Storytelling is no longer a pipe dream for graduates
Florence Mashadi Rapeu, a wife and mother of two girls, found herself feeling unfulfilled when her dream of writing for True Love magazine did not materialise soon after graduating from university.
Having studied Journalism at the Tshwane University of Technology, Florence needed to find a stable job that would help her pay the bills. As the first person in her family to graduate, the need to prove herself and help support her family soon outweighed her passion for writing.
Feeling ever disconnected, Florence picked up a pen one night when her family was tucked in bed, and she began to write. A born storyteller, Florence started to look for ways she could express her creativity outside of her job and it led her to discovering a passion for scriptwriting.
Florence was so invigorated by her writing that she would go to work from 8am to 5pm where she would write about the latest trends in technology such as AI, robotics and blockchain, and then go home, prepare dinner for her family and once everyone was in bed, she would start writing until the early hours of the morning.
The sense of unfulfillment and loss disappeared with every story idea she birthed.
Every word she put down and every character that kept her company during the long nights gave her a positive outlook on life. She started telling everyone that she finally found what it is she wanted to do with her life – she wanted to be a scriptwriter. And the more she talked about it, the more script writing opportunities showed up in life.
Soon a colleague sent Florence a link to the MultiChoice Talent Factory scriptwriting programme. She read all the requirements and quickly worked on her application as she did not want to let the opportunity go to waste. She knew that if she got accepted into the programme, her life would never be the same again.
The MultiChoice Talent Factory Scriptwriting Incubator
A first of its kind programme in the country, the MultiChoice Talent Factory South Africa (MTFza) Scriptwriting Incubator is a SETA-accredited learnership that includes structured learning with the Wits University Film and Television Department and practical workplace experience over the course of 12 months, blending virtual and physical sessions.
“Before I joined the MultiChoice Talent Factory, I was writing alone in my small corner at home, and I thought this is how magic happened. However, I learned that collaboration was the backbone of the industry.
“I used to think I had to keep my best ideas to myself but quickly learned that by sharing ideas, someone was able to add a far more interesting element to the story or interrogate it until I realised that I actually needed to work more on the idea,” says Florence.
Through the programme, she learnt that the industry is about working with other people to achieve a common goal. Florence also learnt to be adaptable as things do not always go according to plan and being solutions-oriented is important.
The MultiChoice Talent Factory Script Writing Incubator allowed Florence to leave her corporate job, pursue her dream full-time, and officially call herself a South African TV writer.
“I was watching a promo we shot for television in November 2021 with my daughters. My little girl screamed when she saw me on TV. This brought tears to my eyes. I realise that by following my dreams, I am inspiring her to do the same,” concludes Florence.
