While actors are blaming the collapse of the movie industry on telenovelas showcased on Ghanaian screens and producers attributing the fall on lack of DVD patronage, award-winning film producer/director Pascal Aka, has hinted that the failure of the industry is as a result of the interest in content of Ghanaians is now fancy.
According to Pascal, producing a good movie has become a challenge in the country, since it’s on low demand compared to movies that capture women showing off their body parts on screen. Quality to him has become underrated in the eyes of Ghanaian audience due to interest in sexiness over real talent that can take the industry far.
He made this assertion known at a symposium organized by Black Star International film festival (BSIFF). He said, “Have we wondered why for more than a decade the same old faces like Majid, Jackie, John Dumelo and Nadia are still gracing our screens? It’s because we are not giving much attention to true talents these days but concentrating on supposed actors who will rather show their sexiness than talent.”
He continued by adding that it partly the fault of both the audience, who wants it and the media, who gives it. “But that is what the audience wants now because it is what the media is feeding them with. Today, as a producer, you even fear to work on good material of proper intellect because you are already in doubt about its patronage since the patrons don’t appreciate quality again. That shouldn’t be the way to go but unfortunately, that is becoming the standard practice projected by the media.”
Pascal has over the years been the brain behind some notable films and music videos that have enjoyed massive hits in cinemas and airplays. In 2014 at the Ghana Movie awards, his original screenplay directed movie ‘Double Cross’ won best picture and cinematography. He missed out on winning the best director prize to Shirley Frimpong-Manso, who won for the movie ‘Devil in the Detail’.
His debut movie produced in 2007 ‘Jamie and Eddie: Souls of Strife’ won best action sequence 2009 at the Action on Film International Film Festival and also scored a best foreign feature film nomination the same year.
By: Larry Adams
