Acting auditions: How to run an audition, part 1
So you need to find someone to bring your film to life. You need to run acting auditions but where do you start? Here’s a simple strategy to try when you need to organise those casting calls:
1. Advertise the roles.
2. Organise c.v.’s and show reels to watch.
3. Eliminate the ones you can’t use.
4. Short-list your preferred artists.
5. Organise a location for auditions.
6. Contact your candidates.
Advertising your film
Start by advertising your film, with a basic description of the story and the roles offered, in trade magazines, on-line and so on; that way you will have enough choice for your auditions. Be honest about what kind of film you’re making. If it’s independent and with a small budget then say so. It’s better to let people know what they are getting into up front. I mean, if there is no money to pay artists, are you going to feed them, pay travel expenses? You better do one of these, preferably both!
Organise the paperwork
Wait for those c.v.’s to roll in over the next week or so. Some that are posted to you will come with stamped address envelopes for return. If they are not the actors for you, try and return the c.v.’s if you can, because sending professional pictures to directors can be a costly expense for impoverished actors.
Try and find actors with short film or feature film experience as well as theatre; they will know the ropes to some extent. Look at their skills and hobbies, do you need martial arts, horse riding or rock climbers? Stage combat is a good one if you want to shoot simple fights. Most actors have some experience of this. More complex fighting though will obviously need a fight or stunt coordinator.
Eliminate people you don’t want
It is difficult to choose who to eliminate when you haven’t met anybody but the picture and the C.V. is usually all you have. Some more web savvy people are now posting show reels on-line and this trend should increase but it’s not the norm yet. For your film though, be aware that an actor with only credits in theatre will, generally, have no film vocabulary to work with, they will be unfamiliar with hitting marks for camera, sound levels and so on. They may be wonderful performers on the stage but a possible hindrance on a film set.
Shortlist
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential candidates, sort them into male and female. When casting for roles it is better to see all women or all men at the same time in order to better compare gender roles rather than a random mix of boy, girl, boy etc.
Location hunting
Find a location in which to conduct your auditions. It has to have enough space for your actors to move around. Actors will need to move their bodies to relax and demonstrate physicality during the audition. Without this there will be no life and no opportunity for someone to show you what they can do.
Get in touch
Contact the actors you have chosen and let them know your dates and politely ask if they can make it on these times. If your budget is tight they will have to make the day you suggest. If they can’t, you can scratch them from the list. If you have more flexibility, say two days, then they can come to either and this gives them a chance to make arrangements and you more choice over who to eventually cast. Whether you have one day or two, split the day into morning and afternoon. Keep the morning for men and the afternoon for women or vice versa. Have each actor pencilled in at staggered times such as follows:
Day 1
11.00am: first actor “Bruce”
11.20am: second actor “Marlon”
11.40am: third actor “Al”
Lunch break 12.00-12.30pm
12.30pm: fourth actor “Meryl”
12.50pm fifth actor “Madonna”
13.10pm sixth actor “Julia”
Twenty minutes should be a minimum for you to assess each person, if you can spend more time with each person then that would be better. It all depends on how many people you have to see, how much time in the location, how many days etc.
Note: this is the time you will see them but you will want to tell them to arrive fifteen to twenty minutes before their allotted time as this will enable them to read the script and form a basic idea, opinion and approach to their performance. Without this time the audition will be messy and confused as the candidate will be fluffing lines and stumbling all over the place.
Also confirm these times again with the actors to make sure they are coming, either by phone or email.
Give yourself some contingency time too, as inevitably, someone will be lost, late or delayed.
Monday, November 29, 2010
how to plan and run an audition
As aspiring moviemakers, we are always burdened with finding good actors and actresses to appear in our movies. Where do these elusive beings live? How do we get them to be in our movies? How will we know if they are right for a role? The answer is simply - auditions. This is very basic info, but also handy.
First things first. Set a date(s) you'll need for your actors to be available. I recommend not holding your auditions until you already are almost ready to start shooting and editing your film. What good is an audition or even footage for a movie if you can’t finish it? And setting the shoot dates can let you know if certain actors are even available for those dates to begin with.
We have to let people know about the auditions. Many newspapers, especially the alternative, more arts-friendly papers, will post your audition notices for free. There are also message boards, posting boards, and Yahoo Groups on the Internet that provide one of the best new outlets for letting people know about auditions. Also a flyer or an email to acting teachers or even the local talent agencies give an outlet for this. As long as you are upfront about the amount being paid, even if it’s $0.00, will make everything work better.
Give plenty of notice, and remind people a few days before as well. You may want to have several auditions, at differing times and days, to allow people with varying schedules the chance to try out for your flick.
Where to do auditions
Usually, public libraries have conference rooms anyone can use for free. Or you can do this at home, but for some people, that can be a turn off, but if it’s all you’ve got, then use your house.
Just make sure you have two rooms. One for the auditions and one for people to wait in. It’s not fair if some people get to see how everyone else auditions. Also, don’t let some of the actors talk to the director/producers and some not. You’ll throw off the audition – you want everyone competing on an even basis.
Use a Sign-In Sheet – include their name, phone number, email, and the time they arrived. It’s always good to have everyone’s contact info. Also find out if they are SAG, AFTRA, or any other union. Have a column on the sign in sheet for “union or non-union”. A union actor may not be able to work on your film, or they can get permission.
You will also want them to sign a release that allows you to use their audition tape for anything you need as well. You may never know when you may have the next J-Lo audition & you pass her up. These auditions also make great DVD extras, even for us aspiring filmmakers.
If the more experienced actors come, they will have their own headshots, if not, a Polaroid or digital camera will also be good to use for any new or aspiring actors that don’t have headshots. Attach the pics to the release form/info sheet.
Make sure you tape the auditions. Even if you just go to VHS, you need to see the actors on tape. It’s amazing how many people seem to read well, but watching the tape it comes across flat. Or sometimes, someone that didn’t feel good in the room really shines on tape. You don’t want to get into editing your movie to only find out THEN that this person doesn’t film well.
How to conduct auditions
First you’ll want the actor to SLATE for the camera. That is state their name, their age, the part they are reading for, and a phone number so you can get a hold of them or their agency if they are represented.
You will provide the actors with SIDES, meaning 1-2 pages of script that will be used to test them for the character. You should provide them a scene that has depth and some meat, or at least epitomizes the character to you, the director.
Tell the actor something about the character & the scene they are about to read. Then let them read it through without any direction. After one read, don’t deliver the lines yourself and tell them “more like this…” (also called LINE READINGS), but ask them to do it again with more of the particular emotion you want. Tell them “HOW” you want them to act, don’t show them. This is also called DIRECTING.
Use a poker face. Even if the actor is doing horrendous, don’t make the person feel bad. It can cause your reputation to be ruined. And even if an actor is perfect for a role, do not make any offers at the audition. Take your time, review the tapes and be sure of it.
If there are two actors that could be right for a role, and even if you’re fairly sure, try doing CALL BACKS. Call Backs are a second round of auditions. Bring the best actors back, have several of them read the sides together and see how they read with other actors.
After the Call Backs, feel free to make offers for parts. Verify their ability to work on the shoot dates. Be flexible, especially if you aren’t paying. But also know that sometimes you won’t get your first choice for a role, even though they auditioned and even did call backs. And sometimes you will even get through rehearsals and an actor will be a no-show. That’s when you call your 2nd, 3rd, and sometimes 4th choice. If you held professional auditions, it won’t be a problem to attract good actors.
Good luck.
By Peter John Ross
www.sonnyboo.com
First things first. Set a date(s) you'll need for your actors to be available. I recommend not holding your auditions until you already are almost ready to start shooting and editing your film. What good is an audition or even footage for a movie if you can’t finish it? And setting the shoot dates can let you know if certain actors are even available for those dates to begin with.
We have to let people know about the auditions. Many newspapers, especially the alternative, more arts-friendly papers, will post your audition notices for free. There are also message boards, posting boards, and Yahoo Groups on the Internet that provide one of the best new outlets for letting people know about auditions. Also a flyer or an email to acting teachers or even the local talent agencies give an outlet for this. As long as you are upfront about the amount being paid, even if it’s $0.00, will make everything work better.
Give plenty of notice, and remind people a few days before as well. You may want to have several auditions, at differing times and days, to allow people with varying schedules the chance to try out for your flick.
Where to do auditions
Usually, public libraries have conference rooms anyone can use for free. Or you can do this at home, but for some people, that can be a turn off, but if it’s all you’ve got, then use your house.
Just make sure you have two rooms. One for the auditions and one for people to wait in. It’s not fair if some people get to see how everyone else auditions. Also, don’t let some of the actors talk to the director/producers and some not. You’ll throw off the audition – you want everyone competing on an even basis.
Use a Sign-In Sheet – include their name, phone number, email, and the time they arrived. It’s always good to have everyone’s contact info. Also find out if they are SAG, AFTRA, or any other union. Have a column on the sign in sheet for “union or non-union”. A union actor may not be able to work on your film, or they can get permission.
You will also want them to sign a release that allows you to use their audition tape for anything you need as well. You may never know when you may have the next J-Lo audition & you pass her up. These auditions also make great DVD extras, even for us aspiring filmmakers.
If the more experienced actors come, they will have their own headshots, if not, a Polaroid or digital camera will also be good to use for any new or aspiring actors that don’t have headshots. Attach the pics to the release form/info sheet.
Make sure you tape the auditions. Even if you just go to VHS, you need to see the actors on tape. It’s amazing how many people seem to read well, but watching the tape it comes across flat. Or sometimes, someone that didn’t feel good in the room really shines on tape. You don’t want to get into editing your movie to only find out THEN that this person doesn’t film well.
How to conduct auditions
First you’ll want the actor to SLATE for the camera. That is state their name, their age, the part they are reading for, and a phone number so you can get a hold of them or their agency if they are represented.
You will provide the actors with SIDES, meaning 1-2 pages of script that will be used to test them for the character. You should provide them a scene that has depth and some meat, or at least epitomizes the character to you, the director.
Tell the actor something about the character & the scene they are about to read. Then let them read it through without any direction. After one read, don’t deliver the lines yourself and tell them “more like this…” (also called LINE READINGS), but ask them to do it again with more of the particular emotion you want. Tell them “HOW” you want them to act, don’t show them. This is also called DIRECTING.
Use a poker face. Even if the actor is doing horrendous, don’t make the person feel bad. It can cause your reputation to be ruined. And even if an actor is perfect for a role, do not make any offers at the audition. Take your time, review the tapes and be sure of it.
If there are two actors that could be right for a role, and even if you’re fairly sure, try doing CALL BACKS. Call Backs are a second round of auditions. Bring the best actors back, have several of them read the sides together and see how they read with other actors.
After the Call Backs, feel free to make offers for parts. Verify their ability to work on the shoot dates. Be flexible, especially if you aren’t paying. But also know that sometimes you won’t get your first choice for a role, even though they auditioned and even did call backs. And sometimes you will even get through rehearsals and an actor will be a no-show. That’s when you call your 2nd, 3rd, and sometimes 4th choice. If you held professional auditions, it won’t be a problem to attract good actors.
Good luck.
By Peter John Ross
www.sonnyboo.com
Thursday, November 25, 2010
TAKE TWO Dec Jan 2004
I believe that it is safe to predict that since this is a presidential election year, the economy will perk up some for the sake of all incumbents everywhere. It appears though, that at this time, technology is safer to predict than the economy, and most of our prognosticators are sticking to what they know best rather than venturing into the minds and myths of non-practicing venture capitalists. I do predict, however, that major efforts will be offered to keep the important commercial work of our New England corporations here in New England.
Around Boston, if it weren’t for the “reality” TV show craze, there would be very little work at all save for an anemic commercial production continuance. But, I remain mostly optimistic. Actually, Christy Scott Cashman says I am the most optimistic person she knows. And I still believe she is our rising star, our meteor of potential. This is the 6th year that she appears on the cover of the December-January issue of IMAGINE. It is always our most popular issue, which goes to Sundance and Slamdance Film Festivals and to NATPE in Las Vegas for extensive bonus distribution. Already we are plotting what she will do on the cover next year. We never run out of ideas for her.
Last week Christy Scott and I hosted a reception in her home for Representative Brian Wallace with supporting members of the industry attending. The evening was a great success. Thank you to all who helped. We are all so thankful that Brian filed H.303 for us to forward the reconstitution of a Massachusetts Film Office that carries the meaningful imprimatur of the state to Hollywood and beyond. It’s this status that will be required to let studios and major producers know that we are seriously open for business and will be both professional and competitive. A great deal of support exists for this effort, including the unanimous support of the Joint Committee on Commerce and Labor, the H.303 sponsors, and others both inside and outside government. When you read readers’ predictions in this issue, you will see that many are hopeful and expecting a general turn-around for our industry.
State supported Film Offices in New England are continuously examining their production incentives to entice more work here. I believe we will see more attention paid to improving our attraction of filmmakers and producers everywhere using innovative state incentives, as well as our natural resources and highly educated and trained work forces. We are currently enjoying the benefits of MYSTIC RIVER being in release. In early December, MYSTIC RIVER, Clint Eastwood's adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel about a tight-knit Boston community, was named best film of the year by the National Board of Review. Sean Penn, who stars in the film as an ex-con whose daughter is missing, was named best actor for both MYSTIC and 21 GRAMS. The best guess is that this is the first of many nominations and accolades for MYSTIC RIVER with the film getting much attention most likely through the Academy Awards in March. During this time, Boston will be getting attention as the filmic backdrop. So while the sun is shining, we should be making hay.
Also from the National Board of Review, Errol Morris' THE FOG OF WAR a study of former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara was named best documentary. Best film and best documentary from the hub of New England strikes me as a good omen.
EMPIRE FALLS prop department sold off mountains of props including automobiles, dishwashers, furniture, vintage clothing after wrapping the HBO film in Waterville and Skowhegan, Maine. According to Maine actor, Tim Ryan who scored a juicy speaking part, “There is (was) a TON of stuff. I can't begin to describe what is (was) there for prop items. Lots of vintage stuff from the flash back scenes like 40's & 50's era telephones, cameras, typewriters, luggage, beach apparel, appliances. You name it…some very nice vintage bicycles as well.”
Imagine a truckload of items used by Ed Harris, Joanne Woodward, and Helen Hunt all for $200! His kitchen now has chairs that were used in the Callahan bar scenes! Now that’s a thrill, particularly since Tim had scenes with Ed Harris there. He also acted in one scene with Paul Newman. It’s his first film and says that nobody believes him when he tells them about it. IMAGINE has arranged to interview Tim Ryan and we’ll bring you his thrilling story in our February issue. He believes that when we publish his story, his friends will believe it. On the set 11 days, Tim kept a journal and told IMAGINE that Ed Harris taught him a lot.
Congratulations are in order for filmmaker John Farrell. The North American home video and DVD rights for his film, RICHARD THE SECOND, has been acquired by Sub Rosa, distributor of underground horror classics such as SCRAPBOOK and TRUTH OR DARE. Sub Rosa Studios will release RICHARD THE SECOND in the summer of 2004 on its Sub Rosa Platinum line. Filmed on location at an abandoned fort on an island off Boston, RICHARD is a modern-dress version of the classic tragedy of a king whose inability to please allies and contain adversaries leads to his downfall and death.
Again this year, IMAGINE will host its New Year Industry celebration the second week in January (Tuesday the 13th). I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there. This year the party will be at EPIPHANY Restaurant and Lounge. We’re calling it HOTSHOTS and you won’t want to miss it this year. Last year we sold out, so make your reservations early. You can do that directly online. The price of your admission also covers your new or renewed subscription to IMAGINE. Several photographers will be present to take “hotshots” of all our guests, which we will post online and use throughout the year in the pages of IMAGINE. It’s a cool way to build our own archives. The first hour of HOTSHOTS served by Triple Eight Vodka, Nantucket Vineyards, and Cisco Brewers will be complimentary so you’ll want to arrive promptly at 7 PM! Gather up your friends and make plans to attend what many have called one of the best industry parties of the year! EPIPHANY is just a short distance from Boston’s South Station, so taking a train or the T is a handy idea.
My best wishes for a Happy Holiday and Prosperous New Year to everyone! Let’s be hopeful for what 2004 will bring. I predict we will have some great things to report to you in 2004. “Two” and “four” are my lucky numbers!
Carol Patton
Around Boston, if it weren’t for the “reality” TV show craze, there would be very little work at all save for an anemic commercial production continuance. But, I remain mostly optimistic. Actually, Christy Scott Cashman says I am the most optimistic person she knows. And I still believe she is our rising star, our meteor of potential. This is the 6th year that she appears on the cover of the December-January issue of IMAGINE. It is always our most popular issue, which goes to Sundance and Slamdance Film Festivals and to NATPE in Las Vegas for extensive bonus distribution. Already we are plotting what she will do on the cover next year. We never run out of ideas for her.
Last week Christy Scott and I hosted a reception in her home for Representative Brian Wallace with supporting members of the industry attending. The evening was a great success. Thank you to all who helped. We are all so thankful that Brian filed H.303 for us to forward the reconstitution of a Massachusetts Film Office that carries the meaningful imprimatur of the state to Hollywood and beyond. It’s this status that will be required to let studios and major producers know that we are seriously open for business and will be both professional and competitive. A great deal of support exists for this effort, including the unanimous support of the Joint Committee on Commerce and Labor, the H.303 sponsors, and others both inside and outside government. When you read readers’ predictions in this issue, you will see that many are hopeful and expecting a general turn-around for our industry.
