Nigerian filmmakers are treating filmmaking as a business whiles Ghanaian filmmakers treat filmmaking as a show, Ekow Smith Asante stated.
Ekow Smith Asante is a Ghanaian film producer and an actor who currently resides in the United Kingdom. Mr. Ekow has been in the Ghanaian movie scene for a good number of years. And he has experienced first hand, the challenges associated with filmmaking in Ghana.
Speaking to Fiifi Pratt in an interview at Kingdom FM, Ekow touched on some of the challenges filmmakers and actors are going through in Ghana. He noted that, the monies paid to actresses and actors in Ghana is nothing to write home about. For this reason, he thinks actors can not afford to own houses in the elite societies in Ghana.
“I think building a house in East Legon would be difficult. It is very dicey because actors and actresses for instance, get favours”
He further added that the gifts actors receive for the roles they played in a particular movie, sometimes is substantial as compared to amounts they are paid.
“Somebody can give me something because of my particular role in a movie. With gifts from people, it can support you to build, but I think it will take a very long time without it. How much are you paid, GHc10, 000, Ghc20, 000, Ghc30, 000 or what? ”
Touching on the Nigerian Film Industry, Ekow believes Nigerian filmmakers understand the business of filmmaking as compared to their Ghanaian counterparts. He noted, for this reason, the Ghanaian Film Industry is not progressing.
“Nigerians are doing business and we are doing the show; that is why we don’t progress…that is the truth. The money we get can only display our show, not the business.”
He also acknowledged the fact that filmmakers in Ghana are putting their monies in different ventures due to the low incomes they generate from filmmaking.
“If you realize, many actors of my time are branching into their private businesses. Some are operating restaurants, among others. Who is investing in show business? Who? How many of us, I don’t know”
Certainly, Ekow Smith Asante is not the first filmmaker to lament over the poor work conditions of actors in Ghana. Other prominent actors such as, Mikki Osei Berko, Fred Amugi and others have also lamented over this issue.
