Netflix, in collaboration with the Gauteng Film Commission and the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, has revealed 14 young South Africans for its first edition of the ScreenCraft Pathways training programme.
By Adedamola Jones Adedayo
Netflix, in collaboration with the Gauteng Film Commission and the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, has revealed 14 young South Africans for its first edition of the ScreenCraft Pathways training programme. The participants will spend the next year working in South Africa’s film and television production and post-production companies. The steaming giant has also announced that the programme will begin its second cohort in 2027.
The announcement came at a Youth Month event spearheaded by Netflix and its South African partners that assembled filmmakers, industry stakeholders, policymakers and government officials, geared towards negotiating audiovisual investment and national socioeconomic goals in tandem with the 2026 Youth Month theme “Year of Putting Young South Africans to Work.”
The 14 beneficiaries of the inaugural ScreenCraft Pathways Programme are Thobeka Nkosi, Lebohang Tsotetsi, Paballo Segalagala, Noluthando Tshazibane, Reotshepile Mohutsiwa, Tiny Mapodile, Ikageng Madia, Nontobeko Mbhele, Keletso Lesetla, Tyler-Vorne Arendse, Sipho Nuse, Bryoni Baxter, Didintle Ledwaba and Chloe Beukes.
Each trainee will be well remunerated during a 12-month placement in a below-the-line role of their choosing (covering pre-production, production and post-production) available within Netflix’s network of local production partners that includes Burnt Onion, Quizzical Pictures, The Refinery, Midnight VFX, Rechord Post, Mushroom Media and Gambit Films. Participants will receive high-level professional mentorship, granting them on-set, in-suite experience along with entry to specialised workshops led by Netflix, with emphasis on skills development, technical production, career advancement and networking access.
Pelin Mavili, Netflix Director of Global Affairs for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, described South Africa’s creative economy as a fertile ground for talent, initiative and opportunities.
“ScreenCraft Pathways is our commitment to ensuring that talent has a structured, professional pathway into the industry, not just for the benefit of these 14 individuals, but for the long-term competitiveness of South Africa’s production sector”, Mavili said. “When young South Africans are working on world-class productions, everyone wins—from the industry to the economy and the audiences who get to see their stories told”.
Keitumetse Lebaka, CEO of the Gauteng Film Commission, emphasised the Commission’s commitment to ScreenCraft Pathways as part of a long-term strategy to shape the future of South Africa’s film and television industry: “By giving young creatives access to real productions, experienced mentors and practical workplace experience, we are helping to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity. The Gauteng Film Commission is proud to partner on an initiative that not only equips young people with critical industry skills, but also strengthens the talent pipeline needed to grow a competitive and sustainable screen sector.”
Sibusiso Gumbi, Acting CEO of the KZN Tourism and Film Authority, reiterated the importance of human and creative development: “South Africa’s film industry cannot grow sustainably unless we deliberately invest in the people who will power its future. ScreenCraft Pathways is a practical response to one of the sector’s greatest challenges—creating credible pathways from learning into employment. By placing young creatives inside leading production and post-production companies, this programme provides the experience, mentorship and professional networks that are often the difference between talent being discovered and talent being lost.”
“Our partnership with Netflix and the Gauteng Film Commission demonstrates what can be achieved when industry and public institutions work together to develop the next generation of film professionals”, Gumbi added. “Beyond supporting individual careers, initiatives such as this strengthen the broader screen sector, enhance South Africa’s competitiveness as a production destination, and contribute to job creation in one of the country’s most promising creative industries.”
Conversations at the Youth Month event, where the cohorts were unveiled, bordered on the deployment of regulatory frameworks and specialised initiatives in triggering skill development, career mobility and the country’s global competitiveness as a production haven.
According to Lebogang Maile, Gauteng MEC for Education, Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, who also graced the event: “The creative industries have enormous potential to create jobs, stimulate economic growth and unlock opportunities for young people. Programmes such as ScreenCraft Pathways demonstrate what is possible when government and industry work together with a shared purpose. By opening doors to meaningful workplace experience and skills development, we are empowering the next generation of storytellers and contributing to a more inclusive and dynamic creative economy”.
More information on the next round of ScreenCraft Pathways will be announced in due course.