State supported Film Offices in New England are continuously examining their production incentives to entice more work here. I believe we will see more attention paid to improving our attraction of filmmakers and producers everywhere using innovative state incentives, as well as our natural resources and highly educated and trained work forces. We are currently enjoying the benefits of MYSTIC RIVER being in release. In early December, MYSTIC RIVER, Clint Eastwood's adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel about a tight-knit Boston community, was named best film of the year by the National Board of Review. Sean Penn, who stars in the film as an ex-con whose daughter is missing, was named best actor for both MYSTIC and 21 GRAMS. The best guess is that this is the first of many nominations and accolades for MYSTIC RIVER with the film getting much attention most likely through the Academy Awards in March. During this time, Boston will be getting attention as the filmic backdrop. So while the sun is shining, we should be making hay.
Also from the National Board of Review, Errol Morris' THE FOG OF WAR a study of former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara was named best documentary. Best film and best documentary from the hub of New England strikes me as a good omen.
EMPIRE FALLS prop department sold off mountains of props including automobiles, dishwashers, furniture, vintage clothing after wrapping the HBO film in Waterville and Skowhegan, Maine. According to Maine actor, Tim Ryan who scored a juicy speaking part, “There is (was) a TON of stuff. I can't begin to describe what is (was) there for prop items. Lots of vintage stuff from the flash back scenes like 40's & 50's era telephones, cameras, typewriters, luggage, beach apparel, appliances. You name it…some very nice vintage bicycles as well.”
Imagine a truckload of items used by Ed Harris, Joanne Woodward, and Helen Hunt all for $200! His kitchen now has chairs that were used in the Callahan bar scenes! Now that’s a thrill, particularly since Tim had scenes with Ed Harris there. He also acted in one scene with Paul Newman. It’s his first film and says that nobody believes him when he tells them about it. IMAGINE has arranged to interview Tim Ryan and we’ll bring you his thrilling story in our February issue. He believes that when we publish his story, his friends will believe it. On the set 11 days, Tim kept a journal and told IMAGINE that Ed Harris taught him a lot.
Congratulations are in order for filmmaker John Farrell. The North American home video and DVD rights for his film, RICHARD THE SECOND, has been acquired by Sub Rosa, distributor of underground horror classics such as SCRAPBOOK and TRUTH OR DARE. Sub Rosa Studios will release RICHARD THE SECOND in the summer of 2004 on its Sub Rosa Platinum line. Filmed on location at an abandoned fort on an island off Boston, RICHARD is a modern-dress version of the classic tragedy of a king whose inability to please allies and contain adversaries leads to his downfall and death.
Again this year, IMAGINE will host its New Year Industry celebration the second week in January (Tuesday the 13th). I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there. This year the party will be at EPIPHANY Restaurant and Lounge. We’re calling it HOTSHOTS and you won’t want to miss it this year. Last year we sold out, so make your reservations early. You can do that directly online. The price of your admission also covers your new or renewed subscription to IMAGINE. Several photographers will be present to take “hotshots” of all our guests, which we will post online and use throughout the year in the pages of IMAGINE. It’s a cool way to build our own archives. The first hour of HOTSHOTS served by Triple Eight Vodka, Nantucket Vineyards, and Cisco Brewers will be complimentary so you’ll want to arrive promptly at 7 PM! Gather up your friends and make plans to attend what many have called one of the best industry parties of the year! EPIPHANY is just a short distance from Boston’s South Station, so taking a train or the T is a handy idea.
My best wishes for a Happy Holiday and Prosperous New Year to everyone! Let’s be hopeful for what 2004 will bring. I predict we will have some great things to report to you in 2004. “Two” and “four” are my lucky numbers!
Carol Patton
Gary Sclar: An Esquire for Indies By Rebecca Richards
OK, you’ve always “wanted to direct,” and after years of refining your script, somehow raising the money to shoot your project and finding the right locations, actors, and production crew, your first feature film is finally “in the can.” Your work is done. You can take a deep breath and relax, right? Well, not quite, according to Boston attorney Gary Sclar, who says that unless you’ve signed agreements early on in the production process securing your ownership and creative control over your film, you could actually end up losing or sharing rights to your own work. Without binding legal contracts some of your hardest work as an independent filmmaker could still lie ahead of you. That’s just one of the many sobering legal facts that Sclar has made a point to educate New England area filmmakers about. By day, Gary Sclar has a demanding 9-to-5 life specializing in issues connected to Intellectual Property and Patent Law at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. But by night, he re-directs and refocuses his energy and expertise to working as a lawyer for New England’s independent film community, a mission he feels truly passionate about. And while Sclar clearly enjoys the intellectual challenges involved with his full-time job, he can’t suppress the passion and intensity he feels working with filmmakers through his private practice. He says he has a keen appreciation for their situation. “Many independent filmmakers must try to fit their creative passion in with all their other responsibilities. Making room in your life for doing something you love - I can totally relate to that. I’ve made room in my own life to include something I feel very committed to doing - which is working with film artists from a legal perspective.” Sclar’s lifelong interest in the arts and artists was likely formed growing up in a family of musicians and a sister wanting to make a life as a visual artist. Sclar initially tried his hand at being an actual practitioner of the arts. “I tried them all,” he says, thinking back. “First, it was music. I think I tried about five different instruments, but none seemed quite right. Then I tried painting - with watercolors, oils, acrylics - you name it - but it turned out I just wasn’t naturally gifted as an artist.” But not having any success as an artist himself didn’t dampen Sclar’s enthusiasm for wanting to be around people working in the arts. It seemed to actually strengthen his resolve. “Where my talent lies is in the legal field,” he says. “And I knew I wanted to be around creative people and the creative process. So I said to myself, ‘dammit,’ I’m going to make sure that I can use this hard-earned legal expertise to be involved in the arts as an attorney.” And he set out to do just that. Sclar decided a few years ago that he was going to fuse his passion for the arts with his equally intense passion for the legal issues he had come to know as an expert in the area of Intellectual Property. Sclar started thinking, how could he use his legal skills and expertise to be a part of the arts community that he feels so strongly about? Within a matter of months, Sclar made a plan to make him known and market his skills to the Boston area’s creative community, an important objective in order to achieve his goal of working with the local artists and arts groups. He was on a personal mission to make himself known while also informing artists of the legal issues they should be informed about. And it worked. Within only a few months Sclar had managed to give talks to such well-established arts organizations as the Brickbottom Studios; the South End Artists Collaborative; Concord Arts Association; Emerson Umbrella; the New England School of Photography; and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Throughout the community he developed a reputation as being a very friendly, approachable, and affordable attorney, wanting to help area artists with legal advice. Film in particular had long fascinated Sclar as he saw it as a kind of pinnacle of the visual arts. “I sincerely believe that the most complicated issue-riddled area of the arts is independent film, for a host of reasons: you’ve got copyright issues; licensing issues; work for hire issues, the list goes on. There are just so many legal components a filmmaker has to be aware of. The expectations of everyone involved in the film must be made very clear. Communication is very important.” An important personal goal was fulfilled when Sclar became a sought after speaker and teacher of legal workshops for the film community. As Sclar says, “If I could only work with one segment of the artistic population, I would want it to be with independent filmmakers.” According to Michael Kalish, Director of Education for the Boston Film/Video Foundation, Sclar’s reputation as a friend of the local film community is Well deserved. “Gary teaches a three hour seminar on legal issues for filmmakers here at the BF/VF. I’ve taken the class personally and I can tell you, it’s one of our more accessible classes. Gary will encourage people to call and e-mail him with questions. He will speak with filmmakers and put them in the right direction. He truly wants to be helpful.” A lot of filmmakers just assume they can’t afford to work with an attorney. But in Sclar’s case, he wants to keep his legal advice within reach of the artists he so admires. As he says, “a small upfront investment is well worth it to insure the future security of a filmmaker’s work.” Sclar cites a worse case scenario a filmmaker could find his/her self in: Beyond your wildest dreams, a cable channel has offered you $250,000 for your film. But before you break open the bottle of champagne, an executive from the channel calls to confirm that all your legal contracts are binding. It seems you forgot to include a particular legal document - quite possibly the one that addressed the issue of ownership rights to the film. Without such confirmation, the cable channel must now, unfortunately, pass on its offer. Word soon gets out that your film is “tarnished” - no one will touch it. You’ve created something of acknowledged market value and it’s now seen as worthless with no commercial value - all because it was lacking a certain legal agreement. A strong argument for making sure you do your legal homework if you’re going to make a film. How does Sclar manage to do it all - work a demanding full-time job, raise three year-old twins with his wife, and run a growing private practice? His answer is simple: “I try to pick and chose what projects I do,” he says. “I meet with clients at night or sometime during the weekends. I can do this work on my own private time. I make the time to do this work with artists because I want to do it and I simply have to do it. I can’t imagine my life any other way.” Gary Sclar can be reached at gms@arts-law.net. Rebecca Richards was the first executive director of Women in Film and Video/New England. She has served as guest editor of the “Women’s Issue” of IMAGINE since 1999. She is a co-founder and producer of Belmont World Film and director of the BWF Children’s Animation Festival. Current film projects include a biopic of artist Suzanne Valadon and Women of the Beat Generation. She teaches at Boston University.
READING INTO FILM CLUBS: Is Film the Poetry of Our Times? By Sally Fay Cottingham
Can the onset of DVD, video and multiple movie channels explain the rise of film fanaticism? Everywhere I turn people are making excuses to see films! All this time I thought my compulsion to see film after film had to do with eating popcorn but now I can see I am part of something larger, perhaps even profound… Pictures speak about our culture. Film shows how we define ourselves. It is the poetry of our time. Film spreads our messages, good and bad. It’s natural then that we would gather together and watch these images and reflect on them, commenting on what they say about us. Hence, the arrival of the latest forms of communal entertainment: Film Clubs.
John Farr began his Film Club three years ago in the basement of his house. For 8-10 Friday or Saturday evenings over the winter he held all “classic” movie nights showing films like NOTORIOUS with Cary Grant, THE APARTMENT with Jack Lemmon, A HARD DAY’S NIGHT with the Beatles and THE CONVERSATION with Gene Hackman on his 55 inch rear projection screen. John sent out a schedule and sign up sheet at the beginning of the season to 50-100 of his friends. Initially the turn out for each “movie night” would vary from 15-30 people. By the third year, the routine had caught on and John’s “movie nights” consistently had 30-35 people. He and his wife provided “booze and pizza” and everyone else brought over hors d’oeuvres, salads, desserts and conversation.
The format for the evening was simple. John introduced the film briefly and they’d watch it. The intent was “not to turn it into an academic thing” as he has an aversion to that. The idea was “just to get people intrigued” and keeps everything “accessible”. John was shocked to find his audience had no idea who William Powell was until he showed MY MAN GODFREY. Now he can sleep at night knowing that they do! And dreams do come true…At least John’s has for he has expanded his love for film and parlayed it right into “a day job,”(And it all started with a Film Club!). He recently helped bring back to life The Avon Theatre in Stamford, Conn. The Avon is a beautiful 1939 theater “built at a time when going to the movies was the highlight of the week”. Visit their website: www.avontheatre.org and join John’s “club”. They are going to open their doors with a Cary Grant festival.
Speaking of cool theaters and another Film Club...Dale and Bob Mnookin and Lia and Bill Poorvu teamed up for the first time to co-host a screening of DR.STRANGELOVE at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge (Bill Poorvu owns the building that the Brattle is in). They combined their lists and pulled in about a hundred of their friends who came on a Sunday morning (film can be a religious experience). After watching the classic, a discussion followed where, of course, parallels were drawn between the film and the political situation today (Iraq). Many felt seeing the film was haunting in its relevance. Everyone went to Casablanca for lunch afterwards to complete the outing.
Now please don’t think every Film Club has to tie in a theatre somehow because those examples are the exception. The Mnookin’s, for example, had hosted potluck Film Club meetings at their house prior to the Brattle idea. The way those worked is that they assigned a film ahead of time. ON THE WATERFRONT, was one and a French film, THE RULES OF THE GAME, by Jean Renoir, another, and an Orson Welles film, THE THIRD MAN, another. Everyone had to see the film before coming to their house (“that was their ticket through the door”) and they brought a dish for the potluck.
Louisa McCall has irregular Film Club meetings as time and desire dictate. She and her husband had a small group of six (three couples) over to watch and discuss Lucia Small’s documentary, MY FATHER, THE GENIUS (see IMAGINE November 2002 cover story). Louisa is also involved with a FILM CLUB of mothers with daughters who watched THIRTEEN together and have plans to watch other films related to motherhood. Louisa sees film as “increasingly a vehicle for people to talk about life, like book clubs.”
Then there are process oriented Film Clubs. My husband and I have hosted two of those Film Club nights at our house. The first evening, I rented the video and we all (four couples) watched Mike Nichols’ THE GRADUATE and discussed it, analyzed it, examined the editing, paused, played, discussed, paused, played, discussed. We spent hours digging up the details. The second Film Club event was oriented towards the screenplay. Everybody (ten people) got a copy of the original SAVING PRIVATE RYAN screenplay written by Robert Rodat, the version that Steven Spielberg first saw. Then everybody got a copy of the version (of the screenplay) that got shot. Everybody made a point of seeing (if they hadn’t already) SAVING PRIVATE RYAN beforehand. Robert Rodat and his wife, Mollie Miller, came to the meeting and we all discussed the process of writing a screenplay, the constant changes, adjustments, and coping that is necessary. Our Film Club approach is more work-minded. They are not relaxing evenings. They are challenging and exhausting and you leave mumbling to yourself “what ever happened to just watching a movie for enjoyment?” I’m sorry to all of you who attended.
Averil Meyer’s Film Club was born out of their women’s book club. They make up a list of 6-10 movies, mostly independent and foreign with some Hollywood films and everyone has to see them over a month. Then they all meet for lunch at a ladies club to discuss them. Averil says that it is “pretty informal.” They’ll touch on the acting and the directing and if they liked it or not. They mainly enjoy the time together sharing ideas.
And the Film Club Award goes to…Barbara Cole Lee who started Chix Flix born out of her trip to Sundance Film Festival and her love of independent film (and her love of being with her girlfriends). Barbara holds the Chix Flix club meetings/screenings at Joe Zina’s Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline on weekday mornings every couple of months or so. There are 57 Chix on her mailing list! The Chix arrive at around 10:00 a.m. (numbers attending varying); watch a documentary that Barbara has chosen because she thinks that it is an important film to see. After the film, the Chix discuss it. Barbara provides lunch. The filmmaker is sometimes there. As Barbara says, “It is a way to be with friends. It promotes independent film. It broadens our views.”
Friends, visual poetry and popcorn, there are plenty of good reasons to start a Film Club!
Sally Fay Cottingham worked with the ABC/Hearst production team that launched A&E in NYC. She has written, produced and directed 2 shorts, PATTY’S FANTASY and WATERTALK. She has acted in major motion pictures, independent films and television.
John Farr began his Film Club three years ago in the basement of his house. For 8-10 Friday or Saturday evenings over the winter he held all “classic” movie nights showing films like NOTORIOUS with Cary Grant, THE APARTMENT with Jack Lemmon, A HARD DAY’S NIGHT with the Beatles and THE CONVERSATION with Gene Hackman on his 55 inch rear projection screen. John sent out a schedule and sign up sheet at the beginning of the season to 50-100 of his friends. Initially the turn out for each “movie night” would vary from 15-30 people. By the third year, the routine had caught on and John’s “movie nights” consistently had 30-35 people. He and his wife provided “booze and pizza” and everyone else brought over hors d’oeuvres, salads, desserts and conversation.
The format for the evening was simple. John introduced the film briefly and they’d watch it. The intent was “not to turn it into an academic thing” as he has an aversion to that. The idea was “just to get people intrigued” and keeps everything “accessible”. John was shocked to find his audience had no idea who William Powell was until he showed MY MAN GODFREY. Now he can sleep at night knowing that they do! And dreams do come true…At least John’s has for he has expanded his love for film and parlayed it right into “a day job,”(And it all started with a Film Club!). He recently helped bring back to life The Avon Theatre in Stamford, Conn. The Avon is a beautiful 1939 theater “built at a time when going to the movies was the highlight of the week”. Visit their website: www.avontheatre.org and join John’s “club”. They are going to open their doors with a Cary Grant festival.
Speaking of cool theaters and another Film Club...Dale and Bob Mnookin and Lia and Bill Poorvu teamed up for the first time to co-host a screening of DR.STRANGELOVE at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge (Bill Poorvu owns the building that the Brattle is in). They combined their lists and pulled in about a hundred of their friends who came on a Sunday morning (film can be a religious experience). After watching the classic, a discussion followed where, of course, parallels were drawn between the film and the political situation today (Iraq). Many felt seeing the film was haunting in its relevance. Everyone went to Casablanca for lunch afterwards to complete the outing.
Now please don’t think every Film Club has to tie in a theatre somehow because those examples are the exception. The Mnookin’s, for example, had hosted potluck Film Club meetings at their house prior to the Brattle idea. The way those worked is that they assigned a film ahead of time. ON THE WATERFRONT, was one and a French film, THE RULES OF THE GAME, by Jean Renoir, another, and an Orson Welles film, THE THIRD MAN, another. Everyone had to see the film before coming to their house (“that was their ticket through the door”) and they brought a dish for the potluck.
Louisa McCall has irregular Film Club meetings as time and desire dictate. She and her husband had a small group of six (three couples) over to watch and discuss Lucia Small’s documentary, MY FATHER, THE GENIUS (see IMAGINE November 2002 cover story). Louisa is also involved with a FILM CLUB of mothers with daughters who watched THIRTEEN together and have plans to watch other films related to motherhood. Louisa sees film as “increasingly a vehicle for people to talk about life, like book clubs.”
