The Africa Digital Multimedia Academy, which is supported by Pixel Corps, a US-based digital media firm, will next month open its doors, at the Regional ICT Training Centre (RITC) of the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

Speaking to The New Times yesterday, the Director of RITC, Jerome Gasana, said that preparations for the opening are at advanced stages.

"We concluded an agreement with Pixel and we are going to purchase some of the equipment that will be used in the academy,” he added.Gasana disclosed that they are expecting instructors from the USA, early next month.

He said that the centre would start with an initial batch of 10-20 students as a pilot phase. He added that the move is to assess the success of the academy in terms of training before more are enrolled.

The academy will focus on quality video and film production, basic production skills like computer graphics, shooting/editing, and audio lighting.

Other aspects of digital media production such as podcast technology and online streaming video broadcast, binary skills such as rot scoping, match moving, distance learning, visual literacy would also  be taught.
The criteria for selecting students will be based on knowledge of basic computer skills.

Pixel Corps  has specialised in computer graphics and video production for close to 30 years and has worked with some of the largest visual production companies in the US, such as Industrial Light and Magic and Lucas Film on the Box Office hit movie, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

The government will fully fund the academy while Pixel Corps will provide the required technology.

Ends