AFDA (formally registered as the South African School of Motion Picture Medium & Live Performance) is a private higher education institution specialising in film, television, live performance, business innovation and creative writing. It was founded in 1994 by Garth Holmes, Bata Passchier and Deon Opperman in a converted Lever Brothers warehouse in Milpark, Johannesburg, starting with six students, and has since grown into one of Africa's leading creative-industries schools. AFDA is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) as a private higher education institution (registration certificate no. 2001/HE07/012) and is accredited to confer qualifications from Higher Certificate to Master of Fine Arts level, with oversight from the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and accreditation recorded with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). It is a full member of CILECT, the international association of film and television schools. AFDA operates campuses in Auckland Park (Johannesburg), Observatory (Cape Town), Durban, Gqeberha, and a newer Hatfield (Pretoria) campus. According to the institution's own published figures, AFDA has produced over 7,000 alumni and enrols more than 2,700 students, with graduates credited on hundreds of feature films and television/streaming productions and recipients of multiple SAMA and SAFTA awards. Notable alumni cited by the institution include actors Amanda du Pont and Lemogang Tsipa, and musician Shekhinah.
Qualifications & Programmes
- Higher Certificate in Film, Television & Entertainment Production (NQF Level 5, 1 year full-time)
- Higher Certificate in Performing Arts (NQF Level 5)
- Higher Certificate in Radio & Podcasting (NQF Level 5)
- Bachelor of Arts in Motion Picture Medium (NQF Level 7, 3 years full-time, SAQA ID 359341) — specialisations across Screen Production, Screen Design, Image Production & Sound Design, and Post Production
- Bachelor of Arts in Live Performance (NQF Level 7, 3 years full-time, SAQA ID 35936) — specialisations in Media Presenting, Screen Acting, Stage Acting, and Music Performance (campus-dependent)
- Bachelor of Commerce in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NQF Level 7, 3 years full-time, SAQA ID 94705) — specialisations in Business Strategy and Management, Start-up Finance, Marketing and Sales, and U(I)X Design and Operation; offered in Johannesburg and Cape Town
- Bachelor of Creative Writing (undergraduate degree, offered per AFDA's official programme listing)
- BA Honours in Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance (postgraduate)
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Motion Picture Medium (postgraduate)