Then there are process oriented Film Clubs. My husband and I have hosted two of those Film Club nights at our house. The first evening, I rented the video and we all (four couples) watched Mike Nichols’ THE GRADUATE and discussed it, analyzed it, examined the editing, paused, played, discussed, paused, played, discussed. We spent hours digging up the details. The second Film Club event was oriented towards the screenplay. Everybody (ten people) got a copy of the original SAVING PRIVATE RYAN screenplay written by Robert Rodat, the version that Steven Spielberg first saw. Then everybody got a copy of the version (of the screenplay) that got shot. Everybody made a point of seeing (if they hadn’t already) SAVING PRIVATE RYAN beforehand. Robert Rodat and his wife, Mollie Miller, came to the meeting and we all discussed the process of writing a screenplay, the constant changes, adjustments, and coping that is necessary. Our Film Club approach is more work-minded. They are not relaxing evenings. They are challenging and exhausting and you leave mumbling to yourself “what ever happened to just watching a movie for enjoyment?” I’m sorry to all of you who attended.
Averil Meyer’s Film Club was born out of their women’s book club. They make up a list of 6-10 movies, mostly independent and foreign with some Hollywood films and everyone has to see them over a month. Then they all meet for lunch at a ladies club to discuss them. Averil says that it is “pretty informal.” They’ll touch on the acting and the directing and if they liked it or not. They mainly enjoy the time together sharing ideas.
And the Film Club Award goes to…Barbara Cole Lee who started Chix Flix born out of her trip to Sundance Film Festival and her love of independent film (and her love of being with her girlfriends). Barbara holds the Chix Flix club meetings/screenings at Joe Zina’s Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline on weekday mornings every couple of months or so. There are 57 Chix on her mailing list! The Chix arrive at around 10:00 a.m. (numbers attending varying); watch a documentary that Barbara has chosen because she thinks that it is an important film to see. After the film, the Chix discuss it. Barbara provides lunch. The filmmaker is sometimes there. As Barbara says, “It is a way to be with friends. It promotes independent film. It broadens our views.”
Friends, visual poetry and popcorn, there are plenty of good reasons to start a Film Club!
Sally Fay Cottingham worked with the ABC/Hearst production team that launched A&E in NYC. She has written, produced and directed 2 shorts, PATTY’S FANTASY and WATERTALK. She has acted in major motion pictures, independent films and television.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Anne Hathaway to co-host Nobel peace prize concert
Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway will co-host this year's Nobel peace prize concert in Norway with Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington.
Barry Manilow, Elvis Costello and Jamiroquai will perform at the Oslo event on 11 December - one day after the prize-giving ceremony.
AR Rahman, Florence and the Machine and Herbie Hancock are also on the bill.
This year's concert will honour jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, winner of the 2010 prize.
The 54-year-old received an 11-year sentence last year for "inciting subversion" after drafting a charter calling for multi-party democracy and respect for human rights in China.
It is doubtful whether the prize will be handed out this year as China may not allow Mr Liu's family to attend the ceremony.
According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, its prestigious award can only be collected by the laureate in person or by close family members.
Swedish chart-topper Robyn, US singer Colbie Caillat and soul star India.Arie will also perform at the concert, an annual event since 1994.
Will Smith, Tom Cruise and Sir Michael Caine are among those who have hosted the concert in previous years.
Barry Manilow, Elvis Costello and Jamiroquai will perform at the Oslo event on 11 December - one day after the prize-giving ceremony.
AR Rahman, Florence and the Machine and Herbie Hancock are also on the bill.
This year's concert will honour jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, winner of the 2010 prize.
The 54-year-old received an 11-year sentence last year for "inciting subversion" after drafting a charter calling for multi-party democracy and respect for human rights in China.
It is doubtful whether the prize will be handed out this year as China may not allow Mr Liu's family to attend the ceremony.
According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, its prestigious award can only be collected by the laureate in person or by close family members.
Swedish chart-topper Robyn, US singer Colbie Caillat and soul star India.Arie will also perform at the concert, an annual event since 1994.
Will Smith, Tom Cruise and Sir Michael Caine are among those who have hosted the concert in previous years.
Actor Wesley Snipes ordered to jail over tax crime
Hollywood star Wesley Snipes has been ordered by a US judge to surrender to authorities to start serving a three-year jail term for tax-related crimes.
Florida Judge William Terrell Hodges rejected a request from Snipes' lawyers to review his sentence and grant a new trial.
In April 2008, Snipes, 48, was found guilty of deliberately failing to file tax returns for 1999, 2000 and 2001.
He then launched an appeal and has been on bail ever since.
The actor, whose films include the Blade trilogy, was cleared of more serious fraud and conspiracy charges.
'Calm and positive'
"The defendant Snipes had a fair trial; he has had a full, fair and thorough review of his conviction and sentence," Judge Hodges wrote in his decision on Friday.
"The time has come for the judgement to be enforced," he said.
It was not immediately clear when and where Snipes had to surrender.
However, his defence attorney Daniel Meachum later said he planned to appeal at the US Supreme Court, the Associated Press reports.
Mr Meachum said that Snipes, who was in Atlanta to film a movie, remained "incredibly calm and positive".
"He wasn't angered. He wasn't bitter."
Snipes' lawyers had argued his 2008 sentence was "unreasonable".
The actor earned more than $37m (£24m) in gross income between 1999 and 2004 but did not file individual federal income tax returns for any of those years, according to official court papers.
Florida Judge William Terrell Hodges rejected a request from Snipes' lawyers to review his sentence and grant a new trial.
In April 2008, Snipes, 48, was found guilty of deliberately failing to file tax returns for 1999, 2000 and 2001.
He then launched an appeal and has been on bail ever since.
The actor, whose films include the Blade trilogy, was cleared of more serious fraud and conspiracy charges.
'Calm and positive'
"The defendant Snipes had a fair trial; he has had a full, fair and thorough review of his conviction and sentence," Judge Hodges wrote in his decision on Friday.
"The time has come for the judgement to be enforced," he said.
It was not immediately clear when and where Snipes had to surrender.
However, his defence attorney Daniel Meachum later said he planned to appeal at the US Supreme Court, the Associated Press reports.
Mr Meachum said that Snipes, who was in Atlanta to film a movie, remained "incredibly calm and positive".
"He wasn't angered. He wasn't bitter."
Snipes' lawyers had argued his 2008 sentence was "unreasonable".
The actor earned more than $37m (£24m) in gross income between 1999 and 2004 but did not file individual federal income tax returns for any of those years, according to official court papers.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Brad Pitt wants tomake the Chileanminers movie
Much like the rest of the world, Brad
Pitt was touched by the story of the
33 Chilean miners who were
trapped underground for more than
two months before being rescued.
Now, the 46-year-old actor is in
talks to tell their tale on the big
screen.
People.com reports that Pitt's
production company Plan B – which
he founded with ex-wife Jennifer
Aniston – "has expressed potential
interest in the story," according to
company rep Jon Liebman, CEO of
Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
"Like so many people worldwide,
Plan B has been incredibly moved
by the story of the Chilean miners
and their families."
Though a lawyer for the miners told
the Santiago, Chile, newspaper El
Mercurio that Plan B offered millions
for the men's story, Liebman shoots
down those claims. "There have not
yet been serious discussions," he
tells People.
This wouldn't be the first time Pitt's
Plan B has turned a true-life drama
into a moving movie. In 2007, the
company released "A Mighty Heart,"
which starred Angelina Jolie as
journalist Mariane Pearl, whose
husband, Wall Street Journal
reporter Daniel Pearl, was kidnapped
and slain by terrorists in Pakistan.
Source: CNN
Pitt was touched by the story of the
33 Chilean miners who were
trapped underground for more than
two months before being rescued.
Now, the 46-year-old actor is in
talks to tell their tale on the big
screen.
People.com reports that Pitt's
production company Plan B – which
he founded with ex-wife Jennifer
Aniston – "has expressed potential
interest in the story," according to
company rep Jon Liebman, CEO of
Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
"Like so many people worldwide,
Plan B has been incredibly moved
by the story of the Chilean miners
and their families."
Though a lawyer for the miners told
the Santiago, Chile, newspaper El
Mercurio that Plan B offered millions
for the men's story, Liebman shoots
down those claims. "There have not
yet been serious discussions," he
tells People.
This wouldn't be the first time Pitt's
Plan B has turned a true-life drama
into a moving movie. In 2007, the
company released "A Mighty Heart,"
which starred Angelina Jolie as
journalist Mariane Pearl, whose
husband, Wall Street Journal
reporter Daniel Pearl, was kidnapped
and slain by terrorists in Pakistan.
Source: CNN
Ghana MovieAwards receives 96entries
Ninety-six entries have so far been
received by the organisers of the
first Ghana Movie Awards set to take
place on December 25 at the Accra
International Conference Centre.
The awards was launched on
September 30 and opened entries
for nominations in October. With
organisers closing entries, Prince
Tsegah, Managing Director of the
awards told Myjoyonline.com
Wednesday that they have received
96 entries.
He said the calendar date for this
year ’s awards was from October
2009 to October 2010 but had to
attach a "human face" by extending
the deadline to the first week of
November due to challenges faced
by some of the production houses.
The entries, Prince explained, came
from Accra and Kumasi with
Kumasi submitting about 50 movies
and Accra submitting the rest.
He disclosed that production houses
such as Venus Films and Sparrow
Productions submitted 6 and 3
movies respectively.
In all, 32 categories are up for grabs.
The awards will also seek to award
some movies from the West
African sub-region but Prince said
the awards is Ghanaian with about
96 percent of the awards going to
works in the Ghanaian movie
industry.
He also revealed that screening of
the various movies submitted will
begin Saturday, November 20 at the
Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra by the
Screening and Nomination
Committee (SNC).
Selected nominees will be submitted
to a jury and finalists will be released
for public voting (for some
categories) at an event at the Golden
Tulip Hotel on November 26.
The SNC will be made up of media
personnel and some major players
in the industry and may be headed
by veteran actor, Fred Amugi.
Reacting to allegations that the event
will be marred by conflict of interest
between Fred Nuamah, the brain
behind the Ghana Movie Awards,
and the event itself due to his close
relationship with some movie
producers, Prince said Fred was
only the executive producer of the
awards and that the event itself was
being organised by Image
Consortium with the result collection
being handled by PriceWaterhouse
Coopers.
The awards night, December 25,
Prince said, will be a star-studded
event featuring the crème de la
crème of the movie industry and
celebrities.
An international music star is also
targeted to perform at the event.
Story by Ernest Dela Aglanu/
Myjoyonline.com/Ghana
received by the organisers of the
first Ghana Movie Awards set to take
place on December 25 at the Accra
International Conference Centre.
The awards was launched on
September 30 and opened entries
for nominations in October. With
organisers closing entries, Prince
Tsegah, Managing Director of the
awards told Myjoyonline.com
Wednesday that they have received
96 entries.
He said the calendar date for this
year ’s awards was from October
2009 to October 2010 but had to
attach a "human face" by extending
the deadline to the first week of
November due to challenges faced
by some of the production houses.
The entries, Prince explained, came
from Accra and Kumasi with
Kumasi submitting about 50 movies
and Accra submitting the rest.
He disclosed that production houses
such as Venus Films and Sparrow
Productions submitted 6 and 3
movies respectively.
In all, 32 categories are up for grabs.
The awards will also seek to award
some movies from the West
African sub-region but Prince said
the awards is Ghanaian with about
96 percent of the awards going to
works in the Ghanaian movie
industry.
He also revealed that screening of
the various movies submitted will
begin Saturday, November 20 at the
Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra by the
Screening and Nomination
Committee (SNC).
Selected nominees will be submitted
to a jury and finalists will be released
for public voting (for some
categories) at an event at the Golden
Tulip Hotel on November 26.
The SNC will be made up of media
personnel and some major players
in the industry and may be headed
by veteran actor, Fred Amugi.
Reacting to allegations that the event
will be marred by conflict of interest
between Fred Nuamah, the brain
behind the Ghana Movie Awards,
and the event itself due to his close
relationship with some movie
producers, Prince said Fred was
only the executive producer of the
awards and that the event itself was
being organised by Image
Consortium with the result collection
being handled by PriceWaterhouse
Coopers.
The awards night, December 25,
Prince said, will be a star-studded
event featuring the crème de la
crème of the movie industry and
celebrities.
An international music star is also
targeted to perform at the event.
Story by Ernest Dela Aglanu/
Myjoyonline.com/Ghana
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Phamous People to Roll out CINEKROM PHILM Reality Show
Ever since being set up by Gerald “Ogee” Gyimah, as a multimedia production house, PHAMOUS PEOPLE has been known to set the pace in the industry by creating captivating, inventive and enduring multimedia productions through connected thinking.
Phamous People has over the years been shooting, editing, and writing scripts and concepts for music videos, corporate advertisements and documentaries. In addition, its productions have consistently enhanced branding, sales and internal communications. It assists businesses to project their presence by creating concepts with a competitive edge. In the past the duo of Gerald and George Gyimah has broken international boundaries working with the likes of Akon, Tuface, Faze and many others.
In recent times, the multiple award winning company looks to be branching out into producing high quality commercials and documentaries for corporate outfits as well and is looking to bring more innovation and break new grounds in the industry; PHAMOUS PEOPLE PHILMS PRODUCTIONS is set to embark on a new challenge.
Billed as perhaps the biggest reality show to hit Ghanaian television screens, the “CINEKROM PHILM ACADEMY SHOW,” is a Reality Show based on the intricate and creative processes involved in making a Music Video, Short Film or a television commercial.
Over the course of 12 weeks, a total of 250 entrants will be screened to 125 and then further reduced to 50 and then the final 12 entrants will enter the house after a chain of tasks. The 12 lucky housemates will be put through a gruelling series that will involve a sequence of tasks such as shooting music videos for selected artistes, television commercials as well as short films and documentaries.
There will be 3 final (Red, Yellow, and Green) teams and each team will be equipped with cameras, lighting and sound equipment and will be asked to film a subject/theme of their choice.
Over the 12 weeks, the housemates will have the opportunity to be mentored and trained in the art of film making and audio/visual production by the PHAMOUS PEOPLE brothers known as Gerald “Ogee,” “George “Gyo” and their father, renowned Ghanaian film pioneer, Mr. Charles Allen Gyimah.
The housemates will also be judged by a panel of judges which will include the Gyimah Brothers as well as internationally renowned music video directors, Gil Green, Martin Linse and Marco Liberling; all of whom are known to have produced phenomenal stuff for the likes of Akon, Rihanna and many others.
The winning team will have an opportunity to shoot a music video with Marco Liberling, a training trip to the Brooklyn School of Arts in the United States and an Internship with PHAMOUS PEOPLE PHILMS PRODUCTION as well as many other attractive prizes.
Gerald “Ogee” Gyimah, C.E.O of PHAMOUS PEOPLE PHILMS, says the rationale behind the show is to train the Youth of Africa to appreciate their own Talent, Music, Art and Heritage and also to be able to learn how to do what PHAMOUS PEOPLE have been doing so well over the years; create a new breed of creative and technical minds for the multimedia production sector in Ghana.
“Over the years, we have won National and International Awards in video and documentary production for private and corporate organizations; and raised the bar in audio/visual production in this country and I believe it is only right that we give something back to the young generation coming up who look up to us and the kind of stuff we produce,” he stated.
The show is set to roll out on television at the beginning of February 2010. Auditions are however set to take place on the 4th of December at the Tyme Out Pub on the University of Ghana campus and then on the 15th of January on the Campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology[KNUST]. Registration forms are available at NAFTI and all tertiary institutions across the city as well as the Silverbird Cinema and Lifestyle Store, Koala, Lara Mart, Foto Club, Time Out, Legon and on the KNUST Campus.
This show is opened for all who possess a passion and talent for scriptwriting, editing, photography, and all types of audio/visual production. CINEKROM PHILM ACADEMY REALITY SHOW is supported by SURF Publications, BUZZ GH Communications and the Silverbird Cinema and Lifestyle Store.
Phamous People has over the years been shooting, editing, and writing scripts and concepts for music videos, corporate advertisements and documentaries. In addition, its productions have consistently enhanced branding, sales and internal communications. It assists businesses to project their presence by creating concepts with a competitive edge. In the past the duo of Gerald and George Gyimah has broken international boundaries working with the likes of Akon, Tuface, Faze and many others.
In recent times, the multiple award winning company looks to be branching out into producing high quality commercials and documentaries for corporate outfits as well and is looking to bring more innovation and break new grounds in the industry; PHAMOUS PEOPLE PHILMS PRODUCTIONS is set to embark on a new challenge.
Billed as perhaps the biggest reality show to hit Ghanaian television screens, the “CINEKROM PHILM ACADEMY SHOW,” is a Reality Show based on the intricate and creative processes involved in making a Music Video, Short Film or a television commercial.
Over the course of 12 weeks, a total of 250 entrants will be screened to 125 and then further reduced to 50 and then the final 12 entrants will enter the house after a chain of tasks. The 12 lucky housemates will be put through a gruelling series that will involve a sequence of tasks such as shooting music videos for selected artistes, television commercials as well as short films and documentaries.
There will be 3 final (Red, Yellow, and Green) teams and each team will be equipped with cameras, lighting and sound equipment and will be asked to film a subject/theme of their choice.
