IS THE GHANA FILM INDUSTRY NOT A JOKE? – Filmaker Leila Djansi Quizzes

After Juliet Asante’s extensive account of her traumatic experience as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Film Authority, Leila Djansi has raised concerns about the Ghana film industry.

She thinks the film industry in Ghana is a joke that needs attention instead of industry players amusing themselves and chuckling.

Leila Djansi expresses dissatisfaction with the inadequate work ethic, limited funding, and absence of essential infrastructure as significant challenges that have persisted over the years without any signs of progress.

Read Her Post Below

“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.  I grew up.

If your default is to always accuse people 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”

NKONKONSA.com