In every era, storytelling evolves. From the oral traditions of African folktales told under the moonlight, to the cinema halls of Nollywood, to today’s AI-powered creative studios, one thing remains constant: stories shape how we see the world. At the Laak Richard School of Media & Creative Arts, that evolution is not just observed — it’s being driven.
A New Home For Africa’s Digital Griots
When you step into the school’s campus, you immediately sense its difference. Brightly lit labs hum with the sound of editing suites. Classrooms feel less like lecture halls and more like incubators of imagination. Students huddle over digital canvases, VR headsets, drones, and voice AI platforms — tools that once felt futuristic, but are now part of daily learning.
“Our vision is simple,” says Richard Laak, founder of the institution. “We want to equip Africa’s next generation of creatives with the tools, skills, and mindset to tell stories that matter — and tell them in formats that travel across the globe.”
The school’s mission is not just about training filmmakers, designers, or voice-over artists; it’s about producing global storytellers — creatives who are equally fluent in traditional narrative forms and cutting-edge technologies.
Storytelling, Redefined
At the heart of the school’s philosophy is the belief that every story has power — but how you tell it determines its reach. Today, that means thinking beyond pen and paper, beyond camera and lens. Students here learn to merge disciplines:
- Voice AI & Audio Production – exploring how synthetic voices can bring African folktales, podcasts, and documentaries to new audiences.
- Film & Cinematography – training on high-end production equipment to tell stories for cinema, TV, and streaming platforms.
- Design & UX – mastering the art of building intuitive, visually stunning digital experiences.
- Digital Media Strategy – understanding how to make content discoverable and impactful in a crowded online world.
It’s a place where an age-old proverb might be turned into a short film, then adapted into a VR experience, and finally distributed worldwide via YouTube and streaming networks.
The Intersection Of Culture And Technology
One of the school’s most remarkable strengths is its grounding in African culture. While global in outlook, the institution doesn’t lose sight of its roots. Courses integrate African history, literature, and visual traditions with modern creative practices.
“We’re not here to imitate Hollywood,” Laak emphasizes. “We’re here to shape an authentic African voice that can stand alongside Hollywood, Bollywood, and beyond.”
From rewriting African folktales into immersive digital formats, to producing documentaries about contemporary social change, the output from the school is already turning heads.
Students As Pioneers, Not Just Learners
Unlike many academic institutions, the Laak Richard School of Media & Creative Arts doesn’t treat students as passive learners. They are producers, innovators, and storytellers in action. By the time they graduate, students have already published projects, launched YouTube channels, developed prototypes, and built collaborative networks across borders.
Alumni stories already highlight this difference. A recent graduate turned a final-year project — an AI-driven folktale podcast — into a platform now streamed across Africa and the diaspora. Another team of students co-produced a documentary series on youth entrepreneurship in Accra, which was later picked up by a local broadcaster.
Building Africa’s Creative Economy
This vision feeds into a bigger mission: growing Africa’s creative economy. With the continent’s youth population booming, the creative sector represents a massive opportunity for jobs, exports, and cultural diplomacy. According to UNESCO, Africa’s film and audiovisual industries alone could create over 20 million jobs if properly developed.
The school aims to be a catalyst in this movement. Through industry partnerships, internships, and a focus on entrepreneurship, it ensures that students don’t just learn skills — they know how to monetize them.
Looking Ahead
The future of storytelling is here — hybrid, digital, global, and deeply rooted in culture. And at the center of this shift is the Laak Richard School of Media & Creative Arts, shaping voices that will tell Africa’s next great stories.
As Laak himself puts it:
“Africa has always had stories. What we’re doing now is giving those stories wings to fly further than ever before.”
The griots of the future won’t just sit under the baobab tree; they’ll sit in digital studios, in VR labs, in editing suites — creating stories that travel across continents.
And it’s only just the beginning.