HOW THE MEDIA GOT IT WRONG
The other day I was watching one of the biggest TV station in Ghana and something happened that drew my attention to the fact that the Ghanaian media got it all wrong about the filmmaking and the technicalities of filmmaking.
Yes,
Ghanaian media houses will rather waste their time bringing actors and actress to come and discuss filmmaking on television or radio. How?
I don’t mean they cannot do so but they don’t know what is really involved in the making of a film. Yes, they don’t know.
In this country, only few actors knows what filmmaking is all about.
But you will see our media at this time when our film industry is in the condition of not making enough, they will bring these slay queen actresses and the YouTube actors to discuss the state of Ghana movie industry and what to make the Industry work again. Seriously?
Do those you bring to your program really understand what filmmaking is all about?
I think it’s time our media understands that filmmaking is about technicalities not the fame.
Directors and producers are the best people to talk and discuss about the state of the film industry, the actor that was paid to come and act in my movie cannot tell what involves in making it up to that level.
So if it is about discussing what to do or what we need to revive the industry, the actors (employees) cannot understand the importance and the technical skills of the business, they work, pay and go.
If this continues to happens in this country, I don’t think we really want to help the industry to come back on it feets.
The fact that the actor is famous and acting in movies does not mean they are filmmakers and know the technicalities involved in making a film, the director is in the best position to address things concerning filmmaking.
I am not trying to say it forbidden for an actor to talk about the industry, but what I am trying to say here is that what did they know about what they are saying.
The other day one lady (actress) was saying the government should come in to save the film industry from dying and the presenter asked her; what do you think the government should do to save the industry? And this lady was found wanting, she couldn ‘t give
any clear answer to the question , so how do you expect government or any serious investor would be attracted to a sector that it own players know nothing about.. but if it were a director or a producer, he/she would have given an informed and impactful answer that will make it very clear as at where and how the
help is needed.. .
THE MEDIA MUST BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE FILM INDUSTRY AND COOPERATE WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO RAISE THE INDUSTRY BACK AGAIN.
I therefore call on all the stakeholders Film Directors Guild of Ghana (FDGG) FIPAG, FICAG. And all other filmmaking bodies to make it a responsibility to educate the public and the media to the kind of people who should be talking about what subjects.
Let us propagate our course right and the authorities in power and other sectors will find it interesting to invest in the industry for a better tomorrow.
By Francis Ayaga
(vice chairman, FDGG Ashanti)
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