Over the 12 weeks, the housemates will have the opportunity to be mentored and trained in the art of film making and audio/visual production by the PHAMOUS PEOPLE brothers known as Gerald “Ogee,” “George “Gyo” and their father, renowned Ghanaian film pioneer, Mr. Charles Allen Gyimah.
The housemates will also be judged by a panel of judges which will include the Gyimah Brothers as well as internationally renowned music video directors, Gil Green, Martin Linse and Marco Liberling; all of whom are known to have produced phenomenal stuff for the likes of Akon, Rihanna and many others.
The winning team will have an opportunity to shoot a music video with Marco Liberling, a training trip to the Brooklyn School of Arts in the United States and an Internship with PHAMOUS PEOPLE PHILMS PRODUCTION as well as many other attractive prizes.
Gerald “Ogee” Gyimah, C.E.O of PHAMOUS PEOPLE PHILMS, says the rationale behind the show is to train the Youth of Africa to appreciate their own Talent, Music, Art and Heritage and also to be able to learn how to do what PHAMOUS PEOPLE have been doing so well over the years; create a new breed of creative and technical minds for the multimedia production sector in Ghana.
“Over the years, we have won National and International Awards in video and documentary production for private and corporate organizations; and raised the bar in audio/visual production in this country and I believe it is only right that we give something back to the young generation coming up who look up to us and the kind of stuff we produce,” he stated.
The show is set to roll out on television at the beginning of February 2010. Auditions are however set to take place on the 4th of December at the Tyme Out Pub on the University of Ghana campus and then on the 15th of January on the Campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology[KNUST]. Registration forms are available at NAFTI and all tertiary institutions across the city as well as the Silverbird Cinema and Lifestyle Store, Koala, Lara Mart, Foto Club, Time Out, Legon and on the KNUST Campus.
This show is opened for all who possess a passion and talent for scriptwriting, editing, photography, and all types of audio/visual production. CINEKROM PHILM ACADEMY REALITY SHOW is supported by SURF Publications, BUZZ GH Communications and the Silverbird Cinema and Lifestyle Store.
"4ever Young" Premieres at National Theater On Friday
Silver line films will this Friday premiere its latest installment “4ever young” at the National theatre.
With over 20 movies to its credit, which include- “Indecent Favour”, “After the Promise”, “Rebels Heart”, “Love is Wicked” and “Queens Pride” just to mentioned a few, 4ever young” is so outstanding.
Yes indeed, If you're expecting a fun ride with loads of gags coupled with romance and drama, you are in for the best ride ever because events in the past few months have proven that silver line production is a force to reckon with and will definitely bring to your door step nothing but the best in Ghana’s English home video as it outdoors its latest blockbuster movie “4ever Young”. The much anticipated movie is here at long last and movies lovers will certainly have a lot to talk and cheer about.
4ever Young tells of a story of the uncontestable bond and expression of love shared between a mother (Ellen, played by Kalsum Sinare) and her daughter (Latisha, Jackie Appiah), who were so renowned, elite, and wealthy. Ellen’s strong influence in the society made her so powerful, but her daughter’s attitude and character was quite an insidious and mystery.
Their livelihood remains a hidden secret and several media houses persistently wanted answers to their secrets. To solicit an exclusive interview of the family only ends up in absolute futility. Where all others had failed, Spark (John Dumelo) is tasked by his media outfit to defy the odds and infiltrate this strong fortress for an exclusive interview.
His initial undercover efforts started to yielding results until the evitable happened. Find out the great controversy between a woman of power, wealth and the media and How far one go to bring back his /her past. These and many other questions will be answered as the story of Forever Young unfolds.
Watch the mystery unfold as Silver line Films Presents some of the cream in Ghana’s English Home video like, Jackie Appiah, John Dumelo & Kalsum Senare and Dan Tei-mensah.
“4ever young” will definitely keep you at the edge of your seats. It’s exciting, rejuvenating and a must watch movie. Silver line production, which is another leading name in Ghana’s English home video, is billed to premier this latest movie at the national theatre on Friday the 12th of November, 2010 at 6:30pm and the rate is Ghc 10.00.
The story, screen play as well as directing was by Kensteve Anuka a prolific individual. The premier will host all the stars and other special guest.
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
With over 20 movies to its credit, which include- “Indecent Favour”, “After the Promise”, “Rebels Heart”, “Love is Wicked” and “Queens Pride” just to mentioned a few, 4ever young” is so outstanding.
Yes indeed, If you're expecting a fun ride with loads of gags coupled with romance and drama, you are in for the best ride ever because events in the past few months have proven that silver line production is a force to reckon with and will definitely bring to your door step nothing but the best in Ghana’s English home video as it outdoors its latest blockbuster movie “4ever Young”. The much anticipated movie is here at long last and movies lovers will certainly have a lot to talk and cheer about.
4ever Young tells of a story of the uncontestable bond and expression of love shared between a mother (Ellen, played by Kalsum Sinare) and her daughter (Latisha, Jackie Appiah), who were so renowned, elite, and wealthy. Ellen’s strong influence in the society made her so powerful, but her daughter’s attitude and character was quite an insidious and mystery.
Their livelihood remains a hidden secret and several media houses persistently wanted answers to their secrets. To solicit an exclusive interview of the family only ends up in absolute futility. Where all others had failed, Spark (John Dumelo) is tasked by his media outfit to defy the odds and infiltrate this strong fortress for an exclusive interview.
His initial undercover efforts started to yielding results until the evitable happened. Find out the great controversy between a woman of power, wealth and the media and How far one go to bring back his /her past. These and many other questions will be answered as the story of Forever Young unfolds.
Watch the mystery unfold as Silver line Films Presents some of the cream in Ghana’s English Home video like, Jackie Appiah, John Dumelo & Kalsum Senare and Dan Tei-mensah.
“4ever young” will definitely keep you at the edge of your seats. It’s exciting, rejuvenating and a must watch movie. Silver line production, which is another leading name in Ghana’s English home video, is billed to premier this latest movie at the national theatre on Friday the 12th of November, 2010 at 6:30pm and the rate is Ghc 10.00.
The story, screen play as well as directing was by Kensteve Anuka a prolific individual. The premier will host all the stars and other special guest.
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
Lydia Forson Begs For $36,330
Ghanaian actress Lydia Forson is currently on a begging
mission, calling on Ghanaians to help her raise an amount of $36330.
Lydia says she would use the money to save the life of a 2-year-old girl,Kalila Mahama, whose life is at stake as a result of a heart disease called Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).
TOF is a complex anatomic abnormality arising from the mal-
development of the right ventricular infundibulum and affects children
mostly below the age of four. Kalila Mahama was diagnosed of the TOF earlier this year and doctors say she would suffer a permanent stroke if she is not treated early.
Her parents are yet to raise the cash amount of $36,330 to conduct a
surgery on her. The family had tried all they could for the past months to meet that financial obligation but to no avail.
Lydia Forson has therefore taken it upon herself to help the little girl and has embarked on a begging campaign to raise the funds.
“Friends, help me raise $36,330 to save a little girl. She is diagnosed with tetralogy of fallot, a heart condition. The surgery will be done at the Boston Children’s Hospital. Our target date for raising the funds is 25/11/2010.
You can send an email to Faiza Iddrisu on Facebook OR call
0244541828 for further information. Bank details are: 1051010077813,
GHANA COMMERCIAL BANK, FAIZA IDDRISU. God Bless
you all,” is a message the actress is circulating to her friends via her Facebook page.
NEWS-ONE was not able to reach Lydia as at press time yesterday but
the paper managed to fish out the mother of the little girl who gave her name as Faiza Iddrisu. According to Faiza Iddrisu, the deadline for her daughter’s surgery is Friday, November 26 this year. She has thus sent a plea to Ghanaians to help save Kalila’s life.
She also thanked Lydia Forson for her support so far and debunked talks that the actress’s campaign to raise the amount is a scam.
“I need to raise the funds to save my daughter and Lydia is helping
me… She is going out of her way to do this for my daughter because there is little time left to save her life. You can verify all this by visiting me at the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General's Office (BudgetDivision).
“To everyone who has been supportive in your various ways, God bless
you, and to others who think it’s a scam, I can understand your concerns and as stated above, you can verify the authenticity.
Know that this is to save my little girl and bashing Lydia with your negative comments is not in any way helping our cause. As stated in her appeal, you can call me and I shall provide you with the answers.”
Source: News One
mission, calling on Ghanaians to help her raise an amount of $36330.
Lydia says she would use the money to save the life of a 2-year-old girl,Kalila Mahama, whose life is at stake as a result of a heart disease called Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).
TOF is a complex anatomic abnormality arising from the mal-
development of the right ventricular infundibulum and affects children
mostly below the age of four. Kalila Mahama was diagnosed of the TOF earlier this year and doctors say she would suffer a permanent stroke if she is not treated early.
Her parents are yet to raise the cash amount of $36,330 to conduct a
surgery on her. The family had tried all they could for the past months to meet that financial obligation but to no avail.
Lydia Forson has therefore taken it upon herself to help the little girl and has embarked on a begging campaign to raise the funds.
“Friends, help me raise $36,330 to save a little girl. She is diagnosed with tetralogy of fallot, a heart condition. The surgery will be done at the Boston Children’s Hospital. Our target date for raising the funds is 25/11/2010.
You can send an email to Faiza Iddrisu on Facebook OR call
0244541828 for further information. Bank details are: 1051010077813,
GHANA COMMERCIAL BANK, FAIZA IDDRISU. God Bless
you all,” is a message the actress is circulating to her friends via her Facebook page.
NEWS-ONE was not able to reach Lydia as at press time yesterday but
the paper managed to fish out the mother of the little girl who gave her name as Faiza Iddrisu. According to Faiza Iddrisu, the deadline for her daughter’s surgery is Friday, November 26 this year. She has thus sent a plea to Ghanaians to help save Kalila’s life.
She also thanked Lydia Forson for her support so far and debunked talks that the actress’s campaign to raise the amount is a scam.
“I need to raise the funds to save my daughter and Lydia is helping
me… She is going out of her way to do this for my daughter because there is little time left to save her life. You can verify all this by visiting me at the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General's Office (BudgetDivision).
“To everyone who has been supportive in your various ways, God bless
you, and to others who think it’s a scam, I can understand your concerns and as stated above, you can verify the authenticity.
Know that this is to save my little girl and bashing Lydia with your negative comments is not in any way helping our cause. As stated in her appeal, you can call me and I shall provide you with the answers.”
Source: News One
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Harry Laud"s Stolen Camera Who Stands Accused
Not too long ago, there was an issue between Harry Laud and Vicky Zugah over some money Harry Laud was supposed to pay into Vicky's account which he failed to do. After intense investigation by Flex newspaper, movie producer Harry Laud confirmed owing the actress but now he has paid every debt on his hand.
Harry Laud is in the news once again to clear himself over a rumor which has been going round, that he has been a blockage to one of the country's best discovery called Patrick Safo ,
Reports came to the offices of Flex newspaper that some armed robbers broke into Harry Laud`s car and made away with his phone and other properties. The initial allegation was that he suspected an upcoming actor he invited for his production.
In an interview with Harry Laud to find out how it happened, he revealed to Flex newspaper that he called Patrick Sarfo for a movie script but his team realized that Patrick does not fit the role although he is a good actor. Harry Laud continued that he even paid for his transport but did not take the script from Patrick.
“Some thieves broke into my car and went away with my phone and other things but I did not on any platform mention Patrick's name. Patrick is not the only actor we called for that role. There were other guys so why will I mention his name, for what reason? It`s just not good for people to be pushing things that you have not said for public consumption. I am even ready to call Patrick any time I will do another job because I have realized he is a good actor who can interpret other roles for me” Harry Laud added.
In a separate interview with Patrick Safo, he told Flex newspaper that he is really tired of all these things and that he wants to stay away from acting because the whole thing started when he landed a role for the movie Flash Fever. He revealed that when he was supposed to take his money from the producer, armed robbers attacked the producer so he had to pass through lots of problems. He was really shocked of what people were saying again with regards to Harry Laud.
“I would not like to go into this matter as to whether it`s true or false. What I want to say is that I want my peace of mind in this industry and I know my relatives and my mum will not be happy to read all these stories about theft in connection with me” he added. We at Flex want to state category with our medium that Harry Laud has denied the fact that he suspects Patrick as rumours have been going round. He is innocent by all standards.
Harry Laud is in the news once again to clear himself over a rumor which has been going round, that he has been a blockage to one of the country's best discovery called Patrick Safo ,
Reports came to the offices of Flex newspaper that some armed robbers broke into Harry Laud`s car and made away with his phone and other properties. The initial allegation was that he suspected an upcoming actor he invited for his production.
In an interview with Harry Laud to find out how it happened, he revealed to Flex newspaper that he called Patrick Sarfo for a movie script but his team realized that Patrick does not fit the role although he is a good actor. Harry Laud continued that he even paid for his transport but did not take the script from Patrick.
“Some thieves broke into my car and went away with my phone and other things but I did not on any platform mention Patrick's name. Patrick is not the only actor we called for that role. There were other guys so why will I mention his name, for what reason? It`s just not good for people to be pushing things that you have not said for public consumption. I am even ready to call Patrick any time I will do another job because I have realized he is a good actor who can interpret other roles for me” Harry Laud added.
In a separate interview with Patrick Safo, he told Flex newspaper that he is really tired of all these things and that he wants to stay away from acting because the whole thing started when he landed a role for the movie Flash Fever. He revealed that when he was supposed to take his money from the producer, armed robbers attacked the producer so he had to pass through lots of problems. He was really shocked of what people were saying again with regards to Harry Laud.
“I would not like to go into this matter as to whether it`s true or false. What I want to say is that I want my peace of mind in this industry and I know my relatives and my mum will not be happy to read all these stories about theft in connection with me” he added. We at Flex want to state category with our medium that Harry Laud has denied the fact that he suspects Patrick as rumours have been going round. He is innocent by all standards.
I Dont Mind Taking Off My Clothes - Hot Fork Actress
Are there possibly some special qualities that film-directors look out for in actors or actresses before handing them certain delicate roles in movies?
Could the consistency or frequency at which an actor delivers a particular role be the yardstick for movie directors within a particular jurisdiction (and even beyond) to always court the services of a particular actor for a particular role?
What actually motivates actors to do whatever they do on set, and how do they even take some of the lacerating remarks that they often encounter from some members of the public?
These are, no doubt, few of the numerous questions that Spectator Agoro penned down on Wednesday, in preparation to interview actress Phil Nana Afia Ayisi, so far one of the fast-rising, yet controversial actresses in Ghana today.
Clearly, Phil has braved the roughest path to stardom, at least with the sort of roles she has played in almost all the Ghanaian movies she has featured in recent times.
Remember her in Socrate Safos controversial film, Love & Sex, when she showed almost her entire breasts to the camera. What about Hot Fork, in which she stripped and with her nudity, sparked the freshest controversy then?
Her appearance in Idikokos Office Romance was not any different, if not worse, the same as she featured in other productions like Agya Koo Gbengbentus and Rhapsody of Love. Thus, five movie features so far, five sex(or nude) showings!
Generally, delivering near-pornographic roles in movies are a phenomenon (the Ghanaian) society frown upon in no uncertain terms as incorrect, and which some movie-lovers and filmmakers have continually expressed resentments against.
Whereas some have in recent times described the mass production and craze for sex-laden, near-pornographic Ghanaian movies as uncalled for, largely considering their moral implications on especially children, others keep wondering why some film-directors and actors appear adamant to the situation.
So, therefore, why does Phil keep executing nude roles? Could she be a spoilt brat in real life, and when will she stop (if necessary) acting? Spectator Agoros James Harry Obeng caught up with the pretty actress and below is a reproduction of what ensued.
SA: You must have enjoyed your own share of insults from some movie-lovers?
Phil: Why?
SA: Cos you always go nude?
Phil: I never go nude, but only acts! Its quite interesting and somehow contradictory with the response I get from the public over the roles I play in movies.
You might be thinking that its all insults, but if I tell people you the warm reception, praises and congratulations people give me when they see me in town, you ll be amazed.
No-one has ever insulted me at my face before, but I cant really tell what they say behind my back and in their houses.
SA: Are you a sex addict?
Phil: (she laughs). No! Why do you ask me such a question?
SA: Then, why do you prefer only sex roles?
Phil: Im an actress, so I suppose I should deliver whatever role is given me with perfection.
Its indeed true if you say sex roles for now, but you cant tell the next role Ill perform in my next production. Remember that even in Rhapsody of Love, I was a secretary and did nothing with sex.
SA: Do you find those roles discomforting or weird, considering the way society thinks?
Phil: Not exactly. I actually dont mind taking off my clothes to show my body!
SA: Is that so?
Phil: Yeah, because Im a professional model to start with, and even teaches people how to model at the moment. In the world of modeling, such things are quite normal.
When we all go and watch Miss Ghana, for instance, the ladies sometimes come in their hot panties and swimming costumes, showing almost all their body. Thats it; maybe what makes the difference is the way we kiss in acting and the demeanor we sometimes post with it.
SA: Are you paid any extra amount for acting nude?
Phil: Yes, I charge before coming on set. Sometimes too, as and when it becomes necessary, we charge extra money midway. The directors dont cheat us. Even recently Idikoko surprised me by paying me extra money for my role in Office Romance.
SA: How much was that and how much do u charge for a role?
Phil: Oh, I cant tell you what I charge for a role because it varies. But concerning what Idikoko gave me, I will say it was quite good and can even buy a Tico cab with it.
SA: How does it feel to court such public attention as a talked-about actress?
