Your Health As A Media Professional. We believe that a healthy body and mind forms the bedrock for success in any career. 

At this maiden edition of our webinar series scheduled for Sunday November 27 at 4PM, we will be delving into practical stress management tips, identify health gaps on production sets that we need to look into as well as identify how to maintain positive mental health.

Our guests are Dr Kayode Solomon and Dr Chinaza Eziaghighala.

The webinar, which will be hosted by the Executive Producer/Lead Consultant at March 31 Media, will take place on Sunday, 27 November at 4pm – live on Zoom, Instagram and Facebook. Click here to access the webinar link. 

Our health and media experts can’t wait to share all the helpful tips you need to keep your health in tip-top shape while also thriving in your media career. 

See you there!