About us

EDUCATING AFRICA SINCE 1994

AFDA is one of the leading outcomes-based degree institutions of its kind in the world and is listed by the Council on Higher Education as one of the top six private tertiary institutions in South Africa.

AFDA enjoys a rich entrepreneurial history, formalized strategic relationships with the industry and the ability to train talent to a high level of aesthetic, attitudinal, craft, technical and intellectual ability. This is coupled with a prolific output and creation of quality entertainment products.

Over the last 10 years AFDA has become a South African institution of international reputation and excellence. AFDA graduates are trained to be part of and contribute to one of the largest growth industries in the world today: entertainment. AFDA graduates are also educated to a level that facilitates a profitable and sustainable career in the entertainment industry.

In a fast-expanding global world, cultural exchange is a priority and AFDA graduates are taught to conceptualize, grow and create indigenous cultural products and commodities for the local and international market. Students are encouraged to originate intellectual property in the industry and to develop themselves as employment providers to become the entertainment and cultural entrepreneurs of the future. To this end AFDA has developed a culture of champions and our alumni have infiltrated and re-invigorated their industries with a high level of skill and talent. Almost all our current alumni are working and employed in their chosen field of specialization. This serves our vision of growing the entertainment industry.

AFDA Motion Picture entertainment products are exhibited at numerous international festivals and have been broadcast worldwide, winning many prestigious awards. AFDA is a FULL MEMBER of CILECT - International Association of Film and Television School - visit CILECTz on www.cilect.org.za




The Team


EXECUTIVE

BATA PASSCHIER | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
South Africa's charm has transcended its local shores. There is a plethora of opportunities & challenges, for the talented filmmakers and performers of this country that are dedicated to identifying who we can be through the narrative. AFDA is committed to discovering and facilitating talent, which encourages learners to create meaningful products which transcend their technical, aesthetic, craft, intellectual & attitudinal skills.

AFDA graduates acquire the knowledge of what is real, substantial and innovative. Substantial growth in the media industry is coupled with a valuable and effective learning programme, and so begins a very stimulating and exciting time to be involved in this industry. AFDA provides a unique opportunity for those that wish to make their mark!



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GARTH HOLMES | EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
South Africa is now part of the international community and must steel itself against the global media onslaught and the rapid technological changes ushered in by the digital domain. As South Africans, we need to consciously build and fiercely defend our fledgling cultural identity and intellectual properties through propriety and ownership.

An effective means to ensure that we are not relegated to the cultural backwaters of the world is to consistently develop capacity in the leadership and intellectual capital of our entertainment and cultural practitioners.

Over the last ten years, AFDA has been responsible for creating new standards for local cultural entertainment and the required intellectual capital and properties that can stand their ground world-wide. Our new cultural narrative identity, brimming with warts-and-all pride is slowly emerging from our democracy, making its presence felt as reaches out to all South Africans to contribute to nation building, national pride and the protection of our humanity. Not only is our story telling reaching into the hills of the Transkei, the cities of Maputo, Johannesburg and Cape Town, the towns of Pietermaritzburg and Ceres, the suburbs of Mannenberg and Houghton and the shacks of Khayelitsha, Dobsonville and Alexandra, but also to the cities and towns of the African continent and the rest of the world.

The aim of all AFDA training is to help the learner create entertainment and meet the needs of the audience (the market). At AFDA we keep a healthy balance between thinking and doing. The Core Course facilitates the "thinking" and the disciplines enable the "doing". AFDA has developed a unique and dynamic approach to tertiary learning to meet the creative challenge and work ethic that both the motion picture and live performance industries demand. This system seeks to encourage and develop the individual's creative capacity through structured research and production analysis, planning and execution. Throughout this process substance learning is carefully aligned with the various skills provided in the discipline workshops. This system of outcomes-based learning for the entertainment industry provides each learner with meaningful creative resources and the ability to conceptualize unique, innovative and novel ideas and then to bring them to life in productions in an efficient and skillful manner.



PRINCIPALS


PRINCIPAL - JOHANNESBURG CAMPUS
Dr. ANTON BASSON" M.A. (CUM LAUDE) (WITS)

Anton Basson graduated Cum Laude from the University of the Witwatersrand, where he was a gold medal winner as best BA student.

He has co-written a number of plays and cabarets for the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival. A poet and lyricist, Anton has published several short stories, as well as academic articles. Before joining AFDA, he taught linguistics and narrative theory at Wits, Vista Soweto and RAU for over 15 years.



PRINCIPAL - CAPE TOWN CAMPUS

Dr. GERDA DULLAART" PH.D LITERARY THEORY (PU FOR CHE)

Gerda wrote her doctoral dissertation on the transformation of narrative training at post-apartheid South African universities. She was awarded her doctorate in September 2002. She also holds an honours degree Cum Laude in Literary Theory, and has done 16 years of craft writing in all its professional forms.



SENIOR MANAGEMENT


GROUP FINANCIAL MANAGER
Rudolph Coetzer

GROUP TECHNICAL & MAINTAINANCE MANAGER
Donovan Britz