Phil: Im comfortable, because if you know me personally, youll find out that Im different from what I am in movies. If Im not in the house, Ill either be on set or in class. Im quite, dont like outings and dont even go clubbing in the nights as some of my colleagues do.
Phil, who hails from Kwahu Obomeng in the Eastern Region, offered a secretarial course at the City Secondary Business College in Accra, completing in 2005. She is currently schooling at the Ghana Institute of Language (GIL) and has had acting as her childhood dream.
Could the consistency or frequency at which an actor delivers a particular role be the yardstick for movie directors within a particular jurisdiction (and even beyond) to always court the services of a particular actor for a particular role?
What actually motivates actors to do whatever they do on set, and how do they even take some of the lacerating remarks that they often encounter from some members of the public?
These are, no doubt, few of the numerous questions that Spectator Agoro penned down on Wednesday, in preparation to interview actress Phil Nana Afia Ayisi, so far one of the fast-rising, yet controversial actresses in Ghana today.
Clearly, Phil has braved the roughest path to stardom, at least with the sort of roles she has played in almost all the Ghanaian movies she has featured in recent times.
Remember her in Socrate Safos controversial film, Love & Sex, when she showed almost her entire breasts to the camera. What about Hot Fork, in which she stripped and with her nudity, sparked the freshest controversy then?
Her appearance in Idikokos Office Romance was not any different, if not worse, the same as she featured in other productions like Agya Koo Gbengbentus and Rhapsody of Love. Thus, five movie features so far, five sex(or nude) showings!
Generally, delivering near-pornographic roles in movies are a phenomenon (the Ghanaian) society frown upon in no uncertain terms as incorrect, and which some movie-lovers and filmmakers have continually expressed resentments against.
Whereas some have in recent times described the mass production and craze for sex-laden, near-pornographic Ghanaian movies as uncalled for, largely considering their moral implications on especially children, others keep wondering why some film-directors and actors appear adamant to the situation.
So, therefore, why does Phil keep executing nude roles? Could she be a spoilt brat in real life, and when will she stop (if necessary) acting? Spectator Agoros James Harry Obeng caught up with the pretty actress and below is a reproduction of what ensued.
SA: You must have enjoyed your own share of insults from some movie-lovers?
Phil: Why?
SA: Cos you always go nude?
Phil: I never go nude, but only acts! Its quite interesting and somehow contradictory with the response I get from the public over the roles I play in movies.
You might be thinking that its all insults, but if I tell people you the warm reception, praises and congratulations people give me when they see me in town, you ll be amazed.
No-one has ever insulted me at my face before, but I cant really tell what they say behind my back and in their houses.
SA: Are you a sex addict?
Phil: (she laughs). No! Why do you ask me such a question?
SA: Then, why do you prefer only sex roles?
Phil: Im an actress, so I suppose I should deliver whatever role is given me with perfection.
Its indeed true if you say sex roles for now, but you cant tell the next role Ill perform in my next production. Remember that even in Rhapsody of Love, I was a secretary and did nothing with sex.
SA: Do you find those roles discomforting or weird, considering the way society thinks?
Phil: Not exactly. I actually dont mind taking off my clothes to show my body!
SA: Is that so?
Phil: Yeah, because Im a professional model to start with, and even teaches people how to model at the moment. In the world of modeling, such things are quite normal.
When we all go and watch Miss Ghana, for instance, the ladies sometimes come in their hot panties and swimming costumes, showing almost all their body. Thats it; maybe what makes the difference is the way we kiss in acting and the demeanor we sometimes post with it.
SA: Are you paid any extra amount for acting nude?
Phil: Yes, I charge before coming on set. Sometimes too, as and when it becomes necessary, we charge extra money midway. The directors dont cheat us. Even recently Idikoko surprised me by paying me extra money for my role in Office Romance.
SA: How much was that and how much do u charge for a role?
Phil: Oh, I cant tell you what I charge for a role because it varies. But concerning what Idikoko gave me, I will say it was quite good and can even buy a Tico cab with it.
SA: How does it feel to court such public attention as a talked-about actress?
Phil: Im comfortable, because if you know me personally, youll find out that Im different from what I am in movies. If Im not in the house, Ill either be on set or in class. Im quite, dont like outings and dont even go clubbing in the nights as some of my colleagues do.
Phil, who hails from Kwahu Obomeng in the Eastern Region, offered a secretarial course at the City Secondary Business College in Accra, completing in 2005. She is currently schooling at the Ghana Institute of Language (GIL) and has had acting as her childhood dream.
Ghanaian Top Producer Opens New School; “Firm Foundation Academy”
It’s good to realize how movie makers are trying to invest into other fields like building of hospitals and schools for their communities. it came as a surprise after flex newspaper was invited to Sapeiman to witness a new school which has been built by one of the countries popular movie producer/distributor who has been in the movie Business for over 10 years.
Just as flex newspaper went through the school to see all the modern facilities, we tried to interview the owner of the school who happens to be the leading film producer and marketer in Ghana but want to remain anonymous
In an interview with him, he said that he has built the school for the society and not a platform for him to hype himself so will not like his name to be disclosed. His intension was to invite the media to come and see the school and to use their medium to let the public know that there is a new school called Firm Foundation Academy which has Nursery, Junior and senior High school. The school can also boast of a drama club, sports facility, Movie clubs and music clubs to train the students in any area of their interest.
The movie producer cum distributor urged parents who want to take their children to school to call 0243123358/0243945435/0244816029 for enrollment procedures. For those who want to see the video of the school, you can log on to www.ghanamovie.net and you tube for that flashy site of a school in ghana
Just as flex newspaper went through the school to see all the modern facilities, we tried to interview the owner of the school who happens to be the leading film producer and marketer in Ghana but want to remain anonymous
In an interview with him, he said that he has built the school for the society and not a platform for him to hype himself so will not like his name to be disclosed. His intension was to invite the media to come and see the school and to use their medium to let the public know that there is a new school called Firm Foundation Academy which has Nursery, Junior and senior High school. The school can also boast of a drama club, sports facility, Movie clubs and music clubs to train the students in any area of their interest.
The movie producer cum distributor urged parents who want to take their children to school to call 0243123358/0243945435/0244816029 for enrollment procedures. For those who want to see the video of the school, you can log on to www.ghanamovie.net and you tube for that flashy site of a school in ghana
Ghallywood is 'disgusting' - Anima Misa Amoah
Anima Misa Amoah, the star of Kwaw Ansah's famous movie, Love Brewed in the African Pot has expressed her dismay at the name Ghallywood, which is tag name for the Ghanaian movie industry.
She said she does not know why we should choose a name that rhymes Hollywood instead of getting a unique identity for the industry.
She was reported to have said that the name Ghallywood was disgusting, but speaking on Day Break Hitz on Hitz FM Monday, Anima said, “I think disgust is a bit too strong. I don’t recall using the word disgust. I just thought that there could be better choices...I don’t think we should have anything ‘wood’...It does not have to be Ghally anything.”
Ghana is not the only country riding on the name of the American movie industry, Hollywood. India calls its industry Bollywood while Nigeria on the other hand calls hers Nollywood but the famed actress says Ghana should not travel that direction.
She has been in the movie industry for over 30 years. After working in TV productions and stage works, Kwaw Ansah, the movie ‘mogul’ discovered her to play leading roles in the hit movies, Love Brewed in the African Pot and Heritage Africa.
A member of a family of five, Anima Misa Amoah says acting has been her passion since primary school, never money.
Anima, who is the elder sister of Ghana’s satirist, Kwaku Sintim-Misa, featured in productions and plays such as Avenue A; Macbeth; The Black Star; People Are Living There; Boesman and Lena.
She withdrew from mainstream activities in the industry in the 1980s to manage her private life but she continued writing stories, radio plays and also acted in a couple of stage works and a movie.
Anima, mother of one, wrote and performed plays for BBC Radio. Aisha; Friends Forever; Survivors and her favorite In The Name Of The Children, all of which were produced by the BBC Radio in mid 2000 are some of her works. She has also been a judge for BBC radio playwright competition.
She is currently the co-producer in Kwaw Ansah’s latest production The Good Old Days - The Love of AA set to premiere on 19th and 20th November, 2010 at the National Theatre.
Touching on the present day Ghanaian movie industry, Anima said it is complex and that she had thought with the strong foundation they started with, the current industry could have continued from there. She however reckoned that there was a huge gap afterwards [affecting its current standard of movies].
She said she does not know why we should choose a name that rhymes Hollywood instead of getting a unique identity for the industry.
She was reported to have said that the name Ghallywood was disgusting, but speaking on Day Break Hitz on Hitz FM Monday, Anima said, “I think disgust is a bit too strong. I don’t recall using the word disgust. I just thought that there could be better choices...I don’t think we should have anything ‘wood’...It does not have to be Ghally anything.”
Ghana is not the only country riding on the name of the American movie industry, Hollywood. India calls its industry Bollywood while Nigeria on the other hand calls hers Nollywood but the famed actress says Ghana should not travel that direction.
She has been in the movie industry for over 30 years. After working in TV productions and stage works, Kwaw Ansah, the movie ‘mogul’ discovered her to play leading roles in the hit movies, Love Brewed in the African Pot and Heritage Africa.
A member of a family of five, Anima Misa Amoah says acting has been her passion since primary school, never money.
Anima, who is the elder sister of Ghana’s satirist, Kwaku Sintim-Misa, featured in productions and plays such as Avenue A; Macbeth; The Black Star; People Are Living There; Boesman and Lena.
She withdrew from mainstream activities in the industry in the 1980s to manage her private life but she continued writing stories, radio plays and also acted in a couple of stage works and a movie.
Anima, mother of one, wrote and performed plays for BBC Radio. Aisha; Friends Forever; Survivors and her favorite In The Name Of The Children, all of which were produced by the BBC Radio in mid 2000 are some of her works. She has also been a judge for BBC radio playwright competition.
She is currently the co-producer in Kwaw Ansah’s latest production The Good Old Days - The Love of AA set to premiere on 19th and 20th November, 2010 at the National Theatre.
Touching on the present day Ghanaian movie industry, Anima said it is complex and that she had thought with the strong foundation they started with, the current industry could have continued from there. She however reckoned that there was a huge gap afterwards [affecting its current standard of movies].
Witchcraft Movies Are Causing Harm To Our Society
Witchcraft is a paranormal activity. It is the activity of performing magic to help or harm other people. It is believed that witchcraft has been in existence even before the advent of Christianity. Until the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries when the church started persecuting witches together with Jews and heretical thinkers, witchcraft which many considered a pseudo-religion co-existed with Christianity.
Starhawk, an American witch theorized that witchcraft, which she described as the 'craft of the wise',was not supposed to be automatically associated with evil. But the question is, has any one used witchcraft to do anything good? No, at least not in the African setting. It`s believed that the African witchcraft, popularly called African Technology is just a tool for destruction.
We always hear witches and wizards confessing their bad deeds in churches and other religious centres. Never has any of them said they have used their witching or wizardry powers to help people.
The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12 that "...we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness, against spiritual wickedness..."
Truly, if there is the belief that a spirit of goodness exists in the world then of course there should also exist a spirit of evil. Knowledge of this fact would make one aware that there is an external or spiritual force that can fight against their progress in life so that they also protect themselves with whichever powers they defer to. This is why it is necessary for movies to portray witchcraft, voodoo or juju in movies to at least conscientize viewers of the reality of these powers and how to protect ones self from their wiles and evil activities.
In Ghana, Kumasi is a movie-producing centre that continually churns out a deluge of witchcraft and juju. A research I personally conducted proves that about 90% of their movies that are produced portray witchcraft. Well, in as much as these movies make viewers aware of the machinations of the "African Technologist",there is also a negative side to it; one with an excruciating repercussion.
It appears the attention of arts writers for some time now has been on 'nude' and sexually explicit scenes, forgetting about those that contain witchcraft. Frankly, these movies are brainwashing people into believing that everything that happens to them, good or bad has a spiritual backing.
Already in our Ghanaian society there are a lots of people appealing to religion when a misfortune befalls them, than finding practical solutions. Of course, there are causes to every effect, some proximate, some remote and sometimes spiritual. But attributing all our misfortunes to spirituality will not do us a skerrick of good. And this, unfortunately, is what our movies are teaching us nowadays. Some one dies an untimely death and because they are rich, people tend to believe they were killed spiritually, overlooking other possible causes that the one may have been hypertensive or may have taken in something 'poisonous'.
I am not saying science is important than religion or vice-versa. That's not the argument here but the point is that religion cannot solve all our problems. There are people in this nation who fear to take up greater opportunities because they think witches and wizards will kill them if they do. Superstitious Africans!
I think playwrights should be crafty in developing stories for movies that contain witchcraft or wizardry. Movies of such kind should not make people believe that every bad thing that happens to them is spiritual. Watch a typical Kyeiwaa movie and every scene is about one using witchcraft to cause mischief. Please, movie-makers, enough of those movies. As a nation, if we don't reign in on how some of these films are done, we are going to be marking time in developing our dear nation.
Starhawk, an American witch theorized that witchcraft, which she described as the 'craft of the wise',was not supposed to be automatically associated with evil. But the question is, has any one used witchcraft to do anything good? No, at least not in the African setting. It`s believed that the African witchcraft, popularly called African Technology is just a tool for destruction.
We always hear witches and wizards confessing their bad deeds in churches and other religious centres. Never has any of them said they have used their witching or wizardry powers to help people.
The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12 that "...we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness, against spiritual wickedness..."
Truly, if there is the belief that a spirit of goodness exists in the world then of course there should also exist a spirit of evil. Knowledge of this fact would make one aware that there is an external or spiritual force that can fight against their progress in life so that they also protect themselves with whichever powers they defer to. This is why it is necessary for movies to portray witchcraft, voodoo or juju in movies to at least conscientize viewers of the reality of these powers and how to protect ones self from their wiles and evil activities.
In Ghana, Kumasi is a movie-producing centre that continually churns out a deluge of witchcraft and juju. A research I personally conducted proves that about 90% of their movies that are produced portray witchcraft. Well, in as much as these movies make viewers aware of the machinations of the "African Technologist",there is also a negative side to it; one with an excruciating repercussion.
It appears the attention of arts writers for some time now has been on 'nude' and sexually explicit scenes, forgetting about those that contain witchcraft. Frankly, these movies are brainwashing people into believing that everything that happens to them, good or bad has a spiritual backing.
Already in our Ghanaian society there are a lots of people appealing to religion when a misfortune befalls them, than finding practical solutions. Of course, there are causes to every effect, some proximate, some remote and sometimes spiritual. But attributing all our misfortunes to spirituality will not do us a skerrick of good. And this, unfortunately, is what our movies are teaching us nowadays. Some one dies an untimely death and because they are rich, people tend to believe they were killed spiritually, overlooking other possible causes that the one may have been hypertensive or may have taken in something 'poisonous'.
I am not saying science is important than religion or vice-versa. That's not the argument here but the point is that religion cannot solve all our problems. There are people in this nation who fear to take up greater opportunities because they think witches and wizards will kill them if they do. Superstitious Africans!
I think playwrights should be crafty in developing stories for movies that contain witchcraft or wizardry. Movies of such kind should not make people believe that every bad thing that happens to them is spiritual. Watch a typical Kyeiwaa movie and every scene is about one using witchcraft to cause mischief. Please, movie-makers, enough of those movies. As a nation, if we don't reign in on how some of these films are done, we are going to be marking time in developing our dear nation.
Lydia Forson Abuses Fans On FaceBook
Facebook has become one of the biggest social networks for people to meet their friends and loved ones but it hurts so much to realize that celebrities have used it as an arena of disgracing their fans and to hurl insults on media people who write stuffs about them that are not in their favour.
Checking on Lydia Forson`s face book page last week, this writer came across something on her status which reads “A guy is seriously looking for a Sugar Mummy, anyone who is interested should contact him so he stops writing to me. This was his recent email to me: his name is Osuji Francis Chidi :''Wats up i saw ur pix nd i like u. I need a sugar mummy”.
This writer contacted Lydia Forson and enquired if she thinks she is being fair to her fans, because the facebook site is mainly used for its entertainment purposes and for lighter issues therefore its not everything said there that is taken seriously.
Lydia replied with these words: “Mr. Attractive, I think you just missed the sarcasm in all of this. If someone wants to act like a fool, then he will be treated as such. No one has the right to abuse a lady verbally. Abuse comes in various forms and sending sexual explicit e-mails is one of them. Since our country has no laws on stalkers this is his punishment.
If this will save one lady from his unwarranted sexual perversion then I will do it. And FYI, this was not a love letter). She continued that “Mr Attractive, I seriously don't want to go into a war of words with you. First of all, this is Facebook and not a newspaper. I'm allowed to write whatever I feel, however unserious it may seem to you and you on the other hand, you are allowed to comment on it” she wrote to me during a chat on facebook.
There were comments and counter comments from other people on the site when issues were getting out of hand. When it looked like she was not satisfied with the happenings, she added this statement as her last bite. “Attractive, since you have chosen this medium to express your opinion I may have to do the same to you.
Even though I would have preferred to do it in private to save you the embarrassment. There is something called 'SARCASM' and since you failed to see it, I will define it to you” this is how it all ended.
It is sometimes interesting how our own celebrities with thousands of fans around the country choose to behave on the face book page.
We in the entertainment industry would like to plead on behalf of fans who always want to get close to these people (celebrities) that, there are some who do not know how to nurture the stardom they are enjoying so they should be very careful with them in their approach.
After all, being a star does not automatically make one friendly to the other. A word to wise is enough to all our so called stars and celebrities.
