THE GHANAIAN MOVIE INDUSTRY NEEDS REBRANDING
I have keenly watched the kind of messages that are portrayed in most Ghanaian movies especially the Twi versions. From witchcraft, poverty, rural-urban migration, etc and in my opinion, it is very appalling.
Now, from what I gathered in my Media and Society lectures last semester, it is that the media rebrands and reproduces the realities of the society they find themselves in and the movie industry is no exception to the media. So, is it that there is nothing good about Ghana that the Ghanaian movie industry can exhibit in their movies instead of portraying these horrifying images of the country?
Granted that some of the movies contain some good things, there is too much the negative in the movies that are produced for us to watch.
Clearly, lessons are learnt from movies. What lessons exactly do Ghanaian movies portray, that the old women in our society are witches, that rural-urban migration should be encouraged or that there is nothing good about staying in these villages? Sometimes the movies are moral stories to serve as lessons to the society but should that be the only focus of our movie industry?
I don’t want to believe that the Ghanaian movie industry is bereft of ideas. But could it be that they are not getting the necessary support to improve, sustain and maintain the industry? In any case, who exactly should be their support base?
In terms of support, I must register my displeasure at the way Indian movie series is now taking over on Ghanaian television. In fact they are advertised all over before they are even shown. Kumkum Bhagya has been showing on Adom TV for God knows how long. United Television (UTV), Ghana Television (GTV), etc, and even the latest television station, Citi TV are all showing Indian series and other foreign series. It is good to have a variety for your audience to stick with you, but when the variety is almost taking over, constraint must be exercised.
Yes, Ghanaian movies are shown on television but how often are they advertised to give it the necessary attention? If the television stations also feel that the movie industry is not producing the right content, their entertainment departments should team up with the movie industry to change the face of the industry.
The movie industry can actually be used to promote our tourism industry. Ghana is blessed with so many tourist sites that can fetch this country so much wealth but we are not giving the tourism industry the necessary attention.
The tourism industry which includes the tourism ministry can team up with the movie industry and have them base their film production in terms of their storyline on our tourist reserves. This will give the tourism industry a wide coverage hence the popularity it needs to flourish. This popularity will not only boost tourism but may actually attract some people to willingly develop our tourist sites.
Ghana has a very rich culture that can be promoted through the movie industry. Instead of portraying that our aged men and women are full of witchcraft, we can use that medium to promote our rich culture. Our various rich festivals like Aboakyire, Hogbetsotso, etc, our food, dressing, language and so many other elements of our culture can be highlighted through our movies.
Agreed, the storytelling must be balanced. So the good, the bad, and the ugly all need telling but even if one was to overshadow the others, it must be the good.
The movie industry can also be used as a medium to preach that indiscriminate selling and littering of the environment are not good. The industry can also be used to preach against rural-urban migration instead of encouraging it and in the same vein call on the various governments and agencies to develop the various villages in Ghana.
Indeed, the movie industry forms a major segment of the entire entertainment industry but strong education can be channelled through it. There are a number of things that need changing in our various communities which can be done advocated in the movies.
If people are calling their mothers witches because movies are portraying old women as witches, then definitely, we can advocate for something far better through the same movies.
A better Ghana we all want, let us change the way we do things and be responsible.
YUSSIF AHMED
ahmed.yussiph@gmail.com
Now, from what I gathered in my Media and Society lectures last semester, it is that the media rebrands and reproduces the realities of the society they find themselves in and the movie industry is no exception to the media. So, is it that there is nothing good about Ghana that the Ghanaian movie industry can exhibit in their movies instead of portraying these horrifying images of the country?
Granted that some of the movies contain some good things, there is too much the negative in the movies that are produced for us to watch.
Clearly, lessons are learnt from movies. What lessons exactly do Ghanaian movies portray, that the old women in our society are witches, that rural-urban migration should be encouraged or that there is nothing good about staying in these villages? Sometimes the movies are moral stories to serve as lessons to the society but should that be the only focus of our movie industry?
I don’t want to believe that the Ghanaian movie industry is bereft of ideas. But could it be that they are not getting the necessary support to improve, sustain and maintain the industry? In any case, who exactly should be their support base?
In terms of support, I must register my displeasure at the way Indian movie series is now taking over on Ghanaian television. In fact they are advertised all over before they are even shown. Kumkum Bhagya has been showing on Adom TV for God knows how long. United Television (UTV), Ghana Television (GTV), etc, and even the latest television station, Citi TV are all showing Indian series and other foreign series. It is good to have a variety for your audience to stick with you, but when the variety is almost taking over, constraint must be exercised.
Yes, Ghanaian movies are shown on television but how often are they advertised to give it the necessary attention? If the television stations also feel that the movie industry is not producing the right content, their entertainment departments should team up with the movie industry to change the face of the industry.
The movie industry can actually be used to promote our tourism industry. Ghana is blessed with so many tourist sites that can fetch this country so much wealth but we are not giving the tourism industry the necessary attention.
The tourism industry which includes the tourism ministry can team up with the movie industry and have them base their film production in terms of their storyline on our tourist reserves. This will give the tourism industry a wide coverage hence the popularity it needs to flourish. This popularity will not only boost tourism but may actually attract some people to willingly develop our tourist sites.
Ghana has a very rich culture that can be promoted through the movie industry. Instead of portraying that our aged men and women are full of witchcraft, we can use that medium to promote our rich culture. Our various rich festivals like Aboakyire, Hogbetsotso, etc, our food, dressing, language and so many other elements of our culture can be highlighted through our movies.
Agreed, the storytelling must be balanced. So the good, the bad, and the ugly all need telling but even if one was to overshadow the others, it must be the good.
The movie industry can also be used as a medium to preach that indiscriminate selling and littering of the environment are not good. The industry can also be used to preach against rural-urban migration instead of encouraging it and in the same vein call on the various governments and agencies to develop the various villages in Ghana.
Indeed, the movie industry forms a major segment of the entire entertainment industry but strong education can be channelled through it. There are a number of things that need changing in our various communities which can be done advocated in the movies.
If people are calling their mothers witches because movies are portraying old women as witches, then definitely, we can advocate for something far better through the same movies.
A better Ghana we all want, let us change the way we do things and be responsible.
YUSSIF AHMED
ahmed.yussiph@gmail.com
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