Ghanaian celebrated movie producer Leila Djansi has questioned the state of the Ghanaian movie industry on whether it is a joke or not.
In a statement she shared on her Facebook page, the writer and directed also enumerated several factors that makes her believe that the industry which is struggling is indeed a joke.
Ahhhh bhet hold on.
Is the Ghana film industry not a joke?
Sometimes, when you are given criticism, don’t just get angry and fail to actually see the import or ask the reason behind the accusation. Separate your emotions and be objective .
I have tasted and tested the Ghana film industry since the year 2000. Bled red blood for it and from it, and… it is a mirthless joke.
Try an AD telling you he’s going to sleep for a few minutes in the middle of a shoot. Try a crew demanding you stop filming, bring a TV so they can watch football, and then return to set after the match. Look for what Cary Fukunaga said about working in Ghana. Try wardrobe telling an actor they don’t have an outfit for them because their role is not big enough.
Should I talk about the production designer who passed a real knife to an actor for a stabbing scene? My God. If it wasn’t for divine intervention, Vanessa Williams would have stabbed John Dumelo with a real knife that day. How is this not a joke?
Compare that to my production in the Dominican Republic, where the props guy showed me eight different watches, properly arranged, for me to choose JUST ONE, for the scene. Eight options. I cried tears of joy. Not because of the watches, but because someone actually cared about the details.
Look, good and bad can coexist in anything. But at what point do we stop excusing the bad and start fixing it?
Maybe the people who are angry have no other industry to compare it to. Maybe you are angry because you do not know it can be better. Sometimes too, an old woman is always uncomfortable when dry bones are mentioned in proverb. 😁
Take two of your most recent critically acclaimed films from the previous 3 years (cough cough) and compare them to two of the most recent critically acclaimed films from Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya, and South Africa (I feel a migraine coming on). Look at them side by side and ask yourself if we are actually gaining any momentum.
In 2018, we got Azali for the Oscars, and since then, every single submission has been a joke. A literal joke. Some of the films would convince you to burn your Ghana card.
This ain’t cos we don’t have the talent. Not because we don’t have the stories. But because we refuse to do the work.
A few years ago, a CAA agent told me he couldn’t represent me because my films had no explosions. Ahhhh. Explosions?? Ok. Initially, I was livid. I started making excuses. “Did you give me explosion budget?” But I sat with the criticism. I sat with it, and guess what? My next film, I made sure I not only had explosions. I freaking burned down a house and a human being. I went all out! From the sets to the stars I even shot on anamorphic lenses. 🙌🏽 Because what he actually said to me was “go take risks with your storytelling”. I grew up.
If your default is to always accuse people who correct you of hating or envy, you won’t be introspective, and you will not grow.
“We will get there” when? How?
“We’re trying” are you though? You are chasing fluff.
Right here on facebook years ago, I spoke about the damage opera square was creating and how the industry needed to leave that behind. Excuses. Insults. Stories. What happened? As it stands now, if you make a film in Ghana, there is nowhere to even distribute it. And you’re stuck in the vicious micro budget cycle. You’re waiting for Netflix? You will wait forever. Unless you change.
Stop enduring mediocrity, please. Instead of these knee-jerk reactions, instead of acting like people just want to hate, forget the who and the how and actually listen.
Sit with the criticism. Use it to rise.
Ahhh Afua, I thought you said you’re not talking about Ghana anymore? Sorry… new year resolutions start in June 😎😎
Leila Djansi is an American and Ghanaian filmmaker who started her film who has numerous award films to her credit including ‘Sinking Sands’, ‘Ties That Binds’, ‘I Sing Of A Well’ and many others.