Source: Mustapha A. Inusah (Attractive) ghanamovie.net
Checking on Lydia Forson`s face book page last week, this writer came across something on her status which reads “A guy is seriously looking for a Sugar Mummy, anyone who is interested should contact him so he stops writing to me. This was his recent email to me: his name is Osuji Francis Chidi :''Wats up i saw ur pix nd i like u. I need a sugar mummy”.
This writer contacted Lydia Forson and enquired if she thinks she is being fair to her fans, because the facebook site is mainly used for its entertainment purposes and for lighter issues therefore its not everything said there that is taken seriously.
Lydia replied with these words: “Mr. Attractive, I think you just missed the sarcasm in all of this. If someone wants to act like a fool, then he will be treated as such. No one has the right to abuse a lady verbally. Abuse comes in various forms and sending sexual explicit e-mails is one of them. Since our country has no laws on stalkers this is his punishment.
If this will save one lady from his unwarranted sexual perversion then I will do it. And FYI, this was not a love letter). She continued that “Mr Attractive, I seriously don't want to go into a war of words with you. First of all, this is Facebook and not a newspaper. I'm allowed to write whatever I feel, however unserious it may seem to you and you on the other hand, you are allowed to comment on it” she wrote to me during a chat on facebook.
There were comments and counter comments from other people on the site when issues were getting out of hand. When it looked like she was not satisfied with the happenings, she added this statement as her last bite. “Attractive, since you have chosen this medium to express your opinion I may have to do the same to you.
Even though I would have preferred to do it in private to save you the embarrassment. There is something called 'SARCASM' and since you failed to see it, I will define it to you” this is how it all ended.
It is sometimes interesting how our own celebrities with thousands of fans around the country choose to behave on the face book page.
We in the entertainment industry would like to plead on behalf of fans who always want to get close to these people (celebrities) that, there are some who do not know how to nurture the stardom they are enjoying so they should be very careful with them in their approach.
After all, being a star does not automatically make one friendly to the other. A word to wise is enough to all our so called stars and celebrities.
Source: Mustapha A. Inusah (Attractive) ghanamovie.net
Ghanaian Actor Prince David For Court
Ghanaian actor Prince David Osei is a fine figure but when it comes to matters that can injure his reputation, he does not take them lightly.
The actor is vexed with management of Nach Films, one of Ghana’s movie production houses over an issue regarding his role in the production house’s yet-to-be- released movie titled ‘Daddy’s Girl’.
Prince allegedly ordered the production house to take out a scene from the movie, which he considered vindictive to his public character. But that has fallen on deaf ears and he is threatening legal action.
Prince, according to sources, had an agreement with the production house over how that particular scene should be shot. However, it appeared things were not done as agreed and that is what has necessitated the court action.
The two parties are however keeping their differences away from the media’s attention, as they both refused to talk about the issue when New-one contacted them.
David told News-one on Monday that he was not prepared to take the matter to the media though he admitted that he had issues with the production house.
The producer of Nach Films, who gave his name as Koskolee, when contacted by News-one, declined to comment on the issue and also refused to disclose the content of the scene.
“We had a deal with David. He is a good actor and he did what he was supposed to do for us. Whatever issues are there, I’m not sure I want to discuss them in public. We had a good relation with him and so did he also have a good working relationship with us. Courts are always there to resolve cases and so we are not scared if it comes to that,” he simply said.
News-one’s source could also not confirm what the agreement between Prince and Nach films was and what exactly was in movie’s scene that was making David edgy.
But David reportedly almost had a fight with the director of the movie on set while shooting that same scene.
Source: News-One
The actor is vexed with management of Nach Films, one of Ghana’s movie production houses over an issue regarding his role in the production house’s yet-to-be- released movie titled ‘Daddy’s Girl’.
Prince allegedly ordered the production house to take out a scene from the movie, which he considered vindictive to his public character. But that has fallen on deaf ears and he is threatening legal action.
Prince, according to sources, had an agreement with the production house over how that particular scene should be shot. However, it appeared things were not done as agreed and that is what has necessitated the court action.
The two parties are however keeping their differences away from the media’s attention, as they both refused to talk about the issue when New-one contacted them.
David told News-one on Monday that he was not prepared to take the matter to the media though he admitted that he had issues with the production house.
The producer of Nach Films, who gave his name as Koskolee, when contacted by News-one, declined to comment on the issue and also refused to disclose the content of the scene.
“We had a deal with David. He is a good actor and he did what he was supposed to do for us. Whatever issues are there, I’m not sure I want to discuss them in public. We had a good relation with him and so did he also have a good working relationship with us. Courts are always there to resolve cases and so we are not scared if it comes to that,” he simply said.
News-one’s source could also not confirm what the agreement between Prince and Nach films was and what exactly was in movie’s scene that was making David edgy.
But David reportedly almost had a fight with the director of the movie on set while shooting that same scene.
Source: News-One
amina saga
The President promises at his swearing in on January 7, 2009, that among other things, he was going to ensure that “No Ghanaian should live in fear of armed robbery…”
In the President’s effort to get the Police to support his agenda, he had promised the Police a new housing scheme. The salaries of the police have been bettered. According to the Police, armed robberies have been ‘reduced’.
However the citizenry still ‘live in fear’ because the armed robbers are now making ‘dangerous demands’ on their culprits. They are abusing their culprits sexually and even at times asking ‘captors’ to do same amongst themselves (sometimes fathers with daughters).
A mother-of-three, Amina, reports on several FM stations that a bus she had been travelling on had been attacked, and the passengers subjected to this type of forced sex and orgy. For some reason, President Atta Mills invites the Police IGP and some of his leading men to the Castle. Amina is subsequently arrested and put behind bars.
Now the continuation of what I have called: The Saga of Amina.
Why has Amina’s case gained such prominence?
The President’s Viewpoint:
Here I want to outline some of the possible reasons the President may have had for inviting the Police:
• As the father of the nation he was appalled by the report. He wanted to encourage the Police to do everything within their power to resolve the problem;
• He wanted to express a righteous indignation against the ‘abomination’. Kind of saying: “No, this evil must not be done in Ghana under my godly leadership”. Obviously he has been made to believe that: “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan” (Proverbs 29:2). He surely counts himself righteous. But this promise will define “the righteous” as ‘those who organize their nations well; are fair minded; make good laws; and implement them firmly without fear or favor. Obviously ‘not those who demonize sections of their communities and make the rulers and their supporters untouchables’.
• He was very worried that he was failing to deliver the promise he gave at his Swearing-In; and wanted to shift the burden of fulfilling his promise on the Police. He may have been saying: “Mr. Policemen, why are you failing me? Why are you bringing me to shame?”
• He and those in his Kitchen Cabinet had concluded that this was a fine opportunity to once again point to the NPP as being the driving force behind all these wicked orchestrations.
The Police Viewpoint:
Obviously they felt embarrassed. It seems they were losing the war against the armed robbers and their highway counterparts. They had tried and have been trying. But they know that they may not be fully equipped to completely halt the menace. And yet they know that they cannot tell the President the cold facts. So what do they do? How can they assuage the fears of the President and continue being in his good books? Could the following have been part of their strategy to calm down the President?
• The incident did not happen at all. Amina is telling a lie. And we shall prove this subsequently;
• Amina may not be acting alone. She has been coached by some individuals or organizations (maybe opposition political elements) to say things that will bring the government into disrepute;
• We shall arrest Amina immediately and embark on investigations to expose her as a criminal or maybe mentally unstable person;
The NDC as the ruling political party also wades into the debate. Allotey Jacobs, one of the most ardent spokespersons and media-personalities of the NDC comes out openly to say something to this end: “Amina has been coached by the NPP to lie and to discredit the government of Atta Mills. They did it to Kwame Nkrumah, and are doing same to Ofarinyi Kwaegya”.
Almost every NDC voice on the airwaves or in the newspaper or television has sung and repeated this mantra.
Amina was arrested and kept in the Police cells beyond the mandatory 48 hours. Amina is then sent to the Court, and surprisingly he is remanded and sent back to custody. Her lawyers make an appeal and she is granted bail. But she is kept in cells for over four additional days, because of technical details in effecting the bail. She was supposed to appear in court on Tuesday November 9. Amina and her lawyers were in court; but the state prosecutors were nowhere to be found. The judge therefore had to adjourn the case.
Meanwhile there have been at least three men who have come up to confirm the incident.
They have said that they were on the Amina bus; that they were forced to indulge in sex with their fellow passengers; and that they were ashamed to put this in the public domain- except for the fact that Amina is suffering unduly for speaking the truth.
Interestingly, the driver of the bus has denied that there was any rape on the bus. He admits that his bus was shot at by highway robbers; but that he sped through the barrier the robbers had raised on the highway.
Other people who claimed to be on the same bus, including a Dutch national, have all denied Amina’s story.
It has been over a month since this story popped up. And the Ghanaian populace is at a loss as to whether to believe the story or not. We have over one-hundred newspapers and similar numbers of FM radio and TV stations. On the whole government forces are denying the story and the opposition is affirming it. But most of us ordinary Ghanaians are shocked and surprised as to why a simple reported crime should be reduced to this level of Presidential fanfare and partisan political considerations.
As usual I have a few questions for all Ghanaians, including the President:
1. For the President and the NDC: Both President Rawlings and Kufour involved the Police and the Military in national security and night patrols to help better protect the citizenry. Yet they could not eradicate armed robberies and highway robberies.
Why is it so surprising that such things are happening under your leadership? Even in the USA, violent crimes are reported everyday. In what is popularly referred to as 9/11; it was not only the World Trade Tower that was raised down, but even the Pentagon, the Headquarters of the US Army was attacked.
Why do you therefore think that because you are the President of Ghana, such things cannot happen? We appreciate your intentions- but please stop playing God!
2. Mr. President, if you are accusing the opposition NPP for being the brains behind today’s crimes; will it be fair to say that you, Atta-Mills, was at the head of all the crimes that took place under Kufour? Are you an armed robber? In your speech at Bawku recently, you fingered your detractors as those behind crimes in the country. One of your spokes-persons, Alex Segbefia said on Joy FM that it was the NPP you were referring to in your speech. Were you the one who murdered the Ya Na- you were in Opposition then- did you, Mr. President?
3. Is the high-handed manner Amina is being treated meant to send a clear warning to others on the bus not to come up? Is it meant to send a clear signal to Ghanaians to ‘shut up’ and silently suffer within the four walls of their rooms or compounds when they suffer such predicaments as Amina did?
4. Can anything go wrong under our ‘holy and righteous leader’? After all, since he is a righteous man, in the leadership of Ghana; somehow there must be no crimes in Ghana- or?
5. Why has this case been singled out and given such prominence? Armed robbers have raped their victims on several occasions. Armed robberies are happening everyday. There was a lady who called in to a radio station to report of a similar event she was involved with some few years back. She claimed when her husband heard that she had been raped, he never recovered from it till he died.
6. To the women’s organizations in Ghana: Is it very likely that a woman who suffers such an indignity may rather want to keep it to herself than pursue justice in the public domain? If it is so, why are you all so quiet?
7. Ghanaian journalists have surprised me a lot. Here are a few questions for them:
• Do you know that there could have at least been three buses involved with the incident?
• Do you know that the driver of Amina’s bus said there was a bus before him that was shot at; before he got there?
• Do you know that there was another bus that came behind the Amina bus? That this third bus and its passengers accompanied Amina’s bus to the Police station?
• Has any journalist spoken to the driver of the first bus? Did he also report to the Police?
• How long did it take the third bus to catch up with Amina’s bus- before joining them to the Police station?
• Could it be that those in Amina’s bus who have confirmed the story were indeed in Amina’s bus; and that the Dutch girl and the others who have denied the incident were rather in the first bus that was also shot at? Can anybody please check the ticket numbers of the two groups?
• How could we have two different groups giving two completely differing accounts about an event in the same bus? And Ghanaian journalists are unable to help us resolve this ‘riddle’ within the several weeks we have been at it?
Friends whether Amina is right or wrong, I am completely overwhelmed with shock at the posturing of the President, the Police, some radio presenters and their productions, and the low level analysis of even serious issues in this country. What has really muddied the waters of this case is the Presidential involvement and the political spins. Why should a country under the leadership of a Professor of Constitutional Law sink so low in handling a crime whose authenticity could have been easily handled by the Ghana Police? This same President wants all his citizens to know that he is a Christian. Where is Christ in his President’s handling of this Amina case?
The Prophet’s Counsel:
I think that Christianity has sunk to a very low level in our country. Our leaders have surrounded themselves with Religious men, many of whom, to say the least, are ‘False Prophets’. They give false counsel to our leaders. We have ignored the counsel of the sober-minded and theologically astute prophets.
Who listens to Cardinal Appiah Turkson; Arch Bishop Palmer Buckle; and several others of their kind; who will not give counsel for gain? So long as our leaders are following religious leaders who are bent on building their earthly kingdoms- and have reduced their churches to appendages of political parties; we will have leaders who claim allegiance to Christ, but are nothing, but glorified hypocrites.
God Save Ghana (GSG)!!!
Source: Prophet Micaiah
In the President’s effort to get the Police to support his agenda, he had promised the Police a new housing scheme. The salaries of the police have been bettered. According to the Police, armed robberies have been ‘reduced’.
However the citizenry still ‘live in fear’ because the armed robbers are now making ‘dangerous demands’ on their culprits. They are abusing their culprits sexually and even at times asking ‘captors’ to do same amongst themselves (sometimes fathers with daughters).
A mother-of-three, Amina, reports on several FM stations that a bus she had been travelling on had been attacked, and the passengers subjected to this type of forced sex and orgy. For some reason, President Atta Mills invites the Police IGP and some of his leading men to the Castle. Amina is subsequently arrested and put behind bars.
Now the continuation of what I have called: The Saga of Amina.
Why has Amina’s case gained such prominence?
The President’s Viewpoint:
Here I want to outline some of the possible reasons the President may have had for inviting the Police:
• As the father of the nation he was appalled by the report. He wanted to encourage the Police to do everything within their power to resolve the problem;
• He wanted to express a righteous indignation against the ‘abomination’. Kind of saying: “No, this evil must not be done in Ghana under my godly leadership”. Obviously he has been made to believe that: “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan” (Proverbs 29:2). He surely counts himself righteous. But this promise will define “the righteous” as ‘those who organize their nations well; are fair minded; make good laws; and implement them firmly without fear or favor. Obviously ‘not those who demonize sections of their communities and make the rulers and their supporters untouchables’.
• He was very worried that he was failing to deliver the promise he gave at his Swearing-In; and wanted to shift the burden of fulfilling his promise on the Police. He may have been saying: “Mr. Policemen, why are you failing me? Why are you bringing me to shame?”
• He and those in his Kitchen Cabinet had concluded that this was a fine opportunity to once again point to the NPP as being the driving force behind all these wicked orchestrations.
The Police Viewpoint:
Obviously they felt embarrassed. It seems they were losing the war against the armed robbers and their highway counterparts. They had tried and have been trying. But they know that they may not be fully equipped to completely halt the menace. And yet they know that they cannot tell the President the cold facts. So what do they do? How can they assuage the fears of the President and continue being in his good books? Could the following have been part of their strategy to calm down the President?
• The incident did not happen at all. Amina is telling a lie. And we shall prove this subsequently;
• Amina may not be acting alone. She has been coached by some individuals or organizations (maybe opposition political elements) to say things that will bring the government into disrepute;
• We shall arrest Amina immediately and embark on investigations to expose her as a criminal or maybe mentally unstable person;
The NDC as the ruling political party also wades into the debate. Allotey Jacobs, one of the most ardent spokespersons and media-personalities of the NDC comes out openly to say something to this end: “Amina has been coached by the NPP to lie and to discredit the government of Atta Mills. They did it to Kwame Nkrumah, and are doing same to Ofarinyi Kwaegya”.
Almost every NDC voice on the airwaves or in the newspaper or television has sung and repeated this mantra.
Amina was arrested and kept in the Police cells beyond the mandatory 48 hours. Amina is then sent to the Court, and surprisingly he is remanded and sent back to custody. Her lawyers make an appeal and she is granted bail. But she is kept in cells for over four additional days, because of technical details in effecting the bail. She was supposed to appear in court on Tuesday November 9. Amina and her lawyers were in court; but the state prosecutors were nowhere to be found. The judge therefore had to adjourn the case.
Meanwhile there have been at least three men who have come up to confirm the incident.
They have said that they were on the Amina bus; that they were forced to indulge in sex with their fellow passengers; and that they were ashamed to put this in the public domain- except for the fact that Amina is suffering unduly for speaking the truth.
Interestingly, the driver of the bus has denied that there was any rape on the bus. He admits that his bus was shot at by highway robbers; but that he sped through the barrier the robbers had raised on the highway.
Other people who claimed to be on the same bus, including a Dutch national, have all denied Amina’s story.
It has been over a month since this story popped up. And the Ghanaian populace is at a loss as to whether to believe the story or not. We have over one-hundred newspapers and similar numbers of FM radio and TV stations. On the whole government forces are denying the story and the opposition is affirming it. But most of us ordinary Ghanaians are shocked and surprised as to why a simple reported crime should be reduced to this level of Presidential fanfare and partisan political considerations.
As usual I have a few questions for all Ghanaians, including the President:
1. For the President and the NDC: Both President Rawlings and Kufour involved the Police and the Military in national security and night patrols to help better protect the citizenry. Yet they could not eradicate armed robberies and highway robberies.
Why is it so surprising that such things are happening under your leadership? Even in the USA, violent crimes are reported everyday. In what is popularly referred to as 9/11; it was not only the World Trade Tower that was raised down, but even the Pentagon, the Headquarters of the US Army was attacked.
