AFDA (The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance)

Overview

AFDA is the largest film school in South Africa and one of the most established film education institutions on the African continent. Founded in 1994, the year of South Africa's democratic transition, AFDA has grown from a single campus in Johannesburg to multiple locations across the country, including Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, and Botswana. The school trains students in film, television, live performance, and entertainment business.

South Africa has the most developed film production infrastructure on the continent, and its production industry serves both the domestic market and international productions attracted by the country's diverse landscapes, skilled crew base, and favorable exchange rates. Cape Town in particular has become a major international production hub, hosting Hollywood films, television series, and commercial productions throughout the year.

AFDA's curriculum combines creative and technical training with business and entrepreneurship education, reflecting the school's belief that filmmakers in the African context need to understand both the art and the economics of their industry. The school's graduates are building the South African and broader African entertainment industries from the ground up.

Programs Offered

• BA in Motion Picture Medium -- a three-year undergraduate program with specializations in directing, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, sound, producing, and production design
• BA Honours in Film -- a one-year postgraduate program building on the BA
• Master of Arts in Film -- graduate research and practice-based filmmaking
• Higher Certificate in Film and Television Production -- a one-year introductory program
• BA in Live Performance -- acting and performance for stage and screen
• BA in Entertainment Business -- the business side of media and entertainment

What Students Should Know

AFDA teaches in English, making it accessible to students from across Anglophone Africa and beyond. The school's multiple campuses allow students to choose a location that suits their career goals: Johannesburg for the entertainment industry center, Cape Town for international production access, and Durban for the growing KwaZulu-Natal media sector.

The school is registered with the South African Department of Higher Education and Training and is accredited by the Council on Higher Education. AFDA degrees are recognized nationally and increasingly internationally.

Tuition at AFDA is affordable by international standards, and South Africa's cost of living is significantly lower than in Europe or North America. This makes the school accessible to students from across Africa, and AFDA actively recruits from neighboring countries.

The school's alumni network is the backbone of South Africa's film and television industry, with graduates working as directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, and in every other production role. For students who want to work in the African film industry, AFDA provides the most comprehensive training and the strongest professional network available on the continent.

Notable Alumni

AFDA alumni include directors, producers, and technicians who have driven the growth of South African cinema and television. Graduates have worked on international co-productions shot in South Africa and have represented the country at film festivals worldwide.

See Also

For understanding African cinema and distribution markets, see International Film Markets. To plan your production budget, use the Production Budget Calculator.