Last week, it was reported and confirmed that Lydia Forson has joined South African soap Scandal. Today, AMAA Best Actor, Majid Michel has reportedly joined M-Net funded soap, Tinsel. What is happening in the Ghana Movie Industry? Are the actors and actresses simply being picky with scripts or there are no jobs for them in the country? I believe the latter is the case. Unfortunately, we don’t have a very diverse and versatile industry.
As it stands now, we don’t have many good actors and actresses in the industry. It’s the same faces we see all the time and some directors and producers are not ready and willing to help upcoming ones to climb the ladder. Some even opt to fly people into the country to shoot movies, so if the few we have are all sojourning, what really happens to the industry?
Some of the actors/actresses don’t have any source of livelihood apart from acting, so if productions houses are not busy, then there are no jobs for them. Majid Michel, after winning the AMAA award last year, has not featured in any major production so he will be forced to accept roles from other countries even if they are for soaps.
The Ghanaian movie industry needs help. What happens to all the students from the School of Performing Arts and NAFTI, after they graduate? The Movie industry cannot boast of FIVE good movies in a year. If certain production house/houses do not release a movie in a year, the whole industry is crippled, and that shouldn’t be the case. Sometimes, I even wonder if we really have a movie industry!
The whole of last year was pathetic, the only movie which had good reviews from notable media houses was just released when the year was coming to an end, so practically, last year was a no-show for good movies. (Movies were released, but I beg to differ).
If we’re all yearning to see Ghana’s creative industry on the world map, then a lot of work needs doing, and it really starts with improving and maintaining the good actors we have and giving them challenging roles and scripts for them to see their worth.
If a very good actress is still playing a role of a beginner, they’ll quickly grab any outside offer that comes to them without extensive assessment. I am tempted to say the government should fund movies but if wishes were horses…
The feeling is not that great when neighbouring countries mention that they’ve given our actors and actresses jobs or they ‘built’ our movie industry. What in your opinion will help improve our movie industry and maintain our actors and actresses?
Funding as the writer pointed out, but if the movie is funded, some producers will still fly people into the country to shoot movies and the money will go to them. The issue is train more actors and actresses and give them jobs. Funny enough, the ‘small’ actors and actresses we have want to go to Hollywood whiles their house is not even completed. The movie industry needs massive help. MASSIVE!
U can’t blame the actors/actresses that much.They must surely survive so if they’re not getting any roles or not getting offers from the kind of productions they want to be involved in why not?It’ll be better for them to do soaps afterall they’re all part of the job than to wallow in poverty.
@TheChuckylee, exactly. They don’t get roles and they need to eat.
@Chris sadi: “The feeling is not that great when ‘neighbouring countries’ mention that they’ve given our actors and actresses jobs or they ‘built’ our movie industry.”
What happened to your balls Chris? You just didnt want to mention the word NIGERIA? The truth is that most Nigerian movie makers have stopped patronizing Ghanaian actors and actresses,and it’s beginning to affect your movie industry negatively, simple. Good part is that nollywood is now investing in better quality movies and except for a few, Ghanaian actors will no longer be a part on Nollywood….sorry guys! ***sticking my tongue out*****
Source: http://www.ghanacelebrities.com/2013/01/29/with-actors-and-actresses-moving-to-soap-land-what-happens-to-the-ghana-movie-industry-sometimes-i-wonder-if-we-have-a-movie-industry-at-all#ixzz2JNlRPxOB
this site to abuse certain film producers who have now said they won’t shoot in ghana again, you are now complaining about lack of producers. after we abused and sacked those who were trying for the industry, now we are crying. you cannot cry over spilled water