Why do you therefore think that because you are the President of Ghana, such things cannot happen? We appreciate your intentions- but please stop playing God!
2. Mr. President, if you are accusing the opposition NPP for being the brains behind today’s crimes; will it be fair to say that you, Atta-Mills, was at the head of all the crimes that took place under Kufour? Are you an armed robber? In your speech at Bawku recently, you fingered your detractors as those behind crimes in the country. One of your spokes-persons, Alex Segbefia said on Joy FM that it was the NPP you were referring to in your speech. Were you the one who murdered the Ya Na- you were in Opposition then- did you, Mr. President?
3. Is the high-handed manner Amina is being treated meant to send a clear warning to others on the bus not to come up? Is it meant to send a clear signal to Ghanaians to ‘shut up’ and silently suffer within the four walls of their rooms or compounds when they suffer such predicaments as Amina did?
4. Can anything go wrong under our ‘holy and righteous leader’? After all, since he is a righteous man, in the leadership of Ghana; somehow there must be no crimes in Ghana- or?
5. Why has this case been singled out and given such prominence? Armed robbers have raped their victims on several occasions. Armed robberies are happening everyday. There was a lady who called in to a radio station to report of a similar event she was involved with some few years back. She claimed when her husband heard that she had been raped, he never recovered from it till he died.
6. To the women’s organizations in Ghana: Is it very likely that a woman who suffers such an indignity may rather want to keep it to herself than pursue justice in the public domain? If it is so, why are you all so quiet?
7. Ghanaian journalists have surprised me a lot. Here are a few questions for them:
• Do you know that there could have at least been three buses involved with the incident?
• Do you know that the driver of Amina’s bus said there was a bus before him that was shot at; before he got there?
• Do you know that there was another bus that came behind the Amina bus? That this third bus and its passengers accompanied Amina’s bus to the Police station?
• Has any journalist spoken to the driver of the first bus? Did he also report to the Police?
• How long did it take the third bus to catch up with Amina’s bus- before joining them to the Police station?
• Could it be that those in Amina’s bus who have confirmed the story were indeed in Amina’s bus; and that the Dutch girl and the others who have denied the incident were rather in the first bus that was also shot at? Can anybody please check the ticket numbers of the two groups?
• How could we have two different groups giving two completely differing accounts about an event in the same bus? And Ghanaian journalists are unable to help us resolve this ‘riddle’ within the several weeks we have been at it?
Friends whether Amina is right or wrong, I am completely overwhelmed with shock at the posturing of the President, the Police, some radio presenters and their productions, and the low level analysis of even serious issues in this country. What has really muddied the waters of this case is the Presidential involvement and the political spins. Why should a country under the leadership of a Professor of Constitutional Law sink so low in handling a crime whose authenticity could have been easily handled by the Ghana Police? This same President wants all his citizens to know that he is a Christian. Where is Christ in his President’s handling of this Amina case?
The Prophet’s Counsel:
I think that Christianity has sunk to a very low level in our country. Our leaders have surrounded themselves with Religious men, many of whom, to say the least, are ‘False Prophets’. They give false counsel to our leaders. We have ignored the counsel of the sober-minded and theologically astute prophets.
Who listens to Cardinal Appiah Turkson; Arch Bishop Palmer Buckle; and several others of their kind; who will not give counsel for gain? So long as our leaders are following religious leaders who are bent on building their earthly kingdoms- and have reduced their churches to appendages of political parties; we will have leaders who claim allegiance to Christ, but are nothing, but glorified hypocrites.
God Save Ghana (GSG)!!!
Source: Prophet Micaiah
some artists are not musicians!
Renowned high life musician,
George Darko has said that most
Ghanaian artistes today are only
singers who should not be called
musicians.
The man credited with the invention
of Burger-highlife expressed the
concern that it is vital for artistes of
today to learn to play at least one
musical instrument which he said
will be good for their chord
progression, and will eventually
qualify them as musicians.
The highlife great made this remarks
in an interview with Lexis Bill on Day
Break Hitz on Hitz FM Friday.
He urged upcoming and young
musicians to learn to play either the
guitar, which he is in love with, or
other musical instruments for their
own musical benefit.
“Musicians, the young guys
themselves are not making any
conscious effort to learn how to
play the guitar or maybe learn how
to play the keyboard so that it will
affect their chord progression whiles
composing. They ’ve left that
professional aspect of the music to
rather the sound engineers who are
now controlling the creativity itself
and that is dangerous, ” he
observed.
“Because when you listen to hip life,
you could tell from about ten songs
that it is the same bass line, the
same drum pattern because it is
created by one person. It is killing
our creativity a bit and it is also
killing our ingenuity.
“When you say you are a musician;
you should be able to control one or
two musical equipment...They have
to learn how to control the
equipment themselves so they can
change the chord progression, ” he
added.
George Darko was installed as the
Efutuhene of Akropong-Akuapim in
1991 under the stool name Nana
Yaw Ampem Darko. He will be
celebrating his 20th anniversary as
chief next year.
Since the inception of his Burger-
high life music, George Darko says
he still holds that title, a title he says
is undisputed.
“Undisputed…before this, nobody
played high life in that direction. We
can go through the archives of
Ghanaian high life music, before Ako
Te Brofo, there was nothing like this;
slow jazz fusion. ”
With over 30 years in music,
George Darko who had a dream of
being a lawyer had his major
breakthrough with the hit song, Ako
te brofo (Even Parrots speak English)
in 1982.
In the late 1970s, George Darko
played for a group, 4th Dimensions
of the 4th Battalion of the Ghana
Armed Forces based in Kumasi. He
was trained as a soldier and his
group played to entertain United
Nations military officers who were
on duty in the Middle East.
He served in the military for six
years and due to a curfew situation
in the country during the early
1980s, which saw the exodus of a
lot of musicians because they could
not perform live in the period where
musical concerts were evening and
night affairs; George left the shores
of Ghana to Germany.
George Darko is set to release a new
album in a week or two and he has
currently released a single, Lucky
Star from that album.
He is married with four children and
has several hits including Odo
Colour, Money Palava, High Life
Time, African Girl, Naomi and
Masem Yi to his credit.
Story by Ernest Dela Aglanu/
Myjoyonline.com/Ghana
George Darko has said that most
Ghanaian artistes today are only
singers who should not be called
musicians.
The man credited with the invention
of Burger-highlife expressed the
concern that it is vital for artistes of
today to learn to play at least one
musical instrument which he said
will be good for their chord
progression, and will eventually
qualify them as musicians.
The highlife great made this remarks
in an interview with Lexis Bill on Day
Break Hitz on Hitz FM Friday.
He urged upcoming and young
musicians to learn to play either the
guitar, which he is in love with, or
other musical instruments for their
own musical benefit.
“Musicians, the young guys
themselves are not making any
conscious effort to learn how to
play the guitar or maybe learn how
to play the keyboard so that it will
affect their chord progression whiles
composing. They ’ve left that
professional aspect of the music to
rather the sound engineers who are
now controlling the creativity itself
and that is dangerous, ” he
observed.
“Because when you listen to hip life,
you could tell from about ten songs
that it is the same bass line, the
same drum pattern because it is
created by one person. It is killing
our creativity a bit and it is also
killing our ingenuity.
“When you say you are a musician;
you should be able to control one or
two musical equipment...They have
to learn how to control the
equipment themselves so they can
change the chord progression, ” he
added.
George Darko was installed as the
Efutuhene of Akropong-Akuapim in
1991 under the stool name Nana
Yaw Ampem Darko. He will be
celebrating his 20th anniversary as
chief next year.
Since the inception of his Burger-
high life music, George Darko says
he still holds that title, a title he says
is undisputed.
“Undisputed…before this, nobody
played high life in that direction. We
can go through the archives of
Ghanaian high life music, before Ako
Te Brofo, there was nothing like this;
slow jazz fusion. ”
With over 30 years in music,
George Darko who had a dream of
being a lawyer had his major
breakthrough with the hit song, Ako
te brofo (Even Parrots speak English)
in 1982.
In the late 1970s, George Darko
played for a group, 4th Dimensions
of the 4th Battalion of the Ghana
Armed Forces based in Kumasi. He
was trained as a soldier and his
group played to entertain United
Nations military officers who were
on duty in the Middle East.
He served in the military for six
years and due to a curfew situation
in the country during the early
1980s, which saw the exodus of a
lot of musicians because they could
not perform live in the period where
musical concerts were evening and
night affairs; George left the shores
of Ghana to Germany.
George Darko is set to release a new
album in a week or two and he has
currently released a single, Lucky
Star from that album.
He is married with four children and
has several hits including Odo
Colour, Money Palava, High Life
Time, African Girl, Naomi and
Masem Yi to his credit.
Story by Ernest Dela Aglanu/
Myjoyonline.com/Ghana
President turns rapper!
Politics they say is a crazy game
and it can push personalities hungry
for power to use all means possible
to get votes.
Ugandan President, Yoweri
Museveni, has ‘released’ a rap song
with the cliché, “You Want Another
Rap?” with a response “Yes, Sevo!”
to help in his bid for re-election in
the upcoming general elections in
February 2011.
The political song has become an
instant hit in Uganda enjoying
rotations on Ugandan radio and
clubs. It has even got a lot of hits on
YouTube.
The ‘rap star’ President opens the
song with the line, "I think I can give
you some rap myself now,"
followed by verses in Runyankore, a
tribal language in Uganda.
The song originated during a rally in
October when Mr. Museveni recited
an old folk song while discussing
the African roots of hip-hop music.
Days later, at another rally, the
president offered a repeat
performance, asking the crowd,
“ You want another rap?”
A local music producer captured
that phrase made by the president
while addressing the massive
crowd in central Kampala.
The producer subsequently added a
backing track and mixed in a reply,
“ Yes, Sevo!” to the question. The
response, “Yes, Sevo!” invokes the
president’s nickname.
The song, many say has brought to
bare the fact that Yoweri Museveni,
66, after two decades at the helm of
affairs of that country is youthful
enough to rule again.
Mr. Museveni has led Uganda since
his rebel group seized power on 26
January 1986.
Watch a YouTube video of the song
below:
Story by Ernest Dela Aglanu/
Myjoyonline.com/Ghana
and it can push personalities hungry
for power to use all means possible
to get votes.
Ugandan President, Yoweri
Museveni, has ‘released’ a rap song
with the cliché, “You Want Another
Rap?” with a response “Yes, Sevo!”
to help in his bid for re-election in
the upcoming general elections in
February 2011.
The political song has become an
instant hit in Uganda enjoying
rotations on Ugandan radio and
clubs. It has even got a lot of hits on
YouTube.
The ‘rap star’ President opens the
song with the line, "I think I can give
you some rap myself now,"
followed by verses in Runyankore, a
tribal language in Uganda.
The song originated during a rally in
October when Mr. Museveni recited
an old folk song while discussing
the African roots of hip-hop music.
Days later, at another rally, the
president offered a repeat
performance, asking the crowd,
“ You want another rap?”
A local music producer captured
that phrase made by the president
while addressing the massive
crowd in central Kampala.
The producer subsequently added a
backing track and mixed in a reply,
“ Yes, Sevo!” to the question. The
response, “Yes, Sevo!” invokes the
president’s nickname.
The song, many say has brought to
bare the fact that Yoweri Museveni,
66, after two decades at the helm of
affairs of that country is youthful
enough to rule again.
Mr. Museveni has led Uganda since
his rebel group seized power on 26
January 1986.
Watch a YouTube video of the song
below:
Story by Ernest Dela Aglanu/
Myjoyonline.com/Ghana
immorality is a big canker!
A primary class six boy has
impregnated three girls in the
Ekumfi Adansi Methodist School,
Rev Emmanuel Dagbui, a teacher in
the school, has said.
Rev Dagbui, the Priest in-charge of
the Ekumpoano Methodist Church,
said this at an Advocacy Youth
Assembly at Ekumfi Ebiram in the
Mfantseman Municipality.
The Youth Assembly, a third to be
held in the Municipality, was
collaboration between Plan Ghana, a
non-governmental organization,
and the National Youth Council to
make children to know how
Metropolitan, Municipal and District
Assemblies (MMDAs) conduct their
meetings. It was also to encourage
children to bring to the fore issues
that militate against their education
and development to the attention of
the Assembly.
Rev Dagbui was contributing to a
discussion on teenage pregnancy
which the Youth Assembly said was
a problem in the area.
Statistics show that in 2007, 19 girls
between ages 10 and 14 were
impregnated.
In 2008, 18 girls between ages 10
and 14 dropped out of school due to
pregnancy and 1,129 between ages
15 to 19 got pregnant. In 2009, 17
girls between ages 10 and 14 got
pregnant. The children blamed the
problem on the inability of parents
to exercise control over their
children and the failure of parents to
provide the needs of their children.
On poor Basic Education Certificate
Examination results, the children
blamed drunkard teachers and
those who were not regular at
school, children who spend their
time watching television and video
shows and the government for
engaging teachers on other duties
such as registration of voters and
population census.
It came out at the assembly meeting
that some of the girls contributed
money to pay for abortion any time
one of them got pregnant.
It was also revealed that thieves had
been harassing schools in the
Ekumfi Traditional Area. Items in
some of the schools had been
stolen and these include computes
and polytanks belonging the Adansi
Methodist School, library books for
Essuehyia Methodist, polytanks for
Ekotsi and Suprodo schools.
Source: GNA
impregnated three girls in the
Ekumfi Adansi Methodist School,
Rev Emmanuel Dagbui, a teacher in
the school, has said.
Rev Dagbui, the Priest in-charge of
the Ekumpoano Methodist Church,
said this at an Advocacy Youth
Assembly at Ekumfi Ebiram in the
Mfantseman Municipality.
The Youth Assembly, a third to be
held in the Municipality, was
collaboration between Plan Ghana, a
non-governmental organization,
and the National Youth Council to
make children to know how
Metropolitan, Municipal and District
Assemblies (MMDAs) conduct their
meetings. It was also to encourage
children to bring to the fore issues
that militate against their education
and development to the attention of
the Assembly.
Rev Dagbui was contributing to a
discussion on teenage pregnancy
which the Youth Assembly said was
a problem in the area.
Statistics show that in 2007, 19 girls
between ages 10 and 14 were
impregnated.
In 2008, 18 girls between ages 10
and 14 dropped out of school due to
pregnancy and 1,129 between ages
15 to 19 got pregnant. In 2009, 17
girls between ages 10 and 14 got
pregnant. The children blamed the
problem on the inability of parents
to exercise control over their
children and the failure of parents to
provide the needs of their children.
On poor Basic Education Certificate
Examination results, the children
blamed drunkard teachers and
those who were not regular at
school, children who spend their
time watching television and video
shows and the government for
engaging teachers on other duties
such as registration of voters and
population census.
It came out at the assembly meeting
that some of the girls contributed
money to pay for abortion any time
one of them got pregnant.
It was also revealed that thieves had
been harassing schools in the
Ekumfi Traditional Area. Items in
some of the schools had been
stolen and these include computes
and polytanks belonging the Adansi
Methodist School, library books for
Essuehyia Methodist, polytanks for
Ekotsi and Suprodo schools.
Source: GNA
POTAG STRIKE
Leaders of the Polytechnic Teachers
Association of Ghana (POTAG) have
resolved to soften their stance on
their five-week-old strike after an
emergency meeting on Saturday.
The teachers have decided to
immediately start teaching non-
tertiary students.
“We are only teaching the non-
tertiary programmes because of the
duration within which they are
supposed to be writing their exams
and leaving the campuses, ”
Anthony Ayarkwa the General
Secretary of POTAG told Joy News.
The decision comes a day after an
Accra High court had thrown out a
case brought against striking
polytechnic teachers by the National
Labour Commission.
They have also resolved to handle
other administrative responsibilities.
Mr. Ayarkwa also hinted that the
polytechnic teachers will call off their
strike if the Labour Commission
addresses their grievances within
the next week.
“If within the next seven days,
POTAG’s conditions of service are
discussed and a MoU signed,
POTAG, I believe in the wisdom and
the loyalty to the nation, we will
come back or we will suspend the
strike. ”
Source: Myjoyonline.com/Joy News
Association of Ghana (POTAG) have
resolved to soften their stance on
their five-week-old strike after an
emergency meeting on Saturday.
The teachers have decided to
immediately start teaching non-
tertiary students.
“We are only teaching the non-
tertiary programmes because of the
duration within which they are
supposed to be writing their exams
and leaving the campuses, ”
Anthony Ayarkwa the General
Secretary of POTAG told Joy News.
The decision comes a day after an
Accra High court had thrown out a
case brought against striking
polytechnic teachers by the National
Labour Commission.
They have also resolved to handle
other administrative responsibilities.
Mr. Ayarkwa also hinted that the
polytechnic teachers will call off their
strike if the Labour Commission
addresses their grievances within
the next week.
“If within the next seven days,
POTAG’s conditions of service are
discussed and a MoU signed,
POTAG, I believe in the wisdom and
the loyalty to the nation, we will
come back or we will suspend the
strike. ”
Source: Myjoyonline.com/Joy News
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
ghana film academy: african cinema
ghana film academy: african cinema: "The term African cinema refers to film production in Africa, following formal independence, which for many countries happened in the 1960s. ..."
african cinema
The term African cinema refers to film production in Africa, following formal independence, which for many countries happened in the 1960s. Some of the countries in North Africa (such as the cinema of Egypt, for example) had developed a national film industry much earlier and are related to West Asian cinema. Often, African Cinema also includes directors from among the African Diaspora.
