Actress, Florence Masebe feels that there should be more education offered about the technical jobs available in the TV and film industry.
In a series of tweets, Florence raised a few worrying questions about what high school students are taught when taken to career expos involving the creative sector.
When taking schoolkids for tours at TV studios what do they get shown? Studios and famous faces? Do they learn anything about tech jobs?
— Mme a Masakona (@FloMasebe) July 19, 2016
Her followers explained that most of the time, students are merely shown how sets are built and are then briefly introduced to the actors of that particular production.
The response did not sit well with the actress, who feels that students who have an interest in pursuing a career in the film industry should be taught more about the ins and outs of the job instead of just aspiring to be in the limelight.
Are we teaching kids that the only big jobs in the arts are the limelight ones? How will they get into the broader spectrum of the industry?
— Mme a Masakona (@FloMasebe) July 19, 2016
We must share more info with young people about careers in the arts. Watching TV, do you wonder what all those names at the end are for?
— Mme a Masakona (@FloMasebe) July 19, 2016
Florence further explained that students can look into careers in lighting, sound, wardrobe and scriptwriting.
READ: Pasop! Don't slide into Florence Masebe's DM's
In an interview with ZAlebs, Rhythm City actress, Nolo Phiri, agreed with Florence Masebe's sentiments and emphasized that students should also be taught that the film and TV sector is a business like any other industry.
“I always think that for anyone who wants to be in the industry they have to give themselves the opportunity to study or be around people who have been doing it for a very long time. Not just a day of going on set to see what it looks like.
It's important to understand the craft academically and to understand how the craft is put together. Becuase if you don't learn what the industry entails, the different parts of it which include the writing, the production etc, you will be limited.
I agree with Florence, I do think that there is not a lot of information that is parted with. People need to also realise that the entertainment industry is a business." Nolo Phiri said.