Hello Chris/Ghanacelebrities Readers,
I’ve been reading your blog since 2012 and I’ve seen a lot of letters written, directed to you or the audience and I hope mine gets your attention enough to have it on your blog. And I’m directing this not only to Ghanians but also Nigerians (where I’m from) because I know some of us read your blog.
My name is Kevwe Abamba. I’m an upcoming Actor, aspiring Film Maker and Writer. I know this is a long note but I employ you all to take time and go through it.
I want to address a very important issue which I know will change peoples’ perspective about our growing film industries here in Africa ie Nollywood and Ghana movie industry, etc. I know you all have the industries’ interest at heart and want them to do good movies with better picture qualities and nice story lines that will meet the international standards and probably contest with Hollywood. I do too.
I see and hear a lot of critics who has never sat down to think about where our film industry has come from over the past years. It will be unwise and very wrong to compare Nollywood or the Ghanaian counterpart to Hollywood. Do you know when they started? The first ever Hollywood film was produced in the year 1890. That is more than a century ago.
While Nollywood is just 20 years with it’s first official movie being Living in Bondage which was produced in 1992. I don’t know about the Ghana movie industry but what I know is that Nollywood started first (I’m not talking about Theater dramas. That I can’t remember when it started. I’m talking about feature films)
Have you seen a good Nollywood and Ghanaian movies? I won’t mention names because I know Mr Chris wouldn’t like to advertise, so he may not include them lol. But, should in case you will allow it; have you seen Last Flight to Abuja, Devil in the Detail, A Northern Affair, Potomanto, Mr & Mrs, Inale, Black Gold, The Mirror boy, Ije, The Figurine, etc? I guess you may not have because these are all cinema movies.
Last Flight to Abuja (Nollywood) and Potomanto (Ghanaian movie) for example, are movies that were produced with thousands of Dollars. It was on cinema, how many of us went out there to watch and support? I guess few because it involves you paying for it. Potomanto is online channels, how many of us watched? Only a few number subscribed to watch because it also involves some cash. We were all waiting for it to be on youtube so we can watch for free.
Last Flight to Abuja is on youtube right now, and it has gained over a million views (close to 2 million) because it’s for free. When you go through many of the comments, you see majority praising Nollywood for giving them a good movie and even praising the youtube channel or account that brought the movie for free.
Not having it in mind that the said movie was produced with millions of Naira. Now, have you thought about what you will do to support the growing industry? Have you thought about how these producers who work tirelessly to entertain us will make back their money if all we do is wait and watch it for free?
We all want the film makers to produce more good and high budget movies. Have you thought about how a person will take a risk and invest thousands of dollars in a particular project not knowing how to get it back? Since all we know is to watch for free? Or, have you forgotten that film makers are also business men and women?
The film that won the 2014 Academy Award (Oscars) for best Picture; 12 Years a Slave was produced on a budget of 20 million dollars. It came out to cinemas last year and it has made over 140 million dollars so far. Won’t the producer(s) of this movie be encouraged to make better ones with better amounts next time knowing fully well that their returns are promised? How do you think our movie makers down here make their money? Via Youtube or DVDs with piracy everywhere? These are industries that receive little or no help from our governments.
Hollywood didn’t make it big overnight. It started from somewhere and from some individuals who were positive and have passion for what they were doing, and now they are where they are. I hear a lot of people who say they don’t watch African movies because of bad qualities. They encourage the Hollywood movies. How will our industries grow if we all abandon them? Thanks to Nollywood for putting African cinema on the global map. They’re growing and their Ghanaian counterparts are doing their very best.
I think people should also give Nollywood and the Ghanaian movie industry equal chance. Thanks for those who have been supporting. For those who haven’t been, please, let’s support these fast growing industries.
Go out there and watch on cinemas, buy the original DVDs and VCDs. And I promise; you won’t be disappointed in few years to come.
I am Kevwe Abamba, These are my opinions. I own them and make no excuses for having them. But as imperfect as I am, I stand to be corrected. PEACE.
From: Kevwe Abamba/Nigeria
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You can send your Readers’ Mail directly to me via [email protected]
It may take some time to get published because I receive a lot of such mails and need to publish them one after the other. Thank You.
Very nice write up. I think the guy is right when he says we should compare and give them chance
What’s this guy talking about? You expect us to watch those craps they call movie?
He made sense. Re-read