HISTORY
Film during the colonial era
During the colonial era, Africa was represented exclusively by Western filmmakers. The continent was portrayed as an exotic land without history or culture. Examples of this kind of cinema abound and include jungle epics such as Tarzan and The African Queen, and various adaptations of H. Rider Haggard's 1885 novel titled King Solomon's Mines.
In the French colonies Africans were, by law, not permitted to make films of their own. This ban was known as the "Laval Decree". In 1955, however, Paulin Soumanou Vieyra - originally from Benin, but educated in Senegal - along with his colleagues from Le Group Africain du Cinema, shot a short film in Paris by the name of Afrique Sur Seine (1955). Vieyra was trained in filmmaking at the prestigious Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinematographique (IDHEC) in Paris, and in spite of the ban on filmmaking in Africa, was granted permission to make a film in France. Afrique Sur Seine explores the difficulties of being an African in France during the 1950s and is considered to be the first film directed by a black African.
Before independence, only a few anti-colonial films were produced. Examples include Les statues meurent aussi by Chris Marker and Alain Resnais about European robbery of African art (which was banned by the French for 10 years) and Afrique 50 by René Vauthier about anti-colonial riots in Côte d'Ivoire and in Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso).
Also doing film work in Africa during this time was the French Ethnographic filmmaker, Jean Rouch. Rouch's work has been controversial amongst both French and African audiences. With films like Jaguar (1955), Les maitres fous (1955), Moi, un noir (1958), and La pyramide humaine (1959), Rouch made documentaries that were not explicitly anti-colonial, but which challenged many received notions about colonial Africa and gave a new voice to Africans through film. Although Rouch has been accused by Ousmane Sembene - and others - as being someone who looks at Africans "as if they are insects," Rouch was an important figure in the early development of African film and was the first person to work with several Africans who would go on to have important careers in African cinema (Oumarou Ganda, Safi Faye, and Moustapha Alassane, to name a few).
Because most of the films prior to independence were egregiously racist in nature, African filmmakers of the independence era - like Ousmane Sembene and Oumarou Ganda, amongst others - saw filmmaking as an important political tool for rectifying the erroneous image of Africans put forward by Western filmmakers and for reclaiming the image of Africa for Africans.
The first African film to win international recognition was Ousmane Sembène's La Noire de... also known as Black Girl. It showed the despair of an African woman who has to work as a maid in France. The writer Sembène had turned to cinema to reach a wider audience. He is still considered to be the 'father' of African Cinema. Sembène's native country Senegal continued to be the most important place of African film production for more than a decade.
With the of the African film festival FESPACO in Burkina Faso in 1969, African film created its own forum. FESPACO now takes place every two years in alternation with the film festival Carthago in (Tunisia)
The Federation of African Filmmakers (FEPACI) was formed in 1969 in order to focus attention on the promotion of African film industries in terms of production, distribution and exhibition. From its inception, FEPACI was seen as a critical partner organization to the OAU, now the AU. FEPACI looks at the role of film in the politico-economic and cultural development of African states and the continent as a whole.
Med Hondo's Soleil O, shot in 1969, was immediately recognized. No less politically engaged then Sembène, he chose a more controversial filmic language to show what it means to be a stranger in France with the 'wrong' skin colour.
Souleymane Cissé's Yeelen (Mali 1987) and Cheick Oumar Sissoko's Guimba (Mali 1995) were well received in the west. Some critics criticized the filmmakers for adapting to the exotic tastes of western audiences
Many films of the 1990s, e.g. Quartier Mozart by Jean-Pierre Bekolo (Cameroon 1992), are situated in the globalized African metropolis.
A first African Film Summit took place in South Africa in 2006. It was followed by FEPACI 9th Congress.
PRODUCTION AND RECEPTION
African film makers often have difficulty accessing African audiences. The commercial cinemas in Africa often have to book blindly and show primarily Hollywood or Bollywood films. However, there are still limited venues where African audiences have access to African films, e.g. at the Panafrican film festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Most African filmmakers still rely heavily on European institutions for financing and producing their films. A commercially viable video production has been set up in Nigeria, colloquially known as Nollywood.
MISSION
African cinema focuses on social and political themes rather than any commercial interests, and is an exploration of the conflicts between the traditional past and modern times. The political approach of African film makers is clearly evident in the Charte du cinéaste africain (Charta of the African cinéaste) which the union of African film makers FEPACI adopted in Algiers in 1975.
The filmmakers start by recalling the neocolonial condition of African societies. "The situation contemporary African societies live in is one in which they are dominated on several levels: politically, economically and culturally."[citation needed] African filmmakers stressed their solidarity with progressive filmmakers in other parts of the world. African cinema is often seen a part of Third Cinema.
Some African filmmakers, for example Ousmane Sembène, try to give back African history to African people by remembering the resistance to European and Islamic domination.
The role of the African filmmaker is often compared to traditional Griots. Like them their task is to express and reflect communal experiences. Patterns of African oral literature often recur in African films. African film has also been influenced by traditions from other continents such as Italian neorealism, Brazilian Cinema Novo and the theatre of Bertolt Brecht.
WOMEN DIRECTORS
Ethnologist and filmmaker Safi Faye was the first African woman film director to gain international recognition.
In 1972, Sarah Maldoror had shot her film Sambizanga about the 1961-1974 war in Angola. Surviving African women of this war are the subject of the Documentary Les oubliées (The forgotten), made by Anne-Laure Folly two hundred and twenty years later.
In 2008, Manouchka Kelly Labouba became the first woman to direct a fictional film in the history of Gabon. Her short film, Le Divorce, addresses the clash between modern and traditional values and its impact on a young Gabonese couple’s attempt to divorce.
DIRECTORS BY COUNTRY
* Burkina Faso: Idrissa Ouedraogo, Gaston Kaboré, Dani Kouyaté, Fanta Régina Nacro, Pierre Yameogo
* Cameroon: Jean-Pierre Bekolo
* Chad: Issa Serge Coelo, Mahamat Saleh Haroun
* Côte d'Ivoire: Desiré Ecaré
* Egypt: Salah Abu Seif, Youssef Chahine, Yousry Nasrallah, Ezzel Dine Zulficar, Sherif Arafa, Khaled Youssef, Marwan Hamed, Mohamed Khan, Shady Abdel Salam, Khairy Beshara, Samir Seif
* Ethiopia: Haile Gerima
* Gabon: Imunga Ivanga
* Ghana: Kwaw Ansah
* Guinea: Mohamed Camara
* Guinea-Bissau: Flora Gomes
* Kenya: Wanuri Kahiu
* Mali: Souleymane Cissé, Cheick Oumar Sissoko, Abdoulaye Ascofare, Adama Drabo, Manthia Diawara
* Mauritania: Med Hondo, Abderrahmane Sissako
* Niger: Oumarou Ganda
* Nigeria: Ola Balogun, Izu Ojukwu
* Rwanda: Eric Kabera
* Senegal: Ousmane Sembène, Djibril Diop Mambéty, Safi Faye, Ben Diogaye Beye, Mansour Sora Wade
* Sudan: Gadalla Gubara
* South Africa: Lionel Ngakane, Gavin Hood, Zola Maseko
* Zimbabwe: M.K. Asante, Jr.
HISTORY
Film during the colonial era
During the colonial era, Africa was represented exclusively by Western filmmakers. The continent was portrayed as an exotic land without history or culture. Examples of this kind of cinema abound and include jungle epics such as Tarzan and The African Queen, and various adaptations of H. Rider Haggard's 1885 novel titled King Solomon's Mines.
In the French colonies Africans were, by law, not permitted to make films of their own. This ban was known as the "Laval Decree". In 1955, however, Paulin Soumanou Vieyra - originally from Benin, but educated in Senegal - along with his colleagues from Le Group Africain du Cinema, shot a short film in Paris by the name of Afrique Sur Seine (1955). Vieyra was trained in filmmaking at the prestigious Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinematographique (IDHEC) in Paris, and in spite of the ban on filmmaking in Africa, was granted permission to make a film in France. Afrique Sur Seine explores the difficulties of being an African in France during the 1950s and is considered to be the first film directed by a black African.
Before independence, only a few anti-colonial films were produced. Examples include Les statues meurent aussi by Chris Marker and Alain Resnais about European robbery of African art (which was banned by the French for 10 years) and Afrique 50 by René Vauthier about anti-colonial riots in Côte d'Ivoire and in Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso).
Also doing film work in Africa during this time was the French Ethnographic filmmaker, Jean Rouch. Rouch's work has been controversial amongst both French and African audiences. With films like Jaguar (1955), Les maitres fous (1955), Moi, un noir (1958), and La pyramide humaine (1959), Rouch made documentaries that were not explicitly anti-colonial, but which challenged many received notions about colonial Africa and gave a new voice to Africans through film. Although Rouch has been accused by Ousmane Sembene - and others - as being someone who looks at Africans "as if they are insects," Rouch was an important figure in the early development of African film and was the first person to work with several Africans who would go on to have important careers in African cinema (Oumarou Ganda, Safi Faye, and Moustapha Alassane, to name a few).
Because most of the films prior to independence were egregiously racist in nature, African filmmakers of the independence era - like Ousmane Sembene and Oumarou Ganda, amongst others - saw filmmaking as an important political tool for rectifying the erroneous image of Africans put forward by Western filmmakers and for reclaiming the image of Africa for Africans.
The first African film to win international recognition was Ousmane Sembène's La Noire de... also known as Black Girl. It showed the despair of an African woman who has to work as a maid in France. The writer Sembène had turned to cinema to reach a wider audience. He is still considered to be the 'father' of African Cinema. Sembène's native country Senegal continued to be the most important place of African film production for more than a decade.
With the of the African film festival FESPACO in Burkina Faso in 1969, African film created its own forum. FESPACO now takes place every two years in alternation with the film festival Carthago in (Tunisia)
The Federation of African Filmmakers (FEPACI) was formed in 1969 in order to focus attention on the promotion of African film industries in terms of production, distribution and exhibition. From its inception, FEPACI was seen as a critical partner organization to the OAU, now the AU. FEPACI looks at the role of film in the politico-economic and cultural development of African states and the continent as a whole.
Med Hondo's Soleil O, shot in 1969, was immediately recognized. No less politically engaged then Sembène, he chose a more controversial filmic language to show what it means to be a stranger in France with the 'wrong' skin colour.
Souleymane Cissé's Yeelen (Mali 1987) and Cheick Oumar Sissoko's Guimba (Mali 1995) were well received in the west. Some critics criticized the filmmakers for adapting to the exotic tastes of western audiences
Many films of the 1990s, e.g. Quartier Mozart by Jean-Pierre Bekolo (Cameroon 1992), are situated in the globalized African metropolis.
A first African Film Summit took place in South Africa in 2006. It was followed by FEPACI 9th Congress.
PRODUCTION AND RECEPTION
African film makers often have difficulty accessing African audiences. The commercial cinemas in Africa often have to book blindly and show primarily Hollywood or Bollywood films. However, there are still limited venues where African audiences have access to African films, e.g. at the Panafrican film festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Most African filmmakers still rely heavily on European institutions for financing and producing their films. A commercially viable video production has been set up in Nigeria, colloquially known as Nollywood.
MISSION
African cinema focuses on social and political themes rather than any commercial interests, and is an exploration of the conflicts between the traditional past and modern times. The political approach of African film makers is clearly evident in the Charte du cinéaste africain (Charta of the African cinéaste) which the union of African film makers FEPACI adopted in Algiers in 1975.
The filmmakers start by recalling the neocolonial condition of African societies. "The situation contemporary African societies live in is one in which they are dominated on several levels: politically, economically and culturally."[citation needed] African filmmakers stressed their solidarity with progressive filmmakers in other parts of the world. African cinema is often seen a part of Third Cinema.
Some African filmmakers, for example Ousmane Sembène, try to give back African history to African people by remembering the resistance to European and Islamic domination.
The role of the African filmmaker is often compared to traditional Griots. Like them their task is to express and reflect communal experiences. Patterns of African oral literature often recur in African films. African film has also been influenced by traditions from other continents such as Italian neorealism, Brazilian Cinema Novo and the theatre of Bertolt Brecht.
WOMEN DIRECTORS
Ethnologist and filmmaker Safi Faye was the first African woman film director to gain international recognition.
In 1972, Sarah Maldoror had shot her film Sambizanga about the 1961-1974 war in Angola. Surviving African women of this war are the subject of the Documentary Les oubliées (The forgotten), made by Anne-Laure Folly two hundred and twenty years later.
In 2008, Manouchka Kelly Labouba became the first woman to direct a fictional film in the history of Gabon. Her short film, Le Divorce, addresses the clash between modern and traditional values and its impact on a young Gabonese couple’s attempt to divorce.
DIRECTORS BY COUNTRY
* Burkina Faso: Idrissa Ouedraogo, Gaston Kaboré, Dani Kouyaté, Fanta Régina Nacro, Pierre Yameogo
* Cameroon: Jean-Pierre Bekolo
* Chad: Issa Serge Coelo, Mahamat Saleh Haroun
* Côte d'Ivoire: Desiré Ecaré
* Egypt: Salah Abu Seif, Youssef Chahine, Yousry Nasrallah, Ezzel Dine Zulficar, Sherif Arafa, Khaled Youssef, Marwan Hamed, Mohamed Khan, Shady Abdel Salam, Khairy Beshara, Samir Seif
* Ethiopia: Haile Gerima
* Gabon: Imunga Ivanga
* Ghana: Kwaw Ansah
* Guinea: Mohamed Camara
* Guinea-Bissau: Flora Gomes
* Kenya: Wanuri Kahiu
* Mali: Souleymane Cissé, Cheick Oumar Sissoko, Abdoulaye Ascofare, Adama Drabo, Manthia Diawara
* Mauritania: Med Hondo, Abderrahmane Sissako
* Niger: Oumarou Ganda
* Nigeria: Ola Balogun, Izu Ojukwu
* Rwanda: Eric Kabera
* Senegal: Ousmane Sembène, Djibril Diop Mambéty, Safi Faye, Ben Diogaye Beye, Mansour Sora Wade
* Sudan: Gadalla Gubara
* South Africa: Lionel Ngakane, Gavin Hood, Zola Maseko
* Zimbabwe: M.K. Asante, Jr.
ACTING
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play. Most early sources in the West that examine the art of acting (Ancient Greek: hypokrisis) discuss it as part of rhetoric.[1]
Acting requires a wide-range of skills, including vocal projection, clarity of speech, physical expressivity, emotional facility, a well-developed imagination, and the ability to interpret drama. Acting also often demands an ability to employ dialects, accents and body language, improvisation, observation and emulation, mime, and stage combat. Many actors train at length in special programs or colleges to develop these skills, and today the vast majority of professional actors have undergone extensive training. Even though one actor may have years of training, they always strive for more lessons, this is because the cinematic and theatrical world is always changing and because of this, the actor MUST stay as up to date as possible. Actors and actresses will often have many instructors and teachers for a full range of training involving but not limited to; singing, scene-work, monologue techniques, audition techniques, and partner work.
Training may also start at a very young age. Acting classes and professional schools targeted at the under-eighteen crowd are offered in many locations. These classes introduce young actors to different aspects of acting and theatre from scene study to musical theatre.
Definition and history
One of the first actors is believed to be an ancient Greek called Thespis of Icaria. An apocryphal story says that Thespis stepped out of the dithyrambic chorus and spoke to them as a separate character. Before Thespis, the chorus narrated (for example, "Dionysus did this, Dionysus said that"). When Thespis stepped out from the chorus, he spoke as if he was the character (for example, "I am Dionysus. I did this"). From Thespis' name derives the word thespian.Acting requires a wide-range of skills, including vocal projection, clarity of speech, physical expressivity, emotional facility, a well-developed imagination, and the ability to interpret drama. Acting also often demands an ability to employ dialects, accents and body language, improvisation, observation and emulation, mime, and stage combat. Many actors train at length in special programs or colleges to develop these skills, and today the vast majority of professional actors have undergone extensive training. Even though one actor may have years of training, they always strive for more lessons, this is because the cinematic and theatrical world is always changing and because of this, the actor MUST stay as up to date as possible. Actors and actresses will often have many instructors and teachers for a full range of training involving but not limited to; singing, scene-work, monologue techniques, audition techniques, and partner work.
Professional actors
Further information: Actor and Drama school
Not all people working as actors in film, television or theatre are professionally trained. Conservatories typically offer two to four year training on all aspects of acting. Universities will offer three to four year programs, where a student is often able to choose to focus on acting, while still learning about other aspects of theatre. Schools will vary in their approach, but in North America the most popular method taught derives from the 'system' of Constantin Stanislavski, which was developed and popularized in America by Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, and others. Other approaches may include a more physical approach, following the teachings of Jerzy Grotowski and others, or may be based on the training developed by other theatre practitioners including Sanford Meisner. Other classes may include mask work, improvisation, and acting for the camera. Regardless of a school's approach, students should expect intensive training in textual interpretation, voice and movement. Although there are some teachers who will encourage the improvisation as technique in order to free the actor of limitations in rehearsal. Harold Guskin's approach or "taking it off the page" as he calls it is steeped in this philosophy. Applications to drama programs and conservatories are through auditions in the United States. Anybody over the age of 18 can usually apply to drama school.Training may also start at a very young age. Acting classes and professional schools targeted at the under-eighteen crowd are offered in many locations. These classes introduce young actors to different aspects of acting and theatre from scene study to musical theatre.
References
- ^ Csapo and Slater (1994, 257); hypokrisis, which literally means "acting," was the word used in discussions of rhetorical delivery.
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