New Delhi: In a groundbreaking initiative, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Netflix India have joined forces to launch an upskilling program for voice-over artists in India. The program, aptly named ‘The Voicebox’, aims to enhance the skills of voice-over professionals across the country.
The official launch event took place at Shastri Bhawan and was graced by several notable dignitaries. Among those present were Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB); Vrunda Desai, Joint Secretary (Films), MoIB; Aditya Kutty, Legal Director, Netflix; Freddy Soames, Head of Competition Policy, Netflix; and Sharad Mehra, Chairman, Pearl Academy.
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The partnership was formalized with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by Prithul Kumar, Managing Director of NFDC and Joint Secretary (Broadcasting II), MoIB, and Kiran Desai, General Counsel and Senior Director of Business and Legal Affairs at Netflix India. This collaboration is in line with the shared vision of NFDC and Netflix to promote Indian cinema and foster talent within the media and entertainment industry.
Key Highlights of ‘The Voicebox’ Program:
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Training: The Voicebox program will provide RPL training for voice-over artists in various languages, including English, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Gujarati.
- Structured Workshops and Assessments: The program will include structured workshops featuring guest lectures and mentoring sessions, followed by assessments. These workshops will be conducted in seven major Indian cities: New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kochi.
- Participant Selection and Inclusivity: Each batch will accommodate up to 30 candidates, with a total of 210 participants selected through a preliminary screening process. The program emphasizes inclusivity, with at least 50% of participants being women.
- Collaboration with Pearl Academy: Pearl Academy, a leading design institute in India, will join as a Training Partner for this initiative.
- Special Project with Netflix: The top seven participants from each batch will have the opportunity to work on Netflix’s special project, ‘Azaadi ki Amrit Kahaniya’. They will lend their voices to narrate stories that reflect the Indian independence movement.
Eligibility and Sponsorship:
The program is open to professionals, particularly women, with more than two years of experience in the media and entertainment sector who are eager to enhance their voice-over skills. The Voicebox program is sponsored by the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, which has committed $100 million annually over five years to support underrepresented communities in the TV and film industries globally.
With this collaboration, NFDC and Netflix aim to provide a significant boost to the voice-over industry in India, ensuring that talented artists receive the training and opportunities they need to succeed.
